GB2278342A

GB2278342A - Package with means for hanging

Info

Publication number: GB2278342A
Application number: GB9311136A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Edward Winters; Steven John Dewar
Original assignee: Schering Plough Ltd
Current assignee: MSD International Holdings GmbH
Priority date: 1993-05-28
Filing date: 1993-05-28
Publication date: 1994-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-28
Also published as: GB2278342B; GB9311136D0

Abstract

A package comprises a means 30 for hanging which is movable, with the top 12 closed, between a first position within the dimensions of the package and a second, deployed, position. The hanging means 30 may be slidably movable and preferably conforms to the surface of the package. It may be a card 30 comprising a hook 32 which in the second position projects through a slot 28, which may be at the top of or part way down wall 18, and is retained in the package by shoulders 36. The package may comprise a carton constructed from a blank (figure 3) using adhesive and may contain tablets in foil strip or blister packs. The carton may be of rectangular, triangular or curved cross-section. The hook 32 may be deployed by holding the carton with slot 28 inclined downwards and lightly tapping. The hook may be attached to a shouldered rod (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

PRODUCT PACKAGING This invention relates to product packaging, which term is used herein to include any form of packaging or containing a product for point-of-sale display. Particularly but not exclusively it relates to cartons eg. of card or similar material.

A popular method of displaying consumer products for sale in a retail environment is to hang several of the product from an extended projecting rail on a wall display or rotating carousel, permitting self-selection by the purchaser. Product packaging for use in such displays requires some form of hook or other means of hanging the package from the display, for example an open hook or a projecting part with an appropriately sized aperture to fit over the rail. The term "hook" as used herein encompasses both.

A prior art package of this type is shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. The package consists of a card carton 10 formed from a flat carton blank and having a folded tuck-in lid 12 at the top (shown open in the figure), hinged along line 14 to its front wall 16.

The rear wall 18 of the carton has an upward extension portion 20 which is folded back upon itself about line 22 and pushed into the top of the carton adjacent the free edge of the lid, thereby forming a projecting tab. Registering holes are cut in the extension so that upon folding an aperture 24 is provided in the tab enabling the carton to be hung on the display rail.

These cartons have the disadvantage that due to the projecting tab, they cannot be filled on an automated production line.

Alternatively, the cartons may be assembled with the extension portions folded about line the top edge 26 of the rear wall and tucked within the carton. They can then be filled on an automatic line,,but subsequently the retailer has to open each filled carton, extract the extension portion, fold it to the shape shown in Figure 1 and reclose the carton before he can hang it on the display. This is time consuming and may also damage or distort the carton, giving it a used appearance which may deter a purchaser. The present invention seeks to avoid these disadvantages.

According to the invention a product package comprises means for hanging the package from a display, the hanging means being movable whilst the package is closed between a first position in which it is substantially within the overall dimensions of the package and a second position in which it is deployed for hanging the package.

The hanging means may be slidable between the first and second positions.

The invention also provides a package comprising means for hanging the container from a display, the hanging means being slidable between a first position in which it is within the overall dimensions of the package and a second position in which it is deployed for hanging the package.

The hanging means preferably is within the package when in its first position.

The hanging means may comprise an aperture, the hanging means compries a hook portion which projects through the aperture when the hanging means is in its second position, and a means for retaining the remainder of the hanging means within the package.

The retaining means may comprise a shoulder on the remainder of the hanging means.

In a preferred emboidment the aperture is a slot. The hanging means preferably conforms to the shape of a surface of the package, and thus when the package is a carton the hanging means may be a card disposed against one surface thereof.

In a preferred embodiment the carton has a flat side against which the card is disposed.

The invention also comprises the combination of a carton blank and a card having a hook portion, the carton blank when erected cooperating with the card to form a carton as set forth above.

An embodiment of the invention will now be dsecribed merely by way of example with reference to the remainder of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 2 is a perspective view of a carton embodying the invention; Figure 3 shows the carton blank from which the carton of Figure 2 is erected, and Figure 4 shows the card hanger used in conjunction with the blank of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 2, a carton is similar to that of Figure 1 except that no extension portion 20 is provided. Instead the lid 12 (shown closed) is reversed, so that it is hinged from the top edge 26 of the rear wall 18 of the carton. A slot 28 is provided along a significant proportion of the line 26.

