Prism shaped box, blank for forming same, and method of folding same

Abstract

A blank for forming a prism shaped box, the blank having nine panels coupled to each other longitudinally. A prism shaped box formed from the blank. A method of forming the prism shaped box by the steps of a) providing the blank, b) lifting and curving the first three panels inwards, towards the interior surfaces of the sixth, seventh and eighth panels, until the outer edge of the first panel touches the sixth fold line between the sixth and seventh panels, c) curving and folding the seventh, eighth and ninth panels in an opposite direction to overlap the first three panels, such that the exterior surfaces of the first three panels align with the interior surfaces of the seventh, eighth and ninth panels, respectively, d) attaching the ninth panel to the first panel, e) folding the bottom flaps inward, and f) folding the top flaps inward.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A blank for forming a prism shaped box, the blank having an interior surface and an exterior surface and comprising:
 a) a first panel having an outer edge;   b) a second panel foldably connected along a first side to the first panel, forming a first fold line, the second panel having:
 i) a front insertion flap removably coupled to a top end portion of the second panel via perforation; and 
 ii) a first top major flap foldably coupled to a top end portion of the front insertion flap, the first top major flap forming a first pull tab; 
   c) a third panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the second panel, forming a second fold line, the third panel having:
 i) a first bottom major flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the third panel; 
   d) a fourth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the third panel, forming a third fold line, the fourth panel having:
 i) a first bottom minor flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the fourth panel; and 
 ii) a first top minor flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the third panel and a top portion of the fourth panel; 
   e) a fifth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the fourth panel, forming a fourth fold line, the fifth panel having:
 i) a second top major flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the fifth panel, the second top major flap forming a second pull tab; 
   f) a sixth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the fifth panel, forming a fifth fold line, the sixth panel having:
 i) a second bottom major flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the sixth panel; 
   g) a seventh panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the sixth panel, forming a sixth fold line, the seventh panel having:
 i) a second bottom minor flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the seventh panel; and 
 ii) a second top minor flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the sixth panel and a top portion of the seventh panel; 
   h) an eighth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the seventh panel, forming a seventh fold line, the eighth panel having:
 i) at least one dispensing opening disposed therein; and 
 ii) at least one notch disposed along a top edge of the eighth panel; and 
   i) a ninth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the eighth panel, forming an eighth fold line, the ninth panel having:
 i) at least one adhesive strip coupled to an interior surface of the ninth panel. 
   
     
     
         2 ) A prism shaped box formed with the blank of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 ) A method of folding a blank to form a prism shaped box, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing the blank of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is oriented with its interior surface facing up;   b) lifting and curving the first, second and third panels inwards, towards the interior surfaces of the sixth, seventh and eighth panels, until the outer edge of the first panel touches the sixth fold line between the sixth and seventh panels;   c) curving and folding the seventh, eighth and ninth panels in an opposite direction to overlap the first, second and third panels, such that the exterior surfaces of the first, second and third panels align with the interior surfaces of the seventh, eighth and ninth panels, respectively;   d) attaching the interior surface of the ninth panel to the exterior surface of the first panel using the at least one adhesive strip;   e) folding the bottom minor flaps inward;   f) folding the bottom major flaps inward, overlapping the folded bottom minor flaps;   g) adhering the interior surface of the bottom major flaps to the outside surface of the bottom minor flaps;   h) folding the top minor flaps inward;   i) folding the top major flaps inward, overlapping the folded top minor flaps; and   j) adhering the interior surface of the top major flaps to the exterior surface of the top minor flaps.   
     
     
         4 ) A blank for forming a prism shaped box, the blank having an interior surface and an exterior surface and comprising:
 a) a first panel having an outer edge;   b) a second panel foldably connected along a first side to the first panel, forming a first fold line, the second panel having:
 i) a front insertion flap removably coupled to a top end portion of the second panel via perforation; and 
 ii) a first top major flap foldably coupled to a top end portion of the front insertion flap, the first top major flap forming a first pull tab; 
   c) a third panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the second panel, forming a second fold line, the third panel having:
 i) a first bottom minor flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the third panel, the first bottom minor flap having a first rounded projection; 
   d) a fourth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the third panel, forming a third fold line, the fourth panel having:
 i) a first bottom major flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the fourth panel, the first bottom major flap having two spaced apart projections and a recess disposed between the projections; and 
 ii) a first top minor flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the third panel and a top portion of the fourth panel, the first top minor flap having a central fold line that is longitudinally aligned with the third fold line; 
   e) a fifth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the fourth panel, forming a fourth fold line, the fifth panel having:
 i) a second top major flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the fifth panel, the second top major flap forming a second pull tab; 
   f) a sixth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the fifth panel, forming a fifth fold line, the sixth panel having:
 i) a second bottom minor flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the sixth panel, the second bottom minor flap having a second round projection that mirrors the shape of the first rounded projection; 
   g) a seventh panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the sixth panel, forming a sixth fold line, the seventh panel having:
 i) a second bottom major flap foldably coupled to a bottom portion of the seventh panel, the second bottom major flap having a tapered free end; and 
 ii) a second top minor flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the sixth panel and a top portion of the seventh panel, the second top minor flap having a central fold line that is longitudinally aligned with the sixth fold line; 
   h) an eighth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the seventh panel, forming a seventh fold line, the eighth panel having:
 i) at least one dispensing opening disposed therein; and 
 ii) at least one notch disposed along a top edge of the eighth panel; and 
   i) a ninth panel foldably connected along a first side to a second side of the eighth panel, forming an eighth fold line, the ninth panel having:
 i) at least one adhesive strip coupled to an interior surface of the ninth panel. 
   
