Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8658229B2/en
Timestamp: 2018-08-21 13:08:06
Document Index: 152825588

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

US8658229B2 - Gum slab package having insertable product retention member - Google Patents
US8658229B2
US8658229B2 US13532950 US201213532950A US8658229B2 US 8658229 B2 US8658229 B2 US 8658229B2 US 13532950 US13532950 US 13532950 US 201213532950 A US201213532950 A US 201213532950A US 8658229 B2 US8658229 B2 US 8658229B2
US13532950
US20120263834A1 (en )
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/707,079, filed Feb. 17, 2010, which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/124,906, filed May 9, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,811,614, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/570,014, filed May 11, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/569,926, filed May 11, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/570,016, filed May 11, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/570,019, filed May 11, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/570,020, filed May 11, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/570,017, filed May 11, 2004; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/570,129, filed May 11, 2004; which are incorporated herein by reference.
Certain of the gum slab packages are of the type which maintain their outer configuration even after removal of one of the gum slabs. This creates a space in the package which allows adjacent gum slabs to become displaced. Therefore, it may become difficult to remove additional gum slabs from the package if one or more of the remaining gum slabs tilts or fails over within the package. Also, by creating such a space, the remaining gum slabs may slide or move in the package and may even fall out of the package.
A further embodiment of the U-shaped clip may include inwardly extending spring flaps which delectably engage the products for retentively supporting the products therebetween.
FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the present invention wherein an array of products are supported within, a package housing shown in its preassembled condition.
Moreover, the present invention discloses consumable product packages of the type shown in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/124,921, filed at even date herewith entitled “Gum Slab Package With Flap Retention”, and also shown in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/124,922, filed at even date herewith entitled “Package For Dispensing And Retaining Gum Slabs With Adhesive Securement”, both of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention provides a packaging assembly 10 which supports therein an array 12 of gum slabs 14. Gum slabs 14 are typically elongate rectangularly shaped members which may optionally include wrappers (not shown in FIG. 2) individually around each gum slab. The gum slabs are arranged in a side-by-side fashion to form array 12. The gum slabs 14 are supported in the array in a package housing 16. The package housing 16 includes a front wall 18, an opposed back wall 20, a bottom wall 22, and opposed side walls 24 and 26. As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, the package housing is formed from die cut paperboard, which is folded in a well known manner to form the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The package housing 16 is folded such that it provides an open upper end 28 which defines a dispensing opening. The back wall 20 includes an upwardly extending foldable cover 30 which may be folded over the open upper end to close the opening and contain the slabs 14 within the package housing 16. A slit 32 positioned in the front wall 18 allows the distal edge 34 of cover 30 to be inserted therein for reclosing purposes. Additionally, it is contemplated that the package is provided in the condition shown in FIG. 1 with the cover 30 adhesively secured to the front wall 18. Once the adhesive securement is removed to dispense the first gum slab, the flap may be reclosed by inserting it into the slit 32
As shown more particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5 in the present illustrative embodiment, gum slabs 114 are wrapped guru slabs. Each gum slab 114 may be individually wrapped with a paper and/or foil wrapper 115 in conventional fashion. Wrapping in this manner provides a folded wrapper flap 117 at each end thereof. In the present embodiment, the wrapper flaps 117 are folded on the same side of the gum slab and mutually inwardly facing. The array of gum slabs are arranged such that wrapper flaps face the back wall 120 when the package housing is assembled.
Referring again to FIG. 3, the banded array of gum slabs is placed in the package housing 116 while the arrangement of the banded gum slabs is such that the wrapper flaps 117 face against back wall 12C. It may, of course, be appreciated that the banded array may be placed in the opposite direction with the folded flaps facing front wall 118.
wherein said frictional product retention member includes a carrier insertably secured in said package, said carrier having a foldable front flap forming a U-shaped lower section for supporting one end of said products and a foldable upper section for foldable positioning over the other end of said products wherein said foldable upper section includes a plurality of tabs overlying each product, said tabs being separable from one another to dispense one of said products and each of said tabs is re-positionable between adjacent products upon removal of one of said products of said array.
2. A package assembly of claim 1 wherein said tabs are separated by perforations.
US13532950 2004-05-11 2012-06-26 Gum slab package having insertable product retention member Expired - Fee Related US8658229B2 (en)
US12707079 Continuation US8221812B2 (en) 2004-05-11 2010-02-17 Gum slab package having insertable product retention member
US20120263834A1 true US20120263834A1 (en) 2012-10-18
US8658229B2 true US8658229B2 (en) 2014-02-25
US5433318A (en) 1993-04-05 1995-07-18 Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co.) Hinge-lid pack for stick-shaped articles, especially cigarettes
US8221812B2 (en) 2012-07-17 grant