Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
HIDDEN DISPLAY CASE WITH OFFSET CENTER SEAM GLUE JOINT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements in containers and, more
particularly, to
a container configured as a display case having a display window formed at one
side of the
display case.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A half slotted container (HSC) is a common construction for forming corrugated
cardboard containers. This type of container is typically formed from a blank
that includes
front, back and side wall panels connected in series at vertical edges along
fold lines, and
lower flaps may extend from lower edges of the panels for folding inwardly to
form a
container bottom. The blank can be folded about the vertical edges to position
an end of the
blank defining an edge of a side panel in association with an opposing end of
the blank
defining an edge of one of the front or back panels to form a joint that is
typically adhered
together by a manufacturer to form a rectangular tube. The blank formed with
the
manufacturer's joint can be collapsed and provided to an end user where the
blank can be
reconfigured to a rectangular tube and the flaps folded perpendicular to the
panels to form a
bottom surface for the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a folded blank is provided for
forming a
display case. The folded blank comprises a one-piece blank including a first
panel, a second
.. panel, a third panel and a fourth panel connected in series at respective
first, second and third
vertical fold lines. The first panel is folded about the first vertical fold
line and has a first
manufacturer's joint strip engaged on a first portion of the second panel. The
fourth
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panel is folded about the third fold line and has a second manufacturer's
joint strip engaged
on the first panel. A tear-away section is defined by at least one separation
line on the second
panel and defines the first portion having the first manufacturer's joint
strip. The first
manufacturer's joint strip retains the tear-away section in engagement with
the first panel
during formation of an erected case in which the first and third panels are
pivoted to a
position perpendicular to at least one portion of the fourth panel.
The fourth panel may include a main body and a secondary section connected to
the
main body at a fourth vertical fold line, and the main body may define the at
least one portion
of the fourth panel.
The secondary section of the fourth panel and the first panel may define a
seamed
panel having a longitudinal dimension extending from the first fold line to
the fourth fold line
that may be generally equal to a longitudinal dimension of the third panel
extending from the
second fold line to the third fold line.
The seamed panel, a second portion of the second panel, the third panel and
the main
body of the fourth panel may define a first side wall, a front wall, a second
side wall and a
back wall, respectively, of the erected case.
The tear-away section may separate from the second portion of the second panel
during formation of the erected case.
The main body of the fourth panel may have a longitudinal dimension extending
from
the third fold line to the fourth fold line that is generally equal to a
longitudinal dimension of
the second panel extending from the first fold line to the second fold line.
A longitudinal dimension of the first panel from a longitudinal edge of the
blank to
the first fold line may be generally equal to or less than the longitudinal
dimension of the
second panel.
The at least one separation line may be a horizontally extending separation
line
defining a lower edge of the tear-away section, and the blank may include a
vertical
separation line defining a first vertical edge of the tear-away section
aligned with the second
fold line.
A second vertical edge of the tear-away section spaced from the vertical
separation
line may be pivotally connected to the first panel at the first fold line.
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The first manufacturer's joint strip may be located adjacent to the vertical
separation
line, and the first manufacturer's joint strip may extend from an upper edge
of the first panel
to a vertical location at or above the location of the at least one separation
line.
The first and second manufacturer's joint strips may be generally aligned with
one
another.
A lower flap may be attached to a lower edge of each of the panels at a
respective
horizontal fold line, wherein lower edges of the flaps may define a lower
lateral edge of the
blank.
The second manufacturer's joint strip may extend from an upper edge of the
fourth
.. panel to the lower lateral edge of the blank.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a display case is provided
formed
from a blank comprising a first panel, a second panel, a third panel and a
fourth panel
connected in series at respective first, second and third vertical fold lines,
the second panel
including a tear-away section defining a first portion of the second panel
separated from a
.. second portion of the second panel by a separation line, and the fourth
panel including a main
body and a secondary section connected to the main body at a fourth vertical
fold line. The
display case comprises a front wall defined by the second portion of the
second panel, a back
wall defined by the fourth panel main body parallel to the front wall, a first
side wall defined
by the first panel and the secondary section, and a second side wall defined
by the third
panel, wherein the first and second side walls connect the front and back
walls. A first
manufacturer's joint strip is engaged between the first panel and the first
portion of the
second panel to attach the first portion of the second panel to the first
panel. A second
manufacturer's joint strip is engaged between the first panel and the
secondary section of the
fourth panel at a location along the first side wall intermediate the front
and back walls.
