Container packaging for cups

A container structure in which there are notches in the upper edges of the end walls or in which the end walls are shorter than the side walls to accommodate product holding rails.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
A container. 
2. Summary of the Invention 
The purpose of the present invention is to devise a container which allows 
automatic filling of the container with cups. The present container allows 
this. Rails hold the cups by the rims or any point along the cups depth 
that will allow the cups to be supported by the rails. The container is 
raised upwardly until the cups are in the container and rest on the base 
of the container. The rails fit into slots in the end walls of the 
container. The container is then moved horizontally. The cups are carried 
with the container and move along and off the rails. Instead of slots in 
the end walls, the height of the end walls may be shorter than the side 
walls or the cups.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The container shown and described is a tray. 
The blank 10 is divided into a first cover panel 11, a first side panel 12, 
a bottom panel 13, a second side panel 14 and a second cover panel 15 by 
parallel score lines 16, 17, 18, and 19 respectively. Score lines 20 and 
21 define the side edges of these panels. 
These same score lines 20 and 21 also are the hinged attachments of the end 
flaps and panels to panels 11-15. First end closure panels 22 are attached 
to the ends of first cover panel 11. First end flaps 23 are attached to 
the ends of first side panel 12. End panels 24 are attached to the ends of 
bottom panel 13. Second end flaps 25 are attached to the ends of second 
side panel 14, and second end closure panels 26 are attached to the ends 
of second cover panel 15. Slots divide the end panels and flaps from each 
other--slot 27 separating first end closure panel 22 from first end flap 
23; slot 28 separating first end flap 23 from end panel 24; slot 29 
separating end panel 24 from second end flap 25; and slot 30 separating 
second end flap 25 from second end closure panel 26. The slots are aligned 
with score lines 16-19. 
Notches 31 are formed in the outer edge of end panels 24. The notches 31 in 
one end panel are aligned with the notches 31 in the opposite end panel. 
The number and placement of these notches 31 will depend on the number of 
cups and size of cups being placed in the container. The notch 
configuration shown will accommodate three rows of cups in the container. 
Rails hold the cups by the rims or any point along the cups depth that 
will allow the cups to be supported by the rails. The rails fit into the 
notches 31. 
The end flaps 23 and 25 are shorter than side panels 12 and 14 so that the 
upper edge of the end flaps 23 and 25 will be beneath the notches 31 in 
the formed container. The maximum height of the end flaps is equal to the 
distance between said bottom closure and the bottom of said notches. It is 
also possible for the end flaps 23 and 25 to be the same height as the end 
panels 24 and the side panels 12 and 14, and for the end flaps 23 and 25 
to have notches in their upper edges which would mate with the notches 31 
in end panels 24 as shown in FIG. 6. 
It is also possible to make the end panels 24 shorter than side panels 12 
and 14 so they would be the same height as flaps 23 and 25 are in FIG. 1. 
No notches would then be needed in the end panels. This is shown in FIG. 
7. 
In any of these constructions the distance between the bottom panel 13 and 
the upper edge of end panel 24 or flaps 23 and 25 if no notches are used, 
or between the bottom panel 13 and the lower edge of the notches 31 in the 
end panels 24 or flaps 23 and 25 if notches are used is equal to or 
slightly less than the distance between the base of the cup and the lower 
edge of the rails. Whether notches are used will depend upon the strength 
needed in the end walls. If greater stacking strength is required, then 
the end panels 24 and even the end flaps 23 and 25 will extend the height 
of the container. 
The trays are formed by bending the side panels 12 and 14 upwardly around 
score lines 17 and 18 respectively until they are at right angles to the 
bottom panel 13. The end flaps 23 and 25 are bent inwardly until they are 
aligned with the inner side of score lines 20 and 21 on the bottom panel 
13. End panels 24 are bent upwardly around score lines 20 and 21 and 
adhered to the flaps 23 and 25. As will be seen in FIG. 3 the notches 31 
extend above the upper edge of end flaps 23 and 25. In one modified 
configuration the end flaps 23 and 25 would extend to the upper edge of 
end panels 24 and the upper edge of the end flaps 23 and 25 would have 
notches corresponding to the notches 31 in the end panels 24. In another 
modified configuration the upper edge of end panels 24 would be aligned 
with the upper edges of end flaps 23 and 25 and these flaps and panels 
would be shorter than side panels 12 and 14. 
The container shown in FIG. 3 may now be filled by raising it upwardly 
around the cups hanging from parallel rails. When the container is in its 
uppermost position the cups are resting on the bottom panel 13 and the 
rails are within the notches 31. The container is then moved horizontally 
with the notches 31 sliding along the rails. The cups are carried 
horizontally along the rails by the container. After the container leaves 
the rails the cover panels 11 and 15 are bent downwardly around score 
lines 16 and 19 and the end closure panels 22 and 26 are bent downwardly 
and adhered to end panels 24 to form the finished container. The product 
is now completely enclosed and there are no notches showing in the outer 
walls of the container. 
Although a tray is shown, the container may be a bliss container or a 
modified regular slotted container having cover and end closure flaps 
which are the same as those shown. It may also be formed of a two ply 
bottom panel, one ply being attached to the end panels and the other ply 
attached to the side panels. It may also have a self-closing bottom 
closure which is formed into place when the container is set up.