Container having openings and external cover panel
A dual purpose shipping/display container is disclosed having a plurality of wall panels that define a central space. One or more openings are positioned in adjoining wall panels to provide access to the central space. A cover panel is removably attached overlying the adjoining wall panels and substantially covering the openings, which are preferably contiguous. Removing the cover converts the container from a shipping container to a display container for point of purchase retail sale. A removable panel portion may be positioned beneath the cover panel within an opening. The removable cover panel may be attached to the wall panel, the cover panel, or both. The removable cover panel prevents product from binding with the exposed edges of panels within the central space when it is loaded into the container.
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This invention concerns dual purpose containers that are both shipping containers and display containers for the products contained therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONContainers such as those made of corrugated paperboard are commonly used to ship bulk products, for example, candy or other food products, small toys or components, from a manufacturer or warehouse to a retail seller. The retail seller unpacks the product from the containers and stocks it on the store shelves. However, the unpacking and stocking tasks may be avoided, thereby saving time and money for the retailer, through the use of containers that act as both shipping and display containers for the product.
Such a container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,780 which discloses a container having a top and a contiguous portion of a side panel that are removable to provide substantially unrestricted viewing and access to the contents of the container. The retailer merely need remove the top and panel portion to convert the shipping container to a display container that displays the product for inspection and sale.
Because the containers are a display device their outside surfaces are often colorfully decorated with logos, trademarks and other indicia that present a pleasing, eye-catching advertisement for the product contained therein. The disadvantage of some display containers manifests itself however, when they are converted from shipping containers to display containers. The removable portions of the container, for example, panel portions or tops, do not always separate cleanly from the container. Often the outer surface, and with it the advertisement displayed thereon, is damaged by tears and other irregularities, thus defeating the purpose of decorating the container. Furthermore, conversion of the container may require the use of box cutters, knives, or other tools which present a hazard due to their sharp cutting edges.
There is clearly a need for dual purpose shipping and display containers that do not require the use of tools to set up and wherein the potential for damage to the container, when it is converted from a shipping container to a display container, is reduced or eliminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention concerns a container comprising a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space. An opening is positioned in one of the wall panels thereby providing access to the central space. A cover panel is removably attached overlying the one wall panel in a position substantially covering the opening. The cover panel is removable from the one wall panel to provide access to the central space through the opening.
Preferably, the container includes another wall panel having a second opening therein. The other wall panel shares a common edge with the one panel described above. The cover panel is removably attached overlying the other wall panel substantially covering the second opening. The cover panel is removable from the other wall panel to provide access to the central space through the second opening.
The invention further includes a container having a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space. The container has a first opening positioned in a first wall panel providing access to the central space, and a second wall panel attached to the first wall panel along a common edge. The second wall panel has a removable panel portion positioned co-planar with it. Preferably the removable panel portion is attached to the second wall panel. Removal of the removable panel portion from the second wall panel forms a second opening in the second wall panel. A cover panel is removably attached overlying the first wall panel. The cover panel substantially covers the first opening. The cover panel is also in overlying relation with the second wall panel and is preferably attached to the removable wall panel portion. The cover panel is removable from the first wall panel to provide access to the central space through the first opening. When they are attached to one another the cover panel further causes removal of the removable panel portion when it is removed from overlying relation with the second wall panel. Removal of the removable panel portion forms the second opening providing access to the central space.
Preferably, the removable panel portion is substantially contiguous with the first opening, and the first and second openings are also substantially contiguous with one another upon removal of the cover panel. The removable panel portion, when attached to the second wall panel, has a perimeter defined by a plurality of perforations in the second wall panel allowing its removal therefrom.
In another embodiment, the container according to the invention comprises a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within the container. At least one of the wall panels has a removable panel portion. Removal of the removable panel portion from the one wall panel provides an opening in the one wall panel providing access to the central space. A cover panel is positioned overlying at least the one wall panel in a position substantially covering the removable panel portion. The cover panel is removably attached to the one wall panel. Preferably the removable panel portion is attached to the one wall panel and the cover panel is attached to the removable panel portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference again to
Cover panel 12 is removably attached to top panel 20 and front panel 22 substantially overlying these panels and covering openings 48 and 50 therein. Removable attachment is effected by positioning adhesive deposits 53 at a plurality of discrete locations between the cover panel 12 and the top panel 20 and the front panel 22. The number, shape and size of the adhesive deposits determine the attachment strength between the cover panel 12 and the top and front panels 20 and 22. The bond should be strong enough that the cover panel does not come off during shipping and handling but will come off readily without the use of tools or any significant damage to the top and front panels when intentionally removed as described below. Preferably, for hot melt glue commonly used to construct cardboard containers, four dime-sized dots of adhesive, as shown in the example container 10 of
As shown in
Container 10 is preferably constructed from a die cut blank 60 shown in
The smaller substrate portion 60b is cut to the appropriate size to form cover panel 12. Further cuts 58 are made to define one or more tabs 54 and a fold line 84 is formed across the cover panel 12. The cover panel 12 is then attached to the top panel 20 and front panel 22 in overlying relation as shown in broken line so as to substantially cover openings 48 and 50. Adhesive deposits 53 are used to effect the attachment. Upon attachment, fold line 84 is aligned with fold line 52 between the top and front panels 20 and 22 to facilitate formation of container 10 from the knockdown 86, shown in
Knockdown 86 is formed from the blank 60, shown in
The knockdown walls 88 and 90 are attached to one another at knockdown corners 92 and 94 which correspond respectively to fold line 74 between front panel 22 and bottom panel 24, and fold line 62 between top panel 20 and back panel 26.