A dimension of the front and back walls extending from the first side wall to
the
second side wall may be less than a dimension of the first and second side
walls extending
from the front wall to the back wall.
A dimension of the first panel extending from a longitudinal edge of the blank
to the
first fold line may be less than a dimension of the third panel extending from
the second fold
.. line to the third fold line.
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In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a method of forming a
display
case is provided. The method forms the display case from a one-piece blank
comprising a
first panel, a second panel, a third panel and a fourth panel connected in
series at respective
first, second and third vertical fold lines, the second panel including a tear-
away section
defining a first portion of the second panel separated from a second portion
of the second
panel by a separation line, and the fourth panel including a main body and a
secondary
section connected to the main body at a fourth vertical fold line. The method
comprises
applying a first manufacturer's joint strip to the first panel; folding the
first panel about the
first fold line to engage the first panel on the tear-away section of the
second panel; applying
a second manufacturer's joint strip to the fourth panel; folding the fourth
panel about the
third fold line to engage the fourth panel on the first panel; and pivoting
the first and third
panels to a position perpendicular to the main body of the fourth panel,
wherein the tear-away
section moves with the first panel to separate from the second portion of the
second panel
along the at least one separation line and forms an erected case with a
display window.
Movement of the tear-away section with the first panel may include separating
the
tear-away section from the third panel along a vertical separation line
defining a first vertical
edge of the tear-away section aligned with the second fold line.
The pivoting movement to form the erected case may include maintaining the
secondary section coplanar with the first panel and pivoting the secondary
section to a
perpendicular position relative to the main body.
The blank may comprise opposing first and second longitudinal edges located at
edges of the first and fourth panels respectively, and the first and second
manufacturer joint
strips may be applied adjacent to the first and second longitudinal edges,
respectively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly
claiming the present invention, it is believed that the present invention will
be better
understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying
Drawing
Figures, in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and wherein:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a display case:
Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating a first fold of the blank of Fig. 1;
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Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating a second fold of the blank of Fig. 1 to
form a glued,
folded blank for formation of a display case;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of an opposite side of the glued, folded blank of Fig.
3;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an initial step of opening the
glued, folded
blank to form an erected display case;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the glued, folded blank in a fully open
position; and
Fig. 7 is a perspective similar to Fig. 6 with the lower flaps folded to
complete the
display case formed from the blank of Fig. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference
is made
to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by
way of
illustration, and not by way of limitation, specific preferred embodiments in
which the
invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may
be utilized
and that changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of
the present
invention.
The present description is directed to a container construction comprising a
half
slotted container (HSC) construction that provides a display case having a
display window
formed by a tear-away section. The described display case can be formed from a
blank
processed either with equipment designed for this purpose or by hand. For
example, the
blank may be processed through flexo-folder-gluer machinery to produce a
glued, folded
blank that can be opened using currently available case erector machinery or
can be produced
through manually executed steps, or through a combination of machine
implemented and
manual steps.
Referring to Fig. 1, a die cut blank 10 is shown for illustrating one or more
aspects of
the display case described herein. In a use of the blank to form a one-piece
display case 8,
see Fig. 7, the blank 10 may be formed of a corrugated cardboard material and
may be die cut
to the shape shown herein, although other materials and variations of the
illustrated shape
may be provided within the scope of the display case described and claimed
herein. The
blank 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 is a planar piece of material in which an inner
side 12 is shown
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facing out of the page and an outer side 14, see Fig. 2, is facing an opposite
direction from
the inner side 12.
