Abstract:
At least one embodiment of a package system for particulate organic product includes a box element and an insert element. The box element generally includes a side pocket for retaining an auxiliary packet, such as a packet of cigarette rolling papers. The insert element acts as a transparent window aligned with one or more window apertures in the first face panel of the box element, and is extendable from the box element to provide a tray which can be partitioned into a product measurement zone and a product retentions zone. The partitioning may be provided by a foldable closure panel and associated tuck flap acting in cooperation with one another. The box element and insert element may be formed from respective pre-cut and scored blanks.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to disposable packaging systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to small, box-type packaging systems for containing and dispensing particulate organic product. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Organic smokable product, such as tobacco, legal non-tobacco herbs, or the like, continues to be enjoyed by consumers worldwide. Optimizing the smoking characteristics of organic material requires maintaining its freshness and flocculence from the time the product is packaged until the time the consumer uses the product. Protecting the freshness of the product helps maximize its flavor and burn characteristics at the time of its use. Protecting the flocculence, or fluffiness, of an aggregate of particulate smokable product helps ensure that, when placed in rolling paper, leaf or other cigar wrapper material by the consumer, it will draw properly and thereby produce a smoother smoking experience. 
     Personal sized box systems have been proposed within which such organic product is sold and conveniently carried by an individual consumer until such product is fully dispensed. Some such systems may include a window through which the organic product can be viewed, and may include a side pocket within which rolling papers may be stored. However, such conventional systems may not provide aspects for conveniently allowing a consumer to measure out a desired quantity of the product prior to placement of the measured quantity onto a rolling paper, and may not adequately prevent an excessive amount of the product from escaping from the box. A lack of continuous or adequate rigidity in such conventional systems may also result in deficient securement and protection of the rolling papers held within the side pocket. 
     What is needed is a package system for organic product with a box having a window and a side pocket, wherein the box can be formed more inexpensively from a box blank while generally providing improved rigidity over prior solutions. The resulting system should also provide the consumer the ability to more conveniently dispense a desired amount of product from the box for a single use, while reducing spillage of the remaining product or unnecessary reduction in its freshness or flocculence. Those in the art appreciate that these and other desired objectives addressed by embodiments of the invention described herein are preferably accomplished while minimizing the number of individual components of the system and the manufacturing costs and processes involved in producing such a system. 
     SUMMARY 
     One or more deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by a package system for particulate organic product, which typically includes at least a box element and an insert element. The organic product may be, for example, tobacco, non-tobacco herbs, a combination thereof, or the like. 
     The box element may include a first face panel, a second face panel, a box cavity therebetween and a side pocket. The box cavity may have a first end and a second end. The first face panel may include a window aperture. The second face panel may include a tenth fold line at generally the second end. The box element may further include a second closure panel extending along the tenth fold line and a second tuck flap foldedly connected to the second closure panel generally oppositely of the tenth fold line. The box element may be formed from a box blank particularly configured to provide the resulting box element with improved structural properties while minimizing manufacturing-related costs and complexities. 
     The insert element may be substantially transparent and slideable with respect to the box cavity between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. The insert element is typically positioned entirely within the box cavity when in its retracted configuration. Contrastingly, the insert element typically extends partially outwardly of the second end when in its extended configuration. The second closure panel and second tuck flap may be cooperatively movable into a product partitioning configuration in which the second closure panel and second tuck flap may act as a product partition when the insert element is in its extended configuration, thereby separating a product measurement zone from a product retention zone. Once a consumer has selectively measured and partitioned a quantity of the product within the product measurement zone, the system may be tilted to allow the measured quantity to be conveniently dispensed from the product measurement zone while the remaining product is retained within the product retention zone, where its flocculence, purity and freshness may be substantially preserved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages of the present invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art with the benefit of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of a package system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a further diagrammatic perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  wherein the insert element is shown partially extended from the box element, the second tuck flap is at least partially folded with respect to the second closure panel, and the second closure panel is at least partially unfolded with regard to the second face panel, thereby defining a measurement zone for dispensing a measured quantity of organic product from the box element; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic plan view of one particular example of an insert blank in accordance with the present invention, in which the insert base panel and insert side panels are shown in unfolded engagement with the insert base panel; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic perspective view top view of one particular example of an insert element in accordance with the present invention, in which the insert base panel, and insert side panels are shown in folded engagement with the inset base panel; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic plan view top view of one particular example of a box blank in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a first intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1  having been formed from the box blank shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a third intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fourth intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 9 , illustrating the first adhesion flap having been adhesively bonded to the second side panel; 
         FIG. 11  is a further diagrammatic perspective view of the fourth intermediate precursor shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fifth intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 10 , illustrating the second adhesion flap having been adhesively bonded to the second side panel; 
         FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a sixth intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 12 , illustrating the first dust flaps having been folded inwardly; 
         FIG. 14  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a seventh intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 13 , illustrating the pocket closure flap having been folded inwardly; 
         FIG. 15  is a diagrammatic perspective view of an eighth intermediate precursor of the box element shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the formation of the box element is further advanced from the precursor of  FIG. 14 , illustrating the first closure panel having been folded with respect to the first face panel and the first tuck flap inserted into the box cavity; 
         FIG. 16  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the package system in which the insert element is in the process of being slideably inserted into the box cavity such that the insert end panel will be positioned substantially adjacent to the first closure panel; 
         FIG. 17  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the package system shown in  FIG. 16 , but in which the insert element is shown slideably removably received within the box cavity such that the insert base panel extends across the window aperture of the box element; 
         FIG. 18  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the package system shown in  FIG. 17 , but in which an auxiliary packet of rolling papers is being inserted into the side pocket of the box element. 
