Reinforced polygonal containers and blanks for making the same

1. A blank of sheet material for forming a polygonal container, said blank comprising:

a bottom panel; two opposing side panels, each side panel extending from a side edge of the bottom panel; two opposing end panels, each end panel extending from an end edge of the bottom panel; and

a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side edge of a first end panel of the two end panels, the reinforcing panel assembly comprising:

a corner panel extending from the first side edge of the first end panel; a first reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the corner panel;

a second reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the first reinforcing side panel;

a reinforcing corner panel extending from a side edge of the second reinforcing side panel; and an inner end panel extending from a side edge of the reinforcing corner panel,

wherein the corner panel and the reinforcing corner panel are configured, upon articulation of the blank, to be positioned into face-to-face relationship to form a corner wall of the container extending at an oblique angle from a side edge of an end wall of the container to an end edge of a side wall of the container;

wherein the corner panel has a first height, and the reinforcing corner panel has a second height that is less than the first height;

wherein the reinforcing corner panel includes opposing top and bottom edges, and the difference between the first height and the second height is substantially equal to a thickness of the bottom panel such that the bottom edge of the reinforcing corner panel rests on the bottom panel when the container is formed.

2. A blank in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing panel assembly is configured to be attached to an exterior surface of an adjacent side panel of the two side panels when the container is formed.

3. A blank of sheet material for forming a polygonal container, said blank comprising:

a bottom panel; two opposing side panels, each side panel extending from a side edge of the bottom panel; two opposing end panels, each end panel extending from an end edge of the bottom panel; and

a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side edge of a first end panel of the two end panels, the reinforcing panel assembly comprising:

a corner panel extending from the first side edge of the first end panel; a first reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the corner panel;

a second reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the first reinforcing side panel;

a reinforcing corner panel extending from a side edge of the second reinforcing side panel; and an inner end panel extending from a side edge of the reinforcing corner panel,

wherein the corner panel and the reinforcing corner panel are configured, upon articulation of the blank, to be positioned into face-to-face relationship to form a corner wall of the container extending at an oblique angle from a side edge of an end wall of the container to an end edge of a side wall of the container;

wherein the corner panel has a first height, and the end panel has a second height that is less than the first height such that an outer edge of the bottom panel rests against the corner panel when the container is formed.

4. A blank in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of reinforcing panel assemblies, wherein one reinforcing panel assembly of the plurality of reinforcing panel assemblies extends from each side edge of each end panel of the two end panels.

5. A blank in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: an inner reinforcing corner panel extending from a first side edge of a first side panel of the two side panels, the inner reinforcing corner panel configured to be coupled to an exterior surface of the reinforcing corner panel when the container is formed.

6. A blank in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the inner reinforcing corner panel has a width that is one of equal to or less than a width of the reinforcing corner panel.

7. A blank in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a second reinforcing panel assembly extending from a second side edge of the first end panel;

a third reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side edge of a second end panel of the two end panels; and

a fourth reinforcing panel assembly extending from a second side edge of the second end panel,

each reinforcing panel assembly comprising

a corner panel extending from a respective side edge of a respective end panel,

a first reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the corner panel,

a second reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the first reinforcing side panel,

a reinforcing corner panel extending from a side edge of the second reinforcing side panel, and

an inner end panel extending from a side edge of the reinforcing corner panel,

each reinforcing panel assembly configured to be coupled to an exterior surface of said side panels when the container is formed.

8. A blank in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a support panel extending from a side edge of the inner end panel.

9. A polygonal container formed from a blank of sheet material, said container comprising:

a bottom panel;

two opposing side panels, each side panel emanating from a side edge of the bottom panel;

two opposing end panels, each end panel emanating from an end edge of the bottom panel; and

a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side edge of a first end panel of the two end panels, the reinforcing panel assembly comprising:

a corner panel extending from the first side edge of the first end panel,

a first outer reinforcing side panel extending from a side edge of the corner panel,

a first inner reinforcing side panel at least partially overlying the first outer reinforcing side panel, and

a reinforcing corner panel positioned in face-to-face relationship with the corner panel, the corner panel and the reinforcing corner panel forming a corner wall extending between the first end panel and a first side panel of the two side panels and at an oblique angle to the first end panel;

wherein at least a portion of the reinforcing panel assembly is attached to an exterior surface of the first side panel, wherein the first inner reinforcing side panel is adhered to the exterior surface of the first side panel.

10. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a first inner end panel extending from a side edge of the reinforcing corner panel, the first inner end panel at least partially overlying the first end panel.

11. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 9 wherein the corner panel has a first height and the reinforcing corner panel has a second height that is less than the first height.

12. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the reinforcing corner panel includes opposing top and bottom edges, and the difference between the first height and the second height is substantially equal to a thickness of the bottom panel such that the bottom edge of the reinforcing corner panel rests on the bottom panel.

13. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 9 an outer edge of the bottom panel rests against the corner panel.

14. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing corner panel has a width that is one of equal to or less than a width of the corner panel.

15. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:

a second reinforcing panel assembly extending from a second side edge of the first end panel, wherein at least a portion of the second reinforcing panel assembly is attached to an exterior surface of an adjacent second side panel of the two side panels;

a third reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side edge of a second end panel of the two end panels, wherein at least a portion of the third reinforcing panel assembly is attached to an exterior surface of the adjacent first side panel of the two side panels, and

a fourth reinforcing panel assembly extending from a second side edge of the second end panel, wherein at least a portion of the fourth reinforcing panel assembly is attached to an exterior surface of the adjacent second side panel of the two side panels.

16. A polygonal container in accordance with claim 9 wherein the first reinforcing panel assembly further comprises:

a first inner end panel extending from a side edge of the reinforcing corner panel, the first inner end panel at least partially overlying the first end panel; and

a support panel extending from a side edge of the first inner end panel, the support panel forming a portion of a first support wall extending from the first end panel into a cavity of said container.