Hosiery Display Package Having Transparent Protective Sheet

Abstract

A novel merchandise package is described. The package is formed of a unitary paper die cut. The die cut is provided with flaps which are attached to a central die cut section by spaced fold lines. The central section is provided with a slit for partial display of merchandise. A transparent sheet is provided on a side of the die cut over the central section and overlapping the fold lines to provide a desired stretching thereof upon completion of the assembly of the package with its merchandise.

Description

This invention relates to a device for the packaging and displaying of merchandise.

In the packaging of merchandise such as stretchable footwear, it is desirable to both attractively display the merchandise as well as package it in an economic and simple manner. Various packaging techniques have been employed wherein the merchandise is partially displayed by means of a cutout in a package where the merchandise is selectively displayed along the cutout to suggest its use in an attractive manner. With such packaging, it is desirable to protect the physical portion of the merchandise by means of a transparent sheet enclosing the merchandise. In prior art packaging, the merchandise would either be placed in a flexible package which is generally opaque except for a transparent section in a shape suggesting the contents, or a fully transparent pocket package is employed with a stapled-on label. In another prior art packaging technique, the merchandise is placed in a pocketlike package which on one side thereof is provided with the suggestive cutout. In the latter package, the pocket is formed by a hard, foldable paper folded along a single fold line and, after insertion of the merchandise, the entire package is subsequently enclosed by a transparent sheet which completely encloses the package.

These prior art packaging techniques involve a multiple-step assembly process wherein the transparent sheet comprises the second assembly step after insertion of the merchandise. Another disadvantage may be found in the rather unattractive appearance of a loosely fitting transparent container such as is generally encountered in the pocket form package. In addition, these prior art packages generally do not lend themselves conveniently to a self-bracing feature for an upright display of the visible merchandise.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel package which displays the merchandise in an attractive manner yet is economical in its manufacture and forms an attractive article.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a self-contained package for merchandise which is easily assembled yet may be displayed in various manners.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will best be understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the description of which follows.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package containing merchandise in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a planar view of a die cut formed in the manner of this invention to produce the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the die cut and merchandise during an assembly step;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a folding of the die cut along the fold lines;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a side view in elevation of the package made in accordance with the invention and supported by a brace.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates the formation of a die cut generally in planar sheet form wherein a generally centered section is provided around the perimeter with a plurality of flaps connected to it along fold lines. The flaps are foldable to enclose one side of the section for the enclosure of merchandise. A transparent merchandise protective sheet is located overlying the center section and a portion of oppositely located flaps. The transparent sheet is attached to a pair of oppositely located flaps and is positioned on the other side of the central section. The section is provided with a slit for the mounting and partial display of merchandise. Upon the folding of the flaps to enclose merchandise, the sheet is tightly stretched to form an attractive, easy-to-assemble package.

With reference to FIG. 1, I show a package 10 containing merchandise such as a stretch sock 12. The sock 12 is partially visible by wrapping it around a package portion 14 which is severed along a slit 16 having a form suggestive of the contents. A transparent cover 18 is provided to both protect the merchandise and add attractiveness to the package. The package is provided with a mounting lip 20 for convenient attachment to a suitable mounting member (not shown).

With reference to FIG. 2, a planar die cut sheet 22 made of a heavy paper material is shown provided with the transparent sheet 18. The die cut 22 includes a generally rectangular central section 24 which is provided around its perimeter with a plurality of flaps. A pair of inner flaps 26-26' are shown and include a top inner flap 26 and a lower inner flap 26' . The top inner flap 26 is foldable along a fold line 28 and the lower inner flap is foldable along a pair of spaced fold lines 30-30'. The spaced fold lines 30-30' commence at corners 32-32' and are shown to first diverge from corner 32 and then converge towards the corner 32'. Fold lines 33-33' are provided for the outer side flaps 34-34'. These fold lines 33-33' also commence at corners 32-32' to initially diverge and then converge at corners 35-35'. The fold lines 32-32' -33- 33' are so slanted to impart a "filled out" appearance to the completely assembled package. The fold lines in the die cut 22 are preformed in the die cut by suitable and well-known techniques. The die cut material is made of a suitable hard, relatively rigid paper or cardboard such as is generally used in the display of merchandise.

A pair of side flaps 34-34' are provided comprising an outer side flap 34 which is provided with a closure lip 36. Outer side flap 34' is provided with a closure-lip-receiving slit 38. Transparent sheet 18 overlies the central section 24 and as shown in FIG. 2 the opposing borders of sheet 18 extend beyond fold lines 33-33' and partially overlie side flaps 34 and 34'. The border edges of sheet 18 are respectively attached by any suitable means such as an adhesive to flaps 34 and 34'. The outer side flap 34' is also provided with a brace 40 cut out therefrom along a brace slit 42. The brace is connected to the outer side flap along a brace fold line 44. A brace lock 46 is provided, also attached to the outer side flap 34' and connected thereto along a brace lock fold line 48.

The top inner flap 26 and the portion of the section 50 immediately adjacent thereto are provided with a pair of mounting apertures 52 which are interconnected by a rip slit 54 which traverses the fold line 28 in a generally transverse manner.

FIG. 3 illustrates the mounting of the sock 12 onto the merchandise slit in the central section. The sock 12 is wrapped around the portion 14 of the section severed by the slit 16 so that a portion of the merchandise becomes visible at the other side of the section 14. After mounting of the merchandise as shown in FIG. 4, the flaps are folded along their fold lines to enclose the merchandise and one side of the central section. The lower inner flap 26' and the top inner flop 26 are folded down first, followed by the outer side flaps 34-34'. The outer side flaps are sized to overlap so that the closure lip 36 may be inserted in the closure-lip-receiving slit 38 of the outer side flap 34'. After insertion of the merchandise and the folding of the flaps, the package is complete. A transparent sheet 18 does not have to be attached at this point since this was already provided. Note that the transparent sheet is located at the side opposite to where the sock 12 is attached.

Reverting for a moment to FIG. 2, the advantage of the attachment of the transparent sheet in accordance with the invention may be appreciated. In FIG. 2, the transparent sheet 18 traverses the fold lines 33-33' of the outer side flaps 34-34'. Thus, when the outer side flaps are folded in the manner shown in FIG. 4, a stretching of the transparent sheet 18 results, thus presenting a neat appearance. Further note that the use of the pair of spaced fold lines 33-33' with each of the outer side flaps imparts, upon folding, a bulging of a central body portion 56 of the package. This bulging effect further enhances stretching of the transparent sheet, avoiding creasing of the transparent sheet as is so often encountered in prior art packaging.

In FIG. 5 the cross-sectional view illustrates that the completed package still is quite flat, convenient for shipping and storage.

FIG. 6 shows the employment of the brace 40 when it is folded out from the outer side flap 34' and locked into place by the brace lock 46 and the enlarged central body portion 56.

It thus may be appreciated that the package provided by my invention may be conveniently manufactured, is easily employed in the packaging of merchandise and presents an attractive appearance.

While the principles of the invention have been described in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A die cut for the packaging and displaying of merchandise comprising a planar sheet having a center merchandise-receiving and display section, said section being provided with a slit for the mounting and partial display of the merchandise, said center section further being provided with a plurality of flaps connected to the section along preformed folds for enclosure of one side of the section, a transparent merchandise-protective sheet located on the other side of the section and overlying said center section and portions of first and second oppositely located flaps, the edges of said transparent sheet being respectively attached to said first and second oppositely located flaps along a pair of angularly diverging and converging spaced fold lines to enchance the stretching of the transparent sheet to enable stretching of said transparent sheet upon the enclosure of merchandise by the folding of said first and second flaps over said center section.

2. The article as recited in claim 1, wherein said oppositely located first and second flaps are sized to overlap one another, a closure lip provided on one of said first and second flaps, and a closure-lip-receiving slip provided on the other of said flaps.