Tamperproof display package

Abstract

A tamperproof display package for a generally spheroidal shaped article having retaining protruberances extending therefrom is in the form of a tubular walled body formed from a flat unitary blank of paperboard or the like, and has an open upper end receiving the article and locking the same thereto at the protruberances thereof. Lower closure flaps are hingedly attached to the lower end of the body and are secured in overlapped relation, and at least one weakened line of tear is provided in the wall of the body defining a detachable portion of the tubular body to aid in removal of the said article and to breach the body so that the walled body is no longer usable after the article is removed therefrom.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Prior Art

The prior art appears to be best exemplified by the following patents which were developed in a search: Dole 211,462 Jan. 21, 1879 Allison 821,573 May 22, 1906 Kingsbury 995,259 June 13, 1911 Goldman et al 1,367,248 Feb. 1, 1921 Drapeau 1,695,143 Dec. 11, 1928 Pennock 1,747,318 Feb. 18, 1930 Glass 1,814,685 July 14, 1931 Arneson 3,269,640 Aug. 30, 1966 Arneson 3,381,877 May 7, 1968 Mathews 3,411,692 Nov. 19, 1968

2. Field of Invention

The structure according to the present invention is particularly adapted to the display packaging of an article of commerce such as women's pantyhose or the like enclosed in a generally egg shaped moulded container, and it is a general purpose of the invention herein to prevent opening of the egg shaped article to pilfer the contents therefrom without first destroying the package.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tamperproof display package having the improvements according to the present invention embodied therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank for forming a tubular body for retaining a prolate spheroidal shaped hollow article enclosing an article of commerce;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the display package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the bottom portions of the display package of FIG. 1, and showing details of a tear strip for placing the package in condition for removal of the contents therefrom;

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view through an alternate form of tubular body for supporting the spheroidal shaped article therein;

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of a cut and scored blank for forming the tubular body of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a tear strip for enabling the article supported within the tubular body to be removed therefrom.

One embodiment of the improved tamperproof display package according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and is denoted generally by the reference numeral 10. It is adapted to enclose and display a generally prolate spheroidal-shaped hollow article 11 comprised of an upper half portion 11A and a lower portion 11B, these portions meeting along a line 11C. Article 11 is adapted to hold therewithin an article of commerce such as women's pantyhose or the like.

Article 11 is adapted to be supported within and held to an essentially tubular walled body 13 having an open upper end 13A. Article 11 has circumferentially spaced protruberances close to the maximum girth thereof adapted to be held to the tubular body 13 in a fashion as will be described.

The tubular walled body 13 is formed from a cut and scored blank of paperboard or the like referred to generally by reference numeral 10A. It consists of main panels 14 and 16 joined along a fold line 17. A closing flap 18 is foldably connected at a fold line 19 to one end of panel 16 and flap 18 is adapted to be joined to the distal end of panel 14. A pair of flaps 21 are foldably connected along a fold line 22 to one end of the panels 14 and 16, these are folding inwardly against panels 14 and 16 to stiffen the tubular body 13 at the open end 13A thereof. Each of the flaps 21 has a plurality of spaced elongated slots 23 therein, the slots in the flap 21 attached to the panel 16 being flanked by small slots 24 for a purpose as will appear.

Opposite sides of the panels 14 and 16 are provided with hexagonal bottom closure flaps 26 and 27. Inner closure flap 27 is flanked by tabs 28 and 29, these being foldably connected to panel 16 along fold line 31. Bottom closure flap 26 is flanked at one side by a tab 32 and the other side by a starter or pull tab 33. Tabs 28 and 29 are folded into position and glued to the inner hexagonal closure flap 27 and tab 32 is glued between the outer bottom closure flap 26 and inner flap 27. When flap 18 is joined to panel 14 an essentially tubular walled body 13 as seen in FIG. 1 is formed.

The generally tubular body 13 is adapted to receive the spheroidal shaped article 11, the protruberances 12 thereof being received in the elongated slots 23. As seen in FIG. 4, and there being seven elongated slots 23 and but six protruberances 12, it is not necessary to index the position of the article 11 with respect to the tubular body 13, and slots 23 and a majority of the protruberances 12 will fall into the elongated slots 23. The small slots 24 are provided, if desired, to assist in holding the article 11 in position if one of the protruberances 12 happens to fall into register with one or both of the small slots 24.

It should be noted that the meeting line 11C lies below the protruberances 12, so that the same is concealed from view.

Structure is provided whereby the article 11 cannot be removed from the tubular body 13 without destroying the same, and similarly the contents within the hollow article 11 cannot be removed without destroying the tubular body 13.

The outer bottom closure flap 26 is accordingly provided with converging cut lines 34 which fall into register with lines of weakness 33B in the inner bottom closure flap 27. The pull tab 33 is of configuration conforming to a tab 33A formed by the lines of weakness 33B, and the pull tab 33 is continuous with converging spaced lines of weakness 36 defining a tear panel 14. Pull tab is glued to bottom closure tab 26 and tab 33A is glued to tab 26.

As seen in FIG. 3, since the protruberances 12 are concealed from view as is also the meeting line 11C will be apparent that the article 11 cannot be removed from the tubular body 13 without breaching the wall of same. The pull tab 33 and the panel 35 removed from panel 14 makes it particularly an easy matter for bona fide purchaser to remove the article 11, separate the same into two halves 11A and 11B and remove from the article of commerce therefrom.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 there is shown another embodiment of the invention and the tubular body in this instance is formed from cut and scored blank 40A. It differs essentially from the form of the blank shown in FIG. 2, in that a tear strip 41 is provided in the two panels 13 and 14, tear strip 41 being defined by an essentially U-shaped line of weakness 42, parts of which flank the fold line 17.

Claims

We claim:

1. A package comprising, in combination:

a. a spheroidal shaped article having extending around its girth a band of circumferentially spaced, aligned protuberances projecting therefrom;

b. a tamperproof carton, formed from a flat unitary blank of foldable paperboard, receiving and retaining a portion of said article;

c. said carton including a generally cylindrical body wall defining a tubular structure open at its upper end and having at its lower end a plurality of closure flaps hingedly attached thereto and folded over and secured to each other in overlapped relation to close said lower end;

d. said body wall having at its upper end an inturned flange hingedly attached thereto and presenting a plurality of circumferentially spaced, aligned aperatures receiving said article protuberances to prevent the withdrawal of said article without rupturing said body wall.

2. A package according to claim 1, wherein said body wall includes a detachable panel to facilitate removal of the packaged article by destruction of said carton.