Patent Application
20240343461
The present invention is directed to a packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses.
In the generalized realm of point-of-sale (POS) display packaging, there are a plethora of formulations and improvements upon those formulations known in the art. As may be understood with specific respect to eyeglasses, however, the goods themselves present certain criteria for the POS display packaging that many other types of goods do not.
When shopping for a pair of eyeglasses, individuals frequently wish to try on the prospective pair of eyeglasses prior to purchasing the same. In doing so, individuals typically are assessing aesthetic factors (e.g., color of lenses, thickness of frame, shape of frame, etc.), functional aspects, if applicable (e.g., polarized lenses, magnification for reading, prescriptive lenses, etc.), and overall fit (i.e., does the pair of eyeglasses sit comfortably on the individual's face). In instances wherein the prospective pair of eyeglasses also includes an eyeglass case, the assessment of the aesthetic factors, functional aspects, if applicable, and overall fit will frequently extend to the eyeglass case as well. However, current forms of POS display packaging for eyeglasses present issues that pose limitations to an individual's assessment of the prospective pair of eyeglasses prior to a potential purchase.
One such issue arising from the current state of POS display packaging for eyeglasses and posing limitations to an individual's assessment of a prospective pair of eyeglasses comes by way of POS display packaging that utilizes one or more adhesive elements—or other similar-minded means—to fasten a pair of eyeglasses to the packaging itself. In many such instances, the one or more adhesive elements (or other similar-minded means) not only fastens the pair of eyeglasses to the packaging itself, but also imparts an adhesive residue on the pair eyeglasses when the pair of eyeglasses are removed from the packaging. In doing so, the adhesive residue imparted on the pair of eyeglasses serves to detract from the user's overall assessment of the pair of eyeglasses, when the true culprit is the POS display packaging that utilizes one or more adhesive elements or other similar-minded means.
Additionally, and especially in cases wherein a pair of eyeglasses has one or more functional aspects, another common issue that arises is the lack of information provided by the POS display packaging itself pertaining to one or more aspects of the pair of eyeglasses. Specifically, an individual shopping for a pair of eyeglasses may desire supplemental information about the pair of eyeglasses such that the individual will feel adequately informed about the prospective purchase. While information of this kind is generally provided, it is often quite limited in nature and merely provides the minimum or near-minimum level of information necessary for the individual to make a reasoned decision on whether to purchase a prospective pair of eyeglasses.
Moreover, yet another common issue plaguing the current state of POS display packaging for eyeglasses occurs when a prospective pair of eyeglasses is removed from any corresponding POS display packaging prior to purchase. Due to the relatively compact nature of eyeglasses, eyeglasses removed from corresponding POS display packaging are frequently and easily concealed, either by unintentional or intentional means. In some instances, an individual who removes a pair of eyeglasses from its corresponding POS display packaging may absent-mindedly neglect to return the pair of eyeglasses to its corresponding packaging and subsequently exit the place of potential purchase with the pair of eyeglasses on their person, thus unintentionally committing theft. In other, more nefarious instances, an individual may remove the pair of eyeglasses from its corresponding POS display packaging, intentionally conceal the pair of eyeglasses (e.g., by placing the pair of eyeglasses in that individual's pocket), and exit the place of potential purchase, thus intentionally committing theft.
As such, a packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses is therefore required to provide for an alternative to the common forms of POS display packaging and that is designed to address several inadequacies in the prior art. Specifically, there is a need in the art for a packaging assembly to (1) facilitate the sampling of the pair of eyeglasses by a user while simultaneously (2) allowing for the user to assess any aesthetic factors, functional aspects, and overall fit of the pair of eyeglasses and included eyeglass case, if applicable, (3) keeping the pair of eyeglasses fastened to the packaging assembly, thereby (4) limiting the ability for the pair of eyeglasses to be removed from the packaging assembly and, consequently, (5) preventing theft. Further, a packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses is therefore required to (6) provide an area for supplemental information about the pair of eyeglasses such that the user is adequately informed about the prospective purchase. Additionally, the present invention relates to a packaging assembly that keeps the pair of eyeglasses suspended in a substantially horizontal manner—thereby permitting the user to adequately assess any aesthetic factors of the pair of eyeglasses without engaging with the packaging assembly itself. It is further desired that the present invention be practical—thereby permitting the user to effectively sample the pair of eyeglasses by trying them on—and inexpensive—thus allowing for widespread use in the field of POS display packaging for eyeglasses.
In view of the disadvantages that come with using the aforementioned means of POS display packaging for eyeglasses (e.g., the use of one or more adhesive elements, the lack of information provided by the POS display packaging itself, the ease of which theft can occur, etc.), the present invention is directed to a packaging assembly which more effectively facilitates the assessment—of aesthetic factors, functional aspects, and overall fit—and sampling of a pair of eyeglasses by a user while concurrently providing supplemental information about the pair of eyeglasses such that the user is adequately informed and keeping the pair of eyeglasses fastened to the packaging assembly and suspended in a substantially horizontal manner.
