Claims
- 1. A display container for displaying a spherical article, the display container comprising
a left side panel, a right side panel, each of the left and right side panels including a curved edge adapted to engage the spherical article, the curved edges cooperating to provide means for defining a C-shaped opening to receive the spherical article therein, and a connector including a top panel, a bottom panel, an upper front panel, and a lower front panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, the upper front panel, and the lower front panel being coupled to the left side panel and the right side panel, the upper front panel includes a first flap coupled to the top panel, a second flap, a support surface coupled to the first and second flaps of the upper front panel and adapted to engage the spherical article when the spherical article is positioned in the C-shaped opening, and a first support flap that is coupled to the second flap of the upper front panel and engages the top panel so that the first support flap of the upper front panel reinforces the support surface of the upper front panel, the lower front panel including a first flap coupled to the bottom panel, a second flap, a support surface coupled to the first and second flaps of the lower front panel and adapted to engage the spherical article when the spherical article is positioned in the C-shaped opening, and a first support flap that is coupled to the second flap of the lower front panel and engages the bottom panel so that the first support flap of the lower front panel reinforces the support surface of the lower front panel.
- 2. The display container of claim 1, wherein each support flap includes an edge coupled to the respective second flap along a first fold line.
- 3. The display container of claim 2, wherein the support flap of the upper front panel includes an edge that engages the top panel and the support flap of the lower front panel includes an edge that engages the bottom panel.
- 4. The display container of claim 1, wherein each support flap includes a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge which cooperate with one another so that the support flap is triangle-shaped, the first edge is coupled to the respective second flap along a fold line, and the second edge engages one of the top panel and the bottom panel.
- 5. The display container of claim 1, wherein the upper front panel further includes a second support flap that is coupled to the second flap of the upper front panel and engages the top panel so that the second support flap of the upper front panel reinforces the support surface of the upper front panel and the lower front panel further includes a second support flap that is coupled to the second flap of the lower front panel and engages the bottom panel so that the second support flap of the lower front panel reinforces the support surface of the lower front panel.
- 6. The display container of claim 5, wherein each of the support flaps includes a first face and a second face, the first faces of the support flaps of the upper front panel face one another, the second faces of the support flaps of the upper front panel face away from one another, the first faces of the support flaps of the lower front panel face one another, and the second faces of the support flaps of the lower front panel face away from one another.
- 7. The display container of claim 6, wherein the second faces of the first support flaps engage the left side panel and the second faces of the second support flaps engage the right side panel.
- 8. The display container of claim 5, wherein each second flap includes a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge, the first edge of the second flap of the upper front panel is coupled to the support surface of the upper front panel, the second edge of the second flap of the upper front panel is coupled to the first support flap of the upper front panel, the third edge of the second flap of the upper front panel is coupled to the second support flap of the upper front panel, the first edge of the second flap of the lower front panel is coupled to the support surface of the lower front panel, the second edge of the second flap of the lower front panel is coupled to the first support flap of the lower front panel, and the third edge of the second flap of the lower front panel is coupled to the second support flap of the lower front panel.
- 9. The display container of claim 8, wherein each second flap includes a fourth edge coupled to the second and third edges, the first and second support flaps of the upper front panel extend from the first edge of the second flap of the upper front panel to the fourth edge of the second flap of the upper front panel, and the first and second support flaps of the lower front panel extend from the first edge of the second flap of the lower front panel to the fourth edge of the second flap of the lower front panel.
- 10. The display container of claim 1, wherein the connector further includes a rear panel coupled to the left side panel, the right side panel, the top panel, and the bottom panel, and each support flap extends from the respective second flap toward the rear panel.
- 11. A display container for displaying a spherical article, the display container comprising
a left side panel, a right side panel, each of the left and right side panels including a curved edge adapted to engage the spherical article, the curved edges cooperating to provide means for defining a C-shaped opening to receive the spherical article therein, and a connector including an upper front panel and a lower front panel, each of the upper front panel and the lower front panel including a left side flap and a right side flap, the left side flaps being coupled to the left side panel, the right side flaps being coupled to the right side panel, the left and right side flaps of the upper front panel interlocking with one another and the left and right side flaps of the lower front panel interlocking with one another so that sections of the left and right side panels taper toward one another.
- 12. The display container of claim 11, wherein each of the left and right side flaps includes a tab, the tabs of the left and right side flaps of the upper front panel interlock with one another, and the tabs of the left and right side flaps of the lower front panel interlock with one another.
- 13. The display container of claim 12, wherein the tabs of the left and right side flaps are Arthur locks.
