Patent Publication Number: US-2003226784-A1

Title: Product display receptacle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] It is well-known that the attractive and convenient display of merchandise increases the desirable of products for sale and enhances product sales. Corrugated cardboard or paperboard receptacles are commonly used at wholesale outlets and retail stores for displaying such products, especially where the products must be visible to the public and easily accessible. This is most important in industries, such as the cleaning tool industry, where products of varying sizes, with different and numerous accompanying accessories, must be conveniently and attractively displayed.  
       [0002] Prior cardboard display receptacles have been expensive to manufacture, cumbersome to set up, and do not allow for easy access to the products. Such receptacles do not adequately and efficiently present product and product accessories for display. Many cardboard/paperboard receptacles are flimsy and can not retain multiple products or they are constructed of numerous components which make them difficult to assemble. Various prior product display containers are not readily transportable from location to location without tearing or otherwise being susceptible to damage. These containers are not ergonomically designed for use and reuse.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of prior display receptacles, containers, or boxes.  
       [0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle which is designed and constructed as a one piece blank made of cardboard, cardboard-like, or similar material.  
       [0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle which, when not yet assembled, is easily transportable to the display location and can readily be assembled on site.  
       [0006] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle which is easily and readily transportable, even after it is assembled.  
       [0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle into which products, such as mops, brooms, and other long-handled products and products of varying sizes, can easily and readily be received, retained, and removed.  
       [0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle which can be positioned to attractively display products and which allows for readily and appropriately placed printed product description and advertisement directly on the receptacle.  
       [0009] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle which can receive and retain a display rack container and which can be used as part of a pegboard display system.  
       [0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle in which multiple receptacles can be used with display rack containers as part of a pegboard display system.  
       [0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a product display receptacle in which base products can conveniently and readily be displayed for sale immediately adjacent to and in tandem with product accessories.  
       [0012] These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the present invention comprising a product display receptacle which is a one-piece cardboard or similar paperboard blank. The blank is readily and easily foldable into the finished display receptacle, which will be maintained in a self-standing position. The receptacle forms an enclosure which comprises a bottom panel, dual side panels each with an opening therethrough, and two back panels with openings which are contiguous with the side panel openings. The top of the receptacle is open, as is the front, except for lower and upper front panels which provide stability and reinforcement and an area for printed product description or advertisement. A sectioned, foldable, columnar reinforcement is provided between the back panels. Multiple receptacles are used in combination with a pegboard display system and display rack containers for the attractive and accessible display of product merchandise.  
       [0013] The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. However, both as to their design, construction, and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, they are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a plan view of the exterior surface of the one-piece blank of the product display receptacle of the present invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the assembled product display receptacle of the present invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of two assembled product display receptacles of the present invention in side-by-side configuration, with display racks in position within the receptacles.  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing product display receptacles of the present invention in use with a pegboard system.  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is a front view of product display receptacles of the present invention in use with a pegboard system.  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the columnar support panel of the product display receptacle of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0020]FIG. 1 shows the one-piece blank  1 , which comprises the product display receptacle of the present invention. It is contemplated that blank  1  may be made of corrugated cardboard, coated cardboard, or other suitable paperboard or stiff, but flexible material. Blank  1  also must be easily foldable, yet rigid enough to be maintained in a self-standing position. The exterior surface of blank  1  of the product display receptacle is shown in FIG. 1. The reverse side of blank  1  shown in FIG. 1 is the interior surface of the receptacle, i.e. the surface which is in contact with the products which are to be received and stored within the receptacle.  
     [0021]FIG. 2 shows receptacle  2  as folded and assembled for use as a storage container for elongated cleaning tools such as brooms or mops. Receptacle  2 , in this state, comprises bottom panel  4 , side panels  6  and  8  with interconnecting segment  10 , and opposite side panels  12  and  14  with interconnecting segment  16 . Upper back panel  18  is connected directly to panels  6  and  12  and lower back panel  20  is connected directly to panels  8  and  14 . Opening  22  is formed between side panels  6  and  8 . Opening  24  is formed between side panels  12  and  14 . Opening  26  is formed between back panels  18  and  20 . Openings  22  and  26  and openings  24  and  26  are contiguous with each other. Top  28  of receptacle  2  is open. The front of receptacle  2  is substantially open, to allow for the full and ready display of product and for ease of access to products. Lower front panel  32  and upper front panel  34  provide stability and reinforcement for receptacle  2 . The outside surfaces of lower front panel  32  and upper panel  34  can also be used for the placement of product descriptions and advertisements  30 .  
     [0022] Thus, this configuration, with bottom panel  4 , side panels  6 ,  8 ,  12  and  14  and back panels  18  and  20 , forms an effective container for receiving and retaining products to be displayed.  
     [0023] Columnar panel  36 , located between back panels  18  and  20 , is provided to reinforce receptacle  2  and to ensure for its structural integrity. Panel  36 , as shown in detail in FIG. 6, consists of four segments  37 ,  38 ,  39 , and  40 , tab  42 , and slot  44 . Segments  37 ,  38  and  39  are connected by means of perforations to panels  18  and  20  of blank  1 , while segment  40  remains integral to the panels. By this configuration, segments  37 ,  38 , and  39  are freed from panels  18  and  20  and folded around segment  40  such that tab  42  can be inserted and secured within slot  44 . This results in panel  36  forming a reinforcing support column for receptacle  2 .  
     [0024] In order to ensure that receptacle  2  remains in its assembled configuration, back panel  18  and side panel  16  and back panel  20  and side panel  8  are secured together by glue, adhesive, staples, clips, or other equivalent means of attachment at locations  43  and  45  respectively. Handles  46 , 48 ,  50 , and  52  are ergonomically positioned within panels  6 ,  8 ,  12 , and  14 , respectively, for ease of receptacle lifting and transport.  
     [0025] The unique configuration of receptacle  2  allows it to retain and display products on floors, shelving, or other convenient display locations. Most advantageously, receptacle  2  can be used in combination with vertically standing, stationary mounted pegboard display systems. For this use, receptacles  2  are positioned adjacent to pegboard display  54  as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A display rack  56 , is secured to the pegboard display by means of securement plates  57  and screws  59  or by known equivalent attachment means. In this manner display rack  56  is positioned through openings  22  and  26  of receptacle  2 . Bin  58  is placed within display rack  56 . Products, like mops  60 , are positioned in receptacle  2  and component parts  62  of such basic products are placed into bin  58 , so that both the product and components can be easily, readily and conveniently displayed near each other. For instance, mops retained and displayed in receptacles can be displayed right next to the specific refills or other replacement components for that particular mop.  
     [0026] As shown in FIGS.  3 - 5 , two display racks  56  can be used within one single receptacle  2  and multiple receptacles can be positioned adjacent to each other and used with a single pegboard display, as shown in FIG. 4 and  5 .  
     [0027] Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.