Patent Publication Number: US-6220443-B1

Title: Package

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to packaging for shipping and displaying objects. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     Product packaging has evolved from being merely a shipping aid into a crucial marketing tool. More than ever, package design is directed to enhancing product attractiveness. Many different package designs have been developed which provide for both protecting products during shipping and displaying the products in a marketplace once shipped. Some designs provide perforations or other conventions for severing a package wall or walls so that portions of the package may be folded away to expose the contents of the package. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 141,077, issued May 1, 1945, to J. P. Sawyer, entitled Display Box; U.S. Pat. No. 2,324,436, issued Jul. 13, 1943, to D. J. Snyder, entitled Packing And Display Case; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,037, issued Apr. 12, 1955, to H. A. Feigelman, entitled Folding Shipping And Display Boxes. 
     Other designs provide a manipulable package including one or more panels, each having an aperture for viewing the package contents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 611,063, issued Sep. 20, 1898, to C. E. Davis, entitled Counter Display Box; U.S. Pat. No. 1,210,008, issued Dec. 26, 1916, to J. B. Singer et al., entitled Display Device; U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,543, issued Dec. 12, 1967, to R. B. Taggart, entitled Display And Gift Box; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,178, issued Jul. 31, 1984, to S. D. Freeman, entitled Display Structure Formed Of A Unitary Blank. 
     Some designs provide an internal panel, or combination of panels essentially functioning as a singular panel, having apertures, each for receiving, but not retaining, an object. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,171,083, issued Feb. 8, 1916, to B. F. Bailey, entitled Egg Box; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,019,414, issued Oct. 29, 1935, to O. L. Isacson, entitled Box For Packing Eggs And Similar Fragile Objects. 
     Other designs provide for retaining an object with cooperating slotted internal panels and exposing the contents to some extent. However, complete access to the contents requires destruction of the package. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,726, issued Oct. 25, 1988, to M. S. Pratt, entitled Packaging. 
     Still other designs provide for a package composed of hinged prism-like compartments which may be manipulated to register apertures in each compartment and receive objects. However, the apertures do not positively retain the object. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,210, issued Jun. 21, 1994, to J. P. Chila et al., entitled Display Box. 
     Unfortunately, none of the foregoing provides a package that is manipulable between an encapsulating position, for shipping or storing, and a displaying position, for exposing and retaining, an object. None of the aforementioned references, taken alone or in combination, are seen as teaching or suggesting the presently claimed Package. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a package that is manipulable between an encapsulating position, for shipping or storing, and a displaying position, for exposing and retaining, an object. The invention provides a package for storing, shipping, protecting, retaining, displaying and promoting an object. The invention provides improved elements and arrangements thereof, in an apparatus for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     An embodiment configured according to principles of the invention includes a main compartment with a main aperture for retaining an object. The package has one or more manipulable adjacent compartments, each with an adjacent aperture, which accommodate the object. The adjacent compartments may maintain the object in the adjacent aperture when the package is in the closed position. 
