This invention relates to the field of packaging, and more particularly, to a container designed for use with any variety of goods, but especially for footwear, said container comprising a combination of materials including corrugated fiberboard and plastic.
The market for consumer footwear is notoriously competitive and there are numerous footwear manufacturers competing for a share of that market. The intense level of competition in the footwear industry is found in nearly every market sector, and regardless of the particular type of shoe. However, the competition is perhaps most keenly focused in the market sector pertaining to active shoes, outdoor shoes and athletic shoes. In this market sector as well as others, competitors are constantly searching for ways to increase sales and market shares. Some of the most successful, and thus commonly used marketing techniques, are very familiar to most consumers. Examples include rapid introduction of new styles, product endorsements by famous athletes, intense brand name marketing and promotion, and advertising directed to specific consumer groups such as consumers falling into specific targeted demographic groups. These techniques along with other marketing activities help give footwear manufacturers a competitive edge in a highly competitive market.
Traditional shoeboxes are sometimes utilized for marketing purposes in addition to their more traditional function. Shoes of all types are usually packaged in traditional rectangular shoeboxes manufactured from some kind of paperboard, often corrugated liner board (typically called “cardboard”). However, while such boxes serve an accepted functional role of storing and protecting the shoes, they do little to promote the product itself, other than minimal promotional information printed on the boxes.
While there are many different styles of shoeboxes, nearly all of them are variations on a standard theme: a rectangular box that is usually made of corrugated or heavy fiber board. Such boxes are useful for many reasons. From a purely functional point of view, rectangular shoeboxes provide a reasonably secure internal compartment for storing the shoes after manufacturing, and all the way from the factory to the consumer sales outlet. And traditional boxes are easily stacked, whether for shipping in containers from an offshore manufacturing location to a warehouse, for storage in a warehouse or a retail outlet, or for storing product for consumer inspection at warehouse-type retail outlets. While the internal compartment of a rectangular box is not custom designed to hold a pair of shoes, most shoes are held reasonably well in a standard box when the shoes are nested in the traditional opposed orientation, and generally with a tissue paper sleeve inserted between the shoes to prevent them from rubbing together and scuffing, and to protect the shoes from the box.
But in addition to their functional benefits, traditional rectangular shoeboxes serve another purpose, and that is as a part of the marketing plan. Nearly all shoe manufacturers try to use their product packaging as part of their overall marketing programs designed to sell the product. Thus, many shoe manufacturers print graphics and other promotional information on their boxes. Even though this marketing information may be visible only on the sides of the boxes since boxes are usually stacked, the space can be used as advertising space. Moreover, the box may be printed with information about the shoes—sizes and the like.
Another kind of container useful for footwear is the plastic container shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,815. In addition to providing a secure package for protecting the shoes, this container is clear so that it provides a way for consumers to see the shoes without opening the package.
There are several problems evident in traditional shoeboxes. First, the standard rectangular box design necessarily takes up more space than is needed to contain the shoes. Even when nested in an opposed orientation, a pair of shoes defines a shape that is seldom a regular rectangle, and as a result, most standard shoeboxes have excess materials and take up more space than is necessary. These factors increase costs of the product. For example, minimizing the amount of raw material used to make the box could reduce material costs tied up in the packaging. Likewise, eliminating excess packaging material that takes up added space can reduce shipping and storage costs.
Second, most shoeboxes are made entirely of some form of paper—usually corrugated or a heavy paperboard. While such materials tend to make a relatively strong container, they can be crushed and are subject to moisture absorption and damage. Moisture damage to cardboard can be a significant problem. And even broken-down corrugated boxes designed for shoes tend to take up a significant amount of space. Further, the boxes must be manufactured in one location as blanks, shipped to another location where they are set up as boxes. Finally, raw material costs for corrugated are increasing at a steady rate, making the economics of using all-corrugated less and less favorable.
