Field of the Invention

The invention is a packaging container for hanging from a clipstrip, as used most commonly in retail outlets.

Background and Prior art

A clipstrip is a retail product display, so named because it is a length of material (either plastic or metal) with clips and/or hooks at regular intervals, upon which small items of merchandise are hung for retail display. A common design of Clipstrip uses a series of upwardly pointing flexible tongues, placed at intervals along the strip, each of which protrudes from the clipstrip at an acute angle and provides a hook in order to hang the merchandise.

Various forms of packaged merchandise can be hung on a clipstrip, but it is necessary for merchandise to have a hanging facility in order to be displayed on clipstrips.

A very common form of product packaging is a carton such as a six sided cuboid carton. Usually made from cardboard, this design is extremely efficient, and provides an economic way of packaging small consumer items such as, for example, pharmaceuticals, beauty or household products, using the smallest amount of packaging material for the volume contained. Furthermore, cuboid cartons allow for the most efficient use of shelf space.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 The method of construction of a cuboid carton is also very economical, having just one overlapping glued seam. This is fast and economical to manufacture. However, the basic cuboid is not capable of being hung on a clipstrip. Where cartons have more complex designs than a basic cuboid, often this requires multiple glued seams and as a result the cost escalates and the speed of manufacture reduces.

With regard to the prior art, if it is desired that a carton be displayed on a clipstrip, the most popular solution is the provision of a hanging tag at the back of the carton. Such designs are more complex to produce, and in the case of integrated tags, use more board than a basic cuboid. In addition, often designs which incorporate a hanging tag require multiple glued seams and a double thickness of board to create a hanging tag of sufficient mechanical strength to support the weight of the carton in tension.

Cartons made with hanging tags don't generally display well when vended other than as a hanging item, for example when placed standing on a retail shelf or counter display. The extra height of the hanging tag is wasteful both of shelf space and of packaging material. When displayed on a shelf or countertop, or in a retail counter display unit, the hanging tags standing at the top of the cartons detract from the product, and make the

presentation look out of place, as clearly the items are designed for hanging, not for shelf display. Incorporating a hanging tag also reduces the number of units which can be packaged for transport in a given area of space. If a cuboid carton is designed to

incorporate the added complexity of fold out hanging tags, in order to serve a dual purpose, then multiple glue seams are usually required, and the necessity of using a double thickness of card for the hanging tag adds to the amount of raw materials used and complexity of the design.

A second common scenario is that in which a product which has already been packaged in a basic cuboid carton with no provision for hanging, is subsequently desired to be displayed on a clipstrip, and in this instance it is necessary to convert a basic cuboid carton for clipstrip hanging.

To convert a carton for retail display, it is common practice to affix a plastic self adhesive hanging tag to the rear of the carton, and there are many millions of these produced each year. Relative to the low cost of the small consumer products which they are often used to hang this is an expensive item and the expense is compounded by the fact that each self adhesive hanging tab has to be applied by hand.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 Since items vended on clipstrips are presented as low priced or impulse purchases, the cost of converting cuboid cartons using self adhesive hang tags makes a big impact on the retail profit margin; it is an expensive solution, but often the only way of converting cartons for clipstrip display. Because of this, clipstrip conversions are often sold as loss-leaders rather than sources of profit for retailers.

It is to these problems, amongst others, that the invention attempts to offer a solution.

Summary of the inventionln a first, broad independent aspect, the invention comprises a packaging container for hanging from a clipstrip, said container comprising a top and a back and having a first surface area with a first aperture on the, in use, back of the container and a second surface area with a second aperture on the, in use, top of the container, wherein both of the apertures run from the exterior of the container to the interior of the container, wherein the first aperture and the second aperture are adjacent one another, wherein the second surface area is offset from the first surface area, such that the first and second apertures are also offset from one another and wherein, in use, a projection of a clipstrip may be inserted through both first and second apertures in order that the container is suspended on the clipstrip and wherein the apertures are substantially covered by flexible flaps and wherein in use the or each flap may be displaced by the insertion of the projection of a clipstrip into the aperture which it covers.

The present invention seeks to overcome all the foregoing shortcomings in the prior art, by providing a dual-use convertible carton, which can be used for shelf display and will also instantly convert to use on a clipstrip, thus providing the most flexible merchandising option, while also being economical and visually pleasing, and discreet so that customers purchasing the item from a shelf display will not notice that it is also capable of hanging on a display.

