Two-piece shipping containers

Claim 2

A container, comprising: an inner component including a plurality of panels interconnected to define an open-ended sleeve member of rectangular configuration, and an outer component which includes a rectangular bottom panel, two end panels articulably connected at opposite edges of said bottom panel and receivable within said respective sleeves, and side portions articulably connected at the other two edges of said bottom panel, each side portion being foldable between a closed position in which it covers at least partly the upper open end of said sleeve member and retains the sleeve member against said bottom panel, and an open position in which it uncovers the upper open end of said sleeve member.

Claim 3

The invention claimed in claim 1, which further includes snap means for retaining said side portions in said closed positions.

Claim 4

The invention claimed in claim 1, in which the inner component includes two open-ended sleeves, each with four panels in rectangular configuration, a panel of one sleeve being juxtaposed against a panel of the other sleeve and articulably connected thereto along a common edge.

Claim 5

The invention claimed in claim 3, in which the common edge along which the two juxtaposed panels are connected is located against said bottom panel when said side portions are in their closed positions.

Claim 6

The invention claimed in claim 1, in which the inner component has four rectangular panels articulated together.

Claim 7

The invention claimed in claim 1, in which each said side portion includes a side panel articulably connected to the bottom panel, a partial top panel normal to said side panel and adapted to partly cover the upper open end of said sleeve member, and rigidifying structure retaining said partial top panel normal to said side panel.

Claim 8

The invention claimed in claim 6, in which said rigidifying structure includes two closure flaps articulably connected to opposite ends of said side panel, and two glue flaps each articulably connected to an edge of a respective closure flap, said last-mentioned edge being normal to the closure flap edge connected to the side panel, each glue flap being glued to an end portion of the partial top panel defining at either end an opening adapted to register with an upwardly projecting tab on the sleeve member.

Claim 9

The invention claimed in claim 7, in which the common edge along which the two juxtaposed panels are connected is located against said bottom panel when said portions are in their closed positions.

Claim 10

In combination: a first substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define two rectangular wall panels articulated together along a common edge, two partial side panels severed from each other but articulated respectively to first adjacent edges of said wall panels, said first adjacent edges being normal to said common edge, two further partial side panels severed from each other but articulated respectively to second adjacent edges of said wall panels opposite said first adjacent edges, two end panels severed from each other but articulated respectively to said further partial side panels at further adjacent edges opposite said second adjacent edges, and means for joining said first-mentioned two partial side panels to said two end panels respectively, and second substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define a rectangular bottom panel, two end panels articulated respectively to opposite edges of said bottom panel, two side panels articulated respectively to the other two edges of said bottom panel, each side panel having a top edge opposite the edge of articulation with the bottom panel and two end edges, two partial top panels articulated to the respective top edges of the side panels, four closure flaps two of which are articulated to the respective end edges of each side panel, and four glue flaps, each glue flap being articulated to a respective closure flap along an edge normal to the respective end edge and remote from the bottom panel.

Claim 11

In combination: a first substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define two rectangular wall panels articulated together along a common edge, two partial side panels severed from each other but articulated respectively to first adjacent edges of said wall panels, said first adjacent edges being normal to said common edge, two further partial side panels severed from each other but articulated respectively to second adjacent edges of said wall panels opposite said first adjacent edges, two end panels severed from each other but articulated respectively to said further partial side panels at further adjacent edges opposite said second adjacent edges, and means for joining said first-mentioned two partial side panels to said two end panels respectively, and second substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define a rectangular bottom panel, two end panels articulated respectively to opposite edges of said bottom panel, two side panels articulated respectively to the other two edges of said bottom panel, each side panel having a top edge opposite the edge of articulation with the bottom panel and two end edges, two partial top panels articulated to the respective top edges of the side panels, four closure flaps two of which are articulated to the respective end edges of each side panel, and four glue flaps, each glue flap being articulated to a respective closure flap along an edge normal to the respective end edge and remote from the bottom panel.

Claim 12

The combination claimed in claim 9, in which the end panels of the second blank each have a hand-hold aperture centrally located therein.

Claim 13

The combination claimed in claim 9, in which there is an elongated aperture at the articulation between each glue flap and its respective closure flap, and two rectangular apertures athwart each of the articulations between the bottom panel and the end panels at spaced locations therealong, the opposite ends of each partial top panel being recessed, there being two projecting tabs extending from parallel but remote edges of said end panels of said first blank.

Claim 14

The combination claimed in claim 9, in which each closure flap is scored obliquely along a line meeting the corner thereof which is closest to the respective partial top panel.

Claim 15

The combination claimed in claim 11, in which the end panels of the second blank each have a hand-hold aperture centrally located therein, and in which each closure flap is scored obliquely along a line meeting the corner thereof which is closest to the respective partial top panel.

Claim 16

In combination: a first substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define sequentially a first side panel, a first end panel, a second side panel and a second end panel, sequentially adjacent panels being articulated integrally together along a score line, all score lines being parallel, and glue flap means for articulably joining said first side panel to said second end panel to define a rectangular open-ended sleeve member, and a second substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define a rectangular bottom panel, two end panels articulated respectively to opposite edges of said bottom panel, two side panels articulated respectively to the other two edges of said bottom panel, each side panel having a top edge opposite the edge of articulation with the bottom panel and two end edges, two partial top panels articulated to the respective top edges of the side panels, four closure flaps two of which are articulated to the respective end edges of each side panel, and four glue flaps, each glue flap being articulated to a respective closure flap along an edge normal to the respective end edge and remote from the bottom panel.

Claim 17

In combination: a first substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define sequentially a first side panel, a first end panel, a second side panel and a second end panel, sequentially adjacent panels being articulated integrally together along a score line, all score lines being parallel, and glue flap means for articulably joining said first side panel to said second end panel to define a rectangular open-ended sleeve member, and a second substantially rectangular blank of sheet material being suitably cut and scored to define a rectangular bottom panel, two end panels articulated respectively to opposite edges of said bottom panel, two side panels articulated respectively to the other two edges of said bottom panel, each side panel having a top edge opposite the edge of articulation with the bottom panel and two end edges, two partial top panels articulated to the respective top edges of the side panels, four closure flaps two of which are articulated to the respective end edges of each side panel, and four glue flaps, each glue flap being articulated to a respective closure flap along an edge normal to the respective end edge and remote from the bottom panel.

Claim 18

The combination claimed in claim 14 in which the end panels of the second blank each have a hand-hold aperture centrally located therein.

Claim 19

The combination claimed in claim 14, in which there is an elongated aperture at the articulation between each glue flap and its respective closure flap, and two rectangular apertures athwart each of the articulations between the bottom panel and the end panels at spaced locations therealong, the opposite ends of each partial top panel being recessed, there being two projecting taps extending from parallel but remote edges of said end panels of said first blank

Claim 20

The combination claimed in claim 14, in which each closure flap is scored obliquely along a line metting the corner thereof which is closest to the respective partial top panel.

Claim 21

The combination claimed in claim 16, in which the end panels of the second blank each have a hand-hold aperture centrally located therein, and in which each closure flap is scored obliquely along a line meeting the corner thereof which is closest to the respective partial top panel.