Product package with matching indicia and recess

A product display package includes a formed transparent display enclosure such as a blister-type container having a back section and a front section. Each section is generally a rectangular-dished element with sections having abutting edge flanges defining a box-like container for holding and displaying a product. The front section has a front wall including an outwardly embossed logo. The logo has a unique coloring for enhanced display. The back section has a flat back wall including a recess aligned with the embossed logo. In stacked relationship, the logo of a back package protrudes into the recess in the back wall of the abutting front package to provide a compact stacked assembly of the packages. A card insert within the back section abuts the back wall and top wall of the back section. The top wall of the front section has an inward projection abutting the edge of the card top wall to hold the card in place. An in-line fabricating line includes a mold station to form a plurality of packages back and front sections coplanar and joined by a hinge connection. A silk screening station coats the logo on the packages, with an ultraviolet energy unit drying the coating. A die cut station separates the final packages which are then stacked for storage and transport.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is particularly directed to a product package 
suitable for display of a product in the retail marketplace and 
particularly for convenient assembly of a plurality of such packages. 
Various product packages are created for direct display of the product in a 
store or other commercial marketing facility. The package incorporates 
display openings and/or an outer transparent plastic shell portions for 
purposes of display of the product within the package. The packages may be 
held in a hanging position on a rod-like support, mounted in adjacent 
relationship on a display rack or other suitable sales display stand 
adapted to hold a plurality of the packaged products in superposed 
relation. For example, a particularly satisfactory blister-type display 
package which is adapted for supporting a plurality of packaged products 
on a rod member or standing in adjacent relationship on a display stand is 
disclosed in United States Design Patent No. D331,361 which issued Dec. 1, 
1992 and is assigned to the assignee of this application. The patented 
product package is a thermal molded package including back and front 
sections with an intermediate abutting and interconnected flange 
structure. The upper portion of the flange includes an opening for hanging 
of the package upon a rod-like support. The bottom of the package's back 
section is provided with leg structures to permit standing of the package 
on a supporting shelf or other similar display areas. In practice, the 
package is vacuum molded of a clear see-through plastic. The product 
within the package is exposed, preferably with suitable identifying 
display and instructional sheets enclosed within the clear package to 
provide an informative and attractive display of the package and product. 
Various other packaging systems have been used for display of packaged 
products such, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,742,914 which 
issued May 10, 1988; 4,660,723 which issued Apr. 28, 1987 and 3,721,339 
which issued May 20, 1973. 
In all such packaging systems, convenient compact storage and display of 
the assembly is desirable to provide for maximum storage of the components 
in minimum space. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,339 discloses a 
blister-type package with the packaged elements secured in vertical offset 
relation on a supporting card. Each blister package is formed or held 
effectively within an aperture within a base support card, with half of 
the member projecting forwardly and the other half projecting rearwardly. 
The offset allows the hanging of the packages on a support rod with the 
packages on adjacent boards vertically overlapped to minimize the space 
requirements in an assembly of the packages. Such packaging does not 
provide for display on a display shelf or counter. 
In all such packages, identifying information can be provided within the 
container such as discussed above in connection with the assignee's design 
patent. In addition, of course, identifying labels can be applied to the 
exterior of the package if it is desired to more fully expose the product. 
Thus, the display of the packaged product with appropriate information is 
significant. 
The manufacturer or seller often prominently displays a trademark such as 
the name or other identifying logo with the package and product in such a 
manner that it is readily recognized by the customer, and the customer 
will thereafter recall the trademark source. The trademark is generally 
applied using an internal cardboard or an external label member which is 
adhesively or otherwise affixed to the outside of the package, but may 
also be formed on a surface of the package. 
Although various blister-type packages have been provided, there is a need 
for an improved packaging which will further promote the product display 
and particularly in such a manner as to permit use of the trademark or the 
like for promoting the product sale to customers. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention is particularly directed to an improved product 
display package unit which is suitable for product display with the 
packages in assembled stacked relationship. The product display package 
unit is further constructed with an outwardly protruding embossed 
trademark, other source identification or the like, with the package 
constructed for convenient compact and stabilized stacking of the packages 
for shipment and display. The optimum construction permits a hanging 
display from a suitable rod-like member or a standing on a suitable 
display shelf, counter or like stand with the elements in close abutting 
compact relationship. 
