Combination shipping container and display support

Abstract

A bin-like display assembly in which a shipping container is used as a support platform for the articles after they have been removed from the carton. The carton is inserted into an upstanding tubular sleeve so that an upwardly presented wall element of the carton, in combination with the surrounding walls of the sleeve extending above the carton, forms a bin or hopper in which the articles are held for display. A header type display panel for art work and printed matter attaches to the upper edge of the tubular sleeve, completing the structure.

Description

This invention relates to merchandise display stands. More particularly, the invention is directed to a novel display stand which utilizes, as a principal structural element, a carton in which articles were originally shipped.

It is an important feature of the invention that there is packed, together with the article-filled carton containing the articles to be displayed, a sleeve-like tubular base into which the carton, when emptied, is inserted so that the carton serves as the supporting platform and the sleeve as the confining peripheral walls of the hopper-like display bin.

A related feature of the invention is that the sleeve-like tubular base is collapsible and foldable for shipment with the packed case so that the base does not significantly affect the overall size of the shipped package.

Another feature of the invention is that the packing box or carton may be supported within the base in any of several structural arrangements.

Yet another feature of the invention is that there is provided a very useful and aesthetically pleasing display in which a principal component constitutes the packaging carton in which the articles to be displayed were shipped, whereby the overall expense associated with the display is minimized.

Still another feature of the invention is that there is provided a display placard readily mountable to extend upwardly from the display base.

An important feature of the display assembly of the invention is its great mechanical strength.

A general feature of the improved display assembly of the invention is that it is readily fabricated of foldable corrugated sheet material or the like, is of simple construction, has a minimum of component parts, is rugged and durable, is attractive in appearance though low in cost, and is easily assembled.

Other and further features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a combination shipping container and display support, as shipped, and including the features of the present invention, a portion being cut away to show the storage of component elements;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an erected display formed from the components contained in the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an expoloded view of the display assembly of FIG. 2 indicating, schematically, the manner of assembly;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the lines 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a combination shipping container and display support according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the display bin of FIG. 5, erected for use;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the lines 7--7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a combination shipping container and display assembly, according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the lines 9--9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, exploded view in which the packing box or carton and the box-supporting base are shown in solid lines and the hopper-like superstructure is indicated schematically in broken lines;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention showing an alternative method of supporting the packing box as a floor within the base of the assembly;

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the lines 12--12 of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary, exploded, schematic view showing the base truncated, so as more clearly to indicate the manner in which the packing box is supported within the base.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4, for the purpose of illustrative disclosure, one preferred embodiment of the invention including a combination shipping container and display support. In the specific example depicted, the display bin 20 illustrated comprises, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, an upstanding open-ended tubular sleeve 24 of corrugated board or similar material, a carton-like base or case 28 disposed within and spanning the sleeve 24 and constituting a support for the articles to be displayed in the bin-like cavity 30 delineated by a sealed support surface 32 of the case 28 and the front and rear walls 36 and 38 and the connecting side walls 42 and 44 of the tubular sleeve 24. Preferably, the upper marginal edges 46 and 48 of the opposed side walls 42 and 44 are inclined upwardly from front to rear so that the rear wall 38 extends to a height above the front wall 36.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4, a header type display panel 50 is fastened to and extends upwardly of a marginal upper edge of the rear wall 38 of the tubular sleeve 24. While any preferred technique may be used for securing the display panel 50 to the wall 38 of the sleeve 24, in the specific embodiment of the invention shown the lower marginal edge of the header panel 50 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced slots 54 and 56 extending upwardly from a lower marginal edge of the panel 50 to form a central web 60 and two side tabs 62 and 64. A pair of correspondingly spaced slots 68 and 70 extends downwardly from a top marginal edge of the rear wall 38. The header panel 50 and the rear wall 38 of the base are intercoupled at their respective slots 54, 56 and 68, 70, preferably with the web 60 outside the tubular sleeve 24 and the tabs 62 and 64 within the sleeve, all as indicated in FIG. 2.

