EP3530580A1 - Display element for container - Google Patents

Display element for container Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3530580A1
EP3530580A1 EP18190473.1A EP18190473A EP3530580A1 EP 3530580 A1 EP3530580 A1 EP 3530580A1 EP 18190473 A EP18190473 A EP 18190473A EP 3530580 A1 EP3530580 A1 EP 3530580A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
display element
container
wall
upper edge
flange
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP18190473.1A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Cornelis Jacobus Wilhelmus EEKELS
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Renesco Beheer BV
Original Assignee
Renesco Beheer BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Renesco Beheer BV filed Critical Renesco Beheer BV
Publication of EP3530580A1 publication Critical patent/EP3530580A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D1/00Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
    • B65D1/22Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D25/00Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
    • B65D25/34Coverings or external coatings

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an assembly for containing consumer products comprising a container and a display element.
  • the present invention also relates to a display element for use as a sleeve over a container for containing consumer products and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element.
  • Retail shops obtain their products from wholesale companies often in containers which are not attractive to the consumer. Examples of such products are products in supermarkets, such as vegetables or fruits. These products are in general delivered in plastic crates which lack attractiveness. Displaying the products in these plastic crates in retail stores would give these stores an overall impression of a wholesale warehouse which is in general considered undesirable by retail shop owners.
  • products may therefore be unpacked and optionally repacked to be displayed a way that is more attractive to consumers and which renders the retail store with a more attractive overall impression.
  • Unpacking and repacking of products places a heavy burden on the retail shops, because it takes time and personnel and also involves risks of damaging products.
  • unpacking and/or repacking may result in damaging of the products, which in its turn lowers the value and decreases shelf life of said products.
  • the present invention aims to overcome these problems by the provision of a display element which can be fittingly slid over a container so as to hide the container's unattractive outer surface or at least parts thereof from sight.
  • the present invention relates in one aspect to an assembly for containing consumer products as defined in claims 1 and 5.
  • the invention in a second aspect relates to a display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products as defined in claims 9 and 10.
  • the invention in a third aspect relates to a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element according to this invention as defined in claim 15.
  • the products in the container to be covered by the display element do not have to be unpacked and/or repacked, which saves time and personnel. Moreover, in case of perishable products such as fruits or vegetables, damaging is prevented herewith, which increases the value and shelf life of said products. Because the display element is removable, it can be used for an unlimited amount of times for different containers of the same size. The retail owner therefore only needs a limited set of display elements for the particular containers he gets delivered.
  • the display element functions as a removable sleeve around the wall of the container and obscures the unattractive outer surface of the container and can have an outer surface designed to the wishes of the retail shop owner or the wishes of the consumer to display the products more attractively for consumers and to render the retail store with a more attractive overall impression.
  • the assembly comprises a container having a bottom portion and a multisided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inside space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an upper edge which defines an upper opening of said container; and a display element comprising: a multisided display element wall which has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said display element wall has an upper edge and a lower edge; and at least one flange extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface of the display element wall; wherein the display element removably surrounds the container wall and hides the outer surface of said container over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of the container; and wherein said at least one flange rests on the upper edge of the container wall so as to keep the display element in a fixed position; wherein said at least one flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of the container and wherein the outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the outer surface of the container.
  • a suitable display element for use in this assembly is a display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products, said predetermined container having a bottom portion and a multisided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an upper edge which defines an upper opening of said predetermined container, wherein said display element comprises: a multisided display element wall which has an inner surface and an outer surface, said display element wall having an upper edge and a lower edge; and at least one flange extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface of the display element wall; wherein the display element is designed to removably surround the container wall and to hide the outer surface of said container at least over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of said predetermined container while said at least one flange rests on the upper edge of said predetermined container so as to keep the display element in a fixed position on said predetermined container, and wherein said at least one flange has dimensions that allow
  • containers crates or boxes may be suitable. It is preferred that the container is a plastic crate. For instance, crates out of one piece or foldable crates may be used.
  • the container may be filled with any consumer product and may have a size that is standard in the field of the product.
  • the assembly according to the invention has particular advantageous effects with regard to shelf life of fruit and vegetables the container may be plastic crate containing vegetables or fruits.
  • Containers used in wholesale such as crates or boxes are in general rectangular in shape, although other shapes in principle are possible.
  • the wall of the display element is in one preferred embodiment four-sided and rectangular in shape in order to match the outside shape of the wall portion of the container.
  • the display element may also have only two walls opposite to each other.
  • the walls on the two other sides of the display element are omitted.
