Abstract:
An envelope container and dispenser comprises a rectangular prism having first and second side panels, first and second end panels, a bottom panel, and a top panel. A tear guideline or strip forming a closed loop extends across the bottom panel, first side panel, top panel and second side panel, defining a retained portion and a removable portion of the prism. The removable portion, when removed, at least partially exposes three sides of the envelopes stored therein for easy access and removal. The envelopes can be retained in the container so that the container can act as a storage unit and dispenser in either a horizontal or vertical configuration.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to containers and, more particularly, to containers that are adapted to store and dispense envelopes.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Envelopes are typically packaged and sold in paperboard rectangular containers that are slightly larger than the periphery of the envelopes and have a sufficient depth to store a quantity of envelopes. Most envelope containers also have a hinged top access panel with a folded closure tab and a pair of laterally hinged interior tabs that support the top panel and help hold it in a closed position when the container is not in use. Although the top panel provides access to the envelopes stored in the container, this configuration is of limited convenience because a user must move the tabs and top panel away from the envelopes with one hand while removing the envelopes with the other hand. If the tabs and top panel are not moved out of the way, they tend to interfere with removal of the envelopes, often bending or damaging the envelopes.  
         [0003]     The tabs and/or top panel can be removed from the container by tearing or with scissors, but such removal can damage the container and/or the envelopes. In addition, whether or not the top panel and/or tabs are removed, envelopes stored in such containers are difficult to extract because only the top edge of the envelopes is exposed, making them difficult to separate and grasp.  
         [0004]     An alternate approach is to completely remove the envelopes from their storage container. For example, a user could stack the envelopes in a pile. However, envelopes stored in this manner are prone to becoming disarrayed, damaged or lost.  
         [0005]     Another alternate approach is to store the envelopes in a separate, dedicated dispenser specifically designed to hold envelopes therein. However, a separate dispenser is an added expense. In addition, it is inconvenient to transfer the envelopes from their packaging to the dispenser. There is a need for an envelope container that is also capable of easily dispensing the envelopes.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     The present invention overcomes the aforementioned limitations of envelope containers and dispensers by providing a rectangular prism to contain the envelopes. The container is easily converted for use from a storage container to a dispenser by tearing along a tear guideline or strip that is formed in a closed loop such that when the tear strip is torn, portions of a top panel, two side panels, a bottom panel and an entire end panel of the container are separated and can be removed. Once these portions of the container are removed, three edges of the envelopes stored therein are at least partially exposed for easy access and removal. The container and dispenser may be oriented in either a vertical or horizontal configuration.  
         [0007]     An object of the present invention is a container. The container comprises a rectangular prism having first and second side panels, first and second end panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel. A tear guideline extends across the bottom panel, first side panel, top panel and second side panel, forming a generally closed loop and defining a retained portion and a removable portion. The removable portion, when removed, removes at least a portion of the bottom panel, first side panel, top panel, second side panel and one end panel, to expose product stored therein.  
         [0008]     Another object of the present invention is a method for making a container. The method comprises the steps of providing a rectangular prism having first and second side panels, first and second end panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel and forming in the prism a generally closed-loop tear guideline extending across the bottom panel, first side panel, top panel and second side panel. The tear guideline defines a retained portion of the prism and a removable portion of the prism wherein the removable portion, when removed, removes at least a portion of the bottom panel, first side panel, top panel, second side panel and one end panel to expose product stored therein. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Further features of the inventive embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate from reading the specification and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a first side of an envelope container and dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a second side of the envelope container and dispenser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the envelope container and dispenser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the envelope container and dispenser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a unitary blank substrate as viewed from the inside and from which indicates in a general way the principal constructional features of an envelope container and dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line designated  6 - 6  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the envelope container and dispenser of  FIG. 7  oriented horizontally with a removable portion removed to dispense the contents; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the envelope container and dispenser of  FIG. 8  oriented vertically. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     The term “dispenser” as used herein is intended to describe a device that stores product in such way that a quantity of the product is made readily available for use. An envelope container and dispenser  10 , termed “container” herein for convenience, is shown in  FIGS. 1-4  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Container  10  is a generally rectangular prism comprising a top panel  12 , a bottom panel  14 , a first end panel  16 , a second end panel  18 , a first side panel  20 , and a second side panel  22 . Panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  are all generally planar surfaces.  
