Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paperboard box – Including a polygonal – nonrectangular wall
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-26
2001-05-29
Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paperboard box
Including a polygonal, nonrectangular wall
C206S320000, C206S486000, C206S588000, C229S122270
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237838
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to containers for protecting articles, such as domestic hot water heaters, during storage and shipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to containers which are economical in construction and which can bear the wear and tear of storage and shipment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PERTINENT ART
Containers for manufactured articles, such as hot water heaters and other appliances, commonly comprise boxes made of corrugated paperboard. Each such container has a height and a generally square or rectangular cross section sized to accommodate the manufactured article. The container may include a bottom support structure made of stronger material, such as a wooden pallet, when the article to be contained is particularly heavy.
A hot water heater comprises a cylindrical shell, a foot portion at the lower end of the shell, and heater controls, (either gas or electric), protruding outward from the cylindrical shell. A Gas heated hot water heater also comprises a gas flue which extends upward from the top of the shell. The heater controls, for both gas and electric hot water heaters, protrude from one side of the shell, such that the cross section of the hot water heater is generally circular, except in the area where the heater controls protrude.
A container for a hot water heater, typical of containers presently employed for shipping and storing hot water heaters, is a corrugated paperboard box having a top, a bottom and four side walls, and having a square or rectangular cross section with dimensions sufficient to accommodate the hot water heater circular shell and protruding heater controls. The container bottom comprises four bottom tabs, each bottom tab attached to one of the container sides, folded over and attached to each other with adhesive. The container top generally comprises four top tabs, each top tab connected to one of the container sides, folded over and attached to each other with adhesive. In some cases, a top for a container intended for a gas fired hot water heater may be a top member, having an opening through which the hot water heater gas flue extends. As the container cross section is either square or rectangular, and the hot water heater cross section is generally circular with a protrusion on one side as a result of the heater controls, substantial free space exists between the hot water heater shell and the container interior sides.
A hot water heater is generally loaded into such a container by sliding the container, with bottom and top tabs unattached, over the hot water heater and then attaching the bottom tabs and top tabs with adhesive to form the closed top and bottom of the container. The foot portion of the hot water heater rests on the interior of the container bottom.
The container, with a hot water heater inside, is commonly moved within manufacturing and storage facilities using a lift truck having clamp arms adapted for gripping two parallel flat sides of the container. The lift truck engages the container with the clamp arms, lifts the container off the floor and moves the container to a desired location where the lift truck sets the container onto the floor and disengages the clamp arms. The container bottom bears the weight of the hot water heater, and, if the bottom is damaged or becomes wet during storage or shipment, the container may fail and the hot water heater may fall through the bottom of the container.
Such a container is necessary for protecting a hot water heater, or similar article, during storage and shipment. The container represents a significant expense in the manufacture of a hot water heater, or other article. However, after a hot water heater, or other article, is delivered for installation, the container is removed and discarded. Thus, improvements in containers for hot water heaters and similar articles, which reduce the cost of the containers and reduce the risk of damage during storage and shipment, will reduce the cost of manufacturing hot water heaters and similar articles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Now, according to the present invention, I have discovered an improved container particularly useful for packaging an article of manufacture, such as a hot water heater, which, in one embodiment, comprises:
a container body connected to a bottom member and connected to a top member; the container body comprising a plurality of conjoint body panels forming sides of the container and defining an interior space for containing the article;
the bottom member forming a container bottom for supporting the article within the container, the bottom member having an exterior face, an interior face and having a periphery comprising a plurality of bottom member sides equal in number to the plurality of body panels with each bottom member side in contact with a body panel; and
a plurality of bottom tabs, each bottom tab of the plurality of bottom tabs in hinged connection with a body panel and attached to the bottom member exterior face;
the bottom member exterior face comprising a surface for supporting the container upon a floor surface and the bottom member interior surface for supporting the article within the container.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2321063 (1943-06-01), Bohnke
patent: 2453829 (1948-11-01), Blackman
patent: 2783930 (1957-04-01), Riley
patent: 2804253 (1957-08-01), Brandt
patent: 2932438 (1960-04-01), Smith
patent: 2936880 (1960-05-01), Kohlhaas
patent: 3107780 (1963-10-01), Stuckert
patent: 3145901 (1964-08-01), Gile
patent: 4019672 (1977-04-01), Giannini
patent: 4823956 (1989-04-01), Belisle
patent: 4919306 (1990-04-01), Heaps, Jr. et al.
patent: 4955474 (1990-09-01), Mattingly et al.
patent: 5069338 (1991-12-01), Grigsby
patent: 4019205 A1 (1991-12-01), None
patent: 6-48478 (1994-02-01), None
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