Complementary package

Abstract

The invention is directed to a package with sides that are complementary to an adjacent package. The package can have convex and concave portions and can create a puzzle-like appearance when displayed in a group.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a complementary package. More particularly, the invention is directed to a complementary package, like a bottle, that has at least one side that is complementary to a side of an adjacent package, regardless if both packages are right side up, upside down, or in any combination thereof. The package of this invention creates a puzzle-like appearance when displayed in a group and is very attractive to consumers shopping for products contained therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packages, like bottles, and especially transparent bottles, are used to present to the consumer a variety of household products, especially food products. Manufacturers of such bottles, for example, often attempt to improve gripping means of the bottles to ensure that the bottles do not fall out of the consumers' hands during use. Also, manufacturers of bottles often concentrate on product evacuation from the bottle so that product is not wasted at the time the bottle is discarded or recycled.

Other manufacturers focus on marketing techniques for individual packages. For example, individual bottles have been shaped like animals, cartoon characters and drinking glasses so that they may be used and/or displayed after being emptied.

Labeling is also another means for enhancing the marketing appeal of packages. Unfortunately, however, marketers typically focus on package labels individually, and such labeling has a limited impact on catching consumer attention.

It is of increasing interest to develop a packaging system that will be exceptionally attractive to customers, regardless of the labeling type. This invention, therefore, is directed to a package that has at least one side that is complementary to a side of an adjacent package, regardless if both packages are right side up, upside down, or in any combination thereof. The package of this invention creates a puzzle-like appearance when displayed in a group, is very attractive and catches a consumer's attention when products are packaged therein.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Efforts have been disclosed for making packages. In U.S. Pat. Nos. DES 416,199, DES 507,748, 3,537,498, 5,156,285 and 5,350,078, bottles suitable for gripping are disclosed.

Other efforts have been disclosed for making packages. In U.S. Application, Publication Nos. 2003/0031851 A1 and 2003/0075521 A1, bottles for consumer products are described.

Still other efforts have been disclosed for making packages. In U.S. Application Publication No. 2004/0232023 A1, an asymmetric package that creates an illusion of animation is described.

None of the additional information above describes a package comprising at least one side that is complimentary to a side on another package sitting adjacent thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a package comprising at least one side that is suitable to be complementary with a side on an adjacent (or juxtaposed) package, regardless if the package and the adjacent package are both upside down, right side up or in any combination thereof.

In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for marketing products with a group of packages comprising the package described in the first aspect of this invention.

Package, as used herein, is defined to mean a container suitable to contain consumer products whereby such a container is not limited to any shape or size and can comprise, for example, metal, glass, plastic, wood or paperboard, with the proviso that the package does not have 100% of its corners at right angles. Complementary, as used herein, means an item having a curve or portion that completes or contributes to another curve or portion (on an item adjacent thereto), resulting in a group of items that appear to be puzzle-like in appearance when each member of the group is placed side by side. Puzzle-like means having complementary convex and concave portions, and does not require physically interlocking portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which:

FIGS. 1 depicts illustrative packaging suitable for use in this invention and displayed right side up;

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict groups of illustrative packaging suitable for use in this invention displayed right side up and upside down, and upside down, respectively; and

FIG. 4 depicts groups of illustrative packaging suitable for use in this invention having a random and complementary display pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

There is no limitation with respect to the type of package that may be used in this invention other than that the package is one which is suitable to contain a consumer product, and especially, a food product. Such a package typically comprises metal, glass, paperboard or plastic. In a preferred embodiment, however, the package of the present invention is a squeezable plastic comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene-vinyl alcohol, combinations thereof, or the like. In an especially preferred embodiment, the package of the present invention is a bottle comprising polypropylene wherein the bottle is equipped with a cap suitable for a squeeze bottle and is able to stand right side up and upside down. In yet another especially preferred embodiment, the package of this invention comprises at least two sides that are complementary and opposite each other, and therefore, when adjacent to a package that is substantially the same, and preferably identical, the package of this invention will complement a concave or convex portion of an adjacent package positioned, for example, to its right and left.

The consumer products suitable for use with the package of this invention include hair care products, skin care products, soap, detergents, beverages and food products. The preferred products suitable for use with the package of this invention are food products like mayonnaise, tartar sauce, salad dressings, cheese condiments, mustard, ketchup, relish, margarine and dipping sauces. The most preferred products suitable for use in this invention are food products made commercially available by Unilever under the Hellmann's® and/or Knorr® brand names.

As to any labeling that may be employed with the package of this invention, it is particularly noted that there is no limitation with respect to how the label is applied to the package other than that the label can withstand package shipping conditions and not contaminate any consumer product compositions present within the package. Illustrative and non-limiting examples of the type of label that may be used/applied in this invention include those which are shrink-wrapped, etched on, painted on, glued on with an adhesive or impregnated within the material used to make the package (which is preferably at least translucent, and most preferably, transparent).

