Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SHIPPING AND DISPLAY TRAY
This application claims the benefit of US provisional patent application
serial
number 60/636,086, filed December 14, 2004, and claims priority from US patent
application serial number , filed December 13, 2005, and entitled
Shipping and Display Tray, attorney docket IPK-030027-US.
Technical Field:
This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to a tray for
shipping
and displaying consumer products.
Background Art:
Many consumer products are shipped from a manufacturer or distributor to a
point of sale in containers that permit the product to be left in the
container and
displayed at the point of sale. This is especially true of products displayed
and sold in
large warehouse or club-type stores, wherein the product is commonly left in
the
shipping container. These containers must have sufficient strength to stack
them on top
of one another and to withstand handling, and they also desirably are
constructed so that
the product can be easily seen while it remains in the container. Easy access
to and
removal of the product from the container by a consumer is also a desirable
feature.
Some prior art containers meet these needs by providing a container tray
having
cut-down sidewalls through which the product is visible and accessible.
Stacking
strength is commonly provided to these containers by a separate, removable,
reinforcing
divider panel inserted into the container. These divider panels typically
extend the fu11
height of the container and extend tliroughout its length. In order to provide
the desired
visibility of and access to the product, these dividers usually are removed
from the
container tray at the point of sale. This necessitates additional handling and
disposal.
Moreover, the divider panels prevent the containers from telescoping or
nesting into one
another when they are stacked, especially when some or all of the product has
been
removed from the container. Thus, the reinforcing divider panels should not be
removed from a container tray until that container is at the top of a stack.
The consumer
is then frequently left with the task of removing the divider panels, and/or
sale of the
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product may be discouraged if the divider panel is left in place and the
product is not
readily visible and accessible.
Other prior art shipping and display containers have divider panels that are
fixed
in the tray, i.e., are not removable during use, and in some of these the
center portion of
the divider between the opposite ends of the container does not extend the
full heiglit of
the container, whereby it would provide visibility to product in the back of
the container
tray. However, in these prior art containers the divider panel projects
upwardly from
the bottom of the tray completely along its length, thus requiring that the
product be
lifted in order to remove it from the back of the container. This, obviously,
is not
possible or practical when containers are stacked on top of one another. In
other
containers of this type, the divider is omitted in the center portion of the
tray, whereby
product does not have to be lifted in order to remove it from the container,
but the end
walls of the tray do not extend the full lieight of the container, thus
reducing the strength
of the container.
Accordingly, there is need for a shipping and display container that has the
necessary strength and stacking capability without nesting, that provides good
visibility
of and access to the product, and that does not require removal of a separate
divider
panel in order to gain access to the product. It would be especially
advantageous to
have a shipping and display container that has good stacking strength and does
not
telescope into a subjacent container when stacked, and wherein product is
visible and
easily accessible frorn the front of the container even when the product is
located at the
back of a container having another container stacked on top of it, and wherein
product
can be removed from the back of the container through the front without having
to lift
the product. A furtlier advantage would be such a container that is economical
and easy
to construct.
Disclosure of the Invention:
The present invention is a container or tray for shipping and displaying
product
at a point of sale, wherein the tray has good stacking strength, can be
stacked without
nesting or telescoping into one another, provides good visibility of and
access to the
product, does not require the removal of a separate reinforcing divider panel
in order to
access the product, and wherein the product can be removed from the back of
the tray
tlirough the front without having to lift the product.
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To accomplish the foregoing, the shipping and display tray of the invention
comprises a bottom wall, opposite sidewalls that are cut down to provide
visibility of
and access to the product, opposite end walls, an open top, and reinforcing
panels that
are left in place during use of the tray and that provide visibility of and
easy access to all
the product from either side of the tray. The reinforcing panels extend the
full height of
the tray at its ends to prevent nesting of the trays when they are stacked,
but extend
inwardly from the middle of the opposite end walls only a relatively short
distance,
leaving a space or opening between the reinforcing panels through which
product may
be withdrawn from the back of the tray and through the front without having to
lift the
product. The end walls of the tray extend the full height of the tray and are
of double
thickness, and the reinforcing panels define two additional corners in each
end of the
tray, significantly increasing the strength of the tray. A tray in accordance
with the
invention can provide a top to bottom compression strength of 2,000 pounds.
