Patent Publication Number: US-6986457-B2

Title: Plastic corrugated case

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a case for containers. More particularly, the invention relates to a shipping and display case for containers. 
     The problem of shipping and displaying containers such as, for example, plastic bottles safely and inexpensively has resulted in the use of various containers or cases. For example, simple cardboard boxes having punch out areas that are removed at the point of sale so that the contents of the boxes can be seen by potential customers are commonly used. However, these cardboard boxes have the disadvantage of needing the punch out areas removed at the point of sale, resulting in a display case having reduced strength and the creation of waste material that must be disposed of. In addition, the strength of cardboard boxes can be greatly reduced if they become wet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a shipping and display case that has particular advantages over known display cases. For example, embodiments of the invention provide a strong, light and inexpensive shipping and display case for plastic bottles such as those containing motor oil. Particular embodiments of the invention provide a shipping and display case made from two extruded plastic sheets that interlock using beads formed along the edges of one sheet and grooves formed along the edges of the other sheet. 
     Particular embodiments of the invention provide a packaging case for containing at least one container. The case has a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet forms a first vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first bead and a second edge with a second bead, the second edge being opposite the first edge, a first horizontal panel of the case having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a second vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first bead and a second edge with a second bead, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The second sheet connects to the first sheet and forms a third vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first groove and a second edge with a second groove, the second edge being opposite the first edge, a second horizontal panel of the case having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a fourth vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first groove and a second edge with a second groove, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The first bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the fourth vertical panel, the second bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the third vertical panel, the first bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the fourth vertical panel, and the second bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the third vertical panel. 
     Other embodiments of the invention provide a shipping and display system having a plurality of containers and a case. The case has a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet forms a first vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first bead and a second edge with a second bead, the second edge being opposite the first edge, a first horizontal panel of the case having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a second vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first bead and a second edge with a second bead, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The second sheet connects to the first sheet and forms a third vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first groove and a second edge with a second groove, the second edge being opposite the first edge, a second horizontal panel of the case having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a fourth vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first groove and a second edge with a second groove, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The first bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the fourth vertical panel, the second bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the third vertical panel, the first bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the fourth vertical panel, and the second bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the third vertical panel. The plurality of containers are contained within the case. 
     Other embodiments of the invention provide a method of making a packaging case. The case has a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet forms a first vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first bead and a second edge with a second bead, the second edge being opposite the first edge, a first horizontal panel of the case having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a second vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first bead and a second edge with a second bead, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The second sheet connects to the first sheet and forms a third vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first groove and a second edge with a second groove, the second edge being opposite the first edge, a second horizontal panel of the case having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a fourth vertical panel of the case having a first edge with a first groove and a second edge with a second groove, the second edge being opposite the first edge. The first bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the fourth vertical panel, the second bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the third vertical panel, the first bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the fourth vertical panel, and the second bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the third vertical panel. The method includes extruding the first sheet from plastic, extruding the second sheet from plastic, and assembling the first and second sheets. The first and second sheets are assembled such that the first bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the fourth vertical panel, the second bead of the first vertical panel connects to the second groove of the third vertical panel, the first bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the fourth vertical panel, and the second bead of the second vertical panel connects to the first groove of the third vertical panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is explained below in further detail with the aid of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a first sheet of a case in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view along section line II—II in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a second sheet of a case in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the second sheet shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view along section line V—V in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed view of a connection between two sheets of a case in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIGS.  7  and  8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is explained in the following with the aid of the drawings in which like reference numbers represent like elements. 
     The Figures show an example of a case in accordance with the invention configured to hold, for example, a plurality of plastic bottles.  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a first sheet  10  and  FIGS. 3-5  show a second sheet  20  that, when assembled together, form a shipping and display case in accordance with the invention. The sheets can be manufactured, for example, out of HDPE flake. Virgin flake, post-industrial flake, or a mixture of the two can be used. Other materials can be blended with the flake, such as, for example, colorant or calcium carbonate. As shown in  FIG. 1 , first sheet  10  has a first vertical panel  210 , a first horizontal panel  110  and a second vertical panel  220 . It is noted that the descriptive names given to the various panels relate to their position after assembly of the case, and not to their orientation in FIG.  1 . For example, first vertical panel  210  and second vertical panel  220  are in substantially vertical positions after the case is assembled. First vertical panel  210  has a first edge  211  and a second edge  212 . In this example, a first bead  213  is located at first edge  211  and a second bead  214  is located at second edge  212 . Similarly, second vertical panel  220  has a first edge  221  with a first bead  223  and a second edge  222  with a second bead  224 . First horizontal panel  110  has a first edge  111  and a second edge  112 . In some embodiments, first horizontal panel  110  has a first bead  113  at first edge  111  and a second bead  114  at second edge  112 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a cross section of sheet  10  taken along section line II—II in FIG.  1 . As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , first bead  113  and second bead  114  are portions that are thicker than a main portion of first horizontal panel  110 . Beads  213 ,  214 ,  223 ,  224  can be similar to beads  113 ,  114 . 
     As will be discussed below, some or all of beads  113 ,  114 ,  213 ,  214 ,  223 ,  224  interact with corresponding grooves in second sheet  20 . In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , first beads  213 ,  113 ,  223  are colinear when first sheet  10  is laid flat. Similarly, in this example, second beads  214 ,  114 ,  224  are colinear when first sheet  10  is laid flat. However, it is conceivable that other embodiments of the invention could provide beads that are not colinear along the entire edge of first sheet  10 . In addition, particular embodiments may not include first bead  113  and/or second bead  114 . 
