Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
SECONDARY PACKAGING
CROSS-REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of and claims
the benefit of
the earlier filing dates of United States patent application 29/364,833, filed
June 29,
2010, and United States patent application 29/366,821, filed July 30, 2010,
which
applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully disclosed
herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to secondary packaging. More
particularly, the
present invention relates to secondary packaging for an article, preferably a
consumer
product, which permits ready visual display of the article contained therein,
while
preventing direct access to such product, and preferably also while reducing
materials
required to form such secondary packaging.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A variety of secondary packagings are known in the art for
enclosing
consumer products (to prevent access thereto prior to purchase) while also
displaying the
article so that the consumer may visually inspect or examine (hereinafter, for
the sake of
convenience, reference will be made to only "inspect," it being understood
that terms
such as "inspect," and "examine," and "view" and other similar terms are
substantially
interchangeable) the product contained therein. One common such secondary
packaging
is a half-clamshell or clamshell package formed from at least one
substantially clear
plastic element enclosing the product so that the product may be visually
inspected by the
consumer prior to purchase. The plastic element typically is formed in a
desired shape,
such as by thermoforming or cold forming or vacuum-forming or otherwise, to
hold the
product in place within the secondary packaging. The formed plastic element is
either
coupled to a back card (e.g., a paperboard card on which product information
is
provided), or sealed to another plastic sheet, or enclosed in a box (e.g.,
paperboard or
plastic), to inhibit unwanted or unauthorized access to the product therein.
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[0004] Because consumers typically desire information about the product
to be
purchased, and because manufacturers typically desire branding information and
other
consumer-targeted information (e.g., graphics, tag lines, etc.) on secondary
packaging,
and various agencies may require (or support) information about the product
contained
within the secondary packaging (e.g., Drug Facts required by the Food and Drug
Administration, or electrical equipment information recognized or approved by
the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or certification of devices or
products by
the Underwriters Laboratories ), secondary packaging having transparent
elements also
generally includes a substantially opaque packaging element on which such
information
may be displayed. For instance, a half-clamshell secondary packaging typically
includes
a backing card (typically formed of paperboard) to which the formed clear
plastic
packaging element (generally known as a "blister" portion or element) is
affixed to close
the open end of the blister and thereby to enclose the consumer product
between the
blister and backing card. Even if a half-clamshell secondary packaging is
formed from
two plastic elements (a formed blister portion and a flat back portion), a
paper or
paperboard element typically is enclosed between the two plastic portions to
provide
product information to the consumer. Such secondary packaging often includes a
hang
hole through which a peg may be inserted to hang the packaging from a peg
board for
consumer display.
[0005] A clamshell type secondary packaging provides added visibility of
the
consumer product contained therein by mostly or completely enclosing the
consumer
product with substantially transparent packaging material (most commonly
plastic). For
instance, a clamshell type secondary package typically encloses the product in
two pre-
formed transparent sheets (or a single sheet folded over to enclose the
product). Often,
such packaging may be sealed to be resistant to accidental opening or opening
without
substantially destroying the packaging (such as resulting from opening by
cutting along a
line of weakening, via a tear strip, with the use of scissors, etc.). As noted
above,
typically it is desirable to provide information about the product for the
consumer to
peruse. Accordingly, clamshell type secondary packaging typically also
encloses a
substrate bearing such information, such as a product information card or a
printed sheet
of paper. Enclosure of items other than the consumer product itself results in
increased
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size of the secondary packaging to enclose such items, and thus results in
increased
material requirements. An alternative to enclosing such information-bearing
substrate
within the transparent clamshell material is to enclose the clamshell within
such
substrate, such as within a paperboard box bearing product information. Such
alternative
likewise results in increased material requirements. Also, an exterior
information-bearing
substrate tends to impede or block visibility of the product contained within
the
packaging.
[0006] There is a further desire to impart secondary packaging with
tamper evident
features to inhibit or to prevent unauthorized access to the product(s)
contained therein.
Typically, clamshell type packaging requires sealing of the components
thereof. Such
sealing requires heating equipment, and sufficient production time to create
the seal.
Also, such sealing often results in a package that is awkward even for the
intended buyer
to open.
[0007] In view of the above, there is a need for secondary packaging
that permits
viewing of the consumer product contained therein by the consumer, and
provides
information about such consumer product, while also minimizing the required
amounts of
materials to form such secondary packaging. There is an additional need for a
package
that impedes undesired or unauthorized access to the contents thereof
preferably without
requiring additional processing steps to establish seals and without resulting
in a package
that is unduly difficult for an authorized individual to open.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In accordance with principles of the present invention, secondary
packaging is
formed to permit ready viewing of the product contained therein. Preferably,
the
secondary packaging is also formed to provide sufficient information about the
product
for perusal by a purchaser. Also in accordance with principles of the present
invention,
secondary packaging preferably is formed in a manner that requires less
material and less
costly production steps than prior art secondary packaging.
[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
secondary packaging
is formed from an at least partially transparent article holding / displaying
component for
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holding and displaying an article such as a consumer product (generally
referenced herein
as an "article" for the sake of convenience and simplicity without intent to
limit) and a
minimal amount of at least partially transparent material to enclose the
article within the
article holding / displaying component to inhibit removal therefrom. The
transparent
material preferably is a basic sheet of material that is not processed beyond
the basic
structure from which typical transparent packaging components are formed
(e.g., is not
molded or otherwise processed). Preferably, the sheet of material is wrapped
around the
article holding / displaying component to follow the shape of the article
holding /
displaying component. The resulting secondary packaging thus may have a unique
shape
substantially dictated by the shape of the article holding / displaying
component.