The invention can be incorporated easily into most carton designs, with the very minimum of additional tooling, and so should become an addition to the construction of most cuboid cartons used for packaging small retail items, because in doing so, it allows for dual display on shelves or on clipstrips with little or no additional on-cost over producing a standard cuboid carton, and, when displayed on a shelf, the carton will look fundamentally

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 unchanged. It is so discreet that it is only when the carton is hung on a clipstrip that the invention becomes apparent. The integrated nature of the invention will mean that any equipped cuboid carton can be instantly placed on a clip-strip, at any point in the distribution chain, whether it was originally intended for hanging display, or whether the decision is made on the retail floor.

Because the invention uses little or no extra material, no extra energy in manufacture, and its use negates the requirement for plastic self adhesive hanging tags, it is a very much more environmentally low impact solution than the prior art, especially when considering the millions of self-adhesive plastic tags currently used to convert cartons for clipstrips. Thus, the present invention serves two often conflicting requirements, it is both cheaper to produce, and greener to produce than the currently available prior art.

The provision of the flaps carries with it several advantages. First, when closed, the flaps strengthen the structure of the container. Second, when closed, the flaps enhance the appearance of the container. Third, when a projection is fed through the apertures, the flaps help to retain the projection in a given position.

Because the same cutting tool is used to form the cut shape of each of the flaps, as is used to cut the container out during manufacture, there is no additional cost to producing a convertible shelf/hanging container. The flaps are simply cut into the sheet at time of manufacture, being incorporated into the cutter guide for the entire pattern of the carton.

Preferably, the container comprises a single folded sheet and means to retain the sheet in its container form.

This is, advantageously, the simplest means of constructing the container. This simplicity has attendant savings in terms of time and energy spent on construction, aside from the economic cost savings. Further, a single sheet construction has advantages in terms of strength and durability over a prior art document with an easily damaged projection.

Preferably, the first aperture and the second aperture are separated from one another by a fold.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 Advantageously, having a fold between the apertures serves to position the apertures on different planes. The fold advantageously orientates them in such a way that the projection of a clipstrip can be fed through the apertures. Also, the fact that the device is a fold rather than a set angle means that there is leeway for the adjustment of the angle of the two surface areas relative to one another by manipulation of the fold.

Preferably, the first surface area and the second surface area are orientated perpendicularly to one another. The perpendicular orientation of each aperture to the other provides a simple path for feeding a projection through.

Preferably, the container comprises a single glued seam. The single glued seam provides a simple effective and energy efficient means of ensuring the shape of the container is retained.

Because the optional extended glued seam is part of the original seam, there is no additional gluing process required in extending the seam to produce a stronger hanging surface. Hence there is almost no economic impact in producing the convertible carton, other than a small amount of extra board making up an optional extended seam, where this option is chosen for additional strength. Contrast this against the cost of affixing self adhesive plastic hang tags, and the cost advantage of using this system becomes apparent.

Preferably, the container is substantially rectangular parallel-piped in shape.

This shape is the shape of preferred embodiments of the invention. It has a structurally strong space efficient form. Advantageously, such shaped goods are easy to pack and so may be situated on either shelves or clipstrips without need for adaptation.

Preferably, an edge of each aperture is located less than 20 mm from the fold.

Providing a short distance between apertures advantageously also provides a short distance for the projection of a clipstrip to travel through the container. The projection

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 therefore takes up a minimum amount of interior space in the container. Further by minimising the necessary length of the projection in order to support the container, material savings may be made from the projection itself as it doesn't have to be as strong or long to support the container.

Preferably, there are two flaps and in use a first flap, which is situated on the back of the container opens inward and a second flap which is situated on the top of the container opens outward.

This configuration of flaps is particularly advantageous in that neither flap will resist the subsequent removal of the container from the clipstrip. Preferably, the container further comprises a third, outwardly opening flap over the first aperture.

Preferably, at least one side of the third flap is connected to the back of the container via a perforated or tabbed portion.

When the item is selected by a customer, generally they will pull the carton downwards and towards the front, to take the item off the clipstrip. The plastic tongue upon which the carton is hanging is flexible, and if there is sufficient leverage the clipstrip will bend downwards to release the carton. If the carton is pulled straight down vertically, rather than pulled off at an angle, the hanging edge of the box bears down on the apex of the angle between the base of the projection and the clipstrip, there is no leverage and the projection may not bend to release the carton. This can cause the carton or indeed any hanging tag, to break. Advantageously, the third flap provides the means to ensure that the container resists such a picking motion from above or below to a far lesser degree.

The perforated or tabbed portion advantageously ensures that the structure and aesthetics of the container are not compromised when the container is being used on a shelf as opposed to a clipstrip.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 Preferably, the first surface area and the second surface area are substantially

perpendicularly disposed to one another and the sum of the perpendicular distance of the edge of the first aperture nearest to the fold and the distance of the edge of the first aperture nearest to the fold is less than 25.4 mm

The notional triangle formed by the two surface areas and the projection of the clip strip in use provides a particularly secure combination - keeping the containers firmly but removably on the clipstrip. The invention also comprises a container substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the text and /or drawings.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will now be described with reference to the figures, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container of the invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a further container of the invention Figure 3 is an elevational front view of a clipstrip of the prior art.

