Folded and glued display container having integral shelf elements

Abstract

A folded and glued container that quickly erects into a container having multiple shelf structures is formed of a plurality of panels defining a back panel, a front panel opposite the back panel, two longitudinally opposite endwall panels joined to the back panel and the front panel. The container further includes two laterally opposite sidewalls joined to the front panel. The back panel is integrally joined to one of the two endwall panels and attached to the other of the two endwall panels. Inwardly folded bellows panels extend between and integrally joined to the other of the two endwall panels and the sidewalls. When the sidewalls are folded upwardly from a knock-down-flat configuration of the container, the sidewalls erect the two endwall panels and the back panel into a rectilinear box in which multiple shelf panels cut out from the front panel are erected in unison into their final configuration.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to the structure and production of corrugated paperboard and similar containers using fold-and-glue production line techniques. The containers are produced from strategically placed folds and adhered panel surfaces of an integral die-cut blank. During container erection, panels coupled by fold and glue connections are hinged on axes at folds, for opening the container from a knocked-down flat state to an open state having shelves.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Corrugated craft and paperboard containers are made from one or more pieces of flat stock that are typically die cut into shapes that define various panels. The panels define the container top and bottom panels, side walls, front and back, and any internal reinforcements, partitions and other structural members that are needed to form the particular container structure.[0003]Preferably, the container consists essentially of the minimum number of discrete pieces that are neces...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]Preferably, all the foregoing panels are cut out from a single flat blank and are processed by fold-and-glue steps, in manner a described in detail below. However it would also be possible to provide a structure that is integral before erection by virtue of the fact that the respective non-integral panels or parts thereof have been fixed permanently to one another by gluing them into one affixed body. In any case, the result is that when the sidewalls are hinged perpendicular to their knocked-down-flat KDF configuration to cover the sidewalls of the container, the sidewalls erect the two endwall panels and the back panel into a rectilinear box.

[0019]Spaced between the endwall panels, at least one and preferably plural shelf panels are provi

Problems solved by technology

Such containers can be more or less complicated, and the challenge to design a container with only one or a few integral sheet pieces is increasingly greater for structures that require more structural members.

However, separate parts such as separate lids, loose partitions, shelves, reinforcing inserts and the like require attention to inventory, manual assembly steps and other complications during the production, erection and set up of the container.

Such separate parts are not desirable.

However it is difficult to design a complex container in one piece.

It is particularly difficult to do so if the container has structural complications such as tiered shelves or if the container is expected to have movable functional elements such as self erecting parts.

Images