BLISTER CARD SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSEMBLYING THE SYSTEMS

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to one or more blister card systems and/or one or more methods for assembling the one or more blister card systems. The systems and methods may be utilized to package and/or protect one or more retail products and/or to display one or more retail products in, for example, a retail environment and/or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Blister card systems are generally used to display, organize and dispense retail products stored therein within a retail environment. The blister card systems traditionally are hung or suspended from hooks and/or pegs in a retail environment and are easily removed from the hooks and/or pegs by consumers for examination and/or purchase of the retail products by the consumers. The hooks and/or pegs, attached to display shelves, often suspend the retail products from one or more cut-outs formed within packaging of the blister card systems. Known blister card systems have pre-formed plastic packaging which include at least one preformed plastic cavity sized and configured to receive and store one or more the retail products and a backing that is sized and configured to enclose the retail products within the preformed plastic cavity. Often preformed plastic cavity is made from thermoformed plastic and the backing is made from a paper-based material, such as, for example, a cardboard or paperboard, a metal foil or a plastic.

The size and shape of the preformed plastic cavity is based on the size and shape of the retail products being store and enclosed within the preformed plastic cavity of the blister card system. Because different retail products, more often than not, have different sizes and/or shapes, the sizes and shapes of the preformed plastic cavities must also have different corresponding sizes and/or shapes. As a result, special tooling equipment or machines must be used to produce each preformed plastic cavity that has a different size and/or shape and expensive sealing equipment or machines are necessary to seal each preformed plastic cavity that has a different size and/or shape. Moreover, producing and sealing different preformed plastic cavities having different sizes and/or shapes requires manufactures or producers to purchase, utilize, maintain and repair multiple tooling and/or sealing equipment or machines. As a result, the purchasing, utilizing, maintaining and repairing of the multiple tooling and/or sealing equipment or machines to produce and seal different sized and/or shaped preformed plastic cavities makes manufacturing different blister card systems for different retail product costly, untimely and often very labour intensive.

The systems and methods set forth in the present disclosure may produce and seal different blister card systems for storing and enclosing different retail products having different sizes and/or shapes without requiring the use of costly preformed plastic cavities and/or multiple tooling and/or sealing equipment machines. Moreover, the present systems and methods may reduce costs, production times and labour requirements associated with producing and sealing the different blister card systems by utilizing one or more of the following structural features: a top card having at least one cut-out window; at least one carrier located between the top card and a bottom card, which may optionally be hinged to the top card and/or have at least one cut-out window; and one or more compliant films covering the cut-out window(s) for enclosing at least one retail product between the one or more compliant films and the bottom card and/or the at least one carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an embodiment, a blister card system packages at least one retail product and has a top card having a top side, a bottom side located opposite to the top side of the top card and at least one window extending through the top card from the top side to the bottom side of the top card. Further the system has a security band attaching a retail product to a carrier at a point of attachment and at least a portion of a bottom card connected to at least a portion of the bottom side of the top card, wherein at least a portion of the carrier is located between the top and bottom cards, and further wherein at least a portion of the retail product extends outwardly, with respect to the top side of the top card, through the at least one window of the top card.

In embodiments, a width of the carrier at a point of attachment is substantially equal to or less than a width of the retail product at the point of attachment.

In embodiments, the security band is an elastic band wrapped, in a widthwise direction, around the carrier and the retail product.

In embodiments, the system has an adhesive layer adhering the carrier to at least a portion of the bottom card.

In embodiments, a length of the carrier is greater than a length of the at least one window formed in the top card such that top and bottom ends of the carrier extend beyond top and bottom edges of the at least one window.

In embodiments, the system has a stretchable film covering the at least one window formed in the top card and at least a portion of the retail product.

In embodiments, a width of a portion of the carrier is greater than a width of the at least one window formed in the top card such that opposite edges of the width of the carrier extends beyond side edges of the width of the at least one window.

In embodiments, a system has a top card having a top side, a bottom side located opposite to the top side of the top card and at least one window extending through the top card from the top side to the bottom side of the top card, at least one product assembly comprising a retail product and a carrier, wherein a width of the carrier, at least at a point along a length of the carrier, is less than a width of the retail product, at a point along a length of the retail product, and at least a portion of a bottom card connected to at least a portion of the bottom side of the top card, wherein a first portion of the at least one product assembly is located between the top and bottom cards, and further wherein a second portion of the at least one product assembly is located within the at least one window formed in the top card.

In embodiments, the system has a security band attaching the retail product to the carrier to form the at least one product assembly.

In embodiments, the security band is an elastic band wrapped, in a widthwise direction, around the retail product and the carrier.

In embodiments, the system has an adhesive layer adhering the carrier to at least a portion of the bottom card.

In embodiments, the system has a stretchable film covering the at least one window formed in the top card and at least a portion of the retail product.

In embodiments, the stretchable film is attached to a portion of the bottom side of the top card.

In an embodiment, a method packages a retail product and comprises providing a cradle on a conveyer belt system, wherein the cradle comprises a cavity configured to receive the retail product, positioning a top card on the cradle such that a top side of the top card is adjacent to the cavity of the cradle, wherein the top card has a window formed therein and the window is covered with a stretchable film and configured to receive the retail product, wherein the stretchable film is connected to a bottom side of the top card that is located opposite to the top side of the top card, positioning the retail product within the window of the top card and the cavity of the cradle such that the retail product extends outwardly, with respect to the top side of the top card, through the window formed in the top card and into the cavity of the cradle, and joining at least one portion of a bottom card to the bottom side of the top card via sealing means.

