Primary packaging and display therefor

Primary packages configured for display and sale without secondary packaging are stacked horizontally in a product display tray. The consumer-facing surface of the back panel of the product display tray may contain graphics including product information provided on the primary package's principal display panel (which is typically faced towards consumers). Thus, consumers may readily view the product information provided on the principal display panel as primary packages are removed from the product display tray and principal display panels of remaining primary packages are hidden from view by one or more walls of the product display tray. The individual primary packages may be contoured specifically to inhibit lateral relative shifting while in a horizontally stacked configuration. The individual primary packages may shaped to facilitate grasping by having a first surface contoured for grasping in the user's palm, a second surface opposite the first surface with molded branding information for engagement by a portion of the user's fingers. Molded branding information may be positioned on a surface of the primary package that faces upwardly when the primary packages are positioned in the product display tray.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to reduction of packaging materials for containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements to primary packagings so that secondary packagings may be eliminated. The present invention also relates to manners of displaying primary packagings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various approaches to creating environmentally-friendly packaging and to reducing packaging costs are known. One approach is to reduce the materials used to form the package. For instance, consumer articles typically are packaged in a primary package (directly containing the article, such as a bottle which contains a fluid or solid form), which primary package is then placed in another, secondary package (such as a paperboard or cardboard box). Typical primary packaging for consumer articles have curved or rounded side walls, whereas typical corresponding secondary packaging has flat side walls. Thus, the outer surface area of the secondary packaging typically is greater than that of the primary packaging, and greater than necessary simply to enclose the primary packaging. A more environmentally-friendly approach to packaging reduces or even eliminates the secondary packaging. However, secondary packaging is often beneficial for providing product information about the article contained within the primary packaging, as the primary packaging often does not provide enough outward surface area to display all the information about the article typically desired by consumers, or required by federal agencies. For instance, various over-the-counter (non-prescription, or “OTC” for short) consumer articles, such as OTC drug products, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, as an agency, requires specific product information, such as the statement of identity (established name and general pharmacological class), quantity and dosage form, and Drug Facts, to be displayed on the packaging. Drug facts may include, but are not limited to, information on the active ingredient, active ingredient chemical name, active ingredient dosage, uses, warnings, directions, and inactive ingredients. Drug labels are also required to have lot number and expiration dating, and a company contact, which includes manufacturer or distributor information.

Upon eliminating secondary packaging, and packing or stacking together multiple primary packages with typically convexly-curved side walls (typical primary packages for OTC drug products have substantially circular cross-sections), it becomes evident that an excess amount of empty space is generated between the surfaces of the convexly-curved walls of the primary packages that cannot be stacked against one another. One solution has been to use primary packaging with one or more substantially flat side walls, such as a primary package with a quadrilateral cross-section. Such primary packaging, however, may not be as comfortable to hold in the user's hand, particular if the primary package is sized to fit in at least a portion of the palm of the user's hand.

