GB2325664A - Stackable display container. - Google Patents

Abstract

A stackable display container with an inclined opening is constructed from at least one blank (Fig. 1). Tabs 2, integral with the walls 3, 6 of the container, project from its top surface 1. At least one of these tabs 2A is received in a slit 12A provided in the base of a container positioned on top while other tabs 2B, 2C may make contact with the external face of corresponding walls. The opening preferably extends along the whole width of the container and for at least two thirds of its height. Additional elements may be provided to assist in forming a stable stack. For example, support posts 11 may be used to connect together adjacent containers as well as clips 15 and buttons 16 for which suitable holes may be provided in the container.

Description

CONTAINER-DISPLAY STAND The present invention relates to a container-display stand and in particular, but not exclusively, to a container-display stand as described in the preliminary part of the main claim in which the characteristics are defined.

In the present context, by container-display stand, it is intended a box, for example in cardboard, which acts as both a medium for transporting the product it contains and as a display structure for sale of the products.

Containers of the common type have at least a cover or a part which, by means of a number of perforated lines, must be removed when the containers are used as display structures.

The covers add considerably to the costs and production times of the containers and represent useless clutter when the containers are used as display stands. On the other hand, even those containers from which a number of the parts of the box must be torn away have only proved functional to a limited extent, as the container is often damaged when the part one wishes to remove is torn off. In addition, containers of the common type have at times proved difficult to stack in a simple and above all stable manner.

The object of the present invention is to realise a container which can be quickly and simply converted into a display structure and whose modular construction enables it be combined securely and safely with other identical or similar containers for creating a complex display structure.

Another aim is to realise a container which is easily accessible even when positioned at different heights from the ground.

A further aim is to realise a container shaped in such a way that, if it is placed on top of other containers on a pallet to form a pyramid, it can be supplied to the final user ready to be displayed at the point of sale.

These and other aims, which will be evident to an expert in the field, are accomplished by a container corresponding to the part of the main claim in which the characteristics are defined.

According to the present invention there is provided a container-display stand having at least some of the features described herein.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cut out blank for realising a container to which the present invention pertains; Figure 2 shows a container to which the present invention pertains, and Figures 3-5 show possible display structures realised with a container to which the present invention pertains.

In reference to the aforementioned figures, the container illustrated has an essentially cubic shape and in its first working form (figure 2) shows a first upper plane 1 from which three tabs project 2A, 2B, 2C, which serve to stabilise and to hold other prospective containers supported on this plane. The container also includes a doublelayered base, formed by an actual plane (figure 1) and by two wings 3A, 3B placed over the plane 2 and which extend from the sides 3. The base 2 and the wings 3A, 3B include two slits 12A, 12B (figure 1) and indented edges 3C, 3D shaped so as to receive the central tab 2A of another container positioned underneath and the tab 4C of a front part 4. The latter is achieved by folding two parts 4A, 4B one over the other (figure 1). The sides 3 have a trapezoidal shape and at the front define an opening 5 on an inclined plane in relation to the upper and lower base surfaces 1, 2, which preferably extends along the entire width L of the container and for at least two thirds of the height H of the container itself.

In correspondence to the smaller part of the sides 3, tabs 2B, 2C project. An advantage offered by these tabs is that they are not inserted into the slits available in the base of a prospective container placed on top, but adhere to the external face of the sides of a prospective container placed on top, thereby securing it laterally.

Finally, the container includes a back 6 from the upper side of which tab 2A projects centrally. The container to which the present invention pertains can be used both in the position illustrated in figure 2 and as illustrated in figure 4, at the bottom, that is, with the back 6 serving as a lower base and the lower base 2 serving as a back. In this second working position, it is easier to retrieve the product from the container when it is standing on the floor, whereas, in the first working position, the products are more accessible when the container is placed at a certain height from the floor.

The containers can be used to construct pyramidal structures with various levels on two fronts (figure 5) or on a single front (figures 3A, 3B, 4). In the latter case, the advantage is that the containers stand on a common supporting box 7 suitable, for example, for storing the products displayed.

The dimensions of the container are preferably such as to allow it be accommodated on its own or in a series on a conventional pallet with standard dimensions (80x120) as shown in Figure 7.

The shape of the container can also be cubic, parallelepipedal or pyramidal to suit the product it contains and/or the display structure desired.

The container can be realised in any material suitable for the purpose and in particular in micro-corrugated, flat, low corrugated, triple-corrugated cardboard.

The container is preferably realised using a single cut out blank 10 (figure 1) without gluing. However, should it be necessary to produce containers of greater dimensions, it may be necessary to use several cut out blanks glued together.

To improve on the already good lateral rigidity of the containers, it is possible to forcedly fit onto the lateral adjacent edges 3E, 3F of the sides 3 of two adjoining containers a small profile 11 which can be widened elastically (sketched in figure 2) or a sheath in any common plastic material. In addition, to ensure greater stability of structures where the containers are stacked back to back (see figure 5, for example), the containers could feature a plurality of additional openings 13, 14 (the outlines of which are shown in figure 2 indicated by a dotted line) shaped in such a way as to accommodate conventional elements for holding the two containers together, for example, of the "clip" type 15 for openings 13, or the "button" type 16 for openings 14.

An advantage of the container to which the present invention pertains is that it is filled with the product to be displayed and is positioned on the pallet with other similar containers so as to achieve the most suitable display structure. Subsequently, as is normal practice for the expert in the field, the containers and the pallet are covered by a single transparent plastic sheet which holds together the pallet and the various containers in a secure manner. At this point, the pallet and the containers are ready to be despatched to the retailer who, on receipt of the material, in order that the products are correctly displayed for sale, need only place the pallet in the most suitable point of the shop and remove the plastic sheet.

To summarise, according to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a stackable container-display stand, realised in at least 1 sheet of foldable material, for example cardboard, which includes, in correspondence with its first plane (1), at least one tab (2A-C), which serves to hold another prospective container supported on the aforementioned first plane, the said tab (2A-C) being an integral part of a lateral surface (2,3). In addition, the container features an opening on an inclined plane in relation to the above-mentioned first plane (1). The container is shaped in such a way as to allow it to be used in two different positions, in the first position, the opening is found at the front of the container, while in the second position it is found in the upper part of the container.

Claims (12)

1. A stackable container-display stand realised in at least one sheet of foldable material, for example cardboard, wherein, in correspondence with its first plane, it features at least one tab which serves to hold another prospective container supported on the aforementioned first plane, the said tab being an integral part of a lateral surface; which includes an opening on an inclined plane in relation to the aforementioned first plane and to the sides of the container, and which is shaped in such a way as to allow it to be used in two different positions; in the first position, the opening is found at the front of the container, while in the second position, it is found in the upper part of the container.

2. Container as defined in claim 1 characterised by the fact that the opening extends along the entire width of the container.

3. Container as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, characterised by the fact that the opening extends for at least two thirds of the height of the container when this is in its first working position.

4. Container as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it includes a second plane opposite the first, which includes at least one slit for receiving the holding tab of another prospective container positioned underneath.

5. Container as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the sides include at least one holding tab which serves to make contact with the external face of the corresponding sides of another prospective container positioned on top.

6. Container as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it features the lateral holding elements for two containers placed side by side.

7. Container as defined in claim 6, characterised by the fact that the profiles are shaped in such a way as to enable them to be inserted on the free front edges of the containers.

8. Container as defined in claim 6 or claim 7, characterised by the fact that it includes openings in its sides, which are shaped in such a way as to act as a seat for the holding elements.

9. Container as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it is sized in such a way as to enable it to be mounted on a pallet.

10. Container as defined in claim 9, characterised by the fact that it is sized in such a way as to produce multi-level, pyramidal display structures, standing on a pallet.

11. A stackable container-display stand, including an opening and means for holding another container in a stack of containers.

12. A stackable container-display stand substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.