One piece bulk bin having an automatically-erecting bottom and methods for constructing the same

Abstract

A container formed from a single blank of sheet material is provided. The container includes an automatically-erecting bottom wall configured to be selectively moveable between a substantially flat position and a fully erect position. The container includes a plurality of side panels, including at least a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a side joining tab. The container also includes a plurality of bottom flaps for forming a bottom wall, including both minor and major bottom flaps. A first bottom flap extends from the first side panel, a second bottom flap extends from the second side panel, and a third bottom flap extends from the third side panel. The second bottom flap includes a first minor joining tab for coupling to the first bottom flap. The third bottom flap includes a third joining tab for coupling to a second major bottom flap.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A container that is selectively moveable between a substantially flat position and a six-sided fully erect position, said container formed from a single blank of sheet material having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, said container comprising:
 a plurality of side walls at least partially defining a cavity of said container; and   a plurality of bottom flaps configured to automatically form a bottom wall when said container is moved from the substantially flat position to the six-sided fully erect position, each of said plurality of bottom flaps emanating from a bottom edge of a respective one of said plurality of side walls, said plurality of bottom flaps comprising a first minor bottom flap, a second minor bottom flap, a first major bottom flap, and a second major bottom flap,   wherein said second minor bottom flap includes a first minor joining tab, said exterior surface of said first minor joining tab coupled to said interior surface of said first minor bottom flap, and   wherein said first major bottom flap includes a major joining tab coupled to said second major bottom flap.   
     
     
         22 . The container according to  claim 21 , wherein said first minor joining tab comprises a crush area configured to reduce a thickness of said container in the substantially flat position. 
     
     
         23 . The container according to  claim 21 , wherein said major joining tab comprises a crush area configured to reduce a thickness of said container in the substantially flat position. 
     
     
         24 . The container according to  claim 21 , wherein each of said first and second minor bottom flaps is configured to automatically rotate upwardly toward the cavity to form at least a portion of said bottom wall when said container is moved from the substantially flat position to the six-sided fully erect position. 
     
     
         25 . The container according to  claim 21 , wherein each of said first and second major bottom flaps is configured to automatically rotate upwardly toward the cavity to form at least a portion of said bottom wall when said container is moved from the substantially flat position to the six-sided fully erect position. 
     
     
         26 . The container according to  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of bottom flaps further comprises a third minor bottom flap and a fourth minor bottom flap, said third minor bottom flap includes a second minor joining tab coupled to said fourth minor bottom flap. 
     
     
         27 . The container according to  claim 26 , wherein said first and second major bottom flaps are configured to support said first, second, third, and fourth minor bottom flaps in a face-to-face relationship when said container is in the six-sided fully erect position. 
     
     
         28 . The container according to  claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of continuous reinforcing straps extending around an outer perimeter of said container, wherein each said reinforcing strap is positioned in a predetermined location between a top edge and said bottom edge of said plurality of side walls. 
     
     
         29 . The container according to  claim 21 , wherein the single blank of sheet material is fabricated from corrugated paperboard comprising:
 an outer paperboard liner including an outer surface and an inner surface;   a plurality of continuous reinforcing straps extending around a perimeter of said container, each said strap including an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein said outer surface of each said strap is coupled to said inner surface of said outer paperboard liner;   an inner paperboard liner spaced a distance from said outer paperboard liner; and   a paperboard medium extending between said inner paperboard liner and at least one of said outer paperboard liner and said plurality of reinforcing straps.   
     
     
         30 . The container according to  claim 29 , wherein each said strap is positioned at a predetermined location between a top edge and said bottom edge of said plurality of side walls. 
     
     
         31 . A container that is selectively moveable between a substantially flat position and a six-sided fully erect position, said container formed from a single blank of sheet material having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, said container comprising:
 a plurality of side panels comprising a first side panel coupled across a fold line to a second side panel, a third side panel coupled across a fold line to said second side panel, a fourth side panel coupled across a fold line to said third side panel, a fifth side panel coupled across a fold line to said fourth side panel, and a sixth side panel coupled across a fold line to said fifth side panel, wherein said sixth side panel has a side joining tab extending from an edge opposed to said fifth side panel, said side joining tab coupled to said first side panel; and   a plurality of bottom flaps configured to automatically form a bottom wall when said container is moved from the substantially flat position to the six-sided fully erect position, said plurality of bottom flaps comprising first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth bottom flaps, each said bottom flap extending from a bottom edge of a respective side panel of said plurality of side panels,   wherein said second bottom flap has a first minor joining tab extending from a first joint fold line, said exterior surface of said first minor joining tab coupled to said interior surface of said first bottom flap, and said fourth bottom flap has a second minor joining tab extending from a second joint fold line, said second minor joining tab coupled to said fifth bottom flap, and   wherein said third bottom flap has a major joining tab extending from a third joint fold line, said major joining tab coupled to said sixth bottom flap.   
     
     
         32 . The container according to  claim 31 , wherein said third and sixth bottom flaps emanate from opposing side panels. 
     
     
         33 . The container according to  claim 31 , wherein the single blank of sheet material is fabricated from corrugated paperboard comprising:
 an outer paperboard liner including an outer surface and an inner surface;   a plurality of continuous reinforcing straps extending around a perimeter of said container, each said strap including an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein said outer surface of each strap is coupled to said inner surface of said outer paperboard liner;   an inner paperboard liner spaced a distance from said outer paperboard liner; and   a paperboard medium extending between said inner paperboard liner and at least one of said outer paperboard liner and said plurality of reinforcing straps.   
     
     
         34 . The container according to  claim 31 , further comprising a plurality of continuous reinforcing straps extending around an outer perimeter of said container, wherein each said reinforcing strap is positioned in a predetermined location between a top edge and the bottom edge of said plurality of side panels when said container is in the six-sided fully erected position and when said container is in the substantially flat position. 
     
     
         35 . A method for constructing a container from a single blank of sheet material having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, the blank including a plurality of side panels and a plurality of bottom flaps, each of the plurality of bottom flaps emanating from a bottom edge of a respective one of the plurality of side panels, the plurality of bottom flaps comprising a first minor bottom flap, a second minor bottom flap, a first major bottom flap, and a second major bottom flap, wherein a first minor joining tab extends from the second minor bottom flap, and a major joining tab extends from the first major bottom flap, the method comprising:
 rotating the first minor joining tab with respect to the second minor bottom flap such that the interior surface of the first minor joining tab is in substantially face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the second minor bottom flap;   rotating the major joining tab with respect to the first major bottom flap such that the interior surface of the major joining tab is in substantially face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the first major bottom flap;   coupling the exterior surface of the first minor joining tab to the interior surface of the first minor bottom flap; and   coupling the major joining tab to the second major bottom flap, wherein the plurality of bottom flaps is configured to automatically form a bottom wall when the container is moved from a substantially flat position to a six-sided fully erect position.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising moving two of the plurality of side panels out of planar communication with each other, wherein each of the plurality of bottom flaps automatically rotate upwardly toward a cavity of the container. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the plurality of bottom flaps further comprises a third minor bottom flap and a fourth minor bottom flap, the third minor bottom flap includes a second minor joining tab, the method further comprising:
 rotating the second minor joining tab with respect to the third minor bottom flap such that the interior surface of the second minor joining tab is in substantially face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the third minor bottom flap; and   coupling the exterior surface of the second minor joining tab to the interior surface of the fourth minor bottom flap.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein a side joining tab extends from a first of the plurality of side panels, the method further comprising coupling the side joining tab to a second of the plurality of side panels to form a plurality of side walls of the container. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said constructing the container from the single blank of sheet material further comprises constructing the container from corrugated paperboard comprising:
 an outer paperboard liner including an outer surface and an inner surface;   a plurality of continuous reinforcing straps configured to extend around a perimeter of the container, each strap including an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface of each strap is coupled to the inner surface of the outer paperboard liner;   an inner paperboard liner spaced a distance from the outer paperboard liner; and   a paperboard medium extending between the inner paperboard liner and at least one of the outer paperboard liner and the plurality of reinforcing straps.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said constructing the container from the single blank of sheet material further comprises constructing the container from the blank that further includes a crush area on the first minor joining tab, the crush area configured to reduce a thickness of the container in the substantially flat position. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said constructing the container from the single blank of sheet material further comprises constructing the container from the blank that further includes a crush area on the major joining tab, the crush area configured to reduce a thickness of the container in the substantially flat position.