The present invention is directed to a product tray. More particularly, the invention is directed to a product tray having a back panel that is higher than the front and side panels. The product tray surprisingly has excellent compressive strength when filled with product, notwithstanding the fact that it uses less material (e.g., paperboard) than conventional product boxes. Moreover, the product tray of this invention allows for good product visibility from the front and side without compromising the stability of the product within the tray.
Many consumer products are displayed and sold in the conventional boxes or trays they are shipped in. Displaying and selling products in the boxes or trays they are shipped in are desirable because products do not have to be unpacked and individually placed on shelves prior to selling. Moreover, many club-stores do not bag products for consumers, and selling products in the boxes or trays they are shipped in makes handling of the products significantly easier for consumers.
While conventional boxes or trays have some desirable characteristics, they also have many drawbacks. For example, many conventional trays have front and side panels that are about 25% of the height of the products that are packed in them. While such conventional trays do allow for product visibility and paperboard conservation, they typically are incapable of supporting products in the upright position and do not offer any strength from a compression standpoint.
Conventional boxes, on the otherhand, have front and side panels that cover the products that are packed in them. These conventional boxes may support the compressive load imposed during shipping and warehousing; however, they utilize significant amounts of paperboard and make visibility of the products packed therein very difficult, especially from the front and sides.
It is of increasing interest to develop a product tray that can support products in an upright position, offer strength from a compression standpoint, and that allows for product visibility without using excessive amounts of material. This invention, therefore, is directed to a product tray having a back panel that is higher than the front and side panels. The product tray has excellent compressive strength when filled with product, notwithstanding the fact that it uses less material than conventional product boxes.
Additional Information
Efforts have been disclosed for making cartons. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,403, a display carton suitable for heavy consumer products is disclosed.
Other efforts have been disclosed for making cartons. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,801, a shipping case with advertising matter is described.
Still other efforts have been disclosed for making cartons. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,612, fabric softener sheet dispenser cartons are disclosed.
None of the additional information above describes a product tray that offers excellent compressive strength and product stability, while at the same time offering good product visibility from the front and sides.
The present invention is directed to a product tray comprising, when unfolded:
In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to the product tray of the first aspect in folded form and packed with product.
Material, as used herein, means any substance suitable to make a product box for packaging consumer products. Illustrative examples of such material are plastic, paperboard, (both corrugated and non-corrugated) as well as light-weight wood and a mixture thereof. Substantially perpendicular as used herein means greater than 45 degrees and less than 90 degrees; and preferably, from about 70 degrees to about 89 degrees. Rest or resting on is defined to mean making at least some contact.
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which:
The only limitation with respect to the material used to make the product tray of this invention is that the material is suitable for use in packaging associated with consumer products. Illustrative examples of the material that may be used to make the product tray of this invention is plastic, corrugated and solid fiber paperboard as well as light weight wood. The material used to make the product tray may be new, recycled or a mixture thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the product tray of this invention comprises at least about 50.0% by weight recycled material. In a most preferred embodiment, the product tray of this invention comprises at least about 50.0% by weight recycled material and is corrugated paperboard.
Turning to
The unfolded product tray 10 further comprises first and second perpendicular hinges, 26 and 28, respectively, which can be, for example, perforations, bends or scores in the flat surface 12 and that run perpendicular to the front and back edges, 14 and 16, respectively, and first and second parallel hinges 22 and 24, respectively, and parallel to left edges 18a–c and right edges 20a–c. The first perpendicular hinge 26 is a distance (d3) from left side edges 18a–c and the second perpendicular hinge 28 is a distance (d4) from right side edges 20a–c. First and second left slot, 30a and 30b, respectively, converge towards first and second left points of intersection 30a′ and 30b′, respectively, and first and second right slots 32a and 32b, respectively, converge towards first and second left and right points of intersection 32a′ and 32b′, respectively, wherein first left slot 30a forms a void between back left side edge 18a and middle left side edge 18b and back left panel 18a′ and middle left panel 18b′ and second left slot 30b forms a void between middle left side edge 18b and front left side edge 18c and middle left panel 18b′ and front left panel 18c′. Middle surface 12b is a length (L) that can vary, but preferably is less than (d2) and greater than (d1), thereby providing adequate advertising space on back flat surface 12a. Distance (d2) is greater than distance (d1) and distance (d3) and distance (d4) are preferably equal, and greater than or equal to distance (d1). In a preferred embodiment, distance (d2) is about 5.0 to about 50.0% greater than length (L), and distance (d2) is about 2.0 to about 4.0 times greater than distances (d1), (d3) and (d4).
First right slot 32a forms a void between back right side edge 20a and middle right side edge 20b and back right panel 20a′ and middle right panel 20b′ and second right slot 32b forms a void between middle right side edge 20b and front right side edge 20c and middle right panel 20b′ and front right panel 20c′.
Turning to
Back flat surface 12a may be pivoted or folded upward via second parallel hinge 24 so that back flat surface 12a is substantially perpendicular to middle flat surface 12b, and preferably, resting on left back flap wall 34 and right back flap wall 38. Back left panel 18a′ and back right panel 20a′ may be folded inward by pivoting the same on first perpendicular hinge 26 and second perpendicular hinge 28, respectively, ensuring that back left panel 18a′ contacts left exterior side wall 18d and that back right panel 20a′ contacts right exterior side wall 20d. When back left panel 18a′ contacts left exterior side wall 18d and back right panel 20a′ contacts right exterior side wall 20d, fastening means, as defined above, may be used to secure all points of contact.
Subsequent to folding product tray 10, as shown in
Turning to
It should be understood that the specific forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only and certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention. It should also be understood that the product packed in the product tray of this invention can be, for example, any consumer product suitable for filling in a box, can or bottle, like a box of detergent or a bottle of salad dressing.
Three sets of pallets (about 40×48 inches) were assembled as follows:
Set one had three pallets that were stacked with Unilever Bestfoods' Wishbone Salad Dressing bottles (16 oz.) packed (and wrapped with polyethylene) in the product tray of this invention and as depicted in
Set two was similar to set one except that conventional boxes with all four sides at the height of the bottles were used in lieu of the product tray of this invention and there were no slip sheets used between the layers of boxes.
Set three was similar to set one except that conventional trays with all four sides at about 25% of the height of the bottles were used in lieu of the product tray of this invention.
The three sets of pallets were shipped, and stacked for about a two week period. Visual observations, after shipping and stacking, unexpectedly revealed that the product trays of this invention performed as well as the conventional boxes of set two and significantly better than the conventional trays of set three, which fell over and/or were unable to maintain all product in the upright position. The results indicate that the product tray of this invention allows for efficient shipping and stacking of product and excellent visibility from three sides, even when the footprint area is from about 20 to about 50% smaller than the tray base area.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20040188305 A1 | Sep 2004 | US |