GB2456335A

GB2456335A - Container having a separable hood and tray

Info

Publication number: GB2456335A
Application number: GB0800523A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Craig Allen; Simon Waterfall; Arthur Cutting
Original assignee: SCA Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: SCA Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2008-01-11
Filing date: 2008-01-11
Publication date: 2009-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2028-01-11
Also published as: GB2456335B; GB0800523D0

Abstract

Shown is a transit and display container comprising a tray portion 10 separably connected to a hood portion 2, the tray and the hood portion both comprising opposed side walls 14, 16, 6 and 8 respectively, with the hood side walls 6, 8 overlapping at least part of the tray walls 14, 16 on the inside. The upper edges of the side walls of both the hood and the tray are separably joined along frangible fold lines 22 arranged along the top edge of the container. The container is made from a single blank where the hood panels are folded towards the tray panels along the frangible fold lines (22, Fig.2B) after which both the hood and the tray form a tubular structure.

Description

CONTAINER HAVING A SEPARABLE HOOD AND TRAY

The present invention relates to a container which is adapted for protecting goods during storage and transportation and for subsequently displaying products stored therein. The present invention also relates to a blank for manufacturing such a container.

Containers configured for both transporting and displaying goods are well known. Such conventional containers may have lines of perforations running around the side and end walls which divide the container into a lower tray portion and a removable upper hood portion.

The hood portion serves to protect the contents of the container during transport and storage. When the container is to be used for display purposes, the perforations in the side and end walls are broken such that the hood portion may be removed and the contents of the container displayed within the tray portion.

From a first aspect the present invention provides a container comprising a tray portion separably connected to a hood portion, the tray portion comprising opposed side walls and the hood portion comprising opposed side walls, the side walls of the hood portion being arranged inwardly of and overlapping at least a portion of the side walls of the tray portion, the upper edges of said side walls of said tray portion and said hood portion being separably joined along frangible fold lines arranged along top edges of the container.

The present invention therefore provides a container which is adapted for the transport and display of products and that has a hood portion which is easy and convenient to remove.

The container has opposing side walls, opposing end walls, a base wall and a top wall. The hood portion forms the top wall of the container and at least part of each side wall of the container. Each side wall of the hood portion preferably consists of only a single panel.

The tray portion forms the base wall of the container.

In the preferred embodiments, each of the tray side walls forms only a portion of a side wall of the container. The remainder of each container side wall is preferably formed by a side wall of the hood portion.

Preferably, each tray side wall has a portion which extends only part way up the side wall of the container and a portion which extends from the base wall to a top edge of the container.

Preferably, each side wall of the hood portion is directly joined to a side wall of the tray portion only by one of the frangible fold lines and only along a top edge of the container.

In the preferred embodiments, the frangible fold lines which connect the tray portion side walls and the hood portion side walls extend from one end of the container part way towards the opposite end of the container.

The frangible fold lines are preferably formed by intermittent cut lines through the blank for forming the container. However, the frangible fold lines may be formed by any other means, such as lines of perforations.

The container of the preferred embodiment comprises first and second end walls. The first end wall of the container is preferably formed in part by an end wall of the tray portion and also by an end wall of the hood portion. The tray end wall preferably only extends part way up the end wall of the container and the hood end wall preferably forms the remainder of the container end wall.

In the preferred embodiments, the hood side walls are hingedly interconnected by the hood end wall. In these embodiments the container is preferably formed in part by folding the hood end wall and side walls together about the frangible fold lines and onto the inner faces of the tray side walls and a tray end wall such that when the container is constructed part of the hood end wall lies inside of and overlapping the tray end wall.

According to the preferred embodiments, each edge of the hood portion which extends between the hood end wall and a hood side wall comprises a slot at the lower end.. Each slot preferably extends from the bottom edge of the hood to a point above the tray end wall. As such, the lower portions of the hood end wall and hood side walls are not joined to each other. This enables the lower portions of the hood walls to flex inwardly so as to assist removal of the hood portion from within the tray portion when desired.

Preferably, the hood end wall comprises an aperture through which a user may insert their finger in order to assist the removal of the hood portion from within the tray portion when it is desired.

The second end wall of the container is preferably formed from an end wall of the tray portion. According to the preferred embodiments, the second end wall is hingedly connected to a panel forming at least part of the top wall of the hood portion about a frangible fold -4-.

line: A line of weakness may also extend into the second end wall so as to define a removable portion in the second end wall that is removable together with the panel forming at least part of the top wall when the line of weakness is broken. In the preferred embodiments, the line of weakness extends into the second end wall from between first and second portions of the frangible fold line so as to define the removable portion in the end wall.

