Patent Publication Number: US-9845183-B2

Title: Package standing feature utilizing blister and paperboard

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/177,275 filed Feb. 11, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,315,310) which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/133,679 filed Jun. 9, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,182) which is the National Phase entry into the United States of International Application PCT/US09/67004 filed Dec. 7, 2009, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 61/122,104 filed on Dec. 12, 2008; each of these applications is herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present application is directed to paperboard packages and, more particularly, to self-standing features for paperboard packages. 
     Manufacturers and retailers of consumer goods, such as pharmaceuticals, software, electronics, health and beauty products and the like, typically package their products in tamper resistant security packages. For example, many consumer goods are packaged in blister or clamshell packages formed by positioning a consumer good in a flanged blister made from various polymeric and/or paperboard materials and sealing the flanged blister between two paperboard substrates. Consumers have voiced disapproval of such packages because of the difficulty of opening the same and the potential for being cut on a rough edge especially of plastic blisters. Packages may therefore be made based largely on paperboard, for example, NATRALOCK packages. Packaging made primarily of paperboard is more sustainable than packaging made from petroleum-based plastics. The paperboard used in such packages may be tear-resistant as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,635. 
     Some blister packages may comprise a paperboard card and a blister. Such a package may be suitable for display by hanging from a hook, but may not be well adapted for display in a standing configuration. Accordingly, there is a need for a blister package that provides a convenient feature for displaying the package in a standing configuration. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect a packaging structure is disclosed which comprises a first panel and a second panel comprised of sheet material, and a first blister comprising a flange, wherein the first blister is sealed to at least one of the panels, and wherein the first panel and the second panel are connected at a first angle along a first fold line. 
     Other aspects of the disclosed packaging structures will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a top plan view of a blank for a packaging structure; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side perspective view of the blank of  FIG. 1A , along with a blister to fit therein; 
         FIG. 1C  is a side perspective view of a partially package made from the blank and blister of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 1D  is a side perspective view of a completed package made from the blank and blister of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of parts for another packaging structure; 
         FIG. 2B  is a top view of a package made from the blanks of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 2C  is a side perspective view of the package of  FIG. 2B , arranged to a standing configuration; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of parts for another packaging structure; 
         FIG. 3B  is a side perspective view of a package made from the parts of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 3C  is a top perspective view of a package made from the parts of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a side perspective view of the parts for another packaging structure; 
         FIG. 4B  is a side perspective view of the parts of  FIG. 4A , in a stage of assembly; 
         FIG. 4C  is a side perspective view of a packaging structure made from the parts of  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 4D  is a top perspective view of the parts of  FIG. 4A , in a stage of assembly; 
         FIG. 5A  is a top perspective view of the parts for another packaging structure; 
         FIG. 5B  is a top perspective view of a packaging structure made from the parts of  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a back perspective view of the parts for another packaging structure; 
         FIG. 6B  is a back perspective view of a packaging structure made from the parts of  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a top plan view of parts for another packaging structure; 
         FIG. 7B  is a side perspective view of the packaging structure made from the parts of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 7C  is an alternate side perspective view of the packaging structure of  FIG. 7B ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a back perspective view of the parts for another packaging structure; and 
         FIG. 8B  is a back perspective view of a packaging structure made from the parts of  FIG. 8A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As various embodiments of the security package are described, reference will be made to  FIGS. 1-8 . Certain parts of the packages are denoted by reference numerals. Where there is more than one of the same feature, generally only one will be denoted by a reference numeral. If different packages have a common feature, it may only be described one time. Common features, where practical, are denoted with similar numerals differing by the ‘hundreds’ digit. For example the back panel shown in  FIG. 1A-1D  is back panel  120 ; while the back panel shown in  FIG. 2A-2C  is back panel  220 . Typically in these Figures, where a top plan view is shown for a blank of material, solid lines indicate periphery or cuts, and dashed lines indicate crease, score, or fold lines. In perspective views, solid lines typically show edges, while dashed lines typically show hidden or partially obscured features. Where assembly steps are described, these steps are exemplary and are not to be limiting as to the sequence of operations used to arrive at the final package. Also, directions such as up, down, top, bottom, front, back, etc. are used for convenience in describing the package and are not meant to be limiting. In most cases the packages described here are made from one or several blanks (that is, the cut sheet parts from which the package components are made by folding and other steps). However, it should be understood that certain unitary blanks may be provided instead as more than one part, and certain blanks may be combined into single blanks, while still arriving at the same finished package. The word “panel” will often be used to describe a piece of sheet material such as paperboard, particularly with respect to a blank from which the package is made. However, “panel” may also be used to describe a region of a piece of material, for example a portion of the material that is in a first plane, connected across a fold line with the same material in a second plane. Since panels are sometimes superimposed, for example, creating a two-layer structure, like features or panels will sometime coincide, in which cases, descriptions may call out the number identifying the feature closer to the viewer, that is, the feature visible in a particular Figure. 
