PACKAGING SYSTEM
In various embodiments, a packaging system can comprise an outer housing including a first storage portion, a second storage portion, and a hang tab, wherein the first housing portion can be positioned on a first side of the hang tab and the second housing portion can be positioned on a second side of the hang tab. The hang tab can lie within a support plane and the first storage portion can be positioned entirely on a first side of the support plane and the second storage portion can be positioned entirely on a second side of the support plane. In at least one embodiment, the hang tab, the first storage portion, and the second storage portion can be comprised of a unitary piece of material.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging systems. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention relates to packaging systems for storing and/or displaying telecommunication devices such as cellular phones, or cell phones, for example, and their accompanying accessories.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oftentimes, telecommunications devices, such as cell phones, pagers, and/or their accessories, such as battery chargers, for example, are packaged and placed on shelves, or racks, in stores. Current packaging systems are often deficient in several respects as they do not sufficiently contain and align the contents stored therein.
The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate various aspects of the related art in the field of the invention at the time, and should not be taken as a disavowal of claim scope.
SUMMARYIn at least one form, a packaging system for storing and displaying a cell phone can comprise an outer housing and a storage tray positionable in a storage chamber in the outer housing. The outer housing can comprise a front comprising a window, a back, a first housing side extending between the front and the back, a second housing side extending between the front and the back, a support plane, a hang tab positioned within the support plane, a first storage chamber positioned entirely on a first side of the support plane, and a second storage chamber positioned entirely on a second side of the support plane. The storage tray can comprise a first tray side, a second tray side, and a channel configured to receive a cell phone, wherein the channel is aligned with the window when the first tray side is one of adjacent to or in contact with the first housing side.
In at least one form, a packaging system for storing and displaying a cell phone can comprise an outer housing comprising a front comprising a window, a back, a first housing side extending between the front and the back, a second housing side extending between the front and the back, a support plane, a hang tab positioned within the support plane, the hang tab comprising an aperture extending therethrough, a first storage chamber positioned on a first side of the hang tab, and a second storage chamber positioned on a second side of the hang tab. The packaging system can further comprise a first tray positionable in the first storage chamber and a second tray positionable in the second storage chamber. In at least one embodiment, the packaging system can further comprise a clear, or at least substantially clear, insert positioned within the first storage chamber which covers the window in the outer housing.
In at least one form, a packaging system for storing and displaying a cell phone can comprise an outer housing including a first support plane, a second support plane, wherein the second support plane is normal to the first support plane, and a hang tab comprising a hang tab aperture, wherein the hang tab is aligned within the first support plane, and wherein the second support plane extends through the hang tab aperture. The outer housing can further comprise a first storage chamber positioned on a first side of the first support plane, and a second storage chamber positioned on a second side of the first support plane.
The foregoing discussion should not be taken as a disavowal of claim scope.
Various features of the embodiments described herein are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The various embodiments, however, both as to organization and methods of operation, together with advantages thereof, may be understood in accordance with the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate various embodiments of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONNumerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and illustrative. Variations and changes thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.
Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” or “an embodiment”, or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment”, or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features structures, or characteristics of one or more other embodiments without limitation. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that for conciseness and clarity, spatial terms such as “vertical,” “horizontal,” “up,” and “down”, for example, may be used herein with respect to the illustrated embodiments. However, these terms are used to assist the reader and are not intended to be limiting and absolute.
