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A passive interlock structure for use in containers (such as cartons and trays), particularly those fabricated from corrugated paperboard and the like, which permits the facilitated aligning of vertically stacked containers. The passive interlock structure feature includes recesses formed in the top

A passive interlock structure for use in containers (such as cartons and trays), particularly those fabricated from corrugated paperboard and the like, which permits the facilitated aligning of vertically stacked containers. The passive interlock structure feature includes recesses formed in the tops or bottoms of the containers, and corresponding complementary low planar projections in the bottoms or tops of the containers.

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1. A container, formed from an articulated, initially flat blank of container material, said container comprising:a bottom panel; at least one side panel, emanating from a side edge region of the bottom panel and having a first fold line extending at least partially therebetween; at least one end pa

1. A container, formed from an articulated, initially flat blank of container material, said container comprising:a bottom panel; at least one side panel, emanating from a side edge region of the bottom panel and having a first fold line extending at least partially therebetween; at least one end panel, emanating from an end edge region of the bottom panel and having a second fold line extending at least partially therebetween, and the second fold line extending in an intersecting direction with respect to the first fold line; at least one partial top panel, disposed opposite and at least substantially parallel to the bottom panel; and a passive interlock structure disposed in the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, for enabling at least a region of the bottom panel of a first such container to be complementarily interfitted with at least a region of an at least partial top panel of a second such container, the passive interlock structure being operably configured so that a first such container can be stacked in an aligned manner atop a second such container, without requiring the first container to be raised substantially above, precisely aligned with and then placed directly down upon the second container, the passive interlock structure further inhibiting relative lateral movement therebetween the first and second containers, once such aligned stacking is attained, said passive interlock structure comprising: at least one recess formed in at least one of the bottom panel and the at least partial ton panel; and at least one substantially planar projection formed in at least one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, wherein at least one of the at least one recess and the at least one substantially planar projection is formed by a first secondary fold line extending at an acute angle with respect to one of the first fold line and the second fold line. 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the recess has a planar, substantially transversely extending portion, extending substantially parallel to and vertically offset from the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, wherein the at least one substantially planar projection, is formed in a corresponding one of the at least partial top panel and the bottom panel of the container, said substantially planar projection having a substantially transversely extending portion, extending substantially parallel to and vertically offset from the one of the at least partial top panel and the bottom panel, and wherein the at least one recess is disposed opposite to, and in vertically spaced alignment with the at least one substantially planar projection, the at least one recess and the at least one substantially planar projection being further complementarily contoured, so that the at least one substantially planar projection of a first such container can be received within the at least one recess of a second such container stacked and aligned relative thereto.3. The container according to claim 2, wherein the at least partial top panel emanates from a top edge region of a side panel, and has a third fold line extending at least partially therebetween, and further has an end panel emanating from an end edge region thereof, with a fourth fold line extending at least partially therebetween, the fourth fold line extending in an intersecting direction with respect to the third fold line;wherein each said at least one recess is further formed by: a die cut through the blank of container material, extending across a corner portion of one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, the die cut extending to and through one of the first and second, or third and fourth fold lines, into the side and end panels adjacent said one of said bottom panel and said at least partial top panel: and a plurality of secondary fold lines, extending at an acute angle with respect to each of the first and second, or third and fourth, fold lines, at least one of the plurality of secondary fold lines being situated entirely within the boundaries of one of the side and end panels and adjacent the corner portion of the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel; whereupon folding of the side and end panels adjacent to said one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, relative to said one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, the die cut, the first and second or third and fourth fold lines, and the secondary fold lines cooperate to move the corner portion of the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel out of plane with respect to a remaining portion of the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, toward an interior region of the container. 4. The container according to claim 3, wherein the die cut has a contour formed of: straight lines; curved lines; a combination of straight and curved lines.5. The container according to claim 2, wherein the at least partial top panel emanates from a top edge region of a side panel, and has a third fold line extending at least partially therebetween, and further has an end panel emanating from an end edge region thereof, with a fourth fold line extending at least partially therebetween, the fourth fold line extending in an intersecting direction with respect to the third fold line;wherein each at least one substantially planar projection, formed in a corresponding one of the at least partial top panel and the bottom panel of the container, is formed further by: a die cut through the blank of container material, extending across a corner portion of one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, the die cut extending to one of the first and second, or third and fourth fold lines, into the side and end panels adjacent said one of said bottom panel and said at least partial top panel; and a plurality of secondary fold lines, extending at an acute angle with respect to each of the first and second, or third and fourth, fold lines, at least one of the plurality of secondary fold lines being disposed within the corner portion of the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, between the first and second, or third and fourth fold lines; whereupon folding of the side and end panels adjacent to said one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, relative to said one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, the die cut, the first and second or third and fourth fold lines, and the secondary fold lines cooperate to move the corner portion of the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel out of plane with respect to a remaining portion of the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel, away from an interior region of the container. 6. The container according to claim 5, wherein the die cut has a contour formed of: straight lines; curved lines; a combination of straight lines and curved lines.7. The container according to claim 2, wherein the at least one at least partial top panel emanates from a top edge region of a side panel, and has a third fold line extending at least partially therebetween, and further has an end panel emanating from an end edge region thereof, with a fourth fold line extending at least partially therebetween, the fourth fold line extending in an intersecting direction with respect to the third fold line;wherein each at least one substantially planar projection, formed in a corresponding one of the at least partial top panel and the bottom panel of the container, is further formed by: the at least partial top panel comprising a web of blank material extending across only a corner portion of the top region of the container, leaving a central region of the top region of the container open and unenclosed, so that the at least partial top panel extends above and is not coplanar with top edges of adjacent side and end panels of the container. 8. The container according to claim 7, wherein the web of material has a free edge facing an interior region of the container that has a contour formed of: straight lines; curved lines; a combination of straight lines and curved lines.9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is a wraparound style of container having one complete top panel and one complete bottom panel.10. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is a wraparound style of container having a complete bottom panel, and two substantially half-top panels.11. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is a substantially open-topped tray.12. The container according to claim 11, wherein the tray is provided with corner reinforcing panels.13. The container according to claim 1, further comprising at least one stacking tab aperture.14. The container according to claim 1, further comprising at least one stacking tab structure.15. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises at least one inclined side or end panel.16. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises at least one side or end wall formed from at least one partial side or end panel folded over another at least one partial side or end panel.17. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises at least one corner gusset structure.18. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises at least one self-locking structure operably configured to enable the container to be maintained in a fully articulated configuration without the use of adhesive or fasteners.19. A passive interlock structure for enabling the facilitated aligned stacking of containers, wherein the containers each include a bottom panel, at least one side panel, at least one end panel, and at least one at least partial top panel disposed opposite and at least substantially parallel to the bottom panel, the passive interlock structure comprising:at least one recess, formed in one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel of a container, the recess having a planar, substantially transversely extending portion, extending substantially parallel to and vertically offset from the one of the bottom panel and the at least partial top panel; and at least one substantially planar projection, formed in a corresponding one of the at least partial top panel and the bottom panel of the container,the substantially planar projection having a substantially transversely extending portion, extending substantially parallel to and vertically offset from the one of the at least partial top panel and the bottom panel; the at least one recess being disposed opposite to, and in vertically spaced alignment with the at least one substantially planar projection, the at least one recess and the at least one substantially planar projection being further complementarily contoured, so that the at least one substantially planar projection of a first such container can be received within the at least one recess of a second such container stacked and aligned relative thereto, wherein at least one of the at least one recess and the at least one substantially planar projection is formed by a first fold line on a blank of container material forming one of the first container and the second container, said first fold line extending at an acute angle with respect to a second fold line on the blank of container material, the passive interlock structure being operably configured so that a first container incorporating the passive interlock structure can be stacked in an aligned manner atop a second like container, without requiring the first container to be raised substantially above, precisely aligned with and then placed directly down upon the second container, the passive interlock structure further inhibiting relative lateral movement therebetween such first and second containers, once such aligned stacking is attained. 20. The passive interlock feature of claim 18, wherein the at least one recess is located in a corner region of one of the top and bottom, and the at least one substantially planar projection is located in a corner region of one of the bottom and top, respectively, of a container.21. A container, formed from an articulated, initially fiat blank of container material, said container comprising:a bottom panel; at least one side panel emanating from a side edge region of the bottom panel and having a first fold line extending at least partially therebetween; at least one end panel emanating from an end edge region of the bottom panel and having a second fold line extending at least partially therebetween, wherein the second fold line extends in an intersecting direction with respect to the first fold line; a passive interlock structure disposed in the bottom panel for enabling at least a region of the bottom panel of a first such container to be complementarily interfitted with at least a region of an at least partial top panel of a second such container, said passive interlock structure comprising at least one of a recess and a substantially planar projection formed in the bottom panel; wherein the at least one of a recess and a substantially planar projection is formed by a first secondary fold line extending at an acute angle with respect to one of the first fold line and the second fold line.