Various primary packages with quadrilateral cross-sections have been designed to be stacked horizontally, i.e., with their longitudinal axes (along which the opening to the primary package and the bottom closed end of the primary package lie) substantially horizontal. Such stackable primary packages are shaped to be laid on their substantially flat side walls, or on side walls that have a flat section for stabilizing the primary package when laid horizontally. Although interlocking or intermeshing features may be provided to inhibit relative lateral shifting of the stacked primary packages, there typically is a need for further lateral stabilization of such stacked primary packages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a primary package is formed with at least one stable surface, such as a substantially flat side wall, to permit the primary package to be rested on a surface in a substantially horizontal orientation (with the longitudinal axis, along which the open end is formed, in a substantially horizontal orientation) in a substantially stable manner (such that a lateral impact to the primary package results in little or no pitching or rolling of the primary package about its longitudinal axis). Until the present invention, horizontally stacked primary packages had not been used for OTC drug products. A primary package formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides sufficient surface area for the information required by the FDA to be displayed in a manner that is readily visible to consumers at the point of purchase, while also providing product-identifying information.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a primary package having a substantially quadrilateral cross-section is formed to facilitate grasping thereof in the hand of a consumer. In particular, a debossed, impressed, engraved, or embossed shape may be formed along at least a portion of one of the side walls of the primary package. Such shape is preferably positioned for engagement by a portion of the user's hand, such as the user's fingers, such as to reduce slippage of the primary package when grasped by the user. At least one pair of the opposing walls of the quadrilateral-cross-section primary package may optionally be curved, such as one of the pair being concave and the other of the pair being convex. A user may find grasping of such primary package to be more comfortable with the concave wall in the user's palm or against the user's thumb or thumb base, and the convex wall grasped by the user's fingertips, or, alternatively, with the convex wall in the user's palm or against the user's thumb or thumb base, and the concave wall grasped by the user's fingertips. Positioning of the debossed, impressed, engraved, or embossed shape along at least a portion of the convex wall such that a portion of the user's hand (e.g., palm, thumb, thumb base, fingers, fingertips, or any portion thereof) may engage such shape further facilitates grasping of the primary package, such as by reducing lateral shifting of the primary package in the user's hand. The shape may be branding information, such as the brand name.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a primary package may be formed with opposing surfaces configured to permit horizontal stacking of such primary packages. The opposing surfaces may be provided in opposing curved walls, such as a concave wall formed opposite a convex wall. In order to inhibit lateral shifting of the stacked primary packages, a recess may be formed in the concave wall, and a raised section may be formed in the convex wall to engage the recess of a similarly-formed primary package. Such recess and raised section inhibit lateral shifting of stacked primary packages. The debossed, impressed, engraved, or embossed shape described above may be formed in such raised section. If desired, the raised section may be formed to indicate the content of the primary package, such as by being formed in a shape corresponding to the content of the primary package.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of horizontally stacked primary packages may be displayed in a display tray configured to impart lateral stability to the stacked primary packages. Because a display tray typically has vertically extending side walls, if the primary packages are horizontally stacked, the display tray side walls (particularly the front side wall facing consumers) may block at least some, if not all, of the primary packages in the bottom-most layer of stacked primary packages (i.e., the horizontally positioned primary packages lying directly on the interior bottom surface of the display tray). In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, graphics may be provided along at least a portion of the consumer-facing surfaces of the display tray. Thus, as primary packages are removed, a consumer still can readily identify the product contained in the primary package even if there is little or no product on the upwardly-facing surface of the horizontally positioned primary packages in the display tray.

In one embodiment, primary packages formed in accordance with one or more principles of the present invention are useful for containing a plurality of oral solid dosage forms or OTC drug products such as tablets or caplets. In this embodiment the packaging allows for individual dosages to be segmented upon shaking of the bottle while the package is grasped.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, the scope of the invention being set out in the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary primary package100formed in accordance with principles of the present invention is illustrated inFIGS. 1-8. As may be appreciated, particularly with reference to the top and bottom end views ofFIGS. 4 and 5, respectively, primary package100has an essentially quadrilateral cross-sectional shape. In particular, primary package100has opposing top and bottom side walls102,104, respectively, and opposing front and back side walls106,108, respectively. Primary package100may be oriented vertically, with longitudinal axis L substantially vertical, to rest on bottom end110. Of course, bottom end110may be curved and thus not necessarily configured to permit primary package100to rest thereon. Top end112may have an opening formed by a neck finish114through which products contained within primary package100may be accessed. Any desired type of closure, such as cap116, may be provided to close open top end112to retain products within primary package100.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, primary package100may be rested horizontally on a surface (with longitudinal axis L oriented substantially horizontally). Preferably at least one of side walls102,104,106,108of package100is contoured (such as provided with a flat) to permit primary package100to rest in a stable manner in a horizontal orientation. Further in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a plurality of primary packages100may be stacked horizontally on top of one another, as illustrated inFIG. 6. If desired, at least one pair of opposing walls (either top side wall102and bottom side wall104, or front side wall106and back side wall108) are curved or otherwise contoured or configured to engage one another in a manner to reduce lateral movement between stacked primary packages100. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 1-8, top side wall102and bottom side wall104are curved in complementary manners to inhibit lateral movement between stacked primary packages100with top side wall102of one primary package100engaged with bottom side wall104of another primary package100. More particularly, in the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 1-8, top side wall102includes a convexly curved surface and bottom side wall104includes concavely curved surface with a radius of curvature substantially corresponding to the radius of curvature of the convexly-curved surface of top side wall102. However, other contours are within the scope of the present invention, and such contours may be applied, instead or in addition, to front side wall106and back side wall108.