- 14. The display container of claim 11, wherein each of the left and right side panels includes an upper forward section and a lower forward section, the upper and lower forward sections of the left side panel cooperate to define the curved edge of the left side panel in part, the upper and lower forward sections of the right side panel cooperate to define the curved edge of the right side panel in part, the left side flap of the upper front panel is coupled to the upper forward section of the left side panel, the right side flap of the upper front panel is coupled to the upper forward section of the right side panel, the left side flap of the lower front panel is coupled to the lower forward section of the left side panel, and the right side flap of the lower front panel is coupled to the lower forward section.
- 15. The display container of claim 14, wherein the upper forward sections taper toward one another in response to the left and right side flaps of the upper front panel interlocking with one another and the lower forward sections taper toward one another in response to the left and right side flaps of the lower front panel interlocking with one another.
- 16. The display container of claim 11, wherein the connector further includes a top panel and a bottom panel which are coupled to the left and right side panels, the left side flap of the upper front panel angles rearwardly from the top panel to the curved edge of the left side panel, the right side flap of the upper front panel angles rearwardly from the top panel to the curved edge of the right side panel, the left side flap of the lower front panel angles rearwardly from the bottom panel to the curved edge of the left side panel, and the right side flap of the lower front panel angles rearwardly from the bottom panel to the curved edge of the right side panel.
- 17. The display container of claim 11, wherein the upper front panel further includes a first flap, a second flap, and a curved support surface coupled to the first and second flaps, the lower front panel further includes a first flap, a second flap, and a support surface coupled to the first and second flaps, the curved support surfaces are adapted to engage the spherical article when the spherical article is positioned in the C-shaped opening, the first flap, the second flap, and the support surface of the upper front panel cooperate to cover the left and right side flaps of the upper front panel, and the first flap, the second flap, and the support surface of the lower front panel cooperate to cover the left and right side flaps of the lower front panel.
- 18. The display container of claim 17, wherein each of the left and right side flaps of the upper front panel includes a lower curved edge, each of the left and right side flaps of the lower front panel includes an upper curved edge, the curved support surface of the upper front panel extends along the lower curved edges, and the curved support surface of the lower front panel extends along the upper curved edges.
- 19. A display container for displaying a spherical article, the display container comprising
a left side panel, a right side panel, each of the left and right side panels including a curved edge adapted to engage the spherical article, the curved edges cooperating to provide means for defining a C-shaped opening to receive the spherical article therein, a connector coupled to the left and right side panels, each of the left side panel and the right side panel including a first score line, the first score line of the left side panel extending from the curved edge of the left side panel to the connector, the first score line of the right side panel extending from the curved edge of the right side panel to the connector.
- 20. The display container of claim 19, wherein the connector includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and a rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel are coupled to the left side panel and the right side panel, and each of the first score lines extends to one of the top panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel.
- 21. The display container of claim 19, wherein each of the left side panel and the right side panel includes a second score line, the second score line of the left side panel extends from the curved edge of the left side panel to the connector, and the second score line of the right side panel extends from the curved edge of the right side panel to the connector.
- 22. The display container of claim 21, wherein the connector includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and a rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel are coupled to the left side panel and the right side panel, each of the first score lines extends to one of the top panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel, and each of the second score lines extends to a different one of the top panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel.
- 23. The display container of claim 21, wherein each of the left side panel and the right side panel includes a third score line, the third score line of the left side panel extends from the curved edge of the left side panel to the connector, and the third score line of the right side panel extends from the curved edge of the right side panel to the connector.
- 24. The display container of claim 23, wherein the connector includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and a rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel are coupled to the left side panel and the right side panel, each of the first score lines extends to the top panel, each of the second score lines extends to the bottom panel, and each of the third score lines extends to the rear panel.
- 25. The display container of claim 24, wherein the rear panel includes a first section including a first edge coupled to the left side panel and a second edge and a second section including a first edge coupled to the right side panel and a second edge, the third score line of the left side panel extends past the first edge of the first section of the rear panel to the second edge of the first section of the rear panel, and the third score line of the right side panel extends past the first edge of the second section of the rear panel to the second edge of the second section of the rear panel.
- 26. The display container of claim 23, wherein each of the left and right side panels includes paperboard corrugations, the first score line, the second score line, and the third score line of the left side panel are non-parallel to the paperboard corrugations of the left side panel, and the first score line, the second score line, and the third score line of the right side panel are non-parallel to the paperboard corrugations of the right side panel.
- 27. The display container of claim 21, wherein the first score line of the left side panel extends from an uppermost portion of the curved edge of the left side panel, the first score line of the right side panel extends from an uppermost portion of the curved edge of the right side panel, the second score line of the left side panel extends from a lowermost portion of the curved edge of the left side panel, and the second score line of the right side panel extends from a lowermost portion of the curved edge of the right side panel.
