Abstract:
A package includes a housing ( 101 ) made of multiple panels, with at least two receptor areas ( 145 A,  145 B) formed in the panels, and a blister card ( 201 ) which snaps into engagement with the receptor areas ( 145 A,  145 B).

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/749,286 filed on Jan. 5, 2013 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This disclosure is directed to blister card packages and, more particularly, to a package where a trap-sealed blister card is snapped into a larger housing or carton. 
         [0003]    Manufacturers and retailers of consumer goods, such as pharmaceuticals, software, electronics, health and beauty products and the like, typically package their products in various types of display packages. For example, many consumer goods are packaged in blister or clamshell packages formed by positioning a consumer good in a flanged blister made from various polymeric and/or paperboard materials and sealing the flanged blister between two paperboard substrates. Packages may be made based largely on paperboard, for example, NATRALOCK packages made by MeadWestvaco Corporation. Packaging made primarily of paperboard is more sustainable than packaging made from petroleum-based plastics. The paperboard used in such packages may be tear-resistant as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,635. 
         [0004]    Packages are often made by positioning a blister upon a display card where the blister gives visibility to the product, and the card provides support for the blister, covers the opening in the blister, or provides a surface for printed graphics. A package is desired that has a novel design for holding a blister. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In one aspect a package is disclosed which includes a housing made of a plurality of panels; at least two receptor areas formed in the plurality of panels; and a blister card having at least two engagement features to engage the receptor areas. 
         [0006]    Other aspects of the disclosed package will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a first blank to form a housing; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the blank of  FIG. 1 , after folding certain panels; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the blank of  FIG. 2 , after further folding; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the blank, approximately as shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the blank, after further folding; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of housing formed from the blank of  FIGS. 1-5 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of housing from a different viewpoint; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8A  is a plan view of a second blank to form a card; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8B  is a plan view of a blister to be attached to the card; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8C  is a plan view of a blister card including the card of  FIG. 8A  and the blister of  FIG. 8B ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the blister card of  FIG. 8C , indicating its placement into the housing of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of a third blank for forming a sleeve; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the blank of  FIG. 10 , after folding certain panels; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the sleeve formed from the blank of  FIGS. 10-11 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the sleeve of  FIG. 12 , enclosing the housing and card; 
           [0022]      FIG. 14A  is a plan view of a blank for making an alternative card, and also showing a blister to be attached to the card; 
           [0023]      FIG. 14B  is a perspective view of the partially formed card, with the blister attached to the card; 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is a plan view of a blank for forming a housing to receive the card and blister of  FIG. 14B ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the blank of  FIG. 15  after folding certain panels, and forming a partially completed housing; 
           [0026]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the partially completed housing of  FIG. 16 , receiving the card and blister of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the finished package made from the parts shown in  FIG. 17 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 19  illustrates additional alternative housings to receive a blister card. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    As various embodiments of the package are described, reference will be made to  FIGS. 1-19 . Certain parts of the packages are denoted by reference numerals. Occasionally where there is more than one of the same feature, only one will be denoted by a reference numeral. Typically in these Figures, where a plan view is shown for a blank of material, solid lines usually indicate periphery or cuts, and dashed lines usually indicate crease, score, or fold lines. In perspective views, solid lines typically show edges or folds, while dashed lines typically show hidden or partially obscured features. However, where the structure is readily understood as in partially or completely finished stages, folds may be shown as solid lines. 
