Packaged Set of Articles and Method of Loading Packages onto a Support Member

Abstract

A packaged set of articles that are easily mounted to a pegboard hook. The packaged set of articles includes a container defining an internal cavity. A plurality of packages may be located in the internal cavity’ of the container in a single file arrangement. Each of the packages may comprise a receiving cavity within which an article, such as a toothbrush, is disposed. The packages may also have an aperture that permits the package to be hung from a pegboard hook in a retail environment. Furthermore, an elongated rod may be located within the internal cavity of the container so as to extend through the apertures of each of the packages. This enables the elongated rod and packages to be removed from the container simultaneously so that the elongated rod can be used to facilitate loading of the packages onto a pegboard hook.

Description

BACKGROUND

Articles are packaged in display packaging (such as blister packs or the like) that are placed within secondary containers that are placed within primary containers during transport of those articles from a manufacturing facility to a retail facility. It is time-consuming for an employee at the retail facility to unpack each of the display packages from the primary and secondary containers and to then load the display packages onto a display peg hook. Thus, a need exists for a device, product, or technique to speed up the process of loading the display packages onto display peg hooks in a retail facility.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a packaged set of articles. The packaged set of articles includes a container defining an internal cavity. The container may be altered between a closed state and an open state. A plurality of packages may be located in the internal cavity of the container in a single file arrangement. Each of the packages may comprise a receiving cavity within which an article, such as a toothbrush, is disposed. The packages may also have an aperture that permits the package to be hung from a pegboard hook in a retail environment. Furthermore, an elongated rod may be located within the internal cavity of the container in a position such that the elongated rod extends through the apertures of each of the packages. This enables the elongated rod and packages to be removed from the container simultaneously so that the elongated rod can be used to facilitate loading of the packages onto a pegboard hook.

In one aspect, the invention may be a packaged set of articles comprising: a container defining an internal cavity, the container being alterable between: (1) a closed state in which the internal cavity is enclosed; and (2) an open state in which an opening is formed into the internal cavity for unloading articles from the internal cavity; a plurality of packages located in the internal cavity of the container in a single file arrangement, each of the packages comprising a receiving cavity and an aperture; an article disposed within the receiving cavity of each of the packages; and an elongated rod located within the internal cavity of the container and extending through the apertures of each of the plurality of packages, the elongated rod comprising a mounting cavity.

In another aspect, the invention may be a method of loading packages onto a support member for retail display, the method comprising: a) providing a container defining an internal cavity with a plurality of packages located in the internal cavity, each of the packages containing an article; b) opening the container to provide access to the packages in the internal cavity; c) grasping an elongated rod that is located in the internal cavity and that extends through an aperture of each of the packages and removing the elongated rod from the internal cavity, each of the packages hanging from the elongated rod and being removed from the internal cavity along with the elongated rod; d) coupling the elongated rod to the support member; e) moving the packages onto the support member so that the packages are hanging from the support member; and f) decoupling the elongated rod from the support member.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container for holding packages containing articles in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 illustrating a cover portion of the container being separated from a base portion of the container;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the container of FIG. 1 illustrating the container in an open state with the cover portion of the container completely separated from the base portion of the container to expose a plurality of packages containing articles that are located within the container and an elongated rod that extends through apertures in the packages;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the container of FIG. 1 in the open state;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the elongated rod shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a person holding the elongated rod, with the packages hanging therefrom, adjacent a pegboard hook in preparation for coupling the elongated rod to the pegboard hook;

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a person holding sliding the elongated rod, with the packages hanging therefrom, onto the pegboard hook;

FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the elongated rod, with the packages hanging therefrom, coupled to the pegboard hook;

FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a person pulling the elongated rod away from the pegboard hook while ensuring that the packages remain hanging from the pegboard hook;

FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the packages hanging from the pegboard hook; and

FIG. 12 is a side view illustrating an elongated rod in accordance with an alternative embodiment being coupled to a pegboard hook to load the packages onto the pegboard hook.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 a packaged set of articles 1000 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The packaged set of articles 1000 generally comprises a container 100, a plurality of packages 200 located in the container 100, an article 300 disposed within each of the packages 200, and an elongated rod 400 located within the container 100. As discussed in more detail below, the elongated rod 400 may be coupled to each of the packages 200 within the container 100 so that the elongated rod 400 may be used to load the packages 200 onto a pegboard hook in a retail environment. Thus, rather than having an employee, stock-person, or other individual remove each package 200 from the container 100 separately, the employee or other person can remove all of the packages 200 from the container 100 simultaneously by gripping the elongate rod 400 and removing the elongated rod 400 from the container. The elongated rod 400 can then be coupled to the pegboard hook to facilitate a transfer of the packages 200 from hanging from the elongated rod 400 to hanging from the pegboard hook.

