GB2268470A - Packaging tray - Google Patents

Abstract

A tray for packets of potato crisps or the like and for use on supermarket shelves for display and dispensing purposes has a rectangular base (1), a pair of side walls (3, 5) upstanding from opposite sides of the base, and a pair of end walls or ledges upstanding from opposite ends of the tray, the end walls being of two layer thickness (21, 23). At each corner of the tray, a stacking pillar is formed by a panel (37) connected to an end portion of a side wall, there being means (43) at each corner of the tray to hold the stacking panels (37) in engagement with the side walls (3, 5), and a locking flap (47) foldably connected to the stacking panel (37) and sandwiched between the two layers (21, 23) of the end walls or ledges. <IMAGE>

Description

PACKAGING TRAY This invention relates to a packaging tray, and more particularly a tray for potato crisps and the like, and to a blank for erection into the tray.

Nowadays, packets of potato crisps are packed and stored in fibreboard boxes, which are converted at the point of sale by tearing one or more panels of the box along lines of weakness (and either folding it/them back or removing it/them) into display/dispensing trays. These are normally stacked on a shelf, and they have an open front, thus allowing one or more packets of potato crisps to be taken from the tray. These known boxes convertible into trays suffer from the disadvantage that they are very unstable when stacked, and it is not unusual for the stacks to collapse and for the packets of potato crisps to fall onto the floor.

In an attempt to overcome this problem, one box manufacturer has designed a stackable box which converts into a tray, and which has corner stacking pillars.

However, these pillars are provided by diagonal corner flaps provided by extensions of the box side walls, which have to be secured by adhesive to the side walls. While the box performs very satisfactorily, it is expensive to make since a machine has to be provided to apply the adhesive to the box and to erect it. It has therefore not been accepted by the potato crisp manufacturers.

We therefore decided there was a need for a handerected tray which possessed suitable stacking strength.

Traditional hand erected trays have separate corner pillars, e.g. of folded fibreboard, moulded plastics, or wood. One piece trays with integral corner pillars of fibreboard are known, but because of the need to use board material in the vicinity of the corner to sandwich between two layers of end wall to lock together the side and end walls at the-corner, this has resulted, in all previous constructions, in there being no vertically continuous panel extending diagonally across the corner to provide vertical stacking strength.

The present invention seeks to solve this problem.

According to the present invention, we provide a tray for potato crisps and the like, the tray having a rectangular base, a pair of side walls upstanding from a first opposite pair of sides of the base, and a pair of end ledges upstanding from the second pair of opposite sides of the base, the end ledges being of two layer thickness, with an inner layer folded into back to back relationship with an outer layer, and held in place by at least one projecting tab on its free edge engaging in a corresponding slot in the end of the base, and including a diagonal stacking panel at each corner, each stacking panel being foldably connected to one end portion of a side wall and having means to hold it in position and latchably to connect it to the side wall and wherein the stacking panel has one edge resting on the tray base and its opposite edge at the desired stacking height, and wherein a locking flap which is sandwiched between the two layers of a respective end ledge is foldably connected to a lower region of each stacking panel.

Preferably, the stacking panels are foldably connected to short substantially full height end wall panels each forming part of a stacking pillar and foldably connected to an end of a side wall, and the locking flaps are reverse folded for sandwiching between said two layers.

Preferably, a locking tab projects from the end edge of each stacking panel which engages within a slot formed in each side wall. The slot may be formed by a flap formed in the side wall, which is folded inwardly to receive the edge of the stacking panel behind it.

Preferably, the side walls project upwardly beyond the stacking panels to provide locating rails for the underside of another tray.

Also according to the present invention, we provide a blank for a tray for potato crisps, the blank comprising a rectangular base panel, a pair of side wall panels foldably connected to the base panel about a first pair of parallel spaced fold lines defining the sides of the base, a second pair of spaced parallel fold lines at right angles to the first pair defining the ends of the base panel, a pair of ledge or end wall panels foldably connected to the base panel about respective ones of said second pair of fold lines, each of said ledge or end panels being divided into inner and outer portions by a tram line double score line parallel to the second pair of fold lines, at least one projecting tab extending from the free edge of each inner portion engageable in a corresponding slot in the end of the base panel, and, at each end of each side wall panel, at least a pair of spaced further fold lines extending parallel to said second pair of spaced fold lines, and defining a full height stacking panel and including a locking flap connected along a fold line in line with one of said further fold lines to each said stacking panel, and means associated with the stacking panel for holding and locking it in position in the erected tray.

