Patent Publication Number: US-6338410-B1

Title: Transparent frame carton enclosure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to transparent enclosures, and, more particularly, to acrylic frame carton enclosures that are used in the packaging industry which can bind packages together, and which also can themselves bind multiple carton enclosures together. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Packaging small containers together in large groupings is accomplished in the packaging field typically by placing small containers into a box or other type of carton. When viewing of the small containers is desired, plastic shrink wrap or other material placed over the entire package is utilized. If a user desires to group small containers together and leave areas open for affixing coupons and other promotional material combined, the package design has significantly more limitations. Another known method of attaching packages together is use of adhesive strips or like material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,901 disclosed the utilization of an adhesive label to be applied to the bottom of packages in order for binding of two packages together into a single unit. However, the use of adhesives in such a manner limits the availability of combining large number of packages together and doesn&#39;t allow easy access to the bottom surface covered. 
     An alternative embodiment is displayed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,993 wherein a long band is applied to both the side surface of two packages so that they may be affixed in side-by-side relationship. However, ready access to the various surfaces of the packages is not available in such an embodiment. There are a number of different apparatuses known in the prior art for the application of binding packages together. None of these prior art references, however, teach the application of a transparent frame carton enclosure wherein the various panels of the package or container are available for access of the application of additional advertising material or other printed matter. Additionally, none of these prior art references allow the binding mechanism to be releasably attached to a neighboring binding mechanism so that the combined packages may be affixed together or combined in formation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is for a transparent frame carton enclosure which binds a plurality of small packages together into a single unit. The transparent carton frame enclosure of the present invention allows the packages to be bound together in such a manner that the various surfaces of the packages are available for adding printed material, advertising information or potentially tax stamps, as is commonly the case for cigarette products. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a transparent frame carton enclosure which allows multiple packages to be bound together in carton-like form. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent frame carton enclosure wherein the upper surface of the packages are readily available for attachment of tax stamp or other like material. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a transparent frame carton enclosure wherein an upper frame enclosure and a lower frame enclosure is utilized and adhered to both the upper portion of the combined packages and the lower portion of combined packages. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a transparent frame carton enclosure wherein each of the frames of the carton enclosure have a releasably engageable attachment mechanism for binding together adjacent combined package units in a secure manner. Thus, the combined package units which the transparent frame carton enclosure creates may be releasably attached to a neighboring combined package unit and each of the units thereby may be stacked to create a display or other secure formation. 
     Even more particularly, the present invention comprises a transparent frame carton enclosure which encloses a plurality of packages, preferably cigarette packages, and wherein the carton enclosure is comprised of an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion. The upper frame portion wraps circumferentially around the upper exterior sidewall portion of the combined package unit, namely for cigarette packages, combined package units resembling cigarette cartons. The combined package unit also incorporates a lower frame portion which circumferentially wraps the lower sidewall portion of the combined package unit. Both the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion of the transparent frame carton enclosure securely retain the plurality of packages of the combined package unit together in a form which is similar to the commonly known cardboard carton and which also allows ready access to both the front surface and top or bottom surface of each individual package contained within the combined package unit. 
     Even further, the present invention incorporates utilization of an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion wherein both the upper frame portion and lower frame portion includes use of a locking bead and locking groove so that adjacent package units may be releasably locked together in secure form. These and other objects are met by the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combined package unit having the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cut-away perspective view of the transparent frame carton enclosure shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an end view of the transparent frame carton enclosure of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a close-up of the top portion of the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the transparent frame carton enclosure and closure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view an alternative embodiment of the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention; and, FIG. 6 a  is an end view of an additional alternative embodiment of the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A combined package unit  10  which is created by utilization of the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention is shown in FIG.  1 . The transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention is comprised of the upper frame portion  11  and the lower frame portion  12  which is depicted in the figure. As shown therein, a plurality of packages  15  are combined together to form the combined package unit  10 . Each of the individual packages  15 , as shown in FIG. 1, are rectangular in shape, and in this example, are representative of cigarette packs or like packages. However, it is understood that many different package shapes and types may be utilized and thus the application of the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention to various type packages is considered to fall within the scope of the inventive concept. 
     The combined package unit  10  is comprised of a plurality of packages  15 , here shown as a combined unit of ten separate cigarette packs. The combined package unit  10  is held together by a transparent upper frame portion  11  and a transparent lower frame portion  12 . Both the upper frame portion  11  and lower frame portion  12  wrap around the periphery of the combined package unit  10  on either the upper portion of the sidewall of the combined package unit or along the lower portion of the sidewall of the combined package unit  10 . As depicted in FIG. 1, the upper frame portion  11  and lower frame portion  12  retain the combined package unit  10  in a single unit and replace the commonly known cardboard cigarette cartons in which packages  15  are usually placed. 
     As depicted in FIG. 1, the packages are placed side to side, five packages forming one row with the second row of five packages in back-to-back relationship with the first row. Thus, the first row of packages  23  has each of the five packages comprising said first row faced outwardly so that the front face of each individual package  15  is visible. Likewise, second package row  22  is comprised of five individual package units which are each faced outward so that the back panel of each individual cigarette package is in back to back abutting relationship with an adjacent back panel of a cigarette package in the opposing row. 
     The upper frame portion  11  wraps around the periphery of the combined package unit  10  and contacts the sidewall surface of each individual package, the sidewall of the package being comprised of either the depending front face of the package or side face of the package. It is preferable but not necessary that the upper frame portion  11  and the lower frame portion  12  contact only the sidewall or front walls of the each individual package unit  15  thereby leaving the package top surface  16  and likewise the opposite package bottom surface  25  freely available and accessible. Likewise, the band which comprise the upper frame portion  11  and the lower frame portion  12  and which extends around the periphery of the combined package unit  10  only encroaches into the front panel of the individual package units  15  a minimal amount so that a majority of the front panel is readily available for attachment of additional material if desired. It is also preferred that the upper frame  11  and lower frame portion  12  be transparent so that the entire individual package  15 , a plurality of which forms the combined package unit  10 , is easily visable to the consumer. 