But perhaps the greatest shortcoming of traditional, rectangular, all-fiberboard shoeboxes is their limited ability to enhance product sales. As noted above, most shoe manufacturers print promotional information of one kind or another on their shoeboxes, including trademarks, logos and the like. This is valuable to a degree in selling the product. But corrugated and other fiberboards are inherently opaque, and as such, a consumer must open the box to look at the shoes contained inside. Shoe manufacturers want their consumers to look at their shoes—the appearance of the shoe is an important factor in the consumer's decision on what to buy. It can be difficult to pull a box out of a stack of boxes, open it to look at the shoe, and then replace the shoe in the box in even a relatively neat fashion. Stated in another way, a large part of the consumer's buying decision is based upon the appearance of the shoe. As a result, shoe manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money in making their shoes look attractive to consumers—the manufacturers want consumers to see the product. But for all of this, shoes are almost always hidden in a shoebox.
As noted, the foregoing is but one example of some shortcomings of traditional, paper-based packaging. There is a real need for improved packaging containers.
The present invention provides the benefits of a traditional fiberboard shoebox with a see-through display container that overcomes the problems in the prior art, and at the same time provides substantial marketing and product promotion advantages for whatever product might be held in the container. To name a few examples of the advantages that the inventive package provides, the container actually helps promote the product held within the container and increase sales by presenting the product in a container that the consumer can see through. Since the container includes a see-through portion, other consumers will be able to see what the purchaser has purchased.
The invention illustrated and described herein is a hybrid container fabricated from a combination of fiberboard and plastic that may be used as a package for many different objects. The structural features of the invention and the manner in which the inventive package is formed make the container useful in numerous industries for innumerable goods. Nonetheless, the package of the present invention is described below with particular reference to its use as a container for footwear. While the description of the invention sometimes focuses on a footwear container, it is to be understood that the principles of the invention apply to the container used for other purposes, and that the invention is not limited to use as a footwear container, but is instead limited only by the appended claims.
In a preferred embodiment the present invention comprises a shoe container formed of a corrugated base with a clear or translucent plastic lid portion that is formed such that a pair of shoes fits into the interior of the container and is visible through the container. The container may be formed in any size to accommodate any sized shoe.
The base of the container is formed from a blank and the lid portion is preferably a clear plastic material that is thermoformed in a one-piece configuration that includes then attaches securely to the base. The package is formed in a manner that results in a strong container that protects items contained therein. The container combines the best functional attributes of an all-fiberboard box, including strength and durability, with the added benefits of a clear top so the shoe may be viewed at the retail level by the consumer without having to open the container.
The corrugated base may be utilized for printing conventional graphics and the like, and the plastic lid may also be emblazoned with logos and the like. The lid of the container may be formed of many different types of plastics, including plastics containing significant levels of recycled materials, and of course the corrugated based may be manufactured using recycled fiber. The plastic lid portion may be colored to match the color scheme that the manufacturer has selected for the shoe, and the color of the container may thus be combined into a marketing plan.
The invention will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will be apparent by reference to the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
A preferred embodiment of the container of the present invention is shown in
With reference to
It is often desirable to print text and graphics on the corrugated material to identify the contents of the container, and to provide marketing information and provide a more attractive package. Coatings may be applied over the printed corrugated material in order to minimize ink transfer, scuffing, and ink bleeding, etc. The coatings may be a plastic laminate such as a polypropylene sheet, which is applied to the corrugated after the sheet has been printed. Similarly, the coating may be an aqueous coating material that is applied as a liquid over the sheet with a printer roller inline when the sheet is being printed.
The manner in which the lid attaches to the base is detailed below. From review of
As will further be apparent from
As illustrated in
With continuing reference to
The three tabs 26 are integrally formed with the lid 14 and are attached at regular spacing intervals along the rearward edge 40 of lid 14 and depend downwardly from the rear edge. Each of the three tabs 26 is identical in construction and in combination, the three tabs serve to attach the lid to the base and to define a hinge that allows the lid to be easily opened and closed to open and close the container. It will be readily appreciated that while three tabs 26 are shown in the drawings and described herein, there may be a greater or lesser number of tabs depending upon the size of the particular container.
