U.S. patent application number 10/811679 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-29 for display carton for cabinet unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bertch Cabinet Mfg., Inc.. Invention is credited to McLaughlin, Dennis.
Application Number | 20050211756 10/811679 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34988591 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050211756 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McLaughlin, Dennis |
September 29, 2005 |
Display carton for cabinet unit
Abstract
A carton for a cabinet unit includes a removable panel which
remains in place while the carton and its contents are in transit.
At the retail location, the removable panel may be removed to
provide a window through which the contents of the carton may be
observed so that the retail customer may inspect the color and
appearance of the cabinet unit within the carton without removing
the cabinet unit from the carton. The window is covered by a
transparent film which is secured to the inside surface of the
carton wall in the area which surrounds the removable panel. The
removable panel may be returned to its original location and taped
in place over the transparent film when the carton is to be moved
from the retail location to another location. The carton may be
constructed from a blank of double-walled corrugated paper
board.
Inventors: |
McLaughlin, Dennis;
(Buckingham, IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALLAN L HARMS
2750 FIRST AVENUE NE, SUITE 420
CEDAR RAPIDS
IA
52402
US
|
Assignee: |
Bertch Cabinet Mfg., Inc.
Waterloo
IA
|
Family ID: |
34988591 |
Appl. No.: |
10/811679 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/162.3 ;
229/162.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/4204
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/162.3 ;
229/162.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 025/54 |
Claims
Having described the invention, I claim:
1. A carton for containing cabinet units during shipment comprising
an enclosure having at least a front wall, a die cut in the front
wall defining a substantial part of the front wall, the substantial
part connected to a surrounding part of the front wall by spaced
apart tabs, the substantial part of the front wall overlying a
transparent sheet, whereby the substantial part of the front wall
may be selectively removed from the surrounding part of the front
wall.
2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the tabs are integral with the
front panel.
3. The carton of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet is adhered
to the surrounding part.
4. The carton of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet is a
flexible plastic sheet.
5. The carton of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet is adhered
to the surrounding part by hot glue.
6. The carton of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet is
polyethylene film.
7. The carton of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet is adhered
to the surrounding part by ethylene vinyl acetate.
8. The carton of claim 1 wherein the transparent sheet is
polyethylene film, the transparent sheet is adhered to the
surrounding part by ethylene vinyl acetate.
9. A blank for a carton for cabinet units comprises a series of
coplanar panels separated by creases therebetween, a one of the
series of panels being a front panel, the front panel having an
incomplete diecut defining the panel into a removable part and a
surrounding part, tabs interconnecting the removable part to the
surrounding part, a transparent film adhered to the surrounding
part of the front panel on an interior side thereof.
10. The blank of claim 9 wherein the transparent sheet overlies an
inside surface of the removable part of the front panel.
11. The blank of claim 10 wherein the blank is a paperboard sheet,
the tabs are integral with the front panel.
12. The blank of claim 10 wherein the transparent sheet is fixed to
the surrounding part by adhesive. the transparent sheet is
polyethylene film.
13. The blank of claim 12 wherein the adhesive is ethylene vinyl
acetate.
14. The blank of claim 11 wherein the transparent sheet is
polyethylene film, the transparent sheet fixed to the surrounding
part by ethylene vinyl acetate.
15. A method to house a cabinet unit for transport and display
thereof at a retail location comprising the steps of: placing the
cabinet in a carton having a window in at least one wall thereof,
the at least one wall of the carton comprising a removable panel,
the window comprising a transparent sheet underlying the removable
panel, transporting the carton with the cabinet unit therein to the
retail location with the removable panel overlying the transparent
sheet, removing the removable panel from the at least one wall
thereof at the retail location to allow visual inspection of at
least a portion of the cabinet unit.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of preparing
the at least one wall of the carton by incompletely cutting through
the at least one wall to define the removable panel.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of removing
the removable panel by severing tabs remaining between the
removable panel and a surrounding part of the at least one wall
which surrounds the removable panel.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the carton is constructed of
paper board, the transparent sheet is polyethylene film, the
transparent sheet is adhered to a surrounding part of the at least
one wall which surrounds the removable panel on an inside face
thereof,
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of
replacing the removable panel and securing it to the at least one
wall of the carton before the carton is moved from the retail
location.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the shipment of cabinets such as kitchen cabinet units,
vanities and similar furnishings, packaging constructed of
corrugated paperboard is used which completely encloses the product
inside. This presents few shortcomings when the product is shipped
directly to the site for installation. On the other hand, when the
cabinet housed in the carton is to be sold in a home furnishing
outlet, such as the now popular "big box" home improvement stores,
the consumer will likely wish to inspect the appearance of the
product. This necessitates opening the carton and removing the item
from the carton so the product can be examined by the prospective
consumer. Ordinarily a sample unit will be removed from the carton
for display. This requires the use of space for display of the
unboxed cabinet product while also subjecting the specimen cabinet
unit to wear and tear on the display floor and the incident
reduction in value below full retail value of that unit. The desire
for the retailer to display the actual product appearance and the
desire of the potential consumer to examine the color and
appearance of the cabinet product leads to the need for the present
invention. Yet the protection in shipment of the cabinet product
must be maintained by having a rugged outer covering surrounding
the cabinet while in transit.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An improved carton for a cabinet product is provided by this
invention. The carton is a corrugated cardboard enclosure which
includes a front wall of corrugated cardboard which has been die
cut for easy removal of a substantial portion of the front wall, a
"cutout", upon arrival of the product at the retail location. The
cutout is separated from the front wall by perforations such that
the cutout may be easily removed from the carton when the product
is placed in the retail sales area while it will be retained as
part of the front wall until its removal is desired. A transparent
film covers the opening in the cardboard front wall underlying the
cutout such that a window is provided in the front wall of the
carton once the cutout has been removed. The transparent film is
adhered to the rear face of the front wall of the carton so that
the carton remains closed to dust and other contaminants even when
the cutout is removed. The cutout may be retained and returned to
its original placement on the carton by taping it in place once the
boxed cabinet product is to be taken to the delivery vehicle after
sale, thereby providing structural protection for the front wall of
the cabinet within the carton.
