Display package
[ 1 Apr. 1, 1975 DISPLAY PACKAGE [76] Inventor: Thomas H. Nicholl, 1204 W. 27th St., Kansas City, Mo. 64108 22 Filed: July 3,1973  
  21 Appl. No.: 376,147  
 [52] US. Cl 206/45.l9, 206/45.33, 206/316, 206/486, 206/491, 229/16 D, 248/152 [51] Int. Cl. B65d 5/44, B65d 5/48 [58] Field of Search 206/45.l4, 45.19, 45.33, 206/316, 334, 486, 488, 489, 491; 248/152 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,442,980 6/1948 Lewis, Jr 206/45.14 2,464,951 3/1949 Stengren 206/45.19 2,727,620 12/1955 Buttery 206/45.l9 2,946,433 7/1960 Hennessey 206/45.19 3,270,867 9/1966 Hennessey et al 206/45.l4 3,302,778 2/1967 McGorty et al. 206/45.14 3,741,380 6/1973 Carney 206/45.19  
 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,242,722 8/1971 United Kingdom 206/45.l9 289,864 7/1953 France 206/45.19  
 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Bruce l-l. Bernstein Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Fishburn, Gold &amp; Litman [57 ABSTRACT A display package for visually displaying items of merchandise retained therein particularly individual packs for reduced pilferage, easy stacking and protection of article is formed of a single folded sheet and includes a base wall and a rear wall extending upwardly from the base wall and a shelf panel spaced from and supported on the base wall and merchandise engaging members extending forwardly from the rear wall for retaining in the package items of merchandise supported on the shelf panel. A support panel extends vertically from the shelf panel and has a lower edge engaging the base wall and an upper edge engaging the merchandise engaging members for supporting same and the&#39; shelf panel in a selected spaced relation corresponding to the merchandise to be retained. The display package and items of merchandise supported therein are enclosed by transparent shrinkwrap.  
 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 11975 wail DISPLAY PACKAGE The present invention relates to merchandise display packages and more particularly to a display package formed of a single sheet folded in a manner to define and open front merchandise retaining package which is enclosed in shrinkwrap.  
  The principle objects of the present invention are: to provide a display package formed of a single sheet folded into a desired form which is adapted to support and retain items of merchandise therein and the package and merchandise are the enclosed in shrinkwrap; to provide such a display package having an open display front thereby providing substantially full view of the items retained therein; to provide such a display package which is disposable and stacks easily and attractively with like packages; to provide such a display package wherein the shrinkwrap assures cleanliness of the items of merchandise and freshness of items, such as batteries; to provide such a display package wherein the shrinkwrap protects the entire structure and particularly components, such as lens, from damage due to maring by chemical action, as by placing retail price stickers on plastic lens and the like; to provide such a disposable display package having sufficient exposed surfaces to permit placing instructional and operational information thereon; and to provide such a disposable display package which is easily assembled from a single sheet, durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and particularly well adapted for the proposed use.  
  Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.  
  The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features of the display package.  
  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable display package embodying features of the present invention.  
  FIG. 2 is a front elevationa view of the disposable display package.  
  FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one end of the display package.  
  FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the other end of the display package.  
 FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the display package.  
  FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 66, FIG. 5.  
  FIG. 7 is a top plan view ofa single sheet to be folded to form the disposable display package.  
 Referring more in detail to the drawings:  
  As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed therein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.  
  In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a merchandise display package for visually displaying items of merchandise 2 enclosed therein. The display package 1 includes a single folded sheet of suitable material preferably corrugated paper board and has merchandise supporting components and merchandise engaging and retaining components and includes a base wall 3 and a rear wall 4 extending upwardly therefrom. A merchandise supporting shelf panel 5 is spaced above and supported on the base wall 3 and merchandise engaging means 6 extend from the rear wall 4 and are spaced from and adapted to co-operate with the shelf panel 5 for engaging and retaining items of merchandise 2 in the package 1 while same are being supported on the shelf panel 5.  
