Container

Details Container Container

1999-10-08

2001-08-07

Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)

Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes

Paperboard box

Including an access opening in a sidewall intended to permit...

C206S804000, C206S817000, C221S226000, C221S279000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06270006

ABSTRACT:

RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/AU98/00254 filed Apr. 14, 1998, which claims priority to Australian Patent Application No. PO6124, filed Apr. 10, 1997.
This invention relates to a container.
This invention has particular but not exclusive application to containers used for storing and displaying articles packaged in a sachet form, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it will be appreciated that this invents on could be used in other applications where it is desired to store and display goods in containers and wherein the goods are arranged in one or more vertical rows.
Typically goods sold through supermarkets and similar retail outlets are delivered to retailers in containers which usually contain more than ones sample of. The goods. The containers are typically manufactured from paper card in a manner whereby often the front wall and sometimes at least a portion of the top wall of the container may be readily and easily removed so as to reveal the goods contained therein.
Often in order to save time associated with the stocking of shelves and such like, the containers referred to above are placed directly on the shelves in an “open state,” such that consumers may easily avail themselves of the goods. Typically the width of the shelves is such that one or more additional containers may be stored immediately behind the opened container such that when the stock contained in the open container has been removed the container may be retrieved from the shelf and replaced by a container stored behind same.
Due to the small size of some goods, the container used to store and display said goods is often configured such that it may accommodate two or more rows of goods arranged side by side as well as additional vertical rows. Hence as goods are removed from the container the resulting void permits consumers to extend their hand into the confines of the container so as to access the rearmost goods.
However, it will be appreciated that the storage of larger numbers of goods on retailers shelves represents a significant expenditure on the part of the producer/retailer and wherein some of the stock due to the length of time it may sit on the shelves may exceed limits imposed on the shelf life of the product. Furthermore, excessive amounts of stock stored on retailers shelves may also be more susceptible to damage and theft.
It will also be appreciated that the space on retailers shelves occupied by excessive quantities of the same goods limits both the variety and selection of goods which the retailer may display.
The present invention aims to alleviated at least some of the disadvantages referred to above and to provide a container which will be reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a container for storing a plurality o f articles therein , said articles being arranged within said container one behind the other, said container including:
a top wall;
a bottom wall;
spacing means adapted to maintain said top wall in a desired spaced relationship relative to said bottom wall, and
promotion means for promoting the rearmost articles in a generally forward direction so as to fill the void formed by the removal of the foremost articles from the container.
The container may be made from any suitable material. For example the container may be made from a variety of wooden, metal, or plastics materials. However preferably the configuration of the container is such that it may be readily assembled from a blank state and as such the container may be constructed from paper card.
The spacing means may comprise one or more members integral with or attachable to the top and bottom walls. For example, the spacing means may comprise a plate like member which extends the length of the container and forms a side wall thereof.
The container may also include front and/or rear walls and wherein the container when assembled may be adapted to encapsulate the articles stored therein.
The promotion means may comprise and elongate member which is free to move relative to the bottom wall of the container in a generally forward direction and which in use may be adapted to engage the rear most upper and/or lower article and/or other articles resting on said elongate member. The elongate member may include one or more upstanding portions which way be located behind articles stored in the container.
In one embodiment the elongate member may be manufactured from a substantially rigid material such as thick paper card. Alternatively, the elongate member may be rather flexible and for example may be constructed from thin paper card, a length of ribbon or a piece of string. The elongate member may also include one or more weakened portions located discretely along the length thereof and wherein the foremost portions of said elongate member may be detached therefrom when no longer required. Furthermore, the elongate member may be tethered to the container.


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