This application claims benefit to and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/165,716 filed on Apr. 1, 2009 and is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/121,414, filed on Jun. 6, 2008, and 12/323,821 filed on Nov. 8, 2008, the entirety of all three application being incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates in general to a method of manufacturing and the material used to manufacture packaging/containers. Such packaging/containers may be readily used to transport product and/or display the contents of the packaging/containers following delivery of the packaging/containers to a user.

Various packages and containers are conventionally provided for transporting product to and storing product in a retail environment and for display to prospective customers. As is conventionally known in the packaging industry, such containers can be transported to manufacturing and/or retail environments for display in knock-down form, i.e., flattened but otherwise being glued, stapled or otherwise affixed or joined together, such that they are already substantially pre-assembled. In such a knock-down state, personnel assembling the container need only open the sides and/or ends of the container and affix the container bottom wall or walls into its assembled condition or the container can be moved to its assembled condition by an automated process requiring no personnel to actually move any of the sides and/or ends of the container. As a result, such final assembly may be performed prior to loading manufactured product. Alternatively, such final assembly may be performed such that the product can be placed into a resulting assembled container for ready display.

Conventionally, it has been deemed advantageous at times to stack a plurality of such containers, one on top of the other, for the purposes of transport to a retail environment or during display in the retail environment. In this use, it is necessary that the containers stacked above the bottom-most container are amply supported and also that a stack of a number of such containers, when loaded with product, will not collapse.

The following is a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of aspects of various embodiments according to the present disclosure.

In accordance with the present disclosure and the illustrated embodiment or embodiments, a method of manufacturing containers, the resulting containers, and the associated blanks and pre-assemblies used are provided, which, when utilized, result in a container that has increased side panel strength and corner strength so as to enable a manual and/or an automated erection or final assembly of the resulting container via a manual or an automated process and the effective vertical stacking of containers when the container includes product.

Additionally, in accordance with the present disclosure, the manufactured container provides the dual use of being both a transporting container for transporting product to a retail environment and a display container configured to display the product in that retail environment.

Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled and fully erected container manufactured in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an interior portion of one of the corners of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a primary blank and two supplementary blanks used in manufacturing the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the supplementary blanks and primary blank of FIG. 4 attached together and lying in a substantially flat, unfolded condition in a first stage of assembly of a pre-assembly of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of an area of attachment of the primary and supplementary blanks of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the primary and secondary blanks of FIG. 5 in a final stage of assembly of the pre-assembly for the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a cut-away view of a partially flattened pre-assembly viewed from a bottom of the pre-assembly and showing the layering of materials of the pre-assembly, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a partially erected container, manufactured in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a perspective, cut-away view of a corner of the assembled and partially erected container of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective, cut-away view of a first stage of movement of the corner section of the container of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective, cut-away view of the final stage of movement of the corner section of the container of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 illustrates a functional block diagram used to describe the manufacturing method of a container pre-assembly, in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of an embodiment or embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

The manufacture and use of containers that may be used for more than one purpose, e.g., for transport of product and subsequent display of product in a retail environment, are becoming increasingly popular among both manufacturers and retailers because such containers enable a reduction or minimization of the amount of container material while increasing or maximizing the amount of display space available for product. Thus, it is conventionally known that blanks, e.g., items made from some type of paperboard and/or other material that is die-cut and scored for subsequent manipulation to form a pre-assembly or pre-assemblies, e.g., a partially assembled container wherein the blank, or blanks, is manipulated and affixed to itself, or to each other but is not finally assembled. Containers, e.g., packaging, cartons, boxes, etc., made from the pre-assembly or pre-assemblies, may be provided that enable product to be transported to a retail environment in a transporting container and displayed in the retail environment within the transporting container. Minor modification of the container may be required.

The durability, strength and stackability of such packaging or containers often require increasing the amount of material content within the container. However, further reducing the amount of material content within containers has become a significant goal of many manufacturers and retailers because of the adverse effect that container has on landfills and the environment in general as well as the cost of manufacturing, transporting and disposing of such containers. In addition, it is desirable, where appropriate, to manufacture containers by using two pieces of material, or blanks, with one blank used to produce the container and the other to create a tray and/or to reinforce the corners. Such use of two blanks may be more cost effective and/or efficient rather than attempting to achieve the cost effectiveness or efficiency with only one blank.

