GB2318560A

GB2318560A - Display packaging for an article and an associated fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2318560A
Application number: GB9622063A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey John Gregg
Original assignee: L I PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: L I PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-23
Filing date: 1996-10-23
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Also published as: GB9622063D0

Abstract

A display packaging for an article, such as a small piece or ironmongery, e.g ., a bolt 30 or a hinge, having a fixing recess, such as an aperture 34, a groove or a neck constriction, and an associated fitting such as a latch member 32, a package of screws or the like. The display packaging comprises a display tag 10 having engagement means 20 for engaging 10 with a retail display stand, attachment means (such as apertures 22 to 24) for attaching 10 to the article 30 by its fixing recess 34, and retaining means for retaining the associated fitting with the article. Said attachment means can involve the use of a separate tie member through apertures 22 and 24 of tag 10 and 34 of bolt 30 to form a closed loop or alternatively such a securing means may be integrally formed with the display tag 10. The associated fitting 32 is retained with the bolt 30 by enclosing the bolt, the latch member, and a portion of the display tag in a sleeve of plastic film. Alternatively, 32 can be secured to 30 using adhesive means.

Description

DISPLAY PACKAGING The invention relates to display packaging, and particularly display packaging for an article which has a fixing recess and accompanying fittings.

Display packaging is widely used to present articles for sale in the retail trade. In particular, three types of packaging have prevailed for small articles of ironmongery with associated fittings such as screws, brackets and the like.

In the first type of packaging, the article and its associated fittings may be encapsulated in packaging known as a "skin card". In that case, the article and the fittings are placed on a card and a thin film of transparent plastics material is placed thereover. The plastics film adheres to the card. A hole is punched through the card and film to allow the skin card to be hooked on a display hook.

Information may be printed on the card prior to adhesion of the plastics film; that information may be specific to the article itself and to the retail establishment in which the article is to be sold.

In the second type of packing the ironmongery is placed on a backing of plastic coated card, and a plastic blister is heat sealed to the backing.

In the third type of packaging, the article and its associated fittings may be housed in a pre-moulded case of transparent plastics material. The plastics case has shaped formations for receiving and retaining the article and fittings therein, and a lid of the case is folded over and closes the case. The lid may be held shut by pre-moulded formations in the case which act as clips. A small piece of card carrying product information may be retained in the case in the same way as an article and fittings.

In each of the above examples, the cost of packaging of the article can be very high relative to the actual value of the basic article itself especially where the article is manufactured in one country but the packaging is carried out in another country. It may be necessary to package such articles and associated fittings on two occasions, once after manufacture for transfer to the wholesaler, and once for transfer from wholesaler to retailer, and for eventual retail sale. Furthermore, regardless of the packaging location, information specific to the retail establishment in which the article is to be sold must be known prior to packaging of the article itself so that the necessary art work can be prepared. This can lead to large stockholdings of packaged articles which can only be sold in a particular establishment.

Another disadvantage of the prior packing methods is that they generally result in a finished package which is substantially larger than the basic article. This is often necessary to ensure a sealing frame around the periphery of the pack but has the consequence that the density of package is a display area and during transit is much reduced.

Yet another problem is that the prior packages use mixed materials, usually card and plastics, which make recycling difficult. It is expected that legislation and/or consumer pressure may make mixed materials undesirable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide display packaging which is simpler and less expensive than previously known packaging.

According to the present invention there is provided display packaging for an article, said article having a fixing recess and a fitting associated therewith, the display packaging comprising: a display tag having engagement means for engaging said tag with a retail display stand; attachment means for attaching the display tag to an article by its fixing recess; and retaining means for retaining a fitting of the article with the article, in use.

The invention is advantageous because it allows an article to be packaged simply and inexpensively. The package is small, and typically no wider than the basic article. Furthermore, the packaging can be made entirely from a single material, typically plastics, thereby meeting the environmental concerns of mixed materials. The packaging of the invention is readily adaptable to different combinations; for example a basic ironmongery article may be supplied with screws of different material or different length without the need for a packaging change.

