Patent Application
20120187026
This invention relates to product packaging, and in particular, it relates to packaging for products suitable for store merchandising.
Packaging serves different purposes by providing solutions to product protection, security and marketing. While packaging should be functional, it can also be ordinary or unique, practical or amusing. As consumer products have expanded and diversified, so have packaging designs in order to accommodate the growing and changing needs of manufacturers, packagers, shippers, retailers and even the consuming public. Packaging should preferably facilitate shipping, handling and marketing while minimizing costs of production and assembly. Moreover, as landfills are filled to capacity and suspicion of global warming turns to reality, recycling has become mainstream and there is growing preference by manufacturers and consumers alike for packaging with less carbon footprint.
With advances in technology, packagers are put to the challenge of meeting different needs. On the one hand, many products, especially in the field of electronics and computer, are shrinking in size, thus requiring less packaging. However, the value and often fragile nature of such products require sturdier packaging against damage, theft and tampering. Packaging should also promote efficient storage and display yet also provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance to catch the eye of the consumer. Such goals are often at odds with each other, posing many challenges in the improvement of packaging designs.
Shipping wrappers or packages using paper and cardboard are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,904 (Perdue Jr.) disclosed a single face corrugated paperboard package for containing an article. The package includes a pair of paperboard sheets each having an interior surface and an exterior surface. A cohesive coating is applied over substantially the entire interior surface of each of the paperboard sheets. A tear strip is disposed on the interior surface of at least one of the paperboard sheets. The tear strip includes an uncoated portion. The uncoated portion has two opposed longitudinal sides defined by a pair of spaced apart lines of intermittent impressions. Optionally, the tear strip may also include a tape disposed between the pair of spaced apart lines of intermittent impressions. The pair of paperboard sheets may be formed from a single paperboard sheet. The invention also includes the method of making the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,267 (Schamante) disclosed a product display package for retaining product is provided with a display card having a reinforced hanger hole that is resistant to tear. The display card includes a main body including a front surface, a rear surface and an upper edge. The display card has a closed loop hanger hole formed in the main body that is adapted to receive a hanger to hang the display card for display. A container having a housing defining a compartment to house product is supported by the display card. The display card has a tape reinforcement layer adhered to the main body in a region adjacent to the hanger hole to enhance the strength of the display card between the hanger hole and the upper edge of the main body of the display card.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,611 (Guines) disclosed a package having discrete article enclosures, such as a blister card for medicaments or the like in capsule, lozenge, or pill form, by means of a first strip having a plurality of blister-like protrusions therein outward from one face and leaving corresponding hollows and openings thereinto at the opposite face thereof, a relatively rupturable second strip adherent to the latter face of the first strip and sealing the openings therein, a supporting card therefor overlying the second strip over the openings and having an openable access tab opposite each opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,480 (Nazari), the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference, disclosed prior and improved packaging using corrugated cardboard sheets and a plastic container. Prior packaging discussed therein included those using two sheets of corrugated cardboard or one sheet of corrugated cardboard and one sheet of paper, and at least one clear plastic container having a flat insertion portion and a chamber portion, wherein the insertion portion is sandwiched between the two sheets and the chamber portion protrudes from the plane of the sheets via a cut (opening) on one cardboard sheet. The two sheets are adhered together around the periphery with an adhesive. A commonly used adhesive is a hot melt glue. Improvements on such packaging described in the aforementioned patent included crushing at least a selected area, for example, a periphery area, of the corrugated cardboard sheet(s) to provide a better seal and greater structural strength for larger packages and/or heavier items.
All of the above packaging are typically processed at a single location in a single duration. That is, the components of the packaging are typically located at a process plant where the components are assembled with the consumer product packaged therein. This process ties elements of product and packaging logistics to each other and can therefore limit options for the packager, shipper, manufacturer and retailer both geographically and temporally. It is therefore desirable to provide packaging that can be rapidly and readily assembled with greater flexibility in terms of time and place by enabling assembly in discrete stages where such stages can occur at different times and locations.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a display pack or packaging (“pack” and “packaging” used interchangeably herein) and packaging method that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description below and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed in the written description and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and described, the present invention in one embodiment provides a display pack for a product, including a first and a second sheet members that are arranged in a stacked configuration. The first member has a smaller cutout and the second member has a larger cutout. The first and second cutouts are in general axial alignment with each other such that the smaller cutout provides an inner flange around the larger cutout. Adhesive material is applied to at least one selected area between the two sheet members to adhere the two sheet members together. The display pack includes at least one container having a flat insertion portion and a chamber portion adapted to hold the product. The flat insertion portion is sandwiched between the two sheet members and the chamber portion protrudes from a plane of the sheet members via the larger cutout. The chamber portion defines an opening and an interior volume to hold the product. Enclosing the product in the chamber portion is a lid member with a main body portion positioned in the opening and an outer flange around the main body portion, wherein the inner flange of the first sheet member covers the outer flange of the lid member to secure the lid member to the display pack.
