Carded package

Abstract

A carded package wherein a packaged article is held on one side of a flat card between flaps bent away from the plane of the card by engagement with the card itself and by a length of tape adhered to the outside surfaces of the flaps and embracing the packaged article between the flaps. The article thus is held firmly in position in the package in a way which will allow the consumer to contact the article.

Description

The present invention relates to carded packages which are commonly used both to display and to protect articles at the point of sale. Card packaging of this type has found wide use. It makes the goods highly visible and allows maximum use of space since the articles may be stored on racks and hangers and do not require conventional shelf space. Furthermore, the cards can be designed so that they are of a size which is too large to pocket conveniently, thus making them difficult to steal.

The most popular type of card packaging is one wherein the goods are completely enclosed by a transparent blister or skin of plastic material. This normally is called blister or skin packaging and involves highly sophisticated machinery and molds for forming the blisters and skins and for adapting them to the size of the articles to be packaged. The material costs for this type of package also are high because of the large amount of blister or skin forming film which is required.

The above type of package, wherein the article is completely enclosed, has certain real advantages when the article must be protected in this manner or when absolute cleanliness is a requisite. However, it also has disadvantages in addition to the relatively high costs of the materials employed and the equipment used. Basically, these relate to the fact that the consumer wants to be able to touch and come into contact with different kinds of goods and feels frustrated when he cannot contact the article without destroying the package. A buyer often likes to feel, smell, or carefully inspect an article before he buys it. For intance, in buying tools with a handle such as a screw driver, one likes to feel the handle to evaluate the grip. In buying powder or perfume, one desires to evaluate the fragrance before purchasing same. In buying lipstick, one would like to remove the cap to observe the true color before taking possession. Battery manufacturers would like to have the ends of the batteries exposed so that a battery could be tested to assure the customer of its freshness without removing it from the card.

Thus, attempts have been made to package articles on cards in a way which will allow the consumer to contact the article. One technique which has been employed is to hold the article against the card by a tape staple which, in turn, is secured to the card by looping the tape through slots in the card and then around a narrow card portion extending between the slots. This requires relatively thick card material to provide sufficient strength to prevent articles from being torn from the card and has the additional disadvantage that it is difficult to prevent the packaged article from becoming loose. Furthermore, complicated processing steps are required to insert the tape through the slots in the card and adhere it to the back of the card.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of these various prior art packaging techniques. It provides a carded package of the open type wherein the packaged article is available to be contacted by the consumer while overcoming the disadvantages of the tape stapling technique. This invention employs a novel package which greatly simplifies the required packaging process. Furthermore, the resulting package is one in which the packaged article is held securely in mechanical engagement with the card structure, itself, and thereby is prevented from being displaced from the card.

In accordance with this invention, the article to be package is mechanically engaged with the card structure and held in position therein by opposed flaps bent away from the card and by tape secured to the flaps. The tape embraces the package article between the flaps and holds the flaps snugly against the article. Furthermore, the tape is adhered to the outwardly facing surfaces of the flaps and thus need only be positioned on one side of the card.

The opposed flaps are part of the card, itself, being foldably connected thereto, and are die cut and bent away from the plane of the card in such a way as to define edges or openings in the card between them. The article to be packaged then is positioned over in the opening between the flps. Preferably, the article protrudes into the opening or fits therein in such a way that the opening acts as a pocket to position the article for packaging and as one means for assuring the desired mechanical engagement between the card and the article. To complete the package it only is necessary to position the tape above the article in such a way that it extends across the flaps and then to adhere the ends of the tape to the outwardly facing surface of the flaps. This can be done in such a way that the tape initially embraces the packaged article between the flaps and holds the flaps snugly against the article, or the tape may be heat shrunk after its ends are adhered to the flaps to pull the flaps against the article and draw the tape tightly down around the article.

In accordance with this invention, the article to be packaged may vary in size, shape and number. The article may be cylindrical, rectangular or irregulaar. If it is relatively compact it may be positioned between one set of opposed flaps and held by a single piece of tape adhered to the flaps. On the other hand, if the article is elongated and somewhat complicated in shape, such as a pair of pliers, at least three sets of flaps probably will be necessary. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, additional flaps may be folded out from the card to help in positioning the article and prevent it from being displaced from the package. Furthermore, more than one article may be packaged between the same set of flaps when the articles are elongated and relatively uniform in shape.

