Patent Publication Number: US-8985321-B2

Title: Shipping and display container

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to containers for shipping products to points of sale. More particularly, the invention is a shipping container that is convertible to a display container at the point of sale. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is common practice to load a quantity of individual packages of consumer products into corrugated paperboard shipping containers for bulk shipment of the packages to a point of sale. At the point of sale, the individual packages are removed from the shipping container and placed on a shelf for display and sale to the consumer. 
     In many instances, especially in the club stores, the product packages are left in the shipping container which then also serves to support and display the packages for sale. If the shipping container is a conventional box, then the retailer must cut away a portion of the box in order to expose the product packages and provide access to them by the consumers. In order to provide a more attractive display and facilitate ease of use by the retailer, combination of shipping and display containers have been developed which have sections that may be removed along weakened lines to expose the product packages and provide access to them. 
     Some conventional shipping and display containers require multiple pieces of corrugated material in their construction and/or are not easily produced on standard Regular Slotted Container (RSC) plant converting equipment. Conventional designs also may not provide a container that retains its integrity during shipping and handling, and/or the retailer may be required to use a knife to open the shipping container to convert it to a display configuration. Additionally, removal of a section of conventional shipping and display containers frequently leaves a jagged edge that is unattractive. 
     Of additional concern with conventional shipping and display containers is their inability to ship bagged, pouched or carded products in a flat or horizontal position and then display them at the point of sale in an upright position. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a shipping and display container that uses a single piece of corrugated material in its construction, that can be easily produced on standard box plant converting equipment, that retains its integrity during shipping and handling, that does not require the use of a knife or other tool to convert it from a shipping to a display configuration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a shipping container that is easily convertible to a display configuration at a point of sale. The container requires a single piece of corrugated material in its construction and can be produced on standard Regular Slotted Container (RSC) plant converting equipment. The RSC container retains its integrity during shipping and handling and does not require the use of a knife or other tool to convert it from a shipping configuration to a display configuration. In its shipping configuration, the container has first and second side walls, opposed end walls, and major and minor flaps on the top and bottom edges of the side and end walls forming top and bottom walls. At the point of sale, the container is stood on one end the two pairs of non-linear zipper perforations each of which extend across the length of the respective end walls and width the respective minor flaps that foldably joined to the respective end walls are used to separate a removable cover base from a display base. 
     Each of the pairs of non-linear zipper perforations defines a boundary of the display base from the removable cover base that when removed forms the display configuration. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the top major flaps have different width with respect to one another and the bottom major flaps have different width with respect to one another and the top and bottom major flaps are un-aligned with one another when the major flaps are in folded positions. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the width of each of the top and bottom major flaps may be the same size and be aligned with one another when they are in their respective folding positions. The first side wall includes first major flaps each of which foldably joined from respective longitudinal edges thereof and the second side wall includes second major flaps each of which foldably joined from respective longitudinal edges thereof. Each of the first major flaps has a larger width than each of the second major flaps and the first major flaps is part of the removable cover base. The second major flaps are part of the display base. Each pair of the non-linear zipper perforations terminates at free edges of the respective top and bottom minor flaps and each pair of the non-linear zipper perforations includes a finger access tab for pulling the tab to initiate tearing of the perforated lines and to remove the non-linear zipper. 
     The shipping and display container of the invention is made from a single blank of corrugated paperboard cut and scored to define first, second, third and fourth wall panels foldably joined along adjacent side edges and, with reference to the orientation of a container during filling and shipping, having top and bottom edges. Top major and minor flaps are foldably joined to the top edges of the side walls and end walls, and bottom major and minor flaps are foldably joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and end walls. The blank may be cut, scored and folded on standard RSC box plant converting equipment. The manufacturer of the shipping and display container folds the blank about a fold line between its ends and adhesively attaches a glue tab on one end of the blank to the opposite end of the blank to form a flattened tubular construction that is shipped to a customer who erects the flattened construction into a finished container and fills it with packages of product for shipment to a point of sale. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front top isometric view of a shipping and display container according to the invention, shown in its shipping configuration. 
         FIG. 2  is a front top isometric view showing the container of the invention in the process of being opened. 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the container opened into a display base in an operative position and a removable cover base detached from the display base. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the blank used in making the container of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. In the present invention the use of prime character in the numeral references in the drawings directed to the different embodiment indicate that those elements are either the same or at least function the same. 
