Telescopic carton assembly

Abstract

A telescopic carton assembly for compact shipment and storage of envelopes and the like which is readily converted and separated into two self-contained shipping containers with about twice the load-carrying capacity of the telescopic carton assembly. The convertible carton assembly is particularly useful in connection with pre-sorted mail and includes a pair of telescoping cartons. Each of the cartons has an outer panel with upright walls and a movable flap assembly for converting the carton from a portion of the telescopic carton assembly to a self-contained shipping container. Preferably, the movable flap assembly includes a movable panel and a pair of pivotable flaps. The movable panel and one of the flaps are positioned adjacent the outer panel within the interior of the carton when the carton is being used as part of the telescopic carton assembly. The other pivotable flap cooperates with the movable panel to provide the top of the carton when the carton is separated from telescopic engagement with the other carton during use of the carton as a self-contained shipping container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A telescopic carton assembly for use in connection with pre-sorted mail and the like, comprising: a first carton;   a second carton for telescopically receiving and engaging said first carton;   one of said cartons providing the top part of said telescopic carton assembly and the other of said cartons providing the bottom part of said telescopic carton assembly;   each of said cartons having a generally rectangular outer panel defining a plurality of tab-receiving apertures,     upright walls extending from said outer panel, said upright walls including a pair of elongated longitudinal side flaps integrally hinged to opposite sides of said outer panel, and a pair of lateral end flaps integrally hinged to opposite ends of said outer panel, said longitudinal side flaps and said lateral .[.side.]. .Iadd.end .Iaddend.flaps being generally rectangular in shape,   said upright walls further including pairs of longitudinally opposed auxiliary side flaps integrally hinged to said longitudinal side flaps, and auxiliary end flaps integrally hinged to said end flaps opposite said outer panel, said auxiliary side flaps and said auxiliary end flaps being generally rectangular in shape and said auxiliary end flaps being positioned adjacent said lateral end flaps within the interior of the carton to define lateral interior pockets for snugly receiving said auxiliary side flaps,   each of said auxiliary end flaps having a pair of laterally opposed tabs for interlockingly engaging said tab-receiving apertures to permit said carton to be erected without the use of glue, staples, gum tape or other auxiliary fasteners,   a first longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to one of said longitudinal side flaps along an edge of said longitudinal side flap generally opposite said outer panel, said first pivotable flap being generally rectangular in shape and generally of the same size and shape as said longitudinal side flap and said first longitudinal pivotable flap being movable to a side flap engaging position bearing against said longitudinal side flap within the interior of said carton,   a generally rectangular movable panel integrally hinged to said first pivotable flap along an edge of said first pivotable flap generally opposite said longitudinal side flap, said movable panel and said first pivotable flap together being about the same size as said outer panel,   a second longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to said movable panel along an edge of said movable panel generally opposite said first pivotable flap, said second pivotable flap and said movable flap being movable together to an outer panel-engaging position bearing against said outer panel within the interior of said carton and together occupying about the same interior surface area as said outer panel,   said second pivotable flap having a concave finger-gripping portion defining an arcuate access opening generally midway along an outer edge of said second pivotable flap for facilitating gripping of said second pivotable flap, and said second pivotable flap having rounded corners for resisting interference with said upright walls during movement of said second pivotable flap, and   each of said cartons being adapted to provide a separate self-contained shipping container when telescopically separated from the other carton with said first pivotable flap and said movable panel providing the top of said self-contained shipping container and said second pivotable flap providing a closure flap for said self-contained shipping container.   
     
     
       2. A telescopic carton assembly for use in connection with pre-sorted mail and the like, comprising: a first carton;   a second carton for telescopically receiving said first carton;   one of said cartons providing the top part of said telescopic carton assembly and the other of said cartons providing the bottom part of said telescopic carton assembly;   each of said cartons having a generally rectangular outer panel,   upright walls integrally hinged to and extending from said outer panel, said upright walls including a pair of longitudinally opposed elongated side flaps and a pair of laterally opposed end flaps, said side flaps and said end .[.flap.]. .Iadd.flaps .Iaddend.being generally rectangular in shape,   a first longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to one of said longitudinal side flaps along an edge of said longitudinal flap generally opposite said outer panel, said first pivotable flap being generally rectangular and of about the same size and shape as said longitudinal side flap and said first pivotable flap being movable to a side flap-engaging position bearing against said longitudinal side flap within the interior of said carton,   a generally rectangular movable panel integrally hinged to said first pivotable flap along an edge of said first pivotable flap generally opposite said longitudinal side flap, said movable panel and said first pivotable flap together being about the same size as said outer panel,   a second longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to said movable panel along an edge of said movable panel generally opposite said first pivotable flap, said second pivotable flap and said movable flap being movable together to an outer panel-engaging position bearing against said outer panel within the interior of said carton, and     each of said cartons being adapted to provide a separate self-contained shipping container when separated from the other carton with said first pivotable flap and said movable panel providing the top of said self-contained shipping container and said second pivotable flap providing a closure flap for said self-contained shipping container.   
     
     
       3. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein: said outer panel defines tab-receiving apertures; and   said upright walls include pairs of longitudinal opposed auxiliary side flaps integrally hinged to and extending from said longitudinal side flaps, said auxiliary side flaps being generally rectangular in shape, and     auxiliary end flaps integrally hinged to and extending from said lateral end flaps generally opposite said outer panel, said auxiliary end flaps being positioned adjacent said longitudinal end flaps within the interior of said carton and defining interior auxiliary side flap-receiving pockets to snugly receive said auxiliary side flaps.   
     
     
       4. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein: each of said auxiliary end flaps has at least one tab; and   said outer panel defines a plurality of tab-receiving apertures for receiving and interlockingly engaging said tabs to permit each of said cartons to be erected without the use of glue, staples, gum tape and other auxiliary fasteners.   
     
     
       5. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein: each of said auxiliary end flaps has a pair of laterally spaced tabs, and each of said tabs are generally U-shaped; and   said tab-receiving apertures are generally rectangular.   
     
     
       6. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second pivotable flap and said movable panel together occupy about the same surface area as said outer panel. 
     
     
       7. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second pivotable flap has an arcuate finger-gripping portion for facilitating gripping of said second pivotable flap. 
     
     
       8. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said arcuate finger-gripping portion is concave and defines an arcuate access opening. 
     
     
       9. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said arcuate finger-gripping portion is generally semi-circular in shape and is positioned generally midway along an outer edge of said second pivotable flap. 
     