Another advantage of the package of this invention is that various types of tapes may be used depending upon the article to be packaged and the conditions of packaging and use. For instance, the tape may be initially tacky and pressure-sensitive or it may be of the type which normally is nontacky and is essentially heat sensitive. With the latter tape, it is necessary to apply heat and pressure to adhere its ends to the flaps. In fact, the tape itself may be completely nonadhesive and the required amount of adhesive may be spot coated directly onto the outer surface of the flaps. Correspondingly, the adhesive may be coated in this manner onto the inner ends of the tape just prior to application to the card. One technique for accomplishing this is to apply a small section of double-faced pressure-senstive adhesive tape to the flaps or to the ends of the tapes just prior to adhering the tape to the flaps.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims taken together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a carded package according to one embodiment of this invention wherein the packaged article is a cylindrical flashlight battery.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged end view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar side view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the card of FIG. 1 with the opposed side flaps folded out prior to insertion of the battery in position in the opening defined between the flaps.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat enlarged fragmental view partly in section and partly in elevation and similar to FIG. 3, showing a modification to the embodiment of FIG. 1 wherein end flaps are bent upward from the card at the ends of the article to help hold it in position.

FIG. 6 is a similar view partly in section and partly in elevation and similar to FIG. 2, showing a different embodiment of the invention wherein two batteries are packaged side by side between one pair of opposed flaps which define a pair of parallel openings for receiving the batteries between them

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4 of a card illustrating another embodiment of the invention wherein both sides and end flaps are provided and the package is adapted to hold a rectangular article as illustrated more fully in FIGS. 8-9.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along the line 8--8 of FIG. 7 but showing the rectangular article held by the tape in position in the package.

FIG. 9 is a side view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 7 which, like FIG. 8, shows the article in position in the package.

FIG. 9a and 9b show how the end flaps of the package of this embodiment of the invention resist displacement of the rectangular article endwise from the package even when the article does not protrude through the opening between the flaps.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a package according to still another embodiment of this invention wherein three sets of opposed flaps, each with its own tape, are used to hold a pair of pliers in position on the card.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view through one of the opposed flaps of any of the foregoing embodiments of this invention showing one type of pressure-sensitive or normally aggressively tacky adhesive tape which may be used. This tape has one of its major surfaces completely coated with the adhesive.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 11 but showing the adhesive only applied to the end of the tape where it will contact the flap.

FIG. 13 is another schematic view similar to FIG. 11 showing a piece of double-faced tape applied to the end of the securing tape in lieu of the adhesive alone as shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 11 wherein the adhesive is applied only to the outside surface of the flap and there is no adhesive at all on the tape.

FIG. 15 is another schematic view identical with FIG. 14 except that the adhesive on the flap is applied in the form of a piece of double-faced tape.

FIG. 16 is an exploded view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the parts of another embodiment of this invention wherein the securing tape is not normally pressure-sensitive or aggressively tacky but instead is heat-sensitive.

FIG. 17 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the embodiment of FIG. 16 as heat and pressure is being applied to the ends of the tape to adhere them to the flaps.

FIG. 18 is another view partly in section and partly in elevation, similar to FIG. 17, of another embodiment of this invention and showing the application of heat to the tape extending between the flaps to shrink it and draw it tightly into contact with the article.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, there is shown an embodiment of this invention wherein a cylindrical flashlight battery 21 is held securely in a carded package comprising a rectangular paperboard card 22, opposed flaps 23 foldably connected to and bent away from the plane of the card and a length of tape 24 adhered at its ends to the outwardly facing surfaces of each of the flaps 23 and embracing the surface of the battery 21 between the flaps. As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, the card 22 is die cut to form the opposed flaps 23 and an opening 25 between them and each of the flaps 23 define one edge of the opening. The opening 25 is adapated to receive the battery 21, i.e., the length L of the opening 25, is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the length of the battery. However, the width W of the opening 25 between the flaps, i.e., measured in a direction perpendicular to the fold lines 26, between the flaps and the card is less than the overall dimension, i.e., the diameter, of the battery 21 measured in the same direction. Thus, the battery may be positioned in the opening 25 by inserting it therein, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, so that it protrudes through the opening and therefore cannot be moved in a direction parallel to the plane of the card without being blocked by the sides and ends of the opening. In addition, as shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the battery is blocked from sideways movement with respect to the card by the flaps 23 themselves. Since the battery cannot be moved perpendicular to or through the card any further than is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is completely blocked from movement or displacement with respect to the card by mechanical engagement with the card structure in all directions except one, that is, perpendicularly upward from the card. However, movement of the battery in this direction is prevented by the tape 24 which embraces the battery and is in contact with the battery surface between the flaps 23.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification to the package of FIGS. 1-4 wherein opposed end flaps 27 (only one end being shown) are die cut and bent away from the ends of the opening 25 to provide additional positioning means and means for mechanically engaging the battery and retaining it endwise in the package. End flaps of this type are most necessary when the packaged article is not recessed in the card. This will be illustrated in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9b hereinafter. However such end flaps 27 also may be particularly desirable when two or more articles are packaged between the same set of opposed flaps, as illustrated in FIG. 6, where a pair of batteries 21 is shown protruding through a pair of recesses 25 defined between opposed flaps 23 which, in turn, are retained in tight engagement with the articles by the tape 24 extending between the flaps. In this embodiment, a narrow connecting strip 28 of the card extends longitudinally between the batteries 21 to define the inner edges of the two openings 25.

