TWO IN ONE COMBINATION DISPLAY BOX

A container includes a tray portion configured for holding and displaying product. A cover portion is seated in the tray portion for forming an enclosure around product in the tray portion. The tray portion and the cover portion have the same length and breadth. An opening of the cover portion seated in the tray portion is slotted with open ended slots to allow the opening to be biased inward for the opening of the cover to fit within and to be seated in the tray portion.

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Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/542,064 filed on Aug. 7, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to packaging, and more particularly to packaging for shipping and display.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional half slotted container (HSC) typically is packed where the product is produced. For example in the case of fresh produce, an HSC can be packed in the field where the produce is harvested and closed for shipping. HSC's can be shipped with product packed inside to a retail location. At the retail location the HSC is converted, e.g., by removing a separate lid from a tray bottom or the like, or by telescoping a two piece HSC, to display the product and make it accessible to customers. This conventional use of HSCs requires separate manufacture of the lid portion and the main portion of the HSC, but facilitates the ability of retailers and customers to handle the product.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved HSCs. This disclosure provides a solution for this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A container includes a tray portion configured for holding and displaying product. A cover portion is seated in the tray portion for forming an enclosure around product in the tray portion. The tray portion and the cover portion have the same length and breadth. An opening of the cover portion seated in the tray portion is slotted with open ended slots to allow the opening to be biased inward for the opening of the cover to fit within and to be seated in the tray portion.

The open ended slots can be in corner edges of the cover portion. The cover portion can include breathability apertures completely defined through one or more walls thereof in addition to the open ended slots.

The tray portion can define an opening rim for receiving the opening of the cover portion. The opening rim of the tray portion can have a length dimension and a breadth dimension perpendicular to the length dimension, wherein the opening of the cover portion has the same length and breadth dimensions as the opening rim of the tray portion so that the opening of the cover portion must be biased inward, accommodated by the open ended slots, in order for the cover portion to be seated in the tray portion. The tray portion can have a bottom panel and an opening rim opposite the bottom panel, wherein the open ended slots of the cover portion seated in the tray portion extend in a vertical direction from the bottom panel to a height above the opening rim.

The cover portion can include top flaps configured to form an upper closure of the cover portion. The tray portion can include bottom flaps opposite the top flaps configured to form a bottom panel of the tray portion. The tray portion can include stacking slots defined in at least one of the bottom panel, a front panel, and/or a back panel of the tray portion. The cover portion can include stacking tabs extending from at least one of the upper closure, a front panel, and/or a back panel of the cover portion. The stacking tabs can be configured to be received in stacking slots of another container stacked on top of the cover portion. The stacking slots can be configured to receive the stacking tabs of another container stacked below the tray portion.

A blank for a container includes a tray portion and a cover portion connected to the tray portion across a break line. The tray portion includes a pair of bottom closure flaps, a front bottom panel flap, a back bottom panel flap, a respective side panel connected to each of the bottom closure flaps along a respective fold line, a front panel connected to the front bottom panel flap along a fold line, and a back panel connected to the back bottom panel flap along a fold line. The front and back panels are connected to respective ones of the side panels along a plurality of vertical fold lines. The cover portion includes a pair of top closure flaps, a front top panel flap, a back top panel flap, a respective side panel connected to each of the top closure flaps along a respective fold line, a front panel connected to the front top panel flap along a fold line, and a back panel connected to the back top panel flap along a fold line. The front and back panels of the cover portion are connected to respective ones of the side panels of the cover portion along a plurality of vertical fold lines.

The vertical fold lines of the cover portion can be aligned in line with respective ones of the vertical fold lines of the tray portion. Open ended slots can be defined in the cover portion. The open ended slots of the cover portion can separate the vertical fold lines of the tray portion from the respective vertical fold lines of the cover portion. Each of the open ended slots can abut the break line. The break line can be weakened to facilitate breaking the tray portion from the cover portion by at least one of a knife cut and/or perforations.

The tray portion can includes at least one stacking slot. The cover portion can include cut lines defining at least one stacking tab. The side panels, front panel, and/or back panel of the cover portion can include at least one of handle holes and/or breathability apertures defined therethrough. Each of the front top panel flap, the back top panel flap, the front bottom panel flap, and the back bottom panel flap can include at least one closure aperture configured to receive a respective one of the closure flaps.

The blank can be folded along two of the vertical fold lines. The tray portion can be adhered to itself and the cover portion can be adhered to itself with the break line unbroken.

