Convertible Package Assembly
A case formed from a single piece of material can be deconstructed simply and placed on a store shelf without the need for tools. The case has asymmetric portions can hide tear lines from the end consumer. Further, the case can be filled with product containers in a first orientation and shipped or placed on a shelf in a second orientation.
None
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCHNot Applicable
BACKGROUNDShipping packages, such as corrugated, cardboard and/or paperboard boxes, trays and similar assemblies are commonly used to contain a plurality of products or product containers for transport of such products from the manufacturer, to their eventual retail environment. Upon arrival in a retail environment it is desirable to store or display these products on shelves so that the goods and products are conveniently visible and accessible by a user. Thus, some package assemblies have been designed to be convertible from a shipping configuration to a display configuration (shelf ready packaging (SRP)).
Despite the plethora of unique convertible package assembly/display systems that are available, there remains a need for improved systems that are even more dynamically useful, environmentally friendly and cost effective.
U.S. Application Nos. 61/869,117, filed Aug. 23, 2013, and Ser. No. 14/255,320, filed Apr. 17, 2014 and published as U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0053587 are incorporated herein by reference.
A detailed description is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the drawings.
Embodiments having desirable characteristics of a Shelf Ready Package (SRP), as specified by the nation's leading retailers, are disclosed herein. Per retailer guidelines, secondary packaging must be able to withstand the rigors of the supply chain, preserving product integrity and aesthetics of the primary package. A Flange Seal Case, as described herein, offers equivalent strength of a Regular Slotted Case (RSC) in a similar thickness of corrugated material by providing corner supporting members in the form of overlapping sections. In the shipping orientation, these members form 90 degree column-like supports with the corrugated flutes in the direction of the palletized load.
Additionally, the case is easily convertible upon shelf placement in the retail store. In particular, embodiments of the case herein disclosed contribute to an efficient shelf replenishment process and can be opened simply without the aid of tools. Further, embodiments offer superior aesthetics while simplifying the conversion from shipping mode to shelf-ready mode.
Forming cases that satisfy the specifications of retailers presents additional challenges. For example, retailer requests with respect to aspect ratios of shelf depth, width, and height can be difficult to produce due to machine capabilities. Consequently, there remains a need to provide cases that utilize single-facing or single product width (SPW) which can be formed without significant modification to machines. SPW cases are desirable because of the immense variety of products and flavors that retailers currently offer and SPW cases permit the retailer to make efficient use of the width and depth of the shelf space.
Additionally, single product height (SPH) is commonly one unit in the vertical direction. With flexible containers or pouches, a SPH and SPW are used almost exclusively. As a result, an opening or slot (typically narrower width and comparatively taller height) in the retailer's shelf is where the product must be shelved. Typical shelf depth (SD) is approximately 20-24 inches. And, in traditional case designs, case forming machines will use the SPW×SPH as the mandrel size or opening. U.S. Publ. No. 2015/0053587 is illustrative.
In some instances, SPW×SPH creates aspect ratios for cases that are difficult or impossible to form with existing forming machines and mandrels, however. In particular, the small relative of the SPW and SPH relative to the large SD makes for ratios that can near or exceed 8:1. Consequently, the cases disclosed herein utilize the two largest dimensions of SD and SPH to form the case, and, in some embodiments, load the product on its edge (as discussed in greater detail below). Thus, a full shelf depth case can be made using existing machinery in many instances, without the need for specialty equipment.
Moreover, by rotating the case 90 degrees when replenishing the retailer's shelf, a “side” of the case is reoriented to become the “top”. And, opening of the cases herein disclosed are simplified, reducing the propensity for ragged edges or tears; further, the number of perforations may be reduced when compared to known case designs. Finally, cases disclosed herein may be opened easily without the use of tools, as a lever is formed in the case, by locating the tear lines in appropriate locations, such that the user can gain a mechanical advantage when opening the case.
Finally, cases disclosed herein can offer significant cost and corrugate savings when compared to known case designs. In traditional RSC (regular slotted case) designs, the cases are pre-glued at the overlapping seams, adding a machine step, increasing material cost, and complicating storage of semi-completed blanks. Additional, known RSC designs include overlapping material that is required on the two sides with closures. In contract, the cases disclosed herein, which can be referred to as FSC (flange seal cases), reduces or eliminates waste and machine processing steps, while saving up to 20-30% in material cost.
In known case designs, elaborate tear strips, score lines, and additional features dilate the ability of the machinery to form the case. In some embodiments disclosed herein, however, scoring is limited to bottom and side portions of the case, permitting forming machines to form the case efficiently and with precision. Embodiments disclosed herein may utilize asymmetric sections that do not impede the final forming/closing operation, but can significantly impact the retail configuration of the case, yielding an aesthetically pleasing case. And, scoring on the bottom of the case, which can be hidden from the consumer in a display configuration of the case by another portion of the case, allows for aggressive cut patterns and easy tear-away. Finally, machine cut edges that the consumer may see provide for excellent shelf-appeal.
