Patent Grant
12054323
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to product packaging, and more particularly to multi-unit, shelf-ready packaging with stackable display configurations and associated methods.
Displays are often used in brick and mortar retail establishments to showcase consumer products in an attractive and convenient manner. In general, merchandising displays are box-like structures with trays, bins, or shelves sized to hold the merchandise for sale. It is preferable that the displays portray merchandise in an aesthetically pleasing manner, draw attention to specific merchandise, and drive sales. In particular, merchandise displays that are multi-dimensional, colorful, and an appropriate height can enhance the attractiveness of product being displayed and engage shoppers.
Conventional displays of packaged products for display on store shelves often require products to be packaged in a first configuration for bulk shipping to a point of sale, such as a palletized stack of wrapped bulk cases or shipment in large boxes. The cases or boxes of individual units are then unpacked from the pallet or box at the point of sale and placed on shelves as individual units. However, this approach is labor intensive, increases freight weight and is not efficient as it requires manual unpacking of cases or boxes and separate shelf stocking at the retail location.
To overcome these deficiencies, shelf-ready packaging can include multi-unit, or multi-pack, shipping cases that are unpacked from a pallet and placed directly on store shelves without having to unpack individual units. Such multi-pack displays include more than one retail unit in the case. Upon removing a multi-pack shelf-ready package from a pallet or shipping container, the entire shelf-ready package can be placed directly on a store shelf without removing the individual units from the package. The shipping package thus also serves as a display tray or box that can be placed directly on a store shelf.
Conventional multi-unit shelf-ready packaging is generally inadequate for vertical stacking applications such as situations where a single unit retail package has a vertical height less than an allotted retail shelf space height or an allotted floor space height. In such applications, to efficiently maximize product placement, it is desirable to provide a vertically stacked configuration where multiple rows of products are stacked vertically relative to each other to fill the allotted volume. However, conventional multi-unit shelf-ready packaging configurations generally do not allow displays to be stacked vertically in a stable, efficient and cost effective manner. Additionally, conventional multi-unit shelf-ready packaging configurations require complex manipulation of excess packaging materials to place the units in a vertically stackable configuration. Conventional multi-unit shelf-ready packaging configurations also produce significant packaging material waste when configured from a palletized shipping configuration to a shelf-ready retail display configuration. Such waste leads to unnecessary material expense and negative environmental impacts.
What is needed are multi-unit stackable displays with shelf-ready packaging that are easily configurable between a closed position for shipping and an open position for shelf-ready display at a brick and mortar retail sale location. Also needed are multi-unit shelf-ready packaging displays that are vertically stackable relative to like displays in the open position and that minimize waste associated with conversion from the closed to the open position.
One aspect of the present disclosure provides shelf-ready packaging display apparatus.
In some aspects of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a case configured to house two rows of products in a side-by-side or stacked orientation. The case includes a first tray positioned to retain the first row and a second tray positioned to retain the second row. The tray is configured to be opened by a user by removing at least one tear-away panel between the first and second trays. The first tray and associated row of products may then be separated from the second tray and associated row of products. The separated first and second trays may then be positioned at a retail point of sale on a shelf in a side-by-side, a back to back or a vertically stacked orientation.
In a second aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. Each product of the first set of products in the display includes a first height.
In a third aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. Each product of the second set of products in the display includes a second height.
In a fourth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the first height and the second height are substantially equal.
In a fifth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the first height and the second height are not equal.
In a sixth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the first tray is supported by the second set of products when the first tray is stacked above the second tray.
In a seventh aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the second tray is supported by the first set of products when the second tray is stacked above the first tray.
In an eighth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the first tear panel includes a first pull slot and a second pull slot.
In a ninth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the display further comprises a front side, back side, right side, left side, top and bottom.
In a tenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the primary tear panel is disposed on the front side and right side.
In an eleventh aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the secondary tear panel is disposed on the left side.
In a twelfth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the display comprises a fold line on the secondary tear panel, wherein the first tray is pivotable relative to the second tray along the fold line on the secondary tear panel when the secondary tear panel is on the display.
In a thirteenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the display comprises a rear fold defined on the back side of the display, wherein the first tray is pivotable relative to the second tray along the rear fold when the primary and secondary tear panels are both removed from the display.