A method of forming a container includes forming a blank as described above, including forming the break line by at least one of knife cutting and/or perforating the blank. The method can include folding the blank along two of the vertical fold lines, adhering the tray portion to itself, and adhering the cover portion to itself. The method can include breaking the tray portion from the cover portion along the break line, engaging the bottom closure flaps of the tray with the front and back bottom panel flaps of the tray portion to form a bottom panel for closure of the tray portion, engaging the top closure flaps of the cover portion with the front and back top flaps of the cover portion to form a top panel for closure of the cover portion, and compressing the cover portion about an opening thereof and seating the opening of the cover portion in the tray portion.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a container constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the tray portion assembled with product therein, and showing the cover portion assembled prior to seating the cover portion in the tray portion to enclose the product;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the container of FIG. 1, showing one of the open ended slots of the cover portion;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank for making the container of FIG. 1, showing the blank prior to assembling into the configuration of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 3, showing the container in a flattened state;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 4, showing the cover portion broken apart from the tray portion;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1, showing the cover portion seated in the tray portion to enclose the product in the fully assembled container;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the container of FIG. 6, showing a portion of the open ended slot of FIG. 2 with the cover portion seated in the tray portion; and

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a plurality of containers of FIG. 1, showing how the containers can be stacked.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a container in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of containers in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIGS. 2-8, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to ship and/or store product and can also be converted to display product such as in a retail setting.

The container 100 includes a tray portion 102 configured for holding and displaying product 104. A cover portion 106 can be seated in the tray portion 102 for forming an enclosure around product 106 in the tray portion 102, as shown in the fully assembled container 100 in FIG. 6. The tray portion 102 and the cover portion 106 have the same length L and breadth B. An opening 108, i.e., the opening on the bottom of the cover portion 106 as oriented in FIG. 1, that is ultimately seated in the tray portion 102 is slotted with open ended slots 110 to allow the opening 108 to be biased inward, shrinking the length and breadth of the opening 108 so it can fit within and be seated in the tray portion 102. As shown in FIG. 2, the open ended slots 110 are in corner edges of the cover portion 106.

With reference again to FIG. 1, the tray portion 102 defines an opening rim 114 for receiving the opening 108 of the cover portion 106. The opening rim 114 of the tray portion has a length dimension L and a breadth dimension B perpendicular to the length dimension, wherein the opening 108 of the cover portion 102 has the same length and breadth dimensions L and B as the opening rim 114 so that the opening 106 of the cover portion 102 must be biased inward, shrinking inward accommodated by the open ended slots 110, in order for the cover portion 106 to be seated in the tray portion 102. The tray portion 102 has a bottom panel formed of two opposed bottom panel flaps 116 and the opening rim 114 is opposite the bottom panel. As shown in FIG. 7, when the open ended slots 110 of the cover portion 106 are seated in the tray portion 102, they extend in a vertical direction from the bottom panel 116 to a height above the opening rim 114. The height of the slots 110 in their longitudinal direction is thus longer than the height dimension H of the tray portion 10. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that slot heights less than, equal to, or greater than the height dimension H of the tray portion 102 can be used as appropriate to allow the cover portion 106 to be compressed to fit into the tray portion 102 for any given application.

The cover portion includes front and back top flaps 118 configured to form an upper closure or panel of the cover portion 106. The tray portion 102 includes bottom flaps 116 opposite the top flaps 118 when the container 100 is fully assembled as shown in FIG. 6, to form the bottom panel of the tray portion 102. The cover portion 106 includes breathability apertures 112 completely defined through one or more walls thereof in addition to the open ended slots 110.

With reference now to FIG. 8, the tray portion 102 optionally includes stacking slots 120 defined in at least one of the bottom panel, the front panel 128, and/or back panel 130 of the tray portion 102. The cover portion 106 optionally includes stacking tabs 122 extending from at least one of the upper closure, the front panel 144, and/or the back panel 148 of the cover portion 106. The stacking tabs 122 are configured to be received in stacking slots 120 of another container 100 stacked on top of the cover portion 106. The stacking slots 120 are similarly configured to receive the stacking tabs 122 of another container 100 stacked below the tray portion 102 to form a registered stack as indicated in FIG. 8.

With reference now to FIG. 3, the blank 101 for the container 100 includes the tray portion 102 and the cover portion 106 connected to the tray portion 102 across a break line 124. The tray portion 102 includes a pair of bottom closure flaps 126, a front bottom panel flap 116, and a back bottom panel flap 116. A respective side panel 132 is connected to each of the bottom closure flaps 126 along a respective fold line 134. A front panel 128 is connected to the front bottom panel flap 116 along a fold line 130. A back panel 133 is connected to the back bottom panel flap 116 along a fold line 134. The front and back panels 128 and 133 are connected to respective ones of the side panels 132 along a plurality of vertical fold lines 136.

