Abstract:
The present invention provides a hutch having a pair of opposed sidewalls and a back wall and a shelf having a first planar surface extending between the sidewalls supported by four support panels each having a second planar surface transverse to the first planar surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/323,131, filed Apr. 15, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    N/A 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Point of sale shelving erected from a corrugated paperboard blank or blanks for supporting and displaying heavy items is disclosed herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A variety of display units are available for displaying products or other items. However, most display units are expensive to ship and construct. Some paperboard displays are known. However, such displays are only designed to support chips and other light products. The present invention provides a hutch with a plurality of shelves that overcomes the problems of prior units. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a corrugated paperboard hutch configured to display heavy products. The hutch includes shelves having one or more support structures. 
         [0006]    The present invention also provides a hutch having a pair of opposed sidewalls and a back wall and a shelf having a first planar surface extending between the sidewalls supported by four support panels each having a second planar surface transverse to the first planar surface. 
         [0007]    The present invention also provides a hutch of a corrugated paperboard material having a pair of opposed sidewalls and a back wall extending between the opposed sidewalls and connected to a portion of each. The hutch has a first support panel extending between the pair opposed sidewalls and having opposed ends, one of each attached to one of each of the opposed sidewalls. The first support panel has a top edge and a bottom edge, a first flap extending transversely from the top edge toward the back wall and a second flap extending transversely from the bottom edge toward the back wall and parallel to the first flap and defining a gap therebetween. The hutch also has a second support panel extending between the opposed sidewalls and in the gap. 
         [0008]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a hutch of a corrugated paperboard material having a pair of opposed sidewalls and a back wall extending between the opposed sidewalls and connected to a portion of each is provided. The hutch further has a first support panel extending between the pair opposed sidewalls and having opposed ends, one of each attached to one of each of the opposed sidewalls. A first flap extends transversely from the first support panel toward the back wall, and a rectangular prism extends between the opposed sidewalls and has a first planar surface in surface contact with a bottom surface of the first flap to define a shelf. 
         [0009]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a hutch of a corrugated paperboard material having a pair of opposed sidewalls spaced from one another and each having a front edge and a rear edge is provided. A back wall extends between and connects a portion of the rear edge of each of the pair of opposed sidewalls and has a portion removed to form a slot. The hutch also has a shelf extending between the opposed sidewalls with a first panel connecting a portion of the front edges of the pair of opposed sidewalls and having: (1) a vertical surface having a top edge and a bottom edge; (2) a segmented second panel having a first portion extending vertically downwardly from the top portion and a second portion extending horizontally from the first portion toward the back wall, and a tab connected to the second portion along a hinge; and (3) a segmented third panel having a first leg extending horizontally and a second leg extending from a distal end of the first leg and a portion of the second leg extending through the slot and having a vertically disposed surface in contact with an outer planar surface of the back wall, and a slot on the first leg retaining the tab. 
         [0010]    Further aspects of the invention are described herein and shown in the Figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of a blank of paperboard material for forming a hutch and indicating the vertical fold lines. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 2-6  show a top plan view of the paperboard blank when folding along vertical fold lines. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a plan view of a blank of paperboard material for forming a hutch and indicating the horizontal fold lines. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a photograph of a hutch displaying products on three shelves. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a side elevation view taken along a line through a center of the shelves from front to back. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a photograph of a top or first shelf before folding along horizontal fold lines. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a photograph of a front view of a second shelf before folding along horizontal fold lines. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a photograph of a front view of a third shelf before folding along horizontal fold lines. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a front elevation view of a rear wall of the hutch. 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  shows a plan view of a blank of paperboard material for forming a hutch having four shelves. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a photograph of two hutches, one having four shelves displaying soft drink products and another having three shelves. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and attachments, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof 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 invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 1 and 7  show a paperboard blank  100  having a plurality of panels divided along vertical fold lines ( FIG. 1 ) and horizontal fold lines ( FIG. 7 ). When properly folded the blank forms a hutch  200  ( FIG. 8 ) having three shelves for supporting relatively heavy items.  FIG. 14  shows a blank when properly folded forms a hutch  202  having four shelves.  FIG. 8  shows a hutch  200  having three shelves and  FIG. 15  shows a hutch  202  having four shelves and a hutch  200  having three shelves. Notwithstanding the number of shelves, the hutch will be referred to hereafter as hutch  200 . The hutch  200  is suitable as a point of sales display for items like bottles of soft drinks and cases of cans of liquids as is shown in  FIG. 8 . In a preferred form of the invention, a single blank  100 , even more preferably a single blank  100  having a continuous planar surface, will be used to form the hutch  200 . It is contemplated, however, that two or more blanks could be used to form the hutch without departing from the present invention. 
