Patent Application
20150144686
This invention generally relates to display trays and more particularly, to a corrugated adjustable display tray that contains product at the point of sale for display and access to the product within the tray.
Various types of trays have been formed from corrugated paperboard in the past for use in packaging and shipping different kinds of merchandise. Such trays are generally cut from a flat corrugated sheet and are then folded along score lines to form a tray for containing various goods. Since these type of the display trays can be quickly constructed in a retail store, the display trays of this type is generally known as a “PDQ” (Pretty Darn Quick). Retail stores prefer a means to facilitate secondary placement of promotional product as off-shelf pallet displays reached the end of their sell cycle. Thus, they want a tray that could be removed from the pallet and then placed on a 24″, 30″, or 36″ fixture shelf. Historically, PDQ trays have relied on extendable graphic panels to fill remaining shelf space; however, retailers do not want to take up valuable shelf space with graphic panels. They want a tray that had the ability to “expand” in order to hold additional product.
Accordingly, there is need for an adjustable display tray which is capable of expanding and contracting so as to provide a retailer with the flexibility of using the expandable tray as a stock-keeping unit in an expanded or a contracted configuration.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable display tray or expandable PDQ tray which is capable of expanding or contracting so as to provide a retailer with the flexibility of using the adjustable display tray as a stock-keeping unit in an expanded or a contracted configuration. Retailers prefer a means to facilitate secondary placement of promotional product as off-shelf pallet displays reached the end of their sell cycle. They want a tray that could be removed from the pallet and then placed on a 24″, 30″, or 36″ fixture shelf. In general, expandable PDQ trays have relied on extendable graphic panels to fill remaining shelf space; however, retailers do not want to take up their valuable shelf space with graphic panels. They want a tray that had the ability to expand in order to hold additional product. The flexible nature of this expandable tray represents potential tooling and inventory savings.
Accordingly, the one aspect of the present invention is directed to an adjustable display tray comprises a bottom wall, opposite side walls, a front wall and a back wall foldably joined to one another to form an open-top adjustable interior space for containing articles. The adjustable interior space includes a central section formed by two parallel spaced apart fold lines on the bottom wall and respective central portions of the front wall and back wall. Respective first and second reducible or expandable sections foldably extend from the respective two parallel spaced apart fold lines. Each of the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections includes a respective tray front hinge and a respective back swing flap which are formed on the respective front and the back walls to permit the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections reducing or expanding the interior space of the adjustable display tray.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an adjustable display tray capable of being converted from an expanded position to a contracted position. The adjustable display tray comprises a bottom wall having two parallel spaced apart fold lines and opposite side walls are foldably joined to respective lateral edges of the bottom wall. A front wall is foldably joined to first longitudinal edge of the bottom wall. The front wall includes two spaced apart tray front hinges formed thereto. A back wall is foldably joined to second longitudinal edge of the bottom wall and being defined by an inner back panel and an outer back panel foldably joined to one another. The inner back panel includes two lateral parallel spaced apart score lines to form two back swing flaps and the outer back panels includes two outer exterior flaps and in which the bottom wall, opposite side walls, the front wall and the back wall foldably joined to one another to form an open-top adjustable interior space for containing articles. The adjustable interior space includes a central section formed by the two parallel spaced apart fold lines and respective central portions of the front wall and back wall. Respective first and second reducible or expandable sections are formed by the two parallel spaced apart fold lines, the two respective tray front hinges, the two respective back swing flaps and the two respective outer exterior flaps all of which engage with one another to permit the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections reducing or expanding the interior space of the adjustable display tray.