     
       10. A telescopic carton assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second pivotable flap has rounded corners to help minimize frictional resistance with said upright walls during movement of said second pivotable flap. .Iadd. 11. A carton forming a separate, self-contained, coverage shipping container which is adapted to be converted into part of a telescopic carton assembly, comprising: an outer panel providing a bottom for said separate, self-contained, covered shipping container;   upright walls extending generally upwardly around said outer panel, and a movable flap assembly integrally hinged to and extending from one of said upright walls for converting said carton from use as a separate, self-contained, covered shipping container to use as part of a telescopic carton assembly;   said movable flap assembly including a movable panel and first and second pivotable flaps which are respectively integrally hinged to and extend along generally opposite edges of said movable panel;   said movable panel and said first pivotable flap together being about the same dimensions as said outer panel as viewed from the interior of the carton so as to define the top portion of said separate, self-contained, covered shipping container; and   said movable panel and said second pivotable flap having dimensions no greater than said outer panel and being movable together for engaging said outer panel within the interior of said carton so as to define an interior reinforcement section during use of said carton as part of said telescopic carton assembly. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. A carton forming a separate, covered self-contained, shipping container which is adapted to be converted into part of a telescopic carton assembly, comprising:   a generally rectangular outer panel,   upright walls extending generally upwardly around said outer panel, said upright walls including a pair of longitudinally opposed elongated side flaps and a pair of laterally opposed end flaps, said side flaps and said end flaps being generally rectangular in shape,   a first longitidunal pivotable flap integrally hinged to one of said longitudinal side flaps along an edge of said longitudinal flap generally opposite said outer panel, said first pivotable flap being generally rectangular and of about the same size and shape as said longitudinal side flap and said first pivotable flap being movable to a side flap-engaging position bearing against said longitudinal side flap within the interior of said carton,   a generally rectangular movable panel integrally hinged to said first pivotable flap along an edge of said first pivotable flap generally opposite said longitudinal side flap, said movable panel and said first pivotable flap together being about the same size as said outer panel, and   a second longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to said movable panel along an edge of said movable panel generally opposite said first pivotable flap, said second pivotable flap and said movable flap being movable together to an outer panel-engaging position bearing against said outer panel within the interior of said carton, and   wherein said carton being adapted to provide a separate, self-contained, covered shipping container with said first pivotable flap and said movable panel providing the top portion of said separate self-contained, covered shipping container and said second pivotable flap defines a closure flap for said separate self-contained, covered shipping container. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 13. A telescopic carton assembly, comprising:   a first carton;   a second carton slightly larger than said first carton for telescopically receiving and engaging said first carton;   one of said cartons providing the top part of said telescopic carton assembly and the other of said cartons providing the bottom part of said telescopic carton assembly; and   wherein each of said first and second cartons having    an outer panel, upright walls extending generally upwardly around said outer panel, and means for converting said carton from a part of said telescopic carton assembly to a separate self-contained shipping container when said cartons are telescopically separated from each other; said converting means comprising a movable flap assembly including a movable panel and first and second pivotable flaps which are respectively integrally hinged to and extend along generally opposite edges of said movable panel; said movable panel and said first pivotable flap together being about the same dimensions as said outer panel as viewed from the interior of the carton so as to define the top of said separate self-contained shipping container; and said movable panel and said second pivotable flap having dimensions no greater than said outer panel and being movable together for engaging said outer panel within the interior of said carton so as to define an interior reinforcement section during use of said carton as part of said telescopic carton assembly. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. A telescopic carton assembly for use in connection with pre-sorted mail and the like, comprising:   a first carton; a second carton for telescopically receiving said first carton;   one of said cartons providing the top part of said telescopic carton assembly and the other of said cartons providing the bottom part of said telescopic carton assembly;   wherein each of said first and second cartons having    a generally rectangular outer panel, upright walls extending generally upwardly around said outer panel, said upright walls including a pair of longitudinally opposed elongated side flaps and a pair of laterally opposed end flaps, said side flaps and said end flaps being generally rectangular in shape, a first longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to one of said longitudinal side flaps along an edge of said longitudinal flap generally opposite said outer panel, said first pivotable flap being generally rectangular and of about the same size and shape as said longitudinal side flap and said first pivotable flap being movable to a side flap-engaging position bearing against said longitudinal side flap within the interior of said carton, a substantially rigid, generally rectangular movable panel integrally hinged to said first pivotable flap generally opposite said longitudinal side flap, said movable panel having a size greater than the size of either side flap; said movable panel and said first pivotable flap together being about the same size as said outer panel, a second longitudinal pivotable flap integrally hinged to said movable panel along an edge of said movable panel generally opposite said first pivotable flap, said second pivotable flap and said movable flap being movable together to an outer panel-engaging position bearing against said outer panel within the interior of said carton; and   each of said cartons being adapted to provide a separate self-contained shipping container when separated from the other carton with said first pivotable flap and said movable panel providing the top of said self-contained shipping container and said second pivotable flap defines a closure flap for said self-contained shipping container. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. The invention in accordance with claims 11 or 12 or 13 or 14 wherein said second pivotable flap and said movable panel together occupy about the same surface area as said outer panel. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The invention in accordance with claims 11, or 12 or 13 or 14 wherein said second pivotable flap has an arcuate finger-gripping portion for facilitating gripping of said second pivotable flap. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. The invention in accordance with claims 13 or 14 wherein a plurality of envelopes are positioned within said first carton such that the width of said outer panel is generally equal to the length of said envelopes and the height of said upright walls are generally equal to the height of said envelopes. .Iaddend.