RELATED FIELDS
Embodiments of the present invention relate to product packaging that also holds and displays a premium.
BACKGROUND
Occasionally, product retailers or manufacturers will insert or otherwise include premiums with their packaged products. Premiums, such as collectible figurines, trading cards, premium golf balls, extra products, coupons, or other items, may entice individuals to purchase the products who would not otherwise purchase them without the premium. The premium may also distinguish in the eyes of the consumer the products packaged with the premium from other competitive products.
SUMMARY
The present invention is generally directed to product packaging that may include one or more products as well as a premium. In some embodiments of the invention the premium is visible to the consumer through a window in the outer shell of the packaging. In other embodiments, the premium at least partially extends through the window.
The interior of the packaging may include a void in which at least a portion of the premium is located. In some embodiments, the products may be arranged around the inside perimeter of the packaging to define a void in a central portion of the interior. The products may or may not be enclosed by product containers inside the packaging.
In certain embodiments, the packaging may include: an outer shell defining a top panel, a bottom panel, and at least two wall panels extending substantially perpendicularly between the top panel and the bottom panel; at least two products at least partially disposed within the outer shell such that they define a void within the outer shell; and at least one premium at least partially disposed in the void, wherein the premium is at least partially visible from outside the outer shell.
In other embodiments, the product packaging may include: an outer shell including a top panel, a bottom panel and at least two upstanding walls extending between the top and bottom panels, the outer shell defining an interior area and a window; at least two products at least partially located in the interior area of the outer shell to define a void in the interior area, at least a portion of the void proximate the window in the outer shell; a premium at least partially disposed in the window; and a support member for at least partially facilitating disposing the premium at least partially in the window, the support member connected to one or more edges of the window by a plurality of arms, wherein the plurality of arms extend from the window into the void.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of packaging according to a embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a different perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 1, shown with the premium removed.
FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 1, shown with the cover and the premium removed.
FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 1, shown with the cover, premium and premium holder removed.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a premium held by a premium holder.
FIG. 6 is a top view of packaging according to other embodiments of the present invention, shown without a premium.
FIG. 6A is a cross-section view of the packaging of FIG. 6.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of packaging according to other embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows packaging 10 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention. Packaging 10 may contain products (not shown) and also one or more premiums 16. As shown in FIG. 1, packaging 10 contains sleeves of golf balls and premium 16 is also a golf ball. In these embodiments, however, packaging may contain or display other types of premiums, which may have different characteristics (including size or shape) and/or different quantities.
The packaging 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an outer shell 12. Outer shell 12 may include graphics or other indicia for indicating the brand, type, quantity, or other information about the product(s) and/or premium(s) contained within or otherwise included with the packaging 10. Outer shell 12 may also or alternatively include other graphics or indicia intended to attract potential purchasers or otherwise draw attention to packaging 10 and its associated contents. In some embodiments, graphics or other indicia may be directly printed or packaging 10 before, during or after assembly of packaging 10. In other embodiments, graphics or other indicia may be associated with packaging 10 in other manners. In other embodiments, graphics or indicia are not included.
The outer shell 12 shown in FIG. 1 includes a window 14. In the embodiment shown, window 14 is an aperture through outer shell 12, revealing premium 16 positioned beneath window 14. In embodiments where premium is disposed beneath window 14, window 14 may include a transparent or semi-transparent planar member stretched over the window such that the premium 16 is at least somewhat visible through the window 14. In other embodiments, a transparent/semi-transparent member is unnecessary and the window is open to the outside. In still other embodiments, premium 16 is not disposed entirely beneath the window 14, but rather extends through it, such that a portion of premium 16 is located outside outer shell 12. One such embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A and is discussed further below.
FIG. 1 shows packaging 10 including a single window 14, disposed in a top panel 18 of the packaging's cover 24. In other embodiments, one or more windows may be disposed in the top panel and/or in different locations in or on outer shell 12. For instance, a first window may be formed in the top panel 18 and a second window, displaying the same or a different premium as the first window, may be formed in a bottom panel 20 of product packaging. In other embodiments, the window(s) may extend through one or more of the packaging's walls 22. In still other embodiments, an entire panel 18 or 20 or wall 22 may define a window 14.
