Container having reclosable end wall

Abstract

A container for packaging a product includes a blank of sheet material having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface. The container has a bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls constructed to define a cavity. At least one end wall is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

1 . A container for packaging a product, the container comprising: 
 a blank of sheet material having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, the blank forming the container having a bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls constructed to define a cavity, at least one end wall of the opposing end walls movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.    
   
   
       2 . A container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the at least one end wall further comprises: 
 an end panel coupled to the bottom panel along a first fold line, the end panel movable about the first fold line with respect to the bottom panel between an open position and a closed position;    a second fold line extending along at least a portion of a width of the end panel and defining a first end panel portion and a second end panel portion; and    a line of separation intersecting the second fold line and defining a tab, the second end panel portion foldable along the second fold line with respect to the first end panel portion to form a top portion of the end wall.    
   
   
       3 . A container in accordance with  claim 2  wherein, with the second end panel portion folded along the second fold line, the tab extends outwardly from the top portion.  
   
   
       4 . A container in accordance with  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a first side portion comprising a first flap portion coupled to the top portion along a third fold line and a second flap portion coupled to the end panel; and    an opposing second side portion comprising a first flap portion coupled to the top portion along a fourth fold line and a second flap portion coupled to the end panel.    
   
   
       5 . A container in accordance with  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a projection defined on a first side edge of a first side wall of the opposing side walls; and    a slot defined on the top portion and configured to receive the projection in the closed configuration.    
   
   
       6 . A container in accordance with  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a first side panel flap coupled to an end portion of a first side panel of the opposing side panels along a third fold line, the first side panel flap defining a first tab along a first side edge of the first side panel flap and a second tab along a second side edge opposing the first side edge, the first side panel flap movable between an open position for facilitating loading the product into the cavity and a closed position, in the closed position the first tab positioned within a slot defined by the line of separation formed on the top portion and the second tab positioned within an opening formed along a boundary line defined between the bottom panel and the end wall.    
   
   
       7 . A container in accordance with  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a second side panel flap coupled to an end portion of a second side panel of the opposing side panels along a fourth fold line, the second side panel flap defining a third tab along a first side edge of the second side panel flap and a fourth tab along a second side edge opposing the first side edge, the second side panel flap movable between an open position for facilitating loading the product into the cavity and a closed position, in the closed position the third tab positioned within the slot and the fourth tab positioned within the opening.    
   
   
       8 . A container in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a locking handle system comprising: 
 a first access opening defined by a first side panel flap coupled to a first side wall of the opposing side walls, the first side panel flap movable between an open position and a closed position;    a second access opening defined by a second side panel flap coupled to a second side wall of the opposing side walls, the second side panel flap movable between an open position and a closed position, in the closed position the second access opening aligned with the first access opening; and    a tab formed by a first end wall of the opposing end walls, the tab positionable within the first access opening and the second access opening in the closed configuration to couple the first side panel flap and the second side panel flap.    
   
   
       9 . A container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein one end wall of the opposing end walls is glued to each of the opposing side walls.  
   
   
       10 . A container in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the bottom panel at least partially defines at least one opening and at least one tab is formed on a top surface of the container, the at least one tab positionable within a corresponding opening formed in a bottom panel of a second container for facilitating stacking of a plurality of containers.  
   
   
       11 . A container for packaging a product, the container comprising: 
 a blank of sheet material having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, the blank forming the container having a bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls constructed to define a cavity, at least one end wall of the opposing end walls movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the open configuration facilitates loading the product into the cavity; and    a locking handle system coupling the movable end wall to each side wall of the opposing side walls in the closed configuration.    
   
   
       12 . A container in accordance with  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a first side wall of the opposing side walls comprising a first side panel and a first side panel flap extending from an edge of the first side panel, the first side panel flap movable between an open position and a closed position and defining a first access opening;    a second side wall of the opposing side walls comprising a second side panel and a second side panel flap extending from an edge of the second side panel, the second side panel flap movable between an open position and a closed position and defining a second access opening, in the closed position the second access opening aligned with the first access opening; and    a first end wall of the opposing end walls defining a locking tab, the locking tab positionable within the first access opening and the second access opening in the closed configuration to interfere with the first side panel flap and the second side panel flap.    
   
   
       13 . A container in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the at least one end wall further comprises: 
 an end panel coupled to the bottom panel along a first fold line, the end panel movable about the first fold line with respect to the bottom panel;    a second fold line extending along at least a portion of a width of the end panel and defining a first end panel portion and a second end panel portion; and    a line of separation intersecting the second fold line and defining a tab, the second end panel portion foldable along the second fold line with respect to the first end panel portion to form a top portion of the end wall.    
   
   
       14 . A container in accordance with  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a first side portion comprising a first flap portion coupled to the top portion along a third fold line and a second flap portion coupled to the end panel; and    an opposing second side portion comprising a first flap portion coupled to the top portion along a fourth fold line and a second flap portion coupled to the end panel.    
   
   
       15 . A container in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a projection defined on a first side edge of a first side wall of the opposing side walls; and    a slot defined along the third fold line and configured to receive the projection in the closed configuration.    
   
   
       16 . A container in accordance with  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a first side panel flap coupled to an end portion of a first side panel of the opposing side panels along a third fold line, the first side panel flap forming a first tab along a first side edge of the first side panel flap and a second tab along a second side edge opposing the first side edge, the first side panel flap movable between an open position for facilitating loading the product into the cavity and a closed position, in the closed position the first tab positioned within a slot defined by the line of separation formed on the top portion and the second tab positioned within an opening defined along a boundary line defined between the bottom panel and the end wall; and    a second side panel flap coupled to an end portion of a second side panel of the opposing side panels along a fourth fold line, the second side panel flap forming a third tab along a first side edge of the second side panel flap and a fourth tab along a second side edge opposing the first side edge, the second side panel flap movable between an open position for facilitating loading the product into the cavity and a closed position, in the closed position the third tab positioned within the slot and the fourth tab positioned within the opening.    
   
   
       17 . A method for packaging a product, the method comprising: 
 constructing a container having a bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls to define a cavity, and configuring a movable first end wall of the opposing end walls in an open configuration;    loading the product into the cavity through an opening formed by the movable first end wall configured in the open configuration;    moving the movable first end wall to a closed configuration; and    locking the movable first end wall in the closed configuration.    
   
   
       18 . A method in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising moving the movable first end wall from the closed configuration to the open configuration to remove the product from the container.  
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein locking the movable first end wall in the closed configuration further comprises positioning a projection defined on a first side edge of a first side wall of the opposing side walls within a slot defined within a top portion of the movable first end wall in the closed configuration.  
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein locking the movable first end wall in the closed configuration further comprises moving a first side panel flap from an open position for facilitating loading the product into the cavity and a closed position, in the closed position a first tab formed along a first side edge of the first side panel flap positioned within a slot defined on a top portion of the movable first end wall and a second tab formed along a second side edge of the first side panel flap opposing the first side edge positioned within an opening formed along a boundary line defined between the bottom panel and the movable first end wall.  
   
   
       21 . A method in accordance with  claim 20  wherein locking the movable first end wall in the closed configuration further comprises positioning a tab formed by the movable first end wall within a first access opening formed in the first side panel flap in the closed position to interfere with the first side panel flap.