         [0020]     Container  10  is preferably made from a generally planar blank substrate  24  such as shown in  FIG. 5 . Substrate  24  may be any conventional material including, without limitation, paperboard, plastic, cardboard and corrugated cardboard. Substrate  24  comprises top panel  12 , bottom panel  14 , first end panel  16  (comprising end panel portions  16 A and  16 B), second end panel  18  (comprising end panel portions  18 A and  18 B), first side panel  20 , and second side panel  22 . Container  10  further comprises a first end tab set  26  (comprising tabs  26 A,  26 B), a second end tab set  28  (comprising tabs  28 A,  28 B), and a bottom tab  30 .  
         [0021]     Container  10  is formed by folding blank substrate material  24  into the shape of a rectangular prism. Substrate  24  is folded upwardly along fold lines  32  and  34 . Bottom tab  30  is then folded toward first side panel  20  by folding along fold line  36 . Bottom panel  14  is then folded toward second side panel  22  by folding along fold line  38  such that the bottom panel rests atop bottom tab  30 . First end tabs  26 A,  26 B are each then folded toward each other, end tab  26 A being folded along fold line  40  and end tab  26 B being folded along fold line  42 . End panel portion  16 A is then folded along fold line  44  such that it rests atop end tabs  26 A and  26 B. End panel portion  16 B is then folded along fold line  46  such that it rests atop end panel portion  16 A. Second end tabs  28 A,  28 B are each then folded toward each other, end tab  28 A being folded along fold line  48  and end tab  28 B being folded along fold line  50 . End panel portion  18 A is then folded along fold line  52  such that it rests atop end tabs  28 A and  28 B. End panel portion  18 B is then folded along fold line  54  such that it rests atop end panel portion  18 A. The folded panels and tabs of substrate  24  may be secured in any conventional manner, such as adhesives, tapes and fasteners.  
         [0022]     The order in which the panels and tabs are folded is not critical and is but one way to assemble container  10 . The order of assembly and the arrangement of the panels and tabs may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, although  FIG. 5  shows a unitary blank substrate  24  as viewed from the inside,  FIG. 5  could also be an outside view in this embodiment due to the symmetry of the substrate. However, such symmetry is not a required feature of the present invention.  
         [0023]     When container  10  is assembled, top panel  12  is oriented generally parallel to and is aligned with bottom panel  14  and is located on a generally opposite side of the bottom panel. Likewise, first side panel  20  is oriented generally parallel to and is aligned with second side panel  22  and is located on a generally opposite side of the second side panel. In addition, first end panel  16  is oriented generally parallel to and is aligned with second end panel  18  and is located on a generally opposite side of the second end panel.  
         [0024]     With reference again to  FIGS. 1-4 , container  10  further comprises a tear strip  56 . Tear strip  56  is formed by a pair of tear guidelines  58  that are spaced apart from each other and oriented generally parallel to each other. Tear guidelines  58  may be formed by either a cut scoring line or a reverse-cut scoring line. Alternatively, tear guidelines  58  may be formed by a combination of cut scoring lines and reverse-cut scoring lines. Reverse-cutting processes and the formation of tear lines are well-known in the art, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,731, incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0025]     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , an example of a tear guideline  58  comprising a cut score line  60 A and a reverse cut score line  60 B are shown in  FIG. 6 , which depicts a cross-sectional view  6 - 6  of the tear guideline. Cut scoring line  60 A is formed in the outer surface of container  10  and is displaced from reverse cut scoring line  60 B, which is formed on the inside surface of the container. When the tear guideline  58  of  FIG. 6  is torn, the tear guideline is caused to separate along a medial line  61 .  
         [0026]     One skilled in the art will recognize that tear guidelines  58  can be any strip or line which guides tearing therealong, including without limitation, fold lines, crease lines, areas of weakness, score lines, cuts partially therethrough the thickness of container  10 , and perforation lines.  
