Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to packaging and display of toys. In particular, the display box of the invention enables a child to sit on a toy while a toy is in the display box to assist prospective purchasers assessing whether the toy is an appropriate size, and the display box is configured to be stacked with other display boxes so that, in combination, the stacked boxes assume an approximately rectangular box shape for ease of shipping and stacking. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Battery powered ride-on toys are popular among small children. Different sized ride-on toys are available that are suitable for children of different ages. Due to conventional packaging, consumers are faced with the prospect of having to estimate the size of the toy inside, which can lead to purchase of an incorrectly sized toy for a particular child. 
         [0003]    “Try-me” packaging, wherein a consumer has an opportunity to manipulate the device prior to purchase, is one method of assisting the consumer in making correct purchasing decisions. However, packaging that allows a consumer to access a toy, particularly a large toy such as a ride-on vehicle, typically results in irregularly shaped packaging that can cause problems for shipping and stacking. 
         [0004]    One object of the invention is to provide packaging wherein a consumer may sit on a toy vehicle or otherwise access the toy without requiring that the toy be removed from the packaging. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A system for shipping and displaying a vehicle is disclosed. In one embodiment, the vehicle is a child&#39;s ride-on toy having the appearance of a four-wheeler with an exposed seat. The system includes a display box having a vehicle receiving area. The vehicle receiving area has a display area and an enclosed area. The enclosed area is sized to receive a first, e.g., rear, portion of the vehicle. The display area is sized to receive a second, e.g., front, portion of the vehicle, including the seat, for allowing a prospective purchaser to sit on the seat without removing the vehicle from the display box. In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle receiving area defines a display surface that can accommodate product identifying information and graphics. 
         [0006]    An orienting member is preferably located within the vehicle receiving area. The orienting member defines receptacles for receiving the vehicle, thereby orienting the vehicle within the display box in a desired configuration. The receptacles may include a first wheel receptacle, a second wheel receptacle and an accessory receptacle, additional receptacles or a sub-combination of the above listed receptacles. 
         [0007]    The vehicle receiving area is defined by a bottom box panel, a front box panel, a right box panel and a left box panel. The display area has an upper surface defined by an upper box panel. The upper box panel is at a first height above the bottom box panel. The front box panel has an upper surface at a second height above the bottom box panel, wherein the first height is greater than the second height so that the display surface is located above the vehicle for ease of viewing while a portion of the display box defining the display area of the vehicle receiving area is of a lower height to facilitate viewing of the vehicle. 
         [0008]    For a preferred shipping method, a vehicle is affixed to a first display box. Wire ties are preferably used to secure the front axle of the first vehicle to a bottom panel of the first display box. A second vehicle is affixed to a second display box of the same shape and design as the first display box. Wire ties are preferably used to secure the front axle of the second vehicle to a bottom panel of the second display box. The second display box is inverted to be located above the first display box wherein a display end of the second display box is adjacent to a vehicle receiving end of the first display box, thereby forming a shipping combination. 
         [0009]    The bottom box panel, the front box panel, the right box panel and the left box panel of the first display box and of the second display box of the shipping combination define a rectangular shape of a partial enclosure for facilitating ease of shipping and stacking of the shipping combination. First and second disposable pillars are located between the first and second vehicles to support the two display boxes when combined to form the shipping combination. In a preferred embodiment, the pillars locate in foot receiving areas of the vehicles in the first and second display boxes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a right side plan view of the box of the invention showing a ride-on toy and child in phantom; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the box of  FIG. 1  showing the toy in phantom and including shipping pillars; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the box of  FIG. 1  shown in a disassembled configuration; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the box of  FIG. 1  shown in a partially folded configuration; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the box of  FIG. 1  in an assembled configuration; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the box of  FIG. 1  in an assembled configuration with an orienting panel in place; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the box of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is an elevation view of a first box stacked in combination with a second box to assume a rectangular configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 9 , shown is a display box designated generally  10 . Display box  10  includes a bottom box panel  12  defined by front fold  14 , rear fold  16 , right fold  18 , and left fold  20 . Front fold  14  defines front tab receiving slots  22 . Right fold  18  defines right tab receiving slots  24 . Left fold  20  defines left tab receiving slots  26 . 
         [0020]    A rear bottom surface attachment  28  extends from rear fold  16  of bottom box panel  12 . A front box exterior panel  30  has a top surface  32 . Front box exterior panel  30  has a bottom surface  34  adjacent to front fold  14  of bottom box panel  12 . 
         [0021]    A front box interior panel  36  has a top surface  38  that is hingedly affixed to top surface  32  of front box exterior panel  30 . Front box interior panel  36  has a bottom surface  40  having front tabs  42  extending therefrom for locating in front tab receiving slots  22 . Front box exterior panel  30  is on a vehicle receiving end of display box  10 . 
