WO2014046776A1

WO2014046776A1 - Package for accommodating a plurality of consumable items

Info

Publication number: WO2014046776A1
Application number: PCT/US2013/051209
Authority: WO
Inventors: Helen TERREZZA
Original assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands Llc
Priority date: 2012-09-18
Filing date: 2013-07-19
Publication date: 2014-03-27
Also published as: AR092575A1

Abstract

Provided herein is a package (10) for accommodating a plurality of individual consumable items, where the items have a consumable state and a post-consumption disposable state. The package (10) includes a first compartment (12) interior for supporting said consumable items in said first state, and a second compartment (20) having a second compartment interior for accommodating the consumable items in said disposal state, the second compartment (20) having a closable opening (22) for providing access to said second compartment interior.

Description

PACKAGE FOR ACCOMMODATING A PLURALITY OF CONSUMABLE ITEMS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application

No. 61/702,339 filed on September 18, 2012, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:

The present disclosure relates to the field of packaging, more particularly food packaging. Specifically, disclosed is a container for chewing gum, including a segregated reclosable compartment particularly situated to receive, hold and dispose of used pieces of chewing gum. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

The problem of the safe, sanitary, and convenient disposal of a piece of used chewing gum having already been chewed (ABC) is known and addressed in the art, and largely unsatisfactorily. For example, an individual chewing gum may not have ready access to a suitable trash container in which to deposit a used piece of gum. One expedient, in particular where the gum is individually wrapped in paper or cellophane, is to retain the wrapper, and to use the wrapper to enclose a used gum piece. The used gum piece enclosed in its former wrapper may then be more conveniently held until an opportunity for proper disposal arises.

This solution requires the user to retain the individual gum wrapper, which may be inconvenient. Also, the gum wrapper itself may be too small to either be conveniently retained, or to effectively encapsulate the used piece of gum. Furthermore, this method is not workable or feasible for use with chewing gums that are not packed in individual paper or ₍ cellophane wrappers. For example, blister packs. Therefore, a more universal solution to the existing problem is therefore lacking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

Provided herein is a package for accommodating a plurality of individual consumable items, the items having a consumable state and a post-consumption disposable state. The package includes a first compartment interior for supporting the consumable items in the first state, and a first compartment closable opening for providing access to the first compartment interior.

The package further includes a second compartment having an interior for accommodating the consumable items in the disposal state, as well as a second compartment closable opening for providing access to the second compartment interior. The package housing further includes a housing wall between the first and second compartments thereby preventing communication between the first and second compartment's interiors. In an embodiment, the first compartment of the package is a rectangular sleeve having first and second opposable walls connected by first and second opposable side panels, wherein the opposable walls and side panels are secured together to form a sleeve. In an embodiment the sleeve is formed from a paperboard folded and secured together. In an embodiment, the sleeve encloses a blister package, which contains the consumable items therein.

In an embodiment, the second compartment is releasably attached to the first compartment. In an embodiment, the second compartment is a rectangular sleeve having first and second opposable walls connected by first and second opposable side walls. In an embodiment, the second closable opening of the second compartment is a flip-lid. In another embodiment, the second closable opening of the second compartment is located at an opposite end of the sleeve from the first compartment's closable opening.

In an embodiment, the second compartment is releasably attached to the first compartment by a friction fit where said the compartment fits over the first compartment. In yet another embodiment, the consumable item is gum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, benefits and advantages of the present disclosure will be made apparent with regard to the following disclosure and accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like structures across the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a chewing gum deposit container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the chewing gum deposit container of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates the chewing gum deposit container in the orientation of Figure 2, and having a chewing gum blister pack extending from an open first end of the container;

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of the chewing gum deposit container having a used gum receptacle at an opposing end thereof, with a flip top opening in an open orientation;

Figure 5 illustrates a first portion of the gum container in unfolded plan form view, wherein when folded upon the indicated dotted lines, and appropriately sealed, a first portion of the container is formed; and

Figure 6 illustrates an unfolded plan form view of a second used gum receptacle portion of the container, wherein when folded upon the indicated broken lines, and appropriately sealed, the second gum receptacle portion of the container is formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

As used herein, the term "consumable item" refers to a non-toxic consumer product which is meant to be ingested or otherwise orally inserted and chewed by a human. Some examples include without limitation, a confection, gum, or drug product. In a preferred embodiment, the consumable item has a pre-ingestion state in its packaging, and a post- consumption state which requires disposal. In a preferred embodiment, the consumable item is a chewable product, such as a gum product.