         [0030]    Where assembly steps are described, these steps are exemplary and are not to be limiting as to the sequence of operations used to arrive at the final package. Also, directions such as up, down, top, bottom, front, back, etc. are used for convenience in describing the package and are not meant to be limiting. The packages described here may be made from one blank (that is, the cut sheet parts from which the package components are made by folding and other steps) or from more than one blank. The word “card” or “panel” will often be used to describe a piece of sheet material such as paperboard, particularly with respect to a blank from which the package is made. Since panels are sometimes superimposed, for example, creating a two-layer or multi-layer structure, like features or panels will sometime coincide, in which cases, descriptions may call out the number identifying the feature closer to the viewer, that is, the feature visible in a particular Figure. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 1-13  show a package having a blister card ( FIG. 8A-8C ) received within a housing ( FIG. 1-7 ), and optionally with an outer sleeve  FIG. 10-12 ). 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of a blank  100  for forming a housing. The view as shown may be considered to represent an interior surface of the housing. Instead of a single blank, the housing may be formed from several blanks. Housing blank  100  may include a floor panel  110 , generally surrounded on four sides by a series of foldably connected panels, the four sides being arbitrarily assigned suffixes A, B, C, and D. Connected to the floor panel  110  along fold lines are outer wall panels  120 A,  120 B,  120 C, and  120 D. The outer wall panels may have generally the same height which may define the finished height of the housing. Intermediate panels may be formed in one or more of the outer wall panels, for example intermediate panel  124  formed in outer wall panel  120 C. 
         [0033]    The ends of the outer wall panels may join together through corner gusset panels  122 . 
         [0034]    Next, connected to the outer wall panels along fold lines are ledge panels  130 A,  130 B,  130 C, and  130 D. The ledge panels will extend laterally ‘inward’ in the finished package, and may define a peripheral “frame” around the package on one or more sides. The ledge panels may extend laterally inward the same distances (e.g. ledge panels  130 A,  130 B) or different distances (e.g. ledge panels  130 B,  130 C and  130 D). 
         [0035]    Next, connected to the ledge panels along fold lines are inner wall panels  140 A,  140 B,  140 C, and  140 D. The inner wall panels may have the same heights as the outer wall panels, forming a housing with ‘horizontal’ ledge panels substantially parallel to the floor panel  110 , or the inner wall panels may have a different height than the outer wall panels, forming a housing with sloped ledge panels. Brace flaps may be utilized such as brace flaps  142 D provided on inner wall panel  140 D. 
         [0036]    Finally, connected to the inner wall panels along fold lines are foot panels  150 A,  150 B,  150 C, and  150 D. At or near the fold line between certain inner wall panels and foot panels may be provided receiver slits such as  145 A formed at or near the fold line between inner wall panel  140 A and foot panel  150 A. The receiver slits may advantageously be formed in the inner wall panel or foot panel, near the intervening fold line (as shown), or may be formed some distance up the inner wall panel. Preferably at least two receiver slits are formed. Preferably the receiver slits are formed at opposing sides of the package, although they may be formed on adjacent sides of the package. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the same blank  100 , after opposing panels “A” and “B” (shown at ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ of  FIG. 2 ) are folded inward.  FIG. 2  represents a flattened configuration in which foot panels  150 A,  150 B may be attached to floor panel  110 , for example by adhesives, heat seal, staples, or other method. Thus, using for example the “A” panels, a flattened tubular structure is formed of panels  110 ,  120 A,  130 A,  140 A, and secured by the attachment of foot panel  150 A to floor panel  110 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  shows a plane view of the same blank after the flattened tubes formed by opposing panels “A” and “B” have been opened up to form rectangular tubes (that is, ledge panels  130 A,  130 B are parallel to the floor panel  110 .) This is more easily understood by viewing  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of the same structure, with some of the other panels also partly folded upward. The rectangular tubes form substantially a frame on two sides of the package. 
         [0039]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the housing blank  100  with the “D” panels folded upward and inward to form another portion of a frame around the package. Foot panel  150 D may be simply folded under the “D” tube portion, or may be fastened to floor panel  110 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  shows the finished housing  101 , after the “C” panels have been folded upward and inward to form the fourth wall. Foot panel  150 C may be fastened to floor panel  110 ; however, it may also be tucked under the “C” tube portion, but left unadhered, so that the “C” tube portion may be used for storage of product items. Finger hole  144 C may be provided in inner wall  140 C in order for a user to pull the wall inward and open the storage area. 
         [0041]      FIG. 7  shows the finished housing  101  from a different viewpoint. Intermediate panel  124  which is formed in outer wall  120 C may be folded inward to create an internal divider to separate or organize the “C” tube storage area. The inward-folded wall also creates a viewing area to see the contents of the storage area. 
