HAND FOLD TRAYS

BACKGROUND

1. Field

[0001]The present invention relates to a carton, to a blank, a method for forming the carton, and more particularly to a carton formed from a blank having a first side and a second side, the first side defining the interior surface of the carton's bottom wall and the interior facing surfaces and the exterior facing surfaces of the carton's side walls where the first side includes a marking and the second side does not.

2. Description of Related Art

[0002]Reusable plastic crates (RPCs) are widely-used in the grocery industry for transporting, storing, and distributing foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Advantages of RPCs include a stackable interlocking design, a “display ready” design that can significantly reduce stocking time, and a foldable design that reduces storage space and transport costs by allowing the containers to be folded when not in use. Disadvantages of RPCs include the risk of loss/theft and a relatively high cost resulting from the need to wash and sanitize the RPCs after each use and transport them to a specialized facility for that purpose.

[0003]Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a carton configuration having the stackability and branding opportunities of an RPC but at the same time being economically viable. The present disclosure may provide a solution for at least one of these remaining challenges.

SUMMARY

[0004]A carton for storage and display of articles includes a bottom wall of a blank, a first side wall foldably connected to the bottom wall, a second side wall disposed opposite the first side wall and foldably connected to the bottom wall, a first end wall foldably connected to both the bottom wall and to the first and second side walls, and a second end wall disposed opposite the first end wall and foldably connected to both the bottom wall and to the first and second side walls. Each of the bottom wall, the first and second side walls, and the first and second end walls are configured to partially define an interior space. One side of the blank defines a continuous surface partially defined by an interior-facing surface of the first side wall, an interior-facing surface of the second side wall, and an exterior-facing surface of the first side wall, an exterior-facing surface of the second side wall.

[0005]The continuous surface can be partially defined by an interior-facing surface of the bottom wall. The first end wall can include a first end panel connected along a fold line to the bottom wall, and a first end flap connected along a fold line to the first end panel. An exterior-facing portion of the first end panel can be defined by a surface opposite the continuous surface. An interior-facing portion of the first end flap can be defined by the surface opposite the continuous surface. End wall flaps of the first and second side wall can be layered between the first end panel and the first end flap. One or more locking tabs can extend from an end of the first end flap, wherein the one or more locking tabs is engaged in one or more respective locking slots in the bottom wall.

[0006]The continuous surface can be partially defined by an exterior-facing surface of the bottom wall. The first end wall can include a first end panel connected along a fold line to the bottom wall, and a first end flap connected along a fold line to the first end panel. An exterior-facing portion of the first end panel can be defined by the continuous surface, and wherein an interior-facing portion of the first end flap is defined by the continuous surface.

[0007]End wall flaps of the first and second side wall can be layered between the first end panel and the first end flap. One or more locking tabs can extend from an end of the first end flap, wherein the one or more locking tabs is engaged in one or more respective locking slots in the bottom wall.

[0008]A first corner wall can be foldably connected to the first side wall, and to the first end wall. A second corner wall can be foldably connected to the first end wall, and to the second side wall. A third corner wall can be foldably connected to the second side wall, and to the second end wall. A fourth corner wall can be foldably connected to the second end wall, and to the first side wall. The continuous surface can further include an interior-facing surface of the first corner wall, an interior-facing surface of the second corner wall, an interior-facing surface of the third corner wall, and an interior-facing surface of the fourth corner wall. The continuous surface can further include an exterior-facing surface of the first corner wall, an exterior-facing surface of the second corner wall, an exterior-facing surface of the third corner wall, and an exterior-facing surface of the fourth corner wall.

[0009]The continuous surface can be a treated surface and a second surface, opposite the continuous surface is an untreated surface. The treated surface can include one or more surface treatments. The untreated surface need not include the one or more surface treatments.

