Abstract:
A shipping box is disclosed having a rotatable panel associated with the lid. The rotatable panel allows the hinge of the shipping box to be displaced outwardly from the box. As a result, the shipping box can contain a display box that can be opened while in the shipping box, without increasing the size of the shipping box.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to packaging, and, more specifically, to a box having a rotatable panel associated with a lid. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Packing of goods for shipment generally requires that the goods be put into a shipping container. A common shipping container is a shipping box made from corrugated cardboard, which is designed based on what is contained therein to withstand the rigors of shipping, such as by common carriers. 
     Corrugated cardboard shipping boxes can be obtained in many shapes, but are generally rectangular solids. Where numerous shipping boxes are obtained for a single product, the shipping box is usually designed around the product, or the display packaging in which the product is placed. More specifically, the shipping box is generally of a custom size based on the specific characteristics of the product (or display packaging), such as size, weight and frigility (e.g., a stronger box using heavier cardboard would be used for a fragile item). 
     The use of a custom sized shipping box reflects the need on the part of the shipper to minimize shipping costs. Reductions in cubic volume increase packing efficiency by allowing for more shipping boxes to be placed in a given volume, such as a shipping container. Reductions in cubic volume also reduce weight and cost by minimizing both shipping box material and stuffing material (e.g., Styrofoam peanuts). 
     Many of the above considerations are also used in designing display packaging. Display packaging, however, is generally not designed to withstand the rigors of shipping. One type of packaging particularly unsuited for shipping is commonly referred to a clamshell packaging (e.g., a two-piece, hard plastic container having a highly contoured, non-rectangular-solid shape). 
     Where the display packaging must interact with the shipping packing additional considerations in the design of the shipping box are required. For example, one particular interaction is the opening of the display packaging to view the product without removal of the display packaging from the shipping packaging. In another example, the display packing is opened to allow removal of the product. 
     Where this is required, the shipping packaging is oversized to accommodate any necessary space for movement of the display packaging. More specifically, the lid of the display packaging may be connected to the balance of the display packing by a hinge. When the lid is opened, the lid rotates about the hinge causing a change in the volume that the lid occupies. If there is insufficient space in the shipping packaging to allow for the necessary movement of the lid, some part of the lid will contact the shipping package. Oversizing of the shipping packaging to meet this need increases both the cost of the shipping container and any stuffing material that would be required. 
     What is need in the art is a shipping container that will interact with a product, or product display packaging, in a more efficient manner, such that the shipping container can be reduced in volume. 
     Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent for the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a shipping box having a rotatable panel associated with the lid. The rotatable panel allows the hinge of the shipping box to be displaced outwardly from the box. As a result, the shipping box can contain a display box that can be opened while in the shipping box, without increasing the size of the shipping box. 
     Other features, attainments, and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective drawing of a shipping box of the present invention in a first configuration. 
         FIG. 2  is the same side perspective drawing of the shipping box of  FIG. 1 , but in a second configuration. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view drawing of a shipping box blank. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view drawing of another shipping box blank. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view drawing taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view drawing taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 2   
         FIG. 7  is a side view drawing of a display box in the open position. 
         FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of the display box shown in  FIG. 7  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 9  is a side cutaway drawing of the shipping box of  FIG. 1  with a display box therein. 
         FIG. 10  is an expanded side view of the shipping box with display box therein of  FIG. 9  taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top view drawing of a second display box holding an automated external defibrillator. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view drawing of the second display box of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is an end view drawing of the second display box of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a shipping box (generally referred to by reference no.  100 ) has a lid  102  and a container  104 . The lid  102  rotates about a hinge  106  to close the container  104 . The hinge  106  is attached to a hinge panel  108 , which forms a portion of the perimeter of the container  104 . The hinge panel  108  in association with side panels  110 , front panel  111 , and base  112  define a volume  114 . 
     The lid  102  includes a top panel  116  that has connected thereto flaps  118 ,  119 . The side flaps  118  are connected at the sides of the top panel  116 , while the front flap  119  is connected to the top panel between the two side panels. When the top  102  is rotated about the hinge  106  to close the shipping box, the flaps  118 ,  119  go into the volume  114 . As illustrated, the flaps  118  have a width w such that when the shipping box  100  is closed, edges of the flaps  118  rest on the base  112 , such that the top panel  116  is generally parallel to the base. 
     The shipping box further includes a pair of cooperating hinge tabs  120 . The hinge tabs  120  are connected to the hinged panel  108 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hinge tabs  120  allow the hinged panel  108  to rotate about an axis  121 , which is between the hinged panel  108  and the base  112 . The details of the hinge tabs  120  are discussed below. 
     The hinge tabs  120  give the shipping box  100  two depths. When the hinge panel  106  is in the up position, the shipping box  100  has an up depth UL. When the hinge panel is rotated, the shipping box  100  has a rotated depth RL, which is longer than then the up depth UL. Both depths are measure from the front of the shipping box  100  to the point where the hinge  106 . 
       FIG. 3  is a shipping box blank  12 . A box blank  122  is a flat piece of cardboard that can be folded into a three dimensional box along. The dotted lines indicate fold lines. The illustrated blank  122  is for the shipping box  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The shipping box blank  122  has a bottom portion (generally referred to by reference no.  140 ) and a top portion (generally referred to by reference no.  142 ). The bottom portion  140  is connected to the top portion  142  by a hinge portion  144 . The bottom portion  140  includes a bottom panel  141 , side sections  146 ,  148 , and front section  150 , which has tabs  152 ,  154 . To construct the bottom  104  of the shipping box  100 , the front section  150  is folded upward along line a and the tabs  146 , 148  are folded along line b and c toward the hinge portion  144 . 
