U.S. patent application number 10/075941 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-14 for chip clamshell packaging.
This patent application is currently assigned to Berkley Industries LLC. Invention is credited to Campbell, Joe, Kaniewski, Jon L., Milburn, Steven A., Toma, Joseph G. JR..
Application Number | 20030150770 10/075941 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27660166 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030150770 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Campbell, Joe ; et
al. |
August 14, 2003 |
Chip clamshell packaging
Abstract
A protective plastic package for storage, transportation and
display of electronic components, particularly integrated circuits.
The package has a top and bottom cover, is slightly larger than the
electronic component, and centers the electronic component within
it to prevent damage. The package is also has anti-static
properties to prevent static electricity damage. The electronic
component is retained within the package when open, and may be
ejected from the package without touching the electronic component.
The protective plastic package may also be used within larger
display packaging to provide an added level of protection against
damage and theft. If individualized identification tags are placed
on individual items within transparent display packaging, they can
be individually read without opening the package or placing
corresponding tags on the package exterior.
Inventors: |
Campbell, Joe; (Tustin,
CA) ; Kaniewski, Jon L.; (Rowland Heights, CA)
; Milburn, Steven A.; (Orange, CA) ; Toma, Joseph
G. JR.; (San Juan Capistrano, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LYON & LYON LLP
633 WEST FIFTH STREET
SUITE 4700
LOS ANGELES
CA
90071
US
|
Assignee: |
Berkley Industries LLC
|
Family ID: |
27660166 |
Appl. No.: |
10/075941 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/722 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2585/86 20130101;
H05K 13/0084 20130101; B65D 43/162 20130101; B65D 2213/02 20130101;
B65D 77/0446 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/722 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/30; B65D
085/48 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A plastic protective package for an individual electronic
component, comprising an upper cover; and a lower cover, the lower
cover adapted to fit an electronic component, the upper cover
adapted to mate with the lower cover and simultaneously fit the
electronic component, the upper cover and lower cover being
slightly larger than the electronic component and having a
substantially rigid structure to prevent crushing, and the upper
cover and lower cover having anti-static properties.
2. The protective package of claim 1, wherein the electronic
component is an integrated circuit with a top planar surface, a
bottom planar surface, and an outer perimeter of the planar
surface, with terminal pins on the bottom planar surface and an
absence of pins in the center portion of that bottom planar
surface, with the lower cover having a raised annulus on which the
center portion of the bottom planar surface rests; a pin protection
plane distal to the raised annulus, said pin protection plane
positioned some distance from the terminal pins; and a containment
wall distal to the pin protection plane, said containment wall
providing contact points that contact the outer perimeter of the
integrated circuit's planar surface; a bottom outer portion distal
to the containment wall; and a raised perimeter wall distal to the
bottom outer portion.
3. The protective package of claim 2, wherein the lower cover
further comprises: at least one detent on the containment wall to
retain the integrated circuit in the lower cover.
4. The protective package of claim 3, further comprising a bottom
center portion inside the raised annulus of the lower cover, said
bottom center portion being substantially planar and approximately
the same elevation as the pin protection plane, wherein the bottom
center portion can be pushed to cause the raised annulus to exert
force on the center portion of the bottom planar surface of the
integrated circuit, sufficient to push the integrated circuit past
the at least one detent on the containment wall.
5. The protective package of claim 2, with the upper cover having a
top center portion positioned some distance above the top planar
surface of the integrated circuit; a recessed annulus distal to the
top center portion, said recessed annulus adapted to contact the
top planar surface of the integrated circuit; a top outer portion
distal to the recessed annulus, said top outer portion adapted to
contact the bottom outer portion when the upper cover and lower
cover are mated; and a recessed perimeter wall distal to the top
outer portion, said recessed perimeter wall adapted to contact the
raised perimeter wall when the upper cover and lower cover are
mated.
6. The protective package of claim 5, further comprising a lower
joining plane distal to the raised perimeter wall of the lower
cover; an upper joining plane distal to the recessed perimeter wall
of the upper cover; wherein the lower joining plane and upper
joining plane are adapted to contact each other when the top cover
and lower cover are mated.
