Container having a lid lock assembly and methods of making same from a blank

Abstract

A blank of foldable sheet material for forming a container includes a top panel comprising a front edge, and a tuck flap extending from the front edge of the top panel to an edge of the blank. The blank also includes at least one releasable locking assembly located along at least a portion of the front edge of the top panel. The at least one releasable locking assembly includes a first locking assembly panel coupled to a second locking assembly panel along an intermediate fold line. The intermediate fold line is offset from the front edge of the top panel towards the edge of the blank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blank of foldable sheet material for forming a container, said blank comprising:
 a top panel comprising a front edge;   a tuck flap extending from the front edge of the top panel to an edge of the blank; and   at least one releasable locking assembly located along at least a portion of the front edge of the top panel, the at least one releasable locking assembly comprising a first locking assembly panel coupled to a second locking assembly panel along an intermediate fold line, wherein the intermediate fold line is offset from the front edge of the top panel towards the edge of the blank.   
     
     
         2 . A blank in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first locking assembly panel is rotatable into an oblique position with respect to the top panel and the second locking assembly panel is rotatable into an oblique position with respect to the tuck flap when a lid of the container is formed. 
     
     
         3 . A blank in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the first locking assembly panel is rotatable into the oblique position with respect to the top panel to define a pair of first vent openings in the lid of the container on opposite sides of the first locking assembly panel, and the second locking assembly panel is rotatable into the oblique position with respect to the tuck flap to define a pair of second vent openings on opposite sides of the second locking assembly panel, when the lid of the container is formed. 
     
     
         4 . A blank in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first locking assembly panel is defined within the top panel and the tuck flap, and the second locking assembly panel is defined within the tuck flap. 
     
     
         5 . A blank in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the second locking assembly panel extends from the tuck flap along a fold line defined within the tuck flap. 
     
     
         6 . A blank in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein opposing ends of the first and second locking assembly panels are defined by a pair of cut lines each defined in the tuck flap and the top panel. 
     
     
         7 . A blank in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein each of the pair of cut lines includes two segments that extend obliquely with respect to the intermediate fold line and define an apex. 
     
     
         8 . A blank in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the first locking assembly panel is positionable such that the first locking assembly panel proximate the apex engages a free edge defined in the tuck flap by the cut line when the releasable lid locking assembly is positioned to secure a lid to a base of the container. 
     
     
         9 . A blank in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the first locking assembly panel extends from the top panel along a first fold line, and the apex is spaced a distance from the first fold line that is approximately one-half to two-thirds of a distance between the first fold line and the intermediate fold line. 
     
     
         10 . A blank in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the two segments of the cut line extend at opposite angles relative to the intermediate fold line, such that a respective magnitude of each angle is within a range of between 30 to 60 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . A blank in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first front panel; and   at least one first receiving structure defined in the first front panel, the at least one first receiving structure positioned to align with the at least one releasable lid locking assembly to facilitate releasably locking a lid of the container when the container is formed.   
     
     
         12 . A blank in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the first receiving structure is defined in the first front panel and comprises at least one of cutout, a slot, and a punch-out panel defined by a fold line and a cut line. 
     
     
         13 . A container formed from a blank of foldable sheet material, said container comprising:
 a lid comprising a top wall and a front wall emanating from a front edge of the top wall; and   at least one releasable locking assembly located along at least a portion of the front edge of the top wall, the at least one releasable locking assembly comprising a first locking assembly panel coupled to a second locking assembly panel along an intermediate fold line, wherein each of the first and second locking assembly panels project outwardly relative to the front wall of the lid, such that the intermediate fold line is spaced a distance away from the front wall of the lid.   
     
     
         14 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the first locking assembly panel is positioned obliquely with respect to the top wall and the second locking assembly panel is positioned obliquely with respect to the front wall of the lid. 
     
     
         15 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein a pair of first vent openings are defined in the lid on opposite sides of the first locking assembly panel, such that a cavity of the container is in flow communication with a surrounding environment outside the container through at least one of the pair of first vent openings. 
     
     
         16 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein a pair of second vent openings are defined in the lid on opposite sides of the second locking assembly panel, such that a cavity of the container is in flow communication with a surrounding environment outside the container through at least one of the pair of second vent openings. 
     
     
         17 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the second locking assembly panel emanates from the front wall of the lid along a fold line defined within the front wall of the lid. 
     
     
         18 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein opposing ends of the first and second locking assembly panels are defined by a pair of free edges. 
     
     
         19 . A container in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein each of the pair of free edge of the first and second locking assembly panels includes two segments that extend obliquely with respect to the intermediate fold line and define an apex. 
     
     
         20 . A container in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the first locking assembly panel proximate the apex engages a free edge defined in the front wall of the lid. 
     
     
         21 . A container in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the first locking assembly panel emanates from the top wall along a first fold line, and the apex is spaced a distance from the first fold line that is approximately one-half to two-thirds of a distance between the first fold line and the intermediate fold line. 
     
     
         22 . A container in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the two segments of the free edge of the first and second locking assembly panels extend at opposite angles relative to the intermediate fold line, such that a respective magnitude of each angle is within a range of between 30 to 60 degrees. 
     
     
         23 . A container in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising a base comprising:
 a front wall of the base comprising a first front panel; and   at least one first receiving structure defined in the first front panel, the at least one first receiving structure positioned to align with the at least one releasable lid locking assembly to facilitate releasably locking the lid of the container.   
     
     
         24 . A container in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the first receiving structure is defined in the first front panel and comprises at least one of a cutout, a slot, and a punch-out panel defined by a fold line and a cut line. 
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a container from a blank of sheet material, the blank including a top panel comprising a front edge, a tuck flap extending from the front edge of the top panel, and at least one releasable locking assembly located along at least a portion of the front edge of the top panel, the method comprising:
 rotating the tuck flap toward an interior surface of the top panel, such that the top panel forms a top wall of a lid of the container and the tuck flap forms a front wall of the lid; and   rotating a first locking assembly panel and a second locking assembly panel of the at least one releasable locking assembly about an intermediate fold line, such that each of the first and second locking assembly panels project outwardly relative to the front wall of the lid and the intermediate fold line is spaced a distance away from the front wall of the lid.