The present invention includes a partially pre-assembled display pack that can remain in a stable condition suitable for receiving the product and final assembly at another time or location. In fact, final assembly can be accomplished rapidly and with ease, including by manual manipulation without any tools or machinery by merely placing the product in the chamber portion and snapping down a lid member into the display pack. In one embodiment, the partially pre-assembled display pack includes a first and a second sheet members that are arranged in a stacked configuration. The first member has a smaller cutout and the second member has a larger cutout. The first and second cutouts are in general axial alignment with each other such that the smaller cutout provides an inner flange around the larger cutout. Adhesive material is applied to at least one selected area between the two sheet members to adhere the two sheet members together. The display pack includes at least one container having a flat insertion portion and a chamber portion adapted to hold the product. The flat insertion portion is sandwiched between the two sheet members and the chamber portion protrudes from a plane of the sheet members via the larger cutout. The chamber portion defines an opening and an interior volume to hold the product. Advantageously, the partially pre-assembled display pack can be handled and transported with ease without disassembling. Moreover, multiple partially pre-assembled display packs can be closely stacked on each other to occupy minimal space during storage or shipping.
The present invention is further directed to a method of packaging that includes at least two discrete stages of packaging: partial pre-assembly, and final assembly. In one embodiment, a method of packaging includes providing a partially preassembled display pack as described above, placing a product in the container, placing the lid member on the display pack with the main portion extending into the opening through at least the smaller cutout and pressing the lid member into the opening until the outer flange passes through at least the smaller cutout and is covered by the first sheet member. The display pack is advantageously designed to facilitate installation of a lid member by a one-step manual manipulation. The method may also include crushing at least one peripheral section of the display pack for greater structural strength, improved heat conduction therethrough for activating heat-sensitive adhesive, and/or a better seal on the display pack between the sheet members.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
a. is a perspective view of an embodiment of a display pack of the present invention.
b is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a display pack of the present invention.
a, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of a display pack 10 that provides more options in the handling, transport, storage and display of consumer merchandise. The display pack has a first and a second overlaying members 12a and 12b that are affixed to each other to securely hold at least one container 16 adapted to house at least one item 18, e.g., a consumer product such as a DVD in its protective case. Although the first and second member need not be identical or a mirror image of each other, it is preferred that the first and second members have generally matching structure in terms of their overall size, thickness, shape and/or underlying construction material so that they match and the display pack 10 presents a clean and appealing appearance with even and flushed outer edges 20 when the first and second members are in a stacked configuration.
Each of the first and second members 12a, 12b has a cutout or through-opening 22a, 22b that is surrounded in its entirety by the construction material of the members such that they can be generally axially aligned with each other so that there is communication therethrough from opposite sides of the stacked configuration to define a cutout 22 for the display pack 10 as a whole. Both cutouts 22a, 22b are of a generally common shape and size that corresponds with the shape and size of the container 16. However in accordance with a feature of the present invention, the cutout 22a of the first member 12a is of a slightly different size than the cutout 22b of the second member 12b. For example, one cutout 22 can be slightly smaller than the other cutout. In the disclosed embodiment of
Due to the structure of the first and second members 12a, 12b and the construction of the display pack 10, it is understood that the wording “cutout” as used herein may refer as appropriate within the context of the discussion to the cutout of each of the first and second members and/or to the cutout of the display pack that is formed when the first and second members are in a stacked configuration. In that regard, it is further understood that wording for other structures and regions, e.g., inner edges, outer edges, rim portion, etc., that are present in the first and second members individually and/or in the display pack when the members are in a stacked configuration may refer to either and/or both as appropriate within the context of the discussion.
Spanning between the inner edges 24 and the outer edges 22 of the first and second members is a surrounding area 28 of the display pack that frames the container 16. The first and second members are affixed to each other by means of an adhesive material 26, such as heat-sensitive adhesive material, that is applied to at least selected areas of inner surfaces 13 of the members 12a, 12b. The first and second members may also be sealed together about their periphery via crushing, as discussed further below, although crushing is not required to practice the invention. In the illustrated embodiment of
The surrounding area 28 includes a peripheral section 32 that extends between the outer edge 20 and a continuous step or boundary 34 that extends around the cutout 22 and delineates between a thinner crushed peripheral edge portion 36 and a thicker inner uncrushed portion 38. The widths of the surrounding area 28 and of the crushed and the uncrushed portions 36, 38 thereof can vary depending on the size, weight and/or shape of the consumer product 18. The widths can also depend on the container 16, in particular, the width of its flat insertion portion 48, as discussed further below. In the disclosed embodiment, the width of the thinner crushed peripheral edge portion 36 is about 0.5 inch.