     These and other features of the invention will be appreciated more readily in view of the drawings and detailed description below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is described in detail below with reference to the following drawings, throughout which similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top right front elevational view of an embodiment of a package, manipulated into an open position, constructed according to principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, manipulated into a closed position; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank for an inner panel of the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank for an outer panel of the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 3, in a folded configuration prior to assembly with the embodiment of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 6 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 4, in a folded configuration prior to assembly with the embodiment of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional detail view of the main compartment of the embodiment of FIG. 1, drawn along line VII—VII in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a horizontal, cross-sectional detail view of a compartment having a non-planar interior panel; 
     FIG. 9 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, retaining a first object; 
     FIG. 10 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, retaining a second object; 
     FIG. 11 is a top right front elevational view of another embodiment of a package, manipulated into an open position, constructed according to principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 11, manipulated into a closed position; 
     FIG. 13 is a plan view of a blank for an inner panel of the embodiment of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 14 is a plan view of a blank for an outer panel of the embodiment of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 15 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 11, retaining a first object; 
     FIG. 16 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 11, retaining a second object; 
     FIG. 17 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 11, retaining a third object; 
     FIG. 18 is a top right front elevational view of a further embodiment of a package, manipulated into an open position, constructed according to principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 19 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 18, manipulated into a closed position; 
     FIG. 20 is a plan view of a blank for an inner panel of the embodiment of FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 21 is a plan view of a blank for an outer panel of the embodiment of FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 22 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 18, retaining a first object; 
     FIG. 23 is a top right front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 18, retaining a second object; and 
     FIG. 24 is a top right front elevational view of an additional embodiment of a package, manipulated into an open position, constructed according to principles of the invention, retaining a first and a second object. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a convertible package for concealing and exposing a retained object. The package is manipulable between an encapsulating position, for shipping or storing, and a displaying position, for exposing, a retained object. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a package  100  configured according to principles of the invention is shown manipulated into an open position. FIG. 2 shows the package  100  manipulated into a closed position. The package  100  has a main compartment  102   a  with a main aperture  104   a  for retaining an object (not shown). The package  100  has manipulable adjacent compartments  102   b  each with an adjacent aperture  104   b  which accommodate the object (not shown). The adjacent compartments  102   b  may maintain the object (not shown) in the adjacent apertures  104   b  when the package  100  is in the closed position. However, the apertures  104   b  do not retain or seize the object (not shown) or otherwise discourage dislodgement from the adjacent compartment  102   b.    
     Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 5, the package  100  includes an inner blank  106  that is folded along fold lines  108 , defining a plurality of interior panels  110   a  and  110   b.  The main interior panel  110   a  provides the main aperture  104   a  and the adjacent interior panels  110   b  provide the adjacent apertures  104   b.    
     In this embodiment, as shown on FIGS. 1,  5  and  7 , the main interior panel  110   a  essentially defines a plane, thus the main aperture  104   a  falls essentially within a plane. Although the invention does not require that the main interior panel  110   a  or main aperture  104   a  remain in a plane, the main aperture  104   a  is configured to retain an object. Retaining an object is achieved best with, but not limited to, a planar main interior panel with an aperture for receiving and retaining the object. 
     Retaining an object includes restricting the ability of the object to become dislodged from the compartment  102   a.  Preventing dislodgement is achieved, for example, by squeezing the object. Referring to FIG. 7, when the main aperture  104   a  remains in one plane, the annular inner edge  112   a  of the main aperture  104   a  contacts or “bites” into the side of an appropriately sized object inserted therein, generally orthogonally with respect to the insertion direction  114 . The contact forces  116   a  which squeeze an object or resist its passage through the main aperture  104   a  substantially have a common locus also within the plane of the main interior panel. This convention promotes stable maintenance of an object once inserted because the contact forces  116   a  are balanced, falling substantially within the plane of the main interior panel, thus have marginal orthogonal force components which would urge the object from the main aperture  104   a.  For example, when the package is intended to retain an object, such as a ball, the main aperture  104   a  may be configured with a diameter  118   a  that is equal to or less than the diameter of the ball. In the case of a baseball, which generally is symmetrical about any axis, the aperture  104   a  may be configured with a circular shape having an annular edge that bites into the soft surface of the ball. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, where an aperture A occurs over multiple planes P 1  and P 2 , the inner edge E of the aperture A contacts the side of an inserted object with normal forces N that are not balanced, but have significant orthogonal force components that would urge the object from the main aperture A. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, the package  100  also may restrict object dislodgment therefrom by providing a passage that discourages passage of the object. For example, the aperture  104   a  may be configured with a circular shape having a diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the ball so that, once slightly more than half of the ball is forced through the aperture, the relatively smaller aperture will resist passage of the ball back through. To this end, the main interior panel  110   a  may be constructed from material that deforms sufficiently to allow forceful introduction of the ball through the main aperture  104   a  and regains a sufficient amount of its relatively smaller pre-insertion configuration. 