[0010]A blank for forming a carton includes a first surface, a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, a plurality of panel and flaps configured to form a carton defining a bottom wall, a first side wall foldably connected to the bottom wall, a second side wall disposed opposite the first side wall and foldably connected to the bottom wall, a first end wall foldably connected to the bottom wall, a second end wall disposed opposite the first end wall and foldably connected to the bottom wall. Each of the bottom wall, the first and second side walls, and the first and second end walls are configured to partially define an interior space. The first surface is configured to be at least partially defined by an interior-facing surface of the bottom wall, an interior-facing surface of the first side wall, an interior-facing surface of the second side wall, an interior-facing surface of the first end wall, an interior-facing surface of the second end wall, an exterior-facing surface of the first side wall, an exterior-facing surface of the second side wall, an exterior-facing surface of the first end wall, and an exterior-facing surface of the second end wall in a carton formed from the blank.

[0011]The plurality of flaps can include a first side wall panel foldably connected to a bottom panel, and a first side flap foldably connected to the first side wall panel, wherein each of the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel include respective laterally extending corner panels foldably connected thereto. Each of the respective laterally extending corner panels can include a respective end panel foldably connected thereto.

[0012]A method of forming a carton includes starting with a flat blank with a first treated surface on one side and a second surface on an opposite side from the first treated surface, manually forming a container from the flat blank. Manually forming the container includes folding a first side wall panel upward along a fold line connecting the first side wall panel to a bottom panel, folding a second side wall panel downward along a fold line connecting the second side wall panel to the first side wall panel to form a first side wall with an interior-facing surface of the first side wall and an exterior facing surface of the first side wall both formed of the first treated surface, folding a lateral end flap of at least one of the first side wall panel and/or second side wall panel to form a portion of a first end wall, and folding a first end panel along a fold line connecting the first end panel to the bottom panel and folding a first end flap along a fold line connecting the first end flap to the first end panel to enclose the lateral end flap between the first end panel and the first end flap. The method includes securing the first end flap to the bottom panel to form the first end wall.

[0013]Manually forming the container from the blank can include forming the bottom panel into a bottom wall of the container wherein the first treated surface is on an inward facing surface of the bottom wall. Inward and outward facing surfaces of the first end wall can be formed of the second surface of the blank.

[0014]Manually forming the container from the blank can include forming the bottom panel into a bottom wall of the container wherein the second surface is on an inward facing surface of the bottom wall. Inward and outward facing surfaces of the first end wall can be formed of the first treated surface.

[0015]These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a container constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the interior and exterior facing surfaces of the first and second sidewalls formed from a first surface of the blank;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank for forming the container of FIG. 1;

[0019]FIGS. 3-5 are schematic perspective views of the blank of FIG. 2, schematically indicating folding of the blank to form the container of FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a container constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the interior and exterior facing surfaces of the first and second sidewalls formed from a first surface of the blank and the interior and exterior surfaces of the end walls are formed of a second surface of the blank;

[0021]FIG. 7 is a plan view of the blank for forming the container of FIG. 6; and

[0022]FIGS. 8-10 are schematic perspective views of the blank of FIG. 7, schematically indicating folding of the blank to form the container of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023]Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a container or carton in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIGS. 2-10, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to manually form containers from blanks, wherein a single surface of the blank forms interior and exterior facing surfaces of certain walls of the container.

[0024]The carton 100 for storage and display of articles such as produce or the like, includes a bottom wall 102 corresponding to a bottom panel 104 of a blank 101 (shown in FIG. 2). A first side wall 106 is foldably connected to the bottom wall 102 along a fold line 110 (labeled in FIG. 2). A second side wall 108 is disposed opposite the first side wall 106 and is foldably connected to the bottom wall 102 along a fold line 112. A first end wall 114 is foldably connected to both the bottom wall 102 along fold line 118 and to the first and second side walls 106, 108 along fold lines 120. A second end wall 122 is disposed opposite the first end wall 116 and is foldably connected to both the bottom wall 102 along a fold line 124 and to the first and second side walls 106, 108 along fold lines 126.

