Abstract:
A container package assembly which comprises a first support member and a second support member, a plurality of containers, a top pad, and a membrane. The first support member having a first side, the second support member having a second side. The first support member and the second support member being arranged along a common plane wherein the first edge is immediately adjacent to the second edge. Each of the support members constructed and arranged to receive a predetermined number of containers thereon. A top pad positioned on top of the containers, the top pad dimensioned to extend over at least a portion of each of the support members. The support members, the predetermined number of containers and the top pad comprising an assembly, the assembly at least partially encapsulated by the membrane.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Devices for packing and shipping products and/or containers of products are known. Such devices are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles. Often a package is designed to contain a number of different containers, such as several containers of a product, in a single package for delivery from one location to another, such as from a manufacturer to a wholesaler or retail seller. Sometimes the shipping package is also used to display the product once the shipping package is opened at the retail seller.  
           [0002]    In many cases, the package used to ship containers of product from the manufacturer to the retailer is of such type that the containers need to be removed from the package prior to displaying the containers in the retail environment. The need to remove the containers form the package is often time and labor intensive. Additionally, a separate display package may be required to display the package. The display package may be a secondary package inside the shipping package, often resulting in higher costs for the containers.  
           [0003]    Where a package, and the containers it holds, is suitable for transitioning directly from shipping to retail display, the size of the package can be an important factor. Shelf space at the retail environment is very valuable and the retail package must be of proper size to conform to the limited space allocated for display of the package. The need for smaller display packages is increasing as products compete for increasingly limited shelf space.  
           [0004]    The trend toward decreasing the size of the display package poses a problem for the combination shipping package which transforms into a display package. A shipping package must conform to the dynamics required to safely transport product from the manufacturer to the retail environment. The size of the shipping package is important as this package must meet common length and width requirements to be effectively palletized. If the size of the shipping package is too small, it will be become increasingly difficult to palletize and to interlock the layers of shipping packages in the pallet. This will effect the strength and durability of the pallet of product in distribution.  
           [0005]    A smaller shipper also effects the requirements of the secondary packaging machinery at the manufacturing plant for the product. Most secondary packaging machines are designed for speed based on the number of shipping packages produced per minute. If the size of the display package causes the size and container count of the shipper to decrease, it may require a new secondary packaging machine to meet the speed requirements of the container line.  
           [0006]    A smaller shipper is generally more costly than a larger shipper. If the size of the display package causes the shipper to decrease in both size and container count, it may result in a more cost per container for the combination shipping package and display package.  
           [0007]    In addition to a trend toward smaller display packages, there is also a need for a display package to offer full view and access of the container to the consumer. Many display packages which also serve as shipping packages restrict the full view and access of the containers due to use of sides and lids of material, such as cardboard. In order to provide greater view and access to the containers, the cardboard material of such shipping packages must be heavily modified such as by cutting, tearing or otherwise removing one or more flaps, lids or other portions of the package. Such modification of shipping packages is inconvenient and often results in a display device which is aesthetically displeasing and which displays the containers in an undesirable manner. Such cutting of the cardboard to prepare the display may also result in damaged containers that are accidentally cut when the shipping package is modified to become a display package.  
           [0008]    A combination shipping package which transitions to a display package usually offers a cost savings by elimination of a secondary display package and a secondary packaging line specific for a display package.  
           [0009]    There remains a need for a cost effective low-bulk package which is capable of shipping a plurality of containers and transitions to a plurality of smaller display packages without a need for any cutting or tearing of the cardboard or other fairly rigid material of the package, and provides full consumer view and access to the containers, yet also meets the strength, durability, palletizing, and general industry standards for shipping packages of like containers to market.  
           [0010]    Without limiting the scope of the invention, a brief summary of various embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.  
           [0011]    A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a container package assembly which includes a plurality of trays for supporting containers thereon, a top pad which is placed over the containers and at least one layer of encapsulating film which at least partially covers the combination top pad, containers and trays. The package may be used for shipping and, optionally, for retail display.  
           [0013]    In at least one embodiment of the invention, the container package assembly comprises two or more trays which are positioned horizontally adjacent to one another. A plurality of containers are disposed on each tray and a top pad extends atop the containers over at least a portion of each of the trays. The trays, containers and top pad are at least partially encapsulated by a packaging film such as shrink-wrap, stretch-wrap, plastic or other type of thin pliable membrane. The top pad provides stability to the individual containers positioned on the trays during distribution of the shipping package as well as maintaining stability of the entire package by structurally linking the two independent trays.  
