FOOD PACKAGE

Abstract

A food pouch for the storage of one or more food items is provided. The food pouch has either a front label, at least a portion of which is removable to reveal text or graphics, or an inner removable card or booklet with text or graphics thereon.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/789,900, filed Mar. 15, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to food packages, and more specifically to food packages having a movable or removable portion to allow viewing of text and/or graphics.

Although food packages have been made for quite some time with labels on them, some manufacturers wish to include text or graphics in an initially hidden area which can be revealed after purchase of the food package item. The present invention has this capability.

One embodiment of the present invention is a food package with a front label, a portion of which is removable from the remainder of the package. The front label either has text on the rear side of a removable portion or on a bottom layer that remains attached to the remainder of the package.

A second embodiment of the present invention is a food package which includes a card or booklet inserted therein, which has one or more comical sayings, knock knock jokes or other jokes on it.

Other advantages, objects and/or purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with arrangements of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an open package of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the package of FIG. 1 in the closed state.

FIG. 3a is a front elevational view of a first embodiment of a food package with a corner of a top layer of a front label being pulled away from a bottom layer.

FIG. 3b is a front elevational view of the package of FIG. 3a with the top layer of the front label removed.

FIG. 3c is a rear elevational view of the removed top layer of the front label of the package of FIG. 3a.

FIG. 4a is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of a food package with a corner of a top layer of a front label being pulled away from a bottom layer.

FIG. 4b is a front elevational view of the food package of FIG. 4b with the top layer of the front label removed.

FIG. 4c is a rear elevational view of the removed top layer of the front label of the food package of FIG. 4a.

FIG. 5a is a front elevational view of a third embodiment of a food package with a corner of a front label being pulled away from the remainder of the package.

FIG. 5b is a front elevational view of the food package of FIG. 5a with the front label removed.

FIG. 5c is a rear elevational view of the removed front label of the food package of FIG. 5a.

FIG. 6a is a front elevational view of a fourth embodiment of a food package, the food package having a booklet in it.

FIG. 6b is a front elevational view of the food package of FIG. 6a with the booklet removed.

FIG. 6c is a front elevational view of the removed booklet of the food package of FIG. 6a.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the portion of the food package embodiment as oriented in FIG. 1 with the front of the food package generally extending out of the page. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following description are exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. The term “interior” is not meant to be limited by any shape of the given object, but instead refers to an object having an unfilled space within.

FIGS. 1-2 depict a food package 10, preferably made of cellophane or other flexible plastic material, with FIG. 1 showing the food package 10 in an open state, and FIG. 2 showing the food package in a closed state. The food package 10 of FIGS. 1-2 includes a pouch or container 12 having a closed bottom 14 and an open or openable top 16. The pouch 12 is designed to hold a food item, such as a cookie, therein. Attached to a front 18 of the container 12 is a label 20, variations of which are described in more detail below. A top portion 22 of the container 12, which terminates at the top 16, can be folded over along a fold line 24 and attached to another portion of the package to result in the closed package shown in FIG. 2.

A first embodiment of a food package 10a is depicted in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c. The reference numeral 10a generally designates a first embodiment of the present invention. Since the food package 10a is similar to the previously described food package 10, similar parts appearing in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c are represented by the same, corresponding reference number, except for the suffix “a” in the numerals of the latter. The container 12a is preferably one piece and made of a transparent material. The container has a front 18a and a back 19a. The front has a foldable top portion 22a, a first side edge 26a, a second side edge 28a, and a bottom 30a. The back 19a has a top 32a, a first side edge 34a, a second side edge 36a, and a bottom 38a. The front first side edge 26a is attached to the back first side edge 34a, the front second side edge 28a is attached to the back second side edge 36a, and the front bottom 30a is attached to the back bottom 38a. In the open state, the front top portion 22a is not attached to the back top 32a, but the front top portion 22a is releasably attachable to the back 19a, such as via use of an adhesive. This structure results in an openable and closable transparent pouch-like container.

The food package 10a includes a front label 20a which has a top layer 40a and a bottom layer 42a. The top layer 40a is shown having a corner 44a pulled away from the bottom layer 42a in FIG. 3a. The top layer 40a is attached to the bottom layer 42a by an adhesive, allowing the top layer 40a to be easily completely removed from the bottom layer 42a, and thus the food package 10a. The top layer 40a has a front side 46a and a rear side 48a. The removal of the top layer 40a can be achieved such as by peeling with one hand while the other hand holds the remainder of the food package 10a. After the top layer 40a is removed from the remainder of the package 10a, the bottom layer 42a remains attached to the front 18a of the package 10a as shown in FIG. 3b. The rear side 48a of the top layer 40a is then visible, as shown in FIG. 3c, and preferably contains text or a graphic 50a.

The reference numeral 10b (FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c) generally designates another, second embodiment of the present invention. Since the food package 10b is similar to the previously described food packages 10 and 10a, similar parts appearing in FIGS. 1-3c are represented by the same, corresponding reference number, except for the suffix “b” in the numerals of the latter. The container 12b is preferably one piece and made of a transparent material. The container has a front 18b and a back 19b. The front has a foldable top portion 22b, a first side edge 26b, a second side edge 28b, and a bottom 30b. The back 19b has a top 32b, a first side edge 34b, a second side edge 36b, and a bottom 38b. The front first side edge 26b is attached to the back first side edge 34b, the front second side edge 28b is attached to the back second side edge 36b, and the front bottom 30b is attached to the back bottom 38b. In the open state, the front top portion 22b is not attached to the back top 32b, but the front top portion 22b is releasably attachable to the back 19b, such as via use of an adhesive. This structure results in an openable and closable transparent pouch-like container.