It is an important feature of the invention that the case or carton 28 which constitutes the support for the articles displayed in the bin is the same container in which the articles themselves were packaged and shipped. It will be appreciated that the particular shape or conformation of the carton 28 does not constitute an element of the invention. In setting up the display, it is necessary merely to remove the articles from the case 28 and, thereafter, turn the closure flaps 72 inward into the body of the case and then to slide the case, open-end facing down, into the tubular sleeve or base 24 so that the bottom 32 of the empty case 28 becomes the floor or platform upon which the display articles are carried. Alternatively, the case 28 may be rotated or shifted 90.degree. whereupon a side wall 80 of the case 28 becomes the article supporting platform. Irrespective of the particular relative spatial orientation preferred, the dimensions of the case are such that the case 28 slides telescopingly into the sleeve 24.

In the preferred example shown in FIG. 1-4, the sleeve 24 is scored at opposed side walls 42 and 44 to provide fold lines 90 and 92 so that the side walls 42 and 44 may be displaced inwardly accordianwise. Additionally, the sleeve is provided with horizontal score lines 98 formed in the walls so that the sleeve or base may be folded over upon itself after it has been collapsed radially inwardly. When so folded, the final height of the base for shipment will not exceed the maximum dimension of the carton or shipping container 28.

To enable one selectively to position the support platform 32 at various heights including heights greater than the height of the carton 28, there is provided an auxiliary box or collar 110 sized for ease of insertion into the sleeve 24 to serve as a carton-supporting element. The on-site use of the collar 110 may be dispensed with where a deeper upper hopper is desired. As indicated in FIG. 1, the box or collar 110 serves as a receptacle to hold the folded sleeve 24 and the placard 50 during shipping.

A somewhat modified form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 through 7. As illustrated, the merchandising assembly 120 includes a tubular sleeve or base 124 rectangular in horizontal cross section and formed by front and rear walls 126 and 128 connected by side walls 130 and 132. Also, as in the first embodiment of the invention, the opposed side walls 130 and 132 are scored vertically to provide fold lines 140 and 142, and all four walls are provided with horizontally extending score lines 150 so that the sleeve 124 may be collapsed and folded, all as previously described.

The interior platform on which the articles to be displayed are supported within the sleeve 124 is provided by the same carton 160 in which the articles themselves were shipped, the bottom 164 (or one of the side walls 168) of the carton becoming the support.

The display assembly of the second embodiment 120 includes a bin-forming hopper-like superstructure 170 adapted partially to penetrate into and to nest within the upper portion of the tubular sleeve 124 and to flare upwardly and outwardly therefrom. As shown in FIG. 5, the superstructure 170 includes a neck band or flange 176 consisting of wall-like panels 180 which are telescopingly received within the base or sleeve 124. Alternatively, the neck band 176 at the lower edge of the superstructure 170 may be an endless flange and the base 24 may include upwardly directed tongue portions slidably received within the flange. Flaring upwardly and outwardly from the neck bank 176 are front and rear walls 190 and 192 and side walls 196 and 198.

The rear wall 192 of the superstructure 170 is conveniently formed with a pair of laterally spaced slots 202 and 204 extending downwardly from the top of the wall 192, for intercoupling with a display panel or header panel 210 which is formed at its lower edge with a pair of correspondingly spaced downwardly opening slots 214 and 216, whereby the panel 210 may be intercoupled with and supported on the rear wall 192 of the display assembly, all as previously described.

To erect the display at the use site the hopper 170 is mounted on the base 124 with the neck band 176 located within the open top of the base 124 so that the neck panels 180 abut the sleeve walls, as shown in FIG. 7. The carton 160, emptied of its contents, is then inserted open end down into the sleeve 124 to rest on the same surface which supports the sleeve. As shown in FIG. 7, the "bottom" 164 of the carton 160 becomes the support platform for articles to be displayed. The walls 168 of the carton also serve to press against and to secure the neck band 176 in place to stabilize the hopper 170. The display placard 210 is then attached to the rear wall 192 of the base 124.

