Shipping And Display Carton

Abstract

Shipping and display carton combination comprising a rectangular box, having a tear strip around all four sides spaced from bottom to allow top and top portions of sides to be removed leaving a tray and exposing contents. A sleeve foldable into the box and dimensioned to fit around tray, is slipped over the tray and held unfolded by the tray and a rigidifying rib.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the packaging art and more particularly to cartons for packaging articles of commerce and displaying the same to the buying public.

In the field of merchandising of articles to the buying public it is necessary that goods be shipped from factories eventually to retail outlets where they may be purchased. In the handling of small articles this necessarily requires the packing of goods into cartons of one type or another which will withstand the abuses of shipment until the goods reach the merchant. In the merchant's business establishment attempts are usually made to present the goods to prospective buyers in displays which are attractive to the buyer's eye and will cause him to purchase the goods so displayed.

The art of packaging and displaying goods is a very refined one. One can realize this by looking around in virtually any mercantile establishment. One problem which exists, however, in many of the display packages presently in use is the amount of labor required in setting up the display. A labor requirement, of course, involves expense which in turn reduces profit to the merchant. It is toward this problem which the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object, therefore, of the present invention to produce a shipping and display carton combination which provides sufficient ruggedness for withstanding shipment and storage and yet allows an advertising display to be set up with a minimum of effort and in a form attractive to the buying public. In accordance with this and other objects there is provided in accordance with the present invention a shipping and display carton combination which comprises a rectangular box having a top, bottom, and four sides, and having manually operable separating means around all four sides of the box for removing the top and portions of at least three sides thereof leaving a tray in which the contents of the box are exposed. A rectangular sleeve having length and width dimensions substantially equal to the length and width dimensions of the bottom of the box is slidably fitted over the tray and serves to present advertising matter to prospective customers and to retain the contents of the box in position but readily accessible. The sleeve is made so that it is foldable to flat form to fit within the box and overlie the merchandise in the box until the box is opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and intended advantages of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a shipping carton made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the display setup using the carton of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the display sleeve shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the method of assembly of the display of FIG. 2 as to placement of the sleeve; and

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the rear of the display of FIG. 2 showing greater detail of the sleeve.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures thereof there is shown in FIG. 1 a rectangular box having a top 11 and a plurality of sides 12. Two of the sides 12 and the box bottom are, of course, not visible in FIG. 1 because of the angle of presentation of the illustration. Provided around all four sides 12 of the rectangular box there is provided a separating means 13 which may, for example, be a tear strip actuated by pulling on a tab 14 provided at one corner or on one side of the box. Aside from the separating means such as the tear strip, the box may be of conventional construction such as cardboard having glued flaps to create the top and bottom. While it is preferable that the tear strip be provided at the intersections of the sides of the box with a plane parallel to the box bottom at a distance approximately one quarter the height of the box from the box bottom, this positioning is not necessary nor is it necessary that the tear strip extend around all four sides of the box. For example, the separating means could instead be provided at the intersections of a plane inclined to the box bottom with three sides and the top 11. It is only necessary that the major portion of the top and the top portions of three other sides be removed to provide an attractive display in accordance with the present invention. Any suitable means for separation of the box into two parts can be utilized. The use of the tear strip, however, simplifies opening and eliminates the possibility of cutting of the contents of the box with a knife or similar sharp article.

After the top portion of the box has been removed a sleeve 16 designed to fit over the outside of the tray formed by removing the top portion of the box, and having dimensions substantially equal to those of the bottom of the box, is place over the bottom to retain the contents of the box in position and to provide an attractive display of those contents. The sleeve 16 has an elongated side made up of two parts; a lower portion which is connected at both edges to the sides of the sleeve and forms the corners of the sleeve and a flap 17 which when unfolded gives the side an overall height which is higher than the height dimension of the box to provide a viewing area above the contents of the box. The top and bottom portions of the elongated side are preferably connected by a generally horizontal fold 18 so that the flap 17 can be folded downwardly. Similarly the two side walls of the sleeve which are attached to the elongated wall have two substantially vertical folds at positions other than the four corners thereof whereby the sleeve may by folding on the vertical folds and the horizontal fold be folded into an area small enough to fit within the box and be placed on top of or in front of the items packaged in the box before the box is closed at the factory. In order to retain the flap 17 in its unfolded position for display purposes there is preferably provided on the outside of the sleeve a vertical rigidifying means extending across the generally horizontal fold 18 as may be seen more clearly from FIG. 5. The rigidifying means can be, for example, a rib flap 19 having one vertical edge thereof affixed to the elongated back and extending across the fold line 18. Provided in the rib flap 19 adjacent the portion which is affixed to the elongated side of the box is a bendable tab 20 which can be bent to wedge against the elongated side and retain the flap at substantially a right angle to the elongated side thus providing rigidity to hold the foldable flap portion 17 in vertical position.

It is preferable that the sleeve be made with a wall opposite the elongated wall having a height dimension which is low enough to expose a substantial portion of the contents of the tray formed by the bottom of the box 11. While the sides may have the same height dimension as the side opposite the elongated side a more attractive display and better retention is obtained by tapering the other sides of the sleeve, i.e., giving them a greater height dimension adjacent said elongated wall than the height dimension adjacent the wall opposite the elongated wall. It is also preferable that the height dimension of the wall opposite the elongated wall of the sleeve is substantially equal to the height dimension of the lower portion of the box after it has been separated from the upper portion thereof.

In use the sleeve is folded and placed within the box when the articles to be contained therein are placed in the box. The box is then closed and sealed. When the box arrives at the mercantile establishment where its contents are to be sold, it is separated into the two portions heretofore described, and the sleeve is removed and erected over the tray remaining.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the foregoing. Accordingly within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

That which is claimed is:

1. A shipping and display carton combination comprising

a rectangular box having top, bottom, and four sides;

separating means extending around the box for removing from said box the top and top portions of at least three sides thereof, and

a rectangular sleeve adapted to be slid into position surrounding lower portions of all four sides of said box, said rectangular sleeve having length and width dimensions substantially equal to the length and width dimensions of the bottom of the box and a height dimension along at least a portion of an elongated wall thereof which is greater than the height dimension of said box, said one wall having a generally horizontal fold therein at a maximum height less than the height of said box and said sleeve further including at least two substantially vertical folds therein at positions other than the four corners thereof whereby the sleeve may, by folding on said vertical folds and said generally horizontal fold, be folded into a unit small enough to fit within the confines of that box.

2. A shipping and display container as defined in claim 1 and further including foldable rigidifying means affixed to said elongated wall of said sleeve for retaining said wall in upright position when said sleeve is unfolded.

3. A shipping and display container as defined in claim 2 wherein said rigidying means comprises a flap extending across said generally horizontal fold and bendable tab means for retaining said flap at substantially a right angle to said elongated wall.

4. A shipping and display container as defined in claim 3 wherein both walls of said sleeve which are adjacent to said elongated wall have a substantially greater height dimension adjacent said elongated wall than the height dimension of said walls adjacent the wall opposite said elongated wall of said sleeve.

5. A shipping and display carton as defined in claim 4 wherein the height dimension of the wall opposite said elongated wall of said sleeve is substantially equal to the height dimension of the lower portion of said box after it has been separated from the upper portion thereof.