Package having a hooking portion for hanging it to a displaying structure

Abstract: In a packet having an engagement portion for hanging on a display unit, the engagement portion has a slot (7a, 7b) for engagement by an elongate member which projects from the display unit. The slot (7a, 7b) has a transverse opening (10) for permitting the forced passage of the elongate member as a result of the application of a force to the packet (1) in a direction substantially transverse the elongate member.

Description: The present invention relates to a packet according to the preamble of claim 1 having an engagement portion for hanging on a display unit, in which the engagement portion has a slot for engagement by an elongate member which projects from the display unit. In display units of the type most commonly used at points of sale, there is a plurality of elongate members, for example, arranged in a rack-like configuration. Each of these members may consist of a single projecting bar or of a pair of parallel bars having smaller diameters than the above-mentioned single bar. Packets to be hung on the elongate members of known display units normally have a hanging slot which is shaped for engagement either by single elongate bar members or by double elongate bar members and which is thus of a generally triangular shape, possibly with a semicircular top portion, although various different slot shapes may be used. However, these known slots have a closed configuration so that the packet cannot be fitted on a respective elongate member except by engaging the elongate member from its free end. This causes a problem since packets of the same type of product associated with the same elongate member of a rack-like display unit may sometimes contain different products, for example, products of different colours. In this case, a purchaser who wishes to take from the display unit a packet which is not the first one available on an elongate member is obliged to remove from the elongate member the packets which are disposed in front of the packet selected in order to be able to reach the packet selected. Moreover, because of the shape of the hanging slots of known packets, the packets can be fitted on the respective elongate members only one at a time from the free end of the elongate member, which is sometimes rather impractical. DE 24 52 713 A and DE 25 10 002 A describe packets according to the preamble of appended claim 1, wherein the engagement portion is a member separate from the containment portion of the packet. The subject of the invention is a packet as defined by the appended claims and, in particular, by claim 1. By virtue of this characteristic, the packet according to the invention can be fitted on the respective elongate member by a transverse movement relative to the elongate member without necessarily having to be fitted from the free end of the member, so that several packets can be fitted on the elongate member simultaneously. Moreover, when several packets of different products are associated with the same elongate member, a purchaser can easily remove any packet even if it is not the first one, starting from the free end of the elongate member. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description provided purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of an engagement portion of a packet of products to be associated with a display unit of known type, Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing a variant of the packet, Figure 3 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the invention, relating to the variant of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a side elevational view sectioned along the line IV-IV of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, showing another embodiment of the invention, relating to the variant of Figure 2, and Figure 6 is a side elevational view sectioned along the line VI-VI of Figure 5. In the drawings, a packet of the type which can be associated with a display unit, for example, of the rack type having a plurality of projecting elongate support members, is generally indicated 1. The packet 1 may be used to hold any product, by way of example, to hold items of stationery such as writing instruments. The packet 1 may be made of at least one sheet material, for example, card. The appended drawings, however, show a preferred embodiment in which the packet is formed by a pair of sheets 3 and 5 of plastics material connected to one another, in which case, at least one of the sheets is normally transparent. A hanging slot is formed in the upper portion of the packet 1, for example, as a result of a punching operation, the centre of gravity of the slot advantageously being disposed above the centre of gravity of the product held in the packet so that the suspended packet adopts a generally vertical configuration. Although the hanging slot may be of any shape, Figures 1 and 3 in particular show a slot 7a defined at the bottom by a flat edge and at the top by an inverted V-shaped edge, whereas Figures 2 and 5 show a slot 7b similar to the slot 7a but having a semicircular portion at the top in the region of the vertex of the inverted V-shape. According to the invention, a transverse opening 10, defined laterally by a pair of opposed appendages 9, is formed in the upper edge of the slot 7a or 7b or of a slot of a different shape, not shown, which preferably has its centre of gravity aligned with the baricentric axis of the packet 1. In particular, the width of the opening 10 is less than the diameter of an elongate member which is intended to engage the slot 7a, 7b so that the member can pass through the opening 10 only as a result of being forced, that is, as a result of the application to the packet of a fairly large force directed generally transversely relative to the elongate member. As a result of the application of such a force, the appendices 9 are deformed by interference with the elongate member, opening out and thus allowing the elongate member to pass through the enlarged opening 10. The appendages 9 are preferably formed in a manner such as to be at least slightly resilient so that, after the elongate member has passed through the opening 10 they return to the undeformed condition. Both of the appendages 9 are advantageously substantially V-shaped so as to converge towards the opening 10 and to define respective lead-in portions on opposite sides of the opening for facilitating both the removal of the packet 1 from the respective elongate member and its fitting thereon. If the material used to form the packet 1 is card, the appendages 9 are also made of this material, for example, each is constituted by a double layer of card. Alternatively, and with specific reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, each of the appendages 9 comprises a double laminar layer of plastics material constituted by portions of the sheets 3 and 5. With reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front sheet 3 of the packet 1 is shaped so as to define a rib 13 which extends parallel to the edges of the packet 1 and surrounds the slot 7a, 7b and which is connected to the edge of the rear sheet 5, for example, by welding. In the region of the appendages 9, the sheet 3 has a portion 13a which is spaced from the sheet 5 and connected to the rib 13. Since the appendages 9 are formed by a pair of substantially parallel and spaced-apart laminar portions, connected to the peripheral edge of the sheet 3 and hence to the sheet 5 by transverse portions, the appendages 9 are stiffened torsionally so as to ensure greater strength and a better ability to return resiliently to the undeformed condition after the elongate member has passed through the opening 10. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the sheets 3 and 5 are connected to one another, for example, by means of an enlarged weld along the peripheral edges, constituting a connection portion 15. Moreover, weld portions, indicated 15a, are formed in the appendages 9 and are continuous with a large weld region 16 which surrounds the respective slot 7a, 7b. In the remaining portion of the packet 1 which is not affected by the welds, an intermediate sheet, for example, of cardboard or card, bearing information relating to the product held in the packet may be interposed between the sheets 3 and 5, in known manner. By virtue of the structure of the slot in the engagement portion of the packet 1, the packet 1 can be removed from the respective elongate member which engages the slot 7a, 7b or can be fitted thereon as a result of the application of a force to the packet 1 in a direction substantially transverse the elongate member, forcing the latter to pass through the opening 10.