Referring now to Figures 1-3 of the drawings, illustrated is a new and used gum container, generally 10. The gum container 10 has a first compartment 12, for example to hold new, unused gum pieces. The first compartment 12 has a first opening 14 through which its interior 16 may be accessed. First compartment 12 is preferably in the shape of a sleeve 28. The opening 14 of sleeve 28 is selectively opened or closed by a lid 18. Container 10 further includes a second compartment 20 situated on a second end 17 of the first compartment 12, the second end 17 being opposite the first end 13. The second compartment 20 is preferably a rectangular sleeve 60, separable from the first, in a manner which will be described hereinafter. Second compartment 20 further includes an opening 22 facing in a direction away from the first compartment 12. Opening 22 permits access to an interior 24 of the second compartment 20, and is selectively reclosable by lid 26. Referring now to Figure 2, illustrated is an exploded perspective view of the gum container 10. In particular, shown is the separable body of the used gum deposit container 20 from the new gum container portion 12. Used gum deposit container 20 for this purpose includes a sleeve 60 which encloses an exterior of the second end 17 of the first compartment 12. There is preferably a close fit between sleeve 60 and the container 12 so that the two may be held together by frictional interface in ordinary use, though other means of attaching and/or releasably attaching the used gum container portion 20 to the new gum container portion 12 will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Referring now to Figure 3, illustrated is a gum container 10 having its first new gum portion 12 open, with a blister pack 30 enclosing pieces of new gum 32 extending through the opening 14. Also illustrated in Figure 3 is tab 72 which interfaces with the flip top lid 18, in order to hold the lid 18 in place in its closed position. However, referring now to Figure 4, the container 10 is shown with second lid 26 of the used gum receptacle portion 20. The lid opening of used gum container receptacle portion 20 is also retained in the closed position by tab 74. Used gum pieces 40 may be placed within the interior 22 of the used gum receptacle portion 20 through the opening 24 to access the interior 22.

Preferably, sleeve 28 snugly fits a blister pack 30 therein. It is important for consumer product packaging to be both functional and practical. As such, a snug fit around blister pack 28 provides a visually appealing product and packaging, as well as having the practical advantage of being able to fit in pockets, purses, or other smaller areas of storage and carry. As such, the side panels of sleeve 28 can be made to snugly encase any standard blister pack, the dimensions of which are known in the art. Second compartment 20, which typically fits over sleeve 28 in a friction fit, can also be constructed to be an appropriate size around the blister pack 30 and sleeve 28, thus providing a visually attractive packaging, while also providing a convenient area in which one can deposit a used piece of gum.

Referring now to Figure 5, first compartment 12 is shown as a paperboard cut-out with dotted lines 42 demarcating where first compartment 12 will be folded to form sleeve 28. Sleeve 28 has opposable walls 44 and 46 and opposable side panels 48 and 50. After folding along lines 42, a sleeve is formed when side panel 50, for example, is secured to its mated counterpart 52 by methods known in the art. After a sleeve is formed, side panels 50 and 52 form one side panel on the opposite side of side panel 48. The sleeve may be held together by an adhesive, Tabs 54 also may be used to ensure a proper fit of the sleeve upon folding thereof.

Lid 18 is also contiguously formed with sleeve 28, separated therefrom by dotted lines 42. Lid 18 is opposed by an end panel 56, each at the longitudinal end of the opposed walls 44 and 46. Preferably lid 18 is a flip lid which can easily be pivoted on and off of sleeve 28.

Referring now to Figure 6 of the drawings, second compartment 20 is shown in an unfolded state as a paperboard with dotted lines 58 demarcating places to fold second compartment 20 to form rectangular sleeve 60 which fits over first compartment sleeve 28 in a friction fit. Rectangular sleeve 60 has opposable walls 62 and 64, and opposable side panels 66 and 68. After folding along lines 58, a sleeve is formed when side panel 68, for example, is secured to its mated counterpart 66 by methods known in the art. After a sleeve is formed, side panels 66 and 68 form one side panel on the opposite side of side panel 64. The sleeve may be held together by an adhesive. Tabs 70 also may be used to ensure a proper fit of the sleeve upon folding thereof.

Thus while there have been described what are presently believed to be preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A package for accommodating a plurality of individual consumable items, said items having a consumable state and a post-consumption disposable state; said package comprising: a package housing including a first compartment interior for supporting said consumable items in said first state, and a first compartment closable opening for providing access to said first compartment interior;

said package housing further including a second compartment having a second compartment interior for accommodating said consumable items in said disposal state, and a second compartment closable opening for providing access to said second compartment interior;

said package housing further including a housing wall between said first and second compartments thereby preventing communication between said first and second compartment interior.

2. The package according to claim 1 wherein said first compartment comprises a rectangular sleeve having first and second opposable walls connected by first and second opposable side panels, wherein said walls and said side panels are secured together to form a sleeve.

3. The package according to claim 2 wherein said sleeve is formed from a paperboard folded and secured together.

4. The package according to claim 2 wherein said consumable items are contained in a blister package within said sleeve.

5. The package according to claim 1 wherein said second compartment is releasably attached to said first compartment.

6. The package according to claim 2 wherein said second compartment comprises a rectangular sleeve having first and second opposable walls connected by first and second opposable side walls.

7. The package according to claim 6 wherein said second closable opening of said second compartment is a flip-lid.

8. The package according to claim 7 wherein said second closable opening of said second compartment is located at an opposite end of said first compartment closable opening.

9. The package according to claim 6 wherein said second compartment is releasably attached to said first compartment by a friction fit where said second compartment fits over said first compartment.

10. The package according to claim 1 wherein said consumable item is gum.