Container with sidewall bracing

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) includes a base ( 12 ), a pair of opposed endwalls ( 14 ) and a pair of opposed sidewalls ( 16 ), each sidewall having at least one reinforcing pillar ( 20 ) to form at least one pair of opposed reinforcing pillars with bracing means ( 26 ) extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars for bracing the sidewalls from bulging outwardly under load.

1 . A container including a base, a pair of opposed endwalls and a pair of opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having at least one reinforcing pillar to form at least one pair of opposed reinforcing pillars with bracing means extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars for bracing the sidewalls from bulging outwardly under load.  
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the bracing means includes engaging means for engaging the opposed reinforcing pillars.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  including base flaps extending from the base and being secured to the sidewalls to define pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars and into which pockets the engaging means of the bracing means extend.  
     
     
         4 . The container of any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein the bracing means is an upright partition.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , insofar as it is dependent on  claim 2 , wherein the partition has engaging means in the form of slots located one towards either transverse end of the partition and a leg between each slot and its respective transverse end of the partition, and each reinforcing pillar having a slot for receiving an unslotted portion of the partition located above its respective slot in the partition.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , insofar as it is dependent on  claim 3  wherein the lower ends of the legs locate within the pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the partition includes at least one integrally formed reinforcing pillar.  
     
     
         8 . The container of any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein the bracing means is a horizontal beam extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars, the beam having two downwardly extending legs located one at either transverse end of the beam, with the legs engaging the opposed reinforcing pillars.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , insofar as it is dependent on  claim 3 , wherein the lower ends of the legs locate within the pockets between the base flaps and the reinforcing pillars.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 8  or  claim 9  wherein the opposed reinforcing pillars define female formations and the legs define a male formations with the male and female formations being in mating engagement with one another.  
     
     
         11 . The container of any one of  claims 8  to  10  wherein the horizontal beam extends across the top of container.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcing pillars are spaced from the base and extend above the sidewalls so that containers stacked one on top of the other in column form engage one another with their reinforcing pillars.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 3  wherein the endwalls and the base flaps are joined to the base by crease lines, and the endwalls have endwall flaps secured to the sidewalls.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13  wherein the endwalls flaps and the base flaps are secured to their respective sidewalls by an adhesive.  
     
     
         15 . The container of any one of the above claims wherein the at least one reinforcing pillar in each sidewall is integrally formed in each sidewall.  
     
     
         16 . A container substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         17 . A method of erecting a container including the steps of: 
 providing a body blank having a base panel and a pair of opposed endwalls panels;    providing two separate sidewall panels;    forming at least one reinforcing pillar in each of the two separate sidewalls panels;    securing the endwall panels of the erect body blank to the sidewall panels, and    bracing opposing reinforcing pillars together with bracing means extending between the opposed reinforcing pillars.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  including the step of securing base flaps extending from the base panel to the sidewall panels to define pockets between the reinforcing pillars and Fe base flaps, and inserting engaging means of the bracing means into the pockets.  
     
     
         19 . A method of erecting a container substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.