In various embodiments, referring to
As discussed above, the first storage tray 140 of packaging system 100 is positionable in the first storage chamber 120 of outer housing 110. In various embodiments, referring to
In various embodiments, referring again to
In various embodiments, referring to
In various embodiments, the outer housing 110 can further comprise a hang tab 117 which can be configured to support the packaging assembly 100. The hang tab 117 can comprise a hang tab aperture 118 extending therethrough which can be configured to receive one or more rods or wires, for example, therein. In various embodiments, referring now to
In various embodiments, the first storage chamber 120 and the second storage chamber 130 can be configured such that the weight of the packaging system 100 can be balanced, or at least substantially balanced, with respect to the support plane 101. In at least one embodiment, the weight of the walls comprising the first chamber 120 can be equal to, or at least substantially equal to, the weight of the walls comprising the second chamber 130. In certain embodiments, the moment, or torque, created by the weight of the walls comprising the first chamber 120 with respect to the support plane 101 can be equal to, or at least substantially equal to, the moment, or torque, created by the weight of the walls comprising the second chamber 130 with respect to the support plane 101. Furthermore, the collective weight of the first chamber 120, the first storage tray 140, and the contents stored within the first chamber 120 can be equal to, or at least substantially equal to, the collective weight of the second chamber 130, the second storage tray 170, and the contents stored within the second chamber 130. Similarly, these collective weights can create moments, or torques, with respect to the support plane 101 which are equal or at least substantially equal to each other. In any event, the weight of the packaging system 100 can be balanced, or at least substantially balanced, with respect to the support plane 101. In various embodiments, referring primarily now to
In various embodiments, referring now to
Each die cut-out 201 can comprise a unitary piece of material which is folded into shape wherein portions of which can be glued into place. Referring to
In various embodiments, referring now to
In various embodiments, referring now to
As described above, the first storage tray 140 can be configured to store and support a cell phone. In certain embodiments, the first storage tray 140 can be configured to store and support a different device, such as a pager, for example. In various embodiments, the second storage tray 170 can comprise a caddy which can be configured to store a battery charging device therein. As described above, the hang tab 117 can comprise a hang tab aperture 118. In certain embodiments, the hang tab 117 can comprise two or more hang tab apertures comprising any suitable configuration. In at least one such embodiment, the hang tab apertures can each lie within the support plane 101. In various embodiments, a packaging system can be configured to store and support two or more cell phones. In at least one such embodiment, an outer housing of a packaging system can comprise two or more windows 190 and the first support tray 140 can comprise two or more channels 160 aligned with the windows 190. In various embodiments, an outer housing of a packaging system can comprise three or more storage chambers. In various embodiments, the outer housing 110, the first storage tray 140, and/or the second storage tray 170 can be comprised of any suitable material, such as cardboard and/or any other suitable paper product, for example. In certain embodiments, the outer housing 110 and/or the second tray 170 can be comprised of 24 pt. Coated Two Side (C2S) Cover material, for example, which is available under the tradename Tango Advantage from MeadWestvaco Corporation. In at least one embodiment, the first tray 140 can be comprised of 18 pt. Coated Two Side (C2S) Cover material, for example, which is also available under the tradename Tango Advantage from MeadWestvaco Corporation. In various alternative embodiments, the outer housing 110, the first tray 140, and/or the second tray 170 can be comprised of Coated One Side (CIS) Cover material, for example.
Although the various embodiments of the devices have been described herein in connection with certain disclosed embodiments, many modifications and variations to those embodiments may be implemented. Also, where materials are disclosed for certain components, other materials may be used. Furthermore, according to various embodiments, a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components may be replaced by a single component, to perform a given function or functions. The foregoing description and following claims are intended to cover all such modification and variations.
The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,107, entitled RETURN AND REPAIR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD, which issued on Feb. 17, 2009, is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materials does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.
Claims
1. A packaging system for storing and displaying a cell phone, said packaging system comprising:
- an outer housing, comprising: a front comprising a window; a back; a first housing side extending between said front and said back; a second housing side extending between said front and said back; a support plane; a hang tab positioned within said support plane; a first storage chamber positioned entirely on a first side of said support plane; and a second storage chamber positioned entirely on a second side of said support plane; and
- a storage tray positionable in said first storage chamber, said storage tray comprising: a first tray side; a second tray side; a channel configured to receive a cell phone, wherein said channel is aligned with said window when said first tray side is one of adjacent to or in contact with said first housing side.
2. The packaging system of claim 1, further comprising a midplane defined between said first housing side and said second housing side, wherein said hang tab and said window are centered with respect to said midplane.