In embodiments, the method comprises dropping the retail product into the window of the top card and the cavity of the cradle before adhering the at least one portion of the bottom card to the bottom side of the top card.

In embodiments, the method comprises adhering at least a portion of the retail product to a least a portion of the stretchable film of the top card via an adhering means, wherein the portion of the stretchable film is located within the window of the top card.

In embodiments, the method comprises adhering at least a portion of the retail product to a portion of the bottom card before joining the top and bottom cards together.

In embodiments, the portion of the bottom card is a fold-out portion that extends outwardly with respect to the top side of the bottom card.

In embodiments, the method comprises extending at least a portion of the retail product outwardly with respect to a bottom side of the bottom card through a window formed through the bottom card when the top and bottom card are joined, wherein the bottom side of the bottom card is located opposite with respect to the top card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

So that the features and advantages of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the systems and methods, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only some typical embodiments of the present systems and methods and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the systems and methods may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a blister card system in an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a blister card system in an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top plan view of a carrier in an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top plan view of a top card having differently shaped windows formed therein in an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top plane view of a carrier in an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top plane view of a carrier in an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top plan view of a top card having film pockets covering differently shaped windows formed therein in an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a blister card system having hinged top and bottom cards with cut-out windows formed therein in an embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of a blister card system having bottom card hinged to a top card having cut-out windows formed therein in an embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of a blister card system having a bottom card, with a fold out portion, hinged to a top card having a cut-out window formed therein in an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure sets forth blister card systems and/or methods of assembling blister card systems for packaging, securing, storing, enclosing, protecting, displaying and/or offering-for-sale one or more retail products. The systems and methods may package a retail product, banded widthwise to a carrier, adhered to a bottom card or adhered to a film or fold out portion of the bottom card, between a top card and the bottom card such that the retail product may extend through a window formed in the top and/or bottom cards for displaying the retail product. In embodiments, two or more windows may be formed in the top card and/or bottom cards for each displaying retail products. In other embodiments, one or more windows may be formed in the top card and/or bottom card whereby each window is sized and shaped to display one or more retail products. In embodiments, the top and bottom cards may be hinged together such that the bottom card may be folded over onto the top card or the top card may be folded over onto the bottom card.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts, the present systems and methods may provide at least one blister card system 2 (hereinafter “system 2”) as shown in FIG. 1, configured to package at least one retail product. In embodiments, the system 2 may be sized, shaped and/or configured to package, for example, one or more retail products 4 (hereinafter “products 4”). Moreover, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to a specific embodiment of the number of products 4 which may be packaged within the system 2. For example, the system 2 may package two products 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4; however, it should be understood that the system 2 may be shaped, sized and/or configured to package any number of products 4 as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The products 4 may be, for example, cosmetic products, consumer products, food products, hard goods, durable goods, soft goods, consumables, consumer-grade goods, professional-grade goods and/or the like. In embodiments, the products 4 may be at least one or more over-the-counter retail products (hereinafter “OTC products”). The OTC products may be, for example, cosmetics, analgesics, medications, pharmaceuticals, razors, razor blades, camera film, batteries, videos, DVDs, smoking cessation products, infant formula, lip sticks, nail polishes, toothbrushes, vitamins, personal care products, home care products, toothbrushes, foodstuffs, packaged foods, kitchen supplies, bags, boxes, containers and/or the like. In embodiments, the products 4, which may be secured, stored, displayed and/or dispensed via the system 2, may be the same retail products, similar retail products, different retail products or a combination of same and different retail products. In embodiments, the products 4 may have same, similar and/or different sizes, shapes and/or configurations. For example, the products 4 may be finger/toe nail polish as shown in FIG. 1; however, the products 4 that may be any retail product(s) known to one of ordinary skill in the art that are configured, adapted, shaped and/or sized to be packed within the system 2.

The system 2 and/or the products 4 may be accessible by a consumer through a front-side of a divider or shelf system (not shown in the drawings). In embodiments, the system 2 may have a cut-out opening (not shown in the drawings) which may enable the system 2 to be suspended from a hook or a peg (not shown in the drawings) associated with the divider or shelf system. A consumer may remove and/or separate the system 2 from divider or shelf system and/or from the hook or peg to examine the products 4 packaged, secured, stored, enclosed, protected and/or displayed within the system 2. If desirable, the consumer may purchase or offer-to-buy the system 2 and/or the products 4. After which, the products 4 may be separated and/or removed from the system 2 by the consumer and the system 2 may be discarded and/or recycled by the consumer.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the system 2, in an embodiment, having at least one top card 10 (hereinafter “top card 10”), at least one bottom card 20 (hereinafter “bottom card 20”) and/or one or more carriers 30 (hereinafter “carriers 30”) for the products 4. In embodiments, the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be die cut cards and/or carriers, respectively. In embodiments, the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 may be hinged together via a hinge 80 (as shown in FIGS. 8 and). Each of the products 4 of the system 2 may be placed or positioned on one of the carriers 30 and/or may be attached and/or connected to one of the carriers 30. The top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be made of materials, such as, for example, paper-based materials as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be made of card stock or may be a plastic card and/or carrier.

