Storage and display carton

• US 5,921,398 A
• Filed: 01/12/1998
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Big Heart Pet, Inc. (The J. M. Smucker Company)
• Original Assignee: Star KISS Foods Incorporated (Dongwon Enterprise Company Limited)
• Inventors: Carroll, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/005,585
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 206/192, 206/736, 206/746, 206/747, 229/235
• US Class Current: 206/736
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/043 arranged side by side
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5253 Containers initially closed but folded about a central axis to display the contents in two or more cells
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/54 Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing B65D5/06, B65D5/5233, B65D5/5253 take precedence ; break-in flaps, or members adapted to be torn-off, to provide pouring openings B65D5/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/062 Flexible containers disposed within polygonal containers formed by folding a carton blank

Abstract

A shipping and display container has two opposing end panels in a spaced parallel relationship and front and rear panels in a spaced parallel relationship defining opposing front and rear container surfaces. The front and rear panels are connected to the two opposing end panels to form a container periphery. A bottom panel extends within the container periphery to define a bottom surface of the container. A top panel also extends within the container periphery to define a top surface of the container. The top surface includes an opening for viewing the contents of the container. The container is also convertible from a storage configuration to a display configuration. The conversion mechanism includes the top surface and the front surface having a removable portion defined by a pattern of lines of weakening, at least the top surface and the rear surface including a further line of weakening, and the bottom surface defining a fold line. Thus, after removal of the removable portion, the line of weakening in the top surface is torn and opposing ends of the container are rotated about the fold line in the bottom surface. In so doing, side-by-side displays may be obtained.

Claims

1. A shipping and display container comprising:

two opposing end panels in a spaced parallel relationship;

front and rear panels in a spaced parallel relationship defining opposing front and rear container surfaces, said front and rear panels being connected to said two opposing end panels to form a container periphery;

a bottom panel extending within the container periphery to define a bottom surface of the container;

a top member extending within the container periphery to define a top surface of the container, said top surface defining an opening for viewing contents of the container;

means for converting the container from a storage configuration to a display configuration, said conversion means including said top surface and said front surface having a removable portion defined by a pattern of lines of weakening, at least said top surface and said rear surface including a further line of weakening, and said bottom surface defining a fold line.

2. The container according to claim 1 wherein said fold line includes a perforated line contiguous with said further line of weakening.

3. The container according to claim 1 wherein said further line of weakening includes a continuous line extending through a portion of said top surface and said rear surface at a location approximately half way from each of said end walls, thereby dividing the container into two halves.

4. The container according to claim 3 wherein said further line of weakening includes a perforated line.

5. The container according to claim 3 wherein said further line of weakening includes a portion of cut line and a portion of a perforated line.

6. The container according to claim 1 wherein said top surface is formed by a plurality of overlapping flaps, said opening being defined by a gap between said plurality of flaps.

7. A blank for forming a shipping and display container, said blank comprising:

a center portion including a bottom panel member, two end panels, and two folding top flaps;

a rear portion adjacent to said center portion including a rear panel and a folding side flap extending from each side of said rear panel;

a rear top flap adjacent to said rear portion;

a front portion adjacent to said center portion including a front panel and a folding side flap extending from each side of the front panel;

a front top flap adjacent to said front portion;

said front top flap and said front panel having a pattern of lines of weakening defining a removable portion; and

at least said rear top flap and said rear panel having a continuous line of weakening.

8. The blank according to claim 7 wherein said removable portion has a rectangular shape defined by said pattern of lines of weakening.

9. The blank according to claim 7 wherein said pattern of lines of weakening include lines of perforations and lines of cutting.

10. The blank according to claim 7 wherein said continuous line of weakening is disposed approximately half way between said end panels.

11. The blank according to claim 7 wherein said continuous line of weakening includes portions defined by perforated lines and portions defined by cutting lines.

12. The blank according to claim 7 wherein said bottom panel member includes a line of weakening disposed approximately half way between said end panels.

13. The blank according to claim 12 wherein said bottom panel member line of weakening comprises a line of perforations contiguous with said continuous line of weakening.

14. The blank according to claim 7 wherein said center portion extends between and thereby maintains said front portion and said rear portion in a spaced relation, a distance between said front portion and said rear portion defining a depth of the container, and a combined depth of said front top flap and said rear top flap being less than the container depth such that a gap remains when said blank is folded to form the container.

15. A method for transporting packages, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a blank for forming a shipping and display container, said blank comprising a center portion including a bottom panel member, two end panels, and two folding top flaps;

a rear portion adjacent to said center portion including a rear panel and a folding side flap extending from each side of said rear panel;

a rear top flap adjacent to said rear portion;

a front portion adjacent to said center portion including a front panel and a folding side flap extending from each side of the front panel;

a front top flap adjacent to said front portion;

said front top flap and said front panel having a pattern of lines of weakening defining a removable portion; and

at least said rear top flap and said rear panel having a continuous line of weakening;

forming an open container by folding and joining the front panel, rear panel, and end panels;

loading the open container with a plurality of packages positioned in a sideways orientation;

forming a substantially closed shipping container having an opening for viewing the orientation of the plurality of packages by folding and joining the front top flap, rear top flap and two folding top flaps;

transporting the substantially closed container to a different location;

at the different location, visually inspecting the orientation of the plurality of packages through the opening in the container and then removing the removable portion by tearing the pattern of lines of weakening;

tearing the continuous line of weakening along said rear top flap;

rotating the opposing ends of the container about a center line of the bottom panel member;

folding the bottom panel member essentially in half, thereby bringing the ends of the containers into contact with a support surface and positioning the loaded packages in an upright orientation.