EP3019407A1

EP3019407A1 - A package having visual motion effects

Info

Publication number: EP3019407A1
Application number: EP14766802.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christopher Holt
Original assignee: Kraft Foods R&D Inc Deutschland; Kraft Foods R&D Inc USA
Current assignee: Kraft Foods R&D Inc Deutschland; Kraft Foods R&D Inc USA
Priority date: 2013-07-11
Filing date: 2014-07-09
Publication date: 2016-05-18
Also published as: CN105339276A; CA2911364A1; GB201312413D0; AU2014288922A1; AU2014288922B2; WO2015004524A1

Abstract

The invention provides a package comprising a product housing (10), a coded image region (6) which encodes images, and decoder region (8) comprising a pattern of opaque and translucent regions wherein the coded image region and decoder region are movable relative to each other to selectively visualise decoded images during movement, and wherein the coded image region or the decoder region comprises a gripping portion (12) for direct manipulation of the movement by a user.

Description

A Package Having Visual Motion Effects

Field of the invention

The present invention is related to a package, and more specifically to a package comprising visual motion effects.

Background to the invention

It is known to provide packaging which includes means to provide images which appear to sequentially move or vary as the package is moved or manipulated. Such variable images are produced in various ways. In one technology a number of images are interposed on a suitable medium and a lenticular screen or grate is connected to the image medium. When a user views the image medium through the lenticular screen at different angles, images are selectively viewable by the user. Versions of this lenticular screen technology are available in which a user may move the lenticular screen relative to the image medium, in order to provide the selective viewing of images. Examples of packaging with lenticular screens enabling variable image display include those described in US 2004/0182917A1 and WO 2006/135817. Lenticular screen based variable image printing suffers from a number of problems, including difficulty in colour synchronisation, fuzzy images, ghosting and phasing of the images. Many of these issues occur due to defects in the lenticular screen itself, including imprecise cutting of the lenticular screen material, and defects in the depth and/or width of the screen material, or through defects in the interface between individual lens portions of the lenticular screen. These issues can be particularly exacerbated in the case of images printed on flexible packaging, where it is required for the lenticular screen material itself to be relatively flexible.

Other technologies have been used on packaging to create variable image displays, such as the use of moveable screens comprising a series of opaque and translucent regions, arranged to be moved by manipulation of the screen or underlying image, in order to selectively reveal and hide images beneath the screen. This technology has been used successfully in applications such as books, greeting cards and the like. Printed encoded images are overlaid with a louvered shutter element, which comprises the translucent and opaque regions. The encoded images on the printing element are moved beneath the louvered shutter to reveal images formerly located beneath the opaque regions, and hide regions formerly visible beneath the translucent regions. This movement produces a visual effect of motion of the image being displayed, or produces the visual effect of different images appearing in sequence. Known technology incorporating louvered shutters and encoded images generally requires rotational activation of movement of the images and/or the louvered shutter, and lacks the means necessary for a user to directly manipulate the movement so that image coding and decoding beneath the louvered shutter occurs over a predefined range and fine manipulation of the image movement in direct control of a user is not possible.

It is therefore an aim of embodiments of the present invention to overcome or mitigate at least one of the problems of the prior art.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a package comprising a product housing, a coded image region which encodes images, and a decoder region comprising a pattern of opaque and translucent regions, wherein the coded image region and decoder region are moveable relative to each other to selectively visualise decoded images during movement, and wherein the coded image region or the decoder region comprises a gripping portion for direct manipulation of the movement by a user, in use.

The activation of the relative movement and the relative movement itself may be coplanar or coaxial.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a package comprising a product housing, a coded image region which encodes images, and a decoder region comprising a pattern of opaque and translucent regions, wherein the coded image region and decoder region are movable relative to each other to selectively visualise decoded images during movement, and wherein activation of the relative movement and the relative movement itself, are coplanar or coaxial.

The following statements apply to the first and second aspects of the invention.

The package may comprise a product located within the housing. The coded image region may be located on the housing or on the product located within the package. In embodiments in which the coded image region is located on the product, the housing may include an aperture or window through which the coded image region is visible. The decoder region may be located within or adjacent to the aperture or window. The coded image region may comprise a sheet material connected to the housing or package. The coded image region may comprise a plurality of images that have been broken up and reconstituted into coded images interposed between one another.

