GB2367551A

GB2367551A - Transit/shelf ready case

Info

Publication number: GB2367551A
Application number: GB0024389A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin E Morland-Nuttall; Andrew C G Innes
Original assignee: ASSIDOMON PACKAGING UK Ltd
Current assignee: ASSIDOMON PACKAGING UK Ltd
Priority date: 2000-10-05
Filing date: 2000-10-05
Publication date: 2002-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-05
Also published as: GB0024389D0; GB2367551B

Abstract

A case formed from a blank for transit and retail display of articles comprises a top opening bounded by an opposed pair of ledges 16, an opposed pair of closure flaps 18 being attached to the case so as to be foldable between a closed position in which they lockingly engage the ledges by ears 58 that can be tucked under the ledges 16 to close the top opening, and an open position in which the closure flaps lie against sides of the case and the top opening is exposed for access to the case interior. The case may thus be converted between transit and display modes. In the display mode, the closure flaps 18 may be locked open by tucking tabs 60 into hand holes 62. Preferably, the ledges 16 and flaps 18 are connected by gussets and complementary locking tabs and recesses may be provided for stacking. A system of such cases may be so arranged that a plurality of smaller cases placed side-by-side occupy the same plan area as a larger case.

Description

TRANSIT/SHELF READY CASE

This invention relates to cases of corrugated board and the like, used for the protection and convenient handling of goods in transit. Such cases in widespread use have top and bottom flaps that are sealed using tape or hot melt and similar adhesives. Known alternatives include envelope base or crash lock base cases that allow quick manual erection.

These fully enclosed cases need either to be cut or ripped open for access to the contents and therefore cannot conveniently be used for displaying goods for selection by customers in retail outlets. To reduce labour costs and minimise handling of delicate goods, it is often desirable for transit cases also to serve for retail display, and customer selection, of the contents. A known kind of transit/display case therefore incorporates perforations defining a tear-out panel removable by the retailer. The opened transit case can then be stacked on shelves or on the floor, to serve as a point of sale display. However such a case still requires some effort to open, and care must be taken to avoid damage to the contents or unsightly tearing of the body of the case as the removable panel is tom out. The tom out panel must also be disposed of.

An alternative approach is to ship the goods in open topped trays, optionally with a separate closure lid. However, such trays may not adequately protect the goods, either against mechanical damage or from pilferage/adulteration. Separate lids again present a disposal problem for the retailer.

The present invention provides, erected or as a blank, a case comprising a top opening bounded by a ledge, a closure flap being attached to the case so as to be foldable between a closed position in which it lockingly engages the ledge to close the top opening, and an open position in which it lies against a side of the case and the top opening is exposed for access to the case interior. The case is therefore readily convertible between transit (closed) and display (open) modes.

The ledge not only serves to lock the closure flap in the closed position, but also may be used as a support surface on which other cases may be stacked. Furthermore, with the

closure flap open and the case turned on its side, the top opening is exposed for presentation of the case contents to customers. In this position, the ledge helps to prevent the case contents from falling out. The ledge also provides an area in the open plane of the case for application of printed graphics, for example promotional material or information relating to the case contents.

Preferably, the ledge and the closure flap are connected to sides of the case along fold lines.

The ledge and closure flap may be interconnected by gussets.

Advantageously, the closure flap is lockable against the adjacent case side in the open position, for convenient use as a display case.

The case may include an opposed pair of the ledges, to give a tray-like appearance when the closure flap is open. Similarly, there may be an opposed pair of the closure flaps.

The case may be provided with complementary locking tabs and locking recesses positioned so that, when one such case is stacked upon another, the complementary locking tabs and/or recesses of one case engage the locking recesses and/or tabs of the other, to stabilise the stack.

A system of such cases may be provided, comprising cases of larger and smaller sizes, in which a plurality of the smaller cases placed side-by-side occupy the same plan area as a larger case. The system of cases is thus interstackable, i. e. mixtures of the differently sized cases may be assembled into regular, stable stacks, with substantially no gaps.

The invention and its preferred features are further described below with reference to an illustrative embodiment, shown in the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a blank for a small case, of a system of cases embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows a blank for a medium sized case of the system; Figure 3 shows a blank for a large sized case of the system;

Figure 4 shows the blank of figure 1 erected, with one closure flap locked closed and another closure flap unsecured and open ; Figure 5 corresponds to figure 4, but shows both closure flaps locked closed for transit ; Figure 6 shows a case as in figure 1 and a case as in figure 2, both erected and with their closure flaps locked open for presentation of their contents, and Figure 7 shows cases as in figures 1, 2 and 3, erected and interstacked.