         [0022]    A right box panel  44  has a bottom surface  46  hingedly affixed to right fold  18 . Right box panel  44  has a right outer box surface  48  having a bottom edge  50  affixed to right fold  18 . Right outer box surface  48  has a right angled first upper surface fold  52 , a right angled second upper surface fold  54 , right top fold  56 , right front fold  58 , and right rear fold  60 . Right inner box panel  62  has a bottom edge  64  and an upper edge  66  hingedly affixed to right box panel  44  at angle first upper surface fold  52 . Right inner box panel  62  has front tabs  68  on bottom edge  64  for inserting right tab receiving slots  24 . Right inner display surface panel  70  is hingedly affixed to right box panel  44  at right angled second upper surface fold  54 . Right inner display surface panel  70  defines a right upper tab receiving slot  72 . Right inner upper member  74  has front edge  76  and inner edge  78  and is hingedly affixed to right top fold  56 . Right inner forward facing display surface member  80  is hingedly affixed at front edge  76  of right inner upper member  74 . Right box panel  44 , front box interior panel  36 , left box panel  94  and bottom box panel  12  define a display area of a vehicle receiving area. 
         [0023]    Right inner rear panel  82  is hingedly affixed to right rear fold  60 . Right front tab inner fold member  84  is hingedly affixed to right front fold  58 . Right front tab  86  extends from right front tab inner fold member  84  for insertion into front tab receiving slot  22 . 
         [0024]    A left box panel  94  has a bottom surface  96  hingedly affixed to left fold  20 . Left box panel  94  has a left outer box surface  98  having a bottom edge  100  affixed to left fold  68 . Left outer box surface  98  has a left angled first upper surface fold  102 , a left angled second upper surface fold  104 , left top fold  106 , left front fold  108 , and left rear fold  110 . Left inner box panel  112  has a bottom edge  114  and an upper edge  116  hingedly affixed to left box panel  94  at angle first upper surface fold  102 . Left inner box panel  112  has front tabs  118  on bottom edge  114  for inserting left tab receiving slots  26 . Left inner display surface panel  120  is hingedly affixed to left box panel  94  at left angled second upper surface fold  104 . Left inner display surface panel  120  defines a left upper tab receiving slot  122 . Left inner upper member  124  has front edge  126  and inner edge  128  and is hingedly affixed to left top fold  106 . Left inner forward facing display surface member  130  is hingedly affixed at front edge  126  of left inner upper member  124 . Left inner rear panel  132  is hingedly affixed to left rear fold  110 . 
         [0025]    Left front tab inner fold member  134  is hingedly affixed to left front fold  108 . Left front tab  135  extends from left front tab inner fold member  134  for insertion into front tab receiving slot  22 . 
         [0026]    Rear box panel  136  has bottom edge  138  affixed to rear bottom surface attachment  28 . Rear box panel  136  has rear box surface  140 . Rear box surface  140  has top edge  142  and bottom edge  144  affixed to rear bottom surface attachment  28 . Upper box panel  146  has front edge  148  and rear edge  150 . Rear edge  150  is affixed to top edge  142  of rear box panel  136 . Forward facing display panel  152  has right edge  154  that defines right upper tab  156  for locating in right upper tab receiving slot  72 . Forward facing display surface  152  has left edge  158  that defines a left upper tab  160  for locating in left upper tab receiving slot  122 . Forward facing display surface  152  has bottom edge  162  and a top edge  164  that is hingedly affixed to front edge  148  of upper box surface  146 . Forward facing interior panel  166  is hingedly affixed to bottom edge  162  of forward facing display surface  152 . Right box panel  44 , rear box panel  136 , left box panel  94  and forward facing display surface  152  define an enclosed portion of a vehicle receiving area. Rear body panel  136  is on a display end of display box  10 . 
         [0027]    An orienting member designated generally  168  has horizontal panel  170 . Horizontal panel  170  has a front edge  172 , rear edge  174 , right edge  176 , and left edge  178 . Front vertical panel  180  is hingedly affixed to front edge  172 . Rear vertical panel  182  is hingedly affixed to rear edge  174 . Right vertical panel  184  is hingedly affixed to right edge  176 . Left vertical panel  186  is hingedly affixed to left edge  178 . Horizontal panel  170  defines first wheel receiving orifice  188 , second wheel receiving orifice  190  and accessory receiving orifice  192 . Horizontal panel  170  has a width and a length that is less than a width and a length of bottom box panel  12 . 
         [0028]    To construct display box  10 , rear box panel  136  is secured to rear bottom surface attachment  28 . Right box panel  44  and left box panel  94  are folded about right fold  18  and left fold  20 , respectively, to orient panels  44  and  94  vertically. 