Figure 4 is an elevational side view of several containers of the invention on a clipstrip of the prior art. Figure 5 is an elevational view of a container of the invention in its unfolded state.

Figure 6 is a perspective side view of a container of the invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective side view of a container of the invention.

Figure 8 is an elevational view of a still further container of the invention in its unfolded state. Figure 9 is a perspective side view of a detail of a still further container of the invention.

Figure 10 is a further perspective side view of a detail of a still further container of the invention.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 Figure 1 1 is a still further perspective side view of a detail of a still further container of the invention.

Figure 12 is a cross sectional side view of a still further container of the invention. Figure 13 is a cross sectional side view of a still further container of the invention. Figure 14 is a cross sectional side view of a still further container of the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention

Figure 1 shows a cuboid or parallel piped container which in preferred embodiments as here is a carton, Illustrated generally at 2. The depicted container 2, being a preferred embodiment of the invention, has a glue seam 4 which is arranged to be along the underside 6 of the first surface area or in use top 8 of the container 1. This provides for a double thickness of material extending along the top 8. The material is advantageously of cardboard or the like, since such materials may be permanently folded - they are not resiliently deformable. A first aperture 10 is cut or punched into the second surface area or in use back 12 of the carton 2. It is located in the in use upper region of the back 12, adjacent the fold 14 which separates the back 12 from the top 8. In preferred embodiments as here, the first aperture 10 is equidistant between the two sides 16, 18 of the container 2, or substantially so. The aperture 10 is substantially overlaid by a flap 20, which again is equidistant between the two sides 16, 18 or substantially so. This alignment is necessary in order that the container 2 can be balanced on a clipstrip. The flap 20 overlies, but does not entirely obscure the aperture 10, with the result that there is a U shaped portion 22 of exposed aperture 10. The flap 20 may be attached to the back 12 via a living hinge 24, which is formed via a score or a crease. The flap 20 in this embodiment is substantially rectangular, but with an arched free end 26. The arch shape militates against "paper cuts" as well as providing a more durable form than one with corners, which tend to fray. In an alternative

embodiment, the flap 20 comprises a bevelled edged rectangle.

A second aperture 28 is similarly cut or punched into the in use top 8 of the carton 2. By punching through the glued seam 4 of the container 2, advantage can be taken of the

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 strength of the double thickness of cardboard, where one layer overlaps the other for the purpose of gluing.

The second aperture 28 is located adjacent the fold 14 which separates the back 12 from the top 8. In preferred embodiments as here, the second aperture 28 is equidistant between the two sides 16, 18 of the container 2, or substantially so. The aperture 28 is substantially overlaid by a flap 30, which again is equidistant between the two sides 16, 18 or substantially so. This alignment is necessary in order that the container 2 can be balanced on a clipstrip. The flap 30 overlies, but does not entirely obscure the aperture 28, with the result that there is a U shaped portion 32 of exposed aperture 28. The flap 30 may be attached to the top 8 via a living hinge 34, which is formed via a score or a crease. The flap 30 in this embodiment is substantially rectangular, but with an arched free end 36. The arch shape militates against "paper cuts" as well as providing a more durable form than one with corners, which tend to fray. In an alternative embodiment, the flap 30 comprises a bevelled edged rectangle. Each aperture 10 28 leads into the interior of the container 2. The apertures 10 28 are placed less than 20mm from the fold 14, and are arranged such that a notional linear path from a first aperture 10, through the interior to the second aperture 28 can be plotted. In particularly preferred embodiments, the first surface area 8 and the second surface area 12 are substantially perpendicularly disposed to one another and the sum of the distance of the edge of the first aperture 10 nearest to the fold and the distance of the edge of the first aperture 28 nearest to the fold is less than 25.4 mm. Similarly, the distance between the two apertures 10 28, measured

perpendicularly to the angle of the fold 14 is less than 25.4 mm.

Figure 2 shows a variant of the container 38, wherein the double thickness material forms both the top 40 and the upper portion of back 42 of the container 38. The glued seam 44 extends to both of these sides of the container 38. Both flaps 20 30 have the advantage of being punched or cut through two thicknesses of board, thus affording more strength for heavier cartons, as in this embodiment. In a third variation (not illustrated), just the upper portion of the back is double thickness.