[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, that
may be
achieved separately or in conjunction with the above-described aspect of the
present
invention, a uniquely-shaped secondary packaging is provided to enhance
inspection of
the product contained therein while also complementing, enhancing, or
highlighting the
unique form of the article contained therein. In one embodiment, the secondary
packaging includes an article holding / displaying component in the form of an
article
tray with a non-rectangular cross-section (taken along a front-to-back axis)
and a
covering element enclosing an article in the article tray and also conforming
to the shape
of the article tray so that the secondary packaging, as a whole, has the
unique shape of the
article tray.
[0011] In accordance with a separate and independent aspect of the
present invention,
which may be considered related to the above-described aspect of the present
invention
yet not necessarily provided in conjunction therewith, a secondary packaging
may be
formed with an at least partially non-transparent element on which printed
material (such
as product information, logos, decorative elements, etc.) is provided. The non-
transparent element preferably is formed to complement the transparent
elements so as
not to detract from display of the article within the secondary packaging.
Preferably, the
non-transparent element is formed to complement, enhance, or highlight the
article within
the secondary packaging. Thus, a unique combination of product-displaying
materials
and product-information-bearing materials may be provided in accordance with
principles of the present invention to permit formation of a uniquely-shaped
secondary
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packaging as a result of the combination, rather than as a result of
manufacturing
processes performed on the materials (e.g., as a result of a mold shape used
to form the
transparent packaging material). In one embodiment, the non-transparent
element is in
the form of a partial carton. Such configuration preferably optimizes
visibility of the
[0012] It will be appreciated that various of the above-described
principles of the
present invention support formation of an environmentally sustainable
secondary
packaging. For instance, secondary packaging formed in accordance with one or
more
principles of the present invention preferably requires fewer processing steps
(such as
achieved by using a sheet of material that has not been formed into another
shape to
[0013] These and other features and advantages of the present invention
will be
readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, the
scope of the
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The detailed description will be better understood in conjunction
with the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters represent like
elements, as
follows:
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[0015] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of
secondary
packaging formed in accordance with principles of the present invention;
[0016] FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary
embodiment of
secondary packaging formed in accordance with principles of the present
invention;
[0017] FIGURE 3 is a front partially exploded view of an exemplary
embodiment of
secondary packaging formed in accordance with principles of the present
invention; and
[0018] FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of an exemplary embodiment of
secondary
packaging formed in accordance with principles of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] An exemplary secondary packaging 100 formed in accordance with
principles
of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURES 1-4. Secondary packaging
100 is
configured to contain, and preferably also to display, an article for consumer
sale.
Because certain articles are preferably displayed on a support element (e.g.,
a shelf or in a
display tray) rather than being hung for display (e.g., from a pegboard or
clip strip),
secondary packaging 100 may be configured to be "shelf-ready" (configured for
being
supported by a support element, in contrast with being hung) and thus
preferably has a
bottom side configured to stably support second packaging 100 when laid on a
support
surface and need not have a back card or other extension or protrusion (such
as for a hang
hole). Although various features described below are particularly well suited
for a shelf-
ready configuration, it will be appreciated that other configurations are
within the scope
of the invention as well.
[0020] Article 110 to be contained within and preferably also displayed
by secondary
packaging 100 may be a primary package for another article (e.g., packaging,
such as a
bottle, jar, tube, etc., in which a consumer product, such as lotion, cream,
gel, etc., is
contained), or a device (e.g., a personal care device or a mechanical or
electromechanical
device that performs a particular function, such as a microdermabrasion
device, an
electric toothbrush, an MP3 player, a hair styling device, etc.), or another
type of
consumer product (e.g., an article that is marketed for sale to a consumer in
secondary
packaging, such as a toothbrush, a hairbrush, scissors, shavers, a molded
article such as a
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bar of soap, a toy, etc.), or any other type of article that may be packaged
in a secondary
packaging. For the sake of convenience, and without intent to limit, the term
"article" is
used herein to reference the primary element for which secondary packaging 100
is
designed to contain and preferably also to display for retail sale to
consumers.
[0021] Articles for sale to consumers typically have a face or side or
surface
(hereinafter "side" for the sake of convenience and without intent to limit)
that is
preferred for displaying to consumers when the article is on display for sale.
Such side
(referenced herein as the "display side" or "consumer-facing side" and
typically, though
not necessarily, the front side) thus typically is positioned closest to the
front edge of the
support structure on which the consumer article is displayed. In accordance
with a first
aspect of the present invention, as may be appreciated, in particular, with
reference to
FIGURE 1, secondary packaging 100 preferably is formed to maximize visibility
of
article 110 contained therein, such as when on display for purchase at a
retail location.
Preferably, secondary packaging 100 displays article 110 so that at least the
display side
of article 110 is unobstructed and viewable. Most preferably, article 110 is
unobstructed
within secondary packaging 100 so that article 100 is viewable from at least
two different
views. As used herein, "unobstructed," and variants thereof, is understood to
mean not
blocked from view by another article, such as an opaque packaging element, and
thus
readily viewable without impediments. As used herein, a "view," and variants
thereof, is
understood as a view along / facing one or more of front side 101, back side
102, left
side 103, right side 104, top side 105, or bottom side 106 of secondary
packaging 100,
and / or front side 111, back side 112, left side 113, right side 114, top
side 115, or
bottom side 116 of article 110. It will be appreciated that even if article
110 is spherical,
when positioned in a secondary packaging 100 formed in accordance with
principles of
the present invention, a three dimensional coordinate system as typically used
in
geometry, defined by a vertical Y axis (extending in a top-bottom direction),
a horizontal
X axis perpendicular to the Y axis (and extending in a left-right direction),
and a Z axis
perpendicular to both the Y axis and the X axis (and extending in a front-back
direction),
may be defined with respect to secondary packaging 100 and / or article 110.