In embodiments, the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be made of any materials that are capable, physically, of being securely combined together to assembly and/or form the system 2. For example, the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be made of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of paper corrugated or wood based materials, blister boards, coated styrene butadiene styrene, corrugated fibreboard, E-Flute corrugated fibreboard, stone paper, ceramic sheets, wood, melamine, standardized layers or sheets or combinations thereof. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to a specific embodiment of the materials that may be used to make the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 of the system 2.

In embodiments, printed indicia may be displayed on one or more surfaces of the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30. The indicia may be printed on the one or more surfaces of the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 by one or more known printing techniques. The top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be produced, cut and/or formed by one or more die tools or equipment. The present disclosure should not be deemed as limited to a specific embodiment of the materials of the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 and/or the shape of the perimeter of the carriers 30.

In an embodiment, at least one security band 50 may be wrapped widthwise around each product 4 positioned on each carrier 30 such that each product 4 is firmly banded widthwise to one of the carriers 30 via each security band 50. The security band 50 may be made of one or more banding materials such that each security band 50 may by stretched, or wrapped around the carrier 30 and product 4 widthwise. As a result, the product 4 and carrier 30 are banded together at a point of attachment 52, via the security band 50, to form a product assembly 4, 30, 50 (hereinafter “product assembly”) as shown in FIG. 2. In embodiment, the security band may comprise a single band layer or more than one band layer.

The security band 50 may have opposite ends (not shown in the drawings) which may be securely connected and/or attached together to securely stretch or wrap the security band 50 around the carrier 30 and product 4 widthwise. In embodiments, the opposite ends of the security band 50 may be firmly and securely connected and/or attached together via heat sealing the ends together or by one or more selected from an adhesive, a cohesive, a glue or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the security band 50 may be applied to each product 4 and each carrier 30 by a wrapping or banding tool or machine and/or heat sealed around each product 4 and each carrier 30. In an embodiment, application of the security bands 50 to the products 4 and the carriers 30 may be completed by utilizing, for example, one or more heat sealing techniques and/or splicing techniques as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The banding materials of the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30 may be one or more elastic materials capable of firmly and securely wrapping the security band 50 around each product 4 and each carrier 30. In an embodiment, the banding material may be polyethylene (hereinafter “PE”) selected from the group consisting of linear low density PE, ultra low density PE, low density PE, medium density PE, high density PE and combinations thereof. The present disclosure should not be deemed to be limited to a specific embodiment of the elastic material of the security bands 50 which may be any elastic material or band as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The security bands 50 may have a width which may be sized, shaped, adapted and/or configured to firmly and securely band each product 4 and each carrier 30 together to form the product assemblies. The point of attachment 52 is defined as a location or position along the lengths of each product 4 and each carrier 30 at which the security band 50 wraps, in a widthwise direction, around the product 4 and the carrier 30, connecting each product 4 to each carrier 30. As a result of the sized width of the security bands 50, each of the products 4 may be firmly connect, attached and/or secured to one of the carriers 30. Securing the products 4 to the carriers 3 may maintain and/or uphold an orientation of the products 4 and/or the product assemblies with respect to each other and/or to the system 2 after joining the top card 10 and the bottom card 20. It should be understood that the following terms may be used interchangeably throughout the present disclosure: sized; shaped; adapted; and configured.

In embodiments, each carrier 30 may have a perimeter having a geometrical shape selected from a circular shape, an oval shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, a polygonal shape and combinations thereof. In preferred embodiments, the perimeter of each carrier 30 may be, for example, rectangle-shaped, oval-shaped, popsicle-stick-shaped, pin-shaped or bottle-shaped. A length of each carrier 30 may be greater than a width of each carrier 30. In preferred embodiments, the perimeter of each carrier 30 may be less than the perimeter of each product 4 connected thereto.

In an embodiment, each carrier 30 may have a perimeter 32 comprising, for example, an upper portion 34, an indented portion 36 and/or a lower portion 38 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. A width of the indented portion 36 may be, for example, equal to or less than a width of the upper portion 34 and/or the lower portion 38. As a result, the perimeter 32 of the carrier 30 may have an hour-glass shape as shown in FIG. 3 or a pin shape as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 3 the indented portion 36 may be formed or positioned about or around a midpoint along the length of the carrier 30. Alternatively, the indented portion 36 may be formed or positioned closer or near to the upper portion 34 (as shown in FIG. 5) or the lower portion 38 (not shown in the drawings). In an embodiment, the indented portion 36 may extend from the upper portion 34 to the opposite end of the carrier 30 (as shown in FIG. 6) or from the lower portion 38 to the opposite end of the carrier 30 (not shown in the drawings). In an embodiment, the point of attachment 52 for the product and carrier 30 may be located or positioned at or within the indented portion 36 of the carrier 30 as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. When the product 4 is connected to the carrier 30 at the point of attachment 52 located within the indented portion 36 of the carrier via the security band 50, a width of the product 4 at the point of attachment 52 may be greater than at least the width of the indented portion 36 of the carrier 30. As a result of the lesser width of the indented portion 36 of the carrier 30, the product 4 may be firmly connect, attached or secured to the carrier 30 at the point of attachment 52 via the security band 50.