A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a blank for making an adjustable display tray capable of being converted from an expanded position to a contracted position. The blank comprises a bottom wall panel having two parallel spaced apart fold lines and two space apart slots formed in proximity of the respective spaced apart fold lines. Opposite side walls panels are foldably joined to respective lateral edges of the bottom wall panel. A front wall panel foldably joined to a first longitudinal edge of the bottom wall panel and being defined by two an inner front panel and an outer front panel that are foldably joined to one another. The inner front wall panel includes two triangular-shaped fold lines each of which forms a tray front hinges. A back wall panel is foldably joined to a second longitudinal edge of the bottom wall. The back wall is defined by an inner back panel and an outer back panel foldably joined to one another in which the inner back panel includes two lateral parallel spaced apart score lines to form two back swing flaps and the outer back panels includes two outer exterior flaps. A central section panel is formed by the two parallel spaced apart fold lines and respective central portions of the front wall panels and back wall panels. Respective first and second reducible or expandable section panels are formed by the two parallel spaced apart fold lines, the two respective tray front hinges, the two respective back swing flaps and the two respective outer exterior flaps, all of which engage with one another to permit the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections to contract or to expand the adjustable display tray.
The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. In the present invention the use of prime character in the numeral references in the drawings directed to the different embodiment indicate that those elements are either the same or at least function the same. In addition, the adjustable display tray or expandable display tray are used interchangeably.
As depicted best in
Each of the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections 28a, 28b includes two respective tray front hinges 32a, 32b and two respective back swing flaps 34a, 34b which are formed on the respective front and the back walls 18, 20 to permit the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections 28a, 28b reducing or expanding the interior space 22 of the adjustable display tray 10. The central section 26 includes two slots 44a, 44b each of which is formed on proximate of the respective two parallel spaced apart fold lines 30a, 30b. Each of the back swing flaps 34a, 34b includes a second locking tab 46a, 46b each of which is inserted into the respective slots 44a, 44b on the central section 26. The respective second locking tabs 46a, 46b are formed on the respective bottom free edges of the back swing flaps 34a, 34b when in folded position. The respective tray front hinges 32a, 32b are triangular in shape and formed by respective two fold lines 48a, 48b, 48c, and 48d.
As noted above, the first and second reducible or expandable sections 28a, 28b are mirror images of one another with respect to the lateral axis of the blank B1 and therefore the elements and description of first reducible or expandable sections 28a is exactly the same as the second reducible or expandable sections 28b. The first reducible or expandable section 28a comprises a back swing flap panel 34a′, an outer exterior flaps 38a′, an intermediate side wall panel 62a′, a side wall panel 16a′ (in reducible configuration), an exterior side wall panel 24a′ (in expandable configuration), an interior side wall panel 64a′ (in expandable configuration), an intermediate flap panel 66a, and front extension outer and inner flaps 18c and 18D. The side wall panel 16a′ is part of the adjustable interior space 22 when the display tray 10 is in the fully expandable configuration. The back swing flap panel 34a′ is foldably joined to the outer back wall panels 20a′ via fold line 36a. The outer exterior flaps 38a′ is foldably joined to the side wall panel 16a′ and the intermediate side wall panel 62a′ via respective fold lines 74a, 76a. The intermediate side wall panel 62a′ is foldably joined to the exterior side wall panel 24a′, which in turn foldably joined to the interior side wall panel 64a′ via a fold lines 78a, 80a. The interior side wall panel 64a′ includes two spaced apart fifth locking tabs 68a′, 68b′ each of which extends from one of the free edges thereof. The side wall panel 16a′ includes two space apart third slots 70a, 70b formed on one of its longer sides and two fourth slots 72a, 72b each of which formed on its respective shorter sides. The third slots 70a, 70b are used to receive the respective fifth locking tabs 68a′ and 68b′ when the interior side wall panel 64a′ is folded over the exterior side wall panel 24a′ with intermediate side wall panel 62a′ sandwiched therebetween and then positioned at right angle with respect to the side wall panel 16a′.