The above-
listed views thus may be defined along the X, Y, and Z axes, with left and
right views
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being along the X axis, top and bottom views being along the Y axis, and front
and back
views being along the Z axis.
[0022] As may appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, an
article contained
within a substantially transparent packaging element (such as made of
substantially
transparent plastics material) may be considered unobstructed by the
transparent
packaging element, in contrast with an article contained within a non-
transparent
packaging element (such as formed from a paperboard material). Thus, in
accordance
with the above-described aspect of the present invention, at least one
component of
secondary packaging 100 preferably is formed from a material that is at least
partially
transparent at least in the vicinity of article 110, and most preferably, in
the regions of
secondary packaging 100 that are positioned closest to article 110 to display
article 110 in
a manner that a consumer may readily visually inspect article 110 without
obstruction by
non-transparent packaging components. More particularly, the portions of
secondary
packaging 100 that are immediately adjacent (closest to) article 110 along at
least one and
preferably at least two of the front side 111, back side 112, left side 113,
right side 114,
top side 115, and bottom side 116 of article 110 are transparent, or at least
semi-
transparent, or at least mostly transparent (e.g., transparent over a majority
of the area
covering or immediately adjacent article 110 with only a minority of such area
being
opaque, such as as a result of printing) so that a consumer can inspect at
least two views
of article 110. Preferably, at least one view of article 110, most preferably
along the
consumer-facing side, is completely unobstructed. It will be appreciated that
a view of
the article may be considered unobstructed even if there is an obstruction
along the
viewing direction of such view. Even if an obstruction is present along a
viewing
direction, the corresponding view of the article may still be seen along a
different
viewing direction. For instance, if the front view of article 110 is partially
obstructed
along a front viewing direction, if the obstruction is spaced apart from
article 110 along
the front viewing direction, then the front view of article 110 may still be
inspected from
an angle with respect to the front viewing direction, such as along a side or
top viewing
direction, or an intermediate direction therebetween. For instance, even if an
obstruction
obstructs viewing along one viewing direction, the obstruction may be spaced
apart from
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article 110 along that viewing direction so that article 110 is viewable along
another
viewing direction.
[0023] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1-3, secondary packaging
100
includes an article holding / displaying component for holding article 110 in
place within
secondary packaging 100 without obstructing inspection of article 110 by a
consumer.
The article holding / displaying component of the exemplary embodiment of
FIGURES 1-3 is in the form of an article tray 120 configured to display
article 110 within
secondary packaging 100 in a manner that maximizes visibility of article 110.
In
accordance with the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, article tray 120
is
formed from an at least partially transparent material (either fully
transparent in at least
some areas, or at least semi-transparent in at least some areas) so that
article 110 is
unobstructed by the material of article tray 120 along at least one and
preferably at least
two of front side 121, back side 122, left side 123, right side 124, top side
125, and
bottom side 126 of article tray 120. The materials used to form article tray
120
preferably not only are at least partially transparent, but also are
thermoformable to
permit molding of the material into the desired form, such as by injection or
blow
molding, or by vacuum forming, or by another thermoforming or cold forming
process.
Exemplary suitable materials for forming article tray 120 include RPET
(recycled
polyethylene terephthalate), APET (amorphic polyethylene terephthalate), PVC
(polyvinyl chloride), HIPS (high impact polystyrene), PP (polypropylene), and
PLA
(polylactic acid). The preferable thickness of the material used to form
article tray 120 is
in the range of 0.010 - 0.040 gauge, the specific gauge preferably being
selected, in
accordance with techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art, to
support
article 110 in a stable manner.
[0024] Preferably, article tray 120 is formed to have an article holding
compartment,
such as an article well 130 for holding article 110 therein. Article tray 120
may be
specifically configured to display article 110 on a shelf and thus may include
a base (for
example, along bottom side 126) configured to support secondary packaging 100
stably
when secondary packaging 100 is laid on the base. In one embodiment, the sides
of
article tray 120 are slightly tapered (i.e., at an obtuse angle with respect
to front side 121
of article tray 120) to facilitate removal of article tray 110 from a tool /
mold (as may be
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appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art). To stabilize article tray
120 if laid on
bottom side 126, feet (e.g., a projection with a bottom surface substantially
at right angles
with respect to front side 121 of article tray 120) may be formed along bottom
side 126 to
impart article tray 120 with shelf stability. It will be appreciated that
formation of article
tray 120 from a transparent or at least substantially or partially transparent
material and in
a self-standing configuration, and positioning of article well 130 spaced
above bottom
side 126 of article tray 120 permits article 110 to be held in article well
130 to appear as
if article 110 is floating.
[0025] Article tray 120 preferably is formed to hold article 110 in
place within
secondary packaging 100 in a stable manner so that article 110 shifts
minimally, and,
most preferably, does not shift at all, so that article 110 is maintained in
the position
selected for optimal viewing by a consumer when secondary packaging 100 is on
display
for purchase by a consumer. Preferably, engagement points are formed (such as
by the
formation of an undercut, flange, notch, etc., along the peripheral edge of
the well) in
article well 130 and / or along front edge 131 of article well 130, depending
on the nature
of article 110. For instance, material may be left to extend inwardly from
article well
edge 131 at a minimum of two points along article well edge 131, extending
peripherally
along article well edge 131 at least about 0.25 inches (0.635 cm) and
extending at a width
or height (in a direction toward article 110, perpendicular to the periphery
of article well
edge 131) of no less than about 0.015 inches (0.0381 cm) to hold article 110
within
article well 130 during handling and distribution. In addition, or
alternatively, well
walls 132 may be shaped and configured to conform to the size and shape of
article 110
so that article 110 is held in place, preferably in a specific orientation,
within article
well 130 and thus also within article tray 120. If article well 130 follows
the shape of
article 110, there is less chance of article 110 falling out of or shifting in
article well 130.
