Abstract:
A package assembly provides a pair of openable product packets which support consumable products. The product packets are accommodated in a housing. The housing is formed from an elongate planar housing structure having a central wall and a pair of oppositely directed foldable flaps extending from opposite edges of the central wall. A transition line extends longitudinally thereacross. The packets are supported on the central wall on opposite sides of the fold line. The transition line may include a fold line, a severing line or a combination thereof.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/279,783 filed on Oct. 26, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a package assembly for enclosing at least a pair of packets containing plural consumable products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a package assembly which supports a pair of product packets on opposite sides of a fold line where the fold line can further be used to sever the package assembly into two package subassemblies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Certain consumable products, such as sticks or slabs of chewing gum, may be housed in a package where the gum slabs are arranged in an array which allows ease of dispensing an individual slab therefrom. One type of package assembly which may be used to contain and dispense individually wrapped products includes a foil packet which encloses the products which are aligned in an array. The foil packet provides environmental protection to the products contained therein. 
         [0004]    The packet may include an openable flap which can be lifted from the remainder of the packet to form a dispensing opening for allowing individual dispensing of the products contained therein. In order to reclose the packet, the packet may be supported in an outer housing typically formed of paperboard which surrounds the packet and may be reclosed once a desired number of products are dispensed from the packet. 
         [0005]    One such reclosable package assembly is shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,773. The outer package housing not only allows reclosing of the packet, but also assists in initial opening of the packet to define the dispensing opening. 
         [0006]    While this package serves adequately for its intended purposes, the package housing shown therein is designed to accommodate a single product packet. Moreover, as the package housing closely conforms to the product packet, there is little opportunity for advertising which will promote the use and sale of the consumable products contained therein. Still further, since only one product packet is contained within the housing, the ability to share the product with others is substantially reduced. 
         [0007]    It is, therefore, desirable to provide a package assembly including a plurality of product packets and a package housing which will accommodate a pair of product packets and a accommodate advertising and promotional indicia which will enhance the use and sale of the consumable products and still further provide the ability to share portions of the product with others. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A package assembly is provided which includes at least a pair of openable product packets for supporting consumable products. The housing accommodates the product packets. The housing is formed of an elongate planar housing structure having a central wall and a pair of oppositely directed foldable flaps extending from opposite edges of the central wall. A transition line extends longitudinally across the housing structure. The pair of the packets is supported on the central wall of the housing structure, such that at least one of the product packets is on an opposite side of the transition line from another of the product packets. Foldable flaps are foldable from a flat open configuration to a folded closed configuration. The transition line in the housing structure may be selected from the group consisting of a fold line for permitting folding of the housing structure thereat and a severing line for permitting severing of the housing structure thereat, and combinations thereof. 
         [0009]    Further, a package assembly is provided which includes a pair of openable product packets for supporting consumable products. A housing accommodates the product packets. The housing is formed from an elongate planar housing structure having a central wall and a pair of oppositely directed foldable flaps extending from opposite edges of the central wall. A fold line extends longitudinally across the planar housing structure. The packets are supported on the central wall on opposite sides of the fold line. The foldable flaps are foldable from a flat open configuration to a folded closed configuration enclosing the packets. The housing structure is further foldable in the flat open configuration along the fold line to place the packets in generally side-by-side orientation on the housing structure. 
         [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, the fold line can also be a severing line allowing severing the package assembly into a pair of packaging subassemblies. 
         [0011]    In a method aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a package assembly for consumable products is disclosed. The method includes providing an elongate planar housing structure having a central wall and a pair of oppositely directed foldable flaps extending from opposite edges of the central wall. A fold line is formed longitudinally across the planar housing structure. A pair of openable product packets are attached to the central wall on opposite sides of the fold line. The foldable flaps are folded to enclose the packets. 
         [0012]    The fold line is preferably a severing line or perforation line to allow severing of the package thereat. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the package assembly of the present invention in the closed condition. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the package assembly of the present invention in the open condition. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the flat blank used to form one packet of the packaging assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the flat blank used to form the planar housing structure of the package assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the packaging assembly of the present invention severed into a pair of packaging subassemblies. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing one of the packaging subassemblies of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0019]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective views showing the package assembly of  FIG. 1  in a flat configuration and folded for display and dispensing purposes. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The present invention provides a package assembly which accommodates a pair of product packets. Each product packet includes a plurality of consumable products such as gum slabs which are aligned in a face-to-face array. While a plurality of wrapped gum sticks are preferably shown, being arranged in two product packets, it is, of course, within the contemplation of the present invention that other consumable products, both wrapped and unwrapped, may be employed. 
         [0021]    Moreover, in the preferred embodiment described herein below, two packets are shown forming the package assembly of the present invention. It is also contemplated that plural additional packets may be used in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the package assembly  10  of the present invention includes a pair of product packets  12 , each supporting a plurality of wrapped gum slabs  14  in face-to-face orientation. The packets  12  are supported in a vertically arranged orientation on a package housing  16 . 
         [0023]    Referring additionally to  FIG. 3 , each packet  12  is formed from a rectangular sheet  18  of a multiply material. The sheet  18  includes opposed planar surfaces  18   a  and  18   b.  Inside surface  18   a  may be formed from a sheet of plastic and/or paper material, while opposed surface  18   b  is preferably formed of foil. The sheet  18  includes a central surface  20  which supports the plurality of the gum slabs  14 . Sheet  18  includes a foldable lower extent  22  and a foldable upper extent  24  which may be folded onto the gum slabs to enclose the gum slabs in packet  12 . Typically, the lower extent  22  is folded along fold lines  19 , and the upper extent  24  is folded along fold lines  21  over the lower extent  22 . The lower extent  22  includes spaced apart glue areas  26  on surface  18   b  so as to adhesively attach the upper extent to the lower extent. The ends  28  of the sheet are folded in conventional fashion to enclose the gum slabs within the packet. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , each formed packet  12  is a generally rectangular member which includes a pair of opposed major surfaces  30  and  32 , opposed top and bottom surfaces  34  and  36 , and opposed end surfaces  38  and  40 . 