The frangible fold line and the line of weakness are preferably formed by intermittent cut lines, although any other means may be used to form the frangible fold line and/or the line of weakness, such as perforations.

In the preferred embodiments, the second end wall or the top wall may comprise an aperture which enables a user to insert a finger through the second end. wall or the end of the top wall so as to assist in breaking the line of. weakness or the frangible fold line.

The container is preferably configured such that when the top wall and/or removable portion is detached from the second end wall and the frangible fold lines joining the side walls of the tray and hood portions are broken the hood portion is then completely separated from the tray portion.

According to the preferred embodiments, at least one of the hood side walls is joined to a panel forming at least part of the hood top wall by a fold line arranged along a top edge of the container. In the preferred embodiments the top edge of each hood side wall is joined to a panel forming part of the hood top wall by a fold line and is also joined to a tray side wall by one of the frangible fold lines. The fold line joining each hood side wall with the hood top wall is preferably continuous with one of the frangible fold lines. The hood end wall is also preferably joined to a panel forming part of the hood top wall by a fold line.

In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the container is formed from a one-piece blank.

From another aspect the present invention provides a blank configured to form a container as described above.

According to the present invention there is provided a blank for forming a container, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming a tray portion of the container separably connected to a series of panels for forming a hood portion of the container, wherein panels for forming opposing side walls of the hood portion are joined to panels for forming opposing side walls of the tray portion by frangible fold lines, the blank being configured such that the panels for forming the side walls of the hood portion may be folded about the frangible fold lines to form a container wherein the side walls of the hood portion are arranged inwardly of and overlapping at least a portion of the side walls of the tray portion and such that the upper edges of the side walls of the tray and hood portions are joined along the frangible fold lines arranged along top edges of the container.

The series of panels for forming the container hood portion are preferably connected to the series of panels for forming the container tray portion only by the frangible fold lines.

In a flat unfolded configuration of the blank, each of the panels for forming a hood side wall preferably has a free outer edge and a second opposite inner edge, wherein the inner edge is joined to a panel for forming a tray side wall by one of the frangible fold lines and to a panel for forming at least part of the hood top wall by a fold line.

The blank of the present invention is preferably a one-piece blank.

In the flat unfolded configuration of the blank, a panel for forming the top wall of the container hood is preferably arranged between a panel for forming a side wall of the hood and a panel for forming a side wall of the tray. Preferably, a panel for forming part of the hood top wall is arranged between each pair of hood and tray side walls panels that are joined by one of the frangible fold lines.

Preferably, the panels for forming the hood side walls are hingedly interconnected by a panel for forming a hood end wall. Similarly, the panels for forming the tray side walls are preferably hingedly interconnected by a panel for forming a tray end wall. In this embodiment, a panel for forming part of the top wall of the hood is preferably arranged between the hood end wall and the tray end wall in the flat unfolded configuration of the blank.

According to the preferred embodiments, at least some of the panels for forming the top wall of the hood are only directly connected to an adjacent panel for forming a side or end wall of the hood portion. The panels for forming the top wall of the hood portion are preferably arranged adjacent to each other in the flat, unfolded configuration of the blank and are preferably separated from each other by cut lines or slots in the blank.

Preferably, a panel for forming a tray side wall and a panel for forming a hood top wall are generally complementary in shape and have been formed by making an appropriate cut in the blank. Preferably, both tray side walls and two panels for forming the hood top have been formed in this manner.

As mentioned above, the panels for forming the side walls of the hood portion are preferably hingedly interconnected by a panel for forming a hood end wall.

The panel for forming the hood end wall preferably has an outer, free edge and is connected to the panels for forming the side walls of the hood portion on two opposite side edges thereof. In the preferred embodiments a cut out slot is arranged between the panel for forming the hood end wall and each panel for forming the hood side walls. Each slot preferably extends from the outer, free edge of the end wall panel part way along each of the side edges of the end wall panel.

Preferably, the panel for forming the end wall of the hood portion comprises an aperture for allowing a user to insert their finger through the end wall during removal of the hood portion.

The blank preferably comprises a panel for forming a further end wall of the tray portion. This panel is preferably hingedly connected to one of the panels for forming a side wall of the tray portion.

