EP2778093A2

EP2778093A2 - Package with secondary package

Info

Publication number: EP2778093A2
Application number: EP14386006.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nektaria Spathoni
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-14
Filing date: 2014-03-14
Publication date: 2014-09-17
Also published as: GR1008215B; EP2778093A3

Abstract

The modification of the main invention (Patent No. 1007174/2011) aims to provide alternative package combinations which achieve the objective of improving the secondary affixed package, in order to reinforce the primary package in terms of demand and usefulness, to increase the additional benefit by the manufacturer through sales, and to reward the consumer for choosing one package over another.

For this purpose, it provides the affixing/attaching/adding and joint selling as one single product of alternative packaging configurations which enable: a) creation of an exact identical miniature of the original package containing a wipe; b) display of advertisements of the surfaces; c) one or more holes for hanging the product (figures 1, 2, 3, and 4); and d) creation of two separate parts containing two wipes (figures 3 and 4).

Description

This concerns a modification of an existing invention pertaining to the affixation of packages with hygiene and cleaning products to snack packages, protected by Patent No. 1007144/2011 .
Previous state of the art: Packages containing specific foods (such as crisps, cheese puffs, nuts, chocolate products, biscuits, salted and non-salted snacks etc.) are already known. According to the main invention (Patent No. 1007144/2011 ), it is possible to affix, add, extend, staple or generally attach a secondary packaging containing a cleaning or antiseptic wipe to the outside or inside of primary packagings of snacks or similar products, which are then made available to consumers as one single product. To date, no such superior product has been marketed and estimations are that it can be further changed and modified, both to obtain improvement and to augment the benefit from its production and use.
The present constitutes an application for the grant of a modified patent for Patent Number 1007144/2011 for the idea outlined below, which refers to a number of alternative combinations of the secondary packaging, aiming at an upgrade thereof (and thus, of the combined product) in order to strengthen this package in terms of usefulness and preference and/or to increase the benefit for the producer though sales and/or the reward of the customer for choosing one package over another.
These original package combinations, which are a product based exclusively on the idea, invention and concept of the depositor herself, are described by means of the following three examples (A, B and C) and reference to the accompanying drawings (1 to 8):

A) Together with the primary snack package, a secondary package is provided containing a cleaning wipe, with two substantially flat surfaces. On one of these two sides, the secondary packaging may carry an advertisement or other promoting suggestion or information concerning the product. Thus, the producer/manufacturer is given the opportunity to use and exploit the available surface for his own or any other benefit, through projection and display of advertisements or promotion messages for his own interests or those of a third person/company, with financial consideration for the use of said conceded surface.

The advertisement could be anything, including: an identical miniature of the primary snack package, a promotion of other products of the company that produces the product enclosed in the primary snack package, an advertisement for the company that produces the enclosed wipe, a promotion of other products of the company that produces the enclosed wipe, an advertisement of a third natural or legal person, a smart description of the contents of the secondary package (e.g. type, form, composition of the wipe etc.), information with general or specific content, or any combination of the above per side of the available surfaces, etc.
Unless consumed directly, the secondary package can be stored in a manner visible to others at home, at the office or elsewhere, thus providing a powerful advertising benefit. Thus, at an almost negligible additional cost, one would be able to provide his prospect customers with a further object (wipe), which if not used directly will probably be kept for future use. The product will thereby continue to provide an additional advertising benefit to the producer/manufacturer/company, even after the use of the contents of the main snack package, which is usually discarded after consuming its contents.

B) In an alternative variant, the affixed secondary packaging is provided with one (fig. 2 and 3) or more holes (fig. 1 and 4). These holes will give the retailer the possibility to hang the combined product (primary and secondary package) at various spots in his store (e.g. kiosk, supermarket, grocery store, convenience store etc.). Consequently, this new product will be more visible and easily accessible to consumers, enhancing thereby its promotion and sales.

In another variant of this idea, there will be a series of seams or tearing/cutting lines (circle, square or otherwise shaped) which, when pressed lightly (e.g. with the finger) will reveal the hole for hanging. This function will enable the creation of the holes at the time the retailer wishes to hang the package. In one version, the hole or the row of seams or tearing/cutting lines will become visible only after unfolding of the attached secondary package, which in this variant behaves like a flap.

C) In one further variant, the attached secondary package containing the wipe will be provided as a single unit with two separate spaces (fig. 3 and 4). Fine cutting or tearing lines are formed along common side of the two spaces to allow easy separation. Thus, there will essentially be two wipes in one compound secondary package. In this way, the user will have the possibility to detach the individual parts of the composite secondary package, either separately or together, and use these at will, whenever he wishes. Thanks to this new possibility, the first part will contain a cleansing wipe for use before consumption and the second part a wipe for use after consumption (each one soaked with an appropriate cleaning solution to kill germs and to facilitate cleaning of hands, either flavoured with various fragrances/alcohol, or odourless).

