US2204118A - Merchandising package - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1940. E. M. BROGDEN MERCHANDISING PACKAGE Filed April 27, 1936 INVENT OR Aljrgg'aen ATTORNEY Patented June 11, 1940 PATENT OFFICE MERCHANDISING PACKAGE Ernest M. Brogden, Orlando, Fla., assignor to Bank of The Manhattan Company, trustee, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York.

Application April 27,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to merchandising packages and particularly to an improved merchandising package which is attractive in appearance and which may be economically and easily assembled, packed, stored, and shipped and thereafter conveniently carried by the purchaser.

In merchandising numerous commodities it is desirable to divide them into units of predetermined number and quantities and assemble each unit in a package of convenient size and shape attractive to the consumer.

In accordance with this invention a container is assembled from a blank of paperboard or other sheet material, having a generally polygonal bottom wall, side walls diverging upwardly therefrom and reinforced corner walls formed by flaps extending from the bottom and side walls. A cover member for the container may be formed from a separate blank similar in construction to the container itself. In another form of my invention, the cover is formed by flaps extending from the side walls of the container, which flaps are bent over against the contents. The cover may be retained against the contents by a binder, such as an elastic band, applied to the container after filling and closing. The container formed in accordance with this invention is especially adapted for packaging fruits,'vegetables, globular objects and similar commodities, and may be provided with openings in one or more faces to permit inspection and ventilation of the contents.

Various other features and advantages of the nvention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a blank suitable for forming a container in accordance with this in vention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank show in Fig. 1. partially set up to form a container;

- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the fully set up container showing the arrangement of globular articles therein; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cover member formed from a blank similar to the container-forming blank shown in Fig. 1;

1936, Serial No. 76,631

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a complete package assembled from the container and cover members shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

c Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a blank suitable for forming a modified type of container, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fully assembled package formed from the blank shown in Fig. 6.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, certainspecific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a triangular-shaped blank I, formed of paperboard or other suitable material. The blank I comprises a generally triangular face section 2 which may be provided with a triangular-shaped central opening 3. Extending from each side edge of the face section 2 is a side section 4, bendable about a score line 5 and divided by a longitudinal score line 6 into .a side wall portion 1, having divergent end edges 9, and a 'sideflap portion 8, bendable about the score line 6. Extending from each end of the side section I is a corner flap or tab Ill having an edge H, de

' fined by a out line intersecting the score line 9, and an edge l2 parallel with the score line 9. A score line l3 extends between the ends of two adjacent score lines 9 and defines with adjacent cut lines II a generally rectangular corner section M.

The blank I may be set up to form a container A (Fig, 2) by bending up the side members 4 about the score lines 5 and bending up the corner sections l4 along score lines 13. Adjacent corner flaps Ill are bent inwardly along score lines 9 to overlap the corresponding corner section 13 and the edges 12 are then brought into abutment. The corner flaps ID are secured to each other and to the corner section Min a s'uitablemanher, as, for example, by astaple l5 or by a suitable adhesive. Preferably, the blank I is so 5 formed that the upper edges it of the corner flaps Ill are approximately flush with the upper edge ll of the corner section 14 when the blank is set up. Because each cornersection is not substantially wider, transverse to its base, than the adjacent side sections, and has its outer edge H free, that is, with no flap connected thereto, lateral exposure of the fruit or other articles at these corners is thus provided for.

A cover member B (Fig. 4) may be formed from a blank similar to the blank I shown in Fig. l, and set up in a similar manner.

The container A is admirably adapted for packaging a predetermined number of generally globular articles a one of which is shown in position in the container in Fig. 3. Preferably the articles a are arranged in a single layer consist-- ing of either three or six articles.

The package C (Fig. 5) may be completed by applying the cover B over the filled container A and applying an elastic band 2% over the container and cover in three loops 2!, 22 and 23, engaging the corners respectively of the container and cover. It will be noted that the side flaps 8 of the container A telescope within and lie against the inside face of the sidesections l respectively of the cover B and the side flaps 8 of the cover B overlie the outside face of the side sections 7 of the container A, thus providing side wall portions of double thickness. The corner edges it of the cover B abut against the corresponding edges of the container A, thereby limiting the collapsing 0r telescopic displacement of the container into the cover. The angular side walls formed by the side sections 5 and side fiaps 8 of'the cover and container and the angular corner walls provided by the corner portions of the cover and container strengthen the sides of the container against crushing.

The container and cover illustrated in Figs. 3 and a are adapted for receiving relatively small articles in bulk. In packaging articles in bulk, the face sections of the container and cover may be made imperforate, or if desired, the openings therein may be covered with a suitable transparent material, thereby retaining the contents but at the same time permitting full inspection thereof.

