Abstract:
A product is placed in an inner package, which in turn is placed into outer package. The inner and outer packages have overlying transparent or cut-out or window portions overlying the product or portions of the product enabling the product to be viewed without opening or dismantling of the package assembly. Similarly an information sheet is placed in the outer package below the transparent or cut-out or window portion of the outer package enabling the information sheet to be read without opening the package assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present invention is related to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/124,811 filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jun. 13, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present generally relates to packaging methods and structures; and, in particular, display packages and methods of manufacturing the same. 
     Numerous containers exist for packaging products and related accessories for display purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,565 discloses a product display container that includes a cardboard slide insert that assists in removing the product. U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,309 discloses a reusable product package which has a carrier panel and an article-carrying member. The carrier panel is hinged to a transparent cover that in the closed position covers the article-carrying member. The product package is repeatedly reusable by a purchaser lifting and closing the hinged cover. In the closed position, the transparent cover overlies the article carried by the article-carrying member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,251 discloses a package having a package holder within a transparent package. U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,766 discloses a package having a first blister portion covered by a second blister portion that is hinged to the first portion so as to provide a package in a package arrangement. U.S. Design Pat. Nos.: 255,095 and 273,565 disclose an inner blister pack being covered by an outer blister pack. U.S. Design Pat. No. 328,249 discloses a product display package which includes an outer cylindrical information card and product holding blister pack which is generally affixed to the front of another blister pack that is generally triangular in shape. 
     Despite the variety of packages, there, nevertheless, exists desires to improve the display of products and associated accessories as well as facilitate improvements in the manufacture thereof. None of the heretofore known prior art shows two blister packs, one within the other, with the inner pack enclosing an article, and the outer pack having an aperture through which one can view the article and a consumer information sheet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for a package assembly for holding and viewing an article. The package assembly includes an inner package having a transparent portion for viewing the article, an outer package receiving the inner package and having a transparent portion overlying the transparent portion of the inner package, and an information sheet in the outer package positioned and dimensioned to expose the article through said transparent portions. 
     In an illustrated embodiment of the foregoing package assembly, the information sheet has an aperture generally aligned with said transparent portions. In addition, the information sheet is configured to lie against at least one of opposite side walls of the outer package. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a product is placed in an inner package which in turn is placed into another package. The inner and outer packages have overlying transparent or cut-out or window portions overlying the product or portions of the product enabling the product to be viewed without opening or dismantling of the package assembly. Similarly an information sheet is placed in the outer package below the transparent or cut-out or window portion of the out package enabling the information sheet to be read without opening the package assembly. 
     Another aspect of the present invention relates to the provision of a method of packaging an article. The method comprises the steps of inserting the article in an inner package having a transparent portion overlying the article, inserting the inner package with the article therein into an outer package having a first transparent portion overlying the transparent portion of the inner package to expose the article to view, inserting an information sheet in the outer package in relationship to a second transparent portion of the outer package, and positioning the information sheet in the outer package spaced from the first transparent portion of the outer package to enable the article to be viewed through the transparent portions of the inner and outer packages. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide novel and improved product-packaging methods and structures. 
     A further object of the present intention is to provide a novel package assembly for consumer products although the invention need not be limited to consumer products. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provided a novel package assembly for a product which package assembly will protect the product while exposing it to view to a consumer or purchase for example who does not have to open the package assembly to view the product. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide such a package assembly that exposes to view an information sheet as well as the product thereby avoiding the necessity of opening the package assembly. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a product package assembly that includes identical parts and can be economically manufactured with commercially available process. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inner package included in a preferred embodiment of the package assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an outer package included in the package assembly. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan views of information sheets included in the package assembly. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the package assembly including the inner and outer packages of FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively; the information sheets of FIGS. 3 and 4 and a product located in the inner package. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a single information sheet for enclosing the inner package assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail there is shown in FIG. 5 for illustrative purposes only a package assembly constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The assembly includes an inner package generally designated  10  in FIG. 1, and an outer package generally designate  12  in FIG.  2  and one or more information sheets, two being shown as  14  and  15  in FIGS. 3 and 4. The inner package  10  includes one or more compartments, for housing a product. In the preferred embodiment shown, the inner package  10  includes three compartments  20 ,  22 , and  24 , which may house a product such as a camera and its accessories such as a strap and photographic film, or any other accessories. Of course, the package assembly may house products other than cameras. In the preferred embodiment, the inner package  10  includes two identical parts  25  and  26  each including a peripheral flange  27  and one or more compartments shown as  20 ,  22  and  24  overlying each other to form the compartments receiving the products. In the preferred embodiment the inner package parts  25 ,  26  are made of one piece sheet plastic and include blister projections and recesses  28  for releaseably recurring the parts together with their compartments  20 ,  22 ,  24  in registry with each other as best shown FIG.  1 . 
