Patent Application
20090326707
The invention relates to user-portable radio telephone delivery containers and to related apparatus and methods.
User-portable radio telephones, hereinafter referred to more conveniently as telephones or mobile telephones, are typically presented for sale and/or delivery to an end user in suitable containers such as retail packages. Retail packages typically incorporate a printed branded design on one or more exterior surfaces in order to be more attractive to the end user or purchaser of the telephone. Such a retail package may also be designed and decorated to enhance the “opening experience” for the end user. When mobile telephones are, instead of being purchased in a retail environment, delivered to an end user, the same retail packaging may be used, with the packaging being commonly packed inside a larger outer box for delivery. The outer box provides a degree of security and protection against handling damage. The outer box is also typically relatively plain in visual appearance by comparison with the retail packaging box, so as to reduce the possibility of theft.
For example, a retail package may be decorated with attractive imagery and branded with logos associated with the manufacturer of the telephone within. The package may also be designed such that it is provided with a hinged lid, so that the opening experience for the end user involves attractively presenting the contents to the user in a predetermined arrangement. Within the package, the telephone and its several associated components such as a battery, an electrical charger, an instruction manual and a headset are typically held in various compartments. The end user is then presented with the components in a predetermined way.
Many retail packaging components are typically optimised in various ways, which may depend upon, amongst other things, the number and types of components included with the telephone, as well as the size of the telephone itself, the point of sale environment in which the packaging is to be displayed and the type of branding on the packaging. Little thought, however, is conventionally given to how the end user is to physically receive the telephone. This last point may not be an overriding issue when the end user receives the mobile telephone within its retail packaging in a retail environment, since as long as the user can carry the package away, the size and shape of the package is relatively unimportant.
When products are available for ordering via the internet, delivery of the physical goods being ordered often depends on being able to either: i) have the goods delivered to the purchaser personally due to the size or value of the goods; or ii) being able to fit the packaged goods through a delivery slot, i.e. a letter box, at an address of the purchaser. Being available personally to receive the goods can be an inconvenience for the purchaser, particularly if delivery can only be attempted during normal working hours, when the purchaser may not be at home. Even if deliveries can be made outside of normal working hours, these would tend to be more expensive and there would still be no guarantee that the purchaser will be at home when a delivery is attempted. Many goods are packaged in containers that are too large to be delivered to a purchaser's home letter box, and repeated failed delivery attempts are consequently common, resulting in additional cost and inconvenience.
One possible prior art solution is to package the various components in a padded envelope rather than a rigid container. This approach is, however, generally unacceptable for aesthetic reasons and because a common style of packaging would not be suitable for both delivery and for retail packaging. Additionally, the opening experience for the user would be less desirable, as the various components would be more likely to be jumbled in the envelope, and not presented to the user on opening in an aesthetically pleasing way.
For mobile telephones, since the packaging is typically designed more for attractiveness and the ability to store all the commonly necessary components to be sold with the telephone itself, the retail packaging is invariably too large to fit within a typical delivery slot such as in a home letter box. A problem therefore remains when the mobile telephone is ordered for delivery to the end user, in that the user is inconvenienced when delivery has proved to be not possible. The end user may then have to alternatively: i) be present for another delivery attempt; ii) visit a delivery depot to collect the package, thus causing inconvenience for the user and additional cost for the delivery company; or iii) arrange to have the delivery redirected to the user's work address (which may not be possible).
A further consideration not often taken into account when designing packaging for mobile telephones is that of the environmental impact of the packaging. When the packaging includes moulded plastic parts such as internal partitioning parts to hold the various components, recycling or waste disposal may be more problematic. It would therefore be advantageous to be able to reduce the environmental impact of the packaging used by using fewer packaging components and, where possible, to make the components either biodegradable or readily recyclable. Minimising the overall size and weight of the packaging would also further the aims of having a reduced environmental impact.
It is an object of the present invention to solve one or more of the above mentioned problems by providing a user-portable radio telephone delivery container that is adapted to pass through a predetermined size of opening for postal deliveries. Such a delivery container may not only be suitable for postal delivery but also for retail sale/display at a store.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a user-portable radio telephone delivery container that requires fewer individual parts and has a reduced environmental impact.