Within the carton is provided a card hanger 30 having a hook portion 32 dimensioned to project through the slot 28. The hook portion 32 has an aperture 24 to enable the carton to be suspended grom a display. The remainder 35 of the card hanger 30 has a width just less than the internal width of the carton, thereby defining shoulder portion 36. The overall length of the card hanger is less than the internal height of the carton.

The carton is cut from a blank shown in Figure 3 in a conventional manner. In addition to the parts described above, also identified are a bottom flap or lid 38, bottom side flaps 40, top side flaps 41 and a fixing tab 42. The carton is erected by folding along longitudinal fold lines 44, 46, 48, 50 and then adhesively securing fixing tab 42 to the inside of side wall 52. The bottom is closed by folding-over the bottom side flaps 41 and bottom flap 38 and tucking-in the flap 38 in a conventional manner.

Before the top of the carton is closed the card 30 is inserted so as to lie on the inside of wall 18 with the hook portion towards the slot 28. The carton is then filled with product, for example tablets encased in foil strip or blister packs, and the top closed by folding-over side tabs 41 and lid 12.

The card 30 is shorter than the carton and is contained wholly within its outer dimensions, and thus does not project therefrom.

Consequently the carton can be filled on an automated production line in the same way as a conventional carton. Erection of the carton may also be automated in a conventional manner, and insertion of the card 30 may be incorporated in that operation, as will be evident to the skilled reader.

When the retailer wishes to hang the filled carton for display he holds it with wall 18 inclined downwards with the slot 28 atothe bottom. Lightly tapping the carton causes the card 30 to slide downwards on wall 18 until the hook portion protrudes. The corners 54 of the hook portion 32 are relieved to facilitate its entry into the slot 28. A cut-out 29 (Figure 3) in the slot enables the retailer to grasp the end of the card if it sticks. The carton may then be hung, the shoulders 36 bearing upon the portions of the lid 12 at the ends of the slot 38 to retain the card 30 in the carton. The bottom corners 56 of the card 30 are also rounded so that the card may easily be pushed back into the carton after removal from the display.

Although described in the context of a rectangular carton, the invention may be applied to other carton shapes, eg. of triangular section or having walls curved about the longitudinal axis. Desirably the card 30 conforms to the shape of the wall over which it slides, and so in the latter case it also would be curved.

Instead of being located at the junction of the lid 12 and rear wall 18, the slot 28 may be disposed part-way down the wall 18. The hook portion may then permanently project through the slot whilst remaining substantially within (ie. not projecting from) the overall dimensions of the carton, the card for example being located by resting on the bottom 38 of the carton. For display, the hook portion is pulled to withdraw the card until the shoulders 54 register at the ends of the slot 28. In this variant the length of the hook portion 32 is longer relative to the remainder 35 of the card 30 compared to the Figure 2 embodiment by an amount approximately equal to the distance of the slot 18 below the top edge 26 of the carton so that when pulled out the hook portion projects beyond the top of the carton in the same way as in Figure 2.

Also contemplated within the scope of the invention, particularly for containers, cartons or other packaging of non-rectangular or curved section, are forms of deployable hanging device shaped to fit into a particular feature of the packaging. For example a shouldered rod may conveniently be housed in a corner of a triangular section carton.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A product package comprising means for hanging the package from a display, the hanging means being movable whilst the package is closed between a first position in which it is substantially within the overall dimensions of the package and a second position in which it is deployed for hanging the package.

2. A package as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hanging means is slidable between the first and second positions.

3. A package comprising means for hanging the container from a display, the hanging means being slidable between a first position in which it is within the overall dimensions of the package and a second position in which it is deployed for hanging the package.

4. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hanging means is within the package when in its first position.

5. A package as claimed in any preeding claim, comprising an aperture, the hanging means compries a hook portion which projects through the aperture when the hanging means is in its second position, and a means for retaining the remainder of the hanging means within the package.

6. A package as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the retaining means comprises a shoulder on the remainder of the hanging means.

7. A package as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the aperture is a slot.

8. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hanging means conforms to the shape of a surface of the package.

9. A package as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the package is a carton.

10. A package as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the hanging means is a card disposed against an internal surface of the carton.

11. A carton as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, wherein the carton has a flat side, against which the card is disposed.

12. A product package substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. In combination a carton blank and a card having a hook portion, the carton blank when erected cooperating with the card to form a carton as claimed in Claim 9, 10 or 11.

14. The combination of a carton blank and card substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.