This end wall panel is preferably hingedly connected to a further panel for forming part of the top wall of the hood portion along a fold line. At least a portion of the fold line preferably comprises a frangible fold line. According to the preferred embodiments, a line of weakness extends into the tray end wall panel so as to define a removable portion in the end wall panel. The removable portion is hingedly cormected to the further panel for forming part of the top wall along the fold line. Preferably, this portion of the hinge line does not comprise the line of weakness. In the preferred embodiments the line of weakness extends into the second end wall from between first and second portions of the frangible fold line so as to define the removable portion.

Preferably, an aperture is provided in the end wall panel at a position adjacent to the line of weakness for use in assisting the removal of the removable portion.

The blank further comprises a series of panels for forming the base wall of the tray portion. Each of these panels is preferably only directly connected to one of the panels for forming an end or side wall of the tray portion by a hinge line.

The container and blank of the present invention are preferably formed from cardboard, paperboard, plastic or any other foldable sheet material.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1A shows a container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and Fig. lB shows the tray portion of the container once the hood portion has been removed; and Figs. 2A-2E show a preferred embodiment of the blank for forming the preferred container at different stages during construction of the container.

Fig. 1A shows a container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The container comprises a hood portion 2 and a tray portion 10 which are separably connected to each other by frangible fold lines 22,42. The hood portion 2 serves to protect the contents of the container during transport and storage.

When it is desired to display the contents of the container the hood portion 2 is removed by breaking the frangible fold lines 22,42, as will be described more fully below.

The hood portion 2 has a front wall 4, left and right side walls 6,8 and a top wall 9. The tray portion comprises a front wall 12, a back wall 18, left and right side walls 14,16 and a base wall 20. As can be seen from Fig. 1A, the tray side walls 14,16 and front wall 12 only form portions of the side walls and front wall of the container. However, each of the tray side walls 14,16 comprises a rear portion which extends the full height of the container side wall, from the container base 20 to one of the frangible fold lines 22.

The front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hood portion 2 are arranged inside of and totally overlapping the front wall 12 and side walls 14,16 of the tray portion 10. The hood side walls 6,8 are directly joined to the tray side walls 14,16 only by the frangible fold lines 22.

The hood top wall 9 is formed in part by panels 9a- 9c which are hingedly connected to the hood front wall 4 and the hood side walls 6,8. The hood top wall 9 is -10 -also formed in part by a panel 9d which is hingedly connected to the tray back wall 18 along fold line 44.

The back wall 18 of the tray portion 10 compriseS a removable portion (not shown) that is hingedly connected to the top wall panel 9d by the fold line 44. The removable portion is defined by a line of weakness 42 in the back wall 18 which also extends along the laterally outer parts of the fold line 44 between the tray back wall 18 and the top wall panel 9d.

When it is desired to remove the hood portion 2 of the container the removable portion in the tray back wall 18 is broken away by breaking the line of weakness 42. The removable portion is then pulled upwardly so as to break the remainder of the line of weakness 42 extending along the fold line 44 and to break the frangible fold lines 22 joining the hood side walls 6,8 to the tray side walls 14,16. The hood portion 2 is then no longer joined to the tray portion 10.

The edges of the hood portion 2 between the front wall 4 and the side walls 6,8 comprise slots 5 along which the lower portions of the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 are not joined. This enables the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 to flex inwardly so that the hood portion 2 can be withdrawn from the tray portion 10 more easily when the hood portion 2 is to be removed. The user may insert their finger through an aperture 7 in the front wall 4 of the hood portion 2 to assist in lifting the hood portion 2 out of the tray portion 10.

Fig. lB shows the tray portion 10 of the container once the hood portion 2 has been removed. An opening 19 in the tray back wall 18 can be seen where the removable -11 -part that is connected to the top wall panel 9d of the hood portion 2 has been removed.

Figs. 2A-2E show the blank for forming the container at various stages during construction of the container.

Fig. 2A shows the blank in the flat, unfolded configuration. The blank comprises a series of panels 20a-20d for forming the base wall 20 of the tray portion and a series of panels 12a,l4a,16a,18a for forming the front wall 12, side walls 14,16 and back wall 18 of the tray portion 10. The blank also comprises a series of panels 4a,6a,8a for forming the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hood portion 2 and a series of panels 9a-9d for forming the top wall 9 of the hood portion 2.

The series of panels 20a-20d for forming the base wall 20 of the tray portion 10 are hingedly connected to the series of panels 12a,14a,lGa,18a for forming the tray front wall 12, back wall 18 and side walls 16,18 about fold lines 30. The panels 4a,6a,8a for forming 2G the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hood portion 2 are hingedly interconnected about fold lines 32,33.