         [0042]      FIG. 8A  shows a blank  200  to form a card for receiving a blister  300  shown in  FIG. 8B . The blank  200  may include a front panel  210  and back panel  220 , hingedly joined together along fold line  215 . An aperture  212  is formed in front panel  210 , sized so that the blister body  310  may pass through, without allowing blister flange  312  to pass through. Engagement features  216 ,  226  may be formed on one or more edges of front panel  210  and back panel  220 , respectively. For example the engagement features may be outwardly extending regions of a size and shape suitable to fit into receiver slits  145 A,  145 B shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . 
         [0043]    To assemble the card and blister, the blister  300  may first be placed upon back panel  220  as indicated by arrow A. Next, as indicated by arrow “B”, the front panel  210  may be folded over along folded line  215  and onto back panel  220  and blister  300 , with the blister body  310  extending forward through aperture  212  while blister flange  312  is sandwiched between front panel  210  and back panel  220 . This forms the blister card  201  shown in  FIG. 8C . The layers of the blister card (the front panel  210 , back panel  220 , and blister flange  312 ) may be fastened together by heat seal, adhesive, staples, or other suitable method. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9A  shows blister card  201  being placed into housing  101 . The blister card may be positioned in the space between inside walls  140 A,  140 B,  140 C,  140 D. Engagement features  216 ,  226  may be inserted into receiver slits  145 A,  145 B in order to secure blister card  201  into housing  101  to form the structure  102  shown in  FIG. 9B . For simplicity, the blister itself is not shown on the blister card in  FIG. 9B . Both the housing  101  and the blister card  201  may be relatively stiff materials but somewhat flexible materials, such as paperboard or plastic. Thus the housing and/or blister card may flex slightly to allow the engagement features to fit into the receiver slits. However the relative stiffness of the materials will resist removal of the engagement features from the slits. The blister card may be considered to be a “snap-in” card. 
         [0045]    An optional sleeve  401  may be provided around the package.  FIG. 10  shows a plan view of a blank  400  for making the sleeve. The sleeve may include a series of connected panels including front extension panel  410 , front top panel  420 , front panel  430 , bottom panel  440 , back panel  450 , back top panel  460 , and back extension panel  470 . These panels may be joined along hinge or fold lines  415 ,  425 ,  435 ,  445 ,  455 ,  465 . A window or opening  432  may be provided in front panel  430 . A recessed area  452  may be provided along an edge of back panel  450 , which may coincide with or be proximate to an opening in the housing such as the opening formed from intermediate panel  124  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Hang holes  418 ,  478  may be formed in front extension panel  410  and back extension panel  470 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 11  shows a step in formed the blank  400  into a sleeve, by folding the bottom panel  440  forward along fold line  445 , and then folding the front panel  430  upward along fold line  435 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 12  shows the finished sleeve  401  after the front top panel  420  and back top panel  460  have been folded down toward each other, and front extension panel  410  and back extension panel  470  have been brought into facing relationship after which the extension panels may be fastened together by heat seal, adhesive, staples, or other method. 
         [0048]      FIG. 13  shows a package where the sleeve  401  receives the housing  101  and its blister card. However, the package may be formed as a blister card and housing, but without a sleeve. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 14-18  illustrate another package. 
         [0050]      FIG. 14A  is a plan view of a blank  1200  for making an alternative card, and also showing a blister  1300  to be attached to the card. The blank  1200  may include a series of panels, labeled as shown from left to right, as follows. Inside front panel  1220 F, inside main panel  1220 , inside left panel  1220 L, outside left panel  1210 L, outside main panel  1210 , outside front panel  1210 F, and right panel  1210 R. The respective panels are joined together along fold lines. In order to make it easier to fold the card, relief cutaways  1225  may be provided along some of the folds, for example those folds that will be on the inside of the card. 