7. The protective package of claim 5, further comprising a hinge
connecting the upper cover and lower cover.
8. The protective package of claim 5, wherein the upper cover and
lower cover are adapted to remain mated in the closed position
without sealing.
9. The protective package of claim 8, wherein the upper and lower
cover remain mated when in the closed position due to a friction
fit between the raised perimeter wall of the lower cover and the
recessed perimeter wall of the upper cover.
10. A method of removing an electronic component restrained in a
plastic protective package by detents, comprising using a plastic
protective package with an annulus that is in contact with the
electronic component, and the annulus is raised relative to
connected substantially planar surfaces on either side of the
annulus, pushing on the substantially planar surfaces, causing the
annulus to push against the electronic component and force the
electronic component past the detents.
11. An ejection structure in a protective package for an electronic
component that is held in place by restraints in the protective
package, comprising a button top that is located some distance from
the electronic component, a button bottom that is located close to
the electronic component, where the button top is connected with
the button bottom, and placing pressure on the button top will in
turn cause the button bottom to exert force on the electronic
component sufficient to force the electronic component out of the
restraints.
12. The ejection structure of claim 11, wherein the button bottom
is shaped to spread the force exerted on the electronic component
over a wide area.
13. The ejection structure of claim 11, wherein the button top is
shaped to define a protective space between it and the electronic
component, and so that the button top never contacts the electronic
component before or during ejection of the electronic
component.
14. The ejection structure of claim 11, wherein the button bottom
is a raised annulus and the button top is a bottom center portion
of the protective package.
15. A display package for displaying at least one electronic
component, comprising a front member with a substantially planar
portion; a rear member with a substantially planar portion and
adapted to mate with the front member; and a chip clamshell,
wherein the front member and rear member are adapted to closely fit
around the chip clamshell.
16. The display package of claim 15, wherein the first front member
and first rear member are sealed to prevent easy removal of the
chip clamshell.
17. The display package of claim 15, wherein the front member and
rear member are adapted to closely fit at least one additional item
of retail merchandise.
18. A display package for displaying at least one electronic
component, comprising a front member with a substantially planar
portion; a rear member with a substantially planar portion and
adapted to mate with the front member; a middle member adapted to
fit securely within the first members; a chip clamshell, wherein
the middle member is adapted to closely fit the chip clamshell, and
the front member and rear member are adapted to securely hold the
chip clamshell and the middle member.
19. The display package of claim 18, wherein the front member and
rear member are sealed to prevent easy removal of the chip
clamshell.
20. The display package of claim 18, wherein the middle member and
rear member are adapted to closely fit at least one additional item
of retail merchandise.
21. The display package of claim 18, further comprising a product
insert card between the front member and the middle member.
22. The display package of claim 18, further comprising a product
insert card between the rear member and the middle member.
23. A method of tracking an individual item within display
packaging comprising placing an optically readable tag on the
individual item; placing the individual item within display
packaging that contains a transparent portion so that the optically
readable tag is visible; reading the optically readable tag with
optical tag reading equipment.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the optically readable tag
contains a variety of information related to the individual item,
including a serial number.
25. The method of claim 23, further comprising placing an
individualized optically readable tag on at least one additional
merchandise item; placing the at least one additional merchandise
item in the display packaging that contains a transparent portion
so that the optically readable tag on the at least one additional
merchandise item is visible; and using the optical tag reading
equipment to individually read the optically readable tags on the
individual item and the at least one additional merchandise item.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The field of the present invention is protective packaging
for individual electronic components and display packaging for
retail merchandise.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A pin grid array (PGA) integrated circuit (IC) component
typically has a thin planar housing of a ceramic or other material
for containing a semiconductor substrate and related circuitry.
Typically, terminal pins extend perpendicularly from the bottom
planar surface of the housing, with the center portion of that
bottom planar surface having no pins. The top planar surface of the
housing usually has an IC chip, often a microprocessor, which may
have some smaller chips around it. If a heat sink is required to
cool the microprocessor during operation, the top planar surface of
the housing with the microprocessor may have several mounting
cushions near the housing's edges to support and stabilize the heat
sink.