In one form of the invention, the tray is constructed from a single unitary
blank
of corrugated paperboard, and is designed so that it can be produced on high-
speed
machinery. The blank includes a bottom-forming panel, opposite end wall
panels,
opposite sidewall panels, and extensions on opposite ends of the sidewall
panels that
form end wall flaps and reinforcing divider panels. In a tray erected from the
blank, the
end wall flaps each extend the full height of the tray and half way across its
width and
are glued to the inside of the end wall panels. The reinforcing divider panels
also
extend the full height of the tray, and extend inwardly a short distance from
each end
wall along the longitudinal centerline of the tray and are glued together.
Both sidewalls
are cut down or recessed over most of their height and length, providing large
openings
in the sides of the tray through which the product is visible and accessible.
The narrow
reinforcing divider panels provide a large opening between them through which
product
is visible and easily accessible from either side of the tray.
In another form of the invention the tray comprises a bottom portion made from
one blank and reinforcing divider panels made from separate blanks. The blanks
are
folded and glued together to form a shipping and display tray having double
thickness
end walls and double thickness sidewall end portions, each extending the full
height of
the tray. The reinforcing divider panels at opposite ends of the tray also are
of double
thickness and extend the full height of the tray. The tray has height, width
and length
dimensions, and comprises opposite upstanding side walls, opposite upstanding
end
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walls, an open top, and a bottom wall having opposite side edges and opposite
end
edges. Each side wall comprises an upstanding sidewall flange on opposite side
edges
of the bottom wall, and first in-turned sidewall flaps on opposite side edges
of each end
wall. The respective sidewall flanges and sidewall flaps defining a large
opening
through each sidewall, througli which product held in the tray is easily
visible and
accessible for removal from the tray. Each end wall includes a first end wall
panel
connected to a respective end edge of the bottom wall and extending over the
full height
and width of the tray end wall, and a second end wall panel secured against an
inner
surface of each said first end wall panel and coterminous in width and height
therewitli,
forming a double-wall laminated end wall construction. A divider extends
vertically
along an inner surface of each second end wall panel substantially midway of
the width
thereof and extending the full height of the end wall, said dividers
reinforcing the tray
and preventing telescoping of trays into one another when they are stacked,
and said
dividers at opposite ends of the tray being spaced from one another and
defining a large
opening between them through which product may be removed through the front
from
the back of the tray without having to lift the product, whereby product can
be removed
from the back of the tray through the front when multiple trays are stacked on
top of one
another.
In both forms the end walls extend the full height of the tray, and an opening
or
space is left between the divider panels extending in from opposite ends of
the tray.
Moreover, the divider panels can extend into the tray a relatively short
distance,
e.g., about two inches, providing clearance for machinery to apply plastic
handles to
pairs of the product containers held in the tray. The embodiment shown in
figures 9-13
has these relatively narrow divider panels.
While the preferred embodiments are made of corrugated paperboard material,
the tray could be made of other materials such as plastic, fiberboard, wood,
and the like.
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 wlien taken in
conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate
like parts
throughout the several views, and wherein:
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Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of the shipping and
display tray of the invention, showing a typical product container in the
tray, and
wherein the tray is of one-piece design.
Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the tray of figure 1 with the product
removed.
Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the tray of figure 1, with some of the
product removed.
Figure 4 is a top view of the tray and product of figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank for making the tray of figures 1-4.
Figure 6 is a plan view of a blank for making a second embodiment of one-piece
tray according to the invention, with the dot-and-dash lines representing an
alternate
construction.
Figure 7 is a top perspective view of a tray made from the blank of figure 6.
Figure 8 is a top perspective view of the tray of figure 7, with some product
therein.
Figure 9 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of tray according to
the invention, with typical product containers shown therein, wherein the tray
is made
from three pieces. A plastic carrying handle is shown applied to two of the
product
containers, forming a two-pack.
Figure 10 is a top perspective view of the tray of figure 9, with product
removed.
Figure 11 is an exploded top perspective view of the bottom portion of the
tray
and one divider panel insert for making a tray such as that shown in figure
10. The tray
in this figure is shoivn narrower and taller than the tray of figures 9 and 10
to depict one
of many alternate dimensional relationships the tray can have to accommodate
different
product.
Figure 12 is a top plan view of the blank for making the bottom portion of the
tray shown in figures 9-11.
Figure 13 is a top plan view of the blanks for making the divider insert
panels
used in the tray of figures 9-11.
Figure 14 is an exploded top perspective view of the bottom portion of the
tray
and the divider panel inserts being folded and assembled to form the tray of
figures 9-
11.
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Best Modes for Carrying Out the Invention:
A first embodiment of the tray according to the invention is represented
generally at 10 in figures 1-4. The tray comprises a tray bottom portion
having a
bottom wall 11, opposite side walls 12 and 13 with large cut-out areas 15, and
opposite
eild walls 16 and 17, and reinforcing divider panels 18 and 19 extending a
short distance
inwardly of the tray toward one another from the middle of the end walls. In
this
embodiment, each divider panel extends over approximately one-third the length
of the
tray, and has a sloping inner edge 20 so that the panels are narrower at their
top than at
their bottom.
The end walls each comprise an outer end wall panel 21 folded upwardly from
opposite end edges of the tray bottom wall, and end wall flaps 22 and 23
extending
inwardly from opposite ends of the respective side walls. The end wall flaps
each
extend approximately one half the width of the respective end wall, and lie
inside the
end wall panels and are glued thereto. The end wall panels and end wall flaps
are
coterminous in height and extend the full height of the tray.
The reinforcing divider panels 18 and 19 each comprise a pair of glued-
together
divider panel flaps 24 and 25 integral with an inner edge of the respective
end wall
flaps, and turned inwardly therefrom so that they extend perpendicular to the
end walls
and lie along a longitudinal centerline of the tray. The reinforcing divider
panels are
coextensive in height with the end walls, and serve to reinforce the tray and
prevent
nesting of the trays when they are stacked on top of one another. However, the
divider
panels at opposite ends of the tray are spaced from one another, leaving a
large opening
or space between them.
In the particular example shown, the product P comprises six one-gallon
containers arranged three to a side. As can be clearly seen in the figures,
the containers
are clearly visible through the recessed side walls and through the large
space left
between the reinforcing divider panels, and are easily accessible so that they
can be
removed from either side of the tray without having to lift the containers or
remove a
divider.
A blank B for making the tray of figures 1-4 is indicated generally at 30 in
figure
5. A suitable placement of adhesive is indicated at 33 applied to one of the
end panel
flaps 22 and associated reinforcing divider panel flaps 24. Although not
illustrated, a
similar application of adhesive would be made at the opposite end of the
blank. The
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blank comprises a central tray-bottom-forming panel 11, opposite end wall
panels 21
foldably joined to opposite ends of the bottom panel, opposite sidewall panels
12 and 13
foldably joined to opposite side edges of the bottom panel, opposite end wall
flaps 22
foldably joined to opposite ends of sidewall panel 12, opposite end wall flaps
23
foldably joined to opposite ends of sidewall panel 13, divider panel flaps 24
foldably
joined to respective end wall flaps 22, and divider panel flaps 25 foldably
joined to
respective end wall flaps 23. Cut-out areas 15 are formed in the sidewall
panels 12 and
13.
A second embodiment of tray according to the invention is indicated generally
at
40 in figures 6-8. This form of the invention is substantially identical to
the form shown
in figures 1-5, with like reference characters designating like parts. This
form differs
from the previous form in that the reinforcing divider panels 18' and 19' are
of
substantially less width, each extending over only about 1/10 the length of
the tray. In
this regard, the divider panels preferably extend inwardly from about two to
about six
inches. Further, as indicated in full lines, the inner edges 41 of the panels
18' and 19'
are vertical or straight, rather than sloping as in the previous embodiment.
The
narrower divider panels provide clearance for machinery (not shown) to apply
carrying
handles H (see figure 9) to form two-packs of the product containers.
A blank B for making the figure 7 embodiment is shown in figure 6. Like
reference characters designate like parts to those shown in the figures 1 and
5
embodiment. The essential difference between the blank shown in figure 6 from
the
blank shown in figure 5 is in the width and shape of the divider panel flaps
24' and 25',
which are narrower and have a straight or vertical inner edge 41 instead of
the sloping
edge 20 of the divider panel flaps 24 and 25 in figure 5.
A third embodiment is also represented in figures 6 and 8, and this embodiment
differs from the second embodiment in that the inner edges 42 of the divider
panels are
sloping, as indicated by dot-and-dash lines in figures 6 and 8. The blank for
making this
form of the invention is also shown in figure 6, wherein the broken lines
indicate the
alternate sloping edge 42 that may be employed.
A fourth embodiment is shown at 50 in figures 9-14. In this embodiment the
tray is made from three separate pieces of material that are folded and glued
together to
form the tray. When fiully assembled (see figures 9 and 10), this form of the
invention
is very similar to the form shown in figure 7 and comprises a bottom wall 11,
opposite
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end walls 16' and 17', opposite sidewalls 12' and 13', and relatively narrow
dividers
18" and 19" projecting inwardly along the centerline of the tray and extending
vertically
the full height of the end walls.