- 28. The display container of claim 19, wherein the connector includes a rear panel including a first section coupled to the left side panel and a second section coupled to the right side panel, the first score line of the left side panel extends beyond the left side panel into the first section of the rear panel, and the first score line of the right side panel extends beyond the right side panel into the second section of the rear panel.
- 29. The display container of claim 28, wherein the first section of the rear panel includes a first edge coupled to the left side panel and a second edge, the second section of the rear panel includes a first edge coupled to the right side panel and a second edge, the first score line of the left side panel extends past the first edge of the first section of the rear panel to the second edge of the first section of the rear panel, and the first score line of the right side panel extends past the first edge of the second section of the rear panel to the second edge of the second section of the rear panel.
- 30. The display container of claim 19, wherein the first score lines are arranged to allow the left and right side panels to move away from one another along the first score lines to facilitate insertion of the spherical article into the C-shaped opening.
- 31. The display container of claim 19, wherein the first score lines are positioned to provide stress relief for the display container.
- 32. A display container for displaying a spherical article, the display container comprising
a left side panel, a right side panel, each of the left and right side panels including a curved edge adapted to engage the spherical article, the curved edges cooperating to provide means for defining a C-shaped opening to receive the spherical article therein, a connector including a top panel, a bottom panel, an upper front panel, and a lower front panel, the top and bottom panels being coupled to the left and right side panels, the upper front panel including a first flap coupled to the top panel, a second flap, and a curved support surface coupled to the first flap of the upper front panel along a first curved score line and to the second flap of the upper front panel along a second curved score line and adapted to engage the spherical article when the spherical article is positioned in the C-shaped opening, the lower front panel including a first flap coupled to the bottom panel, a second flap, and a curved support surface coupled to the first flap of the lower front panel along a third curved score line and to the second flap of the lower front panel along a fourth curved score line and adapted to engage the spherical article when the spherical article is positioned in the C-shaped opening, each of the first, second, third, and fourth curved score lines extending from the curved edge of the left side panel to the curved edge of the right side panel.
- 33. The display container of 32, wherein each of the curved support surfaces of the upper and lower front panels is concave.
- 34. The display container of 32, wherein the first and second curved score lines are coupled to one another at a first juncture and the third and fourth curved score lines are coupled to one another at a second juncture.
- 35. The display container of 34, wherein the first and second curved score lines are coupled to one another at a third juncture spaced apart from the first juncture and the third and fourth curved score lines are coupled to one another at a fourth juncture spaced apart from the second juncture.
- 36. The display container of claim 35, wherein each of the curved edges of the left and right side panels includes an upper end and a lower end, the first juncture is positioned adjacent to the upper end of the curved edge of the left side panel, the second juncture is positioned adjacent to the lower end of the curved edge of the left side panel, the third juncture is positioned adjacent to the upper end of the curved edge of the right side panel, and the fourth juncture is positioned adjacent to the lower end of the curved edge of the right side panel.
- 37. The display container of claim 36, wherein the first flap of the upper front panel is coupled to the top panel along a first fold line that extends a first distance from the left side panel to the right side panel, the first flap of the lower front panel is coupled to the bottom panel along a second fold line that extends the first distance from the left side panel to the right side panel, the first and third junctures are spaced apart from one another by a second distance that is less than the first distance, and the second and fourth junctures are spaced apart from one another by a third distance that is less than the first distance.
- 38. The display container of claim 32, wherein each of the curved edges of the left and right side panels includes a first end and a second end, the first and second curved score lines extend from the first end of the left side panel to the first end of the right side panel, and the third and fourth curved score lines extend from the second end of the left side panel to the second end of the right side panel.
- 39. The display container of claim 32, wherein each of the upper and lower front panels includes first and second support flaps, the first and second support flaps of the upper front panel is coupled to the second flap of the upper front panel and engages the top panel, and the first and second support flaps of the lower front panel is coupled to the second flap of the lower front panel and engages the bottom panel.
- 40. The display container of claim 39, wherein the first and second support flaps of the upper front panel extend from the curved support surface of the upper front panel to the top panel and the first and second support flaps of the lower front panel extend from the curved support surface of the lower front panel to the bottom panel.
- 41. The display container of claim 32, wherein the curved support surface of the upper front panel and the curved support surface of the lower front panel cooperate to trap the spherical article in place in the C-shaped opening to prevent the spherical article from rotating therein.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/258,688, filed Dec. 29, 2000, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60258688 |
Dec 2000 |
US |