Also, an article well 130 matching the shape of article 110 may be considered
more
aesthetically pleasing than an article well that does not match the shape of
article 110 for
various reasons. For instance, an article well 130 is not as noticeable if it
matches the
shape of article 110, thus possibly also permitting article tray 120 to be not
as noticeable.
Also, an article well 130 substantially matching the shape of article 110
would present
substantially the same surface curvatures and therefore have substantially the
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least substantially complementary light reflectivity (rather than potentially
conflicting
reflectivity which may result from an article well 130 having planar surfaces
and an
article having curved surfaces). It will nonetheless be appreciated that it is
not necessary
for article well 130 to match the shape of article 110, as engagement points
or other
features may sufficiently hold article 110 within article well 130. It will
further be
appreciated that if it is not important if article 110 shifts, then article
tray 120 may
formed in a different manner.
[0026] Article well 130 has an open end along front edge 131 through
which
article 110 is inserted, and a base 133 (the bottom surface of article well
130, furthest
from open end 131). Article 110 need not reach and engage base 133. The open
end of
article well 130 preferably is oriented along the display face of secondary
packaging 100
to face the consumer-facing side (in the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1-3,
front
side 101) of secondary packaging 100 (i.e., the side of secondary packaging
100
positioned to be inspected by a consumer when secondary packaging 100 is on
display
for inspection and purchase by a consumer). Such orientation is preferable
particularly
for high-end (generally more costly) articles intended to be readily viewed
with minimal
interference by materials enclosing the article (materials provided such as to
maintain the
article within the package and to prevent accidental or intentional removal of
the article),
which materials may detract from the appearance of article 110. Preferably,
article 110
projects beyond front edge 131 of article well 130, further enhancing viewing
of portions
of article 110 unobstructed by article tray 120. It will be appreciated such
configuration
causes article tray to be front heavy (distributed closer to front side 121
than back
side 122), thus benefiting from provision of the above-described feet on
bottom side 126
to keep article tray 120 from falling forward.
[0027] It will be appreciated that secondary packaging 100 may also contain
additional elements or articles such as parts (e.g., replacement elements), or
accessories
(e.g., attachments, replaceable or consumable components, decorative elements,
etc., to
accompany or to be used in conjunction with article 110), or power elements
(e.g., power
cords, charger units, batteries, etc.), or written materials (e.g., product
information,
documentation such as manuals, instructions, warranty information, or
promotional
materials). Accordingly, in addition to article well 130, article tray 120 may
have one or
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more additional wells 140 formed to hold additional elements or articles in
place within
secondary packaging 100. One or more of additional wells 140 may be formed to
hold an
article in place so that such article does not move around as secondary
packaging 100 is
moved (such as during transport or while being handled by a consumer). For
instance, an
article such as a power element (e.g., battery, power cord, charger) may
create rattling
noises, and may be heavy enough to cause damage to secondary packaging 100 and
even
to article 110 if not restrained, such as by placement within an additional
well 140.
Additional wells 140 may be formed in the same or similar manner as article
well 120 is
formed to retain an article therein. In addition, or alternatively, article
tray 120 may be
formed to have a holding space 142 along back side 122 with sufficient volume
for
holding additional elements to be sold with article 110 (preferably such
additional
elements are lightweight or soft and need not be restrained within secondary
packaging 100). For instance, if article 110 is a battery-powered device, such
as a skin
cleanser or a microdermabrasion device, then a battery 141 may be stored in
additional
well 140, and a package of replacement cleaning pads 143 may be stored in
holding
space 142.
[0028] As noted above, the open end of article well 130 preferably faces
consumers
so that article tray 120 does not cover article 110. However, so that article
110 is not
handled by consumers or, worse, tampered with or even stolen, article 110 must
still be
enclosed and secured within article tray 120. In order to enhance visibility
of article 110
within secondary packaging 100 without detracting from the appearance of
article 110, in
accordance with one aspect of the present invention, instead of an additional
molded
packaging element covering article 110 (as in typical secondary packagings
with an
article tray), preferably a sleeve 150, formed from a sheet of at least
partially transparent
material, encloses article 110 within article well 130 in article tray 120. As
used herein, a
"sheet" of material is to be understood as the blank or initial form of a
given material
before the material is further processed, such as by molding, into another
shape or form.
A sheet of substantially transparent material is to be understood as a
substantially flat,
unformed web of substantially transparent material, such as plastic, formed by
extrusion
(e.g., of plastic in liquid or pellet form) or other processes well known to
those of
ordinary skill in the art and thus not detailed herein. The sheet is generally
considered
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the basic form or starting point for other plastic packaging components (other
than
starting from pellets or liquid plastic material, such as with injection
molded
components), and thus the least processed form. Such a sheet of material
commonly may
be further processed, formed, or shaped into something other than a sleeve. By
way of
tube without otherwise further processing the material (such as by heat or
pressing).
