Abstract:
A single piece blank and resulting container having an operable tray panel for easily viewing and accessing products contained within is disclosed. Specifically, the container is designed to have an operable tray panel in an upper portion of the container. The operable tray panel allows easy access to products in the container. Further, it provides better viewing of contents such that the urge to access the contents is increased via the increased visibility. The structure provides a strong and stable container that may be constructed to varying sizes and geometries.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to single piece container blanks and their resulting containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a storage and display container having a pivotable tray opening for easy access to and visibility of contents contained within. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in these drawings are the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary blank arrangement; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary partially erected view of the blank arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the partially erected blank arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary rear perspective view of the formed showing a pivotable front panel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is directed to a single piece blank  20  used to form a container  44 . The design allows for easy access to and viewing of contents contained within the container  44 . One suitable embodiment of the blank  20  and resulting container  44  is described in more particularity below. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a blank  20  used to form a container  44 . The blank  20  is typically constructed from a single piece of formable material such as, without limitation, sheets of cellulose-based material formed from cellulose materials such as wood pulp, straw, cotton, bagasse, or the like. Cellulose-based materials used in the present invention may come in many forms, such as fiberboard, containerboard, corrugated containerboard and paperboard. However, it will be appreciated that the single piece of formable material may be constructed from other material as well, such as, without limitation, a polymer based material. The polymer based material may be in the form of a sheet of plastic material, or a sheet of corrugated plastic material. 
     The blank  20  is cut and scored, perforated or otherwise formed into a plurality of panels that, when assembled, form container  44 . In all FIGURES, like numbers indicate like parts; additionally, cut lines are shown as solid lines, score lines as dashed lines, and lines of perforation as broken lines. For the purposes of further description herein, the downward direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel  22  when the container  44  has been erected. The upwards direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel  22  that corresponds to the inner surface of the bottom panel when the container  44  has been erected. 
     With respect to  FIG. 1 , the blank  20  includes a bottom panel  22  bounded by fold lines  21  and  23 . Attached to the bottom panel  22  along fold lines  23  are second side panels  26 . Attached to the bottom panel  22  along the fold lines  21  are first side panels  24 . Connected with one of the first side panels  24 , opposite fold line  21 , is a tray panel  30 . Further connected to the first side panel  24 , along fold lines  33 , are third side panels  32 . Connected with tray panel  30 , along fold lines  35 , are tray panel flaps  34 . Connected with the other first side panel  24 , along fold lines  31 , are fourth side panels  36 . Further, top panel  28  is connected with this other first side panel  24  along fold line  27 . The top panel  28  is also connected with top panel flaps  38  along fold lines  29 . 
     With respect to  FIGS. 2-3 , erection of container  44  from blank  20  is depicted. Specifically, the first side panels  24  may be folded upwardly approximately 90 degrees about fold lines  21 . Also, fourth side panels  36  may be folded inwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold lines  31 . Similarly, third side panels  32  may be folded inwardly along fold lines  33 , such that the third side panels  32  are juxtaposed to the at least a portion of the fourth side panels  36 . 
     The tray opening area is generally formed by folding the tray panel flaps  34  inwardly approximately  90  degrees about fold lines  35 . In this manner, the tray panel flaps  34  are juxtaposed a portion of the fourth side panel  36 . The second side panels  26  may be folded upwardly approximately 90 degrees about fold lines  23 , such that the tray panel flaps  34  and third side panels  32  arc sandwiched between the fourth side panel  36  and second side panel  26 . Finally, top panel flaps  38  may be folded downwardly approximately 90 degrees about fold line  29 . The top panel flaps  38  may by attached to the second side panels  26 . The manner of attachment may be by any method known in the arts, such as, without limitation, glue, adhesion, braids, tacks or staples. 
     One possible type of product that my suitably be used with this container  44  is, with out limitation, produce such as apples or oranges. To this end, the container  44  may be used to hold a plurality or oranges (not shown) on a shelf in a store or home environment. The tray panel  34  may be opened as product is used up to provide better visibility inside the container  44 . Likewise, the tray panel  34  may be opened up to provide better access to the contents in the container  44 . 
     As noted above, the overall geometry of the various panels is not to be limited by the FIGURES. Specifically, the various side panels are depicted as being rectangular; however, some or all of the various side panels may be other geometric shape without exceeding the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, without limitation, the first side panel  24  may be square. Likewise, the bottom panel  22  may wider or narrower as desired. It will be appreciated that the geometry of the various panels may be adjusted accordingly without exceeding the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, vents, cut-outs, hand-holds and the like may be place as show in the FIGURES or in any other arrangement as desired. Also, the blank  20  and container  44  may be free from any such vents, cut-outs, or hand-holds if desired, all without departing the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     While various embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of such embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.