Portable and stackable leak-proof container formed from a blank of material

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container ( 100 ) made from a blank material. The container ( 100 ) is particularly suitable for storing food stuffs, including liquid food stuffs. It is versatile in that it can be assembled so that it has a handle for carrying the container ( 100 ) and it is also possible to assemble the container ( 100 ) so that the handle of the container ( 100 ) is tucked away, so that it is suitable for stacking.

1 . A container comprising 
 a base panel,    side and foldable flap panels foldably adjoined to the perimeter of the base panel to fully encircle the base panel,    at least one lid panel used to fashion a lid for the container, and    at least one handle panel used to fashion a handle for the container, wherein    the foldable flap panels foldably adjoin adjacent side panels to one another, and are folded during construction of the container to bring the adjacent side panels together,    the or each handle panel is foldably adjoined to a corresponding side panel, or a lid panel along an edge opposite to the side panel to which the lid panel is joined, and is foldable between an upstanding configuration in which it can be gripped and a retracted configuration in which it lies flat against the lid.    
     
     
         2 . A container as claimed in    claim 1   , comprising a lid tab located on the or each lid panel and insertable in a lid tab slot to retain the lid in a closed position.  
     
     
         3 . A container as claimed in    claim 1    or    claim 2   , comprising a handle tab slot arranged, in the retracted configuration of the handle, to receive a handle tab located on the handle.  
     
     
         4 . A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one interlocking panel foldably attached to a side panel to engage with the or each handle in the upstanding handle configuration.  
     
     
         5 . A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one seal panel located on the or each lid panel to abut against an adjacent panel to provide a seal.  
     
     
         6 . A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein 
 the base panel is polygonal,    at least a first and second handle panel are provided to fashion a lid for the container,    the foldable flap panels are located at corners of the polygon base and each includes a crease line extending from the respective corner of the polygonal base panel to allow the or each foldable flap panel to be folded during construction of the container,    the polygonal base panel has at least four edges including a first pair of opposing edges along which respective opposing side panels are foldably adjoined,    the first and second opposing lid panels are each foldably adjoined to the opposing side panels at an edge of the respective side panel opposite to the base and are arranged to meet and be retained together to form the lid upon construction of the container,    and the or each handle panel is foldably adjoined to a corresponding lid panel along an edge opposite to the side panel.    
     
     
         7 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein a lid tab slot is located on the join between the second opposing lid panel and the corresponding side panel.  
     
     
         8 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein a lid tab is located on the first opposing lid panel to engage with a slot on the second opposing lid panel, or a second handle panel adjoined to the second opposing lid panel.  
     
     
         9 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein a first handle panel adjoined to the first opposing lid panel includes a handle tab, 
 and the second opposing lid panel includes a handle tab slot to receive the handle tab in the retracted configuration of the handle.    
     
     
         10 . A container as claimed in    claim 9   , wherein the or each handle panel defines a fully encircled hole, along an internal edge of which, the handle tab is located.  
     
     
         11 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , further comprising at least one interlocking panel used to lock the or each handle in the upstanding configuration, wherein 
 the polygonal base panel has a second pair of opposing edges, the first and second pair of opposing edges arranged mutually perpendicular to one another,    the or each interlocking panel is each foldably adjoined to a side panel which extends from the second pair of base panel edges, and comprises a interlocking slot for insertion of at least a corner of the handle.    
     
     
         12 . A container as claimed in    claim 11   , wherein the or each handle panel comprises at least one slot extending from a free edge of the handle to engage with the corresponding interlocking slot.  
     
     
         13 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , comprising two opposing handle panels which abut in the constructed container.  
     
     
         14 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein the first and second opposing lid panels are sized to collectively cover the base panel in the constructed container.  
     
     
         15 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein the base panel is square, rectangular, or octagonal.  
     
     
         16 . A container as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein the side panels have an angle of more than 90°to the base panels.  
     
     
         17 . A container as claimed in any preceding claim, made from a single blank of material.  
     
     
         18 . A blank used to form a container as claimed in any preceding claim.  
     
     
         19 . A container substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         20 . A blank substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.