U.S. patent application number 11/510671 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-28 for compact product package.
This patent application is currently assigned to First Act Inc.. Invention is credited to Mark S. Izen.
Application Number | 20080047855 11/510671 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39112345 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080047855 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Izen; Mark S. |
February 28, 2008 |
Compact product package
Abstract
A packaging arrangement including a first carton having a first
set of sidewalls arranged to define a first compartment for
retaining at least one product, and a first endwall having one
portion overlying one end of the first compartment and another
portion laterally displaced therefrom; and a second carton having a
second set of sidewalls arranged to define a second compartment for
retaining another product, and a second endwall having one portion
overlying one end of the second compartment and another portion
laterally displaced therefrom. The first and second cartons are
nested together with the first compartment disposed laterally
adjacent to the second compartment, and an inner surface of another
portion of the first endwall overlies the second compartment, and
an inner surface of the another portion of the second endwall
overlies the first compartment.
Inventors: |
Izen; Mark S.; (Chestnut
Hill, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TOWNSEND AND TOWNSEND AND CREW, LLP
TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER, EIGHTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94111-3834
US
|
Assignee: |
First Act Inc.
Boston
MA
|
Family ID: |
39112345 |
Appl. No.: |
11/510671 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/314 ;
220/23.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 21/0202 20130101;
B65D 5/2014 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/314 ;
220/23.4 |
International
Class: |
A45C 11/00 20060101
A45C011/00; B65D 21/02 20060101 B65D021/02 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for shipping and displaying plural products and
comprising: a first carton comprising a first set of sidewalls
arranged to define a first compartment for retaining at least one
product, and a first endwall having one portion overlying one end
of said first compartment and another portion laterally displaced
from said first compartment; and a second carton comprising a
second set of sidewalls arranged to define a second compartment for
retaining another product, and a second endwall having one portion
overlying one end of said second compartment and another portion
laterally displaced from said second compartment; and wherein said
first and second cartons are nested together with said first
compartment disposed laterally adjacent to said second compartment,
an inner surface of said another portion of said first endwall
overlies said second compartment, and an inner surface said another
portion of said second endwall overlies said first compartment.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein outer surfaces of said
first and second endwalls retain graphic material describing the
products retained in said first and second compartments.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of said first and
second compartments are trapezoidally shaped; and each of said
first and second sets of sidewalls includes a pair of parallel,
spaced apart sidewalls of substantially different length, a third
sidewall perpendicular to said pair and joining first ends of said
pair thereof, and a fourth sidewall joining second ends of said
pair.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the longer sidewall of
said pair of said first set is aligned with the shorter sidewall of
said pair of said second set and the longer sidewall of said pair
of said second set is aligned with the shorter sidewall of said
pair of said first set.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of said first and
second endwalls is rectangular.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said fourth sidewalls
of said first and second sets of sidewalls are longitudinally
engaged and of equal length.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first carton is a
mirror image of said second carton.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1 including a first base member
having a third endwall overlying an opposite end of said first
compartment, and first mating sidewalls engaging said first set of
sidewalls and separable therefrom, and a second base member having
a fourth sidewall overlying an opposite end of said second
compartment and second mating sidewalls engaging said second set of
sidewalls and separable therefrom.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein outer surfaces of said
first and second endwalls retain graphic material descriptions of
the products retained in said first and second compartments.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of said first
and second compartments are trapezoidally shaped; and each of said
first and second sets of side walls includes a pair of parallel,
spaced apart sidewalls of substantially different length, a third
sidewall perpendicular to said pair and joining first ends of said
pair thereof, and a fourth sidewall joining second ends of said
pair.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the longer sidewall
of said pair of said first set is aligned with the shorter sidewall
of said pair of said second set and the longer sidewall of said
pair of said second set is aligned with the shorter sidewall of
said pair of said first set.
12. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of said first
and second endwalls is rectangular.
13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said fourth
sidewalls of said first and second sets of sidewalls are
longitudinally engaged and of equal length.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said first carton is
a mirror image of said second carton.