In embodiments, the width of the security bands 50 may be, for example, greater than 5 millimetres (hereinafter “mm”) wide, less than 100 mm wide, less than 50 mm wide, about 35 mm wide or about 30 mm wide. As a result, the security bands 50 may cover, encircle and/or enclose at least a portion of the product 4, such as, for example, less than ninety (90) percent of the product 4 or more than five (5) percent of the product 4. In embodiments, the security bands 50 may have thickness of, for example, less than about 0.01 inches thick, greater than about 0.0005 inches thick, or about 0.00120 inches thick. The present disclosure should not be deemed as limited to a specific embodiment of the widths and/or thicknesses of the security bands 50.

The top card 10 has one or more windows 60 (hereinafter “the windows 60”) formed therein for displaying, housing, securing and/or storing the products 4 and/or the product assemblies within the system 2 after the top card 10 and bottom card 20 are joined. The windows 60 of the top card 10 extends through the top card 10 from a top side of the top card 10 to an opposite bottom side of the top card 10. The windows 60 are configured to receive, house and/or store at least a portion of the products 4 and/or the product assemblies after the system 2 is assembled by connecting, attaching and/or adhering at least a portion of the top card 10 and at least a portion of the bottom card 20 together. In embodiments, one or more of the windows 60 formed in the top card 10 may be configured to receive two or more products 4, each banded to a separate carrier 30 or to the same carrier 30 (not shown in the drawings). The windows 60 may be, for example, cut-out windows formed in the top card by cut-out or punch-out techniques as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

In embodiments, the windows 60 may be configured to receive, house and/or store the products 4 along with the security bands 50 which are connecting the products 4 to the carriers 30. In an embodiment, the windows 60 may each have a perimeter that may be the same as, substantially the same as, substantially similar to, or greater than the perimeters of the products 4. The perimeters of the windows 60 may comprise a geometrical shape selected from a circular shape, an oval shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, a polygonal shape and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the perimeters of the windows 60 may be the same as, substantially similar to or corresponding to the perimeters of the products 4. In embodiments, the perimeters of the windows 60 may be differently shaped perimeters as shown in FIG. 4. In embodiments, the products 4 may firmly fit or be positioned within the windows 60 or within the perimeters of the windows 60 after the top card 10 and bottom card 20 are joined together.

The carriers 30 and/or the product assemblies may be adhered, bonded or glued, connected, attached and/or secured to a top side of the bottom card 20 before the system 2 is be assembled by joining the top card 10 and the bottom card 20. In an embodiment, at least one first adhesive layer 62 (hereinafter “the first adhesive layer 62”) may adhere a bottom side of the carrier 30 to the top side of the bottom card 20 as shown in FIG. 2. As a result, the carriers 30, the products 4 and/or the product assemblies may be connected, attached and/or adhered to the bottom card 20 via first adhesive layer 62. Additionally, when the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 are joined, at least a portion of the carriers 3 will be located between the top side of the bottom card 20 and the products 4 and/or the top card 10. In embodiments, the carrier 30 and the bottom card 20 and/or the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 may be joined together by one or more joining compositions selected from a hotmelt adhesive, a cold glue, a cohesive, a double sided tape, a single sided tape with an adhesive on its back side, an animal glue and combinations thereof. In embodiments, the carrier 30 and the bottom card 20 and/or the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 may be joined together by one or more hot melt or clam shell adhesive techniques as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. It should be understood that the following terms may used interchangeably throughout the present disclosure: adhered; bonded; glued; connected; and attached. It should also be understood that the present disclosure is not deemed as limited to a specific joining composition for joining together the carrier 30 and the bottom card 20 and/or the top card 10 and the bottom card 20.

When the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 are joined together to assemble or form the system 2, at least portions of the product assemblies and/or the products 4 may extend outwardly through and/or from the windows 60 of the top card 10. Thus, at least portions of the product assemblies and/or the products 4 may be displayed and/or viewable via the windows 60 after connecting the bottom side of the top card 10 to the top side of the bottom card 20. In an embodiment, when the products 4 extend outwardly from the windows 60 of the top card 10, the products 4 may be, for example, one or more safety sealed products and/or one or more packaged products. In an embodiment, at least one second adhesive layer 64 (hereinafter “the second adhesive layer 64”) may connect, and/or adhere at least a portion of the bottom side of the top card 10 to at least a portion of the top side of the bottom card 20 as shown in FIG. 2. As a result, the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 may be connected and/or joined together via the second adhesive layer 64. Moreover, when the system 2 is assembled, the first adhesive layer 62 may be located adjacent to, may contact and/or may interface with the second adhesive layer 64. In preferred embodiments, the first adhesive layer 62 and/or the second adhesive layer 64 (hereinafter “adhesive layers 62, 64”) may comprise the one or more joining compositions.

In embodiments, the adhesive layers 62, 64 may be applied together to the top side of the bottom card 20. When the adhesive layers 62, 64 are applied together onto the top side of the bottom card 20, the carrier 30 and/or the product assembly may be connected to the bottom card 20 and the top card 10 may be joined to the bottom card immediately thereafter. In embodiments, the first adhesive layer 62 may be excluded from system 2 and the second adhesive layer 64 may be applied to a larger portion of the top side of the bottom card 20 such that the carrier 30, product assembly and/or bottom side of the top card 10 may be adhered to the bottom card via the second adhesive layer 64 (not shown in the drawings).

