Shipper display container

• US 8,302,845 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2010
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
• Original Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
• Inventors: Bell, Jackie E., Miller, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/719,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20100224675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 229/103, 206/774, 206/736, 206/738, 206/139, 206/161, 206/175, 206/192, 403/12
• US Class Current: 229/103
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4225 as an extra panel or panels projecting out of the plane of the container B65D5/4241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4608 Handgrip holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body

Abstract

A container comprises a front panel including a stationary front portion and a removable front portion separated by a first line of weakness. The container comprises a rear panel including a stationary and a detachable rear portion separated by a second line of weakness. The container comprises a first and an opposing second side panel separated from the removable front portion by third and fourth lines of weakness. The container comprises a top front major flap extending from the removable front portion and hingedly coupled to the removable front portion by a first fold line. The container comprises a top rear major flap extending from the rear panel and hingedly coupled to the stationary rear portion and the detachable rear portion by a second fold line. The container is configured to be converted into a display configuration.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a front panel including a stationary front portion and a removable front portion, the stationary front portion being separated from the removable front portion by a first line of weakness;

a rear panel including a stationary rear portion and a detachable rear portion, the stationary rear portion being separated from the detachable rear portion by a second line of weakness;

a first side panel and an opposing second side panel, the first and second side panels bridging the front panel and the rear panel, the first and second side panels being separated from the removable front portion by respective third and fourth lines of weakness;

a top front major flap extending from the removable front portion, the top front major flap being hingedly coupled to the removable front portion by a first fold line;

a top rear major flap extending from the rear panel, the top rear major flap being hingedly coupled to the stationary rear portion and the detachable rear portion by a second fold line;

wherein the container is configured to be converted into a display configuration in which the removable front portion and the top front major flap are removed from the container and the top rear major flap remains coupled to the stationary rear portion.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein, when the container is converted into the display configuration, the top rear major flap is generally flush with an interior surface of the stationary rear portion of the rear panel, and the detachable rear portion of the rear panel is rotated about the second fold line into a position generally coplanar with the stationary rear portion.

3. The container of claim 1 further comprising first and second top minor flaps extending from the respective first and second side panels.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the first and second top minor flaps are coupled to the top front major flap such that the first and second top minor flaps are removed from the container when the container is converted to the display configuration.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the first and second side panels include diagonal portions separated from a remaining portion of the respective first and second side panels by respective lines of weakness.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the first and second diagonal portions are coupled to the removable front portion such that the first and second diagonal portions are removed from the container when the container is converted to the display configuration.

7. The container of claim 5, wherein the removable front portion and the first and second diagonal portions include respective notches positioned along the edges thereof.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the detachable rear portion is a signage panel.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the container includes corrugated paperboard.

10. A container comprising:

a front panel, a rear panel, first and second side panels bridging the front panel and the rear panel, a top front flap extending from the front panel, and a top rear flap extending from the rear panel;

a removable portion including an upper section of the front panel and the top front flap, the removable portion being separable from the container along at least one lines of weakness; and

a display portion including a detachable portion of the rear panel, the detachable portion being separable from the rear panel by at least one line of weakness and being hingedly coupled to the remaining portion of the rear panel and the top rear flap.

11. The container of claim 10 further comprising first and second top minor flaps extending from the respective first and second side panels.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the first and second top minor flaps are coupled to the removable portion such that the first and second top minor flaps are removable.

13. The container of claim 10, wherein the first and second side panels include diagonal portions separated from a remaining portion of the respective first and second side panels by respective lines of weakness.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein the first and second diagonal portions are coupled to the removable portion such that the first and second diagonal portions are removable.

15. The container of claim 10, wherein the detachable portion of the rear panel is a signage panel.

16. The container of claim 10, wherein the container includes corrugated paperboard.

17. A method of using a container, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a container including a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel, and an opposing second side panel bridging the front panel and the rear panel, a top front major flap, and a top rear major flap, the front panel including a stationary front portion and a removable front portion, the stationary front portion being separated from the removable front portion by a first line of weakness, the rear panel including a stationary rear portion and a detachable rear portion, the stationary rear portion being separated from the detachable rear portion by a second line of weakness, the first and second side panels being separated from the removable front portion by respective third and fourth lines of weakness, the top front major flap extending from the removable front portion, the top front major flap being hingedly coupled to the removable front portion by a first fold line, the top rear major flap extending from the rear panel, the top rear major flap being hingedly coupled to the stationary rear portion and the detachable rear portion by a second fold line; and

converting the container from a shipper configuration to a display configuration by

removing the upper front portion and the top front major panel along the first line of weakness,

detaching the detachable rear portion along the second line of weakness,

rotating the top rear major flap toward the interior of the container along the second fold line such that the top rear major flap is generally flush with an interior side of the stationary rear portion, and

rotating the detachable rear portion about the second fold line such that the detachable rear portion is generally coplanar with the stationary rear portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the detachable rear portion is a signage panel.

19. A method of using a container, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a container including a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel, and an opposing second side panel bridging the front panel and the rear panel, a top front major flap, and a top rear major flap, the front panel including a stationary front portion and a removable front portion, the stationary front portion being separated from the removable front portion by a first line of weakness, the rear panel including a stationary rear portion and a detachable rear portion, the stationary rear portion being separated from the detachable rear portion by a second line of weakness, the first and second side panels being separated from the removable front portion by respective third and fourth lines of weakness, the top front major flap extending from the removable front portion, the top front major flap being hingedly coupled to the removable front portion by a first fold line, the top rear major flap extending from the rear panel, the top rear major flap being hingedly coupled to the stationary rear portion and the detachable rear portion by a second fold line; and

converting the container from a shipper configuration to a display configuration by

removing the upper front portion and the top front major panel along the first line of weakness,

detaching the detachable rear portion along the second line of weakness,

rotating the top rear major flap toward the interior of the container along the second fold line such that the top rear major flap is generally flush with an interior side of the stationary rear portion, and

rotating the detachable rear portion about the second fold line such that the detachable rear portion is generally coplanar with the stationary rear portion wherein the container further comprises at least one tab positioned on at least one side of the top rear major flap and at least one slot positioned along a respective at least one fold line separating the rear panel from the respective first and second side panels.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising locking the top rear major flap into place within the container in the display position by placing the tab into the slot.