Patent Publication Number: US-2015060307-A1

Title: Quick-release packaging

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to packaging. In particular, the present invention relates to insert packaging including quick-release features to release the insert from a box enclosure. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
       FIG. 1  (Prior Art) shows a conventional package  19  (described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,784) including an insert  11  for an object to be contained and displayed in a surrounding box  3 . Insert  11  includes a catch  14  which fits into an aperture  8  on box  3 , to retain insert  11  within box  3 . Insert  11  further includes a shoulder  17 . To release insert  11  from box  3 , the user presses catch  14  to retract it from aperture  8 . Then insert  11  may be slid out of box  3 . 
     This prior art package  19  has several disadvantages. It requires a hole (aperture  8 ) in the back of the box. This is disruptive to the standard package and prevents the entire back of the box from being used for graphics. In addition, it is prone to accidental release, since catch  14  may be accidentally pressed by, for example, an adjacent box. What is needed is a quick-release insert packaging where the insert is protected from accidental release from the box enclosure, and where the backside of the box enclosure does not require a hole. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention are directed to quick-release insert packaging where an insert is protected from accidental release from the box enclosure, and where the backside of the box enclosure does not require a hole. A package according to the present invention includes a box enclosure and an insert. The insert slides into the open bottom of the box enclosure, and includes a locking extension that slides into a slot on the top of the box enclosure and locks the insert into place. The slot forms a wide portion toward the back surface of the box enclosure and a narrower button release portion toward the front surface of the box enclosure. The insert locking extension includes a button configured with a shoulder to catch on the back surface of the wider portion of the top slot in a first position. The button, when pressed, moves into the button release portion of the slot and releases the locking extension and hence the insert from the box enclosure. The locking extension forms a cutaway around the button to allow the button to move forward, away from the bottom of the locking extension. 
     When the insert is being inserted into the box enclosure, the button presses against the back of the box enclosure and biases the top of the locking extension away from the back. The locking extension is formed of a resilient material such as 0.5 mm thick thermoformed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, so it in turn biases the button into the box enclosure back. The combination of these two biasing forces results in the top of the locking extension being held a fixed distance away from the back of the box enclosure, such that it is in position to slide into the wide portion of the top slot of the box enclosure. 
     Once the locking extension has been inserted, the resilience of the locking extension material biases the locking button backward so that it catches on the back edge of the wide portion of the top slot. To release the locking extension, and hence the insert, the button is pushed forward into the narrower button release portion of the top slot so that the button shoulder no longer catches on the back of the top slot. 
     This addresses the problem of accidental release as follows. First, when the insert is engaged with the box, the button is located inward from the top back edge of the box; it is thus protected by this edge from objects that collide with, or press against, the backside of the box. Second, the button and its shoulder are embedded within the larger locking extension, so that the top and side edges of the button are protected by the adjacent edges of the locking extension, collisions against which cannot serve to activate the release mechanism due to the fact that the locking extension is too wide to fit into the narrow portion of the top slot. So the only way to activate the release mechanism is to apply precise pressure to the button itself, and not its surrounding protective bodies. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that configurations similar to embodiments shown and described herein may be used. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  (Prior Art) comprises an isometric view of a conventional releasable insert package. 
         FIG. 2  comprises a back isometric view of an insert package including an insert and a box enclosure according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  comprises a back isometric view of an insert of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3B  is an expanded view of a portion of  FIG. 3A , showing its top extension in detail. 
         FIG. 4  comprises a front isometric view of the box enclosure of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a back isometric view of the box enclosure and insert of  FIG. 2 , where the insert is positioned for insertion into the box enclosure. 
         FIG. 6  comprises a front isometric view of the box enclosure and insert, where the insert is partially inserted into the box enclosure. 
         FIGS. 7A-7F  show the process of inserting the insert into the box enclosure.  FIG. 7A  is a side hidden-line view of the insert at the beginning of the insertion process.  FIG. 7B  is a detailed view of a portion of  FIG. 7A .  FIG. 7C  is a side hidden-line view of the insert near the end of the insertion process.  FIG. 7D  is a detailed view of a portion of  FIG. 7C .  FIG. 7E  is a side cross-section view of the insert inserted into the box enclosure.  FIG. 7F  is a detailed view of a portion of  FIG. 7E . 
         FIGS. 8A-C  show the process of releasing the insert from the box enclosure.  FIG. 8A  is a top view of the insert inserted into the box enclosure.  FIG. 8B  is a detailed view of a portion of  FIG. 8A .  FIG. 8C  shows the button of the insert in its activated position with the insert ready to release from the box enclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following table lists elements of the illustrated embodiments of the invention and their associated reference numbers for convenience. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Ref. No. 
                 Element 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 100 
                 Quick-release package 
               
