Display package

• US 8,245,844 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Sorrentino, Alan, Moskovich, Robert, Haefliger, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): REYNOLDS, STEVEN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US12/724,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20100230312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 206/362, 206/362.1, 206/362.2, 206/369, 206/463, 206/462, 206/461, 206/471, 206/459.5, 206/459.1, 220/23.83, 220/23.86
• US Class Current: 206/362.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0202 and loosely interengaged by integral complementary shapes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/02 Labels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/24 and formed with several recesses to accommodate a series of articles or quantities of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/323 and forming several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/327 and forming several compartments

Abstract

A package for displaying a plurality of items where the package has first and second containers connectable between an open position and a closed position, each container having an outer surface having at least one elongated protrusion, the at least one protrusion having a head end and a tail end, the head end extending further outwardly from the package than the tail end, and an inner surface having at least one inner cavity aligned with the at least one protrusion, the cavity having a depth varying along the protrusion and configured to receive one of the plurality of items, wherein the head end of the at least one protrusion of the first container is proximate the tail end of the at least one protrusion of the second container in the closed position.

Claims

1. A package for displaying a plurality of items comprising:

first and second containers connectable between an open position and a closed position, each container having;

an outer surface having at least two elongated protrusions, the at least two protrusions each having a head end and a tail end, the head end extending further outwardly from the package than the tail end,

an inner surface having at least one inner cavity aligned with each of the at least two protrusions, the cavity having a depth varying along the protrusion and configured to receive one of the plurality of items, and wherein

the at least two protrusions having substantially identical cavities, the head ends of the protrusions of the first container being proximate the tail ends of the protrusions of the second container in the closed position; and

a first removable seal affixed to the inner surface of the first container sealing the cavities of the first container and a second removable seal affixed to the inner surface of the second container sealing the cavities of the second container, the first and second seals being concealed in the closed position and removable from the respective first and second container in the open position,

wherein the first and second removable seals are each separable into at least two segments, each segment configured to individually seal one of the cavities.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the at least two protrusions of the first container are substantially the same size and shape as the at least two protrusions of the second container.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein the protrusions of each container are laterally spaced from one another.

4. The package of claim 3 further comprising:

a generally planar front sheet of material affixed to and extending between the protrusions of the first container.

5. The package of claim 4 further comprising:

a generally planar rear sheet of material affixed to and extending between the protrusions of the second container.

6. The package of claim 3, wherein each of the protrusions of the first container are generally aligned with one of the protrusions of the second container in the closed position.

7. The package of claim 1, further comprising:

a toothbrush positioned within the at least one cavity.

8. The package of claim 7, wherein each of the cavities and the corresponding protrusion are generally the same shape as the toothbrush.

9. The package of claim 7, wherein the toothbrush includes a brush head received in the head end of the protrusion configured to face generally outwardly from the package in the closed position.

10. The package of claim 1, wherein the package has a first maximum thickness proximate a top of the package measured through the protrusions in the closed position and a second maximum thickness proximate a bottom of the package measured through the protrusions in the closed position, the first maximum thickness being generally equal to the second maximum thickness.

11. The package of claim 1, wherein the first container is attached to the second container by a hinge.

12. The package of claim 1, wherein the head and tail ends of each of the at least one protrusions are generally bulbous and are joined together by a generally rectangular portion.

13. The package of claim 1, wherein first container has a lip proximate an outer periphery of the wall of the first container and the second container has an edge proximate an outer periphery of the wall of the second container, the lip of the first container releasably engaging with the edge of the second container in the closed position.

14. The package of claim 5, wherein at least one of the planar front sheet of material or the planar rear sheet of material is at least partially semi-transparent.

15. A disposable display package comprising:

four toothbrushes;

first and second containers connectable between an open position and a closed position, each container having

an outer surface having two elongated protrusions generally parallel to each other and spaced laterally apart from one another, the protrusions each having a generally bulbous head end and a generally bulbous tail end, the head end extending outwardly further than the tail end, the first and second generally bulbous ends joined together by a generally rectangular portion,

an inner surface having two cavities each shaped similar to and aligned with one of the protrusions, each cavity containing one of the toothbrushes, and

a removable seal affixed to the inner surface of the container and individually sealing each of the cavities in the closed position, the seal divided into two segments, each segment removable separately from the inner surface in the open position,

wherein the first container is attached to the second container by a hinge and the seals are concealed in the closed position and exposed in the open position, the protrusions of the first container are generally aligned with the protrusions of the second container in the closed position, and the head end of the protrusions of the first container are proximate the tail end of the protrusions of the second container in the closed position.

16. The package of claim 15 further comprising:

first and second generally planar sheets of at least partially semi-transparent material having one of product information and promotional material, each sheet affixed to and extending between two of the elongated protrusions on one of the first and second containers.