FIGS. 7-9b show a card 22 having opposed side flaps 23 and opposed end flaps 27 and which is adapted to receive and hold a rectangular article 31. With a rectangular article of this type, it is most desirable to hold it flat or with one of its sides in contact with the surface of the card 22 as shown in FIGS. 8-9b. Therefore the dimensions of the opening 25 defined between the flaps 23 and 27 cannot be great enough to allow the article to protrude through the card. If this were not so, the card structure would not block the article from displacement from the package through the card. Thus, as mentioned hereinbefore, the end flaps 27 are quite important since they are necessary in order to block movement of the article 31 longitudinally out from under the tape 24 in the event it is attempted to remove the article from the package in this way. This blocking action of the end flaps 27 is illustrated in FIGS. 9a and 9b wherein attempted endwise displacement of the article 31 in the direction of the arrows is blocked by the flap 27 at one end, even when the flap is forced almost completely down as illustrated in FIG. 9b, provided that the tape 24 embracing the article remains relatively tight and in close contact with the article between the side flaps 23.

As indicated hereinbefore, FIG. 10 simply shows that with a complicated article, such as a pair of mechanical pliers 32, more than one set of opposed flaps 23 and tapes 24 will be necessary to hold the article securely in position. In the package illustrated, the pliers 32 are held flat on one side of the card by three sets of opposed flaps and tapes. Thus, with complicated articles, the number of pairs of flaps and tapes and their location will depend upon the shape of the article and the amount of package security, i.e., assurance the article cannot be removed from the package, which is desired.

Also, as explained hereinbefore, FIGS. 11-15 illustrate different ways in which pressure-sensitive or normally aggressively tacky adhesive may be employed on or in conjunction with the tape or the flaps to secure the article in position. FIG. 11 illustrates a conventional pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 24 wherein one of the major surfaces of the tape is completely coated with a normally aggressively tacky adhesive 33. Such a tape may be employed with advantage in packages of this invention when the article surfaces are such that the adhesive would not damage the surfaces when the article is removed from the package. Thus, such tapes may be employed with metal objects such as pliers and screwdrivers, but are not particularly advisable for contacting paper surfaces or printed surfaces such as one might find on a flashlight battery. It follows that with printed or paper surfaces or other surfaces which might be damaged by an aggressively tacky adhesive, that the surface of the tape in contact with the article should either be nonadhesive or only lightly tacky. In fact, in many cases the latter is preferred since a very lightly tacky adhesive can be formulated which, due to its slight tackiness, will have a high coefficient of friction and thereby tend to prevent displacement of the article from the package but will not have sufficient tack to damage the article in any way when it is removed from the package. This feature of light tack to provide increased frictional engagement with the packaged article may be incorporated in the embodiment of this invention wherein the tape is coated with a heat and pressure-sensitive adhesive which is only light tacky at normal temperatures. This will be described more fully with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17, below.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate application of pressure-sensitive adhesive only to the ends of the tape where they contact the flaps. In FIG. 12 the adhesive 33 is coated directly on the inner surface of the tape, whereas in FIG. 13 the adhesive is applied via a small piece of double-faced tape 34 adhered to its end. This double-faced tape 34 is adhesive on both surfaces and, of course, may take various forms. The structure illustrated consists of a backing layer 35, an inner adhesive layer 36 in contact with the tape 24 and an outer adhesive layer 37 to be adhered to the flap 23. However, this double-faced tape could merely consist of an adhesive transfer film which is strengthened through the inclusion of fibers or the like as is well known in the art. Again as indicated hereinbefore, FIGS. 14 and 15 simply illustrate the reverse of FIGS. 12 and 13 wherein the adhesive is applied to the flaps instead of the tape. In FIG. 14 the adhesive 33 is coated directly on the flaps, and in FIG. 15 a piece of double-faced tape 34, of the type just described, is employed.

