RECONFIGURABLE PACKAGE FOR CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS

• US 20110162997A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Company (Mars Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Company (Mars Incorporated)
• Inventors: Robbins, James W., Bailey, Ryan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/746
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/545 for opening containers formed by erecting a "cross-like" blank
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5475 for dividing a "cross-like" container body into separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/548 for opening containers formed by erecting a blank to U-shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container

Abstract

A package for storing and dispensing a consumable product is provided. The package can be easily constructed from a suitable blank of material and can be composed of first and second compartments hingedly and detachably secured to each other. The package has an initially unopened configuration where the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane. The package is openable from the initially unopened configuration by relative movement of the first and second compartments about the hinge. The package is reconfigurable to either of first and second closed configurations after the initial opening. In the first closed configuration the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane and in the second closed configuration the first and second compartments define spaced apart substantially parallel planes. A blank for a package, a method of making the package and a method of reconfiguring the package are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A package for storing and dispensing a consumable product comprising:

a first compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product;

a second compartment hingedly and detachably secured to the first compartment, the second compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product;

the package having an initially unopened configuration where the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane;

the package being openable from the initially unopened configuration by relative movement of the first and second compartments about the hinge;

at least one severable line of weakening in a side region connecting the first and second compartments in the unopened configuration;

the package being reconfigurable to either of first and second closed configurations after the initial opening, where in the first closed configuration the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane and in the second closed configuration the first and second compartments define spaced apart substantially parallel planes.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the initial opening of the package from the unopened configuration causes the line of weakening in the side region to separate.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein the at least one line of weakening comprises a second line of weakening on an opposite side of the package.

4. The package of claim 1 further comprising a cover bendably coupled to the first compartment and configured to be releasably engaged to the second compartment to close the package in one of either of the two closed configurations.

5. The package of claim 4 wherein the cover coupled to the first compartment is configured to releasably engage and close the first compartment after detaching the second compartment from the first compartment.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein the second compartment is hingedly and releasably secured to the first compartment by a line of weakening.

7. The package of claim 4 wherein the second compartment includes a slot into which the cover can be releasably engaged.

8. The package of claim 5 wherein the first compartment includes a slot into which the cover can be releasably engaged after detachment of the second compartment from the first compartment.

9. The package of claim 2 wherein the line of weakening in the side region is configured to provide an audible indication to a user when the line of weakening is separated upon the initial opening of the package from the initially unopened configuration.

10. The package of claim 5 wherein adhesive permits the cover to be releasably engaged to the first and second compartments.

11. The package of claim 4 wherein the initially unopened configuration comprises the cover being releasably adhesively secured to the second compartment.

12-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method of reconfiguring a package for storing and dispensing a consumable product comprising:

providing a package comprising a first compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product, a second compartment hingedly and detachably secured to the first compartment, the second compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product, the package having an initially unopened configuration where the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane, the package being openable from the initially unopened configuration by relative movement of the first and second compartments about the hinge, the package being reconfigurable to either of first and second closed configurations after the initial opening, where in the first closed configuration the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane and in the second closed configuration the first and second compartments define spaced apart substantially parallel planes;

initially opening the package from the initially unopened configuration by moving the first and second compartments relative to each other about the hinge; and

thereafter placing the package into one of the first and second closed configurations.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the package further comprises at least one severable line of weakening in a side region connecting the first and second compartments in the unopened configuration and said initially opening the package causes the line of weakening in the side region to separate.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the package further comprises a cover bendably coupled to the first compartment and configured to be releasably engaged to the second compartment to close the package in one of either of the two closed configurations, and said placing the package into one of the first and second configurations comprises releasably engaging the cover to the second compartment.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the cover coupled to the first compartment is configured to releasably engage and close the first compartment after detaching the second compartment from the first compartment and the method further comprises detaching the second compartment from the first compartment and thereafter closing the first compartment by releasably engaging the cover to the first compartment.

18. A package for storing and dispensing a consumable product comprising:

a first compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product;

a second compartment hingedly secured to the first compartment, the second compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product;

the package having a closed configuration where the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane;

the package being openable from the closed configuration to an open configuration by movement of the second compartment away from the first compartment along the common plane and relative movement of the first and second compartments about the hinge;

where in a fully open configuration the first and second compartments define spaced apart substantially parallel planes.

21. The package of claim 18 wherein the first and second compartments in the closed configuration together define a continuous substantially enclosed volume.

19-20. -20. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. A method of opening a package for storing and dispensing a consumable product comprising:

providing a package comprising a first compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product, a second compartment hingedly secured to the first compartment, the second compartment sized to receive a quantity of consumable product, the package having a closed configuration where the first and second compartments define a substantially common plane, the package being openable from the initially closed configuration to an open configuration by movement of the second compartment away from the first compartment along the common plane and relative movement of the first and second compartments about the hinge, where in a fully open configuration the first and second compartments define spaced apart substantially parallel planes;

opening the package from the closed configuration by moving the second compartment away from the first compartment along the common plane and moving the first and second compartments relative to each other about the hinge.