         [0025]    With further reference to  FIG. 3 , a laser cut  42  is formed on surface  30  along upper extent  24 . Laser cut  42  is placed into the foil surface  18   b  of sheet  18 . The laser cut  42  forms a generally semi-circular packet flap  45  which may be opened along the upper portion of major surface  30  as well as top surface  34 . The packet flap  45  includes a central tab portion  45   a,  which extends from the semi-circular laser cut. The tab  45   a  is located between spaced apart glue areas  26  so as to remain unattached to lower extent  22  when the packet is folded. This allows the user to initiate opening of the packet flap. In order to prevent the tab  45   a  for inadvertently lifting, as for example during the manufacturing process, the cut area includes a pair of nicks  45   b.  These nicks  45   b  are uncut extents which keep the tab  45   a  attached to the packet prior to manual lifting. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the opening of packet flap  45  allows the easy removal of one or more of the gum slabs  14 . 
         [0026]    Referring additionally to  FIG. 4 , package housing  16  is formed from a generally rectangular elongate planar paperboard blank  50 . Blank  50  may be formed of conventional materials and may be die cut from a larger sheet of paperboard. 
         [0027]    Package housing  16  includes a central wall  52  and a pair of outwardly extending housing flaps  54  and  56 . The housing flaps  54  and  56  extend from parallel fold lines  54   a  and  56   a  at opposite edges of the central wall  52 . Flap  54  includes a distal edge of reduced dimension, which forms upper and lower tabs  55  which are received in angled slots  57  formed in flap  56 . As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, the insertion of the tabs  55  into the slots  57  allows reclosing of the package housing. The package housing  16  further includes an elongate transversely extending fold line  59 . Fold line  59 , which extends along the length of the blank  50 , generally bisects the housing  16  into equal upper and lower portions. As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, the fold line  59  is preferably a perforation line. However, any other severing line such as a laser score or tearstrip which can be used to sever housing  16  into two sections is within the contemplation of the present invention. Moreover, while line  59  is preferably described as a fold line, the line can be a line of transition defining a fold line, severing line or a combination thereof. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , two packets  12  may be supported on the central wall  52  of housing  16  by adhering rear major surface  32  to the central wall by use of a suitable adhesive (not shown). The packets are arranged on the central wall  52  in a vertically spaced arrangement so that one packet lies on each side of the fold line  59 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the packets are arranged so that the packet flaps  45  are both positioned in an upward direction as viewed in  FIG. 2 . However, it is contemplated that the packets may be arranged in any orientation with respect to the packet flap. For example, the packet flaps  45  may be placed in facing relationship adjacent fold line  59 . 
         [0029]    The housing  16  may be closed into a generally rectangular configuration about the packets  12  by initially adhesively securing one housing flap  54  to the other housing flap  56 . Once the product is purchased by the consumer, the flaps  54  and  56  can be opened to a generally flat condition exposing the packets  12  whereby the packets can be opened by opening each packet flap  45  to allow removal of the gum slabs  14  therefrom. After use, the housing  16  can be reclosed to a foldable condition by first closing flap  56  then closing flap  54  and inserting the tabs  55  into the slots  57 . 
         [0030]    One method of using the package assembly  10  of the present invention is shown with respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Preferably, in the open condition, the package housing  16  can be severed along the fold line  59  to divide the package assembly  10  into two package subassemblies  60  and  62 . The package subassemblies can be each used independently, thus allowing sharing of the product contents by providing separately usable package subassemblies. Each package subassembly  60  and  62  is independently openable and closable inasmuch as one of the tabs  55  is insertable and removable into one of the slots  57 . While the package assembly is preferably severable in the open condition, it is contemplated that the package assembly can be severed in the closed condition. 
         [0031]    Another manner of using the package assembly  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In this technique, the fold line  59  extending along a longitudinal axis of the package housing is used solely as a fold line. In the flat open condition, the package housing flaps  54  and  56  lie in the same plane as the central wall  52 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The package housing  16  may then be folded along the fold line  59  back substantially onto itself placing the packets  12  in generally side- by-side arrangement as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In this manner of use, it may be advantageous to arrange the packet flaps  45  of each packet  12  in face-to-face orientation adjacent fold line  59 . 
         [0032]    In this configuration, package assembly  10  may be used as a desktop or tabletop device which allows periodic dispensing of the gum slabs  14  from each packet  12 . The construction and arrangement of the housing provides the ability for the package assembly to stand upright. 
         [0033]    In this configuration, the housing flaps  54  and  56  may be further used as indicia bearing surfaces to provide various information  66  to the user. In addition to providing advertising, product content, and product information on the indicia bearing surfaces, the present invention contemplates providing value added information which makes the product more desirable to the consumer, especially when used in a tabletop or desktop manner. For example, the indicia bearing surfaces could include helpful information to the consumer, such as a calendar, measuring conversions, trivia or any other information which would make it more desirable for the consumer to purchase the package assembly and to use the package assembly in a desktop or tabletop manner. 
         [0034]    Even in use in the desktop or tabletop manner, the consumer still has the ability to close the package assembly for transportation or to subsequently sever the package assembly into two package subassemblies. 
         [0035]    Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures would now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.