GB2497720A - Display carton - Google Patents

Abstract

A box includes a flap 16 in one of its walls 22 which can open to reveal a product through window 12. The flap is hinging about a fold line 68 within the wall rather than extending all the way to the fold line between a pair of walls of the panel. The flap includes a second fold line dividing it into a display portion 16 and a support panel 66 to support itself in an upstanding position. The flap can be defined by a permanent cut or separable perforations 65. The rest of the wall preferably surrounds the flap on at least three sides. The flap ideally includes a third panel 76 formed in a second wall 26 of the box to form a triangle when the flap is upstanding. The third panel can include fingers 82 to engage with slots 69 to retain it open. The window can be covered by a transparent film. The boxes side walls 26 can extend beyond 100 the base wall acting as legs to support the box. The box may contain food and be resistant to heating. The box can be folded from a net.

Description

B OX

The present invention is concerned with boxes. It has applications in relation to boxes for holding food products which are pre-heated. and displayed for retail sale in holding ovens. Prior art in this field will he discussed below. It must he emphasised, however, that the invention has potential applications in relation to boxes of other types.

Food products such as sandwiches and pies are commonly soRt hot in supermarkets and other retail outlets. Glass-fronted or open4ronted holding ovens are used to keep the products hot whilst displaying them to customers. The products are typically packaged prior to display. enahhng them to be provided with product information and to be easily handled by staff and customers without creating hygien.e problems.

It is desirable to penni.t the purchaser to see the product prior to purchase and important that it should he displayed to best advantage in order to ma.xirnise sales potential. Transparent plastic bags or sleeves capabie of withstanding the heat of the holding oven are well known mid widely used in this context but have an economical, down-market appearance and so are not thought of as ideal for high value/high margin food products.

Also known fbr use in this context are cardboard boxes with plastic windows for product display. One such box is formed of grease resistant cardboard with a window onening formed by cutting away parts of its top and front wails, the window opening being covered by a window of thin plastics film. The window displays the product within. i'he box can have a relatively attractive, up-market appearance. However it suffers from certain shortcomings.

One problem is that if the majority of the top and side walls are cut away to tonu the opening far the window then there is relatively little remaining area on these surfaces for provision of product infomtation, When the box is displayed. in the holding oven it is only these surfaces that are normally visible to the customer. In practice, therefore, retailers often apply their own labels over the plastics window, obscuring the product itself in a retail environment, with a great deal of competition for customer attention, the appearance of the product as presented to the customer can he vital to its commercial success.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a box with an enhanced capacity for display of both (a) information, such as product information, and (b) the produci itself iesirábly the box should nonetheless be siraightfonvard to manufacture and to erect ready for display.

Some holding ovens are airheated hut others use heated shelves. The latter create potential difficulties where products are displayed for a protracted period (a four hour shelf time is often required in a retailer) because prolonged localised heating from beneath can impair food. quality. For example a sandwich allowed to stand upon a heated shelf fcr a protracted period in a conventional cardboard box can become unacceptably dry on its lower side. Some means is therefore needed tbr preventing transmission of excessive heat from the shelf to the product through the base of the packaging.

One known package, described in EP0S4497l granted to Pethick and Money ijd, has a cardboard base wall which meets a pair of side wails in a curved crease, so that when pushed upward the base wall "pops" into a curved configuration. in this configuration the base wail contacts the supporting shelf only at its periphery, minimising thermal contact of the product with the shelf 1-lowever this package is not a box as such it has only a base and a pair of side valls, the product being enclosed by a film covering. iIso the base wail can, due to careless handling.

"pop" back into a flat configuration allowing the thod within to he spoiled.

