This invention relates generally to the field of containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to thermoformed containers having features that enhance the container's ability to stand erect when multiple containers are displayed together for sale.
Sales and display space in a store is a valuable resource, especially in high traffic areas such as end caps or in expensive refrigerated shelving in the meat or dairy department of a grocery store. Effective utilization of the available sales and display space in a store can make the difference between profit and loss, when that space is used to maximize planned or impulse purchases, to provide for the right levels of inventory, and to offer a wider variety of product choices.
In a retail sales environment, product containers often have an appearance meant to attract the attention of consumers, and they often bear information and messages meant to motivate consumers to make a purchase. It follows that the greater the usable display area available on the surface of a particular product container, the larger the billboard on which to display an attractive appearance and convey messages to potential purchasers. Consequently, all other things being equal, a container with more usable display space would be preferred over a container with less usable display space on its surface.
Another practical problem in a retail environment is to maintain the right amount of inventory to meet demand. Too much space allocated to inventory of one particular product is undesirable when that space could be better used to offer a wider variety of products, or when that inventory is not turning over quickly enough. Too little space for inventory of one particular product is undesirable if it results in lost sales when a product is out of stock, or if the lack of space requires too-frequent inventory replenishment. Consequently, a container that allows more of a particular product to be stored in a given volume of sales and display space would be preferred over a container that makes less efficient use of that space, especially when that space is at a premium.
Thermoformed plastic containers are well known as inexpensive and highly customizable containers for the sale of a wide variety of products, everything from cell phones to deli meats. Thermoformed plastic containers are typically transparent and rigid, so they can give a consumer the ability to examine a product closely. They can be made tamper-resistant, to reduce the risk that the product could be damaged or contaminated. They are typically lightweight, and can be efficiently stored or shipped together in a nested fashion. It is easy to include product information and cosmetic features in these types of containers, for example with stickers or cards glued to the outside of the containers, with embossing molded into the containers, or with paper inserts inside the containers.
For these and other reasons, thermoformed plastic containers are often preferred over other available options for product containers, such as cardboard or metal boxes, bags, metal cans, or paper cartons. However, for some packaging applications, for example sales of products in refrigerated deli meat sections of a grocery store, thermoformed plastic containers have not gained market share compared to these other available options. What is needed is a thermoformed container system that can stand up to maximize usable available display space on its surface and that can nest together to maximize storage density of inventory in a given volume of sales and display space.
A first embodiment of the invention is a thermoformed container system using thermoformed plastic containers, each container having a tray and a lid mounted on the tray. The tray and lid include special structures to help two or more containers to stand on their bottom edges when nested together, even though each individual container would be too unstable to stand in isolation. In a container system according to this first embodiment of the invention, when two or more containers are nested together with the lid of the rearward container coupled with the tray of the forward container, a first engagement structure on the tray in front exerts a downward force met with an equal but opposite upward force from a second engagement structure on the lid behind it, resulting in an equilibrium of forces that helps the two or more nested containers to prop themselves up and stand vertically on their bottom edges.
A second embodiment of the invention is a product case pack comprising at least two containers, each container including a tray and a lid mounted on the tray, and with some kind of product inside the container. The containers are adapted to be nested together, with the lid of the rearward container nested with the tray of the forward container. The containers include a first engagement structure on the tray and a second engagement structure on the lid, wherein the first engagement structure on the forward tray exerts a downward force met by an upward force from the second engagement structure on the lid behind it when the nested containers are positioned together to stand vertically on their bottom edges.
A third embodiment of the invention is a retail sales display method comprising providing a sales and display space having a shelf area, providing at least two containers, each having a tray, a lid mounted on the tray, and some kind of product inside, wherein the containers include a first engagement structure on the tray and a second engagement structure on the lid, nesting the containers together with the lid of the rearward container coupled with the tray of the forward container, and positioning the containers to stand vertically on their bottom edges, whereby the first engagement structure on the forward tray can exert a downward force met by an upward force from the second engagement structure on the rearward lid to enhance the stability of the plurality of containers standing together.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
In other words, the names assume the tray 20 is viewed as in
The tray 20 includes a first engagement structure 26. In the exemplary tray 20, the first engagement structure 26 is located on the bottom rear corner 24 where the rear wall 32 and bottom wall 22 meet. However, this particular location is not required and the first engagement structure 26 could be located somewhere else, for example a side wall 28 or rear wall 32.
In the exemplary tray 20, the first engagement structure 26 is an inverted shelf with a rib or ridge, convex when viewed from outside the tray 20, that protrudes generally downwardly from the bottom rear corner 24 when the tray 20 is positioned with its bottom wall 22 facing down, as perhaps best shown in
The rear wall 32 forms the bottom of the interior cavity 36, and may include one or more perimeter channels 34. Any of the walls may include one or more embossed wall features 38 for decoration or for structural purposes.