Affixation of a wipe is regarded particularly desirable (figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), as well as stapling with a row of perforations or cutting lines (figures 6, 7, and 8). Additionally, apart from the direct benefit of the attached wipes, both the primary snack package including the wipes and the wipes themselves can contribute to increase the preference for the packaged product (especially in a saturated market such as the markets for potato crisps, salted or not-salted snacks, biscuits etc) and contribute to the advertising of the new combined product, creating additional advertising space for the vendor/manufacturer.
A number of alternative operational and promotional configurations are shown below in connection with drawings 1 to 8. It is immediately obvious that all variants showing a wipe can be adapted to include a second wipe, using the same configuration in one package. In particular:

Figure 1 shows a primary package (2) with an affixed secondary package containing a wipe (2), which has two available holes for hanging the combined packaging (3).
Figure 2 shows a primary package (1) with an affixed secondary package containing a wipe (2), which has one available hole for hanging the combined packaging (3).
Figure 3 shows a primary package (1) with an affixed secondary package with two separate parts containing wipes (2), which also has one available hole for hanging the combined packaging (3).
Figure 4 shows a primary package (1) with an affixed secondary package with two separate parts containing wipes (2), which also has two available holes for hanging the combined packaging (3).
Figure 5 shows a primary package (1) with an affixed secondary package with available space for a wipe (2), placed approximately along the edge of the primary package (3).
Figure 6 shows a primary package (1) with a secondary package with available space for a wipe (2), affixed by a row of perforations or thin tearing/cutting lines (at the bottom of the primary package). The length of the secondary package is smaller than the corresponding length of the main package.
Figure 7 shows a primary package (1) with a secondary package with available space for a wipe (2), affixed perpendicularly from the top to the bottom.
Figure 8 shows a primary package (1) with a secondary package with available space for a wipe (2), affixed by a row of perforations or thin tearing/cutting lines (at the bottom of the primary package). The length of the secondary package is equal to the corresponding length of the main package.

Obviously, without departing from the scope of the main invention, many variations are possible regarding both the composition and diversity of the individual components as well as the shape and dimensions of individual parts and the type of wipes (antiseptic, flavoured or non-flavoured, coloured or non-coloured, with drawings, etc.) that can be provided and packed in the additional removable package.
Also, the main invention is not intended to be limited to any particular packaging material. There is a wide variety of commercially available sheet materials (paper) that are suitable for the manufacture of packagings in accordance with this invention.

Claims

Apart from the claims mentioned below, the existing main claim and the dependent claims relating to the main invention (Patent No. 1007144/2011) will continue to remain in full force and effect. This modification relating to the adhesion/attachment/addition in any way of hygiene and cleaning product packages to snack packages is characterised by a number of alternative packaging combinations (figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) in connection with such affixed hygiene and cleaning products (wipes, antiseptic wipes, sanitary wipes, cleaning wipes, etc.). The main objective of the modification is to provide additional functionalities of the affixed wipe packages, in order to widen, augment and readapt the scope and the main application of the invention as reflected in the main claim and the dependent claims (Patent No. 1007144/2011), depending on the requirements. In this way, consumers are offered an improved affixed package which enhances the primary package in terms of demand and usefulness and/or increases the additional benefit for the producer through sales. These alternative combinations can also enhance the potential anticipated benefit for the consumer through purchase of the relevant product, as a reward for choosing one package over another.
Affixation/attachment/addition and sale as a single product of an alternative packaging configuration according to claim 1 offers the producer the ability to display one or two advertisements on the surfaces of secondary affixed package, e.g. in the form of a identical miniature of the main package, an advertisement for third persons, a smart description of the content of the secondary package, etc. Thus, every wipe package can carry a relevant advertisement placed directly thereupon. In this regard, advertising and similar promotional information can be provided on both surfaces or sides of the flaps of the wipe package. Accordingly, the surface area of the packaging that is available for advertising is significantly increased.
Affixation/attachment/addition and sale as a single product of an alternative packaging configuration according to claim 1 offers the possibility of a secondary affixed package with one or more holes that cover the need of the retailer to hang the main product (figures 1, 2, 3, and 4).
Affixation/attachment/addition and sale as a single product of an alternative packaging configuration according to claim 1 offer the possibility to create a secondary affixed package with separate parts so that each part can be configured to contain a separate wipe for use before and after consumption (figures 3 and 4).