SHIP FLAT HUTCH

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a display folded from an assembly of connected panels including a first rectangular sleeve and a second rectangular sleeve. The first rectangular sleeve has a front panel, a first side panel, a first back wall, and a second side panel connected together and moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition by rotation of the first rectangular sleeve about a first axis. The front panel has a first strip and a second strip spaced from the first strip. The second rectangular sleeve has a plurality of panels connected together and moveable from a second stowed condition to a second deployed condition by rotation of the second rectangular sleeve about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The plurality of panels is connected at one end to the first strip, and at an opposed end to the second strip.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

N/A

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a display folded from a blank of corrugated material for use in a retail sales environment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Paperboard displays are widely used to display products for sale in a retail environment. Many such displays are shipped from the manufacturer to the customer in a disassembled state. It is desirable for the assembly instructions be easy and quick. The present invention satisfies these needs by providing a prototype display shipped to a customer in a collapsed condition that can be easily folded into a deployed condition, ready for use, by two easy rotations of the prototype about two parallel axes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a display folded from an assembly of connected panels including a first rectangular sleeve and a second rectangular sleeve. The first rectangular sleeve has a front panel, a first side panel, a first back wall, and a second side panel connected together and moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition by rotation of the first rectangular sleeve about a first axis. The front panel having a first strip and a second strip spaced from the first strip. The second rectangular sleeve has a plurality of panels connected together and moveable from a second stowed condition to a second deployed condition by rotation of the second rectangular sleeve about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The plurality of panels connect, at one end to the first strip, and at an opposed end to the second strip.

Also, disclosed herein is a blank of material for folding into a display that is moveable from a stowed condition to a deployed condition. The blank has a first wing, a second wing, and a third wing. The first wing has six panels connected together along fold lines. The six panels are moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition. When in the first stowed condition the six panels lie end-to-end and flat in a single plane. The six panels include a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, a fourth panel, a fifth panel, and a sixth panel. When the six panels are in the first deployed condition, the first panel is folded over the second panel and the third panel, and is attached to the fourth panel defining a first rectangular sleeve.

The first rectangular sleeve is moveable from a first position to a second position. When in the first position the first panel overlies both the second panel and the third panel, and when in the second position the first panel overlies both the fifth panel and the sixth panel.

The second wing is connected along a fold line to a portion of a first lateral edge of the first wing. The second wing has a first side wall panel and a back wall panel. The third wing is connected along a fold line to a portion of a second lateral edge of the first wing opposite the first lateral edge. The third wing has a second side wall panel and a glue panel.

Also disclosed herein is a method of deploying a blank from a stowed condition to a deployed condition to form a display. The method includes providing a first rectangular sleeve having a front panel, a first side panel, a first back wall, and a second side panel being connected together and moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition by rotation of the first rectangular sleeve about a first axis. The front panel has a first strip and a second strip spaced from the first strip. The method also includes providing a second rectangular sleeve having a plurality of panels connected together and moveable from a second stowed condition to a second deployed condition by rotation of the second rectangular sleeve about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The plurality of panels is connected at one end to the first strip and at an opposed end to the second strip. The method also includes rotating the first rectangular sleeve about the first axis, and rotating the second rectangular sleeve about the second axis to form the display.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following Figures and Attachments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blank for forming a display in a stowed condition.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a step of folding the blank of FIG. 1 into a deployed condition.

FIG. 3A,B,C are perspective views of three steps in folding the blank of FIG. 1 into a deployed condition.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the steps of forming a prototype display.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a prototype display in a stowed condition.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a display folded from the prototype display of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments 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.

FIG. 1 shows a blank 10 of material for folding into a display that is moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition of FIG. 2. The blank 10 has a first wing 12, a second wing 14, and a third wing 16. The first wing 12 has six panels connected together along fold lines. When in the first stowed condition, the six panels lie end-to-end and flat in a single plane as shown in FIG. 1. The six panels include a first panel 20, a second panel 22, a third panel 24, a fourth panel 26, a fifth panel 28, and a sixth panel 30.

