Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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DISPLAY-READY CASE
TECIiNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates generally to a display-ready case. More
particularly, the
invention relates to a shipping and storage container that is readily
converted to a display case
for displaying contents stored therein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Retail products, such as food and department store items, are commonly
shipped
and stored in cardboard containers and the like. These items are typically
unloaded from
their shipping and storage containers and placed on display shelves to be
sold. It is time-
consuming and expensive in terms of labor to remove the individual products
for display,
which ultimately adds to their cost. Often, the products are placed on a
decorative display
that advertises the specific products or enhances their sales appeal. These
displays also add
cost to the products. Containers have been proposed to address these
shortcomings.
(0003] U. S. Patent No. 5,167,324 to Miller discloses a rectangular shipping
carton and
display unit for tubes: The shipping carton includes a tear strip along a mid-
portion of the
front and side walls, and a score along a mid-portion of the back wall. When
the tear strip is
removed, the score is readily broken and the top portion is removed to display
tubes
contained within the carton. Although directed to a display for tubes, the
Miller carton
nonetheless fails to provide support along the sides and back that extends the
full height of
the carton to support stacked items.
[0004] U.S. Patent No. 5,385,228 issued to Vidoni et al. discloses a
convertible container
for shipping and displaying a product. The container includes a weakened seam,
which
permits a portion to be removed for defining an aperture. A separate
dispensing tray is
combined with the carton through the aperture to form a display carton. The
requirement of a
separate dispensing tray for the Vidoni display carton adds cost and
complexity to the display
unit.
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(0005] U.S. Patent Nos. 5,918,801 issued to Milio and 5,881,884 issued to
Podosek
disclose rectangular shipping and display cartons. These cartons include lines
of weakness
along either the front face or the front and sides of the carton, which permit
removal of a
portion of the carton to display carton contents. Front viewing of the carton
contents,
however, is partially obscured by lateral container portions that remain along
the front display
face of these cartons.
[0006] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0150747 to Maus discloses
a
rectangular shipping and display carton having two tear strips. The first tear
strip extends
along a lower portion of the front face and through opposite side flaps
attached to the front
face. The second tear strip is disposed along the juncture between the top
panel and the back.
After the tear strips are torn, portions of the front side flaps and the
front, as well as the top
panel, are removed to form the display carton. The front portion of the
display carton,
however, is higher than the side portions, which obscures a significant
portion of the front
display area. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved display-ready case
and blank for
forming the same.
SUMMARY
[0007] In order to overcome the above-described deficiencies and other
shortcomings that
will become apparent when reading this specification, aspects of the present
invention
provide a shipping and storage container that is readily converted to a
display case. The
container includes a first tear seam along a lower portion of the front panel,
which extends
upward at an angle across side flaps attached to the front panel. A cut-out
handle is formed
in the front panel along the first tear seam. The tear seam respectively
terminates at opposite
ends along the side flaps with a pair of relief cuts. A second tear seam is
formed at a fold line
between the top panel and back panel, which permits the top panel, a portion
of the front
panel, and portions of front side flaps to be removed for forming the display
case. The
display case provides lateral support to the full container height along the
back panel and the
rear side flaps. Lateral support is provided along forward side portions that
are less than the
full container height. In addition, lateral support is provided along the
front that is less than
the forward side portions.
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[0008] Aspects of the invention provide a display carton having a sloping
stadium-effect.
Other aspects provide a display carton having product-specific advertising
printed thereon.
Other features and advantages of various aspects of the invention will become
apparent with
reference to the following detailed description and figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWIrIGS
[0009] The invention will be described in detail in the following description
of preferred
embodiments with reference to the following figures wherein:
4
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display-ready case according to an
embodiment
of the inventionah~own in~a. shipping and storage configuration;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display-ready case of FIG. 1 shown
in an
opened side-loading configuration;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display-ready case of FIG. 1 shown
in an
opened top-loading configuration;
[0413] FIG. 4 shows perspective views of the display-ready case of FIG. 1 as
it is
converted from a shipping and storage container to a display case according to
an
embodiment of the invention;
[0014] : FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a display ready case formed from the
display-
ready case of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention shown with
sample
products, identified in phantom, stored therein;
,.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a carton blank for the display-ready case of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] The various aspects of the invention may be embodied in various forms.
The
following description shows by way of illustration various embodiments in
which aspects of
the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments
may be
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utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without
departing from the
scope of the present invention. Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, a display-ready
case 10 is shown
according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, case 10 is a
generally
rectangular carton having a top panel 12, a front panel 14, a bottom panel 16,
a right side 20
and a left side 22. Right and left sides 20 and 22 respectively include upper
minor flaps 24
and 26, lower minor flaps 28 and 30, rear side flaps 32 and 34, and front side
flaps 36 and 38.