         FIG. 19  is a diagrammatic front view of the package system shown in  FIG. 18 , but in which the box element contains organic smokable product and an auxiliary packet of rolling papers is fully inserted into the side pocket of the box element. 
         FIG. 20  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line  20 - 20  in  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 21  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line  21 - 21  in  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 22  is a further diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line  21 - 21  in  FIG. 19 , but in which the insert element is shown in an extended configuration; 
         FIG. 23  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 22 , but in which the second closure panel and second tuck flap are shown cooperatively moved into a product partitioning configuration, thereby separating a product measurement zone from a product retention zone along the insert element; and 
         FIG. 24  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 23 , but in which the system has been tilted to allow a measured quantity of product to be gravitationally dispensed from the system while the remaining product is retained within the system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding features throughout the several views. Embodiments of a package system for organic product are shown generally at  100 , and may include a box element  102  and an insert element  104 . The box element  102  is typically formed to include an integral side pocket  200  adapted to snuggly and protectively receive an auxiliary packet (such as the one illustrated, for example, at  198 ). The auxiliary packet may comprise or contain, for example, fresh rolling papers. 
     A box blank  106  may be provided for forming a box element  102  with integral side pocket  200 . The box blank  106  may be made of a foldable material such as, for example, paperboard or the like. The box blank  106  may include decorative and informative printing, and fold lines which may be defined by, for example, scoring of the material of which the blank is substantially made. Embodiments of a box blank  106  may comprise a first face panel  110 , a second face panel  112 , a first side panel  114 , a second side panel  116 , a pocket side panel  118 , a first adhesion flap  120 , a second adhesion flap  122 , a pocket face panel  124 , and a pocket closure flap  138 . 
     The first face panel  110  may be defined at least in part by a first fold line  148 , a second fold line  150  and a third fold line  152 . The first and second fold lines may be generally parallel to the third fold line  152  and disposed at a first distance  190  and a second distance  192  respectively therefrom. The first distance  190  may be greater than the second distance  192  by a third distance  194 . In certain preferred embodiments, the third distance  194  may be, for example, approximately 0.3 inches. In certain preferred embodiments, the first face panel  110  may include one or more window apertures  140 . 
     The first side panel  114  may be defined at least in part by the third fold line  152  and a fifth fold line  156  generally parallel thereto. The pocket side panel  118  may be defined at least in part by the first fold line  148  and a sixth fold line  158  generally parallel thereto. The pocket face panel  124  may be defined at least in part by the sixth fold line  158  and a seventh fold line  160  generally parallel thereto. The sixth and seventh fold lines may be spaced from one another by approximately the third distance  194 . The first adhesion flap  120  may be foldably connected to the pocket face panel  124  along the seventh fold line  160 . The second adhesion flap  122  may be foldably connected to the second fold line  150 , and may be separated from the pocket side panel  118  by way of an adhesion flap slit  188 . The second face panel  112  may be defined at least in part by the fifth fold line  156  and an eighth fold line  162  generally parallel thereto. The second side panel  116  may be foldably connected to the second face panel  112  along the eighth fold line  162 . The pocket closure flap  138  may be foldably connected to the pocket side panel  118  along a ninth fold line  164 . The ninth fold line  164  may be generally perpendicular to the first fold line  148 . 
