Patent Publication Number: US-10759555-B2

Title: Method for forming a shipping container convertible into a dispenser container or a display tray

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a divisional application of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/599,224, filed on Jan. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,994,344, which claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/929,823, filed on Jan. 21, 2014, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The embodiments described herein relate generally to a blank assembly for forming a container from sheet material, and more particularly to methods for forming a shipping container from a blank assembly that is convertible into a dispenser container or a display tray. 
     Containers fabricated from paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard material are often used to store and transport goods. These containers can include four-sided containers, six-sided containers, eight-sided containers, bulk bins and/or various size corrugated boxes. Such containers are usually formed from blanks of sheet material that are folded along a plurality of preformed fold lines to form an erected corrugated container. In some cases, these containers can be used to ship goods, and then be used to display the goods at a merchant&#39;s store or business after the goods have been shipped to the merchant. 
     The practice of displaying goods for sale within their shipping containers is widespread, especially at outlet stores and supermarkets. This practice allows merchants of the goods to quickly move the goods from a dock or storage area and onto store shelves for display to consumers without arrangement of the stored products to the shelf. Often, a knife is used to cut away a top portion of a shipping container, in order to convert the shipping container into a display tray for the enclosed goods. This practice is often time consuming, may result in damage to the goods through inadvertent contact with the knife during this cutting, as well as dangerous to the individual cutting the box down into a tray. Moreover, this practice often results in a display tray having a ragged, unappealing visual appearance. 
     Furthermore, different merchants may have different size shelving or space allotment for particular goods. Such convertible containers may not fit within such allotment in their intended orientation, requiring that the products be removed from the container and arranged on the shelf. Moreover, a merchant may want to display a greater portion of the container to the consumer than is conventionally displayed with known convertible shipping containers. Finally, consumers may want a more convenient and efficient method of removing the product from the container than what is known in conventional convertible shipping containers. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to have a convertible shipping container that provides various configurations and orientations to fit space allotments and shelving sizes for various merchants, displays a greater portion of the container to the consumer, and provides for more convenient removal of the product from the container 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     In one aspect, a convertible shipping container for goods is provided. The convertible shipping container includes a tray portion that includes a first wall. The first wall is configured to be oriented as a front wall of the convertible shipping container in a first display configuration and as a bottom wall of the convertible shipping container in a second display configuration. The convertible shipping container also includes a cover portion removably coupled to the tray portion such that the cover portion is coupled to the tray portion in the first display configuration and is detachable from the tray portion to form the second display configuration. 
     In another aspect, a method for forming a convertible shipping container for goods is provided. The method includes forming a tray portion from a tray blank. The tray portion includes a first wall. The method also includes removably coupling a cover portion to the tray portion and selectively orienting the tray portion in one of a first display configuration and a second display configuration. The first wall is configured to be oriented as a front wall of the convertible shipping container in the first display configuration, and as a bottom wall of the convertible shipping container in the second display configuration. The cover portion is coupled to the tray portion in the first display configuration and is detachable from the tray portion to form the second display configuration. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exterior view of an example embodiment of a tray blank of sheet material that may be used to form the shipping dispenser container described herein. 
         FIG. 2  is an exterior view of an example embodiment of a cover blank of sheet material that may be used with the blank shown in  FIG. 1  to form the shipping dispenser container described herein. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of a shipping dispenser container formed by the blanks shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a gravity-feed configuration. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shipping dispenser container shown in  FIG. 3  in a display tray configuration. 
         FIG. 5  is perspective view of the shipping dispenser container shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  during an example packing process. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The following detailed description illustrates the shipping container selectively convertible into a dispenser container or a display tray (referred to herein as the “shipping dispenser container”) by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the shipping dispenser container, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the shipping dispenser container, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the shipping dispenser container. 