The display tag may include an external display surface. The display surface is advantageous because it allows product and establishment specific information to be applied to an article after packaging and to be substituted if necessary. This avoids the need for artwork origination of a backing card. The display tag may be typically adapted to receive a label produced by an inexpensive DTP system having a content and language determined by the country of final sale. Typical artwork costs of c.200 per article are thereby avoided. Such a display tag is also capable of receiving a bar code as a label. The display tag may be applied to an article at the article's place of manufacture, which may be a low cost country, while the retaining means may be applied later on.

The display tag preferably includes a hole by which the tag may be suspended from a hook.

The attachment means preferably comprises a tie which is capable of being received in the fixing recess of the article and tied in place. In a preferred embodiment, the display tag comprises a fixing recess suitable to receive a separate tie. In a preferred embodiment, the packaging is provided for an article having a fixing hole. In that case, the tie may be passed through the fixing hole of the article and tied in place. The display tag may comprise a corresponding fixing hole. Alternatively, the fixing recess of the article may be a necking or the like. The tie may comprise a gripping portion suitable to receive and retain another portion of the tie, thereby creating a closed loop.

Typically the tie is of plastics or wire. A plastics tie may be moulded integrally with a plastics display tag.

The retaining means may be of plastics material and is preferably transparent. In that way, the article and fittings retained by the retaining means are not obscured from view.

The retaining means may comprise adhesive plastics material, and preferably adhesive tape. Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for retaining smaller fittings such as bolts which can be encapsulated by the tape and adhered thereto for additional security.

Alternatively, the retaining means may comprise a heat-shrinkable material. The retaining means may comprise a sleeve, which may then encapsulate substantially the full length of the article. Prior to encapsulation by a sleeve, fittings may be initially attached to the article by adhesive tape, and such fittings may be in a bag if small.

The sleeve may partially encapsulate the display tag.

Preferably, the sleeve encapsulates the attachment means.

Packaging as described herein may be applied in two stages. Firstly, the display tag may be attached to an article soon after manufacture, such as at source. Fittings and other components may be manufactured at other sources, and so the application of the retaining means may be carried out remotely on collation of articles (fitted with display tags) and fittings. Previously, all collation of articles and fittings had to be completed before any packaging could be carried out. This two stage process facilitates partial assembly of the package in one country whilst allowing changes to suit the country of eventual sale, for example in order to meet local requirements regarding fixings, textual inserts and the like.

Two specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a display tag forming part of first and second specific embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a door bolt of known construction; Figure 3 shows the door bolt of Figure 2 as packaged with packaging according to a first specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a door hinge of known construction; and Figure 5 shows the door hinge of Figure 4 packaged with packaging in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invent ion.

A display tag 10 has a square laminar body 11 with parallel upper and lower edges 12 and 14 and parallel left and right edges 16 and 18. Adjacent the upper edge 12 is a display aperture 20 through the body 11. The display aperture 20 is of a known shape, being generally elongate and parallel with the upper edge 12 and having a recess midway along its length for engagement of a hook therewith.

Adjacent the lower edge 14, fixing apertures 22, 23 and 24 pass through the body 11. Central fixing aperture 23 is generally located in the middle of the lower edge 14 and is circular. Left and right fixing apertures 22 and 24 are generally elongate, parallel with the lower edge 14 and either side of the central fixing aperture 23.

Figure 2 shows a door bolt 30 of generally known construction having a body 31 with a bolt member 33 slidable thereon, and a latching member 32 which, in use, is attached to a door frame to receive the bolt member 33. As illustrated, the latching member 32 is in a stowed position on the door bolt 30 ready for packaging. Each of the door bolt 30 and the latching member 32 comprises fixing holes 34 for attachment of the door bolt 30 and the latching member 32 to a door and door frame respectively.