It would he desirahe to provide a box, tbrmed of sheet materisi, with a convenient means of separating the box's base wall from a supporting surface, In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is a box constructed with folded sheet material and having a first wail which is ccc or perforated to defin.e a flap which is joined to Inc remainder of the first wail through a first crease aid which comprises a display panel arid a support panel joined to one another through a second crease, the flap beir.ig movable between an initia configuration, in which the display panel lies in the pane of the first wail, and a display configuration, in which the display panel is raised out of the plane of the first wall to an upstanding position, thereby revealing a window in the first wail through which content of the box can he viewed, and in which the display paneE is supported in its upstanding position by the support panel.

Typically the first wall from which the flap is formed is the top wail cf the box.

The upstanding display panel provides an area for display of information arid the support panel provides a means of stahilising the display panel in this orientation.

Preferably the display panel and the support panel form an inverted "V" in the display configuration, which is particularly stable.

Preferably the flap is not formed by the entirety of the first wafl of the box.

Instead, in a preferred embodiment, the flap is flamed on at least three sides by the remainder of the first wail of the box. This frame provides glue area for attachment of a transparent window to the box. It also ensures structural integrity of the box in the display configuration.

It is especially preferred that the display flap further comprises a retaining panel joined to the remainder of the flap through a third crease. nd abie to be folded back so that in the display configuration the displaç support and retaining panels form a triangle with the retaining panel adjacent the first face of the box. Some means is preferably provided for retaining the flap in this configuraticn and this can be formed by a cut away in an end portion of the retaining panel deflning a pair of fingers engageabie with a portion of the flap where it meets the first face of the box, The fingers can thus. embrace this root portion of the flap to keep it in place once erected.

While the flap can be cut away from the first wall of the box alone, it is preferred that it should extend beyond a vertex between the first face of the box and. a second face of the box, the retaining panel being formed by a portion of the second face of the box. In this case the window likewise preferably extends over the first and second faces of the box. The window may be formed by a transparent plastics film.

The flap does not necessarily provide a means fhr the user to open the box arid access its content, since the opening that it reveals is preferab'y covered by a transparent window. Preferably the box further comprises opening perforations deflning an opening flap which can be pulled back by the user to access the box's content.

Preferably portions of at least two upright box wails extend beyond a bottom wall of the box to form legs, so that when the box stands on a surface the bottom svall is supported above the surface, En this way the problem of excessive direct heating by a heated shelf of a hoTding oven can be alleviated.

Preferably, the retaining panel comprises a pair of support surfaces which rest on the first wall to support the dispay panel in its upstanding position. In an embodiment, the retaining panel is wider than the support panel.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only. with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a box embodying the present invention in an initial, pre--display configuration. The box is seen from in front, above and to one side; Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of the same box fiom a similar viewpoint but shows the box configured for display in a holding oven; Figure 3 is a ftrthcr perspective illustration of the box in the display configuration, the viewpoint in this drawing being from above, one side and the rear; Figure 4 is still a further perspective illustration of the box, the viewpoint in this case being from the rear, one side and hen eath Figure 5 is a plan view of a net from whicn. the box is formed; and Figure 6 is a perspective illustration of another embodiment of the presen.t invention in an injtiaL pre-display configuration. The box is seen from in front, above and to one side.

ihe box 10 seen in the drawings is for display of goods, more particularly of.tbod which is to be sold ready heated. It is interded to he displayed in a holding oven at a shop or other commercial outlet, U has a transparent window 12 fbr disp'ay of the goods within.-En accordance with the invention this is initially Lige1y covered by a iiap 14 (Figure 1) but when the box 10 is re-configured ready for display in the shop, the flap is folded back (as seen in Figures 2 and 3) to uncover the window 12 arid so display the goods, and also to provide and support an upstanding display panel 16 which gives a visually conspicuous area for display of inthrmation. [he result can he an eye-catching and attractive box which provides the user with an unimpeded view of the product whilst at the same time providing ample surface area br di.iaying the required product data, advertising material etc. The box 10 will now be described in more detail. It is a least predominantly formed of opaque folded sheet material. in the present embocinnent the material is cardboard but other sheet materials capable of being cut and folded coud be used instead. Where the box 10 is to contain food, the most favoured material is grease resistant cardboard which, being pre-impregnated with a grease barrier, is resistant to discolouration mid softening by grease from the food. The box's cardboard net 18 (see Figure 5) is, using automated techniques which are very widely known and used and will not be described herein, cut, perforated, scored., folded and gkued to form the box. The window 12 is separately formed from transparent sheet material, in the present embodiment a plastics film, adhered around its periphery to an interior face of the cardboard net.

