US RE49,894 E1
Crush-tolerant container and blank and method for forming the same
David G. Couture, Hoschton, GA (US); Timothy L. McCarthy, Wilmette, IL (US); and Victoria Bernstein, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to WestRock Shared Services, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by WestRock Shared Services, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/675,981.
Application 17/675,981 is a reissue of application No. 15/428,770, filed on Feb. 9, 2017, granted, now 10,882,657, issued on Jan. 5, 2021.
Int. Cl. B65D 5/44 (2006.01); B31B 50/26 (2017.01); B65D 5/00 (2006.01); B65D 5/02 (2006.01); B65D 5/42 (2006.01); B31B 50/62 (2017.01); B31B 50/81 (2017.01); B31B 100/00 (2017.01); B31B 120/00 (2017.01)
CPC B65D 5/443 (2013.01) [B65D 5/001 (2013.01); B65D 5/02 (2013.01); B65D 5/4266 (2013.01); B31B 50/26 (2017.08); B31B 50/62 (2017.08); B31B 50/81 (2017.08); B31B 2100/00 (2017.08); B31B 2120/502 (2017.08)] 46 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A blank for constructing a crush-tolerant container, the blank comprising:
a plurality of panels coupled together in series along substantially parallel fold lines, the plurality of panels including a first side panel, a bottom panel, a second side panel, and a top panel [ , and a glue flap extending from the top panel] ; and
at least one cutout and at least one bridge portion positioned along a first fold line between the top panel and the first side panel [ the glue flap] ,
wherein the at least one bridge portion is configured to maintain the top panel in a plane spaced above a top edge of the first side panel when the container is formed and the top panel is not under a stacking load, and
wherein the at least one bridge portion and the at least one cutout are configured to allow the top panel to move downwardly such that at least a portion of the top panel is substantially co-planar with the top edge of the first side panel when the container is formed and the top panel is under the stacking load; wherein the blank further comprises a plurality of end flaps, the plurality of end flaps including:
a first major end flap extending from a first end edge of the first side panel; and
a first minor flap extending from an end edge of the top panel;
wherein the first minor flap and the first major end flap are configured to be in face-to-face relationship with one another in a set-up container;
wherein the at least one cutout includes a first side edge disposed in the first side panel [ glue flap ] and offset a distance from the first fold line, wherein the first major end flap includes a first side edge, and wherein the first side edge of the at least one cutout is [ configured to be ] substantially aligned with the first side edge of the first major end flap [ in a set-up container] .