  • the assembly comprises a container having a bottom portion and a four-sided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inside space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an substantially rectangular upper edge which defines an upper opening of said container; and a display element removably positioned over the container and covering parts of the outer surface of said container wall, said display element comprising: two opposite display element walls having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the inner surfaces of the display element walls face each other; and a flange having portions extending laterally and inwardly from the upper edge of said display element walls and portions connecting the upper edges of the opposite display element walls at both ends thereof to connect the display element walls with each other; wherein said flange aligns with the upper edge of the container wall and rests on the upper edge of the container wall so as to keep the display element in a fixed position; wherein the outer surface of container wall portions covered by said display element wall portions is visually hidden by said display element wall portions over at least part
  • a suitable display element for use in this assembly is a display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products, said predetermined container having a bottom portion and a four-sided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said container wall having a substantially rectangular upper edge which defines an upper opening of said predetermined container, wherein said display element comprises: two opposite display element walls having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an upper edge and a lower edge; and a flange having portions extending laterally and inwardly from the upper edge of said display element walls and portions connecting the upper edges of the opposite display element walls at both ends thereof to connect the display element walls with each other; wherein the display element is designed to be slid over said container and such that the outer surface of container wall portions covered by said display element wall portions is visually hidden by said display element wall portions over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of said predetermined container while said flange is designed to align with the upper edge of
  • the walls may be provided on the long side of the display element or on the short side, depending on the orientation of the crates with respect to each other.
  • the two-wall embodiment makes it possible to only cover and hide the surfaces of container walls that are visible to consumers with the two walls of the display element. This saves considerable space, which is of great value for shops that often only have limited room available for exhibition of products.
  • the parts of the display element covering the container hide the unattractive outer surface of the container by the part covering it.
  • the multisided wall or the walls of the display element hide the corresponding outer surface of said container over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container, i.e. the full outer surface of that portion of the container wall is covered and hidden by the display element.
  • the display element may therefore surround the container wall over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container, i.e. the container wall is substantially completely covered and hidden by the display element.
  • substantially is meant that between 95 % and the full length of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container is covered by the display element. This way the unattractive outer surface of the container is maximally hidden from sight.
  • the multisided wall or the walls of the display element hide the corresponding outer surface of the wall of said container over only a part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container.
  • This partial covering is for economic reasons.
  • this embodiment may be preferred to be used in combination with the embodiment wherein the display element multisided wall or the walls cover the corresponding wall portions of said container over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container.
  • the display element of the invention is used in a setup wherein consumer products are exhibited to consumers, the display element should allow maximal exposure of the products in the container. Therefore, the flange of the display element should have dimensions that allow visual exposure of the contents of the container to a person looking in the direction of the contents. In other words, the presence of the flange on the container's upper edge should allow unhindered or full exposure of and access to the contents therein from the upper opening of the container. The dimensions should also be such that access to the contents is not hindered. In this respect the flange does not hinder visual exposure and accessibility of the contents in the container.
  • the overhang should be limited, so that the dimensions of the upper opening of the container are substantially retained when the flange rests on the upper edge of the container.
  • the upper opening of the assembly will therefore preferably have dimensions that are substantially the same as the upper opening of the container. For this reason it is also preferred to provide a flange that does not protrude into the container's inside or which protrudes into the container's inside only to a limited extent, for instance in the order of millimetres (1-20 mm) or maximally 5 % of the distance between two opposite sides of the upper edge of the container.
  • said at least one flange maximally overhangs the inside border of the upper edge of the container with a length corresponding to the width of said upper edge.
  • said at least one flange maximally extends laterally until the inside border of the upper edge of the container.
  • the at least one flange extends from the upper edge of the wall of the display element. This is convenient for practical reasons of constructing the display element, and it contributes to full visual exposure and accessibility of the contents of the container to the consumer.
  • the display element may be in a nonfoldable form with a continuous multisided wall and the flange in a fixed orientation.
  • the display element preferably has a single continuous flange, which rests on the full circumference of the upper edge of the container wall when assembled onto a container.
  • the display element is provided in the form of a foldable element.
  • the one or more flanges are foldable.
  • the display element will then have multiple flange portions at equal height of the wall of the display element, for instance 2 or 4 flange portions for a rectangular container.
  • the flange aligned with the upper edge of the container wall may have four flange portions forming a rectangular cover over the container's upper edge and which can be collapsed when the display element is removed from the container and folded.
  • flanges are provided at equal height of the wall of the display element to keep the display element in a fixed position on a container, for instance 2 or 4 flanges for a rectangular container.
  • the display assembly is kept in place by the at least one flange and the walls of the container enclosed by the multisided wall of the display element.
  • the flange and/or the container may be provided with fixation means in order to keep the display element from sliding over the upper edge of the container.
  • the flange or flanges may be provided with pins extending from the lower surface of the flange and which are positioned such that they can be slid into matching holes in the upper edge of the container, thereby functioning as a fixation means.
  • the outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the surface of the container.
  • the display element may have any outer surface designed to the wishes of the retail shop owner or the wishes of the consumer to display the products more attractive to consumers and to render the retail store with a more attractive overall impression.
  • the outer surface of the multisided wall of the display element comprises a decorative design. Any design that meets the wishes of the retail shop owner may be used. Designs may be realized by any technique available in the art.