     The present disclosure provides a container formed from a blank assembly of sheet material. The blank assembly includes a tray blank and a cover blank that are coupled together to form a container, sometimes referred to as a Retail Ready Package (RRP), that includes a tray portion and a cover portion. In the example embodiment, the shipping dispenser container is configured to be used as a shipping container that can be converted into a display tray configuration or into a gravity-feed dispenser configuration. Accordingly, as used herein, the container is referred to as the “RRP shipping dispenser container” or the “shipping dispenser container.” The shipping dispenser container described herein is sometimes referred to as a four-sided RRP container, but any number of sides of a container could be formed including, but not limited to, an eight-sided or a six-sided container. 
     In one embodiment, the shipping dispenser container is fabricated from a paperboard material, such as one of a corrugated paperboard material, a folding carton paperboard material, or a combination of corrugated and folding carton paperboard material. The shipping dispenser container, however, may be fabricated using any suitable material, and therefore is not limited to a specific type of material. In alternative embodiments, the shipping dispenser container is fabricated using cardboard, fiberboard, paperboard, foamboard, corrugated paper, and/or any suitable material known to those skilled in the art and guided by the teachings herein provided. The shipping dispenser container may have any suitable size, shape, and/or configuration, whether such sizes, shapes, and/or configurations are described and/or illustrated herein. Further, different embodiments described here can vary in size and/or dimensions. The shipping dispenser container may also include lines of perforation for removal of a portion of the container for displaying articles for sale. 
     In an example embodiment, the shipping dispenser container includes at least one marking thereon including, without limitation, indicia that communicates the product, a manufacturer of the product, and/or a seller of the product. For example, the marking may include printed text that indicates a product&#39;s name and briefly describes the product, logos and/or trademarks that indicate a manufacturer and/or seller of the product, and/or designs and/or ornamentation that attract attention. “Printing,” “printed,” and/or any other form of “print” as used herein may include, but is not limited to including, ink jet printing, laser printing, screen printing, giclée, pen and ink, painting, offset lithography, flexography, relief print, rotogravure, dye transfer, and/or any suitable printing technique known to those skilled in the art and guided by the teachings herein provided. In another embodiment, the shipping dispenser container is void of markings, such as, without limitation, indicia that communicates the product, a manufacturer of the product, and/or a seller of the product. 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is an exterior view of an example embodiment of a tray blank  100  of sheet material that may be used to form the shipping dispenser container described herein. As explained below in more detail, tray blank  100  is coupled to another blank (a cover blank  200 , shown in  FIG. 2 ) to form a blank assembly that is used to form a shipping dispenser container  300  (shown in  FIGS. 3-5 ). Tray blank  100  includes an exterior side  102  and an interior side  104 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , tray blank  100  includes a series of aligned side panels and end panels connected together by a plurality of preformed, generally parallel, fold lines. Specifically, the side panels include a first side panel  106 , an end panel  108 , and a second side panel  110  connected in series along a pair of fold lines  112  and  114 . First side panel  106  extends from a free edge  116  to fold line  112 , end panel  108  extends between first and second side panels  106  and  110  from fold line  112  to fold line  114 , and second side panel  110  extends from end panel  108  at fold line  114  to a second free edge  118 . 
     A first side flap  120  and a second side flap  122  extend from opposing edges of first side panel  106 . More specifically, first side flap  120  and second side flap  122  extend from first side panel  106  along a pair of opposing preformed, generally parallel, fold lines  124  and  126 , respectively. Similarly, a third side flap  128  and a fourth side flap  130  extend from opposing edges of second side panel  110 . More specifically, third side flap  128  and fourth side flap  130  extend from second side panel  110  along a pair of opposing preformed, generally parallel, fold lines  132  and  134 , respectively. Fold lines  124 ,  126 ,  132 , and  134  are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to fold lines  112  and  114 . Free edges  116  and  118  are oriented obliquely with respect to fold lines  112 ,  114 ,  124 ,  126 ,  132 , and  134  such that first side flap  120  and third side flap  128  each have a width  136  taken along a central horizontal axis  138  of tray blank  100  that is greater than a width  140  of second side flap  122  and fourth side flap  130 , also taken along central horizontal axis  138 . 