In the exemplified embodiment, the container 100 comprises a bottom end 101, a top end 102, a front wall 103, a rear wall 104, a first sidewall 105, and a second sidewall 106. Thus, in the exemplified embodiment the container 100 has a rectangular shape. However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the container 100 can take on other shapes in other embodiments as should be appreciated by persons skilled in the art. The container 100 may be formed of a cardboard material in some embodiments, or it may be formed of other materials such as plastic or the like so long as it is capable of being used in accordance with the teachings set forth herein.

The container comprises a base portion 110 and a cover portion 130. In the exemplified embodiment, the base portion 110 and the cover portion 130 are coupled together by a pre-weakened line 107. Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment the pre-weakened line 107 has an arcuate shape with a concave side facing the bottom end 101 of the container 100 and a convex side facing the top end 102 of the container 100. However, the invention is not to be limited by the particular configuration of the pre-weakened line 107 in all embodiments. Thus, in other embodiments the pre-weakened line 107 may be a straight line that collectively forms a rectangular or square shape that extends along the front and rear walls 103, 104 and the first and second sidewalls 105, 106.

In the exemplified embodiment, the pre-weakened line 107 is a perforation line, which is a line formed by a series of spaced apart cuts, perforations, holes, or apertures that are formed into the container 100. However, the pre-weakened line 107 may be a fold line, a depression, an indentation, a score line, or the like that facilitates tearing of the container 100 along the pre-weakened line 107 to separate the cover portion 130 from the base portion 110. Thus, the pre-weakened line 107 makes it easy to tear the container 100 therealong and creates a smooth, even tear so that the edges of the base and cover portions 110, 130 of the container 100 are smooth even after separation. Tearing the container 100 along the pre-weakened line 107 alters the container 100 from a closed state (FIG. 1) to an open state (FIG. 3).

Although a pre-weakened line 107 is shown in the drawings for altering the container 100 between the closed state and the open state, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. Thus, the cover portion 130 may be coupled to the base portion 110 by a hinge, including a living hinge. Alternatively, the cover portion 130 may be a lid that slides over the top of the base portion 110 and that can be repetitively removed from the base portion 110 and re-coupled onto the base portion 110 to alter the container 100 between the open and closed states. In still other embodiments, the cover portion 130 may be a screw top or a lid coupled to the base portion 110 with a friction fit. Thus, the base and cover portions 110, 130 may have any shape, structure, and coupling relationship desired so long as they are configured to alter the container 100 between a closed state and an open state. The base and cover portions 110, 130 may be separated from each other in the open state or they may remain coupled to one another in the open state.

Moreover, in still other embodiments the container 100 may not have separate base and cover portions but may instead be a unitary box that can be opened and closed using traditional and conventional techniques. Specifically, the container 100 may have flaps that can be pivoted downwards into a closed position and then taped together. To alter the container into the open state, the tape is cut or removed and the flaps are pivoted upwardly into an open position at which time the packages 200 may be loaded into or unloaded from the container. Thus, the container 100 may be a folding carton, paperboard carton, paperboard box, a rigid box, a set-up box, a corrugated box, a corrugated board, a corrugated fiberboard, a combined board, a cardboard box, a shipper box, a master pack, or the like. In certain embodiments, the specific type of product used for the container 100 is not limiting of the invention. In still other embodiments the container 100 could be a bag that has an internal cavity that encloses the packages 200. Such a bag may be formed of a plastic material such as high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, or the like. The bags may also made from foil or lined with foil and may be a combination of polyethylene and foil.