  • a particular preferred design of the display element comprises wicker work because this provides an authentic impression to consumers.
  • the invention herewith provides a means to display fruits and vegetables in an authentic way.
  • the display element gives the consumer the impression that the products are obtained from the land.
  • the multisided wall of the display element therefore comprises wall portions of wickerwork and reinforcing elements, preferably steel reinforcement.
  • the full display element is made out of wickerwork and reinforcement.
  • the display element may also be made by injection molding or a 3D-printing technique or any other suitable technique available in the art. Any suitable material may be used, for instance a rigid plastic.
  • a decorative design may be applied to the display element during the process or afterwards, for instance by painting, stickering or embossing, etc.
  • the design may be conferred by the particular computer-executable instructions that are used to cause a 3D printer to print the display element.
  • the invention therefore also relates to a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element according to the invention.
  • the display element may be painted after printing.
  • Figs. 1 A-F show an embodiment 5 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form an assembly in accordance with the invention.
  • Figs. 1 A-C show perspective views.
  • Figs. 1 D-F show front views of the situations depicted in Figs. 1 A-C respectively.
  • Figs. 1A and D show a container 1 in the form of a plastic crate, having a bottom portion 2 and a wall 3 having an inner surface and an outer surface, defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said wall having an upper edge 4 which defines an upper opening of container 1.
  • Display element 5 in this embodiment forms a removable sleeve which comprises a continuous multisided wall 6 which has an inner surface and an outer surface.
  • Multisided wall 6 has an upper edge 7 and a lower edge 8.
  • Display element 5 further comprises a single continuous flange 9 extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface from upper edge 7 of multisided wall 6.
  • the outer surface of container 1 and the outer surface of display element 5 are different in design.
  • display element 5 is made out of wickerwork 10 and metal reinforcement bars 11, while the outer surface of crate 1 is of a standard container design.
  • the wickerwork in Fig. 1A is only shown for a part and in the depicted embodiment also flange 9 comprises wickerwork.
  • the display element 5 can be slid over container 1 in the direction of the arrow.
  • Figs. 1C and 1F This results in the embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention as shown in Figs. 1C and 1F .
  • display element 5 surrounds the wall 3 of container 1 over substantially the full distance between the upper edge 4 and the bottom 2 of the container. This way essentially the full outer surface the wall of container 1 is hidden.
  • flange 9 extends laterally to about the inside border of the upper edge 4 of container 1 and thus rests on the upper edge 4 of container 1 so as to keep display element 5 in a fixed position.
  • Fig. 2 shows a front view of another embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, wherein another embodiment 51 of the display element according to the invention is shown, which is made by injection molding of a plastic.
  • the outer surface of display element 51 is decorated with painted flowers 12.
  • the embodiment of the assembly of the invention shown in Fig. 2 corresponds to the embodiment described for Fig. 1 and differs only in the design and material of the display element.
  • Figs. 3 A-D show a further embodiment 52 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form another embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention.
  • Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B show perspective views.
  • Fig. 3C and Fig. 3D show front views of the situations depicted in Fig. 3A and B , respectively.
  • the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 A , B , C and D corresponds to the embodiment described for Fig. 1A , C , D and F respectively and differs only in that display element 52 is designed to surround the wall 3 of said container over a part (approximately half) of the distance between the upper edge 4 and the bottom 2 of container 1, as is shown in Figs. 3B and D .
  • Figs. 4 A-C show perspective views of a further embodiment 53 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form another embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention.
  • the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 A-C corresponds to the embodiment described for Figs. 1 A-C but differs in that display element 53 is designed in accordance with the "two-wall" embodiment as described above. In this particular example only two walls 6 are provided on the short side of the display element.
  • This two-wall embodiment makes it possible to only cover container walls that are visible to consumers with the two walls of the display element, therewith saving considerable space when assemblies according to the invention are placed behind or next to each other.
  • flange 9 cover the full surface of the upper edge 4 of the container and is provided with pins 13 extending from the lower surface of the flange and which are positioned such that they can be slid into matching holes 14 in the upper edge 4 of the container, thereby functioning as a fixation means. This way sliding of display element 53 over the container's upper edge 9 is prevented and the display element is kept in place.
  • Figs. 5 A-B show perspective views of an further embodiment 54 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form another embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention.
  • the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 A-B corresponds to the embodiment described for Figs. 3 A-B respectively but differs in that display element 54 is designed in accordance with the "two-wall" embodiment as described above.
  • display element 54 is designed in accordance with the "two-wall" embodiment as described above.
  • FIG. 4 in this particular example only two walls 6 are provided on the short side of the display element.
  • flange 9 is provided with pins 13 extending from the lower surface of the flange and which are positioned such that they can be slid into matching holes 14 in the upper edge 4 of the container, thereby functioning as a fixation means.