       FIG. 1  also shows openings  17 ,  18 ,  19  in first vertical panel  210 , first horizontal panel  110  and second vertical panel  220 , respectively. Openings  17 ,  18 ,  19  can be left open or can be covered with, for example, a transparent plastic film to protect the contents of the case while still allowing the contents to be viewed from outside the case. By using a material such as, for example, plastic to form first vertical panel  210 , first horizontal panel  110  and second vertical panel  220 , first sheet  10  can be sufficiently strong once assembled with second sheet  20  to allow openings  17 ,  18 ,  19  to be created prior to the case being shipped with its contents. By allowing openings  17 ,  18 ,  19  to be formed prior to use of the case, the material removed from first vertical panel  210 , first horizontal panel  110  and second vertical panel  220  to form openings  17 ,  18 ,  19  can be recycled more efficiently. While the Figures show first sheet  10  having three openings  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and second sheet  20  having no openings, it is noted that fewer or more than three openings can be provided. For example, second sheet  20  can have openings on one or both of third vertical panel  230  and fourth vertical panel  240 . 
     The cross section of first sheet  10 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is uniform along the entire length of first sheet  10  except for openings  17 ,  18 ,  19 . This allows first sheet  10  to be formed by extrusion, resulting in relatively low manufacturing costs. 
       FIGS. 3-5  show an example of second sheet  20  that can be assembled with first sheet  10  to form the case. As shown in  FIG. 3 , second sheet  20  has a third vertical panel  230 , a second horizontal panel  120  and a fourth vertical panel  240 . As in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  shows a plan view in which the sheet is laid flat. Third vertical panel  230  has a first edge  231  and a second edge  232 . A first groove  233  is located along first edge  231  and a second groove  234  is located along second edge  232 . Similarly, fourth vertical panel  240  has a first edge  241  having a first groove  243  and a second edge  242  having a second groove  244 . Second horizontal panel  120  has a first edge  121  and a second edge  122 . In particular embodiments, first edge  121  has a first groove  123  and second edge  122  has a second groove  124 . As will be discussed further below, various ones of first grooves  233 ,  123 ,  243  and second grooves  234 ,  124 ,  244  connect with various ones of first beads  213 ,  113 ,  223  and second beads  214 ,  114 ,  224  when the case is assembled. 
     In this example, second sheet  20  has a plurality, in this case three, ridges  28  for providing improved rigidity of second sheet  20 . Also provided are handles in the form of openings  29  in third vertical panel  230  and fourth vertical panel  240 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a detail of the bead/groove connection between a first vertical panel  210 ′ and a third vertical panel  230 ′ of a preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, third vertical panel  230 ′ has a normal wall section  235  and a thickened wall section  236 . Thickened wall section  236  provides increased strength along the edges of third vertical panel  230 ′ in order to better support the connection of first bead  213 ′ and first groove  233 ′. While the structure shown in  FIG. 6  of third vertical panel  230 ′ may be more complicated than the structure of third vertical panel  230  shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , it is still possible to form third vertical panel  230 ′ by an extrusion process. Therefore, it can be manufactured relatively inexpensively. Thickened wall section  236  can also provide an interlocking feature for greater stacking stability during shipping and storing. 
       FIGS. 7-9  show an example of a case  5  assembled from first sheet  10  and second sheet  20 .  FIG. 7  is a side view of case  5  looking directly at first vertical panel  210  of first sheet  10 . First horizontal panel  110  of first sheet  10  forms the top of case  5  and second vertical panel  220  of first sheet  10  forms the back of case  5  (not visible in FIG.  7 ). Third vertical panel  230  of second sheet  20  forms the right side of case  5 , second horizontal panel  120  of second sheet  20  forms the bottom of case  5  and fourth vertical panel  240  of second sheet  20  forms the left side of case  5 .  FIG. 8  shows the connection at the four vertical edges of case  5  between the various beads and grooves of first sheet  10  and second sheet  20 . It is noted that, in this example, there are no horizontal connections between any of the beads and grooves. Because the interaction between first sheet  10  and second sheet  20 , in this example, results in no horizontal connections between any of the beads and grooves, it is possible to omit first bead  113  and second bead  114  of first horizontal panel  110  and first groove  123  and second groove  124  of second horizontal panel  120 . However, in the interest of manufacturing efficiency, these beads and grooves are preferably formed even though they may not be used in forming a connection between first sheet  10  and second sheet  20 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  show case  5  containing a plurality, in this example  12 , plastic bottles  400  having tops  410 . One of the considerations when designing a plastic bottle is the bottle&#39;s ability to support top loading during stacking and shipping. In particular embodiments of the invention, case  5  is designed for use with a particular number of a specific bottle  400  so that the entire system (case  5  plus bottles  400 ) provide the required top load strength. By using both bottles  400  and case  5  to provide a portion of the total top load strength required, it is possible to reduce the top load strength required by each bottle  400 . For example the case  5  can provide support for more than 10% or more than 20% of the top load force. By reducing the top load strength required for each bottle  400 , each bottle  400  can be produced using less plastic material and, therefore, less expensively. 
     The invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The invention, therefore, is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention.