Display carton and method for displaying product using same

A display carton, a corrugated fiberboard unitary blank for forming same, and a method for displaying product using the display carton are presented. The display carton generally includes a rectangular bottom, triangular shaped columns connected to and extending upwardly from the tray bottom. The display carton further includes a tray lip connected to the tray bottom at the peripheral edges of the tray bottom and extending upwardly from the tray bottom. The display carton may include triangular shaped gussets between the upper edge of the tray lip and the columns. The display carton provides four substantially open upright walls whereby a method of displaying product to a consumer is provided. The product contained in the display carton and the product main labels are viewable and accessible regardless of the upright wall orientation of the display carton relative to a consumer. The display carton may be assembled by folding a unitary blank fabricated from a sheet of corrugated fiberboard.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to display cartons. More particularly, the present invention relates to a product display carton that has substantially opened upright walls that provide a view of the main label of products contained in the display carton regardless of orientation of the display carton presentation.

2. Description of the Related Art

Shipping boxes or cartons are well known in the art and are designed to contain objects for convenient transport. The transported objects are removed at arrival by lifting the objects out of an opened carton. Shipping cartons are typically made from a sheet of corrugated kraft material, oftentimes referred to as corrugated fiberboard.

Shipping cartons are used to transport consumer products to retail stores. After arrival at the retail store, individual products are removed from the shipping carton and placed on a shelf in the store for presentation to a retail consumer. When placed on the shelf, products are typically oriented such that the main label of the product, or a secondary package enclosing and containing the product, faces the consumer.

Owing in part to the popularity of the so-called “club” stores, it is increasingly desirable to display packaged products in the same carton in which they are shipped. Such shipping/display cartons, hereinafter simply display cartons, eliminate the need for removing individual products from the display carton and stacking them on a shelf.

Further, in club stores, there is an increase in consumer demand for products packaged in larger unit volumes. The demand for larger packages has resulted in a need for suitable display cartons for such packages. Among the problems with which the packaging engineer must deal in devising suitable display cartons, is the increased weight which such cartons must be capable of holding.

A number of improvements were made in the prior art display cartons to address these issues. For example, Vesborg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,504 is directed to a transport and display container. Spamer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,002 is directed to a case for displaying articles in retail outlets, which is preferably formed of corrugated plastic or fiberboard material. DeMott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,360 is directed to a stackable container having a display opening. Locking slots and locking tabs are illustrated. Edgerton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,299 is directed to a combined product shipping and display box. Carr et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,337 discloses a carton for a bag stack.

Display cartons are often stacked on pallets for more convenient and efficient transport to retail stores, especially to club stores, which typically turn over more product than traditional retail stores. Often, whole pallets of product in display cartons are placed in the aisles of club stores for presentation to consumers. The display cartons are opened so the contained products are directly accessible to consumers, who remove an individual product package from the opened display cartons.

Because of the special problems which heavier products present, display cartons that may have been appropriate for products packaged in smaller unit volumes, may not be sufficiently durable, strong, or convenient for use in connection with products in larger unit volume packages. Further, when presented to consumers in palletized display cartons, many of the main labels of the individual products were not presented to the consumer.

There remains a need for a display carton that is sufficiently durable, strong, and convenient for use in connection with larger product packages that would facilitate removal of the product without having to lift the product completely out of the display carton. Further, there remains a need for a display carton that presents to a consumer the main label of the products that it contains regardless of the orientation of the presentation of the display carton to the consumer. Further, when palletized, it would be advantageous if the stacked display cartons presented the main label of the product they contain to the consumer regardless of the stack pattern of the display cartons on the pallet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A display carton in accordance with the principles of the present invention avoids the limitations of and provides advantages over prior art display cartons. As is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, a corrugated display carton is advantageously initially formed by cutting the display carton from a sheet of planar corrugated fiberboard stock. If the entire display carton can be cut as one piece, the piece is referred to as a unitary blank for the display carton. A display carton in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a corrugated fiberboard unitary blank for forming the display carton, and a method for displaying product using the display carton are presented.

