Patent Application
20250002205
This document describes systems directed at a lip feature in tube packaging structures. In aspects, a system includes a sleeve portion having a hollow tube structure. The system also includes an open-faced enclosure (a box) configured to be slidably placed inside the sleeve portion such that at least a portion of the open-faced enclosure is disposed within the sleeve portion. The system further includes a lip feature configured to fold from a first position to a second position such that when the open-faced enclosure is slidably placed inside the sleeve portion, the lip feature folds from the first position to the second position and reverts back to the first position once the open-faced enclosure is at least partially disposed within the sleeve portion. Through such techniques, the lip feature can prevent boxes from falling out of tube structures.
In aspects, a system is disclosed that includes a sleeve portion having a hollow tube structure. The system may also include an open-faced enclosure having an open first side and a closed second side defined by a left wall, a right wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, the open-faced enclosure being configured to be slidably placed inside the sleeve portion such that at least a portion of the open-faced enclosure is disposed within the sleeve portion. The system may further include a lip feature configured to fold from a first position to a second position such that when the open-faced enclosure is slidably placed inside the sleeve portion, the lip feature folds from the first position to the second position and reverts back to the first position once the open-faced enclosure is at least partially disposed within the sleeve portion.
This Summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts for a lip feature, which is further described below in the Detailed Description and is illustrated in the Drawings. This Summary is intended neither to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The details of one or more aspects of systems and apparatuses for a lip feature in tube packaging structures are described in this document with reference to the following drawings:
The use of same numbers in different instances may indicate similar features or components.
Mobile devices may be stored and/or shipped in packages that have a tube structure surrounding open-faced enclosures (e.g., boxes). Users who receive these packages may encounter challenges while opening the packages, which may lead to damage to the mobile device. Assume, for example, that a user buys a smart watch. The smart watch may come in a tube structure (e.g., a sleeve) packaging architecture with two inner boxes that can slide in and out of the sleeve. One box may hold the “puck” of the smartwatch and the other box may include the watch band and/or other accessories. The user, not knowing how the packaging works, may hold the package vertically, which may cause one of the inner boxes to fall out of the sleeve. Since the inner boxes have an open face, the product inside the box (e.g., the watch puck) may fall from the open face and onto the user's floor. The user's brand-new product may be damaged or may no longer be functional.
Some solutions may utilize a lip on an internal surface of the sleeve. While the lip inside the sleeve may help in retaining the inner boxes, it does not entirely fix the problem as the lip may be too strong, causing a user to not be able to pull an inner box out, or may be too weak, causing the inner box to slide out again. This problem occurs when the lip within the sleeve is part of the sleeve itself, and not a separate component.
To this end, this document describes systems for a lip feature in tube packaging structures. In aspects, a system includes a sleeve portion having a hollow tube structure. The system also includes an open-faced enclosure configured to be slidably placed inside the sleeve portion such that at least a portion of the open-faced enclosure is disposed within the sleeve portion. The system further includes a lip feature configured to fold from a first position to a second position such that when the open-faced enclosure is slidably placed inside the sleeve portion, the lip feature folds from the first position to the second position and reverts back to the first position once the open-faced enclosure is at least partially disposed within the sleeve portion. The addition of the separate lip feature not only can provide a secure fit for the inner boxes but can also serve as an auditory assurance that the inner boxes have been entirely placed inside the sleeve. By so doing, the system can keep the products inside it safe and prevent the boxes inside from sliding when being handled.
The following discussion describes an operating environment, techniques that may be employed in the operating environment, and various devices or systems in which components of the operating environment can be embodied. In the context of the present disclosure, reference is made to the operating environment by way of example only.
In some implementations, the sleeve 102 may be composed of a paper and/or plastic material. In further implementations, the first open-faced enclosure 104 and the second open-faced enclosure 106 may be composed of paper and/or plastic material.
The first example implementation 100 of a lip feature in tube packaging structures further includes a divider 108. The divider 108 includes a dividing feature 110, a first lip feature 112, and a second lip feature 114. The divider 108 may be a separate part of the sleeve 102. For example, the divider 108 may be adhered to an internal surface of the sleeve 102. Further, the divider 108 may be a different material than the sleeve portion 102, the first open-faced enclosure 104, and the second open-faced enclosure 106. In some implementations, the divider 108 may be composed of a flexible material including plastic and/or paper. The divider 108 may also be a different thickness than the sleeve 102. For example, a user may prefer that the sleeve 102 is made of a thin material so that their package is not bulky. Since the divider 108 is a different piece of material, the thickness of the divider 108 can vary depending on user needs. The divider 108 can be thicker than the sleeve 102 to enhance the robustness of the dividing feature 110, the first lip feature 112, and the second lip feature 114.
In other implementations, the divider 108 may include a dividing feature (e.g., the dividing feature 110) and one lip feature (e.g., the first lip feature 112). For example, a sleeve (e.g., sleeve 102) may include one open-faced enclosure (e.g., the first open-face enclosure 104), the dividing feature 110, and one lip feature (e.g., the first lip feature 112). The open-faced enclosure may span the length of the sleeve, rather than two open-faced enclosures spanning the length of the sleeve (e.g., example implementation 100). For example, a device may only require one open-faced enclosure to hold the component(s) instead of two open-faced enclosures as illustrated in
The second example implementation 200 further includes a first tab 202 on a left wall 204 of the first open-faced enclosure 104 and a second tab 206 on a right wall 208 of the second open-faced enclosure 106. The first tab 202 may be configured such that the first open-faced enclosure 104 may be slidably pulled out of the sleeve 102. The second tab 206 may be configured such that the second open-faced enclosure 106 may be slidably pulled out of the sleeve 102. The first tab 202 and the second tab 206 may be the same material as the first open-faced enclosure 104 and the second open-faced enclosure 106. In other implementations, the first tab 202 and the second tab 206 may be composed of a different material than the first open-faced enclosure 104 and the second open-faced enclosure 106.
As illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in the example implementation 300, a wall of the open-faced enclosure 304 may be retained between the dividing feature 308 and the lip feature 310 at the first position 312-1. For example, a user may receive a smart watch packaged in an open-faced enclosure disposed within a sleeve. A wall of the open-faced enclosure may be retained between a dividing feature and a lip feature of a divider adhered to an internal surface of the sleeve. The lip feature may provide additional friction to the open-faced enclosure and ensure that the open-faced enclosure and the components (e.g., a smartwatch puck) inside it do not slip out of the sleeve. If the user were to tilt the sleeve vertically, the open-faced enclosure may begin to slide out of the sleeve, but the lip feature may provide additional resistance and ensure that the open-faced enclosure does not come out of the sleeve.
In aspects, the unfolded divider 402-1 may be composed of a flexible material (e.g., can be folded). In further implementations, the unfolded divider 402-1 may be composed of a paper material. In still further implementations, the unfolded divider 402-2 may be composed of a plastic material.
As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., a-a, a-a-a, a-a-b, a-a-c, a-b-b, a-c-c, b-b, b-b-b, b-b-c, c-c, and c-c-c or any other ordering of a, b, and c).
Although concepts of lip feature have been described in language specific to techniques and/or systems, it is to be understood that the subject of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific techniques or methods described. Rather, the specific techniques and methods are disclosed as example implementations for a lip feature.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/691,834, filed on Sep. 6, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63691834 | Sep 2024 | US |
