US 5,967,406 A · Container convertible between shipping and shipping/display modes

Abstract

A shipping container formed from three blanks of sheet material (e.g., corrugated fiberboard) is convertible between a full-wall shipping mode and a partial-wall shipping/display mode. A first blank forms a wrap-style tray and the other two form identical convertible sidewall/divider components secured within the tray. In the shipping mode, the convertible sidewall/divider components form opposing sidewall portions of the container covering (preferably completely) the container sides between end walls of the tray. In this mode, the container is well suited for the shipment of empty plastic bottles and like contents to a product manufacturer who will fill the bottles with flowable (e.g., liquid) product and repack them after converting the container to the shipping/display mode. By pressing inwardly on a main panel of each convertible sidewall/divider component, a pivot action of doubled-back pivot panels attaching the main panel to the end walls of the tray converts the container to the shipping/display mode. In this mode, the main panels form reinforcing H-type (or similar) container divider structure and leave largely open container sides. This configuration is well suited for the shipment of filled bottles or the like to a retailer in a stackable display-ready form.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A container convertible between a shipping mode and a shipping/display mode, comprising:

a tray including a floor and a pair of sidewalls and end walls connected to said floor, said sidewalls having an abbreviated height relative to said end walls;
and
a convertible sidewall/divider component secured within said tray, said component comprising a main panel extending above said sidewalls of the tray, said main panel being positioned along a respective one of said sidewalls to form a sidewall extension above said sidewall in the shipping mode, said main panel being movable within said tray, without removal therefrom, to a position spaced inwardly from said respective sidewall to form a divider defining separate compartments of said container visible above said respective sidewall in the shipping/display mode.

A container convertible between a shipping mode and a shipping/display mode, comprising:

a tray including a floor and a pair of sidewalls and end walls connected to said floor, said sidewalls having an abbreviated height relative to said end walls;
and
a convertible sidewall/divider component secured within said tray, said component comprising:
a pair of connecting panels connected to interior sides of said end walls;
a pair of pivot panels attached to respective ones of said connecting panels, said pivot panels overlapping said respective connecting panels in one of said shipping mode and said shipping/display mode, and being pivotable with respect to said respective connecting panels to respective positions adjacent and generally co-planar with said connecting panels, to effect a conversion of the container to the other one of said modes;
and
a main panel attached to and extending between said pivot panels, and extending above said sidewalls of the tray, said main panel being positioned flush against a respective one of said sidewalls to form a sidewall extension above said sidewall in the shipping mode, said main panel being spaced inwardly from said respective sidewall in the shipping/display mode to form a divider defining separate compartments of said container visible above said respective sidewall.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Container convertible between shipping and shipping/display modes

Life of this patent

Container convertible between shipping and shipping/display modes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21