The decoder region may comprise a translucent material, which may be a plastics material, on which are located opaque regions. The translucent material may comprise transparent material, or in some embodiments may comprise apertures. The opaque regions may be printed onto the translucent material, or alternatively may be co-formed into the translucent material. The opaque regions and translucent regions are orientated such that relative movement between the decoder region and coded image region selectively covers and uncovers images coded into the coded image region.

In some embodiments the product housing may comprise a tubular container. The tubular container may have a substantially regular cross-section such a circular, triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal or any other regular polygonal cross- section. In some embodiments the housing may comprise a cylindrical, hexagonal or rectangular tube. The coded image region may be located on the outer surface of the tubular housing, and may be printed thereon or comprise a sheet material connected thereto. The decoder region may comprise a sleeve, slidably moveable along the tubular housing, and coaxial therewith. Decoding of the coded images may occur by sliding the decoder sleeve along the coded image region located on the housing. The tubular housing may be open at one or both ends, or may comprise a closure at one or both ends, which may be formed by a lid, cap or the like, for example. In some embodiments one end of the tubular housing is closed by an extension of the housing wall, and the other end comprises a removable lid or cap, so that products may be added to or removed from the package, in use, after removal of the cap or lid. The end closures may include a means to prevent the decoded sleeve from being removed from the package when the closures are present, which may comprises a flange portion or extension portion extending radially beyond the circumference of the tubular housing. The gripping portion of the decoded image sleeve may comprise the edges of the sleeve, or the sleeve surface itself, or may comprise a flange portion or tab extending or protruding from the sleeve, which may be a circumferential flange or tab.

In some embodiments the product housing may comprise an opening, through which products are inserted or removed in use, and which comprise a rotatable closure moveable between an open and closed configuration. The rotatable closure may be connected to the coded image region or decoder region such that movement of the rotatable closure effects coaxial or coplanar movement of the coded image or decoder regions. Thus the rotatable closure acts as a gripping portion of the coded image region or decoder region in these embodiments. The rotatable closure may include a gripping tab or protrusion, to enable a user to grasp and manipulate the closure, in use. The decoder region may comprise an opening in which is located a translucent sheet having opaque regions, as hereinabove described, adjacent to the rotatable closure. The coded image region may extend from the rotatable closure, beneath the opening and be rotated beneath the opening as the closure rotates. There may be a plurality of openings and decoder regions and a plurality of coded image regions, which may be located radially around a central axis of rotation, to which the rotatable closure is connected.

In some embodiments the product housing may comprise a sleeve, in which a product may be located in use. The sleeve may be open at one or both ends. The product may be a packaged product, such as food or beverage product located in a secondary package, such as a wrapper, tray or the like, for example. The food product may be a confectionery product, a bakery product, a dairy product, a snack product or a beverage, for example. The packaged product may comprise a plurality of items within the secondary packaging such as chocolates, candies, cookies, biscuits or the like, for example. The secondary packaging may comprise the coded image region of the package, which may be printed thereon or may comprise a separate coded image sheet, adhered or laminated to the secondary packaging. The gripping portion of the package may comprise a tab or extension of the coded image sheet, arranged to protrude from the housing or sleeve, so that it is grippable by a user in use, in order to withdraw the packaged product from the housing or sleeve during use. The sleeve may include an opening or aperture in which the decoder region is located or adhered to. In this way relative movement of the secondary packaging out of or into the sleeve effects selective visualisation of decoded images on the coded image region, through the decoder region.

In some embodiments the product housing comprises a product compartment, for housing a product in use, and a coded image compartment, for housing the coded image region. The coded image compartment may comprise a sleeve through which the coded image region can be moved in use. In some embodiments the coded image compartment is stacked on top of the product compartment and separated by a wall therebetween. In other embodiments the two compartments be located side-by-side and separated by a wall. The coded image region may be moved in and out of the coded image compartment independent of removal and insertion of the product in the product compartment.