Moreover, as may be understood with reference to the phrase “a substantially horizontal manner,” such angle of suspension of the pair of eyeglasses may comprise any standard degree of tolerance, wherein the exact angle of suspension as previously and hereafter specified need not be exactly horizontal (i.e., 180°) but instead be within such standard manufacturing degree of tolerance for the effective use thereof. Further, as may be understood, the phrase “sampling position” may comprise a configuration wherein the pair of eyeglasses is able to be sampled (e.g., a configuration wherein a user may try on the pair of eyeglasses). Additionally, as may be understood, the phrase “stored position” may comprise a configuration wherein the pair of eyeglasses is unable to be sampled (e.g., a configuration wherein each temple of the pair of eyeglasses are wholly folded inwards at the hinge connecting each temple to the rims of the pair of eyeglasses).
In more specific terms, the packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses may comprise a front face, the front face structurally disposed to be removably mounted on a display structure, comprising (1) at least one front hanger opening, the at least one front hanger opening configured to receive at least one hanging insert, and (2) at least two eyeglass temple openings formed on the front face, the at least two eyeglass temple openings cooperatively structured and disposed to receive an at least one eyeglass temple therethrough and removably retain the at least one eyeglass temple therein. By way of non-limiting example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the at least two eyeglass temple openings comprise a first eyeglass temple opening and a second eyeglass temple opening, each configured to receive one eyeglass temple therethrough. By way of additional non-limiting example, in at least some embodiments of the present invention, the at least two eyeglass temple openings are cooperatively structured and disposed to receive an at least one eyeglass temple therethrough and removably retain the at least one eyeglass temple in a substantially horizontal manner.
The packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses may also comprise a fastening structure configured to restrict removal of the at least one eyeglass temple from the front face, the fastening structure and the at least two eyeglass temple openings cooperatively structured and disposed to facilitate movement of at least one component of the pair of eyeglasses outwardly from the front face such that the pair of eyeglasses is configured in a sampling position. By way of non-limiting example, the fastening structure and the at least two eyeglass temple openings are further cooperatively structured to dispose the pair of eyeglasses in a stored position in overlying relation to the front face. In some embodiments of the present invention, the fastening structure may comprise at least two fastening members, each of the at least two fastening members structurally disposed in aligned relation with a different opening of the at least two eyeglass temple openings. In such embodiments, and by way of additional non-limiting example, each of the at least two fastening members comprise an elastic structure configured to restrict removal of the at least one eyeglass temple from the front face.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses may also comprise a back face, the back face hingedly connected to the front face. In such embodiments wherein the packaging assembly comprises a back face, the back face May comprise at least one back hanger opening, the at least one back hanger opening configured to receive at least one hanging insert. By way of non-limiting example, in such embodiments wherein the packaging assembly comprises a back face, the back face and the front face are structurally configured to cooperatively encompass an eyeglass case therebetween. Moreover, and by way of additional non-limiting example, in such embodiments wherein the packaging assembly comprises a back face and at least one back hanger opening, the at least one back hanger opening is configured to receive a hanging insert to be subsequently received by the at least one front hanger opening. In such embodiments wherein the back face and the front face are structurally configured to cooperatively encompass an eyeglass case therebetween, the packaging assembly may comprise a cutout formed in the front face, the cutout structurally configured to facilitate access to the eyeglass case. Additionally, in such embodiments, the packaging assembly may comprise a cutout formed in the back face, the cutout structurally configured to facilitate access to the eyeglass case.
Furthermore, the packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses may also be configured to facilitate sampling of the pair of eyeglasses by a user while the pair of eyeglasses is engaged with the packaging assembly. In some embodiments of the present invention, the pair of eyeglasses can be manipulated between a stored position and a sampling position when engaged with the packaging assembly. To sample the pair of eyeglasses while engaged with the packaging assembly, the user may manipulate the pair of eyeglasses from the stored position to the sampling position such that the pair of eyeglasses may be placed on an individual's head (i.e., for the user to try on the pair of eyeglasses).
Moreover, the packaging assembly for a pair of eyeglasses may also comprise at least one security element, the at least one security element configured to deter theft. In some embodiments of the present invention, the at least one security element may be located between the front face and the back face. In other embodiments of the present invention, the at least one security element may be located on either the front face or the back face. In yet additional embodiments of the present invention, the at least one security element may be located on either a reverse side of the front face or a reverse side of the back face. By way of non-limiting example, in embodiments wherein the back face and the front face are structurally configured to cooperatively encompass an eyeglass case therebetween, the at least one security element may be located within the eyeglass case. Additionally, in at least some embodiments of the present invention, the at least one security element comprises an auditory indicator. In at least some other embodiments of the present invention, the at least one security element comprises a visual indicator.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Turning now descriptively to the figures,
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Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
