Abstract:
A container for storing and displaying produce made from a blank having a variety of side panels, top panels, and bottom panels. The various side panels are arranged such that one of the side panels and its associated top panel are attached to the adjoining side panels via separable perforation lines. Additionally, the two major top panels or designed to form an overlap area that helps prevent any sealing elements from contact any other panels thereby affecting the opening aspect of this container. As such, the top panel and the side panel may be easily pulled away from the rest of the container thereby providing easy access to the contents container therein. Once pulled away from the rest of the container, the top panel and the side panel may be folded around such that they form a leaning support for the container or removed altogether.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to shipping and display containers and blanks. Specifically, the present invention relates to a shipping container and blank for a shipping and display container that includes an easy opening feature. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0002]     This invention is best understood from the following detailed description 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 the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in these drawings are the following figures:  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary container blank;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the partially assembled container made from the container blank of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a more fully erect container formed from the container blank depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0006]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 3  in a partially opened or closed state;  
         [0007]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an aspect of the present invention; and,  
         [0008]      FIG. 6  is another perspective view of yet another aspect of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0009]     The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying FIGURES. The present invention is directed to a blank  20  and container  50  that utilizes a unique opening feature that allows easy access to a product (not shown) contained therein. One suitable embodiment of the blank  20  and container  50  that is constructed in accordance with aspects of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . Specific details of the blank  20  and the resulting container  50  are 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 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.  
         [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  28  when the container  50  has been erected. The upward direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel  28  that corresponds to the inner surface of the bottom panel when the container  50  has been erected.  
         [0012]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the blank  20  includes first side panels  22  and second side panels  24 . One of the first side panels  22  is attached or coupled with one of the second side panels  24  along a fold line  27 . The other first side panel  22  is connected to both second side panels  24  along perforation lines  35 . One of the first side panels  22  may include a manufacturer&#39;s joint panel  38  that is connected to the first side panel along a fold line  25 . Alternatively, it will be appreciated that the manufacture&#39;s joint panel  38  may be attached to one of the second side panel  24  (not shown). The first side panel  22  additionally includes a first bottom panel  28  attached along a fold line  23 . Further, one first side panel  22  includes a first top panel  32  connected along a fold line  21 . Additionally, the other first side panel  22  is connected with a third top panel  36  along a fold line  37 .  
         [0013]     The first top panel  32  and the third top panel  36  are of slightly different size. Specifically, in one embodiment the first top panel  32  is slightly larger than the third top panel  36 . Conversely, in an alternative exemplary embodiment, the third top panel  36  may be slightly larger than the first top panel  32 . In either case, the purpose of the respective size difference is to produce an overlap area  39  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ) between the two panels. In this manner, when the container  50  is “sealed” the first top panel  32  and the third top panel  36  may be sealed such that the second top panels do not contact any of the sealing material. As will be described in more detail below, this will allow the first top panel  32  and the third top panel  36  to move independent from the second top panels  34 .  
         [0014]     The second side panel  24  includes a second bottom panel  30  attached along a fold line  29 . Additionally the second side panel includes a second top panel  34  attached to the second side panel along a fold line  31 . The second top panel may include a profile cut thereby reducing the overall length of the second top panel relative to the second side panel  24  some distance a measured along the fold line  31 . The profile cut may be of any geometric shape. In on exemplary embodiment the profile cut is such that it leaves a first top panel extension  42 .  
         [0015]     With regard to the first side panel  22  that is connected to both the second side panels  24 , and is bounded by perforation lines  35 , this first side panel  22  includes a hand hold cut-out  40  formed at least partially within the third top panel  36 . Additionally or alternatively, the hand hold cutout  40  may also be formed in this specific first side panel  22  (not shown). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this specific first side panel  22 , first top panel  32  and hand hold cut-out  40  are configured to allow the container to be opened more quickly and easily, as will be discussed in more detail below.  
         [0016]     With respect to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an exemplary embodiment of the erection of the container  50  is disclosed. Initially the first side panels  22  and second side panels  24  are folded around their respective fold lines and perforation lines such that the manufacturer&#39;s joint panel  38  is brought juxtaposed a portion of one of the second side panels  24  (or first side panels  22 , depending upon original arrangement). The manufacturer&#39;s joint panel  38  may be coupled to the respective panel via any means known in the art, such as, without limitation, adhesives or mechanical fasteners or combinations thereof. Subsequently, the second bottom panels  30  may be folded upwardly approximately 90 degrees along a fold line  29 . Then the first bottom panels  28  may be folded inwardly or upwardly approximately 90 degrees along a fold line  23 . This arrangement is best shown in  FIG. 2 , wherein the bottom of the container  50  is shown as being substantially closed. These panels may be taped or otherwise joined together such as to seal off the bottom of the container. At this stage the container  50  is ready for filling of product (not shown).  
         [0017]     Once the product (not shown) is placed into the container  50 , the various top panels may be closed to seal the container. As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the second side panels  34  may be folded inwardly approximately 90 degrees along a fold line  31 . Subsequently, the first top panel  32  may be folded inwardly along a fold line  21  to substantially close the container. Again the first top panel  32  may be taped or otherwise adhered to the third top panel  36  such that the container  50  effectively sealed in a manner such that the tape or other sealing element only contacts the first top panel  32  or the third top panel  36 . However, it will be appreciated that the unique design of this blank  20  and container  50  is unique is unique in that the overlap area  39  helps prevents the tape or spot gluing (not shown) from contacting the second top panels  34  or the product container therein.  
         [0018]     With respect to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , various aspects of the easy opening feature of this container  50  are depicted. Specifically, hand hold  40  may be punched out in any suitable manner, thereby allowing the user to grasp the first top panel  32  and one of the first side panels  22 . By applying a reasonable force to the hand hold  40 , the user may separate the first side panel  22  separate from the second side panels  24  along perforation lines  35 . As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the first top panel  32  and first side panel  22  may then be folded around fold line  23  such that the respective panels prop up the remaining portion of the container.  
         [0019]     Additionally, in an alternative embodiment, the one specific fold line  23  that lies between the perforation lines  35  may also be a perforation line. As such, as best seen in  FIG. 6 , the entire first top panel  32  and first side panel  22  may be completely removed from the rest of the container  50 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that either of these arrangements are within the scope of this invention.  
         [0020]     As further seen in  FIG. 6 , an optional divider panel  44  may be employed. The divider panel is well known in the industry as such that a detailed description is not necessary herein in order for those skilled in the art to appreciate the spirit and scope of this invention.  
         [0021]     As noted above, the overall geometry of the various panels is not to be limited by the FIGURES. Specifically, the first side panels  22  are depicted as being rectangular; however, the first side panels may be any other geometric shape is without exceeding the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, without limitation, the first side panels may be square. Likewise, the second side panels  24  may be taller or longer as the need arises. It will be appreciated that the geometry of the various top panels and bottom panels will be adjusted accordingly. Such modifications are within one skilled in the art and as such will not be discussed in detail herein.  
         [0022]     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.