Patent Publication Number: US-11377255-B2

Title: Packaged set of articles and method of loading packages onto a support member

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/654,829, filed on Apr. 9, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Articles are packaged in display packaging (such as blister packs or the like) that are placed within secondary containers that are placed within primary containers during transport of those articles from a manufacturing facility to a retail facility. It is time-consuming for an employee at the retail facility to unpack each of the display packages from the primary and secondary containers and to then load the display packages onto a display peg hook. Thus, a need exists for a device, product, or technique to speed up the process of loading the display packages onto display peg hooks in a retail facility. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to a packaged set of articles. The packaged set of articles includes a container having a base portion and a top portion that are separable from one another along a pre-weakened line. The top portion includes a portion of a front wall of the container and a portion of a rear wall of the container. The top portion may include at least 50%, or at least 75%, or the entirety of the rear wall of the container. A plurality of packages, each of which contains an article, is located in an internal cavity of the container. The packages may be arranged in single file. The packages may include a hanging aperture so that the packages can be hung from a pegboard hook in a retail display. When in the containers, the hanging apertures may be aligned so that an employee can use the container, with the top portion removed from the base portion, to slide the packages onto the pegboard hook. 
     In one aspect, the invention may be a packaged set of articles comprising: a container comprising a bottom end, a top end, a front wall, a rear wall, a first-sidewall, and a second sidewall, each of the front wall, the rear wall, the first-sidewall, and the second-sidewall having a height measured between the bottom end and the top end; the container defining an internal cavity and comprising a base portion and a top portion that are coupled together by a pre-weakened line, the base portion and the top portion being separable from one another along the pre-weakened line; the top portion of the container comprising a first portion of the front wall and a first portion of the rear wall, the first portion of the front wall having a first height and the first portion of the rear wall having a second height, the second height being greater than the first height; and a plurality of packages located in the internal cavity of the container, each of the packages comprising a receiving cavity; and an article disposed within the receiving cavity of each of the packages. 
     In another aspect, the invention may be a packaged set of articles comprising: a container comprising a bottom end, a top end, a front wall, and a rear wall; the container defining an internal cavity and comprising a base portion and a top portion that are coupled together by a pre-weakened line, the base portion and the top portion being separable from one another along the pre-weakened line; the top portion of the container comprising the top end and a first portion of the rear wall; a plurality of packages located in the internal cavity of the container so that a display side of the package is facing the front wall of the container, each of the packages comprising a receiving cavity; and an article disposed within the receiving cavity of each of the packages. 
     In yet another aspect, the invention may be a method of loading packages onto a support member for retail display, the method comprising: a) tearing a container along a pre-weakened line to at least partially detach a top portion of the container from a base portion of the container, the base portion of the container defining a holding cavity within which a plurality of packages are located, each of the packages containing an article; b) while the packages remain positioned in the holding cavity, placing the base portion of the container adjacent to the support member so that a hanging aperture of the packages is aligned with a distal end of the support member; c) moving the base portion of the container in a first direction so that the support member extends through the hanging apertures of each of the packages to support the packages; and d) moving the base portion of the container in a second direction opposite the first direction; thereby removing the packages from the holding cavity and leaving the packages hanging from the support member. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container for holding packages containing articles in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  illustrating a top portion of the container being separated from a base portion of the container; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the container of  FIG. 1  illustrating the container in an open state with the top portion of the container completely separated from the base portion of the container to expose a plurality of packages containing articles that are located within the container; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the container of  FIG. 1  in the open state; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating a person holding the base portion of the container adjacent a pegboard hook with apertures of the packages that are located in the container aligned with the pegboard hook; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view illustrating a person holding the base portion of the container and sliding the packages onto the pegboard hook; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view illustrating a person holding the base portion of the container with all of the packages hanging from the pegboard hook; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view illustrating a person pulling the base portion of the container away from the packages while the packages remain hanging from the pegboard hook; 
         FIG. 10  is a side view illustrating the packages hanging from the pegboard hook; and 
         FIGS. 11A-11D  illustrate the container of  FIG. 1  with variations of indicia thereon. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
     The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto. 