[0029] In accordance with principles of the present invention, sleeve
150 preferably
is formed simply by die cutting a desired shape from a sheet or web of
material and
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and top 105 of secondary packaging 100, printed information 152 may readily be
provided on such curved surface because of the initial flat configuration of
the material
from which sleeve 150 is formed. Additional printed information 154 may be
provided
in other regions as well. It will be appreciated that the content of printed
information 152
and 154 may be of any desired nature, and is not limited to the type of
information
illustrated in the figures. In addition, it will be appreciated that, for the
sake of
simplicity, printed information 152 and 154 is not illustrated in all of the
figures.
[0030] As may be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the
sheet of material
from which sleeve 150 is formed preferably is sufficiently flexible to permit
bending or
flexing of the material to wrap around and to envelop article tray 120
flexibly without
causing cracking or breaking of sleeve 150. Sleeve 150 may be formed from the
same
materials that may be used to form article tray 120 (described above),
preferably
excluding HIPS. Paper stock may also be used, except, of course, that the
aspect of the
present invention of enhancing visibility of article 110 would not be met. The
thickness
of the material from which sleeve 150 is formed preferably is selected so that
sleeve 150
can conform to the shape required to enclose article 110 within article tray
120. A
suitable manufacturable range of thicknesses for the material of sleeve 130 is
0.008 -
0.030 gauge. It will be appreciated that a much thinner material may be used
while still
achieving the desired enhanced visibility of article 110, reduction in
material usage and
processing, and additional benefits (described below) which may result from
the use of
sleeve 150. For instance, a shrink film thick enough to maintain its shape
(e.g., does not
recede or collapse or pucker or wrinkle) may be used, the thickness depending
on the
material selected.
[0031] Because a sheet of at least partially transparent material
generally is not as
highly curved as article 110 or article tray 120, light reflectivity off
sleeve 150 generally
is substantially lower than light reflectivity off an at least partially
transparent cover or
closure element molded to conform more closely to the shape of article 110,
such as a
second molded plastic element as typically used to enclose an article in a
clamshell-type
secondary packaging. Accordingly, visibility of article 110 is less impeded by
being
enclosed or covered by sleeve 150 than by a molded element. Preferably, sleeve
150 is
spaced apart from article 110 to reduce any affect sleeve 150 may have on the
appearance
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of article 110. Moreover, sleeve 150 preferably is formed from a sheet of
material that is
formed into the final sleeve configuration by simple folding or bending
without further
processing, such as molding, and thus is more cost and energy efficient than
other
packaging components such as molded elements.
[0032] If desired, sleeve 150 may be wrapped around article tray 120 about
only a
single axis (the X axis in the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1-4), leaving
open
opposite ends (in the case of the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, left
side 103
and right side 104) of secondary packaging 100 along the axis about which
sleeve 150 is
wrapped, and thereby also utilizing less material than would be required to
cover all sides
article 110 permits sleeve 150 to be spaced apart from article 110 so as to
reduce any
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affect the presence of sleeve 150 may have on the visual impression of article
110. It will
further be appreciated that projection of only side walls 160, 162 beyond
front edge 131
of the opening of article well 130 may be sufficient (without also requiring
top side 125
and / or bottom side 126 of article tray to have side walls extending beyond
front
edge 131).
[0033] The provision of side walls 160, 162 on article tray 120 to
function in
conjunction with sleeve 150 to enclose article 110 within article tray 120
permits
formation of a secondary packaging with a unique form or shape in accordance
with a
second aspect of the present invention. In particular, in accordance with a
second aspect
of the present invention, separate and independent from other aspects of the
present
invention yet optionally combinable therewith, side walls 160, 162 may be
formed in any
desired shape, defining a unique cross-sectional shape (in the Y-Z plane, or
as cut in a
front to back direction and viewed from the side) of secondary packaging 100,
and thus a
uniquely-shaped secondary packaging. For instance, typical secondary packages
are
substantially rectilinear solid shapes (having quadrilateral, rectilinear, or
angular shapes,
such as cuboid or prisms, with all side walls being square or rectangular) or
curvilinear
shapes generated from basic curvilinear shapes (such as tubes with circular
end walls),
and / or have side walls generally meeting at approximately right angles. In
accordance
with this second aspect of the present invention, side walls 160, 162 may have
a curved,
non-rectangular, or otherwise non-standard (for secondary packaging) or
irregular shape,
such as a combination of curved and rectilinear segments. For instance, the
shape of side
walls 160, 162 may be based on the shape of article 110 or the shape of a logo
associated
with article 110. Upon enveloping article tray 120 within sleeve 150, the
perimeter of
side walls 160, 162 on which sleeve 150 is laid dictates, at least in part,
the resultant
shape (or at least cross-sectional shape) of secondary packaging 100. More
particularly,
when sleeve 150 is laid on the peripheral surfaces of side walls 160, 162, the
substantially
planar surface of sleeve 150 follows the shape of the periphery of side walls
160, 162,
resulting in a contoured surface corresponding to the contours of the
periphery of side
walls 160, 162. As such, article tray 120, and more particularly side walls
160, 162, not
only contribute to enclosing article 110 within secondary packaging 100, but
also affect
the overall dimension and configuration and shape of secondary packaging 100.
Turning
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to the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, exemplary secondary packaging
100
may be seen to have a curvilinear cross-sectional shape with a curved front-
top face and
substantially flat left, right, back, and bottom side faces, such shape being
driven by the
shape of side walls 160, 162, which have a front edge and top edge formed as a
substantially continuous curve. Such shape may be said to be based on
(specifically, a
quarter of the shape of) a logo shape of a rectangle with rounded corners,
such as
illustrated in exemplary printed information 152. If desired, as noted above,
printed
information 152 (e.g., graphics, branding, product information, or other
indicia or
markings) may be provided along the curved front-top wall of secondary
packaging 100
(preferably on the forwardly and upwardly facing surface of sleeve 150), such
positioning
generally having higher visibility by consumers than if on a vertical, forward-
facing front
wall or horizontal, upward-facing top wall of a typical box-type secondary
packaging. It
will be appreciated that side walls 160, 162 may be formed in other shapes,
within the
scope of the present invention, to result in a secondary packaging that
preferably is not in
a standard form.