     In particular embodiments of a box blank  106 , the first face panel  110  may be further defined by a fourth fold line  154  which may extend generally from the third fold line  152  to the first fold line  148 . In such embodiments, the second face panel  112  may be further defined by a tenth fold line  166  generally perpendicular to the third fold line  152 . The box blank  106  may further comprise a first closure panel  126 , a second closure panel  128 , a first tuck flap  134  and a second tuck flap  136 . The first closure panel  126  may extend along the fourth fold line  154  from, for example, approximately the first fold line  148  to the third fold line  152 . The second closure panel  128  may extend along the tenth fold line  166  from, for example, approximately the fifth fold line  156  to the eighth fold line  162 . The first tuck flap  134  may be foldably connected to the first closure panel  126  along an eleventh fold line  168  and may extend, for example, generally within the second distance  192  generally along the eleventh fold line  168 . The first tuck flap  134  maybe partially disconnected from the first closure panel  126  by way of a pair of laterally opposed tuck flap slits  186 . The second tuck flap  136  may be foldably connected to the second closure panel  128 , for example, along a sixteenth fold line  178 . 
     A first dust flap  130  and a second dust flap  132  may be foldably connected to opposite ends of the first side panel  114  by way of, for example, a twelfth fold line  170  and thirteenth fold line  172 , respectively. Similarly, a further first dust flap  130  and second dust flap  132  may be foldably connected to opposite ends of the second side panel  116  by way of, for example, a fourteenth fold line  174  and a fifteenth fold line  176 , respectively. 
     Certain embodiments of a package system  100  for organic product may comprise a box element  102  made of a foldable material, such as, for example, paperboard or the like. The box element  102  may include a first face panel  110 , a first side panel  114 , a pocket side panel  118 , a pocket face panel  124 , a first adhesion flap  120 , a second adhesion flap  122 , a second face panel  112 , a second side panel  116  and a pocket closure flap  138 . 
     In such embodiments of a box element  102 , the first face panel  110  may be defined at least in part by a first fold line  148 , a second fold line  150 , and a third fold line  152 . The first and second fold lines may be generally parallel to the third fold line  152  and may be disposed at a first distance  190  and a second distance  192  respectively therefrom. The first distance  190  may be greater than the second distance  192  by a third distance  194 . In certain embodiments, the third distance  194  may be, for example, approximately 0.3 inches. 
     The first side panel  114  of the box element  102  may be defined at least in part by the third fold line  152  and a fifth fold line  156  generally parallel thereto. The pocket side panel  118  may be defined at least in part by the first fold line  148  and a sixth fold line  158  generally parallel thereto. The pocket face panel  124  may be defined at least in part by the sixth fold line  158  and a seventh fold line  160  generally parallel thereto. The sixth and seventh fold lines may be spaced from one another by approximately the third distance  194 . The first adhesion flap  120  may be foldedly connected to the pocket face panel  124  along the seventh fold line  160 . The second adhesion flap  122  may be foldedly connected to the second fold line  150 . The second face panel  112  may be defined at least in part by the fifth fold line  156  and an eighth fold line  162  generally parallel thereto. The second side panel  116  may be foldedly connected to the second face panel  112  along the eighth fold line  162 . The pocket closure flap  138  may be foldedly connected to the pocket side panel  118  along a ninth fold line  164 . The ninth fold line  164  may be generally perpendicular to the first fold line  148 . As illustrated, for example, in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , each pair of aforementioned panels which are defined at least in part by a common one of the aforementioned fold lines may be at an approximately right angle with respect to one another, the box element  102  thereby defining a box cavity  202  therein and a side pocket  200 . 
     In certain embodiment of a package system  100  with a box element  102 , the first face panel  110  may be further defined by a fourth fold line  154  extending generally from the third fold line  152  to the first fold line  148 . In addition, the second face panel  112  may be further defined by a tenth fold line  166  generally perpendicular to the third fold line  152 . The box element  102  may further comprise a first closure panel  126 , a second closure panel, a first tuck flap and a second tuck flap. The first closure panel  126  may extend along the fourth fold line  154  from approximately the first fold line  148  to the third fold line  152 . The second closure panel  128  may extend along the tenth fold line  166  from approximately the fifth fold line  156  to the eighth fold line  162 . The first tuck flap  134  may be foldedly connected to the first closure panel  126  along an eleventh fold line  168  and may extend generally within the second distance  192  generally along the eleventh fold line  168 . The second tuck flap  136  may be foldedly connected to the second closure panel  128 . 