  • Fig. 6 shows how fruit 15 can be exhibited in a store and how the embodiments of the assemblies described in Figs. 1 and 3 can be combined in a stair wise display manner in rows behind each other.
  • the outer surfaces of the containers 1 of the front row are substantially fully covered and hidden by display element 5 while the rows behind the front row may have only the upper parts of containers 1 elevating from the front row covered and hidden by display element 52.
  • the covered parts of a particular row hide the parts of the row behind it which are not covered by the display elements 52 mounted on the respective containers.
  • the flange matches the upper edge of the container allowing full visual exposure of and full access to the fruit 15 in the container
  • the containers enclosed by two other containers can be provided with display assemblies according to the "two-wall" embodiment, i.e. display elements 53 (front row) and display elements 54 (back rows).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly for containing consumer products comprising a container (1) and a display element (5). The present invention also relates to a display element for use as a sleeve over a container for containing consumer products and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element.

Description

    Introduction
  • The present invention relates to an assembly for containing consumer products comprising a container and a display element. The present invention also relates to a display element for use as a sleeve over a container for containing consumer products and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element.
  • Summary of the invention
  • Retail shops obtain their products from wholesale companies often in containers which are not attractive to the consumer. Examples of such products are products in supermarkets, such as vegetables or fruits. These products are in general delivered in plastic crates which lack attractiveness. Displaying the products in these plastic crates in retail stores would give these stores an overall impression of a wholesale warehouse which is in general considered undesirable by retail shop owners.
  • In order to increase the attractiveness of the retail shop and also in particular of the products to be sold and further to improve the customer's overall shopping experience, products may therefore be unpacked and optionally repacked to be displayed a way that is more attractive to consumers and which renders the retail store with a more attractive overall impression. Unpacking and repacking of products however places a heavy burden on the retail shops, because it takes time and personnel and also involves risks of damaging products. In particular in case of sensitive and perishable products such as vegetables and fruit, unpacking and/or repacking may result in damaging of the products, which in its turn lowers the value and decreases shelf life of said products.
  • The present invention aims to overcome these problems by the provision of a display element which can be fittingly slid over a container so as to hide the container's unattractive outer surface or at least parts thereof from sight.
  • The present invention relates in one aspect to an assembly for containing consumer products as defined in claims 1 and 5.
  • In a second aspect the invention relates to a display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products as defined in claims 9 and 10.
  • In a third aspect the invention relates to a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element according to this invention as defined in claim 15.
  • In accordance with the invention, the products in the container to be covered by the display element do not have to be unpacked and/or repacked, which saves time and personnel. Moreover, in case of perishable products such as fruits or vegetables, damaging is prevented herewith, which increases the value and shelf life of said products. Because the display element is removable, it can be used for an unlimited amount of times for different containers of the same size. The retail owner therefore only needs a limited set of display elements for the particular containers he gets delivered. The display element functions as a removable sleeve around the wall of the container and obscures the unattractive outer surface of the container and can have an outer surface designed to the wishes of the retail shop owner or the wishes of the consumer to display the products more attractively for consumers and to render the retail store with a more attractive overall impression.
  • Short description of the drawings
    • Figures 1 A-F shows an embodiment of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container to form an assembly in accordance with the invention. A-C show perspective views. D-F show front views.
    • Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of the display element in accordance with the invention in front view.
    • Figures 3 A-D show a still further embodiment of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container to form a further embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention. A and B are perspective views. C and D show front views.
    • Figures 4 A-C show a still further embodiment of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container to form a further embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention.
    • Figures 5 A-B show a still further embodiment of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container to form a further embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention.
    • Figure 6 shows how consumer products can be displayed by use of a combination of two embodiments of the assembly of the invention.
    Embodiments of the invention.
  • In one embodiment the assembly comprises a container having a bottom portion and a multisided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inside space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an upper edge which defines an upper opening of said container; and a display element comprising: a multisided display element wall which has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said display element wall has an upper edge and a lower edge; and at least one flange extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface of the display element wall; wherein the display element removably surrounds the container wall and hides the outer surface of said container over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of the container; and wherein said at least one flange rests on the upper edge of the container wall so as to keep the display element in a fixed position; wherein said at least one flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of the container and wherein the outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the outer surface of the container.
  • Accordingly, a suitable display element for use in this assembly is a display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products, said predetermined container having a bottom portion and a multisided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an upper edge which defines an upper opening of said predetermined container, wherein said display element comprises: a multisided display element wall which has an inner surface and an outer surface, said display element wall having an upper edge and a lower edge; and at least one flange extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface of the display element wall; wherein the display element is designed to removably surround the container wall and to hide the outer surface of said container at least over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of said predetermined container while said at least one flange rests on the upper edge of said predetermined container so as to keep the display element in a fixed position on said predetermined container, and wherein said at least one flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of said predetermined container.
