Lift-off shipping carton for television cabinet

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References Cited

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UNITED STATES PATENTS

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ABSTRACT

A shipping carton for a television cabinet or the like comprising a bottom tray having upwardly extending sidewalls, a pallet press fitted within the tray, a cover having downwardly extending sidewalls adapted to slidably engage the exterior of the bottom tray sidewalls, a pad member press fitted into the top of the cover. When assembled, the carton encloses the cabinet in an interlocked stacked assembly with the cover secured to the bottom tray by strips of tape or a vertically surrounding band. The assembly permits reopening for complete access to the cabinet by merely cutting the tape or band and lifting off the cover.

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Claim, 3 Drawing Figures

ΜΐΕΝΐΕΟί» 9197?

3,661,318

SHEET 1 DE 2

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BY 'ζρ.ηα ATTORNEY

3,661,31 8

ΡΑΤΕΝΤΕΟΜΛϊ 9 1972 ί

SHEET 2 OF 2

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INVENTORS ARTHUR R MILLER &amp; LESLIE R. RYAN

BY

ATTORNEY

3,661,318

LIFT-OFF SHIPPING CARTON FOR TELEVISION CABINET

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to shipping cartons and, more particularly, to a carton configuration for packing television or hifi cabinets which permits ease of reopening to obtain complete access to the cabinet.

Heretofore, conventional corrugated paper cartons with top and bottom fold over flaps have been employed in the packaging of television and hi-fi cabinets. Such cartons are closed and secured for shipment by gluing down and stapling the flaps. Although providing a strong and secure shipping container, this prior art carton configuration presents a number of disadvantages in the handling process from the point of initial cabinet manufacture until the completed unit reaches the consumer. For example, in the case of large cabinet units, at least two operators are required to insert the cabinet into the carton or to remove the cabinet for providing complete access. Further, reopening of the carton requires removal of the staples and tearing apart of glued flaps, resulting in poor appearance and loss of shipping strength. As the typical manufacturer-to-consumer cycle of television and hi-fi cabinets necessitates repeated opening and closing of the carton, the above noted cost, deficiency, appearance and strength disadvantages are multiplied to a quite significant level. For example, the empty television cabinet initially may be packaged in its shipping carton at a furniture fabricating facility. The cabinet is then transported to an assembly plant where the cabinet must be completely removed from its carton to facilitate installation of the television receiver chassis and associated apparatus. The cabinet assembly is then repackaged in the same carton and shipped to a dealer or distributor warehouse where it may be opened for display or inspection. In the event repair or rework is required after shipment, the cabinet assembly may be returned to the assembly plant where it is again removed from its carton, inspected and repaired, after which it is again repackaged and shipped to the distributor or dealer.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With an awareness of the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved carton configuration.

It is another object of the invention to provide a carton configuration for packaging television cabinets or the like which minimizes the time, effort and cost to initially pack the cabinet and to reopen the carton for providing complete access to the cabinet.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a carton assembly which retains its strength and appearance after repeated opening and closing.

Briefly, these objects are attained by a cabinet shipping carton comprising a bottom tray having upwardly extending sidewalls, a cabinet-mounting pallet disposed in the tray, and a cover having downwardly extending sidewalls adapted to be telescoped with the tray when the carton is closed. The tray sidewalls are of a height permitting substantially complete access to a cabinet mounted on the pallet when the cover is lifted off.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will be more fully described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a shipping carton enclosing a television cabinet in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view partly in section taken along the line 2—2 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of an alternate embodiment of a shipping carton in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims in connection with the above-described drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a shipping carton according to the invention is shown as comprising a bottom tray 10, a cabinet-mounting pallet 12 disposed within the tray, a cover 16 having downwardly extending sidewalls, and a pad 18 disposed within the cover about the top of the sidewalls thereof. Each of these carton components is preferably formed from corrugated paperboard, although other suitable materials may be employed, such as molded plastic or Styrofoam, for the pallet 12. For purposes of example, a television cabinet 14 is shown mounted on pallet 12 and enclosed within a carton of substantially rectangular cross section.

