Van Packaging Resupply System

Abstract

A van packaging resupply system comprises a rack adapted to mount to the interior wall of a delivery van. Multiple cartons are loaded onto the rack. Each of the cartons contains a stack of packages of first aid products. The cartons include a lower discharge opening to facilitate removal of a package from the carton.

1 . A van packaging resupply system comprising:
 a rack comprising:
 a panel defining at least one opening and having a top and a bottom and opposed side edges extending between said top and said bottom; 
 a shelf projecting forwardly at said bottom and having a frontal lip and opposed side retainers; 
 a canopy projecting forwardly from said top and having a frontal lip generally parallel to said shelf frontal lip and opposed side retainers generally parallel to said shelf side retainers; 
   at least one carton, each carton comprising:
 a generally rectangular chute having a top cover, a bottom panel, a frontal panel and opposed side panels; 
 a discharge opening defined in said frontal panel and by said side panels adjacent and spaced from said bottom panel so as to define a shallow retainer lip; 
 a plurality of apertures defined in said frontal panel between said discharge opening and said top cover; 
   wherein said carton is receivable on said rack so that said carton is positioned on said shelf and forwardly retained by said canopy and shelf frontal lip.   
     
     
         2 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein each said carton has a plurality of substantially identical packages. 
     
     
         3 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 2  wherein said packages are first aid packages containing first aid products selected from the group consisting of plastic bandages, fabric bandages, aspirin tablets and ibuprofen tablets. 
     
     
         4 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein each carton has a vertical stack of substantially identical first aid packages. 
     
     
         5 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein the discharge opening has an upper edge which is spaced a vertical distance H above the bottom panel and said carton has a stack of substantially identical product packages having a frontal height h wherein the vertical distance H is greater than the frontal height h, but less than the height of 2h. 
     
     
         6 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein each said carton top cover has at least one aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein each said carton has a vertical height V and each said package has a height h and the vertical height V is at least slightly greater than the height h of a package times the number of packages in the carton. 
     
     
         8 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein said rack is a metal member. 
     
     
         9 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein said shelf side retainers are a pair of retainer tabs. 
     
     
         10 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein said shelf defines spaced rectangular openings. 
     
     
         11 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of substantially U-shaped spacers extend from the rack panel and are disposed in a substantially vertical orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 11  wherein said spacers are equidistantly spaced and define a receptacle for a carton. 
     
     
         13 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 1  wherein each said panel opening has a keyhole shape. 
     
     
         14 . A van packaging resupply system comprising:
 a rack comprising:   a back having a top and a bottom and opposed side edges extending between said top and bottom;   a shelf projecting forwardly at said bottom and having a frontal lip and opposed side retainers;   a canopy projecting forwardly from said top and having a frontal lip generally parallel to said shelf frontal lip and an opposed side retainer generally parallel to said shelf side retainers;   at least one carton, each carton comprising:
 a chute having a top cover, a bottom panel, a frontal panel and opposed side panels; 
 a discharge opening spaced from said bottom panel so as to define a shallow retainer lip; and 
 a stack of a plurality of substantially identical packages received in said chute wherein a lowermost package is positioned adjacent said discharge opening and is removable through said discharge opening; 
   wherein each said carton is receivable on said rack so that said carton is positioned on said shelf and forwardly retained by said canopy and shelf frontal lip.   
     
     
         15 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 14  wherein there are a plurality of cartons and each shelf defines a plurality of openings. 
     
     
         16 . A van packaging resupply system comprising:
 a rack comprising:   a panel defining at least one opening and having a top and a bottom and opposed side edges extending between said top and bottom;   a shelf projecting forwardly at said bottom and having a frontal lip and opposed side retainers;   a canopy projecting forwardly from said top and having a frontal lip and opposed side retainers generally parallel to said shelf side retainers;   a plurality of spacers projecting forwardly from said panel to define a plurality of receptacles;   a carton received in each said receptacle, each carton comprising:
 a generally rectangular chute having a top cover, a bottom panel, a frontal panel and opposed side panels; 
 a discharge opening at least partially defined by said frontal panel and spaced from said bottom panel so as to define a shallow retainer lip; and 
   a stack of a plurality of substantially identical packages received in said chute wherein a lowermost package is positioned adjacent said discharge opening and is removable through said discharge opening so that another package descends to a position adjacent said discharge opening;   wherein each said carton is receivable on said rack and each said carton is positioned on said shelf and forwardly retained by said canopy and shelf frontal lip.   
     
     
         17 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 16  wherein said spacers are substantially U-shaped members. 
     
     
         18 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 17  wherein said spacers are substantially equidistantly spaced to form a plurality of receptacles having a substantially equal width. 
     
     
         19 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 16  wherein said shelf is metal and said packages are formed from cardboard. 
     
     
         20 . The van packaging resupply system of  claim 16  wherein each said carton has a plurality of vertical spaced apertures which generally correspond to a received package.