         [0025]    In one preferred form of the invention, the blank  100  is first folded along the vertical fold lines shown in  FIG. 1  to form the structures shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , and then the blank  100  is folded along the horizontal fold lines shown in  FIGS. 7, 10-12 . While the folding is described in a certain order it should be understood that what is described is an exemplary method and the folding could proceed in a different order to form the hutch  200  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 15 . Additionally, directional or positional words, such as top, upper, vertical, left/right, etc., are used with respect to the blank  100  and hutch  200  as shown in the various figures and are not meant to limit the invention. 
         [0026]    Starting with the folding along vertical fold lines, a panel  18  and those panels to the left are folded along line  1 . 5 , 90° to form a generally L-shaped blank shown in  FIG. 2 . The L-shaped blank is then folded along line  2 . 5 , 90° to the right placing panels  12 ,  13  and  14  in registration with panel  6  to form a generally U-shaped blank defining a chamber  100  therebetween ( FIG. 3 ). Then, panel  4  and the panels to its right are folded 90° along line  3 . 5 ; panels  1 ,  2 ,  3  are folded 90° along line  4 . 5 ; panel  5  is reverse folded 90° along line  5 . 5 , and panel  5  is attached to an inner surface of panel  18 . In one preferred form of the invention, panel  5  is attached to panel  18  with glue, for example. 
         [0027]    Panel  19  and the panels to its left are folded 90° along line  6 . 5  toward panel  6  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Panel  20  and those to the left are folded 180° along line  7 . 5  placing panel  20  into face-to-face contact with an outer surface of panel  4  and panels  7 - 10  are folded 90° along line  8 . 5  to extend parallel to panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 . Panel  20  is attached to an outer surface of panel  4  with glue, for example. Panel  11  is reverse folded 90° along line  9 . 5  and attached to an inner surface of panel  18  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Panels  16  and  17  are respectively folded 180°, in opposite directions, along lines  10 . 5  and  11 . 5  into face-to-face contact with an inner surface of panels  19  and  18  and attached thereto with glue, for example. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  shows horizontal fold lines designated with a prime (′). The panels are folded along the horizontal fold lines to complete three shelves vertically spaced from one another ( FIGS. 10-12 ). While three shelves are shown in  FIG. 8  and four shelves are shown in  FIG. 15  it is contemplated having as few as two shelves and as many as needed and fits within the dimensional limitations of use. In one preferred form of the invention the hutch will have from two to six shelves. 
         [0029]    The following folds are for completing the top shelf or first shelf.  FIG. 10  shows the first shelf in an unfolded state and  FIG. 9  shows all of the shelves in a folded state. Panel  1  has three horizontal fold lines and three sub-panels  50 ,  51 ,  52 , and slot  53  centrally disposed on fold line  2 . 5 ′. To construct this part of the shelf, fold panel  50  90° along line  1 . 5 ′ toward panel  6 , and panel  52  90° along line  2 . 5 ′ and insert panel  50  through slot  54  of panel  6  (See  FIG. 13 ). Panel  53  is oriented horizontally, panel  51  is oriented vertically, and slot  53  faces upwardly. An inner surface of panel  50  is in face-to-face contact with a portion of an outer surface of panel  6  and a surface  55  of the slot  54  abuts a portion of a lower surface of panel  52  along line  1 . 5 ′ and supports panel  52 . In a preferred form of the invention, panel  50  points downwardly. Panel  9  has a tab  56  centrally disposed along a distal end edge and is folded along line  3 . 5 ′ 90° upward toward panel  6  and inserted into tab  58  in panel  6  and extends outward from a rear surface of panel  6  (See  FIGS. 9 and 13 ). 
         [0030]    Panel  7  has two fold lines  6 . 5 ′,  7 . 5 ′ and three sub-panels  70 ,  72 ,  74 . To construct this part of the shelf, fold panel  70  90° along line  6 . 5 ′ and panel  72  along line  7 . 5 ′ to form a U-shaped member with panels  70  and  74  being disposed vertically in parallel spaced relationship and panel  72  oriented horizontally. Panel  70  is placed into face-to-face contact with panel  51  of panel  1  ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0031]    Panel  15  has two fold lines  8 . 5 ′ and  9 . 5 ′, three panels  80 ,  82 ,  84 , and a tab  86 . The tab  86  can be pressed and broken away from the panel  80  to pivot along a hinge  85 . The tab  86  has a peripheral edge that can be weakened, for example by partially cutting through the panel so that three edges are frangibly connected to the panel  80  and one edge  85  forms a hinge. To construct this part of the shelf, fold panel  82  180° toward the back wall and downward along line  8 . 5 ′ to place panel  82  into face-to-face contact with a rear surface of panel  84  ( FIG. 9 ). Thus, panel  82  provides vertical support from above panel  15 . Fold panel  80  90° upward and toward back wall  6  and over panels  52 ,  72 , and deform tab  86  downward and insert it into slot  53 . Slot  53  retains the tab  86  and, in a preferred form of the invention, releasably retains the tab so that it can be removed without destroying the tab  86 . Panel  80  is in surface contact and is supported by panels  52 ,  72 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the first shelf has three horizontally extending supports panels  52 , 72 , 80  supported along the entire length of four horizontally extending and horizontally spaced fold lines  1 . 5 ′, 2 . 5 ′, 7 . 5 ′, 9 . 5 ′ by vertically extending panels  6  through slot  55 , 4 , 20 , 82 . Panels  6  through slot  55 ,  4  and  20  provide support from below panel  15  and panel  82  provides support from above panel  15 . 
