Patent Publication Number: US-6981632-B2

Title: Display box

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to containers and, more specifically to corrugated display containers. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Display containers are well known in the art. Typically, the containers are formed with either a removable top portion wherein the entire top of the container is removable or wherein only a limited section of the container is removable. Historically, containers with removable top portions use complex structure such as tear tapes or the like to facilitate the separation of the top portion from the bottom portion. Such structure is difficult to manufacture and burdensome to use. Likewise, containers with limited removable sections restrict access to the products within the container. Thus, the nature and type of product that may be placed in the container is limited. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the aspects of the present invention, a single piece container blank is disclosed. The present invention includes a blank constructed from a single sheet of foldable material cut and scored to define a bottom panel, a top panel, a front panel and a back panel. Additionally, the blank includes pairs of opposed bottom flaps, top flaps, front flaps and back flaps. A front flap tab is attached to each front flap along a front flap perforation line. A relief slot is formed between the front panel and each of the front flap tabs. The relief slots are arranged in an intersecting relationship with the front flap perforation lines. A manufacture flap is hingedly attached to the bottom panel. Opposed manufacture tabs are attached to the manufacture flap. The width of the manufacture flaps is no greater than the width of the front flap tab. 
   The present invention further includes a container with opposed bottom and top panels and opposed front and back panels. The respective panels include opposed bottom flaps, opposed top flaps, opposed front flaps, and opposed back flaps. A manufacture flap is hingedly attached to the bottom panel. A pair of opposed manufacture tabs are attached to the manufacture flap. Further, a front flap tab is releasably attached to each front flap along a front flap perforation line. Each front flap tab is suitably adhered to a respective manufacture tab. The width of the manufacture flap is no greater than the width of the front flap tab. Additionally, a relief slot is formed in the front panel whereby the relief slot lies in an intersecting relation to the front flap perforation line. The manufacture flap is adjacent to but is not adhered to the front tab of the front panel. 
   The present invention also includes a container this is easily opened. To open the container, each front flap is pulled in any manner that will separate the front flaps from their respective front flap tabs along the front flap tab perforation lines. The container is now open. A top portion of the container may be left hingedly attached to a bottom portion. Alternatively, the top portion may be completely separated from the bottom portion by tearing along a top panel perforation line. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the blank made according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a partially assembled container made according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a partially assembled container made according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an assembled container made according to the present invention; and 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views of a method of opening the container made according to the present invention; and, 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an assembled and opened container according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a blank and container for shipping and displaying products.  FIG. 1  depicts the blank  20  used to form the container  48 . The blank  20  is preferably constructed from a single piece of foldable material, such as, without limitation, paperboard or corrugated containerboard material. The blank  20  is cut, scored, perforated or otherwise formed to include a plurality of panels which, when assembled, create the container  48  of the present invention. Wherever possible, the same number is used in related panels of the container  48 . More specifically, in all FIGURES, like numbers indicate like parts. Additionally, cuts are shown as solid lines, score lines as dashed lines and lines of perforation as broken lines. Specific details of the blank  20  and container  48  are described with more particularity below. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 2-4 , the single piece blank  20  is preferably configured to form a generally rectangular or square shaped container  48 . More specifically, the blank  20  is preferably configured to form a container  48  with an opposed bottom panel  22  and top panel  26 , and an opposed front panel  28  and back panel  24 . The bottom panel  22  includes opposed bottom flaps  30 ,  30 ′. Each of the bottom flaps  30 ,  30 ′ preferably include a cutout  50 ,  50 ′ located on an outer edge of each respective bottom flap  30 ,  30 ′. The back panel  24  includes opposed back flaps  32 ,  32 ′. The top panel  26  includes opposed top flaps  34 ,  34 ′. The front panel  28  includes opposed front flaps  36 ,  36 ′. Each of the bottom flaps  30 ,  30 ′, back flaps  32 ,  32 ′, top flaps  34 ,  34 ′ and front flaps  36 ,  36 ′ are suitably sized to accommodate the formation of the container  48 . Such sizing is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art. 
   A front flap tab  44 ,  44 ′ is releaseably attached to each front flap  36 ,  36 ′ along a front flap perforation line  70 ,  70 ′. A pair of relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ are formed in an outer edge of the front panel  28 . Each relief slot  40 ,  40 ′ is arranged in an intersecting relationship with each of the front flap perforation lines  70 ,  70 ′. The length of the relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ is slightly greater than the width  53  of the front flap tabs  44 ,  44 ′. More specifically, the length of the relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ is arranged to extend slightly beyond the intersection with the front flap perforation lines  70 ,  70 ′. In this manner, the relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ extends transverse of an intersection with the front flap perforation line  70 ,  70 ′. The relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ define a front tab  38  on front panel  28 . 
   As discussed more fully below, the relationship between the relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ and the front flap perforation lines  70 ,  70 ′ helps facilitate opening of the container  48 . 
