GB2205817A - Display packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

A package comprises an inner sleeve (10) containing a bundle (15) of objects. An outer sleeve (20) is movable axially of the inner sleeve (10) between an extended and a retracted position to cover and uncover the bundle (15) as required. A projection from outer sleeve wall (42) is engagable with a flap (46) on the inner sleeve wall (44) to lock the outer sleeve (20) in a retracted position. Outer sleeve (20) and inner sleeve (10) are interconnected by hinged members (22,24) which form a stable base for the device on retraction of the outer sleeve (20). <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY PACKAGING The present invention relates to the field of packaging, and in particular to the packaging of products to be displayed at a point of sale or in a showroom or the like.

It is commonly required to package items for storage, transport and the like to be subsequently displayed at a point of sale or distribution without incurring the task of removing the goods from the packaging. However it is commonly required that such packaging is capable of fully enclosing the goods during transit, storage or the like and permitting display of the goods at a later time. Examples of products which it is desirable to store in this way include those such as leaflets, pens or the like which are usually displayed in bundles and which would be inconvenient to handle in large numbers if removed from their storage packaging for display.

Thus the present invention provides a container for goods, hereinafter referred to as "the kind described" which container is capable selectively of either enclosing the goods during storage or exposing the goods for display thereof. Related packaging has previously been disclosed, but only in embodiments having no means of locking the packaging in position as a display unit. Selection of the display of goods in previously disclosed packaging of the kind described has generally merely involved opening or removal of flaps or the like forming part of the enclosure of the goods. Further, such packaging has suffered the disadvantage that it occupies an uneconomically large storage volume when empty.

The present invention further provides stand means for the container to operate during display of the goods.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a container comprising an inner sleeve which is closed at one end and is open at an opposite end to receive a stack of objects of greater length than the sleeve so that the objects project from the open end thereof; an outer sleeve encircling and axially slideable along the inner sleeve between a first, extended position in which the outer sleeve projects beyond the open end of the inner sleeve to cover the end of the stack of objects projecting therefrom and a retracted position in which the outer sleeve lies within the length of the inner sleeve; and stand means connected between the inner and outer sleeves and which, in the extended position of the outer sleeve, lies along the sleeve, and in the retracted position of the outer sleeve projects outwardly on at least one side of the inner sleeve to support said inner sleeve upright resting on said closed end; and locking means operative on retraction of said outer sleeve to lock the outer sleeve in said retracted position with the stand means projecting outwardly of the inner sleeve.

The locking means preferably comprises at least a pair of members respectively disposed on the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve to engage one another upon retraction of said outer sleeve beyond a predetermined position.

Further it is preferable that the stand means comprises at least one hinged member interconnecting the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve respectively such that, on extension of said outer sleeve, said hinged member lies generally parallel to the inner and outer sleeves, and on retraction of said outer sleeve the portion of the hinged member connected to the inner sleeve projects outwardly thereof to increase the projection of the area of the closed end of said inner sleeve and support said inner sleeve resting upright on said closed end. The hinged member is preferably connected to the closed end of the inner sleeve.

Preferably the closed end of the inner sleeve is openable to permit folding flat of the container when empty. Further the closed end of the inner sleeve preferably comprises a plurality of interlocking tongues extending from the walls of the inner sleeve to form a continuous barrier on engagement of respective portions of said tongues adapted there for.

Preferably the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve comprise creased portions to permit folding flat of the container when empty.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of a container comprising an inner sleeve which is closed at one end and is open at an opposite end to receive a stack of objects of greater length than the sleeve so that the objects project from the open end thereof; an outer sleeve encircling and axially slideable along the inner sleeve between a first, extended position in which the outer sleeve projects beyond the open end of the inner sleeve to cover the end of the stack of objects projecting therefrom and a retracted position in which the outer sleeve lies within the length of the inner sleeve; and stand means connected between the inner and outer sleeves and which, in the extended position of the outer sleeve, lie along the sleeve, and in the retracted position of the outer sleeve project outwardly on at least one side of the inner sleeve to support said inner sleeve upright resting on said closed end; and locking means operative on retraction of said outer sleeve to lock the outer sleeve in said retracted positon with the stand means projecting outwardly of the inner sleeve.

