Stackable container

Abstract

The present invention is a stackable container which is constructed of a single piece of cardboard with reinforced side panels, one of which is provided with a U shaped access opening. Corner supports on diagonal corners in the form of a quarter circle are formed on upper edge of the container with the two other corners being provided with angular support braces extending from one side panel and seated in a cut out notch provided in the adjacent front or back panel.

What is clamed is:  
     
         1 . A stackable container formed from a single sheet of material comprising: 
 side panel members, a front panel member connected to said side panel members and a rear panel member connected to said side panel members, each of said panels constructed with a container forming section, a reinforcing section adapted to be folded over and secured to said container forming section, said reinforcing section being defined and separated from said container forming section by scoring and a bottom section defined and separated from said container forming section by scoring, said bottom section being folded on said scoring to form at least a portion of a bottom of the container,    at least one of said panel members defining a cutout allowing entry into an interior of said container and a plurality of corner support members defined by said panel member, said corner support member extending between adjacent panels to provide stacking support for containers placed thereon.    
     
     
         2 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said front panel member has a reinforcing section with a shaped cutout and a container forming section with an identical shaped cutout which are adapted to overlay each other when said reinforcing section is folded over said container forming section.  
     
     
         3 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 2  wherein each shaped cutout is “U” shaped.  
     
     
         4 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said corner support member is shaped as a quarter circle with an anchor tab extending outwardly therefrom, said anchor tab being secured to an adjacent panel member.  
     
     
         5 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said corner support member comprises a rectangular tab member provided with a fold score allowing the tab member to be folded and seated in a notch recess formed by the walls of a reinforcement section secured to a container forming section.  
     
     
         6 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said reinforcement sections define notched cutouts which form seats when said reinforcement section are folded over and secured to the respective container forming section of the same panel member.  
     
     
         7 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing section is provided with an adhesive allowing it to be fastened to an interior surface of a respective container forming section.  
     
     
         8 . A stackable container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said side panel members comprise one complete side panel member and a second two-piece side panel member, with said two-piece side panel member comprising two overlapping sections which are secured together.  
     
     
         9 . A reinforced stackable one-piece container comprising: 
 side panels connected to a front panel and a rear panel and separated by score lines, at least one of said side panels comprises two members, one of which overlaps and is secured to the other, each of said panels including a container forming section, a reinforcing section adapted to be folded over and secured to it's container forming section so that the reinforcing section is inside the container, said reinforcing section being defined and separated from said container forming section by at least once fold line and a bottom section defined and separated from said container forming section by at least one fold line, said bottom section being folded along at least score line to form a portion of a bottom panel of the container,    one of said panels defining a cutout allowing entry into an interior of said container and a plurality of corner supports mounted between adjacent panels to provide stacking support for additional containers on the top edge of said container.    
     
     
         10 . A one-piece container as claimed in  claim 9  wherein at least one corner support comprises a member shaped as a quarter circle with an anchor tab extending therefrom defined by one panel, said anchor tab being secured to an adjacent panel.  
     
     
         11 . A one-piece container as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said corner support comprises a rectangular tab member provided with a fold line allowing the tab member to be seated in a notch recess formed by the walls of a reinforcement section and a container forming section of an adjacent panel.  
     
     
         12 . A one-piece container as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said corner support comprises a plurality of members shaped as a quarter circle with an anchor tab extending therefrom defined by one panel, said anchor tab being secured to an adjacent panel and a plurality of rectangular tab members provided with a fold line allowing the tab member to be seated in a notch recess formed by the walls of said reinforcement section and said container forming section.  
     
     
         13 . A one-piece container as claimed in  claim 9  wherein a plurality of said reinforcement sections define notched cutouts which form recess seats when said reinforcement section is folded over and secured to the respective container forming section of said panel.  
     
     
         14 . A reinforced stackable one piece container comprising: 
 side panels connected to a front panel and a rear panel, with at least one of said side panels constructed with two separate members, one of which overlaps and is secured to the other, each of said panels includes a container forming section, a reinforcing section adapted to be folded over and secured to said container forming section so that the reinforcing section is positioned inside the container, said reinforcing section being defined and separated from said container forming section by at least once fold line and a bottom section defined and separated from said container forming section by at least one fold line, said bottom section being folded over said score fold line to form at least a portion of a bottom of the container, a plurality of said reinforcement sections define notched cutouts which form recess seats when said reinforcement section is folded over and secured to the respective container forming section of said panel,    one of said panels defining a cutout allowing entry into an interior of said container and a plurality of corner supports mounted between adjacent panels to provide stacking support for additional containers, said corner supports comprising a plurality of members shaped as a quarter circle with an anchor tab extending therefrom defined by one panel and a plurality of rectangular tab members provided with a fold line allowing each tab member to be seated in a notch recess formed by the walls of a reinforcement section and a container forming section of an adjacent panel.    
     
     
         15 . A container as claimed in  claim 14  wherein each corner support member shaped as a quarter circle with an anchor tab extending therefrom is defined by a reinforcement section of one panel and said anchor tab is secured to an adjacent panel.  
     
     
         16 . A container as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said rectangular tab member provided with a fold score extends diagonally between adjacent panels.  
     
     
         17 . A container as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said cut out is U shaped.  
     
     
         18 . A container as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said bottom panel includes a bottom section of each of said panels.  
     
     
         19 . A container as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said reinforcement sections are substantially rectangular in configuration.  
     
     
         20 . A container as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said panels are double scored between said reinforcement section and said container forming section.