When the six panels are in the first deployed condition, the first panel 20 is folded over the second panel 22 and the third panel 24 and is attached to the fourth panel 26 defining a first rectangular sleeve 32 (FIG. 3B). One preferred manner to connect the first panel 20 to the fourth panel 26 is by an adhesive. The first rectangular sleeve 32 is moveable between a first position FIG. 3A to a second position 3C. When in the first position FIG. 3A, the first panel 20 overlies both the second panel 22 and the third panel 24. When in the second position FIG. 3C, the first panel 20 overlies both the fifth 28 panel and the sixth panel 30.

The second wing 14 is connected along a fold line 34 to a portion of a first lateral edge of the first wing 12. The second wing 14 has a first side wall panel 36 and a back wall panel 38. A tab 37 extends from one end of the back wall panel and extends from one lateral edge to an opposed lateral edge. A first segmented bottom tab 39 extends from one end of the first side wall 36.

The third wing 16 is connected along a fold line to a portion of a second lateral edge of the first wing opposite the first lateral edge. The third wing 16 has a second side wall panel 40 and a glue tab 42 extending along a lateral edge of the second side wall panel. A segmented bottom tab 44 extends from one end of the second side wall panel 40.

FIGS. 2-4 show the steps of folding the blank 10 into a stacked configuration or prototype display 50 shown in FIG. 5. The prototype display 50 is formed in a sequence of steps. As described briefly above, panel 20 is folded along fold line 52—over panels 22 and 24—and a leading edge is attached to a surface of the fourth panel 26 by an adhesive. This structure will be referred to as the first rectangular sleeve 32. In a preferred form, the leading edge of the first panel 20 will be in registration with an end edge of the fourth panel 26. The leading edge will overlie the fourth panel and form a double thickness portion where the fourth panel 26 meets the fifth panel 28.

FIG. 3A shows the first rectangular sleeve in a first position and FIG. 3C shows the first rectangular sleeve in a second position. When in the first position, the first rectangular sleeve 32 overlies both the second panel 22, and the third panel 24. Also, when in the first position, a portion of the first rectangular sleeve extends outward of a bottom line 54. When in the second position (FIG. 3C), the first panel 20 overlies both the fifth panel 28 and the sixth panel 30. Also, when in the second position (FIG. 3C) an end edge of the second panel 22 is in registration with the bottom line 54.

FIG. 3B shows the first rectangular sleeve 32 in a position intermediate the first position and the second position and moving in the direction of the arrow. Panel 22 is shown only by edge lines and is difficult to discern. Also, the reference 26 line pointing to the fourth panel 26 indicates the general area of the panel, but the panel cannot be seen in this view.

FIG. 3C also shows the folding of the tab 37 180° against an outer surface of the back wall 38. Similarly, the segmented tab 38 is folded 180° against an outer surface of the first side wall panel 36. A first portion of the tab is folded into contact with the outer surface of the side wall, and a second portion is folded down on top of the first portion. Tab 44 is similarly folded 180° against and outer surface of the second side wall panel 40 with a first portion of the tab in contact with the second side wall panel and a second portion of the tab 44 is folded down on top of the first portion.

FIG. 4 shows the folding steps to form the second rectangular sleeve 55 of FIG. 5. The back panel 38 is folded inwardly along fold line 60 and into surface contact with the first side wall panel 36. Then, panel 40 and glue tab 42 are folded inwardly and the glue tab is attached to a trailing edge 64 of the back wall 38. An adhesive is used to join these surfaces to form the second rectangular sleeve 55.

FIG. 5 shows the steps of moving the prototype display 50 from a stowed condition to a deployed condition (FIG. 6) where it serves as a display 100. The steps include rotating the first rectangular sleeve 32 about a first axis 65 as indicated by the arrow 68. The second rectangular sleeve 55 is rotated about a second axis 67, perpendicular to the first axis 65 as indicated by the arrow 66. Now the display can be used to display products for sale in a retail sales environment, for example.