In an embodiment, the first adhesive layer 62 may be excluded from the system 2 and the top card 10 may apply force to the carrier 30 and/or the product assembly when the top card 10 is joined to the bottom card 20 via the second adhesive layer 64. As a result, at least a portion of the product 4, the carrier 30 and/or the product assembly may be held or maintained in position within the system 2 and/or between the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 by the force applied to the carrier 30 and/or product assembly from or by the top card 10.

A consumer may, if desired, examine and/or view the portion of the product assemblies and/or the products 4 which may be extending outwardly from the windows 60 formed in the top card 10. The windows 60 may allow a consumer or other third party to visually and/or physically examine the products 4 of the system 2 via the windows 60 formed in the top card 10. Moreover, after examining and/or viewing the products 4 via the windows 60, a consumer may desire to purchase the products 4, packaged by the system 2.

The portions of the product assemblies and/or the products 4, which are encircled by the security bands 50, firmly connect, attach and/or secure the products 4 to the carriers 30, the bottom card 20 and/or the system 2. As a result, the encircling or banding by the security bands 50 may prevent or substantially prevent the products 4 and/or the product assemblies from being separated or removed from the top card 10, the bottom card 10, the carriers 30 and/or the system 2. As a result, the security bands 50 may prevent or reduce theft of, damage to and/or destruction of the products 4 by firmly securing the products 4 within the system 2.

Moreover, since the carriers 30 are connected to top side of the bottom card 20, the carriers 30 and/or the security bands 50 may also prevent or substantially prevent the products 4 and/or product assemblies from being separated or removed from the top card 10, the bottom card 20 and/or the system 2. As a result, the bottom card 20, the carriers 30 and/or the security bands 50 may prevent or reduce theft of, damage to and/or destruction of the products 4 by firmly securing the products within the system 2.

In embodiments, at least one of the windows 60 of the top card 10 may be covered by at least one compliant film 65 (hereinafter “film 65”) which may be connected or adhered to the bottom side of the top card 10. The film 65 may be a stretchable film which may, in an embodiment, be a clear compliant plastic film layer, such as, in a preferred embodiment, a polyvinyl chloride film layer that may be adhered to the bottom side of the top card 10. The film 65 may comprise a single film layer or more than one film layer. The film 65 may be at least a single sheet film having a perimeter 70 which may be configured to cover the at least one windows 60, or all of the windows 60, formed in the top card 10. The perimeter 70 of the film 65, in an unstretched state or manner, may be large enough that the film 65 may cover more than one of the windows 60 and/or may allow the film 65 to be connect to one or more portions of the bottom side of the top card 10 surrounding and/or located adjacent to the windows 60. In the unstretched state or manner, the film 65 may extend across the one or more windows 60 in a firmly tensioned state or manner.

In embodiments, the film 65 may be made from at least one clear compliant film or heat activated clear film. Heat active films become loose or relaxed and extremely pliant when activated by heat, and then subsequently harden when cooled. For example, the at least one heat activated film may be, for example, a skin film as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In embodiments, the film 65 may be any film layer type that is capable of being laminated and/or attached to the back side of the top card 10, which may provide a plurality of characteristics that may be derived from different materials used in each layer of a multiple layered film 65, as well as a total number of film layers that may be combined to produce the multiple layered film 65.

With the windows 60 of the top card 10 positioned within the perimeter 70 of the film 65 and completely and firmly covered by the film 65, the product assemblies and/or the products 4 may extend outwardly through the windows 60 and/or may extend, stretch and/or push the film 65 outward with respect to the top side of the top card 10 when the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 is joined together. As a result, the film 65 may be contoured to one or more outer surfaces of the products 4 and/or the product assemblies, and/or the products 4 may be completely enclosed between the stretched film 65 and the top side of the bottom card 20 and/or the carriers 30. By completely enclosing or protecting the products 4 within the system 2, the stretched film 65, the top card 10 and/or the bottom card 20, may prevent or reduce theft of, damage to, destruction of, opening of, activating of, tampering with and contamination of the products 4 by completely enclosing the products 4 within the system 2. Additionally, when the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 are joined together, the carriers 3 and/or the products 4 are located between the stretched film 65 and the bottom card 20 such that the products 4 may be completely and/or totally covered or enclosed within the system 2. Joining the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 together may cause the products 4 to push and/or stretch the film 65 around at least a front portion of the products 4 and/or product assemblies located within the system 2 as shown in FIG. 2.

In embodiments, the carriers 30 may have an overall width W1 at the point of attachment 52 which may be preferably less than or equal to an overall width W2 of the products 4 at the point of attachment 52 via the security band 50 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In embodiments, the carriers 30 may have a radius width R1, at the point of attachment 52, of the carriers 30, the products 4 may have a radius width R2 at the point of attachment 52, and the radius width R1 of the carriers 30 may be smaller than the radius width R2 of the products 4. In an embodiment, the radius width R1 of the carriers 30, at the point of attachment 52, may be, for example, less than about one-quarter of an inch, less than about one-eighth of an inch, or about one-sixteenth of an inch smaller, on each side, than the radius width R2 of the products 4, at the point of attachment 52. As a result, the overall width W1 of the carriers 30, at the point of attachment 52, may be, for example, less than about one half of an inch, less than about one-quarter of an inch, or about one-eighth of an inch less than the overall width W2 of the products, at the point of attachment 52. With the carriers 30 having smaller or lesser overall width W1 and/or radius width R1, at the point of attachment 52, than the overall width W2 and/or radius width R2, at the point of attachment 52, of the products 4, the security bands 50 may tightly and firmly connect or banded the products 4 to the carriers 30. As a result, the product 4 may be tightly and firmly wrapped, banded, connected and/or attached to the carriers 30 via the security bands 50. In an embodiment, the indented portion 36 of the carrier 30 may comprise the smaller or lesser overall width W1 and/or radius width R1 for firm banding of products 4 to the carriers 30 at the point of attachment 52.

