U.S. patent application number 10/706164 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-20 for box for shipping and displaying product.
Invention is credited to Scott, Leon James III, Williams, Richard.
Application Number | 20040094452 10/706164 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32302639 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040094452 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Scott, Leon James III ; et
al. |
May 20, 2004 |
Box for shipping and displaying product
Abstract
A box for shipping and displaying a product is disclosed. The
box has a plurality of sides with flaps. Panels are preformed in
the box. The panels allow the product to be fully enclosed in the
box when shipped. The panels are selectively removable for
displaying and removing the product contained in the box. The box
is capable of selectively displaying the product from four sides
and a top of the box.
Inventors: |
Scott, Leon James III;
(Atlanta, GA) ; Williams, Richard; (Atlanta,
GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WONG, CABELLO, LUTSCH, RUTHERFORD & BRUCCULERI,
P.C.
20333 SH 249
SUITE 600
HOUSTON
TX
77070
US
|
Family ID: |
32302639 |
Appl. No.: |
10/706164 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60425540 |
Nov 12, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/769 ;
206/736 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/16 20130101; B65D
5/10 20130101; B65D 5/4204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/769 ;
206/736 |
International
Class: |
B65D 025/54 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A box for shipping and displaying a product, comprising: a first
side having a first flap; a second side connected to the first side
and having a second flap; a first panel portion defined in the
first side and being removable from the box; and a second panel
portion defined in the first flap and being removable from the box,
wherein a portion of the second flap positions adjacent the second
panel portion when the box is assembled, and wherein the product in
the box is exposed when the second panel is removed.
2. The box of claim 1, wherein the first panel portion defines at
least one removed or removable corner for preventing tearing.
3. The box of claim 1, wherein the first and second panel portions
share a common edge.
4. The box of claim 3, wherein the common edge integrally connects
the first and second panel portions such that both panel portions
are removed together.
5. The box of claim 3, wherein the common edge is separable such
that either one or both of the panel portions can be removed.
6. The box of claim 1, wherein the portion of the second flap
comprises a removable corner defined in the second flap.
7. The box of claim 1, further comprising a third panel portion
defined in the second side and being removable from the box.
8. The box of claim 7, wherein the third panel portion defines a
handle member on the second side.
9. The box of claim 1, wherein the first flap has a deformable
corner, and wherein the second flap defines a slot for receiving
the deformable corner.
10. A box for shipping and displaying a product, comprising: a
first side having a first flap; a second side connected to the
first side and having a second flap; and a first panel being
removable from the box and having a first section and a second
section, the first section defined in the first side, the second
section defined in the first flap, the first and second sections
sharing a common edge.
11. The box of claim 10, wherein the second flap has a corner panel
positioning adjacent the second section and being removable from
the second flap.
12. The box of claim 10, wherein the second flap has a removed
corner positioning adjacent the second section.
13. The box of claim 10, wherein the first panel is formed by an
outline of perforations.
14. The box of claim 10, wherein the first panel defines at least
one removed or removable corner for preventing tearing.
15. The box of claim 10, wherein the common edge integrally
connects the first and second sections of the first panel such that
both sections are removed together.
16. The box of claim 10, wherein the common edge is separable such
that either one or both of the sections can be removed.
17. The box of claim 10, further comprising a second panel defined
in the second side and being removable from the box.
18. The box of claim 17, wherein the second panel defines a handle
member on the second side.
19. The box of claim 10, wherein the first flap has a deformable
corner, and wherein the second flap defines a slot for receiving
the deformable corner.
20. A box for shipping and displaying a product, comprising: a
first side having a first flap; a second side connected to the
first side and having a second flap; first means for exposing the
product from the first side; second means for exposing the product
from the first flap; and third means for exposing the product
through a portion of the second flap when positioned adjacent the
first flap.
21. The box of claim 20, wherein the first and second means
comprise means for selectively removing either one or both of the
first and second means.
22. The box of claim 20, wherein the first means comprises means
for substantially preventing tearing of the first side when
removed.
23. The box of claim 20, wherein the first means comprises means
for facilitating removal.
24. The box of claim 20, wherein the first means comprises means
for facilitating bending of the first flap on the first side.
25. The box of claim 20, further comprising fourth means for
exposing the product from the second side.
26. The box of claim 25, wherein the fourth means comprises means
for facilitating handling of the box.
27. The box of claim 20, wherein the first and second flaps further
comprise means for temporarily resealing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 60/425,540, filed Nov. 12, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a box and, more
particularly to a box for shipping a product and having removable
panels for displaying the product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Boxes made of cardboard or other suitable material are used
to ship products from a vendor to a store. Once the box is at the
store, an employee typically opens the box and stocks the product
on shelves along the aisles of the store. Alternatively, the
employee stocks the product on display racks throughout the store.
Stocking products on shelves or display racks can be time
consuming. In addition, a typical store may have a limited number
of shelves or display racks to hold the product. Consequently, it
can be beneficial to display the product using the boxes in which
the product is shipped.
[0004] The boxes may not be versatile so that the product can be
selectively displayed and removed from one or several sides.
Furthermore, problems may be encountered when attempting to stack
the boxes to form a display. For example, the boxes may not be
capable of being stacked on top of one another while displaying
product. This and other problems can be further aggravated when the
product in the box is heavy. For example, a box containing twelve,
12-fluid ounce plastic beverage bottles can weigh about 10 lbs.
Additionally, when creating a stackable display from solid boxes,
workers using a razor or knife to cut openings in the boxes can
potentially damage the products.
[0005] The present invention is directed to a box for shipping and
displaying a product. The box is intended to overcome, or at least
reduce the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth
above.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0006] A box for shipping and displaying a product is disclosed.
The box is formed from a plurality of sidewalls with flaps.
Removable panels are preformed in the box. With the panels intact,
the product can be fully enclosed and protected within the box when
shipped. With the panels removed, the box is capable of displaying
the product from four sides and from a top of the box. The product
can be removed from the openings formed by the removed panels. The
box retains a substantial amount of integrity when the panels are
removed, which allows the box to be stacked with like boxes to form
a display.
[0007] The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each
potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Aspects of the present disclosure will be best understood
with reference to a detailed description of specific embodiments,
which follows, when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a box for shipping and displaying product
according to the present invention in an unassembled state.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the box of FIG. 1
in partially. assembled state.
[0011] FIGS. 3A-D illustrate various views of the box of FIG. 2 in
an assembled state.
[0012] While the disclosed box is susceptible to various
modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof
have been shown by way of example and are herein described in
detail. The figures and written description are not intended to
limit the scope of the inventive concepts in any manner. Rather,
the figures and written description are provided to illustrate the
inventive concepts to a person of ordinary skill in the art by
reference to particular embodiments, as required by 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 112.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a box 10 according to the
present invention for shipping and displaying a product (not shown)
is illustrated in an unassembled and a partially assembled state.
As best shown in FIG. 1, the box 10 is initially formed from a
longitudinal piece 12 of material, such as cardboard or other
suitable material. A pair of first sides 20a, 20b and a pair of
second sides 50a and 50b are formed by a combination of cuts,
crimps, and perforations made in the longitudinal piece 12 of
material. As is typical in the art of forming boxes, one end of the
longitudinal piece 12 has a connection member or tab 14 for
attaching by glue or other methods known in the art to another end
16 of the longitudinal piece 12. By connecting the ends 14 and 16,
the longitudinal piece 12 forms a four-sided shape, such as shown
in FIG. 2.
[0014] The first sides 20a and 20b are substantially identical to
one another and are formed to oppose one another when the box 10 is
assembled. The first sides 20a and 20b each include a sidewall 22
having a lower flap 24 connected along a bottom edge 25 and having
a first flap 26 connected along a top edge 27. The lower flaps 24
form a portion of the bottom of the box 10 when assembled, while
the first flaps 26 form a portion of the top of the box 10 when
assembled. Preferably, the bottom and top edges 25 and 27 are
perforated, allowing easy bending or removal of the flaps 24 and
26.
[0015] The second sides 50a and 50b are substantially identical to
one another and are formed to oppose one another when the box 10 is
assembled. The second sides 50a and 50b each include a second
sidewall 52 having a lower flap 54 connected along a bottom edge 55
and having a second flap 56 connected along a top edge 57. The
lower flaps 54 form another portion of the bottom of the box 10
when assembled, while the second flaps 56 form another portion of
the top of the box 10 when assembled. Preferably, the bottom and
top edges 55 and 57 are perforated, allowing easy bending or
removal of the flaps 24 and 26.
[0016] The first sidewalls 22 of the first sides 20a and 20b have
first removable portions or panels 30 defined therein, and the
first flaps 26 of the first sides 20a and 20b have second removable
portions or panels 40 defined therein. The first removable panels
30 are formed by perforated outlines 32 defined in the sidewalls
22. The first removable panels 30 each preferrably include an
access piece 34 formed adjacent the perforated outline 32. The
access piece 34 facilitates the removal of the panel 30. A user can
punch or press out the access piece 34 to create an opening for
removing the removable panel 30. Removed or removable comers 36 of
the first removable panel 30 are cut and preferably removed during
formation of the box. The removed or removable comers 36 reduce the
potential for improperly tearing the material of the box 10 when
the perforated outlines 32 of the removable panels 30 are separated
from the sidewalls 22.
[0017] The second removable panels 40 in the first flaps 26 are
formed by perforated outlines 42 defined in the first flaps 26. The
second removable panels 40 each preferrably include an access piece
44 and removed or removable comers 46 being substantially similar
to those described above. The first and second removable panels 30
and 40 share corners 38. The shared corners 38 of panel 30 are also
cut and preferably removed during formation of the box 10. In
addition to reducing improper tearing when removing the panel 30
and/or the panel 40, the removal of the shared comers 38 enables
the first flaps 26 to be bent relative to the first sidewalls 22
without prematurely separating the perforated outlines 32 and
42.
[0018] In the present embodiment, the first and second removable
panels 30 and 40 are adjacent and share a common edge 31 with one
another. In one aspect of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 2,
the common edge 31 integrally connects the first and second panels
30 and 40 together, in which case both panels 30 and 40 are removed
together from the box 10 when preparing the box 10 to display
product. The integrally connected edge 31 can be creased to
facilitate bending. In an alternative aspect of the present
embodiment, the common edge 31 can be separable or perforated such
that the first and second panels 30 and 40 can be selectively
removed from the box 10. In other words, either one or both of the
panels 30, 40 could be removed from the box 10 when preparing the
box 10 to display product. For example, the first panel 30 can be
torn along its perforated outline 32 and torn along the separable
common edge 31 shared with the second panel 40. Thus, only the
first panel 30 can be removed from the box 10 to display product
through a first side 20a, while the adjacent, second panel 40 can
be maintained on the box 10. Of course, the reverse can also be
performed to remove the second panel 40 and not the first panel 30.
In addition, the first and second panels 30 and 40 can be removed
together at the same time from the box 10 along their perforated
outlines 32 and 42, while not separating the common edge 31.
Preferably, the common, separable edge 31 is a portion of the
perforated top edge 27.
[0019] Alternatively, the first and second removable panels 30 and
40 may not share a common edge. In this alternative embodiment, the
first and second panels 30 and 40 would be separately removable
from the box 10 and would form separate openings in the side 22 and
flap 26 of the box 10. Therefore, the first panel 30 would be
enclosed by the perforated outline 32 being defined entirely in the
first side 22, and the second panel 40 would be enclosed by the
perforated outline 32 being defined entirely in the first flap
26.
[0020] The second sides 50a and 50b of the box 10 have third
removable portions or panels 60 defined therein. The third
removable panels 60 are formed by perforated outlines 62 defined in
the sidewalls 52. The third removable panels 60 each include an
access piece 64 and removed corners 66 being substantially similar
to those described above. The perforated outlines 62 of the third
removable panels 60 can form handle members 68 in the sidewalls 52.
The portions of the perforated outline 62 forming the handle member
68 can be separated from the third removable panel 60 and bent for
a user to hold, which can prevent inadvertent tearing of the second
sides 50a and 50b.
[0021] The second flaps 56 each include portions 70a and 70b that
position adjacent the second panels 40 when the box 10 is
assembled. These portions 70a and 70b allow the product in the box
10 to be exposed when the second panel 40 is removed. In the
present embodiment, the second flaps 56 each include fourth panels
or removable corner portions 70a and 70b defined by perforated
outlines 72. As described below and best shown in FIG. 2, the
removable corner portions 70a and 70b align with the second panels
40 on adjacent first flaps 26 when the box 10 is assembled.
Preferably and as shown in FIGS. 1-2, these corner portions 70a and
70b are removable from the box 10 so that they are attached to the
second flaps 56 when the box 10 is assembled for shipping product
but can be removed when the box 10 is used for displaying product.