         [0051]    A window  1212  may be provided in outside main panel  1210 . A blister  1300  may be received in window  1212 . The blister may have a blister body  1310  and a peripheral flange  1312 . The flange  1312 , rather than being flat, may be curved for example as curved flange portion  1314 , where the right side of the flange is curved forward (e.g. toward the viewer) relative to other portions of the flange. 
         [0052]      FIG. 14B  shows a folded card  1201  formed from blank  1200 , where the inner panels  1220 L,  1220 , and  1220 F have been folded backward to form two plies with the outer panels  1210 L,  1210 , and  1210 F respectively. Blister  1300  has been positioned with flange  1312  between the inner main panel  1220  and outer main panel  1210 , with the blister body  1310  protruding forward through window  1212 . The inner and outer panels may not be fastened together in facing relationship, for example by heat sealing, adhesives, staples or other method. Note that at the extreme left end of the card, left tab  1218 L extends from outside left panel  1210 L. At the extreme right end of the card, right tab  1218 R extends from outside right panel  1210 R. Also at the left end of the card, left downward extension  1210 X descends from left panel  1210 L. At the front right of the card, front downward extension  1210 Y descends from panel  1210 F. At the right of the card, right downward extension  1210 Z descends from panel  1210 R. These extensions will be received into a housing as described below. 
         [0053]      FIG. 15  is a plan view of a blank for forming a housing to receive the card and blister of  FIG. 14B . The blank may include a series of panels foldably attached to one another. The panels are denoted in  FIG. 15  include suffixes R, F, L, and B to designate right, front, left and back portions. 
         [0054]    Blank  1100  may include a front floor panel  1110 F, a back floor panel  1110 B, a right floor flap  1110 R, and a left floor flap  1110 L. In the assembled housing these panels and flaps may be folded together to form the bottom surface of the housing. 
         [0055]    Blank  1100  may have a series of portions to form upright sections of the housing, including glue flap  1120 G, right panel  1120 R, front panel  1120 F, left panel  1120 L, and back panel  1120 B. Some of these panels may be attached to reinforcing flaps such as front reinforcing flap  1130 F (to be folded over upon an upper portion of front panel  1120 F) and left reinforcing flap  1130 L (to be folded over upon an upper portion of left panel  1120 L). Others of the panels may be attached to support or bracing flaps such as brace  1130 A attached to left wall  1120 L. Brace  1130 A may have a slit  1130 B to receive a tab  1130 T attached to stage panel  1130 . 
         [0056]    Slits  1122 R,  1122 L may be provided in the housing for receiving tabs  1218 L,  1218 R of the card to be received in the housing, as shown in  FIG. 18 . 
         [0057]    Blank  1100  may include a right top flap  1140 R, a left top flap  1130 L, and a back top flap  1140 B. In the assembled housing these flaps may be folded together to form the top surface of the housing. 
         [0058]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the blank of  FIG. 15  after folding certain panels, and forming a partially completed housing  1101 . The floor panels and floor flaps form the lower surface of the housing, and may be fastened together, for example by heat sealing, adhesive or other method. The upright sections of the housing may form four walls including back panel  1120 B, left panel  1120 L, front panel  1120 F, right panel  1120 R, and glue flap  1120 G (which may be glued or otherwise fastened to back panel  1120 B. In the example housing shown here, the back wall (formed by back panel  1120 B) and right wall (formed by right panel  1120 R) are seen to be closed, while the left wall formed by left panel  1120 L and the front wall formed by front panel  1120 F are mostly open. However other variations of the housing structure may be used according to manufacturing preference. Reinforcing flaps  1130 L and  1130 F are shown as folded inward onto the upper area of left wall  1120 L and front wall  1120 F respectively, to which they may be glued or otherwise fastened. 
         [0059]    Stage panel  1130  may be folded into the housing to form a stage on which to rest a central lower edge of folded card  1201 . To secure the stage panel  1130 , tab  1130 T may be inserted into slit  1130 B. It may be noted that there may be a gap G 1  (in this case a linear opening) between the back left edge of the stage  1130  and the left panel  1120 L into which left downward extension  1210 X of display card  1201  (see FIGS.  14 B and  17 ) may be inserted. Likewise there may be a gap G 2  (in this case an open area) between the right edge of stage panel  1130  and right panel  1120 R, into which front downward extension  1210 Y and right downward extension  1210 R may be inserted (see  FIGS. 14B and 17 ). 