     Paperboard security packages, such as blister packages, are well known by those skilled in the art.  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show plan and perspective views, respectively, of a card  110  for forming a known security package, for example as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/924,750. Also shown is a blister  160  to fit within the card. The blister may be a recycled material such as RPET or a biodegradable material such as PLA. The card may have a back panel  120  and a front panel  140  and one or both of these panels may comprise a hang hole  121 ,  141 . If both panels have hang holes, they may overlap to provide two layers of material to reinforce the hang hole and surrounding area. A reinforcing layer of paperboard or other material may be placed between the front and back panel, for example at the hang hole location, as described in PCT/US08/066517. The front panel may have an aperture  144  to receive the body  162  of blister  160 . Blister  160  may have a flange  164  to be sealably received between the back panel  120  and front panel  140 . 
       FIG. 1C  shows a perspective view of the package in a partially assembled configuration, with blister  160  placed upon back panel  120 , and front panel  140  in the process of being folded over the blister and back panel. As seen in  FIG. 1C , and also in the finished package  100  of  FIG. 1D , the body of blister  160  fits in aperture  144 , while the flange  164  becomes sandwiched between front panel  140  and back panel  120 . 
     The card  110  (and other cards, sleeves, liners, wraps, etc described herein) may be formed of a sheet material such as paperboard, which may be made of or coated with materials to increase its strength. An example of such a sheet material is EASYSEAL paperboard made by MeadWestvaco Corporation. The sheet material may have a heat sealable coating, for example to allow a heat seal to be created between the back panel  120  and front panel  140 . Alternately, other forms of adhesive may be used to seal these panels together. It should be noted that the use of tear resistant materials, and/or in more than one layer, help to improve the tamper- and theft-resistance of the package. 
     Package  100  may be used to enclose either a loose item of merchandise, or an inner carton enclosing merchandise. For example, a manufacturer may have an existing well established carton with a well-recognized brand image, but lacking adequate security. Such a carton may have a premium appearance, for example custom graphics, metallization, embossing, or other premium features. By placing the existing premium carton inside the security package, tamper and theft resistance are provided. Furthermore once the security package is opened (which may destroy the security package) the premium package is still intact. Thus a manufacturer may wish to enclose an existing carton within package  100 , or any of the other security packages described herein. 
     The following packages and blanks disclosed in this application teach modifications on the standard paperboard blister packages. The disclosed modifications teach improved standing features for a paperboard based package. It is to be understood that a variety of materials may be used to form these packages. However, for sustainability purposes, a paperboard based material may be used and for improved theft deterrence a tear resistant paperboard may be used. The standing features described in this application may be used alone or in combination with other package features. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a plan view of parts for forming a standing package, and  FIG. 2B  shows a plan view of the finished package  200 . The parts of this package may include a back panel  220 , a front panel  240 , and a blister  260 . Front panel  240  may comprise an aperture  244  through which the blister body  262  may protrude, while blister flange  264  may be sandwiched between back panel  220  and front panel  240 . The adjoining surfaces of front panel  240  and back panel  220  may be adhered together by heat sealing, gluing, or other adhesive. An additional blister (not shown) could be provided along with an aperture (not shown) in the back panel, to extend the blister cavity through to the back of the package as shown in some of the following examples. Alternately such a back blister might be provided along with a planar transparent front window in place of blister  260 , allowing contents to be seen from the front but contained behind the plane of front panel  240 . 
     Back panel  220  and front panel  240  may, for example, be paperboard. The panels are shown with substantially the same perimeter, which may yield a package comprised of two layers of paperboard. However, portions of the package might only be single ply. A more secure package may result if the blister flange  264  is sandwiched between two layers of material. One or both plies may comprise hang hole  221 ,  241 . Back panel  220  and front panel  240  may comprise cut lines  226 ,  246  delineating leg panels  227 ,  247  that may be hingedly folded relative to the package, for example along fold lines such as  226 F. 
       FIG. 2C  shows package  200  with leg panels  227 ,  247  folded back so that the package stands on the back-folded leg panels and on the lower edge  246 A. To save shipping space, the package may be shipped flat and have the leg panel  227 ,  247  folded at the point of sale. If leg panels  227 ,  247  are not two layers (that is, if only leg panel  227  or only leg panel  247  is provided) such a standing configuration may still be achieved with a single layer leg panel. Alternately leg panels  227 ,  247  may be provided but not adhered together, in which case, for example, leg panel  227  may be folded back while leg panel  247  remains unfolded. The location and shape of cut lines  226 ,  246  and the resulting leg panels  227 ,  247  may be designed so that the center of gravity of the finished package  200  falls between the edge  246 A and the bottom of folded leg panel  247 ,  227 , providing a stable support for the package. Alternately package  200  may be displayed hanging from hang hole  241 . 
     Heat sealing may be accomplished by use of both heat and pressure. Heat sealing may be used at the juncture of blister flange  264  with the front panel  240  and back panel  220 . Heat sealing may also be used along the periphery of front panel  240  and back panel  220 . Alternately heat sealing may be used on the entire adjoining surfaces of front panel  240  and back panel  220 , including the blister flange  264 . 
     In another embodiment, the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard, for example by attaching blister  260  to back panel  220  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means, and omitting front panel  240 . 
       FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of parts for forming another standing package. The parts may include back panel  320  with back side panels  320 A,  320 B; a front panel  340  with front side panels  340 A,  340 B, and a blister  360  with a main blister cavity  362  and blister side wings  362 A,  362 B. One or both of the front and back panels may comprise a hang hole  321 ,  341 . If both panels have a hang hole, they may overlap to reinforce the hang hole and the surrounding area. The front and back panel may be provided with fold, crease or score lines (generally shown, with fold line  320 F enumerated as an example). Blister  360  may be provided with blister flange  364  that may be sandwiched from behind by back panel  320  and back side panels  320 A,  320 B; and from in front by front panel  340  and front side panels  340 A,  340 B. Aperture  344  may be provided in front panel  340  through which blister  360  may protrude. Blister flange  364  while being generally flat may lie in more than one plane. For example, flange portions  364 A and  364 B may intersect in a flange fold  364 F. The shape of the blister flange  364 , including one or more flange folds, may be used to help retain the finished package in a particular shape. 
       FIGS. 3B and 3C  show the assembled package in front perspective and top perspective views. The (now hidden) blister flange  364  is shown (dashed lines) sandwiched between the layers of the front panel and back panel. The shape of the flange holds the side panels (e.g. front side panels  340 A,  340 B and back side panels  320 A,  320 B) in a self-standing configuration. The particular angle of the side panels to the front panel  340  and back panel  320  may be controlled by the design of blister  360  and its flange  364 . This angle, along with the size of the side panels relative to the package and the blister, may be chosen so that the center of gravity of the finished package falls within the “footprint” defined by the front/back panel and the side panels. Thus the package will stand upright and stable. Alternately the package may be displayed hanging from hang hole  341 . 
     In another embodiment the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard, for example by attaching blister  360  to back panel  320  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means, and omitting front panel  340 . 
     It is to be understood that the hang tab may comprise two or more layers of material. It is to be understood that the hang tab may comprise three or more layers of material. It is to be understood that the exact dimensions of the package may be adjusted based on manufacturing preferences. In addition, fold-over panels may be provided on some paperboard panels to strengthen certain areas, for example the hang tab, by adding one or more layers. In such an instance a heavier product may be contained within the package without risk of the hang tab tearing or breaking. These packages may be formed from more than one blank of paperboard material, or the blanks may in some cases be combined. In some cases, the packages may be formed from a single blank of paperboard material. In some cases, the packages may be formed using a single layer of paperboard material. 