The food package 10b has a similar label 20b to that of the food package 10a in the first embodiment. That is, the front label 20b includes a top layer 40b, which is completely removable from a bottom layer 42b. However, in this embodiment, the label 20b includes text or graphics 50b on a front side 52b of the bottom layer 42b (see FIG. 4b). In this embodiment, the top layer 40b does not have text or graphics on its rear side 48b, as depicted in FIG. 4c. Alternatively, it is contemplated that both the front side 52b of the bottom layer 42b as well as the rear side 48b of the top layer 40b could have text and/or graphics 50b thereon.

The reference numeral 10c (FIGS. 5a, 5b, and 5c) generally designates a third embodiment of the present invention. Since the food package 10c is similar to the previously described food packages 10, 10a, and 10b, similar parts appearing in FIGS. 1-4c are represented by the same, corresponding reference number, except for the suffix “c” in the numerals of the latter. The container 12c is preferably one piece and made of a transparent material. The container has a front 18c and a back 19c. The front has a foldable top portion 22c, a first side edge 26c, a second side edge 28c, and a bottom 30c. The back 19c has a top 32c, a first side edge 34c, a second side edge 36c, and a bottom 38c. The front first side edge 26c is attached to the back first side edge 34c, the front second side edge 28c is attached to the back second side edge 36c, and the front bottom 30c is attached to the back bottom 38c. In the open state, the front top portion 22c is not attached to the back top 32c, but the front top portion 22c is releasably attachable to the back 19c, such as via use of an adhesive. This structure results in an openable and closable transparent pouch-like container.

In this third embodiment, the food package 10c has a label 20c that is a single layer 40c. In other words, the label 20c of the food package 10c has no bottom layer. The label 20c is removably attached to the front 18c of the food package 10c. After removal of the label 20c, the remainder of the food package 10c has no front label (see FIG. 5b) and the label 20c can be turned over to reveal text or graphics 50c on the rear side 48c of the single layer 40c of the label 20c, as shown in FIG. 5c.

A fourth embodiment of a food package 10d is depicted in FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6c. The reference numeral 10d (FIGS. 6a, 6b, 6c) generally designates another embodiment of the present invention. Since the food package 10d is similar to the previously described food packages 10, 10a, 10b, and 10c, similar parts appearing in FIGS. 1-5c are represented by the same, corresponding reference number, except for the suffix “d” in the numerals of the latter. The container 12d is preferably one piece and made of a transparent material. The container has a front 18d and a back 19d. The front has a foldable top portion 22d, a first side edge 26d, a second side edge 28d, and a bottom 30d. The back 19d has a top 32d, a first side edge 34d, a second side edge 36d, and a bottom 38d. The front first side edge 26d is attached to the back first side edge 34d, the front second side edge 28d is attached to the back second side edge 36d, and the front bottom 30d is attached to the back bottom 38d. In the open state, the front top portion 22d is not attached to the back top 32d, but the front top portion 22d is releasably attachable to the back 19d, such as via use of an adhesive. This structure results in an openable and closable transparent pouch-like container.

In this embodiment, the food package 10d has a front label 20d which is not intended to be removed. The label 20d is preferably strongly adhered to the front 18d of the food package 10d. The pouch or container 12d defines an interior 53d, in which a food item and an inner card or booklet 54d may reside. The food package 10d may be opened by peeling a top portion 22d away from the back 19d of the food package 10d. The card or booklet 54d can then be removed from the container 12d resulting in an open container 12d (see FIG. 6b) and a separate card or booklet 54d, as shown in FIG. 6c. The card or booklet 54d has text and/or graphics 50d thereon which become visible upon removal of the card or booklet 54d from the container 12d.

The text or graphics of the labels, card, or booklet may be any desired text or graphics, but it preferably includes a comical saying or a joke.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A food package comprising:

a food pouch configured to hold a food item, the food pouch having a closed bottom, an openable top, and a front; and

a label attached to the front of the food pouch, the label including a portion that is removable from the front of the food pouch to reveal text or graphics.

2. A food package comprising:

a food pouch configured to hold a food item, the food pouch having an interior, a closed bottom, and an openable top; and

a card or booklet disposed in the interior of the food pouch, the card or booklet having text or graphics thereon and being removable from the food pouch for viewing of the text or graphics.

3. A food package comprising:

a substantially transparent food pouch having a front and a back member, the front member having a front first member edge, a front second edge, a front third edge, and a front fourth edge, the back member having a back first edge, a back second edge, a back third edge, and a back fourth edge, the front first edge being attached to the back first edge, the front second edge being attached to the back second edge, the front third edge being attached to the back third edge, and the front fourth edge being unattached to the back fourth edge, the front fourth edge and the back fourth edge together defining a pouch opening; and

a label removably attached to one of the front member and the back member, the label having an outer side with indicia thereon and an inner side in contact with or adjacent to the one of the front member and back member, the back panel having indicia thereon.

4. A food package comprising:

a substantially transparent food pouch having a front and a back member, the front member having a front first member edge, a front second edge, a front third edge, and a front fourth edge, the back member having a back first edge, a back second edge, a back third edge, and a back fourth edge, the front first edge being attached to the back first edge, the front second edge being attached to the back second edge, the front third edge being attached to the back third edge, and the front fourth edge being unattached to the back fourth edge, the front fourth edge and the back fourth edge together defining a pouch opening; and

a paper insert disposed within the food pouch and being shaped and sized to be removable from the food pouch through the pouch opening, the paper insert having a first side and a second side, and having indicia on the first side.