     A shipping and display container according to the invention is indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1  in its shipping configuration. The container  10  comprises opposite side walls  12   a ,  12   b , end walls  14   a ,  14   b , and top and bottom walls  16  and  18 . At the point of sale, the container  10  is oriented in its display configuration by flipping it onto its side wall  12   a  as shown in  FIG. 2  and removing a removable cover base  20  to form a display opening extending over a portion of what now constitutes a display base  22  to expose the upright product packages P in the container. The top and bottom walls  16  and  18  are defined by top major and minor flaps  16   a ,  16   b  and  18   a ,  18   b  foldably joined to the top edges of the side walls  12   a ,  12   b  and end walls  14   a ,  14   b , and bottom major and minor flaps  16   c ,  16   d  and  18   c ,  18   d  foldably joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and end walls. The removable cover base  20  is separated from the display base  22  along the two pairs of non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   a ,  24   b . The two pairs of non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   a ,  24   b  each of which extends across the length of the respective end walls  14   a ,  14   b  and the width of respective minor flaps  18   a ,  18   b ,  81   c , and  18   d  that foldably joined to the respective end walls and in which each of the pairs of non-linear zipper perforation lines define a boundary of the display base  22  from the removable cover base  20  that when removed forms the display configuration. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the respective top major flaps  16   a ,  16   b  have different width with respect to one another and the bottom major flaps  16   c ,  16   d  have different width with respect to one another. However, the major flaps  16   a ,  16   c  have the same width and major flaps  16   b ,  16   d  have the same width as well. It should be noted that the different width in respective top and bottom major flaps has no bearing on the operation of the invention and as one of the ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, the width of the top and bottom major flaps may be the same so that the top major flaps would aligned with one another and similarly, the bottom major flaps would aligned with one another as well. The top major flaps  16   a ,  16   b  are un-aligned with one another when they are in folded positions. The first side wall  12   b  includes first major flaps  16   a ,  16   c  each of which foldably joined from respective longitudinal edges thereof and the second side wall  12   a  includes second major flaps  16   b ,  16   d  each of which foldably joined from respective longitudinal edges thereof. As noted, each of the respective first major flaps  16   a ,  16   c  has a larger width than each of the respective second major flaps  16   b ,  16   d . The first major flaps  16   a ,  16   c  are part of the removable cover base  20 . The second major flaps  16   b ,  16   d  are part of the display base  22 . The non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   a  begins at free edge of the minor flap  18   a ′ and terminate at the free edge of the minor flap  18   b ′. Similarly, the non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   b  begins at free edge of the minor flap  18   c ′ and terminate at the free edge of the minor flap  18   d ′. Each pair of the non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   a ,  24   b  includes a finger access tab  26  for pulling the finger access tab  26  to initiate tearing of the perforated lines  24   a ,  24   b  and removing the non-linear zipper  28 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  that illustrates an isometric view of the container  10  opened into a display base  22  in an operative position and a removable cover base  20  detached from the display base  22 . The display base  22  contains the upright product packages P for easy access by the customer in a retail store. It should be noted that the display base  22  accommodates products that are packed into cases with their display facings in a parallel plane to the major and minor flaps  16   b ,  16   d ,  18   a , and  18   b . Furthermore, this orientation minimize any negative effect on stacking strength and/or packing materials costs the display features may cause during handling. The container  10  is particularly configured so that the display base  22  has a lower profile as compared to a profile of the removable cover base  20 . The use of non-linear zipper perforations  24   a ,  24   b  in a precise locations on the end wall  14   a ,  14   b  and minor flaps  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c , and  18   d  prevents the side walls  12   a ,  12   b  and end walls  14   a ,  14   b  from buckling and/or folding during high speed manufacturing of folding and gluing process of the blank  30 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 , for making the container  10 . 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the blank  30  used in making the container  10  of the invention. The blank  30  is substantially flat symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal axis thereof. The blank  30  is preferably an integral piece of a material such as continuous sheet of conventional corrugated cardboard. The blank  30  is cut along its outer margins to form its specific shape. The blank  30  is divided into two sidewalls  12   a ′,  12   b ′, and two end walls  14   a ′,  14   b ′ by three parallel fold lines  32 ,  34 , and  38  and major and minor top flaps  16   a ′,  16   b ′,  18   a ′, and  18   c ′forming the top wall  16 ′ by fold line  44  and major and minor bottom flaps  16   c ′,  16   d ′,  18   b ′, and  18   d ′ forming the bottom wall  18  by fold line  46 . A glue tab  40  is foldably extend from the side wall  12   b ′ and define by fold line  42 . The glue tab  40  attaches one end of the blank  30  to the opposite end of the blank to form a flattened tubular construction that is shipped to a customer who erects the flattened construction into a finished container and fills it with packages of product for shipment to a point of sale. The two pairs of non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   a ,  24   b  each of which extends across the length of the respective end walls  14   a ,  14   b  and the width of respective minor flaps  18   a ,  18   b ,  81   c , and  18   d  that foldably joined to the respective end walls and in which each of the pairs of non-linear zipper perforation lines  24   a ′,  24   b ′ define a boundary of the display base  22  from the removable cover base  20  that when removed forms the display configuration. 
