Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
W093/09033 2 12 2 2 67 PCT/GB92/01880
SUSPENSION MEMBER FOR PACKAGES
The present in~ention relates to a suspensio~ mem~er
for attachment to a display carton for articles to enable
the carton to be suspended ~rom a support.
According to one aspect of the present inven~ion there
is provided a suspension member for a carton having a first
wall connected to a second wall by a fold defining an edge
of the first wall, the suspension member having an
anchorage portion adapted for ins~rtion into the carton
between the flrst and second walls for engagement with the
fold or sPcond wall, and a display portion connected to the
anchorage portion as to overlie the ~irst wall after
insertion of the anch~rage portion into the carton.
: Preferably the display portion is generally planar and
is arranged such that its plane extends generally parallel
i5 to th~e direction of insertion of the anchorage portion.
Pre~erably the anchorage portion:is generally planar and is
arranged to be generally parallel to ~he display portion to
define a gap therebetween:for r~ceiving the first wall.
Preferably a suspension portion is connected to the
0 anchorage and/or display portion, t~e suspension portion
, , ~
: extending outside beyond~the edye of the first wall w~en
the suspension~mem~er is attached to the carton.
~ ,
~ ccording to another aspec of the invention, there is
i:
~: provided a suspension member for a carton, the suspension
25: member including a suspension portion, an a~chorage portion
adapted for connection to the carton and a display portion
lat rally spaGed from the anchorage portion to define a gap
`;: ~
:' ~
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W093/09033 ~ fi 7 PCT/GB92/01880
therébetween for receiving a wall portion of the carton, so
~hat when attached to the carton, the suspension portion
extends in one direction beyond an edge of said wall and
the display portion extends in an opposite direc~ion from
said edge to overlie said wall.
According to another aspect of the present invention
there is provided a carton including a suspensi~n member as
defined above.
Various aspects of the present invention are
hereinater described with reference to the accompanying
dr~wings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a suspensionmember according to one embodiment of the present invention
attached to a carton;
Figure 2 is a front view of the ~uspension member
shown in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a rear view of the embodiment shown in
Figure 2;
Figure 4 is: an enlarged side view of the embodiment
shown in Figure };
Figure :5 :is a ~chematic perspective view showing
p~esentation o~ a suspension ~ember to a c~rton in
readiness for insertion; ~ .
Figures 6a,6b are diagrammatic representations of
2_ progressive stages during insertion of the suspension
: member into the carton.
: :
Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown a sock
carton 290 formed from a folded card to have a ~ront wall
W093/09033 212 2 ~ ~ r~ PCT/GB92/018~0
, . . .
201 and a rear wall 202. In use a pair of socks (not
shown) are located be-~ween the front and rear walls ~nd
attached there~o by for example a tag (not shown). The
upper portion of the front and rear walls may or ~ay.not be
secured together by for example glue.
A suspension member 100 according to the present
invention is attached to the folded card and includes a
suspension portion 101 which is preferably iJl the fQrm of
a hook 103 to enable the suspension member 100 to be
suspended from a support such as a rail. It will be
appreciated that the suspension portion ~01 may be defined
by a ~ormation other than a hookt for example a planar wall
having a~ aperture for receiving a railO
The suspension member 100 further includes a display
portion lln which is arranged to overlie the upper portion
of the front wall 201. Preferably the display portion 110
have an external front ace 206 to permit indicia to be
displayed ther~on. ~ This may be achieved by printing
directly on to;:the surface 206l forming indicia integrally
20 ~ with the face 206 eg by stamping t~chniques or by moulding
: ~;: :techniques, or~ may~ be ~ achieved by:: adhering printed labels
: ~. onto the ~ace 206.~: If printing directly onto the ~ace 206
is to be performed~ it i:s preferxed that the face 206 is
~: ~ planar.
~ The display portion 110 preferably has zn upper edge
207 which is substantially contiguous with the upper edge
. 208 of the front wall. The remainder of the display
portion 110 extends downwardly from the upper edge 208 to
W093/09033 PCT/GB92/01880
2~.222'~
overlie the front wall 201 so that the ma~ority of the
display portion is located within the peripheral boundaries
of the front wall.
This is advantageous in that the size of the display
portion can he chosen bearing in mind the information
required to be displayed thereon without affecting the
height of the suspension portion 100 above the upper edge
208 of the front wall 201. This is advantageous since
shelf space can be maximised irrespective of the size of
the display portion~ In addition, since the display
portion is located within the boundaries of the front wall
201, the display portion is unlikely to snag against
adjacent cartons. This is advantageous since it
facilitates loading or unloading o rails and also r~duces
lS the possi~ility of damage to the cartons caused by twisting
of the suspension members if snagged. Since the display
: portion llO overlies the front wall:201 the indicia carried
~: thereby is gi~en a visual dominance relative to indicia on
the ~ront wall::201 since it is locaked nearer to an
2~:0 obser~er. ~This effect:may be utilised tv advantage in
or~er ~o give emphasis to the indicia carried by the
,
display portion.
; For ~xample, it is~: envisaged that ~he suspension
. :
member 100 according to the presPnt invention will be
utilised to display unique information to a c~rton carrying
generic information~ For example the front wall 201 may be
pri~ted with a~ manufacturers/retailers name and describe
~, :
~ ~ the go~ds, eg socks, yarn mixture etc and the display
W093/09033 2 1 2 2 2 6 7 PCT/GB92J01~80
portion may be marked to give uni~ue information such as
size. This marking could be achieved by use of a colour
coding if desired eg a red display portion indicates one
size, a blue display portion indicates another S~Z8, etc.
Since the display portion stands proud of the front
wall 201 it is given visual dominance and so makes it
easier for a perspective purchaser to identify a size and
make a~ appropriate choice.
The peripheral shape of ~he display portion llO is
shown to be generally rectangular in the drawings. It will
be appreciated that any desirable round or polygonal shape
may be adopte~.
The suspension member lO0 includes anchorage means 300
for securing the suspension member lO0 to the folded card.
Preferab1y the anchorage means 300 aomprises a planar base
portion Sl cohnected to the suspe~sion portion lO~ -
: :The base portion 51 includes a central body portion 52
which is connècted at its upper ~end to the suspension
portion 103 and~which has a lower: edge 53. A pair of
~ ~ 20 resilient tongues 55~extend upward1y and outwardly ~rom the
:: ~ lower region of the~body portion 52 to terminate beneath a
p~r o~ :shoulder6 58~ which project laterally from th~
suspension~portion ~lOl~
The width~dimension W between the termin~l ends of the
resilient tongues:is:chosen to~be greater than the length
o~ the lower~edge 53.- ~his:enables the suspension member
lO0 to be secured to the card by inserting the lower end of
~he body portion into a slot 90 formed in the card (Figures
W~g3/09033 2 ~ 2 2 ~ 6 7 PCT/G~92/01880
5,6a,6b). The length of the slot 30 is in excess of the
length of the lower edge 53 but is less than the width
dimension W. Thus as the base portion is inserted into the
slot, the tongues 55 are resiliently defle~ted in~ardly by
engaging the ends of the slot. Once the base portion 51
has been fully inserted throuyh the slot, the ~erminal ends
of the tongues clear the slot and return to their original
undeflected position to underlie marginal portions of the
card adjacent to the ends of the slot.
Preferably the width dimension WU of the upper portion
of the body portion 51 is chosen to be substantially khe
same or slightly less than the length of the slot 90 so as
to resist movement of the suspension me~ber along the
length of the slot. Preferably the sides of the body
portion 52 include chamfered portions 60 and the ton~ues
are preferably of rounded cross-section in order to co-
operate with the chamfers during insertion to enable the
: tongues to ride over the body portion.
Preferably~the lower edge 53 projects beneath the
~lower edge 220 of~the display portion 110. This enables
the suspension me~ber to: be more easily inserted into a
car~ by providing an: initial location and ~ead in for the
base portion ~1. A preferred method of insertion ,is;
illustrated in Figures 5,6a and 6b.
: 25 ~ Initlally the card is arranged with the front and rear
~: walls 201,202 located at 90 to one another. The slot ~0
~;~ . is~formed ~y a slit so that on folding of the card about
fold line 215 (which eventually forms the upper edge 208~
.
, ., . , ~ ... ., , .,,, ,,, ~ ,, , .. . , .; .. . .
WO 93/~9033 PCr/l~B92/01880
2i22267
the slot 90 and a flap 91 are formed..
Initially, the suspension member 100 is presented to
the slot so whilst the front and rear walls 201, 202 are
located at 90 and the lower portion of the body ~ortion 52
5 is inserted into and through the slot 90 (Figures 5, 6a) .
Prior to the lower edge 2 2 0 of the display portion
engaglng the front wall 201, the front wall is folded
toward the rear wall (as indicated by the broken~ e arrow
in Figure 6a ) . This enables insertion of the suspen ion
member 51 to continue by enabling the display portion 110
to pass over the outside of the front wall 201 (Figure 6b~.
Preferably the inside face of the display portion 110 has
a chamfer 225:;at its:lower portion to facilitate entry of
.
the front wall into the gap between the display portion and
; ~ 15 the body:portion during insertion.
Preferably the base portion 51, suspension portion 10~
: :a:nd display portion~110 are each planar and are arranged
: with: their pl~anes extending:in the same direction~ This
~ ~ enables the suspension ~mem~er to be aasily stacked in a
::: 20 column. :Preferably the base portion and suspension portion
lOl are co pla~ar. ~
; It will ~be; appreciated tha~ the portion a:~f the front
: wall located~:betwe~en the body portion 52 and dis~lay
portion llu is~ ~supported thereby against folding ~nd so
enables thinner~card to be used.
It is envisaged that the suspension member 101 may be
moulded in o~e :piece from a suitable plastics material.
Alternatively, the display portion may be f~rmed separately
:: : .
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W093/09033 PC~rGB92/01880
212 2 2 6 7
and subsequently secured to the suspension o~ base portion.
I~ the illustrated embodiment ~he display portion ll0
is connected alonq its marginal edge portion to shoulders
5~ and the upper portion of the body portion .52 via a
connection or web portion 230 and that shoulders 58 engage
the upper edge 208 to limit insertion of the suspension
member. Alternatively, it is envisaged that the display
portion may be connected to the suspension portion l01 by
a cvnnection portion extending within the end boundaries WU
of the upper portion of the body portion so as to be
capable of contacting side edge 9l of the slot to limit
insertion of the suspension member. With such an
arrangement it~1S possible to locate the upper edge 207 of
:` . t~e display portion below the upper edge 208 of the front
wall.
The carton 200 illustrated is a ~olded card to which
~; a~ticles for display are attachedO
It is to be understood that the invention also relates
to cartons whi¢h define a container.
In certain~ applications, it is ~nvisaged tha~ the
` display por~ion may be secured to the~anchorage means only
:`
~:~ and that the suspension portion may be omitted entirely.
