GB2370034A

GB2370034A - Container formed from mutually nestable parts

Info

Publication number: GB2370034A
Application number: GB0030249A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanislaus Goronwy Brown
Original assignee: Linpac Containers Ltd
Current assignee: DS Smith Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2000-12-12
Filing date: 2000-12-12
Publication date: 2002-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-12
Also published as: GB2370034B; GB0030249D0

Abstract

A merchandising container comprises two substantially identical parts (21,31) formed from respective blanks so that a bottom region of a top part (31) nests in a bottom part (21) and a top region of the bottom part (21) nests in the top part (31). The parts (21,31) preferably have arcuate edges (20) in cross over regions, may be glued or otherwise secured together and may be provided with tear lines for opening. The top part (31) may be removed to display contents such as pouches of food products in the bottom part (21).

Description

MERCHANDISING CONTAINER DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a merchandising container for storing, transporting and displaying at point-of-sale products and is especially, but not exclusively, related to such a container for use with generally planar products such as airtight sachets or pouches containing food products.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention resides in a merchandising container comprising two preformed parts which are mutually nestable.

Throughout this specification, the term"mutually nestable", or derivatives thereof, is used in relation to a two-part container of which each part comprises first and second portions, with a first portion of one part being nested or nestable with the second portion of the other part and with the first portion of the other part being nested or nestable with the second portion of the one part. In this manner, the two parts of the container can be nested mutually together, such that they are preferably substantially flush with each other.

In a preferred embodiment of merchandising container to be described in more detail herein below, each of a pair of opposed side walls of each of the two parts of the container has an exposed edge which enables the two parts to be nested mutually with each other when brought together to form the fully erected and assembled container.

Preferably, those exposed edges are arcuate such that their corresponding crossover regions define a boundary where the first portion of the first part is nested or nestable within the second portion of the second part

and the first portion of the second part is nested or nestable within the second portion of the first part Preferably also, the two parts are substantially identical in shape and size.

When the two container parts are nested mutually with each other, respective pairs of opposed walls of the two parts which confront each other, may be glued or otherwise secured together, to maintain the two parts nested mutually together during handling.

In the regions where the confronting pairs of walls of the two parts are glued or otherwise secured together, tear lines may be provided, to permit one of the parts constituting, say, the lid of the container, to be removed from the other part constituting, say, the base of the container, to expose the products, for display purposes, contained in that other, base part.

A second aspect of the invention resides in a blank which is cut and creased for erection into one part of a merchandising container, which blank comprises a pair of opposed side wall panels having respective opposed edges which are shaped and dimensioned to permit a container part erected from the blank to be nested mutually with another container part erected from a similar, or at least substantially identical, blank.

There is also provided a container comprising two parts which are nested or nestable with each other and of which each is erected from a blank in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred embodiment of merchandising container in accordance therewith will now be

described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure I is a plan of a blank from which one half of a merchandising container can be erected; Figure 2 is a perspective view of two merchandising container halves, before assembly together, each erected from a blank as shown in Figure I ; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the two merchandising container halves assembled together; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the container halves as shown in Figures 2 and 3, used to display at point-of-sale its product contents Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, a blank which has been cut and creased from a sheet of corrugated board, is indicated generally at I and comprises a rectangular base wall panel 2 connected to an end wall panel 3 by a normal crease 4. The base wall panel 2 is also connected to a pair of opposed side wall panels 5 by respective normal creases 6. Each side wall panel 5 is connected to a half end wall panel 7 by a normal crease 8, that pair of half end wall panels 7 being on respective opposed sides of the end wall panel 3.

Another end wall panel 9, opposed to the end wall panel 3, is connected to the base wall panel 2 via another normal crease 10.

A trapezoidal panel 11 extends from the other end wall panel 9 across the normal crease 10 and into the base wall panel 2, with a pair of opposed tear lines 12 and a pair of cut lines 13 on opposed sides of a semi-circular finger hole 14.

The end wall panel 3 is provided with a trapezoidal tab 15 connected thereto via a tear line 16 and, each side wall panel 5 is provided with a tab 17 connected thereto by a normal crease 18 As can be seen clearly from Figure 1, each opposed side wall panel 5 has an arcuate, in this case, a quarter circle, exposed edge 20 whose function will be described hereinbelow.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, here is shown a pair of merchandising container halves 21, 31 each erected from the blank 1, as described above with reference to Figure 1 Thus, each container half 21,31 comprises a base wall 22 constituted by the base wall panel 2 of the blank 1, a first, double layer end wall, indicated generally at 23 and having its inner layer 27 formed from the pair of opposed half end wall panels 7 of the blank 1. The outer layer 28 of the double layer end wall 23 is constituted mainly by the end wall panel 3 of the blank 1 but, also, by the tab 15 thereof.

A second, double layer end wall of each half 21, 31 is opposed to the end wall 23 and is indicated generally at 29.

That second end wall 29 is partially double-layered, with its partial inner layer being constituted by the tabs 17 of the blank 1 and its outer layer being constituted by the end wall panel 9 of the blank, with its central portion being constituted by the corresponding part of the tear-out panel 11 which coincides with the missing central portion of the inner layer.