     Next, the hinge portion  144  and hinge tabs  120  make up the hinge panel  102 . The hinge portion  144  is folded upward along line d and the hinge tabs  120  are folded about lines e and f toward the front section  150 . With the hinge tabs  120  and the tabs  152 ,  154  perpendicular to the bottom portion  140  and extending down lines g and h, the side sections  146   a, b  and  148   a, b  are folded along lines i and j with tabs  160  inserting into slots  162 . The folding of the side sections  146 ,  148  creates channels, discussed below, wherein each channel confines a hinge tab  120  and a tab  152 ,  154 . 
     The top  102  of the shipping box  100  is completed by folding the top portion  142 . More specifically, a front panel  170  is folded about line k with tabs  172 ,  174  being folded along lines I and m. Next side panels  176 ,  178  are folded about their respective lines m and n, and o and p, whereby tabs  180  engage slots  182 , trapping the tabs  172 ,  174  in their respective channels, which were formed as a result of folding the side flaps  176 ,  178 . 
       FIG. 4  is another shipping box blank (generally referred to by reference no.  184 , and using common numbering for similar elements with shipping box blank  122 ). For this shipping box  184 , the front flap  119  incorporates a latch  185 . In this example, the fastener  185  is of the tab and slot type having a pair of tabs  186  that are inserted into cooperating slots  187  in the front panel  111 . The fastener  185  secures the hinge panel  108  in place when the lid  102  is closed. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, this is but one type of fastener and many other fastener types, such as string and button, hook and loop, and exterior top flaps, could be used. Where the fastener is to be reusable, the fastener should be reusable. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the hinge tabs  120  are within a channel  188 . The hinge tab  120  has a contoured surface  190 , which in this illustrative example is a curved surface, permitting the hinge tab to rotate about line d to move between a first position ( FIG. 5 ), and a second position ( FIG. 6 ), which is at an angle α. The angle α is the angle between the first position and the second position where the first position is zero. 
     In the first position, the hinge panel  144  is generally at an angle relative to the bottom panel such that the top of the box properly mates with the bottom of the box. As illustrated, the hinge panel  144  is perpendicular to the bottom panel, or the angle α is zero. 
     In the second position, the angle α is greater than zero. As illustrated, each hinge tab  120  has a stop  192  that fixes the maximum angle α. The illustrated stop  192  is created by the cooperation of the curved side  190  and a second side  194  of the hinge tab  120 . As discussed above, the curved side  190  permits the hinge tab  120  to exit the channel  188 , thereby permitting the hinge panel  108  to rotate. The second side  194  effectively increases the radius such that it is greater than the radius of the curved side  190 . As a result, the radius in the area of the second side  194  is greater than the height of the channel  188  causing the stop  192  to impact the channel  188 . As those skilled in the art will appreciate, this type of stop is easily made during the cutting of the box blank, but other stops could be used. 
     In this illustrative example, the hinge tab  120  has a root (i.e., the portion of the hinge tab that connects to the hinge portion  144 ). As illustrated, the root is full-size in that it extends the maximum height permitted. As a result, the height of the stop is below the top of the root. While a curve surface between the top of the root and the stop has been illustrated, other contours, such as linear, are possible. In addition, the top of the root could be lowered. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a display box  200  for use with the shipping box  100 . As illustrated, the display box  200  has a top portion  202  and a bottom portion  204  that are connected by a hinge  206 . The top portion  202  and the bottom portion  204  each have a width, such that there is a displacement D of the hinge from the top of the top portion. The displacement D of the hinge  206  causes an offset O when the top is opened. Thus, the display box  200  has two lengths, a closed depth CL and a longer open depth OL. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , when the display box  200  is placed in the shipping box  100 , the display box and the shipping box interact such that the size of the shipping box can be reduced. More specifically, the display box  200  has a closed depth CL (see  FIG. 8 ), which is approximately the inside depth of the shipping box  100 , which is VL (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     After placement of the display box  200  in the shipping box  100 , the lid  202  of the display box can be opened. Referring to  FIG. 10 , as the lid  202  of the display box  200  is opened, an edge  208  of the display box comes into contact with the hinge panel  108  of the shipping box  100 . As the display box lid  202  continues to be opened (moving from position  1  to  2 ), the lid forces the hinge panel  108  to rotate about its axis  121 . This rotation will continue until the stop  192  (see  FIG. 6 ) prevents it. Ideally, the display lid  202  should reach a point where items inside the display box  200  can be removed, or it should be at least vertical. 
       FIGS. 11 through 13  are various views of a second display box (generally referred to by reference no.  300 ) holding an automated external defibrillator  302 . This second display box  300  is of a style commonly referred to as a clamshell. Typical clamshell packaging has a top  304  and bottom  306  that meet at a seam  308 . For closure, the seam may be welded, or the top  304  and bottom  306  may have a fastener system. In some cases, the top  302  and bottom  304  may employ a hinge  310 . When a hinge  310  is used, the fastener system may be temporary, allowing the top  304  to be opened and closed. 
     The top  304  and the bottom  306  of clamshell packaging, have been molded to accept except an item. The shipping box for a clamshell packaged item, may be sized such the further packing material is not required. More specifically, the clamshell is sized such that it fits precisely in the shipping box, thus there is no, or minimal movement, of the clamshell in the shipping box. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , a clamshell having a hinge  310  has an offset D, just as does the display box (see  FIG. 7 ). The only significant difference is that that the contact point  312  is displaced away from the hinge. More precisely, the contact point  312  is moved toward the front of the clamshell. As a result, the top  304  of the clamshell  300  will not contact a shipping box as soon as it otherwise might if the contact point were positioned approximately perpendicularly above the hinge  310 . 
     Because numerous modifications may be made of this invention without departing from its spirit, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.