Patent US4049190A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4049190A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Mailing and storage box

Assignee: MERKERT ENTERPRISES Inc
•
Filing: 1976-11-26
•
Granted: 1977-09-20
•
Expires: 1996-11-26
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An end-loading, top-opening box for mailing and storing checks or the like is formed from a single blank including integral extensions which are wrapped about the box to define a surrounding protective mailing sleeve. Assembly of the integral box and wrapper requires only one straight line gluing operation by the box manufacturer and only one folding and gluing operation by the packager who receives the box and wrapper in a partly folded and glued condition from the manufacturer. The packager end loads the checks into the open ended package and then needs only to fold and glue the end flaps. No right angle or times folding or gluing operations are required. The user opens the package by tearing the single glued flap of the wrapper and then unwrapping the wrapper and tearing it along a perforated weakened line at the juncture of the wrapper and the box tray. There are no required glue connections between the box lid and tray and the box can be top-opened easily and without destroying the box.

Inventors

  • 👤 James L. O'Neill

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 07:07
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D5/00; B65D5/42; B65D5/54; B65D5/5405; B65D5/542; B65D5/5435

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 139 words
A blank for a container comprising: a tray portion including a series of serially connected flaps and panels including, in sequence a lid front flap, a lid panel, a rear panel, a tray panel and a tray front flap, each of said panels having end flaps extending therefrom at opposite ends thereof, said flaps and panels being foldable to define an end-loadable, top-opening box configuration; said blank further including a wrapper extension extending from and defining a continuation of the tray portion, said wrapper extension including, serially, a wrapper top panel, a wrapper rear panel, a wrapper bottom panel and a wrapper front panel; at least one of said wrapper panels having a tear-strip formed therein; and the juncture between the tray portion and wrapper extension being weakened to facilitate tearing of the wrapper extension from the tray portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 139 words
A blank for a container comprising: a tray portion including a series of serially connected flaps and panels including, in sequence a lid front flap, a lid panel, a rear panel, a tray panel and a tray front flap, each of said panels having end flaps extending therefrom at opposite ends thereof, said flaps and panels being foldable to define an end-loadable, top-opening box configuration; said blank further including a wrapper extension extending from and defining a continuation of the tray portion, said wrapper extension including, serially, a wrapper top panel, a wrapper rear panel, a wrapper bottom panel and a wrapper front panel; at least one of said wrapper panels having a tear-strip formed therein; and the juncture between the tray portion and wrapper extension being weakened to facilitate tearing of the wrapper extension from the tray portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 10 words
A container formed from the blank defined in claim 1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 further comprising: said tear strip being located and extending along the wrapper front panel of the wrapper extension.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 10 words
A container formed from the blank defined in claim 3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 further comprising: said wrapper extension being connected to and extending from the tray front flap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 10 words
A container formed from the blank defined in claim 5.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
A blank as defined in claim 5 further comprising: said wrapper front panel having a wrapper edge flap attached thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 10 words
A container formed from the blank defined in claim 7.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 further comprising: said wrapper extension being connected to and extending from the lid front flap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 10 words
A container formed from the blank defined in claim 9.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 197 words
A blank for a container comprising: a tray portion including a series of serially connected flaps and panels including, in sequence, a lower tray front panel, a bottom tray panel, a rear tray panel, a lid panel and a lid front flap, each of said panels having end flaps extending therefrom at opposite ends thereof, said flaps and panels being foldable to define an end-loadable, top-opening box configuration; said blank further including a wrapper extension extending from and defining a continuation of the lid front flap, said wrapper extension including, serially, a lower front wrapper panel, a bottom wrapper panel, a rear wrapper panel, a top wrapper panel and an upper front wrapper panel, the upper front wrapper panel including, at its outer end, a marginal tear strip which will overlie a portion of the lower front wrapper panel when the container is assembled; the lower front wrapper panel having a tear strip formed therein at a location which is registerable with the marginal tear strip portion of the upper front wrapper panel when the blank is assembled. and the juncture between the lid front panel and the bottom wrapper panel being weakened to facilitate tearing therealong.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 197 words