A tear seam 40 extends across a lower portion of front panel 14 and across
front side flaps 36
and 38.
[0017] Tear seam 40 extends generally horizontally across a lower portion of
front panel
14 and continues across front side flaps 36 and 38. Tear seam 40 preferably
angles upward
toward top panel 12 as it extends across side flaps 36 and 38 from front panel
14 rearward.
As shown in FIG. 1, tear seam 40 is preferably disposed lower than the top
edge 50 of lower
minor flaps 28 and 30, which, as discussed later along with FIG. 5, provides a
large product
viewing area in the display case configuration, as well a.s a stadium-view
effect for the
display case.
[0018] As also shown in FIG. l, a relief cut 42 is formed in each of side
panels 36 and 38
to which tear seam 40 terminates on opposite ends. Relief cuts 42 are formed
from generally
u-shaped notches in the rear edges of front side panels 36 and 38, which are
preferably angled
downward toward front panel 14. The angle of relief cuts 42 generally matches
the angle of
tear seam 40 along the respective front side panel 36, 38. Tear seam 40
provides a quick and
easy mechanism for a user to separate upper portions of front panel 14 and
front side panels
36 and 38 from lower portions of the same along pre-defined lines. Relief cuts
42 permit tear
seam 40 to cleanly terminate at its ends and prevents the carton from tearing
outside of tear
seam 40 at its ends. As shown in FIGS. l and 4, a second tear seam 48 extends
along the fold
line between top panel 12 and rear panel 18 to permit removal of the top
section to form the
display case shown in FIG. 5.
[0019] A cut-out handle 44 is formed in front panel 14 along a mid-portion of
tear seam
40. A cut line 46 preferably surrounds cut-out handle 44 to completely remove
carton
material within the cut line. A portion of carton material, however, may
optionally remain to
permit carton material within handle 44 to be folded from front panel 14.
Completely
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removing carton material from within cut line 46 is preferred to make it
quicker and easier for
a user to grasp handle 44.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, case 10 may side-loaded or top-loaded. This
provides
flexibility to load products in an orientation suited for their display when
carton 10 is
converted to a display case. As shown in FIG. 2, items for storage and display
may be placed
in case 10 through right side 20 with flaps 24, 28, 32 and 36 in an open
position. In a similar
manner, carton 10 may be loaded from left side 22 as desired. As shown in FIG.
3, case 10
may be top-loaded through right side 20 by orienting the carton to place left
side 22
downward. The carton is closed by folding minor flaps 24 and 28 inward, and
then folding
upper and lower, side flaps 32 and 36 inward over minor flaps 24 and 28.
Adhesive 52 is
preferably applied to the lower portion of rear side panel 32, an upper
portion of front side
panel 36 and a lower portion of front side panel 36 below tear seam 40.
Adhesive 52 permits
front and rear side panels 36 and 32 to adhere to minor flaps 24 and 28 in a
closed
configuration. However, adhesive 52 is not placed between rear side flap 32
and upper minor
flap 24, nor is it applied between .front side flap 36 and lower minor flap 28
at a point above
tear seam 40. This permits these flaps to slide past each other at the non-
adhesive locations
when case 10 is being converted to a display case. Adhesive is applied in a
similar manner to
the flaps of left side 22.
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates steps involved with changing display-ready case 10
into a
display case 110 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, front
panel 14,
front right side panel 36 and front left side panel 38 are separated into
upper and lower
portions by tearing tear seam 40. Tear seam 40 is preferably separated via a
user grabbing an
upper portion of handle 44 and pulling forward and upward. Notches 42 and the
angle of tear
seam 40 along front side panels 36 and 38 encourage tear seam 40 to tear
cleanly and easily
when handle 44 is pulled forward and upward. Once tear seam 40 is completely
separated,
the user continues rotating the upper portions of panels 14, 36 and 38 upward,
which are
connected to top panel 12 and upper minor flaps 24 and 26, about second tear
seam 48.
Upper minor flaps 24 and 26, which are not adhered to respective rear side
flaps 32 and 34,
slide past adjacent flaps while the top portions are rotating about second
tear seam 48. Once
minor flaps 24 and 26 do not overlap rear side flaps 32 and 34, top panel 12
may be separated
from back panel 18 by tearing secand tear seam 48. When second tear seam 48 is
completely
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torn, the upper portions of panels 14, 36 and 38, top panel 12, and minor
flaps 24 and 26 are
discarded and display case 110 remains along with items stored therein. Tear
seams 40 and
48 may include various types of tear seams, such as perforations, tear strips
or weakened
regions as is known in the art, which are pulled off in various sequences.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 5, display case 110 is shown as formed from
display-ready
case 10. Display case 110 includes bottom panel 16, back panel 18, right rear
side panel 32,
left rear side panel 34, lower minor flaps 28 and 30, and a lower portion 53
of front panel 14.