Alternatively, or additionally, a recess120may be provided in one of side walls102,104,106,108, and a corresponding raised section122, sized and shaped to fit within recess120, may be provided on the opposite side wall. Such recess and raised section are illustrated as being provided, respectively, in a concavely curved surface and a convexly curved surface. However, the surfaces in which recess120and raised section122are provided may have any other contour, such as flat or the same (e.g., both convex), so long as raised section122can be engaged within recess120. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 1-8, recess120is formed within bottom side wall104and corresponding raised section122is formed in top side wall102. However, the reverse arrangement (with recess120in top side wall102and raised section122in bottom side wall104) may be provided, or recess120may be formed in one of front side wall106and back side wall108with corresponding raised section122being formed in the other of front side wall106and back side wall108. As such, primary packages100may intermesh or interlock with one another.

Recess120and raised section122may be formed in any desired shape. In the exemplary embodiment, recess120and raised section122are formed in substantially the same shape and match each other. However, recess120and raised section122need not having matching shapes so long as they engage each other to provide the desired inhibition of lateral movement of the primary packages100that are engaged with one another upon engaging a recess120of one with a raised section122of another. If desired, one or both of recess120and raised section122can be in the shape of the product to be contained within primary package100. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, primary package100may contain a solid oral dosage form of an OTC drug product (such as a tablet, pill, capsule, caplet, etc.), and at least one of recess120and raised section122may be shaped to match the shape of the solid oral dosage form. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 1-8, both recess120and raised section122have a capsular shape (and primary package100thus may contain capsules or caplets as indicated by such capsular shape).

It will be appreciated that the walls in which recess120and corresponding raised section122are formed need not be curved (as are top side wall102and bottom side wall104), since interlocking or intermeshing of such features achieve the desired inhibition of lateral movement otherwise provided by mating contours. It will further be appreciated that more than one interlocking features may be provided, in the form of a recess and corresponding raised section or in any other form that would inhibit lateral movement of horizontally stacked primary packages.

In accordance with another related yet independent aspect of the present invention, forms such as branding information124(such as, without limitation, logos, brand names, selected letters from the brand name, etc., and referenced hereinafter as “branding information” for the sake of simplicity without intent to limit) may be formed into at least one of side walls102,104,106,108of primary package100. Such forming may be achieved in any desired manner which preferably alters the surface contour of the side wall in which the branding information is formed, such as by debossing, engraving, impressing, or embossing. For the sake of convenience, and without intent to limit the present invention to any particular manner of forming such forms as branding information124, reference will be made to “molding” or “molded” with the understanding that a molding process is an optional but not necessary manner of achieving or forming the desired feature. The formation of branding information124in at least one of side walls102,104,106,108permits product identification even if labeling is not provided on such wall. For instance, as will be discussed in greater detail below, if primary packages100are stacked within a box or tray, and labeling is provided on only the vertically oriented side walls, then such labeling may not be readily seen when looking down on one of primary packages100. Preferably, branding information124is provided on the upwardly facing side wall of primary package100(top side wall102) to be readily visible when viewing a stack of primary packages100from above.