     To construct the blank  30 , the glue tab  40 ′ attaches one end of the blank  30  to the opposite end of the blank that is end wall  14   b ′ to form a flattened tubular construction. Next, major and minor bottom flaps  16   c ′,  16   d ′,  18   b ′,  18   d ′ are folded at right angle toward one another along the respective fold line  46  and glued to one another. Next, the products P are placed in the interior space of the container  10  and finally, major and minor top flaps  16   a ′,  16   b ′,  18   a ′, and  18   c ′ and are folded at right angle toward one another along the respective fold line  44  and glued to one another to enclose the container for shipping. At the point of sale, the merchant grab the finger access tab  26  and pulls outwardly to break the lines of perforation  24   a ,  24   b  so that the non-linear zipper  28  is removed. This enables the removable cover base  20  of the container  10  to be detached from the display base  22 . 
     Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a shipping container convertible into a display configuration at a point of sale which comprises a display base and a removable cover base. The removable cover base is integrally attached to the display base through two pairs of non-linear zipper perforations lines to form the shipping container convertible into a display configuration. The shipping container convertible into a display configuration comprises opposite side walls each having a length and a top edge and a bottom edge and opposite end walls each having a width and a top edge and a bottom edge. Top major and minor flaps are foldably joined to the top edges of the side walls and end walls, and bottom major and minor flaps are foldably joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and end walls. The two pairs of non-linear zipper perforations lines each of which extends across the length of the respective end walls and width of respective minor flaps that are foldably joined to the respective end walls. Each of the pairs of non-linear zipper perforations defines a boundary of the display base from the removable cover base that when removed forms the display configuration. The top major flaps have different width with respect to one another and the bottom major flaps have different width with respect to one another. The top and bottom major flaps are un-aligned with one another when the major flaps are in folded positions. The opposed side walls is defined by first and second side walls. The first side wall includes first major flaps each of which is foldably joined from respective longitudinal edges thereof and the second side wall includes second major flaps each of which is foldably joined from respective longitudinal edges thereof. Each of the first major flaps has a larger width than each of the second major flaps and the first major flaps comprise a part of the removable cover base. The second major flaps comprise a part of the display base. Each pair of the non-linear zipper perforations terminates at free edges of the respective top and bottom minor flaps. Each pair of the non-linear zipper perforations includes a finger access tab for pulling the tab to initiate tearing of the perforated lines and to remove the non-linear zipper. The display base has a lower profile as compared to a profile of the removable cover base. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a blank for making a shipping container convertible into a display configuration at a point of sale which comprises a first side wall panel at a first end of the blank and a first end wall panel adjoins the first side wall panel. A second side wall panel adjoins the first end wall panel along an edge opposite that edge joined to the first side wall panel. A second end wall panel adjoins the second side wall panel along an edge opposite the first end wall panel. A glue tab is foldably joined to an edge of the first side wall panel opposite the edge joined to the first end wall panel. First major flaps each of which is foldably joined to respective longitudinal edges of the first side wall panel. First minor flaps each of which is foldably joined to respective lateral edges of the first end wall panel. Second major flaps each of which is foldably joined to respective longitudinal edge of the second side wall panel. Second minor flaps each of which is foldably joined to respective lateral edges of the second end wall panel. A first pair non-linear zipper perforations lines extend across the length of the first end wall panel and width of first minor flaps. A second pair non-linear zipper perforations lines extends across the length of the second end wall panel and width of second minor flaps. 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as defined by the appended claims.