As shown in
In
With regard to
For example, in at least one embodiment the blank 30 is constructed from cardboard (corrugated or otherwise). Other materials that blank 30 can be constructed from include: press-board, chipboard, SBS board, wood, one or more paper product derivatives, plastic, metal, or other materials. In some embodiments, the blank is constructed from a light weight material that may be easily and inexpensively recycled or disposed of.
As shown in
Turning to
With regard to
In some embodiments, during the folding process the second section 102 remains horizontal. Further, all or portions of the second section 102 can be supported throughout the folding process.
Once the package assembly 10 is oriented as shown in
As shown in
As illustrated in
As further shown in
In some embodiments, the package assembly 10 comprises a corrugated cardboard material. In some embodiments, the package assembly (e.gi., corrugated cardboard) has flutes 46 (represented by lines in
In some embodiments, the flutes 46 are arranged so that they are parallel to one or more of the tear lines (e.g., 135, 136, 137) or portions of the tear lines. In some embodiments, the flutes 46 are perpendicular to the long dimension of the blank 30. At least some of the flutes 46 can extend horizontally when the package assembly is in the shipping configuration.
It will be appreciated that there is a gap 44 between the fourth section 104 and the fifth section 105. In some embodiments, the package assembly 10 has one or more hand holes or enlarged openings for opening the package assembly 10 along the tear lines (e.g. 135, 136, 137). In some embodiments, a hand hole is situated along the division between the fourth section 104 and the fifth section 105.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the tear line 135 extends only a portion of the length between portions 102a and 102b. In some embodiments, however, it extends the entire shared length (e.g., from the seventh section 107 to the twelfth section 112). In some embodiments, the tear line 135 includes one or more sections that are “clear cut”—cut entirely through the blank 30. In some embodiments, the tear line 135 includes one or more sections that are “skip cut”—cut portions alternating with uncut portions, each portion being ¼″ in length, for example. In some embodiments, 30-60% of the length of the tear line 135 between seventh section 107 and twelfth section 112 is clear cut and 40-70% of it is skip cut.
In some embodiments, the second tear line 136 includes one or more sections that are clear cut and one or more sections that are skip cut. In some embodiments, 30-60% of the length of the second tear line 136 is clear cut and 40-70% of it is skip cut.
Similarly, in some embodiments, the third tear line 137 includes one or more sections that are clear cut and one or more sections that are skip cut. In some embodiments, 30-60% of the length of the third tear line 137 is clear cut and 40-70% of it is skip cut. In some embodiments, the entirely of the third tear line 137 is cut through and none of it is skip cut.
In some embodiments, all or portions of the dividing line between 112a and 112b of the twelfth section 112 include a second tear line 136 (
In some embodiments, the dividing lines between adjacent sections server as fold lines and, in some embodiments, comprise perforations in order to facilitate easier folding.
The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.
Claims
1. A package assembly comprising:
- a case formed from a single piece of packaging material, the case having a filling configuration and a display configuration;
- the case having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein a first tear line extends along a first side of the case and the second side of the case defines a gap opposite the tear line;
- the case further having a front when the case is in the display configuration, the front defining a second tear line, the second tear line being at least partially masked in the display configuration by a flap that extends over the second tear line.
2. The package assembly of claim 1 further comprising a third tear line.
3. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the packaging material is corrugated cardboard defining flutes.
4. The package assembly of claim 3, wherein the case further has a shipping configuration, wherein, when the case is in the shipping configuration, the flutes extend vertically.
5. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the case has a front in the display configuration, the front of the case having three overlapping sections.
6. The package assembly of claim 5, wherein the case has a back in the display configuration, the back of the case having three overlapping sections.
7. The package assembly of claim 6, wherein, in the display configuration, the surface area of the back is greater than the surface area of the front.
8. The package assembly of claim 1 having exactly fifteen sections.
9. The package of claim 8, wherein exactly two of the sections have tear lines.
10. The package assembly of claim 8, wherein exactly three of the sections have tear lines.
11. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the second tear line includes a portion that is skip cut and a portion that is clear cut.
12. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein 30-60% of the length of the second tear line 136 is clear cut and 40-70% of it is skip cut.
13. The package assembly of claim 2, wherein the third tear line includes a portion that is skip cut and a portion that is clear cut.
14. The package assembly of claim 13, wherein 30-60% of the length of the third tear line 136 is clear cut and 40-70% of it is skip cut.
Type: Application
Filed: May 12, 2016
Publication Date: May 3, 2018
Inventor: Kevin Weiss (Stillwater, MN)
Application Number: 15/573,344