Transport and display packaging assembly

Abstract

A packaging assembly for transporting, storing and displaying containers includes a merchandising feature that facilitates moving containers toward a display opening of the tray as the front container is removed by a customer.

1 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a top portion;   a bottom portion;   an end portion;   a pair of opposing side portions extending upward from the bottom portion to the top portion;   the top portion, bottom portion and the pair of opposing side portions defining an interior space for storing a plurality of containers; and   a front portion pivotably attached to the bottom portion of the tray, the front portion having a recess on an interior surface and a handle on an exterior surface.   
   
   
       2 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the front portion is pivotable from a closed position, where the front portion acts as a carrying handle for carrying the packaging assembly, to an open position to provide access to the interior space. 
   
   
       3 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 2 , further including an advertising space extending down from the top portion. 
   
   
       4 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the advertising space is visible when the front portion is in the open position. 
   
   
       5 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further including a plurality of containers in an alternating arrangement. 
   
   
       6 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of containers are placed in a horizontal orientation with respect to one another within the interior space. 
   
   
       7 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the containers roll toward the front portion when the packaging assembly is placed on shelving. 
   
   
       8 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further including a plurality of containers in a vertical orientation within the interior space 
   
   
       9 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 1 , the top portion having at least one rib extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the top portion, the bottom portion of the packaging assembly having at least one complementary groove extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the bottom portion. 
   
   
       10 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a bottom portion;   a front portion;   a rear portion;   a pair of opposing side portions extending upward from the bottom portion; and   a cylindrical portion disposed within the pair of opposing side portions, extending from the rear portion to the front portion, having an opening proximate the front portion; and   a spring mechanism disposed within the cylindrical portion for moving items toward the opening proximate the front portion.   
   
   
       11 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 10 , the spring mechanism having an engagement surface, wherein the engagement surface is proximate to the front portion of the tray in an unloaded position and proximate to the rear portion of the tray in a fully loaded position. 
   
   
       12 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the engagement surface moves from the unloaded position to the fully loaded position when items are added to the packaging assembly and from the fully loaded position to the unloaded position as items are removed from the packaging assembly. 
   
   
       13 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the engagement surface moves in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom portion. 
   
   
       14 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein items can be added to and removed from the packaging assembly through the opening. 
   
   
       15 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 10 , the bottom portion having a bottom surface and each of the pair of opposing side portions having a stacking surface, wherein the bottom surface of the packaging assembly can be stacked upon the stacking surfaces of a similar packaging assembly. 
   
   
       16 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a tray having a bottom portion and a wall portion extending upwardly from the bottom portion, about a periphery of the bottom portion; and   a pair of opposing side flaps pivotably secured to opposing sides of the wall portion.   
   
   
       17 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the pair of opposing side flaps are each secured to the wall portion by a living hinge. 
   
   
       18 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the side flaps have a lower surface that is not parallel to the bottom portion when pivoted downward to a support position. 
   
   
       19 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the packaging assembly is stackable upon a similar packaging assembly when the side flaps are in the support position. 
   
   
       20 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 18 , further including a plurality of containers having lids supported by an upper edge of the wall portion. 
   
   
       21 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the packaging assembly is nestable within a similar packaging assembly when the side flaps are pivoted to a folded position against the wall portion. 
   
   
       22 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the side flaps are wedge shaped. 
   
   
       23 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 16 , the wall portion further including a support lip along an upper edge of the wall portion to support containers within the packaging assembly. 
   
   
       24 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 16 , the wall portion further including an access opening. 
   
   
       25 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a base defining an base interior for storing containers; and   at least one cartridge defining a cartridge interior for storing containers, the cartridge removably stackable on the base, an opening between the base interior and the cartridge interior permitting containers in the cartridge interior to move into the base interior.   
   
   
       26 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 25 , further including a latch operable to releaseably secure the at least one cartridge to the base. 
   
   
       27 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 26 , the base having a rear portion, a front portion, and a bottom portion extending at a decline from the rear portion to the front portion. 
   
   
       28 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 27 , the at least one cartridge having a rear portion, a front portion, a bottom portion and a top portion each extending between the rear portion and the front portion, wherein the bottom portion and the top portion of the at least one cartridge are substantially parallel to one another and the bottom portion of the at least one cartridge extends at a decline from the front portion of the at least one cartridge to the rear portion of the at least one cartridge. 
   
   
       29 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 25 , the base and the cartridge each have a display opening, wherein an individual container is removable through the display opening in the base. 
   
   
       30 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 25 , wherein a bottom portion of the cartridge has a container supply opening and the top portion of the base has a container receiving opening, such that containers slide rearward in the cartridge, down through the container supply opening, into the container receiving opening and forward in the base as the individual containers are removed by the customer. 
   
   
       31 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a rear portion;   a front portion;   a bottom portion having an lower surface extending substantially horizontally between the rear portion and the front portion and an upper surface declining from the rear portion toward the front portion;   a top portion extending substantially horizontally between the rear portion and the front portion; and   a pair of opposing side wall portions extending upwardly from the bottom portion to the top portion.   
   
   
       32 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 31 , the top portion of the packaging assembly having at least one rib extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the top portion and the bottom portion of the packaging assembly having at least one groove extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the bottom portion, wherein the at least one groove of the packaging assembly receives the at least one rib of a similar packaging assembly when stacked thereon. 
   
   
       33 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 32 , wherein the packaging assembly is slidable relative to the similar packaging assembly when the packaging assembly is stacked thereon. 
   
   
       34 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 31 , the front portion including an advertising space extending upward from the bottom portion. 
   
   
       35 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 31 , further including a display opening formed at an intersection of the front portion and the top portion. 
   
   
       36 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 35 , further including a front face removable to reveal the display opening. 
   
   
       37 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the packaging assembly is plastic. 
   
   
       38 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the front face is cardboard. 
   
   
       39 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the front face is styrene. 
   
   
       40 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 35 , wherein containers slide along the declining upper surface of the bottom portion toward the display opening for removal by a customer. 
   
   
       41 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a tray having a plurality of container pockets formed on an upper surface for receiving container bottom portions therein, the tray further including a lower surface having a plurality of recessed stacking support areas for receiving container top portions, wherein the container top portions are larger than the container bottom portions.   
   
   
       42 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 41 , wherein the upper surface includes a plurality of projections extending upward from the upper surface and the lower surface including a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of projections such that the plurality of projections of a first tray are nestable within the recesses of a second tray. 
   
   
       43 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 42 , further including a tray rack having a tray resting surface upon which the tray is placed, the tray rack further including a plurality of legs extending downward from the tray resting surface and aligned with a plurality of protrusions extending upward from the tray resting surface. 
   
   
       44 . The packaging assembly as recited in  claim 43 , wherein the plurality of legs each include a recess for receiving a corresponding protrusion of a similar tray rack when stacked.