     Preferably, both the upper frame portion  11  and the lower frame portion  12  of the transparent frame carton enclosure of the present invention be made of acrylic or plastic construction, a width of approximately ¼″ to ½″ and thickness of approximately {fraction (1/20)}th of an inch. The acrylic frame construction, if used is a sturdy and somewhat rigid retaining the package unit  10  together. The rigidity of the acrylic construction may aid in the stability or the enclosure and also aids in the stability of the interconnection mechanism, the locking beads and grooves to be described herein. Other similar type product construction for both the upper frame portion  11  and lower frame portion  12  are available and are considered to fall within the teachings of the present disclosure. 
     The combined package unit  10  of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 1 has ten individual package units adhered together. Both the first row  23  and second row  22  may be individually packaged and then combined with the upper frame portion and lower frame portion. These combination of rows is depicted in FIG. 2 wherein five of the packages are initially adhered together utilizing a two-sided adhesive  13 . Application of a two-sided adhesive  13  to a row of five cigarette packs may be done with common packaging machinery. After a first and a second row  23  and  22  are adhered together to form the combined package unit  10 , both the upper frame portion  11  and the lower frame portion  12  may be applied surrounding the periphery of the top and bottom of the combined package unit  10 . While the adhesive  13  adhered the ten individual packages together, both the upper frame portion  11  and lower frame portion  12  are utilized to securely affix the entire package into a single unit and thereby retain all of the individual packages  15  within the combined package unit  10 . Likewise an adhesive may be placed on the interior surface of the upper and lower frame portions  11  and  12  to further increase the stability of the unit. 
     Turning to FIG. 3, a side or end view of the combined package unit  10  is depicted wherein the upper frame portion  11  and lower frame portion  12  are clearly visible. In addition, the adhesive  13  is indicated on the back wall of both the individual package units depicted therein. Further, on one surface of the upper frame portion  11  is a locking bead  18   a  which extends outwardly from the upper portion of the upper frame  11 . Similarly, on the opposing side of the upper frame  11  is found a locking groove  17   a.  Similar locking bead and locking grooves are found on the lower frame portion  12  and correspond to  18   b  and  17   b  therein. The locking beads  18   a  and  18   b  are designed to releasably engage the locking grooves  17   a  and  17   b  found on the opposite sides of the combined package unit  10  and in fact, on both the upper frame portion  11  and lower frame portion  12 . It is apparent that various constructions and placements of an interconnection element are readily available and are considered to fall within the teaching herein. 
     The locking bead  18   a  and locking groove  17   a  may be utilized so that during shipment or for placement of the combined package units  10  on a product display shelf, adjacent package units may be securely affixed together to form a unique display such that all of the units are securely held together. The design is such that each of the individual combined package units  10  may be readily removed from the combined stack of a plurality of combined package units given that the locking beads and locking grooves are made of acrylic or plastic-like material and readily engage and disengage one another. 
     A close-up of the locking bead and locking grooves in the side view of FIG. 3 is depicted in FIG. 4 wherein the locking bead  18   a  and the locking groove  17   a  is likewise found. Shown in FIG. 5 is an extreme close-up of adjacent upper frame portions  11   a  and  11   b  wherein a locking bead  18   a  is releasably engaged into a locking groove  17   a  of an adjacent package. Such releasable engagement of the first upper frame  11   a  and the second package upper frame  11   b  allows the combined package units to be releasably attached to one another and thereby stacked in secured formation. It is commonly desired in the industry to stack a plurality of the package cartons together. However, due to the fact that the plurality of stacked carton are not secure, such stacking is not frequently done in a display environment. However, given the adjacent interconnection mechanism of the first package upper frame  11   a  and second package upper frame  11   b  and is understood (and a similar releasable locking engagement with the lower frame portion), a plurality of the combined package units  10  may be securely affixed together without worry as to the stability or instability of the stacked package units. 
     An alternative embodiment of the frame portion  11   c  shown in FIG. 6 is depicted. As is apparent, the frame portions  11  shown in FIG. 3, in  11   a  and  11   b  shown in FIG. 5 allow the connecting of combined packaging units in horizontal relationship due to the beads  18   a  and locking groove  17   a  extending outward on a horizontal plane. If it is desirable to stack the combined package units in a vertical nature, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is available wherein an upwardly locking bead  18   c  is depicted along one edge of the frame member  11   c.  On the opposing side of the frame member  11   c  is an upwardly extending locking groove  17   c.  As is apparent, there will be an appropriate lower frame member, not shown, which has a downwardly extending locking bead a downwardly extending locking groove, in opposite relationship as is depicted in FIG. 6, which will mate with the bead and groove  18   c  and  17   c  depicted in FIG.  6 . Thus, the combined package units may be stacked one upon each other and the locking bead and grooves interconnect so that the combined package units are securely affixed to one another. As is evident and shown in FIG. 6 a,  combinations of horizontal and vertical locking grooves and locking beads may be utilized to provide the necessary effect of stacking in either the horizontal, vertical, or combination directions. Again, similar interconnection mechanisms for releasable attachment will be formed on the lower frame portion which is not shown in these figures. Similarly, as opposed to the locking bead and locking groove construction depicted, locking channels or recesses may be utilized on the frame members for interconnection therein. 
     The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modification can be made by those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.