As can also be seen from Figure 2, the first end wall 23 is taller than the second end wall 29.

Also, the erected container half 21 constitutes the base of a merchandising container, whilst the other half 21 constitutes the lid of the container.

It should be appreciated that the respective layers of the two end walls 23,29 are glued together, to maintain each half 21, 31 in its erected condition Turning now to the pair of opposed side walls 25 of each container half 21, 31 these are constituted by respective pairs of opposed side wall panels 5 of the blank 1, with the exposed arcuate edge 20 of each side wall 25 of the base half 21 extending downwardly from the upper level of the first end wall 23 to the upper level of the second end wall 29. Similarly, the exposed arcuate edge 20 of each side wall 25 of the lid half 31 extends downwardly from the lower level of the second end wall 29 to the lower level of the first end wall 23.

When the base half 21 is filled with its contents, such as airtight, generally planar pouches of food product (not shown), the lid half 21 can be moved in the direction of the arrow A, to bring the two halves 21,31 into mutually nesting relationship with respect to each other, as shown in Figure 3, thereby forming the filled and fully erected and assembled merchandising container 40.

Here, the lower portion of the first end wall 23 and the adjacent portions of the side walls 25 of the lid half 31 21 are nested within the corresponding, lower portion of the base half 21 defined by the second end wall 29 and adjacent lower portions of the side walls 25 of that half 21, such that the corresponding length portion of the exposed, arcuate edge 20 of each side wall 25 of the lid half 31 lies within the container 40.

Similarly, Figure 3 also shows the upper portion of the first end wall 23 and adjacent portions of the side walls 25 of the base half 21 nested within the corresponding portion of the lid half 31 defined by the upper portion of the second end wall 29 and adjacent side wall portions 25 thereof, whereby the corresponding length portion of the exposed, arcuate edge 20 of each side wall 25 of the base half 21 lies within the container 40, with the crossover of each adjacent pair of edges 20 of the base and lid halves 21,31 being located generally centrally of the corresponding side wall of the container 40, as shown at B in Figure 3.

The confronting pairs of panels 11, 15 of the two base and lid halves 21,31 are glued together.

Thus, the arcuate, exposed edges 20 of the side walls 25 of both the base and lid halves 21, 31 of the container 40, permit those halves 21,31 to be nested mutually together to provide a product-filled container with its base and lid halves 21,31 flush-fitted together, with no shrink wrap or other retaining means being required.

Also, the strength of the merchandising container is enhanced due to the double layer end walls 23,29.

In use of the product-filled container, it may be stored and then transported to point-of-sale where the food product contents thereof can be displayed by removing the lid half 31 from the base half 21, using the semicircular finger hole 14 on the lid half 31. In doing so, the glued-together pairs of panels and tabs 11 and 15 are removed from both the base and lid portions 21.

The point-of-sale food products, such as generally planar pouches 50 of food product, are shown displayed in the base half 21 of the merchandising container 40 in Figure 4.

Thus, it can be seen that the presently-inventive merchandising container and the blanks from which that container can be erected and assembled, provide the following advantageous features: 1. A lid and base which fit flush with each other ; 2. The use of a plastics tray or exterior shrink wrap is unnecessary; 3. Branding opportunities; 4. Added strength due to double layer end walls; 5. The shape of the sides of the container are aesthetically pleasing; 6. The lid is easy to remove; 7. Gluing on-line giving cost savings; 8. No need to stock separate lids and bases; 9. The lid and base are erectable from the same blank; and 10. The contents of the erected and assembled container are substantially totally protected.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A merchandising container comprising two preformed parts which are mutually nestable.
2. A merchandising container according to claim 1, wherein the two parts are substantially identical in shape and size.

3. A merchandising container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of a pair of opposed side walls of each of the two parts of the container has an exposed edge which enables the two parts to be nested mutually with each other when brought together to form the fully erected and assembled container.
3. A merchandising container according to claim 3, wherein the exposed edges are arcuate such that their corresponding crossover regions define a boundary where the first portion of the first part is nested or nestable within the second portion of the second part and the first portion of the second part is nested or nestable within the second portion of the first part.
4. A merchandising container according to any preceding claim, wherein, when the two container parts are nested mutually with each other, respective pairs of opposed walls of the two parts which confront each other, may be glued or otherwise

secured together, to maintain the two parts nested mutually together during handling.
5. A merchandising container according to claim 4, wherein, in the regions where the confronting pairs of walls of the two parts are glued or otherwise secured together, tear lines may be provided, to permit one of the parts to be removed from the other part to expose the products, for display purposes, contained in that other part.
6. A merchandising container according to claim 5, wherein the one part constitutes the lid of the container and the other part, the base of the container.
7. A blank which is cut and creased for erection into one part of a merchandising container, comprising a pair of opposed side wall panels having respective opposed edges which are shaped and dimensioned to permit a container part erected from the blank to be nested mutually with another container part erected from a similar, or at least substantially identical, blank.
8. A blank for erection into one part of a merchandising container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. A merchandising container comprising two parts which are mutually nested or nestable with each other and of which each is erected from a blank in accordance with claim 7 or 8.
10. A merchandising container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.