Abstract:
A paper packaging accommodating a product, comprising: a support member having an opening; a box section protruding through said opening from a back side to a front side of said support member; and a backing sheet covering said back side of said support member.

Description:
[0001]    This patent application claims priority from Japanese patent applications Nos. 2000-297251 filed on Sep. 28, 2000 and 2000-395008 filed on Dec. 26, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a paper packaging. The present invention, in particular, relates to a blister packaging.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    A blister packaging is popular for accommodating a product such as a shaver, a battery, a toy, and so on. A box section accommodating the product is conventionally made with clear plastic material, and the box section is adhered to a support member made of paper. The Japanese Patent Layed Open No, Hei. 9-290820 discloses a conventional blister packaging made of paper.  
           [0006]    However, the blister packaging including the box section made with clear plastic is, after removing the product, difficult to flatten; so that the voluminous when disposed. Furthermore, when a user tries to separate the plastic blister box from the paper support member for recycling, the plastic blister is not recycled because some part of the paper from the support member remains adhered to the plastic blister even after being separated. If the plastic blister with the attached paper is incinerated, harmful gas may be generated. On the other hand, the paper blister packaging disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Layed Open No. Hei. 9-290820 does not have enough strength on its box section projected from a support member.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paper packaging which is capable of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. The above and other objects can be achieved by combinations described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present invention.  
           [0008]    According to the first aspect of the present invention, paper packaging accommodating a product comprises a support member having an opening; a box section protruding through the opening from a back side to a front side of the support member; and a backing sheet covering the back side of the support member.  
           [0009]    The box section may include a flap around the box section for contacting with an edge of the opening when the box section is inserted to the opening. The flap may be adhered to the support member from the back side of the support member. The backing sheet may be adhered on the flap in an opposite side opposite to a side on which the support member is adhered. The box section may include a front face and a plurality of side faces, and a back face of the box section is covered with the backing sheet. The box section may accommodate a plurality of film cartridges.  
           [0010]    The front face of the box section may include a groove facing a region between the plurality of film cartridges. The box section and the backing sheet are made from same piece of paper. The box section, the backing sheet, and the support member may be made from one piece of paper; and provided in the mentioned order on the same piece of paper. The box section may include a continuously curved surface which includes the front face and two of the side faces horizontally connecting to the front face.  
           [0011]    According to the second aspect of the present invention, a assembling method of a paper packaging for accommodating a product, comprises preparing a support member having an opening; forming a box section; erecting the box section and protruding the box section from a back side of the support member to front side of the support member through the opening of the support member; preparing a backing sheet; and putting the backing sheet and the back side of the support member together.  
           [0012]    The forming the box section may include forming a flap around the box section for connecting with an edge of the opening; and the erecting may include connecting the flap with the edge. The assembling method of the paper packaging may further include adhering the flap on the edge; and adhering the backing sheet on a back side of the flap.  
           [0013]    According to the third aspect of the present invention, a packaging accommodating a product may comprise a support member having an opening; a backing sheet covering a back side of the support member; and a first box section for covering at least a part of the product to fold the product onto said support member and said backing sheet, the width of said first box section is smaller than the width of at least one of said support member and said backing sheet, and having a plurality of flaps sandwiched by said support member and said backing sheet in at least three directions of said first box section.  
           [0014]    The packaging may further include a second box section, having a back opening and the second box section protrudes through the back opening in an opposite direction to the first box section. The packaging may be made of paper. At least the first box section may be made of plastic material.  
       
    
    
       [0015]    The summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the present invention. The present invention may also be a sub-combination of the features described above. The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1A shows the paper blister packaging  60  before being assembled, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the paper blister packaging  60  after assembled.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2A shows a rear view of the box section  20 . FIG. 2B shows a top view of the box section  20 . FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the box section  20  from the front side.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 shows an example of the box section before folded.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4A shows an example of a support member and an adhering area  22 . FIG. 4B shows an example of the backing sheet  30 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a assembling method of the paper packaging.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6A shows a top view of another example of the box section  20 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the box section  20  from the front side.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 shows another example of the paper packaging before folded having the support member, the box section, and the backing sheet being made from one piece of paper.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 shows another example of the paper packaging after being half constructed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]    The invention will now be described based on the preferred embodiments, which do not intend to limit the scope of the present invention, but exemplify the invention. All of the features and the combinations thereof described in the embodiment are not necessarily essential to the invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a configuration figure showing a paper packaging  60  according to the embodiment of the present invention. The paper packaging  60  has a support member  10  including an opening  12 , a box section  20 , and a backing sheet  30 . The support member  10 , the box section  20 , and the backing sheet  30  are entirely made from paper. FIG. 1A shows the paper blister packaging  60  before being assembled. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the paper blister packaging  60  after being assembled. The box section  20  protrudes through the opening  12  of the support member  10  from a back side toward a front side, and the box section  20  is erect. Flaps  24  around the box section  20  contacts with edges around the opening  12 . Furthermore, the backing sheet  30  and the support member  10  sandwich the erected box section  20  therebetween.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 shows an example of the box section  20  in detail. FIG. 2A shows a rear view of the box section  20 . FIG. 2B shows a top view of the box section  20 . FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the box section  20  from the front side. The box section  20  has a front face  26 , an upper face  21 , a bottom face  23 , a right side face and a left side face  29 , and four flaps  24 . The front face  26  is connected with the right and the left side faces  29  of the box section  20 ; and the right side face  29 , the front face  26 , and the left side face  29  form a continuous curved surface. The box section  20  is formed like a box. The box section  20  has a large opening on its back face. A product to be accommodated in the box section is packed from the opening on the back face, and the opening is later covered with the backing sheet  30 . For example, the box section  20  accommodates a film cartridge for photography. The box section  20  may accommodate a plurality of film cartridges. Adhering areas  22  are provided on the hatched area on each of the flaps  24 . The flaps  24  are adhered to the support member  10  from the backside of the support member. The backing sheet  30  may be similarly adhered on the backside of the flaps  24 . As described later in detail, the box section  20  may accommodate any kinds of products relating to camera, as because present invention primarily concerns the packaging and not the products to be accommodated therein, as clearly understood when reading the specification as a whole.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 shows an example of the box section  20  before folded. A chain dashed line depicts a line to be folded in a mountain folding, whereby the two faces of the paper opposite the viewer become closer. A double dashed line depicts a line to be folded in a valley folding, whereby the two faces of the paper facing the viewer become closer. The region where the front face  26  and the side faces  29  connecting one another is processed to form a smooth and continuously curved surface. If the box has a corner, the corner may be collapsed when dropped. Collapsing the corner may be avoided by forming the corner into the continuously curved surface. Furthermore, when the box section accommodates a film cartridge, the curved surface fits a curved outline of the film cartridge. Thus, wearing between an interior surface of the box section  20  and a surface of the film cartridge may be avoided. The region where the front face  26  connects the side faces  29  may form a plurality of predetermined angled ridges fitting with the outline of the product.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 shows a detailed example of the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30 . FIG. 4A shows an example of a support member  10  and an adhering area  22 . The adhering area  22 , indicated as a hatched area in FIG. 4A around the opening  12  on the support member  10 , contacts with the flaps  24  of the box section  20 . On the adhering area  22 , adhesive material maybe previously printed. FIG. 4B shows an example of the backing sheet  30 . Dotted lines around the opening area  36  designate perforations, and a double-chained line depicts the line for the valley folding. Cutting the perforation around the opening area  36 , a large opening is formed on the backing sheet  30  in the region being the back face of the box section  20  before cutting; and the product may be easily removed from the box section  20 . It is preferable to provide the opening area  36  on the backing sheet  30 ; if the opening area  36  is provided on the box section  20 , because the box section  20  is erect, the opening area may be possibly dropped and damaged while distributed. The hatched area around the opening area  36  contacts with the flaps  24  around the box section  20 . Adhesive material may be previously printed on an adhering area  22 . In some cases, the flaps  24  may be adhered to at least one of the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30 . Moreover, the flaps  24  may be adhered to both the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30 . In such a case, the erecting box section  20  is stably fastened against both the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30  by the flaps  24 , therefore the strength of the box section  20  increases. Furthermore, the four corners of the box section  20  are surrounded by the region where the support member  10 , the flaps  24 , and the backing sheet  30  overlaps one another, so that the box section  20  has more strength; therefore even if the paper packaging  60  is dropped, the product accommodated in the box section  20  is protected from the shock of being dropped. In another case, the support member  10  may be put together with at least a part of the backing sheet  30  and adhered to each other. In yet another case, the flaps  24  of the box section  20  may be simply sandwiched by, but not adhered to, both the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30 ; and the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30  are adhered to one another.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an assembling method of the paper packaging  60 . A piece of cardboard is stamped out for preparing the support member  10  including the opening  12 . On a surface of the support member  10 , information such as a name of the product, advertising, and so on may be previously printed (S 100 ) Another piece of cardboard is stamped out for preparing the box section  20 , and folded to form the box section  20 . The cardboard may also be printed with information. The flaps  24  are formed around the box section  20  (S 102 ). The box section  20  is protruded through the opening  12  from the back side of the support member  10 . The flaps  24  contact with an edge of the opening  12 . The box section  20  may accommodate the product in the present step (S 104 ). Next, yet another piece of cardboard is stamped out for preparing the backing sheet  30 . The cardboard may also be printed with information (S 106 ). On the back side of the support member  10 , on which the flaps of the box section  20  are attached, the backing sheet  30  is applied (S 108 ), so that the box section  20  is sandwiched by the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30 . The edge of the opening  12  on the support member  10  is connected with the flaps  24 . The back sides of the flaps  24  may be adhered with the backing sheet  30 . The support member  10  may be adhered with the backing sheet  30  (S 110 ).  