[0003] When microprocessors or ICs are shipped in bulk,
particularly PGA ICs, they are typically shipped in stackable
plastic trays, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,319
(Murphy) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,976 (Murphy). These trays
typically hold 10 PGA ICs, and once removed from the tray, an
individual PGA IC has no protection from physical or electrical
damage. Therefore, it is inconvenient to handle or ship individual
PGA IC's or similar electronic components.
[0004] Additionally, most PGA ICs that contain modern
microprocessors must use a heat sink and fan that is specially
designed to fit the individual IC. As a result, packaged
replacement or upgrade microprocessors are often sold with a
suitable heat sink/fan. It is desirable to be able to view the IC
and heat sink and fan without opening the package, yet most of
these combination packages use a sealed cardboard exterior shell,
which prevents any such viewing. The cardboard box packaging also
requires any individual identification numbers marked on either the
IC or the heat sink/fan to be affixed to the outside of the box in
order to track these components using the identification
numbers.
[0005] Clear plastic bulk display packaging is well known in the
retail industry, and warehouse retailers are the primary users of
such packaging. This type of packaging has several features. First,
it is often significantly larger than the merchandise, and is
difficult to open, which deters theft. Second, the packages are
often designed to stand up within a large shipping carton, such
that removal of the carton reveals a preassembled display of
product. Third, the packaging tends to be sturdy and fairly rigid,
protecting the contents from damage. Fourth, some packaging
provides structural support for the shipping container. Examples of
this type of packaging can be found in U.S. Design Pat. No.
D412,631, Green; U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,662, Green; U.S. Pat. No.
6,050,420, Green; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,305, Green.
[0006] Display packages are made difficult to open by sealing them.
Sealing is typically accomplished by heating selected points of the
front and rear portions of the package material to their melting
point, which joins the halves together. Sealing is done either at
specific spots "spot-sealing," or along the outer perimeter of the
package. Packages can also be sealed using a combination of
spot-sealing and perimeter sealing. A common technique to heat the
plastic to its melting point uses radio frequency waves, called RF
sealing. Adhesives can also be used to seal packages, including
adhesives cured by exposure to external energy, such as heat or
light. For example, a common method of sealing packages is with UV
light curing adhesives.
[0007] Typically, this type of display packaging surrounds the
merchandise with a single layer of plastic. When used for packaging
sensitive electronic components, such as microprocessors or
integrated circuits, this single layer construction requires that
an anti-static coating be used for the entire package to avoid
static buildup and discharge that could damage the delicate
electronic components. Once the package has been opened, the single
layer construction typically does not allow individual items within
the package to be pulled from the package yet remain in a
protective plastic covering to prevent damage or contamination
prior to use. By design, display packaging is difficult to open,
and a sensitive electronic component in a single layer package may
tend to fall out of the package and be damaged as the consumer is
struggling to open it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides an individual plastic package
for sensitive electronic components such as PGA ICs, which protects
the component from physical and electrical damage until it can be
installed in the intended electronic device. The present invention
provides a display packaging assembly that allows a consumer to
view electronic components within plastic packaging, with any
identification numbers clearly visible for tracking purposes. The
present invention also provides a separate protective package for
electronic components in display packaging to protect the
electronic components after they have been removed from the display
packaging. The present invention also has a variety of retail
display options; it can be placed upright in a self-contained "club
store" pallet pack, it is self-standing so it can be placed
individually on a shelf, and it has a top hole for pegboarding.
[0009] In a first separate aspect of the present invention, a
protective plastic clamshell package comprised of a lower cover and
an upper cover encloses a sensitive electronic component that
allows the individual component to be handled and shipped without
damage. Individual components can be easily and safely shipped in a
low cost, disposable package.
[0010] In a second separate aspect of the present invention, the
protective plastic clamshell package has anti-static properties,
which prevents electrical damage to the electronic component from
static discharge.
[0011] In a third separate aspect of the present invention, the
protective plastic clamshell package holds the electronic component
in place even when the clamshell is opened. Additional protection
from accidental damage due to dropping the electronic component out
of the package is achieved.
[0012] In a fourth separate aspect of the present invention, the
protective plastic package is designed so that the electronic
component can be ejected from the package with even force and
without having to touch it. Damage to the electronic component
during removal from the protective package is prevented.