     As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3  a packaged set of articles  1000  is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The packaged set of articles  1000  generally comprises a container  100 , a plurality of packages  200  located in the container  100 , and an article  300  disposed within each of the packages  200 . The packaged set of articles  1000  is advantageous in that a portion of the container  100  can be used to hold the packages  200  containing the articles  300  and to slide the packages  200  containing the articles  300  onto a pegboard hook in a retail display environment. Thus, rather than having an employee or other person remove each package  200  from the container  100  separately, the employee or other person can slide all of the packages  200  onto the pegboard hook simultaneously without ever having to remove the packages  200  from the container  100 . Once the packages  200  are hanging from the pegboard hook, the portion of the container  100  can be pulled away from the packages  200 , thereby leaving the packages  200  hanging from the pegboard hook. 
     In the exemplified embodiment, the container  100  comprises a bottom end  101 , a top end.  102 , a front wall  103 , a rear wall  104 , a first sidewall  105 , and a second sidewall  106 . Thus, in the exemplified embodiment the container  100  has a rectangular shape. However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the container  100  can take on other shapes in other embodiments as should be appreciated by persons skilled in the art. The container  100  may be formed of a cardboard material in some embodiments, or it may be formed of other materials such as plastic or the like so long as it is capable of being used in accordance with the teachings set forth herein. Each of the front wall  103 , the rear wall  104 , the first sidewall  105 , and the second sidewall  106  has a height HC measured from the bottom end  101  to the top end  102 . In the exemplified embodiment the height HC is the same for each of the front wall  103 , the rear wall  104 , the first sidewall  105 , and the second sidewall  106 . However, this is not required in all embodiments. 
     The container comprises a base portion  110  and a top portion  130 . The base portion  110  and the top portion  130  are coupled together by a pre-weakened line  107 . In the exemplified embodiment, the pre-weakened line  107  is a perforation line, which is a line formed by a series of spaced apart cuts, perforations, holes, or apertures that are formed into the container  100 . However, the pre-weakened line  107  may be a fold line, a depression, an indentation, a score line, or the like that facilitates tearing of the container  100  along the pre-weakened line  107  to separate the top portion  130  from the base portion  110 . Thus, the pre-weakened line  107  makes it easy to tear the container  100  therealong and creates a smooth, even tear so that the edges of the base and top portions  110 ,  130  of the container  100  are smooth even after separation. 
     In the exemplified embodiment, the top portion  130  of the container  100  comprises a first portion  131  of the front wall  103 , a first portion  132  of the rear wall  104 , a first portion  133  of the first sidewall  105 , and a first portion of the second sidewall  106  (not visible in the figures provided, but identical to the first portion  133  of the first sidewall  105 ). The top portion  130  comprises an entirety of the top end  102  of the container  100 . The top portion  130  also comprises a tab portion  134  that forms a portion of the bottom end  101  of the container  100 . 
     When the top portion  130  of the container  100  is separated from the base portion  110  of the container  100 , the top portion  130  of the container  100  has a lower edge  135 . The first portion  131  of the front wall  103  has a first height H 1  measured from the lower edge  135  (or from the pre-weakened line  107 ) to the top end  102  of the container  100 . The first portion  132  of the rear wall  104  has a second height H 2  measured from the lower edge  135  (or from the pre-weakened line  107 ) to the top end  102  of the container  100 . In the exemplified embodiment, the second height H 2  is greater than the first height H 1 . 
     The first portion  133  of the first sidewall  105  and the first portion of the second sidewall  106  terminate in the lower edge  135  as noted above. In the exemplified embodiment, the lower edge  135  is concave such that a height of the first portions  133  of the first and second sidewalls  105 ,  106  measured from the top end  102  of the container  100  to the lower edge  135  of the top portion  130  continuously increases with increasing distance from the front wall  103  towards the rea4 wait  104 . 
     The base portion  110  of the container  100  comprises an upper edge  115  when separated from the top portion  130 . The base portion  110  of the container  100  comprises a second portion  111  of the front wall  103 , a second portion  113  of the first sidewall  105 , and a second portion of the second sidewall  106  (not visible in the exemplified embodiment, but identical to the second portion  113  of the first sidewall  105 ). The second portion  111  of the front wall  103  has a third height H 3 . 