As shown, items 54 stored in case 110 are clearly displayed and easily
accessible to
consumers. Display case 110 provides a large degree of support to items 54 by
surrounding
these items at the base of case 110, and providing support along the full
height of the original
shipping carton 10 at the back and rear sides of items 54. Back panel 18
opposes lower front
panel portion 53 to retain fore and aft at least those items 54 located
adjacent to bottom panel
16 while lower right minor flap 28 opposes lower left minor flap 30 to
laterally retain items
54. For items 54 adj acent to the top of display case 110, back panel 18 as
well as rear side
panels 32 and 34 extend the full height of stacked items 54. Back panels 18
and rear side
flaps 32, 34 surround the full height of the stacked items 54 on three sides,
which, combined
with the support on four sides of items 54 adjacent to bottom panel 16,
securely retains items
54 within case 110.
[0023] While securely retaining items 54, display case 110 provides a high
degree of
visibility to the items stored therein, particularly from the front view and
frontal side views.
As shown, the top edge 56 of tear seam 40 is disposed below the top of lower
minor flaps 28
and 30, which permits full viewing of items 54 above flaps 28 and 30 on the
front sides.
Directly in front of case 110, lower portion 53 of front panel 14 extends
below the top of
minor flaps 28 and 30, which provides a large frontal view of items 54 while
securely
retaining the items. In addition to the open viewing of items 54, case 110
provides a
desirable stadium-effect display. The stadium-effect is provided by the front-
to-rear height
increases of the carton, which resembles stadium-style seating. As such, lower
portion of
front panel 53 has the lowest height, lower minor flaps 28 and 30 on the sides
are higher, and
back panel 18 along with rear side panels 32 and 34 extend the full height of
items 54 stored
in the case. This creates a desirable effect that is often used in marketing
displays. The
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outside of case 110 can be printed to add to the stadium-style effect, create
more desirable
displays, and/or advertise specific items 54 stored therein.
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 6, a blank 210 is shown according to an
embodiment of the
invention for forming display-ready case 10 and display case 110. Blank 210
may include a
unitary comzgated paperboard blank that is suitably cut, scored, perforated,
etc. to be folded
into carton 10. It is understood that other suitable materials, such as
corrugated plastic, may
also be used for blank 210. Blank 210 includes front panel 14, top panel 12,
back panel 18,
and bottom panel 16 connected in series via fold lines 48, 58 and 60. Fold
lines 58 and 60,
which respectively extend between bottom panel 16 and back panel 18, and front
panel 14
and top panel 12, are preferably score lines. Fold line 48, as discussed
above, is formed from
second tear seam 48 and extends between back panel 18 and top panel 12. Flaps
24, 26, 36,
38, 28, 30, 32, and 34 are foldably attached to respective ones of panels 12,
14, 16 and 18.
Tear seam 40 and handle cut line 46 around cut-out handle 44 are formed in
front panel 14,
and notches 42 are formed in flaps 36 and 38 as shown.
[0025] Tear seams 40 and 48 may include various types of tear seams, such as
perforations, tear strips or weakened regions as is known in the art.
Preferably, however, tear
seams 40 and 48 are formed from a series of perforations, which provides an
inexpensive tear
seam that forms a relatively smooth edge 56 when torn as shown in FIG. 5. As
an example,
the series of perforations may include 1/8" cuts interspersed by 1/8" lands,
5/16" cuts
interspersed by 3/16" lands, or 5/16" cuts interspersed by 1/8" lands.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 6, an attachment tab 64 is foldably attached to the
end of bottom
panel 16. To form carton 10, attachment tab 64 is attached to front panel 14
via suitable
means, such as an adhesive or metal stitches (not shown). In this
configuration, a flattened
carton (not shown) may be formed. The flattened carton (not shown) occupies
minimal space
and is particularly suited for shipping bundles of cartons. Carton 10 may be
formed by
unfolding the flattened carton (not shown) to form a hollow rectangular body.
[0027] Carton blank 210 can be pre-printed with various decorative designs,
plain colors,
or specific advertising. As such, when formed into display case 110, a
decorative display
case is provided that securely retains items therein while providing large
frontal viewing of
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the items displayed therein. This reduces expenses associated with separate
display cases and
labor costs associated with unloading stored items to place them into separate
display cases.
[0028] While the present invention has been described in connection with the
illustrated
embodiments, it will be appreciated and understood that modifications may be
made without
departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, the
invention applies
to many different cartons of various shapes, designs and applications.
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