Partition unit and method of making same

Claim 2

A die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising: a sheet of material divided by a pair of first fold lines into a central section of a first width and two side sections, each side section having a cutout side flap connected to its respective side section by a second fold line perpendicular to said pair of first fold lines and said side flaps extending from said second fold lines to their outer edges opposite said second fold lines in opposite directions a distance substantially equal to said first width, a tab extending from each of said side flaps at its outer edge and each side section being provided with a slot substantially aligned with the second fold line of the side flap of the opposite side section and spaced substantially the same distance from said central section as is the tab extending from said side flap of said opposite side section, whereby when said side sections are folded upwardly to a parallel relationship and said flaps are folded inwardly said flaps extend substantially across the entire central section from one side section to the other, said tabs being received within said slots.

Claim 3

The blank of claim 1, wherein said side flaps are in point symmetry with each other with respect to the center of said sheet.

Claim 4

A one piece die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising a plurality of the blanks of claim 1 integrally connected at their side sections in end to end relation along third fold lines generally parallel to said first fold line.

Claim 5

The blank of claim 3, wherein said cutout side flaps are offset from the center of their respective side sections in opposite directions.

Claim 6

The blank of claim 1, wherein said cutout side flaps are offset from the center of their respective side sections in opposite directions.

Claim 7

The blank of claim 5, wherein said side flaps are in point symmetry with each other with respect to the center of said sheet.

Claim 8

A die-cut blank for foliding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising: a sheet of material divided by a pair of first fold lines into a central section of a first width and two side sections, each side section having a cut out side flap connected to its respective side section by a second fold line perpendicular to said pair of first fold lines and said side flaps extending from said second fold lines to their outer edges opposite said second fold lines in opposite directions a distance substantially equal to said first width, whereby when said side sections are folded upwardly to a parallel relationship and said flaps are folded inwardly said flaps exTend substantially across the entire central section from one side section to the other, further comprising first and second wing portions extending from each of said side sections respectively and integrally connected thereto along a pair of third fold lines remote from and generally parallel to said central section, at least one of said wing portions defining a central wing section and two end sections connected to said central wing section by a pair of fourth fold lines extending in a direction perpendicular to said third fold lines to define wing flaps severed from said side sections and rotatable around said fourth fold lines, said wing flaps extending from said fourth fold lines a given distance to their outer edges.

Claim 9

A die-cut blank for foliding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising: a sheet of material divided by a pair of first fold lines into a central section of a first width and two side sections, each side section having a cut out side flap connected to its respective side section by a second fold line perpendicular to said pair of first fold lines and said side flaps extending from said second fold lines to their outer edges opposite said second fold lines in opposite directions a distance substantially equal to said first width, whereby when said side sections are folded upwardly to a parallel relationship and said flaps are folded inwardly said flaps exTend substantially across the entire central section from one side section to the other, further comprising first and second wing portions extending from each of said side sections respectively and integrally connected thereto along a pair of third fold lines remote from and generally parallel to said central section, at least one of said wing portions defining a central wing section and two end sections connected to said central wing section by a pair of fourth fold lines extending in a direction perpendicular to said third fold lines to define wing flaps severed from said side sections and rotatable around said fourth fold lines, said wing flaps extending from said fourth fold lines a given distance to their outer edges.

Claim 10

A die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising: a sheet of material divided by a pair of first fold lines into a central section of a first width and two side sections, each side section having a cut out side flap connected to its respective side section by a second fold line perpendicular to said pair of first fold lines and said side flaps extending from said second fold lines to their outer edges opposite said second fold lines in opposite directions a distance substantially equal to said first width, whereby when said side sections are folded upwardly to a parallel relationship and said flaps are folded inwardly said flaps extend substantially across the entire central section from one side section to the other, further comprising first and second wing portions extending from each of said side sections respectively and integrally connected thereto along a pair of third fold lines remote from and generally parallel to said central section, at least one of said wing portions defining a central wing section and two end sections connected to said central wing section by a pair of fourth fold lines extending in a direction perpendicular to said third fold lines to define wing flaps severed from said side sections and rotatable around said fourth fold lines, said wing flaps extending from said fourth fold lines a given distance to their outer edges.

Claim 11

A die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising: a sheet of material divided by a pair of first fold lines into a central section of a first width and two side sections, each side section having a cut out side flap connected to its respective side section by a second fold line perpendicular to said pair of first fold lines and said side flaps extending from said second fold lines to their outer edges opposite said second fold lines in opposite directions a distance substantially equal to said first width, whereby when said side sections are folded upwardly to a parallel relationship and said flaps are folded inwardly said flaps extend substantially across the entire central section from one side section to the other, further comprising first and second wing portions extending from each of said side sections respectively and integrally connected thereto along a pair of third fold lines remote from and generally parallel to said central section, at least one of said wing portions defining a central wing section and two end sections connected to said central wing section by a pair of fourth fold lines extending in a direction perpendicular to said third fold lines to define wing flaps severed from said side sections and rotatable around said fourth fold lines, said wing flaps extending from said fourth fold lines a given distance to their outer edges.

Claim 12

The blank of claim 7, wherein a tab extends from each of said side flaps at its outer edge and each side section has a slot substantially aligned with the second fold line of the side flap of the opposite side section and spaced substantially the same distance from said central section as is the tab extending from said side flap of said opposite side section.

Claim 13

The blank of claim 7, wherein a tab extends from each of said side flaps at its outer edge and each side section has a slot substantially aligned with the second fold line of the side flap of the opposite side section and spaced substantially the same distance from said central section as is the tab extending from said side flap of said opposite side section.

Claim 14

The blank of claim 8, comprising a wing portion extending from each of said side sections and integrally connected thereto along a pair of third fold lines remote from said central section, said wing portions defining a central wing section and two end sections connected to said central wing section by a pair of fourth fold lines extending in a direction perpendicular to said second fold lines, to define wing flaps severed from said side sections and rotatable around said fourth fold lines, said wing flaps extending from said fourth fold lines a given distance to their outer edges.

Claim 15

A one piece die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising a plurality of the blanks of claim 9 integrally connected at their wing portions by a connecting portion defined by a pair of fifth fold lines generally parallel to said first and third fold lines.

Claim 16

The blank of claim 9, wherein said cutout side flaps are offset from the center of their respective side sections in opposite directions.

Claim 17

A one piece die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit For insertion into a carton comprising a plurality of the blanks of claim 7, integrally connected at their wing portions by a connecting portion defined by a pair of fifth fold lines generally parallel to said first and third fold lines.

Claim 18

The blank of claim 12, wherein said cutout side flaps are offset from the center of their respective side sections in opposite directions.

Claim 19

A die-cut blank for folding into a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton comprising a plurality of the blanks of claim 7, wherein a tab extends from each of said wing flaps of said one wing portion at its outer edge, said wing flaps of the other wing portion having slots aligned with the fourth fold lines of said one wing portion and spaced substantially the same distance from said central section as are said tabs extending from the wing flap of said one wing portion, said one wing portion of one such blank integrally connected to said other wing portion of another of such blanks by means of a connecting portion defined by a pair of fifth fold lines generally parallel to said first and third fold lines.

Claim 20

The blank of claim 7, wherein said cutout side flaps are offset from the center of their respective side sections in opposite directions.

Claim 21

The method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from the blank of claim 1 comprising: (a) folding said side sections along said pair of first fold lines toward each other; and (b) folding each side flap inward from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section.

Claim 22

The method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from the blank of claim 3, comprising: (a) folding said side sections of a first blank of said plurality of blanks along said pair of first fold lines toward each other; (b) folding each side flap of said first blank inwardly from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section of said first blank; (c) folding the next adjacent side section of a second blank of said plurality of blanks along said third fold line outwardly away from said central section of said first blank to a position of planar contiguity with the adjacent side section of said first blank; and (d) repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) with the remainder of said plurality of blanks.

Claim 23

The method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from the blank of claim 7, comprising: (a) folding said side sections along said pair of first fold lines toward each other; (b) folding each side flap inward from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section; (c) folding said wing sections along said pair of third fold lines outwardly from said central section to a position of planar contiguity with adjacent side sections; and (d) folding said wing flaps outwardly away from said side sections.

Claim 24

The method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from the blank of claim 8, comprising: (a) folding said side sections along said pair of first fold lines toward each other; (b) folding each side flap inward from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section; and (c) inserting the tab extending from each side flap into the slot cut out in the opposite side section.

Claim 25

The method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from the blank of claim 9, comprising: (a) folding said side sections along said first fold lines toward each other; (b) folding each side flap inward from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section; (c) inserting the tab extending from each flap into the slot cut out in the opposite side section; (d) folding said wing portions along said third fold lines outwardly away from said central section to a position of planar contiguity with adjacent side sections; and (e) folding said wing flaps outwardly away from said side sections.

Claim 26

The Method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from a blank of claim 10, comprising: (a) folding said side sections of each of said plurality of blanks along said pair of first fold lines toward each other; (b) folding each side flap of each of said plurality of blanks inwardly from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section of the same blank; (c) inserting the tab extending from each side flap into the slot cut out in the opposite side section of the same blank; (d) folding said wing portions of each of said plurality of blanks along said pair of said third fold lines outwardly from said central section to a position of planar contiguity with adjacent side sections; (e) folding said wing portions of adjacent blanks toward said connecting portion along said pair of fifth fold lines toward each other; (f) folding the wing flaps of each of said one wing portions toward the other wing portion to which it is connected such that said wing flaps span the width of said connecting portion.

Claim 27

The method of claim 21, including the further step of (g) inserting the tab extending from each flap of said one wing portion into the slots of said other wing portion.

Claim 28

The method of erecting a multicell partition unit for insertion into a carton from the blank of claim 12, comprising: (a) folding said side sections of each of said plurality of blanks along said pair of first fold lines toward each other; (b) folding each side flap of each of said plurality of blanks inwardly from the side section out of which it is cut toward the opposite side section of the same blank; (c) folding said wing portions of each of said plurality of blanks along said pair of said third fold lines outwardly from said central section to a position of planar contiguity with adjacent side sections; (d) folding said wing portions of adjacent blanks toward said connecting portion along said pair of fifth fold lines toward each other; (e) folding the wing flaps of each of said one wing portions toward the other wing portion to which it is connected such that said wing flaps span the width of said connecting portions.