     Fold lines in certain of the package designs may provide an area through which to initiate a tear. To help prevent such a tear or keep it from breaching the blister, stress diverter features (not shown) may be provided such as shaped openings along a fold line to divert a tear away from the blister. One or more layers of the paperboard (any in any of the packages) may have one or more overt (visible) or hidden features to help deflect any initiated tear back toward the outside periphery of the package, or otherwise away from the contents. For example, partially-cut lines may be made into a hidden surface such as the inward-facing surface of the front panel or back panel, so that if a tear is initiated, the hidden partially-cut line may divert the tear back toward the edge of the package. Such tear-diverting features are described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/081,404. 
     A tear proof material such as DURAFOLD paperboard will usually need to be opened using a tool such as a knife or scissors. Tear resistant material such as NATRALOCK may be provided with overt or hidden features to assist a customer in opening the package, as described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/025,102. Such opening features may be incorporated in any of the packages disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 4A  shows a side perspective view of parts for forming another standing package. The parts may include a back panel  420  with back extension panel  425  and back terminal panels  422 ,  428 . The parts may further include a front panel  440  with front extension panel  445  and front terminal panels  442 ,  448 . The terms “back” and “front” are not meant to be limiting. As will be seen with the finished package, back panels  420 , etc. might also be considered “inner” panels, while front panels  440 , etc. might also be considered “outer” panels. The front and back panels may comprise hang holes  421 ,  421 A,  441 ,  441 A. The package may also comprise front blister  460  with blister body  462  and blister flange  464 . The package may also comprise back blister  470  with blister body  472 , blister flange  474 , detent feature  475 , and narrowed portion  473 . Detent feature  475  may for example be a groove, rib, ridge, one or more bumps, or other shape feature capable of interacting with an edge of the paperboard or opening in the paperboard such as aperture  426 ,  446 . 
     The front panel  440  and back panel  420 , and their attached panels, may be identical or nearly identical as shown in  FIG. 4A , thus resulting in a package whose paperboard components are for the most part two-layer. However, certain of the paperboard panels may be omitted, resulting in a package with some single layer areas. It may be advantageous for at least front panel  440  and back panel  420  to be provided so that blister flanges  464 ,  474  may be sandwiched between layers of paperboard as shown. 
       FIG. 4B  shows a side perspective view of the package in a partly assembled configuration. It is seen that blister body  462  of blister  460  may fit through aperture  444  in front panel  440 , while blister body  472  of blister  470  may fit through aperture  424  in back panel  420 . 
       FIG. 4C  shows the finished package, which may have an approximately triangular shape, with front panel  440  (obscured) back panel  420  forming one leg of the shape, lateral wall, while (obscured) front extension panel  445  and back extension panel  425  form the other leg of the triangular shape. Meanwhile front terminal panel  442  (obscured) and back terminal panel  422  may overlap front terminal panel  448  (obscured) and back terminal panel  428 , to form the base of the shape. Interlocking features  430  may be provided in the terminal panels  422 ,  428 ,  442 ,  448 . Such features may include locking tabs, fingers, holes, adhesives, etc. as are known in the art. 
     As seen in  FIG. 4C , the body  472  of the back blister  470  may extend through the “center” portion of the triangular shape. The body  472 , depending on design, may not extend through aperture  426 ,  446  in extension  425 ,  445 . However, narrowed portion  473  may extend through aperture  426 ,  446 . Thus the triangular shape is limited from flexing inward. This may add strength to the package. Also to limit inward (our outward) flexing of the triangular shape, detent feature  475  may be provided which may engage the edge of aperture  426 ,  446 .  FIG. 4D  shows an alternate embodiment, partly assembled, where a raised rib  476  may be provided on one or more sides of blister  470 . When the paperboard panels are folded into the triangular shape, and front/back extension panel  425 ,  445  is folded around blister  470 , a detent such as raised rib  476  may prevent aperture  446  from sliding excessively inward with respect to blister  470 . The detent may also take other forms such as a groove, series of raised dimples, or other form to stop or restrict movement of the paperboard relative to the blister. 
     In another embodiment the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard. For example, front panel  440  and its attached panels may be omitted, and the blisters  460 ,  470  attached to one or both surfaces of back panel  420  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. Alternately, back panel  420  and its attached panels may be omitted, and the blisters  460 ,  470  attached to one or both surfaces of front panel  440  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. 