The bottom tray 10 has four sidewalls, 20, 22, 24 and 26 which are sufficiently low in height to permit substantially complete access to cabinet 14 when the cover 16 is removed. Preferably, the sidewalls 20-26 comprise the flaps of flat paperboard blank which have been bent upward and secured together by means adapted to facilitate collapse of the flaps when desired to ease removal of the cabinet 14. For example, in FIG. 1 the sidewall flaps 24 and 26 are shown to be wider than the tray bottom and folded over all four comers of the tray upon the exterior of sidewalls 20 and 22, whereupon the four folded over end portions of sidewalls 24 and 26 are secured to sidewalls 20 and 22 by strips of adhesive tape 28.

Pallet 12 has a flat bottom portion 30 which is press fitted within tray 10, and a raised central portion 31 having four corner notches 32 for receiving the four legs 34 which comprise the supporting base of cabinet 14. In this manner, the pallet 12 holds the cabinet in position during shipment, and in cooperation with the dimensioning of the tray and cover, maintains a predetermined spacing between the sides of cabinet 14 and the sidewalls of the carton in conformance with industry standards. The fabrication of such pallets is well known in the art, and of course the configuration thereof may assume other forms appropriate to receive the supporting base of an article mounted thereon.

Pad 18 is disposed to peripherially engage the top of the cabinet in a manner cooperating with the pallet to restrict movement of the cabinet during shipment and to maintain the desired spacing between the cabinet and carton sidewalls. In the preferred embodiment, the pad 18 depends from the periphery of a panel 36 which is snugly press fitted within cover 16 so as to prevent the pad from falling out when the cover is lifted off the tray. As illustrated in the drawings, pad 18 may comprise the rolled under flaps of a paperboard panel 36 which is press fitted into the top of the cover. FIG. 2 particularly indicates how the rolled under paperboard flaps 18 snugly engage the top edge 38 of cabinet 14 when the carton is closed. Although illustrated as engaging all four sides of top edge 38, other applications may employ a pad engaging only two opposite sides of the cabinet top. Also, four corner pads may be used.

In assembly for shipment, tray 10 is formed from a paperboard blank by bending up flaps 20-26 and taping them, as illustrated. Pallet 12 is then fitted into the tray 10, and cabinet 14 is loaded onto the pallet so that the cabinet legs 34 fit into notches 32 of the pallet. The paperboard panel 36 with depending pad 18 is then press fitted into the top of cover 16, and the cover is slipped down over the top of the cabinet so that the sidewalls of the cover slidably engage the exterior of the sidewalls of tray 10 in telescopic fashion. Hence, as best shown in FIG. 2, when the carton is closed, the cover sidewalls slidably engage the tray sidewalls to the bottom thereof. The closed cover 16 may then be secured to bottom tray 10 by the use of strips of adhesive tape 40 wrapped around the bottom

3,661 3 edges of the carton and extending from the lower portion of the cover sidewalls to the bottom of tray 10 as shown. Alternatively, the cover may be secured to the tray by vertically surrounding the closed carton with a conventional metal or plastic strapping band 42, as illustrated in FIG. 3. 5

Reopening of the carton to provide substantially complete access to the cabinet for purposes of installing electronic equipment, rework or inspection, etc. requires only the cutting of tape 40 or band 42 to free cover 16 for easy removal by lifting it off over the cabinet, a procedure requiring only a 10 single operator. The time and effort of repacking is also minimized, as it requires merely the sliding of cover 16 over the cabinet and tray and the application of a band or tape to secure the closed carton, pad 18 having been retained in the cover by its press fit. In addition to the obvious advantages of 15 ease of handling and reduced cost, it is clear that the strength and appearance of the carton will be retained after repeated opening and closing, as the package consists of a simple interlocked stacked assembly using only tape or bands to secure the pack together.

Although the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.