Retail packaging for musical instrument

• US 6,059,103 A
• Filed: 12/15/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Act Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Act Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Izen, Mark, Connolly, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, LUAN KIM
• Application Number:
  US09/211,562
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 206/314, 206/733, 206/521, 206/592, 206/525.1, 206/784, 206/775, 206/780, 206/779, 206/426, 206/446, 206/481, 206/485, 84/411 R, 84/420, 84/421, 84/431, 84/453
• US Class Current: 206/314
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/112 hand-folded from sheet material
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/00 Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials A47F5/0006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 5/00 Supports for musical instruments cellopins or components therefor G10D3/01

Abstract

A display package for point-of-purchase display of an article such as a musical instrument having a percussion surface and a sounding aperture. The package has a top panel and a bottom panel, each of the top and bottom panels having openings, one for allowing consumer access to the percussion surface and the second for permitting emission of sound from the sounding aperture of the instrument. A collar shelf is coupled to the rear panel and disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the top panel for preventing motion of the instrument in any direction having a component tangential to the top panel.

Claims

1. A packaged musical instrument comprising:

a. a musical instrument having a percussion surface and a sounding aperture;

b. a top panel and a bottom panel, each of the top and bottom panels being coupled to a rear panel, the top and bottom panels being substantially parallel, the top and bottom panels being external panels of a package and the top and bottom panels engaging opposite ends of the musical instrument for preventing motion of the musical instrument in a direction perpendicular to the top and bottom panels;

c. a first opening in the top panel for consumer access to the percussion surface;

d. a second opening in the bottom panel for permitting emission of sound from the sounding aperture of the musical instrument; and

e. a collar shelf coupled to the rear panel and disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the top panel, the collar shelf having an aperture for preventing motion of the musical instrument in any direction having a component tangential to the top panel.

2. A package according to claim 1, further including a side panel for bracing at least one of the top panel, the bottom panel, and the collar shelf with respect to the rear panel.

3. A package according to claim 1, wherein the first opening is substantially semicircular.

4. A package according to claim 2, wherein the second opening is substantially circular.

5. A method for displaying a musical instrument having a percussion surface and a sounding aperture at a point-of-sale, the method comprising:

a. retaining the musical instrument within a cavity of a display package, the display package having a top panel, a bottom panel, and a collar shelf, the top and bottom panels being external panels of the display package and the collar shelf having an aperture for preventing motion of the musical instrument in any direction having a component tangential to the top surface;

b. providing a first opening in the top panel for consumer access to the percussion surface of the musical instrument; and

c. providing a second opening in the bottom panel for permitting emission of sound from the sounding aperture of the musical instrument.