Abstract:
A single piece container blank for the storing and displaying of product utilizing corrugated flutes horizontally and vertically oriented to provide strength while limiting cost. The multi-thickness side panels and top panels, and flute arrangements form a container that is highly stable and strong that is efficient in its use of materials. Further, the structure includes a plurality of side walls that prevent nesting of vertically stacked containers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to display type containers and container blanks. More specifically, this present invention relates to a single piece container having an exposed display area in the front of the container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    This invention is best understood from the following detailed descriptions when read in connection with the 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 clarity. Included in these drawings are the following figures. 
           [0003]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary single piece box blank made in accordance with aspects of this invention; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary partially erected view of the single piece box blank arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of a partially erected box blank arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is another perspective view of a partially erected box blank arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of a partially erected box blank arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; and, 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the formed single piece container depicted from the blank of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is directed to a single piece blank  20  that is cut and scored to forms a container  50 . The single piece container  50  is convenient for imparting strength and stability while allowing the container  50  to hold and easily dispense a variety of products (not shown). One suitable embodiment of the container blank  20  and resulting container  50  is described in more particularity below. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a blank  20  used to form a container  50 . 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 pulps, 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. 
         [0011]    The blank  20  is cut and scored, perforated or otherwise formed into a plurality of panels that, when assembled, form container  50 . 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  50  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  50  has been erected. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  includes a bottom panel  22  bounded by fold lines  21  and  23 . Connected with bottom panel  22  along a fold lines  23  are first side panels  24 . Connected with at least one of the first side panels  24 , along a pair of spaced apart fold lines  41 , is a first side panel flap  44 . A pair of front tabs  44  is connected with each of the first side panels  24  along fold line  39 . 
         [0013]    The first side panel  24  also includes a sixth side panel  40  connected with the first side panel along fold line  37 . This sixth side panel  40  also includes a side tab  42  connected with the sixth side panel  40  along fold line  41 . 
         [0014]    A second side panel  26  is connected with the bottom panel  22  along fold lines  21 . Fold lines  21  and  23  are substantially perpendicular to one another. A first top panel  28  is connected with the second side panel  26 , opposite the bottom panel  22 , along fold lines  25 . Fold lines  25  and fold lines  21  are substantially parallel to one another and are both substantially perpendicular to fold lines  23 . 
         [0015]    Connected with the first top panel  28 , via a pair of spaced apart fold lines  27 , are second top panels  30 . Third side panel  32  is connected with the second top panel  30  along fold line  29 . Third side panel  32  includes fourth side panels  36  connected with the third side panel  32  along fold lines  33 . Also the third side panel  32  includes a corner panel  34  connected with third side panel  32  along fold lines  31 . 
         [0016]    As aspect of the present invention is forming a container  50  that has vertical side walls formed of panels having both vertically and horizontally oriented flutes. By forming the blank  20  and resulting container  50  as depicted, some of the various side panels have vertically oriented flutes and others have horizontally oriented flutes. This allows for cost savings with regards to material while retaining desired strength. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 2-5  depict various aspects of the container  50  being erected from the blank  20 . As best seen in  FIG. 2 , first side panels  24  are folded upwardly along fold lines  23 . Subsequently fifth side panels  38  may be folded inwardly along fold line  37 . This movement places respective fifth side panels  38  juxtaposed to one another. 
         [0018]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , second side panel  26  may then be folded upwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold line  21  such that the second side panel  26  becomes juxtaposed to the outermost fifth side panel  38 . It will be appreciated that the flutes (not shown) in fifth side panels  38  and second side panels  26  will be substantially perpendicular to on another. 
         [0019]    The first top panel  28  may be folded inwardly along fold line  25 . In addition, the corner panels  34  may be folded inwardly along fold lines  31  and the forth side panels  36  may be folded inwardly along fold lines  33 . Also the front tabs  44  may be folded downward/inward approximately 90 degrees along fold line  39 . 
         [0020]    As best depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the second top panel  30  may be folded along double spaced apart fold lines  27  such that the first top panel  28  and second top panel  30  sandwich a portion of the front tabs  44  there between. Also, the third side panel  32  is folded along fold line  29  such that the third side panel  32  is substantially parallel the second side panel  26 . In this configuration, the third side panel  32  and the second side panel  26  substantially sandwich the respective fifth side panels  38  there between. Likewise, the forth side panels  36  are juxtaposed one of the first side panels  24 , and the corner panels  34  are juxtaposed the other first side panel  24 . 
         [0021]    Although the various embodiments have all been illustrated and described as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this 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.