Container assembly with promotional panels and associated methods for making the same

Abstract

A container assembly includes a foldable container that includes a ventilated bottom panel, a pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel, and a pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel. The foldable container is configurable between a collapsed configuration and an open configuration. A pair of solid side panels is removably coupled to the pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels when the foldable container is in the open configuration, and a pair of solid end panels is removably coupled to the pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels when the foldable container is in the open configuration. Promotional indicia is on exterior surfaces of the solid side panels and the solid end panels.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A container assembly comprising:
 a foldable container comprising a ventilated bottom panel, a pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel, and a pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel;   said foldable container configurable between a collapsed configuration when said pairs of spaced apart ventilated side panels and ventilated end panels are folded toward the ventilated bottom panel, and an open configuration when said pairs of spaced apart ventilated side panels and ventilated end panels are folded away from the ventilated bottom panel so that adjacent edges thereof engage one another so as to lock together;   a pair of solid side panels removably coupled to said pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels when said foldable container is in the open configuration, each solid side panel comprising
 a top lip extending across an upper edge of a respective ventilated side panel, 
 at least one top clip carried by said top lip and extending downwardly therefrom so as to be secured to the respective ventilated side panel, and 
 at least one medial clip to slidably engage at least one medial ventilated opening in the respective ventilated side panel; and 
   a pair of solid end panels removably coupled to said pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels when said foldable container is in the open configuration, each solid end panel comprising
 a top lip extending across an upper edge of a respective ventilated end panel, 
 at least one top clip carried by said top lip and extending downwardly therefrom so as to be secured to the respective ventilated end panel, and 
 at least one medial clip to slidably engage at least one medial ventilated opening in the respective ventilated end panel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising promotional indicia on an exterior surface of at least one of said solid side and end panels. 
     
     
         3 . The container assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each solid side panel and each solid end panel comprises plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated side panel is L-shaped, and wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated end panel is L-shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated side panel comprises a plurality of medial clips, and wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated end panel comprises a plurality of medial clips. 
     
     
         6 . The container assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one top clip for the respective ventilated side panel comprises a plurality of top clips, and wherein said at least one top clip for the respective ventilated end panel comprises a single top clip. 
     
     
         7 . The container assembly according to  claim 1  wherein corners of said top lip for each solid side panel and for each solid end panel have cutouts so as to not interfere with one another when coupled to respective ventilated side panels and respective ventilated end panels. 
     
     
         8 . A promotional kit for a foldable container comprising a ventilated bottom panel, a pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel, and a pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel, the foldable container configurable between a collapsed configuration when the pairs of spaced apart ventilated side panels and ventilated end panels are folded toward the ventilated bottom panel, and an open configuration when the pairs of spaced apart ventilated side panels and ventilated end panels are folded away from the ventilated bottom panel so that adjacent edges thereof engage one another so as to lock together, the promotional kit comprising:
 a pair of solid side panels to be removably coupled to the pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels when the foldable container is in the open configuration, each solid side panel comprising
 a top lip extending across an upper edge of a respective ventilated side panel, 
 at least one top clip carried by said top lip and extending downwardly therefrom so as to be secured to the respective ventilated side panel, and 
 at least one medial clip to slidably engage at least one medial ventilated opening in the respective ventilated side panel; and 
   a pair of solid end panels to be removably coupled to the pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels when the foldable container is in the open configuration, each solid end panel comprising
 a top lip extending across an upper edge of a respective ventilated end panel, 
 at least one top clip carried by said top lip and extending downwardly therefrom so as to be secured to the respective ventilated end panel, and 
 at least one medial clip to slidably engage at least one medial ventilated opening in the respective ventilated end panel. 
   
     
     
         9 . The promotional kit according to  claim 8  further comprising promotional indicia on an exterior surface of at least one of said solid side and end panels. 
     
     
         10 . The promotional kit according to  claim 8  wherein each solid side panel and each solid end panel comprises plastic. 
     
     
         11 . The promotional kit according to  claim 8  wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated side panel is L-shaped, and wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated end panel is L-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The promotional kit according to  claim 8  wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated side panel comprises a plurality of medial clips, and wherein said at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated end panel comprises a plurality of medial clips. 
     
     
         13 . The promotional kit according to  claim 8  wherein said at least one top clip for the respective ventilated side panel comprises a plurality of top clips, and wherein said at least one top clip for the respective ventilated end panel comprises a single top clip. 
     
     
         14 . The promotional kit according to  claim 8  wherein corners of said top lip for each solid side panel and for each solid end panel have cutouts so as to not interfere with one another when coupled to respective ventilated side panels and respective ventilated end panels. 
     
     
         15 . A method for making a container assembly comprising:
 providing a foldable container comprising a ventilated bottom panel, a pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel, and a pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels rotatably coupled to the ventilated bottom panel;   the foldable container configurable between a collapsed configuration when the pairs of spaced apart ventilated side panels and ventilated end panels are folded toward the ventilated bottom panel, and an open configuration when the pairs of spaced apart ventilated side panels and ventilated end panels are folded away from the ventilated bottom panel so that adjacent edges thereof engage one another so as to lock together;   providing a pair of solid side panels removably coupled to the pair of spaced apart ventilated side panels when the foldable container is in the open configuration, each solid side panel comprising
 a top lip extending across an upper edge of a respective ventilated side panel, 
 at least one top clip carried by the top lip and extending downwardly therefrom so as to be secured to the respective ventilated side panel, and 
 at least one medial clip to slidably engage at least one medial ventilated opening in the respective ventilated side panel; and 
   providing a pair of solid end panels removably coupled to the pair of spaced apart ventilated end panels when the foldable container is in the open configuration, each solid end panel comprising
 a top lip extending across an upper edge of a respective ventilated end panel, 
 at least one top clip carried by the top lip and extending downwardly therefrom so as to be secured to the respective ventilated end panel, and 
 at least one medial clip to slidably engage at least one medial ventilated opening in the respective ventilated end panel. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein an exterior surface of at least one of the solid side and end panels comprises promotional indicia thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein each solid side panel and each solid end panel comprises plastic. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated side panel is L-shaped, and wherein the at least one medial clip for the respective ventilated end panel is L-shaped. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the at least one top clip for the respective ventilated side panel comprises a plurality of top clips, and wherein the at least one top clip for the respective ventilated end panel comprises a single top clip. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein corners of the top lip for each solid side panel and for each solid end panel have cutouts so as to not interfere with one another when coupled to respective ventilated side panels and respective ventilated end panels.