  • As containers crates or boxes may be suitable. It is preferred that the container is a plastic crate. For instance, crates out of one piece or foldable crates may be used. The container may be filled with any consumer product and may have a size that is standard in the field of the product. As the assembly according to the invention has particular advantageous effects with regard to shelf life of fruit and vegetables the container may be plastic crate containing vegetables or fruits. Containers used in wholesale such as crates or boxes are in general rectangular in shape, although other shapes in principle are possible.
  • In case of a rectangular crate or box, the wall of the display element is in one preferred embodiment four-sided and rectangular in shape in order to match the outside shape of the wall portion of the container.
  • However, when multiple assemblies according to the invention are displayed in rows next to each other or behind each other and covering rectangular containers, the display element may also have only two walls opposite to each other. In this embodiment, referred to in this application as "two-wall" embodiment, the walls on the two other sides of the display element are omitted. In this respect in a further embodiment the assembly comprises a container having a bottom portion and a four-sided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inside space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an substantially rectangular upper edge which defines an upper opening of said container; and a display element removably positioned over the container and covering parts of the outer surface of said container wall, said display element comprising: two opposite display element walls having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the inner surfaces of the display element walls face each other; and a flange having portions extending laterally and inwardly from the upper edge of said display element walls and portions connecting the upper edges of the opposite display element walls at both ends thereof to connect the display element walls with each other; wherein said flange aligns with the upper edge of the container wall and rests on the upper edge of the container wall so as to keep the display element in a fixed position; wherein the outer surface of container wall portions covered by said display element wall portions is visually hidden by said display element wall portions over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of the container; and wherein said flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of the container and wherein the outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the outer surface of the container. Accordingly, a suitable display element for use in this assembly is a display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products, said predetermined container having a bottom portion and a four-sided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said container wall having a substantially rectangular upper edge which defines an upper opening of said predetermined container, wherein said display element comprises: two opposite display element walls having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an upper edge and a lower edge; and a flange having portions extending laterally and inwardly from the upper edge of said display element walls and portions connecting the upper edges of the opposite display element walls at both ends thereof to connect the display element walls with each other; wherein the display element is designed to be slid over said container and such that the outer surface of container wall portions covered by said display element wall portions is visually hidden by said display element wall portions over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of said predetermined container while said flange is designed to align with the upper edge of said predetermined container and rests on the upper edge of said predetermined container so as to keep the display element in a fixed position on said predetermined container, and wherein said flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of said predetermined container.
  • In general rectangular crates have a long side and a short side. In the two-wall embodiment the walls may be provided on the long side of the display element or on the short side, depending on the orientation of the crates with respect to each other. The two-wall embodiment makes it possible to only cover and hide the surfaces of container walls that are visible to consumers with the two walls of the display element. This saves considerable space, which is of great value for shops that often only have limited room available for exhibition of products.
  • According to the invention the parts of the display element covering the container hide the unattractive outer surface of the container by the part covering it.
  • In one embodiment of the invention the multisided wall or the walls of the display element hide the corresponding outer surface of said container over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container, i.e. the full outer surface of that portion of the container wall is covered and hidden by the display element. In case the number of wall of the display element corresponds to the number of container walls the display element may therefore surround the container wall over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container, i.e. the container wall is substantially completely covered and hidden by the display element. With "substantially" is meant that between 95 % and the full length of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container is covered by the display element. This way the unattractive outer surface of the container is maximally hidden from sight.
  • In another embodiment the multisided wall or the walls of the display element hide the corresponding outer surface of the wall of said container over only a part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container. This partial covering is for economic reasons. Although this way not the full outer surface of a container wall is hidden by the display element wall covering it, this embodiment may be preferred to be used in combination with the embodiment wherein the display element multisided wall or the walls cover the corresponding wall portions of said container over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container. Namely, when multiple assemblies according to the invention are displayed in a stair wise manner in rows behind each other, it may suffice to have only the outer surfaces of the containers of the front row of containers fully covered by the display element, while the rows behind the front row may have only the upper parts of containers elevating from the front row covered by said display element. In this setup the covered parts of a particular row hide the parts of the row behind it which are not covered by the display elements mounted on the respective containers.
  • Because the display element of the invention is used in a setup wherein consumer products are exhibited to consumers, the display element should allow maximal exposure of the products in the container. Therefore, the flange of the display element should have dimensions that allow visual exposure of the contents of the container to a person looking in the direction of the contents. In other words, the presence of the flange on the container's upper edge should allow unhindered or full exposure of and access to the contents therein from the upper opening of the container. The dimensions should also be such that access to the contents is not hindered. In this respect the flange does not hinder visual exposure and accessibility of the contents in the container. In other words, if the flange overhangs the upper edge of the container, the overhang should be limited, so that the dimensions of the upper opening of the container are substantially retained when the flange rests on the upper edge of the container. The upper opening of the assembly will therefore preferably have dimensions that are substantially the same as the upper opening of the container. For this reason it is also preferred to provide a flange that does not protrude into the container's inside or which protrudes into the container's inside only to a limited extent, for instance in the order of millimetres (1-20 mm) or maximally 5 % of the distance between two opposite sides of the upper edge of the container. In this respect it is preferred that said at least one flange maximally overhangs the inside border of the upper edge of the container with a length corresponding to the width of said upper edge. Preferably said at least one flange maximally extends laterally until the inside border of the upper edge of the container.
