TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to packaging apparatuses and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to packaging apparatuses and methods for electronic products. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to packaging apparatuses and methods for both consumer and professional electronic products.
BACKGROUND ART
The currently existing art involves several apparatuses and methods for packaging electronic products. Currently, electronic products are typically sold in a hard plastic packaging, wherein a front portion and a rear portion has been heat-seamed together. With respect to these current art hard plastic packages, the consumer must cut through the hard plastic using heavy shears in order to access the electronic product, risking personal injury from the newly cut packaging edges. Because the current art plastic packaging is typically heavy gauge, substantial internal stresses will develop in the package during the consumer's attempt to remove the product. During such attempted removal, the sharp edge of a cut packaging may, and often do, spring-back on the consumer, thereby causing personal injury. In addition, the current art hard plastic packaging, once cut, cannot readily restore the product. The consumer must find other means for storing the product. When the product is an audio interconnect, safe and convenient storage is of utmost concern. Thus, a long felt need is seen to exist for an apparatus and a method which provides such safe and convenient resealable packaging and storage for electronic products.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention addresses this long-felt need for a safe and convenient consumer and professional resealable electronic products packaging apparatus and method. The present invention involves a resealable apparatus for packaging, displaying, and storing a product, especially an electronic product, generally comprising a front portion including a complementary contour, a back portion including a complementary contour, and an inner portion including a complementary contour, the inner portion being disposed between the front and the back portion, and the front portion, back portion, and the inner portion being fitted together via their respective complementary contours. The front portion has at least one coincident member along the lip of the perimeter of the front portion. The back portion has at least one coincident orifice along a periphery. The at least one coincident member of the front portion has an outer dimension being generally greater than the inner dimension of the at least one coincident orifice of the back portion, whereby the at least one coincident member and at least one coincident orifice are removably coupled together for facilitating retention of the front portion to the back portion. The at least one coincident member can be decoupled and recoupled with the at least one coincident orifice, thereby creating a resealable package. The decoupling/recoupling is also herein referred to as removably coupled or removably fastened. The inner portion complementary contour accommodates the product and comprises a feature such as a structure for retaining the product and dual windows for displaying the product. The retaining structure comprises at least one orifice through which the product is disposed and at least one depression upon which the product is retained. The orifice and depression are shaped such that they facilitate the retention of the product. The product can, for example, comprise an audio interconnect cable, having at least one connector correspondingly disposed on at least one end of the cable, wherein the audio interconnect cable is threaded through the orifice, whereby the cable is retained by the orifice and the connector is retained by the depression.
The present invention also involves a corresponding method of manufacturing the present resealable apparatus, generally comprising the steps of providing a front portion including a complementary contour, providing a back portion including a complementary contour, and providing an inner portion including a complementary contour, the inner portion being disposed between the front and the back portion, and the front portion, back portion, and the inner portion being fitted together via their respective complementary contours. The front portion has at least one coincident member along the lip of the perimeter of the front portion. The back portion has at least one coincident orifice along a periphery. The at least one coincident member of the front portion has an outer dimension being generally greater than the inner dimension of the at least one coincident orifice of the back portion, whereby the at least one coincident member and at least one coincident orifice are coupled together for facilitating retention of the front portion to the back portion. The at least one coincident member can be decoupled and recoupled with the at least one coincident orifice, thereby creating a resealable package. The inner portion complementary contour accommodates the product and comprises a features such as a structure for retaining the product and dual windows for displaying the product. The retaining structure comprises at least one orifice through which the product is disposed and at least one depression upon which the product is retained. The orifice and depression are shaped such that they facilitate the retention of the product. The product can, for example, comprise an audio interconnect cable, having at least one connector correspondingly disposed on at least one end of the cable, wherein the audio interconnect cable is threaded through the orifice, whereby the cable is retained by the orifice and the connector is retained by the depression.
Some advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the reusability of the package since it can be resealed, thereby the packaging can be used not only in display of the product but for storage of the product once the consumer has purchased the product and opened the package. The stable retention of the product in the package, during display as well as after, opening, and during storage; high visibility of the product on display and in storage; and efficient coiling of the product on display and in storage. Other advantages include the easy opening of the packaging apparatus, thereby eliminating the related art need for scissors to cut through the typically thick polymer packaging in order to access the product, and reducing the chance of injury to the consumer by eliminating the sharp edges arising from cutting related art packages. Other features of the present invention are disclosed, or are apparent in the section entitled “Detailed Description of the Invention.”
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the below-referenced accompanying Drawing. Reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the Drawing.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a resealable packaging apparatus, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inner portion of a resealable packaging apparatus, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a resealable packaging apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a resealable packaging apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a rear view of a resealable packaging apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a top view of a resealable packaging apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a side view of a resealable packaging apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an opposing side view of a resealable packaging apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for a general method of packaging, displaying, and storing a product, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a rear view of a front portion of a resealable packaging apparatus, in accordance with the present invention.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates, in an exploded perspective view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100, in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus 100 comprises a front portion 10 including a complementary contour 11, a back portion 30 including a complementary contour 31, and an inner portion 20 including a complementary contour 21, the inner portion 20 being disposed between the front portion 10 and the back portion 30. The front portion 10, the back portion 30, and the inner portion 20 being fitted together via their respective complementary contours 11, 31, 21. The front portion 20 includes at least one coincident member 13 distributed along the lip of the periphery 14; and a coincident orifice 15 for facilitating display of the product by hanging. The back portion 30 includes at least one coincident orifice 33 distributed along a periphery 34; and a coincident orifice 35 for facilitating display of the product by hanging. The apparatus 100 is securely coupled together by a coupling feature which comprises at least one coincident member 13 capable of being disposed through the corresponding at least one coincident orifice 33, for sandwiching the inner portion 20, accommodating the product, between the front portion 10 and the back portion 30. The coupling feature can be decoupled by retracting the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33, and recoupled by disposing the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33. Thus, the resealable packaging apparatus.
