Crush-resistant box, box blank, and method of manufacture

Abstract

A box has a plurality of outer panels forming an outer enclosure, and a plurality of inner panels. At least some of the inner panels are disposed in a reinforcing relationship adjacent corresponding ones of the outer panels to resist crushing of the box. The box may include a lid moveable between an open position and a closed position, and which is retained in the closed position by a pattern of perforations. A blank for the box is a sheet-like member having a plurality of panels separated by a plurality of fold lines. The blank is adapted to be folded to define the outer enclosure and inner panels of the box.

1 . A blank for a box including a plurality of panels separated by a plurality of fold lines, the blank comprising: 
 a plurality of outer panels adapted to be folded to define an outer enclosure, the outer panels including a pattern of fold lines and perforations defining a lid at one end of the outer enclosure, the lid moveable between an open position and a closed position;    a plurality of inner panels adapted to be folded to lie inside of the outer enclosure such that at least some of the outer panels are reinforced by an underlying one of the inner panels; and    at least one lock tab extending outwardly from the inner panels so as to contact the lid and retain the lid in a closed position.    
   
   
       2 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the number of inner panels is one less than the number of outer panels.  
   
   
       3 . The blank of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the inner panels underlie the lid when the lid is in a closed position.  
   
   
       4 . The blank of  claim 3  wherein: 
 the inner panels include at least an inner front panel; and    the outer panels include at least an outer front panel, wherein the inner front panel is adapted to be folded to reside against the outer front panel.    
   
   
       5 . The blank of  claim 4  wherein the inner front panel has a notch disposed at an upper end thereof therein for permitting access to an interior of the inner enclosure when the lid is in the open position.  
   
   
       6 . The blank of  claim 5  wherein the panels include, in sequence: 
 a first inner side panel;    an inner front panel;    a second inner side panel;    an outer rear panel;    a first outer side panel;    an outer front panel; and    a second outer side panel.    
   
   
       7 . The blank of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of end flaps protruding from upper and lower ends of the outer panels.  
   
   
       8 . The blank of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the end flaps includes a hang tag having a hole formed therethrough, wherein the hang tag initially forms a continuous portion of the end flap and can be folded away from the end flap to provide access to the hole for hanging the blank thereby.  
   
   
       9 . The blank of  claim 8  wherein the hang tag is initially connected to the end flap by at least one tag perforation, and wherein at least one finger notch is provided in the end flap for facilitating breaking of the perforation.  
   
   
       10 . The blank of  claim 1  wherein the blank comprises cardboard.  
   
   
       11 . A box, comprising: 
 a plurality of interconnected outer panels which define an outer enclosure wherein the outer panels define a lid at one end thereof which is moveable between an open position and a closed position;    a plurality of interconnected inner panels disposed inside the outer enclosure, at least some of the inner panels being disposed in a reinforcing relationship adjacent corresponding ones of the outer panels; and    at least one lock tab extending outwardly from the inner panels so as to contact the lid and retain the lid in a closed position.    
   
   
       12 . The box of  claim 11 , wherein the number of inner panels is one less than the number of outer panels.  
   
   
       13 . The box of  claim 11  wherein: 
 one of the inner panels includes a lid tab defined by a tab perforation; and    a free end of the lid tab is secured to the lid.    
   
   
       14 . The box of  claim 11  wherein the lid is defined by at least one fold line cooperating with a plurality of perforations such that the lid initially forms an integral part of the outer panels and can be separated along the perforations to fold open about the fold line.  
   
   
       15 . The box of  claim 14  wherein a portion of the inner panels underlie the lid when the lid is in a closed position.  
   
   
       16 . The box of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the inner panels include at least an inner front panel; and    the outer panels include at least an outer front panel, wherein the inner front panel resides adjacent the outer front panel in a reinforcing relationship so as to resist crushing of the box in a side-to-side direction.    
   
   
       17 . The box of  claim 15  wherein the inner front panel has a notch disposed at an upper end thereof for permitting access to an interior of the inner enclosure when the lid is in the open position.  
   
   
       18 . The box of  claim 11  wherein the outer enclosure includes opposed front and back outer panels connected by opposed outer side panels; and 
 the inner panels include opposed inner side panels connected by an inner front panel.    
   
   
       19 . The box of  claim 11  wherein the inner and outer panels are integrally formed from a single sheet-like blank.  
   
   
       20 . The box of  claim 11  further comprising at least one foot extending downwardly from a bottom panel of the box so as to stabilize the box in a upright standing position.  
   
   
       21 . The box of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a plurality of top end flaps protruding from the top ends of the outer panels and folded together to form a top end panel; and    a plurality of bottom end flaps protruding from the bottom ends of the outer panels and folded together to form a bottom end panel.    
   
   
       22 . The box of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the end flaps includes a hang tag having a hole formed therethrough, wherein the hang tag initially forms a continuous portion of the end flap and can be folded away from the end flap to provide access to the hole for hanging the blank thereby.  
   
   
       23 . The box of  claim 22  wherein the hang tag is initially connected to the end flap by at least one tag perforation, and wherein at least one finger notch is provided in the end flap for facilitating breaking of the perforation.  
   
   
       24 . A method of forming a box, comprising: 
 providing a blank;    folding the blank to define a plurality of inner panels; and    folding the blank to define a plurality of outer panels enclosing the inner panels, wherein at least some of the inner panels lie adjacent the outer panels in reinforcing relationship thereto;    wherein the outer panels include a pattern of fold lines and perforations defining a lid moveable between an open position and a closed position; and at least one lock tab extends outwardly from the inner panels so as to contact the lid and retain the lid in a closed position.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising securing at least two of the outer panels together.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising securing at least one of the inner panels to one of the outer panels.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the outer panels are folded to form opposed front and back outer panels connected by opposed outer side panels; and 
 the inner panels are folded to form opposed inner side panels connected by an inner front panel.