               
                 102 
                 Box enclosure 
               
               
                 104 
                 Insert 
               
               
                 106 
                 Box enclosure display window 
               
               
                 108 
                 Insert locking extension 
               
               
                 110 
                 Box enclosure top slot for locking extension 
               
               
                 120 
                 Locking button 
               
               
                 121 
                 Locking button shoulder 
               
               
                 122 
                 Extension cutaway 
               
               
                 124 
                 Rack hanger aperture 
               
               
                 126 
                 Top of locking extension 
               
               
                 128 
                 Bottom of locking extension 
               
               
                 130 
                 Button release portion of box top slot 
               
               
                 132 
                 Wide portion of box top slot 
               
               
                 140 
                 Back wall of box enclosure 
               
               
                 142 
                 Front wall of box enclosure 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
       FIG. 2  comprises a back isometric view of a quick-release package  100  including an insert  104  and a box enclosure  102  according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. Insert  104  slides into box enclosure  102  and is locked in place by locking extension  108  within box enclosure top slot  110 . 
       FIG. 3A  comprises a back isometric view of insert  104  with its locking extension  108  at the top.  FIG. 3B  is an expanded view of section A of  FIG. 3A , showing locking extension  108  in detail. 
     Insert  104  may comprise a clamshell which opens to permit a product to be inserted within. Generally insert  104  is transparent at least in part to allow the product to be seen through a window  106  formed in box enclosure  102  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     Locking extension  108  includes a locking button  120 , a top portion  126 , a bottom portion  128 , a cutaway  122  to allow locking button  120  to be pressed forward to pivot away from portion  128  of locking extension  108 , and a rack hanger aperture  124  to allow package  100  to be hung on a peg (not shown). Locking extension  108  is designed to automatically slide into box enclosure top slot  110  and lock into place when insert  104  is inserted into box enclosure  102 . It is designed to release when button  120  is pressed forward. 
       FIG. 4  is a front isometric view of box enclosure  102 . It is open at the bottom, to allow the insertion and release of insert  104 . It includes a front display window  106  (for example an opening) to display the product attached to, or contained within, insert  104 . Finally, it includes a top slot  110  for insertion and retention of locking extension  108 . Top slot  110  includes a narrower button release area  130  and a wider area  132  for the entire locking extension  108 . Note that button release portion  130  of top slot  110  is situated toward the front of box enclosure  102 , and wide portion  132  is situated toward the back of box enclosure  102  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the configuration of slots could be changed. 
       FIG. 5  is a back isometric view of box enclosure  102  and insert  104 , where insert  104  is positioned for insertion into box enclosure  102 , such that locking button  120  faces toward the back  140  of box enclosure  102 .  FIG. 5  illustrates one specific example of the present invention which could comprise a box enclosure  102  that is 0.5 mm thick paper (or alternatively 0.4 mm), and that has a wide slot  132  that is 53 mm wide by 3 mm deep and a narrow (button release) slot  130  that is 32 mm wide by 5 mm deep. In this example, box enclosure  102  is 160 mm tall by 24 mm deep by 108 mm wide. 
     Insert  104  in this example comprises a thermoformed, transparent, 0.5 mm thick polyethylene terephthalate (PET) clamshell having locking button  120  sized 19 mm wide, 8 mm tall, 4 mm deep at the shoulder, and cutaway  122  sized 4.5 mm thick. This embodiment is especially useful for small, heavy items such as mobile electronic devises or cases for mobile electronic devices. Such small heavy items cause insert  104  to drop cleanly out of box enclosure  102  when button  120  is depressed, without requiring a user to push or pull insert  104 . 
       FIG. 6  comprises a front isometric view of box enclosure  102  and insert  104 , where insert  104  has been partially inserted into box enclosure  102 . 
       FIGS. 7A-7F  show the process of inserting insert  104  into box enclosure  102  and locking it into place.  FIG. 7A  is a side hidden-line view of insert  104  at the beginning of the insertion process.  FIG. 7B  is a detailed view of portion B of  FIG. 7A , showing the position of locking extension  108  within box enclosure  102 . Note that locking button  120  presses against the back wall  140  of box enclosure  102 , bending the top  126  of locking extension  108  toward the front wall  142  of box enclosure  102 . Bottom  128  of locking extension  108  is flexed, biasing locking extension  108  toward the back  140  of box enclosure  102 . Thus top  126  of locking extension  108  is at a fixed distance from back  140 . This positions top  126  properly for insertion into wide portion  132  of top slot  110 , as shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 7C  is a side hidden-line view of insert  104  near the end of the insertion process, as locking extension  108  is threaded into top slot  110 .  FIG. 7D  is a detailed view of the top of box enclosure  102 , showing the position of locking extension  108 . Note that button  120  is beveled in this embodiment to slide through top slot  110  as the insertion process is completed. 
       FIG. 7E  is a side hidden-line view of insert  104  fully inserted into box enclosure  102 .  FIG. 7F  is a detailed view of locking extension  108  locked into place within top slot  110 . Note that bottom  128  of locking extension  108  is flexed, biasing locking extension  108  toward the back  140  of box enclosure  102 , which prevents button  120  from releasing without direct forward pressure on button  120 . Button  120  is protected from accidental pressing by both the back edge of box enclosure  102  and the surrounding areas of locking extension  108 . 
       FIGS. 8A-C  show the process of releasing insert  104  from box enclosure  102 .  FIG. 8A  is a top view of insert  104  locked in place within box enclosure  102 .  FIG. 8B  is a detailed view of the top of box enclosure  102  and locking extension  108 .  FIG. 8C  shows the insert being released from the box enclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7E , button  120  is biased toward the back of box enclosure  102 . This causes locking button shoulder  121  to catch on the back edge of wide portion  132  of top slot  110 , locking insert  104  in place.  FIG. 8C  shows how locking extension  108  is released, allowing insert  104  to drop out of box enclosure  102 . Extension cutaway  122  (seen in  FIG. 3B ) allows button  120  to be pressed toward front  142  of box enclosure  102 . Button release portion  130  of top slot provides a place for button  120  to slide out, after moving forward and releasing shoulder  121  from the back of top slot  110 . This allows locking extension  108  to slide out of top slot  110  and then out of box enclosure  102  entirely, reversing the process seen in  FIGS. 7A-7E . 
     While the exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention are described herein with particularity, those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, additions, and applications other than those specifically mentioned, which are within the spirit of this invention. For example
         differences in button shape and size   differences in material of insert and box   differences in size and shape of extension cutaway p 1  differences in size and shape of top slot       

     Note that the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” and “back” are used herein for convenience when referring to the figures, but are not intended to limit the invention to a specific orientation or configuration.