Special receptacle or package – Convertible to or from display configuration – Having removal facilitating means
Utility Patent
1999-10-18
2001-01-02
Ackun, Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Special receptacle or package
Convertible to or from display configuration
Having removal facilitating means
C206S767000, C206S774000
Utility Patent
active
06168027
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shipping/display box which can be used for shipping items to a store and then displaying the items in the store.
It is conventional to employ a box, such as a corrugated cardboard box, as a shipping container for shipping items to a store and then as a display container for displaying the items in the store. That is, a front panel of the box would include perforations enabling portions of the panel to be torn-away, exposing the items disposed inside. The items, such as packages of paper plates, for example, would be oriented in parallel vertical planes, with their flat sides facing forwardly. The packages would be arranged in horizontal rows, four in number, and the rows would be parallel to one another. Thus, the packages of each row would be arranged one behind the other. A horizontal shelf would divide the interior of the box into upper and lower halves, with two lower rows disposed below the shelf, and two upper rows seated on the shelf.
Such display boxes have been successfully used, but room for improvement remains. For example, during shipping, the boxes are stacked one above the other. The plates, oriented in vertical planes, would reinforce the top panel of their box against vertical loads. However, regions of the top panel located between the two upper rows of plates would not be reinforced.
During shipment and display, the packages disposed above (and beneath) the shelf are not horizontally separated and tend to shift around to such an extent that they are no longer arranged in neatly ordered stacks when the box is opened for display.
Also, when the box is in a display mode, only the front of each package is exposed (through the torn-away portion of the front panel). That makes it difficult for a customer to grab a package, especially if the customer's eyes are located higher than the torn-away portion. It is also difficult to grab packages from the lower row due to the horizontal shelf separating the upper and lower rows of packages.
In addition, the known box consists of a multitude of pieces (e.g., seven) and is thus relatively expensive to make. Moreover, the box is not well suited to being loaded with items by known automated loading machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shipping/display box which includes a horizontal top side, a horizontal bottom side, parallel front and rear vertical sides interconnecting the top and bottom sides, and parallel vertical end sides each interconnecting the top and bottom sides. A vertical divider panel is disposed inside the box and extends perpendicular to the front and rear sides and parallel to the end sides. At least a portion of an upper edge of the divider panel supports the top side from below. The front side and top side include perforations defining a tear-out segment. The tear-out segment includes a front portion disposed in the front side, and a top portion disposed in the top side. The tear-out segment includes a front portion disposed in the front side, and a top portion disposed in the top side, the front portion including a pair of vertical legs spaced apart by an upstanding strip of the front side, the strip is secured to a front vertical edge of the divider panel.
The box forms eight corners, and the tear-out segments are spaced from all of those eight corners.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3942631 (1976-03-01), Sutherland et al.
patent: 5826728 (1998-10-01), Sheffer
patent: 5881884 (1999-03-01), Podosek
Ackun Jacob K.
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Fort James Corporation
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