  The shelf panel 5 and the merchandise engaging means 6 aremaintained in a selected spaced relation corresponding to the items of merchandise to be retained in the package 1. In the illustrated structure, a support panel 7, as later described, extends vertically from the shelf panel Sand has a lower edge 8 engaging the base wall 3 and an upper edge 9 engaging the merchandise engaging means 6 for supporting same and the shelf panel 5. in a selected spaced relation. The display package 1 and items of merchandise 2 supported therein are enclosed by transparent shrinkwrap 10.  
  The base wall 3 is adapted to be supported on any suitable surface, such as a table or the like, and the base wall 3 is illustrated as a generally rectangular member which is planar. The base wall 3 has a front edge 11 and rear edge 12 each defined by respective fold or score lines in a single sheet. The base wall 3 has opposite end edges 13 and 14 respectively defining opposite ends of the package 1.  
  The illustrated rear wall 4 is a generally planar member which is also rectangular in shape and has end edges 15 and 16 which are aligned with and extend from the end edges 13 and 14 respectively of the base wall 3. A lower edge of the rear wall 4 coincides with the rear edge 12 of the base wall 3 and the rear wall 4 has an upper edge 17 defining an upper edge of the display package 1 and an upper edge of the merchandise engaging means 6, as later described. An aperture 18 is formed in the rear wall 4 adjacent the upper edge 17 thereof and the aperture 18 is adapted to receive a suitable hook or perjection extending from a wall or suitable support structure (not shown).  
  The shelf panel 5 is adapted to support at least a portion of the merchandise in the package 1 and has a front or forward portion thereof supported on a front wall 19 which extends upwardly from the front edge 11 of the base wall 3. The front wall 19 defines a front of the package 1 and is generally rectangular and is a planar member having an upper edge 20 spaced from and substantially parallel with the base wall 3. A lower edge of the front wall 19 coincides with the front edge 11 of the base wall 3. The front wall 19 has end edges 21 and 22 which are aligned with and extend from the end edges 13 and 14 respectively of the base wall 3.  
  The shelf panel 5 is adapted to support items of merchandise 2 and isillustrated as a generally planar member extending rearwardly from the upper edge 20 of the front wall 19. The shelf panel 5 is also adapted to support items of merchandise having a portion thereof extending below the shelf panel 5 and in the illustrated structure, an end edge 23 extends rearwardly from the upper edge 20 of the front wall 19 and is aligned with and extends from the end edge 21 of the front wall. The shelf panel 15 has an intermediate edge 24 spaced from the adjacent end edge 23 of the shelf panel 5 and a tab 25 extends rearwardly between the end edge 23 and the intermediate edge 24. The tab 25 is adapted to engage an enlarged portion of merchandise extending below the shelf panel 5. The illustrated tab 25 includes an inclined or downwardly sloped portion 26 extending from shelf panel toward to base wall 3. An end portion 27 extends from the inclined portion 26 and is in engagement with the base wall 3.  
  The shelf panel 5 has an opposite end edge 28 aligned with and extending from the end edge 22 of the front wall 19 and the shelf panel 5 has a side edge 29 extending between the end edge 28 and an intermediate edge 30 which is substantially parallel with the intermediate edge 24. The side edge 29 and the intermediate edge 30 co-operate&#39;to define a cut-out or recess adapted to receive and engage an item of merchandise positioned therein.  
  The merchandise engaging means 6 are positioned above the shelf panel 5 and adapted to co-operate therewith to retain the items of merchandise 2 within the display package 1. The merchandise engaging means 6 may be any desired shape to confrom to respective items of merchandise to be retained in the package 1. The illustrated merchandise engaging means includes a top panel 31 extending forwardly from the upper edge 17 of the rear wall 4. The top panel 31 is a generally planar and rectangular member having opposite end edges 32 and 33 aligned with and extending from the end edge and 16 respectively of the rear wall 4. The top panel 31 has a rear edge which coincides with the upper edge 17 of the rear wall 4 and a forward or front edge 34 spaced from and substantially parallel with the rear wall 4.  
