EXHIBITOR FOR CONTAINERS OF DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS
The present application claims the benefit of the priority of the North American Provisional Patent Application No. 60/672733, filed on April 19, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exhibitor for certain types of products for the consumer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a display for disposable containers, such as paper or plastic plates, extended plates, bowls or bowls that will show the containers in a vertical position, so that the face of the container can be easily seen. by the consumer at the point of purchase. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Containers for products, such as paper or plastic plates, are generally packaged in a nested form in an outer plastic wrap. The containers are transported from the manufacturer finally to a store for consumer purchase. In the store, the containers are usually stacked horizontally on the shelves, so that the consumer only sees the edge of the pile of the packed containers. For most purposes, this adaptation is acceptable. However, some containers include decorative designs on the face of the container and some even include a theme, such as animals. See, for example, U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2004/0069788, whose description is incorporated herein by reference. When stacked horizontally on the shelves of the store, the aesthetic appearance of these types of decorative containers can not be easily seen by the consumer. In order to allow the store to stack these types of containers, so that the decorative face of the container can be easily appreciated by the consumer, a display is required for the containers that hold them vertically. In order for the merchandiser to be economically viable, it must allow the traces of the parcels to remain small and must allow them to be nested from the different packets of the containers. This minimizes the space needed to transport the packaged containers, and the displays and allows the store to display a large number of such packaged containers and the displays on the shelves. This at the same time, minimizes the frequency with which it is necessary to re-stock the shelves of the store with these products. In addition, the merchandiser can be easily manufactured and combined with the consumer's product to be displayed with the merchandiser to allow easy incorporation into the manufacturing process of consumer products. This will minimize the manufacturer's cost for the consumer's product. The merchandiser must also function with the current store display system to avoid costly retrofitting of the current warehouse display system and avoid the need for stores to purchase new display systems. Preferably, the merchandiser of the present invention is formed of a cardboard blank that is folded together to define an interior portion to accommodate a number of disposable containers. When the containers are placed in the merchandiser, the merchandiser holds the containers in a vertical position, so that the face of the container can be directed to the consumer at the point of purchase. The merchandiser has an open bottom and is defined by a straight bottom edge where the edges are substantially aligned with each other and generally perpendicular to the vertical axial line extending through the merchandiser. This straight bottom edge provides a flat surface on which the merchandiser rests to provide exhibitor stability, with the containers therein,. The front and rear portions of the display preferably have an upper edge having a concave curve, so that the radii of curvature of the concave curved portions are substantially similar to the radius of curvature of the portion of the face of the container. This gives the consumer an unobstructed view of the decorative face of the container. It also provides a support on which the back of the container can rest, so that the edges of the containers do not extend below the edge of the merchandiser bottom, which could adversely affect the stability of the assembled package. The two sides of the merchandiser may be generally perpendicular to the front and back portions of the merchandiser. Alternatively, each of the two sides can be formed of two angled portions, so that each end defines a generally "V" shaped configuration with a vertex of V pointing away from the container. These sides of the merchandiser can also provide a support on which the sides of the container can rest, also to help prevent the bottom edge of the containers from extending below the bottom edge of the merchandiser, to thereby improve the stability of the package. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be described in detail in the following description of the preferred embodiments referring to the following drawings, in which like reference numbers refer to like parts and wherein: Figure 1 is a view front view of a first embodiment of the display of the present invention with a plurality of disposable dishes packed therein, where the dishes have an example of an aesthetic design on the face thereof; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of the display case of the present invention with a plurality of disposable dishes packed therein; Figure 3A is a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the display case of the present invention; Figure 3B is a perspective bottom view of the first embodiment of the merchandiser of the present invention that clearly shows the open bottom therein; Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank used to form the first embodiment of the merchandiser of the present invention; Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the display case of the present invention with a plurality of disposable plates packed therein, wherein the plates have an example of an aesthetic design on the face thereof; Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the second embodiment of the display case of the present invention with a plurality of disposable plates packed therein; Figure 7A is a top perspective view of the second embodiment of the display case of the present invention; Figure 7B is a perspective bottom view of the second embodiment of the display case of the present invention that clearly shows the open bottom thereof; and Figure 8 is a plan view of the blank used to form the second embodiment of the merchandiser of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention The display 100 of the present invention is preferably formed from a blank of cardboard that is folded together to define an interior portion to accommodate a number of disposable containers therein. Preferably, the display 100 can be formed of any paper-based material, such as a corrugated cardboard and corrugated cardboard material, more specifically, corrugated