It will be appreciated that forms other than those specifically associated with branding may be formed in one or more surfaces of package100. As such, although reference is made to branding information124, such feature is not limited to branding, and may be in any other desired shape or form. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, one or more forms may be formed into package100to facilitate grasping of primary package100in a user's hand. Although such forms as branding information124may be provided in a side wall that is not curved or as curved as top side wall102or bottom side wall104of exemplary primary package100ofFIGS. 1-8, formation of forms such as branding information124in a curved side wall provides an additional benefit. In particular, exemplary primary package100may be sized to be held in a user's hand, with a convexly-contoured top side wall102and a concavely-contoured bottom side wall104. Concavely contoured bottom side wall104may be comfortably held against the palm or thumb or thumb base of the user's hand so that the user's fingers (other than the thumb if the thumb is held against concavely contoured bottom side wall104) grasp convexly-contoured top side wall102. Alternatively, convexly contoured top side wall102may be comfortably held against the palm or thumb base of the user's hand so that the user's fingers (other than the thumb if the thumb is held against convexly contoured top side wall102) grasp concavely-contoured bottom side wall104. Provision of contoured forms such as branding information124in convexly-contoured top side wall102permits the user to engage a portion of the user's hand (e.g., palm, thumb, thumb base, fingertips) with branding information124to enhance gripping, the contouring of branding information124forming an uneven surface inhibiting lateral movement thereof with respect to the user's grasping hand. Of course, it will be appreciated that a contour other than a concave contour may be provided to enhance grasping of such surface in the user's hand, and contoured forms such as branding information124may be formed in a surface contoured other than in a convex contour, while still enhancing grasping of primary package100.

As noted above, a primary package100formed in accordance with principles of the present invention may be used for packaging solid oral dosage forms of an OTC drug product. Typically, federal laws have strict requirements with respect to labeling and provision of information about solid oral dosage forms of OTC drug products, such as set forth in Part 201 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Accordingly, until now, although prescription medicines and dietary supplements have been sold in primary packages without secondary packaging, OTC drug products generally have not been sold in primary packages without secondary packaging. Moreover, although stackable primary packages or containers have been known in the prior art for at least forty years prior to the present invention, such primary packages have not been described as being particularly suitable for packaging OTC drug products for consumer sale.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, previous hurdles, such as those presented by strict federal labeling requirements, have been overcome by forming a stackable primary package with side walls having sufficient surface area to fit the federally-required product information. In particular, primary package100may be formed in accordance with the present invention for stacking on shorter top side wall102and bottom side wall104, allowing longer front side wall106and back side wall108to have surfaces that readily accommodate labeling (i.e., not having complex contours which complicate application of labels thereto) and which are forwardly-facing (towards consumers) when the primary packages are in a stacked configuration. At least one label provides information about the content of primary package100. As illustrated inFIG. 8, a principal display panel103(“PDP”) is provided on front side wall106of primary package100. The text of PDP's (as set forth in 21 C.F.R. §201.60) must be oriented for reading, at the point of sale, of at least a statement of identity of the contents, and the net quantity (which text must be reasonably parallel to the base on which the product rests). Thus, if primary package100is to be horizontally stacked, then at least identity and quantity information must be written along longitudinal axis L of primary package100so as to be readily legible when primary package100is laid horizontally (with longitudinal axis L in a horizontal orientation). Thus, although PDP103may be applied to primary package100in any desired manner (e.g., directly printed on front side wall106, or in the form of a label applied to front side wall106), content-information is oriented along longitudinal axis L for ready reading when primary package100is laid horizontal on a surface. The additional, more detailed federally-required information (such as what is specifically known as the “Drug Facts” in 21 C.F.R. §201.66(c)) may be oriented in the same direction as front label information or in an orientation transverse to longitudinal axis L (if the bottle is to be placed on its bottom end by the consumer). The federally required Drug Facts may be provided in booklet form affixed to the wall opposite the wall bearing PDP103(in the embodiment ofFIG. 8, back side wall108) to be opened by the consumer. Thus, the text of at least the interior of the booklet provided on back side wall108(not shown) is oriented horizontally for reading when package100is in a vertical upright position (with longitudinal axis L in a vertical orientation) as would be typical when stored in a consumer's home (such as on a counter or medicine cabinet shelf).

As described above, primary package100is preferably particularly formed to inhibit lateral relative movement of stacked primary packages100such as by engaging correspondingly contoured surfaces with each other, and/or by more securely interlocking or intermeshing the contacting surfaces, such as by engaging a raised section into a recess. In accordance with a separate aspect of the present invention, stackable primary packages, such as (but not necessarily) exemplary primary package100, may be stacked horizontally within a display tray having one or more vertical walls providing laterally stability to the stacked primary packages. An exemplary product display tray200configured to contain a plurality of primary packages laid horizontally therein and stacked on one another is illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10. Product display tray200has a product display area201formed within one or more vertically extending side walls202,204,206,208which preferably are configured to provide lateral support (when needed) to primary packages100stacked within product display area201. In particular, front side wall202and back side wall204of product display tray200, if provided, can inhibit forward and rearward shifting of primary packages100, particularly upon placement of product display tray200on a retail shelf or other display surface for consumer display. Right side wall206and/or left side wall206of product display tray200, if provided, are helpful for inhibiting lateral shifting of primary packages100, such as when consumers reach into product display area201to remove a primary package100.

