Patent Application
20140216981
This invention relates generally to containers for shipping and display products at points of sale. More particularly, the invention is a shipping and display container foldable into side-by-side display trays with anti-tip features at the point of sale.
It is common practice to load a quantity of individual packages of consumer products into corrugated paperboard shipping containers for bulk shipment of the packages to a point of sale. At the point of sale the individual packages are removed from the shipping container and placed on a shelf for display and sale to the consumer.
In many instances, especially in the so-called big box stores or club stores, the product packages are left in the shipping container which then also serves to support and display the packages for sale. If the shipping container is a conventional container the retailer must cut away a portion of the container in order to expose the product packages and provide access to them by the consumer. In order to provide a more attractive display and facilitate ease of use by the retailer, combination shipping and display containers have been developed which have sections that may be removed along weakened lines to expose the product packages and provide access to them.
Some conventional shipping and display containers require multiple pieces of corrugated material in their construction and/or are not easily produced on standard box plant converting equipment. Conventional designs also may not provide a container that retains its integrity during shipping and handling, and/or the retailer may be required to use a knife to open the shipping container to convert it to a display configuration. Additionally, removal of a section of conventional shipping and display containers frequently leaves a jagged edge that is unattractive.
Of additional concern with conventional shipping and display containers is their inability to ship bagged, pouched or carded products in a flat or horizontal position and then display them at the point of sale in an upright position. When displayed upright, the pouched or carded products have a small footprint and cannot stand without support, and therefore, for proper display in the retail market it is important to present the product in an upright position with minimal restrictions so that the consumers can easily see and access the product. Prior shipping and display containers do not provide a way to control the presentation of the primary packages and it is generally common for the primary packages to tip forward when the first few packages or carton are removed. Tipping forward reduces the display effect and can negatively impact sales. Previous solutions to such problems have used multiple pieces or complex folding structures to ensure upright presentation of the product.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a shipping and display container that uses only a single piece of corrugated material in its construction, that can be easily produced on standard box plant converting equipment, that retains its integrity during shipping and handling, that does not require the use of a knife or other tool to convert it from a shipping to a display configuration, that leaves a clean smooth edge when opened, and that enables the product packages to be loaded into the container and shipped in a horizontal position and displayed in an upright position when the container is opened at the point of sale.
The present invention is directed to shipping and display container that contains therein a plurality of primary packages or cartons for sale by retailers. When the plurality of primary packages are in the display position, the shipping and display container is configured in a manner that causes the primary packages to lean back toward the back of the container for a preferred presentation position. In the present invention, each primary package is arranged on its side in two rows. For example, for a twelve primary packages or cartons, there are two rows of six cartons on their sides with the tops of one row facing the tops of the other row. This arrangement allows the primary packages or cartons to end up upright when the packages or cartons are ready for display. The shipping and display container requires a single piece blank made of corrugated material in its construction and can be produced on standard box plant converting equipment. The shipping and display container retains its integrity during shipping and handling and does not require the use of a knife or other tool to convert it from a shipping configuration to a display configuration. The unassembled blank has major and minor flaps on each end. One minor flap on each end has extra score lines which permits the minor flap to be folded to create a diagonal corner inside the container. This diagonal corner effectively reduces the available space for the primary packages and by increasing the size of the container to compensate for the reduction of the space, the two rows of primary packages are accommodated in a chevron configuration. It should be noted that this arrangement has an additional advantage of utilizing all the primary packages so as to provide stacking strength and thereby reducing the strength requirements from the shipping and display container. Moreover, the diagonal corner with its extra score lines further increases the stacking strength.
When the shipping and display container is at the retail outlet or club store, a perforated section of the container is removed. The perforated section of the container is defined by a tear out panel and a removable window panel. The container is then broken backward on a score line in the bottom panel. This places the primary packages in an upright position in two joined display trays. The two joined trays have an open face which is determined by the shape of the perforated section. The shape of this perforated section can be altered in design to provide more or less exposure of the primary packages facing. The diagonal corners end up at the bottom rear of each tray and effectively force the bottom of the primary packages toward the front of the shipping and display container. The removal of the perforated panel reduces the height of the back panel of each tray. This causes the top of the primary packages to lean back or recline in a preferred display position.
