Patent Publication Number: US-7717323-B2

Title: Shirt box

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to retail packaging and in particular, to a shirt box for displaying a shirt so that the consumer can easily view the shirt and have added access to touch a portion of the shirt. 
   BACKGROUND 
   In the retail sale of dress shirts and dress shirts and tie combinations, it is desirable to present the merchandise in a manner that permits potential customers to have a good look at the product. On the other hand, it is important for retailers to keep the product clean and free of any soil or stains that may result from handling, to protect against theft, and to maintain the shirts in an orderly and well-folded condition so that their displays remains attractive to passers by. 
   It is also desirable to have a packaging that addresses the foregoing needs and which permits shirts to be stacked in great number to promote efficient shelf and display space usage. 
   The present invention satisfies these and other needs. 
   SUMMARY 
   A shirt box suitable for receiving a shirt includes a base, a box cover and a transparent protective member (insert). The base has a floor and a plurality of upstanding walls that define an interior compartment and the box cover has a top wall and a plurality of walls that surround the top wall (e.g., around a peripheral edge thereof). The top surface has a first opening formed therein that is formed at a location that permits a consumer to see the shirt or other item that is contained within the box. The transparent protective member (insert) has a top surface and a plurality of peripheral walls that surround the top surface (e.g., around a peripheral edge thereof) so as to define a structure that is free standing and independent from both the base and the cover. 
   In an assembled state, the protective member is inserted into the interior compartment so that the peripheral walls thereof are supported by the floor of the base and are disposed adjacent the upstanding walls of the base and the cover is mated with the base such that the walls of the cover frictionally seat against the upstanding walls of the base so as to securely hold the cover on the base and retain the protective member within the interior compartment. The opening of the box cover is positioned over a portion of the top surface of the protective member to permit a consumer a clear view of the underlying shirt. However, since the protective member is an independent, free standing structure, a force applied through the first opening and to the protective member does not result in a structural failure or detachment between the protective member and the box cover as is the case in conventional box designs. 
   These and other aspects, features and advantages shall be apparent from the accompanying Drawings and description of certain embodiments of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded top perspective view of a shirt box according to embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the shirt box of  FIG. 1  in a fully assembled state; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial rear plan view of the shirt box of  FIG. 1  with a box cover being moved to a rear position; and 
       FIG. 4  is cross-sectional taken along the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a shirt box  10  is formed of a base or bottom box portion  20 , a removable box cover  30  that mates with the box portion  20 , and an intermediate transparent shirt cover or protector  40  that is received within and is removable from the base  20  and between the box cover  30  and the base  20 . While the box  10  can be formed of any number of different materials, including synthetic materials, one exemplary box  10 , as illustrated, is formed of a combination of paper material (e.g., reinforced cardboard, etc.) and synthetic material (e.g., a plastic) in the case of the shirt cover  40 . 
   The base or box bottom  20  can be formed to have any number of different shapes, such as a square, oval, circle, triangle, rectangle (as shown), etc. The base  20  is defined by a bottom wall or floor  22  and a plurality of upstanding walls that extend upwardly from the floor  22 . In the case of a rectangular shaped base  20 , the upstanding walls consist of a pair of opposite end walls  24  and a pair of opposite side walls  26 . The end walls  24  and side walls  26  are joined to one another to completely surround the floor  22  and form a bounded structure. The ends walls  24  and side walls  26  preferably are formed at or about at right angles to the floor  22 . The floor  22  thus has an inner surface  23  on which a shirt or some other object rests, and an opposite outer surface or face  25  which represents the bottom surface of the entire box  10 . The ends walls  24  have corresponding inner surfaces or faces  27  and the side walls  26  have corresponding inner surfaces or faces  29 . 
   The base  10  is preferably formed from paper materials, such as rigid cardboard, and is constructed using conventional box making techniques so as to form a rigid, robust structure. 
