High Vertical Load Box

Abstract

A box, preferably made from a unitary blank of material. The box has four interconnected sidewalls defining an open storage area that has a generally rectangular prism shape. Each sidewall defines at least a triple thickness of the material. The preferred material is corrugated paper or plastic.

1 . A box made from a unitary blank of material, comprising:
 four interconnected sidewalls defining an open storage area therebetween having a generally rectangular prism shape, each sidewall comprising at least a triple thickness of the material; and   a bottom closing the storage area at one end of the sidewalls.   
     
     
         2 . The box of  claim 1  in which the sidewalls are each formed from three sidewall panels. 
     
     
         3 . The box of  claim 2  in which the blank is made from a corrugated material, and the sidewall panels are arranged such that the corrugations in the sidewall panels all run in the same direction. 
     
     
         4 . The box of  claim 3  in which the corrugations run in a direction parallel to the height of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         5 . The box of  claim 4  in which the blank defines four portions, each portion making up one of the sidewalls and part of the bottom. 
     
     
         6 . The box of  claim 5  in which each portion defines three interconnected sidewall panels, each such sidewall panel making up one thickness of a triple thickness sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The box of  claim 6  in which the two sidewall panels closest to one end of each of the portions are separated from the sidewall panels of each adjacent portion by a gap, so that the two sidewall panels can move independently of the sidewall panels of any other portion. 
     
     
         8 . The box of  claim 7  in which the sidewall panels of each portion are interconnected by score lines. 
     
     
         9 . The box of  claim 8  further comprising a tab projecting from and connected by a score line to one sidewall panel of one portion, wherein the tab is glued to a sidewall panel of another portion. 
     
     
         10 . The box of  claim 9  in which the bottom is formed by four bottom panels, one such bottom panel part of each of the four portions. 
     
     
         11 . The box of  claim 10  in which two non-adjacent bottom panels each define via a score line a flap that is glued to an adjacent bottom panel. 
     
     
         12 . The box of  claim 6  in which the sidewall panel that defines one end of each of the portions is separated from an adjacent sidewall panel of each adjacent portion by a gap, so that such sidewall panels can move independently of the sidewall panels of any other portion. 
     
     
         13 . The box of  claim 12  in which the bottom is formed by four bottom panels, one such bottom panel part of each of the four portions. 
     
     
         14 . The box of  claim 12  in which the three sidewall panels and the bottom panel of each portion are interconnected by score lines, wherein each bottom portion is connected to two sidewall portions. 
     
     
         15 . The box of  claim 14  further comprising a tab projecting from and connected by a score line to one sidewall panel of one portion, wherein the tab is glued to a sidewall panel of another portion. 
     
     
         16 . A box made from a unitary blank of material and a separate sleeve, comprising:
 a unitary blank of material that defines four interconnected sidewalls defining an open storage area therebetween having a generally rectangular prism shape, each sidewall comprising at least a double thickness of the material, and a bottom closing the storage area at one end of the sidewalls; and   a separate sleeve inside of the storage area and in contact with each of the sidewalls, to thicken the sidewalls such that each is formed from at least three sidewall panels;   wherein the blank and the sleeve are both made from a corrugated material, and the sidewall panels are arranged such that the corrugations in the sidewall panels all run in the same direction parallel to the height of the sidewalls.   
     
     
         17 . The box of  claim 16  in which the blank defines four portions, each portion making up one of the sidewalls and part of the bottom. 
     
     
         18 . The box of  claim 17  in which each portion defines two or three interconnected sidewall panels, each such sidewall panel making up one thickness of a sidewall. 
     
     
         19 . The box of  claim 18  in which the two sidewall panels closest to one end of each of the portions are separated from the sidewall panels of each adjacent portion by a gap, so that the two sidewall panels can move independently of the sidewall panels of any other portion. 
     
     
         20 . The box of  claim 19  in which the sidewall panels of each portion are interconnected by score lines. 
     
     
         21 . The box of  claim 20  further comprising a tab projecting from and connected by a score line to one sidewall panel of one portion, wherein the tab is glued to a sidewall panel of another portion. 
     
     
         22 . The box of  claim 21  in which the bottom is formed by four bottom panels, one such bottom panel part of each of the four portions. 
     
     
         23 . The box of  claim 22  in which two non-adjacent bottom panels each define via a score line a flap that is glued to an adjacent bottom panel. 
     
     
         24 . The box of  claim 18  in which the sidewall panel that defines one end of each of the portions is separated from an adjacent sidewall panel of each adjacent portion by a gap, so that the such sidewall panels can move independently of the sidewall panels of any other portion. 
     
     
         25 . The box of  claim 24  in which the bottom is formed by four bottom panels, one such bottom panel part of each of the four portions. 
     
     
         26 . The box of  claim 24  in which the sidewall panels and the bottom panel of each portion are interconnected by score lines, wherein each bottom portion is connected to two sidewall portions. 
     
     
         27 . The box of  claim 26  further comprising a tab projecting from and connected by a score line to one sidewall panel of one portion, wherein the tab is glued to a sidewall panel of another portion.