Each tab 26 is defined by a downwardly extending main panel 42. In the central portion of main panel 42 is an inwardly projecting boss 44 that is generally rectangular in shape with rounded corners. As best illustrated in the cross sectional view of
Turning now to
A first front panel 82 is attached to base panel 62 at a fold line 84 and a pair of elongate openings 86 is formed along fold line 84. A second front panel 88 is attached to first front panel 82 at a double fold line 90. Second front panel 88 includes two openings 89. A third panel 92 is attached to the second front panel 88 at a fold line 94. Fold line 94 includes two cut portions 96 that define tabs, as detailed below. Each of the three outer, peripheral edges of third panel 92, labeled 98, 100 and 102, includes a pair of indented cut out portions labeled 98a, 98b, 100a, 100b, and 102a, 102b, respectively.
A first side panel 104 is attached to base panel 62 at a fold line 106 and a pair of elongate openings 108 is formed along the fold line. A second side panel 110 is attached to first side panel 104 at an angularly extending double fold line 112. The outer edge 114 of second side panel 110 includes a pair of tabs 116. The rearward edge 118 of first side panel 104 is separated from a first rear flap panel 120 at a cut line 122. First rear flap panel 120 is attached to first rear panel 64 at a fold line 124.
A first side panel 126 is attached to the opposite lateral edge of base panel 62 at a fold line 128 and a pair of elongate openings 130 is formed along the fold line 128. A second side panel 132 is attached to first side panel 126 at an angularly extending double fold line 134. The outer edge 136 of second side panel 132 includes a pair of tabs 138. The rearward edge 140 of second side panel 126 is separated from a second rear flap panel 142 at a cut line 144. Second rear flap panel 142 is attached to first rear panel 64 at a fold line 146. A pair of circular openings 148 and 150 is formed in first side panel 126 and second side panel 132, respectively. These openings align in the finished, assembled container to define an opening 101, which functions as a grab point, as detailed below.
A first front flap 154 is attached at a fold line 156 to first side panel 104. First front flap 154 is separated from first front panel 82 at a cut line 158. Likewise, on the opposite lateral side of blank 60, a second front flap 160 is attached at a fold line 162 to first side panel 126. Second front flap 160 is separated from first front panel 82 at a cut line 162.
First and second rear flap panels 120 and 142 are mirror images of each other. The outer peripheral edges of the panels define a first cut out section 170 and a second cut out section 172.
Assembly of base 12 will now be described with reference to
Panels 110 and 132 are folded at double fold lines 112 and 134, respectively, over the respective adjacent panels 104 and 124. This is shown with arrows A in
Front flaps 154 and 160 are then folded at fold lines 156 and 162, respectively, in the direction shown by arrows B so that the flaps align with fold line 84. Third panel 94 is next folded inwardly such that the panel covers base panel 62, as illustrated with arrow C. As this is done, first front panel 82 folds at fold line 84 and second front panel 88 folds at double fold line 90 to form the front wall 25 of the base; tabs 96 are engaged in openings 86 to secure front wall 25 remains in an upright position and front flaps 154 and 160 are captured between the first and second front panels. Third panel 94 is held in place on base panel 62 by virtue of the various tabs and cut outs around the periphery of the panel, such as cut outs 98a, 98b, which are engaged by tabs 116, and cut outs 102a and 102b, which are engaged by tabs 138. Tabs 96 likewise engage elongate openings 86 to secure front wall 25.
Next, rear flap panels 120 and 142 are folded at fold lines 124 and 146, respectively so that the edges defined by cut lines 122 and 144 align with fold line 66. When this is done, cut outs 170 and 172 align to form notches on the forming rear panel of the base. First rear panel 64 is folded upwardly at fold line 66 and second rear panel is folded inwardly and over rear flap panels 120 and 142 in the direction of arrow D to form the rear wall 27 of the base 12. Tabs 78 are inserted in openings 68 and cut outs 100a and 100b to secure the rear panel and the bottom panel. Rectangular openings 76 are at this point located in an overlying position relative to the notches defined by cut outs 170 and 172.
