Patent Application
20120091030
The present disclosure relates generally to packaging and more particularly to packaging container for transportation and display of small form factor devices such as wireless headsets.
Devices such as Bluetooth headsets for use with wireless devices are almost ubiquitous. Given that the headsets are worn in proximity to and are visible around a users face, users are particularly concerned with aesthetic features of the device and sometimes wish to carefully view visual features of the device before purchasing. Accordingly, manufacturers and merchants are required to package and display these devices on the store shelves in such a manner that the consumer is able to readily view the product from all directions.
One solution is to use clear blister packaging, however this is somewhat outdated and limited in that it does not provide a full view of the product and sometimes requires the merchant to have a sample product removed from the blister pack for view. Other types of packaging comprise a box having a reflective back surface within the box; a transparent cover is placed over the product so that the purchaser may view the front of the product through the transparent cover and the rear of the product off the reflecting surface. A disadvantage with this is that the rear of the part is sometimes obscured and not clearly visible in the reflective surface.
Other packaging uses a clear plastic box with the product suspended in the box by a mechanical fastener, which is typically made of clear plastic or the like. A lower portion of the clear plastic box is usually enclosed by a graphic sleeve to hide accessories for the product, such as a charger, instruction booklets, a USB cable and the like. The mechanical fastener is visible and can detract from the visual appearance of the product.
There is therefore a need for improved packaging that minimizes the appearance of any visible mechanical connectors to support the product in the display packaging container for mounting the product in a most suitable orientation, so that the consumer is able to view the product from most orientations, while creating an illusion of the product floating in the packaging container.
The present system and method will be better understood with reference to the drawings in which:
a-e show a schematic diagram of respective back, front, side top and bottom views of a container according to an embodiment of the present matter;
a-b illustrates respective L-shaped members according to an embodiment of the present matter;
a illustrates a cross sectional view on a section H-H of
b shows an expanded view in a region of
a-b illustrates perspective view of inserts assembled onto a corresponding shell according to an embodiment of the present matter.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present matter there is provided a packaging container for a device comprising an enclosure assembled from separable front and back transparent shells the assembled shells defining a cavity for housing the device; and a transparent insert configured with outer edges for abutting at least three inner walls of the enclosure and having an aperture conformed to a silhouette of the device for engaging and retaining the device around its periphery and in a generally central position in said cavity so that at least a back, front, top and sides of the device may be directly viewed within the cavity without visual obstruction.
In accordance with a further embodiment there is provided an insert for a packing container comprising a first L-shaped insert having a first aperture on one portion thereof; and a second L-shaped insert having a second aperture, the first and second apertures conformed to a silhouette of a device for engaging and retaining the device around its periphery when the L-shaped inserts are abutted together.
In a further aspect a base portion of the inserts include rail projections formed respectively on three edges for engaging and registering corresponding grooves formed on inner front, back and side walls of the packing container.
Referring to
An example of the insert 109 is shown in
As mentioned earlier, the apertures or cut-outs 111 are located somewhat centrally in the upright portions 210, 212, and are sized to a silhouette of the device 102. In the illustrated example, edges 114, 116 around the apertures are cupped or slightly curved towards the base section to conform to the periphery of the device 102. When assembled, the slightly curved edges form a groove around the aperture 111 to partially cradle and trap the device between the opposing cupped edges of the inserts when facing surfaces of the upright portions are compressed together, as is more clearly seen by referring to
Thus the two L-shaped inserts when brought and held together in an aperture-to-aperture alignment captures and immobilizes the device sandwiched between the peripheral edges of the apertures. Furthermore, it may be seen that the gentle curving of the apertures in the edge regions 416, 418 to cup only the device periphery reduces visual distortion when observing the periphery of the device and thereby also serve to enhance the appearance of floating.
The base portions 206, 208 of the inserts 110, 112 include rail formations 214 and 216 respectively on three of the base portion edges such that the rail projections engage and lock into corresponding grooves on the inner front, back and side walls of the enclosure shells.
As previously described outer edges of the inserts 109 are configured to engage inner walls of the enclosure 104 such that the upright portions engage inner top and inner side walls of the shells 104, 106 so that the edges of inserts 110, 112 appear imperceptible to the eye further contributing to the appearance of the device floating within the cavity. This visual effect is still further enhanced by closely conforming the apertures to the periphery or silhouette of the device.
Referring back to the illustrated embodiment of
In the illustrated embodiment, the container 100 is somewhat box-like with the front and back shells 106, 108 identically shaped having side walls that project one toward the other when assembled. Each side wall terminates in an edge at an open end of the shell which abuts a corresponding seat of the other shell when the shells 108, 106 are assembled. As may be seen the edges on each shell terminate substantially in the same plane Y-Y when assembled into the container 100. Furthermore, the edges of the upright portions abut the inside of the shells in the plane where the shell edges terminate thus the edges of the inserts also appear imperceptible to the eye and appear to be part of the shell further enhancing the visual effect of the device floating.
Referring to
In another embodiment and illustrated in
In an embodiment, the shells 106, 108 are assembled and held together by an adhesive security seal made of a pliable material applied to the bottom surface 125 and a pliable material with a hanger 126 applied to the top surface of the enclosure. The hanger may be foldable against a surface of the container 100 or absent.
In another embodiment the container may be assembled from front and back shells having integrally formed inserts so that when the front and back shells fit together the device is trapped between the inserts of the respective shells.
In a still further embodiment the inserts may not include a base portion, but simply comprise the upright portions.
The embodiments described herein are examples of structures, systems or methods having elements corresponding to elements of the techniques of this application. This written description may enable those skilled in the art to make and use embodiments having alternative elements that likewise correspond to the elements of the techniques of this application. The intended scope of the techniques of this application thus includes other structures, systems or methods that do not differ from the techniques of this application as described herein, and further includes other structures, systems or methods with insubstantial differences from the techniques of this application as described herein.