           [0014]    The container package assemblies of the present invention desirably are sufficiently stable and strong enough to cope with the rigors of shipping as well as being of a size and bulk which allows the package assemblies to be placed in a retail setting without interfering with the consumer&#39;s ability to view and access the containers contained therein.  
           [0015]    The container package assemblies have sufficient strength and dimensional characteristics to form interlocking layers of packages in a pallet and may be transitioned to a plurality of package assemblies which are sized to be placed in the limited shelf space of the retail setting.  
           [0016]    Typically, the trays comprise a fairly rigid horizontal support surface. Desirably, the trays may have one or more vertical sides or walls to help retain the containers on the horizontal support surface. These side walls function to retain the containers on the horizontal support surfaces during the packaging process, during distribution, and during the transfer of the display package to the retail shelf. The walls may be of uniform height, may be tapered, or may have other configurations.  
           [0017]    The inventive container package assembly may include one or more vertical levels of trays and containers. Where multiple vertical levels of trays are utilized, a single top pad may be placed atop the top layer of containers. It is also within the scope of the invention for a top pad to be placed between each layer of containers and the bottom surface of a vertically adjacent tray.  
           [0018]    The top pad, in accordance with the invention, typically has a surface area equal to or less than the area of the tray positioned thereunder.  
           [0019]    Some embodiments of the invention include encapsulating film which encapsulates less than the entire assembly of trays, containers and top pad.  
           [0020]    The invention is also directed to a method for packaging a plurality of containers comprising the steps of providing a first support member and a second support member adjacent the first support member, the first and second support members having a plurality of containers disposed thereon, placing a top pad on top of the containers, the top pad extending over at least a portion of each of the containers and at least partially encapsulating the support members, the containers and the top pad with a film. Typically, the support members will have three sidewalls and an open side.  
           [0021]    Further aspects of the invention will become apparent form the detailed description which follows.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the drawings in which:  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]    While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated.  
         [0029]    For the purposes of this disclosure, unless otherwise indicated, identical reference numerals used in different figures refer to the same component.  
         [0030]    An embodiment of the inventive container package assembly, is shown generally at  10  in FIG. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the container package assembly  10 , comprises a pair of trays  12 . Each tray  12  includes three side walls  26  and an open side. The trays  12  may be constructed of any material suitable for shipping and displaying containers  14 . For example, the trays may be constructed from cardboard (corrugated or otherwise), press-board, chipboard, SBS board, wood, one or more paper product derivative, plastic, metal or other materials. Preferably, the trays are constructed from a light weight material that may be easily and inexpensively recycled or disposed of. Trays  12 , support a plurality of containers  14  as shown.  
         [0031]    The containers  14 , may be arranged on the trays  12  in any manner desired. For improved stability and strength, the containers are preferably arranged in a uniform pattern of rows and or columns. Such an arrangement has the added benefit of providing ready viewability and ease of access when the trays  12  of containers  14  are placed in a retail environment.  
         [0032]    Once the containers  14  are placed on the trays  12  in a desired arrangement, the top pad  16  is placed on top of the containers  14 . The top pad  16  may have a horizontal surface  20  having an area which extends at least partially over each of the trays  12 . The horizontal surface  20  of the top pad  16  may be greater than, equal to, or less than the area of the combined trays  12  positioned thereunder. Typically, the top pad will have an area slightly less than the combined area of the trays over which the top pad extends. Once the top pad  16  is in place on top of the containers  14 , the combined assembly of trays  12 , containers  14 , and top pad  16  may be in-whole or in-part encapsulated by a film  18 .  
         [0033]    The top pad  16  forms a supporting linkage between the trays  12 . The top pad  16  may further act as a cutting surface once the package  10  is received. The film  18  may be cut and opened, through application of a knife or other cutting means. The presence of the top pad  16  prevents the cutting means from contacting and damaging the containers  14  positioned thereunder. After the film  18  is cut and the package  10  opened, the top pad  16  may then be removed from the containers  14 , and the two independent trays  12  may be used as shelf ready displays.  
         [0034]    The film  18  may be any type of retaining film or material. For example the film  18  may be shrink-wrap, stretch wrap, plastic sheeting or netting, or any other type of retaining material. The film  18  may encapsulate the entire combination of trays  12 , containers  14 , and top pad  16 , such as is shown the embodiment of FIG. 1, or alternatively, the film may have one or more openings  22  therethrough, such as is shown in FIG. 5. The film  18  may be transparent or opaque, however, a transparent film may be more preferable for retail display purposes as it is desirable to allow wholesale or retail consumers to be able to view the containers  14  even when the film  18  is in place.  