Referring to FIG. 4, the container 100 comprises an inner surface 108 that defines an internal cavity 109. The container 100 is alterable between a closed state, depicted in FIG. 1, and an open state, depicted in FIG. 3. In the closed state, the base portion 110 and the cover portion 130 are coupled together and the internal cavity 109 of the container 100 is fully enclosed. In the open state, the cover portion 130 is separated from the base portion 110 and the internal cavity 109 has at least one open end to enable articles to be loaded into and unloaded from the internal cavity 109. Of course, as noted above the cover portion 130 may remain coupled to the base portion 110 in both the open and closed states in some embodiments. Moreover, the container 100 may be a unitary structure rather than including the base and cover portions 110, 130.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in the exemplified embodiment a plurality of the packages 200 are positioned within the internal cavity 109 of the container 100. The plurality of packages 200 are arranged in single file within the internal cavity 109. Thus, the plurality of packages 200 are arranged in a single row or line in a front-to-back manner. Thus, the back side of one of the packages 200 is adjacent to the front side of another one of the packages 200. Of course, the packages 200 could be arranged back-to-back and front-to-front in other embodiments if so desired.

In the exemplified embodiment, each of the plurality of packages 200 is a blister-style package comprising a backer panel 201 and a front cover 202 that is coupled to the backer panel 201 so that a receiving cavity 203 is formed between the front cover 202 and the backer panel 201. In the exemplified embodiment, the backer panel 201 is a flat panel formed of cardboard and the front cover 202 is a three-dimensionally contoured thermoformed plastic. The front cover 202 may be transparent or translucent in some embodiments. Each of the packages 200 has a display side (i.e., a front side) 204 and a non-display side (i.e., a rear side) 205. In the exemplified embodiment, the display side 204 of each of the packages 200 faces the front wall 103 of the container 100 and the non-display side 205 of each of the packages 200 faces the rear wall 104 of the container 100. Thus, the front cover 202 extends from the backer panel 201 in a direction towards the front wall 103 of the container 100.

The display side 204 of the packages 200 may include desirable indicia, ornamentation, coloring, instructions, or the like that is desired to be visible to a consumer when the packages 200 are hanging from a pegboard hook or otherwise displayed in a retail environment. There may also be indicia, writing, instructions, or the like on the non-display side 205. However, the indicia on the display side 204 is the indicia that is desired to be displayed to a consumer to entice purchase of the article 300 whereas the indicia on the non-display side 205 may include information more valuable to a consumer after purchase.

At least one article 300 is located within the receiving cavity 203 of each of the packages 200. In the exemplified embodiment, exactly one article 300 is located within each of the packages 200. However, it is possible that more than one of the articles 300 may be located in the receiving cavity 203 of each of the packages 200 in other embodiments. In the exemplified embodiment, each of the articles 300 is a toothbrush. Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment each of the toothbrushes are of the same style. What this means is that each of the toothbrushes contained within the container 100 have the same handle structure, bristle pattern, tongue cleaner pattern, and the like. The toothbrushes may have different colors, but they are the same type or style of toothbrush. This is important because all of the toothbrushes contained within the container 100 will eventually be hanging from the same pegboard hook in a retail store, and it is typically desirable for each of the items hanging from a single pegboard hook to be the same item (with possible differences in color or other ancillary features).

Although toothbrushes are used as the article 300 in the exemplified embodiment, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. The article 300 may be any article that is typically displayed in a retail environment in its packaged form while hanging from a pegboard hook. Thus, the specific type of article used is not to be limiting of the present invention unless so specified in the claims.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, each of the packages 200 comprises an aperture 206 to facilitate hanging of the package 200 from a pegboard hook as noted above. In the exemplified embodiment, the aperture 206 is formed into the backer panel 201 of the package 200. However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the aperture 206 may be formed into a tab that is coupled to the backer panel 201 or the like. Moreover, in other embodiments the package 200 may not be a blister pack as shown in the exemplified embodiment. For example, the package 200 may merely be an enclosed box within which the article 300 is disposed. Either way, the package 200 will include an aperture or some other feature that permits hanging of the package 200 from a pegboard hook in a retail environment. As best seen in FIG. 3, with the packages 200 arranged in single file within the cavity 109 of the container 100, the apertures 206 of the packages 200 are all aligned with one another. Thus, a reference axis R-R exists that passes through the apertures 206 of each of the packages 200. In the exemplified embodiment, the reference axis R-R is parallel to the top and bottom ends 101, 102 of the container 100 and perpendicular to the front and rear walls 103, 104 of the container 100.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, as noted above the elongated rod 400 is also located within the internal cavity 109 of the container 100. The elongated rod 400 extends from a first end 401 to a second end 402 along a longitudinal axis A-A. The elongated rod 400 may be formed of a flexible material or a rigid material. However, the elongated rod 400 may be capable of supporting the weight of all of the packages 200 in the container 100 without the rod 400 bending or otherwise flexing significantly.

