Package with integral plug
A package is disclosed having integral means to seal an opening in a packaged product, such as a capless writing instrument, in order to protect material within the packaged product, such as ink, from excessive exposure to air while stored in the package. The package may be of any type used to contain articles of merchandise, including, without limitation, a blister package, a clamshell package, a closed tube, or a box. A plug portion attached to or molded into the interior of the package is sized and positioned so that it fits sealingly in an opening of a product contained within said package in order to prevent or minimize passage of air through said opening. Also disclosed is a package insert for holding an article of merchandise securely within a package while sealing an opening in the merchandise.
There are no applications related to this invention anywhere in the world.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to product packaging. The invention provides a package having an integral plug attached to the interior of the package for sealing an opening in a product in order to prevent material within the packaged product from being exposed to air in the package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of packages are used for packaging small articles of merchandise and displaying them in retail environments. A non-exhaustive list includes blister packages; cardboard, paper board, and plastic boxes and tubes; and plastic “clamshells.” Many variations of these basic package types have been developed to address particular packaging needs.
One type of article that may be contained in a package is a capless writing instrument having a retractable nib. Because such writing instruments have no caps, the ink in the writing instrument is exposed to air while the writing instrument is stored in the package. While exposure of the ink to air may not cause any problems over the normal period of use of the writing instrument, such exposure over long periods of storage in the package may result in significant drying or evaporation of the ink, adversely affecting performance of the writing instrument. Many conventional packages are not impermeable to air, and even if a package is impermeable to air, enough air might be trapped in the package with the writing instrument to cause drying or evaporation of the ink, absent some means of sealing the opening in the writing instrument through which the nib projects and retracts in order to prevent exposure to the air.
No previously known package provides such sealing means. Moreover, consumer convenience would be enhanced by providing such sealing means as an integral part of the package, so that the sealing means remains attached to the package when the writing instrument is removed, rather than requiring the consumer to remove a separate seal or plug from the writing instrument after it has been taken out of the package. Hence, there exists a need for a package having an integral plug to seal the opening in a capless writing instrument in order to prevent or limit exposure of the ink to air while in the package.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a package having integral means to seal an opening in a packaged product, such as a capless writing instrument, in order to protect material within the packaged product, such as ink, from excessive exposure to air while stored in the package. Another object of the present invention is to provide a package containing an integral plug positioned to seal an opening in a capless writing instrument while the package remains unopened. Yet another object of the present invention is to improve the shelf life of a capless writing instrument by providing an integral plug in a package. A further object is to provide a package having means to assist the user to remove the marking instrument in a direction so that the plug seal pulls away from the marking instrument upon removal.
What is disclosed is a package for containing an article of merchandise, said package having a plug portion projecting into the interior of the package so that it fits firmly in an opening of the article of merchandise contained within the package. Depending on the shape of the opening to be sealed, the plug portion may be formed in the shape of a cone, a dome, a closed cylinder, or another appropriate shape. It may be formed by a structure molded into the packaging material if the package is manufactured of plastic or similar moldable material, or it may be manufactured separately of an elastomeric material or other appropriate material and permanently attached to the package interior. Alternatively, the plug portion may be molded into or attached to a package insert molded to substantially conform to the shape of the merchandise in order to hold the merchandise securely within the outer package. If the package is manufactured of moldable material, the package itself may be molded to conform to the shape of the merchandise to be contained therein. Optionally, the package may have perforations or other means to facilitate easy removal of the merchandise in a direction such that the merchandise is pulled away from the plug portion, leaving the plug portion attached to the package or package insert.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The blister package 10 has two main parts: a blister portion 2 and a backing card 3. The blister portion 2, in turn, has three main parts: a preformed cavity 4 for holding the merchandise; a generally flat outer perimeter flange-like portion 5; and an integral plug portion 6. The blister portion 2 may be manufactured using materials and molding processes well known in the art. Preferably, the blister portion is manufactured by a thermoforming process using clear plastic so that the product can be seen in the package. The embodiment of the package illustrated in
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According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of the invention, and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiments. However, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims and the foregoing description, the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically illustrated and described.