Alternatively, these corner portions 70a and 70b can be pre-cut and
removed prior to assembling the box 10 for shipping product. Having
the corner portions 70a and 70b pre-cut and removed will not
undermine the structural integrity of the box 10 and will not allow
the product to come out of the box 10 when assembled. As also
described below, each of the second flaps 56 defines a slot 58 for
receiving a deformable comer 28 of an adjacent first flap 26.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, the box 10 is shown partially
assembled. The ends 14 and 16 have been attached so that the sides
20a, 20b, 50a, 50b form a four-sided shape. In assembling the box
10, the bottom flaps (not visible) have been bent inward to form
the bottom of the box 10 and have been attached together by tape,
glue, staples, or other methods known in the art. The product (not
shown) can be positioned within the sides of the box 10, and the
second flaps 56 then bent inward, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0023] To completely enclose the product, the first flaps 26 are
then positioned adjacent the second flaps 56. When the first flaps
26 are positioned adjacent the second flaps 56, the removable
corner portions 70a and 70b of the second flaps 56 become aligned
with the second panels 40 on adjacent first flaps 26. As noted
above, these corner portions 70a and 70b can be pre-cut and removed
prior to assembling the box 10. The flaps 26 and/or 56 are then
attached together by tape, glue, staples, or other methods known in
the art. Thus, the box 10 is loaded and prepared for shipping the
product. The box 10 fully encloses the product and can be moved and
stacked without emptying or damaging the product contained
therein.
[0024] Use of the box 10 for display will now be discussed with
reference to FIGS. 3A-D, which respectively illustrate the box 10
in a first side view, a second side view, a top view, and a bottom
view. Once the loaded box 10 has reached a desired location, the
removable panels 30, 40, 60, and corner portions 70a and 70b can be
selectively removed to display the product P contained in the box
10. In FIGS. 3A-D, the product P is depicted as being cylindrical.
The embodiment of the box 10 disclosed herein is particularly
suited for shipping and displaying beverage bottles. With the
benefit of the present disclosure, however, one of ordinary skill
in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not
limited to use with cylindrical products or beverage bottles.
[0025] As best shown in the side view of FIG. 3A, a first removable
panel (not shown) in the first side 20a has been removed to create
a first opening 31 in the box 10. As best shown in the top view of
FIG. 3C, a second removable panel (not shown) in the first side 20a
has been removed to create a second opening 41 in the box 10. For
illustrative purposes, one of the corner portions 70a is shown
still attached to one of the second flaps 56. The other removable
corner portion (not shown) has been removed to expose the product P
from an opening 71 being adjacent the opening 41 of the second,
removed panel. As best shown in the side view of FIG. 3B, a third
removable panel (not shown) in the second side 50a has been removed
to create a third opening 61 in the box 10. The handle 68 extends
into the opening 61 and can be bent into the box 10 for
strengthening the edge of the opening 61 when a person lifts the
box 10.
[0026] It will be appreciated that not all of the removable panels
need to be removed to display the product P. Rather, the panels can
be removed to selectively display the product P from one or more
perspectives. For example, only a first panel may be removed to
display the product P through a first opening 31, especially if
other boxes are stacked on the top and the sides of the box 10 to
form a display.
[0027] With panels removed, the product P within the box 10 is
exposed. Not only is the product P visible through the openings 31,
41, 61, and 71, but the product P can also be removed from the
openings 31, 41, 61, and 71, depending on the size of the product
relative to the openings. Although panels are removed, the box 10
is capable of maintaining a substantial amount of structural
integrity. For example, all the edges of the box 10 are left intact
when all the panels are removed. Further maintaining the integrity
of the box 10, the bottom flaps 24 and 54 remain in tact and
attached together, as best shown in FIG. 3D. In addition, the first
and second flaps 26 and 56 remain substantially in tact and can
remain connected to one another, although panels may have been
removed, as best shown in FIG. 3C.
[0028] As best shown in FIG. 3C, the deformable corners 28 of the
first flaps 26 can be inserted in the slots 58 defined in the
second flaps 56. The deformable corners 28 and slots 58 enable the
box 10 to be temporarily resealed after the flaps 26 and 56 have
been unsealed. Unsealing the flaps 26 and 56, however, is not
necessary to remove panels nor is it not necessary to remove the
product P from the box 10.
[0029] The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments
is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of
the inventive concepts that were conceived by the Applicant. In
exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein,
the Applicant desires all patent rights afforded by the appended
claims. Therefore, it is intended that the invention include all
modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come
within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents
thereof.
* * * * *