Shipping and display container with supporting insert

Abstract

A one-piece shipping and display container is formed from a single unitary blank of corrugated paperboard. The one-piece shipping and display container includes opposed parallel side walls, opposed parallel end walls, bottom flaps, and top flaps all of which are foldably joined to one another for closing bottom and top portions of the one-piece shipping and display container. The one-piece shipping and display container includes a supporting insert panel that is removed from the container when the container is in a knock-down position. The supporting insert panel is inserted back into the container before or after the container is filled with products to provide protection for the products and further enhances the strength of the container during shipping and transportation.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62 / 138,062, filed on 25 Mar. 2015, which is hereby incorporated hereinto by reference as if fully restated herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to shipping and display containers, and more particularly to a shipping and display container having a supporting insert and supporting stacked products at a point of sale.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Containers made of corrugated paperboard are commonly used for storing and shipping agricultural produce. Typically, such containers are formed from a blank scored with score lines and cut lines and have a bottom and opposed sidewalls. As used herein, the term “sidewalls” refers to the side walls extending along opposite sides of a container and the end walls extending across opposite ends of a container. The term “side wall” or “end wall” is used when a particular wall is intended. The ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The claimed invention uses a simple and cost efficient RSC structure. The existing way to manufacture a display RSC's is to either cut out the display window as scrap, or perforating its borders so that it can be separated at the point of sale. Both of these options leave the shipping strength of the container severely compromised. Cutting out the window also makes the product exposed. And perforating the borders is a compromise in and of itself. The more is cut to make it easier to remove, the more strength is removed for the shipping function. In the present invention, the material removed for display position is modified to become a supporting insert to be placed inside the container when it is being packed. In the knock-down position of the container prior to packing, the supporting insert remains attached to the container which eliminates additional inventory. The placement of the insert provides protection for the product in the container and substantially enhances the structural strength when compared to cutting out the window. This supporting insert is then easily removed at the point of sale to allow very effective display and removal of the product from the container.

[0009]An advantage of the claimed invention is the simplicity of the structure of the container that allows laborers readily use it for packing of agricultural produce and other products, either in field locations, packing houses, or manufacturing facilities. This container is manufactured using a standard “flexo folder gluer” with minimal re-adjustment from a standard setup for a comparable RSC. At the packing site, the packer or the person setting up the containers would detach the supporting insert from the container by popping the nicks holding them together. The bottom flaps of the container are set up as with most agricultural produce and many other products that are sold in this manner. The supporting insert can be put in place either before, during or after the product is packed in the container as preferred by the packer. Finally, everything is held in place by the top flaps, closed in the fashion common to agricultural produce and other commodities. At the retailer, the container is placed on the shelf, display table, or wherever they chose and the supporting insert is simply pulled out through the display window and recycled with other old corrugated containers (OCC).

[0010]Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a one-piece shipping and display container formed from a single unitary blank of corrugated paperboard. The one-piece shipping and display container comprises opposed parallel side walls, opposed parallel end walls, bottom flaps, and top flaps all of which are foldably joined to one another for closing bottom and top portions of the one-piece shipping and display container. a supporting insert panel is removed from the container when the container is in a knock-down configuration. The supporting insert panel is inserted back into the container before or after the container is filled with products to provide protection for the products and further enhances the strength of the container during shipping and transportation.

[0011]Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a one-piece shipping and display container formed from a single unitary blank of corrugated paperboard. The one-piece shipping and display container comprises opposed parallel side walls having respective top and bottom flaps foldably joined to respective top and bottom ends thereof. Opposed parallel end walls are foldably joined to the side walls so that the respective top and bottom flaps are used for closing bottom and top portions of the one-piece shipping and display container. The one-piece shipping and display container includes a supporting insert that is formed on one of the end walls and both of side walls or one of the side walls and both of end walls. The supporting insert is formed by three frangible lines and is defined by first, second, and third frangible lines intersecting one another. The supporting insert panel is removed from the container when the container is in a knock-down position. The supporting insert panel is inserted back into the container before or after the container is filled with products to provide protection for the products and further enhances the strength of the container during shipping and transportation.

Problems solved by technology

Both of these options leave the shipping strength of the container severely compromised.

Cutting out the window also makes the product exposed.

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