Patent Application
20090127150
This invention relates to packaging for transporting, storing and displaying containers.
Small food or beverage containers are currently shipped to stores in boxes. The containers are removed from the boxes and manually arranged on refrigerator shelves for display to customers. Customers select one or more of the containers positioned at the front of the shelf. Store workers manually rearrange the containers periodically to move the remaining containers to the front of the shelf to make them more visible and accessible to customers and to facilitate first in first out inventory management.
Manually unloading the containers onto the store shelves and periodically shifting all of the rows of the containers forward is time-consuming. The current boxes are discarded and not reused.
The present invention provides a reusable packaging assembly for transporting, storing and displaying containers, which includes a merchandising feature that facilitates moving containers toward a display opening of the packaging as the front container is removed by a customer.
Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
A packaging assembly 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The front portion 14 includes a recess 27 on an interior surface and is pivotably connected to the side portions 22 at pivot axis 26. The front portion 14 of the packaging assembly 10 is pivotable from an open position to a closed position, as illustrated in
In the open position, the front portion 14 is pivoted downward about the pivot axis 26 to provide access to the containers 24. In the open position, customers have access to view and select containers for purchase. Also, an advertising space 32 (
In the closed position, the front portion 14 is pivoted upward about the pivot axis 26. As shown in
Referring to
As illustrated in
In the example embodiment illustrated in
In use, the packaging assembly 10 is shipped to a store full of containers 24 (such as yogurt containers). The packaging assembly 10 can be carried by the handle 34 and by a similar handle (not shown) molded into the end portion 20. The packaging assembly 10 can be placed directly onto a shelf, such as a shelf in a refrigerated section of the store, and similar packaging assemblies 10′ can be stacked on the packaging assembly 10. On the shelf, the front portion 24 is opened so that customers can view and remove the containers 24. When the packaging assembly 10 is empty, it can be returned to the warehouse or manufacturer to be reused.
A packaging assembly 10A according to an alternate version of the first embodiment is illustrated in
Referring to
A packaging assembly 110 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The box 112 includes a front portion 114, a bottom portion 118, a rear portion 120 and a pair of opposing side portions 122 extending upward from the bottom portion 118.
The cylindrical portion 116 is disposed within the pair of opposing side portions 122 and extends from the rear portion 120 to the front portion 114. An opening 125 is disposed in the cylindrical portion 116, proximate to the front portion 114 of the box 112.
An arched opening 119 is formed at a lower edge of the front portion 114. The arched opening 119 leads to a cavity 121, shown in
As illustrated in
The spring mechanism 150 moves from a fully loaded position, illustrated in
As containers 124 are inserted into the packaging assembly 110 through the opening 125 the spring mechanism 150 moves toward the fully loaded position. Conversely, as containers 124 are removed from the packaging assembly 110 through the opening 125 the spring mechanism 150 moves toward the unloaded position, thus moving the containers 24 to a position adjacent the opening 125.
As shown in
A packaging assembly 210 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The packaging assembly 210 includes a tray 212 having a wall portion 214 extending upwardly from a periphery of a bottom portion 216. A pair of opposing wedge-shaped side flaps 220 extend along opposing sides of the wall portion 214 of the tray 212.
The tray 212 further includes a support lip 213 along an upper edge of the wall portion 214 and an open access 215 located at a front end of the packaging assembly 210.
Each of the pair of opposing side flaps 220 is integrally molded with the tray 212 and connected to the tray 212 by a living hinge 222. Each side flap 220 is moveable between an extended, support position and a folded position. In the support position, it extends downward, where it supports the tray 212 at an incline on a shelf or another, similar loaded packaging assembly. This moves the containers 224 toward the front of the packaging assembly 210 and the access 215. In the folded position against the tray 212 (shown in phantom in
The support lip 213 provides support for the containers 224 and the containers 224 slide down the incline along the support lip 213 toward the access cut-out 215 for removal by a customer for purchase. As shown in
A packaging assembly 310 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The packaging assembly 310 includes a base 312 and at least one cartridge 314. The cartridge 314 is stackable upon the base 312 and slideably engaged with the base 312. In the example shown, a similar cartridge 314′ is stacked upon and slideably engaged with the cartridge 314.
Each of the base 312, the cartridge 314 and the similar cartridge 314′ includes a top portion 316, a bottom portion 318, opposing side portions 320, a rear portion 322 and a front portion 323. The opposing side portions 320 extend between the top portion 316 and the bottom portion 318. Each front portion includes a display opening 326, although preferably, the display opening 326 of the base 312 is much larger than those on the cartridge trays 314, 314′.
Additionally, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The bottom portions 318, 318′ of the cartridge packaging assemblies 314, 314′ are inclined at an angle θ with respect to horizontal while the bottom portion 318 of the base packaging assembly 312 is declined at the same angle θ.
As containers 324 are removed though the display opening 326 of the base 312, containers 324 contained within the cartridge 314 and the similar cartridge 314′ slide along their respective bottom portions 318, 318′ toward a container supply opening 332, 332′ formed in each respective bottom portion 318, 318′.
The containers 324 slide through the container supply openings 332, 322′ and into a container receiving opening 334 formed in the top portion 316 of the base 312. The containers 324 then slide along the declined bottom surface 318 of the base packaging assembly 312 toward the display opening 326 in the base packaging assembly 312 for removal by a customer.
A packaging assembly 410 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The bottom portion 420 includes a lower surface 420A and an upper surface 420B. The lower surface 420A of the bottom portion extends substantially horizontally between the rear portion 416 and the front portion 418. The upper surface 420B of the bottom portion 420 also extends between the rear portion 416 and the front portion 418 but the upper surface 420B declines as it extends from the rear portion 416 to the front portion 418.
The front portion 418 includes an advertising space 426 and a display opening 428 is formed at an intersection of the front portion 418 and the top portion 422. Product advertisements are placed within the advertising space 426 and containers are displayed for purchase within the display opening 428.
Containers 424 are positioned within the box 412 and visible within the display opening 428. The removable front face 414 is removably attached to the box 412, covering the display opening 428.
The box 412 also includes at least one rib 430 extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the top portion 422 of the box 412 and at least one groove 432 extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the bottom portion 420 of the box 412. In this example, two ribs 430 and two grooves 432 are shown.
The ribs 430 of the box 412 correspond to the grooves 432′ of a similar box 412′ such that the ribs 430 are received in the grooves 432′ of the similar box 412′ stacked thereon. The stacked boxes 412, 412′ are placed on a shelf 436 for display, as illustrated in
In the example embodiment, the box 412 is reusable and the front face 414 is disposable. As such, the box 412 is constructed, for example, from plastic and the front face 414 is constructed, for example, from cardboard or styrene. In use, the packaging assemblies 410 would be loaded and shipped to the store, where the front face 414 would be removed and where multiple packaging assemblies 410 could be stacked on a shelf. Customers would remove containers 424 through the open display opening 424. When empty, the packaging assemblies 410 would be returned to the store for reuse.
A packaging assembly 510 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Referring to
The tray 512 includes a plurality of container support areas 516 and a plurality of stacking support areas 518, as illustrated in
Alternatively, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Alternatively, the tray 512 is slideably stackable within an alternate rack 550, as illustrated in
The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