     First side flap  120  and second side flap  122  each include a free edge  142  or  144 , respectively. Similarly, third side flap  128  and fourth side flap  130  each include a free edge  146  or  148 , respectively. First side flap  120  and third side flap  128  each include an arcuate edge  150 . Each arcuate edge  150  extends inwardly from free edge  142  or  146  towards axis  138 . The shape, size, and arrangement of side flaps  120 ,  122 ,  128 , and  130  as shown in  FIG. 1  and described above facilitates forming a rectangular shipping dispenser container  300  having cutouts, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a first end flap  152  and a second end flap  154  extend from opposing edges of end panel  108 . More specifically, first end flap  152  and second end flap  154  extend from end panel  108  along a pair of opposing preformed, generally parallel, fold lines  156  and  158 , respectively. End panel  108  further includes a removable panel  160  extending from fold line  156  inwardly toward axis  138  to a perforated line  162 . In the example embodiment, fold line  156  is also perforated and fold lines  112  and  114  include perforated portions  164  and  166 , respectively. Removable panel  160  is detachable from end panel  108  such that a product stored within shipping dispenser container  300  may be removed, as described in further detail below. 
     End panel  108  may also include a first cutout  168  positioned approximately midway between fold lines  112  and  114 . First cutout  168  is a substantially rectangular slot that extends from perforated line  162  and terminates a distance  170  from fold line  158 . First cutout  168  is configured to function as a window to view product inside shipping dispenser container  300  when container  300  is in the gravity-feed configuration. Tray blank  100  further includes a second cutout  172  that is substantially circular and is positioned such that second cutout  172  extends into end panel  108  and first end flap  152 . Specifically, end panel  108  and first end flap  152  each include a substantially semi-circular portion of second cutout  172  such that fold line  156  divides second cutout  172  into two substantially equal portions. Second cutout  172  is configured to facilitate removing removable panel  160  when the gravity-feed configuration of shipping dispenser container  300  is desired. 
     In the example embodiment, tray blank  100  is formed from a corrugated paperboard material. More specifically, tray blank  100  is formed from a corrugated paperboard material having an E flute size corrugation, which includes a flute thickness of approximately 1/16 inch (in.) and includes a plurality of flutes (not shown) oriented substantially parallel to fold lines  112  and  114 . The plurality of flutes are configured in such an orientation to provide stacking strength to shipping dispenser container  300  during shipping and storage. Such a configuration is different from many known containers in that many known containers include flutes that would extend parallel to axis  138  in an orientation that enables the flutes to have the longest possible length. Alternatively, tray blank  100  may be formed from any size flute paperboard material that facilitates operation of shipping dispenser container  300  as described herein, or tray blank  100  may be formed from a folding carton paperboard material. 
       FIG. 2  is an exterior view of an example embodiment of a cover blank  200  of sheet material that is configured to releasably couple to tray blank  100  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to form shipping dispenser container  300  (shown in  FIGS. 3-5 ). In the example embodiment, cover blank  200  includes an exterior side  202  and an interior side  204 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , cover blank  200  includes a series of aligned side panels and end panels connected together by a plurality of preformed, generally parallel, fold lines. Specifically, the side panels include a first side panel  206 , an end panel  208 , and a second side panel  210  connected in series along a pair of fold lines  212  and  214 . First side panel  206  extends from a free edge  216  to fold line  212 , end panel  208  extends between first and second side panels  206  and  210  from fold line  212  to fold line  214 , and second side panel  210  extends from end panel  208  at fold line  214  to a second free edge  218 . 
     A first side flap  220  and a second side flap  222  extend from opposing edges of first side panel  206 . More specifically, first side flap  220  and second side flap  222  extend from first side panel  206  along a pair of opposing preformed, generally parallel, fold lines  224  and  226 , respectively. Similarly, a third side flap  228  and a fourth side flap  230  extend from opposing side edges of second side panel  210 . More specifically, third side flap  228  and fourth side flap  230  extend from second side panel  210  along a pair of opposing preformed, generally parallel, fold lines  232  and  234 , respectively. Fold lines  224 ,  226 ,  232 , and  234  are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to fold lines  212  and  214 . Free edges  216  and  218  are generally parallel to fold lines  212  and  214  such that side flaps  220 ,  222 ,  228 , and  230  each have a width  236  taken along a central horizontal axis  238  of cover blank  200 . 