An intermediate flap 66a foldably extends from one end of the exterior side wall panel 24a′ via fold line 82a. The front extension inner flap 18c foldably extends from the side wall panel 16a′ via fold line 84a. The outer front extension flap 18d foldably extends from inner front extension flap 18c via fold line 86a. The front extension inner and outer flaps 18c and 18D are part of the first and second reducible or expandable sections 28a, 28b when the blank is fully constructed. The outer flap 18D includes a sixth locking tab 63a which is inserted into the slot 72b when the inner flap 18D is in folded position. In fact, the intermediate flap 66a is sandwiched between the front extension inner and outer flaps 18c and 18D when these two flaps are in overlapping relationship. The first reducible or expandable section 28a includes a triangularly-shaped tray front hinges 32a′ formed by two fold lines 48a′, 48b′. The triangularly-shaped tray front hinges 32a′, the back swing flap panels 34a′, and the fold line 30a in cooperation with one another permits the open-top of adjustable interior space 22 to be contracted as products are removed from the adjustable display tray. The contracted configuration of adjustable display tray 10 provides more valuable space on the shelf in a retail store so that the retailer may use it for other merchandise.
The second reducible or expandable section 28b comprises a back swing flap panel 34b′, an outer exterior flaps 38b′, an intermediate side wall panel 62b′, a side wall panel 16b′ (in reducible configuration), an exterior side wall panel 24b′ (in expandable configuration), an interior side wall panel 64b′ (in expandable configuration), an intermediate flap panel 66b, and front extension inner and outer flaps 18e and 18f The side wall panel 16b′ is part of the adjustable interior space 22 when the adjustable display tray 10 is in the fully expandable configuration. The back swing flap panel 34b′ is foldably joined to the outer back wall panel 20a′ via fold line 36b. The outer exterior flaps 38b′ is foldably joined to the side wall panel 16b′ and the intermediate side wall panel 62b′ via respective fold lines 74b, 76b. The intermediate side wall panel 62b′ is foldably joined to the exterior side wall panel 24b′, which in turn foldably joined to the interior side wall panel 64b′ via a fold lines 78b, 80b. The interior side wall panel 64b′ includes two spaced apart third locking tabs 68c′, 68d′ each of which extends from one of the free edges thereof. The side wall panel 16b′ includes two space apart third slots 70c, 70d formed on one of its longer sides and two fourth slots 72c, 72d each of which formed on its respective shorter sides. The third slots 70c, 70d are used to receive the respective third locking tabs 68c′ and 68d′ when the interior side wall panel 64b′ is folded over the exterior side wall panel 24b′ with intermediate side wall panel 62b′ sandwiched therebetween and then positioned at right angle with respect to the side wall panel 16b′. An intermediate flap 66b′ foldably extends from one end of the exterior side wall panel 24b′ via fold line 82b. The front extension inner flap 18e foldably extends from the side wall panel 16b′ via fold line 84b. The outer front extension flap 18f foldably extends from inner front extension flap 18e via fold line 86b. The front extension inner and outer flaps 18e and 18f are part of the first and second reducible or expandable sections 28a, 28b when the blank B1 is fully constructed. The outer flap 18f includes a sixth locking tab 63b which is inserted into the slot 72d when the outer flap 18f is in folded position. In fact, the intermediate flap 66b is sandwiched between the front extension inner and outer flaps 18e and 18f when these two flaps are in overlapping relationship.