       FIG. 5A  shows a front perspective view of parts for forming another standing package. The parts may include a back panel  520  that may comprise a fold, a front panel  540  that may also comprise a fold. The front and back panels may comprise hang holes  541 ,  521 . The package may also comprise front blister  560 , and back blister  570 , the blisters having flanges  564 ,  574  with folded contours matching the folds in the front panel  540  and back panel  520 . While the folds in  FIG. 5A  are triangular in cross section as viewed from above, other fold shapes such as “L”, “Z”, “W” may be utilized, as may a curved shape such as a “C” or “S” shape. The front panel  540  may have an aperture  544  to receive blister body  562 . The back panel  520  may have an aperture  524  to receive blister body  572 . 
       FIG. 5B  shows a front perspective view of the package in an assembled configuration, with the blister flange  564  (and also blister flange  574 ) shown by dashed line sandwiched between front panel  540  (and also back panel  520 ). The folded “V” shape of the paperboard panels allows the package to stand upright. In one embodiment, the center of gravity of the package will fall within the “footprint” of the paperboard shape, thus providing a stable standing arrangement. Alternately the package may be displayed suspended by hang hole  541 . 
     In another embodiment the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard. For example, front panel  540  may be omitted, and the blisters  560 ,  570  attached to one or both surfaces of back panel  520  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. Alternately, back panel  520  may be omitted, and the blisters  560 ,  570  attached to one or both surfaces of front panel  540  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. 
       FIG. 6A  shows a back perspective view of parts for forming another standing package. The parts may include back panel  620  with back side panels  620 A,  620 B; front panel  640  with front side panels  640 A,  640 B. The parts may also include a front blister  660  with a blister body  662 . The parts may further include a back blister  670  with blister body  672  and wing tabs  672 A,  672 B. One or both of the front and back panels may comprise a hang hole  641 ,  621 . If both panels have a hang hole, they may overlap to reinforce the hang hole and the surrounding area. The front and back panel may be provided with fold, crease or score lines (generally shown, with fold line  640 F enumerated as an example). 
     Blisters  660 ,  670  may be provided with blister flange  664 ,  674  that may be sandwiched from behind by back panel  620  and from in front by front panel  640 . Apertures  624 ,  644  may be provided in back panel  620  and front panel  640  through which blisters  670 ,  660  respectively may protrude. Catch holes  622 ,  642  may be provided in the back panel  620  and front panel  640 . 
       FIG. 6B  shows the assembled package in back perspective view. The (now hidden) blister flange  674  is shown (dashed lines) sandwiched between the layers of the front panel and back panel. The front side panels  640 A,  640 B with their proximate back side panels  620 A,  620 B) have been folded back with respect to front panel  640  and its proximate back panel  620 . Wing tabs  672 A,  672 B may be inserted through catch holes  622 ,  642  to retain the side panels in their folded configuration. The particular angle of the side panels to the front panel  640  and back panel  620  may be controlled by the design of blister  670  and its wing tabs  672 A,  672 B relative to the location of catch holes  622 ,  642 . The design may be chosen so that the center of gravity of the finished package falls within the “footprint” defined by the front/back panel and the side panels. Thus the package will stand upright and stable. Alternately the package may be displayed hanging from hang hole  621 . 
     In another embodiment the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard. For example, front panel  640  may be omitted, and the blisters  660 ,  670  attached to one or both surfaces of back panel  620  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. Alternately, back panel  620  may be omitted, and the blisters  660 ,  670  attached to one or both surfaces of front panel  640  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. 