  A front edge panel 35 depends from the top panel 31 and has an upper edge which coincides with the front edge 34 of the top panel 31. The front edge panel 35 is illustrated as generally planar and has a lower or bottom edge 36 and opposite end edges 37 and 38. The front edge panel 35 has a rearwardly and downwardly inclined portion 39 which is positioned adjacent one of the end edges, for example end edge 37, and is adapted to engage a portion of an item of merchandise 2 extending above the bottom edge 36 of the front edge panel 35. The front edge panel 35 has a transversely extending intermediate edge 40 above and substantially aligned with the intermediate edge 24 of the shelf panel 5.  
  The illustrated merchandise engaging means 6 includes a bottom panel 41 extending rearwardly from the bottom edge 36 of the front edge panel 35. The bottom panel 41 is a planar member which is generally rectangular and includes an upwardly inclined portion 42 extending generally upwardly and forwardly from a rear edge 43 of the bottom panel 41 and adapted to cooperate with the rearwardly and downwardly inclined portion 39 of the front edge panel 35 to engage the enlarged portion of merchandise extending above the bottom edge 36 of the front edge panel 35. The bottom panel 41 has an intermediate edge 44 aligned with and extending from the intermediate edge 40 of the front edge panel 35 and positioned above the intermediate edge 24 of the shelf panel 5.  
  The bottom panel 41 has a transverse slot 45 .positioned intermediate opposite ends of the bottom panel 41 and extending between the bottom edge 36 of the front edge panel 35 and the rear edge 43 of the bottom panel 41, for a purpose later described.  
  A longitudinal slot 46 extends from one end edge 47 of the bottom panel 41 and toward the transverse slot therein and the slot 46 is shaped and sized to receive an upper portion of an item of merchandise therein to retain same against transverse movement in the package I.  
  The merchandise engaging means 6 also includes a rear edge panel 48 extending upwardly from the rear edge 43 of the bottom panel- 41 to strengthen and stiffen the upper portion of the package 1. The rear edge panel 48 is illustrated as a planar member which is generally rectangular in shape and positioned adjacent and substantially parallel with the rear wall 4. The rear edge panel 48 has an aperture 49 therein and the aperture 49 is adapted to be aligned with the aperture 18 in the rear wall 4 to receive therein a suitable hook adapted for hanging the display package 1 on a suitable support.  
  The support panel 7 supports and maintains the shelf panel 5 and the merchandise engaging means 6 in a selected spaced relation. In the illustrated structure, the support panel 7-extends vertically from a rear edge 50 of the shelf panel 5. The support panel 7 has an edge portion 51 extending beyondor below the intermediate edge 24 of the shelf panel 5 and having a lower edge 52 engaging the base wall 3 thereby supporting the shelf panel 5 in a selected spaced relation above the base wall 3.  
  The support panel 7 has one end edge 53 aligned with and substantially coplanar with the end edge 13 of the base wall 3 and the end edge 15 of the rear wall 4. A longitudinal slot 54 extends from the end edge 53 and is adapted to receive the enlarged portion of the merchandise therein. The support panel7 has an upper edge 55 engaging the merchandise engaging means 6 to support same and in the illustrated structure, the upper edge 55 engages a hidden or lower surface of the top panel 31 of the merchandise engaging means 6 thereby supporting same in selected spaced relation with the base wall 3 and the shelf panel 5.  
  A partition 56 extends forwardly from the other end of the support panel 7 and has a lower edge 57 positioned below the shelf panel 5 and the partition 56 is adapted to engage the base wall 3 to therebysupport the shelf panel 5. The partition 56 has a rearwardly extending slot 58 in a forward edge 59 thereof with the slot 58 being sized to receive the shelf panel 5 therein whereby the partition 56 is adapted to support the other end of the shelf panel 5.  
  The partition 56 includes a foot portion 60 extending from the lower edge 57 thereof and into one of the merchandise compartments defined by the partition 56. The foot portion 60 is adapted to support merchandise thereon, such as merchandise having an upper portion thereof extending into the longitudinal slot 46 in the bottom panel 41 of the merchandise engaging means 6.  