15. An apparatus according to claim 3 including first leg means
projecting outwardly from and substantially parallel to an edge of
said first endwall adjacent to the longer of said first set of
parallel sidewalls and secured leg means projecting outwardly and
substantially parallel to an edge of said second endwall adjacent
to the longer of said second set of parallel sidewalls; and wherein
said first and second leg means are adapted to support,
respectively, said first and second cartons in standing
positions.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the longer sidewall
of said pair of said first set is aligned with the shorter sidewall
of said pair of said second set and the longer sidewall of second
pair of said second set is aligned with the shorter sidewall of
said pair of said first set.
17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein each of said first
and second endwalls is rectangular.
18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said fourth
sidewalls of said first and second sets of sidewalls are
longitudinally engaged and of equal length.
19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said first carton is
a mirror image of said second carton.
20. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of said first
and second cartons retains a guitar.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The majority of products are manufactured or assembled in
one location and then shipped to a given retail outlet. To enhance
presentation at the retail level, many products are packaged in
consumer friendly packaging prior to shipment and then displayed in
the packages at a retail outlet. The cost of product transportation
can be reduced by minimizing the volume occupied by the products.
Consequently, the size of display packages is typically minimized
thereby undesirably reducing the external area available for
printed material describing a product and its use. This problem is
accentuated for products with shapes not easily grouped in compact
stacks.
[0002] The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide for
certain products packages which can be compactly grouped while
providing increased external surfaces for accommodating retained
product information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention is a packaging arrangement including a first
carton having a first set of sidewalls arranged to define a
trapezoidally shaped first compartment for retaining at least one
product, and a first endwall having one portion overlying one end
of the first compartment and another portion laterally displaced
therefrom; and a second carton having a second set of sidewalls
arranged to define a second compartment for retaining another
product, and a second endwall having one portion overlying one end
of the second compartment and another portion laterally displaced
therefrom. The first and second cartons are nested together with
the first compartment disposed laterally adjacent to the second
compartment, and an inner surface of another portion of the first
endwall overlies the second compartment, and an inner surface of
the another portion of the second endwall overlies the first
compartment. The packaging arrangement reduces volume while
increasing display area.
[0004] According to one feature of the invention, the outer
surfaces of the first and second endwalls retain graphic material
describing the products retained in the first and second
compartments. The graphic material apprises consumers of the
package's content.
[0005] According to another feature of the invention, each of the
first and second compartments are trapezoidally shaped; and each of
the first and second sets of sidewalls includes a pair of parallel,
spaced apart sidewalls of substantially different length, a third
sidewall perpendicular to the pair and joining first ends of the
pair and a fourth sidewall joining second ends of the pair. This
feature provides an efficient package for accommodating a
guitar.
[0006] According to yet other features of the invention, the longer
sidewall of the pair of the first set is aligned with the shorter
sidewall of the pair of the second set and the longer sidewall of
the pair of the second set is aligned with the shorter sidewall of
the pair of the first set; each of the first and second endwalls is
rectangular; the fourth sidewalls of the first and second sets of
sidewalls are longitudinally engaged and of equal length; and the
first carton is a mirror image of the second carton. These features
achieve desired objects of the packaging.
[0007] According to additional features, the assembly package
includes a first base member having a third endwall overlying an
opposite end of the first compartment, and first mating sidewalls
engaging the first set of sidewalls and separable therefrom, and a
second base member having a fourth sidewall overlying an opposite
end of the second compartment and second mating sidewalls engaging
the second set of sidewalls and separable therefrom. These features
minimize volumes of nesting boxes especially suited for housing
products such as guitars.
