Stackable containers having deployable surfaces

Abstract

A container having deployable support surfaces for reinforcing the container to permit stacking is disclosed. The container includes a plurality of sidewalls pivotably attached to one another end to end. A bottom flap is attached to the bottom edge of each sidewall, and a pivotable support surface is attached to the top edges of two oppositely disposed sidewalls. For each support surface, a support panel extends from the support surface to the bottom flap directly beneath it. The support panels are pivotably attached to the support surfaces and bottom flaps, and, with the oppositely disposed side walls, act as a four bar mechanism to position the support surfaces substantially perpendicular to the side walls when the bottom flaps are pivoted to form the bottom of the container.

1 . A container, comprising: 
 a plurality of sidewalls attached to one another end to end, said sidewalls being pivotable angularly with respect to one another to surround a central space, each of said sidewalls having a bottom edge and a top edge, said sidewalls including a first sidewall;    a plurality of bottom flaps, each bottom flap being pivotably attached to one of said sidewalls along its bottom edge, said bottom flaps being pivotable about said bottom edges from a position within said central space to a position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls thereby forming a bottom, said bottom flaps including a first bottom flap attached to said first sidewall;    a first support surface pivotably attached to the top edge of said first sidewall, said first support surface being pivotable from a position substantially co-planar with said first sidewall to a position substantially perpendicular thereto; and    a first support panel positioned in facing relation with said first sidewall and having a first edge pivotably attached to said first support surface and a second edge pivotably attached to said first bottom flap, said first support panel pivoting said first support surface into said position substantially perpendicular to said first sidewall when said first bottom flap is pivoted into said position substantially perpendicular to said first sidewall.    
   
   
       2 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second of said sidewalls positioned in facing relation opposite to said first sidewall;    a second of said bottom flaps pivotably attached along the bottom edge of said second sidewall;    a second support surface pivotably attached along the top edge of said second sidewall, said second support surface being pivotable from a position substantially co-planar with said second sidewall to a position substantially perpendicular thereto; and    a second support panel positioned in facing relation with said second sidewall and having a first edge pivotably attached to said second support surface and a second edge pivotably attached to said second bottom flap, said second support panel pivoting said second support surface into said position substantially perpendicular to said first sidewall when said second bottom flap is pivoted into said position substantially perpendicular to said second sidewall.    
   
   
       3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said sidewalls further include an adjacent sidewall and said bottom flaps include an adjacent bottom flap attached to said adjacent sidewall, said adjacent sidewall being pivotably attached to said first sidewall, said adjacent bottom flap being pivotably attached to said first bottom flap, said adjacent bottom flap and said first bottom flap both pivoting into said position substantially perpendicular to said first sidewall when said adjacent sidewall is pivoted with respect to said first sidewall.  
   
   
       4 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a knockdown state including first and second knockdown walls positionable in overlying relation with one another and pivotably attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners, said first knockdown wall comprising at least two of said sidewalls positioned substantially in a first plane, said second knockdown wall comprising at least another two of said sidewalls positioned substantially in a second plane in facing relation substantially parallel with said first plane.  
   
   
       5 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein one of said sidewalls includes a removable portion, said removable portion having a perimeter defined by a plurality of perforations in said one sidewall, said removable portion being separable from said one sidewall thereby providing access to said central space.  
   
   
       6 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of top flaps, each of said top flaps being pivotably attached to one of said sidewalls along its top edge, said top flaps being pivotable about said top edges to a position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls and enclosing said central space.  
   
   
       7 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said sidewalls, support surface and support panel are formed from paperboard.  
   
   
       8 . A container according to  claim 1 , comprising four said bottom flaps, said bottom flaps being arranged in overlapping relation so as to form a crash type bottom when said bottom flaps are in said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls.  
   
   
       9 . A container comprising: 
 a plurality of sidewalls pivotably attached to one another end to end, said sidewalls surrounding a central space, said sidewalls including a first and a second sidewall positioned in facing relation opposite one another;    a plurality of bottom flaps, each being pivotably attached to a bottom edge of one of said sidewalls and pivotable from a position within said central space to a position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls thereby forming a bottom, said bottom flaps including a first bottom flap attached to said first sidewall and a second bottom flap attached to said second sidewall;    first and second support surfaces pivotably attached to top edges of said first and second sidewalls respectively, said first and second support surfaces each being pivotable from a position substantially co-planar with said first and second sidewalls respectively, to a position substantially perpendicular to said first and second sidewalls respectively;    a first support panel in facing relation with said first sidewall and having a first edge pivotably connected to said first support surface and a second edge pivotably connected to said first bottom flap; and    a second support panel in facing relation with said second sidewall and having a first edge pivotably connected to said second support surface and a second edge pivotably connected to said second bottom flap, pivoting motion of said first and second bottom flaps into said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls pivoting said support surfaces into said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls.    
   