     In the exemplified embodiment, the first portion  132  of the rear wall  104  that forms a part of the top portion  130  of the container  100  forms the entirety of the rear wall  104  of the container  100 . Thus, in the exemplified embodiment the base portion  110  does not form any of the rear wall  104  of the container  100 . Thus, in the exemplified embodiment the height H 2  of the first portion  132  of the rear wall  104  is equal to the height HC of the rear wall  104  of the container  100 . However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and in other embodiments it is possible that the base portion  110  of the container  100  may include a portion of the rear wall  104  having a fourth height. However, it is preferable that the second height H 2  of the first portion  132  of the rear wall  104  be at least 50%, more preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 85%, and more preferably at least 90% of the height HC of the rear wall  104  with the fourth height of the portion of the rear wall  104  that is formed by the base portion  110  of the container  100  making up the rest of the height HC of the rear wall  104 . The reason that it is preferable that a majority of the rear wall  104  be formed as a part of the top portion  130  of the container  100  will become clear from the description of  FIGS. 6-10  below. In the exemplified embodiment, the fourth height is zero because the base portion  110  of the container  100  does not form any part of the rear wall  104  (but rather, the entirety of the rear wall  104  is formed by the top portion  130  of the container  100 ). 
     In the exemplified embodiment, the upper edge  115  of the base portion  110  of the container  100  is convex. Thus, the height of the second portion  113  of the first sidewall  105  and the height of the second portion of the second sidewall  106 , measured between the bottom end  101  of the container  100  and the upper edge  115  of the base portion  110 , continuously decreases with distance from the front wall  103  towards the rear wall  104 . 
     In the exemplified embodiment, the third height H 3  of the second portion  111  of the front wall  103  is greater than the first height H 1  of the first portion  131  of the front wall  103 . Specifically, in the exemplified embodiment the third height H 3  is approximately 80% of the height HC of the front wall  103  and the first height H 1  is approximately 20% of the height HC of the front wall  103 . However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the third height H 3  may be between 40% and 90% of the height HC, more specifically between 50% and 80% of the height HC, or more specifically between 60% and 80% of the height HC of the front wall  103  while the first height H 1  makes up the remainder of the height HC of the front wall  103 . As will be described more fully below, when the top portion  130  is separated from the base portion  110 , the articles remain located in a holding cavity of the base portion  110 . Thus, maintaining the second portion  111  of the front wall  103  with a reasonably large height relative to the height HC of the front wall  103  assists in preventing the articles from falling out of the holding cavity of the base portion  110  prematurely. Specifically, the second portion  111  of the front wall  103  ensures that the packages  200  do not fall out of the base portion  110  of the container  100  when they are being loaded onto a pegboard hook. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the container  100  comprises an inner surface  108  that defines an internal cavity  109 . The container  100  is alterable between a closed state, depicted in  FIG. 1 , and an open state, depicted in  FIG. 3 . In the closed state, the base portion  110  and the top portion  130  are coupled together and the internal cavity  109  of the container  100  is fully enclosed. In the open state, the top portion  130  is separated from the base portion  110  and the internal cavity  109  has at least one open end to enable articles to be loaded into and unloaded from the internal cavity  109 . 
     In the exemplified embodiment, a plurality of the packages  200  are positioned within the internal cavity  109  of the container  100 . The plurality of packages  200  are arranged in single file within the internal cavity  109 . Thus, the plurality of packages  200  are arranged in a single row or line in a front-to-back manner. Thus, the back side of one of the packages  200  is adjacent to the front side of another one of the packages  200 . Of course, the packages  200  could be arranged back-to-back and front-to-front in other embodiments if so desired. 
     In the exemplified embodiment, each of the plurality of packages  200  is a blister-style package comprising a backer panel  201  and a front cover  202  that is coupled to the backer panel  201  so that a receiving cavity  203  is formed between the front cover  202  and the backer panel  201 . In the exemplified embodiment, the backer panel  201  is a flat panel formed of cardboard and the front cover  202  is a three-dimensionally contoured thermoformed plastic. The front cover  202  may be transparent or translucent in some embodiments. Each of the packages  200  has a display side (i.e., a front side)  204  and a non-display side (i.e., a rear side)  205 . In the exemplified embodiment, the display side  204  of each of the packages  200  faces the front wall  103  of the container  100  and the non-display side  205  of each of the packages  200  faces the rear wall  104  of the container  100 . Thus, the front cover  202  extends from the backer panel  201  in a direction towards the front wall  103  of the container  100 . 
