Reclosable packaging for individually wrapped articles
A personal care product has a plurality of individually wrapped articles and a reclosable package for containing the articles. The package includes a handle portion at an upper end of the package for grasping the package, a back side extending downward toward a lower end, a cover extending downward toward a lower end, and a pocket formed at the lower end of the package and configured to retain the plurality of individually wrapped articles. A lower end of the cover is removably insertable into the pocket to close and reclose the package after an article has been removed from the pocket.
Priority is claimed under U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/832,081 filed on Jul. 20, 2006, entitled “RECLOSABLE PACKAGING FOR INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED ARTICLES”, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDThe present invention relates to a personal care product. More particularly, the present invention relates to a product having a reclosable package to be used for containing more than one individually wrapped personal care article.
Many types of personal care products are individually wrapped and then packaged in a box or other similar type of packaging. However, many of these types of packaging are not resealable or reclosable once the package is opened. Most personal care products are intended to be portable; but, it is difficult to transport the items in the package without the items falling out once the package is opened. Because most personal care products are disposable and inexpensive, the package that the products come in must also be inexpensive.
There is a need for a personal care product having an inexpensive, yet attractive, reclosable package for containing individually wrapped articles.
SUMMARYThe present invention is a product comprising a plurality of individually wrapped articles and a package for containing the articles. The package includes a handle portion at an upper end of the package for grasping the package, a back side extending downward from the handle portion to a lower end of the package, a cover extending from the handle portion toward the lower end of the package, and a pocket formed at the lower end of the package and configured to retain the plurality of individually wrapped articles. The end of the cover is removably insertable into the pocket to close and reclose the package after an article is removed from the pocket.
The handle portion is also configured so that the product can easily be displayed for merchandising. The package is small, lightweight, and inexpensive to manufacture, yet still attractive for displaying and carrying when traveling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Front handle portion 20 and back handle portion 38 are fixed together to form handle 42, which may be used for grasping product 10. In this particular embodiment, front handle portion 20 and back handle portion 38 are fixed together using adhesive. It is recognized that front handle portion 20 and back handle portion 38 could be fixed to one another in an alternative manner. Handle 42 also includes aperture 44 that can be used for hanging product 10 on display for merchandising.
Feet 34a and 34b are formed on bottom panel 30 and are configured so that package 12 is able to stand upright, with bottom panel 30 resting on a horizontal surface. It is recognized that alternative features could be formed on bottom panel 30 to make package 12 stand upright.
As shown in
Package 12 also may include label 48, as shown in
To remove one individually wrapped article 14a, the user holds package 12 in first hand H1 with one or more fingers F1 supporting cover panel 22 in the open position. Using second hand H2 having fingers F2, the user removes one individually wrapped article 14a from package 12. The user can then return cover panel 22 to the closed position with two individually wrapped articles 14b and 14c remaining inside package 12. These steps can be repeated to remove individually wrapped articles 14b and 14c at a later time.
In the embodiment shown in
Because package 12 is small, lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture, yet still attractive, product 10 can be offered for sale, or offered as a complimentary sample or promotional product.
Additional components of blank 54, as shown in
It is recognized that the steps outlined above can be performed in a variety of different sequences.
In the assembled position, lower portion 40 of back panel 32, bottom panel 30, front pocket panel 24, first side panel 26 and second side panel 28 form pocket 86 for retaining individually wrapped articles 14.
A benefit of the embodiment shown in
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A product comprising:
- a plurality of individually wrapped articles; and
- a package for containing the articles, the package comprising: a handle portion at an upper end of the package for grasping the package; a back side extending downward from the handle portion to a lower end of the package, wherein the back side is substantially flat; a cover extending from the handle portion in an arc downward toward the lower end of the package; and a pocket formed at the lower end of the package and configured to retain the plurality of individually wrapped articles, wherein an end of the cover is removably insertable into the pocket to close and reclose the package after one of the plurality of individually wrapped articles has been removed from the pocket.
2. The product of claim 1 wherein the handle portion of the package has an aperture for hanging the product on display.
3. The product of claim 1 wherein the package is configured to stand upright.
4. The product of claim 3 wherein the pocket includes a pair of feet.
5. The product of claim 1 wherein a breakable seal is secured over the pocket and the cover when the cover is inserted into the pocket.
6. The product of claim 1 wherein an adhesive label is placed around the pocket.
7. The product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of individually wrapped articles are disposable wipettes.
8. A reclosable package for retaining individually wrapped articles, the package comprising:
- a flap;
- a back panel, wherein the flap is folded over the back panel;
- an upper end of the flap is attached to an upper end of the back panel to form a handle for grasping the package; and
- a pocket at a lower end of the package and sized for receiving more than one individually wrapped article, the pocket formed from a lower portion of the back panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel and a front panel, wherein the flap is removably tucked into the pocket when in a closed position, and the flap is movable to an open position to remove an article from the pocket and then returnable to the closed position.
9. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein adhesive is used to attach the upper end of the flap to the upper end of the back panel.
10. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein a breakable seal is removably secured to the pocket and the flap when the flap is tucked into the pocket.
11. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the handle has an aperture for displaying the package on a hook.
12. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the package is configured to stand upright.
13. The reclosable package of claim 12 wherein the pocket has a pair of feet.
14. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the package is formed from a single piece of material.
15. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the pocket comprises a label wrapped around the lower portion of the back panel, the first side panel, the second side panel and the front panel.
16. A blank for making a reclosable package for holding individually wrapped articles, the blank comprising:
- a cover;
- a back side;
- a first fold separating the cover and the back side, the cover being foldable over the back side along the first fold;
- a bottom;
- a second fold separating the bottom from the back side, the bottom being foldable along the second fold such that the bottom is movable to a position in which the bottom is perpendicular with the back side;
- a front side having a first end and a second end;
- a third fold separating the bottom from the front side, the front side being foldable along the third fold such that the front side is movable upwardly to a position in which the front side is perpendicular to the bottom and parallel to the back side;
- a first side portion extending from the first end of the front side;
- a second side portion extending from the second end of the front side;
- a first flap extending from the back side; and
- a second flap extending from the back side, wherein the first side portion and the second side portion are configured to be releaseably securable to the first flap and the second flap, respectively, such that the back side, the front side, the first side portion, the first flap, the second side portion, and the second flap form a pocket usable for retaining individually wrapped articles.
17. The blank of claim 16 further comprising:
- a first tab extending from the first side portion;
- a second tab extending from the second side portion;
- a fourth fold separating the first flap from the back side and having a slit for receiving the first tab, the first flap foldable inwardly along the fourth fold such that the first flap is perpendicular to the back side;
- a fifth fold separating the second flap from the back side and having a slit for receiving the second tab, the second flap foldable inwardly along the fifth fold such that the second flap is perpendicular to the back side, wherein when the front side is folded upwardly and the first flap and the second flap are folded inwardly, the first side portion and the second side portion are foldable upwardly and inwardly, such that the first side portion is placed over the first flap and the first tab is inserted into the slit of the fourth fold, and the second side portion is placed over the second flap and the second tab is inserted into the slit of the fifth fold.
18. The blank of claim 16 wherein the third fold has two slits, each slit having an arc shape, and configured to be a pair of feet.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 19, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 31, 2008
Inventor: Sharon Creed (Pacific Palisades, CA)
Application Number: 11/880,005
International Classification: B65D 71/00 (20060101);