A third embodiment of the display assembly of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 8-10. As shown, the assembly 220 includes an upstanding base 224 folded inwardly at opposed sides along enabling slits 226 and 228 to provide inwardly inset opposed side walls 230 and 232 constituting a mechanical, vertical support for a box or carton 238. The carton 238 constitutes a raised floor serving as a support member for articles to be displayed in a surmounting hopper-like superstructure 240, the latter being integrally formed with and extending upwardly from the lower portion of the base 224 of the assembly 220.

Whereas the side walls 244 and 246 of the bin-like hopper 240 are offset laterally outwardly from the support walls 230 and 232, the front and rear walls 250 and 252 of the hopper 240 are coplanar with and constitute upwardly projecting extensions of the corresponding front and rear walls 256 and 260 of the lower portion of the base 224. The manner of folding the side walls of the base to provide the offset arrangement is clearly illustrated in FIG. 10 which also shows the technique by which the rearward portions of the principal side walls 230 and 232 define flanges 260 and 262 folded upon and contiguously overlying the rear wall 252 of the base 224.

It will be appreciated that the box 238 which constitutes the support for the articles to be displayed is preferably and conveniently the same box in which the articles are shipped, or the box in which the display assembly itself was packaged. In accordance with the practice of the invention, it is necessary merely to close the box 238 and drop it in place as indicated by the broken lines of FIG. 8. The completed assembly includes a display panel 270 attached to the hopper 240 by means of cooperating slits and tabs, all as previously described.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 11-13, the display assembly 280 includes a base 284 which is slit 288 and scored 292 at each corner at corresponding positions intermediate the lower extremity and the upper limit of the base 284 so that there is formed, at each corner, a pair of triangular webs 296 which are conveniently pushed inwardly to form inside corners 298. The upper edges of the corners 298 serve as stops and as mechanical supports for a box or carton 302 which is slidably inserted into the base 284 to form a floor 304 on which articles to be displayed are supported within the assembly 280. The manner in which the support corners are formed is clearly shown in the truncated base pictured in FIG. 13, and the box in its supported position on the corners is illustrated in FIG. 11. It is an important feature of the invention, as previously indicated, that the box 302 is preferably the box in which the articles to be displayed are packaged or the box in which the display assembly itself was shipped. Also, as previously described, the assembly may include a surmounting display panel 310 secured to the back wall 312 of the hopper-like portion of the base 284 by means of cooperating slits and tabs.

For the purpose of illustrative disclosure, and not by way of limitation, the combination shipping container and display support used in the display assembly of the invention has been described with reference to a preferred geometric shape, that is, one generally rectangular in horizontal cross section. It is obvious, however, that the inventive concept and the principles of the invention are applicable as well as structures taking many different physical forms. It is also contemplated that any preferred structural material may be used. Irrespective of the shape and irrespective of the structural material used, it will be possible in all cases to insert the shipping container or case into the circumambient sleeve so that the container itself becomes a support platform for the very articles which are originally contained in the carton. The substantive concept of the present invention includes the effective utilization of the shipping carton as a principal functional component in a bin-like display assembly erected at the sale site.

While disclosures of preferred embodiments of the display assembly and of preferred methods for assembling and erecting the bin of the invention have been provided, it will be apparent that numerous modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from underlying principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired by the following claims to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of this invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A display stand for retention of articles after their removal from their shipping carton,

said stand comprising, in combination,

an upstanding open-ended tubular sleeve of corrugated board, paperboard, fiberboard, plastic, and the like, said sleeve consisting essentially of wall means defining an endless perimetric wall of said stand,

a box-like body nesting within said sleeve and defining a load supporting insert including a platform extending across said tubular sleeve,

said platform constituting a support for articles confined within said sleeve,

said perimetric wall of said sleeve extending upwardly beyond said platform to define therewith a bin-like display, and said load-supporting insert constituting the carton in which the display stand was shipped.

2. A display stand for retention of articles after their removal from their shipping carton, said stand comprising, in combination,

an upstanding open-ended tubular sleeve of corrugated board, paperboard, fiberboard, plastic, and the like, said sleeve consisting essentially of wall means defining an endless perimetric wall of said stand,

a box-like body nesting within said sleeve and defining a load supporting insert including a platform extending across said tubular sleeve,

said perimetric wall of said sleeve extending upwardly beyond said platform to define therewith a bin-like display,

a hopper-like structure surmounting said sleeve and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom,

said structure including a neck band defining an upstanding wall telescopingly inserted into said sleeve, and

side wall means flared upwardly and outwardly and joined to said neck band therearound to form a funnel-like mouth for the display.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said tubular sleeve and siad hopper-like superstructure are each substantially rectangular in horizontal cross section.

4. A display stand for retention of articles after their removal from their shipping carton, said stand comprising, in combination,

an upstanding open-ended tubular sleeve of corrugated board, paperboard, fiberboard, plastic, and the like, said sleeve consisting essentially of wall means defining an endless perimetric wall of said stand,

a box-like body nesting within said sleeve and defining a load supporting insert including a platform extending across said tubular sleeve,

said platform constituting a support for articles confined within said sleeve,

said perimetric wall of said sleeve extending upwardly beyond said platform to define therewith a bin-like display,

said sleeve including integrally formed insert supporting means comprising circumambient spaced wall segments of said tubular sleeve, said wall segments being displaced radially inwardly of said perimetric wall of said sleeve,

whereby upper edges of said wall segments constitute weight carrying supports for said insert bearing thereupon,

said wall segments comprising a pair of opposed inwardly displaced side wall portions of said sleeve, and said side wall portions including panels overlying a rear wall of said sleeve.

5. A display stand for retention of articles after their removal from their shipping carton,

said stand comprising, in combination,

an upstanding open-ended tubular sleeve of corrugated board, paperboard, fiberboard, plastic, and the like, said sleeve consisting essentially of wall means defining an endless perimetric wall of said stand,

a box-like body nesting within said sleeve and defining a load supporting insert including a platform extending across said tubular sleeve,

said platform constituting a support for articles confined within said sleeve,

said perimetric wall of said sleeve extending upwardly beyond said platform to define therewith a bin-like display,

said sleeve including integrally formed insert supporting means comprising circumambient spaced wall segments of said tubular sleeve, said wall segments being displaced radially inwardly of said perimetric wall of said sleeve,

whereby upper edges of said wall segments constitute weight carrying supports for said insert bearing thereupon,

said sleeve being generally rectangular in cross section and being formed, at each corner thereof with a horizontal slit and a pair of cooperating upwardly and outwardly diverging fold lines,

each said pair of fold lines converging at their lower terminals at each respective corner edge of said sleeve, and each said pair of fold lines intersecting said horizontal slit laterally spaced upper limits of said fold lines,

whereby a pair of generally triangular webs is delineated by each said slit, said pair of fold lines, and said corner edge,

said pair of webs being displaceable radially inwardly of each respective said corner of said sleeve and providing supports for said box-like body within said sleeve.

6. A display stand for retention of articles after their removal from their shipping carton, said stand comprising, in combination,

an upstanding open-ended tubular sleeve of corrugated board, paperboard, fiberboard, plastic, and the like, said sleeve consisting essentially of wall means defining an endless perimetric wall of said stand,

a box-like body nesting within said sleeve and defining a load supporting insert including a platform extending across said tubular sleeve,

said platform constituting a support for articles confined within said sleeve,

said perimetric wall of said sleeve extending upwardly beyond said platform to define therewith a bin-like display,

a header type display panel, and fastening means for attachment of said panel to said sleeve to project upwardly therefrom,

said fastening means comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced slots extending upwardly from a lower marginal edge of said display panel and a pair of correspondingly spaced slots extending downwardly from a top marginal edge of a wall of said sleeve,

said slots in said panel and in the wall of said sleeve facilitating intercoupling insertion of said panel and said sleeve each into the other along lines extending in a direction of and beyond the respective said slots to establish a positive mechanical interlock securing said panel on said sleeve.