   The box cover  30  includes a top wall or ceiling  32  and a plurality of walls that are arranged around and are integrally attached to the top wall  32  and in the illustrated embodiment, where the box cover  30  has a rectangular shape, the cover  30  includes a pair of opposing end walls  34  and a pair of opposing side walls  36 . The end walls  34  and side walls  36  are joined to one another to completely surround the top wall  32  and form a bounded structure. The end walls  34  and side walls  36  preferably are formed at or about at right angles to the top wall  32 . The top wall  32  thus has an inner surface  33  (an underside) that faces the floor  22  and an opposite outer surface or face  35  which represents the top surface of the entire box  10 . The ends walls  34  have corresponding inner surfaces or faces  37  and the side walls  36  have corresponding inner surfaces or faces  39 . 
   The box cover  30  is preferably formed from paper materials, such as rigid cardboard, and is constructed using conventional box making techniques so as to form a rigid, robust structure. 
   According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the box cover  30  and more particularly, the top wall  32  thereof, includes an opening, window or cutout  50  formed therein to permit the item (e.g., shirt) contained in the box base  20  to be easily viewed. The formation of the opening  50  defines a peripheral edge  52  that defines the boundaries of the opening  50 . It will be appreciated that the location, size and shape of the opening  50  can be varied and can be chosen from a great number of different sizes and shapes so long as a substantial portion of the object (shirt) in the base  20  can be easily viewed through the opening  50 . 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the opening  50  has a rectangular shape and is centrally located within the top wall  32  so as to define top border portions represent portions of the top wall  32  that are formed around the opening  50 . In other words, the opening  50  is preferably formed at a location such that the distance between the top edges of the opening  50  and wall  32  and the bottom edges of the opening  50  and wall  32  is about equal and the distance between the side edges of the opening  50  and the wall  32  is about equal. The illustrated opening  50  has rounded corners  54  to give a smoother, flowing appearance. 
   The mating of box cover  30  to the base  20  is similar to standard box design in that the end walls  32  and side walls  34  of the box cover  30  are received over the corresponding end walls  22  and side walls  24  of the base  20 . The distance between the opposing side walls and end walls in each structure are thus selected so that a snug fit results between the box cover  30  and the base  20  when the box cover  30  is mated to the base  20 . As shown in the Figures, the top wall  32  of the cover  30  extends inwardly from the end and side walls  22 ,  24  of the base  20  so as to conceal the end and side walls  22 ,  24  and thus, position the opening  50  over the floor  22  of the base to permit clear viewing of the object (shirt). The sections of the top wall  32  around the opening  40  are in the form of flange-like sections of the box cover  30  that extend inwardly over a cavity or compartment  60  that is defined in the base  20  for receiving the shirt. 
   In contrast to conventional box designs where any transparent window portion is in the form of a flat sheet of transparent plastic that is adhered to an underside of wall sections formed around an opening formed in the box cover, the transparent portion of the box  10  of the present invention is in the form of a member that is separate and independent from both the base  10  and the box cover  30 , and in particular, the transparent window section of the box  10  is provided by the shirt protector or cover  40 . 
   The shirt cover  40  is a self-supporting, free standing, upstanding structure that is received within the compartment  60  and stands upright therein around the shirt or other object that is resting on the floor  22  of the base  20 . The shirt cover  40  is defined by a top wall or panel  42  and a number of upstanding walls and more particularly, the shirt cover  40  has a pair of opposing end panels  44  and a pair of opposing side panels  46 . The shirt cover  40  is transparent or semi-transparent in nature and is typically formed of a plastic material and in particular, can be manufactured as a substrate that is folded along fold lines to form a folded structure. For example, the shirt cover can have a pair of end fold lines  70  that are formed between the top panel  42  and each of the end panels  44  and a pair of side fold lines  72  that are formed between the top panel  42  and each of the side panels  46 . The fold lines  70  are parallel to one another and the fold lines  72  are parallel to one another, with the fold lines  70  being perpendicular to the fold lines  72  and vice versa. 
