US3912079A

US3912079A - Three dimensional shrink film display package

Info

Publication number: US3912079A
Application number: US516194A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Donald H Selchow
Original assignee: International Paper Co
Current assignee: International Paper Co
Priority date: 1974-10-21
Filing date: 1974-10-21
Publication date: 1975-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-14
Also published as: CA1024476A

Abstract

Container and blank therefor for forming a package in which an article is securely held while being displayed in a highly visible manner. The article cannot be removed from the container without damage or destruction of the latter thereby affording a substantial protection against pilferage of the displayed article. Package is designed to stand firmly, in effect, on three feet on counter or shelf and is substantially larger than enclosed article thus making theft of package more difficult. Blank for container is formed from a single sheet of board divided into six panels by five parallel score lines with article-surrounding openings centered on the first, third and fifth score lines. For securing the article each opening is provided with a window of shrinkable plastic sheet material or, in an alternate form with an article retaining band integral with the blank. Completed package presents unique eye-catching appearance due to fact that it comprises three radially extending wings centered on article with openings displaying at least about one-third of the side and top surfaces of the article almost irrespective of angle of view. For shipping purposes the threewinged packages may be readily and compactly fitted into shipping case.

Description

' United States Patent [191 Selchow, Jr.

[4 1 Oct..14, 1975 THREE DIMENSIONAL SHRINK FILM DISPLAY PACKAGE Donald H. Selchow, Jr., Monroe,

[75] Inventor: I

[73] Assignee: International Paper Company, New

York, NY.

[22] Filed: Oct. 21, I974 [21] Appl. No.: 516,194

[52] US. Cl. 206/463; 206/489; 206/497;

229/16 D [51] Int. Cl. B65D 73/00 [58] Field of Search 206/45. 14, 4533-4534,

206/461-463, 466, 479, 488-489, 497; 229/14 C, DIG. 12; 248/150, 152

Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, or Firmlames D. Bock [5 7] ABSTRACT Container and blank therefor for forming a package in which an article is securely held while being displayed in a highly visible manner. The article cannot be removed from the container without damage or destruction of the latter thereby affording a substantial protection against pilferage of the displayed article. Package is designed to stand firmly, in effect, on three feet on counter or shelf and is substantially larger than enclosed article thus making theft of package more difficult. Blank for container is formed from a single sheet of board divided into six panels by five parallel score lines with article-surrounding openings centered on the first, third and fifth score lines. For securing the article each opening is provided with a window of shrinkable plastic sheet material or, in an alternate form with an article retaining band integral with the blank. Completed package presents unique eyecatching appearance due to fact that it comprises three radially extending wings centered on article with openings displaying at least about one-third of the side and top surfaces of the article almost irrespective of angle of view. For shipping purposes the three-winged packages may be readily and compactly fitted into shipping case.

17 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of8 3,912,079

Sheet 2 of 8 3,912,079

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 3 of 8 3,912,079

U.S.Patent Oct. 14, 1975 U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 4 of 8 3,912,079

U.S. Patent )ct.14,1975 Sheet50f8 3,912,079

Sheet 6 of 8 3,912,079

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 US. Patent 00:. 14, 1975 Sheet 7 of8 3,912,079

THREE DIMENSIONAL SHRINK FILM DISPLAY PACKAGE BACKGROUND An early example of package in which contents are firmly held and displayed by transparent plastic film is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,491,424 granted Dec. 13, 1949 to Stalter. In this patent cardboard blanks are provided with openings spanned by stretchable plastic film which is heated and stretched to form pockets for receiving contents to be enclosed and displayed. The completed package is essentially a two-ply cardboard sheet folded or laminated around the contents which are thereafter displayed in bulging transparent pockets approximately centered in the plane of the cardboard.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,540 granted Mar. 16, 1965 to Lapides a similar flat cardboard blank is folded into a two ply configuration with the contents bulging outwardly and enclosed in a heat-shrinkable transparent plastic film. When the package is closed about the contents the film may be permitted to stretch to accommodate the contents and thereafter be heat shrunk to firmly and smoothly fit the contents. Alternatively, the film may be pre-stretched to approximate shape of the contents, the package is then folded and secured around the contents and, finally, the shrinkable plastic film is heated'to firmly and smoothly fit the contents.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,234 granted July 5, 1966 to Wood a container is disclosed for flower blossoms which is made up of two separate blanks having display openings so arranged that when put together and set up the container comprises four radially extending wings centered upon the space in which the contents are to be placed and displayed. The completed package is self-standing, in effect, on four feet.

The packages shown in said U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,491,424 and 3,173,540 are not self-standing and packages of this general type are usually hung on a special rack or, otherwise, are merely laid flat and rather poorly displayed on counter or shelf. US. Pat. No. 3,382,970 granted May 14, 1968 is rather typical of efforts in the past to provide a base or feet upon which the usual twoply bulge package may stand for display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention, while not limited thereto, is particularly desirable for the display packaging of relatively small relatively expensive items such as lipsticks, perfume or cologne sprays, anti-perspirants in roll-on or spray dispensers and the like. Such articles are usually attractive in appearance and frequently have brand names or other visual features which result in product recognition, whereby display of the item or product itself is desirable. However, the small size of the products makes them relatively easy for shoplifters to conceal. Furthermore, in the usual retail display of many similar products from various manufacturers, product recognition is made difficult. The present invention provides a display package which substantially increases the effective size of such products making them stand out in an assortment of similar products and making them much more difficult to steal. The package, while still displaying the product itself also affords substantial areas for imprinting of graphic displays, decorations, brandnames, special price offers and the like.

The package and the blank and container from which it is formed comprises, essentially, a single sheet of cardboard or the like which may be shipped flat to the user and then readily folded from the flat into a threewinged display package without need for unusual packaging equipment.

The blank consists of a single sheet divided into six panels of equal area by five parallel score lines. Product display openings are centered on the first, third and fifth score lines whereby when the blank is folded zigzag fashion it assumes a three-winged conformation with the openings registering with one another along a common central fold line. The openings may be spanned by a heat shrinkable plastic film or by integral cardboard bands as may be preferred.

The plastic film windows may be formed from a single sheet laminated to the entire area of one surface of the blank or may comprise separate spot pasted sheets individually spanning the openings. When the container, with plastic film windows, is to be assembled with the product to be packaged, the plastic windows may be first stretched under heat to pre-form them approximately to the product, or particularly with small, smooth products the film may be stretched cold around the product as an incident to folding of the blank.

The blank folded and fitted to the product may be secured by adhesive in any of several manners as will be described. In all cases wherein heat-shrinkable plastic windows are provided the completed and secured package is finally exposed to heat for a period sufficient to shrink the film smoothly and firmly to the contour of the product.

In an alternative form the blank is not provided with plastic film windows but instead has formed therein integral straps or bands which extend transversely across each product display opening in the blank. When such a blank is folded around a product the straps will bulge outwardly to form a quite snugly fitting girdle completely encircling the product while concealing only a small portion of the surface of the product.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking downwardly upon a preferred form of package embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inner surface of the blank from which the package of FIG. 1 is erected;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing pre-shaping which may be applied to the product containing pockets;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view looking downwardly upon the blank and showing the blank partially folded toward erected position and showing, in broken lines, a product being assembled with the blank;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a second preferred form of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 88 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing said second preferred form of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing said second preferred form of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing said second preferred form of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a third preferred form of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 14-14 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing said third preferred form of the present invention; and

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line l616 in FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown one preferred form of a completed package 10 including a generally cylindrical product 12 which is enclosed and displayed in accordance with the present invention. The product 12, for example, may be a cosmetic item such as a bottle of perfume or a container of spray or roll-on deodorant, or a lipstick or the like, it being understood that the product need not be perfectly cylindrical, as illustrated, and usually will have some surface features, such as a joint between body and cover, and may be somewhat tapered or flared or otherwise shaped for styling, product recognition or functional reasons. The container which encloses the product 12 to form package 10 is made from a single blank which is a composite of paperboard, such as bleached sulphate board, and transparent shrinkable plastic film such as a polyvinyl chloride film designed to shrink at least about in one or, preferably both axial directions at moderately elevated temperature. The container is folded around the product, and adhesively secured in folded position after which the shrinkable plastic is heat shrunk into firm engagement with the product.

As shown in said FIGS. 1 and 2 the completed package 10 comprises three

wings

14, 16 and 18 which extend radially outward from the central axis of the product 12, the angular spacing between wings being equal, that is 120. Each of the

wings

14, 16 and 18 is made up of two plies of paperboard, each ply having window portions closed by shrinkable plastic film indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The fold lines which define the three

wings

14, 16 and 18 are brought together generally along a line which coincides with the central axis of the product 12 and the heat-shrunk plastic film holds and displays the product 12 floating in the transparent film, thus making the packaged product 12 highly visible. From a consideration of FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be apparent that when viewed from various angles, at least about one-third and up to about two thirds of the area of the surface of the product 12 will be visible.

The container forming a part of the package shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be better understood upon consideration of FIGS. 3 through 6 in which one preferred form of the blank for the container and one procedure for the assembly of the blank with the product are shown.

Referring first to FIG. 3 a blank 22 comprising a sheet 23 of rectangular configuration and made of paperboard, for example a bleached sulphate board or caliper appropriate for the size and weight of product to be packaged, is divided into six panels by five parallel and equally spaced

score lines

24, 26, 28, 30 and 32. The resulting

panels

34, 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 are paired in the

sequence

34, 36 etc. for definition of windows and are paired in the

sequence

44, 34, etc. for the formation of the

wings

14, 16 and 18 respectively.

The blank 22, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is completed and ready for assembly with a product 12. The upper surface of the blank 22 as shown in said FIGS. 3 and 4 is the surface destined to become the inner surface in the assembled package. Therefore, any decorative finish or printed matter which it is desired to show on the assembled package will be applied to the under surface of the blank 22 as shown in said FIGS. 3 and 4. The sequence of operations by which the blank 22 is brought to such completed form will vary in accordance with the manufacturers desire or available equipment but in a general sense it will be apparent that the blanks may be cut and scoredor printed, out and scored as individual sheets or in groups formed in master sheets, from which they are later stripped, or in webs, from which they are progressively stripped, all as well known in the art. The application of adhesive materials and the spotting of the shrinkable plastic film on the blanks, as will be described in connection with the completed blank 22, may be effected by the use of any of several well known procedures and forms of equipment.

Referring now to FIG. 3 and particularly to the central pair of

panels

38 and 40 it will be noted that a rectangular window 46 is centered upon the crease line 28. The paperboard originally positioned in the area of window 46 has been completely out out and removed during the conventional cutting, creasing and stripping operations just discussed. A rectangular sheet 48 of suitable shrinkable transparent plastic film having dimensions somewhat greater than those of the window 46 is adhesively secured to the blank 22 in centered relationship over the window 46 by the use of any suitable spotting procedure as discussed above.

Preferably, to secure the film sheet 48 relative to window 46, a rectangular pattern of adhesive material 50 is printed in accurate registry so as to surround the periphery of the window 46. Preferably also, all four of the inner peripheral edges of the adhesive pattern 50, like the left-hand vertically extending edge 52 and upper horizontally extending edge 54 revealed by the break-away of film sheet 48 in FIG. 2, are spaced outwardly from the corresponding peripheral edges of window 46. This leaves the film sheet 48 free of adhesive binding to the blank 22 along a narrow zone which surrounds all four edges of the window 46. As is well known in the art, the provision of such unadhered zone substantially reduces undesirable concentration of stresses in the film sheet 48 when the sheet is subjected to stretching and shrinking steps such as will be described below.

A rectangular window 56 identical with window 46 is centered around the crease line 24 separating the pair of

panels

34 and 36 and such window 56 is provided with a shrinkable plastic film sheet 58 secured by adhesive 60 all as described above in connection with window 46.

A rectangular window 62 also identical with window 46 is centered upon the crease line 32 separating the pair of

panels

42 and 44 and such window 62 is provided with a shrinkable plastic film sheet 63 secured by adhesive 64 all as described above in connection with window 46.

The blank 22 with the

shrinkable plastic sheets

46, and 63 adhesively secured thereto, as described above,

may now be shipped flat from the manufacturer to a user, leaving it to the user to apply additional adhesive for holding the package in assembled position. This procedure will be discussed below. However, for the preferred form of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, it is assumed that the manufacturer of the blank also will apply a potentially active adhesive which may be activated by the user when the blank is assembled with a'product to form a package. Solventactivable, contact-activable or heat-activable adhesives are available in multitudinous-forms and, in general, are applicable here.

Thus, in FIGS. 3 and 4, a layer of potentially available adhesive 66 is shown extending over substantially the entire area of the inner surface of blank 22 except those areas which are covered by the

plastic film sheets

48, 58 and 63. The adhesive layer 66 therefore may be printed upon the surface of the blank 22 by a suitable printing device (not shown) having open spaces to conform approximately to the areas of the

film sheets

48, 58 and 63 to which adhesive is not to be applied and having printing surfaces otherwise covering the entire area of blank 22. When adhesive such as layer 66 is applied by the blank manufacturer it is permitted to dry or cool as the case may be and the blank 22 may then be shipped flat to the user.

Referring now to FIG. 5 it may be desired by the user of blank 22 to pre-form the heat shrinkable plastic film which spans the

windows

46, 56 and 62 approximately to the shape of the article 12 to be packaged. If so, the blank 22 may be placed upon a suitable vacuum forming device (not shown) wherein the film is heated from above and suction is applied from below to stretch the

portions

48, 58 and 63 of the plastic film into a bulged conformation such as shown in FIG. 5. As is well known the suction forming device is normally provided with pockets with porous walls which serve to form the plastic film to the shape of the pockets during this vacuum forming step. In the case of the blank shown in FIG. 5 each

portion

48, 58 and 63 of the plastic film is vacuum formed to constitute approximately one-third of a cylinder generally corresponding in size with the article 12 to be packaged.

In FIG. 6 a step in the assembly of container blank 22 with an article 12 is illustrated. The pre-formed portions of

plastic film sheets

48, 58 and 63 are shown as pockets bulging rearwardly of FIG. 6. The panels separated by the first, third and

fifth fold lines

24, 28 and 32 are shown partially folded along those lines rearwardly of FIG. 6 while the panels separated by the second and

fourth fold lines

26 and 30 are shown partially folded along those lines forwardly of FIG. 6. The article 12 to be packaged is shown inserted into the central pocket formed by film 48 and folding is then continued to bring the film pockets 58 and 63 into registry with article 12. This action also brings the interior surfaces with potential adhesive 66 into face to face contact, the package thus assuming the conformation shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The adhesive 66 is now activated as by applying heat and pressure to the outer surfaces of each ofthe three

wings

14, 16 and 18 (FIG. 1). When the adhesive 66 has set with the parts secured in this conformation the heat shrinkable film in

pockets

48, 58 and 63 is next exposed to heat at a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the film to shrink into smooth and secure conformation to the article 12. As is well known the heat shrinking step may be performed by directing jets of heated air upon the film or by exposure of the film or the entire package to radiant heat. In any event the films customarily used in the now welldeveloped art of shrink packaging will shrink very rapidly at temperatures well below those at which the heat sealed adhesive 66 holding the package together will be adversely affected. The demands of the present invention are not exacting insofar as the selection of a shrinkable plastic film is concerned. In general films such as polyvinyl chlorides which are oriented to shrink biaxially anywhere from about 20% to 50% or more will be found satisfactory. It will be apparent also that films oriented to shrink only along one axis may be used if care is taken to so align the shrink axis as to fall circumferentially of the article 12.

The completed package 10 as shown in FIG. 1 may be packed in suitable groups for shipment in shipping cases, with or without dividers dependent upon the size, weight, value and fragility of the particular article 12 contained therein.

From a consideration of FIGS. 1 and 6 it will be seen that the

panels

34 and 44 are adhesively secured in face-to-face relation by adhesive 66 to form the wing 14 and that

panels

36, 38 and 40, 42 respectively,

form wings

16 and 18. Fold

lines

26 and 30 become outer folds in the completed package. Fold

lines

24, 28 and 32 become inner fold lines which substantially coincide to form the central axis of the package. With the overall adhesive pattern 66 shown in FIG. 4 it will be apparent that the paperboard will be firmly secured together in all face-to-face areas including the areas above and below article 12 and adjacent to and extending around the coinciding

inner fold lines

24, 28 and 32. These latter areas are of particular importance inasmuch as unless they are firmly adhesively secured the

inner fold lines

24, 28 and 32 might tend to peel apart or open away from one another resulting in a loose package. As will be described below other patterns of adhesive application may be used but this essential feature must be kept in mind.

For display purposes it is preferred that the

windows

46, 56 and 62 (FIG. 3) be cut to a size somewhat greater than the minimum needed to accommodate the article 12. Thus, in the completed package as shown in FIG. 1 the article 12 will float in the transparent plastic film (identified by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 1 only) to further enhance the visibility of the article. Obviously the windows could be cut to precise size to fit accurately with the article if the resulting appearance, which might convey an expression of greater security, is preferred.

In FIGS. 7 through 12 a second preferred form of the present invention is illustrated. This form differs in two respects from that shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 and the following description will be limited, insofar as practicable, to those differences. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the only apparent difference lies in the adhesive pattern 166 which serves to hold the

wings

114, 116 and 118 in position to form the completed package which includes an article 112.

Referring now to FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 the blank 122 for package 110 is shown as comprising a rectangular sheet 123 of paperboard, which may be identical with the sheet 23 in FIG. 1, and heat shrinkable plastic film, generally indicated at 120, which in this embodiment is laminated to the entire area of the inner surface of paperboard 123 after the latter has been cut and scored or printed, cut and scored. Thus, in FIGS. 9 and 10 the paperboard sheet 123 is scored along

lines

124, 126, 128, I30 and 132 to define

panels

134, 136, 138, 140, 142 and 144. Cut-out

openings

146, 156 and 162 are centered upon the score lines 124, 128 and 132 all as described above in connection with FIG. 3. A single sheet of heat-shrinkable plastic film 120 is laminated to the upper surface (as viewed in FIG. 9) of the cut and scored paperboard sheet 123 by suitable adhesive (polyvinyl alcohol when the film is polyvinyl chloride, for example) thus providing windows of plastic film 148, I58 and 163 which span, respectively, the

openings

146, 156 and 162. These windows are identical in purpose and function with those described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 6.

The adhesive, generally indicated at 166, may be applied by the manufacturer of the blank in potentially activable form, as described above or may be left for the package-user to apply, as will be discussed below. Assuming manufacturer application of the adhesive 166 is preferably a heat activable material of any type suitable for bonding with the film 120. The pattern of application of the adhesive 166 illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 12 is regarded as a practical minimum in contrast with the overall pattern disclosed in FIGS. 1 through 6. Thus, considering first the

central panels

138 and 140 in FIG. 9 it will be noted that the adhesive pattern consists generally of two horseshoe shaped applications partially embracing the upper and lower ends of the window 148. These pattern applications consist of a horizontal bar 167 of adhesive extending from a point short of score line 126 across score line 128 and terminating short of score line 130. From the ends of the bars 167

vertical bars

169 and 171 extend toward but terminate short of an imaginary horizontal center line of the blank 122. Since in the erected package as shown in FIG. 7 the fold formed on score line 128 is one of those which fall on the central axis of the package the bar 167 of adhesive serves to firmly hold the

panels

138 and 140 together along that fold. This is essential, as explained above.

Considering next the

panels

134, 136 and 142, 144, as shown in FIG. 9 the adhesive 166 is applied in a pattern generally similar to that just described. Thus horizontal bars 173 and vertical bars 175 of adhesive are positioned to mate and bond with corresponding portions of the horizontal bar 167 and

vertical bars

169 and 171 respectively on

panels

138 and 140 to form

wings

116 and 118 of the completed package. The horizontal bars 173 on

panels

134 and 144 extend to the end edges of these panels and vertical bars 177 extend along such edges, terminating short of the imaginary horizontal center line of the blanks 122. In the completed package the

panels

134 and 144 form the wing 114 and the adhesive bars 177 just described are positioned as to mate and bond along substantial lengths of the cut edges comprising the end edges of the

panels

134 and 144. In this manner the wing 114 is firmly held in desired position. The horizontal bars 173 on

panels

134 and 132 mate and bond with each other in wing 114. Since the bars 173 extend across

score lines

124 and 132 they will mate and bond with corresponding portions of the bar 167 thus firmly holding the central folds formed along these

score lines

124 and 132 in the required coincidence with the central fold formed along score line 128.

In FIG. 11, there is illustrated the pre-forming of pockets of the plastic film in

windows

148, 158 and 163. If this step is included it is identical with that described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 6.

FIG. 12 shows the blank 122 of FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 in partially erected position. From observation of this FIG. 12 the manner in which the adhesive patterns, just described, will mate and bond will be apparent. The procedure for completing the package from the position shown in FIG. 12 is identical with that already described in connection with FIG. 6.

It will be apparent that in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 through 12 the adhesive may be applied to the plastic film in an overall (excluding windows) pattern as shown at 66 in FIGS. 1 through 6 instead of the somewhat minimum pattern just described. Also, the pattern shown in FIGS. 6 through 12 may be used in the form shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 since this somewhat minimum pattern will be equally as effective where paperboard surfaces are to be adhesively bonded as it is where plastic film surfaces are to be adhesively bonded.

In FIGS. 13 through 16 a third preferred form of the present invention is shown in which no shrinkable plastic film is employed. Referring first to FIGS. 15 and 16 a blank 222 is shown which comprises only a paperboard sheet 223 of rectangular conformation which has been cut and scored or printed, cut and scored in a manner which is identical except in one respect with the forming of the

paperboard sheets

23 and 123 described above. Thus the blank 222 is divided into six

panels

234, 236, 238, 240, 242 and 244 by

parallel score lines

224, 226, 228 and 230.

Article receiving openings

246, 256 and 262 are cut out as in the preceding forms but in each case an article retaining band is left integral with the paperboard stock and extending across each opening generally centrally thereof.

Thus, in opening 256 there is an integral band 280 having an extension of score line 224 extending transversely of the horizontal length thereof.

Similar bands

282 and 284 are positioned in

openings

246 and 262 respectively, with extensions of

score lines

228 and 232 formed therein. If desired a score line 286 may be formed along the intersection of each of the ends of the

bands

280, 282 and 284 with the adjacent region of the paperboard 223.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 a continuous pattern of adhesive 266 is printed or otherwise formed on the upper surface of the paperboard 223 excepting the upper surfaces of the

bands

280, 282 and 284. If this adhesive 266 is to be applied by the manufacturer it will comprise a potentially activable material whereby the blanks, completed as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 may be shipped flat to the package-user as has been discussed above.

When the package-user assembles a blank 222 with an article 212 the blank will be folded around the article in the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 6 or FIG. 12 and the adhesive 266 will be activated to secure the package 210 in completed condition as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. In this operation the

bands

280, 282 and 284 each will bulge outwardly and together will surround and retain the article 212 in the completed package. In order to remove the article 212 from the package 210 it will be necessary to break at least one of the bands and thereafter to swing at least one of the

wings

214, 216 or 218 away from the broken band before an opening is made large enough for the removal of the article.

While an overall pattern of adhesive 266 has been shown in FIGS. 13 through 16 it willbe readily understood that a pattern such as shown at 166 in FIGS. 7 through 12 may be used.

In all of'the description above it has been assumed that the adhesive 66, 166 or 266 will have been applied to the blank by the blank manufacturer and that the adhesive will be of a potentially activable type. It will be quite apparent that certain packager-users may prefer. to apply the adhesive as an incident to assembling the blanks with the articles to be packaged. In that event the user may follow any of the patterns suggested herein and may use aqueous or other solvent based adhesives whether they require heat and pressure or pressure alone or contact alonefor final bonding. This broadens the field of suitable adhesives and may result in some reduction in cost, when suitable clamping equipment is available, since in some instances adhesives such as starch, silica and the like may be used.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used in terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

The terms generally cylindrical used in the claims to define the shape of the article to be packaged in accordance with this invention are intended to cover articles not only of the cylindrical conformation illustratively shown herein and the tapered or contoured articles already mentioned but also to cover articles with five or six or more sides or articles with vertically or horizontally extending ribs or flutes or articles of spoollike or other wasp-waisted appearance.

Similarly the terms generally rectangular used in the claims to define the shape of the blank and of the container-surrounding openings formed in the blank are intended to cover square blanks or square openings as well as the shapes illustrated in the drawings. Also, it will be apparent that the generally rectangular blanks or openings may have curved or scalloped or otherwise decoratively treated edges instead of the straight edges illustrated herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A blank for forming a container, comprising a single rectangular sheet of material such as paperboard having five parallel and equally spaced score lines formed therein to divide said sheet into six identical panels, said sheet having three identical articlesurrounding openings cut out therefrom and centered respectively on the first, third and fifth of said parallel score lines, and article retaining means extending entirely across each of said openings at least in a direction which is normal to said parallel score lines.

2. A blank in accordance with claim 1 in which potentially activable adhesive material is applied to at least a portion of one surface of each of said six panels for securing of said blank in a predetermined erected condition.

3. A blank in accordance with claim 1 in which said article retaining means comprises heat shrinkable plastic film adhesively secured to said paperboard sheet.

4. A blank in accordance with claim 3 in which said plastic film spans the entire area of each of said articlesurrounding openings.

5. A blank in accordance with claim 4 in which said plastic film comprises three separate generally rectangular sheets each secured to said paperboard sheet by lines of adhesive which encompass the entire periphery of each of the said article-surrounding openings.

6. A blank in accordance with claim 4 in which said plastic film consists of a single sheet laminated to said paperboard sheet and spanning each of said article- 'surrounding openings.

7. A blank in accordance with claim 1 in which said article retaining means comprises relatively narrow bands integral with said paperboard sheet and extending across each of said article-surrounding openings.

8. A container for generally cylindrical articles, comprising a blank including a single generally rectangular sheet of material such as paperboard having five parallel and equally spaced score lines formed therein and which are also parallel with opposite edges of said p aperboard sheet to divide said sheet into six identical panels, said sheet having three identical articlesurrounding openings cut out therefrom and centered respectively on the first, third and fifth of said parallel score lines, article retaining means extending entirely across each of said openings at least in a direction which is normal to said parallel score lines, said blank being folded zig-zag fashion to bring each of the two pairs of panels which lie on opposite sides of the second and fourth of said parallel score lines into face-to-face contact and to bring as a pair the two panels which lie respectively between said first score line and the adjacent one of said opposite edges and between said fifth score line and the adjacent other one of said opposite edges into face-to-face contact, thereby bringing the folds formed along said first, third and fifth score lines into substantial registry along a single line constituting a central axis of said container, and means for adhesively securing all of said pairs of panels in said face-toface contact to form three equally angularly spaced wings extending radially from said central axis.

9. A container in accordance with claim 8 in which said article retaining means comprises heat shrinkable plastic film adhesively secured to said paperboard sheet.

10. A container in accordance with claim 9 in which said plastic film comprises three separate generally rectangular sheets each secured to said paperboard sheet by lines of adhesive material which encompass the entire periphery of each of said article-surrounding openings.

11. A container in accordance with claim 9 in which said plastic film consists of a single sheet laminated to said paperboard sheet and spanning each of said article-surrounding openings.

12. A container in accordance with claim 8 in which said article retaining means comprises relatively narrow bands integral with said paperboard sheet and extending across each of said article-surrounding openings.

13. A package comprising a container and a generally cylindrical article secured within said container, said container comprising a blank including a single generally rectangular sheet of material such as paperboard having five parallel and equally spaced score lines formed therein and which are also parallel with opposite edges of said paperboard sheet to divide said sheet into six identical panels, said sheet having three identical article-surrounding openings cut out therefrom and centered respectively on the first, third and fifth of said parallel score lines, article retaining means extending entirely across each of said openings at least in a direction which is normal to said parallel score lines, said blank being folded zigzag fashion around said article to bring each of the two pairs of panels which lie on opposite sides of the second and fourth of said parallel score lines into face-to-face contact and to bring as a pair the two panels which lie respectively between said first score line and the adjacent one of said opposite edges and between said fifth score line and the adjacent other one of said opposite edges into face-toface contact, thereby bringing the folds formed along said first, third and fifth score lines into substantial registry along a single line constituting the cylindrical axis of said article, and means for adhesively securing all of said pairs of panels in said face-to-face contact to form three equally angularly spaced wings extending from said cylindrical axis, and said article retaining means serving to hold said article within said articlesurrounding openings.

14. A package in accordance with claim 13 in which said article retaining means comprises heat shrinkable plastic film adhesively secured to said paperboard sheet.

15. A package in accordance with claim 14 in which said plastic film comprises three separate generally rectangular sheets each secured to said paperboard sheet by lines of adhesive material which encompass the entire periphery of each of said article-surrounding openings.

16. A package in accordance with claim 14 in which said plastic film consists of a single sheet laminated to said paperboard sheet and spanning each of said article-surrounding openings.

17. A package in accordance with claim 13 in which said article retaining means comprises relatively narrow bands integral with said paperboard sheet and extending across each of said article-surrounding openings.

Claims

1. A blank for forming a container, comprising a single rectangular sheet of material such as paperboard having five parallel and equally spaced score lines formed therein to divide said sheet into six identical panels, said sheet having three iDentical article-surrounding openings cut out therefrom and centered respectively on the first, third and fifth of said parallel score lines, and article retaining means extending entirely across each of said openings at least in a direction which is normal to said parallel score lines.

4. A blank in accordance with claim 3 in which said plastic film spans the entire area of each of said article-surrounding openings.

6. A blank in accordance with claim 4 in which said plastic film consists of a single sheet laminated to said paperboard sheet and spanning each of said article-surrounding openings.

8. A container for generally cylindrical articles, comprising a blank including a single generally rectangular sheet of material such as paperboard having five parallel and equally spaced score lines formed therein and which are also parallel with opposite edges of said paperboard sheet to divide said sheet into six identical panels, said sheet having three identical article-surrounding openings cut out therefrom and centered respectively on the first, third and fifth of said parallel score lines, article retaining means extending entirely across each of said openings at least in a direction which is normal to said parallel score lines, said blank being folded zig-zag fashion to bring each of the two pairs of panels which lie on opposite sides of the second and fourth of said parallel score lines into face-to-face contact and to bring as a pair the two panels which lie respectively between said first score line and the adjacent one of said opposite edges and between said fifth score line and the adjacent other one of said opposite edges into face-to-face contact, thereby bringing the folds formed along said first, third and fifth score lines into substantial registry along a single line constituting a central axis of said container, and means for adhesively securing all of said pairs of panels in said face-to-face contact to form three equally angularly spaced wings extending radially from said central axis.

13. A package comprising a container and a generally cylindrical article secured within said container, said container comprising a blank including a single generally rectangular sheet of material such as paperboard having five parallel and equally spaced score lines formed thereIn and which are also parallel with opposite edges of said paperboard sheet to divide said sheet into six identical panels, said sheet having three identical article-surrounding openings cut out therefrom and centered respectively on the first, third and fifth of said parallel score lines, article retaining means extending entirely across each of said openings at least in a direction which is normal to said parallel score lines, said blank being folded zig-zag fashion around said article to bring each of the two pairs of panels which lie on opposite sides of the second and fourth of said parallel score lines into face-to-face contact and to bring as a pair the two panels which lie respectively between said first score line and the adjacent one of said opposite edges and between said fifth score line and the adjacent other one of said opposite edges into face-to-face contact, thereby bringing the folds formed along said first, third and fifth score lines into substantial registry along a single line constituting the cylindrical axis of said article, and means for adhesively securing all of said pairs of panels in said face-to-face contact to form three equally angularly spaced wings extending from said cylindrical axis, and said article retaining means serving to hold said article within said article-surrounding openings.