Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DISPLAY PACK
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to a display pack configured to hold
one or more
products within a transparent chamber and, more particularly, to a display
pack including a shell
and a display card configured to capture the product.
(0002] Traditionally, products have been shipped in bulk from a manufacturer
to a
retailer in cartons containing protective packing material. The container and
packing material
were configured to provide sufficient structural strength to enable
palletizing and shipping in
bulk. Once at the retailer, individual products were then removed from the
cartons to be
individually placed on a shelf or rack for display. For small, expensive, and
easily stolen
products, the shelf or rack might be located within a secured display case to
minimize the risk of
theft. All of which was both costly and time consuming.
[0003] More recently, small products have been packaged in comparatively large
containers to deter theft. Some manufacturers have used smaller packaging
captured in a
transparent display pack. Such display packs typically are significantly
larger than the small
packaging, providing for increased deterrence of theft. Display packs have
been made from two
vacuum-formed sheets of clear plastic, sealed around the edges, forming a
chamber for holding
the product. Oftentimes, the entire periphery of such display packs are
sealed, providing added
theft deterrence, yet making access difficult for the ultimate purchaser.
Since such display packs
typically are formed of durable plastic, even access via scissors can be
difficult. Once cut open,
portions of the display card typically remain captured within portions of
plastic, hampering
recycling of these materials.
[0004] It should, therefore, be appreciated that there remains need for a
display pack that
provides a substantial theft deterrent while enabling ease access to the
enclosed product for the
end users and that facilitates recycling of the materials used. The present
invention fulfills this
need and others.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Briefly, and in general terms, the invention provides a display pack
having a shell
and a display card that cooperatively secure a product in a product chamber.
The shell includes a
front portion that defines a product chamber and further includes a plurality
of flaps attached by
fold lines to the front portion. The display card is located between the front
portion and flaps of
the shell, to secure a product within the product chamber. The flaps are
secured to the front
portion through openings defined by the display card. To open the shell, a
purchaser can pry the
flaps from the front portion, allowing for removal of both the display card
and the product by the
purchaser. In this manner, both the shell and the display card are easily
separated for recycling.
Moreover, the display pack has an effective configuration that is
substantially larger than the
product to deter theft, while minimizing the amount of material required.
[0006] More specifically, by way of example and not limitation, the front
portion of the .
shell includes a primary plane, a product chamber protruding from the primary
plane, and a
frame protruding from the primary plane. The frame circumscribes the product
chamber about
the periphery of the front portion. A plurality of flaps are attached by fold
lines to the front
portion along the periphery of the front portion. A display card having a
front and a rear surface
is located between the front portion and the flaps to secure a product within
the product chamber
such that the front surface of display card faces the front portion and the
rear surface of the
display card faces the flap. The display card defining openings through which
the front portion
and the flaps are secured to each other.
[0007] In a detailed aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the front portion and
the flaps
define conforming notches such that each notch of the front portion mates with
a corresponding
notch of the flaps through a corresponding opening defined by the display
card. By way of
example and not limitation, each flap can be secured to the front portion,
through a
corresponding opening of the display card, via a male/female notch
combination, e.g., in which
each flap defines at least one female notch that receives a corresponding male
notch defined by
the front portion.
[0008] Embodiments of the invention can include a shell be formed as a unitary
piece of
plastic material that allows the product to be visible within the display
pack. The front portion
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and the flaps can also cooperatively provide a flange extending around the
periphery of the shell.
In selected embodiments, the front portion can also include a frame about its
periphery, the
frame protruding from a primary plane of the front portion. Each fold line can
be disposed
between a pair of ridges such that the ridges are positioned proximate to an
outer edge of the
display pack.
[0009] For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved
over the
prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein. Of
course, it is to be
understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in
accordance with any
particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in
the art will recognize
that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or
optimizes one
advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily
achieving other
advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
[0010] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the
invention
herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will
become readily
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description
of the preferred
embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being
limited to any
particular preferred embodiment disclosed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of
example
only, with reference to the following drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a display pack in accordance with the
present
invention, depicting a product captured in a product chamber of a shell.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the display pack of FIG. 1, depicted
flaps attached to
the shell through openings defined by a display card.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the display pack and product
of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the display pack of FIG. 1, taken
along line 4-4
of FIG. 1.
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[0016] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the display pack of FIG. 1, taken
along line 5-S
of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a display stand housing several display
packs of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[001$] With reference now to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2,
there is
shown a display pack 10 having a shell 12 and a display card 14 that
cooperatively secure a
packaged product 16 in a product chamber 18. The shell includes a rectangular
front portion 20
that defines the product chamber and further includes four flaps 22 extending
from to the front
portion. The display card is located between the front portion and flaps of
the shell, securing the
product within the product chamber. The flaps are secured to the front portion
through
openings 24 (FIG. 3) defined by the display card, holding the card in place.
Thus, the peripheral
edges of the pack are closed. To open the shell, a user can pry the flaps from
the front portion,
allowing for removal of both the display card and the product by the
purchaser. In this manner,
both the shell and the display card are easily separated for recycling.
Moreover, the display pack
has an effective configuration that is substantially larger than the product
to deter theft, while
minimizing the amount of material required.
