Convertible package dispenser

• US 6,062,424 A
• Filed: 04/18/1997
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
• Inventors: Podheiser, Alissa F., Simile-Gravina, Nicolina C., Rodenhiser, Lesley S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bucci, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY VAN
• Application Number:
  US08/844,223
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 221/155, 221/305, 221/307, 221/309, 229/122.1, 229/120.011, 229/121, 229/122, 206/746, 206/774, 206/499
• US Class Current: 221/305
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/08 dispensing from bottom
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5445 for dividing a tubular body into separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/725 Incised or pre-scored openings or windows provided in the side wall of containers

Abstract

A convertible package dispenser to dispense a plurality of identical, smaller packages, is provided by a parallelepiped carton having hollow interior sized to receive the plurality of packages arranged in a row. The carton is formed by first and second pairs of opposing, rectangular longitudinal walls and one pair of opposing end walls smaller in size than the longitudinal walls. First slot openings are provided in each of the longitudinal walls of the first pair proximal one of the end walls in order to remove packages from the carton. Another slot opening is provided through such longitudinal walls proximal an opposing longitudinal end of the wall to insert packages that were removed. Removable covers in the form of removable tab elements are provided over the slot openings to retain the packages within the carton until the carton is set up to dispense packages. The carton can be stood upright on one or either of the end walls, depending upon the location of the slot openings, to use the carton as a merchandize tower dispenser. Preferably, the two longitudinal walls with slot openings are printed with indicia in two different languages so that either side may be selected for use to dispense packages. In addition, cuts, cut-outs, lines of perforation or other lines/areas of weakness are provided extending through the pair of end walls and the second pair of longitudinal walls entirely around the carton so that the carton may be broken into two halves and one of the two halves used as a flat, dispenser tray. Preferably there is printed text in different languages on either end wall so that either end wall may be used as the front wall of the tray depending upon the language desired to be exhibited on the front of the tray.

Claims

1. A convertible package dispenser comprising a parallelepiped carton having a hollow interior sized to receive a plurality of packages to be dispensed, the carton being formed by first and second pairs of opposing longitudinal walls each rectangular in shape and one pair of opposing end walls, each end wall being smaller in size than each of the longitudinal walls, each of the longitudinal walls of the first pair having a width dimension and a length dimension greater than the width dimension) each of the longitudinal walls of the first pair further having a slot opening extending at least entirely across the width dimension, each slot opening being located proximal a longitudinal end of the longitudinal wall bearing the slot opening, a selectively removable cover element on each longitudinal wall of the first pair extending at least partially over the slot opening so as to prevent removal of any packages from the hollow interior of the carton through the slot opening while the cover element remains in place, and separation means for permitting selective removal of at least enough of one of the longitudinal walls of the first pair to convert the carton into an open top tray capable of retaining the plurality of packages for dispensation.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the separation means extend across each of the end walls of the one pair so as to permit removal of at least a portion of each of the end walls to form the tray.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the separation means permits removal of at least a portion of each longitudinal wall of the second pair to form the tray.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the separation means permits removal of at least a portion of each longitudinal wall of the second pair to form the tray.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising indicia printed in a first language on a first one of the first pair of longitudinal walls and in a second language different from the first language on a second one of the first pair of longitudinal walls.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the first one of the first pair of longitudinal walls contains language text only in the first language and wherein the second one of the first pair of longitudinal walls contains language text only in the second language.

7. The dispenser of claim 5 further comprising language indicia in the first language on one end wall of the one pair and in the second language on a remaining end wall of the one pair.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising language indicia printed in the first language on one end wall of the one pair and a second language different from the first language on a remaining end wall of the one pair.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the slot opening of each longitudinal wall of the first pair extends into each longitudinal wall of the second pair.

10. The dispenser of claim 1 in combination with the plurality of packages arranged in a row in the hollow interior, each package being parallelepiped in shape and the slot opening in each longitudinal wall of the first pair having a height with the cover element removed sufficient to permit passage of only one of the packages at a time through the slot opening.

11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein each longitudinal wall of the first pair has another slot opening extending at least entirely across the width dimension of the longitudinal wall, the other slot opening being located proximal an opposing longitudinal end of the longitudinal wall bearing the other slot opening, the other slot opening having a height sufficient to permit insertion of the packages one at a time into the carton, and each longitudinal wall of the first pair further including another selectively removable cover element extending over at least part of the other slot opening.