Linda L Matthews

US Patent:

56578725, Aug 19, 1997

Filed:

Feb 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/384185

Inventors:

Robert Blake Leftwich - Boling Brook IL
Linda Susan Matthews - Fairfield OH
Timothy Paul Burda - Cincinnati OH

Assignee:

The Procter & Gamble Company - Cincinnati OH
Stone Container Corporation - Chicago IL

International Classification:

B65D 7730

US Classification:

206738

Abstract:

The present invention provides a shipping/display container which includes a tray portion having a bottom panel, two opposed end panels, and two opposed side panels One of the side panels comprises a float side panel and the other of the side panels comprises a rear side panel. The container further includes a cover portion attached to the container and disposed so as to engage the end panels and the side panels. More particularly, the front side panel includes a line of weakness defining a severable portion of the front side panel which extends in at least an intermediate portion downward to the lowermost edge of the front side panel. The severable portion includes a preformed aperture located adjacent to the lowermost edge of the front panel for initiating removable of the severable portion. Because the severable portion, at least in its center region, is preferably completely removed down to the bottom panel, products may be extracted from the resulting opening even though other containers or articles may be stacked both above and below the subject container limiting the ability to extract packages at an angle. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the lower edge of the cover portion is disposed in overlying relation to the aperture to facilitate simultaneous grasping of the severable portion and lower edge of the cover portion.