Preferably, one of said further fold lines is substantially in line with one of the fold lines of the second pair of fold lines at the end of the base panel, and a short end wall panel is foldably attached by said one fold line to the respective end of the side wall panel, with the stacking panel being foldably connected by the other one of the fold lines of the further pair of fold lines to the short end wall panel.

Preferably, the means associated with the stacking panel comprises a projecting locking tab on its free edge which engages in the erected tray in a slot in the side wall from which the stacking panel projects.

A tray according to the invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a tray blank; FIGURE 2 is a plan view of one corner of a tray partly erected from the blank of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the same corner of the fully erected tray, and FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the erected tray.

In the drawings, score lines are represented by broken lines, perforations by short-broken lines, and cuts by ordinary heavy lines.

Referring to Figure 1, the tray blank is divided into a base panel 1, and a pair of side wall panels 3, 5 by a first pair of spaced parallel fold lines 7 and 9. A second pair of spaced fold lines 11 and 13 extending normal to the fold lines 7, 9 connect respective ones of a pair of ledge or end wall panels 15, 17 to the end edges of the base panel 1. Each end wall panel 15, 17 is divided by a tram line pair of score lines 19 into an outer ledge panel 21 and an inner ledge panel 23, there being a pair of projecting tabs 25 on the free edge of each panel 23 which engage in appropriate slots 27 provided in the ends of the base panel 1. It will be noted that the inner ledge panels 23 are shorter than the outer ones 21, due to cut-away areas 29.

At each end of each side wall panel, a further pair of spaced fold lines 31, 33 is provided, defining a short substantially full height end panel 35 and a stacking panel 37. Each stacking panel has a locking tab 39 projecting from its free edge 41, which, in the erected tray, engages in a slot in a respective side wall panel 3, 5 provided by folding a flap 43 formed therein out of the plane of the panel.

Foldably connected to a lower inner portion of each stacking panel 37 about a fold line 45 formed as an extension of the fold line 33, is a locking flap 47. These flaps 47 extend partially into the side wall panels 3, 5.

It will be noted that the fold lines 31 do not extend into.

the flaps 47.

To erect a tray from the blank of Figure 1, the short end wall panels 35 are first folded about the fold line 31 to extend normal to side wall panels 3, 5 respectively, taking care not to crease flaps 47, and the stacking panels 37 are at the same time folded about their fold lines 33 towards respective side walls 3, 5 and the flaps 43 are lifted and locking tabs 39 are locked into the slots provided behind the flaps 43.

The side wall panels 3, 5 are then folded upwardly about the fold lines 7, 9 so as to lie normal to the base panel 1, whereupon the four locking flaps 47 are then reverse folded about the fold lines 45 connecting them to the stacking panels 37, so that they overlie the fold lines 11, 13 respectively. Then the end wall panels 15, 17 are folded upwardly about their respective fold lines 11, 13 so as to abut the flaps 47 and extend normal to the base panel 1, and the inner ledge panels 23 are then folded through 1800 about the score lines 19, and the locking tabs 25 are engaged in the respective slots 27 to provide a double layer end ledge, with the locking flaps 47 sandwiched between the two layers. Thus, both the side walls and the end ledge are locked in position at right angles to the base panel.

Instead of connecting the stacking panels 37 by fold lines 33 to the short end panels 35 which are connected to the ends of the side wall panels 3, 5 about fold lines 31, a "reverse" arrangement could be provided. In this arrangement, fold lines extending normal to fold lines 7, 9 would be provided in end portions of the panels 3, 5 in the vicinity of flaps 43, 45 by means of which stacking panels would be connected to the panels 3, 5. A short end panel would then be foldably connected to an edge of each stacking panel about a fold line parallel to and spaced from the fold line connecting the stacking panel to its side wall. This short end panel would then have a short side wall panel foldably connected to it about a further fold line spaced from and parallel to the fold line connecting the short end panel to the stacking panel.The free edge of each short side panel would then have a projecting locking flap which would engage in a slot in the side wall panel which would be provided in line with the fold line connecting each stacking panel to the side wall panel.

