Angled wall cell divider set

Abstract

An angled wall cell divider. The invention provides a plurality of planar first walls and a plurality of second walls. The second walls are adapted for interlocking with the first walls such that the first walls are oriented in a spaced apart, parallel relation in a first direction and the second walls are oriented in a spaced apart, parallel relation in a second direction for defining the cells. At least one second wall comprises two acutely angled sides that are otherwise distinct from (a) one another, and (b) the sides of any other one of the second walls, so as to define two respective free edges of the at least one second wall.

1 . A cell divider set for forming a plurality of open cells, comprising: 
 a plurality of planar first walls; and    a plurality of second walls adapted for interlocking with said first walls such that said first walls are oriented in a spaced apart, parallel relation in a first direction and said second walls are oriented in a spaced apart, parallel relation in a second direction that differs from said first direction for defining the cells, wherein one of the cells is defined, at least in part, by two of said first walls and at least one of said second walls, said at least one second wall comprising two acutely angled sides that are otherwise distinct from (a) one another, and (b) the sides of any other one of the second walls of the divider set, so as to define two respective free edges of said at least one second wall.    
   
   
       2 . The cell divider set of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one second wall is formed by folding, along a fold line thereof, a substantially flat sheet of material to provide said two acutely angled sides.  
   
   
       3 . The cell divider set of  claim 2 , wherein said fold line is scored to facilitate folding.  
   
   
       4 . The cell divider set of  claim 1 , wherein said one cell is defined by said two of said first walls and two of said second walls, wherein each of said two second walls comprises, respectively, two acutely angled sides that are otherwise distinct from said (a) and (b), so as to define two respective free edges of each of said two second walls.  
   
   
       5 . The cell divider set of  claim 4 , wherein said two second walls are formed, respectively, by folding respective substantially flat sheets of material.  
   
   
       6 . The cell divider set of  claim 1 , comprising at least three of said second walls, each of said at least three second walls comprising, respectively, two acutely angled sides that are otherwise distinct from said (a) and (b), so as to define two respective free edges of each of said at least three second walls.  
   
   
       7 . The cell divider set of  claim 6 , wherein said at least three second walls are formed, respectively, by folding respective substantially flat sheets of material.  
   
   
       8 . The cell divider set of  claim 1 , wherein said two first walls include corresponding edges of lower and upper elevation, wherein, to provide for interlocking with said at least one second wall, said two first walls include respective first slots extending from the corresponding edges of upper elevation to corresponding intermediate points of elevation on said first walls, and wherein said at least one second wall includes two pairs of second slots, each pair comprising a second slot in one of said two sides and a corresponding second slot in the other of said two sides, each pair for interlocking engagement with a respective one of said first slots, said second slots extending from the respective said free edges to respective intermediate points of elevation on said at least one second wall.  
   
   
       9 . The cell divider set of  claim 8 , wherein said free edges of said second walls are disposed at said lower elevation and wherein said fold line is disposed substantially at said upper elevation, said upper elevation defining an open end of the one cell through which an article may be introduced therein.  
   
   
       10 . The cell divider set of  claim 8 , wherein each of said first slots includes a projection and at least one corresponding slot portion adapted to maintain the angle of at least one of said two acutely angled sides against a force applied thereto tending to reduce said angle.  
   
   
       11 . The cell divider set of  claim 10 , wherein said projections each have a rectangular shape.  
   
   
       12 . The cell divider set of  claim 10 , wherein said projections each have a triangular shape.  
   
   
       13 . The cell divider set of  claim 10 , wherein said first and second directions differ from one another by substantially 90 degrees.  
   
   
       14 . The cell divider set of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one second wall is formed by folding, along a fold line thereof, a substantially flat sheet of material to provide said two acutely angled sides.  
   
   
       15 . The cell divider set of  claim 14 , wherein said fold line is scored to facilitate folding.  
   
   
       16 . The cell divider set of  claim 15 , further comprising a container for receiving said cell divider set.  
   
   
       17 . The cell divider set of  claim 16 , wherein said walls are formed of paperboard.  
   
   
       18 . A method for dividing a container into a plurality of cells, comprising: 
 providing a plurality of planar first walls;    providing a plurality of second walls, including forming at least one of said second walls by folding a substantially flat sheet of material along a fold line thereof to provide two acutely angled sides thereof that are otherwise distinct from (a) one another, and (b) the sides of any other of the second walls, so as to define respective free edges of said at least one second wall; and    interlocking said first and second walls such that said first walls are oriented in a spaced apart, parallel relation in a first direction and said second walls are oriented in a spaced apart, parallel relation in a second direction that differs from said first direction for defining the cells.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising scoring said fold line to facilitate said folding.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising forming at least two of said second walls by folding respective substantially flat sheets of material to provide, respectively, for each of said two second walls, two acutely angled sides that are otherwise distinct from said (a) and (b), so as to define two respective free edges of each of said at least two second walls.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising forming at least three second walls by folding substantially flat sheets of material to provide, respectively, for each of said at least three second walls, two acutely angled sides that are otherwise distinct from said (a) and (b), so as to define two respective free edges of each of said at least three second walls.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said first walls include corresponding edges of lower and upper elevation and respective first slots extending from the corresponding edges of upper elevation to corresponding intermediate points of elevation thereon, wherein said at least one second wall includes two pairs of second slots, each pair comprising a second slot in one of said two sides and a corresponding second slot in the other of said two sides, and wherein said step of interlocking includes interlocking two of said first walls and said at least one second wall by engaging each of said pair of second slots with a respective one of said first slots so that said second slots extend from the respective said free edges to respective intermediate points of elevation on said at least one second wall.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said free edges of said second walls are disposed at said lower elevation and wherein said fold line is disposed at a higher elevation, the method further comprising introducing an article into the cell through an opening defined, at least in part, by said higher elevation.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising cutting said first walls so as to provide in each of said first slots a projection and at least one corresponding slot portion adapted to maintain the angle of at least one of said two acutely angled sides against a force applied thereto tending to reduce said angle.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising scoring said fold line to facilitate said folding.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said free edges of said second walls are disposed at said lower elevation and wherein said fold line is disposed at a higher elevation, the method further comprising introducing an article into the cell through an opening defined, at least in part, by said higher elevation.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising installing the interlocked first and second walls into a package and shipping the package.