Referring now to Fig. 6 there is shown a blank suitable for forming a modified type of container, which requires no separate cover member. The blank iii! may be in general similar to the blank i and may have a face section Hi2 provided with side portions libiextending from the side edges thereof. However, instead of side flaps similar to the side flaps 8 of the blank i, the blank Hit 'is provided with cover flaps I92.

Each cover flap extends from the side edge of a side section Hi7 and is bendable about the score line tilt. The cover flap 588 preferably is of sufiicient width to extend over a portion of the upper surface of the contents of the package when the blank is set up to form a container, thus serving as a cover for the container. The cover flap its may be made relatively more flexible than the remainder of the blank by the provision of a series of spaced, parallel score lines 25 or other suitable means, whereby the cover flap its can be caused to conform to the shape of contents of the package.

The blank Hli may be set up to form a container D (Fig. 7) in a manner generally similar to that described in connection with the blank shown in Fig. l. The container D may be packed in a manner similar to the container A, whereafter the cover flaps Hi8 are curved over against the contents or and a suitable binder as, for example, an elastic band are is applied over the container D in a series of loops iiii, I22 and E23 tc retain the cover flaps against the contents a,

thus forming the completed package E (Fig. 7). The blank provided by this invention is easy to manufacture and can beshipped as a blank and easily set up by the packer, or it can be conveniently set up by the manufacturer to form a container which can then be nested with other containers for shipment. When set up, the container is ready for use and can be quickly and easily packed and closed ready for shipment.

By reason of the construction of the container, the contents may be arranged to contact the container at numerous points, and hence the unit pressure at any point is relatively low and in: jury to the contents is minimized. The reinforced sides and corners and the angular shape of the sides and corners present considerable resistance to crushing of the container, and the abutting corner edges of the container and cover prevent the collapsing of the container into the cover.

The container is suitable for packing many diiferent types of commodities and is admirably adapted for packing foodstulfs of generally globular shape, such as fruits, vegetables, and the like. Although the face sections of the container may be made imperforate to provide an entirely closed container, openings or windows may be provided so that the contents may be inspected without opening the package. ()penings also per mit ample ventilation of the contents, which is especially desirable where the contents comprise articles such as fruits and vegetables.

Commodities are often sold in packages of a dozen, particularly three or six. Where three or six articles are assembled in the container in the manner disclosed herein, the end closures engage each article and retain the article in the container. Thus, although the container is suiiiciently open to permit inspection of the contents, nevertheless the contents are positively retained in the container and thus it is, in effect, a closed" container.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing, from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A blank for forming a container, said blank comprising, a bottom section of generally polygonal shape, a side section extending from each of the side edges of the bottom section, a side flap extending from'the side edge of each. of said side sections, a corner section extending from each of the corners at each end of said edges of said bottom section, and a corner tab extending from each of the end edges of said side sections.

2. A blank for forming a container comprising a bottom section of generally triangular shape and having beveled corners at all apexes, a side section extending from each of the side edges of the bottom section, a side flap extending from the side edge of each. of said side sections, a corner section extending from each of the beveled corners of said bottom section and a corner tab extending from each of the end edges of said side sections.

3. A container fornied'froin paperboard material and including, a box having a bottom wall of generally triangular shape, spaced side walls diverging upwardly from the side edges of said bottom wall, corner walls extending from the corner edges of 'said bottom wall, side flaps extending from the side edges of said side walls, and a cover formed similarly to said box and inverted over the open end thereof with its side flaps overlapping the side walls of said box and the free edges of its corner portions abutting the edges of the corner walls of said box.

4. A container formed from paperboard material and including a box having a bottom wall of generally triangular shape, spaced side walls diverging upwardly from the side edges of said bottom wall, corner walls extending from the corner edges of said bottom wall, corner flaps extending from said side walls, means securing said corner flaps to said corner walls, side flaps extending from the side edges of said side walls, and a cover formed similarly to said box and inverted over the open end thereof with its side flaps overlapping the side walls of said box and the free edges of its corner portions abutting the edges of the corner walls of said box.

5. A blank for forming a container, said blank comprising a bottom section of generally triangular shape having each corner blunt, a single side section extending from the edge of each side of the bottom section, a side flap extending from and hinged to the edge of each side section, and a corner section extending from each blunt corner of the bottom section between adjacent side sections, each corner section being not substantially wider, transverse to its base, than the adjacent side sections and having its outer edge free.

6. A container, formed of flexible material, comprising a box having a bottom wall of polygonal shape with blunt corners, including separate side Walls angularly disposed with reference to said bottom wall, said side walls spaced by, but not integral with, said bottom wall corners, corner walls integral with said bottom wall and extending therefrom between adjacent side walls, means to secure adjacent corner walls and side walls together, and a cover for the box formed similarly to said box, adapted to be inverted over the open face thereof, the side walls of the cover telescoping the side walls of the box, and the free ends of the comer walls of the cover abutting those of the box.

ERNEST M. BROGDEN.

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