[0013] In a fifth separate aspect of the present invention, the
protective plastic clamshell package has a structure that retains
and supports the electronic component within the center of the
protective plastic clamshell, with sufficient space between the
electronic component and the outer surfaces of the clamshell to
prevent physical damage. Further protection of the electronic
component is achieved.
[0014] In a sixth separate aspect of the present invention, the
upper and lower covers of the protective plastic clamshell package
remain in the closed position without sealing. Easy access to the
electronic component is retained, while the additional protection
provided by the top cover is maintained.
[0015] In a seventh separate aspect of the invention, the
protective plastic clamshell package is placed in a larger display
package for retail sale. Additional protection from damage is
achieved, as well as theft and tamper resistance.
[0016] In an eighth separate aspect of the present invention, an
integrated circuit in the protective plastic clamshell package is
placed in a display package with a matched heat sink and fan.
Consumers can view the product without removing it from the package
and be assured they are getting the product they are expecting.
[0017] In a ninth separate aspect of the invention, individual
items with individual optically readable tags are placed within
display packaging such that the optically readable tags are
visible. Inventory tracking of individual items in the package can
be achieved by reading the tags with optical tag reading equipment.
Cost savings can be achieved by eliminating separate serial number
tags or optically readable tags placed on the outside of the
package.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a chip clamshell in the closed
position.
[0019] FIG. 2A is a plan view of a chip clamshell in the open
position.
[0020] FIG. 2B is a plan view of a chip clamshell in the open
position, with an integrated circuit placed in the chip clamshell
for reference.
[0021] FIG. 2C is a bottom view of a chip clamshell in the open
position, with an integrated circuit placed in the chip clamshell
for reference and visible through the bottom of the lower
cover.
[0022] FIG. 3A is a side view of a chip clamshell in the open
position.
[0023] FIG. 3B is a side view of a chip clamshell in the open
position with an integrated circuit floating above it for
reference.
[0024] FIG. 3C is a side view of the lower portion of a chip
clamshell in the open position with an integrated circuit placed
into it for reference.
[0025] FIG. 4 is an oblique view of a chip clamshell in the closed
position.
[0026] FIG. 5A is an oblique view of a chip clamshell in the open
position.
[0027] FIG. 5B is an oblique view of a chip clamshell in the open
position with an integrated circuit placed into it for
reference.
[0028] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a display package
containing a chip clamshell and a heat sink/fan.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0029] A typical "clamshell" package is one that is typically made
of one piece of plastic, with a plastic "hinge" that connects the
front portion and the rear portion of the package, and the package
is flexed at the hinge to close the clamshell over the product. In
a preferred embodiment, the clamshell packaging is slightly larger
than the electronic component it is designed to contain, and is
typically fabricated with thermoformed plastic. The plastic used
may be comprised mainly of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene
terephthalate (PET). Packages may also be comprised mainly of
polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), which can enhance
recycling potential. Other suitable plastics may also be used,
including combinations of the plastics listed above. As is well
known in the art, plastic may be coated with an anti-static
material, or may be entirely or partially comprised of an
anti-static material, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,194,497, which also provides a general summary of anti-static
coatings.
[0030] As used in the claims, a "chip clamshell" is simply a
protective package for an individual electronic component such as a
PGA IC, comprising an upper cover and a lower cover, with the upper
cover and lower cover being slightly larger than the electronic
component and having a substantially rigid structure to prevent
crushing, and having anti-static properties. FIG. 1 shows a plan
view of a chip clamshell 1 in the closed position.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a chip clamshell 1 in the open
position, and FIG. 2B shows the same view but with an IC placed
into the chip clamshell 1 for reference. FIG. 2C is a bottom view
of the chip clamshell 1 in the open position, with an IC placed
into the chip clamshell 1 for reference, and the bottom of the IC
is visible through the lower cover 11. FIG. 3A is a side view of a
chip clamshell 1 in the open position, and FIG. 3B shows the same
view but with an IC placed into the chip clamshell 1 for reference.