         [0029]    Right inner box surface  62  is folded about right angled first upper surface fold  52  and right front tabs  68  are inserted in right tab receiving slots  24 . Left inner box surface  112  is folded about left angled first upper surface fold  102  and left front tabs  118  are inserted in left tab receiving slots  26 . 
         [0030]    Right front inner tab fold member  84  is folded about right front fold  58  so that right front tab  86  may be inserted in front tab receiving slot  22 . Left front inner tab fold member  134  is folded about left front fold  108  so that left front tab  136  may be inserted in front tab receiving slot  22 . Front box exterior panel  30  is then folded about front fold  14  to a vertical orientation. Front box interior panel  36  is then folded at top surface  32  of front box exterior panel  30  to enclose inner tab fold members  84  and  134  between front box exterior panel  30  and front box interior panel  36 . Front tabs  42 , extending from bottom surface  46  of front box interior panel  36 , are inserted in front tab receiving slots  22 , thereby forming a sturdy front box surface. 
         [0031]    Right inner display surface panel  70  is folded about right angled second upper surface fold  54 . Left inner display surface panel  120  is folded about left angled second upper surface fold  104 . Right inner rear fold panel  82  is then folded inwardly about rear right fold  60 . Left inner rear fold panel  132  is then folded inwardly about rear left fold  110 . Right inner upper member  74  and attached inner front facing display surface  80  are folded inwardly about right top fold  56 . Left inner upper member  124  and attached inner front facing display surface  130  are folded inwardly about left top fold  106 . 
         [0032]    Rear box surface  136  is then folded about rear fold  16  to a vertical orientation. Upper box surface  146  is folded about top edge  150  and front facing display surface  152  is folded about front edge  148 . Right upper tab  156  is inserted within right upper tab receiving slot  72 . Left upper tab  160  is received in left upper tab receiving slot  122 . Forward facing interior panel  166  is then folded about bottom edge  162  of front facing display surface  152 , thereby completing an upper portion of the box assembly and assembly of display box  10 . 
         [0033]    Orienting member  168  is then assembled by folding front vertical panel  180  downwardly about front edge  172  of horizontal panel  170  to a vertical orientation. Rear vertical panel  182  is folded downwardly about rear edge  174  to a vertical orientation. Right vertical panel  184  is folded downwardly about right edge  176  to a vertical orientation. Left vertical panel  186  is folded downwardly about left edge  178  to a vertical orientation. 
         [0034]    Orienting member  168  may then be located within a receiving area defined by display box  10 , wherein bottom edges of vertical panels  180 ,  182 ,  184 , and  186  are supported by bottom box panel  12 . Front vertical panel  180  is located adjacent to front box interior panel  36 . Right vertical panel  184  is located adjacent to right inner box surface  62 . Left vertical panel  186  is located adjacent to left inner box surface  112 . 
         [0035]    Orienting member  168  may then receive a ride-on toy such as ride-on toy  200 . In particular, a right front wheel of a ride-on toy may be received in first wheel receiving orifice  188  and a left front wheel of a ride-on toy may be received in second wheel receiving orifice  190 . A battery or other component may be received in a accessory receiving orifice  192 . Preferably, ride-on toy  200  is secured to bottom of box panel  12  of display box  10  with wire ties that are affixed to a front axle of toy  200 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , after locating ride on toy  200  in display box  10 , ride on toy seat  202  and foot rest  204  of foot rests  204 ,  206  are visible and accessible in front of forward facing display surface  152 . Therefore, a child can sit on seat  202  of ride on toy  200  so that prospective purchasers can assess whether toy  200  is the appropriate size for the child. 
         [0037]    Additionally, the design of display box  10  facilitates uniform stacking when shipped with disposable pillars  300  ( FIGS. 2 and 9 ). Pillars  300  are preferably constructed of an inexpensive and light weight material, such as styrofoam. Pillars  300  are preferably sized to be received on foot rests,  204 ,  206  so that display boxes  10  and toys  200  can be stacked on upon another, which results in an approximately rectangular box shape  302  of the shipping combination as shown in  FIG. 9 . In addition to pillars  300  engaging foot rests  204 ,  206  of first toy  200  and foot rests  204 ′,  206 ′, of a second toy  200 ′, front edge  148  of display box  10  engages a second toy  200 ′ and front edge  148 ′ of second display box  10 ′ engages first toy  200  ( FIG. 9 ). Additionally, handlebars  208  of first toy  200  engage seat  202 ′ of second toy  200 ′ and handlebars  208 ′ of second toy  200 ′ engage seat  202  of first toy  200  to provide a stable shipping platform. After shipping, pillars  300  are removed and discarded. 
         [0038]    Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.

Technology Category: b