Front side wall202of product display tray200is also particularly useful for providing “billboard” surface area for product information, branding (e.g., brand name, logos, etc.), tag lines, or other indicia203. However, as may be appreciated upon comparison ofFIGS. 9 and 10, height H of front side wall202may cover at least a portion of PDP103of primary package100, thereby impeding consumers' ability to read PDP103. Without being able to read PDP103readily, and particularly if no label is provided on top side wall102, consumers are not readily able to identify the contents of primary package100and thus may be inhibited from purchasing the product packaged in primary package100. Moreover, height H of front side wall202of product display tray200may even be at least as high as or even higher than width W primary package100(seeFIG. 8), which is essentially the height (in a vertical direction) of front side wall106of primary package100when primary package100is laid horizontally. A front side wall202that is at least as high as width W of primary packages100within product display area201of product display tray200may block the lower-most layer of primary packages100from view. Such blocking of primary packages100is particularly detrimental when only the bottom-most primary packages100(i.e., those resting directly on bottom wall210of product display tray200) are left within product display area201. Even if front side wall106of primary package100is visible and bears branding information124, such information may not be sufficient to catch the eye of the average consumer when making a quick purchase. Consumers therefore may overlook products in product display100when only the bottom-most layer of primary packages100is left.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the forwardly facing surface of back side wall204of product display tray200(i.e., the surface facing toward front side wall202, and thus in the direction readily visible to consumers) is provided with graphics205that communicate or signal to the consumer the content of product display tray200. Graphics205are illustrated inFIG. 10as mimicking (in the form of a graphic reproduction of) a stack of primary packages100in the orientation in which primary packages100would be provided within product display area201of product display tray200(i.e., forwardly-facing, with PDP103facing forwardly in the direction of front side wall202for ready viewing by consumers). Information provided by graphics205preferably includes at least some, if not all, information provided on PDP103. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 10, graphics205is a 1:1 scaled replica of primary packages100stacked to fill product display area201of product display tray200. However, it will be appreciated that other forms of graphics205providing sufficient information to identify the product contained within primary package100and/or to communicate to consumers the content of product display tray200are within the scope of the present invention. Typically provision of at least the brand name, the statement of identity (consisting of the established name and general pharmacological class), and the dosage form permits sufficient information to identify the product. Such product-identifying information may be provided in any desired format that is visible to consumers to permit consumers to identify the product within product display tray200, such information complying, as required, with any applicable rules under Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Also, graphics may be provided on the product-facing surfaces of one or both of right side wall206and left side wall208of product display tray200.

Although exemplary primary packages100and exemplary product display tray200need not be used in conjunction with one another, and each have separate and independent inventive features, display of primary packages100formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention within product display tray200formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention results in unique benefits. In particular, display of primary packages100formed in accordance with above-described principles of the present invention within a product display tray200formed in accordance with above-described principles of the present invention permits substantially continuous consumer identification of the product contained within primary packages100. More particularly, a primary package100formed in accordance with above-described inventive principles may have not only a PDP103visible from a forwardly-facing surface when primary package100is laid horizontally, but also branding information124visible from an upwardly-facing surface when primary package100is laid horizontally. In addition, when displayed in a product display tray200formed in accordance with above-described inventive principles, even if PDP103is blocked by front side wall202of product display tray200, the information provided on PDP103is visible on the forwardly-facing surface of back side wall204as individual primary packages100are removed from product display area201, and thus readily visible to consumers at all times.

While the foregoing description and drawings represent exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various additions, modifications, and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In particular, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms, structures, arrangements, proportions without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be used with many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and not limited to the foregoing description.