For automatic, machine, assembly, a flat blank for making the shipping and display container comprises of four panels, and a glue flap. At each end of the blank there are major flaps which fully overlap each other when folded, and minor flaps. One minor flap on each end has an extra score and an offset score that allow the flap to form a diagonal corner protruding into the interior space of the container. The blank has a perforated section that can be removed at the point of sale to prepare the primary packages for display. There is a perforated score line in the bottom panel that is used to break the container into two display trays. When left adjoined, these trays are displayed in a side by side position. The perforated score line provides the user with the option of breaking the trays apart for a front to back single facing arrangement. This arrangement is often preferred by the retailer so they can have a front pack that is shopped while back pack is held in reserve.
One alternative embodiment would be to provide a very similar blank as a joined container. Another variation of embodiment would be to provide the same function in a container that had self locking features such as tucks or locking tabs.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a shipping and display container having a plurality of primary packages contained therein. The shipping and display container is convertible into a display configuration at the point of sale and comprises a bottom wall having at least one score line formed on a midsection of the bottom wall. The bottom wall includes a width, two respective longitudinal edges, and two respective lateral edges. Two opposed side walls, are provided, each of which is foldably joined from the respective longitudinal edge of the bottom wall. One of the opposed side walls includes a pair of diagonal corner walls each of which foldably extends from respective lateral edge thereof Each of the diagonal corner walls is configured to prevent the plurality of primary packages from tipping forward when the container is in the display configuration. A top wall is foldably joined from one of the respective longitudinal edge of the side wall. The top wall further includes a glue flap foldably extend from longitudinal edge thereof Two opposed end walls are formed from a plurality of flaps foldably extending from the bottom wall, side walls, and top walls in an overlapped relationship with one another. The plurality of flaps is defined by respective pair of first, second, third, and fourth flaps. The first pair of the flaps foldably extend from respective diagonal corner walls, the second pair of the flaps foldably extend from the respective lateral edge of the side wall, the third pair of the flaps foldably extend from the respective lateral edge of the bottom wall, and the fourth pair of the flaps foldably extend from the respective lateral edge of the top wall.
A perforated section is defined by two perforated lines of weakness that are formed across respective widths of the top wall and side walls. The perforated section includes a tear out panel and a tear out window panel which the tear out window panel includes an access hole used to remove the perforated section by a retailer. The tear out panel includes a tab that extends from free edge thereof Upon removal of the perforated section and folding the shipping and display container along the at least one score line, the shipping and display container is converted into two display trays. The two display trays are separated along the at least one score line.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a shipping and display container convertible into two display trays at the point of sale. Each of the display trays comprises a plurality of primary packages contained therein and comprises a base, a back wall, two opposed side walls and an L-shaped front wall foldably joined to one another. A diagonal wall configured to be foldably joined between the base, back wall, and two opposed side walls wherein the diagonal wall causes bottoms of the plurality of primary packages lean toward the L-shaped front wall to thereby prevent the plurality of primary packages from tipping forward toward the L-shaped front wall.
The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment 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. In the present invention the use of prime character in the numeral references in the drawings directed to the different embodiment indicate that those elements are either the same or at least function the same. In addition, the phrase “Anti-tip feature” generally means that due to the structure of the shipping and display container, the shipping and display container when converted to tow display trays, each of the display trays is configured in a manner that causes the primary packages to lean back toward the back of the tray for a preferred presentation position.
Referring to
A blank B for making the shipping and display container 10 is shown in
Referring to
In use, When the shipping and display container 10 is at the retail outlet or club store, the perforated section of the container is removed. The perforated section of the container is defined by a tear out panel 46 and a tear out window panel 48. The container 10 is then broken backward on a score line 40 in the bottom panel 12. This places the primary packages P in an upright position in two joined display trays T1, T2. The two joined display trays T1, T2 have an open face which is determined by the shape of the perforated section. As one of the ordinary skilled in the art would appreciate, the shape or contour of this perforated section can be altered to provide more or less exposure of the primary packages P to be displayed. The diagonal corners panels 24a, 24b end up at the bottom rear of each display tray T1, T2 and effectively force the bottom of the primary packages toward the front of the container. The removal of the tear out panel 46 and the tear out window panel 48 reduce the height of the back panel 18 of each display tray T1 and T2. This causes the top of the primary packages P to lean back or recline in a preferred display position.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