The elongated rod 400 is located in the internal cavity 109 of the container 100 in a manner such that the elongated rod 400 is coupled to each of the packages 200 in the internal cavity 109 of the container 100. More specifically, while packaged in the container 100, the elongated rod 400 extends through the apertures 206 of each of the packages 200 that are contained in the container 100. Thus, if a user were to lift the elongated rod 400 out of the container 100, all of the packages 200 would also be lifted out of the container 100 along with the elongated rod 400.

As noted above, the elongated rod 400 extends from the first end 401 to the second end 402. The elongated rod 400 has an opening 403 in the first end 401 that forms a passageway into a mounting cavity 404 of the elongated rod 400. Thus, a portion of the elongated rod 400 is hollow and defines the mounting cavity 404 so that the elongated rod 400 may be coupled to a pegboard hook during loading of the packages 200 onto the pegboard hook, as described below with reference to FIGS. 7-11.

The elongated rod 400 comprises a support portion 405 and a stopper 406. The support portion 405 is the portion on which the packages 200 hang and the stopper 406 forms the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400. In the exemplified embodiment, the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400 is closed, although this is not required in all embodiments and the second end 402 may comprise an opening similar to the first end 401 in other embodiments. In the exemplified embodiment, the mounting cavity 404 extends through the entirety of the support portion 405 and into the stopper 406. However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the mounting cavity 404 may extend only partially through the support portion 405 (see, for example, FIG. 12 described below).

In the exemplified embodiment, the support portion 405 of the elongated rod 400 is tubular and the mounting cavity 404 has a circular or oval-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile. Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment the stopper 406 of the elongated rod 400 is a bulbous-shaped structure that forms the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400. However, the stopper 406 may take on other shapes and forms. For example, the stopper 406 may be formed by one or more tabs extending radially from the support portion 405 to prevent the packages 200 from sliding past the stopper 406 in the direction of the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400. Basically, the stopper 406 may be any structure that prevents the packages 200 from sliding thereover.

In the exemplified embodiment, the apertures 206 of the packages 200 have a first cross-sectional profile, the support portion 405 of the elongated rod 400 has a second cross-sectional profile, and the stopper 406 has a third cross-sectional profile. The apertures 206 and the elongated rod 400 are configured so that the second cross-sectional profile of the support portion 405 of the elongated rod 400 fits into the first cross-sectional profile of the apertures 206 of the packages 200 and the third cross-sectional profile of the stopper 406 does not fit into the first cross-sectional profile of the apertures 206. Thus, the packages 200 cannot pass over the stopper 406 because the stopper 406 cannot fit into the apertures 206. This prevents the packages 200 from sliding off of the elongated rod 400 from the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400. Thus, the packages 200 can only be removed from the elongated rod 400 by sliding them off from the first end 401 of the elongated rod 400. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the exemplified embodiment the display side 204 of the packages 200 face the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400 to ensure that the packages 200 are loaded onto pegboard hooks in the proper facing direction (i.e., with the display side 204 facing out towards the consumer).

Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, the process of separating the cover portion 130 from the base portion 130 will be described in accordance with the exemplified embodiment of the present invention. To separate the cover portion 130 from the base portion 110, a user pushes on a tab portion 134 of the cover portion 130 relative to the remainder of the bottom end 101 of the container 100 so that the tab portion 134 tears along the pre-weakened line 107 and pivots inwardly (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Next, a user pulls on the cover portion 130 relative to the base portion 110 as shown with the large arrow in FIG. 2. This causes the container 100 to separate at the pre-weakened line 107 until the cover portion 130 is completely separated from the base portion 110, as shown in FIG. 3. The cover portion 130 can then be discarded, recycled, or put to some other use. Of course, other techniques for opening the container 100 may be used as depending on the structure of the container 100 described herein.

Once the container 100 has been altered into the open state, the internal cavity 109 of the container 100 has an open end (likely the top end of the internal cavity 109 is open, but it may be any other end of the internal cavity 109). Thus, with the container 100 in the open state, the elongated rod 400 with the packages 200 hanging therefrom can be removed from the internal cavity 109 of the container 100. Specifically, as a user grips on the elongated rod 400 and pulls it out of the internal cavity 109, the packages 200 will also be removed from the internal cavity 109 because the elongated rod 400 extends through the apertures 206 of each of the packages 200.

