GB2065072A - Display carton - Google Patents

Abstract

A display carton e.g. for a pot plant is folded from a one-piece cardboard or the like blank to define a base portion 1 and trapezium-shaped side walls 2-5 which assume an inverted frusto-pyramidic shape, a top wall 6 being formed with an opening 7 through which a pot of a pot plant can be inserted into the carton and being connected along a marginal part to a marginal upper part of one sidewall 2. The side walls 2-5 are adapted to interengage and interlock at corner-forming portions 8,9 of the erected carton to prevent collapse. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A carton for displaying and promoting the sale of articles This invention relates to a carton for displaying and promoting the sale of articles and is more essen tially, although not exclusively, concerned with a carton for pot plants.

The primary objects of the invention are the provi sion of a carton that (a) constitutes a "give-away" gift presentation for pot plants; (b) is simple and inexpensive to produce, so as not to add undulyto the selling price of a plant; (c) that can be erected from a flat compact state in which it occupies the minimum of space into a position of use; and (d) that provides a practical display in which the presenta tion is greatly enhanced.

In the case of pot plants these are normally dis played in decorative china or plastics containers that are relatively expensive to produce and therefore add considerably to the selling price of a pot plant.

According to the invention there is provided a car ton primarily intended for receiving and displaying a pot plant, said carton being made from a one-piece cardboard or the like blank that is foldable about fold lines so that when erected trapezium-shaped side walls combine to assume an inverted frusto pyramidic shape the carton comprising a top wall formed with an opening through which a pot of a pot plant can be inserted into the carton and being con nected along a marginal part to a marginal upper part of one of the trapezium-shaped side walls of the carton, the said side walls being adapted to interen gage and interlock at corner-forming portions of the carton to prevent collapse of an erected carton.Due to the peculiar geometry of the carton and to the preconnection of the marginal portion of the lid to a side wall, this particular wall is formed with a fold line enabling it to be folded into two abutting face to-face portions to enable the blank to be folded into a flat compact out-of-use state.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a preferred embodi ment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure lisa perspective view of the erected car ton.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a partly erected carton leaving one side wall to be erected.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a one-piece blank from which the complete carton can be formed, and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a partly col lapsed blank showing a fold in one of the side walls that permits this side wall to be folded into two abut ting face-to-face portions that enables the blank to be folded in to a perfectly flat condition.

Referring to said drawings the carton is made from a one-piece cardboard or the like blank comprising a square base 1, four trapezium-shaped side walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 and a lid or cover 6 extending from the side-wall 2 and foldable from the top of the wall 2, when erected, about a fold line 6a, the lid being formed with an article-receiving opening 7.

The side walls 2 to 5 can be folded upwardly from the base 1 about fold lines 2a, 3a, 4a and 5a, and when so folded combine to form a container of inverted frusto-pyramidic shape (when viewed in an erected position of use) as illustrated by Figure 1.

Two opposed side walls 2 and 4 are each formed at each side thereof with triangular extensions 2b and 4b respectively that are foldable about fold lines 2c and 4c so that when the carton is erected they abut flush against the inner faces of the side walls 3 and 5 and so close the upwardly and outwardly directed corners of the carton where the side walls meet.

The cover or lid 6 is formed with a marginal tab 6c foldable about a fold line 6b and intended to be stuck to the upper marginal portion at the inner face of the side wall 4 at 4e.

To ensure that the carton will remain in an erected position of use as shown in Figure 1 the triangular extension 2b and 4b of the side walls 2 and 4 are formed with short tongues 8 that can be engaged in complementary short slits 9 in the side walls 3 and 5, these slits 9 extending in continuity with fold lines 3b and Sb about which marginal tabs 3c and Sc respectively of said walls 3 and 5 can be folded and tucked underneath opposed marginal portions of the lid 6.

It is of course desirable that cartons should be supplied to a florist in a completely flat compact state so that a stack of said blanks will occupy the minimum of space. It is further desirable that the cartons should be supplied with the tabs 6c of the lids 6 already stuck along the marginal portion 4e of the inner face of the side wall 4 to avoid a florist having to do this before erecting the carton.

Owing to the geometry of the side walls of the carton and adhesion of the tab 6 with the wall 4 this flat state of the cartons before erection would not be possible but is permitted by forming the side wall 4 and its triangular extensions 4b, with a fold line 4d that permits this wall 4 and its said extensions to be folded in to two portions about this fold line 4d that become abutted face-to-face and result in this completely flat condition of a collapsed carton being achieved. Figure 4 illustrates folding together of the two portions of the wall 4 before they abut face-toface.

When required for use a carton can be easily and quickly erected from a flat compact state and be adapted to retain its erected condition by interengaging the tongues and slits 8 and 9 and so interlocking the walls at the upper ends of their corners.

A pot of a pot plant can then be inserted into the carton through the opening 7 in the lid or cover. The opening 7 can be made circular so as to suit a conventional flower pot of circular cross section but it can be of course another shape e.g. square, so as to be complementary to the cross section of corres pondingly shaped pots.

Advantageously the construction of this invention lends itself to the popular embellishment by "cellophane (Registered Trade Mark)-wrap", this being attached by means of shop affixed double-sided adhesive tape; a quicker and more economic operation than overall cellophane (Registered Trade Mark) wrapping normally resorted to-with some loss of stability. Alternatively of course the exterior surfaces of the blank may be decoratively printed and have desired insignia applied thereto.

The carton may be provided with an inner liner in circumstances where waterproofing is desirable and may of course be made to be of different sizes when erected to suit different sizes of pots.

Although the invention is primarily intended for use in the sale and display of pot plants it may be usefully employed in connection with the sale and display of other articles the shape of the opening 7 being made such to suit the shape of the part of the article to be inserted therein.

Claims (9)

1. A carton primarily intended for receiving and displaying a pot plant, said carton being made from a one-piece cardboard or the like blank that is foldable upwardly from a base portion about fold lines so that when erected trapezium-shaped side walls combine to assume an inverted frusto-pyramidic shape, the carton comprising a top wall formed with an opening through which a pot of a pot plant can be inserted into the carton and being connected along a marginal part to a marginal upper part of one of the trapezium-shaped side walls of the carton, the said side walls being adapted to interengage and interlock at corner-forming portions of the carton to prevent collapse of an erected carton.

2. Acarton according to Claim 1, wherein two opposed side walls are each formed at each side thereof with a triangular extension that is foldable, when the carton is erected, flush against the inner face of one of the remaining two opposed side walls so as to close the adjacent upwardly and outwardly directed corner of the carton where the side walls meet

3. A carton according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover or lid is formed with a marginal tab foldable about a fold line and intended to be stuck to the upper marginal portion of the inner face of the oppo- site side wall.

4. A carton according to Claim 3, wherein, to enable the carton to be collapsed into a flat compact state, one of the side walls and its triangular extensions are formed with a fold line that permits this side wall and its extensions to be folded into two portions that become abutted face-to-face.

5. A carton according to any of the preceding Claims 2,3 or4, wherein the triangular extensions of two opposed side walls are formed with tongues that can be engaged in complementary slits in the two remaining opposed side walls to enable the walls to be interlocked and retained in an erected condition.

6. A carton as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the opening in the lid or cover is made circular or any other appropriate shape so as to be complementary to the cross sectional shape of an article to be received in the carton.

7. A carton as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, including the provision of an inner water proofing lining.

8. A carton primarily intended for receiving and displaying a pot plant constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

9. The combination of a carton as claimed in any of the preceding claims and an article, e.g. a pot plant, contained and displayed therein.