Display containers with removable panel

Abstract

A one-piece container having a top and bottom, front, back and end walls is configured for storing, shipping and displaying the container contents. A tear-out panel with multiple glued thicknesses spans a portion of adjacent walls, especially the front and adjacent top, and is removable to expose the contents. A reinforcing inside panel backs the tear-out area and also marginal areas around the tear-out panel in the front wall and top portion. The reinforcing panel can be a folded back extension from a top flap or laterally-inward extensions from column forming end wall structures. An outer ply of a portion of the tear-out panel may be removed prior to shipping, leaving the inside reinforcement panel to cover part of the opening, and simplifying tear-out. Containers incorporating this reinforced front and top panel display design can be either a unitary bottom construction, or a multi-piece folded bottom construction.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to paperboard, corrugated craft and similar containers in which goods are packed for shipping, wherein the containers used for shipping, or parts thereof, also display the goods at the destination and permit customer access. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] It is desirable to structure a shipping container to support stresses associated with supporting products in the containers and also stresses resulting from stacking two or more containers atop one another. Various techniques have been employed to strengthen containers. The material thickness of the container walls can be made more or less, e.g., by choice of material or by providing more or fewer overlapping plies. Added support structures can be included such as reinforcing webs, hollow walls, inserts and so forth. [0003] Material additions, structural complexities for reinforcement and the like, add strength, but only at the expense of using up some of the volume available ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a container made up of a plurality of panels that can be folded onto each other. The panels have a bottom, front and back walls, and an in-fold flap that can be opened to provide access to the container. The container also has a tear-out panel that can be removed to create an opening in the access wall. The tear-out panel has a reinforcing layer that can be adhered to the inside surface of the access wall. The container can be configured with a reinforcing layer that is folded over the access wall and securable to the bottom or front or back walls. The front and back walls are integrally joined to the bottom, and the column-forming panels are integrally joined to the front and back walls. The reinforcing layer can be a reinforcing panel that is adhesively attached to the front or back walls. The container has a plural thickness of material in the access wall and top in-fold flap. The technical effects of the invention include a more easily openable container with a reinforcing layer, and a more efficient and flexible method of creating the container."

Problems solved by technology

Material additions, structural complexities for reinforcement and the like, add strength, but only at the expense of using up some of the volume available within the outer boundaries of the container.

Structural reinforcements are usually inconsistent with providing easy product access provisions such as removable lids or panels.

Container lids are routinely removed or folded back and provide a type of removable panel, but removing lid panels alone generally is insufficient to attractively display the product or to convert the container from an enclosed shipping container to a more open and accessible product carrier.

Containers can bear rough handling during shipping and also when used as receptacles for products on display.

Whether a container is structured originally with openings or provided with removable panels, the openings reduce the area over which the container contents are covered and protected, and the openings can compromise the structural integrity of the container.

Openings often detract from stacking strength or container rigidity, that might be available if the openings were occupied by container material.

Given the numerous possibilities, a challenge is presented to produce a container that is protective during shipping and stacking, and also permits access to the product (with or without the need to remove a tear-away panel or to remove an outer covering container).

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