Paper based product packaging assembly

Abstract

A recyclable, paper based product packaging assembly is provided. The packaging assembly can be used to ship an entire endcap's worth of displayable products while reducing the amount of material used. The assembly comprises a pallet, corner posts, product trays and a shroud. The product trays can be lifted directly from the pallet onto store shelves for display.

1 . A product packaging assembly comprising:
 a pallet member having a top, bottom and four sides, the pallet member comprising a load bearing panel and runners connected to the load bearing panel and formed from the same piece of folded material as the load bearing panel, at least one runner embracing a support member, and the runners comprising spaces formed therein for receiving opposing ends of lateral support members.   
   
   
       2 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one tray-like structure for holding product, at least one the tray-like structure being supported by the pallet member.   
   
   
       3 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a shroud surrounding the pallet member on its four sides.   
   
   
       4 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 3  further comprising:
 one or more vertical load bearing structures resting on the load bearing panel over the runners and disposed between the at least one tray-like structure and the shroud.   
   
   
       5 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 4  wherein the pallet member, support members, at least one tray-like structure, shroud and vertical load bearing structures are made of paperboard. 
   
   
       6 . A product packaging assembly comprising:
 a quarter pallet made from a first folded blank and having a load bearing panel formed from folded material and substantially parallel first and second legs disposed under the load bearing panel and being formed from the same folded material as the load bearing panel, each leg comprising an outer side panel folded downwardly from the load bearing panel, a bottom panel folded inwardly from the outer side panel, and an inner side panel folded upwardly from the bottom panel, said inner side panels having a plurality of opposed, aligned openings for receiving opposing ends of lateral support posts, said legs defining hollow, parallel channels for receiving leg support posts perpendicularly disposed with respect to the lateral support posts, said opposing ends of said leg support posts being interposed between the leg support posts and the load bearing panel.   
   
   
       7 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 6  further comprising:
 at least one set of product display trays disposed on the pallet, each set of product display trays defining a layer.   
   
   
       8 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a bottom shroud formed from a second folded blank and having front and rear panels and two side panels and having a rectilinear cylindrical shape for sliding over the quarter pallet.   
   
   
       9 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 8  further comprising:
 corner posts resting on and extending vertically upward from the load bearing panel and interposed between the shroud and the product display trays.   
   
   
       10 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 9  wherein the bottom shroud extends upward less than the full height of the packaging assembly, and wherein the packaging assembly further comprises a top cap disposed over the corner posts and product tray layers, the top cap having a bottom edge adjacent the top edge of the shroud, the top cap having flaps for enclosing the top of the packaging assembly. 
   
   
       11 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 9  wherein the bottom shroud extends the full height of the packaging assembly, and the bottom shroud further comprises flaps for enclosing the top of the packaging assembly. 
   
   
       12 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 9  wherein the bottom shroud front and rear panels each define an opening large enough to accommodate the forks of a fork lift truck. 
   
   
       13 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 9  wherein the first and second folded blanks are formed from corrugated board and the lateral support posts, leg support posts and corner posts are made of convolutely wound paper. 
   
   
       14 . The product packaging assembly of  claim 9  wherein the bottom shroud is affixed to the pallet with tape.