Box with insertable retention member and methods for making and using the same

Abstract

A box for transporting items such as cut plants includes a retention member that is easily, quickly and safely inserted into one or more retention slits formed in a first side and a second side of the box, and that retains the plants within the box and prevents the one or more plants from crushing their flowers against an end or side of the box. The retention member includes a contact portion that presses one or more stems of the plants against a bottom side of the box when ends of the retention member are inserted into the appropriate retention slits. The retention member is retained in the box by the plant stems that force the ends against a top portion of the retention slits. A blank that includes a plurality of sections connected to each other can be easily formed into the box. To receive and retain the retention member once formed, the blanks includes a first and second section that includes an arrangement of retention slits.

What is claim is:  
     
         1 . A box having a removable retention member for transporting items comprising: 
 a plurality of box sides an bottom defining an interior and an exterior, and including a first side having one or more retention slits and a second side having one or more retention slits; and    a removable retention member retainable in the interior and having a first end insertable into a retention slit formed in one of the first or second sides for engaging the exterior of the box, and a second end inserted into a retention slit in the other side for engaging the exterior of the box, and operable to compressively retain one or more items disposed in the interior.    
     
     
         2 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the retention member is locatable at various positions along a longitudinal axis of the box.  
     
     
         3 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of sides form a rectangular box.  
     
     
         4 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of sides form a rectangular box having the first and second sides opposite each other and parallel or substantially parallel to each other.  
     
     
         5 . The box of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the retention slits in the first side and one of the retention slits in the second side are directly opposite each other.  
     
     
         6 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the retention member is a cleat.  
     
     
         7 . The box of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second sides includes a flap that can pivot away from a respective side and is formed by cutting a retention slit in the one or more sides.  
     
     
         8 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the first and second sides each have center axis and a plurality of retention slits aligned on the center axis such that the retention slits in the first side are directly opposite the retention slits in the second side.  
     
     
         9 . The box of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of retention slits comprises four retention slits.  
     
     
         10 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the first and second side each have a center axis and a second and third axes adjacent the center axis, and each side has a plurality of retention slits aligned on each axis such that the retention slits in the first side are directly opposite the retention slits in the second side.  
     
     
         11 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the box is formed of corrugated cardboard material, and the corrugation in the box sides having retention slits is aligned substantially transverse to the retention slits.  
     
     
         12 . The box of  claim 7  wherein the flap is formed so as to pivot away from the respective side at a location along the retention slit closest to the box bottom.  
     
     
         13 . The box of  claim 1  and a lid to cover off the box, and a retention strap member holding the lid in place on the box and secured about the box generally at the location of the removable retention member to thereby retain the retention member in its position.  
     
     
         14 . The box of  claim 13  wherein the retention strap member is a flexible strap.  
     
     
         15 . The box of  claim 14  wherein the flexible extension straps member is a stretchable cord member.  
     
     
         16 . The box of  claim 13  wherein the lid is integrally attached to one side wall of the box.  
     
     
         17 . The box of  claim 16 , and a face flap extending from the free longitudinal edge of the lid and operable to cover off a side wall of the box and the retention slits formed therein.  
     
     
         18 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the first end of the retention member comprises a bent-up end having a first length, and the second end of the retention member comprises a bent-up end having a second length which is shorter than the first length.  
     
     
         19 . A retention member for use in a box having a first and second side, each having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein each side defines at least one retention slit, the retention member comprising: 
 a body having longitudinal axis and a contact portion operable to compressively retain one or more items when the retention member is inserted into the box;    a first end extending from the body and insertable into a first retention slit wherein the first end comprises a portion for contacting the exterior surface of the first side; and    a second end opposite the first end, and extending from the body and insertable into a second retention slit wherein the second end comprises a portion for contacting the exterior surface of the second side.    
     
     
         20 . The retention member of  claim 19  wherein the first and second ends extend away from the longitudinal axis in the same or substantially the same direction.  
     
     
         21 . The retention member of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second ends respectively extend away from the longitudinal axis at an angle in the range of approximately 850 to 1100.  
     
     
         22 . The retention member of  claim 21 , wherein the extension angle is approximately 1000.  
     
     
         23 . The retention member of  claim 19  wherein the first and second ends are integral to the body.  
     
     
         24 . The retention member of  claim 19  wherein the body is substantially “W”-shaped in a cross-section substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         25 . The retention member of  claim 24  wherein the substantially “W”-shaped body has two respective outer raised side walls, and the contact portion extends there between.  
     
     
         26 . The retention member of  claim 25  wherein the contact portion is formed of two generally planar contact regions.  
     
     
         27 . The retention elongated member of  claim 26  wherein each of the two planar contact regions have a face which extends in a direction substantially opposite to that of the first and second ends.  
     
     
         28 . The retention member of  claim 19 , wherein the retention member is an integral unit formed of metal.  
     
     
         29 . The retention member of  claim 19  wherein the first end comprises a bent-up end having a first length and the second end comprises a bent-up end having a second length which is shorter than the first length.  
     
     
         30 . A method of protecting one or more flowers on one or more plants contained in a box, comprising: 
 placing the one or more plants in an interior of the box that includes a first and second side each having at least one retention slit;    placing a contact portion of a retention member against one or more stems of the one or more plants; and    retaining the contact portion against the one or more stems by engaging the retention member with a pair of retention slits.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein placing a contact portion of a retention member against the one or more plants includes placing a body of the retention member perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the stems of the one or more plants.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein retaining the contact portion against one or more stems includes: 
 inserting a first end of the retention member into one of the retention slits in the first side of the box; and  
 inserting a second end of the retention member into one of the retention slits in the second side of the box.  
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , and placing a lid on the box; and attaching a strap member across the lid and across the first and second ends of the retention member to hold the lid and retention member securely in place to the box.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , and forming a plurality of retention slits on each of the first and second side to permit engaging of the retention member at different heights within the box.  
     
     
         35 . A method of forming a box to restrain movement of contents shipped therein, comprising: 
 defining an interior with a plurality of sides that includes a first side having a plurality of retention slits and a second side having a plurality of retention slits;    determining a retention slit in the first and second sides to receive a retention member; and    inserting a first end of a retention member into one of the determined retention slits and inserting a second end of the retention member into other determined retention slit.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein inserting the first and second ends include pivoting a flap corresponding to a determined retention slit away from a respective side.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , including forming two or more groups of slits on respective substantially vertical axis in both the first and second box sides.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , and forming the plurality of retention slits so that the flap pivots away from the respective side at a location along the lowest part of the retention slit.  
     
     
         39 . A blank that can be formed into a box, comprising: 
 a plurality of sections connected to each other and operable to form the box when pivoted relative to each other, and wherein the plurality of sections includes a first section and a second section that each include an arrangement of retention slits wherein the retention slits are operable to receive a first or second end of a retention member placed therein.    
     
     
         40 . The blank of  claim 39  wherein the first and second sections extend from opposite ends of a third section.  
     
     
         41 . The blank of  claim 39  wherein the arrangement of retention slits in each of the first and second sections include a center axis and a second and third axes adjacent the center axis, wherein a plurality of retention slits are aligned on each axis such that the retention slits in the first section are directly opposite the retention slits in the second section.  
     
     
         42 . The blank of  claim 41  wherein the retention slits in the respective first and second sections are so formed that each slit is positioned at a different height from the lower edge of the side.  
     
     
         43 . The blank of  claim 39 , and a cover section connected to one of the first and second sections.  
     
     
         44 . The blank of  claim 39 , and an additional face flap section connected to the cover section and operable to cover off the retention slits in one of the first and second sections.