When assembled in this manner, base 12 is a strong and secure container base 12 as shown in
It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the base may be fabricated in many different structural configurations without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the third panel 92 of the base is described above as a “roll-over” panel that completely covers the base panel 62 in the assembled base. Base panel 92 may of a different size, and may even be omitted. Similarly, the angled side panels are defined by folded-over double-layer panels (i.e., first side panel 104 and second side panel 110). The second side panel may be omitted.
With returning reference to
With lid 14 attached to base 12 as described, the inverted U-shaped channels 52 that extend along diagonal joints 16 are in a position to nest over the upper edges 105 of side walls 20 and 22. The width of the U-shaped channels is sized to be roughly the same as or slightly narrower than the width of the side walls. As such, when the U-shaped channels are slid onto the upper edges of the side walls, the channels slip over the upper edges and thus-engage the upper edges of the side walls. This results in the lid—being secured snugly to the base. The inverted U-shaped channels 52 thus assist in locating the base and lid with respect to one another when closed together, and assist in retaining the lid and base in the closed position. The U-shaped channels thus prevent relative movement between the base and the lid and stabilize the container in the lateral direction. Stated another way, when the U-shaped channels are engaged over the upper edges of the side walls, the lid may not be moved from side to side relative to the base. This gives the assembled container significant lateral strength.
As the lid 14 is moved from the open position to the closed position, closure flap 34 is slid behind (i.e., inwardly of) panel 82 of front wall 25. This is best illustrated in
With specific reference now to
Lid 14 of container 10 is preferably fabricated from a clear material so that goods held within the container are plainly visible through the container panels. As used herein, the word “clear” refers to any transparent or translucent material used to fabricate the container and through which the interior of the container may be seen. Many materials may be used to fabricate the container. These include numerous grades of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and vinyls such as various grades of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Those or ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the material selected will depend upon the structural and cosmetic requirements of the particular package. The polymers used to manufacture lid 14 may include modifier compounds such as softeners, impact modifiers and the like, depending upon the application. In a preferred embodiment the material selected for manufacturing the container will include a high percentage of recycled material.
The material used to form lid 14 may be clear, colored, or and any combination of coloring may be used. Moreover, portions of the container may be opaque so long as at least some of the container is clear to display the contents. The lid of the present invention is preferably formed using a thermoforming processes whereby a blank of material is heated and pulled into a tool or mold and shaped, for instance with a vacuum, to form the lid.
Again with reference to use of container 10 as a container for shoes, preferably the package is sized such that one container will fit several different sizes of shoes. Thus, as one example, a blank container 10 may be designed to hold a specific style of shoes (such as athletic shoes) in the size range of men's sizes 7 to 9 (in the traditional U.S. sizing system), and also women's athletic shoes in sizes 9 to 11. The container 10 described above provides the advantage of allowing the consumer to view the contents of the container, and it is close enough in size to standard shoe boxes that it may be used without modification to the existing shoe distribution, warehousing and sale infrastructure.
The blank 60 lies flat prior to assembly and may thus be shipped in large quantities with relatively little shipping space required. The walls of the lid 14 are angled slightly so that the lids may be nested with other lid for ease of shipping and to minimize the space required for shipping many empty containers. It will be appreciated that with this configuration many lids may be shipped to a manufacturing facility in a minimal amount of space
Those of skill in the art will further recognize the many different shapes that can be used to define a container equivalent to the container described herein. Importantly, the base of the container could be made with horizontal side edges as are found on typical shoe boxes, thus eliminating the angled side edges described above. The lid of this container would be attached to the base in the same manner described above, and the lid would have the same closure mechanisms and U-shaped channels along the side edges. To name but a few additional examples, the container could be formed with a handle, and the article-receiving space inside of the container may be designed to conform more uniquely to a specific article. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment the container is roughly equivalent in size and shape to a standard shoebox for holding a pair of shoes of similar size. In this way the container of the present invention is accommodated easily into existing footwear manufacturing, distribution and sales infrastructure.
While the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill that the spirit and scope of the invention is not limited to those embodiments, but extend to the various modifications and equivalents as defined in the appended claims.