Convertible case with deployable ventilation panels for shipping and displaying food products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738413-B2
Application number	US-201515118032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2015
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A convertible case for shipping and displaying packages of a food product includes a body formed from a first blank of a cardboard material and a hood formed from a second blank of a cardboard material. The first blank is foldable into a six-sided rectangular body and filled, using automatic or manual production processes, into a shipping configuration assembly having a front with a partially open region and a removable portion with a glue area, a back having a partially open region and a removable portion having a glue region, a left side, a right side, a top having a left panel and a right panel that are each shaped to provide a logo area and defining a partially open region between the logo areas, and a bottom having one or more selectively removable vent panels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible case for shipping and displaying a food product, the convertible case comprising:
a body comprising:
a front portion and a back portion each having a partially open region and a removable portion, wherein each removable portion includes a fastening area;
a left side;
a right side;
a top portion having a left panel that includes a first logo area and a right panel that includes a second logo area, the first and second logo areas defining a partially open region; and
a bottom portion having a removable bridge panel defined by two substantially parallel perforated lines, wherein a first removable vent panel is composed adjacent to a left side of the bridge panel and a second removable vent panel is composed adjacent to a right side of the bridge panel, and wherein each removable vent panel includes a push-in tab or a vent configured to increase airflow within the case for cooling the food product; and

an inverted U-shaped cover comprising a top panel defined by two parallel hinge lines, a front panel, and a back panel, the front panel and the back panel each having a push-in tab;
wherein the cover is configured to fit over and attach to the body to provide a first configuration for shipping the food product.

2. The convertible case of claim 1 , wherein the front panel of the cover is configured to attach to the fastening area on the removable portion of the front portion of the body and to cover the front partially open region, wherein the back panel of the hood is configured to attach to the fastening area on the removable portion of the back portion of the body and to cover the back partially open region, and wherein the top panel of the cover covers the top partially open region of the top of the body.

3. The convertible case of claim 2 , wherein the front panel of the cover and the back panel of the cover are configured to attach to the fastening areas using glue.

4. The convertible case of claim 2 , wherein the case is configured to be manually converted into a second configuration for displaying the food product.

5. The convertible case of claim 4 , wherein the second configuration comprises two display portions formed by pulling the cover free from the body along with the removable portions of the front portion and the back portion, outwardly tilting the left side and the right side about the bridge panel, and removing the bridge panel.

6. The convertible case of claim 4 , wherein each display portion is configured to display approximately one half of the food product.

7. The convertible case of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed from a first blank comprised of a first material and the cover is formed from a second blank comprised of a second material.

8. The convertible case of claim 1 , wherein the body and the cover are comprised of cardboard.

9. The convertible case of claim 1 , wherein each vent panel is defined by perforated lines in the general shape of a rectangle.

10. A convertible case for shipping and displaying a food product, the convertible case comprising:
a body comprising:
a front portion and a back portion each having a partially open region and a removable portion, wherein each removable portion includes a fastening area;
a left side;
a right side;
a top portion having a left panel that includes a first logo area and a right panel that includes a second logo area, the first and second logo areas defining a partially open region; and
a bottom portion having a perforated line disposed substantially across the center of the bottom portion, wherein a first removable vent panel is composed adjacent to a left side of the perforated line and a second removable vent panel is composed adjacent to a right side of the perforated line, and wherein each removable vent panel includes a push-in tab or a vent configured to increase airflow within the case for cooling the food product; and

an inverted U-shaped cover comprising a top panel defined by two parallel hinge lines, a front panel, and a back panel, the front panel and the back panel each having a push-in tab;
wherein the cover is configured to fit over and attach to the body to provide a first configuration for shipping the food product.

11. The convertible case of claim 10 , wherein each vent panel is defined by perforated lines that extend substantially across the full width of the bottom portion and then taper along a sloped line to define a lower portion smaller than the full width of the bottom portion and having a push-in tab, and wherein upon removal of the vent panels, the remaining bottom portion provides product support surfaces for a second configuration of the case for displaying the food product.

12. The convertible case of claim 10 , wherein the front panel and back panel are configured to attach to the fastening areas using glue.

13. The convertible case of claim 10 , wherein the case is configured to be manually converted into a second configuration for displaying the food product.

14. The convertible case of claim 13 , wherein the second configuration comprises two display portions formed by pulling the cover free from the body along with the removable portions of the front portion and the back portion, outwardly tilting the left side and the right side about the perforated line on the bottom of the body, and separating the perforated line on the bottom of the body.

15. The convertible case of claim 14 , wherein each removable vent panel is selectively removable to permit increased airflow within each display portion for cooling the food product.

16. A convertible case for shipping and displaying packages of a food product, the case comprising:
a body formed from a first blank, the body comprising:
a front portion and a back portion each having a partially open region and a removable portion, wherein each removable portion includes a fastening area;
a left side;
a right side;
a top portion having a left panel that includes a first logo area and a right panel that includes a second logo area, the first and second logo areas defining a partially open region; and
a bottom portion having a plurality of perforated lines, including two outer perforated line segments disposed substantially across the center of the bottom portion and an S-shaped perforated line adjoining the two outer perforated line segments, wherein a first removable vent panel is composed adjacent to a left side of the plurality of perforated lines and a second removable vent panel is composed adjacent to a right side of the plurality of perforated lines, wherein each removable vent panel is defined by the plurality of perforated lines to form an L-shape, and wherein each removable vent panel includes a push-in tab or a vent configured to increase airflow within the case for cooling the packages of the food product; and

an inverted U-shaped cover formed from a second blank by folding the second blank about two parallel hinge lines, the cover comprising a top panel, a front panel, and a back panel, the front panel and the back panel each having a push-in tab;
wherein the cover is configured to fit over and attach to the body to provide a first configuration for shipping the packages of the food product.

17. The convertible case of claim 16 , wherein the case is configured to be manually converted into a second configuration for displaying the packages of the food product.

18. The convertible case of claim 17 , wherein the second configuration comprises two display portions formed by pulling the cover free from the body along with the removable portions

Assignees

• Kraft Foods Group Brands Llc

Inventors

• Humphrey Laura G
• Presher Amelia S
• Dunkle Christopher W
• Keefe Jr Walter D
• Stallings Joseph

Classifications

• B65D5/4295

  Ventilating arrangements, e.g. openings, space elements · CPC title

• B65D5/548 Primary

  for opening containers formed by erecting a blank to U-shape · CPC title

• B65D5/5495

  for separating interconnected containers · CPC title

• B65D5/54 Primary

  Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing ({B65D5/06, B65D5/5233, B65D5/5253 take precedence } ; break-in flaps, or members adapted to be torn-off, to provide pouring openings B65D5/70) · CPC title

• B65D5/324

  at least two container body parts, each formed by folding a single blank to essentially U-shape · CPC title