     First side flap  220  and second side flap  222  each include a free edge  242  or  244 , respectively. Similarly, third side flap  228  and fourth side flap  230  each include a free edge  246  or  248 , respectively. First side flap  220  and third side flap  228  each include an arcuate edge  250 . Specifically, arcuate edge  250  on first side flap  220  extends from free edge  242  to free edge  216 . Similarly, arcuate edge  250  on third side flap  228  extends from free edge  218  to free edge  246 . The shape, size, and arrangement of side flaps  220 ,  222 ,  228 , and  230  as shown in  FIG. 2  and described above facilitates forming a rectangular shipping dispenser container  300  having cutouts, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a first end flap  252  and a second end flap  254  extend from opposing edges of end panel  208 . More specifically, first end flap  252  and second end flap  254  extend from end panel  208  along a pair of opposing preformed, generally parallel, fold lines  256  and  258 , respectively. Side panels  206  and  210  each include a cutout  260  spaced a distance  262  from free edges  216  and  218 . Cutouts  260  are configured for providing access to a user for separating the cover portion from the tray portion when shipping dispenser container  300  is formed. Furthermore, side panels  206  and  210  each include an adhesive area  264  positioned between cutout  260  and free edges  216  and  218  within distance  262 . Adhesive areas  264  are configured to accept an adhesive to establish a paperboard-to-paperboard bond that couples cover blank  200  to tray blank  100 . Specifically, adhesive areas  264  on exterior  202  of each of side panels  206  and  210  are configured to bond to a corresponding portion on interior  104  of each of side panels  106  and  110  to form shipping dispenser container  300 . 
     In the example embodiment, cover blank  200  is formed from a corrugated paperboard material. Specifically, cover blank  200  is formed from a corrugated paperboard material having a “B” flute size corrugation, which includes a thickness of approximately ⅛ in., and that includes a plurality of flutes (not shown) oriented substantially parallel to fold lines  212  and  214 . In the example embodiment, cover blank  200  is formed from a corrugated paperboard material that is approximately twice the thickness of tray blank  100 . The plurality of flutes are configured in such an orientation to provide stacking strength to shipping dispenser container  300  during shipping and storage. Such a configuration is different from many known containers in that many known containers include flutes that would extend parallel to axis  238  in an orientation that enables the flutes to have the longest possible length. Alternatively, cover blank  200  may be formed from any size flute paperboard material that facilitates operation of shipping dispenser container  300  as described herein, or cover blank  200  may be formed from a folding carton paperboard material. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an example embodiment of a shipping dispenser container  300  formed by blanks  100  and  200  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a gravity-feed configuration.  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of shipping dispenser container  300  in a display tray configuration.  FIG. 5  is perspective view of shipping dispenser container  300  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  during an example packing process. Shipping dispenser container  300  includes a tray portion  302  formed by tray blank  100  and a cover portion  304  formed by cover blank  200 . 
     In the gravity-feed configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , tray portion  302  and cover portion  304  cooperate to form a first end wall  324  and an opposing second end wall  328 , and a first side wall  326  and an opposing second side wall  330 , of shipping dispenser container  300 . In addition, tray portion  302  forms a first wall  322  of shipping dispenser container  300 , and cover portion  304  forms an opposing second wall  332  of shipping dispenser container  300 . More specifically, first end wall  324  includes first end flap  152 , first side flap  120 , and third side flap  128  of tray blank  100  and first end flap  252 , first side flap  220 , and third side flap  228  of cover blank  200 . First side wall  326  includes first side panel  106  of tray blank  100  and first side panel  206  of cover blank  200 . Second end wall  328  includes second end flap  154 , second side flap  122 , and fourth side flap  130  of tray blank  100  and second end flap  254 , second side flap  222 , and fourth side flap  230  of cover blank  200 . Second side wall  330  includes second side panel  110  of tray blank  100  and second side panel  210  of cover blank  200 . First wall  322  includes end panel  108  of tray blank  100 , and second wall  332  includes end panel  208  of cover blank  200 . 
