Reinforced corrugated container with an exterior sleeve

1. A reinforced corrugated container comprising:

a bin having a rigid longitudinal sidewall made of a plurality of corrugated parallel adjacent connected panels radially defining a interior hollow space for receiving bulk material that applies a radial outward force against the sidewall when placed therein, the longitudinal sidewall extending longitudinally from a bottom edge to a top edge, the top edge defining a rim of the interior hollow space; and

a flexible tubular sleeve made of non-woven material closely and continuously radially engaged with and around an exterior of the sidewall for providing a radial inward force against the sidewall to oppose the radial outward force;

wherein each parallel panel includes a flap extending from the bottom edge and each flap is inwardly folded and secured together by a plurality of interlocking tabs and slots to form a bottom of the bin; and

wherein a portion of the sleeve is positioned beneath the tabs and within the slots for holding the sleeve in place on the bottom.

2. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of straps for providing radial inward girth support to the bin, the straps being continuously engaged about the exterior of the sidewall and disposed longitudinally at spaced locations along the sidewall.

3. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is positioned between the straps and the sidewall in contact with the exterior of the sidewall.

4. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 3 , wherein the straps are held in tension against the sleeve, the tension sufficient for frictionally holding the sleeve to the sidewall.

5. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve terminates at an upper sleeve edge wrapping radially around the bin below the upper rim.

6. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a non-woven polyethylene material including a plurality of randomly oriented polyethylene fibers.

7. A reinforced corrugated container comprising:

a bin made of corrugated material, the bin having an open top defined by a rigid longitudinal radial sidewall and a closed bottom defined by a plurality of flaps folded inwardly from the sidewall and joined together about a center of the bin;

a flexible tubular sleeve made of non-woven material closely and continuously radially engaged with and around an exterior of the bin for providing radial inward girth support to the bin, the sleeve extending from the closed bottom toward an upper rim formed along the sidewall defining the open top, the sleeve terminating at an upper sleeve edge positioned between the closed bottom and upper rim; and

a plurality of straps continuously and tightly formed radially about an exterior of the sidewall and disposed longitudinally at spaced locations along the sidewall for providing girth support to the bin;

wherein the sleeve comprises a non-woven polyethylene material including a plurality of randomly oriented polyethylene fibers.

8. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 7 , wherein the sleeve is positioned in contact with the sidewall and is located between the straps and the sidewall.

9. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 8 , wherein the straps are held in tension outside the sleeve, the tension sufficient for frictionally holding the sleeve to the sidewall.

10. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 7 , wherein the upper sleeve edge extends radially around the bin and is substantially parallel with the upper rim.

11. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 7 , wherein the flaps are secured together on the bottom by a plurality of interlocking tabs and slots and the sleeve is positioned beneath the tabs and within the slots.

12. A reinforced paperboard container moveable from a flatted configuration to an erected configuration, the container comprising:

panels formed from a flat blank of corrugated paperboard scored to form multiple parallel panels joined to one another along adjacent sides, the flat blank having connected opposing end panels for forming a continuous panel arrangement while the container is in both a flattened arrangement and an erected arrangement, each panel having a flap extending from an end in prolongation of the panel, each panel being foldable at its juncture with its associated flap and adjacent flaps being separated from one another by a slit, whereby the panels and flaps are foldable inwardly toward one another for forming a hollow space having a generally vertical sidewall when in the erected arrangement;

a sealed glue joint connecting opposing end panels for forming a continuous panel arrangement while the container is in both a flattened arrangement and an erected arrangement, the joint being vertically disposed when the container is in the erected arrangement;

multiple straps for providing girth support to the container, each strap positioned along an outside surface of the container vertical sidewall in a supporting arrangement therewith, each strap continuously formed for providing horizontal girth support at longitudinally spaced locations along the panels forming the container sidewall, wherein the spaced locations have a greater separation from an adjacent lower location when the container is in its erected position; and

a flexible tubular sleeve made of non-woven material closely and continuously radially engaged with and around an exterior of the sidewall for providing radial inward girth support to the sidewall, the sleeve extending from the closed bottom toward an upper rim formed along the sidewall defining the open top, the sleeve terminating at an upper sleeve edge positioned between the closed bottom and upper rim;

wherein the straps are held in tension outside the sleeve, the tension sufficient for frictionally holding the sleeve to the container; and

wherein the flaps are secured together on the bottom side by a plurality of interlocking tabs and slots and the sleeve is positioned beneath the tabs and within the slots.

13. The reinforced corrugated container of claim 12 , wherein the sleeve comprises a non-woven polyethylene material including a plurality of randomly oriented polyethylene fibers.

14. A reinforced corrugated container comprising:

a bin having a rigid longitudinal sidewall made of a plurality of corrugated parallel adjacent connected panels radially defining a interior hollow space for receiving bulk material that applies a radial outward force against the sidewall when placed therein, the longitudinal sidewall extending longitudinally from a bottom edge to a top edge, the top edge defining a rim of the interior hollow space; and

a flexible tubular sleeve made of non-woven material closely and continuously radially engaged with and around an exterior of the sidewall for providing a radial inward force against the sidewall to oppose the radial outward force;

wherein the sleeve comprises a non-woven polyethylene material including a plurality of randomly oriented polyethylene fibers.

15. A reinforced corrugated container comprising:

a bin made of corrugated material, the bin having an open top defined by a rigid longitudinal radial sidewall and a closed bottom defined by a plurality of flaps folded inwardly from the sidewall and joined together about a center of the bin;

a flexible tubular sleeve made of non-woven material closely and continuously radially engaged with and around an exterior of the bin for providing radial inward girth support to the bin, the sleeve extending from the closed bottom toward an upper rim formed along the sidewall defining the open top, the sleeve terminating at an upper sleeve edge positioned between the closed bottom and upper rim; and

a plurality of straps continuously and tightly formed radially about an exterior of the sidewall and disposed longitudinally at spaced locations along the sidewall for providing girth support to the bin;

wherein the flaps are secured together on the bottom by a plurality of interlocking tabs and slots and the sleeve is positioned beneath the tabs and within the slots.