Knockdown container

Claim 2

In a collapsible, reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end, and top and bottom panels, and unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half of the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, and wherein all of the said panels are of the same size and configuration.

Claim 3

A container in accordance with claim 1 wherein said recess portion on each peripheral edge of the respective panel has a depth which substantially equals the thickness dimension of the adjacent panel, said tab portions on each panel being received in the recess portions of the adjacent panels.

Claim 4

A container in accordance with claim 1 including securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together.

Claim 5

A container in accordance with claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises pressure-sensitive tape sections.

Claim 6

A container in accordance with claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises relatively short pressure-sensitive tape sections extending about the edge portions Of the container and engaging paired panels, said tape sections extending generally perpendicular to the respective edge portions.

Claim 7

A container in accordance with claim 5 wherein said tape sections are disposed generally centrally of the respective edge portions.

Claim 8

A container in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said top and bottom panels comprises bracket means thereon extending outwardly from the plane thereof, said bracket means being adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent side and end panels.

Claim 9

A container in accordance with claim 7 wherein said bracket means comprises brackets secured to the corner portions of said one panel and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom in planes disposed approximately 90 degrees with respect to one another.

Claim 10

A container in accordance with claim 7 wherein said bracket means comprises brackets fastened to said one panel so as to be disposed generally centrally of the respective peripheral edge portion thereof, and extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from the plane of said one panel.

Claim 11

In a collapsible reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end and top and bottom panels, and unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, bracket means on at least one of said top and bottom panels adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent end and side panels in the assembled condition of the container, said bracket means comprising brackets projecting outwardly generally perpendicularly from the plane of the respective mounting panel, each of said edge portions having a bracket associated therewith disposed in coacting relation with the respective recess portion, said bracket being spaced outwardly from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of the respective mounting panel and receiving in snug abutting relation between said bracket and said confronting face an adjacent end or side panel, securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together, and wherein said bracket means extends generally perpendicularly outwardly from the plane of said one panel a sufficient distance to encompass the panels of said container when the panels are in knocked-down vertically stacked condition, with the panels being adapted to be received within the confines of the bracket means in said stacked condition of said panels.

Claim 12

In a collapsible reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end and top and bottom panels, and unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, bracket means on at least one of said top and bottom panels adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent end and side panels in the assembled condition of the container, said bracket means comprising brackets projecting outwardly generally perpendicularly from the plane of the respective mounting panel, each of said edge portions having a bracket associated therewith disposed in coacting relation with the respective recess portion, said bracket being spaced outwardly from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of the respective mounting panel and receiving in snug abutting relation between said bracket and said confronting face an adjacent end or side panel, securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together, and wherein said bracket means extends generally perpendicularly outwardly from the plane of said one panel a sufficient distance to encompass the panels of said container when the panels are in knocked-down vertically stacked condition, with the panels being adapted to be received within the confines of the bracket means in said stacked condition of said panels.

Claim 13

A container in accordance with claim 10 wherein said bracket means comprises brackets on both the top and bottom panels.

Claim 14

In a collapsible reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end and top and bottom panels, and unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, bracket means on both said top and bottom panels adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent end and side panels in the assembled condition of the container, said bracket means comprising brackets projecting outwardly geNerally perpendicularly from the plane of the respective mounting panel, each of said edge portions having a bracket associated therewith disposed in coacting relation to the respective recess portion, said bracket being spaced outwardly from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of the respective mounting panel and receiving in snug abutting relation between said bracket and said confronting face an adjacent end or side panel, securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together, said brackets on one of said top and bottom panels are disposed in confronting relation with the brackets on the other of said top and bottom panels in the knocked-down vertically stacked condition of said panels, said brackets extending outwardly from the plane of the respective panel a sufficient distance so that in conjunction with the brackets on the other panel, all of the panels of said container will be encompassed by said brackets in the knocked-down vertically stacked condition of said panels.

Claim 15

In a collapsible reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end and top and bottom panels, and unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, bracket means on both said top and bottom panels adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent end and side panels in the assembled condition of the container, said bracket means comprising brackets projecting outwardly geNerally perpendicularly from the plane of the respective mounting panel, each of said edge portions having a bracket associated therewith disposed in coacting relation to the respective recess portion, said bracket being spaced outwardly from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of the respective mounting panel and receiving in snug abutting relation between said bracket and said confronting face an adjacent end or side panel, securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together, said brackets on one of said top and bottom panels are disposed in confronting relation with the brackets on the other of said top and bottom panels in the knocked-down vertically stacked condition of said panels, said brackets extending outwardly from the plane of the respective panel a sufficient distance so that in conjunction with the brackets on the other panel, all of the panels of said container will be encompassed by said brackets in the knocked-down vertically stacked condition of said panels.