         [0027]     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , tear strip  56  may include a pull tab  62 . Pull tab  62  may be integrally formed at an end portion of tear strip  56 , terminating at an edge  64  of bottom panel  14 . Edge  64  is an outer edge of substrate  24  (see  FIG. 5 ). In alternate embodiments, pull tab  62  may be located anywhere along the length of tear strip  56 .  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and  FIG. 7 , tear strip  56  forms a closed or substantially closed loop that extends across bottom panel  14 , first side panel  20 , top panel  12 , and second side panel  22 . Tear strip  56  thus defines a retained portion  66  and a removable portion  68  of container  10 .  
         [0029]     In one embodiment of the present invention, tear strip  56  has a serpentine shape  70  such as an “S” shape along first and second side panels  20 ,  22  respectively. A parallel portion  72  of serpentine shape  70  may be oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of container  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  7 . Serpentine shape  70  also includes portions  74  extending generally perpendicular to parallel portion  72 . Parallel portion  72  is shaped such that when tear strip  56  is torn and removable portion  68  is removed, the contents of container  10  are more exposed for ease of dispensing while leaving a retained portion  66  of sufficient shape to hold the contents in place, as will be discussed in further detail below.  
         [0030]     In other embodiments tear strip  56  may be any shape that facilitates separation of retained portion  66  and removable portion  68 , wherein the removable portion comprises at least a portion of top panel  12 , side panels  20 ,  22  and bottom panel  14 , and wherein the removable portion includes one of end panels  16 ,  18 . For example, tear guidelines  58  may be various other serpentine shapes or angular, square, trapezoidal, or curved cuts. In addition, tear strip  56  may be a decorative or contrasting color or design pattern on container  10 . It should be further noted that the separation distance between tear guidelines  58  is not critical, and may be greater or lesser than the relative distances depicted in  FIGS. 1-5  and  FIG. 7 . In some embodiments a single tear guideline  58  may be formed, or a plurality of tear guidelines could coincide wherein no tear strip  56  is specifically formed or defined. For example, a single tear guideline  58  may form a closed or substantially closed loop to define retained portion  66  and removable portion  68 . In still other embodiments tear guideline  58  may or may not extend across top panel  12  and/or bottom panel  14 .  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4  and  7  in combination, container  10  can be opened by pivoting or elevating pull tab  62  away from bottom panel  14  and separating tear strip  56  from, in order, bottom panel  14 , first side panel  20 , top panel  12 , and second side panel  22 . Tear strip  56  thus becomes completely disengaged from container  10 , separating retained portion  66  and removable portion  68 . Removable portion  68  is then discarded, exposing a plurality of envelopes  76  within container  10 . Container  10  in this state functions as an envelope dispenser, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Container  10  may be oriented to dispense envelopes horizontally, as shown in  FIG. 8 , or vertically, as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0032]     As can be further seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , envelopes  76  stored in container  10  are exposed for easy removal, yet they are sufficient retained in container  10  in an orderly fashion for storage. A top edge  78 , side edge  80  and bottom edge  82  of each envelope  76  is at least partially exposed. If the longitudinal axis of container  10  is oriented to dispense envelopes  76  horizontally as depicted in  FIG. 8 , a user may grasp one or more of the envelopes at either top edge  78  or side edge  80  and slide the envelopes out of the container in general direction “A.” Alternatively, if the longitudinal axis of container  10  is oriented vertically as depicted in  FIG. 9 , a user may grasp one or more of envelopes  76  at either top edge  78 , side edge  80  or bottom edge  82  and slide the envelopes out of the container in general direction “B.” 
         [0033]     While this invention has been shown and described with respect to a detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention. For example, container  10  as disclosed herein is not limited to storing and dispensing envelopes. Panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  may be any shape adapted to contain objects therein. Likewise, tear strip  56  may be any appropriate shape for dispensing the objects. Thus, container  10  may be adapted to dispense various types of objects including, without limitation, index cards, file cards, sheets of media, and paper labels.