US2945586A

US2945586A - Reclosable plastic bubble package

Info

Publication number: US2945586A
Application number: US759524A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mackes Harold
Original assignee: Binney and Smith Inc
Current assignee: Binney and Smith Inc
Priority date: 1958-09-08
Filing date: 1958-09-08
Publication date: 1960-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 1977-07-19

Description

United States Patent y2,945,586 lPLAS'IIC B'IBB'ILE PACKAGE Harold Mackes, Nazareth, Pa., assgnor .to Binney `& Smith Inc., New York, NY., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 759,524 comme (cuts-478) This 4invention relates .generally to packaging and more particularly to reclosable plastic bubble 'or -blister packages.

Packages of -Ia composite type combining a base 'and an expanded transparent 4plastic bubble are widely used. they not only 'enable examination of -the contents by the purchaser, but they enhance the attractiveness lof the package by the vdisplay of the merchandise contained therein. Such packages are, however, open to the objection that removing the contents frequently results Ain the destruction of 'the package so that it is ynot capable of reuse.

It is therefore among the objects ofthe present invention to provide animproved structure of the class -described wherein not .only are the contents of the container fully visible at the time of purchase, but they remain visible during ensuing reuse of the container.

A feature of the invent-ion resides in the fact that the present package is especially useful in connection with contents such as marking or drawing 'crayons so that the various colors of the crayons are visible through the transparent portion of the package and 'are removable and replaceable by a simple manipulation v'of Ia part `'of the Package. l

Another object herein lies in the provisin 'of a reuseable visible type containerremploying a minimum of parts so that the same may be manufactured in large scale at low cost, having a consequent lwide sale, distribution and use. 4

Another object herein is to provide a reusable blister or bubble type package which is easily and quickly 'packed in its original state wit-hout yany substantial departure from the normal steps for filling such packages.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a reclosable plastic bubble package having a closure element and lato-hing means therewith to substantially prevent accidental opening of the package.

These objects and other incidental ends land advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is -a view in perspective showing a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the embodiment shown on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the plane 3-3 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen from the plane 4--4 on Figure 1.

Figure 5 is yan enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view as might be seen from the plane 6--6 on Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken from the plane 7-7 on Figure 5.

In accordance with the invention, and particularly the Patented July 19, 1960 `ice 2l and 22, a top edge 23 land Ia bottom edge 24. TheV frame element 14 may have -

side edges

25 and 26, a top edge 27 and a bottom edge 28. -Eleme'nt 14 may be composed of materialsi-milar to that in the base kelement and, .as Ashown in the drawings, be integral with the base e-lement 142 being joined thereto by the fold 30.

The closure element 16 preferably has Ia tongue portion 32 anda wall portion 33. The closure element 16 is .preferably lintegral with the frame `element 14 and joined thereto along the closure fold 34.

The body element 18 affords great utiiity when the same is formed from suitable plastic material, as for example, synthetic resin, and may include a front wall 38 which `is disposedl out olf the plane of the flange portion 39, forming the juncture 42. The juncture 42 preferably extends around approximately 270 and is of such size and shape that it 'may substantially abut against the inner edge 44 of the frame element 14. The lower ,portion of the front wall 38 is provided with a raised lip 46 whose general shape is complementary to the free edge 45 of the tongue portion 32. The inner surface of the lip 46 is spaced from the plane ofthe inner surface of the front wall 38 adjacent thereto `and spaced from the contents 50 so as to provide a pocket between the inner surface of the raised lip `46 and the contents 50 for vthe disengagea-ble reception of the tongue portion 32 of the closure element 16. By the predetermination of this distance or .spacing between the outer surface of the contents 50 and the inner surface of the lip 46, in

correlation to the effective thickness of the tongue portion 32, Aa predetermined lamount of friction may be oblt'ainedfthereat which is sufcient Vto hold the closure element in its closed position as desired, and yet which will permit the user to withdraw the tongue portion 32 thereby opening the same to permit removal of one or more of the contents 50 (see dot-'dash lines on Figure 3). In opening the closure element 1'6, the same may unfold about the bend 48, the Wall portion 33 lalso shifting about the fold 34 from its closed position, where it obstructs downward movement of the contents 50 as viewed in Figure 3, to afford acces-s to the interior of the body element 18.

Original assembly is a quick Iand simple manner. 'Ilhe body element 18 is placed within the edge 44 so to project through the frame element 14. The tongue member 32 is placed with its outer surface engaging the inner surface of the raised lip 46. Then with the body element 18 preferably in a flat, downward position, the contents 50 are placed therewithin. Following this the base element 12 and the frame element 14 yare juxtaposed and suitable retaining means 49, such as staples are put in place to hold the parts together. Thus, the package 10 may be loaded initially either through the opening formed when the closure element 16 is opened, or in the manner described. While the contents, by way of example, have been shown to be a plurality of crayons and the body element has been shaped to conform therewith, it will be obvious to those skilled in the -art -to which the present invention relates that other contents may 'be used and the lbody element complemental-ily shaped provided that la sufiicient portion of the contents extends into the area of the opening outwardly of the lip so that support is rendered to the tongue portion when in the closed position thereof.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the inveno tion illustrated in Figures to 7, inclusive, for the purpose of avoiding needless repetition certain of the parts corresponding to the rst embodiment are given the same reference characters with the addition of the prefix 2. Y

The `second embodiment dilers from the rst embodiment essentially in the provision of latching means 260 which serves to provide substantially greater resistance to opening than does the rst embodiment. As best seen in Figure 6, the tongue portion 232 of the closure element 216 at the edges 261 is provided with cut-out portions 262 and these coact with inwardly directed projections 263, on the body element 218.

The projections 263 may be small dome-like protuberances, the convex surfaces of which extend inwardly to become disposed within the indentations 262, land are preferably formed by a distortion or extrusion of the wall of body element 218.

When the tongue portion 232 is moved in the direction of the doublepointed arrow A on Figure 6 the resiliency of the raised lip 246 is utilized and/or the resiliency of the tongue portion 232 is utilized to permit deection of the parts to `an unlatched position thereof.

It may thus be seen that I have provided -a novel and useful reclosable plastic bubble package construction in which a minimum of parts lare required to produce a structure having the advantages of known blister packaging and yet which allows convenient reuse.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of structure shown and described in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the yart to which the present invention relates.

I claim:

1. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a frame element having an opening, a body element receivable in said opening, said body element having front and side walls and terminating at one end in an opening forming an entrance to said body element; a base element associated with said frame element; a movable closure element on said frame element adjacent said opening and having 4at least two positions, one in which said closure element is engaged with the inner surface of said front wall to close said entrance and another position in which the closure element is spaced from said front wall to afford a passage through said entrance to the area between the body element and said base element.

2. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a frame element having an opening, a body element receivable in said opening, said body element having a free edge with a raised lip spaced from said frame element forming an entrance to said body element; a base element yassociated with said frame element; a movable closure element on said'frame element having at least two positions, one in which said closure element engages the inner surface of said raised lip, and lanother position in which the closure element is spaced `from said lip to afford a passage through vsaid entrance to the area between the body element and said base element.

3. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a 'frame element having an opening, a body ele ment receivable in said opening, said body element having front and side Walls and terminating at one end in an opening forming an entrance to said body element; a base element associated with said frame element; a movable'closure elementen Vsaid rframe element adjacent said opening and having at least two positions, one in which said closure element is engaged with the inner surface of said front wall to close said entrance and another position in which the closure element is spaced from said front wall to afford a passage through said entrance to the area between the body element and said base element, land latch means associated with said closure element and said front wall.

4. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a frame element having an opening, -a body element receivable in said opening, said body opening having a'free edge with a raised lip spaced from said frame element forming an entrance to said body element; a base element associated with said frame element; a mov-` able closure element on said frame element having at least two positions, one in which said closure element engages the inner surface of said raised lip, and another position in which said closure element is spaced from said edge to afford ya passage through said entrance to the area between the body element and said base element, and latch means associated with said closure element and said raised lip.

vReferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,833,405 Del Nero s May 6,