     The walls of the inner package  10  are provided with transparent portions for overlying the product housed therein. Although in the preferred embodiment, the transparent portions are provided via the transparent plastic material employed to manufacture the inner package  10 , they may also be provided by cut-out portions or windows (not shown) in the walls of the inner package to overly the package product. Therefore the term, “transparent” as used herein and in the appended claims includes transparent material or cut-outs or windows provided in the walls of the inner package  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the inner package  10  is provided with integral strengthening ribs  29  which serve to support and shape the information sheet and also serve to space the inner package from the walls of the outer package  12  when inserted in the latter. 
     The outer package  12  is also formed from two identical pieces  31  and  32  molded or stamped in one integral piece from transparent plastic sheet material. The pieces  31  and  32  respectively include semi-elliptical compartments  33  and  34  as defined by semi-elliptical walls projecting outwardly from flat peripheral flanges  35 . The pieces  31  and  32  of the outer package  12  can be releasebly secured together in the preferred embodiment by blister  36  formed at the four corner areas of each piece. The pieces  31  and  32  are intended to be RF sealed as well. A projecting blister  36  is received in the passage of the opposite blister; there being two blisters  36  projecting form one side and two from the opposite side of each piece  31  and  32 . It will be appreciated that the pieces  31  and  32  can be hingedly connected to one another (not shown) along a common edge. 
     Since the outer package  12  is formed from transparent material, when the inner package  10  is placed in the outer package  12 , the product will be visible to the viewer through the walls of the inner and outer packages. Labeling and other information such as trademark and/or instructions for use of the product are also presented to the viewer through the transparent walls of the outer package  12 . A pair of information sheets  14  and  15  is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is adapted to be inserted in the outer package against the concave inner wall surfaces of compartments  33  and  34  with the information facing outwardly as best shown in FIG.  5 . The information sheets  14 ,  15  are provided with transparent portions  40  formed by cut-out or window portions formed in the sheets  14 ,  15 . The information on sheets  14 ,  15  is designated by the materials  42  and  44  in FIG.  3 . 
     In assembling the package assembly, the products are placed into the compartments  20 ,  22 ,  24  of one inner package piece  25  or  26 . The other piece is then aligned with and secured to the first piece by inserting the blister  28  of one piece into the opposing blister  28  of the other piece. The information sheets  14  and  15  are inserted in the outer package pieces  12  against the concave inner wall surfaces with the information  42 ,  44  facing outwardly of the pieces. The inner package  10  is then inserted in the compartment of one of the outer package pieces  31  or  32  and the other outer package piece is aligned with and secured to the first piece by inserting transparency of the inner and outer packages  10  and  12  and the cut-out portions  40  of information sheets  14  and  15 , the products can be viewed by a consumer or other person without opening the package assembly. The same access for reading the information sheets  14 ,  15  is also provided without opening the package assembly. At the same time the product is securely held and protected in the package with the minimum of wasted space so that a compact finished package assembly is achieved. In addition, it is far more difficult for someone to steal the product. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, wherein an information sheet  60  is provided in a tubular format made from a single sheet of suitable material. The tubular information sheet  60  is advantageous since it is dimensioned to slidably fit over the inner package, thereby eliminating the procedure involved with the use of two sheets. The information sheet  60  is provided with transparent portions  62  formed by cut-out or window portions formed in the sheet  60 . 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, the modifications of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.