3. The packaging system of claim 1, further comprising a second storage tray positionable in said second storage chamber.
4. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein said second tray side comprises at least one finger hole.
5. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein said front, said back, said first housing side, said second housing side, and said hang tab are comprised of a unitary sheet of material.
6. The packaging system of claim 5, wherein said first chamber is defined by:
- said front;
- said first housing side;
- a first back wall opposite said front;
- a first bottom wall extending between said front and said first back wall;
- a first top wall extending between said front and said first back wall; and
- a first flap extending from said front, wherein said first flap is configured to close said first storage chamber; and wherein said second chamber is defined by:
- said back;
- said first housing side;
- a second front wall opposite said back;
- a second bottom wall extending between said second front wall and said back;
- a second top wall extending between said second front wall and said back; and
- a second flap extending from said back, wherein said second flap is configured to close said second storage chamber.
7. The packaging system of claim 6, wherein said hang tab is comprised of a portion of said first back wall extending upwardly from said first top wall and a portion of second front wall extending upwardly from said second top wall, and wherein said hang tab further comprises a hang aperture extending through said first back wall and said second front wall.
8. A packaging system for storing and displaying a cell phone, said packaging system comprising:
- an outer housing, comprising: a front comprising a window; a back; a first housing side extending between said front and said back; a second housing side extending between said front and said back; a support plane; a hang tab positioned within said support plane, said hang tab comprising an aperture extending therethrough; a first storage chamber positioned on a first side of said hang tab; and a second storage chamber positioned on a second side of said hang tab.
9. The packaging system of claim 8, further comprising a storage tray positionable in said first storage chamber, said storage tray comprising:
- a first tray side;
- a second tray side;
- a channel configured to receive a cell phone, wherein said channel is aligned with said window when said first tray side is one of adjacent to or in contact with said first housing side.
10. The packaging system of claim 9, further comprising a midplane defined between said first housing side and said second housing side, wherein said hang tab aperture and said window are centered with respect to said midplane.
11. The packaging system of claim 9, further comprising a second storage tray positionable in said second storage chamber.
12. The packaging system of claim 9, wherein said second tray side comprises at least one finger hole.
13. The packaging system of claim 8, wherein said front, said back, said first housing side, said second housing side, and said hang tab are comprised of a unitary sheet of material.
14. The packaging system of claim 13, wherein said first chamber is defined by:
- said front;
- said first housing side;
- a first back wall opposite said front;
- a first bottom wall extending between said front and said first back wall;
- a first top wall extending between said front and said first back wall; and
- a first flap extending from said front; and wherein said second chamber is defined by:
- said back;
- said first housing side;
- a second front wall opposite said back;
- a second bottom wall extending between said second front wall and said back;
- a second top wall extending between said second front wall and said back; and
- a second flap extending from said back.
15. The packaging system of claim 14, wherein said hang tab is comprised of a portion of said first back wall extending upwardly from said first top wall and a portion of second front wall extending upwardly from said second top wall, and wherein said hang tab further comprises a hang aperture extending through said first back wall and said second front wall.
16. A packaging system for storing and displaying a cell phone, said packaging system comprising:
- an outer housing, comprising: a first support plane; a second support plane, wherein said second support plane is normal to said first support plane; a hang tab comprising a hang tab aperture, wherein said hang tab is aligned within said first support plane, and wherein said second support plane extends through said hang tab aperture; a first storage chamber positioned on a first side of said first support plane; and a second storage chamber positioned on a second side of said first support plane.
17. The packaging system of claim 16, further comprising a storage tray positionable in said first storage chamber, said storage tray comprising a channel configured to receive a cell phone, wherein said channel is aligned with said window when said storage tray is fully inserted into said first storage chamber.
18. The packaging system of claim 16, wherein said hang tab, said first storage chamber, and said second storage chamber are comprised of a unitary piece of material.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 14, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 15, 2012
Inventor: Wendy Sue Wagner (Aurora, IL)
Application Number: 12/881,584
International Classification: B65D 85/00 (20060101); B65D 25/54 (20060101);