The locking means are manufactured by a process comprising the steps of: Forming a first member having at least one lateral extension to be doubled to lie generally parallel to said member; Doubling said first member to form a second doubled member to lie within said outer sleeve adjacent an interior wall thereof, and such that said lateral extension projects into the interior of said outer sleeve; Attaching said second doubled member to said adjacent inner wall; Forming a second member to extend longitudinally from the open end of the inner sleeve; and Doubling said second member to form a third doubled member to lie externally of said inner sleeve releasably to engage said lateral extension of said first member on insertion of said inner sleeve a predetermined distance into said outer sleeve.

Preferably the predetermined distance of insertion of the inner sleeve into the outer sleeve causes said outer sleeve to occupy a retracted position with respect to said inner sleeve.

Preferably the predetermined distance of insertion of the inner sleeve into the outer sleeve causes the outer sleeve to occupy a retracted position with respect to the inner sleeve According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a container comprising an inner sleeve which is closed at one end and is open at an opposite end to receive a stack of objects of greater length than the sleeve; an outer sleeve encircling and axially slideable along the inner sleeve; and at least one compressible member interconnecting said inner and outer sleeves.

Preferably the compressible member is disposed to limit the relative axial movement of the inner and outer sleeves.

Further it is preferable that the compressible member, at least on compression thereof, forms at least one region of three dimensional relief.

There now follows a description of specific embodiments of the invention, references being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention showing the outer sleeve in an extended position; Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with the outer sleeve in a retracted position; Figures 3A and 3B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 showing the locking means; Figure 4 is a view of an embodiment of the invention showing one type of end closure of the inner sleeve.

Figure 5 is a view of an alternative end closure to that shown in Figure 4.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a cross-sectional view through an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 shows an inner sleeve 10 having a closed end 12 and an outer sleeve 20 encircling the inner sleeve. The outer sleeve is shown in an extended position such as to cover a stack 15 of articles (e.g. leaflets in the illustration) placed in the inner sleeve. A pair 22, 24 of members having hinges 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 interconnect the inner and outer members.On retraction of the outer sleeve 20 the stack 15 of articles is exposed for display or removal thereof and the hinges 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 operate to allow the lower portions 38, 40 of the hinged members to project from the closed end of the inner sleeve generally perpendicular thereto to increase the projected area of the closed end of the inner sleeve and hence improve the stability of the container when resting upright on its closed end.

Disposed between the walls 42, 44 of the outer and inner sleeves is a pair of members 48, 46 forming a locking mechanism operative on retraction of the outer member.

Figures 3A and 3B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion of the container showing the locking mechanism in operation in greater detail.

Figures 3A and 3B show the outer sleeve wall 42, and the inner sleeve wall 44 of Figures 1 and 2, a member 48 doubled to lie parallel to said outer sleeve wall 42 as shown, a pair 50, 51 of second doubled members, and a third doubled member 46 to lie parallel to inner sleeve wall 42. Member 48 is fixed to wall 42 using an adhesive compound 55 and has a pair of lateral extensions 50, 51 doubled to lie generally parallel to it. Figure 3A illustrates the locking mechanism when the outer sleeve is in an extended position and hence the locking means is not operative. An arrow A shows the relative direction of movement of walls 42, 44 required to effect retraction of the outer sleeve. Figure 3B shows the locking means operative against extension of the outer sleeve in the direction of the arrow B by the edge 52 of doubled member 46 engaging a second pair of edges 54, 56 of doubled member 48.Thus the locking means lock against movement in one direction only, when the relative displacement of the two sleeves exceeds a predetermined position.

Referring now to Figure 4 there is shown an embodiment of the present invention comprising one type of end closure of the inner sleeve. In this figure, the hinged members 22, 24 of Figures 1 and 2 are omitted for clarity and there is shown a symmetrical pair of shaped tongues 60, 62 engaging two further tongues 64, 66 as shown to form a selectively openable end closure. Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of an end closure which is used when the inner sleeve has a narrow, rectangular type of aspect ratio.

Figure 5 shows a tongue 68 extending from a flap 70 itself extending from a wall 80 of an inner rectangular sleeve 82 to engage a slot 72 disposed in a second flap 74 extending from an opposite wall 84 of the rectangular inner sleeve. The flaps enclose a pair 86,88 of further flaps which complete the closure of the end of the inner sleeve 82.

