GB1563391A - Trays of foldable sheet material - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS-IN TRAYS OF FOLDABLE SHEET MATERIAL (71) We, DRG (UK) LIMITED, of 1 Redcliffe Street, Bristol, BS99 7QY, a British Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to trays made from blanks of foldable sheet material, and is particularly applicable to trays for containing cans, jars or the like.

Such trays are commonly used for packaging cans, jars or the like, in transit from manufacturer to supermarket or shop. Usually the packages thus formed are shrinkwrapped in, for example, polyethylene film and at least the polyethylene, and usually also the tray, are removed from the cans before they are placed on display in the supermarket or shop. It is desirable to reduce the amount of unpacking necessary by leaving the cans in the tray when placed on display, but with conventional trays this is difficult because some or all of the cans are partially obscured by the side of the tray. It is an object of the present invention to overcome this difficulty.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a blank of foldable sheet material for forming into an open-topped tray, comprising a bottom forming panel and a plurality of wall forming panels hinged thereto, a portion of the blank comprising at least part of a said wall forming panel being connected with the remainder of the blank through a rupturable line of weakening, whereby said portion may be removed from a tray formed from the blank by rupturing the line of weakening thereby to substantially expose a side of one or more articles supported on the tray.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a tray formed from such a blank, with or without said part removed.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a package comprising a tray formed from such a blank and articles supported thereon, and shrink-wrapped.

More than one said portion may be connected with the remainder of the blank through a rupturable line of weakening for subsequent removal, if desired. A part of the base panel may be removable in conjunction with a said part of a side panel.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which: Fig. 1 shows a blank according to the invention, and Fig. 2 shows in perspective a tray formed from the blank with one side part removed; and another embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figs. 3 and 4 show views, similar to those of Figs. 1 and 2, of the blank and tray respectively.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2; a blank of foldable sheet material for forming into a tray has a bottom panel 10 and hinged thereto end wall forming panels 12 and side wall forming panels 14, and is generally of known design. A part of each side wall forming panel 14, and a part of the base 10 adjacent thereto is connected with the remainder of the blank through rupturable lines of weakening 18, to form a removable part 16. Fingerholes 20 are provided in parts 16 to assist in the removal thereof. At each end, the end wall forming panels 12 are composed of a first panel 13 hinged to the bottom panel 10, a second panel 15 hinged to the first panel 13 and corner flaps 17 hinged to the side wall forming panels 14. Tabs 19 at the free edges.

of the panels 15 correspond with slots 21 at the edges of the bottom panel 10.

In use, the tray is erected from the blank by raising the side wall panels 14, turning in the corner flaps 17, raising the first end wall panels 13 outside the flaps 17, and turning the second end wall panels over to trap the corner flaps, the second end wall panels being retained in position by engagement of the tabs 19 in slots 21. This is a conventionally known manner of construction.

The manufacturer or packer erects the trays in this manner, loads them with articles before or after erection, and shrink wraps the tray and articles to form a package, which is then transported to the supermarket or shop.

The polyethylene is then removed, and one or both of parts 16 is removed by rupture of lines of weakening 19, which may be more easily effected by use of finger-holes 20. The cans may then be placed on display without being removed from the tray.

Figs. 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment, in which the blank is in most respects similar to that of Fig. 1, and the same reference numerals are given to similar parts.

However, it will be seen that the corners of the bottom panel 10 are truncated, and the corner flaps 17 have intermediate hinge lines 25, so that the corner flaps can extend across the truncated corners of the bottom panel, and then between the end wall forming panels 13, 15. In place of the slots 21, equivalent slots are provided by shallow generally Cshaped cuts 23 extending into the panel 10 from the hinge line between the panels 13 and the bottom panel 10. The slots are formed at these points when the panels 13 are raised relative to the panel 10. It will also be seen that lines of weakening 18 do not extend into the bottom panel 10, but rather along the hinge line between the side wall forming panels 14 and the base panel 10, and also the finger-holes 20 have been omitted on this embodiment.

Fig. 4 shows a view, similar to Fig. 2, in which one of the parts 16 has been removed to display the contents. The other part 16 could also be removed if desired.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A blank of foldable sheet material for forming into an open-topped tray, comprising a bottom forming panel and a plurality of wall forming panels hinged thereto, a portion of the blank comprising at least part of a said wall forming panel being connected with the remainder of the blank through a rupturable line of weakening, whereby said portion may be removed from a tray formed from the blank by rupturing the line of weakening thereby to substantially expose a side of one or more articles supported on the tray.

2. A blank according to claim 1 in which more than one said portion is connected with the remainder of the blank through a rupturable line of weakening for subsequent removal if desired.

3. A blank according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the or each said removable portion includes a part of the bottom forming panel.

4. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said removable portion is provided intermediate the ends of a said wall panel, whereby in the erected tray said portion may be removed leaving the end portions of the wall panel connected to the adjacent wall panels at the corner regions.

5. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a rectangular said bottom forming panel, a first pair of said wall forming panels hinged to opposite sides of the bottom forming panel and having corner flaps hinged at the ends thereof, and a second pair of said wall forming panels hinged to the other two opposite sides of the bottom forming panel, a further wall forming panel being hinged to the edge of each of the second wall forming panels remote from the bottom forming panel whereby said further panel may be folded inwardly with respect to the tray to form double thickness walls in conjunction with said second wall forming panels, between which double thicknesses are received said corner flaps, a said removable portion being provided in one or both of said first wall forming panels.

6. A blank according to claim 5 wherein tabs are provided at the free edges of said further wall forming panels to engage in corresponding slots in the bottom forming panel adjacent the hinge lines with said second wall forming panels so as to retain the second wall forming panels and their associated further panels in face-to-face relationship when the tray is erected.

7. A blank for forming a tray, substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

8. A blank for forming a tray, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A tray formed from a blank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, with or without a said portion removed.

10. A tray formed from a blank according to claim 8, with or without a said portion removed.

11. A package comprising a tray formed from a blank according to any one or claims 1 to 7 and articles supported thereon, and shrink-wrapped.

12. A package comprising a tray formed from a blank according to claim 8 and articles supported thereon, and shrink-wrapped.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. then transported to the supermarket or shop. The polyethylene is then removed, and one or both of parts 16 is removed by rupture of lines of weakening 19, which may be more easily effected by use of finger-holes 20. The cans may then be placed on display without being removed from the tray. Figs. 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment, in which the blank is in most respects similar to that of Fig. 1, and the same reference numerals are given to similar parts. However, it will be seen that the corners of the bottom panel 10 are truncated, and the corner flaps 17 have intermediate hinge lines 25, so that the corner flaps can extend across the truncated corners of the bottom panel, and then between the end wall forming panels 13, 15. In place of the slots 21, equivalent slots are provided by shallow generally Cshaped cuts 23 extending into the panel 10 from the hinge line between the panels 13 and the bottom panel 10. The slots are formed at these points when the panels 13 are raised relative to the panel 10. It will also be seen that lines of weakening 18 do not extend into the bottom panel 10, but rather along the hinge line between the side wall forming panels 14 and the base panel 10, and also the finger-holes 20 have been omitted on this embodiment. Fig. 4 shows a view, similar to Fig. 2, in which one of the parts 16 has been removed to display the contents. The other part 16 could also be removed if desired. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A blank of foldable sheet material for forming into an open-topped tray, comprising a bottom forming panel and a plurality of wall forming panels hinged thereto, a portion of the blank comprising at least part of a said wall forming panel being connected with the remainder of the blank through a rupturable line of weakening, whereby said portion may be removed from a tray formed from the blank by rupturing the line of weakening thereby to substantially expose a side of one or more articles supported on the tray.

2. A blank according to claim 1 in which more than one said portion is connected with the remainder of the blank through a rupturable line of weakening for subsequent removal if desired.

3. A blank according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the or each said removable portion includes a part of the bottom forming panel.

4. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said removable portion is provided intermediate the ends of a said wall panel, whereby in the erected tray said portion may be removed leaving the end portions of the wall panel connected to the adjacent wall panels at the corner regions.

5. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a rectangular said bottom forming panel, a first pair of said wall forming panels hinged to opposite sides of the bottom forming panel and having corner flaps hinged at the ends thereof, and a second pair of said wall forming panels hinged to the other two opposite sides of the bottom forming panel, a further wall forming panel being hinged to the edge of each of the second wall forming panels remote from the bottom forming panel whereby said further panel may be folded inwardly with respect to the tray to form double thickness walls in conjunction with said second wall forming panels, between which double thicknesses are received said corner flaps, a said removable portion being provided in one or both of said first wall forming panels.

6. A blank according to claim 5 wherein tabs are provided at the free edges of said further wall forming panels to engage in corresponding slots in the bottom forming panel adjacent the hinge lines with said second wall forming panels so as to retain the second wall forming panels and their associated further panels in face-to-face relationship when the tray is erected.

7. A blank for forming a tray, substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

8. A blank for forming a tray, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A tray formed from a blank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, with or without a said portion removed.

10. A tray formed from a blank according to claim 8, with or without a said portion removed.

11. A package comprising a tray formed from a blank according to any one or claims 1 to 7 and articles supported thereon, and shrink-wrapped.

12. A package comprising a tray formed from a blank according to claim 8 and articles supported thereon, and shrink-wrapped.