     
     
         5 ) A prism shaped box formed with the blank of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         6 ) A method of folding a blank to form a prism shaped box, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing the blank of  claim 4 , wherein the blank is oriented with its interior surface facing up;   b) lifting and curving the first, second and third panels inwards, towards the interior surfaces of the sixth, seventh and eighth panels, until the outer edge of the first panel touches the sixth fold line between the sixth and seventh panels;   c) curving and folding the seventh, eighth and ninth panels in an opposite direction to overlap the first, second and third panels, such that the exterior surfaces of the first, second and third panels align with the interior surfaces of the seventh, eighth and ninth panels, respectively;   d) attaching the interior surface of the ninth panel to the exterior surface of the first panel using the at least one adhesive strip;   e) folding the first bottom major flap inward;   f) folding the two bottom minor flaps inward, overlapping the folded first bottom major flap, creating an opening;   g) folding the second bottom major flap inward and inserting the free end of the second bottom major flap into the opening;   h) folding the top minor flaps inward;   i) folding the top major flaps inward, overlapping the folded top minor flaps; and   j) adhering the interior surface of the top major flaps to the exterior surface of the top minor flaps.   
     
     
         7 ) A blank for forming a prism shaped box, the blank having an interior surface and an exterior surface and comprising:
 a) a first panel having an outer edge;   b) a second panel foldably connected to the first panel, forming a first fold line, the second panel having:
 i) a front insertion flap removably coupled to the second panel via perforation; and 
 ii) a first top major flap foldably coupled to the front insertion flap; 
   c) a third panel foldably connected to the second panel, forming a second fold line, the third panel having:
 i) a first bottom minor flap foldably coupled to the third panel; 
   d) a fourth panel foldably connected to the third panel, forming a third fold line, the fourth panel having:
 i) a first bottom major flap foldably coupled to the fourth panel; and 
 ii) a first top minor flap foldably coupled to the third panel and the fourth panel; 
   e) a fifth panel foldably connected to the fourth panel, forming a fourth fold line, the fifth panel having:
 i) a second top major flap foldably coupled to a top portion of the fifth panel; 
   f) a sixth panel foldably connected to the fifth panel, forming a fifth fold line, the sixth panel having:
 i) a second bottom minor flap foldably coupled to the sixth panel; 
   g) a seventh panel foldably connected to the sixth panel, forming a sixth fold line, the seventh panel having:
 i) a second bottom major flap foldably coupled to the seventh panel; and 
 ii) a second top minor flap foldably coupled the sixth panel and the seventh panel; 
   h) an eighth panel foldably connected to the seventh panel, forming a seventh fold line, the eighth panel having:
 i) at least one dispensing opening disposed therein; and 
 ii) at least one notch disposed along a top edge of the eighth panel; and 
   i) a ninth panel foldably to the eighth panel, forming an eighth fold line, the ninth panel having:
 i) at least one adhesive strip coupled to an interior surface of the ninth panel. 
   
     
     
         8 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the first top major flap forms a first pull tab. 
     
     
         9 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the first bottom major flap has two spaced apart projections and a recess is disposed between the projections. 
     
     
         10 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the first top minor flap has a central fold line that is longitudinally aligned with the third fold line. 
     
     
         11 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the second top major flap forms a second pull tab. 
     
     
         12 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the first bottom minor flap has a first rounded projection. 
     
     
         13 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the second bottom minor flap has a second round projection that mirrors the shape of the first rounded projection. 
     
     
         14 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the second bottom major flap has a tapered free end. 
     
     
         15 ) The blank of  claim 7 , wherein the second top minor flap has a central fold line that is longitudinally aligned with the sixth fold line. 
     
     
         16 ) A prism shaped box formed with the blank of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         17 ) A method of folding a blank to form a prism shaped box, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing the blank of  claim 7 , wherein the blank is oriented with its interior surface facing up;   b) lifting and curving the first, second and third panels inwards, towards the interior surfaces of the sixth, seventh and eighth panels, until the outer edge of the first panel touches the sixth fold line between the sixth and seventh panels;   c) curving and folding the seventh, eighth and ninth panels in an opposite direction to overlap the first, second and third panels, such that the exterior surfaces of the first, second and third panels align with the interior surfaces of the seventh, eighth and ninth panels, respectively;   d) attaching the interior surface of the ninth panel to the exterior surface of the first panel using the at least one adhesive strip;   e) folding the first bottom major flap inward;   f) folding the two bottom minor flaps inward, overlapping the folded first bottom major flap, creating an opening;   g) folding the second bottom major flap inward and inserting the free end of the second bottom major flap into the opening;   h) folding the top minor flaps inward;   i) folding the top major flaps inward, overlapping the folded top minor flaps; and   j) adhering the interior surface of the top major flaps to the exterior surface of the top minor flaps.