Patent Application
20130026060
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to merchandise containers for transporting, storing and display merchandise, and particularly to tray containers which can be stacked together securely to withstand accidental external impact.
2. Background Art
Containers made of corrugated board or cardboard are commonly employed for transporting and for storage of merchandise. However, most containers are not suitable for displaying the merchandise at the sale or retail location, since the merchandise is not readily accessible from the container by customers for selecting the items to purchase. Accordingly, the merchandise, after transported to the sale or retail location, must be unpacked from the containers and be transferred to display shelves, stands, or show cases in order that customers may select the items to purchase. This procedure is time consuming and labor intensive to carry out.
Containers can be made in the form of trays which can be employed for the same purposes for storage and transport as well as for displaying the merchandise readily at the retail destination so as to reduce the amount of time required for handling and re-arranging of the merchandise at the retail location. A plurality of trays can be stacked in a transporting vehicle during transport or in the warehouse during storage in order to utilize the available space efficiently. Thus, special construction must be provided in the tray to ensure that a plurality of it can be securely stacked together and withstand accidental external impact thereto. Some trays are provided with upstanding tabs at the outer corners of the top of the tray which are aligned with bottom slots formed at the bottom panel of the tray, so that a plurality of trays can be stacked together securely with the upstanding tabs of the bottom tray engaging with the aligned bottom slots of the tray at the top. Also, right-angled corners may be formed at the outer corners of the side panels of the tray so that trays can be stacked together with the upstanding right-angled corners of the tray at the bottom engaging with lower corner recesses formed in the bottom portion of the side panel of the tray at the top for holding the trays together.
In known tray containers, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,094 issued on Jul. 19, 1994 to Noel J. Mertz, four right-angled upstanding corners which are small in dimensions, short in height, and complex and yet unreliable in construction are provided at the upper edge of an outer cover panel of the side panels of the tray with the securement provided at the outer surface of the side panels. When two tray are stacked together, the upstanding right-angled upstanding corners of the tray at the bottom engage with the bottom corner recesses of the outer cover panels of the tray at the top to retain the trays stacked together. However, due to the small dimensions and the unprotected upstanding right-angled corners, the upstanding right-angled corners are readily deformed or mutilated during stacking of the trays or they are destroyed by impact during moving of the stack in handling or in transportation. Furthermore, the upstanding right-angled corners are an extension portion of the upper edge of the outer cover panels, and the cover panels are secured to the outer surface of the side walls of the tray with tabs inserting into slots formed in the outer surface of the side walls of the tray. When the stack of the trays is subject to accidental lateral impact it would cause the merchandise in the tray to shift due to the inherent inertia force. The force due to the shifting weight of the merchandise contained therein as well as from the external impact with other objects particularly during handling and transportation, the force would invariably exert a lateral pushing force at the right-angled corners. As the right-angled corners are part of the extensions folded over the side walls, the pushing force would cause the securement tabs of the covering panels to disengage from the side walls of the tray, thus resulting in the loss of securement between the stacked trays. Moreover, the folded extension portions cover over the outer surface of the side walls of the tray such that the side walls may not be provided with graphic matters for merchandising purposes.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a tray container for the storage, transportation, as well as display purposes of merchandise without having to rearrange the merchandise at the retail location.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tray container having interlocking tabs and an associate mounting openings such that a plurality of it may be securely stacked together without being dislodged or destroyed by external forces during handling and transportation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tray container having a relatively simple construction and may be easily assembled by forming a unique configuration on a standard size cardboard stock or the like with minimal wastage of the cardboard stock.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tray container having a rugged construction.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tray container having completely flat outer side walls suitable for providing graphic matter thereon for merchandising purposes.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent in the following description and appended claims, reference being made in the following accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification:
With reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the different views, the tray container 10 according to the present invention has a generally lateral U shape with a rectangular bottom panel 11. A rectangular front panel 12 having a low height extends upwards from the front edge of the bottom panel 11, and an equally low height rectangular rear panel 13 extends upwards from the rear edge of the bottom panel 11. The low height front and rear panels 12 and 13 facilitate easy visibility and access to and the merchandise located in the tray container from either the front or rear thereof. A generally rectangular weight supporting and reinforcement left casing 14 is located vertically upwards from the left side edge portion of the bottom panel 11, and an equal rectangular weight supporting and reinforcement right casing 15 is located vertically upwards from the right side edge portion of the bottom panel 11. The left casing 14 has a completely flat outer panel which forms the left outer side panel 16 of the tray container. Similarly, the right casing 15 also has a completely flat outer panel which forms the right outer side panel of the tray container. The left casing 14 has an inner panel which forms the inner left side panel 17 of the tray container. The tray container 10 may be fabricated with a geometric figure as best shown in
The left casing 14 has a top panel 36 formed by a generally trapezoidal shaped panel located between the left outer side panel 16 and left inner side panel 17 and it is foldable relative to the outer left side panel 16 along a common edge 37, and foldable relative to the inner left side panel 17 along a common edge 38. The corner edge portions 39 and 40 of the common edge 38 extend a short distance into the top panel 36. Two narrow outer panels 41 and 42 extend outwards from the outer edges 43 and 44 of the left inner side panel 17. The height of the narrow outer panels 41 and 42 is equal to the height of the longer arm portions 25 and 23 of the L-shaped extension panels 18 and 19. When the left inner side panel 17 is folded along the common edge 38 to lie perpendicular to the top panel 38 after the narrow outer panels 41 and 42 having been folded to lie perpendicular to the left inner panel 17, two right-angled mounting tabs are variably formed by the corner portions 39, 40 extending upward at the inner corners of the left casing 14 adjacent to the interior of the tray container as best shown in
Similarly, the right casing 15 has a top panel 45 formed by a generally trapezoidal shaped panel located between the right outer side panel 26 and the right inner side panel 27 and it is foldable relative to the outer right side panel 26 along a common edge 46 and foldable relative to the inner right side panel 27 along a common edge 47. The corner edge portions 48 and 49 of the common edge 47 extend a short distance into the top panel 45. Two narrow outer panels 50 and 51 extend outwards from the outer edges 52 and 53 of the right inner side panel 27. The height of the narrow outer panels 50 and 51 is equal to the height of the longer arm portions 33 and 35 of the L-shaped extension panels 28 and 29. When the right inner side panel 27 is folded along the common edge 47 to lie perpendicular to the top panel 45 after the narrow outer panels 50 and 51 having been folded to lie perpendicular to the right inner panel 27, two right-angled mounting tabs are formed invariably by the corner portion 48 and 49, extending upward at the inner corners of the right casing 15 adjacent to the interior of the tray container as best shown in
Two rectangular cover panels 54 and 55 extend outward from the outer side edges of the longer arm portions 23 and 25 of the left L-shaped extension panels 18 and 19; and two securing tabs 56 and 57 are formed at the outer edges of the rectangular cover panels 54 and 55 respectively. Similarly, two rectangular cover panels 58 and 59 extend outward from the outer side edges of the longer arm portions 33 and 35 of the right L-shaped extension panels 28 and 29; and two securing tabs 60 and 61 are formed at the outer edges of the two rectangular cover panels 58 and 59 respectively.
Two rectangular retaining arms 62 and 63 are formed at the outer edge portion of the narrow outer panels 41 and 42, of the left inner panel 17, and extending outward from the outer corners thereof. Similarly two rectangular retaining arms 64 and 65 are formed at the outer edge portion of the narrow outer panels 50 and 51, of the right inner panel, and extending outward from the outer corners thereof.
An abutment strip 66 is formed at the outer edge of the left inner side panel 17 and similarly an abutment strip 67 is formed at the outer edge of the right inner side panel 27.
Two mounting slots 68 and 69 parallel to the side edges 43 and 44 and spaced therefrom at a distance equal to the height of the rectangular cover panels 54 and 55 respectively are formed in the left inner side panel 17. The length of the mounting slots 68 and 69 is equal to the length of the securing tabs 56 and 57 respectively. Similarly, two mounting slots 70 and 71 parallel to the side edges 52 and 53 and spaced therefrom at a distance equal to the height of the rectangular cover panels 58 and 59 respectively are formed in the right inner side panel 27.
Two spaced T-shaped slots 72 and 73 are formed at the common edge 38 between the narrow top panel 36 and the left inner side panel 17. The T-shaped slots 72 and 73 have slot arms 74 and 75 respectively extending into the left inner side panel 17. Similarly, two spaced T-shaped slots 76 and 77 are formed at the common edge 47 between the narrow top panel 45 and the right inner side panel 27. The T-shaped slots 76 and 77 have perpendicular slot arms 78 and 79 respectively extending into the right inner side panel 27. The T-shaped slots 72 and 73 of the left casing are located directly opposite to the T-shaped slots 76 and 77 of the right casing respectively of the tray container.
Two trapezoidal shaped pull-out mounting tabs 80 and 81 are formed preferably at the middle portion of the side edges 81 and 82 of the bottom panel 11. Two arcuate openings 83 and 84 are formed adjacent to the top edge of the trapezoidal shaped push-out mounting tabs 79 and 80 respectively to facilitate the pulling of the trapezoidal mounting tabs 79 and 80 downwards out from the bottom panel 11. Four right angled cut-outs 85, 86, 87 and 88 are formed at the four corners of the bottom panel 11. These right angled cut-outs have dimensions equal to the dimensions of the right angled mounting tabs formed at the inner corners of the top panels 36 and 45 of the left and right support casings.