Referring to FIGS. 7-11 sequentially, the process of loading the packages 200 onto a pegboard hook 500 in a retail environment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 7, the elongated rod 400 is aligned with the pegboard hook 500 such that a distal end 501 of the pegboard hook 500 is adjacent to the opening 403 in the first end 401 of the elongated rod 400. Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the elongated rod 400 is moved towards the distal end 501 of the pegboard hook 500 in a first axial direction D1 until the pegboard hook 500 passes through the opening 403 and into the mounting cavity 404 of the elongated rod 400. As can be seen, because the stopper 406 is larger than the apertures 206 in the packages 200, the packages 200 do not slide axially beyond the stopper 406. Rather, the stopper 406 prevents the packages 200 from moving axially along the elongated rod 400 in the direction of the second end 402 of the elongated rod 400.

Referring to FIG. 9, the elongated rod 400 continues to be moved in the first axial direction D1 until the distal end 501 of the pegboard hook 500 reaches a terminal end of the mounting cavity 404 of the elongated rod 400. At this point, the pegboard hook 500 cannot pass any further into the mounting cavity 404 and relative movement between the elongated rod 400 and the pegboard hook 500 in the first axial direction D1 is no longer possible. Alternatively, if the mounting cavity 400 extends entirely through the elongated rod 400, the elongated rod 400 may be moved in the first axial direction D1 until the first end 401 of the elongated rod 400 contacts the pegboard (or other surface) 505 from which the pegboard hook 500 protrudes.

Next, referring to FIG. 10, the user places his hand in front of the front-most one of the packages 200 while simultaneously pulling the elongated rod 400 in a second axial direction D2 that is opposite to the first axial direction D1. By placing a hand in front of the front-most one of the packages 200, the packages 200 do not move as the elongated rod 400 is pulled in the second axial direction D2. Thus, the elongated rod 400 moves in the second axial direction D2 relative to the pegboard hook 500 and relative to the packages 200. As a result, as the elongated rod 400 moves in the second axial direction D2, the packages 200 begin to hang directly from the pegboard hook 500 rather than from the elongated rod 400. The packages 200 slide off of the elongated rod 400 from the first end 401 of the elongated rod 400 and fall onto the pegboard hook 500 to be supported by the pegboard hook 500.

Referring to FIG. 11, once the elongated rod 400 is separated from the pegboard hook 500, the packages 200 remain hanging from the pegboard hook 500.

Referring to FIG. 12, an elongated rod 600 in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated being coupled to the pegboard hook 500. The elongated rod 600 is identical to the elongated rod 400 except with regard to the length of its mounting cavity 604. Thus, the elongated rod 600 extends from a first end 601 to a second end 602 along an axis B-B. An opening 603 is formed into the first end 601 that provides a passageway into a mounting cavity 604. The elongated rod 600 comprises a support portion 605 and a stopper 606 similar to the elongated rod 400.

The support portion 605 of the elongated rod 600 extends from the first end 601 of the elongated rod 600 to a second end 607. The support portion 605 has a length L1 measured between the first end 601 of the elongated rod 600 and the second end 607 of the support portion 605. In this embodiment, the entirety of the support portion 605 is not hollow, meaning the mounting cavity 604 does not extend through the entirety of the support portion 605. Rather, in this embodiment the support portion 605 comprises a hollow section 608 and a solid section (or non-hollow section) 609. The mounting cavity 604 exists only within the hollow section 608 and not within the solid section 609. In some embodiments, the solid portion 609 may comprise at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 75%, or at least 80%, or at least 85%, or at least 90% of the length L1 of the support portion 605 with the hollow portion 608 comprising the remainder of the length L1 of the support portion 605.

The elongated rod 600 may be coupled to the pegboard hook 500 by inserting the distal end 501 of the pegboard hook 500 into the mounting cavity 604 of the elongated rod 600. Because the mounting cavity 604 is shallow, only a distal portion 502 of the pegboard hook 500 can be inserted into the mounting cavity 604. Thus, in this embodiment, rather than sliding the elongated rod 600 onto the pegboard hook 500, the elongated rod 600 is maintained stationary and the packages 200 are slid in the first axial direction D1 from the elongated rod 600 onto the pegboard hook 500. Of course, this same process may be achieved using the elongated rod 400 by merely not fully inserting the pegboard hook 500 into the mounting cavity 404, but by only inserting the distal portion 502 of the pegboard hook 500 into the mounting cavity 404.

