Assembly Structure for Corrugated Packaging

Abstract

This document describes an assembly structure for corrugated packaging. The assembly structure is made from a single flat piece of fiberboard, including a center panel, two partial side panels, and two tabbed side panels. The center panel forms the bottom (or top) of the packaging. Tabbed side panels form two sides of the packaging, and the partial side panels, combined with the tabs or the tabbed side panels form the other two sides. The assembly structure can be made from corrugated fiberboard. The flutes of the corrugated fiberboard run in a direction that causes, when the panels are folded, the flutes of the two tabbed side panels to be vertical, providing strength in the stacking direction. While the flutes in the partial panels are horizontal, when the tabs of the tabbed side panels are folded to mate with the partial side panels, the flutes of the tabs are also vertical.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A planar paperboard structure, comprising:
 a center panel;   a first partial side panel extending from a first side of the center panel and including:
 a first folding interface between the first partial side panel and the first side of the center panel, the first partial side panel configured to fold at the first folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; and 
 a first mating edge opposite the first folding interface; 
   a second partial side panel extending from a second side of the center panel that is opposite the first side of the center panel and including:
 a second folding interface between the second partial side panel and the second side of the center panel, the second partial side panel configured to fold at the second folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; and 
 a second mating edge opposite the second folding interface; 
   a first tabbed side panel extending from a third side of the center panel, the first tabbed side panel including:
 a third folding interface between the first tabbed side panel and the third side of the center panel, the first tabbed side panel configured to fold at the third folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; 
 a first tab including:
 a third mating edge; and 
 a fourth folding interface adjacent the first tabbed side panel, the first tab configured to fold at the fourth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the first tabbed side panel and to be substantially coplanar with the first partial side panel when the first partial panel is folded so that the first mating edge and the third mating edge are adjacent; and 
 
 a second tab including:
 a fourth mating edge; and 
 a fifth folding interface adjacent the first tabbed side panel, the second tab configured to fold at the fifth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the first tabbed side panel and to be substantially coplanar with the second partial side panel when the second partial panel is folded so that the second mating edge and the fourth mating edge are adjacent; 
 
   a second tabbed side panel extending from a fourth side of the center panel, the fourth side of the center panel opposite the third side of the center panel, the second tabbed side panel including:
 a sixth folding interface between the second tabbed side panel and the fourth side of the center panel, the second tabbed side panel configured to fold at the sixth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; 
 a third tab including:
 a fifth mating edge; and 
 a seventh folding interface adjacent the second tabbed side panel, the third tab configured to fold at the seventh folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the second tabbed side panel and to be substantially coplanar with the first partial side panel when the first partial panel is folded so that the first mating edge and the fifth mating edge are adjacent; and 
 
 a fourth tab including:
 a sixth mating edge; and 
 an eighth folding interface the second tabbed side panel, the fourth tab configured to fold at the eighth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the second tabbed side panel and to be substantially coplanar with the second partial side panel when the second partial panel is folded so that the second mating edge and the sixth mating edge are adjacent. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the planar paperboard structure is manufactured from corrugated fiberboard. 
     
     
         3 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 2 , wherein the corrugated fiberboard includes fluting, the fluting parallel to the first side of the center panel. 
     
     
         4 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 3 , wherein a fluting grade of the corrugated fiberboard is:
 F-flute;   E-flute;   C-flute; or   B-flute.   
     
     
         5 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a distance the first partial side panel extends from the first folding interface is no more than approximately forty-five percent of a length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface; and   a distance the second partial side panel extends from the second folding interface is no more than approximately forty-five percent of a length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface.   
     
     
         6 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a distance the first partial side panel extends from the first folding interface is between approximately forty percent of a length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface and approximately fifty percent of the length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface; and   a distance the second partial side panel extends from the second folding interface is between approximately forty percent of a length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface and approximately fifty percent of the length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface.   
     
     
         7 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a distance the first partial side panel extends from the first folding interface is approximately forty-five percent of a length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface; and   a distance the second partial side panel extends from the second folding interface is approximately forty-five percent of a length of the first tabbed side panel measured from the third folding interface.   
     
     
         8 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first partial side panel and the second partial side panel are trapezoidal. 
     