An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in
In the disclosed embodiments, the first and second overlaying members 12a, 12b are flat, planar sheet members such that when they are in a stacked configuration the display pack 10 generally defines a plane with the container 16 protruding from at least one side of the plane. In one embodiment, the first and second overlaying members are corrugated cardboard sheets, wherein each sheet has an original thickness defined by at least three layers, including two outer paper sheets 40 and a corrugated member 42 (
In the disclosed embodiment, the first and second members 12a, 12b each have a rectangular shape such that the display pack 10 has a rectangular shape. In another embodiment, the two sheet members are formed from a single larger sheet member folded over, for example, along a midline that is creased and/or perforated.
With the members 12a, 12b arranged in the stacked configuration to foam the display pack, the inner surfaces 13a, 13b face each other leaving outer surfaces 14 exposed. The outer surfaces 14a, 14b can be printed with or otherwise display product information and other information useful to the consumer. As mentioned, the adhesive material 26 is applied to at least selected areas of the inner surfaces to adhere the members 12a, 12b to each other so that the container 16 is secured to the display pack 10.
The container 16 encasing the consumer product 18 has a main body 44 and a separate lid member 46. Both the main body and the lid member can be made from any suitable material, including a clear plastic material such as PET. The main body 44 has a peripheral flat insertion portion 48 that surrounds an opening 50 of a protruding chamber portion 52. The chamber portion defines an interior volume suited for occupation by the consumer product 18. The peripheral flat insertion portion 48 is configured to be coplanar with the display pack 10 so as to lie flat between a rim portion 23 (
Because the first and second members 12a, 12b are affixed to each other, the flat insertion portion 48 of the container 16 sandwiched in the rim portion 23 secures the container 16 to the display pack and prevents the container from falling through the cutout 22. The maximum width of the flat insertion portion 48 should be no greater than the width of the surrounding area 28 and the minimum width should be no less than about 0.25 inches. In one embodiment, the width is between about 0.5 inches and about 1.0 inch. In the latter regard however, it is understood that the minimum width also depends on the size and/or weight of the consumer product 18 held in the container 16 and the width of the surrounding area 28.
Best seen in
The chamber portion 52 extends from the opening 50 of the container 16. In the illustrated embodiment of
Best seen in
On an outer surface of the side wall 54 are detents that form raised formations 60 on an inner surface of the side wall. The formations function as stops for the lid member 46 and they also keep the lid member 46 centered in the opening 50 by minimizing lateral movement, especially where the opening 50 spans greater than the spacing between the lid side wall 68. An upper portion of each raised formation provides an inwardly projected surface 62 that can be curved. The surfaces 62 sit immediately below the plane of the opening 50 in supporting the lid member at or near the opening 50. The surfaces are intended to prevent a thief from being able to depress the lid member into the interior volume so as to pry it loose from the display pack, especially in the instance where the main body portion of the lid member is not abutting the upper surface 19 of the consumer product 18. A lower portion 63 of each raised formation is in general contact with the consumer product 18 to cushion and/or wedge in the consumer product from shifting about in the container 16. It is understood that words describing direction or orientation herein, such as top, bottom, above, below and the like, are used herein merely for the ease of reference with respect to the drawings and do not in any manner limit the scope of the present invention, including manner of its construction or use.
In the illustrated embodiment, each raised formation 60 has a generally triangular cross section (best seen in
The lid member 46 has a main cover portion 64 that is indented relative to an outer flange 70 by means of a lid side wall 68 surrounding the main cover portion 64. The indented main cover portion 64 and the outer flange 70 are generally parallel to each other (and to the flat insertion portion 48 of the container 16) but indented by the lid side wall 68 extending between them so that the cover portion 64 sits deeper in the chamber portion 52 than the outer flange 70. The lid side wall 68 also extends at the angle theta relative to the outer flange 70, where theta ranges between about 90 and 135, more preferably about 120 degrees, to correspond with the aforementioned angle theta of the container 16. The width of the lid side wall 68 is no greater than the depth of the gap G and should be less than the distance between an upper surface 19 of the consumer product and the upper surface 62 of the raised formation 60. In one embodiment, the main cover portion 64 is about 5.25 inches by 6.75 inches, the side wall 68 has a width about 0.25 inch and the outer flange 70 has a width about ⅛ inch.
