Folded, one-piece, liquid-tight tray and blank for forming same

Claim 2

A generally rectangular blank having a length, a width, and corners for forming a folded, one-piece, liquid-tight tray comprising: a first pair of spaced, substantially parallel fold lines extending along a portion of the length of the blank, each being spaced a common distance A from an associated longitudinal edge of the blank; a second pair of spaced, substantially parallel fold lines extending along a portion of the length of the blank, said second pair of fold lines each being substantially parallel to the first pair of fold lines, positioned between one of the first pair of fold lines and the associated longitudinal edge a common spaced distance B from said longitudinal edge, and each terminating at locations spaced a common preselected distance C from associated lateral edges of the blank for forming an edge rim defined by the second pair of fold lines and their respective longitudinal edge; a third pair of spaced, substantially parallel fold lines extending along a portion of the width of the blank, each spaced a common distance A from an associated lateral edge of the blank with portions of said first and third pairs of fold lines defining the bottom of the tray in the formed condition; a fourth pair of spaced, substantially parallel fold lines extending along a portion of the width of the blank, said fourth pair of fold lines each being substantially parallel to the third pair of fold lines, positioned between one of the third pair of fold lines and the associated lateral edge a common spaced distance B from said lateral edge, and each terminating at locations spaced a common preselected distance C from associated longitudinal edges of the blank for forming an edge rim defined by the fourth pair of fold lines and their respective lateral edge; eight slots formed on the blank, said slots having a depth substantially equal to the length of said distance B and extending from a location near one of the intersections of the second and third pairs of fold lines a common distance D toward the associated corner and terminating at a location spaced a common distance E from said associated corner; corner fold lines positioned adjacent each corner of the blank, each corner fold line having first, second, and third portions defining a triangle, said first and third portions of each corner fold line extending from one of the junctures of the first and third fold line pairs to a location on a separate one of the adjacent slots spaced a common distance F from the respective corner of the blank and said second portion of each corner fold line joining the first and third fold line portions and extending between the slots of the associated corner forming a tab between each corner of thE blank and each second fold line portion of the corner fold lines; and a cut line extending from each slot a distance through the tab, each cut line being substantially parallel to and spaced a distance B from an associated edge of the blank for locking the tab to the edge rims in the formed condition of the blank.

Claim 3

A blank, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the summation of the distances D and E is greater than the distance C and the second portion of the corner fold lines intersects the respective first and third portions of the corner fold lines at locations spaced a distance greater than E from the respective corner of the blank.

Claim 4

A blank, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the summation of the distances D and E are substantially equal to the distance C and wherein the second portion of the corner fold lines intersects the respective first and third portions of the corner fold lines at locations spaced a distance E from the respective corner of the blank.

Claim 5

A blank, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the summation of the distances D and E are less than the distance C including a second cut line extending from each slot a distance along the edge rim, each second cut line being substantially parallel to and spaced a distance B from an associated edge of the blank and abutting an end of one of the fold lines spaced a distance B from the associated edge.

Claim 6

A blank, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second portion of the corner fold lines intersects the respective first and third portions of the corner fold lines at locations spaced a common distance E from the respective corner of the blank.

Claim 7

A blank, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second portion of the corner fold lines intersects the respective first and third portions of the corner fold lines at locations spaced a common distance greater than E from the respective corner of the blank.

Claim 8

A blank, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the length of each slot in a plane passed through a location a distance B from and parallel to the respective edge of the blank is about one-half of the difference between distance A minus distance B.

Claim 9

A blank, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the length of each slot in a plane passed through the respective edge of the blank is smaller than the length of each slot in a plane passed through a location a distance B from and parallel to the respective edge of the blank with a first edge of the slot being angularly disposed relative to the respective edge of the blank and a second edge of the slot positioned between the first slot edge and the respective corner of the blank being substantially perpendicularly disposed relative to the respective edge of the blank.