Any of the walls may also include one or more raised engravings 42, for example brand markings, informational messages, or decorations. The engravings 42 can be placed inside a frame 40 that preferably has a convex shape extends slightly outwardly from the wall on which it appears, creating a space behind the engraving 42. When two trays are nested together for storage or transport, engravings 42 on the top tray can extend into the space created behind the convex framed area 40 on the bottom tray, reducing the interference between the engravings 42 on the top tray and the inner sidewall of the bottom tray.
The bottom wall 22, side walls 28, and top wall 30 all terminate in a cavity rim 44 that forms the periphery of the interior cavity 36. As perhaps best shown in the cross-sections of
The exemplary tray 20 can have an interior cavity 36 that is about 1.5 inches deep from the top surface 50 of the rim 44 to the rear wall 22 that forms the bottom of the cavity 36. The tray 20 can be about 8 inches wide, from one side wall 28 to the other side wall 28, when the tray is positioned to stand vertically as in
The lid 60 includes a central portion 62 surrounded by a bottom edge 82, two side edges 86, and a top edge 88. The central portion 62 may include engravings 64, such as brand markings, informational messages, or decorations. The lid 60 has an exterior surface 66 that faces outwardly when the lid 60 is fitted on a tray 20, and an interior surface 70 that faces the interior cavity 36 of the tray 20.
The bottom edge 82, two side edges 86, and top edge 88 form a perimeter sealing rim 72 that is shaped to mate with a complementary cavity rim 44 on a tray 20. As perhaps best seen in the cross-sections of
The lid 60 includes a second engagement structure 84 that is configured to mate with the first engagement feature 26 of the tray 20, as perhaps best shown in
In the exemplary lid 60, the second engagement structure 84 is a shelf or prop with a slot or notch, concave when viewing the exterior side 66 of the lid 60, that opens generally upwardly in the inside wall 76 of the sealing rim, when the lid 60 is positioned with its bottom edge 82 down, as perhaps best shown in
The exemplary lid 60 is preferably sized to fit the tray 20. Like the tray 20, the lid 60 can be about 8 inches wide, from one side edge 86 to the other side edge 86, when the lid is positioned to stand vertically as in
As perhaps best shown in the cross-section of
It can be seen that any of the individual containers 10, 110, or 210 would not be stable if positioned in isolation to stand with the bottom wall 22 of the tray facing down and with the bottom edge of the container resting on a sales and display surface 100. For the same reason that a chair with only two legs cannot stand, a container 10 positioned as in
In the exemplary containers 10, 110, and 210, the bottom edge of the container is formed by the outside wall flange 80 of the perimeter sealing rim 72 of the lid 60 at a point near the bottom edge 82 of the lid 60, together with the outside wall flange 56 of the cavity rim 44 of the tray 20 near the bottom wall 22 of the tray 20. However, this particular structure is not required and the bottom edge of the container could be formed in another way, for example by the cavity rim 44 of the tray and sealing rim 72 of the lid without any flanges or by a hinge 106 in a unitary package as shown in
While the container 10 would be generally unstable When positioned to stand on its bottom edge in isolation, two or more containers nested together can stand on their bottom edges when they are engaged together, as perhaps best shown in
Nested together and engaged as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A-8C, container 10 and 110 can stand on their edges with their bottom walls 22 facing down. In this orientation, the largest side of the containers, the exterior face 66 of the lid, is positioned to face the consumer. This maximizes the display area available no matter how many containers are in inventory. A configuration with more than two containers nested together, for example with containers 10, 110, and 210 nested together, works in basically the same way and can be even more stable.
While the preceding discussion of the exemplary container 10 uses particular embodiments of a tray 20 and lid 60, the invention could be practiced with other tray and lid configurations. The exemplary container 10 includes a single internal cavity 36, but this particular structure is not required. For example, a different number of cavities could be provided for particular applications, and the container as a whole or the individual cavities could be different sizes and/or shapes.
The tray 20 and lid 60 of the container 10 are preferably made using thermoforming methods, from a suitable thermoformable material. For example, a tray 20 and lid 60 meant for use with ready-to-eat foods might be formed of a thermoformable plastic such as oriented polystyrene (OPS), talc-filled polypropylene (TFPP), polypropylene (PP), high impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene terepthalate (PET), amorphous PET (APET), crystalline polyethylene (CPET) polystyrene copolymer blends, styrene block copolymer blends, and the like.
The materials forming the tray 20 and lid 60 may be different, and those materials are not necessarily homogeneous, but may be, for example, a laminate, co-extruded material, or multilayer material. Additional components could be used, for example a plastic or foil membrane could be positioned on the tray 20 and covering the contents 102 in a way that allows the lid 60 to be fastened on the tray.
It is understood that the invention is not confined to the embodiments set forth herein as illustrative, but embraces all such forms thereof that come within the scope of the following claims.
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