[0005] It is a primary object of the invention to provide an
improved carton for a cabinet unit which allows display of the
front wall of the cabinet unit while the cabinet unit remains in an
enclosed carton.
[0006] It is another object of the invention to provide a carton
which allows visual inspection of the cabinet or other product
inside without removal of the product from the carton.
[0007] It is another object of the invention to provide a display
of a cabinet product without subjecting the product to wear and
tear or the retail store environment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective of a carton according to the
present invention with the removable panel still in place on the
front wall of the carton.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front perspective of the carton according to the
invention with the removable panel removed allowing view of a
cabinet unit within the carton through the window of the
carton.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a blank from which the carton
of FIG. 1 may be formed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] FIG. 1 discloses a carton 2 for a cabinet unit according to
the present invention. Carton 2 is shown in assembled form with the
removable panel 4 of the front panel 6 in place. Removable panel 4
is defined by window die cut 8 and is held to surrounding part 54
of front panel 6 by tabs 10 left remaining when removable panel 4
is incompletely separated from surrounding part 54 (nicked in)
during fabrication. Removable panel 4 may be sized to be a
substantial part of front panel 6. Carton 2 comprises right side 12
and flaps 14 and 16 which close carton 2 to form an outer layer of
its top 18. Removable panel 4 overlies a transparent film window
through which the interior of carton 2 can be observed.
[0012] Referring now to FIG. 2, carton 2 is shown after removal of
the removable panel 4 shown in FIG. 1. Window 20 is defined by
window die cut 8 in front panel 6 and is surrounded by surrounding
part 54 of front panel 6. Window 20 comprises a transparent film 22
through which the interior of carton 2 may be observed. In FIG. 2,
carton 2 is shown containing a cabinet unit 3, a part of which is
visible through window 20. Window die cut 8 is generally
rectangular in shape, having an inverted corner 24 at its upper
right which serves an aesthetic purpose. In the illustration of
FIG. 2, cabinet unit 3 is a base unit having drawers 5, 7 and doors
9, 11. As is easily understood, the color and appearance of the
cabinet unit 3 may be inspected while the cabinet unit 3 remains
housed in carton 2.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary blank 26 which may be
assembled into carton 2 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Blank 26 is cut from
double-walled corrugated paper board sheet stock into a
substantially rectangular shape. Blank 26 comprises left side panel
28 joined at first crease 30 with front panel 6 which is joined at
second crease 32 with right side panel 12 which is joined at third
crease 34 with rear panel 36 which is joined at fourth crease 38
with narrow flap 40. Blank 26 is viewed from the rear in FIG. 3 and
inside surface 44 thereof is seen with transparent sheet 22 adhered
to inside surface 44 of surrounding part 54 surrounding removable
panel 4 which is seen through transparent film 22. Preferably
transparent film 22 is a polyethylene film adhered to surrounding
part 54 of front panel 6. Transparent film 22 may be adhered to
inside surface 44 of front panel 6 by hot melt glue of which
ethylene vinyl acetate is an example. Care is taken that
transparent film 22 not become adhered to removable panel 4 so that
once the carton 2 containing a cabinet unit reaches the retail
destination, removable panel 4 may be removed from front panel 6 by
breaking the tabs 10 which join removable panel 4 to front panel
6.
[0014] In the well known manner, blank 26 can be transformed into
carton 2 by folding the blank 26 about the creases 30, 32, 34, 38
at right angles with narrow flap 40 glued to the exterior of left
side panel 28 along free edge 42 thereof.
[0015] Top flaps 56, 50, 54, and 48 are respectively separated from
each other by die cuts 58. Left and right bottom flaps 60, 62 and
front and rear bottom flaps 66, 68 are also separated by die cuts
58. Left and right bottom flaps 60, 62 may be folded about lower
horizontal crease 64 and then front bottom flap 66 and rear bottom
flap 68 are folded over bottom side flaps 60, 62 to form a bottom
for the carton 2. Bottom flaps 66, 68 may be secured by taping,
glue adhesive, or by stapling. With a cabinet unit and protection
cushioning inserted in carton 2, left and right top flaps 48, 50
may be folded about upper horizontal crease 52 and then front and
rear top flaps 14, 16 are folded about upper horizontal crease 52
to overlie left and right top flaps 48, 50, thereby completing
formation of top 18 of carton 2.
[0016] As is readily understood from the foregoing, carton 2
containing a cabinet unit 3 may be shipped to a retail location
such as a home improvement outlet where removable panel 4 may be
quickly and easily removed by severing tabs 10 so that window 20 is
uncovered and the appearance of the cabinet unit 3 contained in the
carton 2 may be observed through transparent film 22.
[0017] The foregoing description of the invention has been
presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise
form disclosed. Modifications and variations of the embodiments are
possible in light of the above disclosure or such may be acquired
through practice of the invention. The embodiments illustrated were
chosen in order to explain the principles of the invention and its
practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize
the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications
as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended
that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended
hereto, and by their equivalents.
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