This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/462,102, filed Jan. 28, 2011, hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

A one-piece container blank having a plurality of side panels each having a bottom portion which accordion folds prior to folding the plurality of side panels to form the container side walls and having top flaps and bottom flaps foldable to form the container top and the container bottom with the formed container providing a removable top portion which detaches along a separation line provided by the accordion fold to provide a remainder bottom portion.

Presently, certain conventional display boxes may be formed from two or more pieces of sheet material appropriately cut to foldably form a two-part shipping container having a base portion and upper closing portion. The upper closing portion can be removed and disposed of upon arrival at a distribution or retail point for the display of the contained goods.

The manufacture of a display box based on two or more pieces of sheet material can involve technical complications such as specific dimensions which prevent machine folding and the additional steps involved in cutting, folding and gluing of a plurality of pieces. The cost of manufacturing a display box from more than one piece of sheet material can be greater than manufacturing a display box from one piece of sheet material.

Certain conventional display boxes manufactured from a single piece of sheet material such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,780 can be loaded with goods for shipment and converted into a display tray by removal of a portion of the box along previously die-cut perforation lines. Generally, this constructional form of display box provides a removable front for the purpose of displaying the goods inside the box. However, the perforation line no matter how well made, can expose an unfinished edge and interior â€œflutesâ€ which detract from the appearance of the display box and the goods displayed.

Additionally, a display tray produced by removal of a portion of a box may result in side walls insufficiently reinforced allowing substantial flexure of the display tray. To overcome this disadvantage the side walls of the display tray may be produced at a greater height or require additional folding at the distribution point to provide additional reinforcement.

The instant invention provides a one-piece shipping and display container which overcomes in whole or in part certain of the forgoing disadvantages of conventional display boxes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a broad object of the invention can be to provide a one-piece container blank appropriately cut to foldably form a shipping container for goods and subsequently used as a display container for the goods which on removal of a top portion of the container provides a remainder bottom portion which provides, without additional folding, bottom sidewalls having reinforcing panels which present finished edges and interior sides.

Another broad object of the invention can be to provide a method of manufacturing a one-piece container blank which foldably forms a shipping container for goods and subsequently used as a display container for the goods which on removal of a top portion of the container provides a remainder bottom portion which provides, without additional folding, bottom sidewalls having reinforcing panels which present finished edges and interior sides.

Another broad object of the invention can be to provide a container having an accordion fold with a first accordion panel and second accordion panel foldably joined on an accordion fold line and with the first accordion panel foldably joined to side panels of the container at a separation line which allows a top portion of the finished container to detachably remove from a bottom remainder portion along a separation line. The accordion fold useful in the production of a numerous and wide variety of containers to provide detachable box covers, detachable display trays, detachable reinforced two part containers, or the like.

Naturally, further objects of the invention are disclosed throughout other areas of the specification, drawings, photographs, and claims.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a particular embodiment of a one-piece container blank.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the one piece container blank shown in FIG. 1 being folded to produce an accordion fold.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the one-piece container blank shown in FIG. 1 folded to provide an accordion fold.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the one-piece container blank shown in FIG. 1 folded to engage opposed ends to be adhered in fixed relation.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a knock down condition of the container produced from the one-piece container blank shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a basic configuration of the container produced from the one-piece container blank shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a basic configuration of the container produced from the one piece container blank shown in FIG. 1 having bottom flaps folded inward into adhered fixed relation.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a basic configuration of the container produced from the one piece container blank shown in FIG. 1 having bottom top flaps folded inward into adhered fixed relation.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fully assembled container showing a method of detaching a top portion of the container from a bottom remainder portion of the container at a separation line.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the bottom remainder portion of the container used as a display tray having bottom side walls and reinforcing panels preassembled by use of the accordion fold.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now referring primarily to FIG. 1, a flat one-piece container blank (1) can be folded to form a container (2)(see for example, FIG. 9). The one-piece container blanks can be readily manufactured, conveniently bundled and shipped to a packager for automated foldable forming of the finished container (2). The one piece container blank (1) can be made from corrugated paperboard as widely used in the art; however, the invention is not so limited, and the one-piece container blank (1) can be made from a wide variety of sheet materials including, but not limited to, uncorrugated paper board, plastic sheet material, foldable laminates, or the like.

Again referring primarily to FIG. 1, the one-piece container blank (1) can have a first flat portion (3) foldably detachably joined to a second flat portion (4) at a separation line (13). The first flat portion (3) includes top side panels (5) foldably joined at side panel fold lines (11). Top flaps (6) each foldably join at a top lines (12) to the corresponding top side panels (5). The first flat portion (3) terminates at one end in a foldably joined top side panel glue tab (7). The first flat portion (3) folds to form the removable top portion (8) of the finished container (2)(see FIG. 9).