[0034] In order to achieve a clean, neat appearance, if faces of a
secondary
packaging 100 formed in accordance with principles of the present invention
meet at
angles, then it is preferable to facilitate bending of sleeve 150 at such
corners to get a
crisper appearance. For example, sleeve 150 may be provided at appropriate
locations
with crease fold lines. As used herein, the term "crease fold line," and
variants thereof,
means an area of a structure that promotes or enhances bending, folding, or
creasing,
without necessarily promoting separation, about the area, such as achieved by
weakening
such area of the structure (e.g., by lines of weakness, including, without
limitation, score
lines that weaken the material to permit creasing, half-cut lines that are cut
partially
through the thickness of the material, or perforation lines formed by
alternating full cuts
and lands to aid in bending or creasing). Crease fold lines may be formed in
any manner
known to those of ordinary skill in the art, including, without limitation,
mechanical
means, such as cutting or die cutting, that may form bar scores, or
microperforations
(preferably 80-200 teeth/inch); or non-mechanical means, including, but not
limited to,
radio-frequency, chemical etching, lasers, heat, etc.; or combinations of
mechanical and
non-mechanical means. Preferably, to reduce manufacturing steps and to
simplify the
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manufacturing process, crease fold lines are formed with the same die used to
die cut
sleeve 150 from the bulk material (sheet or web) from which sleeve 150 is
formed.
Sleeve 150 then may be positioned around article tray 120, and creased along
its crease
fold lines as appropriate, to conform substantially to the outer form of
article tray 120 and
secured, such as by glue or welding, in place. It will be appreciated that
crease fold lines
may also be used to permit flattening of sleeve 150 (in contrast with formed,
three-
dimensional packaging components like vacforms) to take up less space in
storage and
transit and to facilitate shipment thereof to an assembly location at which
sleeve 150 is
assembled with the other components of secondary packaging 100.
[0035] Upon manipulating sleeve 150 about article tray 120 to enclose and
preferably
also to secure article 110 therein, the free ends of sleeve 150 preferably are
secured in a
closed configuration. For example, the free ends of sleeve 150 may be secured
(such as
by sealing or by means of a separate affixing element such as a tie or snap)
to each other
or to article tray 120 or to another packaging element of secondary packaging
100 to
maintain sleeve 150 in its wrapped configuration. One of at least three
classes of
adhesives may be used to secure sleeve 150 in a closed configuration: hot
melt, such as
HMA (hot melt adhesive), paraffin, hydrocarbon waxes (generally pre-heated to
a liquid
state and then applied and cooled), which may be used on plastic as well as
paperboard
materials; PUR (polyurethane reactive materials), such as a hot melt adhesive
that cross-
binds to a variety of substrates completely after a 24-48 hour curing process,
which may
be used on plastics alone, in a liquid state; or cold or white adhesive, such
as polyvinyl
acetate, which binds paperboard fibers and is typically used in joining seems
in
paperboard conversions. If desired, a tear feature may be formed in sleeve 150
to
facilitate removal of sleeve 150. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
FIGURE 4,
a tear feature is provided in bottom side 156 of sleeve 150 by providing a
line of
weakness, preferably in the form of a pair of lines of weakness 157a, 157b
forming at
least one tear strip 158 therebetween. Preferably, lines of weakness 157a,
157b are
microperforation lines (formed such as by a cutting instrument with 80-200
teeth/inch),
or standard perforations (such as 1/16 inch cuts and 1/16 inch lands, or 1/8
inch cuts and
1/8 inch lands), depending on factors known to those of ordinary skill in the
art, such as
the material of sleeve 150 and the desired opening force required to tear the
tear feature.
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If desired, cut 159 may be formed to separate tear strip 158 into two tear
strips and to
facilitate lifting an end of one of tear strips 158 to tear open sleeve 150.
Cut 159 may be
shaped to facilitate lifting of an end of tear strip 158, and preferably is
shaped to result in
angled or rounded corners along the ends of tear strips 158 to eliminate sharp
edges.
[0036] As discussed above, and as may be appreciated with reference to the
exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1-3, secondary packaging 100 may,
in
accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention, be formed from
more than
one at least partially transparent component. In addition to the above-
described features
of secondary packaging 100, such as protecting, displaying, and / or
supporting
article 110, secondary packaging 100 typically also is designed to provide
information
about the product (e.g., branding, indicia, UPC or bar codes, a description of
product use
and / or benefits, ingredients or components lists, specifications, product
information,
information required by various government agencies, etc.) or at least to
enhance the
appearance of secondary packaging 100 with graphic elements. Accordingly,
secondary
packaging 100 preferably includes indicia-bearing surfaces on which written
material,
graphics, etc., may be provided such as by printing. However, provision of
printed
material on an at least partially transparent secondary packaging may be at
odds with
various above-described benefits of the present invention such as reducing
materials
used, simplifying manufacturing processes, and facilitating viewing of the
article within
secondary packaging. For various reasons, such as the fact that ink generally
does not
adhere well to typical transparent materials, printing on transparent material
often
requires more expensive inks and / or more expensive printing processes and /
or more
printing steps (e.g., multiple printing steps to apply several layers of ink
so that the ink is
readily legible). Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide a non-
transparent (e.g.,
opaque or translucent) material on which to print material.