While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A packaged set of articles comprising: a container defining an internal cavity, the container being alterable between: (1) a closed state in which the internal cavity is enclosed; and (2) an open state in which an opening is formed into the internal cavity for unloading articles from the internal cavity;a plurality of packages located in the internal cavity of the container in a single file arrangement, each of the packages comprising a receiving cavity and an aperture;an article disposed within the receiving cavity of each of the packages; andan elongated rod located within the internal cavity of the container and extending through the apertures of each of the plurality of packages, the elongated rod comprising a mounting cavity.

2. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1 wherein the container comprises a base portion and a cover portion, and wherein in the open state the cover portion is separated from the base portion and the packages protrude from a top edge of the base portion.

3. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein the elongated rod extends from a first end to a second end, the elongated rod having an opening in the first end that forms a passageway into the mounting cavity.

4. The packaged set of articles according to claim 3 wherein the second end of the elongated rod is closed.

5. The packaged set of articles according to claim 3, wherein the elongated rod comprises a support portion and a stopper, wherein the stopper forms the second end of the elongated rod.

6. The packaged set of articles according to claim 5 wherein the apertures have a first cross-sectional profile, the support portion has a second cross-sectional profile, and the stopper has a third cross-sectional profile, and wherein the apertures and the elongated rod are configured so that the second cross-sectional profile of the support portion fits into the first cross-sectional profile of the apertures and the third cross-sectional profile of the stopper does not fit into the first cross-sectional profile of the apertures.

7. The packaged set of articles according to claim 5, wherein the mounting cavity of the elongated rod extends into the stopper.

8. The packaged set of articles according to claim 3, wherein the packages have a display side and a non-display side, and wherein the display side of each of the packages faces the second end of the elongated rod.

9. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein the elongated rod comprises a support portion extending from a first end to a second end and having a length measured between the first and second ends, the support portion comprising an opening in the first end that forms a passageway into the mounting cavity.

10. The packaged set of articles according to claim 9 wherein the support portion comprises a hollow section that defines the mounting cavity and a solid portion, and wherein the solid portion comprises at least 75% of the length of the support portion.

11. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of packages comprises a backer panel and a front cover that is coupled to the backer panel to form the receiving cavity between the front cover and the backer panel, and wherein the front cover of each the packages faces in the same direction.

12. The packaged set of articles according to claim 11 wherein the backer panel of each of the packages is formed from cardboard and the front cover of each of the packages is formed from thermoformed plastic, and wherein the front cover is three-dimensionally contoured to form the receiving cavity between the front cover and the backer panel.

13. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein each of the articles is a toothbrush.

14. The packaged set of articles according to claim 13 wherein each of the toothbrushes are of the same style.

15. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein the mounting cavity of the elongated rod is configured to receive at least a distal portion of a retail display hook to facilitate sliding the plurality of packages from the elongated rod onto the retail display hook.

16. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein in the open state the internal cavity of the container has an open top end, and wherein all of the packages can be removed from the internal cavity of the container simultaneously through the open top end.

17. The packaged set of articles according to claim 16 wherein the container comprises a base portion and a cover portion, and wherein in the open state the packages protrude from the base portion and from the open top end of the internal cavity such that the apertures and the elongated rod are elevated above a top edge of the base portion.

18. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein the elongated rod is tubular.

19. The packaged set of articles according to claim 1, wherein the elongated rod extends along an axis, and wherein the mounting cavity of the elongated rod has a circular or oval-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile.

20. A method of loading packages onto a support member for retail display, the method comprising: a) providing a container defining an internal cavity with a plurality of packages located in the internal cavity, each of the packages containing an article;b) opening the container to provide access to the packages in the internal cavity;c) grasping an elongated rod that is located in the internal cavity and that extends through an aperture of each of the packages and removing the elongated rod from the internal cavity, each of the packages hanging from the elongated rod and being removed from the internal cavity along with the elongated rod;d) coupling the elongated rod to the support member;e) moving the packages onto the support member so that the packages are hanging from the support member; andf) decoupling the elongated rod from the support member.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein step d) comprises inserting a distal portion of the support member into a mounting cavity of the elongated rod; and wherein step e) comprises sliding the packages from the elongated rod onto the support member.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein step d) comprises sliding the elongated rod in a first direction so that the support member is inserted into a mounting cavity of the elongated rod; and wherein step e) comprises sliding the elongated rod in a second direction opposite the first direction while preventing the packages from sliding along with the elongated rod.