         [0032]    The following describes the folding of the panels ( FIG. 11 ) to complete the second shelf vertically spaced below the first shelf.  FIG. 7  shows panel  2  has three panels  60 ,  61 ,  62 , two horizontal fold lines  4 . 5 ′ and  5 . 5 ′ and two slots  63 ,  66 . Fold panel  60  90° along line  4 . 5 ′ toward the back panel  6 ; fold panel  62  90° along line  5 . 5 ′ toward the back wall  6  and insert panel  60  into slot  64  of the back panel  6  and place slit  66  of panel  60  over tab  56  to form an interference fit therewith ( FIGS. 9 and 13 ). An inner surface of panel  66  is in face-to-face contact with a portion of an outer surface of panel  6 . A top surface  65  of the slot  64  abuts an underside surface of panel  62  along fold line  5 . 5 ′ and supports panel  62  in a horizontal orientation. When so folded, panel  2  defines a generally U-shaped structure with two vertical panels  60  and  61  and one horizontal panel  62  connecting the vertical panels. The U-shaped structure  60 , 61 , 62  is positioned within a U-shaped structure formed by horizontally extending panel  9  on the bottom, horizontally extending panel  90  on the top and vertically extending panel  92  connecting panels  9 , 90  ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0033]    Panel  8  has panels  90  and  92 , separated by fold line  10 . 5 ′, tab  94  centrally disposed on panel  90  and frangibly connected thereto, and slot  96  is centrally disposed along line  10 . 5 ′. Panel  90  is folded 90° downward toward the back wall and tab  94  is folded 90° downward to form an L-shaped member and inserted into slot  63  of panel  2 . Slot  96  and a surface of panel  90  face upwardly and panel  92  has a planar surface oriented vertically. 
         [0034]    Panel  14  has three panels  100 ,  102 ,  104 , and a tab  106  frangibly connected and centrally disposed on panel  100 . Panel  102  is folded 180° toward the back panel  6  along line  11 . 5 ′ and positioned in face-to-face contact with an inner surface of panel  104 . Panel  100  is folded 90° upward along fold line  12 . 5 ′. Tab  106  is pressed downward from panel  100  and remains connected along a hinge  108  and the remainder of the tab is inserted into slot  96 . This completes a second shelf with a horizontal surface with panels  14 ,  8 ,  2  supported along a length dimension by supports  102  and  104  providing support from above the second shelf and panels  92 ,  61  and  60  from below panel  8  and  14 . 
         [0035]    The following describes the folding of the panels to complete the third shelf ( FIG. 12 ) or bottom shelf vertically spaced below the second shelf.  FIG. 7  shows panel  3  has five panels  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  136 ,  138 ; cutout  140 ; and a slot  142 . In a preliminary fold, panel  3  is folded along lines  13 . 5 ′ to  15 . 5 ′ to place panel  130  into contact with an inner surface of panel  136  to form a first rectangular prism with panel  134  forming a horizontally extending surface and panels  136  and  138  oriented with a vertically extending and coplanar surface. This preliminary fold is not shown in the figures. The rectangular prism is then rotated about fold line  16 . 5 ′ 90° so that panel  132  forms a bottom wall extending horizontally, panel  136  forms a top wall extending horizontally, panel  134  extends vertically and abuts an inner surface of the back panel  6 , panel  130  is positioned inside the rectangular prism extending roughly vertically and abuts against an inner surface of panel  138  which has a vertically extending planar surface as is shown in  FIG. 9 . Cutout  140  is provided for ease of folding. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , panel  10  has four panels  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ; and a cutout  158 . Panel  10  is folded along lines  17 . 5 ′ to  19 . 5 ′ to form a second rectangular prism with panel  154  forming a horizontally extending planar surface and panels  152  and  156  having a vertically extending planar surface. Cutout  158  is provided for ease of folding. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , panel  13  has two panels  170 ,  172 , and tab  174  frangibly connected to and centrally disposed on panel  170  and connected by a hinge  176 . Panel  13  is folded 90° toward the back panel along line  20 . 5 ′ and tab  174  is pushed downwardly and inserted into slot  142 . This completes the bottom shelf. Thus, the bottom shelf has five horizontally extending supports  170 ,  132 ,  136 ,  150 ,  154  and seven vertical supports  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  138 ,  152 ,  156 ,  172 . 
         [0038]    Four foot panels  180  are folded 90° along line  21 . 5 ′ toward an interior of the hutch to form feet. 
         [0039]    While the present invention is described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. Modifications and variations in the present invention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of the invention as defined in the claims. The appended claims should be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and the scope of the invention herein.