     For irregularly-shaped objects, such as a bottle, the main aperture  104   a  may correspond to an outer surface of the bottle, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 10, for example. The edge  112   a  of the aperture  104   a  need not entirely contact an inserted object, only a sufficient amount of the object that the aperture  104   a  can grip, overlap or otherwise resist object dislodgement. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1,  3  and  5 , the adjacent interior panels  110   b  are folded along fold lines  120 , respectively, defining sub-panels  122   a  and  122   b.  Thus, adjacent apertures  104   b  occur on diverse planes defined by the sub-panels  122   a  and  122   b.  The adjacent apertures  104   b  are configured to contact or maintain an object when the package  100  is in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  2 . To this end, the adjacent apertures  104   b  may be sized to complement or be oversized with respect to the surface of the object which the adjacent apertures  104   b  contact. Maintaining an object means that the object substantially is prevented from moving. Maintaining does not mean that the object is positively retained, squeezed or otherwise engaged by the aperture  104   b.  In maintaining an object, the adjacent interior panels  110   b  and adjacent apertures  104   b  function like pedestals under free-standing objects. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  4  and  6 , the package  100  includes an exterior blank  124  that is folded along fold lines  126   a  and  126   b,  defining a plurality of panels  128   a-c.  As shown in FIG. 1, the main exterior panels  128   a-b  and main interior panel  110   a  define the main compartment  102   a.  Each adjacent exterior panel  128   c  and set of sub-panels  122   a  and  122   b  define an adjacent compartment  102   b.    
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the exterior blank  124  mounts onto the interior blank  106  with glued tabs configured to maintain the interior blank  106  in the intended design positions, as shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  5 . To that end, the main exterior panel  128   a  of the exterior blank  124  includes flaps  130   a  that fold along fold lines  132   a  toward the viewer until each flap  130   a  defines essentially a right dihedral angle with the main exterior panel  128   a.  The main exterior panel  128   a  is folded along fold line  126   a  toward the viewer until the lateral edges  134   a  abut the main exterior panel  128   b.  Abutment of the lateral edges  134   a  and main exterior panel  128   b  is not critical to the design, but aids in assembly of the package  100 . Offsetting the lateral edges  134   a  from the fold line  126   a  also is not critical, but aids in assembly of the package  100 . 
     The main exterior panel  128   b  includes flaps  130   b  with tabs  136   b.  Once the main exterior panels  128   a  and  b  and flaps  130   a  are positioned, the flaps  130   b  are folded along fold lines  132   b  toward the viewer until each flap  130   b  contacts a flap  130   a  and defines essentially a right dihedral angle with the main exterior panel  128   b.  Contact between the flaps  130   a  and  b  is not critical to the invention, but such enhances package integrity. Once the flaps  130   b  are positioned, tabs  136   b  are folded along fold lines  138   b  toward each other and positioned to mate with main interior panel  110   a,  as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     The adjacent exterior panels  128   c  each include flaps  130   c  with tabs  136   c  and  d.  The flaps  130   c  are folded along fold lines  132   c  toward the viewer until each flap  130   c  defines essentially a right dihedral angle with its associated adjacent exterior panel  128   c.  Once the flaps  130   c  are positioned, tabs  136   c  are folded along fold lines  138   c  toward each other and positioned to mate with a sub-panel  122   a,  as shown in FIG.  6 . Tabs  136   d  are folded along fold lines  138   d  toward each other and positioned to mate with a sub-panel  122   b,  as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     The outermost adjacent exterior panels  128   c  also include tabs  136   e  which are folded along fold lines  138   e  toward the viewer and positioned to mate with a sub-panel  122   b,  as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     All embodiments of the invention are adaptable for protecting various objects during shipment and for retaining and displaying them. For example, FIG. 9 shows the package  100  retaining and displaying a baseball B. FIG. 10 shows the package  100  retaining and displaying a perfume bottle P. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, another embodiment of a package  200  configured according to principles of the invention is shown manipulated into an open position. FIG. 12 shows the package  200  manipulated into a closed position. The package  200  has a main compartment  202   a  with a main aperture  204   a  for retaining an object (not shown). The package  200  has manipulable adjacent compartments  202   b  each with an adjacent aperture  204   b  which accommodate the object (not shown). The adjacent compartments  202   b  may maintain the object (not shown) in the adjacent aperture  204   a  when the package  200  is in the closed position. 
