Product support

Abstract

A machine erectable product support ( 1 ) comprises at least one product support defining structure ( 3 ) including a top panel ( 5 ) a bottom panel ( 7 ) and a longitudinal side wall panel ( 9 ). The product support defining structure ( 3 ) defines, in the erected product support ( 1 ), one or more product locating pockets ( 11 ). The top panel ( 5 ) comprises cutlines and foldlines ( 15, 17 ) defining a plurality of hinge panels ( 13 ) hingedly attaching a first portion ( 6 ) of the top panel ( 5 ) to a second portion ( 8 ) of the top panel ( 5 ) to enable the first portion ( 6 ) to be rotated relative to the second portion ( 8 ) to erect the product support defining structure ( 3 ) during erection of the product support ( 1 ). The bottom panel ( 7 ) comprises one or more openings, each opening being registered with a respective portion of the top panel ( 5 ) when the product support defining structure ( 3 ) is in a flat configuration to facilitate erection of the product support.

1 . A machine erectable product support made from cardboard, paperboard or other lightweight foldable sheet material comprising:
 at least one product support defining structure comprising:   a top panel comprising a first portion for providing an upper support section of the product support defining structure in the erected product support, and a second portion for providing a lower section of the product support defining structure in the erected product support;   a bottom panel for providing a base of the product support defining structure in the erected product support, wherein the second portion of the top panel is secured to the bottom panel;   and a longitudinal side wall panel;   wherein the product support defining structure defines, in the erected product support, one or more product locating pockets;   wherein the top panel comprises cutlines and foldlines defining a plurality of hinge panels hingedly attaching the first portion of the top panel to the second portion of the top panel to enable the first portion to be rotated relative to the second portion to erect the product support defining structure during erection of the product support;   wherein each hinge panel is connected at one end about a foldline to the first portion of the top panel and at the other end about a foldline to the second portion of the top panel;   wherein the bottom panel comprises one or more openings, each opening being registered with a respective portion of the top panel when the product support defining structure is in a flat configuration, whereby an erecting pin of an erecting machine may be inserted from the underside of the bottom panel through the opening to contact the top panel to assist in rotating the first portion of the top panel relative to the second portion of the top panel to erect the product support defining structure during erection of the product support.   
     
     
         2 . The product support of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the top panel is adhesively secured to the bottom panel or wherein the second portion of the top panel is secured to the bottom panel using heat sealing. 
     
     
         3 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the second portion of the top panel extends into the or each product locating pocket. 
     
     
         4 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the second portion comprises a continuous longitudinal strip 
     
     
         5 . The product support of  claim 4  wherein the continuous longitudinal strip is located adjacent, and extends to, an inner edge of the top panel. 
     
     
         6 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein at least one opening is provided registered with a respective hinge panel of the top panel. 
     
     
         7 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein at least one opening is provided registered with a portion of the first portion of the top panel. 
     
     
         8 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the top panel comprises a continuous longitudinal strip, wherein the one or more openings includes one or more openings registered with respective portions of the longitudinal strip. 
     
     
         9 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the or each product locating pocket further comprises a sidewall, the sidewall being provided by one of the plurality of hinge panels of the product support defining structure, wherein the sidewall is a longitudinal sidewall. 
     
     
         10 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the cutlines comprise a plurality of cutlines, each defining an edge of one or more of the hinge panels. 
     
     
         11 . The product support of  claim 10  wherein each one of at least some of the plurality of cutlines further defines, in the erected product support, an edge of one of the one or more product locating pockets. 
     
     
         12 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the product support is configured such that, when erected, the product support defining structure defines one or more product locating pockets along the longitudinal direction of the product support, each product locating pocket being defined between adjacent ones of the plurality of hinge panels, and including product locating pocket edges defined by cutlines of the product support defining structure, which cutlines define the edges of the hinge panels on either side of the product locating pocket. 
     
     
         13 . The product support of  claim 12  wherein, for each product locating pocket, one edge of each of the hinge panels between which the product locating pocket is defined is defined by a one of the cutlines of the product support defining structure, and the opposed edge of the hinge panel is defined by another one of the cutlines of the product support defining structure or by an end edge of the top panel. 
     
     
         14 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the one or more product locating pockets are defined between hinge panels of a first subset of the plurality of hinge panels provided by the product support defining structure, and wherein a sidewall of each product locating pocket is provided by one of a second subset of the plurality of hinge panels provided by the product support defining structure, wherein an opening in the bottom panel is provided in respect of at least some of the hinge panels of the first and/or second subsets of hinge panels. 
     
     
         15 . The product support of  claim 14  wherein the product support defining structure comprises a plurality of cutlines, which, in the flat configuration of the product support defining structure, each comprise a first portion defining an edge of one of the first subset of hinge panels and a second portion defining an edge of one of the second subset of hinge panels, wherein the second portion, in the erected product support, defines at least a portion of the edge of a product locating pocket. 
     
     
         16 . The product support of  claim 14  wherein the first portion of the top panel, in the erected product support, comprises an outer region and a plurality of fingers, each finger extending from the outer region inward to a top of the second subset of hinge panels. 
     
     
         17 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the product support is configured such that, when erected, the product support defining structure defines a plurality of product locating pockets along the longitudinal direction of the product support. 
     
     
         18 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the one or more openings of the bottom panel comprise a plurality of openings disposed in one or more clusters, each cluster comprising a plurality of openings, the openings within each cluster being registered with portions of the top panel in a respective region of the top panel. 
     
     
         19 . The product support of  claim 1  wherein the support is of a single piece construction, for example wherein the product support is formed from a single piece blank of sheet material. 
     
     
         20 . A method of erecting the product support of  claim 1  comprising for at least some of the one or more openings in the bottom panel of the or each product support defining structure, inserting a respective erecting pin of an erecting machine from the underside of the bottom panel therethrough to contact the portion of the top panel associated with the opening, and using the pin to assist in rotating the first portion of the top panel relative to the second portion of the top panel to erect the product support defining structure during erection of the product support.