Configurable horizontal divider bridge system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12098001-B2
Application number	US-202117324773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2021
Priority date	May 19, 2021
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

Examples provide a configurable divider bridge system. A divider bridge includes a tab at opposite ends of the divider bridge. The tabs insert into receiving slots inside a container, such as a display case or packing container. The receiving slots guide the tabs downward between the interior sides of the container and items placed inside the container. As the tabs slide down into the receiving slots, the side panels of the divider bridge are guided into an unfolded configuration. The slots permit installation of the divider bridge into the container which already contains soft product easily while preventing damage to the divider or the soft product. The divider bridge can be placed inside the container in a variety of configurations and/or orientations to accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of containers and types of items being stored, transported, or displayed within the containers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A configurable divider bridge system comprising:
a display case having a first receiving slot associated with an interior surface of a first side member and a second receiving slot associated with the interior surface of a second side member, the first receiving slot opposite to the second receiving slot;
a first divider bridge folded in an “M” configuration comprising:
a first guide tab associated with a first side panel, the first guide tab sized to fit within the first receiving slot, the first receiving slot guides the first side panel between the first side member of the interior surface of the display case and at least one item located within a storage space associated with an interior of the display case downward toward a base member of the display case when the first guide tab is engaged with the first receiving slot during installation of the first divider bridge into the display case;
a second guide tab associated with a second side panel, the second guide tab sized to fit within the second receiving slot, the second receiving slot guides the second side panel between the second side member of the interior surface of the display case and at least one item located within a storage space associated with the interior of the display case downward toward the base member of the display case when the second guide tab is engaged with the second receiving slot during installation of the first divider bridge into the display case;
a first horizontal panel having a length equal to a length of the display case and a width equal to the width of the display case, wherein the first horizontal panel is parallel to the base member when the first divider bridge is in an unfolded configuration, wherein the first side panel, the first horizontal panel and a middle panel define a first reinforced storage space for the at least one item, wherein the middle panel, the first horizontal panel, and the second side panel define a second reinforced storage space, wherein the first divider bridge separates a bottom section of the interior of the display case from a top section of the interior of the display case; and
a second divider bridge folded into a “W” configuration, wherein the second divider bridge sits on top of the first divider bridge within the display case, wherein the second divider bridge defines a third reinforced storage space and a fourth reinforced storage space for storing items within the interior of the display case.

2. The configurable divider bridge system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first reinforced storage space, wherein the first side panel, the first horizontal panel and the second side panel define the first reinforced storage space within the interior of the display case when the first divider bridge is installed in the display case in an unfolded configuration.

3. The configurable divider bridge system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the middle panel located between the first side panel and the second side panel of the first divider bridge forming a vertical divider defining a first reinforced storage space between the first side panel and the middle panel and a second reinforced storage space between the second side panel and the middle panel, wherein a third fold line bisects the middle panel, wherein the middle panel folds at the third fold line to form a double-layered middle support member that sits between a first set of items and a second set of items inside the display case.

4. The configurable divider bridge system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first reinforced storage space for storing a first set of items, wherein the middle panel and the first side panel define the first reinforced storage space within the interior of the display case when the first divider bridge is folded into the “M” configuration.

5. The configurable divider bridge system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a horizontal panel that rests on top of a flat surface, wherein two side members extend upward on each side of the first divider bridge when the first divider bridge is folded into a “U” configuration, wherein the horizontal panel forms a platform on which items may be stacked.

6. The configurable divider bridge system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a horizontal panel sitting on top of two downward oriented side panels when the first divider bridge is folded into an upside down “U” configuration, wherein an item is placed beneath the horizontal panel in the upside down “U” configuration.

7. A configurable divider bridge comprising:
a guide tab associated with a first side panel, the guide tab sized to fit within a receiving slot of a display case, wherein the receiving slot guides the first side panel between an interior surface of a first side member of the display case and a set of items associated with an interior of the display case as the configurable divider bridge is unfolded into an “M” configuration;
a second side panel between the interior surface of a second side member of the display case and the set of items located within a bottom portion of the interior of the display case;
a horizontal panel parallel to a base member of the display case when the configurable divider bridge is in the “M” configuration, wherein the horizontal panel with the first side panel and the second side panel define a reinforced storage space for the set of items; and
a “W” configuration of the configurable divider bridge, wherein the configurable divider bridge in the “W” configuration defines a first reinforced storage space and a second reinforced storage space within a top portion of the interior of the display case.

8. The configurable divider bridge of claim 7 , further comprising:
a middle panel located between the first side panel and the second side panel forming a vertical divider defining the first reinforced storage space between the first side panel and the middle panel and a second reinforced storage space between the second side panel and the middle panel.

9. The configurable divider bridge of claim 7 ,
wherein the configurable divider bridge in the “M” configuration defines a third reinforced storage space and a fourth reinforced storage space within the display case.

10. The configurable divider bridge of claim 7 , further comprising:
a set of holes in the horizontal panel to facilitate removal of the configurable divider bridge from the display case.

11. The configurable divider bridge of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first fold line separating the horizontal panel and the first side panel, wherein the first side panel folds at the first fold line for insertion of the guide tab into the receiving slot.

12. The configurable divider bridge of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second fold line separating the horizontal panel and the second side panel, wherein the second side panel folds downward at the second fold line for insertion of the second side panel into the display case.

13. The configurable divider bridge of claim 12 , further comprising:
a third fold line bisecting a middle panel, wherein the middle panel folds at the third fold line to form a double-layered middle support member that sits between a first set of items and a second set of items inside the display case, wherein the middle support member divides a bottom portion of the interior of the display case vertically to form two reinforced storage spaces.

14. A configurable divider bridge comprising:
a horizontal panel parallel to a base member when the configurable divider bridge is in an unfolded configuration, having a length equal to a length of a display case and a width equal to the width of the display cas

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Genord Jonathan Michael
• Isbell Anna L
• Groves Brenna

Classifications

• B65D5/52

  External stands or display elements for contents · CPC title

• B65D5/5035

  Paper elements (in combination with wooden elements B65D5/5095) · CPC title

• B65D5/48048 Primary

  Single partition formed by folding one or more blanks and provided with flaps fixed to or maintained by parts of the container body (B65D5/4804 takes precedence) · CPC title