Slots 5 are provided between the hood front wall panel 4a and the hood side wall panels 6a,8a. An aperture 7 is also provided in the hood end wall panel 4a. These slots 5 and the aperture 7 are provided to assist in the removal of the hood portion 2 of the container.

The panels 6a,8a for forming the side walls 6,8 of the hood portion 2 are joined to the panels 14a,16a for forming the side walls 14,16 of the tray portion 2 only by the frangible fold lines 22. The panels 4a,6a,8a for forming the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hood -12 -portion 2 are hingedly connected to the panels 9a-9c for forming the top wall 9 of the hood portion 2 by fold lines 34,35,36. The panels 9a-9c for forming the top wall 9 of the hood portion 10 are only directly connected to the panels 4a,Ga,8a for forming the hood front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 and are separated from each other by cut lines 38,39.

The panel l8a for forming the tray back wall 18 is hingedly connected to panel 9d for forming part of the top wall 9 of the hood portion 2 about a fold line 44.

A line of weakness 42 is provided for forming a removable portion 40 in the tray back wall panel 18a.

The line of weakness has two portions 42a,42b which extends part way along the fold line 44 and a portion 42c which extends into the tray back wall panel 18a to define the removable portion 40. The removable portion is connected to the panel 9d for forming part of the top wall 9 of the hood portion 2 by the fold line 44 such that when the line of weakness 42a-42c is broken the panel 9d and removable portion 40 may be separated from the tray back wall panel 18a as one piece. The tray back wall panel 18a also comprises an aperture 46 locat.ed adjacent to the line of weakness 42 for assisting in the removal of the removable portion 40.

The blank further comprises a flap 50 which is hingedly connected to the tray right side wall panel 16a by a fold line 52. The flap 50 is for use in joining the tray right side wall panel 16a to the tray back wall panel iSa so as to form the container.

The panels 20a-20d for forming the tray base wall are configured to interlock when the blank is erected as a container. The outer free end of the base wall -13 -panel 20a that is hingedly connected to the tray right wall panel 16a comprises a projecting portion 54 and two recessed portions 56. The base wall panel 20c that is hingedly connected to the tray left wall panel 14a comprises a slot 58 which extends part way along the panel 20c and which is configured to receive the projecting portion 54 on flap 20a in order to maintain the base wall 20 closed when the container is erected.

The base wall panels 20a and 20c also comprise fold lines 60 which assist in inserting the projecting portion 54 through the slot 58.

Fig. 2B shows the blank during the first stage of construction of the container. The panels 4a,.6a,8a for forming the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hoo'd portion 10 are folded inwardly about the frangible fold lines 22 and towards the surfaces of the blank for forming the inside of the container. The panels 9a-9c for forming the top wall 9 of the hood portion 2 remain co-planar with the panels 4a,6a,8a for forming the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hood portion 2 and rotate outwardly about an axis defined by the frangible fold lines 22. The panels 4a,6a,8a,9a-9C are continued to be rotated until the panels 4a,6a,8a for forming the front wall 4 and side walls 6,8 of the hood portion 2 overlap the inside of the panels 12a,14a,16a for forming the front wall 12 and side walls 14,16 of the tray portion 10, as shown in Fig. 2C.

The blank is then folded about fold lines 26,32,38 such that panels 9a,8a,20a overlay the inner surface of panels 9b,4a,20b respectively and such that the tab 50 extends away from panel 16a. The blank is then folded about fold line 28 such that panels 9d18a,20d overlay -14 -panels 9c,6a,20c respectively and with the tab panel 50 adhered to the inner surface of the tray back wall panel 18a. As such, the blank has been folded to the configuration shown in Fig. 2D.

Fig. 2E shows the blank of Fig. 2D after it has been expanded into a tubular form. In order to complete the container the tray base panels 20b,20d that are hingedly connected to the front wall panel 12a arid back wall pne1 18a of the tray portion 10 are folded inwards. Tray base wall panel 20c is then folded in over base wall panels 20b and 20d before tray base wall panel 20a is folded in. The projecting portion 54 on tray base wall panel 20a is then pushed into the container until its free end projects through the slot 58 in tray base wall panel 20c. This is assisted by the fold lines 60 in the tray base wall panels 20a,20c which allow panels 20a,20c to flex inwardly between the container side walls. The base wall panels 20a-20d are then released and they flex outwardly to their normal closed position as the projecting portion 54 passes through the slot 58. The container may then be filled with products.