FIG. 3C is a closeup side view of the lower cover, with an IC
placed into it to show how it "floats" within the center of the
chip clamshell 1, with protective spacing around the IC. FIG. 4 is
an oblique view of a chip clamshell 1 in the closed position, which
provides some detail as to the exterior shape. FIG. 5 is an oblique
view of a chip clamshell 1 in the open position, and shows the most
detail as to the structure, discussed below, and FIG. 5B is same
view, with an IC placed into the chip clamshell 1 for
reference.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 2B, 2C, 3B, and 3C, a typical PGA IC may
have a top planar surface 100, a bottom planar surface 102, a
central chip 104, and subsidiary chips 106, with terminal pins 108
extending perpendicularly from the bottom planar surface 102. As
shown in FIG. 2C, the center portion 110 of the IC's bottom planar
surface 102 may have an absence of terminal pins 108.
[0033] The chip clamshell 1 is sufficiently strong and resilient to
resist significant deformation under normal handling stress. As
shown in the closed position in FIG. 4, the upper cover 3 of the
chip clamshell 1 may be designed with top center portion 2 that
sits some distance above the IC's top planar surface 100, with
recessed annulus 4 that may conform to and touch the periphery of
the IC's top planar surface 100, and top outer portion 6 distal to
recessed annulus 4 that is raised relative to recessed annulus 4,
and beyond top outer portion 2, a recessed perimeter wall 8 may be
adapted to fit snugly against a raised perimeter wall 26 on the
lower cover 11 of the chip clamshell 1. At the outer edge of the
upper cover 3, connected with the recessed perimeter wall 8, there
may be a top joining plane 10, a substantially planar portion
adapted to fit against the bottom joining plane 28 when in the
closed position, and may act as a gripping surface to open the chip
clamshell 1. The joining planes may also be used as an area to seal
the chip clamshell 1 if desired, using either a sealant, heat
sealing (RF sealing), or some other suitable sealing method,
discussed below.
[0034] Viewing the chip clamshell in the open position as depicted
in FIG. 5, the lower cover 11 of the chip clamshell 1 may be
designed with a bottom center portion 12 that is recessed some
distance from the IC's bottom planar surface 102, and a raised
annulus 14 that may conform to the inside perimeter of the IC's
terminal pins 108 and may touch the IC's bottom planar surface 102.
The bottom center portion 12, which may be substantially planar,
and the raised annulus 14, form a "button" that aids in the removal
of the IC from the lower portion 11 of the clamshell, discussed
below.
[0035] Distal to the raised annulus 14, the lower cover 11 may
further have a pin protection plane 16 that may be substantially
planar and recessed relative to the raised annulus 14, and when the
IC is placed into the lower cover 11, the pin protection plane 16
may be some distance below the terminal pins 108 to provide
protection, as shown in FIG. 3C. Distal to the pin protection plane
16 may be a containment wall 18, which is raised relative to the
pin protection plane 16 and is shaped with contact points 19 to
contact the outer perimeter of the IC's planar housing at several
points, and may be shaped with various folds to provide additional
rigidity to the structure. In addition, the containment wall 18 may
be fitted with one or more detents 20 that fit atop the outer
perimeter of the IC's top planar surface 100, and retain the IC in
the chip clamshell 1 even when in the open position. The detents 20
could be the small raised structures as shown in FIG. 5, or a
groove in the containment wall 18, or any other suitable structure
to retain the IC. Rather than detents 20, the containment wall 18
could also be constructed to secure the IC with a friction fit, or
a combination of detents and friction fit. The containment wall 18
may also be shaped to provide recesses 22 that may allow the IC to
be mechanically loaded into the lower portion 11 by robotic
methods. The recesses 22 may also act as finger wells for removing
an IC from the lower cover 11, but a preferred method of removing
an IC without using the recesses 22 is described below. Distal to
the containment wall 18 may be a bottom outer portion 24, a raised
perimeter wall 26, and a bottom joining plane 28. When the chip
clamshell 1 is in the closed position, the bottom outer portion 24
may contact the top outer portion 6, the raised perimeter wall 26
may snugly fit the recessed perimeter wall 8 to provide a friction
fit to keep the chip clamshell 1 in the closed position without
sealing. Alternatively, one of the covers could be fitted with one
or more detents and the other cover with corresponding recesses to
act as a "latch" to hold the covers together in the closed
position, or any other suitable mechanism.
