Flip open stadium package for consumable products

• US 8,950,658 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aldridge, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): ELKINS, GARY E
• Application Number:
  US13/380,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20120160852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 229/87.07, 229/120.01, 229/120.09, 229/120.18, 229/120.011, 206/38, 206/256, 206/257, 206/264, 206/800
• US Class Current: 229/120.011
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/18 by folding a single blank to U-shape to form the base of the container and opposite sides of the body portion, the remaining sides being formed primarily by extensions of one or more of these opposite sides, e.g. flaps hinged thereto B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5495 for separating interconnected containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6685 formed by extensions hinged to the upper edge of a container body formed by erecting a blank to U-shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/60 for sweets or like confectionery products
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/80 Chewing gum

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include a package assembly for containing consumable product. The package assembly includes a package housing defining a pair of product pockets connected by, and rotatable about, a perforated fold line. The package housing has a closed position wherein the pair of product pockets are substantially coplanar with one another and an open position wherein the pair of pockets lie in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation. The package housing is foldable at the perforated fold line to rotate the pair of pockets between the closed position and the open position and the pair of pockets are severable at the perforated fold line to disconnect the pair of pockets from each other.

Claims

1. A package assembly for containing a plurality of consumable product comprising:

a package housing defining a pair of product pockets connected to each other and rotatable relative to each other, the package housing having a closed position wherein the pair of product pockets are substantially coplanar with one another and an open position wherein the pair of pockets lie in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation, a second of the pair of pockets having a connecting flap extending therefrom, the connecting flap overlying and being connected to a wall of a first of the pair of pockets adjacent to an opening of the first of the pair of pockets;

the housing being foldable to rotate the pair of pockets between the closed position and the open position; and

a line of weakness disposed between the connecting flap and the second pocket, and the line of weakness being offset from the opening of the first of the pair of pockets, the pair of pockets being severable from each other at the line of weakness.

2. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the first one of the pair of pockets has a flap and the second one of the pair of pockets has a slot for receipt of the flap to place the package housing in the closed position.

3. The package assembly of claim 2, wherein the first one of the pair of pockets includes a slot, the flap of the first one of the pair of pockets being selectively received by the slot of the first one of the pair of pockets to close an opening of the first one of the pair of pockets after the pair of pockets are disconnected at the line of weakness.

4. The package assembly of claim 3, wherein the slot of the second one of the pair of pockets is disposed on a front wall of the first one of the pair of pockets and the slot of the second one of the pair of pockets is disposed on a back wall of the first one of the pair of pockets.

5. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the first one of the pair of pockets forms a separate closable package when the pair of pockets are disconnected at line of weakness.

6. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of pockets includes an opening, the opening of each of the pair of pockets facing each other in the closed position.

7. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of pockets has an opening, and the opening of each of the pair of pockets face in the same direction in the opened position.

8. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the line of weakness includes a fold line.

9. The package assembly of claim 8, wherein the fold line is scored and/or perforated.

10. The package assembly of claim 9, wherein the fold line is scored and/or perforated along a width of the package housing.

11. The package assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting flap is adhered to the first of the pair of pockets.

12. A resizable package for holding consumable product comprising:

a first package formed by a first pocket and a second pocket, the first and second pockets having an area of weakness disposed therebetween to permit separation of the first pocket from the second pocket, the first and second pockets being rotatable with respect to the other between a closed position of the first package and an open position of the first package, the first pocket including a slot for selectively retaining a flap extending from the second pocket to hold the first package in the closed position, the first and second pockets being substantially coplanar with one another in the closed position and lying in an adjacent overlapping offset tiered relation in the open position, and wherein the first pocket and second pocket are joined together at the area of weakness by a connecting flap and the connecting flap extends from the second pocket and is adhered to the first pocket; and

a second package formed upon disconnecting the second pocket from the first pocket at the area of weakness, the second pocket including a slot for selectively retaining the flap extending from the second pocket to hold the second package in the closed position, the second package being smaller than the first package.

13. The resizable package of claim 12, wherein the slot of the first pocket is disposed on a front wall of the first pocket and the slot of the second pocket is disposed on a back wall of the second pocket.

14. The resizable package of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second pockets include an opening, the opening of each of the first and second pockets facing each other in the closed position of the first package.

15. The resizable package of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second pockets have an opening, the opening of each of the first and second pockets facing in the same direction in the opened position of the first package.

16. The resizable package of claim 12, wherein the area of weakness includes a fold line.

17. The resizable package of claim 16, wherein the fold line is scored and/or perforated.

18. The resizable package of claim 17, wherein the fold line is scored along a width of the second pocket.

19. A package assembly for containing pieces of an edible product, comprising:

a package housing having an upper compartment and a lower compartment, each compartment being formed to receive and contain a plurality of individual pieces of an edible product, the upper and lower compartments being rotatable relative to each other;

the package housing having a closed position wherein the upper and lower compartments are substantially coplanar with one another and an open position wherein the upper and lower compartments lie in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation;

a connecting flap extending between and joining the upper and lower compartments; and

the upper and lower compartments are separable from each other along an area of weakness adjacent to the connecting flap, and wherein the connecting flap extends from the lower compartment and is adhered to the upper compartment.

20. The package assembly of claim 19, wherein the connection of the connecting flap to the upper compartment is treated to assist in separating the compartments from each other.

21. The package assembly of claim 19, wherein the connecting flap is treated by creating a perforated score line.

22. The package assembly of claim 19, wherein the area of weakness includes the area over which the connecting flap is adhered to the upper compartment.

23. The package assembly of claim 19, wherein the adhesion between the connecting flap and the upper compartment is overcome by pulling the upper compartment from the lower compartment, whereby the upper and lower compartments are separated from each other.

24. A method of forming a resizable package for holding consumable product comprising:

a package having a first and second pocket formed from a blank and the first pocket and second pocket are joined together at the area of weakness by a connecting flap and the connecting flap extends from the second pocket and is adhered to the first pocket, the package having a closed position in which the first and second pockets are substantially coplanar with one another and a flap extending from the first pocket is selectively retained by a slot formed in the a front wall of the second pocket to obstruct access to the first and second pockets and an open position in which the first and second pockets lie in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation upon rotating the first and second pockets with respect to each other so that openings of the first and second pockets are unobstructed by the flap;

disconnecting the second pocket from the first pocket at the area of weakness to form a second package, the second pocket including a slot; and

selectively retaining the flap extending from the second pocket with the slot of the second pocket to hold the second package in the closed position, the second package being smaller than the first package.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the blank includes a first front wall section, a first back wall portion, and a first set of side tabs extending from opposite sides of one of the first front wall section or the first back wall portion and the method further comprises joining the set of side tabs to one of the first front wall section or the first back wall portion to form the first pocket.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the blank includes a second front wall section, a second back wall portion, and a second set of side tabs extending from opposite sides of one of the second front wall section or the second back wall portion and the method further comprises joining the set of side tabs to one of second front wall section or the second back wall portion to form the second pocket.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein disconnecting is performed when the consumable product contained in the first pocket has been depleted and the method further comprises discarding the first pocket.