  The partition 56 includes an upper tab 61 adapted to be received in the transverse slot 45 in the bottom panel 41 of the merchandise engaging means 6. The upper tab 61 is separated from and in spaced relation with the remainder of the partition 56 and in the illustrated structure, a slot 62 extends from the forward edge 59 of the partition 56 and has an edge 63 engagable with the lower or bottom edge 36 of the front edge panel 35 to support the front edge panel 35 and the merchandise engaging members 6 thereon. The upper tab 61 has an end portion 64 extending substantially normal to the partition 56 and in engagement with a hidden or upper surface of the bottom panel 41 whereby the partition 56 is adapted to retain the shelf panel 5 and the merchandise engaging means 6 in an assembled position and with a selected spaced relation between the shelf panel 5 and the merchandise engaging means 6.  
  The shrinkwrap is adapted to enclose the disposable display package 1 and items of merchandise 2 positioned in the compartments defined by the partition 56. The shrinkwrap 10 is preferably a transparent material, such as relatively thin and clear plastic film.  
  In the assembly of a display package constructed as illustrated and described, a single sheet or blank of stiff board such as double faced corrugated paperboard is folded along suitable score lines, fold lines, or the like. The first step in the folding of the single sheet is to position the rear wall 4 in a position substantially perpendicular or normal to the base wall 3. The merchandise engaging means 6 are then folded to a position having the rear edge panel 48 adjacent and substantially parallel with the rear wall 4. The front wall 19 is then moved to a position substantially normal or perpendicular to the base wall 3. The shelf panel 5, support panel 7, and partition 56 are then moved to a position adapted to permit insertion of the upper, tab 61 in the transverse slot 45 in the bottom panel 41. When the upper tab 61 is positioned within the space defined by the top panel 31, front edge panel 35, bottom panel 41, and rear edge panel 48, the shelf panel 5 and the support panel 7 are moved to a position having the shelf panel 5 substantially parallel with the base wall 3 and the support panel 7 adjacent and in close proximity with the rear wall 4. An upper portion of the support panel 7 is positioned between the rear wall 4 and the rear edge panel 48. The  
 I partition 56 is then moved to a position wherein the slot 58 in the forward edge 59 thereof moves to receive the shelf panel 5 therein. The foot portion 60 is thereby positioned to support merchandise in the end compartment defined by the partition 56. The shrinkwrap 10 is applied to the package 1 and items of merchandise 2 retained therein in any conventional manner, such as partially removing air from the package and heat sealing the material forming the shrinkwrap 10.  
  It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of part herein described and shown.  
 What is claimed is:  
 1. A display package comprising:  
 a. a base wall and a rear wall extendingupwardly from said base wall;  
 b. shelf means spaced from and supported on said base wall for supporting merchandise thereon;  
 c. merchandise engaging means extending from said rear wall for retaining merchandise on said shelf means;  
 d. means extending between said shelf means and said merchandise engaging means for supporting said merchandise engaging means in spaced relation with said shelf means;  
 e. said means for supporting said merchandise engaging means comprises:  
 l. a support panel extending vertically from said shelf means and positioned adjacent said rear wall. said support panel having a lower edge in engagement with said base wall and an upper edge in engagement with said merchandise engaging means; and  
 2. a partition extending substantially normal to said support panel and having a lower edge in engagement with said base wall and an upper tab received in said merchandise engaging means.  
  2. A display package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shelf means comprises:  
 a. a front wall spaced from said rear wall and extending upwardly from said base wall;  
 b. a generally planar shelf panel extending from said front wall and spaced above said base wall; and  
 0. means extending from said shelf panel and positioned adjacent said rear wall for supporting a rear edge portion of said shelf panel thereon.  
 3. A display package as set forth in claim 2 wherein said merchandise engaging means comprises:  
 a. a top panel extending forwardly from said rear wall;  
 b. a front edge panel depending from said top panel and spaced from said rear wall;  
 c. a bottom panel extending rearwardly from said front edge panel and spaced above said shelf panel, said means for supporting said merchandise engaging means being in engagement with said bottom panel; and j j d. a rear edge panel extending upwardly from said bottom panel and positioned adjacent said rear wall.  