     The display side  204  of the packages  200  may include desirable indicia, ornamentation, coloring, instructions, or the like that is desired to be visible to a consumer when the packages  200  are hanging from a pegboard hook or otherwise displayed in a retail environment. There may also be indicia, writing, instructions, or the like on the non-display side  205 . However, the indicia on the display side  204  is the indicia that is desired to be displayed to a consumer to entice purchase of the article whereas the indicia on the non-display side  205  may include information more valuable to a consumer after purchase. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 4 , in the exemplified embodiment at least one article  300  is located within the receiving cavity  203  of each of the packages  200 . In the exemplified embodiment, each of the articles  300  is a toothbrush. Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment each of the toothbrushes are of the same style. What this means is that each of the toothbrushes contained within the container  100  have the same handle structure, bristle pattern, tongue cleaner pattern, and the like. The toothbrushes may have different colors, but they are the same type or style of toothbrush. This is important because all of the toothbrushes contained within the container  100  will eventually be hanging from the same pegboard hook in a retail store, and it is typically desirable for each of the items hanging from a single pegboard hook to be the same item (with possible differences in color or other ancillary features). 
     Although toothbrushes are used as the article  300  in the exemplified embodiment, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. The article  300  may be any article that is typically displayed in a retail environment in its packaged form while hanging from a pegboard hook. Thus, the specific type of article used is not to be limiting of the present invention unless so specified in the claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each of the packages  200  comprises an aperture  206  to facilitate hanging of the package  200  from a pegboard hook as noted above. In the exemplified embodiment, the aperture  206  is formed into the backer panel  201  of the package  200 . However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the aperture  206  may be formed into a tab that is coupled to the backer panel  201  or the like. Moreover, in other embodiments the package  200  may not be a blister pack as shown in the exemplified embodiment. For example, the package  200  may merely be an enclosed box within which the article  300  is disposed. Either way, the package  200  will include an aperture or some other feature that permits hanging of the package  200  from a pegboard hook in a retail environment. As best seen in  FIG. 3 , with the packages  200  arranged in single file within the cavity  109  of the container  100 , the apertures  206  of the packages  200  are all aligned with one another. Thus; a reference axis R-R exists that passes through the apertures  206  of each of the packages  200 . In the exemplified embodiment, the reference axis R-R is parallel to the top and bottom ends  101 ,  102  of the container  100  and perpendicular to the front and rear walls  103 ,  104  of the container  100 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 1-3 , the process of separating the top portion  130  from the base portion  130  will be described. To separate the top portion  130  from the base portion  110 , a user pushes on the tab portion  134  of the top portion  130  relative to the remainder of the bottom end  101  of the container  100  so that the tab portion  134  tears along the pre-weakened line  107  and pivots inwardly (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Next, a user pulls on the top portion  130  relative to the base portion  110  as shown with the large arrow in  FIG. 2 . This causes the container  100  to separate at the pre-weakened line  107  until the top portion  130  is completely separated from the base portion  110 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The top portion  130  can then be discarded, recycled, or put to some other use. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , when the top portion  130  is removed from the base portion  110 , the base portion  110  defines a holding cavity  119 , which is a portion of the internal cavity  109  of the container  100  that is defined by the base portion  110  of the container  100 . The holding cavity  119  has an open top end  120  because the top portion  130  of the container  100  includes the entirety of the top end  102  of the container  100  and an open rear end  121  because the top portion  130  of the container  100  includes the entirety of the rear wall  104  of the container  100 . Of course, even if the top portion  130  includes less than an entirety of the rear wall  104  as described herein, the rear end of the holding cavity  119  will still be open because a part of the rear wall  104  will be removed with the top portion  130 . 
     When the top portion  130  is removed from the base portion  110 , the packages  200  protrude from the upper edge  115  of the base portion  110 . Specifically, the packages have a fifth height H 5  that is greater than the third height H 3  of the first portion  111  of the front wall  103 . Furthermore, the apertures  206  in the packages  200  are elevated relative to the upper edge  115  of the base portion  110  so that they are accessible to a pegboard hook as described herein. This occurs because the apertures  206  are located at a top end of the packages  200 . Thus, the packages  200  may be loaded onto a pegboard hook directly from the base portion  110  of the container  100  without first being removed from the holding cavity  119  of the base portion  110  of the container  100 , Rather, removing the packages  200  (and articles  300 ) from the holding cavity  119  of the base portion  110  and loading the packages  200  (and articles  300 ) onto the pegboard hooks occurs simultaneously. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6-10  sequentially, the process of using the container  100 , or the base portion  110  thereof, to load the packages  200  onto a pegboard hook  500  will be described. First, the top portion  130  of the container  100  is separated from the base portion  110  of the container  100  as described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 . The packages  200  containing the articles  300  remain located in the holding cavity  119  of the base portion  110  of the container  100 , As shown in  FIG. 6 , the base portion  110  of the container  100  is brought near the pegboard hook  500  so that the apertures  206  of the packages  200  are in alignment with the pegboard hook  500 . More specifically, the base portion  110  of the container  100  is moved adjacent to the pegboard hook  500  with the non-display sides (i.e., rear)  205  of the packages  200  and the open rear end  121  of the holding cavity  119  facing the pegboard hook  500  Because the packages  200  have a greater height than the base portion  110  of the container  100 , the apertures  206  are located above the base portion  110  of the container  100  outside of the holding cavity  119 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the base portion  110  of the container  100  has been moved/translated towards the pegboard hook  500  so that the pegboard hook  500  is extending through the apertures  206  of several of the packages  200 . Continued sliding/translating of the base portion  110  of the container  100 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , results in the pegboard hook  500  extending through the apertures  206  of all of the packages  200  held by the base portion  110  of the container  100 . As the base portion  110  is moved to facilitate hanging of the packages  200  from the pegboard hook  500 , it is possible that the front-most one of the packages  200  will abut against the second portion  111  of the front wall  103 . Thus, the second portion  111  of the front wall  103  should have a sufficient height to ensure that the packages  200  do not fall out of the holding cavity  119  during the loading process. 
