Shipping and display containers and methods of making same

Abstract

A shipping and display container includes, for example, a first tray element and a second tray element, each tray element having a tray element bottom panel and a tray element back panel, a bridge element disposed between the first and second tray elements, the bridge element having a first center panel and a second center panel. The first and second center panels are accordion-foldable between a first position confronting one another and a second position extending in a common plane. The shipping and display container further includes a cover element for covering a space between the first and second tray elements. The first tray element, the second tray element, the bridge element and the cover element are interconnected as a single unit, and no adhesive materials are required for assembling the container, and wherein all of the elements are integrally formed in a single blank or sheet.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a shipping and display container comprising:
 providing a single flat sheet of material;   cutting a first tray element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the first tray element;   cutting a second tray element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the second tray element; and;   cutting a bridge element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the bridge element.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein all of the cutting steps and forming a plurality of fold lines steps for the first tray element, second tray element and bridge element comprise performing a single die cutting operation on the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 cutting a header element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the header element. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of:
 cutting a protector element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the protector element. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of:
 cutting a divider element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the divider element. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein all of the cutting steps and forming a plurality of fold lines steps for the first tray element, second tray element, bridge element, header element, protector element and divider element comprise performing a single die cutting operation on the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the single sheet of material is corrugated paper. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 forming the first tray element cut from the single sheet of material into a first tray; 
 forming the second tray element cut from the single sheet of material into a second tray; and, 
 forming the bridge element cut from the single sheet of material into a bridge. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of:
 forming the first tray element cut from the single sheet of material into a first tray; 
 forming the second tray element cut from the single sheet of material into a second tray; 
 forming the bridge element cut from the single sheet of material into a bridge; 
 forming the header element cut from the single sheet of material into a header; 
 forming the protector element cut from the single sheet of material into a protector; and, forming the divider element cut from the single sheet of material into a divider. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15  wherein each of the first tray element, second tray element and bridge element are cut separately from the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each of the first tray element, second tray element, bridge element, header element, protector element and divider element are cut separately from the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15  wherein each of the first tray element, second tray element and bridge element are connected to each other and are collectively cut from the single sheet of material as single piece. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each of the first tray element, second tray element, bridge element, header element, protector element and divider element are connected to each other and are collectively cut from the single sheet of material as single piece. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 applying glue to portions of the sheet before the cutting steps and forming of a plurality of fold lines steps. 
 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of:
 applying glue to portions of the sheet before the cutting steps and forming of a plurality of fold lines steps. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of:
 connecting the bridge to the first tray; and, 
 connecting the bridge to the second tray. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of:
 connecting the bridge to the first tray; 
 connecting the bridge to the second tray; 
 connecting the header to one of the first tray and the second tray; 
 connecting the protector to the first tray; 
 connecting the divider to the second tray. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the bridge element is formed having an accordion fold. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 cutting a product organizer element from the single sheet of material and forming a plurality of fold lines in the product organizer element. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the product organizer element is one of a protective element and a divider element.