In order to form the top wall of the hood portion 2, the top wall panels 9b,9d that are hingedly connected to the hood front wall panel 4a and the tray back wall panel 18a are folded inwards. The top wall panels 9a,9c that are hingedly connected to the hood side walls 6a,8a are then folded inwards over hood panels 9b,9d and are adhered thereto. A container as shown in Fig. 1A is thus formed for storing and transporting the products.

In an alternative, non-illustrated embodiment, the top wall panels 9a,9c that are joined to the hood side -15 -wall panels 6a,8a may be folded in prior to folding in the top wall panels 9b,9d that are joined to the front and back wall panels 4a,18a. In either embodiment, the top wall panels that are folded in last may be adhered to the underlying top wall panels or may be taped together by a strip of tape so as to maintain the top wall 9 closed. Similarly, base wall panels 20a and 20c may be folded in prior to base wall panels 20b and 20d.

In this embodiment, base wall panels 20b and 20d comprise the projecting portion 54 and the slot 58.

When it is desired to display the products in the tray portion 10, the hood portion 2 must be removed.

This is achieved by inserting a finger through aperture 46 in the back wall 18 of the tray portion 10 (as best seen in Fig. 2E) and pulling the removable portion 40 of the back wall 18 outwards so as to break the portion 42c of the line of weakness 42 defining the removable portion 40. The removable portion 40 is then pulled upwards so as to break portions 42a,42b of the line of weakness 42 and to break the frangible fold lines 22 joining the hood side walls 6,8 to the tray side walls 14,16. The hood portion 2 and tray portion 10 are then entirely separated. The user may insert a finger through aperture 7 in the front wall 4 of the hood portion 2 in order to assist in removing the hood portion 2 from within the tray portion 10, leaving a tray portion 10 as shown in Fig. lB (except filled with products for display).

Claims

-16 -Claims: 1. A container comprising a tray portion separably connected to a hood portion, the tray portion comprising opposed side walls and the hood portion comprising opposed side walls, the side walls of the hood portion being arranged inwardly of and overlapping at least a portion of the side walls of the tray portion, the upper edges of said side walls of said tray portion and said hood portion being separably joined along frangible fold lines arranged along top edges of the container.
2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container is formed from a one-piece blank.
3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the tray side walls only forms a portion of a side wall of the container.
4. A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein each tray side wall has a portion which extends only part way up the side wall of the container and a portion which extends from a base wall of the container to a top edge of the container.
5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the frangible fold lines extend from one end of the container part way towards the opposite end of the container.

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6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hood side walls are hingedly interconnected by a hood end wall and wherein the tray side walls are hingedly interconnected by a tray end wall.
7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the container has a first end wall which is formed by folding the hood end wall and hood side walls together about said frangible fold lines and onto the inner faces of the tray side walls and the tray end wall such that when the container is constructed part of the hood end wall lies inside of and overlapping the tray end wall.
8. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container comprises a second end wall which is connected to a top wall of the hood portion by a frangible fold line.
9. A container as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a line of weakness in the second end wall defining a removable portion that is removable together with the top wall when the line of weakness is broken.
10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the hood side walls is joined to a panel for forming at least part of the hood top wall by a fold line arranged along a top edge of the container.
11. A blank configured to form a container as claimed in any preceding claim.

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12. A blank for forming a container, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming a tray portion of the container separably connected to a series of panels for forming a hood portion of the container, wherein panels for forming opposing side walls of the hood portion are joined to panels for forming opposing side walls of the tray portion by frangible fold lines, the blank being configured such that the panels for forming the side walls of the hood portion may be folded about the frangible fold lines to form a container wherein the side walls of the hood portion are arranged inwardly of and overlapping at least a portion of the side walls of the tray portion and such that the upper edges of the side walls of the tray and hood portions are joined along the frangible fold lines arranged along top edges of the container.
13. A blank as claimed in claim 12, wherein in a flat unfolded configuration of the blank each of the panels for forming a hood side wall has a free outer edge and a second opposite inner edge, wherein the inner edge is joined to a panel for forming a tray side wall by one of the frangible fold lines and to a panel for forming at least part of the hood top wall by a fold line.
14. A blank as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein in the flat unfolded configuration of the blank a panel for forming the top wall of the container hood is arranged between a panel for forming a side wall of the hood and 3C a panel for forming a side wall of the tray.

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15. A blank as claimed in any of claims 11-14, wherein the blank is a one-piece blank.