Claims
1. A package for containing an article of merchandise, said package having an interior, an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a plug portion projecting into said interior of said package, wherein said plug portion is sized and positioned to fit sealingly in an opening of said article of merchandise contained within said package.
2. The package of claim 1, wherein the article of merchandise is a capless writing instrument.
3. The package of claim 1, wherein the plug portion is manufactured of an elastomeric material.
4. The package of claim 1, wherein at least part of said package is manufactured of a moldable material and wherein the plug portion is molded into the package itself.
5. The package of claim 1, wherein the plug portion is affixed to the interior surface of said package, so that it remains attached thereto after the article of merchandise is removed from said package.
6. The package of claim 5, wherein the plug portion is affixed to the interior surface of the package by means chosen from the group consisting of thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, and mechanical attachment means projecting through a hole in the package.
7. The package of claim 1, wherein said package has perforations near an end opposite the plug portion.
8. The package of claim 7, wherein said package has a printed legend directing a consumer to use the perforations to open said package.
9. The package of claim 1, wherein said package is of a type chosen from the group consisting of a box, a clamshell, and a closed tube.
10. The package of claim 1, wherein said package is a blister package, said blister package comprising:
- a blister portion defining a preformed cavity surrounded by a flat, flange-like portion; and
- a backing card that is bonded to said flange-like portion and supports said blister portion and closes an opening of said preformed cavity.
11. The package of claim 10, wherein the preformed cavity is molded to conform to the shape of the article of merchandise to be contained in said blister package.
12. The package of claim 10, wherein the backing card has perforations defining a tear-away flap behind the preformed cavity.
13. The package of claim 12, wherein said package has a printed legend directing a consumer to use the perforations to open said package.
14. A plug for sealing an opening in an article of commerce contained in a package, said plug being attached to an interior surface of said package.
15. The plug of claim 14, wherein said plug has a shape chosen from the group consisting of a cone, a dome, and a closed cylinder.
16. The plug of claim 14, wherein said plug is manufactured of an elastomeric material.
17. The plug of claim 14, wherein said plug is attached to the package by means chosen from the group consisting of thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, and mechanical attachment means projecting through a hole in said package.
18. A blister package for containing an article of merchandise, said blister package comprising:
- a thermoformed plastic blister portion defining a preformed cavity surrounded by a flat, flange-like portion; and
- a backing card that is bonded to said flange-like portion and supports said blister portion and closes an opening of said preformed cavity;
- wherein said blister portion includes a plug portion projecting into said preformed cavity, said plug portion being sized and positioned to fit sealingly in an opening of said article of merchandise contained within said blister package; and
- wherein said plug portion has a shape chosen from the group consisting of a cone, a dome, and a closed cylinder; and
- wherein said preformed cavity is molded to conform to the shape of said article of merchandise to be contained in said blister package; and
- wherein said backing card has perforations defining a tear-away flap behind said preformed cavity; and
- wherein said backing card has a printed legend directing a consumer to use said perforations to open the blister package.
19. The blister package of claim 18, wherein the plug portion is manufactured of an elastomeric material.
20. The blister package of claim 18, wherein the plug portion is affixed to an interior surface of the preformed cavity by means chosen from the group consisting of thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, and mechanical attachment means projecting through a hole in the blister portion.
21. The blister package of claim 18, wherein the plug portion is formed by an indentation molded into the preformed cavity.
22. The blister package of claim 18, wherein the article of merchandise is a capless writing instrument.
23. A package insert for holding an article of merchandise securely within a package, wherein said package insert includes a plug portion, said plug portion being sized and positioned to fit sealingly in an opening of said article of merchandise held within said package insert.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 2, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 6, 2005
Inventors: Anthony Lammers (Gates Mills, OH), John Nottingham (Bratenahl, OH), John Spirk (Gates Mills, OH)
Application Number: 10/817,664