Referring to figures 1, 2 and 3, blanks 10, 20 and 30 for small, medium and large cases respectively are shown. These each comprise short side panels 12, 22, 32 alternating with long side panels 14, 24, 34, joined at fold lines 40. Base panels 42 are joined to the side panels at fold lines 44. A gluing tab 46 is attached to the endmost long side panel 14, 24, 34 of each case, for attachment to the respective endmost short side panel 12, 22, 32, to form the blank into a tubular sleeve. With the sleeve erected, the base panels 42 can be secured, e. g. by tape, hot melt adhesive or other conventional means, to form the base of the cases 10, 20, 30. Other base designs will be readily apparent, e. g. envelope or crash lock styles for hand erection, with or without the need for tape/adhesive.

The long side of the large case 30 is preferably twice the length of the short side of the medium case 20, whose long side is preferably equal in length to the short side of the large case 30, so that two medium cases 20 placed long side to long side will occupy the same plan area as the large case 30. Likewise, preferably two small cases 10 placed long side to long side are arranged to be equivalent in plan area to a medium case 20. The interstackability arising from this choice of dimensions is best illustrated in figure 7. Other size multiples are of course possible, for example to make a larger size equivalent in plan area to a lx3, 2x2 or 2x3 array of the next smaller sized case.

Ledge forming panels 16, 26, 36 are attached to the short side panels 12, 22, 32 respectively, along a fold line 48. This fold line 48 also delineates closure flaps 18, 28, 38, attached to the respective long sides 14, 24, 34 of each case 10, 20, 30. The closure flaps 18, 28, 38 are connected to the ledge panels 16, 26, 36 by intermediate gusset panels 50, delineated by fold lines 52, 54. A similar gusset panel 50 is also provided between the endmost closure flap 18 and the adjacent gluing tab 46. The closure flaps 18, 28, 38 and gusset panels 50 are

provided with fold lines 56, enabling them to be flexed for locking in the closed or open position.

To enable them to be locked closed, the closure flaps 18,28, 38 are provided with ears 58 that can be tucked beneath the ledge panels 16,26, 36 (see, for example, figures 4 and 5). The closure flaps can also be locked in an open position, in which they lie against the long sides 14,24, 34 of the cases 10,20, 30 respectively. For this purpose they include locking tabs 60 defined by parallel straight cuts 11 or U-shaped cuts 21, 31. These are tucked into hand holes 62 formed in the long sides 14,24, 34 (see, for example figure 6). With the closure flaps locked closed, the cases fully enclose their contents, providing effective containment and protection in transit. With the flaps locked open, the cases 10,20, 30 make highly effective displays for use at the point of sale. They may be stacked or placed on shelving or the like, with the top opening uppermost (case 10 as shown in figure 6).

Alternatively, they may be stacked or supported on edge, for example with one long side resting on the supporting surface (case 20, fig. 6). The open part of the case can thus be arranged to face the customer, for effective display and ready selection of the contents. As shown, the ledges 26 help to prevent the contents from falling out of the case 20, as well as providing display areas for advertising material, product information and the like. The cases 10,20, 30 are readily convertible from closed, transit mode to open, display mode, without the risk of damage to the packaging or its contents, or the generation of packaging waste.

For stacking stability, the cases 10,20, 30 are provided with locking tabs 64 engageable in complementary locking recesses 66 cut out of the adjacent cases.

Claims

1. Erected or as a blank, a case comprising a top opening bounded by a ledge, a closure flap being attached to the case so as to be foldable between a closed position in which it lockingly engages the ledge to close the top opening, and an open position in which it lies against a side of the case and the top opening is exposed for access to the case interior.

2. A case as defined in claim 1, wherein the ledge and the closure flap are connected to sides of the case along fold lines.

3. A case as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ledge and closure flap are interconnected by gussets.

4. A case as defined in any preceding claim wherein the closure flap is lockable against the adjacent case side in the open position.

5. A case as defined in any preceding claim including an opposed pair of the ledges.

6. A case as defined in any preceding claim including an opposed pair of the closure flaps.

7. A case as defined in any preceding claim, provided with complementary locking tabs and locking recesses positioned so that, when one such case is stacked upon another, the complementary locking tabs and/or recesses of one case engage the locking recesses and/or tabs of the other.

8. A system comprising cases as defined in any preceding claim and including cases of larger and smaller sizes, in which a plurality of the smaller cases placed side-by-side occupy the same plan area as a larger case.

9. A case substantially as described with reference to or as shown in any of the drawings.

10. A system of cases substantially as described with reference to or as shown in figure 7 of the drawings.