Patent Publication Number: US-9409689-B2

Title: Easy opening display package for merchandise

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates generally to packages and more specifically to blister or clam-shell type packages with easy open features to facilitate access to the contents of the package. 
     Various blister and clam-shell type packages exist in the prior art for holding articles of merchandise for display purposes. Some of those packages include perforated lines in at least one of the walls making up the package. The perforated lines are arranged to be broken by pulling on portions of the package adjacent those lines to provide access to the contents of the package. The patented prior art includes several examples of such packages. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,529, U.S. Published Applications US 2009/0184017A1 and US2010/0230312A1, and Japanese Application JP 2003040330. 
     While the foregoing packages are generally suitable for their intended purposes, they leave something to be desired from the standpoints of simplicity of construction and ease of opening. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a package for displaying an item of merchandise, where the package is simple in construction and includes means to facilitate the opening of the package. The subject invention addresses that need. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, one aspect of this invention entails a package for an item of merchandise, e.g., a toothbrush. The package basically comprises a first elongated wall member and a second elongated wall member. The first elongated wall member has a longitudinal axis and a recess extending along that axis. The second elongated wall member is generally coextensive in size with the first wall member and has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the second wall member is fixedly secured to the first wall member to enclose the item of merchandise within that recess. The second wall member comprises a pair of elongated frangible lines and an access slit. The frangible lines extend generally parallel to each other along the longitudinal axis for a major length of the recess. Each of the frangible lines is cut only partially through the thickness of the second wall member, starting from the inner surface of the second wall member. The access slit is located at one end of each of the frangible lines. Portions of the elongated second wall member contiguous with the slit are arranged to be grasped by a user to break the frangible lines and thereby provide access to the item of merchandise. 
     In certain embodiments, each of the frangible lines comprises a die-cut line. 
     In certain embodiments, the first wall member comprises a preformed blister wall, with the blister wall being transparent to enable the item of merchandize to be seen therethrough. 
     In certain embodiments, the second elongated wall member comprises a planar sheet of polymeric film. 
     In certain embodiments, the package additionally comprises a hook portion to enable the package to be suspended thereby. 
     A second aspect of the invention comprises the combination of a package, like that described above, and an item of merchandise, e.g., a toothbrush, held within the package. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be illustrated with reference to the attached drawings, which are briefly described immediately below. 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of one exemplary embodiment of a display package constructed in accordance with this invention, with the package including a top wall member and a bottom wall member fixedly secured to each other to define an interior chamber in which an item of merchandise is held; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the package shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the package shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the inner surface of the bottom wall member shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As used throughout, ranges are used as a shorthand manner for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls. 
     The invention is further described in the following examples. The examples are merely illustrative and do not in any way limit the scope of the invention as described and claimed. 
     Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numbers refer to like parts there is shown at  20  in  FIG. 1  one exemplary embodiment of a display package constructed in accordance with this invention. The package  20  is arranged to hold an item of merchandise. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the item of merchandise is a toothbrush  22 , but could be any product. The particular embodiment of the display package  20  shown in  FIG. 1  is a blister-type package. Alternatively, it can be in the form of a clam-shell type package. In either case the package basically comprises a pair of wall members which are fixedly secured to each other to form an item-receiving chamber (to be described later) therebetween. In the exemplary embodiment blister package  20  comprises a first wall member  24  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and a second wall member  26  ( FIGS. 2-5 ). 
     The first wall member is a hollow body  24  formed of any suitable material, including a laminate of suitable materials e.g., a paper pulp based material, a polymeric material, such as, but not limited to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc., or any other polymeric material known for use in blister pack or clam-shell packaging. The material making up the body  24  may comprise a combination of materials, including transparent, partially transparent, semi-transparent, and/or opaque materials and may be formed in any manner, such as injection or blow molding. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first wall member  24  is a transparent elongated member having a longitudinal axis  28 , a pair of long side edges  24 A and  24 B extending parallel to the axis  28  and a pair of short end edges  24 C and  24 D extending transversely to the axis  28 . A recess  30  ( FIG. 2 ) for receipt of the item of merchandise extends substantially the full length of the wall member  24 , except for the top portion (the portion adjacent edge  24 D) which forms a header of the package. The recess  30  can be of uniform width and depth along its entire length or can be profiled to the specific profile of the item of merchandise as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the exemplary embodiment shown the recess is profiled to conform to the profile of the toothbrush  22 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 2 , a generally planar flange  32  extends outward about the entire periphery of the recess  30  of the body  24  to form its edges  24 A- 24 D. The flange  32  serves as the means for securing the second wall member  26  to the first wall member  24 . 