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 shows another example of the box section  20  having a plurality of grooves provided in the front face  26 . In the present example, the packaging accommodates a plurality of film cartridges. The front face  26  includes a groove formed in front of the region between the plurality of film cartridges  50 . FIG. 6A shows a top view of another example of the box section  20 . As shown in FIG. 6A, the film cartridge  50  is fastened by the groove in the box section  20 . Thus, while being distributed, the film cartridges  50  are protected from being damaged by hitting one another or scraping the surface of the film cartridges  50  with an interior of the paper packaging  60 . FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the box section  20  from the front side. The packaging with compartments divided by the grooves indicates to users that the film cartridges  50  are accommodated in the paper packaging  60 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 shows another example of the paper packaging  60  before folded. The support member  10 , the box section  20 , and the backing sheet  30  are made from one piece of paper in the present example. The box section  20 , the backing sheet  30 , and the support member  10  are provided in the mentioned order on the aforementioned one piece of paper. For modification, the box section  20  and the backing sheet  30  may be provided on the same piece of the paper; only the support member  10  is provided separately. The chain dashed line depicts a line to be folded in a mountain folding, whereby the two faces of the paper opposite the viewer become closer. The double dashed line depicts a line to be folded in a valley folding, whereby the two faces of the paper facing the viewer become closer. The box section  20  is then folded to form the box.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 8 shows another example of the paper packaging after being half constructed. The support member  10 , the box section  20 , and the backing sheet  30  made from one piece of paper is halfway constructed in this example. The box section  20  is placed through the opening  12  on the support member  10 . The support member  10  and the backing sheet  30  are folded, put together, and used to sandwich the box section  20 . A back supporting piece  14  is further folded, and connected to the backing sheet  30  The back supporting piece  14  reinforces a lower edge of the paper packaging  60  by doubling the thickness of the lower edge. Applying this modification, the paper packaging is made from only one component, so that the packaging may be both efficiently and quickly produced. Furthermore, the support member  10 , the box section  20 , and the backing sheet  30  are previously connected, and the adhered region may be narrowed without impairing strength. The packaging applying the present modification may be folded again after opening. After the film cartridge is removed from the paper packaging  60  and photographs are taken on it, the paper packaging  60  may re-accommodate the film cartridge.  
         [0034]    In another modification of the present embodiment, at least the box section  20  may be made of plastic material. In the present modification, the box section  20  may be simply sandwiched by, but not adhered to, the support member  10  and the backing sheet  30 . Thus, no paper is attached to the box section  20  after the accommodated product is removed; therefore the packaging is more suitable for recycling than conventional blister packaging.  
         [0035]    According to the embodiment of the present invention, without impairing the eye-catching ability of a conventional blister pack, a strong paper blister pack that is highly suitable for recycling is produced. The main material is limited to paper; therefore the assembling apparatus is limited to paper-processing apparatus. When the box section is made of paper, the box section may be flattened by hand after the product is removed. Thus, the paper packaging after use maybe entirely flattened and its volume reduced. The paper packaging after use may be conveniently recycled. The paper packaging is suitable for both recycling and incineration because the packaging leaves no mixed material after use. Therefore the paper packaging has a lower environmental impact than the conventional blister pack.  
         [0036]    When the paper packaging applying the present embodiment accommodates the film cartridges for photography, the film cartridge for photography is sealed in a moisture barrier material packaging such as an aluminum evaporated plastic film packaging, then accommodated in the paper packaging according to the present embodiment. The moisture barrier material may be incinerated without generating harmful gas when proper material is selected. When the moisture barrier packaging of the film cartridge for photography is provided as described above, the entire packaging, including both the paper packaging and the aluminum evaporated film packaging is suitable for incineration.  
         [0037]    A hatching applied on the side face  24  of the box section  20  or the curved surface including the front face  26  and the side faces  29  in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, FIG. 2C, FIG. 6B, and FIG. 8 is applied for stereoscopic effect.  
         [0038]    Although the present invention has been described by way of exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled in the art might make many changes and substitutions without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention which is defined only by the appended claims.  
         [0039]    For example, though the present embodiments refer the film cartridges for photography that are accommodated in the box section of the packaging. However, it is not limited thereto or thereby. According to the present invention, the box section may accommodate any product relating to camera such as, a camera body itself including permanent or disposable camera, a stack of photo papers, photo albums, bottles for photo developer, recording medium such as memory, optical disk, magnetic disk, magnetic tape and smart medium, camera accessories such as casing, strap, application software, PC card adopter, battery charger, flush pass, image card reader, battery with or without charger, consumables for printer, word processor or copying machine such as ink cartridge, ink ribbon, seal sheets. The camera may include any digital or analog camera, still or movie camera. Further, the film cartridges embodied in the present specification may also include various kinds of films such as, for example, for APS, 135 film, 110 film, 220 film, instant film or other cut film. As is apparent above, the present invention primally concerns a packaging and not the product to be accommodated therein, and any products relating to camera may be accommodated by the box section of the packaging according to the present invention.