COMBINATION BOX AND DISPLAY UNIT

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a combination box and display unit. The unit may be used initially as a box to ship products, such as electronic cigarettes, and may then be converted into a display for the electronic cigarettes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This disclosure claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/614,973, titled ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE ATTACHMENTS, COMPONENTS AND HOLDERS to Craig Weiss and Mark Scatterday that was filed on Mar. 23, 2012 and to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/674,725 titled COMBINATION BOX AND DISPLAY UNIT to Mark Scatterday that was filed on Jul. 23, 2012.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to product packaging, and more particularly, to a combination box and display unit.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a configuration of product packaging for electronic cigarettes is presented. The disclosure presents a combination box and display unit for electronic cigarettes.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a combination box and display unit is disclosed. The combination box and display unit comprises: two side walls, each having a top portion and a bottom portion; a front wall having a top portion and a bottom portion; a back wall having a top portion and a bottom portion; a top; a bottom; and a tear strip extending through a middle portion of each of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall; wherein the tear strip is disengaged from each of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall in order to separate the top portions of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall from the bottom portions of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a combination box and display unit is disclosed. The combination box and display unit comprises: two side walls, each having a top portion and a bottom portion; a front wall having a top portion and a bottom portion; a back wall having a top portion and a bottom portion; a top; a bottom; and a tear strip comprising two parallel perforated lines extending horizontally through a middle portion of each of the front wall and the back wall, and slanting upwardly and rearwardly through each of the two side walls; wherein the tear strip is disengaged from each of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall in order to separate the top portions of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall from the bottom portions of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a combination box and display unit is disclosed. The combination box and display unit comprises: two side walls, each having a top portion and a bottom portion; a front wall having a top portion and a bottom portion; a back wall having a top portion and a bottom portion; a top; a bottom; four vertical edges defined by the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall; a tear strip comprising two parallel perforated lines extending horizontally through a middle portion of each of the front wall and the back wall, and slanting upwardly and rearwardly through each of the two side walls; wherein the tear strip is disengaged from each of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall in order to separate the top portions of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall from the bottom portions of the front wall, the two side walls, and the back wall; and wherein the perforated lines comprise large slits that traverse each of the four vertical edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the application are set forth in the appended claims. In the descriptions that follow, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures can be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flattened and unassembled combination box and display unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the combination box and display unit of FIG. 1, shown folded into a box formation; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the combination box and display unit of FIG. 1, shown in a display unit formation with the tear strip removed and with top portions of the front wall, the side walls, and back wall disengaged from bottom portions of the front wall, the side walls, and the back wall.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the combination box and display unit of FIG. 3 shown with a header card inserted into a slot in the interior surface of the back wall.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the combination box and display unit of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a blister tray of the combination box and display unit of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the combination box and display unit of the present invention with the blister tray shown holding product and with the header card shown inserted into the slot on the interior surface of the back wall.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a vertical edge of the combination box and display unit of FIG. 2, showing large slits of the perforated lines traversing the vertical edge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the disclosure and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present disclosure can be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the disclosure in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences can be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

The present disclosure generally relates to product packaging which may be used for a variety of products, including electronic cigarettes. A combination box and display unit for carrying multiple electronic cigarettes will be described within the present disclosure. A number of advantages can be provided by the combination box and display unit described herein. For example, the box used for shipping the multiple electronic cigarettes can be converted to selling display units once opened, which helps to minimize waste. A number of additional advantages will become apparent from the description provided below.

FIGS. 1 through 8 will show the combination box and display unit 100. While the embodiments are described for use with electronic cigarettes, it should be clearly understood that the combination box and display unit 100 may be used with virtually any other type of product.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a top view of a flattened and unassembled combination box and display unit 100 is shown. The unit 100 may be made of cardboard or any other suitable material and may comprise a main body having perforations 312 for disassembly, a blister tray 700, a header card 500, and a slot 228 for holding the header card 500. When the unit 100 is folded along the appropriate areas, the unit 100 forms a box 200, as shown in FIG. 2. The box 200 will have a left side wall 214, a right side wall 214, a front wall 230, a back wall 220, a bottom 212, and a top 210.