The carriers 30 may preferably have a length, a perimeter and/or a width above and/or below the point of attachment (i.e., the width of the upper portion 34 and/or the lower portion 38 as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6) which may be greater than a length, a perimeter and/or overall width of the windows 60 formed in the top card 10. Thus, when the system 2 may be assembled, the length, the perimeter and/or the width W1 of the carriers 30 will preferably extend beyond at least one and preferably beyond both opposite edges of the windows 60 of the top card 10. For example, the top and bottom ends of the carrier 30 may extend beyond the top and bottom edges of the window 60. In an embodiment, at least a portion of left and right edges of the carrier 30 may extend beyond the left and right edges of the window 60. As a result, the carriers 30, the products 4 and/or the product assemblies may be held, maintained, restricted and/or further secured within the system 2 by the edges of the windows 60 of the top card 10 and the greater length, perimeter and/or width of the carriers 30. Moreover, the edges of the windows 60 and the greater length, perimeter and/or width of the carriers 30 may prevent the products 4 from being separated from the system 2 to provide greater or additional anti-tampering protection.

For example, if someone attempted to separate the products 4 from the system 2 by pulling the products through the windows 60, the edges of the windows 60 would hold, maintain, restrict and/or secure the carriers 30 within the system 2. As a result, someone attempting to remove or separate the products 4 from the system 2 will have to disassemble and/or destroy the system 2 because of the greater anti-theft protection provided by the carriers 30, the security bands 50, the edges of the windows 60 and/or the stretched film 65 of the system 2. Additionally, the carriers 30, the security bands 50, the edges of the windows 60, the adhesive layers 62, 64 and/or the stretched film 65 of the system 2 may provide added security to the products 4 by preventing damage to or destruction of the products 4, physical tampering with the products 4, such as, opening or activating the products 4, and/or contamination of the products 4, such as, reducing the products 4 exposure to dust, dirt and/or surrounding environmental conditions and/or elements.

In embodiments, the system 2 may package and/or protect one or more products 4 without use of the carrier 30 and the security band 50 as shown in FIGS. 7-10. Additionally, the top card 10 and the bottom card 20 may be hinged together such that the top card 10 may be folded over onto the bottom card 20 or the bottom card 20 may be folded over onto the top card 10 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The system 2, having the hinged top and bottom cards 10, 20, may be assembled by hand and/or without the use of any assembly machine.

FIG. 7 shows a system 2 comprising the top card 10 and bottom card 20 joined together whereby the top card 10 has the windows 60 formed therein. The film 65 may be adhered to the back side of the top card 10 and may cover a portion of the windows 60. As a result, the film 65 forms a expandable pocket with the bottom card 20 such that the product 4 may be inserted into the expandable pocket formed by the film 65. The product 4 may be inserted into the expandable pocket at a top edge of the film 65 and moved downward into the expandable pocket formed between the film 65 of the top side of the bottom card 20. As a result, the product 4 may be packaged and/or protected within the expandable pocket of system 2 formed between the film 65 and the bottom card 20.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the top and bottom cards 10, 20 connected together via a hinge 80 that may be located between edges of the top and bottom cards 10, 20. For example, the hinge 80 by be located between the bottom edges of the top and bottom cards 10, 20. However, in other embodiments, the hinge may be located between side edges or top edges of the top and bottom cards 10, 20. The hinge 80 may comprise scoring 82 which may extend an entire length of the hinge 80 or at least a portion of the length of the hinge 80. The scoring 82 of the hinge 80 may facilitate or aid in folding the top and bottom cards 10, 20 onto each other to assembly the system 2. The scoring 82 may be formed by known scoring techniques, such as, for example, die-cutting or the like. As a result, the scoring 82 of the hinge 80 may facilitate or allow the top and bottom cards 10, 20 to be folded onto each other to assembly the system 2 by hand and/or without the use of any assembly machine.

The system 2, shown in FIG. 8 has a top card 10 having windows 60 formed therein whereby the film 65 is connected to the bottom side of the top card 10 such that the windows 60 of the top card 10 are covered by the film 65. The bottom card 20 has windows 60 formed therein whereby the film 65 is connected and/or adhered to the top side of the bottom card such that the windows 60 of the bottom card 20 are covered by the film 65. In embodiments, perimeters of the windows 60 of the top and bottom cards 10, 20 may be the same or substantially similar shapes, sizes and/or dimensions. The bottom edges of the top and bottom cards 10, 20 are hinged together via the hinge 80 having the scoring 82 thereon. As a result, the top and bottom cards may be folded over onto each other via the hinge 80 and/or thee scoring 82.

At a portion or section of the film 65 located within the window 60 of the top and/or bottom cards 10, 20 may have or be provided with an adhering means 84. The adhering means 84 may be applied, attached, adhered to a side of the film 65 facing away from bottom side of the top card 10 and/or the top side of the bottom card 20 by application techniques as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The adhering means 84 may be selected from a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a crosslinkable adhesive, a heat-activatable adhesive, hotmelt adhesive, a cohesive, a double sided tape, a single sided tape with an adhesive on its back side and combinations thereof. In embodiments, the adhering means 84 may be clear or semi-clear adhesive that does not restrict visibility through the adhering means 84. It should be understood that the present disclosure should not be deemed limited to a specific embodiment of the adhering means 84 and/or the one or more portions of the film 65 which may receive the adhering means 84.