With continuing reference to FIG. 3, the cover portion 106 includes a pair of top closure flaps 138, a front top panel flap 118, and a back top panel flap 118. A respective side panel 140 is connected to each of the top closure flaps 138 along a respective fold line 142. A front panel 144 is connected to the front top panel flap 118 along a fold line 146. A back panel 148 is connected to the back top panel flap 118 along a fold line 150. The front and back panels 144 and 148 of the cover portion 106 are connected to respective ones of the side panels 140 of the cover portion 106 along the same plurality of vertical fold lines 136 that are described above with respect to tray portion 102. An adhesion tab 152 is defined across break line 124 connecting to panels 132 and 148 of the tray portion 102 and cover portion 106 along one of the vertical fold lines 136.

The vertical fold lines 136 of the cover portion 106 are thus aligned in line with respective ones of the vertical fold lines 136 of the tray portion 102. The open ended slots 110 are defined in the cover portion 106. The open ended slots 110 of the cover portion 106 separate the vertical fold lines 136 of the tray portion 102 from the respective vertical fold lines 136 of the cover portion 106. Each of the open ended slots 110 abuts the break line 124 so the slots are open-ended when the break line 124 is broken. The break line 124 is weakened to facilitate breaking the tray portion 102 from the cover portion 106 by at least one of a knife cut and/or perforations.

The cover portion 106 includes cut lines 154 defining the stacking tab 122. The side panels 140 and front and back panels 144/148 of the cover portion 106 include at least one of handle holes 156 and/or breathability apertures 112 defined therethrough. Each of the front top panel flap118, the back top panel flap 118, the front bottom panel flap 116, and the back bottom panel flap 116 includes at least one closure apertures 158 configured to receive a respective one of the closure flaps 126/138 for closing the bottom of tray portion 102 and the top of cover portion 106. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that in addition to or in lieu of closure apertures 158, any other suitable closure technique can be used, such as tape, adhesive, or combinations of tape and adhesive, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

With reference to FIG. 4, the blank 101 is folded along two of the vertical fold lines 136. The tray portion 102 is adhered to itself using adhesion tab 152 and the cover portion is adhered to itself in the same manner with the break line 124 initially unbroken. In this state, shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of blanks 101 can be shipped from their place of manufacture to a location where they will be packed.

A method of forming a container, e.g., container 100, includes forming a blank as described above, e.g., blank 101, including forming the break line, e.g. break line 124, by at least one of knife cutting and/or perforating the blank. The method also includes folding the blank along two of the vertical fold lines, e.g., vertical fold lines 136, adhering the tray portion, e.g., tray portion 102, to itself, and adhering the cover portion, e.g., cover portion 106, to itself. The method also includes breaking the tray portion from the cover portion along the break line, and engaging the bottom closure flaps, e.g., bottom closure flaps 126, of the tray with the front and back bottom panel flaps, e.g., bottom panel flaps 116, of the tray portion to form a bottom panel for closure of the tray portion. The method includes engaging the top closure flaps, e.g., top closure flaps 138, of the cover portion with the front and back top flaps, e.g., top flaps 118, of the cover portion to form a top panel for closure of the cover portion. The method also includes compressing the cover portion about an opening, e.g., opening 108, thereof and seating the opening of the cover portion in the tray portion. The container can be converted, e.g. in a retail setting, by removing the cover portion from the tray portion to display product seated in the tray, as shown in FIG. 1.

It is also contemplated that optionally, before breaking the break line, the cover portion can be assembled including closing its flaps. The combined container can then be packed with product through the open flaps of the tray portion, which can be closed after the product has filled the combined container. With all of the flaps closed, the break line can be broken to separate the tray portion from the cover portion, and the cover portion can be seated in the tray portion as described above. The container can then be flipped over so the product inside rests on the tray portion.

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for containers with superior properties including manufacture as one piece for a cover and tray portion of a container that can be converted for retail display of product within the container. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a tray portion configured for holding and displaying product; and
a cover portion seated in the tray portion for forming an enclosure around product in the tray portion, wherein the tray portion and the cover portion have the same length and breadth, and wherein an opening of the cover portion seated in the tray portion is slotted with open ended slots to allow the opening to be biased inward for the opening of the cover to fit within and to be seated in the tray portion.

2. The container as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover portion includes slots completely defined through one or more walls thereof in addition to the open ended slots.