       FIG. 7A  shows a plan view of blanks for another standing package. The blanks may include a front blank comprising a front upper panel  740 , front middle panel  743 , and front lower panel  745 , and a back blank comprising a back upper panel  720 , back middle panel  723 , and back lower panel  725 . These panels may be separated by fold or score lines, for example fold line  720 F. The upper panels may comprise hang holes  721 ,  741  and the lower panels may comprise hang holes  721 A,  741 A. An upper aperture  744  may be provided in front upper panel  740 . A lower aperture  724  may be provided in back lower panel  725 . The front blank and the back blank may be separate parts as shown, or may be formed from a single sheet. During assembly the two blanks may be superimposed to form a two-layer package structure with blisters trapped between the layers, as previously described for the packages shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
       FIG. 7B  shows a side perspective view of the package. An upper blister  762  may be placed in the upper aperture  744  and a lower blister  772  in the lower aperture  724 . These blisters may be provided with flanges (not shown) that are sandwiched between the paperboard layers. From the viewpoint of the unassembled blanks shown in  FIG. 7A , the upper blister would face forward (upward) and the lower blister would face backward (downward). The packaging structure may be folded into the shape seen in  FIG. 7B , where the upper blister  762  faces forward, as does the lower blister  772 . Upper blister  762  may for example house an item such as a DVD case, game cartridge, electronic module, or other item. Lower blister  772  may for example house an item such as a game controller, earphones, deck of cards, or other item. Upper blister  762  may be provided with a catch feature  780 , such as one or more overlying fingers  782  that may catch the edge  725 A of the lower panel, holding the package in a standing configuration. Upper blister  762  may also be provided with a catch feature such as hook  784  that may engage the hang hole  721 A, holding the package in a standing configuration.  FIG. 7C  shows the overlying fingers  782  having caught edge  725 A, and the hook  784  having engaged hang hole  721 A. The package may be designed so that the center of gravity is located over the “footprint” occupied by middle panel  743 , giving a stable standing package. Alternately the package may be displayed suspended from hang hole  741 . The package may be separated into two parts, for example by tearing along line  743 F or  725 F, and then hanging the two parts from hang holes  721 A and  741 . If desired, the location of blister  772  may be “inside” the central triangular shape of the package. In such a case, if visibility into blister  772  is desired, a transparent “window” of plastic or blister material may be placed into the forward opening in back lower panel  725  (which faces forward in the configuration shown in  FIGS. 7B and 7C ). 
     In another embodiment the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard. For example, front panel  740  may be omitted, and the blisters  762 ,  772  each attached to an appropriate surface of back panel  720  (in this design, to opposite surfaces of the back panel) by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. In this case, lower aperture  724  may be omitted. Alternately, back panel  720  may be omitted, and the blisters  762 ,  772  each attached to an appropriate surface of front panel  740  (in this design, to opposite surfaces of the front panel) by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. In this case, upper aperture  744  may be omitted. 
       FIG. 8A  shows a back perspective view of blanks for another standing package. The blanks may include a front blank comprising a front upper panel  840 , front middle panel  843 , and front lower panel  845 , and a back blank comprising a back upper panel  820 , back middle panel  823 , and back lower panel  825 . These panels may be separated by fold or score lines, for example fold line  820 F. The upper panels may comprise hang holes  821 ,  841  and the lower panels may comprise catch holes  822 ,  842 . An aperture  844  may be provided in front upper panel  840 , and an aperture  824  may be provided in back upper panel  820 . The front blank and the back blank may be separate parts as shown, or may be formed from a single sheet. During assembly the two blanks may be superimposed to form a two-layer package structure with blisters trapped between the layers, as previously described for the packages shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . The body  862  of front blister  860  may protrude through aperture  844 , with the blister flange  864  captured between the front upper panel  840  and back upper panel  820 . The body  872  of back blister  870  may protrude through aperture  824 , with the flange  874  captured between the back upper panel  820  and front upper panel  840 . The back blister  870  may comprise one or more overhanging fingers  882  and one or more hooks  884 . 
       FIG. 8B  shows a side perspective view of the package after assembly. The blister flanges, for example flange  874  as denoted by dashed line, are captured between the front upper panel  840  (obscured) and the back upper panel  820 . The middle panels as denoted by back middle panel  823  are folded backward relative to the upper panels, and the lower panels as denoted by front lower panel  845  is then folded upward. This folds a self-standing structure. To retain the structure in the desired folded configuration, the lower panel  845  may be placed under overhanging fingers  882 . To further help retain the folded configuration, catch hole  842  may engage hook  884 . 
     The package may be designed so that the center of gravity is located over the “footprint” occupied by middle panel  823 , giving a stable standing package. Alternately the package may be displayed suspended from hang hole  841 . If desired, front blister  860  may be omitted and optionally replaced by a transparent “window” of plastic or blister material. 
     In another embodiment the package may be made of only one layer of paperboard. For example, front panel  840  may be omitted, and the blisters  860 ,  870  attached to one or both surfaces of back panel  820  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. Alternately, back panel  820  may be omitted, and the blisters  860 ,  870  attached to one or both surfaces of front panel  840  by heat sealing, glue, staples, or other means. 