[0025]Each of the bottom wall 102, the first and second side walls 106, 108, and the first and second end walls 116, 122 are configured to partially define an interior space 128. One side of the blank 101 (shown in FIG. 2) for forming the container 100 in FIG. 1 defines a continuous surface 130 partially defined by an interior-facing surface of the first side wall 106, an interior-facing surface of the second side wall 108, an exterior-facing surface of the first side wall 106, an exterior-facing surface of the second side wall 108. The exterior-facing surfaces of the first and second end walls 116, 122 are shaded in FIG. 1 because they are formed of the opposite surface 132 of the blank 101 from the continuous surface 130, i.e. the opposite surface 132 is the face not shown in FIG. 2, but indicated with a broken lead line. All parts of the continuous surface 130 are connected to the whole of that surface by fold lines, score lines, perforations, or the like. The continuous surface 130 is not shaded in FIG. 1, and the opposite surface 132 is shaded. The continuous surface 130 can be a treated surface and the opposite surface 132, can be an untreated surface, i.e. the surface 130 can include at least some treatment that the opposite surface 132 does not include the one or more surface treatments, e.g. wherein the one or more surface treatments comprises printing, coloring, or the like.

[0026]The first side wall 106 defines at least one first stacking tab 134 that projects from an upper edge of the first side wall 106 (as oriented in FIG. 1). The second side wall 108 similarly defines at least one second stacking tab 134 that projects from an upper edge of the second side wall 108 as oriented in FIG. 1. Each of the folding tabs 134 is formed of two folding tab portions of the blank 101 of FIG. 2, wherein the two portions are folded back onto the opposite surface 132. The carton 100 defines at least one first side aperture 136 below the stacking tab(s) 134, the defined in part by both the bottom wall 102 and the respective side wall 106, 108. Each side aperture 136 can be defined in part by both the bottom wall 102 and a respective one of the side walls 106, 108. Each side aperture 136 is configured to receive a respective stacking tab 134 of a second carton 100 for stacking of multiple cartons 100.

[0027]The first end wall 116 includes a first end panel 138 connected along a fold line 118 to the bottom wall/panel 102, 104. The first end panels 138 of both end walls 116, 122 are labeled in FIG. 2. A first end flap 140 is connected along a fold line 142 to the first end panel 138 in each of the end walls 116, 122, wherein both end flaps 140 of the end walls 116, 122 are labeled in FIG. 2. In the carton 100, an exterior-facing portion of the first end panel 138 in each end wall 116, 122 is defined by a the opposite surface 132. An interior-facing portion of each end flap 140 is also defined by the opposite surface 132. End wall flaps 142 at each end of the first and second side walls 106, 108 are layered between the end panel 138 and the end flap 140 of each end wall 116, 122. One or more locking tabs 144 (labeled in FIG. 2) extend from an end of each end flap 144, wherein each locking tab is engaged in a respective locking slot 146 (labeled in FIG. 2) in the bottom wall/panel 102, 104 for manually forming the carton 100 from the blank 101, e.g. locking the carton as shown in FIG. 1 without the need for adhesive.

[0028]A first corner wall 146 is foldably connected to the first side wall 106 and to the first end wall 116 along a pair of the fold lines 120. A second corner wall 148 is foldably connected to the first end wall 116, and to the second side wall 108 along a pair of the fold lines 120. A third corner wall 150 is foldably connected to the second side wall 108, and to the second end wall 122 along a pair of the fold lines 120. A fourth corner wall 152 is foldably connected to the second end wall 122, and to the first side wall 106 along a pair of the fold lines 120. This gives a perimeter of the container 100 defined by the first sidewall 106, second sidewall 108, first end wall 116, second end wall 112, and the corner walls 146, 148, 150, 152 an octagonal shape. The continuous surface 130 includes the interior-facing and exterior facing surfaces the corner wall 146, 148, 150, 152. Each of the corner walls 146 is formed of a pair of corner panels 154 labeled in FIG. 2, between two respective fold lines 120.

