Abstract:
A shipping container particularly adapted for both displaying goods therein and flattening to a single panel after use is provided herein.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) and 37 C.F.R. 1.78 based upon copending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/791,529 for RETAIL AND RECYCLE READY CONTAINER filed Mar. 15, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates in general to a shipping container apparatus for goods, and, more particularly, to a shipping container apparatus for goods which is ready for unfolding such that it can be easily flattened into a single panel after use such that the container is ready for recycling. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The use of shipping containers is a very common practice. For shipping purposes, these containers are increasingly being used for displaying goods for sale within the containers. After using these containers, they are often stacked on top of each other in a storage place waiting to be crushed upon or after collection for recycling or taken to a landfill. Often, a knife or blade is used to cut the container to dissect the box into pieces to save storage room. Sometimes, the containers are cut and a portion of the container removed such that the container also operates as a display device while goods are still in the container. These practices suffer from many drawbacks including the problems that they are often time consuming, may result in damage to the goods through inadvertent contact with the knife during cutting, as well as dangerous to the individual cutting the box into pieces. The pieces of the container resulting from the cutting may be of various sizes and have irregular shapes and sharp edges, which make the subsequent sorting, stacking, wrapping, or fastening for storage or recycling inconvenient and inefficient. Additionally, cutting a portion of the container using a knife often leads to an unappealing visual display of the product inside the container. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, one aspect of the container described herein provides a shipping container apparatus for goods which is convertible to a flattened single panel without the need of a tool, such as a knife or blade. In another aspect of the container described herein, a structurally sound shipping container apparatus for goods is provided wherein the container has a lid which is detachably secured to a tray. Advantageously, the lid is easily removable and flattenable for purposes of storing or recycling the lid material. 
         [0005]    These and other aspect, objects, and features of the container described herein will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims and drawings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention generally provides a shipping container apparatus ready for unfolding in order to conveniently display the product or goods therein. Preferably, the shipping container apparatus is also convertible to a flattened single panel for storage and/or recycling. Still more preferably, the flattening of the container can be accomplished without the use of any tools including knives or blades. The shipping container apparatus generally comprises: a lid releasably attachable to a tray, wherein the lid has at least one wall member juxtaposed to at least one portion of the tray member. In preferred forms, the wall member has a line of weakness horizontally aligned below a removably attached flap that extends in a direction away from the tray when the lines of weakness are broken. 
         [0007]    In one aspect of containers described herein, the container includes a lid means releasably attached to tray means. The lid means includes at least two parallel lid wall members, each having two half members adjacent to a frangibly integrated partially separable flip member, and one top flap member, wherein said half members and said frangibly integrated partially separable flip members share a first perforation line parallel to lid top member, wherein said frangibly integrated partially separable flip members share a second perforation line overlapping with a folding line vertical to said lid top member between two adjacent lid wall members, and wherein said top flap member articulates from lid top wall member at fold line and is attached to said two frangibly integrated partially separable flip member during said movement; (2) flap opening means for facilitating movement of said half members, said frangibly integrated partially separable flip members, and said top flap member from a substantially closed position to a substantially open position; and (3) tray means for holding and displaying said goods, said tray means having a bottom panel member and at least one tray wall member. 
         [0008]    Each of said two parallel lid wall members of the lid of said shipping container apparatus have two half members that include at least one frangibly integrated separable member, said frangibly integrated separable member surrounded by a fully frangible third perforation line encircling a periphery of said at least one frangibly integrated separable member to enable complete separation of said at least one frangibly integrated separable member from said at least one lid wall member. Said frangibly integrated separable member of the shipping apparatus may be separated from said lid wall member and forms at least one handle aperture through said at least one lid wall member of said lid means. In one embodiment, each of said two parallel lid wall members of said shipping container apparatus has two half members including one frangibly integrated separable member, such that each of the two halves of said lid wall member has half of a configuration of said frangibly integrated separable member; specifically said fully frangible third perforation line encircling a periphery of said frangibly integrated separable member is configured as substantially round, oval or any other shape. Said frangibly integrated separable member may be separated from said lid wall member and forms one handle aperture through said at least one lid wall member of said lid means, wherein each of the two halves of said lid wall member has half of a configuration of said handle aperture. 
         [0009]    In one example of the shipping container apparatus, said flap opening means is at least integrated in said lid means for facilitating movement of said half members, said frangibly integrated partially separable flip members, and said top flap member, from a substantially closed position to a substantially open position. Said flap opening means comprises: (1) prompting said at least one frangibly integrated separable member, such that said frangibly integrated separable member separates from a fully frangible third perforation line to create a handle aperture; wherein said handle aperture has the same configuration and with substantially same size as the frangibly integrated separable member, such that two, three, four, six or eight fingers of an average person to fit in; (2) pulling the periphery line of said handle aperture and exerting force enough to break the said first perforation line, such that said two half members adjacent to said frangibly integrated partially separable flip member are movable; and (3) pulling said frangibly integrated partially separable flip member on the side with broken said first perforation line, such that said second perforation line overlapping with said folding line vertical to said lid top member between two adjacent lid wall members is broken, wherein said frangibly integrated partially separable flip members are moveable, and wherein said frangibly integrated partially separable flip members are attached to said top tap member during the movement. In some examples, said flap opening means may further comprise spreading all said half members, said top flap member attached frangibly integrated partially separable flip members and unfolding said opposing lid side walls, such that all facets of said lid means are laid flat in a single panel in one dimension. 