The display carton generally includes a rectangular bottom panel and columns, triangularly shaped in lateral cross-section, connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom panel at its four corners. The display carton further includes a lip between the corner columns. The lip is made up of upright walls comprising a pair of opposing upright face panels and a pair of opposing upright side panels connected to the bottom panel. In one embodiment, gussets between the lip and the columns support and strengthen the columns against buckling under load. The display carton provides four substantially open upright walls whereby a method of displaying product is provided. Product contained in the display carton is viewable and accessible regardless of which upright wall of the display carton is presented to a viewer.

According to the practice of one embodiment of this invention, a corrugated fiberboard display carton is fashioned from a unitary blank, with the display carton, when assembled, being in the general form of an opened-top rectangular box having substantially open upright walls. The display carton need not be formed from a unitary blank. In one embodiment, the display carton may be formed from more than one piece that are coupled to form the blank from which the display carton is assembled. The assembled display carton generally defines the boundaries of a hollow interior portion in which consumer products are disposed. When it is said herein that the upright walls are substantially open, it is meant that the upright walls of a display carton are sufficiently open for a consumer to observe at least a portion of a product main label so that the product may be identified by the consumer. Said another way, the upright walls form a lip that extends upwardly from the bottom panel for a distance less than the upward extent of the display carton columns.

More particularly, the display carton includes a bottom panel, a pair of opposed face panels and a pair of opposed side panels. All of the panels are generally configured as rectangular sheets. One of the pair of face panels is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a face peripheral edge of the bottom panel and the other face panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at an opposite face peripheral edge of the bottom panel. One of the pair of side panels is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a side peripheral edge of the bottom panel and the other side panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at an opposite side peripheral edge of the bottom panel.

Each of the pair of face panels has a pair of cut-lines that define a face extension, a bottom extension, and a pair of columns. When assembled, the display carton includes four upright columns, i.e., a pair of columns for each of the pair of face panels. One column is located at each of the four rectangular corners of the bottom panel.

Each face extension is foldably connected to its corresponding face panel such that the face extension may be made to overlap its face panel. Each bottom extension is foldably connected to its corresponding face extension such that both bottom extensions may be made to overlap the bottom panel. Each side extension is foldably connected to its corresponding side panel such that the side extension may be made to overlap its side panel.

According to the present invention, products disposed in the display carton, are easily accessed both visually and physically through the substantially open upright walls of the display carton.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and others will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan from the following description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled display carton in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is face panel elevation view of the display carton of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a side panel elevation view of the display carton of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a unitary blank used to form the display carton of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram of a method of displaying product using the display carton of FIG. 1.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. As used herein, positional terms, such as “bottom”, “top” and the like, and directional terms, such as “up”, “down” and the like, are employed for ease of description in conjunction with the drawings. Further, the terms “interior”, “inwardly”, and the like, refer to positions and directions toward the geometric center of embodiments of the present invention and designated parts thereof. The terms “exterior”, “outwardly”, and the like, refer to positions and directions away from the geometric center. None of these terms is meant to indicate that the described components must have a specific orientation except when specifically set forth.

For simplicity of presentation, identical duplicate elements in the Figures are not labeled, although it is understood that these unlabeled elements are to be considered equivalent to duplicated labeled elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a display carton, a corrugated fiberboard unitary blank for forming same, and a method for displaying product using the display carton are presented. The display carton generally includes a rectangular bottom, triangular shaped columns connected to and extending upwardly from the tray bottom. The display carton further includes a tray lip connected to the tray bottom at the peripheral edges of the tray bottom and extending upwardly from the tray bottom, and may include triangular shaped gussets between the upper edge of the tray lip and the columns. The display carton provides substantially open upright walls whereby a method of displaying product is provided such that product contained in the display carton is viewable and accessible regardless of the upright wall orientation of the display carton relative to a viewer.

