Abstract:
Blister shells for packages each have a product receiving area having a substantially round configuration defined, at least in part, by an angled wall. At least one spacing lug is located on an inside surface of the angled wall and at least one anti-rotation boss is located on an inside surface of the angled wall. The at least one spacing lug and the at least one anti-rotation boss keep the plurality of blister shells arranged in a uniform direction during package assembly, and keep products within the blisters from rotating within the blisters of the packages.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/451,376, filed on Mar. 10, 2011, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present arrangement relates to a packaging arrangement. More particularly, the invention relates to a packaging arrangement for fishing reels and the like for display and presentation to a consumer. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Several techniques are used by retail facilities to display fishing reels for sale to consumers. For example, reels may be stored in paper boxes, which can be opened to allow access to the reel inside. One advantage of this technique is that the consumer will have the opportunity to operate the reel prior to purchase. Due to shoplifting concerns, however, many retail stores will only locate boxed reels behind a sales counter. As a result, the consumer may not be able to operate the reel except in the presence of a salesperson. In addition, boxed reels are generally not suitable for hanging, or so-called “peg board” display. 
         [0006]    Alternatively, reels may be packaged in a “blister pack,” i.e., a sealed package made of transparent and semi-rigid plastic material. Typically, a blister pack will include a hanging aperture for peg board display. In addition, the transparent nature of the blister pack permits the reel to be visually inspected by a consumer. 
         [0007]    Because the blister packs tend to be clear, the items inside are visible. Although this is ideal for allowing a customer to see the actual product prior to sale unlike with closed boxes, this presents a problem regarding uniformity of product/packaging. 
         [0008]    For example, ideally all packages look the same so they look nice on a display shelf. Additionally, if the product itself within the package is marked with certain information and/or logos then, package to package, this information on the product which is visible through the transparent blister pack should be uniformly arranged so that they look pleasing to the consumer. In the example of fishing reels, such as round fly fishing reels, in existing packaging equipment, it is difficult to get all of the products to be uniformly arranged within their corresponding blister packs so that the labels/information/logos on the products end up uniformly arranged within the blisters, particularly in high speed auto-packaging machines. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The present arrangement provides for a transparent plastic container for use in automatic commercial product packaging machines, for items such as fishing reels, which simultaneously configures the products being packaged into uniform upright positions as well as holds the product in such packaging during shipping so that when they are eventually displayed on a rack or peg board, the products therewithin are uniformly arranged. 
         [0010]    To this end the present arrangement provides for blister shells for packages. The blister shells each comprise a product receiving area having a substantially round configuration defined, at least in part, by an angled wall. At least one spacing lug is located on an inside surface of said angled wall and at least one anti-rotation boss is located on an inside surface of said angled wall. The at least one spacing lug and the at least one anti-rotation boss keep the plurality of blister shells arranged in a uniform direction during package assembly, and keep products within the blisters from rotating within the blisters of the packages. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a planar view of the blister and card package according to one embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a planar view of the blister and product according to one embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a planar view of the blister and card package in an unsealed position according to one embodiment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a stack of shells or blisters according to one embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a blister according to one embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a close up of the inside of a blister according to one embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross section view of two blisters in a nesting arrangement according to one embodiment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a planar view of a stacked blister; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a dose up side view of the top and bottom portions of the lugs in stacked blisters according to one embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a planar view of the blister illustrating the anti-rotation boss according to one embodiment; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the stacked blisters illustrating the anti-rotation bosses according to one embodiment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a planar view of the blister with a square the cut according to one embodiment; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the blister with a square the cut according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    For the purposes of illustration, the following description will be for a package including a round blister for the purpose of storing a fishing reel. However, this is for exemplary purposes only. The features of the below described packages implemented on packages for other applicable commercial products are within the contemplation of the present invention. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , package  10  includes a shell or blister  12  of a selected plastic such as PETG which is polyethylene terephthalate using cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM) in place of ethylene glycol forming a clear amorphous thermoplastic that can be injection molded and a cardboard backing  14 . The design of package  10  is such that fishing red  16  is placed within shell  12  in a circular, spooled orientation as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0026]    Preferably, cardboard backing  14  of package  10  may define a hang aperture  24  spaced from the configured blister  12  reel enclosure. As shown in  FIG. 3 , cardboard backing  14  of the package has two halves  26  and  28 ; one half  28  has a die cut  29  to fit plastic shell  12 . As described below, plastic shell  12  is positioned within the cut  29  of cardboard backing  14 . The two halves of cardboard backing  14  are sealed together with plastic shell  12  placed in the cut. As shown in  FIG. 3 , and as shown in more detail below, two halves  26  and  28  of cardboard backing  14  are eventually sealed together at the edges  31 , as denoted by the cross hatching  26 . 