         [0010]    Said at least one top flap member of said shipping container apparatus has a substantially inverted trapezoidal configuration. In one example, said top flap member has a height slightly shorter than or equivalent to the height of said frangibly integrated partially separable flip member. 
         [0011]    In one example, said lid means of the shipping container apparatus has a substantially rectangular configuration. Similarly, said tray means of the shipping container apparatus has a substantially rectangular configuration as well. In one specific example, said lid means has two side wall members, a front wall member, and a back wall member; whereas said tray means has two side wall members, a front wall member, and a back wall member. In one specific example of the shipping container apparatus in which said lid means includes opposing lid front wall member and lid back wall member, each of said lid front wall member and lid back wall member including a corresponding frangibly integrated separable member; and said tray means includes two opposing lid front wall members and lid back wall members, each of said lid front wall members and lid back wall members including a corresponding frangibly integrated separable member, each said frangibly integrated separable member of said tray means overlaps with corresponding frangibly integrated separable member of lid means; wherein removal of corresponding frangibly integrated separable member of said lid means and tray means forms a handle aperture enabling carrying the goods in said shipping apparatus comprising both said lid means and said tray means; wherein said lid means is positioned attachable to at least a corresponding portion of said tray means, and wherein said lid means is positionable over or inside said tray means. 
         [0012]    Said lid means and said tray means of said shipping container apparatus may be constructed from corrugated paperboard materials. Further, said top flap member articulates from lid top wall member at a fold line and is attached to said two frangibly integrated partially separable flip members using an adhesive capable of effecting a paperboard to paperboard bond disposed between. Said adhesive may comprise a cold resin adhesive, and said cold resin adhesive may comprise a polyvinyl acetate adhesive. Alternatively, said adhesive comprises a hot-melt type adhesive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  of the drawings is an exploded perspective view of a shipping container embodying the present invention and having an erected lid means and tray means, showing, in particular, the lid means comprising all members in a substantially closed position, with a portion of the top flap broken away to show the adhesive. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  of the drawings is a perspective view of the lid means with a few partially separable members in a substantially open position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  of the drawings is a perspective view of the lid means with all partially separable members in a substantially open position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  of the drawings is a perspective view of a blank for forming the lid means. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The embodiments of the invention described herein are illustrative of the present invention and are not meant to be limiting. 
         [0018]    One preferred embodiment of the present shipping container apparatus  20  is shown in  FIGS. 1-4  as comprising lid means  50 . Lid means  50 , releasably attachable to tray means  30 , includes two opposing lid side wall members  52 , lid front wall member  56  comprising two half members  56   a  and  56   b , and lid back wall member  57  comprising two half members  57   a  and  57   b . Each of the lid front wall member  56  and the lid back wall member  57  includes side folding lines  58 . Each of the lid front wall member  56  and the lid back wall member  57  further includes a top flap member  60 , articulating from lid top wall member  53  at fold line  51 . Each of the lid front wall half members  56   a  and  56   b , and each of the lid back wall half members  57   a  and  57   b  is adjacent to a frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b , respectively. The two frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b  each comprises a side folding line with perforation  62  vertical to the lid top wall member  53 , a bottom perforation line  64  parallel to the folding line  51 , and the perforation line  64  is shared by  63   a  (and  63   b ) and  56   a  (and  56   b ) at the lid front wall member side. Similarly, the perforation line  64  at the lid back wall member side is shared by  63   a  (and  63   b ) and  57   a  (and  57   b ). 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , each of the lid front wall member  56  and the lid back wall member  57  further includes one frangibly integrated separable member  65 , surrounded by a fully frangible perforation line  66 . Frangibly integrated separable member  65  is so positioned such that each of the two halves of lid front wall member  56  and lid back wall member  57  has half of the configuration of this frangibly integrated separable member  65 . 
         [0020]    As shown in detail in  FIG. 1 , adhesive  90 , capable of effecting a paperboard to paperboard bond, is disposed between and affixes the top flap member  60  of lid means  50  to frangibly integrated partially separable members  63   a  and  63   b  of each of the lid front wall member  56  and the lid back wall member  57 . Adhesive  90  is preferably a cold resin adhesive, such as a polyvinyl acetate adhesive, or a hot-melt type adhesive. 