FIGS. 16-17 show the embodiment of this invention wherein a heat sensitive adhesive tape 24 is employed. In this case the tape is coated on its inner surface with a heat and pressure-senstive adhesive, not shown, which is only lightly tacky at normal ambient temperatures but which becomes quite tacky when heated and therefore will aggressively adhere to the flaps 23 when heat and pressure is applied to the tape ends, as shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 17 shows a cylindrical article 21, such as a flashlight battery, poisitioned between the folded up side flaps 23 with the tape 24 drawn down around the article in such a way that its ends overlap the flaps. Opposed heated sealing jaws 38 are shown pressed radially inwardly against the outside surface of the ends of the tape 24 to heat the tape, and its inner adhesive surface, where this adhesive surface contacts the outer surface of the flaps 23 to thereby render these surfaces tacky and press them into adhering contact with the flaps.

FIG. 18 illustrates an embodiment of this invention wherein the tape 24 is heat shrinkable and nonadhesive except that adhesive is applied between the ends of the tape and the flaps 23 by one of the methods described in connection with FIGS. 12-15 to adhere the tape to the flaps. After the ends of the tape 24 are sealed to the flaps 23 a heated heat-shrinking casing 39 is lowered onto the card 22 in such a way that it encloses the article 21 and the tape 24 and applies sufficient heat to the tape to shrink it tightly into embracing contact with the article and draw the flaps 23 snugly against the sides of the article. The adhesive employed preferably is a cured pressure-sensitive adhesive capable of withstanding the shrinkage temperature applied without softening to the point where the bonds between the tape and the flaps will fail under the stresses generated in the tape during shrinkage. However, if there is sufficient time for processing it is possible to use a thermo-setting heat sensitive adhesive which will have sufficent strength to resist the shrinkage stresses at the temperatures employed. It should be understood that it is not neccessary to employ individual heat shrinking casings 39, since it may even be preferable to place a large number of otherwise complete packages in a heat-shrinking oven, not shown, and subject them to sufficent heat to effect the desired shrinkage.

As indicated hereinbefore, in the package of this invention the article packaged is mechanically engaged with the card structure against displacement from the position in which it is packaged. Preferably, the packaged article is mechanically engaged with the card, i.e., blocked by the card structure from displacement with respect to the card, in every direction except one, that is perpendicularly away from the card on the side of the card where the flaps and the article are located. However, movement away from the card in this direction is blocked or prevented by the tape fitting around and embracing the article between the flaps. This arrangement of the tape with respect to the flaps and the article is such that if it is attempted to move the article perpendicularly away from the card in this direction, the tape will be placed in tension and only shear forces will be asserted on the bonds between the ends of the tape and the flaps. In this connection, it is important to note that the ends of the tape need only be adhered to the folded out or bent away flaps themselves. In other words, it is of no particular advantage for the tapes to extend over the flaps and adhere to their outer surfaces and then continue past the fold lines connecting the flaps to the card proper and over the surface of the card. In fact, any extension of the tape ends beyond the fold lines is unnecessary and a waste of tape since the shear strength of the bond between the tape and the outer surface of the flaps is vastly greater than the 90.degree. peel strength of whatever bond may be formed between the tape and the flat surface of the card.

While the flaps need not be large, they should be large enough to provide sufficient bonding surface to provide a minimum shear strength bond between each flap and each tape end. For instance, for tape approximately 1 inch wide and coated to the end with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the height of the flap, i.e., from fold line to the end of the flap should be at least about 1/4 inch, preferably 3/8-1/2inch.

Any strong tape may be used to hold the article snugly in position on the card. It is preferable to use a transparent film tape in order that the article on display may be completely visible. However, paper, cloth and metal foil tapes can be used where cost in important or special display effects are desired. Strand reinforced tapes may be used for displaying heavy objects or where maximum resistance to pilfering is desired. 1-5 mil polypropylene, vinyl or polyester film backed tapes are particularly suitable for this application since they have high tear resistance, high tensile strength, a high modulus and an elongation of about 50% or more and still retain sufficient flexibility to conform readily to the article to be packaged. Vinyl chloride films are particularly suitable as heat shrink films.

