Toothbrush display and storage package

• US 6,059,106 A
• Filed: 10/21/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Olivares, Jose Tirso, Baker, Bradley William, Kornick, Joseph Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Nhan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/176,129
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 206/361, 206/362.2, 206/15.2, 206/363, 206/368, 206/464, 206/467, 206/470, 206/471, 206/806, 206/362.1
• US Class Current: 206/361
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/18 Receptacles for hair brushes or tooth brushes as travelling equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/22 the sheet or blank being recessed to accommodate contents containers simulating a book B65D77/006
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/806 Suspension

Abstract

A plastic blister package for display and storage of a toothbrush has a base member and a closure member connected to one another by an integrally molded hinge. The base member and closure member have a pair of flanges, one overlying the other with package in the closed position, and a lip is provided on flange edge of the base member for receiving the edge of the closure member to seal the cavity formed by the two members. A pair of protuberances extend from the base flange and are received in interfitting engagement with a pair of openings found in the closure flange to substantially lock the package in the closed position.

Claims

1. A blister package for display and storage of a toothbrush comprising:

a unitary elongate molded plastic body having a base member, a closure member and a molded hinge portion connecting said base member to said closure member for movement of said base member and said closure member from a closed position forming a cavity therebetween for accommodating a toothbrush, to an open position allowing access to within said cavity;

said base member further comprising a planar web extending substantially around the entire periphery of said base member and having a first elongated edge connected to said molded hinge portion and forming a flange having a second elongated edge extending opposite said hinge portion;

said closure member comprising a planar web extending substantially around the entire periphery of said closure member and having a first elongated edge connected to said molded hinge portion and forming a flange having a second elongated edge extending opposite said hinge portion;

said second elongated edges being in alignment and said closure member flange overlying and contacting said base member flange with said base member and said closure member in the closed position;

said base member further having a first arcuate recess extending outwardly therefrom forming a portion of said cavity and said closure member having a second arcuate recess extending outwardly therefrom forming a portion of said cavity, said first arcuate recess and said second arcuate recess being disposed in facing relationship one with the other to form a bulbous element substantially oval in cross section with said base member and said closure member in the closed position;

said closure member flange second edge having a lip formed thereon over at least a portion of the length thereof and extending toward said base member second edge in contacting engagement against said lip with said closure member and said base member in the closed position;

a protuberance having an outer surface formed on one of said flanges;

an opening formed on the other of said flanges, said protuberance outer surface extending through said opening in interference fit to retain said members in the closed position; and

a first planar surface formed on said base member planar web substantially in alignment with at lease a portion of the outer surface of said bulbous element and a second planar surface formed on said closure member planar web substantially in alignment with the outer surface of said bulbous element, said planar surfaces serving to combine with said bulbous element outer surface to support said blister packages.

2. A blister package as set forth in claim 1 wherein a tab is formed on one of said flanges overlying the other of said flanges to facilitate movement of said closure member and said base member from a closed position to an open position.

3. A blister package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said molded plastic body is manufactured of a polyvinyl chloride material.

4. A blister package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base member flange and said closure member flange are interconnected by a plurality of frangible connections.