Box/carton for shipping filter cartridges

Abstract

A shipping and display carton is provided that may be used for panel filters. The carton preferably has two display positions including horizontally flat and vertically upright positions to provide a retailer with display options. The box has several features such as releasable interlocked retainer flaps to retain filters in one display position, perforated removal portions including a removable card carrying a cover lid, a single glue seam with interlocking bottom panels so as to provide break down without a cut knife, and other features.

1 . A filter packed shipping and display carton combination, comprising:
 a stack of panel filters, the panel filters having a rectangular frame enclosing filter media therein;   a box containing the stack of panel filters, the box including opposed top and bottom sides, left and right sides and back and front sides,   one of the sides including a pair of cooperating first and second retainer flaps hinged to and depending from the two other of the sides, the first and second retainer flaps being locked together to retain the panel filters in a first display position through a first display opening in said one of the sides.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the in the first display position, the box displays the stack of panel filters with the panel filters vertically stacked one on top of another to display one of the spine edges of the rectangular frame for the panel filters. 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one last filter viewing window is defined between the retainer flaps and the back side. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one last filter viewing window comprises at least one cut out along a lateral edge of the retainer flaps, the lateral edge running along the back side and in close proximity thereto to prevent one of the panel filters from sliding out from under the retainer flaps when in the first display position. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer flaps are spaced from the front side at least two panel filter thick to provide a sufficiently large and open aperture in first display opening such that panel filters can be slide horizontally out through the first display opening. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second retainer flaps each define respective slots, the respective slots of the first and second retainer flaps being received into each other thereby releasably interlocking the first and second flaps together. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the retainer flaps are releasably interlocked without any adhesive. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the top side includes the pair of cooperating first and second retainer flaps hinged to and depending from the left and right sides, further comprising a lid panel for the top side, the lid panel hinged to the front side and covering the first and second retainer flaps. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 8 , wherein the lid panel includes a lid body and a tuck tab, the lid body interposed between the tuck tab and the front side, the tuck tab hinged to the lid body and in a shipping position being tucked between the stack of panel filters and the back side. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 9 , further comprising a strip of tape attached to the lid body and adhesively securing the lid panel to the back side, the strip of tape having pull tab. 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 9 , further comprising a perforated tear line connecting the lid panel to the front side, wherein the lid panel is adapted to be torn off along the perforated tear line to expose and provide for removal of panel filters through the first display opening, and wherein the lid panel is also adapted be reverse folded back over the front display panel to expose and provide for removal of panel filters through the first display opening. 
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 9 , wherein said front side comprises a front panel including border portion at least partially lining and connected via fold lines to the left, right and bottom sides, and removable card connected to the border portion along a perforated tear junction, the removable card being tearable and removable along the perforated tear junction to provide a second display opening that intersects the first display opening at a corner between the front and top sides. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the second display opening provides for a second display position, the bottom side being at the gravitational bottom in the second display position, and wherein the back side being at the gravitational position in the first display position, the box being rotated 90 degrees between first and second display positions. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the removable card carries the lid panel therewith, the lid panel supported by the removable card in a cantilever manner such that removal of the removable card removes the lid panel therewith. 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 14 , further comprising perforated punch out tabs along the perforated tear junction. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the box is made of corrugated cardboard, one of the left and right panels having a gluing seam flap overlapping and permanently secured to the back side by an adhesive seam, and wherein the bottom side comprises four interlocking bottom flaps connected to the left, front, right and back sides, respectively, the interlocking bottom flaps interlocking with each other without adhesive attachment to releasable secure the box together in an assembled state, and wherein the box can be broken down manually to a flat state by unlocking the four interlocking bottom flaps and bending the box along four corners connecting the left, front, right and back sides, without tools and without having to tear the box or overcome adhesive force. 
     