  4. A display package as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base wall and rear wall and said shelf means and said merchandise engaging means and said means for supporting said merchandise engaging means in spaced relation with said shelf means are formed of a single folded sheet.  
 5. A display package comprising:  
 a. a base wall and a rear wall extending upwardly from said base wall;  
 b. shelf means spaced from and supported on said base wall for supporting merchandise thereon;  
 c. merchandise engaging means extending from said rear wall for retaining merchandise on said shelf means;  
 d. means extending between said shelf means and said merchandise engaging means for supporting said merchandise engaging means in spaced relation with said shelf means;  
 e. said base wall and rear wall and said shelf means and said merchandise engaging means and said means for supporting said merchandise engaging means in spaced relation with said shelf means being formed of a single folded sheet;  
 f. said shelf means includes a front wall extending upwardly from a front edge of said base wall and a shelf panel extending rearwardly from an upper edge of said front wall;  
 g. said merchandise engaging means includes:  
 1. a top panel extending forwardly from an upper edge of said rear wall;  
 2. a front edge panel depending from a front edge of said top panel and spaced from said rear wall;  
 3. a bottom panel extending rearwardly from a lower edge of said front edge panel and spaced above said shelf panel;  
 4. a rear edge panel extending upwardly from a rear edge of said bottom panel and positioned adjacent said rear wall; 7  
 h. said means for supporting said merchandise engaging means including:  
 1. a support panel extending vertically from a rear edge of said shelf panel and positioned adjacent said rear wall, said support panel having a lower edge in engagement with said base wall and an upper edge in engagement with said top panel of said merchandise engaging means; and  
 2. a partition extending substantially normal to said support panel and having a lower edge in engagement with said base wall, said partition having a slot in a forward edge thereof and sized to receive said shelf panel therein, said partition having an upper tab received in said merchandise engaging means, said upper tab having an end portion extending substantially normal to said partition and being in engagement with a hidden surface of said bottom panel of said merchandise engaging means.  
 6. A display package comprising:  
 a. a base wall having a front edge and a rear edge;  
 b. a rear wall extending upwardly from the rear edge of said base wall and having an upper edge;  
 c. shelf means spaced from and supported on said base wall for supporting merchandise thereon, said shelf means having a front wall extending upwardly from the front edge of said base wall and a shelf panel extending rearwardly from an upper edge of said front wall;  
 d. merchandise engaging means extending from said rear wall for retaining merchandise on said shelf panel, said merchandise engaging means having a top panel extending forwardly from the upper edge of said rear wall and a front edge panel depending from a front edge of said top panel and a bottom panel extending rearwardly from a lower edge of said front edge panel and a rear edge panel extending upwardly from a rear edge of said bottom panel and positioned adjacent said rear wall;  
 e. a support panel extending vertically from a rear edge of said shelf panel and positioned in close proximity to said rear wall and having a lower edge in engagement with said base wall and an upper edge in engagement with said top panel of said merchandise engaging means, said support panel having a partition extending from one end thereof and substantially normal to said support panel and having a lower edge in engagement with said base wall, said partition having a slot in a forward edge thereof and sized to receive said shelf panel therein, said partition having an upper tab received in said merchandise engaging means, said upper tab having an end portion extending substantially normal to said partition and being in engagement with a hidden surface of said bottom panel of said merchandise engaging means, said base wall, rear wall, shelf means and the like, being double face corrugated paper board; and  
 f. transparent shrinkwrap surrounding said base wall, rear wall, shelf means, merchandise engaging means, support panel and partition, and merchandise supported on said shelf means.  
 7. A display package as set forth in claim 6 whcreinz&#39; a. said partition is positioned intermediate opposite ends of said shelf panel to define separate merchandise compartments;  
 b. said partition has a foot portion extending from the lower edge thereof and into one of the merchandise compartments for supporting merchandise thereon; and  
 c. said bottom panel of said merchandise engaging means has a slot therein adapted to receive therein said upper tab of said partition.