   A manufacture flap  46  is attached to said bottom panel  22  along hinge line  52 . The manufacture flap  46  is substantially the same length as the bottom panel  22 . A pair of opposed manufacture tabs  42  are hingedly attached to the manufacture flap  46  along hinge lines  66 ,  66 ′. The width  51  of the manufacture tabs  42 ,  42 ′ is preferably arranged to be no greater than the width  53  of the front flap tabs  44 ,  44 ′. 
   With specific reference to  FIGS. 2-4 , a preferable method of container  48  assembly is initiated by folding of the front panel  28  to align the front tab  38  and front flap tabs  44 ,  44 ′ into an adjacent relationship with the manufacture flap  46  and manufacture tabs  42 ,  42 ′, respectively. Preferably, the front tab  38  and front flap tabs  44 ,  44 ′ are disposed inside the manufacture flap  46  and manufacture tabs  42 ,  42 ′ when the container  48  is formed. The manufacture tabs  42 ,  42 ′ are subsequently adhered solely to the front flap tabs  44 ,  44 ′. 
   In a presently preferred embodiment, no adhesive  78  is placed between the manufacture flap  46  and the front tab  38 . However, releaseably attaching the manufacture flap  46  to the front tab  38  is also considered within the scope of this invention. By way of non-limiting example, a spot adhesive  78   a  may be placed between the manufacture flap  46  and the front tab  38 . Such spot adhesive  78   a  arrangements are well known in the art. 
   The present invention includes a locking corner construction  76 . A feature of the present invention is the lack of any adhesive  78  between the manufacture flap  46  and the front tab  38  that will interfere with opening the container  48 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any spot adhesives  78   a  placed between the relative panels will not interfere with the operation of this invention. By pattern applying the adhesive  78  as illustrated in the present invention the container  48  is securely formed yet easily opened. The pattern applied adhesive  78  in conjunction with front flap perforation line  70 ,  70 ′ and relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ are an integral part of a locking corner construction  76  of the present invention. The relief slots  40 ,  40 ′ allow for separation of the locking corner construction  76  when the front flap perforation lines  70 ,  70 ′ are detached. 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in a preferred embodiment, the bottom flaps  30 ,  30 ′ and the top flaps  34 ,  34 ′ are then folded along hinge lines  56 ,  56 ′ and  60 ,  60 ′ respectively. Subsequently, the back flaps  32 ,  32 ′ and front flaps  36 ,  36 ′ are likewise folded along hinge lines  58 ,  58 ′ and  62 ,  62 ′, respectively. The top flaps  34 ,  34 ′ are adhered to the back flaps  32 ,  32 ′ in a manner that will allow for easy shearing during the opening process. A non-limiting example of a suitable adhesion of the top flaps  34 ,  34 ′ to the back flaps  32 ,  32 ′ includes one or more glue beads about ¼ inch to about 1 inch in length (not shown). The determination of a suitable adhesive pattern between the top flaps  34 ,  34 ′ and the back flaps  32 ,  32 ′ is determined by one skilled in the art. The various other flaps are suitably adhered to each other to complete the formation of the container  48 . 
   The various panels and flaps that are adhered together in the present invention may be secured to one another in any known fashion. In a presently preferred embodiment, glue is employed to hold the panels and flaps together. However, other securing means are considered within the scope of this invention, such as without limitation, staples, tape and any other type of adhesive. The method of securing the panels together is within the scope of those skilled in the art. 
   In order to further illustrate the various aspects of the invention,  FIGS. 4-7  show the container  48  being opened in a manner aligned with the present invention. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the container  48  is opened by pulling on the front flaps  36 ,  36 ′ in a fashion that will facilitate separation of the front flaps  36 ,  36 ′ from the front flap tabs  44 ,  44 ′ along front flap perforation line  70 ,  70 ′. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the interaction between front flap perforation line  70 ,  70 ′ and relief slots  40 ,  40 ′. The top flaps  34 ,  34 ′ are suitably separated from the back flaps  32 ,  32 ′ to open the container  48  and provide access to the enclosed product  68 . The cutouts  50 ,  50 ′ are provided to increase the ease in which the container  48  is opened. More specifically, the cutouts  50 ,  50 ′ provide a finger hold with which to initiate opening of the container  48 . As such the relative sizing and overall shape of the cutouts  50 ,  50 ′ are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Further, cutouts  50 ,  50 ′ may be located on any of the other flaps  32 ,  32 ′,  34 ,  34 ′ and  36 ,  36 ′ alone or in any combination with the arrangement illustrated in the present invention. 
   The container  48  may be used in a manner illustrated in FIG.  6 . More specifically, the container  48  may be used where top assembly  72  remains hingeably connected to a bottom assembly  74  along the top panel perforation line  66 . Conversely, the top assembly  72  may be completely separated from the bottom assembly  74  along the same top panel perforation line  66 , as illustrated in FIG.  7 . The manner in which the container  48  is employed is predominately a matter of choice for the user of the container  48 . 
   Any variety of additional elements may be included, such as, without limitation, vents, specialized liners or grease barriers, etc., without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Similarly, rounding or otherwise trimming the various panels is considered within the scope of the instant invention. 
   While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.