PACKAGING

Abstract

Packaging includes a blister pack (14) containing a plurality of items and a sleeve (12) formed from a blank of foldable material encircling the blister pack. The sleeve has a flap (48) folded inwardly about a fold line (50) so as to contact the blister pack, biasing it towards an opposing portion of the sleeve. The flap (48) applies a pressure to the blister pack (14) to help in preventing the pack from slipping out of the sleeve unintentionally but does not limit movement of the pack relative to sleeve or prevent the pack from being removed from the sleeve. The flap (48) may be formed by folding a portion of the sleeve inwardly creating a widow (54) in the sleeve through which the contents of the blister pack can be viewed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to packaging and in particular but not exclusively to packaging for confectionery items including gum pellets.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is known to package gum pellets in a so called blister pack. Typically a blister pack comprises a base member of plastic in which a number of pockets or cavities are formed. Individual gum pellets are placed in each pocket and a sheet of foil or other material is attached to the base to contain and preferably seal the pellets in the pockets. The consumer can remove individual pellets one at a time by pushing them out of their pockets through the foil, whilst the remaining pellets remain contained/sealed within their pockets. Whilst it is advantageous to package each gum pellet individually in its own pocket, more than one pellet can be placed in each pocket and indeed at one extreme the blister pack may comprise only a single pocket in which a multiple pellets are placed.

It is also known to package the blister pack itself to protect it from damage prior to sale. In one known arrangement, the blister pack is packaged in a sleeve member having a hollow interior into which the blister pack may be selectively inserted and removed. The sleeve member is typically formed from a blank of foldable material such as paperboard or cardboard. The blank is folded about fold lines to form a generally rectangular sleeve member having first and second main panels connected along opposing edges by side panels. The outside surface of the sleeve member may contain printed matter to identify the contents of the blister pack and provide other information for the consumer. In some cases, a viewing window or aperture is formed through the sleeve member such that one or more gum pellets in the blister pack may be viewed by a consumer prior to purchase of the gum package. In this case, the base sheet of the blister pack will usually be transparent.

Such packaging is currently popular and achieves satisfactory results. It has been discovered, however, that the known packaging does have certain drawbacks. It has been found that it can be difficult to ensure that blister pack is held sufficiently firmly within the sleeve member to prevent it accidentally sliding out of the sleeve member whilst also enabling a consumer to selectively remove and replace the blister pack with ease.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved packaging which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the drawbacks of the known packaging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided packaging including a blister pack containing a plurality of items and a sleeve member formed from a blank of foldable material encircling the blister pack, characterised in that sleeve member comprises a flap folded inwardly about a fold line so as to contact the blister pack, biasing it towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member.

In the packaging in accordance with the invention, the flap applies a pressure to the blister pack to help prevent the blister pack from unintentionally slipping out of the sleeve member. However, the packaging is arranged so that the flap does not contact the pack in a way which would limit intentional movement of the pack relative to the sleeve by a consumer and does not prevent complete removal of the pack from the sleeve if required.

The sleeve may encircle the blister pack about four sides only.

The packaging may be configured so that one or more items contained in the blister pack can be viewed through an aperture in the sleeve created by folding the flap inwardly.

The sleeve member may have opposing first and second main panels and opposing first and second side panels and the flap may be formed, at least partly, in one of the main panels. The flap may be formed wholly within one of the main panels. The fold line may lie at a position between the ends of the main panel in which the flap is at least partly formed. The flap may be folded through more than 90 degrees from the plane of the main panel. The flap may comprise a portion of the main panel which is folded inwardly about the fold line to leave an aperture in the main panel through which one or more items in the blister pack can be viewed.

The blister pack may comprise a plurality of pockets formed in a base member, each containing an individual item. The flap may contact an upper surface of at least one of the pockets to bias the pack towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member, the arrangement being such that, in use as the pack is slid relative to the sleeve, the flap rides over the upper surfaces of the pockets enabling complete removal of the pack from the sleeve. The base member may be transparent or translucent.

The items may be confectionery items such as gum pellets.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of packaging a plurality of items, the method comprising:

• • packaging a plurality of items in a blister pack;
  • forming a sleeve member from a blank of foldable material;
  • creating a flap in the blank;
  • folding the flap about a fold line so that in the completed sleeve member it projects inwardly into the interior of the sleeve member;
  • inserting the blister pack into the sleeve member so that the flap contacts the blister pack biasing it towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member.

The flap may be pre-cut in the blank and the step of folding the flap may be carried out before the blank is formed into the sleeve member.

The flap may be positioned such that when the blister pack is inserted, at least one item can be viewed through an aperture in the sleeve member created by folding the flap inwardly.

The blank may comprise in sequence a first side panel, a first main panel, a second side panel, a second main panel and a fixation tab separated by substantially parallel fold lines, the step of forming the sleeve member comprising folding the blank about the fold lines to form a sleeve member having a hollow interior and attaching the fixation tab to an inner surface of the first side panel.

The flap may be formed, at least partly, in one of the main panels of the sleeve member. The flap may be formed wholly within one of the main panels. The fold line may lie at a position between the ends of the main panel in which the flap is at least partly formed. The step of folding the flap may comprise folding the flap through more than 90 degrees from the plane of the main panel. The flap may comprise a portion of the main panel which is folded about the fold line to leave an aperture in the main panel through which one or more items in the blister pack can be viewed.

The blister pack may comprise a base member having a plurality of pockets, each containing an individual item. The flap may be arranged to contact an upper surface of at least one of the pockets to bias the pack towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member, the arrangement being such that, in use as the pack is slid relative to the sleeve, the flap rides over the upper surfaces of the pockets enabling complete removal of the pack from the sleeve. The base member may be transparent or translucent.

The items may be confectionery items such as gum pellets.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank of foldable material for forming a sleeve member for use in the packaging in accordance with the first aspect of the invention or in the method in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, the blank having a pre-cut flap.

The blank may be formed from a foldable material such as paperboard or cardboard.

The blank may comprise in sequence a first side panel, a first main panel, a second side panel, a second main panel and a fixation tab separated by substantially parallel fold lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for a sleeve member forming part of a packaging in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a packaging in accordance with the invention, the packaging comprising a sleeve member produced from the blank of FIG. 1 into which is inserted a blister pack;

FIG. 3 is A cross sectional view through the packaging of FIG. 2 taken on line X-X.

Packaging 10 in accordance with the invention comprises a sleeve member 12 and a blister pack 14.

The sleeve member 12 is formed from a blank 16 of foldable material, such as paperboard or cardboard or the like. The blank comprises a first side panel 18, a first main panel 20, a second side panel 22, a second main panel 24 and a fixation tab 26. The panels 18, 20, 22, 24, and tab 26 are separated by substantially parallel fold lines 28, 30, 32, 34.

To form the blank into the sleeve member 12, the blank is folded about the fold lines 28, 30, 32, 34 and the fixation tab 26 is attached to an inner surface of the first side panel 18 using an adhesive, which may be a pressure sensitive or heat sensitive adhesive. In the completed sleeve member 12, the first and second main panels 20, 24 oppose one another and the first and second side panels 18, 22 oppose one another to form a generally rectangular tube into which the blister pack 14 may be inserted so that the sleeve member surrounds the blister pack on four sides only. In an alternative arrangement (not shown), the sleeve may enclose the blister pack on five sides.

The shape of the sleeve member 12 can be varied and need not be rectangular. It should also be noted that whilst the main panels 20, 24 will typically be longer than the side panels 18, 22 this need not be the case. For example, if the sleeve member 12 has the form of a square tube, the main panels and the side panels will be substantially the same length.

The exterior surface of the sleeve member 12 may contain printed matter identifying the contents of the blister pack 14 together with other information for the consumer.