As indicated hereinbefore, various types of adhesives may be employed to adhere the ends of the tape to the flaps in accordance with this invention. For most applications, pressure-sensitive adhesives which are normally aggressively tacky are preferred. Normally, also, pressure-sensitive adhesives are preferred which posses high shear strength since, as described hereinbefore, it is only shear forces which are applied to the bonds between the ends of the tape and the flaps. High shear strength pressure-sensitive adhesives may be based upon butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyvinyl ether polymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, isoprene polymers, higher alkyl acrylate copolymers and other elastomers. The acrylate adhesives are of particular interest due to their unusual clarity and their age and sunlight resistance. Typical examples of suitable pressure-sensitive adhesives are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,551,391; 3,558,574; 3,617,362; 3,625,752; 3,676,202 and 3,723,170. Hot melts and other heat sensitive adhesives which are not normally aggressively tacky also may be employed as indicated hereinbefore. These adhesives also may be based on a wide variety of elastomers such as polymers and copolymers of polypropylene, ethylene, vinyl acetate, styrene, dienes, acrylates and the like.

The card stock used for the cards themselves may be any standard plain, coated or printed card stock. Most card stocks are printed and coated so that the card has an attractive appearance, can advertise the product and can provide price and instructions on how to use the product. Display cards are often coated with polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene or a similar material to give the card an attractive glossy appearance, greater stability and a good printable surface.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplified the manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from its spirit or scope.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A carded package which comprises; a packaging card; a packaged article positioned on one side of the card; opposed flaps in contact with opposite sides of the packaged article, said flaps being foldably connected to and bent away from the plane of said card and each of said flaps defining one edge of an opening in said card between them, and said opening having a dimension less than that of the packaged article in at least one direction parallel to said card; and a length of tape adhered to the outwardly facing surface of each of said flaps and embracing the packaged article between the flaps, said tape holding said flaps in contact with opposite sides flaps, said tape holding said flaps in contact with opposite sides of the packaged article and being in closed contact with the surface of said article between said flaps; whereby said article is held in position in said package between and in contact with said card and said flaps and said tape.

2. A carded package according to claim 1, wherein the ends of said tape are adhered to said flaps and said ends do not extend beyond said flaps onto said card.

3. A carded package according to claim 1, wherein the length of tape contacting said article between said flaps is not aggressively tacky with respect to said article.

4. A carded package according to claim 3, wherein the surface of the tape contacting said article between said flaps is nonadhesive.

5. A carded package according to claim 4, wherein adhesive is applied only to the ends of said tape where they contact said flaps.

6. A carded package according to claim 4, wherein the tape is completely nonadhesive and adhesive is applied to the outwardly facing surface of each of said flaps to adhere said flaps to said tape.

7. A carded package according to claim 4, wherein the tape is adhered to each of said flaps by a length of double-faced tape having adhesive on both of its surfaces.

8. A carded package according to claim 3, wherein the entire length of the inner surface of said tape is coated with a heat sensitive adhesive which normally is not aggressively tacky, said tape being adhered to said flaps by the application of heat and pressure in the vicinity of said flaps.

9. A carded package according to claim 8, wherein the surface of said tape contacting said article between said flaps normally is lightly tacky, thereby increasing its frictional engagement with the packaged article.

10. A carded package according to claim 1, wherein said tape is heat shrinkable and is heat shrunken after it is adhered to said flaps to embrace said article snugly in said package.

11. A carded package according to claim 10, wherein the surface of the tape contacting the packaged article remains not aggressively tacky with respect to said article prior to, during and after heat shrinking.

12. A carded package according to claim 1, wherein the width of the opening measured in a direction normal to the fold lines between said flaps and said card is less than the overall dimension of the packaged article measured in the same direction, and said article protrudes partly through said opening.

13. A carded package according to claim 12, wherein said article is cylindrical in shape and arranged between said flaps with the axis of the cylinder extending parallel to the flaps, the longitudinal dimension of said opening in the direction of said axis being about equal to or slightly greater than dimension of the packaged article in that direction, thereby allowing said article to fit into the opening and protrude slightly therethrough.

14. A carded package according to claim 12, wherein there is more than one opening between the opposed flaps and there is a packaged article partially protruding through each of said openings.

15. A carded package according to claim 1, which also comprises end flaps in contact with the ends of the packaged article, said flaps also being foldably connected to and bent up from said card.

16. A carded package according to claim 1, which comprises more than one pair of said opposed flaps, more than one of said openings and more than one length of tape adhered to said flaps and embracing different portions of the packaged article.

17. A carded package according to claim 16, wherein the packaged article partially protrudes through one or more of said openings.