FIG. 2 illustrates, in perspective view, an inner portion 20 of a resealable packaging apparatus 100, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The inner portion complementary contour 21 accommodates the product (not shown) and comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of a structure for retaining 25 the product and at least one window 23 for displaying the product. The retaining structure 25 comprises at least one orifice 24 through which the product is disposed and at least one depression 22 upon which the product is retained. The orifice 24 and depression 22 are shaped such that they facilitate the retention of the product. The product can, for example, comprise an audio interconnect cable (not shown), having at least one connector (not shown) correspondingly disposed on at least one end of the cable (not shown), wherein the audio interconnect cable is threaded through the orifice, whereby the cable is retained by the orifice 24 and the connector is retained by the depression 22.
FIG. 3 illustrates, in a front view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention. The inner portion complementary contour 21 comprises a rounded recess 26 for facilitating coiling of the cable (not shown), and wherein the front portion complementary contour 11 comprises a rounded recess 12 for accommodating the inner portion complementary contour rounded recess 26. The front portion 10 comprises an outer dimension; at least one coincident member 13 distributed along the lip of the periphery 14; and a coincident orifice 15 for facilitating display of the product by hanging. The back portion 30 comprises an outer dimension; at least one coincident orifice 33 distributed along a periphery 34; and a coincident orifice 35 for facilitating display of the product by hanging. The apparatus further comprises a liner insert 40 being disposed between the front portion 10 and the inner portion 20 as well as between the back portion 30 and the inner portion 20, the liner insert 40 facilitating advertisement and identification of the product, wherein the front, inner, and back portions 10, 20, 30 all may, for example, comprise a material having an optical property selected from a group consisting of transparency and translucency for facilitating viewing of the liner insert 40 and the product (not shown).
FIG. 4 illustrates, in a bottom view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100 having a front portion 10 disposed on the back portion 30, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates, in a rear view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention. The back portion 30 comprises an outer dimension being less than that of the front portion outer dimension; at least one coincident orifice 33 distributed along a periphery 34; and a coincident orifice 35 for facilitating display of the product by hanging. The inner portion 20 (not shown) has an outer dimension being less than that of both the front portion 10 (FIG. 3) and that of the back portion 30 (FIG. 4). The apparatus 100 further comprises a feature for coupling the front portion 10 to the back portion 20 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The apparatus 100 is securely coupled together by a coupling feature which comprises at least one coincident member 13 capable of being disposed through the corresponding at least one coincident orifice 33, for sandwiching the inner portion 20, accommodating the product, between the front portion 10 and the back portion 30. The coupling feature can be decoupled by retracting the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33, and recoupled by disposing the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33.
FIG. 6 illustrates, in a top view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100 having the front portion 10 disposed on the back portion 30, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates, in a side view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100 having the front portion 10 disposed on the back portion 30, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates, in an opposing side view, a resealable packaging apparatus 100 having the front portion 10 disposed on the back portion 30, as shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 9 illustrates, in a flow chart, a method M of packaging, displaying, and storing a product, in accordance with the present invention. The method M comprises the steps of providing a front portion 10 including a complementary contour 11; and at least one coincident member 13 distributed along the lip of the periphery 14 (as indicated by block 1000), providing a back portion 30 including a complementary contour 31; and at least one coincident orifice 33 distributed along a periphery 34 (as indicated by block 2000), and providing an inner portion 20 including a complementary contour 21 (as indicated by block 3000), the inner portion 20 being disposed between the front portion 10 and the back portion 30, and the front portion 10, the back portion 30, and the inner portion 20 being fitted together via their respective complementary contours 11, 31, 21. The apparatus 100 is securely coupled together (as indicated by block 4000) by a coupling feature which comprises at least one coincident member 13 capable of being disposed through the corresponding at least one coincident orifice 33, for sandwiching the inner portion 20, accommodating the product, between the front portion 10 and the back portion 30. The coupling feature can be decoupled by retracting the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33, and recoupled by disposing the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33.
FIG. 10 illustrates the front portion 20 of a resealable packaging apparatus 100 which includes at least one coincident member 13 distributed along the lip of the periphery 14; and a coincident orifice 15 for facilitating display of the product by hanging. The apparatus 100 is securely coupled together by a coupling feature which comprises at least one coincident member 13 capable of being disposed through the corresponding at least one coincident orifice 33 (not shown). The coupling feature can be decoupled by retracting the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33, and recoupled by disposing the at least one coincident member 13 through the at least one coincident orifice 33.
Information as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described object of the invention, the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is, thus, representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. The scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and is to be limited, accordingly, by nothing other than the appended claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above described preferred embodiment and additional embodiments that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are hereby expressly incorporated by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims.
Moreover, no requirement exists for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be resolved by the present invention, for such to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. However, various changes and modifications in form, material, and fabrication material detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the appended claims should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. No claim herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention applies to packaging apparatuses and methods. More particularly, the present invention industrially applies to resealable packaging apparatuses and methods for electronic products. Even more particularly, the present invention industrially applies to resealable packaging apparatuses and methods for both consumer and professional electronic products.
Patent Application
20090056274
