Abstract:
Packaging for providing a convenient, efficient and economical medium for storing, protecting and shipping a product. A package in either assembled or unassembled form is provided whereby a product may be easily and efficiently secured and stored without damage and subsequently removed. An assembled package for containment of an article may include a sealed area defining borders of the package and a seamless gap area, wherein the article is restrained within the gap area.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation-in-Part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/884,324 filed on Jul. 2, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Technical Field  
         [0003]     The present invention relates in general to packaging, and in particular, to containers and methods for packaging, storing and displaying an object for retail sale.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Packaging and storage containers are generally known. Typically, a package is fabricated and designed for simply holding and carrying its contents during transportation, shipping and/or storage. A means for sealing or allowing closure of the package may be provided to enclose the contents and prevent them from falling out. Typical packaging material may comprise cardboard or other paper products which may include areas on its exterior surface for placement of shipping labels/information, etc.  
         [0006]     Prior art shipping packages are limited, however, in their lack of ability to display and/or advertise their specific contents. Generally, shipping packages are impractical for display and/or advertising purposes. For example, the actual contents of a shipping package generally have to be removed for proper display, sale, etc. This increases labor costs overall. Therefore, a need exists for an efficient, effective and economical way for simultaneously permitting a product to be shipped, displayed and advertised while reducing material and labor expenses.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed to packaging for providing a convenient, efficient and economical medium for storing, protecting and shipping a product, as well as providing advertising and display for the product.  
         [0008]     It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a container in which a product can be packaged, distributed, stored, presented, and displayed for sale.  
         [0009]     It is another aspect of the invention to provide packaging in assembled and unassembled forms whereby the packaged product may be easily, efficiently and protectively secured and subsequently removed.  
         [0010]     According to an aspect of the present invention, an assembled package for containment of an article is provided, the package comprising a sealed area defining borders of the package and a seamless gap area, wherein the article is restrained within the gap area.  
         [0011]     According to another aspect of the present invention, a package for shipment and retail display of an article is provided comprising a first panel adjoined to a second panel, the first panel having at least one transparent window for display of the article. A sealing panel is provided adjoined to the first panel and at least two side panels are provided adjoined to the first panel, said side panels being adhered to the second panel to form a sealed area defining borders of the package, the package further including a gap area defined by an internal area of the package between the sealed areas and the first and second panels.  
         [0012]     Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote similar elements throughout the views:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a retail package according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a retail package according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a back view of a retail package according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an unassembled package according to an aspect of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a view of an unassembled package according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the unassembled package of  FIG. 5  in a partially folded position;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a back view of the package of  FIG. 6  in an assembled configuration;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a plurality of packages in a stacked configuration.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     Media which cannot be displayed in an upright position alone, such as, e.g., mousepads, desk protectors, and other non-rigid and/or thin media, encounter special problems in handling and particularly, in retail display due to their inability to be stood upright e.g., for display and/or the nature of the material itself (e.g., being a transparent material which is not easily visible). It is to be noted that the present invention as described herein provides a efficient, compact and effective means for storing, shipping, displaying and advertising such materials in particular.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example of an assembled package  100  according to an aspect of the present invention. Package  100  includes a front panel  101  which includes at least one window  103  for allowing at least a portion of the contained product to be visibly displayed. The window  103  may be, for example, plastic film, mylar, waxed paper, or any other transparent material and may be positioned at any location on preferably the front panel  101 . It is to be noted that the surface area of the window preferably covers less than about 20% of the overall surface area of the front panel  101 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the window  103  is rectangular having dimensions of about 2″×4″ and is located in an upper right hand corner of the front panel  101  as shown. Although shown rectangular, the window  103  can be made of any shape to provide sufficient viewing of the product.  
         [0025]     The package  100  includes a rear panel  301  (see  FIG. 3 ) adjoined to the front panel  101  along a first fold line  111 . The front panel  101  includes a sealing panel  105  attached at a second fold line  113  for folding over and attaching to the rear panel  301  to seal the package  100  closed. The sealing panel  105  preferably includes an adhesive strip  302  ( FIG. 3 ) for providing sealing and a perforated edge  106  for facilitating opening of the package  100 . Side panels  303  are further provided which are adjoined to the front panel  101  along each of third and fourth fold lines  110  and  112 , respectively.  
         [0026]     It is to be noted that the front, rear, side and sealing panels are preferably constructed of e.g., cardboard, oaktag, or other paperboard material which may or may not be laminated and/or padded.  