[0037] In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, which
may be (but
not necessarily is) separate and independent from the above-described separate
and
independent aspects of the present invention, a non-transparent packaging
element is
provided in addition to article tray 120 and sleeve 150 to form secondary
packaging 100.
Suitable materials for a non-transparent packaging element include paper-based
materials, such as paperboard, or other materials that readily accept and
display printed
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material. The material may or may not be coated or otherwise treated for
printing
purposes, depending on the desired printing effect. It will be appreciated
that although a
substantially opaque label affixed to one or both of article tray 120 and
sleeve 150 may
satisfy this third aspect of the present invention, the non-transparent
packaging element
preferably is a structural element that not only provides billboard space for
printed
material, but also may serve additional packaging purposes or functions.
[0038] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1-3, secondary
packaging 100 is provided in accordance with at least the third aspect of the
present
invention with a structural non-transparent packaging element in the form of a
partial
carton 170. Partial carton 170 preferably has fewer and / or shorter walls
than typical
carton elements of secondary packagings, leaving at least one side of article
tray 120
unobstructed for viewing of article 110 therein. In the exemplary embodiment
of
FIGURES 1-3, front wall 171, back wall 172, left wall 173, and right wall 174
of partial
carton 170 do not even extend the full height of article tray 120, thereby
leaving more
than one side of article tray 120 unobstructed for viewing of article 110
therein. It will be
appreciated that provision of a bottom wall 176 is optional. Although left
wall 173 and
right wall 174 are illustrated as having slanted top edges, other
configurations are within
the scope of the present invention. If partial carton 170 is formed by folding
a blank of
material (e.g., paperboard) into the desired configuration, then typically the
free edges of
the blank will be exposed at least in some areas. If desired, additional blank
material 172', 173', 174' (the last being hidden from view in FIGURE 2) may be
provided to permit additional blank material 172', 173', 174' to be folded
over the wall
from which it extends so that the cut or "raw" or exposed edges of the carton
blank are
not exposed, but, instead, a clean and neat edge is visible. Such technique is
known in
the art and thus further detail need not be provided. Such configuration of
the side walls
of partial carton 170 also permits printed matter to be provided within the
interior of
partial carton 170 in a cost effective manner. In particular, only one side of
the material
needs to be printed, and, if the material is primed, only one side would be
primed, thereby
reducing materials as well as processing steps. By folding over portions of
the side walls
of partial carton 170, the printed exterior surface of partial carton 170 is
positioned for
viewing in the interior of partial carton 170 so that printing only need to be
performed on
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the exterior surface of partial carton 170. Various printed material, such as
messaging,
logos, graphic images, etc., may thus be readily and cost effectively provided
along at
least part of the interior of partial carton 170.
[0039] As may be appreciated, partial carton 170 requires less material
than required
to form typical secondary packagings utilizing full (six-walled) or half (five-
walled)
cartons as non-transparent packaging elements. The size of partial carton 170
preferably
is restricted to provide the desired billboard space for the printed material
to be provided
on the exterior of secondary packaging 100, without providing excess
unnecessary space,
thereby further reducing material usage. The size of partial carton 170 may
also be
dictated by various functions other than providing billboard space for printed
material.
For instance, it will be appreciated that at least in the exemplary embodiment
of
FIGURES 1-3, back wall 172 of partial carton 170 provides the most space for
printed
material (even if back wall 172 does not extend the full height of secondary
packaging 100), and, possibly, may be all the space needed for bearing printed
material.
Left wall 173 and right wall 174 may be provided simply to provide decorative
touches
(e.g., providing logos or simply design work or colors to enhance the
appearance of
secondary packaging 100). Partial carton 170 preferably is configured so that
it may be
folded flat for shipping purposes (similar to sleeve 150) and preferably is
further
configured for popping open from the folded configuration (known in the art as
a "pop-
up" configuration or a Hymes auto-lock bottom configuration) into a final
configuration
for assembly with other components of secondary packaging 100.
[0040] It will be appreciated that partial carton 170 satisfies several
desirable
characteristics of the present invention. For instance, partial carton 170
preferably covers
one or more and preferably fewer than all sides of article tray 120, leaving
at least one
side of article tray 120 unimpeded by non-transparent material, thereby also
meeting the
above-described first aspect of the present invention of providing sufficient
exposure of
article 110 within article tray 120 and secondary packaging 100 for inspection
by a
consumer. As may be appreciated with reference to the embodiment illustrated
in
FIGURES 1-3, exemplary partial carton 170 permits viewing of article 110 along
at least
front side 111, left side 113, right side 114, and top side 115 of article
110. In addition, if
article tray 120 has more than one well for containing elements (in addition
to
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article 110) that preferably are not visible when secondary packaging 100 is
on display
for consumer sale, partial carton 170 preferably has more than one side wall
that may
obstruct view of any additional well 140 and elements therein. In the
exemplary
embodiment of FIGURES 1-3, one or more of side walls 171, 172, 173, 174 may
cover
elements within secondary packaging 100 that preferably should be hidden from
consumer view when secondary packaging 100 is on display for sale. In
addition, bottom
wall 176 of partial carton 170 preferably is shaped and configured, such as in
a
substantially rectilinear flat shape, to support secondary packaging 100 when
rested on
bottom side 106 of secondary packaging 100 and bottom side 176 of partial
carton 170.
If partial carton 170 is formed by folding a paperboard blank, partial carton
170 typically
will provide a stiffer bottom side 176 than typically provided by a side wall
of article
tray 120 such as forming bottom side 126 of article tray 120 (i.e., a side
wall extending
from the wall in which the article-holding well is formed, in contrast with
the wall in
which the article-holding well is formed or the side of the tray opposite the
wall in which
the article-holding well is formed).
