Method for product handling using a configurable display container

Abstract

A method for product handling includes filling a reusable container at a facility with a pre-selected amount of product. The container is sized and configured for display at a retail location and includes a set of joined walls where some of the walls are configured to move relative to a bottom wall of the container. The set of joined walls move relative to the bottom wall to convert the container between an enclosed configuration enclosing an internal volume and a display configuration providing a side access opening and a top access opening to the internal volume such that the side and top access openings allow product to be removed from the container. The container is converted to the enclosed configuration by closing at least one of the top and side access openings to the container through which the container was filled with the pre-selected amount of product by moving at least one wall of the set of joined walls of the container relative to the bottom wall of the container. The container is transported in its enclosed configuration to the retail location.

1 . A method for product handling, comprising: 
 filling a reusable container at a facility with a pre-selected amount of product, the container being sized and configured for display at a retail location and including a set of joined walls where some of the walls are configured to move relative to a bottom wall of the container to convert between an enclosed configuration enclosing an internal volume and a display configuration providing a side access opening and a top access opening to the internal volume such that the side and top access openings allow product to be removed from the container;    converting the container to the enclosed configuration by closing at least one of the top and side access openings to the container through which the container was filled with the pre-selected amount of product by moving at least one wall of the set of joined walls of the container relative to the bottom wall of the container; and    transporting the container in its enclosed configuration to the retail location.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising locking the container in the enclosed configuration.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising converting the container from a collapsed configuration where the joined walls are folded over the bottom wall to form a layered stack of walls to the display configuration.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step converting the container from the collapsed configuration to the display configuration occurs before the step of filling the container.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of converting the container from the collapsed configuration to the display configuration is automated.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of filling the container is automated.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of converting the container to the enclosed configuration is automated.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of converting the container from the collapsed configuration to the display configuration is manual.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising stacking the container on a pallet prior to transporting the container.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising placing the container in a storage system.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising converting the container from the enclosed configuration to the display configuration at the retail location to provide the side access opening and the top access opening.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising placing the container on a display at the retail location with the container in the display configuration, the product being exposed for viewing and picking by a customer through the top and the side access openings of the container.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the display comprises an end-aisle display, an aisle display or a double-sided display.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising attaching a sign to the container.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising converting the container to a collapsed configuration where the joined walls are folded over the bottom wall to form a layered stack of walls after the product is removed from the container with the container on the display.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising transporting the collapsed container from the retail location to the facility.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising cleaning the container prior to the step of filling the container.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the facility is a production facility, a distribution center or a consolidation center.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retail location is a supermarket or a club store.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of filling the container includes filling the container with fast moving product.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of filling the container includes positioning the product in the container such that a product brand name is viewable through at least one of the side and top access openings with the container in the display configuration.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the facility is an off-site facility that is geographically removed from the retail location.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the facility is an on-site facility that is connected to the retail location.  
   
   
       24 . A method for displaying a product for retail sale, the method comprising: 
 converting a reusable container from a collapsed configuration where walls of a set of joined walls are folded over a bottom wall of the container to form a layered stack of walls to a display configuration by moving walls of the set of joined walls relative to the bottom wall, the container being sized for placement on a shelf of a display with the container in the display configuration;    filling the container at a facility with a pre-selected amount of product for retail sale with the container in the display configuration; and    converting the container to an enclosed configuration where the set of joined walls enclose the pre-selected amount of product.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising transporting the container in its enclosed configuration to a retail location.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising locking the container in the enclosed configuration.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of converting the container from the collapsed configuration to the display configuration is automated.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of filling the container is automated.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of converting the container to the enclosed configuration is automated.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of converting the container from the collapsed configuration to the display configuration is manual.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising converting the container from the enclosed configuration to the display configuration at a retail location to provide a side access opening and a top access opening to an interior volume of the container.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising placing the container on a display at the retail location with the container in the display configuration, the product being exposed for viewing and picking by a customer through the top and the side access openings of the container.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the display comprises an single-sided display, an aisle display or a double-sided display.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising attaching a sign to the container.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising converting the container to the collapsed configuration where the joined walls are folded over the bottom wall to form a layered stack of walls after the product is removed from the container with the container on the display.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the retail location is a supermarket or a club store.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising cleaning the container prior to the step of filling the container.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the facility is a production facility, a distribution center or a consolidation center.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the step of filling the container includes positioning the product in the container such that a product brand name is viewable through at least one of the side and top access openings with the container in the display configuration.  
   
   
       40 . A method of handling an item, the method comprising: 
 filling a reusable container at a facility with a pre-selected amount of items with the container in a display configuration, the container including a set of joined walls where some of the walls are configured to move relative to a bottom wall of the container to convert between an enclosed configuration enclosing an internal volume and the display configuration providing a side access opening and a top access opening to the internal volume such that the side and top access openings allow the items to be removed from the container; and    converting the container from the display configuration to the enclosed configuration by closing the top and side access openings by moving at least two joined walls of the set of joined walls of the container relative to the bottom wall of the container.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising locking the container in the enclosed configuration.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising converting the container from the enclosed configuration to the display configuration by moving the at least two joined walls of the set of joined walls of the container relative to the bottom wall of the container.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising removing the items from the container through at least one of the top and side access openings.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43  further comprising converting the container from the display configuration to a collapsed configuration where the walls of the set of joined walls are folded over the bottom wall to form a layered stack of walls.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of converting the container from the display configuration to the enclosed configuration is automated.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the step of filling the container is automated.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of converting the container from the display configuration to the enclosed configuration is manual.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising placing the container on a display at a retail location with the container in the display configuration, the items being exposed for viewing and picking by a customer through the top and the side access openings of the container.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the retail location is a supermarket, a club store, a department store or a mass merchant.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the facility is a production facility, a distribution center or a consolidation center.