     At this point in time, the base portion  110  of the container  100  is no longer supporting the weight of any of the packages  200 . Rather, the weight of the packages  200  is supported by the pegboard hook  500 . Thus, the base portion  110  of the container  100  can be pulled, translated, or otherwise moved away from the pegboard hook  500 . In some embodiments, the base portion  110  of the container  100  may first be moved downwardly just slightly to ensure that the packages  200  are no longer being supported by the base portion  110  of the container  100 , and then the base portion  110  of the container  100  is translated or otherwise moved away from the pegboard hook  500 . 
     In the exemplified embodiment, because the entirety of the rear wall  104  of the container  100  is removed when the top portion  130  is separated from the base portion  110 , when the base portion  110  is moved away from the pegboard hook  500  as shown in  FIG. 9 , the packages  200  slide readily out of the holding cavity  119  via the open rear end  121 . As mentioned above, in some embodiments it is possible that the base portion  110  of the container  100  may include a portion of the rear wall  104 . In such an embodiment, the base portion  110  should be moved downwardly a sufficient amount so that the bottoms of the packages  200  are above the top edge of the portion of the rear wall  104  so that the packages  200  do not get caught or pulled by the rear wall  104  when the base portion  110  of the container  100  is being moved away from the pegboard hook  500 . Having a minimal (or no) rear wall on the base portion  110  is ideal because in a retail environment there will be another pegboard hook directly below the bottoms of the packages  200  as they hang from the pegboard hook  500 . Thus, there is a minimal amount of downward movement that can be achieved with the base portion  110  of the container  100  without bumping against that other pegboard hook. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates all of the packages  200  that were previously in the internal cavity  109  of the container  100  hanging from the pegboard hook  500 . The packages  200  are slid from the container  100  onto the pegboard hook  500  using the base portion  110  of the container  100  in a single motion. Thus, this speeds up the process of moving packages from a shipping container into pegboard hooks in a retail environment. The display side  204  of each of the packages  200  faces outwardly towards a consumer and the non-display side  205  of each of the packages  200  faces away from a consumer. Thus, in the exemplified embodiment each of the packages  200  faces in the same direction. This may be desirable so that when one of the packages  200  is removed from the pegboard hook  500  for purchase by a consumer, the next package  200  in line will be facing the same direction to impart the same information to the next consumer. Of course, the packages  200  could be facing in different directions in other embodiments. 
       FIGS. 11A-11D  illustrate the packaged set of articles  1000  as described herein above whereby the container  100  has various different indicia to assist a retail store employee or stock clerk in use of the container  100  as described herein. Specifically.  FIG. 11A  uses dashed lines on opposite sides of the pre-weakened line  107  to show how the top portion  130  can be separated from the base portion  110 .  FIG. 11B  includes an arrow to illustrate the direction that the base portion  110  should be moved when loading the packages  200  onto the pegboard hook.  FIG. 11C  includes a listing of four steps required for use of the container  100  that amount to instructions regarding how to use the container  100  to load the packages  200  onto a pegboard hook.  FIG. 11D  includes an illustration of a hand to show a user where to place his/her hands during use of the container  100  to slide the packages  200  onto a pegboard hook. Thus, the container  100  may include printed graphical instructions, icons, or the like to inform the shelf stocker how to use the container  100 . The container  100  may include any one of the indicia illustrated in  FIGS. 11A-11D  or any of various combinations thereof. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.