[0041] It will also be appreciated that a partial carton provides an
environmentally
sustainable solution to provision of printed material, in accordance with
principles of the
present invention discussed earlier. In addition to the obvious benefit of
material cost-
savings (typical non-transparent materials such as paper-based materials are
less costly
than typical transparent materials such as plastics, and less material is used
to form a
partial rather than a full carton), printing on non-transparent material is
overall easier
(e.g., fewer steps and less complicated processing) and less costly (both in
processing and
in ink materials) than printing on transparent material. In addition, the
transparent tray
element in which the consumer product is held may be inserted into a partial
carton rather
than being sized to enclose a non-transparent element. The size of the
typically more
costly transparent element thus is not increased to accommodate the less
costly non-
transparent element as in prior art clamshell-type secondary packagings sized
to enclose
not only the consumer product but also the non-transparent elements. Although
sleeve 150 is wrapped about the exterior of article tray 120, the additional
material
required to enclose partial carton 170 in addition to simply article tray 120
alone is
marginal. It will further be appreciated that because partial carton 170 is
formed
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independently of the preferably plastic article tray 120 and sleeve 150,
partial carton 170
is readily recyclable without having to remove non-recyclable plastics
materials.
[0042] It will be appreciated that in addition to simply covering
portions or contents
of secondary packaging 100 (other than article 110) so that they do not
detract from
display of article 110, partial carton 170 may be formed to complement,
enhance, or
highlight article 110. For instance, at least a portion of partial carton 170
may be formed
to complement or enhance or highlight display of article 110 within secondary
packaging 100. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1-3, front wall 171 of
partial
carton 170 is configured (such as by die cutting) to be curved and tucked
under
article 110 to complement the curved shape of article 110. As such, front wall
171 not
only covers additional well 140 formed in the front of article tray 120, but
also enhances
or complements or highlights the curvature of curved article 110. Moreover, by
being
tucked under article 110, front wall 171 appears to support article 110
minimally such
that article 110 still appears to float within secondary packaging 100 (a
visual impression
which preferably is achieved by a substantially transparent article tray 120
holding
article 110 in an elevated position above a support surface). If desired, the
stiffness of the
material of partial carton 170 and the configuration of front wall 171 and
relative
positions of the curved portion of front wall 171 with respect to article 110
may be
selected so that front wall 171 contributes to maintaining article 110 in
position within
article well 130. For instance, one or more of such factors may be adjusted so
that front
wall 171 provides sufficient pressure against bottom side 116 of article 110
to secure
article 110 within article well 130.
[0043] Although partial carton 170 adds another component to secondary
packaging 100, partial carton 170 may facilitate closure of secondary
packaging 100 by
interlocking with sleeve 150. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, tabs
172a,
172b formed on partial carton 170 for interlocking with slots 174a, 174b in
sleeve 150 to
form a tamper resistant closure. Tabs 172a, 172b may be formed in any
convenient
manner, such as by die cutting the blank from which partial carton 170 is
formed so that
upon folding into partial carton 170, a portion of one of front wall 171 and
bottom
wall 176 and / or a portion of one of back wall 172 and bottom wall 176
extends beyond
the remaining edges of such wall to form a protruding tab that may be inserted
into
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slots 174a, 174b. Slots 174a, 174b may similarly be formed in any convenient
manner,
such as by die cutting at the time sleeve 150 is die cut from the sheet of
material from
which it is formed. It will be appreciated that such interlocking of packaging
components
may alternatively be achieved between sleeve 150 and article tray 120. Also
tabs may be
formed along different side walls of partial carton 170, depending on the
relative position
of sleeve 150 about partial carton 170.
[0044] It will be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment illustrated
in the figures
has several separate and independent inventive features, which each, at least
alone, has
unique benefits which are desirable for, yet not critical to, the present
invention.
Therefore, the various separate features of the present invention need not all
be present in
order to achieve at least some of the desired characteristics and / or
benefits of the present
invention. One or more separate features may be combined, or only one of the
various
features need be present. In view of the above, it will be appreciated that
the present
invention provides a secondary packaging with one or more beneficial features
which
may be present independently or in combination with one another. Secondary
packaging 100 preferably is formed from a minimal number, and most preferably
no
more than three, packaging components: article tray 120, sleeve 150, and
partial
carton 170. The components of secondary packaging 100 preferably are formed in
a cost
effective manner with reduced material usage and simplified manufacturing
processes. In
addition, or alternatively, secondary packaging 100 may be formed to display
the article
contained therein in a visually appealing manner. For instance, secondary
packaging may
be formed to maximize visibility of the article, and / or may be formed with
components
that complement, enhance, or highlight the form of the article therein. In
accordance
with principles of the present invention, a secondary packaging that is
environmentally
sustainable yet also elegant may be formed.
[0045] While the foregoing description and drawings represent exemplary
embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various
additions,
modifications and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the
spirit
and scope of the present invention. In particular, it will be clear to those
skilled in the art
that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms,
structures,
arrangements, proportions, and with other elements, materials, and components,
without
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departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof One skilled in
the art will
appreciate that the invention may be used with many modifications of
structure,
arrangement, proportions, materials, and components and otherwise, used in the
practice
of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and
operative
requirements without departing from the principles of the present invention.
It will
further be appreciated that the directional references "front," "back,"
"left," "right,"
"top," and "bottom" merely serve to distinguish sides from one another without
limiting
such sides to specific orientations. The presently disclosed embodiments are
therefore to
be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope
of the invention
being indicated by the appended claims, and not limited to the foregoing
description.
