Display Container and Associated Container Blank

Abstract

A single piece container blank for the storing and displaying of product utilizing corrugated flutes horizontally and vertically oriented to provide strength while limiting cost. The multi-thickness side panels and top panels, and flute arrangements form a container that is highly stable and strong that is efficient in its use of materials. Further, the structure includes a plurality of side walls that prevent nesting of vertically stacked containers.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to display type containers and container blanks. More specifically, this present invention relates to a single piece container having an exposed display area in the front of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention is best understood from the following detailed descriptions when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that according to common practice, various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced clarity. Included in these drawings are the following figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary single piece box blank made in accordance with aspects of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary partially erected view of the single piece box blank arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of a partially erected box blank arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of a partially erected box blank arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of a partially erected box blank arrangement of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the formed single piece container depicted from the blank of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is directed to a single piece blank 20 that is cut and scored to forms a container 50. The single piece container 50 is convenient for imparting strength and stability while allowing the container 50 to hold and easily dispense a variety of products (not shown). One suitable embodiment of the container blank 20 and resulting container 50 is described in more particularity below.

FIG. 1 depicts a blank 20 used to form a container 50. The blank 20 is typically constructed from a single piece of formable material such as, without limitation, sheets of cellulose-based material formed from cellulose materials such as wood pulps, straw, cotton, bagasse, or the like. Cellulose-based materials used in the present invention may come in many forms, such as fiberboard, containerboard, corrugated containerboard and paperboard. However, it will be appreciated that the single piece of formable material may be constructed from other material as well, such as, without limitation, a polymer based material. The polymer based material may be in the form of a sheet of plastic material, or a sheet of corrugated plastic material.

The blank 20 is cut and scored, perforated or otherwise formed into a plurality of panels that, when assembled, form container 50. In all FIGURES, like numbers indicate like parts; additionally, cut lines are shown as solid lines, score lines as dashed lines, and lines of perforation as broken lines. For the purposes of further description herein, the downward direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel 22 when the container 50 has been erected. The upwards direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to the first bottom panel 22 that corresponds to the inner surface of the bottom panel when the container 50 has been erected.

FIG. 1 includes a bottom panel 22 bounded by fold lines 21 and 23. Connected with bottom panel 22 along a fold lines 23 are first side panels 24. Connected with at least one of the first side panels 24, along a pair of spaced apart fold lines 41, is a first side panel flap 44. A pair of front tabs 44 is connected with each of the first side panels 24 along fold line 39.

The first side panel 24 also includes a sixth side panel 40 connected with the first side panel along fold line 37. This sixth side panel 40 also includes a side tab 42 connected with the sixth side panel 40 along fold line 41.

A second side panel 26 is connected with the bottom panel 22 along fold lines 21. Fold lines 21 and 23 are substantially perpendicular to one another. A first top panel 28 is connected with the second side panel 26, opposite the bottom panel 22, along fold lines 25. Fold lines 25 and fold lines 21 are substantially parallel to one another and are both substantially perpendicular to fold lines 23.

Connected with the first top panel 28, via a pair of spaced apart fold lines 27, are second top panels 30. Third side panel 32 is connected with the second top panel 30 along fold line 29. Third side panel 32 includes fourth side panels 36 connected with the third side panel 32 along fold lines 33. Also the third side panel 32 includes a corner panel 34 connected with third side panel 32 along fold lines 31.

As aspect of the present invention is forming a container 50 that has vertical side walls formed of panels having both vertically and horizontally oriented flutes. By forming the blank 20 and resulting container 50 as depicted, some of the various side panels have vertically oriented flutes and others have horizontally oriented flutes. This allows for cost savings with regards to material while retaining desired strength.

FIGS. 2-5 depict various aspects of the container 50 being erected from the blank 20. As best seen in FIG. 2, first side panels 24 are folded upwardly along fold lines 23. Subsequently fifth side panels 38 may be folded inwardly along fold line 37. This movement places respective fifth side panels 38 juxtaposed to one another.

As seen in FIG. 3, second side panel 26 may then be folded upwardly approximately 90 degrees along fold line 21 such that the second side panel 26 becomes juxtaposed to the outermost fifth side panel 38. It will be appreciated that the flutes (not shown) in fifth side panels 38 and second side panels 26 will be substantially perpendicular to on another.

The first top panel 28 may be folded inwardly along fold line 25. In addition, the corner panels 34 may be folded inwardly along fold lines 31 and the forth side panels 36 may be folded inwardly along fold lines 33. Also the front tabs 44 may be folded downward/inward approximately 90 degrees along fold line 39.

As best depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second top panel 30 may be folded along double spaced apart fold lines 27 such that the first top panel 28 and second top panel 30 sandwich a portion of the front tabs 44 there between. Also, the third side panel 32 is folded along fold line 29 such that the third side panel 32 is substantially parallel the second side panel 26. In this configuration, the third side panel 32 and the second side panel 26 substantially sandwich the respective fifth side panels 38 there between. Likewise, the forth side panels 36 are juxtaposed one of the first side panels 24, and the corner panels 34 are juxtaposed the other first side panel 24.

Although the various embodiments have all been illustrated and described as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of such embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A single sheet of flexible material cut and scored to define a container, the container comprising:

a bottom panel;

a first side panel connected with the bottom panel, the first side panel defining a first flute direction;

a second side panel connected with the bottom panel, the second side panel lying perpendicular to the first side panel;

a third side panel juxtaposed the first side panel, the third side panel defining a second flute direction;

a forth side panel juxtaposed the second side panel;

an outer top panel connected with the first side panel, the outer top panel being substantially perpendicular to the second top panel;

an inner top panel juxtaposed the first top panel;

wherein the first flute direction is substantially perpendicular to the second flute direction.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the single sheet of foldable material is formed from a cellulose-based material.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the cellulose based material is formed from at least one of a wood pulp, straw, cotton, and bagasse.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein the cellulose based material is in the form of at least one of a fiberboard, containerboard, corrugated containerboard and paperboard.