Suspension pack box designs, blanks and methods

Abstract

Box designs, blanks for forming boxes, boxes formed thereby, and manufacturing methods therefor are disclosed. Preferably the boxes are formed from cardboard or other corrugated material and include suspension packs for securely shipping items such as, for example and not by way of limitation, wine bottles, candles, and cell phones. Each box includes suspension panels that extend from a top panel of the lid of the box. The ends of the suspension panels are bound such that on or more items placed between the suspension panels through a top opening of the box when the lid is open are contained between the suspension panels in a suspended location above a bottom panel of the box and at spaces to the end and side panels of the box. The suspension panels may include hinges defined by perforated lines or fold lines for conforming to shapes of and thereby cradling the items.

1 . A box formed from folding a single sheet of material having fold lines and/or lines of perforations therein, wherein, when the box is assembled, the assembled box includes suspension panels that extend into an interior of the box, each suspension panel being connected to a top panel of the box along a fold line or line of perforations, the top panel forming part of the lid of the box, and distal subpanels of the suspension panels defining distal ends thereof being bound together such that the suspension panels form a receiving space for receiving one or more articles for suspended retention thereof within the interior of the box at spacings to end, side, and bottom panels forming defining the interior of the box. 
     
     
         2 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein a fold line bisects each of the end panels and bottom panels and further comprising fold lines defined in the bottom panel such that the box is collapsible when in the assembled and bound stated. 
     
     
         3 . A box blank, comprising:
 (a) a bottom panel;   (b) a first side panel;   (c) a second side panel;   (d) a first end panel;   (e) a second end panel;   (f) a first overlapping side panel;   (g) a second overlapping side panel;   (h) a third overlapping side panel;   (i) a fourth overlapping side panel;   (j) a first top panel;   (k) a second top panel;   (l) a first suspension panel; and   (m) a second suspension panel;   (n) wherein the panels of the box blank are integrally formed as part of a generally planar single sheet of material and are defined and separated by fold lines and lines of perforations;   (o) wherein a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the first side panel; a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the second side panel; a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the first end panel; a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the second end panel; a line of perforations extends between and delineates the first top panel and the first side panel; a line of perforations extends between and delineates the second top panel and the second suspension panel;   (p) wherein each of the first suspension panel and second suspension panel is defined by a plurality of subpanels, adjacent subpanels being delineated by a fold line or line of perforations extending therebetween; and   (p) wherein, when the box blank is folded along the fold lines into an assembled box for use and is in a closed position,
 (i) the first suspension panel extends from the first top panel into an interior space defined by the bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels, 
 (ii) the second suspension panel extends from the second top panel into the interior space defined by the bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels, and 
 (iii) ends of the suspension panels defined by distal most subpanels are adhered to one another and form a base for supporting one or more articles received between the suspension panels, subpanels of the suspension panels forming side support areas extending over and containing the one or more articles with the interior space in a suspended position relative to the bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels. 
   
     
     
         4 . The box blank of  claim 3 , wherein a double hinge is defined between the first top panel and the first suspension panel, and a double hinge is defined between the second top panel and the second suspension panel. 
     
     
         5 . The box blank of  claim 4 , wherein each double hinge is defined by parallel lines of perforations extending in close proximity to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The box blank of  claim 4 , wherein each double hinge is defined by a fold line extending in parallel and close proximity to a line of perforations. 
     
     
         7 . A box comprising a folded and bound box blank, the box blank comprising:
 (a) a bottom panel;   (b) a first side panel;   (c) a second side panel;   (d) a first end panel;   (e) a second end panel;   (f) a first overlapping side panel;   (g) a second overlapping side panel;   (h) a third overlapping side panel;   (i) a fourth overlapping side panel;   (j) a first top panel;   (k) a second top panel;   (l) a first suspension panel; and   (m) a second suspension panel;   (n) wherein the panels of the box blank are integrally formed as part of a generally planar single sheet of material and are defined and separated by fold lines and lines of perforations;   (o) wherein a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the first side panel; a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the second side panel; a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the first end panel; a fold line extends between and delineates the bottom panel and the second end panel; a line of perforations extends between and delineates the first top panel and the first side panel; a line of perforations extends between and delineates the second top panel and the second suspension panel;   (p) wherein each of the first suspension panel and second suspension panel is defined by a plurality of subpanels, adjacent subpanels being delineated by a fold line or line of perforations extending therebetween; and   (p) wherein, when the box blank is folded along the fold lines into an assembled box for use and is in a closed position,
 (i) the first suspension panel extends from the first top panel into an interior space defined by the bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels, 
 (ii) the second suspension panel extends from the second top panel into the interior space defined by the bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels, and 
 (iii) ends of the suspension panels defined by distal most subpanels are adhered to one another and form a base for supporting one or more articles received between the suspension panels, subpanels of the suspension panels forming side support areas extending over and containing the one or more articles with the interior space in a suspended position relative to the bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels. 
   
