Abstract:
The present invention provides a package assembly for enclosing and dispensing a plurality of consumable products. The package assembly includes a package housing defining a pair of product pockets each having an open end for removably accommodating a plurality of products in an aligned array. The open ends of the pockets are in facing orientation. The package housing includes a fold line between the open ends of the pocket for folding the housing thereat and placing the pockets in an angled orientation for dispensing of product. The housing further defines at least one openable flap for overlying and enclosing the pockets.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/269,323 filed on Jun. 23, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a package assembly for containing and dispensing consumable products. More specifically, the present invention relates to a package for dispensing gum slabs in two spaced apart rows. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There exists in the prior art numerous packages which contain consumable products such as chewing gum pieces. Many of these packages provide both aesthetic and functional features which make the package desirable to the consumer. Certain of the desirable features include an aesthetically designed packaging cover which overlies an open portion of the package and is openable to expose the gum pieces for dispensing. Certain of the functional features include the ability to retain the gum pieces in one or more aligned arrays which allow for convenient individual dispensing of the gum pieces. 
     It is desirable to provide improved gum packaging which, while maintaining the aesthetically pleasing appearance, provides superior functionality to the consumer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a package assembly for enclosing and dispensing a plurality of consumable products. The package assembly includes a package housing defining a pair of product pockets each having an open end for removably accommodating a plurality of products in an aligned array. The open ends of the pockets are in facing orientation. The package housing includes a fold line between the open ends of the pocket for folding the housing thereat and placing the pockets in an angled orientation for dispensing of product. The housing further defines at least one openable flap for overlying and enclosing the pockets. 
     The present invention also provides a consumable products package assembly including a package housing defining a pair of product pockets each having an open end for removable accommodation of plural products. The package includes a fold line disposed between the open ends of the pockets for folding the housing thereat. The housing has a first position wherein the pockets lie in a common plane and a second position wherein the housing is folded along the fold line and the pockets are angularly offset from each other. 
     The present invention further provides a consumable products package assembly including a plurality of consumable product pieces. The package assembly includes a package housing which defines a first product pocket and a second product pocket each having an open end for removable accommodation of the plurality of product pieces. The package includes a fold line disposed between the open ends of the pockets for folding the housing thereat. The housing having a first position wherein the first and second pockets lie in a common plane and a second position the pockets are angularly offset form each other. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is top perspective view of a package assembly of the present invention shown in closed condition. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view showing the package assembly in a fully open position. 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view showing the package assembly of  FIG. 1  in a folded condition for dispensing of gum slabs therefrom. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial top perspective view showing the package assembly of  FIG. 1  folded and one gum slab being dispensed therefrom. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a flat blank used to form the package assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing a package assembly in the fully open position. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a flat blank used to form the alternative embodiment of the package assembly of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention provides a package assembly for enclosing and dispensing a plurality of products, preferably consumable products. More particularly, the present invention is designed to contain and dispense confectionery products such as gum pieces. While multi-layered gum slabs are shown in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it may be appreciated that the package disclosed herein may be used to dispense a wide variety of consumable products such as gum pieces in many forms. It is contemplated that the package assembly of the present invention may be used to contain and dispense gum pieces in various shapes, including slabs, sticks, pellets, pillows and the like. In addition, unwrapped gum slabs are shown in the preferred embodiments herein and it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the individual gum pieces may be wrapped or unwrapped. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the package assembly  10  of the present invention includes a package housing  12  and a plurality of gum slabs  14  arranged in two side-by-side arrays. In the present illustrative embodiment, two rows of seven gum slabs are shown. However, it may be appreciated that any number of gum slabs may be employed in combination with the present invention. The gum slabs may be either individually covered in a wrapper, or left uncovered. 