More particularly, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled display carton 100 in accordance with the principle of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a face panel elevation view of the display carton of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a side panel elevation view of the display carton of FIG. 1. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, dashed lines indicate hidden surfaces or edges of display carton 100. As described more fully below with reference to FIG. 3, display carton 100 is formed from a unitary blank 300 (FIG. 3).

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B together, in one embodiment, display carton 100 includes a bottom panel 102, (FIG. 1) generally configured as a rectangular planar surface or sheet, a pair of face panels 104 (FIGS. 1 and 2A), generally configured as rectangular planar surfaces, foldably connected to bottom panel 102 and folded to extend upwardly from opposite face peripheral edges of bottom panel 102. Display carton 100 further includes a pair of side panels 136 (FIGS. 1 and 2B) foldably connected to bottom panel 102 and folded to extend upwardly from opposite side peripheral edges of bottom panel 102.

As shown in FIG. 1 and as explained more fully below with reference to FIG. 3, each of the pair of opposing face panels 104 defines a corresponding face extension 110 (FIGS. 1 and 2A) and a bottom extension 112 (FIG. 1). As used herein a first element and a second element are said to be corresponding whenever the second element is delimited as a portion of and defined by the first element. Each face extension 110 is folded to overlap its corresponding face panel 104 and both bottom extensions 112 are folded to overlap bottom panel 102. In addition, each of the pair of opposing side panels 136 defines a corresponding side panel extension 142. Each side panel extension 142 (FIGS. 1 and 2B) is folded to overlap its corresponding side panel 136.

Display carton 100 further includes four columns 122, made up of faces folded to be generally configured as a triangle in lateral cross-section, and located at the rectangular corners of bottom panel 102. Each of the pair of face panels 104 defines a pair of columns 122, each of the pair of columns 122 being foldably connected to and folded to extend upwardly from bottom panel 102. As shown in FIG. 1, display carton 100 provides a lip 123 made up of substantially opened upright walls comprising face panels 104 and side panels 136 that allow a consumer to view product contained in display carton 100 regardless of the orientation of display carton 100 presented to the consumer. Both visual and physical access to the interior of display carton 100 is provided. Accordingly, display carton 100 of the present invention comprises a body having a hollow interior portion adapted to contain products.

FIG. 3 shows a unitary blank 300 of corrugated fiberboard or other stiff, resilient, and foldable sheet material used to form display carton 100 of FIG. 1. Unitary blank 300 may be cut from stock corrugated fiberboard as one piece. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, unitary blank 300 is generally rectangular in form and divided into portions along cut-lines and fold-lines, such as face extension cut-lines 108 and face panel fold-lines 106. In FIG. 3, dashed lines indicate scoring lines on the top surface of unitary blank 300, dotted lines indicate perforation lines on the bottom surface of unitary blank 300, and solid lines indicate cuts entirely through the corrugated fiberboard from which unitary blank 300 is formed. Scoring lines are indentations formed in the surface of the fiberboard stock. Perforation lines are spaced apart cuts partially through the fiberboard stock. Those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that score and perforation lines facilitate folding of corrugated fiberboard stock or similar sheet materials used in display cartons. In other embodiments display carton 100 may be assembled from more than one piece of corrugated fiberboard stock that have been coupled together to form a structure similar to unitary blank 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3 together, in one embodiment unitary blank 300 is configured as a scored and cut rectangular sheet of corrugated fiberboard formable into display carton 100 (FIG. 1). Unitary blank 300 includes a bottom panel 102 and a pair of face panels 104 foldably connected along face panel fold-line 106 to opposite face peripheral edges of bottom panel 102. In this embodiment, bottom panel 102 and both face panels 104 are configured as rectangular sheets.

