Container having sliding corner support

Abstract

A container having multiple wall panels forming container sides, the container having at least first and second wall panels that meet at a first corner. The container is assembleable from a flat or knockdown state to an opened or assembled state. A first inner panel is attached to a first wall panel, the first inner panel having an end spaced from the first corner. A slidable corner support is attached to the end of the first inner panel and extends towards the second wall panel. When the container is assembled from the knockdown state, the slidable corner support moves away from the first corner to form a support member that can help support a container stacked on top and prevent nesting.

1 . A container comprising:
 multiple wall panels forming container sides, said wall panels including first and second wall panels meeting at a first corner; and   a slidable corner support supported on said first wall panel and extending towards said second wall panel, said slidable corner support being positioned to overlap said first corner when said container is in a knockdown state in which said first and second wall panels are disposed substantially in a first plane, said slidable corner support having a free end positioned to be caused to slide along said second wall panel during folding of said first and second wall panels at said first corner during assembly of said container from its knockdown state to an opened state in which said first and second wall panels are folded relative to one another.   
     
     
         2 . A container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said slidable corner support overlaps said first corner when said container is in said knockdown state. 
     
     
         3 . A container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said slidable corner support moves away from said first corner as said container is assembled from the knockdown state. 
     
     
         4 . A container in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a first inner panel attached to an inner face of said first wall panel, said first inner panel having an end spaced from said first corner, said slidable corner support being attached to said end of said first inner panel. 
     
     
         5 . A container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said first inner panel is attached integrally to a top end of said first wall panel. 
     
     
         6 . A container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said slidable corner support has a height substantially the same as a height of said first inner panel and a height of said first wall panel. 
     
     
         7 . A container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said slidable corner support comprises first and second sections foldable relative to one another about a fold line which is substantially parallel to said first corner and which is positioned between said end of said first inner panel and said free end of said slidable support corner support, said first section overlapping said first corner when said container is in said knockdown state, said free end of said slidable corner support being positioned on said second section of said slidable corner support. 
     
     
         8 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A container in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a second inner panel attached to an inner face of said second wall panel, said second inner panel having an end spaced from said first corner. 
     
     
         12 . A container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said free end of said slidable corner support moves from a position spaced from said end of said inner panel to a position closer to said end of said inner panel when said container is assembled from said knockdown state to said opened state. 
     
     
         13 . A container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said first inner panel is initially separate from said first wall panel, and is then affixed thereto. 
     
     
         14 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising a second inner panel that is initially separate from said third wall panel and is then affixed thereto. 
     
     
         15 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said first inner panel has a height less than a height of said first wall panel. 
     
     
         16 . A container in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein said first inner panel comprises a pair of first and second support flap sections along and extending from fold lines at opposed side edges of the first inner panel, and said second and fourth wall panels are free of inner panels, whereby the support flap sections of said first and second inner panels overly portions of said second and fourth wall sections and provide support at all four corners upon container setup. 
     
     
         17 . A container in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein said first support flap sections extend to respective free ends that are not affixed to said second and fourth wall sections whereby the free ends are slidable along portions thereof upon container setup 
     
     
         18 . A container in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said first inner panel is not integrally attached to any of said first wall panel. 
     
     
         19 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said first inner panel is adhered to said inner face of said first wall panel with a glue that is slower setting than a glue that is used to adhere other parts of the container. 
     
     
         20 . A container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said first inner panel has a height less than a height of said first wall panel. 
     
     
         21 . A container in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said first inner panel has a thickness different from said wall panels.