Claim 16

In a collapsible reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end and top and bottom panels, unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container for rigidifying the latter, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, said recess portion on each peripheral edge of the respective panel having a depth which substantially equals the thickness dimension of the adjacent panel, said tab portions on each panel being received in the recessed portions of the adjacent panels, bracket means on at least one of said top and bottom panels extending generally perpendicularly outwardly therefrom from the plane of the respective panel and adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent end and side panels in the assembled condition of said container, said bracket means comprising triplanar brackets secured to each corner portion of said one panel and comprising sections extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from the mounting panel in planes disposed approximately 90* with respect to one another, one of said sections of each of said triplanar brackets being disposed in coacting relation with the respective recess portion, each said one bracket section being spaced from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of the respective mounting panel and with the other bracket section of the respective bracket engaging the confronting tab portion of the respective panel, said one bracket section receiving in snug abutting relation between said one bracket section and said confronting face an adjacent end or side panel, securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together, said bracket means including biplanar brackets on the periphery of the other panel of said top and bottom panels which is disposed opposite to said one mounting panel in the assembled condition of said container, said biplanar brackets extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from the plane of said other panel and being secured to the latter, each of said biplanar brackets coacting with a respective edge portion of said other panel and being spaced from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of said other panel, each of said biplanar brackets receiving in snug abutting relation between the biplanar bracket and said confronting face of the respective recess portion a tab portion of an adjacent end or siDe panel, and wherein the interior height of each of said triplanar corner and biplanar brackets is of substantially the same dimension, and being such so as to encompass all six panels of a stacked knocked-down package assembly of panels, with said bottom panel and said top panel being the bottom and top panels in the stacked assembly, with said brackets being secured to respective of said top and said bottom panels.

Claim 17

In a collapsible reusable container for shipping, storage and the like comprising separate defining side, end and top and bottom panels, unitary means on the periphery of each of said panels for interlocking coaction with said means on the adjacent panels in the assembled condition of said container for rigidifying the latter, said means comprising a peripheral recess portion on each edge portion of each panel extending lengthwise along said edge portion a distance of approximately one-half the corresponding dimension of said panel, said recess portion partially defining a peripheral tab portion on the respective edge portion extending for the remainder of the distance of extension of said edge portion, said recess portion on each peripheral edge of the respective panel having a depth which substantially equals the thickness dimension of the adjacent panel, said tab portions on each panel being received in the recessed portions of the adjacent panels, bracket means on at least one of said top and bottom panels extending generally perpendicularly outwardly therefrom from the plane of the respective panel and adapted to engage in retaining relation the adjacent end and side panels in the assembled condition of said container, said bracket means comprising triplanar brackets secured to each corner portion of said one panel and comprising sections extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from the mounting panel in planes disposed approximately 90* with respect to one another, one of said sections of each of said triplanar brackets being disposed in coacting relation with the respective recess portion, each said one bracket section being spaced from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of the respective mounting panel and with the other bracket section of the respective bracket engaging the confronting tab portion of the respective panel, said one bracket section receiving in snug abutting relation between said one bracket section and said confronting face an adjacent end or side panel, securing means extending between the panels and tying the latter together, said bracket means including biplanar brackets on the periphery of the other panel of said top and bottom panels which is disposed opposite to said one mounting panel in the assembled condition of said container, said biplanar brackets extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from the plane of said other panel and being secured to the latter, each of said biplanar brackets coacting with a respective edge portion of said other panel and being spaced from the confronting face of the respective recess portion a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of said other panel, each of said biplanar brackets receiving in snug abutting relation between the biplanar bracket and said confronting face of the respective recess portion a tab portion of an adjacent end or siDe panel, and wherein the interior height of each of said triplanar corner and biplanar brackets is of substantially the same dimension, and being such so as to encompass all six panels of a stacked knocked-down package assembly of panels, with said bottom panel and said top panel being the bottom and top panels in the stacked assembly, with said brackets being secured to respective of said top and said bottom panels.