Thus, both manufacturers and retailers are recognizing a need to reduce the number of containers used to provide product to an end-consumer in a retail supply chain. Thus, is done in an effort to conserve natural resources, reduce an impact on the environment, improve efficiency by saving the time it takes to erect a container by reducing the number of human touches it takes, and reduce costs associated with product manufacture and sale. In an effort to achieve these goals, various initiatives have been put in place by both suppliers and retailers to reduce the overall number of product containers and the materials used therein by some percentage, e.g., five percent.

One conventional mechanism for reducing the amount of containers necessary to provide product to potential consumers in a retail environment is by providing dual-use containers wherein a container can be used both to contain product during transporting and also to display the product once that product has arrived in a retail environment, e.g., a store or other environment offering product for sale.

Further, in an effort to further use available space in a retail environment, retailers may be interested in using the display function of such dual-use containers in a manner such that containers may be stacked on top of one another to improve or optimize vertical space utility in the retail environment. Simply put, having the ability to be able to stack display cartons enables a store operator to present more product and/or different types of product in a manner that a customer can see. For example, by providing the opportunity to stack such containers, e.g., display cartons, on a counter, a store operator is able to increase the use of counter space such that more than one carton can occupy the same horizontal counter foot print. As is understood in the retail industry, such a configuration increases sales because customers are able to see more available product and product types for sale.

However, a problem with stacking such display cartons and shipping cartons, whether such packaging is dual-use transporting/display containers or otherwise, is that the weight of the carton(s) in combination with the weight of the product(s) stored in the container(s) can cause one or more containers to be damaged or collapse. As a result, a store operator is left with damaged, ineffective or completely non-functioning display container(s), which causes operational problems and reduces likelihood of sales to consumers.

Accordingly, based on all of these factors, there is a need to provide a method of manufacturing reduced-material content-containers and associated pre-assemblies and blanks, which, when utilized, result in a container that has significantly improved stacking strength, or anti-nesting characteristics, over conventional containers and optionally provides the dual use both as a transporting container for transporting product to a retail environment and a display container configured to display the product in that retail environment. With this understanding of one area of packaging/container utility in mind, a description of at least one illustrative embodiment, according to the present disclosure, follows.

According to at least one illustrated embodiment, there is disclosed a shipping container, display container and/or a dual-use container, e.g., for transporting product and subsequent display of the product, as well as corresponding container pre-assemblies and blanks, that includes, overall, a reduced amount of material content while maintaining or increasing the stacking strength of such a container by the use of internal support sections in the corners of the container. Such internal support sections may allow for a reduction of the material in the outer shell of the container leading to an overall reduction in the amount of material. In view of recent retailer initiatives to reduce the amount of material content in containers, such containers may have increased utility to manufacturers and retailers. Thus, providing containers with reduced material content and requiring fewer human touches to erect a container using a manual or an automated process would be of increased value. Additionally, because of the unique structure provided in accordance with the at least one illustrated embodiment, side wall strength may be increased as well.

Additionally, based on the at least one illustrated example of a container provided with corner support sections, as disclosed herein, it should be appreciated that the incorporation of the support sections also increases stackability of the resulting containers without requiring a lengthier time period for final assembly and without a need for assemblers (either human or automated or semi-automated equipment) to have superior capabilities. This is because, as explained herein, the majority, if not all, of manipulation of the pre-assembly to form or put in place the corner support sections is already performed as part of the final assembly of the container. As a result, the additional operations needed to provide for the corner support sections, in accordance with the present disclosure, is reduced or eliminated relative to what would be conventionally required for installing or assembling conventional corner supports.

Understanding of the manufacturing of a container, blanks and/or pre-assemblies, in accordance with the present disclosure, may best be understood by first introducing a manufactured container in accordance with an illustrated embodiment and according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view and FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a container 100 manufactured in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, container 100 may include one or more support sections 102A-D disposed at the corners of the container 100, which, in this example, is a dual-use container of the type referred to in the packaging industry as a half regular carton with one or more cut-outs for display purposes. However, it should be understood that the manufactured container 100 may be any type of carton, package, box, etc. of any suitable type.

As shown in FIG. 1, a primary blank 101 forms the exterior of container 100 while the support sections 102A-D are part of supplementary blanks 103 which supplementary blanks 103 are attached to interior portions of primary blank 101, as shown in more detail in FIGS. 6 and 8. Primary blank 101 may include bottom panels designated as major flaps 130 and minor flaps 131A and 131C. Support sections 102A-D may further improve the strength and stackability of container 100. Support sections 102A,C are disposed in opposing corners of container 100 as are support sections 102B,D. As will be further discussed later herein, support sections 102A and 102C are, for exemplary purposes, designated as outboard support sections and support sections 102B and 102D are designated as inboard support sections. Support section 102A is comprised of a panel 202A, an extension 302A coupled to panel 202A via working score 252A, a tab 502A coupled to extension 302A via working score 452A, and a tab 502A having been folded at knife cut 352A and affixed to pad 402A. Extension 302A, pad 402A, tab 502A and minor flap 131A form means or a panel mover 200A for moving support panel 202A into a position extending diagonally across its respective corner of container 100 when container 100 is erected, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. An enlarged view of panel mover 200A is shown in FIG. 3. Support section 102C is structured the same and operates the same as support section 102A and comprises a panel 202C, an extension 302C, a pad 402C, and a tab 502C, which elements combine with minor flap 131C to form means or panel mover 200C, acting similarly to panel mover 200A. Support sections 102B and 102D include panels 202B and 202D, respectively.

One of the reasons for support sections 102A and 102C being comprised differently from support sections 102B and 102D is for ease of erecting the container 100 by reducing the number of human touches or allowing for automated steps to erect container 100 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) from a pre-assembly 300 (see FIG. 7 and also FIG. 8 for the pre-assembly 300 not in its final, flat position). The panels 202C and 202D of support 102B and 102D are configured to â€œsnap into placeâ€ in a position extending diagonally across their respective corners when the pre-assembly 300 of FIG. 7 is opened into a partially erected position (see FIG. 9). However, support panels 202A and 202C of support sections 102A and 102C are not so configured because of the orientation they must assume in the flattened, pre-assembly configuration, as shown in see FIG. 6. Thus, panel movers 200A and 200C are used to automatically move panels 202A and 202C into their respective positions extending diagonally across their respective corners when the container is erected to its final assembled condition.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a primary blank 101 and two supplementary blanks 103A and 103C. As shown in FIG. 4, the primary blank 101 includes four panels: first and second side panels 105, 115; a back panel 110; and, a front panel 120, these panels being separated by fold lines 111A-C. The blank 101 also includes four bottom panels 130, 131A, 131C, which cooperate and interact to form a bottom when the container 100 is finally assembled or erected. An adhesive panel 140, separated from side panel 115 by fold line 111D, is used as part of pre-assembly manufacturing to affix an edge of the side panel 115 with an edge of back panel 120. Accordingly, as part of pre-assembly manufacturing discussed further later, adhesive panel 140 is positioned so as to overlap the edge of back panel 120 and adhesive is applied to the overlapping areas so as to affix the overlapping areas to one another.

A display cut-out 145 may be provided in front panel 120 of the primary blank 101. Accordingly, although not shown, cut-out 145 may be formed when a perforation is used to remove material (not shown) from the container 100 so as to provide an access opening for product displayed in the container 100. Opening 145 may be in communication with an open top end of the container 100, which, during use as a display, may be free of any top wall or panel following modification of the container 100 for the display function of the dual-use container. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the opening 145 may be omitted, for example, if the container 100 is to be used only as a shipping container. Additionally, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that container 100 may include a top (not shown).

FIG. 4 also illustrates an example of supplementary blanks 103 configured to include support sections 102, as previously illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Support sections 102A-D are each hingedly connected via a living hinges or working scores 152A, 152B, 152C and 152D to respective central sections 160A and 160C. Those working score connections for support sections 102A-D allow alteration of the angle between each support section 102A-D and respective central sections 160A and 160C. As part of the pre-assembly manufacturing, the central sections 160A and 160C may be affixed to corresponding side panels 105 and 110 of the primary blank 101, as suggested by, for example, the glue or adhesive lines or points 213 in FIG. 4 and as further shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 5 showing center section 160A of supplementary blank 103 affixed to primary blank 101. Pad 402A is affixed to bottom panel 131A via adhesive area 213 (see FIG. 4). Also, for example, tab 502A is shown to be configured to fold at score 602A and separate from extension 302A at knife cut 352A, as suggested in FIG. 6, and to be affixed to pad 402A. The result is visible in FIG. 8, where the pre-assembly 300 of FIG. 7 is not yet in the flattened, pre-assembly position. Pre-assemblies, such as pre-assembly 300 in FIG. 7, are shipped to customers in this flattened configuration and are assembled or erected by the customers, manually or by automated means. Supplementary blanks 103A and 103C are interchangeable in that either blank 103 can be affixed to either side panel 105 or 115