  • It is preferred that the at least one flange extends from the upper edge of the wall of the display element. This is convenient for practical reasons of constructing the display element, and it contributes to full visual exposure and accessibility of the contents of the container to the consumer.
  • The display element may be in a nonfoldable form with a continuous multisided wall and the flange in a fixed orientation. In this embodiment the display element preferably has a single continuous flange, which rests on the full circumference of the upper edge of the container wall when assembled onto a container.
  • This is not only for ease of construction, but it is also preferred because this way the full unattractive upper edge of the container can be covered by the display element, and in particular by its flange portion.
  • It is also possible that the display element is provided in the form of a foldable element. In this embodiment also the one or more flanges are foldable. In unfolded form the display element will then have multiple flange portions at equal height of the wall of the display element, for instance 2 or 4 flange portions for a rectangular container. For instance in case of a foldable display element according to the abovementioned two-wall embodiment the flange aligned with the upper edge of the container wall may have four flange portions forming a rectangular cover over the container's upper edge and which can be collapsed when the display element is removed from the container and folded.
  • Also in case the display element is nonfoldable, it is possible that multiple flanges are provided at equal height of the wall of the display element to keep the display element in a fixed position on a container, for instance 2 or 4 flanges for a rectangular container.
  • When the number of wall sides of the display assembly match the number of wall sides of the container, the display assembly is kept in place by the at least one flange and the walls of the container enclosed by the multisided wall of the display element. However, in particular in case of the above described two-wall embodiment it may be preferred to provide the flange and/or the container with fixation means in order to keep the display element from sliding over the upper edge of the container. For instance, to keep the display element in place when mounted onto the container the flange or flanges may be provided with pins extending from the lower surface of the flange and which are positioned such that they can be slid into matching holes in the upper edge of the container, thereby functioning as a fixation means.
  • The outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the surface of the container. As mentioned above, the display element may have any outer surface designed to the wishes of the retail shop owner or the wishes of the consumer to display the products more attractive to consumers and to render the retail store with a more attractive overall impression. In this respect it is preferred that the outer surface of the multisided wall of the display element comprises a decorative design. Any design that meets the wishes of the retail shop owner may be used. Designs may be realized by any technique available in the art.
  • A particular preferred design of the display element comprises wicker work because this provides an authentic impression to consumers. In particular in case of agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits the invention herewith provides a means to display fruits and vegetables in an authentic way. In other words, the display element gives the consumer the impression that the products are obtained from the land. In a particularly preferred embodiment the multisided wall of the display element therefore comprises wall portions of wickerwork and reinforcing elements, preferably steel reinforcement. For this embodiment it is preferred that the full display element is made out of wickerwork and reinforcement.
  • The display element may also be made by injection molding or a 3D-printing technique or any other suitable technique available in the art. Any suitable material may be used, for instance a rigid plastic.
  • In case the display element is made by injection molding, a decorative design may be applied to the display element during the process or afterwards, for instance by painting, stickering or embossing, etc.
  • In case the display element is made by a 3D-printing technique, the design may be conferred by the particular computer-executable instructions that are used to cause a 3D printer to print the display element. The invention therefore also relates to a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element according to the invention. Optionally the display element may be painted after printing.
  • Detailed description of the drawings
  • The invention will now be further elucidated in the attached drawings. The following explanation is meant to illustrate and explain the invention and not to limit the claims.
  • Figs. 1 A-F show an embodiment 5 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form an assembly in accordance with the invention. Figs. 1 A-C show perspective views. Figs. 1 D-F show front views of the situations depicted in Figs. 1 A-C respectively. Figs. 1A and D show a container 1 in the form of a plastic crate, having a bottom portion 2 and a wall 3 having an inner surface and an outer surface, defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said wall having an upper edge 4 which defines an upper opening of container 1. Display element 5 in this embodiment forms a removable sleeve which comprises a continuous multisided wall 6 which has an inner surface and an outer surface. Multisided wall 6 has an upper edge 7 and a lower edge 8. Display element 5 further comprises a single continuous flange 9 extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface from upper edge 7 of multisided wall 6. As shown in Fig. 1 the outer surface of container 1 and the outer surface of display element 5 are different in design. In the embodiment shown in Fig 1 display element 5 is made out of wickerwork 10 and metal reinforcement bars 11, while the outer surface of crate 1 is of a standard container design. The wickerwork in Fig. 1A is only shown for a part and in the depicted embodiment also flange 9 comprises wickerwork. As shown in Figs. 1B and E, the display element 5 can be slid over container 1 in the direction of the arrow. This results in the embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention as shown in Figs. 1C and 1F. As shown in Fig. 1C and F, display element 5 surrounds the wall 3 of container 1 over substantially the full distance between the upper edge 4 and the bottom 2 of the container. This way essentially the full outer surface the wall of container 1 is hidden. In this embodiment flange 9 extends laterally to about the inside border of the upper edge 4 of container 1 and thus rests on the upper edge 4 of container 1 so as to keep display element 5 in a fixed position.