   To form the upstanding, free standing structure  40 , the side panels  46  are folded along the fold lines  72  and the end panels  44  are folded along the fold lines  70 . It will therefore be appreciated that the individual end panels  44  are not directly attached to the side panels  46  and vice versa but instead, slots  47  are formed between adjacent panels. The slots  47  permit each panel  44 ,  46  to have a degree of freedom or movement or flexing to permit the end panels  44  and side panels  46  to flex and be received within the adjacent and complementary end walls  24  and side walls  26 . 
   The height of the shirt cover  40  is selected such that when the shirt cover  40  is placed in the compartment  60  on the floor  22 , the top panel  42  is generally in the same plane as the top edges of the end panels  24  and side panels  26  of the base  20 . When the shirt cover  40  is in its self supported, freely upstanding position, the distance from the top panel  42  to floor  22  is sufficient to permit the shirt or other object to be received therein such that when the shirt (object) sits on the floor  22 , the top of the shirt is close to or even in slight contact with the top panel  42  of the shirt cover  40 . The transparent or even semi-transparent nature of the protective shirt cover  40  permits the consumer to easily view the contents (e.g., a shirt) contained in the compartment  60  without manipulation of the box  10  and more particularly, without any manipulation of the box cover  30 . 
   Since the protective shirt cover  40  is totally independent from the base  20  and the box cover  30 , it can be easily removed from the base  20  to permit reception of the shirt on the floor  22  of the base  20 . In addition, since the shirt cover  40  is totally independent from the box cover  30 , the box cover  30  can easily be removed from the base  20  without worrying about the integrity of the transparent window portion of the box  10 , in this case, the protective shirt cover  40 . 
   By folding the end panels  44  and side panels  46  about the fold lines  70 ,  72 , a free standing, self-supported, upright structure is formed that can stand on the floor  22  without collapsing or otherwise deform due in part to the presence of the walls  24 ,  26  which serve to restrict any outward movement of the end panels  44  and the side panels  46  and retain the generally rectangular shape of the protective shirt cover  40 . 
   The width of the top panel  42  is therefore about equal to or slightly less than the distance between the side walls  26  of the base  20  to permit reception of the protective shirt cover  40  into the compartment  60 . The dimensions of the end panels  44  and side panels  46  are therefore complementary to the corresponding walls  24 ,  26  of the base  20  so that when the protective shirt cover  40  is received in the compartment  60 , the protective shirt cover  40  at least substantially occupies the area of the compartment  60 . 
     FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the box  10  in an assembled condition where the protective shirt cover  40  is inserted into the compartment  60  of the base  10 , where it remains as an independent, free-standing structure, and then the box cover  30  is inserted over the base  20  and the protective shirt cover  40  so that an underside of the top wall  32  of the box cover  30  seats against the top surface of the top panel  42  of the protective shirt cover  40 . In this position, there is an appearance that the protective shirt cover  40  and the box cover  30  are an integral single structure since when the consumer views the top of the box cover  30 , the underlying protective shirt cover  40  extends across and occupies the entire window/opening  50  and since the box cover  30  is securely held on the base  20 , the flange-like structure of the top wall  32  of the box cover  30  serves to apply a force to the protective shirt cover  40  and prevent it from upward movement out of the compartment  60 . In this manner, the protective shirt cover  40  is securely held in place and the appearance of the protective shirt cover  40  relative to the box cover  30  is one of a taut nature. 
   It will be appreciated and as illustrated, at least the opposing side panels  46  seat against the floor  22  of the base  20 ; however, the shorter end panels  44  do not necessarily have to seat against the floor  22  and as shown in  FIG. 2 , the end panels  44  can have a height that is slightly less than the height of the side panels  46  and therefore, the end panels  44  do not seat against the floor  22 . However, even in this embodiment, the height of the end panel  44  is selected so that the end panel  44  extends a substantial length of the end wall  24  of the base  20  as illustrated. The longer side panels  46  extend completely to the floor  22 . 