[0036] Connecting the upper cover 3 and lower cover 11 may be a
simple plastic hinge 30. The hinge 30 could be a square channel
design as shown in the open position of FIG. 4, forming a triangle
when closed as shown in FIG. 5, to ensure that the joining planes
10, 28 may remain parallel at all points. Alternatively, the hinge
30 could be a simple fold, or any other suitable design.
Alternatively, the chip clamshell 1 could be made in two separate
pieces, without being connected by a hinge.
[0037] "The button" formed by the bottom center portion 12 and the
raised annulus 14 of the lower cover 11 can assist the end user in
removing the IC from the package without damage. For example, if
the IC is removed from the lower cover 11 with a thumb and finger
inserted into the recesses 22, uneven forces could be placed on the
IC's planar housing, and damage could result. Damage could also
result if the thumb or finger contacts and bends the pins while
removing the IC, or the user loses control of the IC as it pops out
during removal and drops it. By using the "button" to remove the
IC, however, the IC is protected from damage by using the following
procedure. The chip clamshell 1 is opened and turned over so the
bottom of the lower cover 11 is facing up and the bottom outer
portion 24 is facing down, and the open chip clamshell 1 is placed
face down on a surface, preferably a padded surface, and thumb or
finger pressure is placed on the bottom center portion 12 (and
partially on the pin protection plane 16), which causes the raised
annulus 14 to press on the IC's center portion 110 of the IC's
bottom planar surface 102. By using the "button," the force is
evenly spread out on the IC's bottom planar surface 102, and with
enough pressure the IC is pushed past the detents 20 and gently
ejected from the lower cover 11, without the user's fingers ever
touching the IC. This protects the IC and the delicate terminal
pins 108 during ejection. Alternatively, a user could grasp the
outer portion of the lower cover 11 with his or her fingers or
thumbs, and then push on the "button" to eject the IC.
[0038] The "button" described above is an ejection structure in
protective packaging for an electronic component, and different
electronic components may require a different structure to eject
them from a chip clamshell, yet use the same general principles
described herein. This general principle may be described as a
structure that is located some distance from the electronic
component ("button top") yet connected with a structure that is
close to or in contact with the electronic component ("button
bottom"), such that exerting force on the button top will cause the
button bottom to exert force on the electronic component, thus
forcing the electronic component out of any restraints in the
protective package. The button bottom may preferably be shaped to
spread such force over a relatively large area of the electronic
component to prevent damage from highly localized forces. The
button bottom and the button top may preferably be shaped so that
the button top never contacts the electronic component during
ejection, and acts to define a protective space around the
electronic component during transport or display.
[0039] The plastic used for the chip clamshell 1 has some
flexibility that allows the "button" to function, yet retains
sufficient rigidity to retain the chip clamshell's 1 structural
integrity to protect the IC. If desired, the plastic used on the
lower cover 11 (or a portion thereof) could be of a different
flexibility than the rest of the chip clamshell 1 to enhance the
"button's" function. This difference in flexibility could be
achieved by using different plastic compositions, different
thermoforming techniques on portions of the chip clamshell 1, or
other suitable techniques.
[0040] The majority of the chip clamshell surfaces are some
distance from the IC. The only part of the chip clamshell 1
touching the IC, the recessed annulus 4, the raised annulus 14, and
the contact points 19 of the containment wall 18, are all recessed
relative to the chip clamshell's 1 broad outer surfaces. Therefore,
the chip clamshell 1 centers the IC within a larger package and
provides a protective container for an individual IC. Different
designs for the chip clamshell 1 could be used to fit different
shapes of electronic components, while retaining the inventive
concepts disclosed herein.
[0041] The chip clamshell 1 may be used alone, or in conjunction
with a larger packaging system, such as display packaging. In
contrast to the chip clamshell 1, display packaging may be
substantially larger than the product, and is typically fabricated
with thermoformed plastic. The large size of the packaging provides
a pleasing display, and the large size combined with its
tamper-resistant qualities deters theft. Display packaging can be
constructed in a variety of methods, such as a clamshell, a
tri-fold, book-fold, or multiple-piece units, all of which are
well-known in the packaging art.