     In particular embodiments of a box element  102 , the first face panel  110  may include at least one window aperture  140 . Such window apertures may, for example, take the form of decoratively or alpha-numerically-shaped designs. In embodiments of a box element  102 , the first adhesion flap  120  and second adhesion flap  122  may each be adhesively bonded to the second side panel  116 . For example, the first adhesion zone  180  of the first adhesion flap  120  may be brought into mutual adhesive contact with the second adhesion zone  182  of the second side panel  116 . Similarly, the backside of the second adhesion flap  122  may be brought into mutual adhesive contact with the third adhesion zone  184  of the second side panel  116 . 
     As illustrated, for example, in  FIGS. 3 and 16 , embodiments of a package system  100  may further comprise an insert element  104 . Turning to  FIG. 5 , an insert element  104  may include, for example, an insert base panel  142 , a pair of insert lateral panels  144  oppositely disposed from one another, and an insert end panel  146 . The insert lateral panels  144  and insert end panel  146  may be in folded engagement with the insert base panel  142 . The insert element  104  may be substantially light permeable and slideably removably received within the box cavity  202 . As illustrated, for example, in  FIG. 4 , certain preferred embodiments of an insert element  104  may be formed substantially from an insert blank  108 . The insert element  102  and related insert blank  108  may be made, for example, substantially of a polymer or similar material. 
     In embodiments of a package system  100  in which an insert element  104  is in a fully inserted configuration with respect to the box cavity  202 , the insert end panel  146  may be substantially adjacent the first closure panel  126  and may also be approximately parallel therewith. In certain embodiments of a package system  100  in which the first face panel includes at least one window aperture  140 , the insert base panel  142  may extend across the at least one window aperture  140 . Such embodiments may further comprise organic smokable product  214  within the box cavity  202 , wherein the insert base panel  142  is substantially disposed between the organic smokable product  214  and the at least one window aperture  140 . 
     In particular embodiments of a package system  100  having a box element  102  and an insert element  104 , the insert lateral panels  144  may be elastically biased to return to a partially unfolded configuration (for example, respective positions between those shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). As a result, the respective outermost edges  212  may apply continuous pressure against the first side panel  114  and second side panel  116  when the insert element  104  is slideably received within the box cavity  202 . The insert end panel  146  may be similarly elastically biased, but wherein it applies pressure to the first closure panel  126 . This adaptation may help seal gaps between the outermost edges  212  and the respective portions of the box element  102 , thereby helping prevent organic product from escaping from the box cavity  202  through a window aperture  140 . 
     Certain embodiments of a package system  100  may comprise a box element  102  and an insert element  104 . The box element  102  may include a first face panel  110 , a second face panel  112 , a box cavity  202  therebetween and a side pocket  200 . The box cavity  202  may have a first end  204  and a second end  206 . The first face panel  110  may include a window aperture  140 . The second face panel  112  may include a tenth fold line  166  at generally the second end  206 . The box element  102  may further include a second closure panel  128  extending along the tenth fold line  166  and a second tuck flap  136  foldedly connected to the second closure panel  128  generally oppositely of the tenth fold line  166 . 
     The insert element  104  may be substantially transparent and slideable with respect to the box cavity  202  between a retracted configuration (as shown, for example, in  FIG. 21 ) and an extended configuration (as shown, for example, in  FIG. 22 ), thereby providing a convenient measurement and dispensing tray. The insert element  104  may be entirely within the box cavity  202  when in its retracted configuration. Contrastingly, the insert element  104  may be extending partially outward of the second end  206  when in its extended configuration. Referring to  FIG. 23  for illustration, in such embodiments of a system  100 , the second closure panel  128  and second tuck flap  136  may be cooperatively movable into a product partitioning configuration within which the second closure panel  128  and second tuck flap  136  may be adapted to separate a product measurement zone  208  from a product retention zone  210  along the insert element  104  when the insert element  104  is in its extended configuration. The system  100  configured as shown in  FIG. 23  may then be tilted to allow a measured quantity of product to be dispensed, for example, gravitationally, from the product measurement zone  208  of the system while the remaining product is retained within the product retention zone  210  of the system. 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.