Alternatively the coded image region or the decoder region and the product (including product packaging in relevant embodiments) may be operably linked so that movement of one of the coded image region or decoder region and product effects movement of the other. The coded image region or decoder region and the product may be connected to a band rotatable around the wall separating the compartments, with the coded image region or decoder region and product being connected to substantially opposite sides of the band. In this way movement of the product or coded image region or decoder region causes rotation of the band around the wall, and thus effects movement of the other of the coded image region, decoder region or product in substantially the opposite direction. In one embodiment, if a user grips the coded image region and pulls it out of the coded image compartment (to selectively view decoded images through the decoder region), the product will slide out of the product compartment in the opposite direction. Pushing the coded image region back into the coded image compartment causes the band to rotate and pull the product into the product compartment. The decoder region may be located within or on top of an aperture of the product housing or located within or on the coded image compartment. In some embodiments where the product housing comprising a sleeve, the sleeve may comprise a sheet material folded to form the product compartment and coded image compartment. Thus the sleeve can be formed from a single sheet of material (or laminated sheets) in a single manufacturing step, to avoid complexity or cost of connecting multiple compartments. In some embodiments, the sleeve and decoder region comprise the same material, such as a plastics material, for example. Plastics material is preferred, as the type of plastics material may be selected to conform to the use of the package or to the type of product to be packaged. In some embodiments, the plastics material is translucent, such that the decoder region may be formed integrally with the sleeve. In other embodiments the decoder region and sleeve are constructed from different materials, for example a cardboard sleeve and plastics decoder region.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of selectively visualising images on a package of the first or second aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of:

a) activating relative movement of the coded image region and decoder region; and

b) effecting relative movement between the coded image region and decoder region;

wherein activation the relative movement and the relative movement itself are coplanar or coaxial.

In some embodiments coded image portion comprises a grip tab and the method comprising the step of manipulating the grip tab to effect steps a) and b).

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a package of the first or second aspects of the invention, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a package blank which includes a product housing portion; b) applying a coded image region;

c) applying a decoder region; and

d) folding the blank to form the package.

Steps a), b), c) and d) may be undertaken in any suitable order. For example, in some embodiments step d) is performed before steps b) and c), while in other embodiments step c) may be performed after step d). In some embodiments the package blank may include a coded image region compartment, for supporting a separate coded image region, such as a sheet, and the method may comprise folding the blank to form a package having separate coded image and product compartments.

In some embodiments the decoder region may be separate from the product housing and connected thereto, for example the decoder region may comprise a plastics sheet applied on or within an aperture in the product housing. In other embodiments the decoder region may be formed from an integral part of the product housing.

Detailed description of the invention

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a package of the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates an end view of the package of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a package blank for forming the product housing of the embodiment of the package shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4A illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention where the package is in a partially opened state;

Figure 4B illustrates an end view of the embodiment shown in Figure 4A.

Figure 5 illustrates a top down view of the packages shown in Figures 1-3 in which an image is decoded and displayed through the decoder region of the package.

Figure 6 illustrates a third embodiment of the package of the invention in the form of a circular tub; and

Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a package of the invention in the form of cylindrical tube.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, and Figure 5 in a first embodiment of the invention a package (2) comprises a product housing (4), in which is located a product (10) in the form of a secondary product package containing one or more items and located in a product compartment (9). The package (2) also includes a coded image sheet (6) located in a coded image compartment (5) above the product compartment (9), and separated therefrom by an intermediate wall (7), as shown in Figure 2. Above the coded image sheet (6) is a decoder region in the form of a decoder window (8), which includes alternate opaque (8') and translucent (8") lines. The product housing (4), product compartment (9) intermediate wall (7) and decoder window housing (11) are formed from a single sheet of relatively rigid material, such a plastics material; and formed from a single blank as shown in Figure 3. The coded image sheet (6) includes a grip tab (12) protruding from one end thereof, and arranged in use to protrude from the periphery of one end of the product housing (4). The coded image sheet (6) is slidably moveable within the coded image compartment (5) and a user may grasp the grip tab (12) in order to activate movement of the coded image sheet (6) and continue movement thereof in the same plane. The use of a single sheet to form the product housing (4), coded image compartment (5) and product compartment (9) enables highly accurate registration of the relevant side and end walls of each compartment, in order to ensure that the decoder window (8) and the coded image sheet (6) are in accurate registration, so that images may be selectively decoded accurately and clearly.