     The second wall member  26 , which serves as the backer of the package, basically comprises a planar member of corresponding size and shape to the first wall member  24 . Thus, as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the backer wall member  26  includes a pair of long side edges  26 A and  26 B extending parallel to the axis  28  and a pair of short side edges  26 C and  26 D extending transverse to the axis  28 . The backer wall member  26  can be formed of a paper pulp based material, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc., or any other suitable flexible polymeric sheet or film material or laminate formed with such materials and includes an inner surface  34  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) and an outer surface  36  ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ). As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the inner surface  34  of the backer wall member adjacent its peripheral edges  26 A- 26 D is fixedly secured, e.g., thermally welded to the flange  32  of the first wall member  24 . Other means, e.g., an adhesive, for fixedly securing the flange of the wall member  24  to the backer wall member  26  may be used in lieu of thermal bonding. In any case, the securement of the two wall members  24  and  26  together creates an enclosed cavity or chamber  38  (made up of the recess  30  and the contiguous inner surface of the wall member  26 ) in which the item of merchandise, e.g., the toothbrush  22 , is retained. 
     Access to the chamber  38  is accomplished through a window  40  ( FIG. 3 ) in the backer wall member  26 . The window  40  is formed by a pair of frangible or otherwise weakened lines  42  and  44  and an access slit  46 . In particular as can be seen best in  FIGS. 3 and 4  a pair of frangible lines  42  and  44  extend substantially the entire length, e.g., 4 inches, of the recess  30  on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis  28 . The frangible lines  42  and  44  may be linear, or non-linear in shape. Each of the frangible lines  42  and  44  comprises a partial cut on the inner surface  34  of the backer wall member  26 , i.e., the cut extends from the inner surface  34  of the wall member  26  partially through its thickness, but not to the outer surface  36 . The partial cut can be formed by any suitable means or method, e.g., it may be die-cut. While the frangible lines are die-cut on the inner surface  34  of the hacker wall member  26 , alternatively if desired, they may be die-cut on its outer surface  36 . Moreover, the frangible lines  42  and  44  may be formed in other ways than by die-cutting, e.g., any processes that may produce a weakened line that can be readily broken by pulling. 
     In any case, the frangible lines  42  and  44  are constructed so that they are substantially weakened along their length so that they can be readily broken or torn by pulling on portions of the wall contiguous with them. The access slit  46  serves as the means for achieving that end, i.e., it enables the user of the package  20  to grasp portions of the backer wall member  26  contiguous with the frangible lines  42  and  44  to open the window  40 . 
     The access slit is best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4  and is of elongated linear shape, having a pair of radiussed (curved) ends. The invention is not so limited, however, and the access slit  46  may be a non-linear shape, such as curved. The access slit  46  extends (is cut) through the full thickness of the backer wall member  26  and is located with its curved ends either intersecting or being immediately adjacent respective ends of the frangible lines  42  and  44 . Accordingly, portions of the backer wall member  26  contiguous with the slit  46  can be grasped between the user&#39;s thumb and finger to enable the user to pull upward (away) from the plane of the backer wall member. That action applies a stress to the ends of the frangible lines  42  and  44  contiguous with the slit  46 , whereupon those lines begin to break. The break propagates along the length of the lines  42  and  44  so long as the user applies the pulling force to the backer wall member, thereby opening the window  40  to provide access to the chamber  38  where the toothbrush  22  is held. 
     The upper end of the package  20  serves as a header for the package and includes a recess  48  forming a hook to suspend the package for display. While not shown the package may include indicia thereon. 
     As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the use of frangible lines which only extend partially through the thickness of the wall member  26  provides advantages over devices making use of perforated lines which extend through the full thickness of the material in which the lines are located. For example, the partial depth cut provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance (e.g., the frangible lines  42  and  44  are not visible from the underside of the package). Moreover, the fact that the frangible lines do not extend fully through the thickness of the backing wall member reduces the chances of contaminants or moisture from gaining ingress therethrough into the chamber  40  holding the item of merchandise. This later factor may be very significant, depending upon the type of merchandise held in the package. Additionally, the partial depth cut results in a smooth edge after opening the package, versus the sharp edges that result after opening packages having the perforated lines which extend through the full thickness of the material.