Regardless of which supplementary blank 103 is affixed to which side panel 105, 115, the initial opening of the pre-assembly 300 results in the support sections 102B and 102D snapping into positions extending diagonally across their respective corners of the container 100 and results in the support sections 102A and 102C extending at a predetermined angle such as, for example, substantially a 90Â° angle relative to their central sections 160A,C, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Support sections 102A,C eventually extend diagonally across their respective corners of container 100 when panel movers 200A and 200C, including pads 402A,C affixed to minor flaps 131A, 131C, are employed during final assembly or erection of the container 100 from the pre-assembly 300.

The appropriate faces or surfaces of the primary blank 101 and supplementary the blanks 103 may be affixed to each other in one or more suitable manners including application of adhesive on one or both of the affixed faces, use of staples, tape, etc. However, of particular utility may be the use of adhesive to attach the blanks 101 and 103 together. Such an adhesive may be selected from various different types of adhesives that enable varying speeds of set times and strengths of adherence. For example, the blanks 101 and 103 may be adhered to one another using an adhesive that may be what is referred to in the packaging industry as a â€œcold-setâ€ adhesive, meaning that the adhesive is not heated prior to application. Such adhesives generally take longer to set, i.e., provide adherence of the materials being joined. However, such adhesives also generally provide a relatively strong bond. Cold-set adhesives differ from what are referred to as â€œhot-meltâ€ adhesives, which generally set relatively faster but provide a relatively weaker bond.

Thus, it should further be appreciated that cold-set adhesives provide for the ability to alter positioning by, for example, a lateral sliding movement, immediately following initial contact between the blanks 101 and 103. Therefore, it should be understood that the folding operations performed as part of pre-assembly manufacture, and explained further below, may result in some lateral sliding movement between the blanks 101 and 103 during the pre-assembly folding operations.

Following from what is shown or suggested in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8, primary blank 101 includes fold lines or living hinges or working scores 111A and 111C. Supplementary blanks 103A and 103C include fold lines or living hinges or working scores 602A and 602C, respectively. When pre-assembly materials, that is blanks 101 and 103, are affixed and folded, working scores 111A and 111C on primary blank 101 move working scores 602A and 602C on supplemental blanks 103A and 103C to enable the affixing, for example, using a glue adhesive, of tab 502A to pad 402A, the affixing of back panel 110 to side panel 115, and the movement of support sections 102A-D to a flattened position with: inboard support panel 102B spanning portions of side panel 105 and front panel 120 and being sandwiched between back panel 110 and side panel 105 and front panel 120; inboard support panel 102D spanning portions of side panel 115 and back panel 110 and being sandwiched between front panel 120 and side panel 115 and back panel 110; outboard support panel 102A lying between back panel 110 and center section 160A; and, outbound support panel 102C lying between front panel 120 and center section 160C.

Because the working scores 111A, 111C on the primary blank 101 are needed to move the working scores 602A, 602C on supplemental blanks 103A, 103C to properly move and place the support panels 202A and 202C in a flattened position yet maintaining their capacity to function properly during erection of pre-assembly 300 into container 100, the support section movers 200A and 200C need to be disposed on the support sections 102A and 102C of supplemental blanks 103A and 103C nearest the working scores 111A and 111C of primary blank 101. Thus disposed, when the pre-assembly 300 is opened to a partially erected condition (see FIGS. 9 and 10), the two inboard support sections 102B, 102D move or snap into place in their desired positions extending diagonally across their respective corners. However, support panels 102A,C are moved differently. When bottom panel or minor flap 131 is moved from its initial erected position in FIG. 10 through a partially erected position in FIG. 11 to a final erected position in FIG. 12, as suggested by the arrows, minor panel 131A has enabled panel mover 200A to move support panel 202A to its desired position extending diagonally across its respected corner between side panel 105 and back panel 110. Movement of panel mover 202A is enabled by living hinges or working scores 152A, 252A and 452A, as suggested in FIGS. 10-12. In accordance with the present disclosure, the erection of container 100 from pre-assembly 300 can be accomplished either manually or by an appropriate mechanized or automatic process or a combination thereof. Furthermore, while two panel movers 200A,B are shown herein, it within the scope of the present disclosure that pre-assembly 300 and container 100 may include only one such mover or more than two such movers.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 4-8, manufacture of pre-assembly 300 is shown in an exemplary manner wherein the blanks 103 are affixed to the side panels 105, 115 of blank 101. It is within the scope of the present disclosure wherein blanks 103 may be affixed to other panels of primary blank 101.

As a result of cooperation of the components of blanks 101 and 103 when container 100 is erected, one or more optional air cells 170 may be created in the container 100, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A finally assembled container 100 is formed, for example, in a rectangular configuration, with side panels 105, 110 and front and rear panels 120, 110 forming a respective pair of opposing walls. Further, container 100 includes increased strength by not only the support sections 102A-D at the corners of the container 100 where the various panels intersect, but also by the optional air cell 170 provided at those same corners. However, it should be appreciated that a majority of the increased strength and anti-nesting characteristics is due to the plurality of support sections 102A-D of the supplementary blanks 103 extending diagonally across respective corners of the container 100.

Although FIGS. 1-12 illustrate one example of a container that may be manufactured in accordance with present disclosure, various different types of blanks and pre-assemblies may be used to produce various different types of containers. Thus, although one or more of the panels may be configured in a rectangular shape, various other shapes are also suitable. Further, although not illustrated in FIGS. 1-12, one of the disclosed blanks 101, 103 or a different blank may be used to construct the exterior of the container 100 and may also include a top panel of various suitable shapes and sizes.

FIG. 13 illustrates a functional block diagram showing the operation of various method functions performed in accordance with a method of producing pre-assemblies in conjunction with present disclosure. With regard to the manufacturing of containers such as the container 100 shown in FIGS. 1-12, the manner of manufacturing such a container may be conveniently described in two phases: pre-assembly and final assembly/erection.

Pre-assembly is normally performed at a container manufacturing facility to produce a pre-assembly, which may also be thought of and referred to as a knock-down of the container. These pre-assemblies may be shipped to a customer location such as a product manufacturing facility. At the product manufacturing facility, the customer may perform final assembly/erection of the containers by, for example, folding and assembling various panels of the container to provide a container that is configured to hold manufacture product, e.g., for shipping and/or display.

In such operations, the labelling of the resulting containers may be performed by the customer of the pre-assemblies and/or as part of manufacture of the pre-assemblies as illustrated in FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 illustrates various functional operations performed as part of the manufacture of a pre-assembly by, for example, a container manufacturer. The operations may begin, for example, with printing 1305 of container material prior to the container material being die cut and/or scored 1310 as part of an overall blank manufacturing operation 1315. The manufactured blanks 1330 may or may not be printed on one or both sides of the blanks 1330 depending on customer requirements. Accordingly, the printing operation 1305 may be omitted.

Subsequent to blank manufacturing 1315, multi-blank pre-assembly operations may be performed, such as suggested in step 1320 in FIG. 13, in various suitable manners by hand or using various commercially available machines (for example, those produced by Bahmueller Technologies, Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., USA or Bobst Group North America of Roseland, N.J., USA), to produce pre-assemblies for a reinforced container such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1-12, for example.

Thus, at the beginning of such operations, raw material 1325 is used to produce blanks 1330. Such raw materials 1325 may include but are not limited to various grades, types, configurations and combinations of corrugated fiberboard and/or solid paperboard, liner board, board of various fluting types and combinations as well as various types of sealants, non-organic materials and inks and dies of various suitable types.

It should be understood that implementation of the method of manufacturing and the pre-assembles and blanks according to the present disclosure involves performing or completing certain selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or a combination thereof.

While the present disclosure has been described in conjunction with an illustrated embodiment described above, it should be evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiment of the present disclosure, as set forth above, is intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that containers come in many different varieties but most packaging containers can be folded and then assembled from a flat form, known as a blank or pre-assembly. Accordingly, it should be understood that the pattern for any blank, pre-assembly or container may be different than that described herein.

Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.