Abstract:
An improved bulk package for removably containing consumable products is provided. The package includes a container and at least three bands, which may be in the form of pouches, adhered to one another and to the inside of the container, each band adapted to removably contain a plurality of consumable products. Additionally, the container includes a hinged lid insertable into a slot for reclosing the container. The container may be provided to the consumer with the hinged lid outside of the slot and a clear plastic overwrap around the container, holding the hinged lid against the front face of the container in a closed position

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to packaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to bulk packaging for storing and dispensing consumable products and in particular confectionery products. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There is a need for attractive, effective and convenient packaging for consumable products in relatively large quantities or in bulk. It is also desirable to reduce manufacturing costs by reducing the cost of packaging material used in providing consumable products to the consumer. A need therefore exists for convenient bulk packaging that reduces the packaging materials used in packaging consumable products, and particularly confectionery products, which may, for example, include chewing gum, bubble gum, toffees, caramels, chocolates, or other hard or soft candies. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a package containing consumable products is provided. The package includes a container having a plurality of walls that includes a front wall, a rear wall and left and right side walls. The plurality of walls defines an opening which typically will be located in a top or generally upper portion of the container. A lid is provided and adapted to selectively cover the opening, typically being operable between open and closed positions. A plurality of bands are disposed inside the container, including a first band disposed adjacent and adhered to one of the walls, a second band disposed adjacent and adhered to another of the walls and at least one intermediate band disposed between the first and second bands. Each band has an at least substantially closed periphery and an open top facing the opening of the container, the bands being adhered to one another in a stacked or side-by-side configuration. As used herein, the term “side” means any surface that bounds or limits the article (e.g., a cube has six sides). A plurality of consumable products is contained in each band, the products arrayed in the band so that a consumer can grasp and separately remove each of the consumable products from the bands and the container. Typically, an adhesive will be employed to releasably adhere a plurality of consumable products that are contained in a respective band to an inner surface of that band. The adhesive may be a relatively weak adhesive such that each of the consumable products can be readily removed from the respective band by a consumer grasping one of the consumable products and pulling it from the band. However, the adhesive provides a sufficient retention force so that the consumable products will not fall from the container, such as by gravity and preferably will not fall from the container even if the container is inverted and shaken vigorously. 
         [0004]    Each of the consumable products can be individually wrapped and may be, for example, a stick or tab of chewing gum. 
         [0005]    The adhesive employed may be any suitable adhesive and can be, for example, a wax. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the lid of the container is connected to the container at a first hinge, which may be a fold line, the lid being configured to articulate about the first hinge between a closed position in which the lid covers the opening and an open position in which the lid does not cover the opening. Preferably, the lid includes a tab that is configured to be inserted into a slot located in the container to releasably retain the lid in the closed position. 
         [0007]    The hinged lid can further include a second hinge and a third hinge, the first and second hinges defining a top lid segment and the second a third hinges defining a middle lid segment and a tab lid segment comprising the tab, with the tabbed lid segment being capable of articulation about the middle lid segment at the third hinge to allow the tab to be inserted into the slot at an oblique angle with respect to the front wall of the container. 
         [0008]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first band is disposed adjacent and adhered to the front wall. This can be conveniently accomplished by means of a suitable adhesive, which may be a hot melt and/or another type of adhesive as desired. It can be advantageous to use a hot melt adhesive to adhere the first band to the front wall to facilitate production of the package in accordance with the invention as described in more detail hereafter. 
         [0009]    The second band can be disposed adjacent and adhered to the rear wall. Again, this is accomplished by means of a suitable adhesive. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the intermediate bands, which may comprise one, two, three or more bands, is adhered to the adjacent bands, which may be the first (i.e., front) and second (i.e., rear) bands. This prevents the intermediate bands and respective consumable product contained in the bands from unintended falling out of the package. 
         [0011]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each band contains a linear array of consumable products, which may be, for example, a plurality of consumable products in stick or tab form arrayed in a side-by-side relation. The plurality of consumable products contained in a band may be in a plurality as desired, such as two, three, four, five, six, seven or more, for example. Similarly, the number of bands may be three, four, five, six or more, as desired. Thus, packages may be constructed that contain a relatively large number of consumable product pieces that can be individually wrapped, such as, 6 (2×3), 9 (3×3), 12 (3×4 or 4×3), 15 (3×5 or 5×3), 16 (4×4), 18 (3×6 or 6×3), 20 (4×5 or 5×4), 21 (3×7 or 7×3), 24 (4×6 or 6×4), 25 (5×5), 27 (3×9 or 9×3), 28 (4×7 or 7×4), 30 (5×6 or 6×5), 32 (4×8 or 8×4), 33 (3×11 or 11×3), 35 (5×7 or 7×5), 36 (6×6 or 4×9 or 9×4), where the first number in the array is the number of bands and the second number in the array is the number of product pieces in a band. It will be appreciated that other product configurations and numbers of product pieces can result in a package in accordance with the invention, as desired. Thus, the invention provides a package and method for making such a package that has a desired number of consumable products that will be retained in the package until the consumer desires removal of one or more of the consumable products. It is also to be understood that the consumable products may each be the same type of product or can be composed of different products, which may include different flavors, sizes or other configurations. In the case of different product sizes, such as a gum tab or stick that is, for example, double wide, then the number of product pieces in a particular band would be adjusted accordingly. 
