Pallet container

Abstract

A pallet container having eight side walls, a bottom piece, two leg flaps that are used to automatically deploy the container from a flat, collapsed position, and a series of inside folds and outside folds. The pallet container is constructed from one or more blanks made of cardboard. The blanks used to make the pallet container may have different configurations. The pallet container has an open and a closed position and can be converted from one position to the other by a single person without the need of special tools or equipment. A cardboard blank for making the pallet container is also disclosed.

1 . A pallet container comprising:
 (a) eight side walls, wherein said side walls are joined to one another;   (b) a first leg flap;   (c) a first inside fold and a second inside fold, wherein said first inside fold is joined between said first leg flap and a first outside fold and said second inside fold is joined between said first leg flap and a second outside fold;   (d) a second leg flap;   (e) a third inside fold and a fourth inside fold, wherein said third inside fold is joined between said second leg flap and a third outside fold and said fourth inside fold is joined between said second leg flap and a fourth outside fold; and   (f) a first bottom flap joined to a second bottom flap to form a bottom piece, wherein said first bottom flap has a first notch in its free end creating a first locking tab and said second bottom flap has a second notch in its free end creating a second locking tab, wherein said first notch and said first locking tab are interlocked with said second notch and said second locking tab.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet container of  claim 1 , wherein there is a first opening in the first bottom flap and a second opening in the second bottom flap, wherein said first opening is capable of receiving a free end of said first leg flap and said second opening is capable of receiving a free end of said second leg flap. 
     
     
         3 . The pallet container of  claim 1  further comprising a locking mechanism, wherein said locking mechanism comprises:
 (a) a first locking piece joined to said first bottom flap; 
 (b) a first wall flap, wherein said first wall flap is capable of receiving and securing said first locking piece 
 
     
     
         4 . The pallet container of  claim 3 , wherein said locking mechanism further comprises a second locking piece joined to said second bottom flap and a second wall flap, wherein said second wall flap is capable of receiving and securing said second locking piece. 
     
     
         5 . The pallet container of  claim 3 , wherein said first wall flap is cut into one of said eight walls. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet container of  claim 1  further comprising at least one handle cut into one of said eight walls. 
     
     
         7 . The pallet container of  claim 1  further comprising a top rim, wherein said top rim is comprised of eight top flaps joined to one another. 
     
     
         8 . The pallet container of  claim 1  further comprising at least one slot cut into one of said eight walls, wherein said slot is capable of securing a pallet container cap. 
     
     
         9 . A blank for making a pallet container comprising:
 (a) a first row comprising a plurality of vertical score lines defining a glue flap, a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a fifth wall, a sixth wall, a seventh wall, and an eighth wall; and   (b) a second row comprising:
 (i) a glue flap, two leg flaps and two bottom flaps, wherein each of the two bottom flaps have a notch in their free end creating a locking tab; and 
 (ii) two inside folds joined on opposite sides of each of said two leg flaps and two outside folds abut each of said bottom flaps on opposite sides. 
   
     
     
         10 . The blank of  claim 9 , wherein each of said two bottom flaps have an opening capable of receiving one of said two leg flaps. 
     
     
         11 . The blank of  claim 9  further comprising at least one locking piece joined to one of said two bottom flaps. 
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 11  further comprising at least one wall flap, wherein said at least one wall flap is capable of receiving and securing at least one locking piece. 
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12  wherein said wall flap is cut into one of said eight walls. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 11  further comprising at least one handle cut into one of said eight walls. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 11  further comprising at least one top flap joined to the top of one of said eight walls. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 11  further comprising at least one slot cut into one of said eight walls, wherein said slot is capable of securing a pallet container cap. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a pallet container, the method comprising the steps:
 forming a blank, the blank eight side walls, a first bottom flap, and a second bottom flap, wherein the eight walls are connected by a plurality of score lines;   folding the eight walls inwardly along the plurality of score lines;   securing the eighth wall to a flap associated with the first wall; and   interlocking the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap, thereby forming a bottom piece of the pallet container.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein there is a first opening in the first bottom flap and a second opening in the second bottom flap, wherein said first opening is capable of receiving a free end of said first leg flap and said second opening is capable of receiving a free end of said second leg flap, and wherein interlocking the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap includes receiving of a free end of said first leg flap by said first opening and receiving of a free end of said second leg flap by said second opening. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of folding the first and second free ends parallel to an interior surface of the bottom piece of the container after interlocking the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the blank further includes first and second locking tabs and first and second notches, and wherein the interlocking further includes hooking said first locking tab into said first notch and said second locking tab into said second notch.