Product packaging with expanding structures

• US 8,251,224 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Meger, Jody L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fidei, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Raven
• Application Number:
  US11/754,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20080029429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 206/763, 206/45.31, 206/45.11, 206/779, 446/73, 446/219, 446/478, 446/487, 446/251, 446/314, 223/107, 46/13, 46/11, 46/12, 46/32, 461/22, 461/37, 273/85
• US Class Current: 206/779
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/368 Foldable carton-boxes simulating, or transformable into, a special configuration, e.g. a car, a house, an animal cartons with spaced apart images to give a 3-D effect B65D5/4258; toy models made by folding paper A63H33/16

Abstract

A product packaging with expanding structures. The product packaging includes a body configured to house a toy. The body includes a central section configured to receive the toy, a front section coupled to the central section and having a transparent region configured for viewing the toy and a storage region for receiving an accessory, and a rear section configured to rotate relative to the central section and having expandable features.

Claims

1. A product packaging comprising:

a body configured to house a toy, the body including;

a first section configured to receive the toy;

a second section coupled to the first section and having a transparent region configured for viewing the toy and a storage region for receiving an accessory; and

a third section coupled to the first section and configured to move relative to the second section and having expandable features;

wherein at least one of the expandable features is coupled to the first section at a first fold, is coupled to the third section at a second fold and includes at least one predetermined intermediate third fold between the first fold and the second fold;

further wherein the first section includes an opening adjacent the first fold, the opening being smaller than the first section and the third section such that the opening and the at least one expandable feature are revealed when the third section is moved relative to the second section, the opening configured to allow removal of an item from the first section or deposit of an item into the first section.

2. The product packaging of claim 1, wherein the storage region includes a fastener adapted to retain the accessory within the storage region.

3. The product packaging of claim 1, wherein the third section includes a closure member configured to engage a portion of the first section and thereby retain the third section in a closed configuration in which the expandable features are not visible.

4. The product packaging of claim 3, wherein the body further includes at least one handle coupled to one of the first section and the second section, and further wherein the closure member is configured to pass through the at least one handle.

5. The product packaging of claim 1, wherein the expandable features are biased to extend away from the third section.

6. The product packaging of claim 1, wherein the transparent region extends across two or more sides.

17. The product packaging of claim 1, wherein the opening at least partially covered by a moveable flap hingedly attached to the first section adjacent the opening, the flap configured to move transverse the movement of the third section.

7. A product packaging comprising:

a body configured to house a toy, the body including;

a central section configured to receive the toy;

a front section coupled to the central section and having a transparent region configured for viewing a portion of the central section and a storage region for receiving an accessory; and

a rear section coupled to the central section and configured to move relative to the central section and having expandable features and a closure member configured to engage a portion of the front section and thereby restrict access to the central section;

wherein the central section includes an opening, the opening being smaller than the central section and the rear section such that the opening and at least one expandable feature are revealed when the third section is moved relative to the second section, the opening configured to allow removal of an item from the central section or deposit of an item into the central section.

8. The product packaging of claim 7, wherein the storage region includes a fastener adapted to retain the accessory within the storage region.

9. The product packaging of claim 7, wherein the closure member is adapted to retain the rear section in a closed configuration in which the expandable features are not visible.

10. The product packaging of claim 7, wherein the body further includes at least one handle coupled to one of the front section and the central section, and further wherein the closure member is configured to pass through the at least one handle.

11. The product packaging of claim 7, wherein the expandable features are biased to extend away from the rear section.

12. The product packaging of claim 7, wherein the transparent region extends across two or more sides.

13. A product packaging comprising:

a body configured to house a toy, the body including;

a central section configured to receive the toy;

a front section coupled to the central section and having a transparent region configured for viewing the contents of the central section and a storage region for receiving an accessory;

a substantially planar rear section configured to move relative to the central section and having expandable features and a closure member;

wherein the closure member is configured to engage a portion of the front section and thereby restrict access to the central section and retain the rear section in a closed configuration in which the expandable features are collapsed, not visible and have a substantially planar configuration; and

at least one handle coupled to one of the front section and the central section, wherein the closure member is configured to pass through the at least one handle;

wherein when rear section is moved away from central section, an opening in the central section is revealed, the opening at least partially covered by a moveable flap hingedly attached to the central section adjacent the opening, the flap configured to move transverse the movement of the rear section, the opening configured to allow removal of an item from the central section or deposit of an item into the central section.

14. The product packaging of claim 13, wherein the storage region includes a fastener adapted to retain the accessory within the storage region.

15. The product packaging of claim 14, wherein the expandable features are biased to extend away from the rear section.

16. The product packaging of claim 13, wherein the transparent region extends across two or more sides of the central section.