The illustrated box 10 is generally cuboidal, having square or rectangular top and bottom walls 22, 24 which are generally horizontal *hen the box is displayed on a shelf and are joined by upright front and rear wails ?.6, 28 and side vails 30, 32.

In Figure 5 it can be seen that the top wall 22 meets the front, rear and side wail.s 2632 in respective crease lines 34. The front and rear iaHs 26, 28 each have a respective pair of side tuck, flaps 36, 38 which close the box's upright vertices 40 when the box is erected. The side walls 30, 32 each carry on their low-er edges, defined by respective crease lines 42, 44, respective bottom tuck. flaps 46, 48 which close the fore-and aft extending vertices 50 in the erected box. The bottom Nail. 24 meets the front wail 26 in a crease 52 and on its opposite edge it carries a gLue panel 54, delineated by a crease 56, which is adhered to a lower portion of the rear wall 28 upon erection of the box, this being the only glue joint required to maintain the box in its erected configuration. To enable the purchaser to open the box and remove its contents, opening perthrations 58, 60 each extend from a lower edge of the rear wail 28 to the vertex between the top and front walls 22, 26, defining between them an opening flap 62. The opening perforations 58, 60 converge toward the lower edge of the rear wail 28. forming a graspable tab part 64. By grasping this and pulling the opening flap 62 back, tearing along the opening perforations 58. 50, the user opens the box.

It is emphasised that the illustrated box 10 serves as an example only of one type of box that can he adapted. in accordance with the present invention. Nñmerous other types of box construction are known and could he used. The box need not necessarily he cuboida hi shape. Non-g'ued boxes could be used.

According to tiie invention, the top and front wails 22 and 25 have perforations 65 defining the display flap 14. In the box's initial, pre-display, configuration, the display flap 14!argeiy covers the window-12, as seen. in Figure i -Tt comprises a support panel 66 formed by a portion of the top wail 22 and attached to the remainder thereof by a lateral crease 6$. The crease 68 is narrower than the

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support panel 66 by virtue of undercuts 69 formed in the support panel on either side of the crease. The support panel is separated from the display panel 16, also fbrmed from a portion of the top wall 22, by a further lateral crease 72. At the vertex 74 between the box's top and front walls 22,26, the display panel meets a retaining panel 76 formed by a portion of the front wall 26. The display flap 14 is framed by the remaining parts 78 of the top and front walls 22, 26 and the box's structural integrity is maintained when the display flap is erected as in Figure 2. A lower portion of the retaining panel 76 has a cut away 80 forming engagement fingers 82 on either side of the cut away.

The box 10 is supplied to the retailer flat, as seen in Figure 5, which minimises bulk during transport. The retailer then folds the box to loin the configuration seen in Figure 1, with the display flap 14 yet to be torn away from the top and front walls 22, 26. In this configuration the box 10 is relatively compact and can be stackecL The window 12 is protected from dirt and firnn damage in handling by the display flap 14. The box 10 may be supplied empty or it may be pre-filled with goods. Where the box is for use with hot food, it can in suitable cases be supplied to the retailer ready filled and can be formed to withstand the temperatures involved in heating of the food.