In a first aspect, the invention provides a user-portable radio telephone delivery container, the delivery container comprising:
In a second aspect, the invention provides a blank for the delivery container of the first aspect, the blank comprising a substantially planar unitary piece of packaging material adapted to, when assembled, form a user-portable radio telephone container, the container having one or more compartments defined therein, one of the compartments being adapted to contain a user-portable radio telephone.
In a third aspect, the invention provides a method of delivering a user-portable radio telephone to an end user, the method comprising the steps of:
In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a server adapted to receive a user portable radio telephone order according to the third aspect.
In a fifth aspect, the invention provides a computer program product, comprising a computer readable medium having thereon computer program code means adapted, when said program is loaded onto a computer, to make the computer execute the procedure of the third aspect.
In a sixth aspect, the invention provides a computer program, distributable by electronic data transmission, comprising computer program code means adapted, when said program is loaded onto a computer, to make the computer execute the procedure of the third aspect.
In order that the invention may more readily be understood, a description is now given, by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
a to 2c are drawings of an embodiment of the invention for a first size of delivery package;
a to 3c are drawings of an embodiment of the invention for a second size of delivery package;
a and 9b show plan views of an inner container comprising adjustable compartments;
a to 10d show the inner container of
a and 11b show the inner container of
Shown in
The inner container 12 and outer container 11 are both typically of substantially cuboid-shape and fabricated from a packaging board such as cardboard, while the internal partitions may be fabricated from a plastically mouldable material such as polyethylene. The internal partitions 13a, 13b of
An exemplary embodiment of a design for a user-portable radio telephone delivery container 20 of the invention is shown in
Various compartments 23′, 24′, 25′, 26′ are formed within the inner container 22 so as to receive respective components 23, 24, 25, 26.
c shows the various components 23, 24, 25, 26 in place within their respective compartments 23′, 24′, 25′, 26′ in the inner container 22. In addition to the mobile telephone or transceiver unit 23, these components may be, for example, a paper/electronic user guide and/or software stored on a cd-rom 24, a headset 25 and a battery and/or multimedia card (MMC) 26. Other compartments may also or alternatively be envisaged and arranged within the inner container 22 of the invention, depending upon the desired configuration and the requirements of the user. For example, a charger unit and additional connector cables may be omitted from the container 22, due to one or more reasons of: i) size; ii) the user already being in possession of a suitable charger; or iii) the user being able to obtain a charger from elsewhere.
Provided that all the various components can be contained within the required maximum thickness t of the delivery container, a container of the invention can generally be devised that will fit within a predetermined size of opening of a letter box. The maximum dimensions for a delivery container of the invention may be smaller than 250 mm×400 mm×30 mm. Exemplary dimensions for the delivery container 20 of
A further exemplary embodiment is shown in
To be able to pass through a standard sized opening in a letter box, a cross-section of an outer container of the delivery container of the invention must be smaller than the opening. A maximum package size of, for example, 30 mm×250 mm×350 mm is envisaged be able to fit through a substantial proportion of standard sized letter box openings. The delivery container of the invention is therefore preferably no larger than this maximum package size. Alternatively, the smallest linear dimension t of the delivery container is no greater than approximately 30 mm, so that the container will readily pass through most letter box openings. Exemplary dimensions for the delivery container 30 of
Shown in
The inner container 42 of the embodiment shown in
In
As well as an aesthetically pleasing layout of components within the delivery container 20, 30, 40, one embodiment of the invention allows for different graphical designs to be used on, for example, the external surface of the lid 27, 37, 47 (shown in
Additionally, the graphical design of the inner container 20, 30, 40 may be chosen or determined by a user, who may for example be a user of an online ordering service for mobile telephones. A user may choose from a selection of graphical designs from an ordering website when choosing the mobile telephone to purchase. Alternatively, the user may choose a personalised graphical design, which may incorporate one or more designs or photographs uploaded from the user to the server of the website. The inner container 20, 30, 40 may then be personalised to the user.