As seen best in figures 11-14, the three-piece tray 50 comprises a bottom
portion
52 formed from one blank B1, and a pair of substantially identical mirror
image inserts
53 and 54 formed, respectively, from two additional blanks B2. The blanks B2
are
identically constructed and only one will be described in detail hereinafter.
The bottom portion 52 of the tray includes the bottom wall 11, upstanding
sidewall flanges 55 and 56 foldably joined to opposite side edges of the
bottom wall,
and upstanding end wall panels 57 and 58 foldably joined to opposite ends of
the
bottom wall, with in-turned sidewall flaps 59 and 60 foldably joined to outer
edges of
the end wall panels and adhesively secured inside the sidewall flanges.
Each insert 53, 54 comprises an end wall 61 with in-turned sidewall flaps 62
and
63 foldably joined to opposite side edges thereof, and the dividers 18",19"
extending
vertically the full height of the respective insert along its centerline and
projecting
parallel to and in the same direction as the sidewall flaps. The width and
height
dimensions of the end wall 61 and sidewall flaps 62 and 63 are such that they
are,
respectively, coterminous with the width and height of the corresponding end
wall
panels 57, 58 and sidewall flanges 55, 56 on the bottom portion 52 when the
inserts are
positioned in the bottom portion. The sidewall flanges 55, 56 on the bottom
portion 52,
and the in-turned sidewall flaps 59, 60 on the end wall panels 57, 58,
together with the
in-turned flaps 62, 63 on the inserts 53, 54, form the sidewalls 12', 13' of
the tray.
Accordingly, the end walls and sidewalls of the tray comprise a double
thickness
laminated structure, except for the section of the sidewall flanges extending
between the
confronting edges of the sidewall flaps, and the area where the sidewall flaps
on the
insert overlap with the sidewall flaps and flanges on the bottom portion. In
the latter
area the structure is triple wall laminated.
Further, the dividers 18", 19" are of double wall laminated construction, and
the
inner upper corner may be cut away as at 65 to provide extra clearance for
machinery
used to apply the handles H to the endmost pair of product containers.
The blank B1 for making the bottom portion 52 of the tray is shown in figure
12,
and comprises a central bottom panel 11, sidewall flanges 55 and 56 foldably
joined to
opposite side edges of the bottom wall, end wall panels 57 and 58 foldably
joined to
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opposite ends of the bottom wall, and sidewall flaps 59 and 60 foldably joined
to outer
side edges of the end wall panels. The end edges of the sidewall flanges and
the bottom
edges of the sidewall flaps can be angled slightly so that the side and end
walls have a
slight inward taper, if desired.
The blanks B2 for making the reinforcing inserts 53 and 54 are shown in figure
13. The blanks are identical and the description of one will suffice for both.
Each blank
is substantially rectangular, with first fold lines 66 and 67 adjacent outer
end edges of
the blank, defining the sidewall flaps 62 and 63. Second fold lines 68 and 69,
parallel to
the first fold lines, are spaced from the first fold lines and closer to the
center of the
blank, and with the first fold lines delineate end wall panels 70, 71, each
extending over
approximately one-half the width of the insert and together forming the insert
end wall
61. A third fold line 72 at the center of the blank cooperates with the second
fold lines
to define a pair of divider panels 73 and 74 that are folded and glued
together to form
the respective dividers 18", 19" in a completed tray. As seen in this figure,
a V-shaped
notch 75 may be made in one edge of the blank at the center fold line. This
notch
results in the tapered corner 65 on the divider, visible in figures 9-11.
In a tray erected from the blanks Bl and B2, the divider panels 73 and 74 are
glued together, the end wall panels 70 and 71 are glued to the inside of the
respective
end wall panels 57, 58, the sidewall flaps 62 and 63 on the inserts are glued
to the inside
of the respective sidewall flaps 59, 60 on the end wall panels, and the
sidewall flanges
55, 56 on the tray bottom portion are glued to the outside of the sidewall
flaps 59, 60 on
the end wall panels 57, 58.
It should be noted that the specific width of the divider panels is not
critical, and
the width can be varied as desired, so long as the function of the panels in
reinforcing
the tray, preventing nesting, and affording visibility and accessibility to
the product are
maintained. The trays of the invention are designed for high-speed automated
machine
set-up.
Although particular embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described
in detail herein, it is to be understood that various changes and
modifications may be
made to the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the
invention as
defined by the scope of the appended claims.
WHAT IS CLAIlVIED IS:
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