As briefly mentioned above, the outer shell 12 shown in FIG. 1 includes a top panel 18, a bottom panel 20 (shown in FIG. 4), and a number of upstanding walls 22 extending substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom panels 18 and 20 respectively. In the embodiments shown in the Figures, the outer upstanding walls 22 are integral to the top panel 18 and form a cover 24. Cover 24 may be formed by folding a die-cut blank to define top panel 18 and upstanding walls 22 or may be formed in other conventional or unconventional methods. A tray 26, shown best in FIG. 4, includes bottom panel 20 and inner upstanding walls 22, which are integral with and extend substantially perpendicular to bottom panel 20. Tray 26 may be formed using similar (or different) techniques, methods and materials as used to form cover 24. FIG. 1 shows cover 24 fitted over tray 26 in a removable manner.
In other embodiments, outer shell 12 does not include a separate cover 24 and tray 26. Rather, outer shell 12 may be formed from a top panel and a bottom panel directly connected to one another by a number of upstanding walls. In such embodiments, outer shell could act as a sleeve in which product and/or premium is introduced through an open side of the outer shell. Alternatively, an outer shell may be formed around the product(s) and/or premium(s) such that accessing the contents requires at least partial destruction of the outer shell. In still other embodiments, outer shell 12 can be otherwise formed to hold and/or display product(s) and premium(s).
FIG. 2 shows the packaging 10 of FIG. 1 with the premium 16 removed. In this embodiment, a premium holder 28 is at least partially positioned underneath the window 14. The premium holder 28 may receive, support, hold or otherwise position the premium 16 such that it can be viewed through window 14. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the premium holder 44 may position the premium 16 such that it extends through the window 14.
One component of the premium holder 28 shown in FIG. 2 is a support member 30. As shown, support member 30 is planar and includes an aperture 32 appropriately sized and shaped to receive the premium 16. The planar support member 30 extends diagonally across a portion of the interior of packaging 10, although in other embodiments the support member may be located in other positions and orientations.
As shown in FIG. 5, the premium holder 28 is formed from a folded planar material and includes additional sections 42 that help to support and position the support member 30 in the desired position and orientation when incorporated into product packaging. As discussed below, the outer edges of the support member 30 and additional sections 42 may interact with other structures in the interior of packaging 10 such that premium holder 28 maintains its desired position beneath window 14.
In other embodiments, premium holder 28 is unnecessary and the premium is positioned with respect to window 14 by other mechanisms, devices, or structures. Alternatively, premium 16 is a size and shape that is self-positioning with respect to window 14. For instance, in some embodiments, premium 16 is of a size or shape such that it substantially fills the space provided within packaging 10 such that it does not tend to change position and/or orientation, even when the packaging is jostled. In other embodiments, the movement of the premium 16 is only partially limited or is not limited at all such that moving or jostling packaging 10 may cause the premium 16 to change its position and/or orientation to some degree. In some embodiments, the premium 16 will remain at least partially visible through window 14 even when the packaging 10 is moved or jostled.
FIG. 3 shows the product packaging 10 of FIG. 1 with the cover 24 removed, exposing the tray 26 and various contents contained therein. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, tray 26 is loaded with a number of product containers 34. The product containers 34 may each contain one or more individual products. For example, the product containers shown in FIG. 3 are sleeves that each hold three golf balls. In other embodiments, product containers 34 hold other types and/or quantities of products. Similar to packaging 10, the product containers 34 may include graphics or other indicia and may be made from paperboard, fiberboard, plastics, or any other suitable or desirable material. In other embodiments, product containers are unnecessary and one or more products are located within packaging 10 without product containers 34.
As shown in FIG. 3, the product containers 34 extend around the perimeter of the tray's 26 interior. The product containers 34 define a void 36 in a central portion of tray 26. In other embodiments, the product containers 34 can be located in other positions and orientations to crate different sized and shaped voids in different positions and orientations.
FIG. 4 shows the tray 26 without premium holder 28, exposing the entire void 36 defined by product containers 34 positioned around the perimeter of tray 26. In other embodiments, the void 36 is defined in other manners, for example, void 36 may be defined by unpackaged products arranged around the perimeter of the tray 26 or in other positions or orientations.