In this alternative construction, the tray would be erected in a similar manner to the preferred tray, except that the stacking panels would first be folded through about 300 about the fold lines connecting them to the side wall end portions, whereupon the short end wall panels would be reverse folded about their fold lines connecting them to the stacking panels through about 600, and the short side wall panels would then be reverse folded through 900 about the fold line connecting them to their respective short end wall panel. The short side wall panels will then be in line with the side walls, thus allowing their locking flaps to be engaged in the slots provided.

Normally, the tray would be stacked full of bags of potato crisps or the like, and then closed off by an inverted U-shaped cover, the top (i.e. base of the U) of which rests on the top edges of the stacking panels 37, with the lower ends of the depending arms of the U being tucked behind the end ledges of the tray. It can then be taped in position, and may then receive a final wrapping, e.g. of shrink wrap material. Preferably, the cover is of the construction described in our co-pending U.K. Patent Application No. .

It is preferred that the corrugations in the board material from which the tray is made extend vertically (as shown in Figure 4) in the stacking pillars 37.

It will thus be appreciated that a tray is provided which is hand erectable, and yet which has diagonally extending stacking panels at each corner which rest on the base and therefore have maximum stacking strength from the material of the tray. Further identical trays may be stacked on top of the trays with the stacking panels 37 taking the majority of the weight of superimposed trays. It will be noted that each side wall panel 3, 5 has a projecting central region 49. This provides lateral location for stacking purposes, but is optional.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:

1. A tray for packets of potato crisps or the like, the tray having a rectangular base, a pair of side walls upstanding from a first opposite pair of sides of the base, and a pair of end ledges upstanding from the second pair of opposite sides of the base, the end ledges being of two layer thickness, with an inner layer folded into back to back relationship with an outer layer, and held in place by at least one projecting tab on its free edge engaging in a corresponding slot in the end of the base, and including a diagonal stacking panel at each corner, each stacking panel being foldably connected to one end portion of a side wall and having means to hold it in position and latchably to connect it to the side wall and wherein the stacking panel has one edge resting on the tray base and its opposite edge at the desired stacking height, and wherein a locking flap which is sandwiched between the two layers of a respective end ledge is foldably connected to a lower region of each stacking panel.

2. A tray according to claim 1 wherein the stacking panels are foldably connected to short substantially full height end wall panels each forming part of a stacking pillar and foldably connected to an end of a side wall, and the locking flaps are reverse folded for sandwiching between said two layers.

3. A tray according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a locking tab projects from the end edge of each stacking panel which engages within a slot formed in each side wall.

4. A tray according to claim 3 wherein the slot is formed by a flap formed in the side wall, which is folded inwardly to receive the edge of the stacking panel behind it.

5. A tray according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side walls project upwardly beyond the stacking panels to provide locating rails for the underside of another tray.

6. A tray according to claim 1, and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

i. A blank for a tray for potato crisps, the blank comprising a rectangular base panel, a pair of side wall panels foldably connected to the base panel about a first pair of parallel spaced fold lines defining the sides of the base, a second pair of spaced parallel fold lines at right angles to the first pair defining the ends of the base panel, a pair of ledge or end wall panels foldably connected to the base panel about respective ones of said second pair of fold lines, each of said ledge or end panels being divided into inner and outer portions by a tram line double score line parallel to the second pair of fold lines, at least one projecting tab extending from the free edge of each inner portion engageable in a corresponding slot in the end of the base panel, and, at each end of each side wall panel, at least a pair of spaced further fold lines extending parallel to said second pair of spaced fold lines, and defining a full height stacking panel and including a locking flap connected along a fold line in line with one of said further fold lines to each said stacking panel, and means associated with the stacking panel for holding and locking it in position in the erected tray.

8. A blank according to claim 7 wherein one of said further fold lines is substantially in line with one of the fold lines of the second pair of fold lines at the end of the base panel, and a short end wall panel is foldably attached by said one fold line to the respective end of the side wall panel, with the stacking panel being foldably connected by the other one of the fold lines of the further pair of fold lines to the short end wall panel.

9. A blank according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the means associated with the stacking panel comprises a projecting locking tab on its free edge which engages in the erected tray in a slot in the side wall from which the stacking panel projects.

10. A blank according to claim 7 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.