3. The container as recited in claim 1, wherein the open ended slots are in corner edges of the cover portion.

4. The container as recited in claim 1, wherein the tray portion defines an opening rim for receiving the opening of the cover portion, wherein the opening rim of the tray portion has a length dimension and a breadth dimension perpendicular to the length dimension, wherein the opening of the cover portion has the same length and breadth dimensions as the opening rim of the tray portion so that the opening of the cover portion must be biased inward, accommodated by the open ended slots, in order for the cover portion to be seated in the tray portion.

5. The container as recited in claim 1, wherein the tray portion has a bottom panel and an opening rim opposite the bottom panel, wherein the open ended slots of the cover portion seated in the tray portion extend in a vertical direction from the bottom panel to a height above the opening rim.

6. The container as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover portion includes top flaps configured to form an upper closure of the cover portion, and wherein the tray portion includes bottom flaps opposite the top flaps configured to form a bottom panel of the tray portion.

7. The container as recited in claim 6, wherein the tray portion includes stacking slots defined in at least one of the bottom panel, a front panel, and/or a back panel of the tray portion, wherein the cover portion includes stacking tabs extending from at least one of the upper closure, a front panel, and/or a back panel of the cover portion, wherein the stacking tabs are configured to be received in stacking slots of another container stacked on top of the cover portion, and wherein the stacking slots are configured to receive the stacking tabs of another container stacked below the tray portion.

8. A blank for a container comprising:

a tray portion including: a pair of bottom closure flaps; a front bottom panel flap and a back bottom panel flap; a respective side panel connected to each of the bottom closure flaps along a respective fold line; a front panel connected to the front bottom panel flap along a fold line; and a back panel connected to the back bottom panel flap along a fold line, wherein the front and back panels are connected to respective ones of the side panels along a plurality of vertical fold lines; and
a cover portion connected to the tray portion across a break line, wherein the cover portion includes: a pair of top closure flaps; a front top panel flap and a back top panel flap; a respective side panel connected to each of the top closure flaps along a respective fold line; a front panel connected to the front top panel flap along a fold line; and a back panel connected to the back top panel flap along a fold line, wherein the front and back panels of the cover portion are connected to respective ones of the side panels of the cover portion along a plurality of vertical fold lines.

9. The blank as recited in claim 8, wherein the vertical fold lines of the cover portion are aligned in line with respective ones of the vertical fold lines of the tray portion.

10. The blank as recited in claim 8, further comprising open ended slots defined in the cover portion.

11. The blank as recited in claim 10, wherein the open ended slots of the cover portion separate the vertical fold lines of the tray portion from the respective vertical fold lines of the cover portion.

12. The blank as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the open ended slots abuts the break line.

13. The blank as recited in claim 8, wherein the break line is weakened to facilitate breaking the tray portion from the cover portion by at least one of a knife cut and/or perforations.

14. The blank as recited in claim 8, wherein the tray portion includes at least one stacking slot, and wherein the cover portion includes cut lines defining at least one stacking tab.

15. The blank as recited in claim 8, wherein at least one of the side panels, the front panel, and/or the back panel of the cover portion include at least one of handle holes and/or breathability apertures defined therethrough.

16. The blank as recited in claim 8, wherein each of the front top panel flap, the back top panel flap, the front bottom panel flap, and the back bottom panel flap includes at least one closure apertures configured to receive a respective one of the closure flaps.

17. The blank as recited in claim 8, wherein the blank is folded along two of the vertical fold lines, and wherein the tray portion is adhered to itself and the cover portion is adhered to itself with the break line unbroken.

18. A method of forming a container comprising:

forming a blank as recited in claim 8, including forming the break line by at least one of knife cutting and/or perforating the blank.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

folding the blank along two of the vertical fold lines;
adhering the tray portion to itself; and
adhering the cover portion to itself.

20. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

breaking the tray portion from the cover portion along the break line;
engaging the bottom closure flaps of the tray with the front and back bottom panel flaps of the tray portion to form a bottom panel for closure of the tray portion;
engaging the top flaps of the cover portion with the front and back top panel flaps of the cover portion to form a top panel for closure of the cover portion; and
compressing the cover portion about an opening thereof and seating the opening of the cover portion in the tray portion.
Patent History
Publication number: 20190039775
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 3, 2018
Publication Date: Feb 7, 2019
Inventors: Jeremiah SWARNARAJ (Soledad, CA), David J. BRUNDAGE (Salinas, CA)
Application Number: 16/054,375
Classifications
International Classification: B65D 5/12 (20060101); B65D 5/00 (20060101); B65D 5/02 (20060101); B65D 5/16 (20060101);