As seen in Fig. 1, the blank 10 extends in a longitudinal direction between
first and
second longitudinal edges, generally designated 16 and 18, respectively, The
blank 10
further extends in a lateral direction between first and second lateral edges,
generally
designated 20 and 22, respectively, defining upper and lower lateral edges of
the blank 10.
The blank 10 comprises a first panel 24, a second panel 26, a third panel 28
and a fourth
panel 30 connected in series. The first panel 24 is connected to the second
panel 26 at a first
vertical fold line 32, the second panel 26 is connected to the third panel 28
at a second
vertical fold line 34, and the third panel 28 is connected to the fourth panel
30 at a third
vertical fold line 36.
The second panel 26 comprises a separation line 29 extending from the first
vertical
edge 38 to the first vertical fold line 32 and defines a first portion 26a or
tear-away section
above the separation line 29, and defining a second portion 26b or front lip
below the
separation line 29. In the illustrated embodiment, the separation line
comprises a horizontal
straight line. However, the separation line 29 could be generally horizontal
yet have other
line shapes, such as an arc or have an oscillating shape, e.g., a sine wave,
triangular wave,
square wave or sawtooth wave. It is also contemplated that the separation line
29 could be
non-horizontal such that it extends at an angle to horizontal. The separation
line 29 could
also include plural lines or line segments connected in series, e.g., in
different angled
orientations or with different or varying arcs, to form a continuous extending
line between
the first vertical edge 38 and the first vertical fold line 32. The first
portion 26a extends in
the longitudinal direction between a first vertical edge 38 of the tear-away
section and a
second vertical edge that coincides with the first vertical fold line 32. The
first vertical edge
38 is defined at a vertical separation line 40 aligned with the second
vertical fold line 34.
The vertical separation line 40 extends a distance L from the first lateral
edge 20, i.e., the
upper edge of the blank 10, to the separation line 29. The separation lines
29, 40 may be
defined, for example, by a perforated line, or a cut line that extends
completely through the
material, and may comprise a partial cut though at least one layer of the
corrugated material
or a cut line interrupted by short sections of bridging (uncut) material. As
will be further
understood from the description below, the separation lines 29, 40 foul'
structurally
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weakened lines on the second panel 26 that can permit separation of the first
portion 26a
from both the second portion 26b and the third panel 28 during formation of
the display case
8. In embodiments of the invention, the blank 10 is formed with at least a
limited attachment
of the first portion 26a to the second portion 26b and/or to the third panel
28 to maintain the
first portion 26a generally planar with both the second portion 26a and the
third panel 28 in
order to facilitate processing of the blank 10 prior to formation of the
erected display case 8.
The fourth panel 30 comprises a main body 30a and a secondary section 30b. The
main body 30a of the fourth panel 30 is connected to the third panel 28 at the
third vertical
fold line 36, and a secondary section 30b of the fourth panel 30 is connected
to the main body
30a at a fourth vertical fold line 42.
The first panel 24 has a longitudinal dimension Di, extending from the first
longitudinal edge 16 to the first vertical fold line 32, that is generally
equal to or less than a
longitudinal dimension D2 of the second panel 26, extending from the first
vertical fold line
32 to the second vertical fold line 34. The longitudinal dimension Di of the
first panel 24 is
also less than or equal to a longitudinal dimension D3 of the third panel 28,
extending from
the second vertical fold line 34 to the third vertical fold line 36. The main
body 30a of the
fourth panel 30 has a longitudinal dimension D4, extending from the third
vertical fold line 36
to the fourth vertical fold line 42, that is generally equal to the
longitudinal dimension D2 of
the second panel 26. The secondary section 30b of the fourth panel 30 has a
longitudinal
dimension D5, extending from the fourth vertical fold line 42 to the second
longitudinal edge
18, that is selected to overlap the first panel 24 when the fourth panel 30 is
pivoted about the
third vertical fold line 36, as is described further below. In particular, the
fourth panel 30 has
a longitudinal dimension D6, see Fig. 3, that is equal to the longitudinal
dimension D4 of the
main body 30a plus the longitudinal dimension D5 of the secondary section 30b,
wherein D6
is greater than the longitudinal dimension D3 of the third panel 28.
The blank 10 further includes a plurality of lower flaps 46, 48, 50, 52
connected to the
first panel 24, second panel 26, third panel 28 and fourth panel 30 along
respective horizontal
fold lines 56, 58, 60, 62. The lower flap 52 associated with the fourth panel
30 comprises a
first flap portion 52a associated with the main body 30a and a second flap
portion 52b
separate from the first flap portion 52a and associated with the secondary
section 30b. The
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lower flaps 46, 48, 50, 52 can be folded to form a display case bottom surface
63, see Fig. 7,
as described further below.
Referring to Figs. 2-4, an initial series of folding steps is described for
forming a
glued, folded blank that can subsequently be used in forming the erected
display case 8.
Although the preferred embodiments presented herein describe applying an
"adhesive strip"
forming a joint to connect two panels, it should be understood that such a
joint or connection
between panels can be equivalently formed through other attachment mechanisms
connecting
the panels together, and may be alternatively referred to as a "manufacturer's
joint strip"
encompassing, without limitation, gluing, taping, or stitching.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, a first adhesive strip 64, e.g., glue, is applied to
the inner side
12 of the blank 10 adjacent to the first longitudinal edge 16. As illustrated
in Fig. 2, the first
panel 24 is folded about the first vertical fold line 32 to overlap the second
panel 26 and
adhesively, i.e., fixedly, engage the first panel 24 on the first portion 26a.
More specifically,
as noted above, the longitudinal dimension Di of the first panel 24 is equal
to or less than the
longitudinal dimension D2 of the second panel 26 such that the first adhesive
64 may engage
the first portion 26a adjacent to the vertical separation line 40. It should
be noted that the
adhesive strip 64 is applied to the first panel 24 along a vertical length no
greater than and
preferably less than the length L of the vertical separation line 40, as
measured from the first
lateral edge 20 defining the upper edge of the first panel 24.
As seen in Fig. 2, a second adhesive strip 66, e.g., glue, is applied to the
inner side 12
of the fourth panel 30 adjacent to the second longitudinal edge 18. As
illustrated in Fig. 3,
the fourth panel 30 is folded about the third vertical fold line 36 to overlap
the third panel 28
such that the fourth panel 30 adhesively, i.e., fixedly, engages the first
panel 24. More
specifically, as described above, the longitudinal dimension D6 of the fourth
panel 30 is such
that the second longitudinal edge 18 overlaps past the first longitudinal edge
16 defined on
the first panel 24, and the second adhesive strip 66 is adhesively attached to
the outer side 14
of the first panel 24. The vertical length of the second adhesive strip 66 may
be substantially
equal to the vertical length of the blank 10 to form a continuous joint
extending from the
upper lateral edge 20 of the fourth panel 30 to the lower lateral edge of the
second flap
portion 52b, as defined by the lower lateral edge 22 of the blank 10. Also,
the first and
second adhesive strips 64, 66 are located on opposing sides 12, 14 of the
first panel 24
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wherein the second adhesive strip 66 may be generally aligned in the
longitudinal direction,
i.e., extending left to right in Fig. 1, with the first adhesive strip 64 so
that the second
adhesive strip 66 is generally aligned with the first adhesive strip 64 as
both extend
vertically.
The attachment of the fourth panel 30 to the first panel 24 forms a seamed
panel 44
having an offset center scam glue joint defined by the adhesive strip 66 at an
intemiediate
location between the first vertical fold line 32 and the fourth vertical fold
line 42. The
seamed panel 44 is defined by the first panel 24 and the secondary section
30b, haying a
longitudinal dimension D7 between the first vertical fold line 32 and the
fourth vertical fold
line 42, wherein the first panel 24 and the secondary section 30b remain
generally coplanar
with each other during formation of the erected display case 8. The
longitudinal dimension
D7 of the seamed panel 44 is generally equal to the longitudinal dimension DI
of the third
panel 28.