     In certain embodiments, shipping dispenser container  300  is oriented in the gravity-feed configuration such that first end wall  324  is a bottom wall, second end wall  328  is a top wall, and first wall  322  is a front wall of shipping dispenser container  300 . Moreover, arcuate edges  150  and  250  are configured to correspond with a portion of cutout  172  on first end wall  324  such that the portion of cutout  172  on first wall  322  provides a leverage means for a user to detach removable panel  160  from first wall  322 . Separation of removable panel  160  facilitates allowing a user to remove a product  334  from shipping dispenser container  300  through first wall  322  in the gravity-feed configuration. When a first product  334  is removed from shipping dispenser container  300  in the gravity-feed configuration, a second product  334  falls into the space formerly occupied by the first product  334  and is then itself available for removal through the opening created by removal of removable panel  160 . In addition, cutout  168  allows the user to visually determine the number of products  334  remaining in shipping dispenser container  300 . It should be understood that in alternative embodiments, shipping dispenser container  300  may be oriented otherwise in the gravity-feed configuration. 
     In the display tray configuration shown in  FIG. 4 , cover portion  304  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) is removed from shipping dispenser container  300 . Cover portion  304  is configured to cover and protect products  334  during shipping and storage of shipping dispenser container  300 . Removal of cover portion  304  exposes products  334  and converts shipping dispenser container  300  into the display tray configuration. Such conversion is performed by rotating shipping dispenser container  300  ninety degrees about fold line  156  such that first wall  322  becomes a bottom wall of shipping dispenser container  300  and second end wall  328  becomes a front wall of shipping dispenser container  300 . A user removes cover portion  304  by, for example, inserting the user&#39;s fingers into cutout  260  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) and breaking an adhesive bond between first side panel  106  of tray portion  302  and adhesive area  264  on first side panel  206  of cover portion  304 , and between second side panel  110  of tray portion  302  and adhesive area  264  on second side panel  210  of cover portion  304 . Cover portion  304  is then lifted from tray portion  302 . In such a configuration, a greater portion of products  334  are displayed to a consumer than in the gravity-feed configuration. 
     In certain embodiments in the display tray configuration, shipping dispenser container  300  includes a first side wall  306  and an opposing second side wall  308 , a first end wall  310  and an opposing second end wall  312 , and first wall  322  as a bottom wall. More specifically, first side wall  306  includes first side panel  106  of tray blank  100 , first end wall  310  includes first end flap  152 , first side flap  120 , and third side flap  128  of tray blank  100 , second side wall  308  includes second side panel  110  of tray blank  100 , second end wall  312  includes second end flap  154 , second side flap  122 , and fourth side flap  130  of tray blank  100 , and first wall  322  includes end panel  108  of tray blank  100 . 