Claims: A packet having an engagement portion for hanging on a display unit, in which the engagement portion has a slot (7a, 7b) for engagement by an elongate member which projects from the display unit, the slot (7a, 7b) has a transverse opening (10) defined by a pair of at least partially resilient, mutually facing appendages (9) for permitting the forced passage of the elongate member as a result of the application of a force to said appendages (9) in a direction substantially transverse the elongate member, characterised in that each appendage comprises a pair of laminar portions which extend from respective sheets (3, 5) defining the packet and are connected to one another at least at their peripheral edges. A packet according to Claim 1, characterised in that the appendages (9) are substantially V-shaped so as to favour the forced passage of the elongate member through the opening (10) in opposite directions. A packet according to Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that each appendage comprises at least one laminar portions of card. A packet according to Claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the sheets (3, 5) are of plastics material and are connected by welding (15a, 16) in a relatively extensive region which surrounds the slot (7a, 7b). A packet according to Claim 4, characterised in that the sheets (3, 5) are connected by welding at the peripheral edges of the appendages (9), at least one of the sheets being shaped in a manner such that the remaining portions of the appendages (9) are constituted by the spaced-apart sheets (3, 5), so that the structure of the appendages (9) is strengthened.

Inventors: QUERCIOLI ENRICO, QUERCIOLI, ENRICO
Applicants: UNIVERSAL S P A, UNIVERSAL S.P.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65D75
IPC codes: B65D75