To prepare the box 10 for display, the retailer is required merely to grasp the lower part of the retaining panel 76 (the cut away 80 pmvides a convenient finger hold for this purpose) and raise it, tearing along the perfbrations 65 so that the display panel 14 is separated from the remainder of the box save along its lateral i9 crease 68. The retaining panel 76 is then folded hack to lie parallel to the top wall 22 ar.d the engagement fingers 82 are slipped beneath the support paitel 66, being received in the undercuts 69, to maintain the display flap 14 in its erected configuration. hi this configuration the fingers 82 embrace the upstanding support panel 66. The engagement fingers 82 and/or the support panel 66 may be shaped or otherwise formed to provide positive engagement with one another. For example inner edges 86 of the engager cut fingers 82 may converge slightly toward their lower ends to resist withdrawal. Additionally or alternatively their separation may be slightly smaller than the length of the lateral crease 68, with short slits 88 (see Figure 5) being provided at root ends of the fingers 82 to receive edges of the support panel 66.

When the box is configured for display the support panel 66, display panel 16 and retaining panel 76 fnn a triangle in side view, The display panel 16, being inclined upwardl.y from the top wail 22, is visually conspicuous and provides adequate area for display of product information, attachment of product labels ew.

without the need to place such material on the window 12, Hence an unobstructed view of the product can be provided to the user. In this configuration the box 10 cannot be straighiforwardly stacked but typically products in holding ovens are placed directly upon a shelt without stacking, so this does net create a prob'em.

The support panel 66 is visible only from the rear of the box but it too can be used to carry product information. in this embodiment the same faces of the display and support panels 16, 66 are outermost before and after the box is re-configured for display, so it is necessary ony to print on one face of the net 18. Opening of _t., the box 1 0, using the pull tab 64 desciTheci above, is unaffected by the provision of the display flap 14.

Another aspect of the invention concerns legs 100, 102 which serve to separate the bottom vial! 24 from a supporting surface such as a shelf. This is advantageous for example where the box 10 is to be displayed in a holding oven having heated shelves, since it serves to prevent conduction of heat directly from the shelf through the bottom waIl 24 to the. food within the box, The term "legs" as used herein does not in itself imply that these features have any particular shape or configuration, save that they are formed and. arranged to be able to support the box 10. In the illustrated, embodiment the legs 100, 102 are formed integrally with upright wails of the box 10, and more specifically with the front and rear walls 26, 28.

Looking at Figure 5 it can be seen that front kg 100 is fbrmed by virtue of a cut 104 in the shape of a wide, shallow Ii)" in the bottom wall 24, the ends of the cut meeting crease 52 between the front and bottom walls 26, 24. By virtue of the cut 104, when the box is folded along this crease during assembly, the front leg 100 is not folded along with the remainder of the bottom wall 24, remaining instead in.

the same plane as the front wall 26 and so extending downwardly from the front wail to perthrnt its support ftmction.

Rear leg 102 is formed differently. As explained above, assembly of the box 10 involves adhering a glue panel 54 to a lower portion of the rear wail 28. in the ii illustrated embodiment, however, the rear waIl 28 is extended at 103 (Figure 5) to project downward beyond the glue panel 54 and beyond the bottom wail 24, the rear leg 02 being formed by this projecting part of the rear wall.

Some means may he provided to prevent or reduce fogging of the window 12 by condensation, This can be done by provision of an anti-fog coating on the window 12. and/or by provision of some means for venting water vapour, such as holes in the box wails or micro-perforations in the window.

It is emphasised again that the above enibodiment is presented by way of example and not limitation. Ntmerous variations and modifications can he made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example the configuration of the display flap I 4 may be altered. Although. the triangular configuration of the erected display, support and retaining panels 66, 70, 76 is attractive in that it is rigid and defines the angle of the display panel 70, the inventors contemplate other embodiments in which the display flap 14 would be creased to provide four panels and so fonn, when erected, a square or rectangular configuration. While some means is needed to retain the display flap in its erected configuration, this need not take the form of a retaining panel as such. For example, an alternative would he to provide a lower portion of the support panel with fingers to be pushed into com.pementary &ots in the upper wail of the box.