         [0035]    As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and  5 , each tray  12  may comprise a horizontal support surface  24  upon which the containers  12  are placed along with three side walls. A three-walled tray provides improved stability while ensuring that the front  28  of the containers  14  is fully exposed for retail viewing. Two of the side walls optionally taper from the back  27  of the tray to the front  29  the tray. The extent of the taper may vary greatly. In accordance with the invention, the side walls may also be of uniform height as shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0036]    The trays for use in the inventive package container assembly also may comprise fewer than three side walls. As shown in FIG. 3, the tray does not include any side walls. In accordance with the invention, the tray may also be provided with two side walls or a single side wall. The inclusion of walls  26  on the trays  12 , may improve the stability of the package  10 , by confining the containers  14  within the confines of the tray  12 . The use of walls  26  may help retain the containers  14  on the trays  12  even when the film  18  is removed.  
         [0037]    A four-walled tray such as is shown in FIG. 4. may also be used. However, if a tray  12  is equipped with four walls  26 , the front wall or lip  30  of the tray  12  is desirably less than the height of the label  32  of the container  14  to ensure proper viewing and ease of access of the containers  14  in a retail display setting.  
         [0038]    As may be seen in FIG. 5, the container package assembly  10  may include more than one level or layer of trays  12 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, four trays  12  of containers  14  are arranged in two levels: a top level  40  and a bottom level  42 . The bottom level  42  comprises two trays  12  of containers  14  arranged horizontally adjacent to one another in the side-by-side fashion previously described. The top level  40  comprises two more trays  12  of containers  14 . The trays  12  of the top level  40  are placed directly on top of the containers  14  of the bottom level  42 . Optionally, a top pad may be inserted between the containers  14  of the bottom level  42  and the trays  12  of the top lever  40 .  
         [0039]    As shown, a top pad  16  is placed on top of the containers  14  of the top level  40 . The entire assembly of trays  12 , containers  14  and top pad  16  is encapsulated in a film  18 . The film  18  may include one or more openings  22 .  
         [0040]    In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the top pad  16  is shown having a horizontal surface  20  which has an area less than the area of the support surface  24  of the trays  12  of the top level  40 . In some embodiments, the horizontal surface  20  of the top pad  16  may have an area larger or smaller than that of the combined support surfaces  24  of a level of trays  12 . In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the surface  20  may have an area about the same as or less than surface  24  of the combined trays  12 . Desirably, the top pad has an area of at least 75% of the combined area of the trays immediately below the top pad.  
         [0041]    The various embodiments shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 , may be configured to accommodate containers  14  of various sizes and shapes. For example, the trays  12  may be sized to hold six containers of  6  and/or  8  oz yogurt cups. Six and eight ounce yogurt cups are traditionally shipped in  12  pack shipping packages, or larger. However, at the store level a twelve-count display may be too large to serve as a shelf-ready display. In the embodiments shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , the package  10  may be used as a twelve-count shipping package which includes two six-count display trays  12  once the film  18  and top pad  16  are removed. In FIG. 5 the package  10  may be used as a twenty four-count shipping package which includes four six-count display trays  12 .  
         [0042]    The sizes, shapes, numbers, and arrangement of the containers  14  illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 5  are shown merely as examples of the types of containers which may be packaged, shipped and displayed by the package assembly described herein. For instance, it may be desirable to configure the trays to hold between 2 and 50 containers each. Furthermore, each tray may be configured to hold equal or unequal numbers of columns and/or rows of containers. The columns and/or rows of containers may have equal or unequal numbers of containers therein. It may be further desirable to provide the containers which have a cylindrical, cubic, or some other geometric shape. Additionally, the containers may be larger in area at the bottom than at the top, or larger in area at the bottom than at the top or of constant area along the length of the container.  
         [0043]    The invention is also directed to a method for packaging a plurality of containers comprising the steps of providing a plurality of support members including a first support member and a second support member adjacent the first support member, the first and second support members having a plurality of containers disposed thereon, placing a top pad on top of the containers, the top pad extending over at least a portion of each of the containers and at least partially encapsulating the support members, the containers and the top pad with a film. Typically, the support members will have three sidewalls and an open side. More generally, any of the support members disclosed herein may be used in the inventive method.  
         [0044]    The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.  
         [0045]    Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim 1 should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below (e.g. claim 4 may be taken as alternatively dependent from claim 3; claim 5 may be taken as alternatively dependent on claim 2, claim 6 may be taken as alternatively dependent from claim 4; claim 7 may be taken as alternatively dependent from claims 6, 5 or 4; etc.).