   
       10 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein said sidewalls further include first and second adjacent sidewalls positioned in facing relation opposite one another, and said bottom flaps further include first and second adjacent bottom flaps attached to said first and second adjacent sidewalls respectively, said first and second adjacent sidewalls being pivotably attached to said first and second sidewalls, said first adjacent bottom flap being pivotably attached to said first bottom flap, said second adjacent bottom flap being pivotably attached to said second bottom flap, said first and second adjacent bottom flaps and said first and second bottom flaps pivoting into said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls when said first and second adjacent sidewalls are pivoted to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to said first and second sidewalls respectively.  
   
   
       11 . A container according to  claim 10 , further comprising a knockdown state including first and second knockdown walls positionable in overlying relation with one another and pivotably attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners, said first knockdown wall comprising said first adjacent sidewall and said second sidewall positioned substantially in a first plane, said second knockdown wall comprising said first sidewall and said second adjacent sidewall positioned substantially in a second plane in facing relation substantially parallel with said first plane, said sidewalls being pivotable about said knockdown corners to separate said knockdown walls and form said container therefrom.  
   
   
       12 . A container according to  claim 11 , wherein one of said adjacent sidewalls includes a removable portion, said removable portion having a perimeter defined by a plurality of perforations in said adjacent sidewall, said removable portion being separable from said adjacent sidewall thereby providing access to said central space.  
   
   
       13 . A container according to  claim 11 , further comprising first and second top flaps, each top flap being pivotably attached to one of said adjacent sidewalls along its top edge, said top flaps being pivotable about said top edges to a position substantially perpendicular to said adjacent sidewalls and enclosing said central space.  
   
   
       14 . A container according to  claim 10 , wherein said bottom flaps and said adjacent bottom flaps are arranged in overlapping relation so as to form a crash type bottom when said bottom flaps are in said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls.  
   
   
       15 . A container, comprising: 
 four sidewalls attached to one another end to end, said sidewalls being pivotable relatively to one another so as to be movable between a knockdown state, wherein two of said sidewalls are in a first plane and two of said sidewalls are in a second plane overlying said first plane, and an assembled state, wherein said sidewalls are in spaced apart relation to one another surrounding a central space;    four bottom flaps, each said bottom flap being attached to one of said sidewalls along a bottom edge thereof, said bottom flaps being pivotable from a position sandwiched between said sidewalls in said knockdown state, and a position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls thereby forming a bottom in said assembled state;    first and second support surfaces pivotably attached along top edges of first and second of said sidewalls respectively, said support surfaces being pivotable into a position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls, said first and second sidewalls being positioned in facing relation opposite to one another; and    first and second support panels positioned in spaced apart facing relation with said first and second sidewalls, said support panels extending, respectively, between said first and second support surfaces and said bottom flaps attached to said first and second sidewalls, pivoting motion of said bottom panels into said position substantially perpendicular to said first and second sidewalls pivoting said first and second support surfaces into said position substantially perpendicular to said first and second sidewalls.    
   
   
       16 . A container according to  claim 15 , wherein said bottom flap attached to said first sidewall is pivotably attached to one of said bottom flaps, and said bottom flap attached to said second sidewall is pivotably attached to another one of said bottom flaps, said bottom flaps pivoting into said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls when said sidewalls are pivoted into spaced apart relation to one another.  
   
   
       17 . A container according to  claim 15 , wherein one of said sidewalls attached to said first and second sidewalls includes a removable portion, said removable portion having a perimeter defined by a plurality of perforations in said one sidewall, said removable portion being separable from said one sidewall thereby providing access to said central space.  
   
   
       18 . A container according to  claim 15 , further comprising first and second top flaps, each top flap being pivotably attached to one of said sidewalls attached to said first and second sidewalls, said top flaps being attached to and pivotable about respective top edges of said sidewalls to a position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls and enclosing said central space.  
   
   
       19 . A container according to  claim 15 , wherein said bottom flaps are arranged in overlapping relation so as to form a crash type bottom when said bottom flaps are in said position substantially perpendicular to said sidewalls.