Generally, in accordance with the teaching of the present invention, the 
product display package includes a formed transparent display enclosure 
such as a blister-type container having a back section and a front cover 
section defining a box-like container or receptacle within which the 
product is held. In accordance with the present invention, the front 
display portion of the product display package includes an outwardly 
embossed portion or member preferably including a source identification 
such as the corporate name or logo of the source or other sales 
promotional material. The embossed portion includes significant projection 
of the source identification from the front wall of the cover and is 
preferably provided with a unique coloring or the like to more fully set 
forth the embossed material. The back wall of the display package has a 
rearwardmost planar portion aligned with the front wall embossed member. 
The planar back wall includes an offset portion such as an opening or 
recess precisely aligned with the embossed material of each display 
package such that in stack relationship, the embossed member of the 
trailing package protrudes into the immediate adjacent front package to 
provide a compact stacked assembly of the packages. 
The embossed and recessed members provide a very convenient assembly of the 
display packages with the identifying embossed portion interconnected to 
each other to stabilize the assembly while permitting the convenient 
releasable separation of the forwardmost package. At all times, the source 
identification is uniquely and prominently displayed. 
In a preferred structure, a rectangular embossed member and generally 
corresponding recess portion were used. The members formed a relatively 
small portion of the front wall and the outer surfaces of the embossed 
data was screened with a color coating to prominently set forth the data. 
The front and back wall sections are preferably formed of a similar depth 
to locate the hanging structure generally centrally of the unit, with a 
supporting stand structure in the rear or back section of the package, 
generally as shown in the previously identified design application. The 
front wall is preferably formed with a recessed rim portion which is 
adapted to mate with a raised rim portion formed on the back member to 
further strengthen the packaging adjacent the central portion thereof and 
establish and maintain a relatively rigid plastic package. Suitable 
strengthening channel members or portions can be formed in various walls 
of the package to establish improved rigidity of the package walls. 
The package is conveniently and preferably formed as a blister package 
using a thin plastic of a self-supporting rigidity which is pressure and 
vacuum formed into front and back wall sections of a dished construction. 
The package is formed as a blister-type package in a continuous forming 
line. The front and back wall sections simultaneously formed in 
side-by-side orientation and with a connecting portion along the bottom 
edges in a suitable pressure and vacuum forming machine. The embossed 
trademark or the like is formed therein in the front cover section. The 
formed connected sections are transferred to a coating station in which a 
selected coating is applied to the outer surface of the embossed raised 
trademark, and the coating dried to complete the blister package. The 
formed containers are die cut to remove extraneous plastic and are then 
stacked in the opened condition for feeding through a packaging line. 
This invention provides a convenient and cost effective packaging unit for 
appropriate display of products, with prominent display of an 
identification member in a compact and stabilized display assembly. The 
package unit is preferably formed in a single line including a 
thermoformer, a coating application and coating dryer, a die cutting 
station and a stacking station.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a generally 
elongated rectangular package unit 1 is illustrated for housing of a 
product 2, (shown in phantom only in FIG. 2), such as an automobile 
tune-up kit. The package unit 1 includes a front or cover section 3 and a 
back section 4. Each of the front and back sections 3 and 4 are shown as 
generally similar dish-like members having similar outer encircling 
flanges 5 and 5a, respectively, secured in the closed abutting relation. 
The top flange portions or members project upwardly on a top wall 6 and 6a 
of sections 3 and 4, and are somewhat larger than the side and bottom 
flange portions or members. The top flange members are provided with 
aligned openings 7 for supporting of the package on a supporting rod 8, as 
shown in FIG. 2. The one opening is shown having an inverted V-shaped top 
edge for hanging of packages 1 centrally arranged on the support rod 8. 
