US-12617594-B2 - Mail packaging having expandable securing fixative platform panel

US12617594B2US 12617594 B2US12617594 B2US 12617594B2US-12617594-B2

Abstract

A container for containing at least one article. The container being formed from a blank having connected panels in a predetermined pattern that when erected can form at form an interior of the container. The container comprises an expandable slit pattern feature on the fixative platform panel for protecting the articles from breakage. The fixative platform panel further features one or more protuberances on a folded edge thereof for securing in an opening formed by a slot and protuberance notch in the second and third side panels of the container. The container further features one or more flaps having protrusion(s) on an outer edge of the blank for securing in one or more slots in the bottom panel of the container.

Inventors

Steven Michael Stack, JR.

Assignees

Hexpand Technologies LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240910

Claims (7)

1 . A container formed from a generally planar corrugate board material for containing at least one item, the container comprising: a blank of the corrugate board cut in a predetermined pattern of connected portions, said predetermined pattern comprising: a top panel having a pair of side support flaps with a protuberance notch and a wrap around end flap; a connective side panel having side support flaps with a protuberance notch, said connective side panel being foldably connected to said top panel; a bottom panel having one or more slots in said bottom panel, said bottom panel being foldably connected to said connective side panel, said bottom panel further being foldably connected to a second and third side panel having a slot, each of the second and third side panels having a flap configured with one or more protrusions, on an outer edge of the blank, said one or more protrusions being adapted to be secured to said one or more slots in said bottom panel when said flaps and said second and third side panels are folded inwardly to the container; and a fourth side panel being foldably connected to the bottom panel, said fourth side panel characterized by a fixative platform panel having an expandable slit pattern, said fixative platform panel comprising one or more side platform support flaps configured with one or more protuberances on an outer edge of the blank.
2 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising said one or more protuberances being adapted to be secured in said one or more slots in said bottom panel when one or more side platform support flaps are folded upwardly in the container.
3 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising one or more fixative platform panel can be added to the container, said one or more protuberances being adapted to be secured adjacent each of said protuberance notches within said one or more slots in said second and third side panels when said one or more platform support flaps are folded within the container.
4 . The container of claim 1 , wherein said wrap around end flap has one or more side tabs.
5 . The container of claim 1 , wherein said wrap around end flap has at least one adhesive portion.
6 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the fixative platform panel is foldably connected to by a perforated fold connection to said fourth side panel.
7 . The container of claim 1 , wherein said slit pattern is a Tessellation pattern configured to be expandable.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to a packaging article and the method of manufacture thereof, and more specifically to a container such as an economical mailer pack formed from a single panel of corrugated cardboard having a fixative panel with an expandable predetermined slit pattern for securing at least one item or object within the container by folding the fixative panel over the object thereby holding it and folding a top panel with wrap around end flap over the container with the object therein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional corrugated cardboard terminology uses corrugated board made from material consisting of one or more layers of fluted paper, usually referred to as medium, sandwiched between flat linerboard sheets to a panel having strength and cushioning properties. Conventional corrugated cardboard box designs and styles form a box blank consisting of a flat sheet of corrugated board that has been cut, scored and slotted to permit folding, and/or perforated, but not yet assembled. Cutting further provides for flaps that extend from the side and end panels form the top and bottom of the box with the two outer flaps are one-half the container's width to meet at the center of the box when folded; and the two outer flaps are one-half the container's width in order to meet at the center of the box when folded. A common box style is a regular slotted container (RSC) made from a single sheet of corrugated that has been scored and slotted to allow for folding. Flute direction may be perpendicular to the length of the sheet for top-opening RSCs, or parallel to the length of the sheet for end-opening RSCs. Some other designs include a manufacturer's joint where an area where the ends of a box blank are fastened together, usually with glue, tape, or staples; although, use of a manufacturer's joint has disadvantages for smaller boxes due to additional assembly, glue, tape, staples, or other materials increasing assembly time and the cost. Consequently, there is still a need for improvements in foldable containers formed from a flat blank to secure items from movement in shipment that overcome problems of material cost and manufacturing waste, ease of assembly, and recycling the packaging. The present invention is directed to jointless slotted containers and/or improvements to a container formed from a single panel of corrugated cardboard having an integral fixative platform panel with an expandable slit pattern adapted to hold an object in predetermined cut pattern in a predetermined slit pattern configured to expand and hold an object in a foldable mailing box. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a container for containing at least one article having at least one side panel having a fixative platform panel fold ably connected to the container. Another aspect of the disclosure is generally directed to a flat blank for forming a container for containing at least one article having a fixative platform panel foldably connected to the container. In addition, another aspect of the disclosure is generally direct to a method of forming a container in a predetermined pattern by making cuts, slots, scoring, and perforations in the flat blank using packaging machinery for a blank comprising at least one side panel having fixative platform panel foldably connected to the container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like numerals describe like components throughout the several views. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description, which is to be read in association with the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, show certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein, and, together with the description, help explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed implementations, wherein: FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank for forming a container according to a first embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective views of the partially assembled container thereof; FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the partially assembled container FIG. 2 with articles added to the partially assembled container; FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the fixative platform panel of the container further assembled; FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the fixative platform panel as further assembled expanding over the object; FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the fixative platform panel secured in the container as further assembled; FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing folding the top panel side support flap as further assembled; FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but the showing the wrap around end flap as f