The product 4 may be connect, attached and/or adhered to the adhering mean 84 of the film 65 connected to the top and bottom cards 10, 20. For example, the product 4 may be positioned on and/or connected to the adhering means 84 of the film 65 that is connected to the bottom card 20 as shown in FIG. 8. As a result, the product 4 may be connected, attached and/or adhered to the bottom card 20 and/or the film 65 via the adhering means 84 and the product 4 may be positioned or located within the window 60 of the bottom card 20. The adhering means 84 may aid assembly of the system 2 and may facilitate proper placement of the product 4 within the window 60 of the bottom card 20. The top and bottom cards 10, 20 may be folded onto each other along the scoring 82 of the hinge 80 to assembly the system 2 and package the product 4 within the system 2. As a result, the product 4 may be positioned, packaged and/or protected between the films 65 of the top and bottom cards 10, 20.

Prior to folding the top and bottom cards 10, 20 onto each other to assembly the system 2, a sealing means 86 may be applied, positioned and/or located on one or more portions of the bottom side of the top card 10 and/or the top side of the bottom card 20 that are free of the film 65 or do not comprise the film 65. For example, the sealing means 86 may be applied to a portion of the bottom side of the top card 10 above the top edge of the film 65 connected to the top card 10 as shown in FIG. 8. In embodiments, the sealing means 86 may be applied to one or more of the bottom side of the top card 10 and/or the top side of the bottom card 20 that are around, adjacent to or surrounding the film 65, the adhering means 84 and/or the product 4 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The sealing means 86 may be applied to the bottom side of the top card 10 and/or the top side of the bottom card 20 may application techniques as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The sealing means 86 may be selected from a hotmelt adhesive, a cold glue, a cohesive, a double sided tape, a single sided tape with an adhesive on its back side, an animal glue and combinations thereof. The present disclosure should not be deemed as limited to a specific embodiment of the sealing means 86 or the one or more portions of the top and bottom cards 10, 20 that may receive the sealing means 86.

When the top and bottom cards 10, 20 are folded over onto each other, the sealing means 86 positioned on the bottom side of the top card 10 and/or the top side of the bottom card 20 connects, attaches and/or adheres the top and bottom card 10, 20 together such that the top and bottom cards 10, 20 are sealed together to form the system 2. As a result, the system 2 is sealed and the product 4 is sealed within the system 2. When the top and bottom cards 10, 20 are folded onto each other a first portion of the product 4 pushes against and stretches the film 65 of the top card 10 outward with respect to the top side of the top card 10 through the window 60 of the top card 10 and pushes against and stretches the film 65 of the bottom card 20 outward with respect to the bottom side of the back card 20 through the window of the bottom card 20. As a result, the product 4 is enclosed, sealed and/or encapsulated within the films 65 of the top and bottom cards 10, 20. In embodiments, a front portion of the product 4 is encapsulated within the film 65 of the top card 10 and a back portion of the product 4 is encapsulated within the film 65 of the bottom card 20.

The sealing means 86 has a high adhesive strength such that the system 2 may not be easily opened to prevent theft of the product 4. However, the adhesive strength of the sealing means 86 may be low such the system 2 may be opened by hand, or without the use of tools, and the product 4 may be accessed and/or subsequently utilized. The adhering means 84 may have an adhesive strength that is less than the adhesive strength of the sealing means 86. However, the adhesive strength of the adhering means is configured such that the product 4 is maintain within the window 60 while the system 2 is sealed and is easily removable from the film 65 after the system 2 has been opened.

The system 2, shown in FIG. 9, has a top card 10, which is similar to the top card 10 shown in FIG. 8. However, in this embodiment, the top card 10 is hinged to a bottom card 20, which is free of any windows, via the hinge 80 having the scoring 82 therein. The bottom card 20 is continuous with no opening formed therein, one or more adhering means 84 may be applied to the top side of the bottom card 20 a one or more positions that align with the windows 60 formed in the top card 10 when the top and bottom cards are folded over onto each other. Moreover, one or more sealing means are applied to one or more portions of the top side of the bottom card 20 that are free of the one or more adhering means 84. For example, two adhering means 84 are applied to a middle portion of the top side of the bottom card 20 and the sealing means 86 is applied to a top portion and/or a bottom portion of the top side of the bottom card 20 as shown in FIG. 9. The adhering means 84 and/or the sealing means 86 may extend in a lengthwise direction or a widthwise direction of the bottom card 20 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. For example, the adhering means 84 may be located between the sealing means 86 and may extend in the lengthwise direction of the bottom card 20, and the sealing means 86 may extend in the widthwise direction of the bottom card 20 as shown in FIG. 9.

The products 4 may be positioned and/or located on the adhering means 84 of the bottom card 20, and, as a result, the products 4 may be connected, attached and/or adhered to the bottom card 20 via the adhering means 84. The top and bottom cards 10, 20 may be folded, along the scoring 84 of the hinge 82, over onto each other to assembly the system 2. As a result, a portion of the products 4 may push against and/or stretch the films 65 of the top card 10 outwardly with respect to the top side of the top card 10 through the windows of the top card 10. The sealing means 86 of the bottom card 10 may adhere and/or seal the top and bottom cards 10, 20 together to form the system 2. As a result, the products 4 may be enclosed, encapsulated, housed and/or packaged between the films 65 of the top card 10 and the top side of the bottom card 20.