The scope and size of the opening may be as illustrated, or of any other 
desired configuration related to a hanging support. The top flange members 
further include a pair of interlocking projections and recesses 9 and 9a 
to the opposite sides of the opening to hold the package closed. The 
bottom walls 10 and 10a of the package 1 has the relatively small bottom 
flange portion or member, generally similar to the side flanges. In 
addition, the back section 4 includes a support wall 11 formed and 
projecting downwardly within the bottom wall 10; shown as centrally 
located of the package unit 1. The support wall 11 is adapted to support 
the package on a flat support stand 12 with the back wall 10a slightly 
angled rearwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 2, the unit is shown 
supported on the rod 8 with wall 11 at a slight angle from a stand 12. If 
placed on stand 12, wall 11 would drop onto stand 12 and support the 
package with a slight back tilt, as at 12a. 
In accordance with the present invention, the front wall 13 of the front 
section 3 includes a significant outward embossed member 14, shown as a 
source identification, "WELLS" the assignee's corporate name and in the 
present instance. Further, as illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, 
the back wall 15 of the back section 4 is provided with a recess 16 of a 
depth which is preferably at least equal to the depth of the embossed 
identification member 14 on the front wall 13. The member 14 and recess 16 
are similarly located such that with the package 1 and an adjacent package 
3' in stacked abutting relation, as shown in FIG. 2, the embossment member 
14' projects inwardly into the recess 16 to provide for compact and 
stabilized stacking during storage, shipment and/or display. The compact 
arrangement is maintained whether the stack of packages 1 is hung on the 
rod-like support 8 or supported on a flat display structure such as a 
display shelf 12 in a marketing environment. The blister-type package with 
the embossed portion and mating recess is particularly significant in 
product marketing and is readily produced as a cost-effective unit, as 
more fully developed hereinafter. 
Package 1 is preferably formed of a suitable clear transparent material to 
expose the inner packaged product 2. Suitable product explanation, as 
shown only in FIG. 2, may be assembled with the package such as an 
identification and information card 17 inserted into the package. Card 17, 
shown as a generally L-shaped card having a first member or portion 17a 
corresponding to the back wall and a top portion 17b corresponding to the 
top wall 6a of the back section 4. Additionally, a suitable product 
identification label, not shown, or the like can also be adhesively 
applied to the exterior, or interior, of the package sections 3 and/or 4. 
More particularly, the illustrated embodiment of the unique package unit 1 
and particularly the front and back sections 3 and 4 are preferably 
pressure and vacuum formed of a suitable plastic, with the front and back 
sections 3 and 4 interconnected along the bottom edge flanges 5 and 5a by 
an integral interconnection hinge member 20, as most clearly shown in 
FIGS. 2-4. The package 1 may be formed of any suitable plastic material. 
Applicant has found that PVC plastic provides a particularly satisfactory 
packaging for automobile products such as coils, pressure switches, and 
the like. 
The back section 4, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, is preferably formed with the 
planar back wall 15 integrally molded with top wall 6a, bottom wall 10a 
and side walls 21 and 22. The top, bottom and side walls are slightly 
tapered, extending inwardly from the central flange 5a to the planar back 
wall 15. The stacking and stabilizing recess 16 is integrally formed in 
the back wall 15 with essentially straight side walls 23 and an inner 
bottom wall 24. The recess configuration is related to the embossed member 
14 and, as more fully discussed hereinafter, has a depth and overall 
perimeter dimension slightly greater than that of the embossed member 14 
to provide complete and close stacking of packages 1. The width of recess 
16 is slightly less than the width of the back wall and the top-to-bottom 
length is substantially smaller than the back wall length. Similarly, the 
vertical stand or support portion 11 is integrally molded and projects 
outwardly within the bottom wall 10a. In the illustrated embodiment, a 
single stand 11 is formed centrally of the width of the bottom rim as an 
outward enlargement spanning substantially fifty percent of the bottom 
wall. Multiple stands/portions may be provided. 
