Container

Abstract

An improved container, particularly useful for containing plants, seeds, or seedlings in soil for shipment, is formed of a member which when unassembled is in a generally planar configuration. A plurality of hinge lines formed in the member enable the member to be folded into a configuration having generally a U-shaped cross-section and divide the member into a plurality of predetermined compartments. The container, which can be stacked when unassembled due to the planar configuration, contains a plurality of tab members integrally formed with one of the edges of the container. The free end of the tab is formed with a protuberance for abutting the outer side of the other free edge of the container for assembling the container in the generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

I claim:  .[.1. An improved container assembly, comprising: 
     
        configuration. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15.  A container assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said center section has a plurality of openings extending therethrough. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. A container assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said center section is plurally indented to provide a plurality of externally depending spacer buttons, the exterior surfaces of said center section spacer buttons providing a resting surface for enabling said center section to be spaced from a surface upon which said center section rests. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 17. A container assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said side sections are positioned at an acute angle with respect to said center section when said container is assembled. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. A container assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein the interior surfaces of said side sections contain ridges for retaining material placed in said container assembly. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. A container assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said container assembly is made of an integrally formed member of expanded polystyrene sheet material. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. A container assembly in accordance with claim 19 wherein the length of said tab is greater than the distance between said free edges of said container assembly when in assembled configuration. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. A container assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein the length of said tab is greater than the distance between said free edges of said container assembly when in assembled configuration. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. An improved container assembly comprising: a member which when unassembled is in a generally planar configuration and has first and second side edges;   a plurality of hinge lines formed in said member each along the axis of said container from said first side edge to said second side edge for enabling said member to be folded into a predetermined shape and for dividing the member into a first section, a second section and a central section, said central section interconnecting said first and second sections;   at least one of said first and second sections being indented to provide spacer buttons extending outwardly from its outer surface, said spacer buttons being provided to abut an adjacent container of like construction;   each of said section being formed with a plurality of hollow ribs formed by indentations therein spaced inwardly from the side edges and spaced one from another along the axis of said container, said ribs interacting when said member is folded along said hinge lines so as to form a structure of generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a pair of free edges spaced one from the other which define the ends of said U-shaped configuration, and to divide said container into a plurality of discrete compartments; and   a tab member having a first end integrally formed with one of said edges and a free end adapted to be positioned adjacent the other of said edges for retaining said assembly in said U-shaped cross-sectional   
     
     
        configuration. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23.  A container assembly in accordance with claim 22 wherein the other of said first and second sections is indented to provide spacer buttons extending outwardly from its outer surface and wherein said free end of said tab member overhangs said other of said edges and each of said spacer buttons extend outwardly at least one half the outward extent of said overhang. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. An improved container assembly for containing plants, seeds or seedlings in soil for shipment, comprising: an integral one-piece member which when unassembled is in a generally planar configuration and has first and second side edges;   a plurality of hinge lines formed in said member each along the axis of said container from said first side edge to said second side edge for enabling said member to be folded into a predetermined shape and for dividing the member into a first section, a second section and a central section, said central section interconnecting said first and second sections, said first, second and central sections constituting at least the major surface areas of said container; and   each of said sections being formed with a plurality of hollow ribs formed by indentations therein spaced inwardly from said side edges and spaced one from another along the axis of said container, said ribs interacting when said member is folded along said hinge lines so as to form a structure of generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a pair of free edges spaced one from the other which define the ends of said U-shaped configuration, and to divide said container into a plurality of discrete compartments;   said center section being plurally indented to provide a plurality of externally depending spacer buttons and having a plurality of openings extending therethrough, the exterior surfaces of said center section spacer buttons providing a resting surface for enabling said center section to be spaced from a surface upon which said center section rests.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 25.  An improved container assembly for containing plants, seeds or seedlings in soil for shipment, comprising: an integral one-piece member which when unassembled is in a generally planar configuration and has first and second side edges;   a plurality of hinge lines formed in said member, each along the axis of said container from said first side edge to said second side edge, for enabling said member to be folded into a predetermined shape and for dividing said member into a first section, a second section and a central section, said central section interconnecting said first and second sections, said first, second and central sections constituting at least the major surface areas of said container;   each of said sections being formed with a plurality of hollow ribs formed by indentations therein spaced inwardly from the side edges and spaced one from another along the axis of said container, said ribs interacting when said member is folded along said hinge lines so as to form a structure of generally U-shaped, cross-sectional configuration, the interaction of the ribs formed in said side sections being along substantially their entire length so as to divide said container into a plurality of discrete compartments, said structure having a pair of free edges spaced apart one from the other a distance defined by the interacting ribs of said side sections, said free edges defining the ends of said U-shaped configuration;   said center section being formed with a plurality of openings therethrough, at least one opening being provided for each of said discrete compartments; and   means for spacing the bottom of said central section from a support surface to permit drainage from said openings. .Iaddend.