Convertible shelf-ready shipping container

Abstract

A shelf-ready shipping container, including a cardboard shipping box, the cardboard shipping box including a base tray, a removable top formed continuously with the base tray, a tear strip disposed at an interface of the base tray and the removable top, where tearing away the tear strip separates the removable top from the base tray. The base tray includes a bottom panel and sidewall panels, where the base tray is separable into a first shelf-display tray and a second shelf-display tray along an interface between the first shelf-display tray and the second shelf-display tray, where the interface is defined by a weakened portion of the base tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelf-ready shipping container, comprising:
 a cardboard shipping box comprising:
 a base tray, 
 a removable top formed continuously with the base tray, 
 a tear strip disposed at an interface of the base tray and the removable top, wherein tearing away the tear strip separates the removable top from the base tray, 
 wherein the base tray comprises:
 a bottom panel; and 
 sidewall panels, 
 
 wherein the base tray is separable into a first shelf-display tray and a second shelf-display tray along an interface between the first shelf-display tray and the second shelf-display tray, 
 wherein the interface is defined by a weakened portion of the base tray. 
   
     
     
         2 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 1 , wherein the weakened portion of the base tray is defined by openings and perforations extending between the openings. 
     
     
         3 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 2 , wherein the perforations extend to an upper edge of a front sidewall panel of the base tray and to an upper edge of a rear sidewall panel of the base tray. 
     
     
         4 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 2 , wherein a first one of the openings extends from the bottom panel to a front sidewall panel of the base tray, and
 wherein a second one of the openings extends from the bottom panel to a rear sidewall panel of the base tray.   
     
     
         5 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 4 , wherein a third one of the openings is entirely disposed in the bottom panel, between the first opening and the second opening. 
     
     
         6 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 1 , further comprising a second tear strip,
 wherein the first tear strip is disposed at an upper edge of a front sidewall panel of the base tray,   wherein the second tear strip is disposed at an upper edge of a rear sidewall panel of the base tray, and   wherein the second tear strip is disposed a greater vertical distance from the bottom panel than the first tear strip.   
     
     
         7 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 6 , wherein the cardboard box defines openings above and defined in part by upper edges of side sidewalls of the base tray, and
 wherein ends of the first tear strip are separated from ends of the second tear strip by the openings.   
     
     
         8 . A shelf-ready shipping container, comprising:
 a top portion;   a bottom portion comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a bottom panel, and comprising a perforation extending centrally across the front panel, the bottom panel, and the rear panel,   wherein the bottom portion is separable along the perforation into a first bottom portion and a second bottom portion,   wherein the top portion and the bottom portion together form an enclosure configured to house products; and   a tear strip disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion, wherein the top portion is separably coupled to the bottom portion along the tear strip.   
     
     
         9 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom portion defines die cuts that interrupt the perforation. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 8 , wherein the top portion comprises a front panel and a rear panel, and wherein a height of the top-portion front panel is greater than a height of the top-portion rear panel, and a height of the bottom-portion front panel is less than a height of the bottom-portion rear panel such that when the top portion is removed, the bottom portion forms a tray for displaying the products, the tray having a front wall lower than a rear wall. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 10 , wherein, when the bottom portion is separated along the perforation, the tray is separated into a first display tray and a second display tray for displaying the products. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 8 , wherein the perforation bisects the bottom portion. 
     
     
         13 . The shelf-ready shipping container of  claim 8 , further comprising the products, wherein the products are disposed in rows, each row extending in direction from the front panel to the rear panel, and
 wherein the perforation is disposed at an interface between two adjacent rows of products.   
     
     
         14 . A product display system, comprising:
 a top; and   two product-display trays,   wherein the top and the two product-display trays together form a shipping container for transporting product arranged therein,   wherein the two product-display trays together form a base of the shipping container,   wherein, upon removal of the top and separation of the two product-display trays, the two product-display trays display the product with no need for further alteration or arrangement of the product or the product-display trays.   
     
     
         15 . The product display system of  claim 14 , further comprising a tear strip, wherein, when in the form of the shipping container, the tear strip connects the top to the two product-display trays. 
     
     
         16 . The product display system of  claim 14 , wherein the two product-display trays are coupled to form a single product-display tray. 
     
     
         17 . The product display system of  claim 16 , wherein the products are arranged in two adjacent rows within the single product-display tray. 
     
     
         18 . The product display system of  claim 14 , wherein the products are arranged in a single row in each of the two product-display trays. 
     
     
         19 . A blank for forming a shelf-ready shipping container, the blank comprising:
 a central series of rectangular panels, each panel of the central series of panels connected to an adjacent panel of the central series of panels by a fold line, the central series of panels comprising:
 a line of weakness extending through the central series of panels; and 
 a plurality of openings disposed along the score line; 
   a first outer series of panels, each panel of the first outer series of panels connected to the central series of panels by a fold line along a first side of the central series of panels;   a second outer series of panels, each panel of the second outer series of panels connected to the central series of panels by a fold line along a second side of the central series of panels;   a third outer series of panels, each panel of the third outer series of panels connected to the central series of panels by a fold line along a third side of the central series of panels;   a first tear strip extending across a first panel of the first outer series of panels, a first panel of the central series of panels, and a first panel of the second outer series of panels, wherein the first tear strip is parallel to the fold lines of the central series of panels; and   a second tear strip extending across a second panel of the first outer series of panels, a second panel of the central series of panels, and a second panel of the second outer series of panels, wherein the second tear strip is parallel to the fold lines of the central series of panels.   
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the first tear strip is disposed adjacent to a first opening, and the second tear strip is disposed adjacent to a second opening.