In Figure 3, the door bolt 30 of Figure 2 is shown as packaged with the packaging of the first embodiment of the present invention. The display tag 10 is tied to the door bolt 30 by a tie 40 of plastics material, for instance a cable tie. It will be appreciated that other types of tie are possible, for instance wire, which may be plastics coated, or string. The tie 40 is passed through the fixing holes 34 of the door bolt 30, and through the left and right fixing apertures 22 and 24 of the display tag 10. In that way, the display tag 10 is attached to the door bolt 30. A sleeve 42 of heat-shrink plastics material is placed over the door bolt 30 and the latching member 32, and then heat is applied to the sleeve 42 such that it shrinks in order to retain the latching member 32 with the door bolt 30.

Furthermore, carriage bolts 36, of which only one is shown in Figure 3, may be included within the sleeve 42. In that way, a complete kit of parts is retained within the packaging of the invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a door hinge 44 comprises an elongate leaf 46 for fixing to a door, and a shorter leaf 48 for fixing to a door frame. In common with the door bolt 30 of Figure 2, each of the leaves 46 and 48 have fixing holes 34. A slot 50 is provided in the shorter leaf 48 adjacent the hinge access to allow movement of the elongate leaf 46 relative thereto.

In Figure 5, the door hinge 44 is shown packaged in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. The display tag 10 is tied to the shorter leaf 48 via a tie 40 as before. The tie 40 is passed through the slot 50 and a central fixing hole 34 of the shorter leaf 48, and the central fixing aperture 23 of the display tag 10.

The door hinge 44 is generally attached to a door and door frame by means of screws; such screws are provided in a small packet 52 which is retained on the elongate leaf 46 by means of a turn of adhesive tape 54. The display tag typically has a number of fixing holes, some or all of which may be used according to the article to be packaged.

It can be seen that the display tag can be attached to the door bolt or the door hinge quite soon after manufacture thereof. Then, screws, fittings and other accessories, which might be manufactured at a different location, can be retained with the door bolt or door hinge later on.

Furthermore, a label can be placed on the body 11 of the display tag 10 immediately prior to dispatch of the packaged article. This increases flexibility to the supplier or wholesaler who can stock articles without labels specific to a particular customer, market or country.

Due to the simple construction of the packaging, the resulting packaged article is not susceptible to damage to packaging which can affect the value of the packaged article to the retailer.

Although the particular embodiments refer to fixing by means of a hole, the invention also permits attachment of the display tag in a neck or recess of an article.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A display packaging for an article having a fixing recess and a fitting associated therewith, the display packaging comprising a display tag having engagement means for engaging the tag with a retail display stand, attachment means for attaching the display tag to the article by its fixing recess, and retaining means for retaining the fitting with the article.

2. A display packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging is made entirely from a single material.

3. A display packaging as claimed in claim 2, wherein the single material is a plastics material.

4. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display tag includes an external display surface.

5. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the display tag is adapted to receive a label.

6. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the display tag includes a hole, by means of which the tag may be suspended from a hook.

7. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the attachment means comprises a tie which is capable of being received in the fixing recess of the article and tied in place.

8. A display packaging as claimed in claim 7, wherein the display tag is provided with a fixing recess suitable for receiving a separate tie.

9. A display packaging as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the packaging is adapted for use with an article having a fixing hole, so that the tie may be passed through the fixing hole of the article and tied in place.

10. A display packaging as claimed in claim 9, wherein the display tag is provided with a fixing hole to complement the fixing hole of the article.

11. A display packaging as claimed in clam 9, wherein the fixing recess of the article is a necking or the like.

12. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the tie is provided with a gripping portion suitable to receive and retain another portion of the tie, thereby creating a closed loop.

13. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claim 7 to 12, wherein the tie is made of plastics material.

14. A display packaging as claimed in claim 13, wherein the tie is moulded integrally with the display tag.

15. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the retaining means is made of plastics material, and is preferably transparent.

16. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the retaining means is made of an adhesive plastics material.

17. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the retaining means is made of a heat-shrinkable material.

18. A display packaging as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the retaining means is a sleeve for encapsulating substantially the full length of the article.

19. A display packaging as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sleeve is such as to partially encapsulate the display tag.

20. A display packaging as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the sleeve is such as to encapsulate the attachment means.