  • Fig. 2 shows a front view of another embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, wherein another embodiment 51 of the display element according to the invention is shown, which is made by injection molding of a plastic. The outer surface of display element 51 is decorated with painted flowers 12. The embodiment of the assembly of the invention shown in Fig. 2 corresponds to the embodiment described for Fig. 1 and differs only in the design and material of the display element.
  • Figs. 3 A-D show a further embodiment 52 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form another embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention. Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B show perspective views. Fig. 3C and Fig. 3D show front views of the situations depicted in Fig. 3A and B, respectively. The embodiment shown in Figs. 3 A, B, C and D corresponds to the embodiment described for Fig. 1A, C, D and F respectively and differs only in that display element 52 is designed to surround the wall 3 of said container over a part (approximately half) of the distance between the upper edge 4 and the bottom 2 of container 1, as is shown in Figs. 3B and D.
  • Figs. 4 A-C show perspective views of a further embodiment 53 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form another embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention. The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 A-C corresponds to the embodiment described for Figs. 1 A-C but differs in that display element 53 is designed in accordance with the "two-wall" embodiment as described above. In this particular example only two walls 6 are provided on the short side of the display element. This two-wall embodiment makes it possible to only cover container walls that are visible to consumers with the two walls of the display element, therewith saving considerable space when assemblies according to the invention are placed behind or next to each other. In this example flange 9 cover the full surface of the upper edge 4 of the container and is provided with pins 13 extending from the lower surface of the flange and which are positioned such that they can be slid into matching holes 14 in the upper edge 4 of the container, thereby functioning as a fixation means. This way sliding of display element 53 over the container's upper edge 9 is prevented and the display element is kept in place.
  • Figs. 5 A-B show perspective views of an further embodiment 54 of the display element in accordance with the invention and how it can be mounted over a container 1 to form another embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the invention. The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 A-B corresponds to the embodiment described for Figs. 3 A-B respectively but differs in that display element 54 is designed in accordance with the "two-wall" embodiment as described above. Just as the embodiment depicted in Fig. 4, in this particular example only two walls 6 are provided on the short side of the display element. To keep the display element in place when mounted onto the container, also in this example flange 9 is provided with pins 13 extending from the lower surface of the flange and which are positioned such that they can be slid into matching holes 14 in the upper edge 4 of the container, thereby functioning as a fixation means.
  • Fig. 6 shows how fruit 15 can be exhibited in a store and how the embodiments of the assemblies described in Figs. 1 and 3 can be combined in a stair wise display manner in rows behind each other. Here only the outer surfaces of the containers 1 of the front row are substantially fully covered and hidden by display element 5 while the rows behind the front row may have only the upper parts of containers 1 elevating from the front row covered and hidden by display element 52. In this setup the covered parts of a particular row hide the parts of the row behind it which are not covered by the display elements 52 mounted on the respective containers. As shown in Fig. 6 the flange matches the upper edge of the container allowing full visual exposure of and full access to the fruit 15 in the container
  • To save space, in a similar setup as that shown in Fig. 6, the containers enclosed by two other containers can be provided with display assemblies according to the "two-wall" embodiment, i.e. display elements 53 (front row) and display elements 54 (back rows).

Claims (15)

  1. An assembly for containing consumer products comprising
    a container having a bottom portion and a multisided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inside space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an upper edge which defines an upper opening of said container; and
    a display element comprising:
    a multisided display element wall which has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said display element wall has an upper edge and a lower edge; and at least one flange extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface of the display element wall;
    wherein the display element removably surrounds the container wall and hides the outer surface of said container over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of the container; and wherein said at least one flange rests on the upper edge of the container wall so as to keep the display element in a fixed position;
    wherein said at least one flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of the container and wherein the outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the outer surface of the container.
  2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least one flange is a single continuous flange, resting on the the upper edge on the full circumference of the container wall.
  3. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said multisided wall of the display element is a four sided wall.
  4. The assembly according to any of the claim 1 to 3, wherein said at least one flange extends from the upper edge of the multisided wall of the display element.