micro-flute cardboard. The display 100 defines an open bottom 200, which in turn is defined by the edge of the straight bottom 300 of the various fins forming the display 100. The straight bottom edge 300 provides a flat surface on which the display 100 rests. to give stability to the 100 exhibitor, with the containers in it ,. Generally, the cardboard blank is cut from a larger piece of cardboard in a piece of standard flatbed die cutting equipment. Preferably, the front and rear portions of the merchandiser 100 have a concave curved portion 110, so that the radius of curvature of the concave curved portions 110 is similar to, or generally the same as, the radius of curvature of the outer circumference of the portion of the face of the container. This is usually located adjacent to the ring of the paper plate and can, in some cases, be considered the interface between them. The degree of similarity between the radii of curvature should be such that the display 100 provides the consumer with an unobstructed view of the aesthetic design, i.e., the decorative face of the container. Therefore, the radius of curvature of the concave curved portion 110 may be smaller or greater than that of the portion of the face of the container, as long as the face is not obstructed. The concave curved portion 110 also provides a support on which the back of the container can rest, so that the edges of the containers do not extend below the edge of the merchandiser bottom, which would adversely affect the stability of the package. assembly. See Figures 2 and 6. Further, the concave curved portion 110 of the rear of the extruder 100 allows the face of one package to be nested with the rear of another package to minimize the amount of space needed to pack and ship a large number of displays 100. with the containers packed in them. Although it is possible to configure only one of the front panel or the rear panel with a curved top edge, this is not the preferred adaptation. further, although the concave curve configuration is preferably from the upper edge of the front panel and the rear panel, any other configuration, such as a linear, angular or stepped configuration or some other complex curve configurations, could be used, provided that the configuration provides a Clear view of the face of the container to show the decorative characteristics of the container. The configuration should also provide (i) some kind of support on which the container's back can rest and (ii) a space to allow multiple packages to be nested and minimize the requirements of the merchandiser's prints with the containers packed therein. . The depth of the merchandiser 100 is determined by the dimensions of the container and the number of containers to be packed in the merchandiser 100. Preferably, the width of merchandiser 100 is less than the width of the containers that are to be packed in the merchandiser 100
This allows the ends of the merchandiser 100 to provide other supports 120 on which the sides of the containers can rest, to prevent the bottom of the container from extending below the bottom of the merchandiser 100, adversely affecting the stability of the assembled package. See Figures 1 and 2. The two sides of the merchandiser 100 may be generally perpendicular to the front and back portions of the merchandiser 100. See figures 1 through 3. Alternatively, each of the two sides may be formed of two angled portions. , so that each end defines a configuration that generally has the shape of "V" 130 with the vertex of the V pointing away from the containers. See figures from 5 to 7. Where said configuration is provided in the form of "V" 130 for the ends of the display 100 ', preferably the vertex of the V lies within the tangent of the portion of the side more outside on the container or at most is aligned with the tangent of that portion of the outermost side. The blank for the first embodiment of the merchandiser 100 has a continuous straight bottom edge 300, a connecting tab 410, a front fin 420, a first end fin 430, a rear fin 440 and a second end fin 450. As shown in FIG. In Figure 4, the connecting tab 410 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the front flap 420 along a first vertical fold line 415. The front flap 420 is connected to the along its right bank to the left bank of the first fin of end 430 along a second vertical bending line 425. The first fin of end 430 is connected along its right bank to the left bank of the fin rear 440 along a third vertical fold line 435. The rear flap 440 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the second end flap 450 along a fourth fold line vert ical 445. To assemble the blank in the merchandiser 100, each vertical fold line is bent, so that each portion of the target is perpendicular to the adjacent portion. This * allows the connecting tabs 410 to overlap a portion of the second end flap 450 and can be adhered thereto by any standard means, such as adhesives, staples or other mechanical interlock means. The blank for the second embodiment of the merchandiser 100 'has a continuous straight bottom edge 300, a first rear fin 510, a first end fin 520, a second end fin 530, a front fin 540, a third end fin 550 , a fourth end flap 560 and a second rear flap 570. As can be seen in figure 8, the first rear flap 510 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the first flap of end 520 as length of a first vertical fold line 515. The first end flap 520 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the second end flap 530 along a second vertical fold line 525. The second end flap 530 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the front flap 540 along a third vertical fold line 535. The front flap 540 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the third end flap 550 with a fourth vertical fold line 545. The third end flap 550 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the fourth end flap 560 along the a fifth vertical fold line 555. The fourth end flap 560 is connected along its right edge to the left edge of the second rear flap 570 along a sixth vertical fold line 565. To assemble the target in a display 100 'each vertical fold line is bent, so that each portion of the blank is at an angle to the adjacent portion to allow the first and second rear flaps 510, 570 to be aligned with, and preferably overlap with each other. This allows a portion of the first and second rear flaps 510, 570 to be adhered to each other by any standard means, such as an adhesive, staples or other mechanical interlock means. Therefore, it can be appreciated that a display is provided that is stable, economical, easy to manufacture and use with different products for the consumer, such as disposable products, and which has a small footprint and allows an unobstructed view of the face front of the product.