   However, it will be appreciated that the end panels  44  can be formed so that they extend completely to the floor  22  in the same manner as the side panels  46 . 
   As mentioned earlier, one of the disadvantages to having a protective plastic sheet directly attached to the underside of the box cover is that this type of arrangement is much more prone to fracture since a force applied directly to the top of the plastic sheet in the area of the window can easily cause a local dislodgment of the plastic sheet from the underside of the box cover. Not only does this create an unsightly appearance since the tautness of the plastic sheet is lost but it also jeopardizes the integrity of the object (e.g., a shirt) that is contained within the box since a person could easily insert a finger or other object into the area of dislodgment and come into direct contact with the object. In the case of a shirt contained in the compartment, the shirt could become soiled by such contact. 
   Preferably and as shown in the  FIG. 1 , the shirt box  10  is formed with an opening  70  in one of the surfaces (e.g., the floor  22 ) that forms the box. Opening  70  is positioned such that the outline of the hole overlies a portion of the article, such as a shirt, that is contained in the box  10 . This arrangement provides access to the garments inside the shirt box  10  so that consumers can touch and feel the garments yet does not compromise the structural integrity of the box  10 , especially, the integrity of the transparent protective shirt cover  40 . 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a second position of the components of the box  20  and more specifically, the box cover  30  has been removed from its position where it is inserted over the base  20  and instead, is placed on an underside or bottom of the base  20 . In other words, the box cover  30  is removed and lifted off the base  20  so as to expose the protective shirt cover  40  and then is inverted and mated with the base  20  by receiving the base  20  within an interior space  31  that is defined by the end walls  32  and side walls  34  of the box cover  30 . In this manner, the base  20  is received within the box cover  30  so that the end and side walls  34 ,  36  of the box cover  30  are received over and exterior to the corresponding end and side walls  24 ,  26  of the base  20  as is shown in  FIG. 4 . Once again, even in this arrangement, the top panel  42  of the protective shirt cover  40  lies generally in the same plane as the top edges of the upstanding walls of both the base  20  and the box cover  30 . 
   It will be appreciated that even in this second position when the box cover  30  is inverted and mated with the bottom of the base  20 , the opening  70  is still accessible and the article in the box can be touched since the opening or window  50  is in registration with the opening  70  and the window  50  is free of any transparent, protective plastic sheet since, according to the present invention, the protective shirt cover  40  is completely separate from the box cover  30 . The ability to access the opening  70  would not be possible with conventional box design where the window of the box cover is formed by adhering a transparent plastic sheet around a cutout formed in the box cover since the plastic sheet is permanently attached across the cutout and therefore, it would prevent a person from accessing the opening  70  in the floor  22  if the box cover was placed in the second position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
   It will also be appreciated that the arrangement of the protective shirt cover  40  relative to the box cover  30  in the box  10  of the present invention provides improved stacking capability since the stacking of boxes applies a force, due its weight, to the underlying box and therefore, in the standard box cover design, in which the transparent plastic sheet is attached directly the box cover, the weight of one box can puncture and locally separate the plastic sheet from its point of attachment to the shirt box since the mass of the top box can not be borne by thin plastic sheet that is only attached along its peripheral edges to the underside of the box cover. Not only does this damage the integrity of the box but it also blemishes the appearance of the box. In contrast, since the protective shirt cover  40  is a separate, self-supported, upstanding structure, relative to the box cover  30 , the shirt cover  40  is able to better support the weight of the top stacked box, which is also supported by the flange sections of the box cover  30 . Since there is no direct attachment between the protective shirt cover  40  and the box cover  30 , the weight of the top stacked box cannot cause detachment of the protective shirt cover from the box cover. Instead, the self-supporting, free standing protective shirt cover  40  offers improved weight bearing capabilities. 
   While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments thereof, the invention is capable of being practiced in other forms and using other materials and structures. Accordingly, the invention is defined by the recitations in the claims appended hereto and equivalents thereof.