     Referring also to FIG. 13, the package  200  includes an inner blank  206  that is folded along fold lines  208 , defining a plurality of interior panels  210   a  and  210   b.  The main interior panel  210   a  provides the main aperture  204   a  and the adjacent interior panels  210   b  provide the adjacent apertures  204   b.  In this embodiment, as shown on FIG. 11, the main interior panel  210   a  essentially defines a plane, thus the main aperture  204   a  falls essentially within a plane. As with the foregoing embodiment of the package  100 , this embodiment of a package  200  does not require that the main interior panel  210   a  or main aperture  204   a  remain in a plane, only that the main aperture  204   a  be configured to retain an object. Also, the principles pertaining to retaining an object with the main compartment  202   a  of the package  200  are substantially similar to the principles discussed for the foregoing embodiment. 
     The adjacent interior panels  210   b  are folded along fold lines  220 , respectively, defining sub-panels  222   a  and  222   b.  Thus, adjacent apertures  204   b  occur on diverse planes defined by the sub-panels  222   a  and  222   b.  As with the foregoing embodiment, the adjacent apertures  204   b  are configured to contact or maintain an object when the package  100  is in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  12 . Also, the principles pertaining to maintaining an object with the adjacent compartments  202   b  of the package  200  are substantially similar to the principles discussed for the foregoing embodiment. 
     Referring to FIGS. 11 and 14, the package  200  includes an exterior blank  224  that is folded along fold lines  226   a-c,  defining a plurality of panels  228   a-d.  As shown in FIG. 11, the main exterior panels  228   a-b  and main interior panel  210   a  define the main compartment  202   a.  Each set of adjacent exterior panels  128   c-d  and corresponding set of sub-panels  222   a  and  222   b  define an adjacent compartment  202   b.    
     The exterior blank  224  mounts onto the interior blank  206  with glued tabs configured to maintain the interior blank  206  in the intended design positions. To that end, the main exterior panel  228   a  of the exterior blank  224  includes flaps  230   a  that fold along fold lines  232   a  toward the viewer until each flap  230   a  defines essentially a right dihedral angle with the main exterior panel  228   a.  Each flap  230   a  has tabs  236   a  and  b  extending therefrom. Once the flaps  230   a  are positioned, the tabs  236   a  are folded along fold lines  238   a  toward each other and positioned to mate with main interior panel  210   a.  Tabs  236   b  are folded along fold lines  238   b  toward each other and positioned to mate with adjacent exterior panels  228   b.  The adjacent exterior panels  228   b  are folded along fold lines  232   b  until in contact with the tabs  236   b.    
     Each adjacent exterior panel  228   d  of the exterior blank  224  includes flaps  230   d  that fold along fold lines  232   d  toward the viewer until each flap  230   d  defines essentially a right dihedral angle with the adjacent exterior panel  228   d.  Each flap  230   d  has tabs  236   c-e  extending therefrom. Once the flaps  230   d  are positioned, the tabs  236   d  are folded along fold lines  238   d  toward each other and positioned to mate with sub-panel  222   a.  Each set of tabs  236   c  and  e  on each flap  230   d  are folded along fold lines  238   c  and  e,  respectively, toward each other. Tabs  236   c  are positioned to mate with adjacent exterior panel  228   c.  Tabs  236   e  are positioned to mate with sub-panel  222   b.  Tabs  236   f  are folded along fold lines  238   f  and also positioned to mate with sub-panel  222   b.    
     Again, all embodiments of the invention are adaptable for protecting various objects during shipment and for retaining and displaying them. For example, FIG. 15 illustrates the package  200  retaining and displaying a can C. FIG. 16 shows the package  200  retaining and displaying a medicine bottle M. FIG. 17 shows the package  200  retaining and displaying a football F. 
     Referring to FIG. 18, a further embodiment of a package  300  configured according to principles of the invention is shown manipulated into an open position. FIG. 19 shows the package  300  manipulated into a closed position. The package  300  has a main compartment  302   a  with a main aperture  304   a  for retaining an object (not shown). The package  300  has a manipulable adjacent compartment  302   b  with an adjacent aperture  304   b  which accommodates the object (not shown). The adjacent compartment  302   b  may maintain the object (not shown) in the adjacent aperture  304   a  when the package  300  is in the closed position. 