The term â€œfold linesâ€ may take any suitable form as known in the art, such as score and crease lines for the purpose of folding panels in relation to one another but not for the purposes of detaching the panels from one another.

The term â€œseparation lineâ€ may take any suitable form as known in the art, such as perforations, punctures, holes or the like located in sufficient proximity to one another to allow detachment of panels or portions of the container upon forcible urging. The amount of forcible urging required to detach panels or portions of the container (2) adjusted by configuration of the separation line or the configuration of the perforations, punctures or holes.

The second flat portion (4) includes a first accordion portion (9) foldably joined at an accordion line (14) to a second accordion portion (10). The first accordion portion (9) and second accordion portion (10) further include bottom side panels (15) and reinforcing side panels (16) foldably joined at side panel lines (11). Bottom flaps (18) can be foldably joined at a bottom line (19) to the corresponding bottom side panels (15). The second accordion portion (10) terminates at one end in a foldably joined bottom side panel glue tab (20).

FIGS. 2 through 8 show a method of foldably forming the container (2) from the one-piece container blank (1). Now referring primarily to FIGS. 2 and 3, the second flat portion (4) folds along accordion line (14) to adjacently engage surfaces of the first accordion portion (9) and the second accordion portion (10). The first flat portion (3) folds back along the separation line (13) to produce an accordion fold (21) in the one-piece container blank (1), as shown in FIG. 3.

Now referring primarily to FIG. 4, the one piece container blank (1) including the accordion fold (21) folds along each of the top side panel lines (11) and bottom side panel lines (17) top bring the surface of the top side panel glue tab (7) and the bottom side panel glue tab (20) in overlapping engagement with corresponding surface of the top side panel (5) and the bottom side panel (15) which allows production of the knock down condition (22) of the container (2) as shown in FIG. 5.

Now referring primarily to FIG. 5, the knock down condition (22) of the container (2) is shown. The knockdown condition (22) has a first flat side (23) adjacently engaged to a second flat side (24). The knock down condition (22) of the container (2) can be conveniently bundled and shipped to a packager for automated foldable forming of the finished container (2). The first flat side (23) and the second flat side (24) include the top side panels (5) foldably joined to the top flaps (6) and the accordion fold (21) foldably joined to the top side panels (5) at the separation line (13) and foldably joined to the bottom flaps (18) that can form the container (2).

Now referring primarily to FIG. 6, to assemble the knockdown condition (22) into the container (2), the inside walls of the first flat side (23) and the second flat side (24) are pushed apart to form basic configuration (25) of the container (2). While the basic configuration (25) of the container (2) shown in FIG. 6 is generally rectangular; the invention is not so limited, and the basic configuration of the container (2) can for example be a triangular, trapezoidal, pentagonal, hexagonal, or the like.

Now referring primarily to FIG. 7, the basic configuration of the container (2) allows the bottom flaps (18) to be folded about the bottom fold line (19). As one example, a first opposed pair of bottom flaps (18) can be folded inward and the second opposed pair of bottom flaps (18) folded inward to overlay the first opposed pair of bottom flaps (18); however the invention is not so limited, and the bottom flaps (18) can be folded inward in interleaved fashion or otherwise. The surfaces of the bottom flaps (18) can be fixedly engaged by use of an amount of adhesive located between the engaged surfaces of the bottom flaps (18).

Now referring primarily to FIG. 8, in similar fashion the top flaps (6) can be folded about the top fold line (12). Again as one example, a first opposed pair of top flaps (6) can be folded inward and the second opposed pair of bottom top flaps (6) can be folded inward to overlay the first opposed pair of top flaps (6), as shown in the Figure; however the invention is not so limited, and the top flaps can be folded inward in interleaved fashion or otherwise. The surfaces of the top flaps (6) can be fixedly engaged by use of an amount of adhesive located between the engaged surfaces of the top flaps (6).

Prior to folding of the top flaps (6), goods (26) can be located in the container (2) for shipment. Now referring to FIG. 10, as a non-limiting example, the goods (26)(shown in broken line and which do not make up a part of the invention) can be located in the container (2) as the goods (26) are to be displayed at the distribution point. While the Figure shows the goods (26) as being rectangular volumes stackably engaged in the container (2); the invention is not so limited, and the goods (26) can be of any configuration locatable within the container (2) with a corresponding alteration in the location of the accordion fold (21) to retain the goods (26) in the remainder bottom portion (27) of the container (2) upon detachably removing the top portion (8) from the remainder bottom portion (27).

Now referring primarily to FIG. 9, showing the fully assemble container (2) having the accordion fold (21) disposed proximate the bottom of the container (2) to provide a detachable top portion (8) of and detachable remainder bottom portion (27). The detachable remainder bottom portion (27) including the accordion fold (14) can be useful as a display tray for goods (26) as shown for example in FIG. 10. Understandably, if the container (2) was turned over, the accordion fold (21) located proximate the top of the container (2) can provide a detachable cover portion including the accordion fold (21) and a remainder bottom portion (27) in the form of a conventional container.