Use of the package (2) of Figures 1 -3 and 5 will now be described. The sheet comprising the product housing (4) is folded to provide the package (2) as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A secondary product package (10) is then inserted into the product housing (9). The product package may, for example be a packaged food product such as a bar or block of chocolate, a package or tray filled with confectionery items, a package or tray filled with cookies or biscuits or the like for example. A coded image sheet (6) is then inserted into the coded image compartment (5) such that the grip tab (12) protrudes from one end thereof. The decoder window (8) is adhered within the top surface (11) of the product housing (4) but in alternative embodiments the decoder window (8) may be formed integrally from the same material as the product housing (4), for example if the product housing (4) comprises a translucent plastics material.

When a user wishes to remove the packaged product (10) from the package (2), the packaged product (10) is pushed, from one end of the product housing (4) out of the other end. If desired, the package product (10) may then be reinserted into the product compartment (9) for subsequent storage. Independently, a user may manipulate the coded image sheet (6) via the grip tab (12), in order to selectively visualise images thereon. As shown in Figure 5, when the coded image sheet (6) is located substantially within the coded image compartment (5), a first image can be viewed through the decoder window (8) through the translucent lines (8"). When the coded image sheet (6) is partially withdrawn from the coded image compartment (5) via the grip tab (12), the image appears to move, as the first image regions hidden beneath the opaque lines (8') move into registration with the translucent lines (8"), while the original image viewable through the translucent lines (8") are in turn hidden beneath adjacent opaque lines (8'). As the coded image sheet (6) is further withdrawn from the coded image compartment (5) the alternating images are sequentially revealed and hidden, which gives the user the effect that the images are moving laterally across the decoder window (8). In this example, there are two coded images interposed on the coded image sheet (6), which are identical, and therefore give the impression of movement of two images across the decoder window (8). In other embodiments the coded images may be completely different, and movement of the coded image sheet (6) through the coded image compartment (5) would give the impression of sequential hiding and revealing of different images which move across the decoder window (8) as the coded image sheet (6) is moved.

In the embodiment described, the activation of the relative movement between the decoder window (8) and the coded image sheet (6), and the relative movement itself are coplanar. This activation and movement, coupled with the ability for a user to directly manipulate the movement via the grip tab (12) enables a user to accurately view the decoded images during movement, and define how fast and how far the coded image sheet (6) is moved.

Turning now to Figures 4A and 4B, in a second embodiment of a package (102) of the invention, a product housing (104) includes a coded image sheet (106) located in a coded image compartment (105), packaged product (110) located in a packaged product compartment (109) and a decoder window (108) comprising opaque (108¹) and translucent (108") lines. The coded image sheet includes a grip tab (112). Each of these components is identical to those described in relation to Figures 1-3 and 5, and the mechanism of action of coding and decoding the images on coded image sheet (106) are identical and described herein above. The package (102) shown in figures 4 A and 4B includes an extra component in the form of a moveable band (103) formed round the intermediate wall (107) of the product housing (104), to which are connected the coded image sheet (106) and packaged product (110) at substantially diametrically opposed regions. As both the coded image sheet (106) and packaged product (110) are connected to a rotating band (103), which rotates around the intermediate wall (107), movement of either one of the packaged product (110) and coded image sheet (106) effects movement in the opposite direction of the other. In use, as a user grips the grip tab (112), and slides the coded image sheet (106) out of the coded image compartment (103) in order to decode and selectively view images through the decoder window (108), the movement of the coded image sheet (106) causes rotation of the band (103) and movement of the package product (110) in the opposite direction, and out of the other end of the product housing sleeve (104). In this way, active manipulation of the coded image sheet (106) enables automatic withdrawal and insertion of the package product (110) about the package (102).

Turning now to Figure 6, in another embodiment of the package of the invention, a package (202) comprises a product housing in the form of a circular tub (204) which comprises a product compartment (203) closed by a circular lid (205) . Multiple items such as confectionery items (218) are placed in the product compartment (203) of the tub (204). The lid includes two apertures. The first aperture is a product access aperture (211), arranged to be covered by a rotatable cover (216), which includes a grip tab (212). The rotatable cover (216) rotates about a central axis (214), and may be manipulated via the grip tab (212) to open and close the aperture (211). Also present within the lid is a second aperture in the form of a decoder window (208) in which is located a decoder sheet comprising interspersed opaque (208') and translucent (208") lines. Beneath the decoder window (208) is a coded image sheet (not shown) connected to and integral with the cover (216) and moveable about the same central axis (214). In this way, rotation of the rotatable cover (216) effects rotation of the coded image sheet beneath the decoder window (208) in order to selectively hide and reveal images thereon. The movement of the coded image sheet and activation thereof are coplanar and coaxial.