A blank for a container comprising: a tray portion including a series of serially connected flaps and panels including, in sequence, a lower tray front panel, a bottom tray panel, a rear tray panel, a lid panel and a lid front flap, each of said panels having end flaps extending therefrom at opposite ends thereof, said flaps and panels being foldable to define an end-loadable, top-opening box configuration; said blank further including a wrapper extension extending from and defining a continuation of the lid front flap, said wrapper extension including, serially, a lower front wrapper panel, a bottom wrapper panel, a rear wrapper panel, a top wrapper panel and an upper front wrapper panel, the upper front wrapper panel including, at its outer end, a marginal tear strip which will overlie a portion of the lower front wrapper panel when the container is assembled; the lower front wrapper panel having a tear strip formed therein at a location which is registerable with the marginal tear strip portion of the upper front wrapper panel when the blank is assembled. and the juncture between the lid front panel and the bottom wrapper panel being weakened to facilitate tearing therealong.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 32 words
A blank as defined in claim 11 wherein the juncture between the tray portion and the wrapper extension defines a portion of the tear strip formed in the lower front wrapper panel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 53 words
A blank as defined in claim 11 further comprising: the tray front panel having a U-shaped cutout formed therein; the outermost edge of the lid front panel being cutaway at its ends to define a tab, receptive in the U-shaped cutout portion of the tray front panel when the wrapper extension is removed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 10 words
A container formed from the blank defined in claim 13.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 185 words
A package assembly comprising: an inner box portion including a series of serially connected flaps and panels including, in sequence, a lid front flap, a lid panel, a rear panel, a tray panel and a tray front flap, each of said panels having end flaps extending therefrom at opposite ends thereof to define an open-ended configuration; a wrapper extension extending from and defining a continuation of the inner box portion, said wrapper extension including, serially, a wrapper top panel overlying the lid panel of the inner box, a wrapper rear panel overlying the rear panel of the inner box, a wrapper bottom panel overlying the tray panel of the inner box, a wrapper front panel overlying the tray front flap of the inner box, the outer marginal edge of the wrapper extension overlying another portion of the wrapper extension and being adhesively attached to the wrapper top panel; at least one of said wrapper panels having a tear strip formed therein; and the juncture between the box portion and the wrapper extension being weakened to facilitate tearing of the wrapper extension from the inner box.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 185 words
A package assembly comprising: an inner box portion including a series of serially connected flaps and panels including, in sequence, a lid front flap, a lid panel, a rear panel, a tray panel and a tray front flap, each of said panels having end flaps extending therefrom at opposite ends thereof to define an open-ended configuration; a wrapper extension extending from and defining a continuation of the inner box portion, said wrapper extension including, serially, a wrapper top panel overlying the lid panel of the inner box, a wrapper rear panel overlying the rear panel of the inner box, a wrapper bottom panel overlying the tray panel of the inner box, a wrapper front panel overlying the tray front flap of the inner box, the outer marginal edge of the wrapper extension overlying another portion of the wrapper extension and being adhesively attached to the wrapper top panel; at least one of said wrapper panels having a tear strip formed therein; and the juncture between the box portion and the wrapper extension being weakened to facilitate tearing of the wrapper extension from the inner box.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 74 words
A container as defined in claim 15 further comprising: said end flaps being folded and glued to close the ends of the container in a manner in which the outer major flaps of the tray panel are glued to the minor flaps of the rear panel and tray front flap of the inner box and in which the end flaps of the lid panel lie within but are not attached to the minor flaps.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 33 words
A container as defined in claim 16 wherein there is no glue connection between any portion of the lid, lid front flap or lid end flaps with any other portion of the box.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 34 words
A box as defined in claim 17 further comprising: the lid front flap having a tab extension protruding therefrom and the tray front flap having a slot formed therein receptive to the tab extension.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 22 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 which is formable into a box and surrounding wrapper without using right angle gluing procedures.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 22 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 which is formable into a box and surrounding wrapper without using right angle folding procedures.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 21 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 which is formable into a box and surrounding wrapper without using timed gluing procedures.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
A blank as defined in claim 1 which is formable into a box and surrounding wrapper without using timed folding procedures.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1943074A Cited
US2359679A Cited
US2672273A Cited
US3084844A Cited
US3099381A Cited
US3161346A Cited
US3561669A Cited
US3524582A Cited
US3918631A Cited
US3880341A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-09-19 1981-03-21 1981-09-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-09-19 1985-03-21 1985-09-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-09-19 1989-03-21 1989-09-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag