US20060124506A1

US20060124506A1 - Battery package

Info

Publication number: US20060124506A1
Application number: US11/011,728
Authority: US
Inventors: Josef Fuchs; Jean-Pierre Goujard
Original assignee: VARTA Consumer Batteries GmbH and Co KGaA DE
Current assignee: VARTA Consumer Batteries GmbH and Co KGaA DE
Priority date: 2004-12-14
Filing date: 2004-12-14
Publication date: 2006-06-15
Also published as: EP1671896B1; DE602005012780D1; EP1671896A1

Abstract

A point-of-sale blister package for batteries has a plurality of discrete compartments, each configured to retain a single respective battery. Each compartment has associated therewith an indicator, such as a closure portion defined by perforations in the blister card. Each closure portion is individually openable to provide a permanent indication that the battery retained in the compartment has been accessed. The compartments also include at least one retention member which removably retain the batteries in the compartments, even when the closure portion has been removed. Consequently, used batteries can be stored in the opened compartments for later recycling or disposal. The used batteries can be distinguished from the new batteries by the unopened closure portion. In a further variant, the compartments are provided in a plastics tray and each compartment is covered by a sealing strip which breaks when the battery is removed from the compartment.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to packaging for batteries and in particular to a point-of-sale package for batteries.
A point-of-sale package is the packaging in which a consumer purchases the batteries from a shop, for example from a display stand. A known point-of-sale package contains two or four batteries in a plastics blister mounted to a blister card.
In recent times, the safe disposal and/or recycling of batteries has become increasingly important to consumers. Consequently, a consumer may store several used batteries until they can be taken to a recycling or disposal location. However, most batteries provide no visual indication that they have been used and are discharged. There is therefore scope for confusion on the part of the consumer between spent and fresh batteries where these are stored in the same location.

SUMMARY

Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a point-of-sale package for batteries. The package comprises a plurality of discrete compartments. Each compartment is configured to retain a single respective battery and each compartment is closed by a respective closure. Each closure is individually openable to provide a permanent indication that the battery retained in the compartment has been accessed.
According to the invention, the batteries in the package each have their own compartment and each compartment has its own closure. The battery is removed by opening the closure and this provides a permanent indication that the compartment has been opened. Consequently, a spent battery can be stored in the opened compartment and the package automatically provides an indication that the battery in the open compartment is not “fresh”.
This simple configuration has the significant advantage over known battery packaging that used batteries can be stored for recycling in the original packaging without any confusion between new and used batteries. In known point-of-sale packages for batteries, several batteries are stored within a single compartment. Consequently, if a single fresh battery is exchanged for a used battery, confusion can arise as to which of the batteries is new and which is spent. With the package of the invention, this problem can be avoided.
The compartment and unopened closure may, in combination, completely enclose the battery. This is not, however, necessary. For example, the compartment may retain only the ends of the battery or may enclose the battery on only three sides. Similarly, the closure may only close or cover a portion of the compartment. It is only significant that, in normal use, the battery cannot be removed from the compartment otherwise than by opening the closure.
Desirably, the compartment may be configured to removably retain the battery when the closure has been opened. For example, the compartment may be provided with retaining projections which prevent a battery falling from the compartment, but allow the user to remove the battery from the compartment and insert another battery in its place. A compartment so configured assists the consumer in easily storing batteries for recycling or disposal.
Viewed from a further aspect therefore the present invention provides a point-of-sale package for batteries. The package comprises a plurality of discrete compartments. Each compartment is configured to retain a single respective battery and the compartments are closed by at least one closure. Each compartment is configured to removably retain a battery when the closure has been opened.
By providing a discrete compartment for each battery, used batteries can be retained in position in the battery package separated from the remaining fresh batteries in the package to minimize any likelihood of confusion.
The closure may be destructively openable to provide the permanent indication that the battery retained in the compartment has been accessed. For example, the closure may be ripped, torn, bent or the like in order to access the battery. In this regard, the closure may be in the form of a tamper-evident seal.
In one embodiment, the compartments have an open upper surface which is partially closed by the closure. For example, the closure may be in the form of a sealing strip which crossed the open surface of the compartment. The sealing strip may be arranged to be broken on removal of the battery.
The compartments may be configured to conform substantially to size and shape of the batteries. In one arrangement, the compartments may be in the form of
wells for receiving the batteries. The wells may have a base which includes a deeper portion at at least one end such that the user may tip the battery by pressing an end thereof into the deeper portion to aid removal of the battery from the compartment.
In one embodiment, the package is in the form of a blister pack comprising a blister mounted to a blister card. In general the blister is formed from molded, for example vacuum molded, plastics. The blister may be bonded to the blister card, for example adhesively bonded. In particular, the compartments may be formed in the blister to define an opening to receive the battery. The opening may have a periphery defined by a substantially planar bonding surface of the blister for bonding to the blister card. The bonding surface may define the entire periphery of the opening. In this way, when the bonding surface is bonded to the blister card, the compartment in the blister together with the blister card completely enclose the battery.
The blister card may be formed from any suitable material, for example paper, cardboard, paperboard or plastics. In this embodiment, the blister card provides the closure for the compartment. The battery may be removed from the compartment simply by breaking through the material of the blister card. Desirably, the blister card is provided with perforations or lines of weakness to aid removal of the battery. Thus, the closures may be defined by perforations in the blister card.
The invention is considered to be of particular advantage when the batteries are cylindrical batteries, for example of sizes AAA, AA, C or D. The invention may also be applied to the packaging of a plurality of 9V Block batteries. Typically, the package of the invention may be configured to contain two, four, six, eight, ten or more batteries in a single package.
In another embodiment, a package for batteries generally comprises a plurality of discrete compartments, with each compartment being configured for receiving a respective one of the batteries therein. At least one retention member is associated with each compartment for releasably retaining a respective battery therein upon initial insertion of the battery into the compartment for packaging of the batteries and upon reinsertion of the battery into the compartment following post-packaging removal of the battery from the compartment. An indicator is also associated with each compartment and is responsive to an initial post-packaging removal of the battery from the respective compartment to permanently indicate the initial post-packaging removal of the battery from the compartment upon subsequent reinsertion of the battery into the compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a battery package according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevation of the battery package of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the battery package of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the battery package of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the battery package corresponding to FIG. 4 and illustrating the removal of the battery;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a battery package according to a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a compartment of the battery package of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a battery package according to a third embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 9 illustrates the closures of the battery package of FIG. 8.
In the Figures, like reference numerals are used to identify corresponding components.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a point-of-sale package for batteries according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a cardboard blister card 1 to which is adhesively bonded a vacuum-formed blister 2 of transparent polyethylene teraphthalate (PET). The blister 2 is formed with, in this embodiment, four compartments 3, each sized and configured to receive a respective battery 4. The number of batteries stored in the package may, however, be any number greater than one. In the embodiment shown, the batteries 4 are AA size. It is understood, however, that the batteries may be AAA, C, D, 9V block, or other sizes.
As illustrated most clearly in FIG. 2, each compartment 3 surrounds a battery 4 on three of its longitudinal sides. On the fourth side, the blister 2 defines an opening in each compartment 3 which is covered by the blister card 1. The periphery of the opening in the compartment is defined by a substantially planar portion 5 of the blister 2. It is the substantially planar portion 5 of the blister 2 that is adhesively bonded to the blister card 1. In this way, each battery 4 is completely enclosed by the compartment 3 of the blister 2 in combination with the blister card 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, on the reverse of the blister card 1, perforations 6 are provided in the material of the blister card 1. The perforations 6 define a closure portion 7 of the blister card 1, which generally corresponds in size and location to the compartments 3 of the blister 2. The batteries 4 can be removed individually from the package by ripping open the closure portion 7 along the perforation 6, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In addition, each compartment 3 of the blister 2 is provided, as part of the molding, with a press button 8. The button 8 provides a visual guide to the consumer who can press against the button 8 to push the battery 4 against the closure portion 7 to break the perforations 6 and release the battery 4. It is not essential, however, for the blister to be provided with press buttons.
Each compartment 3 is also provided, as part of the molding, with two (in this case) opposed retaining projections 9, which project into the interior of the compartment 3. Each of the illustrated retaining projections 9 thus broadly define a retention member associated with the respective compartment for releasably retaining a battery in the compartment, both upon initial insertion of the battery into the compartment for packaging and upon subsequent reinsertion of the battery into the compartment following removal of the battery from the package. When the batteries 4 are located in the compartments 3, the projections 9 bear against the batteries 4 to retain the batteries 4 in the compartments 3, even if the closure portion 7 has been removed. However, the material of the blister 2 is sufficiently resilient that the batteries 4 can force the projections 9 outwardly when they are removed from the compartments 3. Similarly, a battery 4 can be pushed into an empty, open compartment 3 and the projections 9 will move outwardly to accommodate the battery 4 before returning to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to retain the battery 4 in the compartment 3. It is understood that the retaining projections 9 may have any suitable configuration, and that only one projection or more than two projections may be provided, as long as the projections releasably retain the battery within the compartment. It is also contemplated that the retention member may be other than projections that extend laterally into the compartment, such as projections that extend longitudinally into the compartment, seats formed in the compartment or other suitable structure that releasably retains the battery within the compartment upon reinsertion of the battery therein.
In this way, spent batteries can be stored for later disposal or recycling in the opened compartments 3 of the package. The fact that the closure portion 7 has been torn open or removed provides an indication to the consumer that such a battery is not fresh. Because each closure portion 7 is individually removable, used batteries can be stored in the compartments 3 while new batteries remain in compartments 3 with the closure portion 7 intact without any confusion between new and used batteries. The closure portion 7 thus broadly defines an indicator that is responsive to the initial post-packaging removal of the battery from its respective compartment so as to permanently indicate such an initial removal even though the battery may be subsequently reinserted into the compartment following use. It is contemplated that the indicator may be defined other than by a closure portion of the package, and may provide visual indication of the battery having been removed from the package other than by tearing open the closure portion, as long as the indicator permanently indicates that the battery has been initially removed from the package even upon reinsertion of the battery into the compartment.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the compartments 3 are formed as wells in a vacuum formed plastics tray 10. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the base of each compartment is formed with a generally central pivot projection 11, such that pressure on an end of the battery 4, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 7, causes the battery 4 to tip, as indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 7 and as illustrated in FIG. 6. This “see-saw” action aids in removal of the battery 4 from the compartment 3. The effect of the pivot projection 11 is to provide a deeper portion of the compartment at one end of the battery to allow the battery to tip under pressure as described. Consequently, the pivot projection 11 can take any suitable form that achieves this effect. For example, the pivot projection 11 could extend continuously to one end of the base of the compartment 3, as indicated by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 7.
In this embodiment of the invention, a paper seal strip 12 is provided across the upper open surfaces of the compartments 3 and acts as a partial closure of the compartments 3. The seal strip 12 is adhered to the portions of the tray 10 separating the compartments and to the edges of the tray 10, as illustrated in FIG. 6. As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the consumer presses the seal strip 12 covering a fresh battery 4, the seal strip 12 breaks as the battery 4 tips, as described above. The battery 4 can then be removed from the compartment 3, leaving the broken seal strip 12 as an indicator that a battery 4 has been removed from that compartment 3. Accordingly, the seal strip 12 of this embodiment broadly defines an indicator that is responsive to the initial post-packaging removal of the battery from its respective compartment so as to permanently indicate such an initial removal even though the battery may be subsequently reinserted into the compartment following use.
If a battery 4, for example a used battery 4 a is returned to an opened compartment 3, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the broken seal strip 12 provides an indicator that the battery 4 a is not the original battery 4 that was provided in that compartment 3. In this way, used batteries 4 a can be stored in the tray 10 alongside the new batteries 4 without any confusion between the two.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrated a third embodiment of the invention. This embodiment corresponds substantially to the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7. However, in this case, the compartments 3 of the tray 10 are not provided with a pivot projection 11. Further, the sealing strip 12 is covered with a transparent 20 plastics cover strip 13 which covers approximately two thirds of the open surface of each compartment. The cover strip 13 provides a respective closure portion 7 for each compartment 3. The closure portions 7 are separated by perforations 6 and the cover strip is bonded not only to the seal strip 12 but also to the upper surface of the tray 10. The batteries 4 are removed from the compartments 3 by pulling the end of the appropriate closure portion 7 to break the perforations 6. At the same time, the portion of the seal strip 12 attached to that cover portion 7 is also broken. The broken seal strip 12 and the broken perforations 6 provide a visual indication that the compartment has been accessed. The seal strip 12 and cover portion 7 of this embodiment thus each define an indicator that is responsive to the initial post-packaging removal of the battery from its respective compartment so as to permanently indicate such an initial removal even though the battery may be subsequently reinserted into the compartment following use. In this way, used batteries can be stored in the tray 10 alongside the new batteries 4 without any confusion between the two.
Although the invention has been described herein by reference to a specific example, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A package for batteries, the package comprising a plurality of discrete compartments, each compartment configured to retain a single respective battery, wherein each compartment is closed by a respective closure and each closure is individually openable to provide a permanent indication that the battery retained in the compartment has been accessed.

2. The package set forth in claim 1, wherein each closure is destructively openable to provide the permanent indication that the battery retained in the compartment has been accessed.

3. The package set forth in claim 1, wherein the compartment is configured to removably retain the battery when the closure has been opened.

4. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein the compartment and unopened closure in combination completely enclose the battery.

5. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein the package is a blister pack comprising a blister mounted to a blister card.

6. The package set forth in claim 5 wherein the closures are defined by perforations in the blister card.

7. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein the closure is in the form of a frangible sealing strip across the compartment.

8. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein the batteries are of a size selected from the group comprising AAA, AA, C, D and 9V Block.

9. A package for batteries, the package comprising a plurality of discrete compartments, each compartment configured to retain a single respective battery, wherein the compartments are closed by at least one closure and each compartment is configured to removably retain a battery when the closure has been opened.

10. The package set forth in claim 9 wherein the compartment and unopened closure in combination completely enclose the battery.

11. The package set forth in claim 9 wherein the package is a blister pack comprising a blister mounted to a blister card.

12. The package set forth in claim 11 wherein the closures are defined by perforations in the blister card.

13. The package set forth in claim 9 wherein the batteries are of a size selected from the group comprising AAA, AA, C, D and 9V Block.

14. A package for batteries, said package comprising:

a plurality of discrete compartments, each compartment being configured for receiving a respective one of the batteries therein;

at least one retention member associated with each compartment for releasably retaining a respective battery therein upon initial insertion of the battery into the compartment for packaging of the batteries and upon reinsertion of the battery into the compartment following post-packaging removal of the battery from the compartment; and

an indicator associated with each compartment and responsive to an initial post-packaging removal of the battery from the respective compartment to permanently indicate said initial post-packaging removal of the battery from the compartment upon subsequent reinsertion of the battery into the compartment.

15. The package set forth in claim 14 wherein the indicator comprises a closure configured in a closed position for closing the respective compartment for packaging, said closure being permanently configured in an open configuration following initial post-packaging removal of the battery from the compartment to permanently indicate said initial post-packaging removal of the battery from the compartment upon subsequent reinsertion of the battery into the compartment.

16. The package set forth in claim 15 wherein the compartment and unopened closure in combination completely enclose the battery.

17. The package set forth in claim 15 wherein the package is a blister pack comprising a blister mounted to a blister card.

18. The package set forth in claim 17 wherein the closures are defined by perforations in the blister card.

19. The package set forth in claim 15 wherein the closure is in the form of a frangible sealing strip across the compartment.

20. The package set forth in claim 14 wherein the batteries are of a size selected from the group comprising AAA, AA, C, D and 9V Block.