In practice, a user may access a website of a server to browse for a mobile telephone which the user wishes to buy, the website enabling the user to place an order for the mobile telephone. The user may also be able to place an order over the telephone by, for example, calling a call centre. The server may belong to the manufacturer or alternatively to a network operator or another retail operator. After having made a selection, the user transmits an order for the mobile telephone the user wishes to purchase, the order being received by the server. The order may alternatively be received by the server as a result of input by a call centre operator. The order received will comprise, amongst other details, a postal address of an end user of the mobile telephone. The end user may or may not be the same as the user of the website.
After receiving the order from the user, the server transmits, either directly or through an intermediary, details of the order including the postal address of the end user to an order fulfillment facility. The order fulfillment facility may be a separate entity from the server, or may be provided within the same location as the server. The purpose of the order fulfillment facility is to provide the mobile telephone ordered by the user, and optionally to personalise the inner container, and to address the delivery container ready for despatch to the end user.
With the outer container of the delivery container having marked on it the postal address of the end user, and containing the inner container with the mobile telephone (and associated components) ordered by the user, the order fulfillment facility then arranges for the delivery container to be delivered to the end user. The delivery container is then delivered to the home of the end user at the postal address provided by passing the delivery container through an opening for postal deliveries, i.e. a letter box opening.
It is to be understood that the above steps from receiving an order to sending the delivery container for delivery to the home of the end user may be carried out under the control of a suitably programmed computer, which computer may also be the server. The process may thereby be partially or wholly automated once an order has been sent by the user.
Optionally, the order fulfillment facility may be provided by the manufacturer with multiple identical packages of delivery containers containing mobile telephones and associated components. The order fulfillment facility, which may be an operator warehouse (the operator being, for example, a mobile telephone network operator), may then provide personalised items in each delivery container together with the operator's own information and branded literature, in addition to adding the home address details of the end user to the outer container.
The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or combinations are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims.
The applicant indicates that aspects of the present invention may consist of any such individual feature or combination of features. In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.
For example, the outer container 21, 31, 41 of the delivery container 20, 30, 40 may be adapted to be weather proof. The outer container 21, 31, 41 may be provided with a plain printed design, for example consisting only of printed information essential for tracking and delivery purposes, while the inner container 22, 32, 42 may be provided with a more elaborate and colourful printed design. Alternatively or additionally, the outer container 21, 31, 41 may be non-branded, while the inner container 22, 32, 42 is branded with one or more indicia of, for example, the manufacturer and/or network operator. The inner container 22, 32, 42 may provide additional structural strength to the outer container 21, 31, 41. The inner container 22, 32, 42 may be in a ‘folder’ configuration, where the inner container is adapted to be opened by means of a hinged lid 27, 37, 47.
The materials from which the delivery container 20, 30, 40 is made may comprise recyclable or recycled materials, and these materials may be substantially entirely paper-based.
The compartments 23′, 24′, 25′, 26′, 33′, 34′, 35′, 36′, 38′ may be designed and made to be modular, i.e. adapted to fit a range of standard size telephones and accessory items. The modularity may be enabled by allowing a blank for an inner container 22, 32, 42 to be folded in a plurality of configurations, so as to accommodate a range of mobile telephones and/or accessories. For example, differently sized compartments within the inner container may be achieved by folding the blank in different configurations.
Shown in
The inner container 92 of
Shown in
It is to be understood that the mobile telephone compartment 93′ may be adjustable to further accommodate more than two different sizes of mobile telephones 93a, 93b, for example by means of further foldable flaps 93′a therein.
In a general aspect therefore, the inner container 92 is adapted to be adjustable to receive in a compartment 93′ therein one of a selected range of different sizes of mobile telephones. In particular, the compartment 93′ may comprise one or more foldable flaps 93′a to adjust the compartment 93′ for receiving the selected size of mobile telephone.
The inner container 92 may further comprise one or more adjustable accessory compartments 94, as shown in
In a general aspect therefore, the inner container comprises one or more adjustable compartments 94, the compartments 94 being configurable in a closed configuration and an open configuration, the open configuration adapted to receive one or more accessories therein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0607912.3 | Apr 2006 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP07/03080 | 4/4/2007 | WO | 00 | 3/5/2009 |