Referring to FIG. 1, the unit 100 may have two parallel, perforated lines 312 that together form a tear strip 300. When the unit 100 is in a flattened position, the tear strip 300 extends from the right side wall 214, through the back wall 220, through the left side wall 214, and through the front wall 230. The perforations 312 are shown to be slanted upwardly and rearwardly along the right side wall 214 and left side wall 214 and extends horizontally along the back wall 220 (see FIG. 5) and along the front wall 230 of the unit 100. It should be clearly understood that substantial benefit may be derived from the perforations 312 extending horizontally throughout the right side wall 214, back wall 220, left side wall 214, and front wall 230 of the unit 100.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the unit 100 is in the configuration of a box 200, the tear strip 300 has two ends 310 that come together at a notch 400. Although the notch 400 is shown to be positioned at the front of the box 200, it should be clearly understood substantial benefit may still be derived from the notch 400 being positioned at the right side wall 214, left side wall 214 or back wall 220 of the box 200.

As shown in FIG. 3, in order to convert the box 200 into a display 900, one may dislodge the notch 400 from the box 200, therefore creating a hole in the box 200. One may then take hold of one end 310 of the tear strip 300 and pull the tear strip 300 until the entire tear strip 300 is dislodged from the box 200. Once the tear strip 300 is removed, then the entire top 210 of the box 200 along with a top portion 216 of the left side wall 214, a top portion 222 of the back wall 220, a top portion 232 of the front wall 230, and a top portion 216 of the right side wall 214 of the box 200 will also be dislodged from a bottom portion 218 of the left side wall 214, a bottom portion 224 of the back wall 220, a bottom portion 234 of the front wall 230, and a bottom portion 218 of the right side wall 214 of the box 200, respectively. The remaining bottom 212 of the box 200, the bottom portion 218 of the left side wall 214, the bottom portion 224 of the back wall 220, the bottom portion 234 of the front wall 230, and the bottom portion 218 of the right side wall 214 of the box 200 together form the display 900. If the tear strip 300 is torn along perforations 312 that are in a slanted configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, then the right side of the display 900 and the left side of the display 900 will slant upwardly toward the back of the display 900 and the back of the display 900 will be taller than the front of the display 900.

In another embodiment, the two ends 310 of the tear strip 300 may come together without the formation of a notch 400. Because of the perforations 312, a user may simply apply pressure to one end 310 or both ends 310 in order to dislodge the end(s) 310 and begin tearing the tear strip 300.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a header card 500 that may be used with the display 900. Product advertising may be printed upon the header card 500. An interior surface 226 of the back wall 220 of the display 900 may have a slot 228 for receiving a bottom portion 510 of the header card 500 so that customers may see the header card 500 from a distance. The slot 228 may be made of molded plastic, polystyrene, paper or other suitable material. It should be clearly understood that substantial benefit may be derived from the slot 228 being a separate component that is then adhered to the interior surface 226 of the back wall 220 of the display 900.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a blister tray 700 that may be included with the unit 100. The blister tray 700 may be formed of molded plastic, polystyrene, or other suitable material. The blister tray 700 may have a plurality of indentations 710 shaped to receive at least one of the products 800 (e.g. electronic cigarettes) being shipped within the unit 100. The blister tray 700 may be removable from the bottom 212 of the box 200/display 900 or it may be firmly attached to the bottom 212 of the box 200/display 900 by any suitable adhesive.

Referring to FIG. 8, in one embodiment, when the unit 100 is folded, the front wall 230, side walls 214, and back wall 220 together form four vertical edges 236 of the folded box 200. When the unit 100 is die-cut, the vertical edges 236 may have larger perforations or slits 600 that will allow the tear strip 300 to disengage at these vertical edges 236 more easily.

The foregoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the relevant art to practice the various embodiments described herein. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the relevant art, and generic principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown and described herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A display unit comprising:

a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a bottom, a top of the display unit being open; wherein a height of the front wall is less than a height of the back wall, and wherein the bottom is integral with the front wall, the back wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall; and

a tray above the bottom, the tray including a plurality of indentations arranged in at least two rows extending between the first side wall and the second side wall, wherein the indentations of each row are aligned.

15. The display unit of claim 14, wherein the plurality of indentations are arranged in at least two columns extending between the front wall and the back wall, wherein the indentations of each column are aligned.

16. The display unit of claim 15, wherein the tray includes exactly two columns.

17. The display unit of claim 14, wherein the tray is removable.

18. The display unit of claim 14, wherein the tray is fixedly attached to the bottom.

19. The display unit of claim 14, wherein the indentations are molded from a plastic material.

20. The display unit of claim 14, wherein each indentation is substantially rectangular in shape.

21. The display unit of claim 20, wherein each indentation has a width measured in a direction from the front wall to the back wall and a length measured in a direction from the first side wall to the second side wall, wherein the width is less than the length.

22. The display unit of claim 14, further comprising at least one product, a lower portion of the product being disposed in one of the indentations, and an upper portion of the product extending above the front wall, wherein the upper portion of the product is larger than the lower portion, and wherein the product includes an electronic cigarette.

23. The display unit of claim 14, wherein an upper edge of at least one of the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall, or the back wall is at least partially uneven from being torn along a perforated line.

24. The display unit of claim 23, wherein the upper edge of each of the first side wall and the second side wall is at least partially uneven.

25. The display unit of claim 14, wherein the back wall includes a header card.

26. The display unit of claim 25, wherein the header card is disposed in the back wall via a slot defined by the back wall.

27. A display unit comprising:

a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a bottom, a top of the display unit being open; wherein the back wall at least partially defines a slot; and

a tray above the bottom, the tray including a plurality of indentations aligned between the first side wall and the second side wall and between the front wall and the back wall; and

a header card insertable into the slot, a bottom-most end of the header card having a width less than a width of the slot.

28. The display unit of claim 27, wherein a majority of the header card extends above the back wall when the header card is in the slot.

29. The display unit of claim 27, wherein an upper edge of each of the first side wall and the second side wall is angled relative to the bottom, from the front wall toward the back wall.

30. The display unit of claim 27, wherein the slot is further defined by a material adhered to an interior surface of the back wall.

31. The display unit of claim 27, wherein an upper edge of at least one of the first side wall, the second side wall, the front wall, and the back wall is at least partially uneven due to being torn along a perforated line.

32. A display unit comprising:

a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a bottom, a top of the display unit being open;

a tray above the bottom, the tray including a plurality of indentations arranged in at least two rows extending between the first side wall and the second side wall and at least two columns extending between the front wall and the back wall, wherein the indentations are aligned within each row and within each column; and

a product disposed in one of the indentations, wherein the product includes an electronic cigarette.

33. The display unit of claim 32, wherein the product is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional shape.

34. The display unit of claim 32, wherein the product extends above each of the front wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall.

35. The display unit of claim 32, wherein the tray includes exactly two columns.

36. The display unit of claim 32, wherein a longitudinal axis of the electronic cigarette is perpendicular to the bottom.

37. A display unit comprising:

a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a bottom, a top of the display unit being open; wherein each of the first side wall and second side wall includes a front edge parallel to a back edge and a top edge diverging from a bottom edge;

a tray above the bottom, the tray including a plurality of indentations arranged in at least two rows between the first side wall and the second side wall and exactly two columns extending between the front wall and the back wall, wherein the indentations are aligned within each row and within each column; and

at least one product disposed in at least one of the indentations, wherein the product includes an electronic cigarette, the product extending above each of the front wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall.