Granted Patent B2

US 12,668,412 · App. 17/538,795 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Inventors: Jamie Waltermire (Peachtree City, GA); Paul Ott (Atlanta, GA); Greg Sollie (Sharpsburg, GA)

Assignee: Pratt Retail Specialties, LLC

B65D81/3858B31B70/26B65D1/24B65D5/0065B65D5/24B65D11/1806B65D25/287B65D81/386B31B50/26B31B2120/501B65D5/001B65D81/3848B65D2525/281

Abstract

Claims (29)

1 . A method of folding a blank assembly, the method comprising:

folding a first side panel about a first fold line relative to a bottom panel until the first side panel is substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel, a cardboard blank of the blank assembly comprising the first side panel, the bottom panel, and a second side panel; and

folding the second side panel about a second fold line relative to the bottom panel until the second side panel is substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the bottom panel at least partially defining an inner cavity, an insulation batt of the blank assembly comprising binder fiber and cardboard fiber, the insulation batt being attached to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the insulation batt at least partially insulating the inner cavity,

wherein the bottom panel defines a center subpanel bounded on all sides by fold lines and configured to collapse downward relative to adjacent panel sections and at least one corner fold line extending from one corner of the bottom panel to one corner of the center subpanel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising overlapping a wing with a portion of the first side panel, the wing extending outward from a side of the second side panel, wherein the wing defines a sub-shoulder at a top end of the wing and wherein the wing is partially defined by a corner cut such that a bottom end of the wing is smaller in width than the sub-shoulder.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising folding a portion of the cardboard blank relative to the first side panel to form a shoulder within the inner cavity.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising contacting a top panel with the shoulder, the top panel enclosing the inner cavity.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a top insulation batt is attached to the top panel.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein contacting the top panel with the shoulder comprises supporting the top panel with the shoulder.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the first side panel at least partially defines the inner cavity, wherein the first side panel defines an outer surface disposed opposite form the inner surface, and wherein the insulation batt is attached to the outer surface.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the insulation batt comprises an insulation material formed of a mixture of the cardboard fiber and between about 2% and about 25% the binder fiber distributed substantially randomly within the cardboard fiber, wherein the binder fiber is thermoplastic binder fiber; and

the thermoplastic binder fiber is adhered to the cardboard fiber.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein subjecting the insulation material to a repulpability test produces greater than 85% fiber yield.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic binder fiber is a meltable polyethylene and polypropylene bi-component thermoplastic binder fiber.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the cardboard fiber comprises paper fiber.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic binder fiber defines a length of between about 0.5 mm to about 16 mm.

13 . A method for folding an insulated blank assembly comprising:

folding a first side panel of a cardboard blank of the insulated blank assembly relative to a bottom panel of the cardboard blank about a first fold line to position the first side panel perpendicular to the bottom panel; and

folding a second side panel of the cardboard blank relative to the bottom panel about a second fold line to position the second side panel perpendicular to the bottom panel, the cardboard blank defining an inner surface and an outer surface each extending over the first side panel, the second side panel, and the bottom panel,

the inner surface at least partially defining an inner cavity, the insulated blank assembly further comprising at least one insulation batt coupled to the outer surface and insulating the inner cavity, the at least one insulation batt comprising an insulation material formed of a mixture of repulpable cardboard cellulose fiber and between about 2% and about 25% thermoplastic binder fiber distributed substantially randomly within the repulpable cardboard cellulose fiber, the thermoplastic binder fiber adhered to the repulpable cardboard cellulose fiber

wherein subjecting the insulation material to a repulpability test produces greater than 85% yield.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein folding the second side panel of the cardboard blank relative to the bottom panel about the second fold line positions the second side panel perpendicular to the first side panel.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first fold line is parallel to the second fold line.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first fold line is perpendicular to the second fold line.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic binder fiber is a meltable polyethylene and polypropylene bi-component thermoplastic binder fiber.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the cardboard cellulose fiber comprises paper fiber.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic binder fiber defines a length of between about 0.5 mm to about 16 mm.

20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising folding a third side panel of the cardboard blank relative to the bottom panel about a third fold line to position the third side panel perpendicular to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the third side panel further defining the inner cavity.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)