The manual set-up of the blank B1 to form the adjustable display tray 10 is easily accomplished. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that generally a folding machine may alternatively perform the forming operations. The blank B1 is laid horizontally and the inner and outer back wall panels 20a, 20b are folded at right angle with respect to the fold line 50a and one edge of the intermediate wall panel 62a′ is positioned on the longer side of the side wall panel 16a′. Next, the interior and exterior side wall panels 64a′, 24a′ are folded upwardly so that the exterior wall panel 24a′ is in overlapping relationship with the intermediate wall panel 62a′ while the interior side wall panel 64a′ is folded over the intermediate wall panel 62a′ such that the intermediate wall panel 62a′ is sandwiched or concealed between the interior and exterior side wall panels 64a′, 24a′ and finally the respective third locking tab 68a, 68b are inserted into respective third slots 70a. 70b. Similarly, the intermediate wall panel 62b′ is positioned on the longer side of the side wall panel 16b′. Next, the interior and exterior side wall panels 64b′, 24b′ are folded upwardly so that the exterior wall panel 24b′ is in overlapping relationship with the intermediate wall panel 62b′ while the interior side wall panel 6ba′ is folded over the intermediate wall panel 62b′ such that the intermediate wall panel 62b′ is sandwiched or concealed between the interior and exterior side wall panels 64b′, 24b′ and finally the respective fifth locking tab 68c, 68d are inserted into respective third slots 70c. 70d. Now, the inner back wall 20a′ folds over the outer back wall panel 20b′ in an overlapping relationship such that Inner and outer back wall panels 20a′, 20b′ and the respective back swing flaps 34a′, 34b, the respective outer exterior flaps 38a′, 38b′ are all coextensive with one another and finally the fourth locking tabs 60a, 60b, 60c are inserted into the corresponding slots 58a, 58b, 58c. At the same time, the respective second locking tabs 46a′, 46b′ are inserted to the corresponding fourth slots 72a, 72c. Next, the respective intermediate flap panel 66a, 66b are folded at right angle with respect to the side wall 16a, 16b and then simultaneously the front extension outer flaps 18D, 18f and outer front panel 18b are folded upwardly and folded over their respective inner flap panels 18c, 18e, and outer front panel 18, respectively. In the folded position, the respective intermediate flap panel 66a, 66b are sandwiched and concealed between the front extension inner and outer flap panels 18c, 18d, 18e, and 18f. Finally, the third locking tabs 61a, 61b, and 61c are inserted into the corresponding slots 58d, 58e, and 58f which complete the folding sequence for construction of the blank B1. As noted above, for construction of Blank B2, the graphic header panels 11a, 11b are folded onto one another along the fold line 90, and then the insert tab 13 that is defined by insert tab panels 13a, 13b is pushed into the slot 54. The graphic header 12 is used to print on it various indicia or advertizing materials.
In use, in the expanded configuration, the various products are disposed into the adjustable display tray 10 and the display tray is transported into a retail store and the retailer places it on a display shelf or rack. As products are removed by customers from the adjustable display tray 10, the retailer can then fold the first or second reducible/expandable sections 28a, 28b so as to provide valuable extra space on the shelf for other adjacent products. To fold the first or second reducible/expandable sections 28a, 28b, each of the back swing flaps 34a′, 34b are position at the right angle with respect to the respective outer exterior flaps 38a′, 38b′, then split each of the outer exterior flaps 38a′, 38b′ from inner back wall panel 20b by breaking the nicks 40b and slightly push the exterior flaps 38a′, 38b′ towards the rear to dislocate first or second reducible/expandable sections 28a, 28b. Finally, each of the first or second reducible/expandable sections 28a, 28b can be folded toward the interior of the tray to reduce the adjustable interior space 22. One of the advantages of the adjustable display tray 10 is that the first or second reducible/expandable sections 28a, 28b can be independently contracted or expanded with respect to one another as seen best in
It should now be appreciated that the present invention provides a material-saving, quickly erected display tray especially useful in retaining, transporting variety of products to retail stores. The adjustable display tray 10 is designed with a central section 26 formed by two parallel spaced apart fold lines 30a, 30b on the bottom wall 14 and respective central portions of the front wall and back wall and respective first and second reducible or expandable sections 28a, 28b each of which foldably extends from the respective two parallel spaced apart fold lines. As described above, the structure of the respective first and second reducible or expandable sections provide more space on the shelf for retailer to be used for other merchandizes and enhance the rigidity, stackability, and manufacturing cost effectiveness of the adjustable display tray 10. The blank B1 used to form the display tray has a symmetrical design, which reduces erecting and closing labor. The lay flat design of the blank B1 speeds the cutting and packaging process and facilitates easy shelving.
Numerous modifications and variations on the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the accompanying claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
It should be understood that fold lines and score line as used herein may be used interchangeably so long as the function of the line is not destroyed.
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