The flange 5a of the back wall section 4 is shown including a coupling rim 
25 which extends outwardly of the flange and has a generally rectangular 
cross section, as most clearly shown in FIGS. 3-5. Rim 25 is offset 
inwardly of the outer edge of the flange 5a and in alignment with the side 
walls of the rear section. The coupling rim 25 is removed within the 
bottom wall portion which includes the stand member 11, as at 25a in FIG. 
5. 
The front wall section 3 is formed of an essentially similar structure and 
configuration as the back wall section 4 in the illustrated embodiment. 
Thus, section 3 includes the flat front wall 13 integrally molded with 
tapered side walls 27, tapered bottom wall 10 and tapered top wall 6 to 
form a total enclosure member. The top wall 6 is provided with at least 
one inward surface projection 28 with the end adjacent the flange wall 6 
and forming a slight inward projection which acts as a stop member or wall 
28a. Two members 28 are shown. The stop members 28a are located just 
inwardly of the top flanges 6 and 6a, and in the closed package are 
aligned with the edge of the top wall of the card 17, as shown in FIG. 2. 
The wall 28 is inclined slightly, as most clearly shown in FIG. 4, to 
locate and capture the card edge. The members 28a thus serve to support 
the card 17 in proper location within the package. 
The inclined walls 6, 10 and 27 are secured to the encircling planar flange 
5 by a stepped recess 30 located to mate precisely with the rim 25 of the 
back section 4. Thus, the connecting recess 30 has an L-shaped 
configuration essentially corresponding to the outer wall structure of the 
rim 25. 
The package, with the raised ledge 30 and rim 25 and the projections 9 and 
9a, permit stacking of the formed packages for subsequent introduction of 
product in a filling line. Thus, the above elements hold the adjacent 
packages in a stack separated whereby the stacked packages may be 
separated mechanically within a product insertion line without necessity 
for any special molded or other denesting element. 
The embossed member 14 is formed, in the illustrated embodiment of the 
invention as shown in FIGS. 1-4, 6 and 7, on the front wall 13 as an 
integrally pressure and vacuum formed projection. Thus, the illustrated 
projection consists of the five letters spelling WELLS corresponding to 
the basic name of the assignee. Each of the embossed letters is formed 
with substantially straight side walls 31 projecting substantially 
outwardly from the planar wall 13. Integral flat front walls 32 are 
connected to the side walls 31 to complete the presentation. The 
projecting walls 31 and 32 define the outline of the several letters of 
the word. The surface of the front walls 32 preferably will be provided 
with a suitable distinctive coloring or the like, as shown at 33 in the 
enlarged view of FIG. 7, to clearly and distinctively present the source 
identification within the boundaries of the planar front wall 13. The 
front walls 32 may be conveniently silk screened with a suitable color 
coat 33 within the forming apparatus. The maximum forward projection of 
the identification member 14 is preferably slightly less than the depth of 
the recess 16 to ensure optimum abutment of the front and back walls of 
the sections, as shown in FIG. 2. The illustrated embodiment, with the 
planar front and back walls as well as similar projections with the 
embossed member 4, is not critical but is preferred. 
Thus, in a practical design, the WELLS identification member 14 is provided 
in a particular package having an overall center chamber length of 
approximately 4.000 inches in length and 4.250 inches in width. The 
package has a depth of approximately 2.625 inches between the front and 
back walls. The recess configuration had a height of approximately 0.140 
inches and a width of approximately 2.750 inches. The WELLS logo 
identification member 14 had a height of approximately 0.125 inches and an 
overall length of 2.625 inches. 
Generally, such dimensional configuration will vary with the particular 
product and package and does not constitute effective dimensional 
limitations on package structures within the teaching of the present 
invention. 
The package can be formed in any suitable apparatus with the projecting 
logo or other identification member 14 preferably specially treated to 
provide the unique presentation such as by a color coating 33. FIG. 8 
illustrates a preferred system wherein an in-line fabricating system is 
provided for forming and completing packages for subsequent use. 