We refer now to Figure 7 which illustrates another embodiment of the package of the invention. The package (302) is in the form of a cylindrical tube (304), about which is a decoder window in the form of sleeve (308) arranged to slide up and down the outer surface of the cylindrical tube (304). Coded images are printed or laminated onto the outer surface of the cylinder (304), so that lateral movement of the sleeve (308) effects selective hiding and revealing of coded images via opaque (308') and translucent (308") lines on the sleeve (308). Thus coaxial activation and movement of the decoder sleeve (308) enables a user to directly manipulate and decode the images on the cylinder (304). A user can directly grip the sleeve (308) and so has full control over the speed and extent to which the images are decoded and coded. In other embodiments, the sleeve (308) may include a grip tab protruding therefrom. The cylinder (304) is capped at either end by caps (314, 316), which include flange portions protruding beyond the surface of the cylinder (304), in order to prevent the sleeve (308) from being removed from the package (302). Either or both of the end caps (314, 316) are removable, in order to access the interior of the tube (304), and withdraw or insert products. In one embodiment, the end cap (314) is fixed to the cylinder (304), while the opposite end cap (316) is removable and replaceable.

In variations of the embodiments described above translucent regions may be replaced with transparent regions, or apertures.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A package comprising a product housing, a coded image region which encodes images, and decoder region comprising a pattern of opaque and translucent regions wherein the coded image region and decoder region are movable relative to each other to selectively visualise decoded images during movement, and wherein the coded image region or the decoder region comprises a gripping portion for direct manipulation of the movement by a user.

2. A package comprising a product housing, a coded image region which encodes images, and a decoder region comprising a pattern of opaque and translucent regions, wherein the coded image region and decoder region are movable relative to each other to selectively visualise decoded images during movement, and wherein activation of the relative movement and the relative movement itself, are coplanar or coaxial.

3. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein activation of the relative movement and the relative movement itself is coplanar or coaxial.

4. A package as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a product located within the housing.

5. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing includes an aperture or window through which the coded image region is visible, and into or on which the decoder region is located.

6. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the package housing is a tubular container.

7. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the coded image region is located on the outer surface of the product housing.

8. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the decoder region comprises a sleeve, slidably moveable along or through the product housing and is coaxial therewith.

9. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing comprises an opening through which one or more products are inserted or removed in use, and which comprises a rotatable closure moveable between an open and a closed configuration.

10. A package as claimed in claim 9 wherein the rotatable closure is connected to the coded image region or decoder region such that movement of the rotatable closure effects coaxial or coplanar movement of the coded image or decoder regions, in use.

11. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the product is a packaged product located in a secondary packaging material.

12. A package as claimed in claim 11 wherein the secondary packaging material comprises the coded image region of the package.

13. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the product housing comprises a product compartment for housing a product in use, and a coded image compartment for housing the coded image region.

14. A package as claimed in claim 13 wherein the coded image compartment is adjacent to the product compartment, separated by a wall therebetween.

15. A package as claimed in claim 4 or in any of claims 5 to 14 when dependent on claim 4 wherein the coded image region and the product are operably linked so that movement of one of the coded image region and product effects movement of the other.

16. A package as claimed in claim 15 wherein the coded image region and the product are connected to a band rotatable around a wall separating the coded image region and product, and wherein movement of the product or coded image region causes rotation of the band around the wall, and corresponding movement of the other of the coded image region and product.

17. A method of selectively visualising images on a package of any one of claims 1 to 16, the method comprising the steps of:

wherein activation of the relative movement and the relative movement itself are coplanar or coaxial.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the coded image portion comprises a gripping portion and the method comprises the steps of manipulating the gripping portion to effect steps a) and b).

19. A method of manufacturing a package of any one of claims 1 to 16, the method comprising the steps of:

c) applying a decoder region; and

d) folding the blank to form the package.

20. A package or method substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.