         [0027]     It is to be noted that the exterior face of at least the front panel  101  includes written material, graphics, photographs, illustrations, etc. advertising the product contained within. Such advertising material is generally customized to the product/article contained within the package  100 . In addition, the placement and/or shape of the window  103  may be customized as desired in accordance with, e.g., the type/material/portion of the product which is desired to be displayed/viewed inside the package  100 . However, it is desirable to limit the size of the window  103  (as discussed above) to prevent theft, removal and/or damage of the product contained within.  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary illustration of a front view of the retail package  100  according to an aspect of the present invention, showing fold lines  110 ,  111 ,  112  and  113  as well as window  103 , top sealing flap  105  and at least one perforated edge (perforations)  106 . It is to be noted that perforated edge  106  is longitudinal to the second fold line  113 . It is further to be noted that in the assembled package  100 , each of the side panels  303  are attached to the rear panel  301  via e.g., an adhesive to secure the front panel  101  with the rear panel  301  to form the assembled package  100 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the assembled package  100  according to an aspect of the present invention. Package  100  includes an adhesive strip  302  for sealing the panel  105  to the back panel  301 . It is to be noted that the adhesive strip  302  may comprise, e.g., a permanent adhesive or alternatively, a fugitive glue or other temporary adhesive so as to removably adhere the internal surface of the flap  105  to the back panel  301 . Such a temporary adhesive is advantageous in allowing a customer to inspect and handle the contents of the package  100  while at the same time preventing the package  100  from become unsightly after initial opening and repeated re-storage of the contents.  
         [0030]     In addition, side sealing flaps  303  (which are, e.g., extensions of the front panel  101 ) are adjoined at each of the fold lines  110  and  112  for providing a paperboard seal for permanently sealing sides of the front panel  110  to the back panel  301 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an unassembled package  400  according to an aspect of the present invention. Front panel  101  includes side sealing flaps  303  adjoined at each of third and fourth fold lines  110  and  112 , and a rear sealing panel  105  adjoined at the second fold line  113 . The unassembled package  400  is folded along fold line  111  such that the rear panel  301  is flat adjacent to the interior surface of the front panel  101 . Side sealing flaps  303  can then be sealed to the back panel  301  for forming the assembled package  100 .  
         [0032]      FIGS. 5-8  depict various views of a package  500  according to another embodiment of the present invention. Unassembled package  500  includes a front panel  501  and a rear panel  503  adjoined to the front panel  501  along a first fold line  502 . Side panels  505  are provided which are each adjoined to the front panel  501  along each of third and fourth fold lines  506  and  508 . According to this embodiment, each of the side panels  505  are preferably permanently adhered/sealed to the front panel  501  to form the unassembled package  500 .  
         [0033]     To form an assembled package, the rear panel  503  is folded along the first fold line  502  in the direction of arrow  601  (see  FIG. 6 ) and is sealed to each of the exposed (i.e., non-sealed) surfaces of the side panels  505 .  FIG. 7  shows a back view of the assembled package  700  in accordance with this embodiment, with side panels  505  (shown in broken lines) not being externally visible upon assembly of the package.  
         [0034]     Upon such assembly, an interior gap area  801  is formed and defined, within which contents of the package may be contained. Preferably, only the areas of the rear panel  503  that make contact with the surfaces of each of the side panels  505  are sealed thereon (as shown in  FIG. 8 , which depicts a cross-sectional view of an assembled package  700 ). Accordingly, the interior gap area  801  of an assembled package according to this embodiment has a width  805  which is preferably defined as the area between broken lines  703  (i.e., the interior gap area  801  is the internal area excluding the portion of the package which is sealed, explained further below with reference to “sealed area  901 ”). The size of the width  805  may be varied as desired. A depth  803  of the interior gap area  801  may be determined and/or varied according to, e.g., at least the thickness of the side panels  505  which are folded over and sealed to the front panel  501 .  
         [0035]     Advantageously, the gap area  801  is free of any seams or additional bulk such that when each assembled package  700  is placed on top of one another in a stacked configuration (as shown in  FIG. 9 , which depicts an exemplary cross-sectional view of a plurality of packages  700  in a stacked configuration), any contents which may be contained within each package are prevented from being damaged or creased due to, e.g., the weight of the stack. That is, any contents within each assembled package  700  are preferably held only within the seamless gap area  801  and prevented from entering a sealed area  901 . The sealed area  901  (e.g., defined as the area between dotted lines  703  and  903  in  FIG. 9 ) comprises the area of the package  700  in which the side panels  505  are sealed onto the front panel  501  and portions of the rear panel  503  sealed to the exposed face of the side panels  505 . That is, the sealed area  901  defines borders of the package  700 .  
         [0036]     In a preferred embodiment, the assembled package  700  is particularly adapted for holding contents which are flat and sheet-like (e.g., semi-rigid plastic sheets) which fit within the width  805  and depth  803  dimensions afforded by the gap area  801  with minimal bulging.  
         [0037]     Such containment within the seamless gap area  801  facilitates storage of a plurality of packages  700  in a stacked configuration while advantageously preventing crease-marks or other damage to any contents inserted therein.  
         [0038]     In both the unassembled and assembled packages, the front panel  501  preferably includes a sealing panel  507  attached at a second fold line  504  for folding over and attaching to the rear panel  503  to seal the package  700  closed upon assembly and hold the contents therein. The sealing panel  507  may include an adhesive strip as described above in  FIG. 3  for facilitating sealing of the sealing panel  507  to the rear panel  503  to provide a closed package, and/or a perforated edge as described in  FIG. 1  for facilitating opening of the assembled package  700 .  
         [0039]     While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.