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate opposing outer sides of a folded blank 10' having a
generally
flat configuration such as may be shipped to an end user for formation of the
erected display
case 8.
Fig. 5 illustrates an initial step in erecting the folded blank 10' to form
the display
case 8. The folded blank 10' is erected by separating the second panel second
portion 26b
and third panel 28 from the seamed panel 44 (including the second panel first
portion 26a)
and the fourth panel main body 30a, and pivoting the third panel 28 and the
seamed panel 44
about the third vertical fold line 36 and the fourth vertical fold line 42,
respectively, to
position the third panel 28 and seamed panel 44 perpendicular to the fourth
panel main body
30a, as seen in Fig. 6. As described above, the first portion 26a of the
second panel 26 is
adhered to the first panel 24. Hence, the described movement to erect the
folded blank 10'
results in separation of the tear-away section of the second panel 26, as
defined by the first
portion 26a, separating from the second portion 26b along the separation line
29, and at the
same time the first vertical edge 38 of the tear-away section, i.e., first
portion 26a, separates
from the third panel 28 along the vertical separation line 40. In the
configuration of the fully
erected blank illustrated in Fig. 6, the second panel second portion 26h
defines a front wall,
the fourth panel main body 30a defines a back wall parallel to the front wall,
the seamed
panel 44 defines a first side wall, and the third panel 28 defines a second
side wall.
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The described separation of the tear-away section defined by the first portion
26a
along the separation lines 29, 40 creates a display case window at the
remaining second
portion 26b of the second panel 26. In particular, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7,
the second portion
26b defines a vertical front display case lip, extending horizontally from the
first vertical fold
line 32 to the second vertical fold line 34, including an upper edge 68
forming a lower
boundary of the display case window. The upper edge 68 of the front display
case lip may be
formed with different line shapes than the horizontal straight line
illustrated herein.
Specifically, the final shape of the upper edge 68 can be determined by the
shape selected for
the separation line 29 which, as described above with regard to the
configuration of the
separation line 29, can be defined by various line shapes and line
orientations extending
between the first vertical fold line 32 and the second vertical fold line 34.
Vertical side edges of the display case window are defined by the second
vertical
edge of the tear-away section defined at the first vertical fold line 32, and
at a forward edge
70 of the third panel 28 defined at the location of the vertical separation
line 40. In an
embodiment of the display case 8, the front display case lip formed by the
second portion 26b
may have a height Hi while the fourth panel main body 30a may have a height H2
that is
greater than the height Hi and can be selected independently of the height Hi,
such as may be
based on the requirements of the end user.
It may be noted that lower flap 46 and second flap portion 52b form a seamed
lower
flap associated with the seamed panel 44, and the first flap portion 52a
comprises a lower flap
associated with the fourth panel main body portion 30a. As a final step in the
formation of
the display case 8, the lower flaps 48, 50, 52a, 46/52b are folded inwardly to
form the bottom
case surface 63, see Fig. 7. As depicted in the illustrated embodiment, the
opposing lower
flaps 48 and 52a can be initially folded in, and the remaining opposing lower
flaps 50, 46/52b
can be folded over the lower flaps 48, 52a and affixed in place to form the
bottom case
surface 63 via adhesive, tape, staples or the like. Alternatively, the
opposing lower flaps 50,
46/52b can be initially folded in, and the remaining opposing lower flaps 48,
52a can be
folded in over the lower flaps 50, 46/52b.
As illustrated in Fig. 7, the erected display case 8 includes the tear-away
section,
formed by the first portion 26a, as a part of the final display case 8. It may
be noted that the
width dimension W across the display case window for the present embodiment is
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the depth dimension D3 and D7 along each of the seamed panel 44 and the third
panel 28,
from the front lip 26b to the fourth panel main body 30a.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that
are within the scope of this invention.
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