In FIG. 8, a mold station 40 is illustrated having a mold corresponding to 
the shape of the final package, as shown for example in FIG. 4. In 
practice, the mold unit 41 may include a plurality of the molds to 
simultaneously produce a plurality of the packages in a single molding 
strip. A film supply 42 is located to supply the plastic sheet 43 into the 
fabricating line in a stepped sequence establishing a dwell period of the 
film plastic sheet 43 in each period. A heating unit 44 is interposed 
between the supply 42 and the mold station 40 to heat the plastic sheet 43 
to an appropriate temperature for molding. With a heated sheet portion 
located within the mold unit 41, pressure and vacuum (as at P and V) is 
applied to simultaneously form one or more of the packages with suitable 
edge interconnections and extended outer edges in accordance with known 
fabrication. A pressure and vacuum molding apparatus can be readily 
provided in accordance with known technology. The formed film is stepped 
from the mold station to a coating station 45. In a particularly practical 
application, the front wall face 32 of the logo member 14 is coated with a 
suitable color coating 33 by a suitable silk screening unit 46, during the 
dwell period. The coating is then dried. An ultraviolet light drying unit 
47 is mounted immediately downstream of station 45. During the next step, 
the coated plastic sheet is moved through unit 47 into a cut and trim 
station 48. The UV light unit 47 applies UV light immediately to the silk 
screened coating 33 as the film moves from unit 46 and provides 
instantaneous drying of the coating 33 on the plastic package. The formed 
film with the multiple packages is thus moved to the die cutting station 
48 of a well known type for severing of each of the packages along the 
peripheral border and frames, with removed trim held to the edges of the 
packages by minute interconnections. The cut film is moved at the next 
step to a separating and stack station 49, where the individual packages 
are totally separated from the trim and stacked in stacks for subsequent 
use. The trim is rolled and returned for recycling into a film supply or 
the like. The stacked packages, not shown, are then readily usable in a 
subsequent filling machine wherein the product, cardboard inserts and the 
like are automatically inserted into the package and the package closed to 
provide the desired product display package. 
Thus, the in-line silk screening and drying of the coating 33 as an 
integral part of the fabrication line combined with the cutting and 
stacking process provides a cost effective, and efficient method of 
forming the packages for subsequent usage. Obviously, if the products are 
ready for direct assembly, the packages may be fed directly into such a 
packaging line. In practice, however, it has been found that the formed 
packages are normally stacked for use in a separate product packaging 
line. As previously discussed, the packages as illustrated can be stacked 
without the necessity of usual denesting elements formed in each package. 
Various variations of the package constructions may of course be provided 
within the basic structure of an enclosing package unit with an offset 
identification member appropriately and preferably located on front of the 
package with a corresponding recess unit provided on the back of the 
package. 
The coloring of the member 14 may be internally or externally provided and 
may even consist of a completely separate insertion of a correspondingly 
shaped member or members inserted into the recessed portion provided by 
the integral molding of the identification member 14 to the front wall of 
the package. 
The back recess 16 preferably consists of the simple elongated recess which 
is slightly larger than the identification member 14 formed on the front 
wall as shown. A mating recess or opening construction may be provided 
with the recessed portion essentially complementing that of the integrally 
forward molded member 14. The latter construction may require a more 
precise molding process and may not provide a cost effective construction 
as that illustrated. 
Further, although identified as a source identification member 14, any 
other type of a presentation may be made. As used herein, a projecting 
identification member therefore refers to any projecting informational 
structure formed on the wall of a package including single or multiple 
elements in combination with a mating opening or recess in an abutting 
wall of a package for accommodating the same. 
The preferred construction, as illustrated, provides for either hanging or 
standing orientation, with the central supporting hanging flange structure 
particularly desirable for supporting of the units in hanging relationship 
on a suitable hanging support member. 
The present invention thus provides a product display package having a 
significant raised identification member and a suitable support structure 
for presenting of the packages in a superimposed stacked relationship. 
Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being 
within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and 
distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.