         [0060]    The left top flap  1140 L, back top flap  1140 B, and right top flap  1140 R are shown as folded slightly inward in  FIG. 16 . However, the folded card  1201  will first be inserted into the housing as shown in  FIG. 17 , 
         [0061]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the partially completed housing of  FIG. 16 , receiving the card  1201  of  FIG. 14 , as indicated by downward arrow D. Left downward extension  1210 Y and front downward extension  1210 Y of the card  1201  are shown being received by the openings G 1 , G 2 . (Right downward extension  1210 Z is hidden, but also received in opening G 2 . 
         [0062]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the finished package, after the housing left top flap  1140 L, right top flap  1140 R, and back top flap  1140 B have been folded down to form the top surface of the housing. It may be noted that when the card  1201  is fully received into the housing  1101 , left tab  1218 L of the card may be received into slit  1122 L of the housing. Likewise (not shown) right tab  1218 R may be received into slit  1122 R. 
         [0063]      FIGS. 19A-19D  show additional alternative housings to receive blister cards. Housing  102  for example has four walls, with receiver slits in two opposing walls to receive tabs on opposing edges of blister card  202 . The blister card may rest on or near the bottom of the housing. 
         [0064]    Housing  103  has four walls, with receiver slits in two adjacent walls to receive tabs on adjacent edges of blister card  203 . The blister card may rest on or near the bottom of the housing. 
         [0065]    Housing  104  has three walls, with receiver slits in two opposing walls to receive tabs on opposing edges of blister card  204 . The blister card may rest on or near the bottom of the housing. 
         [0066]    Housing  105  has two walls, with receiver slits in the walls to receive tabs on edges of blister card  205 . The blister card in this example may be elevated above the bottom of the housing. 
         [0067]    Tabs on the blister cards may be of various shapes and sizes and may be located on edges or corners of the blister cards, to engage slits on sides or corners of the housings. The tabs may include features (wings, notches, protrusions, and the like) to secure the tabs more firmly in the slits.  FIGS. 19A-19D  represent only a few of the many possible structures. 
         [0068]    The package may have forms other than the specific structures shown in  FIGS. 1-19 . For the packages described here, a card is generally received into a housing lowering the card down into the housing. However, other housings and cards may be utilized in which a card is moved horizontally into a housing (e.g. from the left, right, front or back) of a housing, or raised into a housing. 
         [0069]    Although the blister  300  construction shown here encloses a product, it is also contemplated that portions of the blister may be left open, for example to allow a customer to handle the product such as feeling the texture, observing the product directly (without looking through the blister material), testing a fit (e.g. for an electrical connection), and for other purposes. 
         [0070]    The blanks  100 ,  200 ,  400  (and cards and housings made therefrom) may be formed of a sheet material such as paperboard, which may be made of or coated with materials to increase its strength. An example of such a sheet material is EASYSEAL paperboard made by MeadWestvaco Corporation. The sheet material may have a heat sealable coating, for example to allow a heat seal to be created between the various panels. Alternately, other forms of adhesive may be used to seal these parts together. It should be noted that the use of tear resistant materials, and/or in more than one layer, help to improve the tamper- and theft-resistance of the package. The panels may be joined together by heat sealing, RF (radio frequency) sealing, ultrasonic sealing, adhesive, or other means. 
         [0071]    Blister  300  may be made with common thermoform plastics such as PVC, PET, or APET but may also include a recycled material such as RPET or a biodegradable material such as PLA. However other materials including other plastics (or paperboard, at least for the backing sheet) may also be used. Besides thermoforming, the blister may be formed by injection molding or other manufacturing methods. The blister may be formed in one or more pieces. For example the blister  300  may be formed from 0.015″ thick PET plastic. 
         [0072]    It should be understood that additional panels or fold-over panels may be included in the package for further reinforcing the package, providing additional advertising space, and so on.