     The package housing  12  includes a back wall  16  supporting a pair of open ended pockets  18 . The pockets each include an open end  20  which are spaced apart and in facing orientation. The pockets  18  each include a front wall  18   a  bounded by two opposed side walls  18   b  and a bottom wall  18   c . The front wall, side walls and bottom wall define a cavity  18   d  for accommodating the gum slabs in the two rows. The pockets bottom walls  18   c  support the slabs and form the side walls of the package housing  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The pockets  20  are of sufficient depth to hold the slab&#39;s lower extent  14   b , yet leave an upper extent  14   a  of the slabs exposed for dispensing ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Extending from opposite ends of back wall  16  is a pair of flaps  22  and  24 . The flaps are designed to be foldable over the pockets  18  in opposition to the back wall  16  to enclose the gum slabs  14  contained within the pockets. As is shown in  FIG. 1 , the flaps  22  and  24  may overlie each with a portion of flap  24  lying below a portion of flap  22 . Flap  22  includes an extending tab  22   a , and flap  24  includes a mating slot  24   a  so as to maintain the flaps in closed condition. Various different configurations of the tabs and slots are within the contemplation of the present invention. When the flaps are folded to a fully closed position wherein they overly each other, the pockets and gum slabs  14  held therein are covered. The flaps each include a segment  25  disposed adjacent to the back wall  16  which forms end wall of the package housing  12  when the flaps are in the closed position. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the package housing  12  having gum pieces therein may be covered with a removable overwrap  29  to protect the contents of the package housing. A user may remove the overwrap  29  to access the pockets  18  and gum pieces  18  therein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , use of the package housing  12  to dispense gum slabs  14  is shown. The two flaps  22  and  24  are open to a position substantially planar with the back wall  16 . In the open position shown in  FIG. 2 , the gum slabs  14  are uncovered and are accessible for dispensing. Thereafter, the package housing may be folded longitudinally along fold line  30  which is created between open ends  20  of pockets  18  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The fold line  30  may be aligned with a longitudinal axis X-X of the opened package housing  12 . The fold line may divide the package housing generally in half lengthwise forming a first half  12   a  and a second half  12   b . The housing  12  is folded such that the pockets  18  moved out of the common plane and are placed in an angled orientation with respect to each other. A shown in  FIG. 3 , the angle α between the pockets is less than 180 degrees. It is contemplated that the housing  12  may be further folded about the fold line  30  so that the products are generally side-by-side so that the gum slabs  14  supported within the pockets extend in a mutually upward position. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the angled position of the pockets  18  separates the upper extents  14   a  of the gum slabs  14  of one row from the adjacent row to allow manual dispensing of one or more gum slabs  14  from the pockets  18  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Once the desired number of gum slabs are dispensed by the user, the back wall can again be made flat, as shown in  FIG. 2 , and the flaps  22  and  24  can be folded to a closed condition with tab  22   a  placed in slot  24   a  thereby closing the remaining gum slabs  14  contained therein as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the package housing  12  may be formed from a single unitary flat blank  50  of paperboard or other materials including composites thereof. A main panel  52  may be folded along fold lines  54  to form the back wall  16  and flaps  22  and  24 . A first and second side panels  56  and  58  may extend form opposite sides of the main panel  52 . The side panels  56  and  58  may be folded over the back wall  16  to form the pockets  18 . The side panels may each include a pair of tabs  60  which may be folded and adhered to the back wall  16  to secure the pockets  18  in place. The longitudinal fold line  30  may extend along the entire length of the blank  50 . 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . With specific reference to  FIG. 6 , the package assembly  70  includes a package housing  72  and a plurality of gum slabs  74  arranged in two side-by-side arrays. This embodiment is similar to that described above, and includes pockets  76  having an open end  77  which are spaced apart and in facing orientation for retaining the gum slabs  74 . Extending from opposite ends of a back wall  78  is a pair of flaps  80  and  82 . The flaps are designed to be foldable over the pockets  76  in opposition to the back wall  78  to enclose the gum slabs  74  contained within the pockets. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 6 , the package housing  72  may be folded longitudinally along fold line  84  which is created between open ends  77  of pockets  76  in a manner similar to the previously described embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The fold line  84  may be aligned with a longitudinal axis X-X of the opened package housing  72 . The fold line may divide the package housing generally in half lengthwise forming a first half  72   a  and a second half  72   b . The folding of the package housing  72  along fold line  84  assists in the dispending of the gum slabs  74  as in a manner described above. 
     In the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the fold line  84  is perforated in order to permit a user to longitudinally separate the package housing first half  72   a  from the second half  72   b . Accordingly, a user may separate the package housing  72  to make two smaller packages each having a pocket for retaining gum slabs. This may be desirable if a user wants to share part of the package with another. In addition, after the gum slabs are all removed from one pocket, the empty package housing half may be torn off and discarded. The remaining gum slabs may therefore be retained in a smaller package which is easier to store and access. 
     In order to permit each packaging housing half  72   a  and  72   b  to be closed, the flaps  80  and  82  may include two closures, one disposed on the package housing first half  72   a  and another disposed on the package housing second half  72   b . The first half closure may include a first tab  86  extending from flap  80  and a first slot  88  formed in flap  82 . The second half closure may include a second tab  90  extending from flap  80  and a second slot  92  formed in flap  82 . When the package halves are separated the flaps may be folded over the gum slabs and the tabs may be inserted into their respective slot to keep the flaps in the closed position. One of the tabs, e.g., first tab  86 , may be larger than the other tab and be used along with its corresponding first slot  88  to maintain the flaps together when both package housing halves  72   a  and  72   b  are secured together. The second slot  92  may be formed by a perforation. The second slot  92  would only be opened by a user after the package housing halves were separated and the user desired to use the second slot  92  to secure second tab  90  to retain the package half in the closed position. 
     With specific reference to  FIG. 7 , the package housing  72  may be formed from a single unitary blank  94 . The blank  94  may be folded around fold lines  96  in a manner similar to the blank  50  shown in  FIG. 5  and described above. The perforated fold line  84  runs along the length of the blank  94 . 
     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.