Each of the pair of face panels 104 has a pair of spaced apart face extension cut-lines 108 defining a face extension 110, a bottom extension 112, and a pair of column first faces 114. Face extensions 110 are foldable along a face extension fold-line 116 to overlap a corresponding one of the pair of face panels 104. In one embodiment, face extension 110 is folded and secured to face panel 104 with adhesive when unitary blank 300 is folded and assembled to form display carton 100.

Further, bottom extensions 112 are foldable along a bottom extension fold-line 118 to overlap bottom panel 102. In one embodiment, bottom extensions 112 are folded and secured to bottom panel 102 with adhesive when unitary blank 300 is folded and assembled to form display carton 100. Each of the pair of column first faces 114 is foldable along face panel fold-line 106 to extend upwardly from bottom panel 102.

In one embodiment, face extension cut-lines 108 may further define a pair of face panel gussets 146 adjacent each of the pair of column first faces 114 of each of the pair of face panels 104. Face panel gussets 114 are generally configured as triangles and are intended to strengthen columns 122 against buckling laterally along face panel 104 when unitary blank 300 is assembled to form display carton 100.

Each of the pair of face panels 104 has a pair of column cut-lines 120, each of the pair of column cut-lines 120 defining a column second face 124 foldably connected to one of the pair of column first faces 114 at column second face fold-line 126. Further, each of the pair of column cut-lines 120 defines a column third face 128 foldably connected to column second face 124 at column third face fold-line 126. Still further, each of the pair of column cut-lines 120 defines a column face panel extension 132 foldably connected to column third face 128 at a column face panel extension fold-line 134. Column face panel extension 132 is folded to overlap column first face 114 and may be secured to column first face 114 with adhesive when unitary blank is folded and assembled to form display carton 100. Together column first face 114, column second face 124 and column third face 128 form column 122, and column face panel extension 132 is foldable to overlap column first face 114 when face panel 104 is folded to extend upwardly from bottom panel 102 (FIG. 1) to form display carton 100.

Unitary blank 300 further includes a pair of opposing side panels 136 each of the pair of side panels 136 being configured as a rectangular sheet, and each of the pair of side panels 136 being foldably connected to bottom panel 102 along a side panel fold-line 138 at opposite side peripheral edges of bottom panel 102. Each of the pair of side panels 136 has a pair of spaced apart side panel cut-lines 140 defining a side panel extension 142 and defining a pair of side panel column extensions 148. When side panel 136 is folded along side panel fold-line 138 to extend upwardly from bottom panel 102, each side panel column extension 148 overlaps a respective column second face 124. In one embodiment, side panel column extensions 148 are secured to respective column second faces 124 by adhesive when unitary blank 300 is folded and assembled to form display carton 100.

In one embodiment, side panel cut-lines 140 may further define a pair of side panel gussets 150 adjacent each of the pair of side panel column extensions 148 of each of the pair of side panels 136. Side panel gussets 114 are generally configured as triangles and are intended to strengthen columns 122 against buckling laterally along side panel 136 when unitary blank 300 is assembled to form display carton 100.

Further, each of the pair of side panel column extensions 148 is foldable along a side panel extension fold-line 144 to overlap a corresponding one of the pair of side panels 136. In one embodiment, side panel column extensions 148 are secured to corresponding side panel 136 with adhesive when unitary blank 300 is folded and assembled to form display carton 100.

When display carton 100 is formed from unitary blank 300 as described and shown, an advantageous method of displaying product is provided. FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram for a method 460 of displaying product in accordance with the principles of the present invention utilizing display carton 100 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 together, start operation 462 commences the display of product utilizing the embodiment of display carton 100 shown in FIG. 1.

Start operation 462 transfers to fabricate unitary blank operation 464. When it is stated herein that a first operation transfers to a second operation, those of skill in the art understand that the first operation is completed and the second operation is started. In one embodiment, unitary blank 300 is, as noted, fabricated from a sheet of corrugated fiberboard stock. In operation 464 and in a manner well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, unitary blank 300 is cut out from the corrugated fiberboard stock and the fold-lines, perforations and cut-lines described above are made. After unitary blank 300 is fabricated, operation 464 transfers to fold and assemble unitary blank operation 466.