In a fourteenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, display apparatus, comprises a box having a first tray and a second tray, wherein the first tray is inverted relative to the second tray, the box including a front side, back side, left side, right side, top and bottom; a primary tear panel disposed between the first and second trays; a secondary tear panel disposed between the first and second trays adjacent the primary tear panel; and a rear fold defined on the back side of the box between the first and second trays, wherein the first and second trays are vertically stackable.
In a fifteenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the primary tear panel is disposed on the front side and right side of the box
In a sixteenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the secondary tear panel is disposed on the left side of the box
In a seventeenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the primary tear panel is disposed on the front side and left side of the box.
In an eighteenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a display is provided. In some embodiments, the secondary tear panel is disposed on the right side of the box.
In a nineteenth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a method of displaying a product is provided. The method includes providing a case including a first tray and a second tray, wherein the first tray is inverted relative to the second tray, the case including a primary tear panel and a secondary tear panel; placing a first set of products in the first tray and a second set of products in the second tray, wherein the first set of products is inverted relative to the second set of products; shipping the case to a point of sale; removing the primary and secondary tear panels; separating the first tray and first set of products from the second tray and second set of products; and vertically stacking the first tray and first set of products above the second tray and second set of products.
In a twentieth aspect of the disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a method of displaying a product is provided. The method includes wherein the second set of products supports the first tray and first set of products in the vertically stacked position.
In light of the present disclosure and the above aspects, it is therefore an advantage of the present disclosure to provide a shelf-ready packaging display that can be easily converted from a closed shipping configuration to an open display configuration.
The advantages discussed herein may be found in one, or some, and perhaps not all of the aspects disclosed herein. Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the Figures.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate certain preferred aspects of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention is described in connection with certain preferred aspects, it is not intended that the present invention be so limited. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalent arrangements as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The present disclosure provides product displays that may be pre-assembled, packed, shipped, and easily deployed in any of various retailers, wholesalers, and other brick-and-mortar establishments.
Referring to the drawings,
Display 10 includes a case for storing two or more units of individually packaged items for sale. Display 10 includes an integral first tray 20 and an integral second tray 30 formed by the case material. For example, first and second trays 20, 30 include integral portions of the container box shown in
Referring to
To open display 10 from a closed position to an open position, a tear panel 40 may be manually removed. Tear panel 40 includes an integral portion of display 10 with perforated edges defining tear lines to facilitate removal of tear panel 40 from display 10. In some embodiments, display 10 includes both a primary tear panel 40 and a secondary tear panel 70 that may be selectively removed separately to reconfigure the display 10 from the closed position to an open position.
In some embodiments, tear panel 40 includes a primary tear panel side section 42 and a primary tear panel front section 44. Primary tear panel side section 42 and primary tear panel front section 44 are formed from a single portion of the case wall material folded along a corner 45 between the display front and the display side as shown in
To facilitate removal of tear panel 40, a first pull slot 46 is defined in primary tear panel front section 44 on the side opposite folded corner 45. First pull slot 46 defines a void in the wall of display 10, allowing a user to insert a finger or a tool to manually pull tear panel 40 away from the box. A second pull slot 48 is defined in primary tear panel side section 42 opposite folded corner 45 in some embodiments. As such, a user may engage first and second pull slots 46, 48 and pull tear panel 40 away from the display 10 by pulling toward folded corner 45. Alternatively, a user may remove tear panel 40 using only first pull slot 46 or second pull slot 48.
To remove the primary tear panel 40, a user may manually engage first and second pull slots 46, 48 and pull away from the display 10, thereby causing primary tear panel 40 to tear away from display 10 along predefined seams or perforations in the wall material of the container box. For example, the front face of display 10 in a closed position includes an upper primary tear panel front tear line 52a and a lower primary tear panel front tear line 52b. Each tear line includes a perforation, indentation or predefined scoring line in the wall material to facilitate tearing the primary tear panel away from the display 10. As a user engages first pull slot 46 and pulls away from the box, the primary tear panel front section 44 tears away from the box along both upper and lower primary tear panel front tear lines 52a, 52b.
Similarly, the side face of display 10 includes an upper primary tear panel side tear line 54a and a lower primary tear panel side tear line 54b. Each tear line includes a perforation, indentation or predefined scoring line in the wall material to facilitate tearing the primary tear panel away from the display 10. As a user engages second pull slot 48 and pulls away from the box, the primary tear panel side section 42 tears away from the box along both upper and lower primary tear panel side tear lines 54a, 54b. Although the primary tear panel side section 42 is shown on the right side of the display 10, in other embodiments the configuration may be reversed, and the side tear panel 42 is positioned on the left side of the display 10. In such configurations, the corresponding tear line and pull slot features are also reversed.