The blister pack 14 comprises a base member 40 having a number of pockets 42 formed therein into which individual items such as gum pellets 44 are placed. In the present embodiment, the base member has nine pockets arranged in an array but the number and positioning of the pockets can be varied as desired. The base member can be formed from any suitable material but in the present embodiment is formed from a transparent plastics material. A cover sheet 46 is fixed to the base member after the items have been inserted into their pockets to contain the items. The cover sheet can be any suitable material such as plastic, aluminium foil, multilayer complex, paper based material, bio plastic material or the like. The cover sheet 46 will usually be weaker than the base member 40 so that the items can be pushed out of their pockets through the cover sheet in a known manner. Preferably, the cover sheet 46 is affixed to the base member so as to seal the items in their pockets. This is particularly advantageous where the items are confectionery items such as gum pellets 44 as the arrangements protects the pellets 44 from the environment keeping them fresh and uncontaminated.

The packaging 10 sleeve member 12 as so far described is largely conventional. However, in accordance with the invention, the sleeve member 12 has a flap 48 which is folded inwardly into the interior of the sleeve member about a fold line 50 so as to contact the blister pack 14 and press it towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member as illustrated in FIG. 3. The pressure applied by the flap 48 to the blister pack 14 is relatively light and does not hinder a consumer from sliding the blister pack 14 in and out of the sleeve member 12 or removing the pack from the sleeve completely but is sufficient to help in preventing the blister pack 14 from unintentionally slipping out of the sleeve member.

The shape and position of the flap 48 can be varied. In the present embodiment, the flap 48 is formed in one of the main panels 20 of the sleeve member which is a front panel in the completed packaging. However, the flap could be formed in any of the panels and could straddle one of the main panels and an adjacent side panel if desired. The flap 48 is preferably formed by die cutting the blank 16 as indicated at 52 to define the shape of the flap 48 whilst leaving the flap attached to the remainder of the panel 20 along one edge to form the fold line 50. In the embodiment shown, the flap 48 is cut along three sides but this might not be the case where other shapes are used. The flap 48 can then be folded about the fold line 50 through more than 90 degrees so that it projects into the interior of the completed sleeve member 12. It is expected that the flap 48 will be folded about the fold line 50 prior to the blank 16 being folded to form the sleeve member 12 but the precise sequence of events can be varied as desired. Once the sleeve member 12 has been formed and with the flap 48 projecting into the interior, the blister pack 14 is inserted into the sleeve member 12 in the direction of arrow A on FIG. 3 so that the blister pack slides under the flap 48. Prior to insertion of the blister pack 14, the distance between the free end of the flap 48 and the opposing main panel 24 is less than the thickness of the blister pack 14. Consequently, as the blister pack 14 is slid under the flap 48, the flap is deflected upwardly, as shown, about the fold line 50 such that the flap 48 applies a light pressure to the blister pack 14 clamping the pack 14 between itself and the opposing main panel 24.

The blister pack 14 is inserted in the sleeve member 12 so that the transparent base member 40 is directed towards the flap 48. The position of the flap 48 and the blister pack 14 are arranged so that at least one of the pellets in the blister pack 14 can be seen through the aperture 54 created in the main panel 20 when the flap is folded inwardly. Thus the flap 48 serves two purposes, one in helping to retain the blister pack 14 in the sleeve member 12 and the other in creating a window 52 through which a consumer can view at least one of the pellets prior to purchase.

The flap 48 is arranged to ride over the upper end surfaces 56 of the pockets 42 without contacting the sides of the pockets so that the flap does not limit movement of the pack 14 relative to the sleeve when the pack 14 is pushed in and out of the sleeve by a consumer or other user. Thus a consumer is free to move the pack in and out of the sleeve and to selectively remove and replace the blister pack with ease. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the flap 48 is arranged to contact the cover sheet 46 on the opposite side of the pack.

The packaging 10 is particularly suitable for confectionery items such as chewing gum pellets, pastels, hard gums, mints or the like. However, packaging 10 in accordance with the invention is not limited to use in packaging confectionery items but can be used in packaging almost any items which can advantageously be presented to consumers in a blister pack and sleeve member. Furthermore, whilst it is expected that in most applications the blister pack 14 will have a number of pockets each holding a single item, more than one item can be placed in each pocket. Indeed, the blister pack 14 may comprise only a single pocket in which a plurality of items of placed.

Whereas the invention has been described in relation to what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed arrangements but rather is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent constructions included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Packaging including a blister pack containing a plurality of items and a sleeve member formed from a blank of foldable material encircling the blister pack, characterised in that the sleeve member comprises a flap folded inwardly about a fold line so as to contact the blister pack, biasing it towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member.

2. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the flap is configured to contact the pack in a way which does not hinder sliding movement of the pack into and out of the pack.

3. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the sleeve encircles the blister pack on four sides only.

4. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the packaging is configured so that one or more items contained in the blister pack can be viewed through an aperture in the sleeve created by folding the flap inwardly.

5. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the sleeve member has opposing first and second main panels and opposing first and second side panels and the flap is formed, at least partly, in one of the main panels.

6. Packaging as claimed in claim 5, in which the flap is formed wholly within one of the main panels.

7. Packaging as claimed in claim 5, in which the fold line lies at a position between the outer ends of the main panel in which the flap is at least partly formed.

8. Packaging as claimed in claim 5, in which the flap is folded through more than 90 degrees from the plane of the main panel.

9. Packaging as claimed in claim 5, in which the flap comprises a portion of the main panel which is folded inwardly about the fold line to leave an aperture in the main panel through which one or more items in the blister pack can be viewed.

10. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the blister pack comprises a base member having a plurality of pockets, each pocket containing an individual item.

11. Packaging as claimed in claim 10, in which the flap contacts an upper surface of at least one of the pockets to bias the pack towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member, the arrangement being such that, in use as the pack is moved relative to the sleeve, the flap rides over the upper surfaces of the pockets enabling complete removal of the pack from the sleeve.

12. Packaging as claimed in claim 10, in which the base member is transparent or translucent.

13. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the items are confectionery items such as gum pellets.

14. (canceled)

15. A method of packaging a plurality of items, the method comprising:

packaging a plurality of items in a blister pack;

forming a sleeve member from a blank of foldable material;

creating a flap in the blank;

folding the flap about a fold line so that in the completed sleeve member it projects inwardly into the interior of the sleeve member;

inserting the blister pack into the sleeve member so that the flap contacts the blister pack biasing it towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the flap is pre-cut in the blank.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the step of folding the flap is carried out before the blank is formed into the sleeve member.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the flap is positioned such that when the blister pack is inserted, at least one item in the blister pack can be viewed through an aperture in the sleeve member created by folding the flap inwardly.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the blank comprises in sequence: a first side panel, a first main panel, a second side panel, a second main panel and a fixation tab separated by substantially parallel fold lines, the step of forming the sleeve member comprising folding the blank about the fold lines to form a sleeve member having a hollow interior and attaching the fixation tab to an inner surface of the first side panel.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, in which the flap is formed, at least partly, in one of the main panels of the sleeve member.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the flap is formed wholly within one of the main panels.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the fold line lies at a position between the outer ends of the main panel in which the flap is at least partly formed.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the step of folding the flap comprises folding the flap through more than 90 degrees from the plane of the main panel.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20, in which the flap comprises a portion of the main panel which is folded inwardly about the fold line to create an aperture in the main panel through which at least one of the items in the blister pack can be viewed.

25. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the blister pack comprises a base member having a plurality of pockets, each containing an individual item.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, in which the flap is arranged to contact an upper surface of at least one of the pockets to bias the pack towards an opposing portion of the sleeve member, the arrangement being such that, in use as the pack is moved relative to the sleeve, the flap rides over the upper surfaces of the pockets enabling complete removal of the pack from the sleeve.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25, in which the base member is transparent or translucent.

28. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the items are confectionery items such as gum pellets.

29.-30. (canceled)

31. Packaging as claimed in claim 1, in which the blank is formed from paperboard or cardboard.

32. Packaging as claimed in claim 31, in which the blank comprises in sequence: a first side panel, a first main panel, a second side panel, a second main panel and a fixation tab separated by substantially parallel fold lines.

33. (canceled)