Whilst in the foregoing descriptions and accompanying drawings particular reference has been made to embodiments of the present invention comprising sleeves of rectangular transverse cross-section, it should be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited merely to the configurations shown herein, and further can embrace sleeves of various transverse cross-sectional shapes.

Claims (14)

1. A container comprising an inner sleeve which is closed at one end and is open at an opposite end to receive a stack of objects of greater length than the sleeve so that the objects project from the open end thereof; an outer sleeve encircling and axially slideable along the inner sleeve between a first, extended position in which the outer sleeve projects beyond the open end of the inner sleeve to cover the end of the stack of objects projecting therefrom and a retracted position in which the outer sleeve lies within the length of the inner sleeve; stand means connected between the inner and outer sleeves and which, in the extended position of the outer sleeve, lie along the sleeve, and in the retracted position of the outer sleeve project outwardly on at least one side of the inner sleeve to support said inner sleeve upright resting on said closed end; and locking means operative on retraction of said outer sleeve to lock the outer sleeve in said retracted position with the stand means projecting outwardly of the inner sleeve.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein the locking means comprises at least a pair of members respectively disposed on the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve to engage one another upon retraction of said outer sleeve beyond a predetermined position.

3. A container according to any preceding Claim wherein the stand means comprises at least one hinged member interconnecting the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve respectively such that, on extension of said outer sleeve, said hinged member lies generally parallel to the inner and outer sleeves, and on retraction of said outer sleeve the portion of the hinged member connected to the inner sleeve projects outwardly thereof to increase the projection of the area of the closed end of said inner sleeve and support said inner sleeve resting upright on said closed end.

4. A container according to Claim 3 wherein the hinged member is connected to the closed end of the inner sleeve.

5. A container according to any preceding Claim wherein the closed end of the inner sleeve is openable to permit folding flat of said container when empty.

6. A container according to Claim 5 wherein the closed end of the inner sleeve comprises a plurality of interlocking tongues extending from the walls of the inner sleeve to form a continuous barrier on engagement of respective portions of said tongues adapted therefor.

7. A container according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve comprise creased portions to permit folding flat of said container when empty.

8. A method of manufacture of a container comprising an inner sleeve which is closed at one end and is open at an opposite end to receive a stack of objects of greater length than the sleeve so that the objects project from the open end thereof; an outer sleeve encircling and axially slideable along the inner sleeve between a first, extended position in which the outer sleeve projects beyond the open end of the inner sleeve to cover the end of the stack of objects projecting therefrom and a retracted position in which the outer sleeve lies within the length of the inner sleeve; stand means connected between the inner and outer sleeves and which, in the extended position of the outer sleeve, lie along the sleeve, and in the retracted position of the outer sleeve project outwardly on at least one side of the inner sleeve to support said inner sleeve upright resting on said closed end; and locking means operative on retraction of said outer sleeve to lock the outer sleeve in said retracted position with the stand projecting outwardly of the inner sleeve.

9. A method of manufacture of a container comprising locking means operative on retraction of the outer sleeve wherein the locking means are manufactured by a process comprising the steps of: Forming a first member having at least one lateral extension to be doubled to lie generally parallel to said member; Doubling said first member to form a second doubled member to lie within said outer sleeve adjacent an interior wall thereof, and such that said lateral extension projects into the interior of said outer sleeve; Attaching said second doubled member to said adjacent inner wall; Forming a second member to extend longitudinally of the open end of the inner sleeve;; and Doubling said second member to form a third doubled member to lie externally of said inner sleeve releasably to engage said lateral extension of said first member on insertion of said inner sleeve a predetermined distance into said outer sleeve.

10. A container comprising an inner sleeve which is closed at one end and is open at an opposite end to receive a stack of objects of greater length than the sleeve; an outer sleeve encircling and axially slideable along the inner sleeve; and at least one compressible member interconnecting said inner and outer sleeves.

11. A container according to Claim 10 wherein the compressible member is disposed to limit the relative axial movement of the inner and outer sleeves.

12. A container according to Claim 10 or 11 wherein the compressible member, at least on compression, forms at least one region of three dimensional relief.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 9 wherein the predetermined distance of insertion of the inner sleeve into the outer sleeve causes said outer sleeve to occupy a retracted position with respect to said inner sleeve.

14. Method and apparatus substantially as herein described and with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.