[0029]Each of the first and second side walls 106, 108 is formed of back to back first and second side wall panels 156, 158 (labeled in FIG. 2) foldably connected to one another along a respective fold line 160, wherein each first side wall panel 156 is foldably connected to the bottom wall/panel 102/104 along a fold line 112. A first side flap 142 is foldably connected to the each of the first and second wall panels 156, 158, along a fold line 120 wherein each of the side flaps 142 is connected to a respective one of the first and second side wall panels 156, 158 by way of a respective corner panel 154 and fold lines 120. The corner panels 154 and side flaps 142 extend laterally from their respective side wall panels 156, 158 with a slightly oblique convergence angle θ, labeled in FIG. 2 for one of the corresponding pairs of the side flaps 142, relative to the respective fold lines 160, 112 to facilitate forming the container 100 and to assist with stacking tab alignment as described above with reference to stacking tabs 134.

[0030]Referring now to FIG. 3, a method of forming the carton 100 includes starting with a flat blank as shown in FIG. 2, with the first treated, continuous surface 132 on one side, e.g. facing upward as oriented in FIG. 3. This process can be performed manually, forming a container 100 from the flat blank 101 of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the a first side wall panels 156 are folded upward as oriented in FIG. 3 along the fold lines 112. And the second side wall panels 158 are folded downward along the fold line 160 to form the side walls 106, 108 shown in FIG. 1. The folding of the first and second side wall panels 158 is indicated in FIG. 3 by the large arrows labeled with reference character 1. As shown in FIG. 4, with the side walls 106, 108 formed, the corner panels 154 and lateral end flaps 142 can be folded along the fold lines 120 (labeled in FIG. 2), as indicated by the curved arrows labeled with reference character 2 to form inner portions of the end walls 116, 122. As shown in FIG. 5, with the inner portions of the end walls 116, 122 formed, each of the end panels 138 can be folded upward as oriented in FIG. 5 along the fold lines 118 and the end flaps 140 can be folded downward over the end flaps 142 along a doubled fold line 162 connecting the first end flaps 142 to their respective first end panels 138 to enclose the lateral end flaps 142 between the respective first end panel 138 and the first end flap 148. This includes securing the end flaps 140 to the bottom panel/wall 104/102, e.g. using the tabs 144 in the slots 146, to form the end walls 116, 122 and lock the container 100 in the erected state of FIG. 1. This results in the bottom panel 104 of the blank 101 forming the bottom wall 102 of the container 100 wherein the treated surface 130 is on an inward facing surface of the bottom wall 102. This also results in the inward and outward facing surfaces of the end walls 116, 122 being formed of the opposite surface 132 of the blank 101.

[0031]With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, another configuration of the blank 101 and container 100 are shown, similar on other aspects to the blank 101 and container 100 of FIGS. 1-2. However, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the continuous surface 130 is partially defined by an exterior-facing surface of the bottom wall 102, i.e. the interior facing surface of the bottom wall 102 is formed of the opposite surface 132, i.e. the non-treated surface. Also, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first end walls 116, 122 in this configuration include exterior-facing and interior facing surfaces defined by the continuous surface 130. Manually forming the container 100 from the blank 101 in FIGS. 6-7 is shown in FIGS. 8-10. This includes starting with the opposite (e.g. untreated) surface 132 facing upward as in FIG. 8, so the bottom panel 104 of the blank 101 ultimately forms into the bottom wall 102 of the container 101 with the surface 132 facing inward. The side walls are formed by folding side panels 156 upward along the fold lines 112 as oriented in FIG. 8, and then folding the side panels 158 inward along fold lines 160 as indicated by the curved arrows and reference characters 1 in FIG. 8. Then the end flaps 142 can be folded inward as indicated in FIG. 9 by the rounded arrows and reference character 2, as described above with reference to FIG. 4. Finally, the inward and outward facing surfaces of the end walls 116, 122 are formed of the first treated surface 130 by folding the end panels 138 upward along the fold lines 118, 124, and folding the end panels 140 inward over the end flaps 142 along the double fold lines 162 to lock the tabs 144 in the slots 146 much as described above with respect to FIG. 5.

[0032]The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for manually forming containers from blanks, wherein a single surface of the blank forms interior and exterior facing surfaces of certain walls of the container. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.