     
         17 . A filter packed shipping and display carton combination, comprising:
 a stack of panel filters, the panel filters having a rectangular frame enclosing filter media therein;   a box containing the stack of panel filters, the box including opposed top and bottom sides, left and right sides and back and front sides,   the top side including a pair of cooperating first and second retainer flaps hinged to and depending from the left and right sides, the first and second retainer flaps being locked together to retain the panel filters in a first display position through a first display opening in the top side;   wherein the in the first display position, the box displays the stack of panel filters with the panel filters vertically stacked one on top of another to display one of the spine edges of the rectangular frame for the panel filters;   wherein the at least one last filter viewing window is defined between the retainer flaps and the back side;   wherein the at least one last filter viewing window comprises at least one cut out along a lateral edge of the retainer flaps, the lateral edge running along the back side and in close proximity thereto to prevent one of the panel filters from sliding out from under the retainer flaps when in the first display position;   wherein the retainer flaps are spaced from the front side at least two panel filter thick to provide a sufficiently large and open aperture in first display opening such that panel filters can be slide horizontally out through the first display opening;   wherein the first and second retainer flaps are adopted to releasably interlock together;   wherein the retainer flaps are releasably interlocked without any adhesive;   a lid panel for the top side, the lid panel hinged to the front side and covering the first and second retainer flaps;   wherein the lid panel includes a lid body and a tuck tab, the lid body interposed between the tuck tab and the front side, the tuck tab hinged to the lid body and in a shipping position being tucked between the stack of panel filters and the back side;   a strip of tape attached to the lid body and adhesively securing the lid panel to the back side, the strip of tape having pull tab;   a perforated tear line connecting the lid panel to the front side, wherein the lid panel is adapted to be torn off along the perforated tear line to expose and provide for removal of panel filters through the first display opening, and wherein the lid panel is also adapted be reverse folded back over the front display panel to expose and provide for removal of panel filters through the first display opening;   wherein said front side comprises a front panel including border portion at least partially lining and connected via fold lines to the left, right and bottom sides, and removable card connected to the border portion along a perforated tear junction, the removable card being tearable and removable along the perforated tear junction to provide a second display opening that intersects the first display opening at a corner between the front and top sides;   wherein the second display opening provides for a second display position, the bottom side being at the gravitational bottom in the second display position, and wherein the back side being at the gravitational position in the first display position, the box being rotated 90 degrees between first and second display positions;   wherein the removable card carries the lid panel therewith, the lid panel supported by the removable card in a cantilever manner such that removal of the removable card removes the lid panel therewith;   perforated punch out tabs along the perforated tear junction; and   wherein the box is made of corrugated cardboard, one of the left and right panels having a gluing seam flap overlapping and permanently secured to the back side by an adhesive seam, and wherein the bottom side comprises four interlocking bottom flaps connected to the left, front, right and back sides, respectively, the interlocking bottom flaps interlocking with each other without adhesive attachment to releasable secure the box together in an assembled state, and wherein the box can be broken down manually to a flat state by unlocking the four interlocking bottom flaps and bending the box along four corners connecting the left, front, right and back sides, without tools and without having to tear the box or overcome adhesive force.   
     
     
         18 . A filter packed shipping and display carton combination, comprising:
 a stack of panel filters, the panel filters having a rectangular frame enclosing filter media therein;   a box containing the stack of panel filters, the box including opposed top and bottom sides, left and right sides and back and front sides;   the box having a first display position, with panel filters being viewable through a first viewing opening in a first selected one of said sides,   the box having a second display position in which the box is rotated relative to the first display position, with panel filters being viewable through a second viewing opening in second selected one of said sides different than the first selected one of said sides;   marketing indicia being provided on each of the first and second selected one of said sides; and   wherein the box is made of corrugated cardboard with two of the sides being connected by an adhesive seam, wherein the bottom side comprises at least three interlocking bottom flaps connected to at least three of the left, front, right and back sides, the interlocking bottom flaps interlocking with each other without adhesive attachment to releasable secure the box together in an assembled state, and wherein the box can be broken down manually to a flat state by unlocking the four interlocking bottom flaps and bending the box along four corners connecting the left, front, right and back sides, without tools and without having to tear the box or overcome adhesive force.   
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein the box is constructed from a unitary cut cardboard blank, comprising:
 a front side panel;   a left side panel hinged via a fold line to the front side panel;   a right side panel hinged via a fold line to the front side panel;   a back side panel hinged via a fold line to one of the left and right side panels;   one of the right and left side panels including a gluing seam flap adapted to overlap and to be permanently secured to the back side panel by an adhesive seam,   the at least three interlocking flaps comprising four interlocking bottom flaps being hinged via respective fold lines to the front side panel, the left side panel, the right side panel and the back side panel, respectively;   first and second retainer flaps hinged to and depending from the left and right side panels, respectively, the first and second retainer flaps are adapted to releasably interlock together in an assembled state; and   a lid panel hinged via a fold line to one front and back panels adapted to cover the first and second retainer flaps; and   a removable card portion formed in one of said panels via a perforated tear juncture.   
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19 , wherein the lid panel includes a body portion and a tuck tab hinged to the body portion along a fold line, and wherein the lid panel is carried by the removable card portion in a cantilever manner wherein removal of the removable card portion by tearing along the perforated tear juncture removes the lid panel therewith. 
     
     
         21 . A unitary cut cardboard blank for forming a shipping and display carton, comprising:
 a front side panel;   a left side panel hinged via a fold line to the front side panel;   a right side panel hinged via a fold line to the front side panel;   a back side panel hinged via a fold line to one of the left and right side panels;   one of the right and left and back side panels including a gluing seam flap adapted to overlap and to be permanently secured to one of the other panels by an adhesive seam,   four interlocking bottom flaps being hinged via respective fold lines to the front side panel, the left side panel, the right side panel and the back side panel, respectively, the interlocking bottom flaps adapted to interlock with each other without adhesive attachment to releasable secure the box together in an assembled state;   first and second retainer flaps hinged to and depending from the left and right side panels, respectively, the first and second retainer flaps adopted to releasably interlock together in an assembled state; and   a lid panel hinged via a fold line to one front and back panels adapted to cover the first and second retainer flaps; and   a removable card portion formed in one of said panels via a perforated tear juncture.   
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the lid panel includes a body portion and a tuck tab hinged to the body portion along a fold line, and wherein the lid panel is carried by the removable card portion in a cantilever manner wherein removal of the removable card portion by tearing along the perforated tear juncture removes the lid panel therewith.