[0019] The front portion 20 of the shell 12 includes a primary plane 26 about
the product
chamber 18. In use, a front surface 30 (FIG. 3) of the display card 14 is
generally flush with the
primary plane, while a product region 32 of the display card serves as a back
wall for the product
chamber, securing the product with the display pack. In the exemplary
embodiment, the product
chamber is sized to conform to the packaged product, to accommodate both
display and shipping
requirements. A clear material is used to form the front portion, providing
for a product chamber
that allows the product to be visible. In the exemplary embodiment, the shell
12 is formed of a
suitable plastic material by vacuum-molding into a unitary construction.
However, other
materials and formation methods providing suitable characteristics can be
used.
[0020] The front portion 20 further includes a frame 34 protruding from the
primary
plane 26 about the periphery of the front portion. The frame provides
structural support,
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particularly when several display pack are housed in a display assembly 52
(e.g., see FIG. 6). In
the exemplary embodiment, the frame is continuous about the periphery of the
front portion. In
other embodiments, the frame can be discontinuous, provided by the flaps, or
even excluded
entirely. The front portion and the flaps cooperatively provide a flange 36
extending around the
periphery of the unitary shell, which interface with the display stand 52
(FIG. 6):
[0021] With reference to FIG. 2, the display card 14 is generally rectangular,
conforming
to the dimension of the front portion 20 such that it extends beyond the frame
34 into the flanges
36 of the display pack 10. The display card is located between the front
portion 20 and flaps 22
of the shell, trapping the product 16 within the product chamber 18. The
openings 24 of the
display card coincide with the dimensions and location of points of contact of
the flaps and the
front portion. The product region 32 is integral with the display card 14,
providing a planar back
wall to the product chamber.
[0022] In the exemplary embodiment, the display card is formed of cardboard
paper;
nonetheless, various other materials can be used that facilitate structural
and security
requirements of a particular display pack. Since the shell 12 is transparent,
decorative markings
(not shown) can be provided on the display card to enhance visual appearance,
encouraging
strong product sales. Also, in other embodiments, the display card can also be
configured to
provide a conformed back wall to the product chamber. For example, the display
card can
further include a plastic panel aligned with indentation of the shell, to
provide a conformed back
wall, allowing the shape of the product to be seen from the back. Although
relational positioning
is referred to herein for convenience of reference, e.g., front and back,
either side of a display
pack can be oriented for display, as desired, without departing from the
invention.
[0023] With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, fold lines 38 are disposed along
the
periphery of the front portion 20 between the flaps 22 to the front portion
20. Each fold line is
situated between a pair of ridges 40 such that the ridges are positioned along
an outer edge 42 of
the display pack. In the exemplary embodiment, the shell 12 has a relatively
constant thickness
throughout; however, in other embodiments the thickness can vary. For example,
the fold lines
can be provided with a comparatively reduced thickness to facilitate folding,
while other regions
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can be provided with a comparatively enhanced thickness for structural support
and product
security.
[0024] With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the front portion 20 and the flaps
22 define
conforming notches (44, 46, 48, 50) such that each notch of the front portion
mates with a
corresponding notch of the flaps through a corresponding opening defined by
the display card.
The notches of the front portion and the flaps conform to each other to allow
them to be
adjoined, and further allowing the notches to be heat sealed or glued
together. In the exemplary
embodiment, each flap defines at least one female notch 44 that receives a
corresponding male
notch 46 defined by the front portion. This configuration provides a friction
interface that keeps
the corresponding flap folded in position to aid in sealing the flap to the
front portion. In other
embodiment, the male notch can be provided by the flap, and the femare notch
can be provided
by the front panel, if desired. The flaps further include button notches 48
aligned with
corresponding button notches 50 of the front portion that also are sealed to
each other. Various
other configurations of notches can be used without departing from the
invention. For example,
the notches can be configured as elongated channels. Also, notches can be
excluded entirely,
e.g., heat sealing the flaps and front portion at contact points aligned with
the opening of the
display card.
[0025] With reference now to FIG. 6, a plurality of display packs may be
inserted into
the display stand 52. In use, the flange 36 of each display pack is received
by pair of slots 54.
The slots hold the display packs substantially parallel to each other.
Adjacent display packs are
disposed in close proximity to each other to provide structural support. Each
corresponding pair
of slots is configured to receive any of the display packs, and each display
pack is configured
such that its flanges may be received in any corresponding pair of slots in
the display stand, such
that the display pack is supported by the display stand in a position to
display the packaged
product in the product chamber.
[0026] It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention
provides a
display pack having a shell and a display card that cooperatively secure a
product in a product
chamber. The shell includes a front portion that defines a product chamber and
further includes
a plurality of flaps attached by fold lines to the front portion. The display
card is located
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between the front portion and flaps of the shell, to secure a product within
the product chamber.
The flaps are secured to the front portion through openings defined by the
display card. To open
the shell, a purchaser can pry the flaps from the front portion, allowing for
removal of both the
display card and the product by the purchaser. In this manner, both the shell
and the display card
are easily separated for recycling. Moreover, the display pack has an
effective configuration that
is substantially larger than the product to deter theft, while minimizing the
amount of material
required.
[0027] Although the invention has been disclosed in detail with reference only
to the
exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various
other embodiments
can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the invention is
defined only by the claims set forth below.
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