As shown in FIG. 1, the void 36 corresponds at least somewhat to the area visible through window 14 in outer shell 12. In other embodiments, voids can be smaller or larger than the area visible through window 14.
FIG. 3 also shows premium holder 28 positioned in void 36. As shown, premium holder 28 substantially fills void 36 such that premium holder 28 and product containers 34 will not substantially shift when packaging is moved or otherwise jostled. In other embodiments, it is unnecessary for premium holder 28 to extend substantially to product containers 34. Rather, in some embodiments, premium holder 28 may be secured to a portion of packaging 10, such as by an adhesive or the like, to limit the movement of premium holder 28. In other embodiments, premium holder 28 is integral with portions of outer shell 12. In still other embodiments it is unnecessary to limit the movement of premium holder 28.
FIG. 6 shows alternative embodiments of packaging 10 in which a premium holder 44 extends from the top panel 18 of the cover 24 and into the void 36. Unlike the premium holder 28 shown in FIG. 5, the premium holder 44 shown in FIG. 6 is formed out of the top panel 18, rather than as a separate component. The premium holder 44 shown in FIG. 6 is formed by die-cutting the blank that is used to create the cover 24. In other embodiments, premium holder 44 may be formed in other methods and/or from different materials or components than cover 24. The die-cut premium holder 44 shown in FIG. 6 includes a plurality of radial arms 38 and a premium support member 40. In other embodiments, premium holder 44 may be formed in different shapes, sizes and/or configurations. For example, in some embodiments, arms 38 are not curved and are straight or another shape.
FIG. 6A shows that the radial arms 38 of FIG. 6 extend from the edge of window 14 and at least somewhat into void 36. After premium holder 44 is die-cut or otherwise formed in cover 24 (or another portion of packaging 10), it may be pushed inwardly such that radial arms 38 extend into void 36, positioning support member 40 within the void 36.
Premium support member 40 and radial arms 38 may create an area for receiving and holding a premium. For example, according to certain embodiments and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the radial arms 38 and premium support member 40 form a somewhat hemispherical shaped depression in cover 24 that receives a golf ball premium. In other embodiments, premium holder 44 can be formed in other shapes and sizes to receive other types of premiums. In some embodiments, packaging may be shrink wrapped to facilitate premium 16 remaining in premium holder 44. In other embodiments, such measures are unnecessary and packaging 10 retains premium 16 in premium holder 44 using other means.
In other embodiments, premium holder 44 may be formed in other portions of packaging 10. Multiple numbers of premium holders 44 may also be included.
Although FIGS. 1 through 6A show premium 16 as a single golf ball, other types and quantities of premiums may be included in packaging 10. Similarly, although FIGS. 1 through 6A show embodiments wherein the products enclosed by packaging are four sleeves of golf balls, other types of products, with or without containers, can be included in packaging 10. Moreover, although in FIGS. 1 through 6A, both products and premium are golf balls, it is not necessary that products and premiums be the same type of item (e.g., it is not necessary that products and premiums both be selected from golf balls). For example, as shown in FIG. 7, premium may be a collectible card. In other embodiments, premium may be a coupon, a collectible item, a “limited-edition” item, or something that is intended to attract the attention of a potential purchaser of the product(s) contained in packaging 10.
In some embodiments, the premium holder and/or premium may be treated as a modular component of the packaging 10. For example, different premium holders or similar premium holders may hold different types of premiums, yet all be generally sized and shaped to fit into one size and shape of void. Thus, the same packaging could alternatively contain different premiums without requiring the reconfiguration or modification of the packaging. In one specific example, the premiums, such as golf balls, could be stamped with the logos of various athletic teams and the packaging bound for one geographic area could include premiums with logos of athletic teams specific to that area whereas other packaging bound for other geographic areas could be loaded with different logo bearing premiums. In another specific example, premium items may be various collectible figurines having different sizes and shapes. It should be understood that a premium can be any item used to promote the sale of the product(s). A number of different premium holders could be created to hold the various figurines, yet all have the same exterior dimensions such that the same packaging design could be used for all the figurines without modification. Other benefits and uses of the modular nature of some embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and deletions may be made to the structures, methods and concepts described above without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.
Patent Application
20070227943