the window in the box through which its content can he viewed is, in the above described embodiment, covered by a transparent plastics film but this can in other embodiments be dispensed with so that the box is, when the flap 14 has been folded back to configure it for display, open through the window for access to th.e goods. The inventors contemplate an embodiment of the box of this type to he formed of plastics sheet, which may he transparent or translucent Note in this regard that the version of the box seen in Figures 1-5 uses the transparent window panel 12 to support the display flap 14 when it is folded back. If the transparent window 12 is dispensed with then it is not available to provide this support function and the display flap 14 could sag. Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the invention which overcomes this potential problem, it is similar to Figure 1 and identical features are given the same reference numerals, Note however that the dispiay panel 16 is flared at its front edge in a region 110 with the result that the adjacent retaining panel 76 is. wider than the other pails of the display flap 14.

When the retaining panel 76 is thIded back, its edges are therefore supported on the top wall 22, ensuring that the display flap 14 stays in its proper place.

Wiule the aforegoing description refers to perforations, and typically hese take the form of intermittent cuts through the matenal of the box, it must be understood that the term encompasses any suitable formation defining lines along which the material will preferentially tear and so includes for example kiss cuts, Creases will typically be prescored during the box's manufacture but need not be in all embodiments. Where references are made to "cuts" they may imply that the material has been cut during manufacture, as by means of a die, hut may instead simply refer to lines -however formed --along which the material of the box is divided.

As pointed out above the invention is not only suitable for boxes used in food nackaging. It provides a notentially economical and attractive means of displaying and protecting any item, be it for retail sale or not. The inventors envisage, for example, that watches might he sold in boxes embodying the invention. 1$

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>CLAIMSA box constructed with bided sheet material and having a first wall which is cut or perforated to define a flap which is joined to the remainder of the first wail through a first crease and which compnses a display panel and a support panel joined to one another through a second crease, the flap being movable between an initial configuration, hi which the display panel lies in the plane of the first wali and a display configuration, in which the display panel is raised out of the plane of the first wall to an upstanding position, thereby revealing a window in the first wail through which content of the box can he viewed, and in which the display panel is supported in its upstanding position by the support panel.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A box as claimed in claim I in which the display panel and the support pas.eI form an inverted "V" in the display configuration.</claim-text> <claim-text>3, A box as claimed in claim I or claim 2 in winch the flap is framed on at least three sides by the remainder of the first face of the box.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A box as claimed in any preceding claim in which the display flap further comprises a retaining panel Joined to the remainder of the flap through a third crease and able to he fuMed back so that in the display configuration the display, support and retaining panels form a triangle with the retaining panel adjacent the first face of the box.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A box as claimed in claim 4 in which the flap extends beyond a vertex between the first face of the box and a second face of the box, the retaining panel being ftrmed by a portion of the second face of the box.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A box as claimed in claim 4 or claim S in which an end portion of the retaining nailei is cut away to provide a pair of -fingers engageahie with a portion of the 1ia.p where it meets the first face of the box.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A box as claimed in claim 6 in which said portion of the flap where it meets the first face of the box is narrowed by a pair of undercuts on either side of the flap to receive the engagement fingers.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A box as claimed in any preceding claim in which the window is covered by a transparent film.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A box as dairned in any preceding claim further comprising opening perforations defining an opening flap which ca.n be pulled back by the user to access the box's content.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A box a.s defined in any preceding claim in which portions of at east two upright box Nails extend beyond a bottom wall of the box to form legs, so that when the box stands on a surface the bottom wall is supported above the surface. is</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A box as claimed in any preceding claim which is for holding hot food, the materials of the box being resistant to degradation by heat.l2.Aboxasclamedinclaim4inwhichtheretainingpaneliswiderthanthe support panel.13. A box as claimed in claim 4 in which the retaining panel comprises a pair of support surfaces which rest on the first wait to support the display panel in its upstanding position.14. A flat cardboard or plastics sheet which is precut and perforated ft,r folding into a box as claimed in any preceding claim.15. A box substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings. a</claim-text>