Foldable sealing container

Abstract

A foldable sealing container is provided with cuts, creases, adhesion of some elements, and a planar collapsed position to permit rapid reconfiguration to an expanded position. A plurality of catching mechanisms comprises friction tabs partially folded along friction tab creases to engage friction tab edges with side panels and hold the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel. The plurality of catching mechanisms holds bottom side panels in a substantially upright position to form leak-proof seals at the lower corners. Engagement of the friction tab catching mechanisms provides enhanced leak resistance, improving storage and transportation of liquids and liquid-containing foods.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a container bottom,   wherein the container bottom comprises a bottom panel, a bottom front panel, a bottom back panel, a pair of bottom side panels, and a plurality of catching mechanisms,   wherein engagement of the plurality of catching mechanisms holds the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of catching mechanisms comprises a friction tab, a friction tab crease, and a friction tab edge. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein an expanded position comprises each of the friction tabs folded along each of the friction tab creases and each of the friction tab edges engaged with the bottom side panels, holding the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel and in a substantially upright position. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom front panel comprises a pair of friction tabs. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom back panel comprises a pair of friction tabs. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the container bottom comprises a pair of front foldable corner panels and a pair of back foldable corner panels. 
     
     
         7 . A container comprising:
 a container bottom; and   a lid,   wherein the container bottom comprises a bottom panel, a bottom front panel, a bottom back panel, a pair of bottom side panels, and a plurality of catching mechanisms,   wherein engagement of the plurality of catching mechanisms holds the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the lid comprises a lid top panel, a lid front panel, a pair of lid side panels, a pair of lid foldable corner panels, and a pair of lid front panel flaps, and the container bottom comprises a pair of front foldable corner panels and a pair of back foldable corner panels. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the container bottom. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the lid comprises a lid top panel window. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of catching mechanisms comprises a friction tab, a friction tab crease, and a friction tab edge. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein an expanded position comprises each of the friction tabs folded along each of the friction tab creases and each of the friction tab edges engaged with the bottom side panels, holding the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel and in a substantially upright position. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom front panel comprises a pair of friction tabs. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the bottom back panel comprises a pair of friction tabs. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 providing a pre-creased blank made of a foldable substrate, the blank being of the type having:
 a container bottom, 
 wherein the container bottom comprises a bottom panel, a bottom front panel, a bottom back panel, a pair of bottom side panels, and a plurality of catching mechanisms, 
 wherein engagement of the plurality of catching mechanisms holds the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel; and 
   folding the blank into a container in a collapsed position by folding and adhering some elements.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the blank comprises a lid hingedly attached to the container bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising reconfiguring the planar collapsed container into an expanded position by unfolding the pair of bottom side panels, unfolding the bottom front panel, and unfolding the bottom back panel to reconfigure them to be substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel, and engaging the plurality of catching mechanisms. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein engaging the plurality of catching mechanisms comprises folding along each of the friction tab creases and engaging each of the friction tab edges with bottom side panels to hold the bottom side panels substantially perpendicular relative to the bottom panel and in a substantially upright position. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising filling the container in its expanded position with food. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising reconfiguring the filled container to an expanded closed position by lowering the lid using a hinging mechanism.