The material used to form the blank includes corrugated paperboard, paperboard, plastic corrugated, plastic sheeting, and plastic tri-laminate.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be protected otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A display folded from a series of connected panels comprising: a first rectangular sleeve having a front panel, a first side panel, a first back wall, and a second side panel being connected together and moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition by rotation of the first rectangular sleeve about a first axis, the front panel having a first strip and a second strip spaced from the first strip; anda second rectangular sleeve having a plurality of panels connected together and moveable from a second stowed condition to a second deployed condition by rotation of the second rectangular sleeve about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the plurality of panels connect at one end to the first strip and at an opposed end to the second strip.

2. The display of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of panels is a shelf.

3. The display of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of panels is a bottom wall.

4. The display of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of panels is a second back wall.

5. The display of claim 4 wherein two of the plurality of panels cooperate to form the second back wall.

6. The display of claim 5 wherein end portions of the two panels of the second back wall are attached by an adhesive.

7. The display of claim 6 wherein the first back wall and the second back wall are coplanar when the first rectangular sleeve is in the first deployed condition and the second rectangular sleeve is in the second deployed condition.

8. The display of claim 1 wherein the display is folded from a single blank of material.

9. The display of claim 8 wherein the material is corrugated paperboard.

10. The display of claim 8 wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of paperboard, plastic corrugated, plastic sheeting, and tri-laminate.

11. A blank of material for folding into a display that is moveable from a stowed condition to a deployed condition, the blank comprising: a first wing of six panels connected together along fold lines and moveable from a first stowed condition where the panels lie end-to-end and flat in a single plane with a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, a fourth panel, a fifth panel and a sixth panel, to a first deployed condition where the first panel is folded over the second panel and the third panel an attached to the fourth panel defining a first rectangular sleeve, the first rectangular sleeve being moveable between a first position to a second position, when in the first position the first panel overlies both the second panel and the third panel, and when in the second position the first panel overlies both the fifth panel and the sixth panel;a second wing connected along a fold line to a portion of a first lateral edge of the first wing, the second wing having a first side wall panel and a back wall panel; and,a third wing connected along a fold line to a portion of a second lateral edge of the first wing opposite the first lateral edge, the third wing having a second side wall panel and a glue panel.

12. The blank of claim 11 wherein the second wing and third wing are moveable from a second stowed condition to a second deployed condition, when in the second stowed condition the second wing and the third wing lie flat and do not overlap the first wing, and when in the second deployed condition the second wing and third wing are folded inwardly to overlap the first wing and the glue panel is attached to a portion of the second wing to form a second rectangular sleeve.

13. The blank of claim 11 further comprising a pair of segmented tabs one of each respectively extending from a bottom end of the second wing and the third wing.

14. The blank of claim 11 wherein the blank is made of a corrugated paperboard material.

15. The blank of claim 11 wherein the blank is made of a material selected from the group consisting of paperboard, plastic corrugated, plastic sheeting, and tri-laminate.

16. A method of deploying a blank from a stowed condition to a deployed condition to form a display comprising: providing a first rectangular sleeve having a front panel, a first side panel, a first back wall, and a second side panel being connected together and moveable from a first stowed condition to a first deployed condition by rotation of the first rectangular sleeve about a first axis, the front panel having a first strip and a second strip spaced from the first strip;providing a second rectangular sleeve having a plurality of panels connected together and moveable from a second stowed condition to a second deployed condition by rotation of the second rectangular sleeve about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the plurality of panels connect at one end to the first strip and at an opposed end to the second strip;rotating the first rectangular sleeve about the first axis; and,rotating the second rectangular sleeve about the second axis to form the display.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein both of the first rectangular sleeve and the second rectangular sleeve are folded from the same single blank of material.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular to one another.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein one of the plurality of panels is a shelf.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein one of the plurality of panels is a bottom wall.