[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the display packaging containing
the chip clamshell 1 may also contain a matching heat sink and fan
60. In other embodiments, the chip clamshell 1 could be the only
item in the display packaging, or multiple chip clamshells could be
placed in a single display package, or chip clamshell(s) could be
packaged with other items.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 6, a preferred embodiment may be a
multi-piece display package, with a front member 40, a middle
member 42, and a back member 44 through which the package contents
are visible. The front member 40 has large planar areas, with only
a few features. These features may include a recessed top section
46 with a hole 48 for mounting on a peg-board, feet 50 that allow
the package to be free-standing, and a perimeter channel 52 into
which the perimeter section 54 of the back member 44 mates. The
large planar frontal area and side areas of the front piece may
allow for the optional placement of a product insert card 56 and/or
instruction manuals 58 within the display package. Alternatively,
the display package could be constructed such that product insert
card 56 could be placed between the middle member 42 and the rear
member 44, with the product being visible though the front member
40. The perimeter channel 52 may be used not only for sealing, but
also as a flange so that the package can be held upright in a tray
with slots for the flange, similar to what is shown in U.S. Pat.
No. D412,631.
[0044] The middle member 42 may be designed to fit snugly between
the front member 40 and back member 44 when mated, and may contain
cavities 70 for the chip clamshell 1 and the heat sink and fan 60,
or other items within the display package. In other embodiments,
the middle member 42 could be eliminated if the front member 40, or
back member 44, or both were shaped to contain such cavities
70.
[0045] In a preferred embodiment, when the middle member 42 is
placed into the front member 40, and the items to be packaged (1,
60) are placed into the middle member 42 cavities 70, the back
member 44 may be mated to the front member 40. The back member 44,
when viewed from the rear of the package as in FIG. 6, may contain
recesses 72 that are shaped to securely retain the chip clamshell 1
and heat sink and fan 60, or other items within the package. When
the entire display package is assembled, the front member and rear
member may be sealed at the perimeter (52, 54) to prevent
tampering.
[0046] The multi-piece package of the preferred embodiment is
designed to securely hold and provide a high level of protection
for an IC or other electronic component within the package. An IC
in a chip clamshell 1 inside the display package enjoys multiple
layers of protection, and resists tampering and theft. Utilizing a
chip clamshell 1 with anti-static properties for a sensitive
electronic component may allow the display package to be
constructed of non-anti-static materials, resulting in cost savings
over a design where the entire display package has to be
constructed with anti-static materials. Packaging an IC with a
matched heat sink and fan 60 may assure that consumers do not
choose incompatible heat sinks and fans 60 for their IC.
Additionally, consumers could see the electronic components without
actually touching them, thereby assuring themselves that they are
buying the proper component and reducing any risk of pre-sale
damage by inspecting unprotected components.
[0047] ICs are often imprinted with an individual serial number
and/or an optically readable tag, such as a bar code. Other items
in the display packaging may also have individual serial numbers
and/or tags. If the chip clamshell 1 and display packaging are
constructed of transparent materials, or at least have transparent
portions, these serial numbers could be read either manually or
using an optical tag reader. Such numbers could be used to track
inventory or individual components. If multiple items are in a
package, each item could be tracked individually.
[0048] If optically readable tags are imprinted on the components,
such tags could contain a variety of information, including serial
number, date and location of manufacture, etc. In an ordinary
cardboard box package, the serial numbers or optically readable
tags would have to be affixed to the box exterior to track the
components, and thus the transparent display packaging saves
additional costs.
[0049] Individual items having individual optically readable tags
within display packaging could be individually tracked by
positioning the optically readable tags so they can be viewed
through a transparent portion of the display packaging, and using
optical tag reading equipment to read the tag and extract the
information from it. If multiple items in a single display package
have individually identifiable optically readable tags, the
individual items could be identified and tracked independently, if
desired.
[0050] Accordingly, an improved individual electronic component
package is disclosed, as well as an improved display package
assembly for such components. Although embodiments and applications
of this invention have been shown, it would be apparent to those
skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible
without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The
invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit
of the appended claims.
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