     Examples of materials and processes from which the exemplary packages may be formed are discussed in greater detail in U.S. Ser. No. 11/545,842 filed on Oct. 11, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The standing features described in this application may be used alone or in combination with other described standing features or security features. It is to be understood that a variety of materials may be used to form these packages. However, for sustainability purposes, a paperboard based material may be used and for improved theft deterrence a tear resistant paperboard may be used. Package materials may include tear-proof materials such as DURAFOLD paperboard, tear-resistant materials such as NATRALOCK paperboard, as well as other types of paperboard or plastic materials. The packages may be made of one or more layers of material, including but not limited to one, two, three or more layers of material. Different parts of the packages may comprise different materials and/or different numbers of layers. 
     The packages disclosed herein may be comprised mostly of paperboard, for example as described in International Application PCT/US08/051245. The paperboard used in such packages may be tear-resistant as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,635. 
     The packages disclosed herein may be made from one or several blanks (that is, the cut sheet parts from which the package components are made by folding and other steps). However, it should be understood that certain unitary blanks may be provided instead as more than one part, and certain blanks may be combined into single blanks, while still arriving at the same finished package. 
     Where more than one blank is used, the blanks may be assembled in various stages, including assembling a unitary blank into a package, assembling separate blanks and then joining them to form a package, and joining two or more blanks together, for example by heat sealing, gluing, mechanical fastening, or otherwise and then forming the combined blanks into the package. 
     It is to be understood that certain packages may be one continuous piece of material, and other packages may comprise two or more pieces of material. It is to be understood that a package may be heat sealed even where a heat sealed surface is in contact with a non-heat sealable surface. It is to be understood that in such a situation such an adhesion will strengthen the package, though it may not strengthen it as much as heat sealing between two heat sealable surfaces. 
     The packages described herein may be assembled in stages at various locations, for example partially constructing the package, moving or shipping it to one or more other locations, and completing the assembly of the package. For example, a package may be formed into a flattened or collapsible structure, then moved or shipped to another location for final forming, filling, and closure. 
     The packages may be shipped flat and erected when the product is filled or it may be shipped with the tray formed such that the heat sealing only needs to be performed at the edges of the package. It is to be understood that alternate sealing methods may be utilized depending upon manufacturing preferences, and that the package designs may still increase tear resistance in such a case, without the heat sealing. It is to be understood that using heat sealing with the package designs described herein may further increase the tear resistance of the packages. 
     Portions of the packages may be made of one, two, or more layers of material. It is to be understood that additional layers of material may be used based on manufacturing preferences. Portions of certain panels may be folded over or around the portions of other panels, creating multiple layers of material. 
     The packages may be provided with overt or hidden features to assist a customer in opening the package, as described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/025,102. Such opening features may be incorporated in any of the packages disclosed herein. 
     The packages may be provided with features to allow opening as described in U.S. Provisional Application 61/025,102. Such features, by way of example, may include overt or hidden weakened areas in the package. Such features may include a cut or nick in the periphery of the package, by which to initiate a tear. Such a tear initiation feature may be covered by a security device. 
     It should be understood that additional foldover panels may be included in the package blanks for further reinforcing the packages. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosed blister packaging structures may provide a theft deterrent function at least for a few moments, while providing legitimate consumers with packages easy to open in a reasonably short time, for example using a pair of scissors and reducing the risk of injury as the scissors are less likely to slip on the NATRALOCK or paperboard like material than on the plastic blister pack. 
     To provide additional tear resistance protection, any of the materials used in these designs could be provided with overt or hidden features such as nicks, scores, perforations, holes, or other diverting features such that if a tear is initiated in the packaging material, it will not propagate in a direction more likely to breach the package, but may be rerouted by the diverting feature or features in a direction less likely to breach the package. Alternately the diverting feature may stop the tear, slow the progression of the tear, or cause it to take a meandering path, thus lengthening the time it may take to eventually breach the package, and thereby discouraging a thief. Certain tear-diverting features are described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/081,404. 
     It is to be understood that a variety of standing features or a variety of hanging features may be used on any of these package designs as determined by manufacturing preferences. One or more reinforcing layers of paperboard or other material may be placed between layers of a package, for example between the front and back panels of a card-type package, for example at the hang hole location, as described in PCT/US08/066517. The packages may be made to stand upright, either by their general shape, or for example by providing “feet” on the lower portion of blister  160 , as described in International Application PCT/US06/030280. Although various aspects of the disclosed blister packaging structures have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification.