Display Package

Abstract

A display package includes a laterally extending, open-ended transparent sleeve of rectangular cross section to contain an article to be displayed in the package, and a support of cardboard or other flexible sheet material having a back panel extending along length of the sleeve in back of the latter, and preferably projecting above the sleeve, and extensions foldably joined to the ends of the back panel and folded into the adjacent ends of the sleeve to constitute end walls for the sleeve and to mount the sleeve on the support.

Description

This invention relates generally to display packages, that is, packages or containers which enclose an article for protecting the latter while exposing the article to viewing by a prospective purchaser.

Existing display packages are frequently in the form of a cardboard box or carton having one or more of its walls formed with a window across which a transparent plastic sheet material extends. Such display packages tend to be relatively costly by reason of the necessity of adhesively securing the transparent plastic sheet material around the window or opening cut from the wall or walls of the cardboard portion of the box. Other display packages that are now in use consist of an open-ended transparent sleeve of rectangular cross section, and folded cardboard end closures which are inserted in the ends of the sleeve and frictionally retained therein so as to contain an article within the sleeve. The latter display packages have the disadvantage of not being susceptible to being hung or suspended in a horizontal position from a hook on a pegboard or counter display. Further, the end closures are only frictionally retained within the ends of the transparent sleeve and can be inadvertently dislodged therefrom unless taped in place.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved display package which is relatively inexpensive and adapted to be suspended from a hook on a pegboard or counter display.

Another object is to provide a display package which securely contains an article therein while attractively exposing such article to viewing by a prospective purchaser.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a display package includes a laterally extending, open-ended transparent sleeve of rectangular cross section, and a support of cardboard or other flexible sheet material including a back panel extending along the length of the sleeve in back of the latter, and preferably projecting above the sleeve so as to be suspendible from a hook or the like, and extension foldably joined to the ends of the back panel and folded into the adjacent ends of the sleeve to constitute end walls for the sleeve and to mount the latter on the support .

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display package according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transparent sleeve forming a part of the package shown on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a foldable cardboard blank, shown partly in its folded condition, and which constitutes another part of the display package shown on FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a blank that is foldable to form a base that may be used for carrying an article to be displayed within the package of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a display package 10 according to this invention generally comprises a transparent sleeve 11 and a support 12 on which sleeve 11 is mounted, and also, if desired, a base 13 which is adapted to fit within sleeve 11 and to carry the article (not shown) to be displayed.

The transparent sleeve 11 (FIG. 2) may be formed of a shape-retaining plastic sheet material and is shown to be of square or other rectangular cross section and to have open ends 14 and 15.

The support 12 (FIGS. 1 and 3) is constituted by a one-piece blank cut from cardboard or other similar flexible sheet material and includes a back panel 16 which is laterally coextensive with the length of sleeve 11 and preferably has a height substantially greater than the height of sleeve 11 so that, when back panel 16 is disposed in back of sleeve 11, the upper portion of back panel 16 will project substantially above sleeve 11, as shown on FIG. 1. The one-piece blank of cardboard constituting support 12 is further shown to comprise extension 17 and 18 integrally and foldably joined to the opposite ends of back panel 16. Each of extensions 17 and 18 includes a rectangular end panel 19 dimensionally corresponding to the rectangular cross section of sleeve 11, a connecting portion 20 foldably joined at one of its sides, as at the fold line 21, to a side of end panel 19 and foldably joined at the other side of connecting portion 20, as at the fold line 22, to the lower portion of the adjacent end of back panel 16, and flaps 23, 24 and 25 extending along and foldably joined to the remaining sides of end panel 19, as at the fold lines 26, 27 and 28, respectively. Preferably, each of flaps 23, 24 and 25 has a width approximately equal to the width of connecting portion 20. Further, as shown, the end panel 19 of each of extensions 17 and 18 may be formed with a lateral slit 29 which is located centrally in the lower portion of the respective end panel 19, and an opening or aperture 30 is preferably provided at the center of the upper portion of back panel 16.

As is shown at the right-hand portion of FIG. 3 with respect to the extension 17, each of extensions 17 and 18 may have its connecting portion 20 folded forwardly and inwardly about line 22 so as to lie against the front of back panel 16 at the respective end portion thereof, whereupon end panel 19 is folded about line 21 relative to connecting portion 20 so as to be directed forwardly from the latter and flaps 23, 24 and 25 are folded about lines 26, 27 and 28, respectively, relative to end panel 19 so as to be directed laterally outward therefrom. With extensions 17 and 18 folded in the foregoing manner, such extensions can be slidably inserted into the respective open ends of transparent sleeve 11 and are frictionally retained in the latter due to the dimensional correspondence of each end panel 19 to the cross section of sleeve 11.

With the folded extensions 17 and 18 of support 12 inserted in the opposite ends of sleeve 11, end panels 19, which are inset or spaced inwardly from the adjacent end edges of sleeve 11, function as closures for the sleeve, and the folded extensions 17 and 18 serve to mount or suspend sleeve 11 from back panel 16 which extends along and projects upwardly above the back of the sleeve. Since the folded extensions 17 and 18 are joined by back panel 16, it is apparent that such folded extensions constituting closures for the open ends of sleeve 11 cannot be easily ejected from the latter and, in fact, the folded extensions 17 and 18 can be removed from the ends of sleeve 11 only by exerting a forcible outward pull on the flaps 24 thereof.

Since the transparent sleeve 11 is mounted on cardboard support 12, in the manner described above, and since back panel 16 extends above sleeve 11, the hole or aperture 30 provided in the upper portion of back panel 16 can be employed for suspending the entire package from a hook or the like (not shown) on a pegboard or counter display.

Although the article to be contained and displayed in package 10 may merely rest within transparent sleeve 11 between the end walls constituted by folded extensions 17 and 18, it is preferable that the package 10 further comprise the above mentioned base 13 for carrying and locating the article within package 10. As shown particularly on FIG. 4, the base 13 may be constituted by a blank of cardboard or other similar flexible sheet material having a rectangular base panel 31 with a width substantially equal to that of sleeve 11 and a length equal to the distance between end panels 19 of folded extensions 17 and 18 when the latter are inserted in the end portions of sleeve 11. The blank constituting base 13 further preferably includes flaps 32 extending along and foldably joined to the opposite longitudinal margins of base panel 31, as at the fold lines 33, and flaps 34 extending along and foldably joined to the opposite end margins of base panel 31, as at fold lines 35. Each of the flaps 32 and 35 preferably has a width equal to the vertical distance from fold line 28 to slit 29 in the end panel 19 of each of extensions 17 and 18, and each of fold lines 35 is centrally interrupted by an arrowhead-shaped cut 36 extending into the adjacent flap 34 to define a lock tap 37 integral with the adjacent end of base panel 31.

When the package 10 includes a base 13, as described above, the article to be contained and displayed in the package is suitably secured on base panel 31 and the flaps 32 and 34 are folded downwardly from the base panel which thereby has the tabs 37 projecting from the opposite ends of the base. Such base carrying the article is inserted lengthwise into sleeve 11 prior to closing of the ends of the latter by folded extensions 17 and 18. Thereafter, when the ends of sleeve 11 are closed by folded extensions 17 and 18, as previously described, tabs 37 project through slits 29 in the adjacent end panels 19 (FIG. 1) and thereby retain base 13 at the bottom of sleeve 11 while securely holding panels 19 within the end portions of sleeve 11.

Although an illustrative embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A display package comprising a laterally extending open-ended transparent sleeve of rectangular cross section; and a support of flexible sheet material including a back panel disposed in back of said sleeve and being substantially coextensive laterally with the length of said sleeve, and extensions integrally and foldably joined to the opposite ends of said back panel; and in which said extensions are folded into the adjacent open ends of said sleeve and frictionally retained in the latter to close said open ends and to suspend said sleeve from said support, said back panel has a portion extending substantially above said sleeve, and said portion has an opening by which the package can be hung.

2. A display package comprising a laterally extending open-ended transparent sleeve of rectangular cross section; a support of flexible sheet material including a back panel disposed in back of said sleeve and being substantially coextensive laterally with the length of said sleeve, and extensions integrally and foldably joined to the opposite ends of said back panel, said extensions being folded into the adjacent open ends of said sleeve and frictionally retained in the latter to close said open ends and to suspend said sleeve from said support; and a base of flexible sheet material for carrying an article to be displayed in the package extending along the bottom of said sleeve and having tabs projecting from the opposite ends of said base, said extensions of the support having slots receiving said tabs when the extensions are folded into the ends of the sleeve.

3. A display package comprising a laterally extending open-ended transparent sleeve of rectangular cross section; and a support of flexible sheet material including a back panel disposed in back of said sleeve and being substantially coextensive laterally with the length of said sleeve, and extensions integrally and foldably joined to the opposite ends of said back panel, said extensions being folded into the adjacent open ends of said sleeve and frictionally retained in the latter to close said open ends and to suspend said sleeve from said support; and in which each of said extensions includes a rectangular end panel dimensionally corresponding to said cross section of the sleeve, a connecting portion foldably joined at one of its sides to a side of said end panel and foldably joined at the other side of said connecting portion to an end of said back panel, and flaps foldably joined to the other sides of said end panel, said connecting portion being folded relative to said back panel and end panel to extend into the adjacent end of said sleeve in front of said back panel and said flaps being folded relative to said end panel to extend toward said end of the sleeve from said end panel extending across said sleeve and inset from said end of the sleeve.

4. A display package according to claim 3, in which said back panel has a portion extending substantially above said sleeve, and said portion has an opening by which the package can be hung.

5. A display package according to claim 4, in which a base of flexible sheet material for carrying an article to be displayed in the package extends along the bottom of said sleeve and has tabs projecting from the opposite end of said base, and said end panel of each of said extensions of the support has a slot receiving said tab at the adjacent end of said base when said end panel extends across the sleeve.