Shipping container for carded packages

Abstract

Specially designed shipping containers and a method of packing the containers are disclosed which orient carded packages having a bottom portion substantially larger than a top portion in alignment to facilitate efficient packing with reduced empty space in the containers for shipping of the carded packages and facilitate easy removal of the carded packages from the shipping container for display. The shipping containers use less packing material per carded package the resulting lighter smaller containers require less fuel to ship and producing less waste resulting in a “Green” shipping container. A method of packing such shipping containers is disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A shipping container for carded display packages comprising:
 first and second opposing side panels, each side panel including a front edge,   a back edge,   a top edge and   a bottom edge;   a back panel joined along opposite sides to the side panels, the back panel defining a first edge and a second edge, each of the first edge of the back panel and the second edge of the back panel adjoining one of the pair of opposing side panels along a back edge thereof;   a front panel joined along opposite sides to the side panels, the front panel defining a first edge and a second edge, each of the first edge of the front panel and the second edge of the front panel adjoining one of the pair of opposing side panels along a front edge thereof;   split first and split second top flaps adjoining each of the first and second side panels respectively along the top edges thereof;   split first and split second bottom flaps adjoining each of the first and second side panels along the bottom edges thereof;   two, finger separators having a first portion of a plurality of parallel extensions and a second portion of a panel; wherein adjacent fingers are separated from one another by parallel spaces;   wherein the plurality of extensions are connected on one end to a second portion a panel and are not connected on the opposing end, the first portion of the separator adjoining the second portion of the separator along a score line extending substantially perpendicular to the parallel fingers;   a first tear strip extending through the first side panel and a second tear strip extending through the second side panel; wherein removal of the tear strips splits the container into two portions each portion capable of holding a plurality of carded display packages aligned for display.   
     
     
         2 . A blank for forming a shipping container, comprising: a tab having a right edge a left edge a top edge and a bottom edge; a first main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge; a second main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first main panel connected along its right edge to the left edge of the second main panel; a third main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the second main panel connected along its right edge to the left edge of the third main panel; a fourth main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the third main panel connected along its right edge to the left edge of the fourth main panel; a first top flap adjoining the top edge of the first main panel; a second split top flap adjoining the top edge of the second main panel; a third top flap adjoining the top edge of the third main panel; a fourth split top flap adjoining the top edge of the fourth main panel; a first bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the first main panel; a second split bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the second main panel; a third bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the third main panel; a fourth bottom split flap adjoining the bottom edge of the fourth main panel; a first tear strip extending through the second main panel and a second tear strip extending through the third main panel. 
     
     
         3 . The blank of  claim 2 , wherein the first tear strip is located at about the midpoint of the width of the second main panel and the second split top flap. 
     
     
         4 . The blank of  claim 2 , wherein the second tear strip is located at about the midpoint of the width of the fourth main panel and the fourth split top flap. 
     
     
         5 . The blank of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second tear strips are formed by parallel cut lines that define both sides of the tear strips such that the parallel form the outer boundry of the tear strips. 
     
     
         6 . The blank of  claim 5 , wherein the parallel cut lines that define both sides of the tear strips are arranged obliquely. 
     
     
         7 . The blank of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second tear strips are strengthened. 
     
     
         8 . A blank for forming a shipping container, comprising: a tab having a right edge a left edge a top edge and a bottom edge; a first main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge; a second main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the first main panel connected along its right edge to the left edge of the second main panel; a third main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the second main panel connected along its right edge to the left edge of the third main panel; a fourth main panel having a right edge, a left edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, the third main panel connected along its right edge to the left edge of the fourth main panel; a first top flap adjoining the top edge of the first main panel; a second top flap adjoining the top edge of the second main panel; a third top flap adjoining the top edge of the third main panel; a fourth top flap adjoining the top edge of the fourth main panel; a first bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the first main panel; a second bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the second main panel; a third bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the third main panel; a fourth bottom flap adjoining the bottom edge of the fourth main panel; a first tear strip extending through the second top flap, the second main panel and the second bottom flap and a second tear strip extending through the fourth top flap, the fourth main panel and the fourth bottom flap. 
     
     
         9 . The blank of  claim 8 , wherein the first tear strip is located at about the midpoint of the width second top flap, the second main panel and the second bottom flap. 
     
     
         10 . The blank of  claim 8 , wherein the second tear strip is located at about the midpoint of the width of the fourth top flap, the fourth main panel and the fourth bottom flap. 
     
     
         11 . The blank of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second tear strips are formed by parallel cut lines that define both sides of the tear strips such that the parallel form the outer boundary of the tear strips. 
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 11 , wherein the parallel cut lines that define both sides of the tear strips are arranged obliquely. 
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second tear strips are strengthened. 
     
     
         14 . A blank for forming a separator comprising a paperboard blank having a first portion of a plurality of parallel extensions and a second portion of a panel; wherein adjacent fingers are separated from one another by parallel spaces; and wherein the plurality of extensions are connected on one end to a second portion of the separator, a panel portion and are not connected on the opposing end, the first portion of the separator adjoining the second portion of the separator along a score line extending substantially perpendicular to the parallel fingers; 
     
     
         15 . A blank for forming a separator comprising a paperboard blank having a central portion and two end portions separated by the central portion, wherein the central portion comprises a plurality of parallel cut outs of about the same length and width positioned at about the same distance from the outer blank edge of the end portions, said central portion forming fingers when folded along a center score line perpendicular to the cut outs at about the center of the blank the end portions of the separator adjoining the central portion of the separator along a score line extending substantially perpendicular to the parallel cut outs at the ends of the cutouts ends which ends are aligned along the perpendicular score lines. 
     
     
         16 . A method of packing a shipping container comprising;
 forming an open shipping container for carded display packages from a container blank;   comprising:   loading two trays with carded display packages;   positioning the two trays on their side;   rotating one tray such that it is inverted with respect to the other tray;   aligning the carded side of carded packages in one tray with the package side of the carded packages in the other tray;   merging the two trays partially together;   inserting the fingers of one or two finger separators into the space between the two partially merged trays of carded packages;   merging the two trays completely together;   placing the merged trays and one or two separators into the shipping container; and   closing the shipping container.   
     
     
         17 . A method of packing a shipping container comprising;
 forming an open shipping container for carded display packages from a container blank;   comprising:   forming two rows of carded display packages;   positioning the two rows on their side;   rotating one row such that it is inverted with respect to the other row;   aligning the carded side of carded packages in one row with the package side of the carded packages in the other row;   merging the two rows partially together;   inserting the fingers of one or two finger separators into the space between the two partially merged rows of carded packages;   merging the two rows completely together;   placing the merged rows and one or two separators into the shipping container; and   closing the shipping container.