Two rectangular longitudinal side panels 89 and 90 extending outwards from the longitudinal side edges 91 and 92 respectively of the bottom panel 11; and two longitudinal outer side panels 93 and 94 extending outwards from double foldable edges 95 and 96 of the longitudinal side panels 89 and 90 respectively. The rectangular longitudinal side panels 89 and 90 and the longitudinal outer side panels 93 and 94 have the same height. Two spaced engagement slots 97 and 98 are formed at the middle portion of the edge portion of the bottom panel 11, and two spaced engagement slots 99 and 100 are formed at the middle portion of the edge portion of the bottom panel 11. Two spaced engagement tabs 101 and 102 are formed at the outer edge of the longitudinal outer side panel 93 and two spaced engagement tabs 103 and 104 are formed at the outer edge of the longitudinal outer side panel 94 respectively. The engagement tabs 101 and 102 are for engagement with the engagement slots 98 and 97 for retaining the outer side panel 93 in a double folded position along the double fold edge 95 to lie juxtaposed to the longitudinal side panel 90 to form a reinforced double layer horizontal front panel 12 of the tray container, while the engagement tabs 103 and 104 are for engagement with the engagement slots 99 and 100 for retaining the outer side panel 94 in a double folded position along double fold line 96 to lie juxtaposed to the longitudinal side panel 89 to form the reinforced double layer horizontal rear panel 13 of the tray container.
A mounting slot 105 is formed at the middle portion of the edge 29 of the narrow left top panel 28, similarly a mounting slot 106 is formed at the middle portion of the edge 46 of the narrow right top panel 45. These mounting slots have a length equal to the longer side edge of the trapezoidal mounting tabs 79 and 80.
Since the components of the left casing 14 are same as those of the right casing 15 as described above, for simplicity of description, the assembly of the right casing 15 is described below. The assembly of the corresponding components to form the left casing 14 can be carried out in the same manner so as to form the entire tray container.
The right casing 15 is formed in the following sequential manner. First, the abutment strip 67 and the two retaining arms 64 and 65 are bent and folded upward along the fold lines between it and the two narrow outer panels 50 and 51 are bent and folded upward to lie perpendicular to the inner side panel 27. The inner side panel 27 is then folded upwards relative to the fold line 47 to lie perpendicular to the top panel 45. The top panel 45 is folded upwards until the inner side panel 27 lies over the outer side panel 26 to form the initial form of the right casing 15. The entire initial right casing thus formed above is folded and flipped to the vertical upward position as shown in
The left casing 14 may be assembled in the same manner as the right casing 15 having all the similar components to the right casing as described above to form the complete tray container of the present invention. Two rectangular bottom mounting openings 112 and 113 are inherently formed at the left corners of the bottom panel 11 with the formation of the right casing 14, and two right angled upstanding mounting tabs 114 and 115 formed at the inner corners of the top panel 36 of the left casing 14. The mounting openings 110, 111, 112 and 113 have dimensions equal to the right angled mounting tabs 107, 108, 114 and 115.
Two openings 116 and 117 are formed in the left inner side panel 17 and two openings 118 and 119 are also formed in the right inner side panel 27 to facilitate the assembly of the left casing 14 and the right casing 15 with fingers inserted into these openings.
Two tray containers 10 of the present invention may be mounted in a stack manner as best shown in
As shown in
Longitudinal partitions may be provided in the tray container for dividing the interior space of the containers into separate front and rear compartments or areas to separate two different merchandise items which are separately accessible from the open front or the rear of the tray container. The partitions are provided with end hooks at their upper corners for slidably inserting into the slots 74, 78 and slots 75, 79 located at directly opposite positions of the left casing 14 and right casing 15 respectively to be securely mounted in place.
A second embodiment of the tray container of the present invention is shown in
The tray container of the second embodiment may be assembled in the following steps. The components of the left and right casings 148 and 149 are similar to those of the left and right casing 14 and 15 of the above embodiment are folded in the same manner. Then, the covering panels 134 and 135 are folded upward along edges 136 and 137 of the left and right outer panels 138 and 139 respectively to abut the rear panels 150 and 151 of the left and right casings 148 and 149. The partially assembled left and right casings are then bent and flipped to the position perpendicular to the bottom panel 125 similar to that in the above embodiment, while slidably engaging the hook portions 140 and 142 of the covering panels 134 and 135 together to maintain the left and right casings firmly positioned in the vertical manner at the two side edge portions of the bottom panel 125 as partially shown in
Four rectangular mounting openings 158, 159, 160 and 161 are invariably formed at the bottom of the bottom panel 125 which will engage with the upstanding right angled mounting tabs 152, 153, 154 and 155 when two tray containers of the second embodiment are to be stacked together as shown in
Two pull-out trapezoidal shaped mounting tabs 162 and 163 are formed in the bottom panel 125 which may be pulled downward to lie perpendicular to the bottom panel 125 as shown in
A plurality of the tray container of the second embodiment may be stacked together as shown in
Two pull-out trapezoidal mounting tabs 166, 167 and 168, 169 may be alternatively provided at the side edge portions of the bottom panel of the tray container as shown in
While there is described above the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is to be clearly understood that the description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.