As illustrated, the main cover portion 64 and the cutout 22a of the first support member 12a have a nearly identical shape and size. As mentioned, the cutout 22b has a similar shape and size to that of the cutout 22a with the exception that the latter is smaller. The opening 50 of the container 16 also has as a similar shape but its size is slightly larger than the lid member. Precise relative sizing of the various components and structure of the display pack, including the cutouts 22a, 22b, the opening 50, the formations 60 and/or the lid member 46, enables the lid member to be snapped into the opening 50 via the cutout 22a. In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the outer flange 70 is adapted to initially catch and rest on the inner edge 24a of the first support member 12a suspending the lid member 46 (in broken lines in
An alternate embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
Another alternate embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
It is understood that the first and second members and the display packs of the present invention may assume any variety of shapes, including, circular, oval, polygonal and irregular shapes. It is also understood that the containers and lid members may assume any variety of shapes, including circular, oval, polygonal and irregular shapes. Moreover, any structure featured in one embodiment of the present invention may be incorporated in addition to or in place of a similar feature in any other embodiments as needed or desired. It is further understood that the first and second members can be made of any suitable material, for example, corrugated cardboard, regular cardboard, one sheet of paper (sturdy) and one sheet of corrugated cardboard, or even plastic. If of plastic, the container may be integral with one or both of the sheet members.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, assembly of any of the present display packs may involve at least two stages: partial pre-assembly (without involving a consumer product and a lid member) and rapid final assembly (involving a consumer product and a lid member). By providing a pre-assembly stage, the display pack may be pre-assembled at a location and/or time different from those of the final assembly stage where the consumer product is placed and secured in the display pack with the lid member snapped in. With display packs that are pre-assembled, products and items may be packaged rapidly in the display packs with minimal time and effort. This feature should greatly increase flexibility and efficiency in supply chain and logistics management for a wide variety of consumer products by providing manufacturers, packagers, shippers and retailers with more options in what, when, where and how consumer products are processed, packaged, transported, displayed and stored at various stages from production to sale.
Accordingly, the present invention includes a method of assembling a display pack. To partially pre-assemble the display pack 10 (or any of the display packs disclosed herein) in preparation for final assembly with the consumer product 18, the container 16 is stacked on the second support member 12b such that the chamber portion 52 sits in the cutout 22b and protrudes out of the plane of the second member from the outer surface 14b. The container is suspended by the flat insertion portion 48 which catches on the inner surface 13b of the rim portion 23 of the second support member 12b. The adhesive material 16 is applied to one or both of the inner surfaces 13a, 13b of the first and second support members in at least the peripheral section 32 of the two members, which is also the location where pressure and/or heat can be applied for crushing and sealing the crushed portions 36 especially where the support members are corrugated cardboard sheets. The adhesive material may also be applied as desired to the inner surfaces of the remaining surrounding area (in its entirety, or in certain interior areas for “spot sealing”). However, the rim portion 23 of the inner surfaces 13a, 13b where the flat insertion portion 48 is sandwiched should be kept free of the adhesive material if it is desirable that the container 16 be easily removable from the display pack for recycling. In addition, the container may be made as a re-usable container, and easy removal may facilitate re-use.
After application of the adhesive material, the first support member 12a is placed on the second member 12b with the cutouts 22a, 22b aligned such that flat insertion portion 48 of the container 16 is sandwiched in the rim portion 23 between the first and second members. Where crushing is desired, the peripheral section 32 of
Once pre-assembled, the display pack is prepared to receive the consumer product 18 and the lid member 46 at a different time and/or place. For example, the pre-assembled pack with the lid member detached can be transported to a remote location where the consumer product is being manufactured or warehoused awaiting packaging. For final assembly, the consumer product 18 is placed in the chamber portion 52. In the embodiment of
After the lid member 46 is snapped in, it sits over the chamber portion 52, at or slightly below the opening 50 blocking the opening 50, with the outer flange 70 generally in contact with the surfaces 62 of the raised formations 60. The raised formations 60 and the indented cover portion 64 ensure that the consumer product 18 is generally wedged inside the chamber portion 52 from shifting about during handling and transport of the display pack. And, because the outer flange 70 has been snapped below the first support member 12a and rests below and behind the inner edge 24a, the outer flange 70 is hidden and generally inaccessible through the cutouts 22a, 22b rendering the lid member tamper-resistant. With the first and second support members 12a, 12b adhered to each other and crushed and sealed in the peripheral section 32, the lid member 46 and the chamber portion 52 are securely sandwiched between the members 12a, 12b and locked in the display pack such that removal of the consumer product 18 is generally limited to cutting of the members 12a, 12b or the container 16 by means of a sharp instrument such as a blade, knife, scissors or the like.
In the embodiment of
The preceding description has been presented with reference to certain exemplary embodiments of the invention. The drawings shown wherein are not necessarily to scale, some portions having been enlarged to show details. The display pack may include more than one cutout and/or container and each container may contain more than one consumer product. It is understood that any of the actions and steps taken to assemble the display pack of the present invention can be performed manually or by machine. Workers skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes to the described structure may be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principal, spirit and scope of this invention. It is understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Accordingly, the foregoing description should not be read as pertaining only to the precise structures described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Rather, it should be read as consistent with and as support for the following claims which are to have their fullest and fairest scope.
