Display and shipping containers

Claim 1

An improved container suitable for multiple products and multiple uses including shipping products, displaying products and utility storage of products, said container comprising: a housing member for placing around a product; said housing member having a first end, a second end, and sidewalls formed from a transparent material to enable the product within said housing member to seen without removing said housing member from therearound; a further member located on said first end of said housing member, said further member forming integral engagement with said walls, said further member and said sidewalls coacting to produce a protective covering for a product, said further member having a surface engaging section for holding said housing member in a stable position when said surface engaging section of said further member is placed on a surface adapted to hold a container, said second end of said housing member having an opening located therein to allow said housing member to be placed in a protective position over a product, said second end of said housing member having a circumferential base-engaging member comprising an annular bead for forming interlocking relationship with a pliable base member; a pliable base member, said pliable base member having a circumferential housing member-engaging section, said housingmember-engaging section operable to form an interlocking relationship with said base engaging member located on said second end of said housing member to thereby prevent said housiNg member from becoming separated from said pliable base member during use of said container to ship products, said pliable base member further having a circumferential productengaging member, said product-engaging member further operable for performing interlocking relationship with a product, said product-engaging member further usable for holding a product in a predetermined orientation with said housing member to thereby permit inspection of a product, said product-engaging member having circumferential means for forming frictional engagement with the product to enable a product contained therein to maintain orientation of the product in a predetermined direction, said pliable base member further having lip means for removing said base member from said housing to thereby allow the base member to be operable for use as a closure top when said container is used as a utility bin.