Each tear line includes a perforation, indentation or predefined scoring line in the wall material to facilitate tearing the primary tear panel away from the box. As a user engages second pull slot 48 and pulls away from the box, the primary tear panel side section 42 tears away from the box along both upper and lower primary tear panel side tear lines 54a, 54b and upper and lower primary tear panel front tear lines 52a, 52b. The removed tear panel 40 may be discarded following removal.
After primary tear panel 40 is removed from display 10, products contained within the container are visible in a packed configuration. For example, as shown in
As shown in
Referring to
Referring further to
A rear fold 12 is defined along the back face of the display 10, as shown in
Upon removing both the first and second tear panels 40, 70, first and second trays 20, 30 may pivot along rear fold 12 as shown in
Also shown in
In some additional applications, is desirable to orient display 10 in a vertically stacked configuration. For such applications, a display 10 may be opened, as shown in
Referring further to
To facilitate stable vertical stacking of the multi-unit shelf-ready packaging displays, each individual product unit disposed in the first or second tray includes a packaged height. For example, first product 102a includes a height H1. In some embodiments, each first product unit 102a-102d includes the same height H1. Second product 202a includes a second height H2. In some embodiments, each second product unit 202a-202d includes the same height H2. First and second heights H1 and H2 are substantially equal in some embodiments. First height H1 is the height of the upper edge of first product 102a above the bottom surface of first tray 20. Similarly, second height H2 is the height of the upper edge of second product 202a above the bottom surface of second tray 30. First tray 20 includes a first rear wall height H3 defined as the height along the rear wall of first tray 20. Second tray 30 also includes a second rear wall height H4 defined as the height along the rear wall of second tray 30.
In some embodiments, each unit in second products 202a-202d includes the same height H2, and rear wall height H4 on second tray 30 formed by the case material is substantially equal to the height H2 of each unit in second products 202a-202d. As such, second products 202a-202d and the rear wall on second tray 30 form a substantially level support against which the underside of first tray 20 may be positioned in a vertically stacked configuration, as shown in
More specifically, in some embodiments, the individual products included in the second set of products 200 each include a height H2 substantially equal to the desired stacking height for supporting the first tray 20 and its corresponding first set of products 100. In some embodiments, each unit of the second set of products 200 includes a uniform height H2 such that the tops of the units form a substantially level horizontal plane for supporting first tray 20. The weight of the first tray 20 and the multiple individual units contained therein is supported by the second tray below it and the upper edges of the multiple individual units disposed in the second tray 30. In further embodiments, each of the first set of products 100 also includes the same uniform height H1 so that multiple trays from multiple displays 10 may be vertically stacked.
In other embodiments, the height H1 of the first set of products is not equal to the height H2 of the second set of products. For example, a display 10 may contain a first row of products having a first height and a second row of products having a second height. However, as set forth in this disclosure, first and second trays in such embodiments could still be placed in a vertically stacked configuration. In additional embodiments, each unit of the first set of products 100 includes the same height H1. Additionally, each unit of the second set of products 200 includes the same height H2. In some embodiments, H1 is equal to H2. In other embodiments, H1 is less than H2. In further embodiments, H1 is greater than H2. These different embodiments allow products of different heights to be packaged in separate rows in display 10.
In other applications, it may be desirable to place first and second trays 20, 30 with associated products in a side-by-side configuration on a shelf, as shown in
Referring to
Alternatively a side-by-side configuration of first and second trays 20, 30 may be achieved by completely removing first and second tear panels 40, 70, and also separating first and second trays by tearing along rear fold 12. For a side-by-side configuration, removal of secondary tear panel 70 is optional depending on what type of display configuration a user seeks. If secondary tear panel 70 is kept intact during the folding of first and second trays 20, 30 along fold line 74, the first and second trays will be attached along a living hinge formed in secondary tear panel 70 along fold line 74. In alternative embodiments, secondary tear panel 70 is completely removed, and first and second trays 20, 30 are separated entirely and are placed in a side-by-side display configuration as shown in
Referring further to
In some applications, a user seeking to purchase multiple units of first products 102 or second products 202 may simply handle the entire first tray 20 or second tray 30 as opposed to unpacking individual items from each tray on a store shelf. For example, many products are of a nature that a customer typically purchases several at a time. The first and second trays 20, 30 in the multi-unit shelf-ready packaging display 10 provide a convenient form for a customer to easily pick up multiple units at the same time and place an entire tray with products in a shopping cart or basket.