  5. An assembly for containing consumer products comprising
    a container having a bottom portion and a four-sided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inside space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an substantially rectangular upper edge which defines an upper opening of said container; and
    a display element removably positioned over the container and covering parts of the outer surface of said container wall, said display element comprising:
    two opposite display element walls having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the inner surfaces of the display element walls face each other; and
    a flange having portions extending laterally and inwardly from the upper edge of said display element walls and portions connecting the upper edges of the opposite display element walls at both ends thereof to connect the display element walls with each other;
    wherein said flange aligns with the upper edge of the container wall and rests on the upper edge of the container wall so as to keep the display element in a fixed position;
    wherein the outer surface of container wall portions covered by said display element wall portions is visually hidden by said display element wall portions over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of the container; and
    wherein said flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of the container and wherein the outer surface of the display element has an appearance that is visibly distinguished from the outer surface of the container.
  6. The assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer surfaces of container wall portions covered by said display element are visually hidden over substantially the full distance between the upper edge and the bottom of the container.
  7. The assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 6, wherein said at least one flange maximally overhangs the inside border of the upper edge of the container with a distance corresponding to the width of said upper edge.
  8. The assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the container is a plastic crate containing vegetables or fruits.
  9. A display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products, said predetermined container having a bottom portion and a multisided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said container wall having an upper edge which defines an upper opening of said predetermined container,
    wherein said display element comprises:
    a multisided display element wall which has an inner surface and an outer surface, said display element wall having an upper edge and a lower edge; and at least one flange extending laterally and inwardly from the inner surface of the display element wall;
    wherein the display element is designed to removably surround the container wall and to hide the outer surface of said container at least over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of said predetermined container while said at least one flange rests on the upper edge of said predetermined container so as to keep the display element in a fixed position on said predetermined container, and wherein said at least one flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of said predetermined container.
  10. A display element for use as a sleeve over a predetermined container for containing consumer products, said predetermined container having a bottom portion and a four-sided container wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an inner space for containing consumer products, said container wall having a substantially rectangular upper edge which defines an upper opening of said predetermined container,
    wherein said display element comprises:
    two opposite display element walls having an inner surface and an outer surface, and an upper edge and a lower edge; and
    a flange having portions extending laterally and inwardly from the upper edge of said display element walls and portions connecting the upper edges of the opposite display element walls at both ends thereof to connect the display element walls with each other;
    wherein the display element is designed to be slid over said container and such that the outer surface of container wall portions covered by said display element wall portions is visually hidden by said display element wall portions over at least part of the distance between the upper edge and the bottom portion of said predetermined container while said flange is designed to align with the upper edge of said predetermined container and rests on the upper edge of said predetermined container so as to keep the display element in a fixed position on said predetermined container, and wherein said flange has dimensions that allow visual exposure of and access to the contents of said predetermined container.
  11. The display element according to claim 9, wherein said at least one flange extends from the upper edge of the multisided wall of the display element.
  12. The display element according to any of the claims 9 to 11, wherein said at least one flange is a single continuous flange.
  13. The assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 8 or the display element according to any of the claims 9 to 12, wherein the outer surface of the wall (s) of the display element comprises a decorative design and/or wherein the wall(s) of the display element comprises wall portions of wickerwork and reinforcing elements, preferably steel reinforcement.
  14. The display element according to any of the claims 9 to 12 or as defined in any of the claims 1 to 8, which is made by injection molding or 3D-printing technique.
  15. Computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print the display element according to any of the claims 9 to 13 or as defined in any of the claims 1 to 8.
EP18190473.1A 2018-02-23 2018-08-23 Display element for container Withdrawn EP3530580A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18158419 2018-02-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3530580A1 true EP3530580A1 (en) 2019-08-28

Family

ID=61386714

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18190473.1A Withdrawn EP3530580A1 (en) 2018-02-23 2018-08-23 Display element for container

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP3530580A1 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE474259C (en) * 1924-10-31 1929-04-03 Hermann Geissler Slip lid box for shipping purposes
EP2030899A1 (en) * 2007-08-31 2009-03-04 Klaus Behrens Drinks case cover, in particular for covering stackable drinks cases
WO2011081636A1 (en) * 2009-12-29 2011-07-07 Del Monte Fresh Produce Company Improved airflow for banana cooling and ripening
WO2017048623A1 (en) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-23 Ifco Systems Gmbh Container assembly with promotional panels and associated methods for making the same

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE474259C (en) * 1924-10-31 1929-04-03 Hermann Geissler Slip lid box for shipping purposes
EP2030899A1 (en) * 2007-08-31 2009-03-04 Klaus Behrens Drinks case cover, in particular for covering stackable drinks cases
WO2011081636A1 (en) * 2009-12-29 2011-07-07 Del Monte Fresh Produce Company Improved airflow for banana cooling and ripening
WO2017048623A1 (en) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-23 Ifco Systems Gmbh Container assembly with promotional panels and associated methods for making the same

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