         [0027]    In one embodiment of the present arrangement, a tab portion  28  projects from shell  12 , and is also sealed within the sealed edges  31  of cardboard backing  14  in order to prevent rotation of blister  12  within the cardboard backing  14 . In this way, when closed, and when tab  28  is broken by rotation by the user, plastic shell  12  is free to rotate about the cut  29  in cardboard backing  14 . A separate brake away tab  22  corresponds to a perforated tab at a corner of cardboard  14  which can be pulled away so as to provide access to the product inside, such as a fishing reel within shell  12 , so that a consumer dispenses fishing line as needed. 
         [0028]    Turning to the arrangement of shells  12  for shipping and use in an automatic packaging system, referring to  FIG. 4 , during production of package  10 , plastic shells  12  are typically stacked, nesting one inside the other. 
         [0029]    As a first point, in order to be able to pull a shell  12  from the stack, shells  12  must have an optimal space between one another. When the taper of the body of shell  12  is at an angle greater than 10 degrees, there is provided a natural spacer which allows the shells to be dispensed from the stack when placed in a magazine for packaging assembly. However, when the taper of a shell  12  is at an angle less than 10 degrees, shells  12  tend to be “sticky” and cannot easily be pulled apart from the stack in auto feeding package assembly machines. As such, the present arrangement forms the angles of shells  12  so that shells  12  are properly spaced from one another within a stack so that they can be easily dispensed from an auto feeding apparatus in the packaging machine. 
         [0030]    Further to this end, referring to  FIGS. 5 through 7 , de-nesting or space lugs  18  are arranged around the periphery of each of shells  12  exhibiting a dual function. In the first case, from the packaged product standpoint, they act to lock the product, such as round fishing spool&#39;s  16  in place within shell  12  so that they do not rotate after shells  12  are closed within cardboard backing  14 . 
         [0031]    The second advantage of space lugs  18  is that they serve as added nesting spacers between shells  12  within a stack in addition to the angled shape of shells  12 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , these nesting spacers  18  provide a definite space  30  between shells (e.g. shells  12   a  and  12   b ), with the interior lugs  18  contacting an upper surface  32  of the immediately lower shell  12   b . This leaves the lower edges of shells  12  separated from one another for easy grabbing by the auto loading packaging machine with additional spacing above each shell so that no vacuum/suction prevents easy separation of shells. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 8 and 9  provide additional illustration of this dual functionality for lugs  18 . The top portions of lugs  18  act as locks, locking product spool  16  into blister shell  12 . The bottom portions of lugs  18  act as spacers, keeping blister shells  12  separated when stacked together. 
         [0033]    Turning now to the assembly of completed package  10 , with product  16  correctly oriented and secured within closed sheds  12  and packaged in connection with cardboard backing  14 . The dispensing of shells  12 , in production, must be dispensed from the stack in a magazine in a specific orientation so that they are placed in the appropriate position within cardboard backing  14  in order to ensure that break away tab  22  is always positioned on an area of cardboard  14  where adhesive sealant will be placed. 
         [0034]    In order to be certain that shell  12  is dispensed in the proper orientation, anti-rotational bosses  20 , which are preferably triangular shaped and tapered, are positioned around the periphery of shell  12  near de-nesting lugs  18  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  9  and  10 . Bosses  20  prevent shell  12  from rotating while stacked, such as under the vibrations and rotation forces imparted by the packaging machines during operation. Shells  12  remain in the same position when stacked in order to guarantee that they are optimally positioned once dispensed to be placed in cardboard backing  14 . In  FIG. 6 , four such bosses are shown, however the invention is not limited in this respect. Such bosses  20 , although shown as tapered, can be any orientation, sizing or grooving so that the shells remain in the same position when stacked in order to ensure that they will be optimally positioned once dispensed. For example, boss  20 , can have a plurality of grooves, a plurality of indents, ridges or anything else that functions as a position guide. One or more bosses  20  can be positioned along the peripheral edge of the shell. 
         [0035]    In an alternative arrangement,  FIGS. 10 and 11  show an anti-rotation bosses  34  positioned in the center of blister shell  12 . When stacked, boss  34  interlocks with boss  34  of blister shell  12  stacked immediately below. Due to the pyramid shape of bosses  34 , when blisters  12  are stacked, and bosses  34  are interlocked, rotation of blisters  12  is prevented, ensuring that blisters  12  are optimally positioned once dispensed from the stack. 
         [0036]    In yet another alternative arrangement, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , blisters  12  include at least one square cut edge to allow for easy alignment when blisters  12  are stacked, as discussed above. As with de-nesting lugs  18  and anti-rotation bosses  20  and/or  34 , one square cut edge, may be used by alternatively designed auto-feeding mechanisms to prevent rotation of blisters  12  when stacked. It is noted that the square cut shape for one corner of blister  12  is intended as an exemplary shape only. Such shape may be triangular the cut, pentagonal the cut, hexagonal the cut etc. 
         [0037]    While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.