[0008] According to an additional feature, the assembly package
includes first legs projecting outwardly from an edge of the first
endwall adjacent to the longer of the first set of parallel
sidewalls and in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto,
and second legs projecting outwardly from an edge of the second
endwall adjacent to the longer of the second set of parallel
sidewalls and in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto;
and wherein the first and second legs are adapted to support,
respectively, the first and second endwalls in vertical
positions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other objects and features of the invention will
become more apparent upon a perusal of the following description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packaging assembly
according to the invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one packaging
carton shown in the assembly of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another packaging
carton shown in the assembly of FIG. 1; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating relative carton
movement establishing the assembly shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] A compact assembly 11 of first and second cartons 12, 13 for
shipping and displaying products is illustrated in FIG. 1. The
first carton 12 includes a first set of sidewalls 16, 17, 18 and 19
(FIG. 2) arranged to define a trapezoidally shaped first
compartment 21 for retaining one or more products to be shipped and
displayed for sale. Overlying one end of the first compartment 21
is one portion 22 of a first rectangular endwall 23 while another
endwall portion 24 of the endwall 23 extends laterally from the
first compartment 21. Included in the first set of sidewalls are a
spaced apart parallel pair 16 and 19 with the sidewall 19 being
substantially longer than the sidewall 16. The third sidewall 21 is
perpendicular to the sidewalls 16, 19 and joins first ends thereof
while the fourth sidewall 17 joins second ends of the pair 16,
19.
[0015] Covering an end of the first compartment 21 opposite to the
first endwall 23 is a first base member 27 having a third endwall
28 and first mating sidewalls 31, 32, 33 and 34. Retained by the
first base member 27 is a guitar 37 which is a preferred product
for shipping and display. The first compartment 21 is closed by
engaging inner surfaces of the first set of sidewalls 16-19 with
outer surfaces of the first mating sidewalls 31-34 and the third
endwall 28 overlying the first compartment 21 as shown in FIG.
1.
[0016] The second carton 13 of the assembly 11 is illustrated in
FIG. 3. Similar to the first carton 12, the second carton 13
includes a second set of sidewalls 46, 47, 48 and 49 arranged to
define a trapezoidally shaped second compartment 51 for retaining
one or more products to be shipped and displayed for sale.
Overlying one end of the second compartment 51 is one portion 52 of
a second rectangular endwall 53 while another endwall portion 54 of
the endwall 53 extends laterally from the first compartment 51.
Included in the second set of sidewalls are a spaced apart parallel
pair 46 and 49 with the sidewall 49 again being substantially
longer than the sidewall 46. The third sidewall 48 is perpendicular
to the sidewalls 46, 49 and joins first ends thereof while the
fourth sidewall 47 joins second ends of the pair 46, 49.
[0017] Covering an end of the second compartment 51 opposite to the
second endwall 53 is a second base member 57 having a fourth
endwall 58 and second mating sidewalls 61, 62, 63 and 64. Retained
by the second base member 57 is a guitar 66. The second compartment
51 is closed by engaging inner surfaces of the second set of
sidewalls 46-49 with outer surfaces of the second mating sidewalls
61-64 and the fourth sidewall 58 overlying the second compartment
51 as shown in FIG. 1.
[0018] The first and second cartons 12, 13 are engaged in a compact
arrangement by moving the first compartment 21 into a position
laterally displaced from the second compartment 51 and into contact
with the endwall portion 54 of the second carton 13 as shown in
FIG. 4. After engagement, the longer sidewall 19 of the parallel
pair in the first set of sidewalls is aligned with the shorter
sidewall 46 of the second set and the longer sidewall 49 of the
parallel pair in the second set is aligned with the shorter
sidewall 16 of the parallel pair in the first set. Also, the fourth
sidewall 17 of the first set of sidewalls is longitudinally engaged
with the fourth sidewall 47 of the second set of sidewalls. This
compact arrangement is made possible because of the second carton
13 being a mirror image of the first carton 12.
[0019] A pair of tab legs 61, 62 project outwardly from an edge of
the first endwall 23 adjacent to the longer sidewall 19 of the
first set parallel pair. Similarly, a pair of tab legs 63, 64
project outwardly from an edge of the second endwall 53 adjacent to
the longer sidewall 49 of the second set parallel pair. After
shipment of the assembly 11 to a retail outlet, the cartons 12, 13
can be separated and displayed with the legs 61-64 providing
stabilization in desired upright positions. In those positions
graphic descriptive material 65 on the outer surfaces of the
endwalls 23 and 53 are properly oriented for attention of shoppers.
The surface area available for such information is increased by the
endwall portions 24 and 54 which project laterally from the product
retaining first and second compartments 21, 51.
[0020] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is to be
understood, therefore, that the invention can be practiced
otherwise than as specifically described.
* * * * *