     Referring also to FIG. 20, the package  300  includes an inner blank  306  that is folded along fold line  308 , defining interior panels  310   a  and  310   b.  The main interior panel  310   a  provides the main aperture  304   a  and the adjacent interior panel  310   b  provides the adjacent aperture  304   b.  In this embodiment, as shown on FIG. 18, the main interior panel  310   a  essentially defines a plane, thus the main aperture  304   a  falls essentially within a plane. As with the foregoing embodiments, the invention does not require that the main interior panel  310   a  or main aperture  304   a  remain in a plane, only that the main aperture  304   a  be configured to retain an object. Also, the principles pertaining to retaining an object with the main compartment  302   a  of the package  300  are substantially similar to the principles discussed for the foregoing embodiments. 
     In this embodiment of a package  300 , the adjacent interior panel  310   b  defines a plane, thus the adjacent aperture  304   b  falls in a plane. Although different from the foregoing embodiments, the adjacent interior panel  310   b  and adjacent aperture  304   b  of the package  300  are configured to contact or maintain an inserted object when the package  300  is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 19, as with the foregoing embodiments. The principles pertaining to maintaining an object with the adjacent compartments  302   b  of the package  300  are substantially similar to the principles discussed for the foregoing embodiment. 
     Referring to FIGS. 18 and 21, the package  300  includes an exterior blank  324  that is folded along fold lines  326   a  and  b,  defining a plurality of panels  328   a  and  b.  As shown in FIG. 18, a set of exterior panels  328   a-b  combines with main interior panel  310   a  and adjacent interior panel  310   b  to define the main compartment  302   a  and adjacent compartment  302   b,  respectively. 
     The exterior blank  324  mounts onto the interior blank  306  with glued tabs configured to maintain the interior blank  306  in the intended design positions, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. To that end, the exterior panel  328   a  includes flaps  330   a  that fold along fold lines  332   a  toward the viewer until each flap  330   a  defines essentially a right dihedral angle with the main exterior panel  328   a.  The exterior panel  328   a  is folded along fold line  326   b  toward the viewer until the lateral edges  334   a  abut the exterior panel  328   b.  Abutment of the lateral edges  334   a  and exterior panel  328   b  is not critical to the design, but aids in assembly of the package  300 . Offsetting the lateral edges  334   a  from the fold line  326   b  also is not critical, but aids in assembly of the package  300 . 
     The exterior panel  328   b  includes flaps  330   b  with tabs  336   b.  Once the exterior panels  328   a  and  b  and flaps  330   a  are positioned, the flaps  330   b  are folded along fold lines  332   b  toward the viewer until each flap  330   b  contacts a flap  330   a  and defines essentially a right dihedral angle with the exterior panel  328   b.  Contact between the flaps  330   a  and  b  is not critical to the invention, but such enhances package integrity. Once the flaps  330   b  are positioned, tabs  336   b  are folded along fold lines  338   b  toward each other and positioned to mate with interior panels  310   a  or  b,  as shown in FIG.  18 . 
     Once again, all embodiments of the invention are adaptable for protecting various objects during shipment and for retaining and displaying them. For example, FIG. 22 illustrates the package  300  retaining and displaying a rolled article of clothing S, such as a T-shirt. FIG. 23 shows the package  300  retaining and displaying an ornament O. 
     FIG. 24 shows an additional embodiment of a package  400  configured according to principles of the invention, shown manipulated into an open position, retaining and displaying a baseball B along with a baseball trading card T. This embodiment takes advantage of a spacious inner panel  410   a  with an offset main aperture  404   a,  which affords space for displaying indicia or mounting other objects. 
     The foregoing embodiments of the invention provide a main compartment with an aperture for retaining an object and one or two adjacent compartments with adjacent apertures for maintaining the object when the package is in a closed position. The invention is not limited to one or two adjacent compartments, but may employ any number of compartments. 
     The invention is not limited to the above, but encompasses all improvements and substitutions consistent with the principles of the invention.