Again referring to FIG. 9, the top portion of the container (8) can be detached from the bottom remainder portion of the container (2) by forcibly urging the a portion of the accordion fold (21) and a top side panel (5) apart to achieve separation along the separation line (13). The top portion of the container (2) can then be removed.

Now referring primarily to FIG. 10, the bottom remainder portion can be useful as a display tray for presentation of goods ( )prior located in the container (2) as above described. As shown, the bottom side panels (15) adjacently engage a corresponding reinforcing side panel (16). As above described, the bottom side panels (15) adjacently engaged with the corresponding reinforcing panels (16) are prior formed by production of the accordion fold (21) and do not require any further assembly. Detaching the top portion (8) of the container (2) at the separation line (13), provides the remainder bottom portion (27) ready made as a display tray in which the goods (26) have been prior located. The bottom remainder portion (27) including the goods (26) are shelf ready.

As can be easily understood from the foregoing, the basic concepts of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of ways. The invention involves numerous and varied embodiments of one-piece shipping and display container and methods of making and using the container including, but not limited to, the best mode of the invention.

As such, the particular embodiments or elements of the invention disclosed by the description or shown in the figures or tables accompanying this application are not intended to be limiting, but rather exemplary of the numerous and varied embodiments generically encompassed by the invention or equivalents encompassed with respect to any particular element thereof In addition, the specific description of a single embodiment or element of the invention may not explicitly describe all embodiments or elements possible; many alternatives are implicitly disclosed by the description and figures.

It should be understood that each element of an apparatus or each step of a method may be described by an apparatus term or method term. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all steps of a method may be disclosed as an action, a means for taking that action, or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each element of an apparatus may be disclosed as the physical element or the action which that physical element facilitates. As but one example, the disclosure of â€œcontainerâ€ should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of â€œcontainingâ€ â€”whether explicitly discussed or notâ€”and, conversely, were there effectively disclosure of the act of â€œcontainingâ€ , such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a â€œcontainerâ€ and even a â€œmeans for containing.â€ Such alternative terms for each element or step are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.

In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood to be included in the description for each term as contained in the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, second edition, each definition hereby incorporated by reference.

Moreover, for the purposes of the present invention, the term â€œaâ€ or â€œanâ€ entity refers to one or more of that entity; for example, â€œa containerâ€ refers to one or more of the containers. As such, the terms â€œaâ€ or â€œanâ€ , â€œone or moreâ€ and â€œat least oneâ€ can be used interchangeably herein.

All numeric values herein are assumed to be modified by the term â€œaboutâ€ , whether or not explicitly indicated. For the purposes of the present invention, ranges may be expressed as from â€œaboutâ€ one particular value to â€œaboutâ€ another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value to the other particular value. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all the numeric values subsumed within that range. A numerical range of one to five includes for example the numeric values 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, and so forth. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. When a value is expressed as an approximation by use of the antecedent â€œabout,â€ it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to claim at least: i) each of the one piece shipping and display containers herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices and methods, iv) those alternative embodiments which accomplish each of the functions shown, disclosed, or described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such systems or components, ix) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying examples, x) the various combinations and permutations of each of the previous elements disclosed.

The background section of this patent application provides a statement of the field of endeavor to which the invention pertains. This section may also incorporate or contain paraphrasing of certain United States patents, patent applications, publications, or subject matter of the claimed invention useful in relating information, problems, or concerns about the state of technology to which the invention is drawn toward. It is not intended that any United States patent, patent application, publication, statement or other information cited or incorporated herein be interpreted, construed or deemed to be admitted as prior art with respect to the invention.

The claims set forth in this specification, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference as part of this description of the invention, and the applicant expressly reserves the right to use all of or a portion of such incorporated content of such claims as additional description to support any of or all of the claims or any element or component thereof, and the applicant further expressly reserves the right to move any portion of or all of the incorporated content of such claims or any element or component thereof from the description into the claims or vice-versa as necessary to define the matter for which protection is sought by this application or by any subsequent application or continuation, division, or continuation-in-part application thereof, or to obtain any benefit of, reduction in fees pursuant to, or to comply with the patent laws, rules, or regulations of any country or treaty, and such content incorporated by reference shall survive during the entire pendency of this application including any subsequent continuation, division, or continuation-in-part application thereof or any reissue or extension thereon.

The claims set forth in this specification, if any, are further intended to describe the metes and bounds of a limited number of the preferred embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as the broadest embodiment of the invention or a complete listing of embodiments of the invention that may be claimed. The applicant does not waive any right to develop further claims based upon the description set forth above as a part of any continuation, division, or continuation-in-part, or similar application.