Claim 10

A folded, liquid-tight, tray constructed from a single blank of rectangular foldable material having edges, a length, a width, and corners, comprising: a tray bottom defined by first and third pairs of spaced, fold lines, said first pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges of the blank and said third pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to the lateral edges of the blank with each fold line of said first and third pair of fold lines being a common distance A from the respective edges of the blank; first and second sidewalls extending upwardly from the tray bottom a distance G, said sidewalls each being defined by one of the first pair of fold lines and one of a second pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to a longitudinal edge of the blank and each spaced a common distance B from its respective longitudinal blank edge; first and second end walls extending upwardly from the tray bottom a distance G, said end walls each being defined by one of the third pair of fold lines and one of a fourth pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to the lateral edges of the blank and each spaced a common distance B from its respective lateral blank edge; first and second edge rims each extendiNg outwardly from a respective one of the first and second sidewalls, said first and second edge rims each being defined by one of the second pair of fold lines and its respective longitudinal blank edge and having a width B; third and fourth edge rims each extending outwardly from a respective one of the first and second end walls, said third and fourth edge rims each being defined by one of the fourth pair of fold lines and its respective lateral blank edge and having a width B; a plurality of slots formed on the edge of the blank, each having a depth substantially equal to the width of the edge rim, each of said slots extending from a location near one of the intersections of the second and third pairs of fold lines a common distance D toward one associated corner of the blank and terminating at a location spaced a common distance E from said associated corner with each corner of the blank having a pair of slots associated therewith; a supporting column of triangular configuration formed at the intersection of each sidewall and end wall within the tray, said supporting column having first and second enfolded panels and a face panel of triangular configuration, each of said face panels being defined by a corner fold line having first, second, and third portions defining a triangle, said first and third corner fold line portions each extending from a corner of the tray bottom to a location on a separate one of the adjacent slots spaced a common distance F from the respective corner of the blank and said second portion of each corner fold line joining the first and third fold line portions and extending between the adjacent, associated slots, each of said first enfolded panels being defined by the first corner fold line portion, the associated slot, and one of the end walls and being hingedly connected to said associated end wall and face panel and folded in overlapping relationship with the associated end wall, and each of said second enfolded panels being defined by the third corner fold line portion, the associated slot, and one of the sidewalls and being hingedly connected to said associated sidewall and face panel and folded in overlapping relationship with the associated sidewall; and four tabs each extending outwardly from their respective corner fold line second portion, each tab having first and second cut lines receiving a portion of the adjacently positioned edge rims for locking the panels of the supporting column in the enfolded position, said tabs each being defined by its respective second corner fold line portion, associated slots, and blank corner.

Claim 11

A folded, liquid-tight, tray constructed from a single blank of rectangular foldable material having edges, a length, a width, and corners, comprising: a tray bottom defined by first and third pairs of spaced, fold lines, said first pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges of the blank and said third pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to the lateral edges of the blank with each fold line of said first and third pair of fold lines being a common distance A from the respective edges of the blank; first and second sidewalls extending upwardly from the tray bottom a distance G, said sidewalls each being defined by one of the first pair of fold lines and one of a second pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to a longitudinal edge of the blank and each spaced a common distance B from its respective longitudinal blank edge; first and second end walls extending upwardly from the tray bottom a distance G, said end walls each being defined by one of the third pair of fold lines and one of a fourth pair of fold lines being substantially parallel to the lateral edges of the blank and each spaced a common distance B from its respective lateral blank edge; first and second edge rims each extendiNg outwardly from a respective one of the first and second sidewalls, said first and second edge rims each being defined by one of the second pair of fold lines and its respective longitudinal blank edge and having a width B; third and fourth edge rims each extending outwardly from a respective one of the first and second end walls, said third and fourth edge rims each being defined by one of the fourth pair of fold lines and its respective lateral blank edge and having a width B; a plurality of slots formed on the edge of the blank, each having a depth substantially equal to the width of the edge rim, each of said slots extending from a location near one of the intersections of the second and third pairs of fold lines a common distance D toward one associated corner of the blank and terminating at a location spaced a common distance E from said associated corner with each corner of the blank having a pair of slots associated therewith; a supporting column of triangular configuration formed at the intersection of each sidewall and end wall within the tray, said supporting column having first and second enfolded panels and a face panel of triangular configuration, each of said face panels being defined by a corner fold line having first, second, and third portions defining a triangle, said first and third corner fold line portions each extending from a corner of the tray bottom to a location on a separate one of the adjacent slots spaced a common distance F from the respective corner of the blank and said second portion of each corner fold line joining the first and third fold line portions and extending between the adjacent, associated slots, each of said first enfolded panels being defined by the first corner fold line portion, the associated slot, and one of the end walls and being hingedly connected to said associated end wall and face panel and folded in overlapping relationship with the associated end wall, and each of said second enfolded panels being defined by the third corner fold line portion, the associated slot, and one of the sidewalls and being hingedly connected to said associated sidewall and face panel and folded in overlapping relationship with the associated sidewall; and four tabs each extending outwardly from their respective corner fold line second portion, each tab having first and second cut lines receiving a portion of the adjacently positioned edge rims for locking the panels of the supporting column in the enfolded position, said tabs each being defined by its respective second corner fold line portion, associated slots, and blank corner.

Claim 12

A tray, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the edge rims each have a cut line exiting along the fold line of said edge rim from a respective slot a distance along said fold line and terminating at a location spaced a distance C from the respective blank corner in the unfolded condition of the blank.