In operation 466, each of the pair of face panels 104 is folded along face panel fold-lines 106 to extend upwardly from opposite face peripheral edges of bottom panel 102. Next, face extensions 110 are folded along face extension fold-lines 116 to overlap a corresponding one of the pair of face panels 104. Further, in operation 466 bottom extensions 112 are folded along bottom extension fold-lines 118 to overlap bottom panel 102. Next, the four columns 122 are formed from respective column first faces 114, column second faces 124, and column third faces 128 folded along respective column second face fold-lines 126 and column third face fold-lines 130 to form a triangularly shaped structure. Column face panel extensions 132 of columns 122 are next folded along column face panel extension fold-lines 134 to overlap respective column first faces 114. Next, each of the pair of side panels 136 is folded along side panel fold-line 138 at opposite side peripheral edges of bottom panel 102 to extend upwardly from bottom panel 102. When side panels 136 are folded upwardly as described, side panel column extensions 148 overlap respective column second faces 124. Finally, side panel extensions 142 are folded along side panel extension fold-lines 144 to overlap a corresponding one of the pair of side panels 136. As noted, any of the above-described overlaps may be secured with adhesive at assembly of display carton 100. At completion of operation 466, unitary blank 300 has been assembled into display carton 100 having an interior space adapted to dispose products for display. Further, after assembly, display carton 100 has four substantially opened upright walls, i.e., face panels 104 and side panels 136 form lip 123 (FIG. 1) that extends upwardly from bottom panel 102 for a distance less than the upward extent of display carton columns 122. At complete assembly of display carton 100, operation 466 transfers to place product in assembled display carton operation 468.

In operation 468, product in primary packaging, such as individual bottles or boxes, is placed in assembled display carton 100. In one embodiment, the product to be disposed in and presented from display carton 100 is positioned such that the main label of the primary package faces outwardly from display carton 100 toward either face panel 104 or side panel 136, which, as described, are substantially opened after assembly of display carton 100 from unitary blank 300. Thus, a purchaser of product displayed in display carton 100 may readily view and retrieve a primary package of product from display carton 100. If product is to be displayed only from display cartons 100, operation 468 transfers to end operation 474. However, if multiple display cartons 100 are to be palletized, after product is placed in display carton 100, operation 468 transfers to palletize display cartons operation 470.

In operation 470, one or more display cartons 100 having product disposed therein, as described in operation 468 above, are placed on a pallet for shipment to a retail store such as a club store. Since, as described in operation 468, the main label of the products face outwardly from display carton 100 toward either face panel 104 or side panel 136, a ready view of the main labels of the products is secured. It does not matter how display cartons 100 are configured on the pallet. The optimum layout of display cartons 100 on a pallet may be pursued without regard to product main label display. After, display carton 100 are palletized, operation 470 transfers to present pallet containing display cartons to consumer operation 472.

In operation 472, the pallet containing one or more display cartons 100 is placed before the consumer, in, for example, the aisles of a club store. By this means, the products are always presented to the consumer with the main label facing the consumer. After pallets containing display cartons 100 are placed before the consumer, Method 460 ends at end operation 474. Thus, by method 460, a purchaser of product displayed in display carton 100 may readily view and retrieve a primary package of the product from display carton 100.

From this disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other conventional materials and fabrication techniques could be substituted. Also based on this disclosure, the person of ordinary skill in the art would further recognize that the relative proportions of the components illustrated could be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A unitary blank formable into a display carton, said unitary blank comprising:

a bottom panel;
a pair of face panels foldably connected to said bottom panel, each of said pair of face panels defining a face extension and a bottom extension;
wherein each of said pair of face panels further defines a pair of columns, each of said pair of columns being foldably connected to said bottom panel; and
a pair of side panels foldably connected to said bottom panel, each of said pair of side panels defining a side extension.

