The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 19, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1993
Robert L Esse, Monticello, MN (US);
Barry S Mikulski, Plymouth, MN (US);
Raymond L Russell, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A tote (10) is disclosed in its preferred form including a tubular body formed from four side panels (12-15) preferably of identical construction and including top and bottom panels (16, 18) preferably of construction. The side panels (12-15) each include flaps (26, 28) extending from the opposite side edges (22, 24) of a central portion (20). The flaps (26, 28) overlap and are secured to the central portion (20) of the adjacent side panels (12-15) and extend in two, nonparallel directions from the corners of the tubular body defined by the side edges (22, 24) to create a V-shaped corner post at each corner of the tubular body. A pleat is formed in each of the central portions (20) of the side panels (12-15) to increase compression strength and rigidity of the side panel (12-15). In the preferred form, the pleat in the side panels (12-15) is formed by two planar walls (40, 44) interconnected together at an acute angle by their inner edges (42) and interconnected to two further walls (36, 48) at an obtuse angle by their outer edges (38, 46). One or more patches (50) are bonded to the outer face of the walls (36, 48) opposite the pleat of each side panel (12-15) for reducing any tendency the side panel (12-15) to bulge. Similarly, the top and bottom panels (16-18) can include V-shaped pleats (60) secured to their inner faces to increase compression strength against clamping or gripping forces and for reducing any tendency of the top and bottom panels (16, 18) of deflecting when the totes (10) are stacked.