     
         9 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first partial side panel and the second partial side panel are rectangular, semi-circular, or semi-ellipsoid. 
     
     
         10 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first mating edge includes a first arc; and   the third mating edge and the fifth mating edge comprise a second arc, the second arc having a substantially same shape as the first arc.   
     
     
         11 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second mating edge includes a third arc; and   the fourth mating edge and the sixth mating edge comprise a fourth arc, the fourth arc having a substantially same shape as the third arc.   
     
     
         12 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the center panel is rectangular. 
     
     
         13 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the center panel is:
 square; or   ellipsoid.   
     
     
         14 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the planar paperboard structure includes an exterior perimeter that is die-cut. 
     
     
         15 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first folding interface, the second folding interface, the third folding interface, the fourth folding interface, the fifth folding interface, the sixth folding interface, the seventh folding interface, and the eighth folding interface are creases or cut-creases. 
     
     
         16 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein the planar paperboard structure is a single piece. 
     
     
         17 . The planar paperboard structure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first partial side panel is folded at the first folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel;   the second partial side panel is folded at the second folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel;   the first tabbed side panel is folded at the third folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel;   the second tabbed side panel is folded at the sixth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel;   the first tab is folded at the fourth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the first tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the first partial side panel;   the second tab is folded at the fifth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the first tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the second partial side panel;   the third tab is folded at the seventh folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the second tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the first partial side panel;   the fourth tab is folded at the eighth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the second tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the second partial side panel;   a first side interface that includes the first mating edge, the third mating edge, and the fifth mating edge, is taped on both sides, effective to cause the first partial side panel, the first tab, and the third tab to remain coplanar;   a second side interface that includes the second mating edge, the fourth mating edge, and the sixth mating edge, is taped on both sides, effective to cause the second partial side panel, the second tab, and the fourth tab to remain coplanar; and   further including another planar paperboard structure configured with an interior perimeter that is larger than an exterior perimeter of the planar paperboard structure, effective to enable the other planar paperboard structure to fit over the planar paperboard structure in a telescoping configuration wherein an interior surface of the other planar paperboard structure is adjacent an exterior surface of the planar paperboard structure.   
     
     
         18 . A method for forming a rigid box, comprising:
 folding a planar paperboard structure, the planar paperboard structure including:   a center panel;   a first partial side panel, the first partial side panel including a first folding interface and a first mating edge;   a second partial side panel, the second partial side panel including a second folding interface and a second mating edge;   a first tabbed side panel, the first tabbed side panel including a third folding interface, a first tab with a third mating edge and a fourth folding interface, and a second tab with a fourth mating edge and a fifth folding interface;   a second tabbed side panel, the second tabbed side panel including a sixth folding interface, a third tab with a fifth mating edge and a seventh folding interface, and a fourth tab with a sixth mating edge and an eighth folding interface, the folding comprising:
 folding the first partial side panel at the first folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; 
 folding the second partial side panel at the second folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; 
 folding the first tabbed side panel at the third folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; 
 folding the second tabbed side panel at the sixth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the center panel; 
 folding the first tab at the fourth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the first tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the first partial side panel; 
 folding the second tab at the fifth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the first tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the second partial side panel; 
 folding the third tab at the seventh folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the second tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the first partial side panel; 
 folding the fourth tab at the eighth folding interface to be substantially perpendicular to the second tabbed side panel and substantially coplanar with the second partial side panel; 
   applying tape to a first side interface that includes the first mating edge, the third mating edge, and the fifth mating edge, the taping effective to cause the first partial side panel, the first tab, and the third tab to remain coplanar;   applying tape to a second side interface that includes the second mating edge, the fourth mating edge, and the sixth mating edge, the taping effective to cause the second partial side panel, the second tab, and the fourth tab to remain coplanar;   applying glue to a wrapper configured to conform to an exterior surface of the folded planar paperboard structure; and   attaching the wrapper to the exterior surface of the folded planar paperboard structure.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the planar paperboard structure is manufactured from corrugated fiberboard. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein folding the planar paperboard structure into the rigid box, taping both sides of the first side interface, taping both sides of the second side interface, applying glue to the wrapper, and attaching the wrapper to the exterior surface of the folded planar paperboard structure are performed by automated box-assembly equipment.