FIG. 10 shows the system 2 having the top card 10 with the window 60 formed therein and the film 65 connected to the bottom side of the top card 10 and covering the window 60 of the top card 10. The bottom card 20 may have a fold-out portion 90 (hereinafter “portion 90”) formed thereon, which may be folded outwardly with respect to the top side of the bottom card 20. As a result, the top surface of the portion 90 may be alleviated with respect to the remaining portions of the top side of the bottom card 20. The portion may be formed in the bottom card 20 by formation techniques known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such as, for example, die-cutting or the like. The top surface of the portion 90 may be sized, shaped and/or configure to receive at least a portion of the product 4. For example, the top surface of the portion 90 may have a width and/or a length that may correspond to at least a portion of the product 4. In embodiment, the top surface of the portion 90 may be sized and/or shaped to be the same as or substantially similar to the size and/or shape of the carrier 30 shown in, for example, FIG. 1.

The adhering means 84 may be applied to the top surface of the portion 90, and the product 4 may be positioned or located on the adhering means 84 of the portion 90. As a result, the product 4 may be connected, attached and/or adhered to be the bottom card 20 via the adhering means 84 and/or the portion 90. In an embodiment, the portion 90 may be free of the adhering means 84 and the security band 50 may be utilized to connect, attach and/or secure the product 4 to the portion 90 (not shown in the drawings) As a result, the product 4 may be connected, attached and/or secured to the bottom card 20 via the security band 50 and/or the portion 90. One or more sealing means 86 may be applied to the top side of the bottom card 20 for joining the top and bottom cards 10, 20 after the product 4 have been connected to the portion 90 of the bottom card 20. For example, more than one sealing means 86 may be applied to the top side of the bottom card 20 such that the more than one sealing means 86 surround the portion 90 as shown in FIG. 10. In embodiment, the top and bottom cards may be hinged together via the hinge 80 (not shown in the drawings).

After the product 4 is connected to the portion 90 of the bottom card 20, the top and bottom cards 10, 20 may be joined together, and at least a portion of the product 4 may push against and/or stretch the film 65 of the top card 10 outwardly with respect to the top side of the top card 10 through the window 60 of the top card 10. As a result, the product 4 may be enclosed, encapsulated, housed and packaged between the film 65 of the top card 10 and the portion 90 of the bottom card 20. The sealing means 86 of the bottom card 20 may connected, attach, adhere and/or seal the top and bottom cards 10, 20 together to form the system 6. As a result, the product 4 may be enclosed, packaged, protected and/or sealed within the system 2.

In embodiments, the top card 10 may be placed facedown onto a conveyer belt system (not shown in the drawing) such that the top side o the top card 10 is adjacent to the conveyer belt system. The conveyer belt system comprises at least one cradle (not shown in the drawing) which is sized and shaped to receive the top card 10 and/or the product 4 that may be subsequently positioned and/or located within the window 60 of the top card 10. The cradle may have at least one cavity sized, shaped and/or configured to receive the product 4 after the product 4 stretches the film 65 of the top card and extends outwardly with respect to the top surface of the top card 10 through the window 60 of the top card 10. In embodiments, the size, shape and configuration of the at least one cavity of the cradle may be the same as or substantially similar to the size, shape and configuration of the product 4. With the top card 10 positioned and/or located on the cradle of the conveyer belt system, the product is placed, positioned and/or located on the film 65 of the top card 10 and within the window 60 of the top card 10. In an embodiment, the product 4 may be dropped or forced directly into the window 60 of the top card and the cavity of the cradle. As a result, the product 4 may push against and/or stretch the film 65 outwardly with respect to the top side of the top card 10 through the window 60 of the top card 10 and into the cavity of the cradle.

The adhering means 84 may be applied to at least a portion of the film 65 located within the window 60 of the top card 10 prior to the product being positioned or located within the window 60. As a result, the product 4 may be connected, attached and/or adhered to the film 65 located within the window 60 of the top card 10 via the adhering means 84. The bottom card 20, having one or more sealing means 86 applied to the top side of the bottom card 20, may be positioned directly adjacent to and/or over the bottom side of the top card 10. The top side of the bottom card 20 may be applied to, joined to and/or compressed onto the bottom side of the top card 10, and the one or more sealing means 86 positioned on the top side of the bottom card 20 may connect, attach, adhere and/or seal the top and bottom cards 10, 20 together to assembly the system 2. As a result, the product 4 may be enclosed, encapsulated and housed between the film 65 of the top card 10 and the top side of the bottom card 20. Moreover, the product 4 may be packed, protected and/or sealed within the assembled system 2. In embodiments, the top and bottom cards 10, 20 are hinged together via the hinge 80 (not shown in the drawing) and the system 2 may be assembled by folding, along the hinge 80, the top and bottom cards 10, 20 onto each other to enclose or encapsulate the product 4 between the film 65 of the top card 10 and the top side of the bottom card 20.

It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems and/or methods. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art, and are also intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

BLISTER CARD SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSEMBLYING THE SYSTEMS

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