Drone delivery packaging system

Abstract

A lidded container includes a tray and a removable lid. The tray includes first and second locking panels hingedly connected to respective first and second tray side walls. The lid includes corner gussets disposed on the interior surfaces of first and second lid side walls. When the lid is placed on the tray to close it, the first and second locking panels are reverse folded against the exterior surfaces of the first and second tray side walls. In this configuration, angled edges defined by the lid's corner gussets mate with complementary angled edges of the first and second locking panels to lock the removable lid to the tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lidded container comprising:
 a tray comprising a bottom wall, first and second tray side walls, a first locking panel hingedly connected to an upper edge of said first tray side wall, and a second locking panel hingedly connected to an upper edge of said second tray side wall; and   a removable lid comprising a top wall, first and second lid side walls, first and second corner gussets disposed on an interior surface of said first lid side wall, and third and fourth corner gussets disposed on an interior surface of said second lid side wall, said first, second, third, and fourth corner gussets defining respective first, second, third, and fourth gusset angled edges;   wherein said lidded container is configured to be placed in a closed and locked configuration by placing said removable lid over an open top of said tray and pressing downwards so as to cause said first and second locking panels to fold outwardly until exterior surfaces of respective first and second locking panels are at least substantially adjacent to respective exterior surfaces of said first and second tray side walls, such configuration allowing said first gusset angled edge to mate with a first complementary angled edge of said first locking panel, said second gusset angled edge to mate with a second complementary angled edge of said first locking panel, said third gusset angled edge to mate with a third complementary angled edge of said second locking panel, and said fourth gusset angled edge to mate with a fourth complementary angled edge of said second locking panel so as to lock said removable lid to said tray.   
     
     
         2 . The lidded container of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second locking panels are substantially trapezoidal in shape. 
     
     
         3 . The lidded container of  claim 2 , wherein said first, second, third, and fourth corner gussets are substantially triangular in shape. 
     
     
         4 . The lidded container of  claim 1 , wherein said tray comprises first, second, third, and fourth tray corner gussets. 
     
     
         5 . The lidded container of  claim 1 , wherein said first lid side wall defines a first access notch in a lower edge of said first lid side wall, wherein said second lid wall defines a second access notch in a lower edge of said second lid side wall, wherein said first and second access notches are configured to provide access to said respective first and second locking panels when said lidded container is in said closed and locked configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The lidded container of  claim 5 , wherein said first locking panel defines a first generally-rectangular notch in a lower edge of said first locking panel and wherein said second locking panel defines a second generally-rectangular notch in a lower edge of said second locking panel. 
     
     
         7 . The lidded container of  claim 5 , wherein said removable lid is configured to be removed from said tray by pressing inwardly on portions of first and second locking panels that are exposed through said first and second access notches so as to move said first, second, third, and fourth gusset angled edges out of alignment with said respective first, second, third, and fourth complementary angled edges, thereby allowing said removable lid to be lifted up and off of said tray. 
     
     
         8 . A drone delivery system comprising: a lidded container as claimed in  claim 1 ; and a drone configured to carry said lidded container to a destination. 
     
     
         9 . A set of blanks for forming a lidded container comprising:
 a tray blank configured to form a tray; and   a lid blank configured to form a lid;   wherein said tray blank comprises a first plurality of panels that are hingedly connected to one another and comprising, in series:
 a first locking panel, said first locking panel defining first and second angled locking edges; 
 a first side panel configured to form a first tray side wall in a set-up tray; 
 a bottom panel configured to form a bottom wall in the set-up tray; 
 a second side panel configured to form a second tray side wall in the set-up tray; and 
 a second locking panel, said second locking panel defining third and fourth angled locking edges; 
   wherein said lid blank comprises:
 a top panel configured to form a top wall in a set-up lid; 
 a first lid side wall panel hingedly connected along a first side of the top panel and configured to form a first side wall in the set-up lid; 
 a second lid side wall panel hingedly connected along a second side of the top panel and configured to form a second side wall in the set-up lid; 
 a first pair of gusset panels configured to form a first corner gusset in the set-up lid, said first corner gusset defining a first gusset angled edge; 
 a second pair of gusset panels configured to form a second corner gusset in the set-up lid, said second corner gusset defining a second gusset angled edge; 
 a third pair of gusset panels configured to form a third corner gusset in the set-up lid, said third corner gusset defining a third gusset angled edge; 
 and a fourth pair of gusset panels configured to form a fourth corner gusset in the set-up lid, said fourth corner gusset defining a fourth gusset angled edge; 
   wherein a set-up lidded container is configured to be placed in a closed and locked configuration by placing said set-up lid over an open top of said set-up tray and pressing downwards so as to cause said first and second locking panels to fold outwardly until exterior surfaces of respective first and second locking panels are at least substantially adjacent to respective exterior surfaces of said first and second tray side walls, such configuration allowing said first gusset angled edge to mate with said first angled locking edge, said second gusset angled edge to mate with said second angled locking edge, said third gusset angled edge to mate with said third angled locking edge, and said fourth gusset angled edge to mate with said fourth angled locking edge so as to lock said set-up lid to said set-up tray.