     In certain embodiments, shipping dispenser container  300  is initially formed in a shipping and storage configuration.  FIG. 5  is perspective view of shipping dispenser container  300  during an example packing process. Shipping dispenser container  300  in loading configuration  400  includes tray portion  302  and cover portion  304  each formed partially and coupled together to form shipping dispenser container  300  with, for example, one of first end wall  324  and second end wall  328  remaining open to facilitate loading of products  334 . Configuration  500  shows shipping dispenser container  300  in the loading configuration with products  334  loaded therein. Shipping and storage configuration  600  illustrates shipping dispenser container  300  in a closed state for shipping and storage, with the one of first end wall  324  and second end wall  328  closed. Configuration  700  illustrates shipping dispenser container  300  in the gravity-feed configuration, and configuration  800  shows shipping dispenser container  300  in the alternative display tray configuration. In alternative embodiments, tray portion  302  and cover portion  304  are formed and coupled together in any other suitable sequence. For example, at least one of tray portion  302  and cover portion  304  is formed completely before tray portion  302  and cover portion  304  are coupled together and/or before products  334  are loaded to form shipping dispenser container  300 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , in the illustrated embodiment, to form shipping dispenser container  300  in loading configuration  400 , tray portion  302  is at least partially formed. More specifically, first and second side panels  106  and  110  are folded along fold lines  112  and  114 , respectively, towards interior side  104  of tray blank  100  to form a first portion of first side wall  326  and a first portion of second side wall  330 , respectively. Second and fourth side flaps  122  and  130  are each folded inwardly toward end panel  108  at respective fold lines  126  and  134  such that side flaps  122  and  130  are substantially perpendicular to their associated side panels  106  and  110 . Second end flap  154  is folded along fold line  158  toward interior side  104  of end panel  108  such that second end flap  154  is substantially perpendicular to end panel  108  and at least partially overlaps second and fourth side flaps  122  and  130 . Adhesive is applied to at least one of interior side  104  of second end flap  154  and exterior sides  102  of second and fourth side flaps  122  and  130 , such that second end flap  154  and second and fourth side flaps  122  and  130  form a first portion of second end wall  328 . 
     Similarly, cover portion  304  is at least partially formed. More specifically, first and second side panels  206  and  210  are folded along fold lines  212  and  214 , respectively, towards interior side  204  of cover blank  200  to form a second portion of first side wall  326  and a second portion of second side wall  330 , respectively. Side flaps  222  and  230  are then each folded inwardly toward end panel  208  at their respective fold lines  226  and  234  such that side flaps  222  and  230  are substantially perpendicular to their associated side panels  206  and  210 . Next, second end flap  254  is folded along fold line  258  toward interior side  204  of end panel  208  such that second end flap  254  is substantially perpendicular to end panel  208  and at least partially overlaps second and fourth side flaps  222  and  230 . Adhesive is applied to at least one of interior side  204  of second end flap  254  and exterior sides  202  of second and fourth side flaps  222  and  230 , such that second end flap  254  and second and fourth side flaps  222  and  230  form a second portion of second end wall  328 . 
     In certain embodiments, to couple the partially formed tray and cover portions  302  and  304  together to form shipping dispenser container  300  in loading configuration  400 , adhesive is applied to at least one of areas  264  on exterior  202  of each of side panels  208  and  210  of cover portion  304  and the corresponding portions on interior  104  of each of side panels  106  and  110  of tray portion  302 . The partially formed cover portion  304  is then inserted into the partially formed tray portion  302  such that the first and second portions of second end wall  328 , first side wall  326 , and second side wall  330  overlap to form shipping dispenser container  300  in configuration  400 , such that the adhesive secures the partially formed tray and cover portions  302  and  304  together. In alternative embodiments, the partially formed tray and cover portions  302  and  304  are secured together using any suitable fastener at any suitable location on tray portion  302  and/or cover portion  304 . 
     In the example embodiment, products  334  are loaded into shipping dispenser container  300  before container first end wall  324  is formed. Accordingly, as shown in configurations  400 ,  500 , and  600 , after shipping dispenser container  300  is loaded with product  334 , first and third side flaps  220  and  228  and first end flap  252  of cover portion  304 , and first end flap  152  and first and third side flaps  120  and  128  of tray portion  302 , are rotated about their respective fold lines and coupled together in a similar fashion as described above for second end wall  328 . Alternatively, first end wall  324  may be formed initially and product  334  may be loaded into shipping dispenser container  300  before second end wall  328  is formed, such that second end flap  154  and second and fourth side flaps  122  and  130  of tray portion  302 , and second end flap  254  and second and fourth side flaps  222  and  230  of cover portion  304 , are coupled together after shipping dispenser container  300  is loaded with product  334 . For example, although the embodiment of  FIG. 5  illustrates shipping dispenser container  300  as being rotated 180 degrees between loading configuration  400  and gravity-feed configuration  700 , in alternative embodiments no rotation is necessary between loading configuration  400  and gravity-feed configuration  700 . 
     In the example embodiment, products  334  are food products configured to be packaged within shipping dispenser container  300  in an unfrozen state and then placed in a freezer for freezing. Accordingly, in order to avoid uneven distribution of the unfrozen food within product  334  during shipping and storage of shipping dispenser container  300 , product  334  is packaged within shipping dispenser container  300  when container is in the gravity-feed configuration orientation, such that each product  334  is generally horizontal. Once the food within product  334  is frozen, a user may choose to display shipping dispenser container  300  in the gravity-feed configuration by detaching removable panel  160  from first wall  322 , or a user may elect to display shipping dispenser container  300  in the display tray configuration by rotating shipping dispenser container  300  such that first wall  322  becomes a bottom wall and removing cover portion  304  from tray portion  302 , as described above. Such an election may depend on a user&#39;s space allotment for shipping dispenser container  300  or an amount of shipping dispenser container  300  or product  334  the user desires to be displayed to a consumer. 
     Furthermore, to provide stacking strength to shipping dispenser container  300  during shipping and storage, the flutes of both tray portion  302  and cover portion  304  extend longitudinally between first end wall  324  and second end wall  328 . Such an orientation of the flutes facilitates stacking multiple shipping dispenser containers  300  on top of each other in the gravity-feed configuration. 
     Moreover, in the example embodiment, end walls  324  and  328  include a single thickness of end flaps  252  and  254 , respectively, each positioned opposite a double thickness of an end flap  152  or  154  and two associated side flaps  120  and  128  or  122  and  130 . However, each of end walls  324  and  328  is substantially level because tray portion  302  is formed from a corrugated paperboard material that has half the thickness of the corrugated paperboard material from which cover portion  304  is formed. Specifically, as described above, tray portion  302  is formed from “E” flute size corrugation, and cover portion  304  is formed from “B” flute size corrugation. Such a configuration enables multiple shipping dispenser containers  300  to be stacked on one another while remaining substantially level. If each end flap  152  or  154  and its two associated side flaps  120  and  128  or  122  and  130  combined to form a different thickness from end flaps  252  and  254 , then the difference in thickness would cause a stack of shipping dispenser containers  300  to lean towards whichever portion of the wall had a lesser thickness. Forming cover portion  304  and tray portion  302  from different flute size corrugations prevents this from occurring. 
     In contrast to at least some known containers, in the methods and apparatus described herein, the shipping dispenser container is formed from two blanks having substantially vertical flute orientations. As a result, the shipping dispenser container may be selectively displayed in one of a gravity-feed configuration or a display tray configuration. Thus a user may elect to display the shipping dispenser container in the gravity-feed configuration by simply detaching a removable panel and displaying the container in the same orientation in which it was shipped and stored, or a user may elect to display the container in the display tray configuration by rotating the container 90 degrees and removing the cover portion. The gravity-feed configuration enables a consumer to remove the product from the shipping dispenser container through a slot formed by the removal of the removable panel. Further, the gravity-feed configuration includes a viewing window to allow a user to determine the amount of product remaining within the shipping dispenser container. 
     Example embodiments of a container formed from blanks are described above in detail. The container and blanks are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components of the blanks and/or container may be utilized independently and separately from other components and/or steps described herein. 
     The example embodiments of the containers described herein can be formed by a plurality of container-forming machines including machines using a mandrel forming apparatus or a plunger forming apparatus that facilitates wrapping the blank around these devices to form the containers. The machines are configured to use servomechanisms and other mechanisms to control different parts of the machine for forming the containers. These machines are configured to form the containers described herein at a high rates of speed. In the example embodiments, the containers are formed on such machines using a two-step process. The first step of the process includes positioning and attaching the tray blank to the cover blank so that the two blanks form a blank assembly. The second step of the process includes wrapping the blank assembly around the mandrel or plunger to form the container. As used herein, the terms “servo-actuated” and “servo-controlled” refers to any component and/or device having its movement controlled by a servomechanism. 
     Although specific features of various embodiments of the disclosure may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles of the disclosure, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing. 
     This written description uses examples to illustrate the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.