     
     
         8 . The box of  claim 7 , wherein a double hinge is defined between the first top panel and the first suspension panel, and a double hinge is defined between the second top panel and the second suspension panel. 
     
     
         9 . The box of  claim 8 , wherein each double hinge is defined by parallel lines of perforations extending in close proximity to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The box of  claim 8 , wherein each double hinge is defined by a fold line extending in parallel and close proximity to a line of perforations. 
     
     
         11 . The box blank of  claim 8 , wherein a fold line bisects each of the end panels and bottom panels and further comprising fold lines defined in the bottom panel such that the box is collapsible when in the assembled and bound stated. 
     
     
         12 . The box blank of  claim 8 , further comprising a first overlapping panel attached to the first end panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the first overlapping panel and the first end panel; a second overlapping panel attached to the first end panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the second overlapping panel and the first end panel; a third overlapping panel attached to the second end panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the third overlapping panel and the second end panel; a fourth overlapping panel attached to the second end panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the fourth overlapping panel and the second end panel; a first side, top flap panel attached to the first overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the first side, top flap panel and the first overlapping panel; a second side, top flap panel attached to the second overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the second side, top flap panel and the second overlapping panel; a third side, top flap panel attached to the third overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the third side, top flap panel and the third overlapping panel; and a fourth side, top flap panel attached to the fourth overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the fourth side, top flap panel and the fourth overlapping panel; wherein the side, top panels extend from sides of the box in partial covering over the interior space and support the top panels in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The box blank of  claim 12 , further comprising a first end, top flap panel attached to the first end panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the first end, top flap panel and the first end panel; and a second end, top flap panel attached to the second end panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the second end, top flap panel and the second end panel; wherein the end, top panels extend in partial covering over the interior space and support the top panels in the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The box of  claim 13 , wherein each end, top flap panel includes a fold line dividing it into first and second subpanels, and wherein the suspension panels abut one of the first and second subpanels of each end, top flap panel when the box blank is folded along the fold lines into an assembled box for use and is in a closed position. 
     
     
         15 . The box of  claim 8 , further comprising a first overlapping panel attached to the first side panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the first overlapping panel and the first side panel; a second overlapping panel attached to the second side panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the second overlapping panel and the second side panel; a third overlapping panel attached to the first side panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the third overlapping panel and the first side panel; a fourth overlapping panel attached to the second side panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the fourth overlapping panel and the second side panel; a first end, top flap panel attached to the first overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the first end, top flap panel and the first overlapping panel; a second end, top flap panel attached to the second overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the second end, top flap panel and the second overlapping panel; a third end, top flap panel attached to the third overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the third end, top flap panel and the third overlapping panel; and a fourth end, top flap panel attached to the fourth overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the fourth end, top flap panel and the fourth overlapping panel; wherein the end, top panels extend from ends of the box in partial covering over the interior space and support the top panels in the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The box of  claim 15 , further comprising a first guide flange panel attached to the first overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the first guide flange panel and the first overlapping panel; a second guide flange panel attached to the second overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the second guide flange panel and the second overlapping panel; a third guide flange panel attached to the third overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the third guide flange panel and the third overlapping panel; and a fourth guide flange panel attached to the fourth overlapping panel with a fold line extending between and delineating the boundary between the fourth guide flange panel and the fourth overlapping panel; wherein the first guide flange panel abuts the second flange panel to define a guide extending along a height of the first end panel and the third guide flange panel abuts the fourth guide flange panel to define a guide extending along a height of the second end panel; and wherein the base includes a slot on each end within which a respective said guide is received, whereby the base is guided in its descent into and ascent from the interior of the box. 
     
     
         17 . The box of  claim 16 , wherein double hinges formed by closely located lines of perforations in the suspension panels define the slots in which the guides are received. 
     
     
         18 . The box of  claim 8 , further comprising a removable buffer insert positioned within the interior space adjacent the first end panel and extending around and receiving through a recess therein the base formed by the suspension panels, whereby a space between one or more articles suspended in the assembled box and the first end of the box is consumed. 
     
     
         19 . The box of  claim 18 , wherein the buffer insert is in the shape of a folded “H”. 
     
     
         20 . The box of  claim 8 , wherein the suspension panels form a “V” or “U” shaped containment area extending from the top panels for suspending articles received therein. 
     
     
         21 - 27 . (canceled)