Typically, at least 30% of the total area of the visual external surface of the package of this invention is covered with label, and preferably, from about 40% to about 60%, and most preferably, from about 65% to about 90%, including all ranges subsumed therein. In an especially preferred embodiment, the label used is a shrink-wrap label.

Turning to the Figures, FIG. 1 shows illustrative (label free) packaging suitable for use in this invention and in the form of two complementary bottles 10a and 10b. For illustrative purposes only, the complementary bottles 10a and 10b (which preferably are identical) are both shown standing right side up and resting on their bottoms 10a1 and 10b1, respectively, whereby complementary bottle 10a has a front surface 10a3, a back surface 10a5, and preferably, a cap 10a7, and complementary bottle 10b has a front surface 10b3, a back surface 10b5, and preferably, a cap 10b7.

Joint 12 is formed by right side up convex surface 14 on complementary bottle 10a and right side up concave surface 16 on complementary bottle 10b.

Turning to FIG. 2, shown are complementary bottles 10a and 10b with complementary bottle 10a resting on its bottom 10a1 and complementary bottle 10b resting on its cap 10b7. Front surface 10a3 is positioned as described in FIG. 1; however, front surface 10b3 as shown in FIG. 2 is reversed (i.e., occupying the position of back surface 10b5 of FIG. 1) and inverted on bottle 10b.

Joint 12′ is formed by right side up convex surface 14 of complementary bottle 10a and upside down concave surface 16′ on complementary bottle 10b (which also comprises an upside down convex surface 14′). It is within the scope of this invention for two complementary packages such as bottles 10a1 and 10b1 to be side-by-side and upside down so that the bottles are adjacent and preferably resting on their respective caps 10a7 and 10b7 to create a joint consisting of two inverted surfaces (demonstrated in FIG. 3 at Joint 12″).

Turning to FIG. 4, shown are groups of illustrative packaging 18 and 18′ as described in this invention. Row A shows complementary packages illustrated as bottles in a two up, two down arrangement. The bottles in the arrangement have convex and concave portions shown as x (right side up convex, corresponding to 14); v (right side up and concave, corresponding to 16); x′ (upside down and convex, corresponding to 14′) and v′ (upside down and concave, corresponding to 16′), and therefore, at least two complementary portions. Joints I, II, III and IV are created by making combinations of the convex and concave portions. It is particularly noted that row A begins with right side up and convex portion x, and therefore, back surfaces 10a5 and 10b5 (as shown in FIG. 1) are now depicted facing forward, demonstrating that the packages of this invention can at least be rotated 180° in either direction to create joints and a puzzle-like appearance.

Row B shows complementary packages illustrated as bottles in a one up, one down arrangement. The row begins with a right side up concave portion v and joints I and III are created by making combinations of the convex and concave portions. It should be understood that (as it relates to the bottles) the front left L of row A is the back right R in row B and the front right r in row A is the back left L in row B.

Looking at groups 18 and 18′, a puzzle-like appearance (which is attractive to consumers) is created, for example, by aligning at least one complementary portion of one package with at least one complementary portion of another package, placed adjacent thereto whereby convex and concave portions align to form joints.

As to any labels which may be used in this invention, such labels become part of or are applied on to the packages in preferably the same manner or orientation, meaning that the top of the label and the bottom of label on each package is essentially in the same place regardless if the package is right side up or upside down (depicted in Z of FIG. 4). Moreover, if desired, the labels employed on each individual package can optionally be complementary (or continuing) to each other as shown in row A and at connective portions t and t′. A more detailed description of complementary or continuing labels is described in commonly owned U.S. Application Docket No. F6217(V), entitled, “Packaging with Continuing Labels,” to van der Krogt et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Another alternative is for the labels employed to be independent of each other as shown in row B. Labeling to the sides and backs of the packages of this invention is not typically required, but is often desired so that consumer nutritional information and additional advertising techniques may be employed in order for marketers to take full advantage of the limited surface area of the packages described herein.

Claims

1. A package comprising:

(a) a body; and

(b) a first complementary section opposite a second complementary section

wherein the first complementary section is convex and the second complementary section is concave, the package when placed adjacent to a second substantially the same or identical package results in a joint that comprises two complementary sections.

2. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package and adjacent package are right side up.

3. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package and adjacent package are upside down.

4. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package and adjacent package are not simultaneously right side up or simultaneously upside down.

5. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package is a plastic bottle with a cap.

6. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package comprises hair care product, skin care product, soap, detergent, beverage or a food product.

7. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package comprises mayonnaise, tartar sauce, salad dressing, cheese condiment, mustard, relish, ketchup, margarine or a dipping sauce.

8. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package can comprise a label.

9. A method for marketing products comprising the steps of:

(a) lining up packages comprising a body having first and second complementary sections opposite each other;

(b) creating a joint that comprises two complementary sections; and

(c) creating a puzzle-like appearance.

10. The method for marketing products according to claim 9 wherein the packages are right side up, upside down, or a combination thereof.