         [0012]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a side of each of the bands is adjacent and adhesively secured or adhered to the left side wall and/or the right side wall of the container. This helps to retain the bands and the consumable products within the container until a consumer desires removal of one or more of the consumable products from the container. 
         [0013]    In each of the foregoing embodiments, the band which provides an at least substantially enclosed lateral perimeter and an open top may be in the form of a band having an enclosed bottom and an open top. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a package in accordance with the invention including a container and a stack of bundles of consumable products, adapted to be adhered within the container according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of  FIG. 1  and illustrating a stack of bundles, each bundle including a plurality of consumable products contained within a pouch. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a container blank adapted to be formed into a container. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a package in accordance with the invention and wrapped inside a clear overwrap to be provided to the consumer. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the package of  FIG. 4  with the overwrap removed. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the package of  FIG. 4 , wherein the articulation of hinged lid for insertion of the tab into the slot is illustrated. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the package of  FIG. 4 , wherein the tab is inserted into the slot of the container. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a stack of bundles. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is an exploded side view of the stack of bundles of  FIG. 8 , showing glue beads. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 10-19  illustrate various glue configurations useful in accordance with the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 20  is an exploded perspective view of a bundle, showing wax beads on an inner surface of a pouch. 
           [0025]      FIG. 21  is an alternative arrangement of the invention, from the embodiment of  FIG. 20 , illustrating an exploded perspective view of a bundle, showing a layer of wax on an inner surface of a pouch in place of wax beads. 
           [0026]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a stack of bundles, showing the location of wax beads relative to consumable products in the assembled bundles. 
           [0027]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of a stack of bundles, including a retention strip. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    An improved package for containing and dispensing a plurality of consumable products is described in this section. 
         [0029]    With reference to the Figures generally and particularly to  FIGS. 1-9 , a consumable product package  10  is illustrated. Package  10  includes a container  12 , container  12  having a hinged lid  14  configured to be inserted into a slot  16 , and at least three bands or pouches, in this embodiment, five (5) bands or pouches  17   a - e,  contained within container  12 . Each band or pouch  17   a - e  is configured to contain a plurality of, in this case seven (7), consumable products G, each band or pouch  17   a - e  containing seven (7) associated products G in respective bundles  18   a - e.    FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of the edges of bundles  18   a - e,  illustrating how each pouch  17   a - e  is configured from a sheet folded once around the bottom of products G and again at each end of bundle  18   a - e  to form edge folds  20   a - e.  As explained below in more detail, pouches  17   a - e  containing products G are adhered to one another in a stacked configuration to form a stack  22  of bundles  18   a - e,  as shown in perspective view in  FIG. 1  and in side and exploded side views in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a container blank  23  is shown, from which container  12  may be formed. Dotted lines C in  FIG. 3  indicate creased fold lines, dot-dash lines P indicate perforated fold lines and S refers to score lines. The fold lines and perimeter of blank  23  define a plurality of regions and features of container  12 , namely, a back face  24 , a bottom face  26 , bottom flaps  28 , side faces  30 , side flaps  32 , top flaps  34 , a front face  36 , a first lid hinge  37 , a lid top segment  38 , a second lid hinge  39 , a lid middle segment  40 , a third lid hinge  41 , and tab  15  of hinged lid  14 . Glue is applied as desired or needed to form package  10 . In this embodiment, a bead of glue  42  is applied to back face  24  for adhering rear pouch  17   e  to back face  24 , beads  44  to side faces  30  for adhering interior pouches  17   b - d  to side faces  30 , and beads  46  to front face  36  for adhering side flaps  32  and front pouch  17   e  to front face  36 . In this manner, bundle stack  22  is adhered to container  12 . Additionally, in this embodiment beads  48  are applied to side faces  30  below beads  44 , for adhering bottom flaps  28  to side flaps  30 , and hot-melt glue beads  50  are applied to front face  36  below beads  46  for adhering front face  36  to side flaps  32 . In this manner, container blank  23  retains its form as container  12 . To facilitate forming completed package  10 , hot-melt beads  50  are applied in addition to beads  46 , which also adhere side flaps  32  to front face  36 , because hot-melt glue typically sets more quickly than cold glue, thus quickly adhering side flaps  32  to front face  36  to generally retain the form of container  12  while the remaining glue beads are setting. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-7 , various aspects and the functionality of package  10  is illustrated. In  FIG. 4 , a completed package  10  including overwrap  52  as shown may be transparent and can have printing thereon as desired. Overwrap  52  is wrapped around generally the entire package  10  to generally retain hinged lid  14  folded down over front face  36  of container  12  as shown in a closed configuration. In this manner, package  10  may be provided to the consumer in a tamper-evident, closed state without the need to adhere hinged lid  14  to front face  36 .  FIG. 5  is an illustration of package  10  after overwrap  52  has been removed by a consumer, allowing hinged lid  14  to swing open, exposing consumable products G and permitting the consumer to remove separately each individual consumable product G. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the three-hinge design of hinged lid  14  permits a consumer to articulate hinged lid  14  for easy insertion of tab  15  into slot  16 , at an oblique angle with respect to front face  36 , for reclosure of container  12 .  FIG. 7  is a depiction of container  12  in its reclosed state with tab  15  inserted into slot  16 . 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIGS. 8-19 , in addition to being adhered to the inside of container  12 , pouches  17   a - e  are adhered to one another to form a bundle stack  22 . Thus, each pouch  17   a - e  is adhered to each adjacent pouch  17   a - e.  Stack  22  is shown in side elevation view in  FIG. 8 , and in exploded side elevation view in  FIG. 9 , revealing interior glue beads  54  applied to one side of all but one of pouches  17   a - e,  so that each pair of adjacent interior faces  56  may be adhered together. In another embodiment, interior glue beads  54  may be applied to each of the pouches  17   a - e  (not shown). In accordance with the present invention, glue beads  54  may be applied to any combination of interior faces  56 , provided that at least one glue bead  54  corresponds to each pair of adjacent interior faces  56 . However, applying glue beads  54  to the same side of all but one pouch  17   a - e  of stack  22  as shown in  FIG. 9  is particularly advantageous in that it facilitates the mechanized manufacture of packages  10 , as will be explained in more detail below with regard to the packaging method of the present invention. In addition, glue beads  54  may be applied to any suitable portion of the area of interior faces  56 , in a sufficient quantity to maintain an adhesive bond between each interior face  56  and its adjacent interior face  56  throughout the normal useful life of package  10 ; that is, the period between purchase and when the last consumable product G has been removed from package  10 . Moreover, hot-melt glue beads  58  may be applied in addition to glue beads  54  for faster adhesion. Referring to  FIGS. 10-19 , several examples of suitable sizes, shapes and orientations of glue beads  54 , and where applicable, of hot-melt glue beads  58 , on interior face  56  of a pouch according to the invention are shown in front elevation view. 
         [0033]    In addition to adhering pouches  17   a - e  to one another and to container  12 , the present invention provides for removably adhering a plurality of consumable products G to the inside of each pouch  17   a - e.  This allows a consumer to remove a consumable product G without inadvertently removing adjacent consumable products G, and generally prevents accidental spilling of consumable products G from container  12 . To this end, preferably a relatively weak adhesive may be applied to inner surface  60  of each pouch  17   a - e,  including wax, for example, or any other suitable weak adhesive. Referring to  FIG. 20 , any suitable array of wax beads  62  may be applied to surface  60  so that at least one wax bead  62  removably adheres each consumable product G to surface  60 , as illustrated in  FIG. 21  with respect to pouch  17   a.  Alternatively, a generally uniform layer of wax or other suitable adhesive could be applied to surface  60  for removably adhering consumable products G. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 21 , in one embodiment, in place of wax beads  62 , substantially the entire sheet is coated with a thin layer of wax  62 ′, except a perimeter portion  63  of the sheet is not coated with wax. The wax may be applied by any suitable method and apparatus, such as, for example, roller coating or spraying. Otherwise, the embodiment of  FIG. 21  is similar to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 20 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 22 , it is within the scope of the present invention to include a retention band  64  that is wrapped around stack  22  to help retain bundles  18   a - e  in a compact configuration. Retention strip  64  may be included instead of or in addition to side glue beads  44  and  48 . 
         [0036]    In addition, a band (not shown) similar to band  64  may be substituted for each of pouches  17   a - e,  that encircles each group of seven (7) consumable products G. 
         [0037]    Bulk packages according to the present invention have several significant advantages over current packages for consumable products. For example, as compared to one current chewing gum package which includes a container housing two bundles similar to the bundles of the present invention, the illustrated package  10  including five bundles  18  achieves about a 40% reduction in mass of adhesive per gum stick, and about a 27% reduction in total mass of packaging material per gum stick, when consumable products G are gum sticks. Moreover, package  10  provides 150% more gum than the current two-bundle package, thus allowing the consumer to carry significantly more gum in a single convenient package. 
         [0038]    While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous changes, modifications and rearrangements, and such changes, modifications and rearrangements are intended to be covered by the following claims.