Figure 3 shows a standard clipstrip 46, which is not of the invention. The clipstrip 46 has a plurality of projections 48, and attachment means 50 for attaching it, for example to a supermarket shelf.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 Figure 4 shows a plurality of cuboid containers 2 in hanging display mode, wherein each container 2 is placed hanging on a clipstrip 46. To hang the container 2, one of the upward facing flexible projections 48 of the clipstrip 46 has been passed through the first aperture 10 displacing flap 20 in the back 12. The flap 20 can be seen to have opened inwardly to allow the entry of the projection 48 into the interior of the container 2. The projection 48 takes a linear path through the interior of the container 2 and exits through the second aperture 28, wherein it can be seen that the flap has opened outwardly.

This arrangement provides sufficient strength for the hanging container to be self supporting in suspension, with no further reinforcement required. This is achieved by a combination of the material strength of the double thickness cardboard behind one or optionally both of the flaps 20 30, together with the mechanical strength of the offset section of the carton which here in this embodiment is the perpendicular arrangement of top 8 and back 12 about fold 14, which acts as a load bearer for the clipstrip 46 projection 48. Applying the containers 2 to clipstrips 46 is straightforward. As a projection 48 is inserted, it depresses the back flap 20 inwards, and then flips up the exit flap 30 outwards, as can be seen generally in Figure 4. This is a natural and simple action and greatly simplifies the task of converting containers 2 for use on clipstrips 46.

Figure 5 shows the container 2 as punched out of a flat piece of board, prior to assembly by folding and gluing. The container is folded along fold lines 52 then glued together with the glue being applied to areas 54 and optionally 56.

Panel 58 is the optional additional panel which folds over on fold line 60 to provide extra strength to the apertures 20 and 30 and the optional double cut out apertures 62 and 64 when they are cut, being left flush with the container 2, each aperture comprising a flap 66 fashioned from its surrounding panel, and attached to its respective panel via a crease or score line 68.

Figure 6 shows a container 2 with the flaps 20 and 30 closed, in shelf display mode

Figure 7 shows a container 2 with the flaps 20 and 30 open, in clipstrip hanging mode

At figure 8 there is shown a further embodiment of the invention 80, as punched out of a flat piece of board, prior to assembly by folding and gluing, comprising an additional feature in the form of a further flap 82 abutting first aperture 10 and flap 20. The further

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 flap 82 is arranged in a squared off U shape, having the same width as the other flaps 20 30. In other embodiments, some or all of the flaps can be an N shape, or a more rounded crescent shape. The additional flap 82 optionally extends outwardly, but is not in the first instance free, being fixed in place with tabs or perforations 84. In use, the additional flap 82 remains in place when the container is initially hung, but when the item is pulled downwards, the perforations or tabs 84 are broken and the additional flap 82 is displaced - it pivots outwards, about living hinge 86 - which may be a crease or a score line - away from the apex of the angle between the base of the projection and the clipstrip 46 - in this outwardly open position, the additional flap 82 acts as a lever arm provokes the projection 48 of the clipstrip 46 to pivot downwards and also bend as it is extracted from the container. Figure 9 shows container 80 with both first flap 20 and additional flap 82 in place.

Figure 10 shows a container 80 with the inward opening first flap 82 open, but with the outward opening additional flap 82 intact.

Figure 1 1 shows all of the flaps 20 30 82 in their open positions. The open position of flap 30 on the top is 90 degrees from its closed position, in contrast to the flaps 20 82 on the back 12, which are open at about a 45 degree offset from their respective closed positions.

Figure 12 shows a container 80 hanging on clipstrip 46. The projection 48 protrudes through the inward opening entry flap 20 which has opened along its hinge 24, and out of the outward opening exit flap 30 which has opened along the hinge 34 The third optional outward opening lever arm flap 82 is unopened and bearing down against the angle of the join 88 between the base of the projection 48 and the clipstrip 46.

Figure 13 shows what happens when the container 2 is pulled downwards from the clipstrip 46 by a customer who wishes to remove the carton.

As downward force is exerted, the third flap 82 snaps outwards bending along hinge line 86. As it opens it displaces the force exerted on the join 88 between the base of the

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26 projection 48 and the clipstrip 46, which causes the projection 48 to bend outwards enabling the container 2 to slide off the clipstrip 46 relatively easily.

Figure 12 shows the container 80 just before the projection 48 emerges from it. It has pivoted downwards and as the container 80 slides along the projection 48, further away from the join 88 between the base of the projection 48 and the clipstrip 46, the more easily the projection 48 pivots, and also bends and distorts due to pressing of the third flap 82 on it.

The process of releasing the container, shown in figures 12-14, is fast and continuous, as the downward motion first snaps the lever arm third flap 82 out and bends the projection 48.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET RULE 26