As described above, the knockdown 86 provides a substantially flat assembly that is easily shipped to the user. The user then converts the knockdown 86 into the container 10, usually using automated machinery to effect the following steps as described with reference to
An alternate embodiment, container 100, is shown in
Top panel 120 has an opening 148 that provides access to the central space 118. However, front panel 122 has a removable panel portion 122a, its perimeter 123 being shown in dotted line in
As best shown in
With reference again to
Claims
1. A container, comprising:
- a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within said container;
- an opening positioned in one of said wall panels providing access to said central space;
- a cover panel removably attached overlying said one wall panel in a position substantially covering said opening, said cover panel being removable from said one wall panel to provide access to said central space through said opening.
2. A container according to claim 1, further comprising another wall panel having a second opening therein, said other wall panel sharing a common edge with said one panel, said cover panel being removably attached overlying said other wall panel substantially covering said second opening, said cover panel being removable from said other wall panel to provide access to said central space through said second opening.
3. A container according to claim 1, wherein said cover panel is adhesively bonded to said wall panel.
4. A container according to claim 2, further having a knockdown state comprising:
- a first knockdown wall including a first of said wall panels and a second of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same first plane, said first and second panels being attached to one another along a first common edge;
- a second knockdown wall including a third of said wall panels and a fourth of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same second plane substantially parallel to said first plane, said third and fourth panels being attached to one another along a second common edge; wherein
- said first and second knockdown walls are attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners to form a substantially flat assembly.
5. A container according to claim 4, wherein said first knockdown wall includes said cover panel and said one and said other panels having said openings therein.
6. A container comprising:
- six wall panels attached to one another to define a central space;
- a first opening positioned in a first of said wall panels and a second opening positioned in a second of said wall panels, said first and second wall panels being attached to one another along a common fold line, said first and second openings being substantially contiguous with one another;
- a cover panel having a first portion attached overlying said first wall panel substantially covering said first opening and a second portion attached overlying said second wall panel substantially covering said second opening, said cover panel being removably attached to said first and second wall panels, removal of said cover panel providing access to said central space through said first and second openings.
7. A container according to claim 6, further comprising a tab attached to said cover panel, said tab providing purchase for manual grasping for removal of said cover panel from said first and second wall panels.
8. A container according to claim 6, wherein said cover panel is adhesively bonded to said first and second panels.
9. A container according to claim 6, further having a knockdown state comprising:
- a first knockdown wall including said first and said second wall panels and said cover panel positioned in a substantially same first plane;
- a second knockdown wall including a third wall panel and a fourth wall panel positioned in a substantially same second plane substantially parallel to said first plane, said third and fourth panels being attached to one another along a common edge;
- wherein said first and second knockdown walls are attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners to form a substantially flat assembly.
10. A container, comprising:
- a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within said container;
- a first opening positioned in a first wall panel providing access to said central space;
- a second wall panel attached to said first wall panel along a common fold line, said second wall panel having a removable panel portion co-planar therewith, removal of said removable panel portion from said second wall panel forming a second opening in said second wall panel;
- a cover panel removably attached overlying said first and second wall panels and substantially covering said first opening and said removable panel portion, said cover panel being removable from said first and second wall panels to provide access to said central space through said first opening, said removable panel portion being removable from said second wall panel thereby providing access to said central space through said second opening.
11. A container according to claim 10, wherein said cover panel is also attached to said removable panel portion, removal of said cover panel from overlying relation with said second wall panel causing removal of said removable panel portion thereby forming said second opening providing access to said central space.
12. A container according to claim 10, wherein said removable panel portion is substantially contiguous with said first opening, said first and second openings being substantially contiguous with one another upon removal of said cover panel and said removable panel portion.
13. A container according to claim 10, wherein said removable panel portion has a perimeter defined by a plurality of nicks and cuts in said second wall panel, said removable panel portion being thereby removably attached to said second wall panel.
14. A container according to claim 10, further having a knockdown state comprising:
- a first knockdown wall including two of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same first plane, said two wall panels being attached to one another along a first common edge;
- a second knockdown wall including a third of said wall panels and a fourth of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same second plane substantially parallel to said first plane, said third and fourth panels being attached to one another along a second common edge;
- wherein said first and second knockdown walls are attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners to form a substantially flat assembly.
15. A container according to claim 14, wherein said first knockdown wall includes said first and second wall panels and said cover panel.
16. A container, comprising:
- a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within said container;
- one of said wall panels having a removable panel portion, removal of said removable panel portion from said one wall panel providing an opening in said one wall panel providing access to said central space;
- a cover panel positioned overlying at least said one wall panel in a position substantially covering said removable panel portion, said cover panel being removably attached to said one wall panel.
17. A container according to claim 16, wherein said removable panel portion is attached to said one wall panel.
18. A container according to claim 16, wherein said cover panel is attached to said removable panel portion.
Type: Application
Filed: May 28, 2004
Publication Date: Dec 1, 2005
Applicant: Innovative Packaging Designs L.P. (Montgomeryville, PA)
Inventor: Brian Tibbels (Langhorne, PA)
Application Number: 10/856,980