         [0021]    As shown in detail in  FIGS. 1-3 , top flap member  60  has a substantially inverted trapezoidal configuration. The diagonal sides of this configuration serve to make perforated folding line  62  and perforated line  64  visible, as compared, for instance, to vertical sides of the configuration, which are likely to cover the lines underneath or close to the outskirt of flap member  60 . The distance between the perforated line  64  and the folding line  51  is comparable to ½ of the width of the lid front and back wall member  56  and  57 , or equivalent to the width of the lid front or back wall half member  56   a ,  56   b ,  57   a  or  57   b.    
         [0022]    As shown in detail in  FIG. 1 , frangibly integrated separable member  65  and its surrounding fully frangible perforation line  66  has a circle configuration to create a handle aperture  67 . The handle aperture  67  may be of substantially round, oval or any other shape with a size such that two, three, four, six or eight fingers of an average person can fit in and pull the edge of the periphery line of handle aperture  67  and exert force enough to break the perforation line  64 . 
         [0023]    Lid means  50  further includes flap opening means for facilitating movement of half members of lid front and back wall member  56   a ,  56   b ,  57   a  and  57   b , and frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b  of both lid front and back wall member  56  and  57  from their substantially closed position ( FIG. 1 ) to their substantially open position ( FIGS. 2-4 ) while two frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b  are attached to top flap member  60  by adhesive  90  before and after the movement. In this preferred embodiment, the flap opening means comprise prompting frangibly integrated separable member  65 , which articulates from a fully frangible perforation line  66  of each of lid front and back wall member  56  and  57 . By pulling upon the handle aperture  67  on the lid front wall member  56  with force sufficient to break perforation line  64 , member halves  56   a  and  56   b  are enabled to move from their substantially closed position to its substantially opened position, each has association with lid means  50  though folding line  58 . The flap opening means of lid means  50  further comprises pulling upon the top flap member  60  attached frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b  on the broken perforation line  64  to further break the perforated folding line  62 , such that member  63   a  and  63   b  on the lid front wall member  56  are moved from their substantially closed position (see  FIGS. 1-2 ) to its substantially opened position ( FIG. 3-4 ), with association with lid means  50  through folding line  51  through attachment to top flap member  60  by adhesive. Using similar means, first by pulling upon the handle aperture  67  on the lid back wall member  57  with force sufficient to break perforation line  64 , member halves  57   a  and  57   b  are moved from their substantially closed position to its substantially opened position, each has association with lid means  50  though folding line  58 . The flap opening means of lid means  50  further comprises pulling upon the top flap member  60  attached frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b  on the broken perforation line  64  to further break the perforated folding line  62 , such that member  63   a  and  63   b  on the lid back wall member  57  are moved from their substantially closed position (see  FIGS. 1-2 ) to its substantially opened position ( FIG. 3-4 ), with association with lid means  50  through folding line  51  through attachment to tope flap member  60  by adhesive. 
         [0024]    Once both front and end frangibly integrated partially separable flip member  63   a  and  63   b  have in turn been moved to their substantially open position from their substantially closed position, and both lid front and back wall member half members  56   a ,  56   b ,  57   a  and  57   b  have in turn been moved to their substantially open position from their substantially closed position, as seen in  FIG. 4  lid means  50 , formerly in a configuration affixable to tray means  30 , may be opened up, spread all half members  56   a ,  56   b ,  57   a , and  57   b ; said top flap member  60  attached frangibly integrated partially separable flip members  63   a  and  63   b , and unfolding opposing lid side walls  52 , such that all facets of said lid means are laid flat in a single panel in one dimension ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0025]    Tray means  30  and lid means  50  are both preferably constructed from a corrugated paperboard material. Similar to lid means  50  in  FIG. 1 , tray means  30  includes tray bottom panel member  31 , two opposing tray side wall members  32 , tray front wall member  36 , and tray back wall member  37 . Lid means  50  is positionable over or inside and thus attachable to at least a portion of tray means  30 , such that the tray side wall members  32 , tray front wall member  36  and tray back wall member  37  may sit either outside or inside of the lid means  50  in various embodiments. Lid means  50  is thus securely affixable to tray means  30  so as to cover goods during shipping and storage of apparatus  20 . Tray means  30  carries goods, which are covered during shipping and storage by attachable lid means  50 . 
         [0000]    In some embodiments of tray means  30 , a similar frangibly integrated separable member  65 ′, which articulates from a fully frangible perforation line  66 ′ of each of tray front and back wall member  36  and  37  may be alternatively or additionally integrally included such that a handle aperture  67 ′ is formed through tray front and side wall member  36  and  37  and at corresponding positions of lid front and back wall member  56  and  57  such that handle aperture  67  included in the lid means  50  and handle aperture  67 ′ included in the tray means  30  overlap, after separating frangibly integrated separable member  65 ′ included in tray front and back wall member  36  and  37 . The overlapped handle aperture  67  included in the lid means  50  and handle aperture  67 ′ included in the tray means  30  provides a means for carrying the goods in the shipping apparatus  20  comprising both the lid means  50  and the tray means  30 . 
         [0026]    The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.