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
A back panel B1 is positioned on display 10 adjacent second side panel S2. Back panel B1 includes a rear fold line 12 along which first and second trays 20, 30 may be folded or fully separated. Additional flaps are shown in
By providing a multi-unit shelf-ready packaging display 10 with reduced sacrificial waste material it is possible to reduce unit weight and volume over conventional packaging. Additionally, a multi-unit shelf-ready packaging display 10 that may be opened to form first and second trays capable of vertical stacking provides more efficient usage of allotted space on retail shelves. In many applications, it is desirable to provide a multi-unit shelf-ready packaging display 10 that can be stacked vertically, side-by-side or back-to-back giving several options when separated into individual trays.
In further embodiments, the present invention provides a method of displaying a product, comprising: providing a case including a first tray and a second tray, wherein the first tray is inverted relative to the second tray, the case including a primary tear panel and a secondary tear panel; placing a first set of products in the first tray and a second set of products in the second tray, wherein the first set of products is inverted relative to the second set of products; shipping the case to a point of sale; removing the primary and secondary tear panels; separating the first tray and first set of products from the second tray and second set of products; and vertically stacking the first tray and first set of products above the second tray and second set of products. The method further includes wherein the second set of products supports the first tray and first set of products in the vertically stacked position.
Referring further to
First and second bottom locking tabs 204a, 204b are positioned to engage corresponding upper slots 214a, 214b on the upper edge of a like display. For example, when first upper flap 212a is folded relative to side 224, a perforation along first upper flap 212a causes a first upper slot 214a to open. Similarly, when second upper flap 212b is folded relative to side 222, a perforation along second upper flap 212b causes a second upper slot 214b to open. First and second upper slots 214a, 214b are dimensioned to receive insertion of first and second locking tabs 204a, 204b, respectively. Thus, when a first display 200a is vertically stacked above a second like display 200b, as shown in
Another feature of an alternative embodiment of a multi-unit stackable display includes a first upper edge tab 208a and a second upper edge tab 208b. First and second upper edge tabs 208a, 208b provide an additional engagement between a first and a second display. First upper edge tab 208a is formed when first upper flap 212a is folded relative to side 224. A perforation in the display material allows first upper edge tab 208a to break away from first upper flap 212a. First upper edge tab 208a is attached to a first hinge 210a. First upper edge tab 208a may be inserted into a first lower edge slot 206a when first and second like displays are stacked vertically. Similarly, second upper edge tab 208b is formed when second upper flap 212b is folded relative to side 222. A perforation in the display material allows second upper edge tab 208b to break away from second upper flap 212b. Second upper edge tab 208b is attached to a second hinge 210b. Second upper edge tab 208b may be inserted into a second lower edge slot 206b when first and second like displays are stacked vertically.
During use, the upper edge tabs 208a, 208b and first and second locking tabs 204a, 204b may be deployed for engaging like display, or may be stowed in their original positions. For example, for a bottom display that sits on a shelf or on a floor, it is desirable to leave the first and second locking tabs 204a, 204b in a stowed position so bottom 202 can sit flat on a surface without the tabs protruding downwardly. Similarly, for a top display in a stack of like displays, it is desirable to keep the first and second upper edge tabs 208a, 208b in a stowed position because there is no need to engage a like display on the top. As such, each of first and second upper edge tabs 208a, 208b and first and second locking tabs 204a, 204b may be selectively deployable.
It should be noted that although the diagrams herein may show a specific order and composition of method steps, it is understood that the order of these steps may differ from what is depicted. For example, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Also, some method steps that are performed as discrete steps may be combined, steps being performed as a combined step may be separated into discrete steps, the sequence of certain processes may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete processes may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any element or apparatus may be varied or substituted according to alternative aspects. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.
The foregoing description of aspects of the invention aspect has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from this disclosure. The aspects were chosen and described in order to explain the principals of the disclosure and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the various aspects and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the aspects without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as expressed in the appended claims
This application is a U.S. national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2021/013237, filed on Jan. 13, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/960,448 filed Jan. 13, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2021/013237 | 1/13/2021 | WO |
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| WO2021/146283 | 7/22/2021 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 62960448 | Jan 2020 | US |