2. The unitary blank of claim 1 wherein said unitary blank comprises corrugated fiberboard.

3. The unitary blank of claim 1 wherein said unitary blank is configured as a rectangular sheet.

4. The unitary blank of claim 1 wherein said face extensions are foldable to overlap a corresponding one of said pair of face panels.

5. The unitary blank of claim 1 wherein said bottom extensions are foldable to overlap said bottom panel.

6. The unitary blank of claim 1 wherein said side extensions are foldable to overlap a corresponding one of said pair of face panels.

7. The unitary blank of claim 1 wherein said columns comprise:

a column first face;
a column second face foldably coupled to said column first face;
a column third face foldably coupled to said column second face; and
a column face panel extension foldably coupled to said column third face.

8. The unitary blank of claim 7 wherein said column face panel extension is foldable to overlap said column first face.

9. A display carton comprising:

a bottom panel configured as a rectangular sheet;
a pair of face panels each of said pair of face panels being configured as a rectangular sheet and each of said pair of face panels being foldably connected to said bottom panel;
wherein each of said pair of face panels has a pair of spaced apart face extension cut-lines defining a face extension, a bottom extension, and a pair of column first faces;
wherein said face extensions are folded to overlap a corresponding one of said pair of face panels;
wherein said bottom extensions are folded to overlap said bottom panel;
wherein each of said pair of face panels has a pair of column cut-lines, each of said pair of column cut-lines defining a column second face foldably connected to a one of said pair of column first faces, defining a column third face foldably connected to of said column second face, and defining a column face panel extension foldably connected to said column third face;
wherein said column face panel extensions are folded to overlap one of said pair of column first faces;
a pair of side panels each of said pair of side panels being configured as a rectangular sheet and each of said pair of side panels being foldably connected to said bottom panel;
wherein each of said pair of side panels has a pair of spaced apart side panel cut-lines defining a side panel extension and defining a pair of side panel column extensions;
wherein said side extensions are folded to overlap a corresponding one of said pair of side panels; and
wherein each of said pair of side panel column extensions is folded to overlap one of said column second faces.

10. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said display carton is formed from a folded unitary blank.

11. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said face extensions are secured to a corresponding one of said pair of face panels by adhesive.

12. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said bottom panel extensions are secured to said bottom panel by adhesive.

13. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said side extensions are secured to a corresponding one of said pair of side panels by adhesive.

14. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said column face panel extensions are secured to said column first faces by adhesive.

15. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said side panel column extensions are secured to said column second faces by adhesive.

16. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said face extension cut-lines further define a pair of face panel gussets 146 adjacent each of said pair of column first faces 114 of each of said pair of face panels 104.

17. The display carton of claim 9 wherein said side panel cut-lines further define a pair of side panel gussets adjacent each of said pair of side panel column extensions of each of said pair of side panels.

18. A method of displaying a product comprising:

fabricating one or more unitary blanks as in claim 1;
folding and assembling said one or more unitary blanks to form one or more display cartons having substantially open upright walls;
placing products in said one or more display cartons such that a main label on said products faces toward said substantially open upright walls;
presenting said one or more display cartons to a consumer.

20. The method of displaying product of claim 18 further comprising:

palletizing said one or more display cartons on a pallet;
presenting said pallet to a consumer.

21. The method of displaying product of claim 20 wherein a said main label is visible to said consumer.

Patent History
Publication number: 20060249565
Type: Application
Filed: May 3, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 9, 2006
Inventors: Randy Wood (Pleasanton, CA), Paul Oppenheim (San Ramon, CA), John Rosenbaum (Indianapolis, IN)
Application Number: 11/122,198
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 229/164.000; 229/918.000; 229/191.000
International Classification: B65D 5/28 (20060101);