Display packaging arrangement for articles of manufacture

Abstract

A display packaging arrangement for convenient transport and visual display of an article of manufacture having at least two associated components. The display apparatus includes separate display units for housing the respective components, which display units are designed to interfit each with the other to provide the appearance of a single, unitized display arrangement. For timepieces, this is particularly advantageous since the watch head may be contained within one display unit and a watchband within the second display unit. With the two display units in the described interfitted relation, the watch components appear as if assembled together even tho in fact they are not.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to display packaging generally and in particular to an improved transparent packaging arrangement for timepieces in which separate self-contained prismatic display cases for housing the associated watch heads and watchbands may be interfitted one on top of the other.

A watch dealer or other retailer will ordinarily have on hand a substantial variety of timepieces, including wristwatches and associated watchbands, to satisfy the commercial demands of at least a segment of the public at large. It is of course good business practice that the timepieces and bands vary as much as reasonably possible with regard to color, shape, size, styling and the like. However, a good deal of time has heretofore been devoted to prospective purchasers in simply removing the timepieces and perhaps the watchbands as well from the respective display cases or containers. Moreover, the frequent handling of the merchandise itself detracts from its salability as it becomes smudged, soiled, scratched or otherwise manhandled.

Display cases for articles of manufacturer are of course known in the art. Usually, however, the prior art packaging arrangements consist simply of a transparent display case or housing of some sort, fabricated of a suitable plastic material. It is substantially the same for watchbands. In any event, each display case serves only that function and nothing more. If a prospective pruchaser wishes to see a particular timepiece and how it might look assembled to a particular watchband, each article must either be removed from the display packages and then hand held in close proximity, or simply lain side by side while still in their associated display packages. Neither alternative is particularly effective nor acceptable from a merchandising point of view. Moreover, once the merchandise is purchased, the display packages are customarily discarded as of no further use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved transparent display case arrangement which does not exhibit the foregoing deficiencies.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved transparent display case arrangement for timepieces in which a separate housing is utilized for the watch head and another for the watchband, but which nevertheless are interfittable with one another so as to give the appearance of a single, unitary display package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved transparent display case arrangement for time-pieces of the foregoing type wherein the interfitted cases give the appearance of the watch head being assembled to the watchband when in fact it is not.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved transparent display case arrangement for timepieces of the foregoing type wherein even though the respective display units remain interfitted with one another, the design will permit the convenient removal of the watchband from its associated display case and another substituted in its place.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved transparent case for a timepiece watch head that not only provides an effective shipping and display container, but further permits the same to serve as a convenient table or travel timepiece.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved transparent display case arrangement for watch heads and associated watchbands which can be readily assembled and disassembled without damage to any component in gaining access to the article as displayed therein.

In practicing the invention, a transparent display case arrangement is provided for which is suitable for transport, storage and visual display of articles of manufacture. A preferred embodiment thereof relates to timepieces, and in particular to wristwatches, in which a separate display case is provided for the watch head and still another for the watchband. The display case for the watch head includes a flat, tray-like member to which the watch head may be suitably attached and retained within a pair of interfitting top and bottom covers forming an enclosed case unit. The entire structure is fabricated of a suitably transparent, plastic material.

The display unit for the watchband is fabricated of a single, rectangularly-shaped housing of similar transparent, plastic material, with an opening at one end thereof. The watchband itself is retained in a tray-like member, transparent or otherwise, but of a dimension for insertion within the open end of the display case. A further opening is included at a central portion thereof having a dimension to accept at least a portion of the afore described watch head display unit in a relatively close friction fit. In this way, the watch head and watchband are maintained in close proximity to one another so as to give the appearance of an assembled relation when actually each is maintained in its own associated display unit independent of one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularly in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a display case arrangement for timepieces generally which has been constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the display arrangement as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the display cases for the watch head and watchband taken substantially along lines 3--3 of FIg. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the display unit for the watch head suitable for use as a table or travel timepiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, a transparent display case arrangement 10 is shown in perspective in FIG. 1 and in an enlarged exploded view in FIG. 2. Display arrangement 10 has been constructed in accordance with the present invention and includes a separate housing or display unit 12 for housing the associated watchband and a further separate housing or unit 14 for the associated watch head. As indicated, display unit 12 comprises a single, unitized, rectangular-shaped enclosure having a top 12a, bottom 12b, sides 12c and 12d and one closed end 12e. A slot or opening 12f is further included in the top 12a at a substantially central location.

The display unit 12 is intended to house the watchband 20, which may be placed longitudinally in a tray-like member 16, slidably received through and within the open-end 12g, as best seen in FIG. 2. One end of tray member 16 may include an enlarged protuberant portion, such as identified at 16a, which portion abuts the end of display unit 12 and serves as an effective stop. For proper viewing of the band 20, display unit 12 is to be constructed of a suitably transparent material, such as plastic or the like.

For purposes of illustration, watchband 20 is shown to be of the type having a centrally located circular opening 20a adapted to receive a watch head 30 therethrough, or at least a reduced threaded body portion 30a thereof which then threadably mates with an associated securing ring or cover 30b. Watchband 20 is accordingly held between the watch head face flange 30c and securing ring 30b.

Watch head 30 is retained in its associated display unit 14 in a similar fashion. That is, it is suitably attached or assembled to a tray-like member 14c dimensioned to fit within the interior of top and bottom covers 14a and 14b. Tray member 14c includes a circular opening 14d at a substantially central location and thru which the reduced body portion 30a of watchband 30 may pass to threadably mate with the associated securing ring 30b. Each of the top and bottom covers 14a and 14b makes a sliding, friction fit to a portion of tray member 14c so as to form an assembled display unit 14, as best seen in FIG. 4. Of course, display unit 14 is fabricated from a suitably transparent material such as plastic, so as to permit unobstructed viewing of the contents positioned inside while being relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Display 14 is further dimensioned to provide a slidable fit within the rectangularly shaped central opening 12f of display unit 12, as best seen in FIG. 1. In this posture, the watch head 30 is effectively positioned to overlie the watchband opening 20a, so as to give the visual appearance of being ready assembled to the watchband 20. Moreover, display units 12 and 14 when so interfitted together provide the impression of being a single, unitary display arrangement. However, even in this assembled relation, tray member 16 retaining the watchband 20 may be slid from its associated display case 12 and some other tray with a different watchband may be effectively slid back into case 12, with the display unit 14, and the watch head 30 that it holds, remaining in place.

Display unit 14 may also be removed from the interfitted relation with display unit 12 and, when utilized separately as indicated in FIG. 4, permits the use of watch head 30 as a convenient table or travel timepiece. It also provides needed protection for the watch head 30 when not in use or when in storage or the like.

It is of course to be understood that the watchband 20 and watch head 30 of the type shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to constitute any limitation on the present invention. Other modes of styling as well as methods of assembly for timepiece apparatus will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such other timepiece apparatus will in any event be compatible with the display packaging arrangement constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Accordingly, as herein disclosed, the packaging arrangement provides, in accordance with the principles enumerated for the present invention, ready and convenient shipping containers as well as completely functional units for displaying selected merchandise. In addition, the disclosed display units are designed to interfit each with the other in a way to permit a prospective purchaser to view the separately packaged merchandise as it were assembled to each other. This, obviously, is advantageous with respect to timepieces, or more particularly, watch heads and associated watchbands. However, such display arrangement need not be limited solely to timepieces, but should find advantageous and useful application with respect to other merchandise or apparatus as well. In any event, the display packaging arrangement as herein disclosed is relatively simple in design, yet reliable in operation and inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, as set forth previously, at least a portion of the overall display apparatus has a useful purpose or function after the merchandise has been purchased, other than merely storage.

While only one specific embodiment of the present invention is shown and described herein, it will, of course, be readily understood that other variations and alternative constructions may be effected without materially departing from the true scope and spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions that fall within the true scope and spirit thereof.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A display packaging arrangement for transport, storage and visual display of at least two separated component parts of an article of manufacture, said display arrangement comprising in combination:

a first transparent display unit of a substantially elongated configuration for housing one separate component part of said article of manufacture and having an opening intermediate the ends thereof;

a second transparent display unit of a given configuration for matingly fitting in the opening in said first display unit and for housing the other separate component part of said article of manufacture; and

said display units including means interfitting each with the other to provide a single unitary display arrangement in a manner so that one of said separate component parts of said article of manufacture overlies the other of said separate component parts and said article of manufacture thereby appears in a substantially assembled relation when said first and second display units are so interfitted.

2. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 10 wherein said article of manufacture is a timepiece in said two components thereof comprise a watch head and a watchband.

3. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for interfitting said display units each with the other includes an opening in said first display unit into which at least a portion of said second display unit makes a friction fit.

4. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first display unit includes an open end through which a tray-like member bearing said watchband may be inserted.

5. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 2 wherein said watch head includes a watch face, a reduced threaded body portion and a threaded securing ring, and wherein said second display unit includes a tray member with a central opening through which said threaded body portion of said watch head extends to threadably mate with said securing ring, said tray member providing a friction fit for associated top and bottom cover members.

6. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second display unit when containing said watch head serves as a travel or table timepiece.

7. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 2 wherein said display units are constructed of transparent, plastic material.

8. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 4 wherein said tray member baring said watch-band may be removed from said first display unit during the times said first and second display units are in an interfitted relation with respect to one another.

9. A display packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 3 wherein said second display unit is of a substantially square-shaped configuration and wherein said opening of said first display unit is at a substantially central location thereof.