PACKAGING FOR PERISHABLE PRODUCT

Abstract

A product packaging device including a visual inspection window and/or olfactory inspection ports. The device may include including a tray slidably received in a container and movable into and out of a fully inserted position in the container. The device may also include a cover foldable over the visual inspection window and/or the olfactory inspection ports.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/422,195 filed Nov. 15, 2016.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

Field

This application relates generally to packaging for perishable products.

Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

It is known to enclose perishable products, such as plant products, in packaging for shipping, storage, and display. It is also known for such packaging to be configured and constructed in such a way as to prevent or limit moisture, air, and/or light intrusion, to slow decay or otherwise preserve the quality of the enclosed product. Problematically, materials and structures that prevent or limit air and light intrusion tend to prevent or limit olfactory and/or visual inspection of the enclosed product.

SUMMARY

A product packaging device is provided, which comprises a container, a tray slidably receivable in the container and movable into and out of a fully inserted position in the container, a visual inspection window included in the container, and an olfactory inspection port included in the container.

In addition, or alternatively, a product packaging device is provided, which comprises a carton, a visual inspection window comprising a window opening formed in the carton, and a cover carried by the carton and foldable into a closed position over the window.

In addition, or alternatively, a product packaging device is provided, which comprises a carton, an olfactory inspection port formed in the carton, and a cover carried by the carton and foldable into a closed position over the port.

DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS

These and other features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art in connection with the following detailed description and drawings of one or more embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a packaging device for perishable products, with a cover of the device shown folded into a closed position covering a visual inspection window and olfactory inspection ports of the device;

FIG. 2 is a top-front perspective view of the packaging device of FIG. 1, with the cover shown unfolded from its closed position, uncovering the visual inspection window and olfactory inspection ports;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the packaging device of FIG. 1, with the cover shown unfolded from its closed position as in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top-end perspective view of the packaging device of FIG. 1, with the cover shown unfolded from its closed position, and with end flaps of a container portion of the device unfolded from respective closed positions to reveal a product tray portion of the device in a fully inserted position within the container;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the packaging device of FIG. 1, with the cover shown unfolded from its closed position, and with the tray shown in out of its fully inserted position, but still partially inserted in the container;

FIG. 6 is a top-end view of the tray of the packaging device of FIG. 1, shown removed from the container;

FIG. 7 is a top-side perspective view of the container of the packaging device of FIG. 1, shown with the cover unfolded from its closed position and end flaps at both ends of the container, shown unfolded from respective closed positions;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the blank from which the tray of the packaging device of FIG. 1 is folded;

FIG. 9 is a magnified cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 10 is a magnified cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A packaging device for perishable products such as plant matter and/or plant matter concentrates, is generally shown at 10 in the drawings. The device 10 may comprise a container 12 such as, for example, a carton foldable from a blank comprising cardboard or other suitable material. As shown in FIGS. 4-6 and 8, the device 10 may also comprise a tray 14 slidably receivable in the container 12. The tray 14 may be foldable from a blank, as shown in FIG. 8, which may comprise cardboard or other suitable material.

The tray 14 may be movable into and out of a fully inserted position, shown in FIG. 4, in which plant product carried in the tray 14 is enclosed within the container 12. When the tray 14 is out of its fully inserted position, as shown in FIG. 5, the plant product is accessible and removable from the tray 14.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5 and 7, the device 10 may also comprise a visual inspection window 16 in a top wall 18 of the container 12 in a position to allow visual inspection of plant product carried in the tray 14. The inspection window 16 may include a window opening 20 formed in the top wall 18 of the container 12 and a transparent panel 22 or pane that is carried by the top wall 18 of the container 12 and extends across and closes the window opening 20. The transparent panel 22 may comprise any one or more of a number of suitable materials to include, for example, low-density polyethylene (LDPE). An outer margin of the panel 22 may be adhered to an inner surface of the top wall 18 of the container 12 around the window opening 20, using any suitable plastic adhesive.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, 7 and 9, the device 10 may also comprise one or more olfactory inspection ports 24. The olfactory inspection ports 24 may be formed in the top wall 18 of the container 12 in a position to allow olfactory inspection of plant product carried in the tray 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5 and 7, the device 10 may further comprise a cover 26 that is foldable into a closed position over the inspection window 16 to block light from passing through the inspection window 16 into the tray 14, thus protecting the enclosed plant product from light during storage and transit. The cover 26 is unfolded out of the closed position to allow for visual inspection of the enclosed plant product through the inspection window 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5 and 7, the olfactory inspection ports 24 may be located in respective position where the cover 26, when in the closed position, also covers the olfactory inspection ports 24 to reduce the exposure of enclosed plant product to ambient air.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, 7 and 9, the device 10 may include olfactory port plugs 28 carried by the cover 26 in respective positions where they will be received in the olfactory inspection ports 24 when the cover 26 is in its closed position. The olfactory port plugs 28 may be frustoconical in shape and may comprise any suitable material such as, for example, plastic and/or silicone elastomer, and may be secured to an inside surface of the cover 26 by any suitable adhesive 29 such as, for example, packaging glue.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the device 10 may also include a cover closure 30 configured and positioned to releasably fasten the cover 26 in its closed position. The cover closure 30 may be released to allow the cover 26 to be opened, and then re-fastened once the cover 26 has been returned to its closed position. The cover closure 30 may comprise any one of a number of suitable releasable closures known in the packaging art to include, for example, and as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, hook and pile fabric panels applied to respective opposing surfaces of the cover 26 and container 12 such as an inside surface 32 of the cover 26 and a corresponding portion 34 of the top wall 18 of the container 12. Hook and pile fabric panels may also be applied to an inside flap surface 36 of the cover 26 and a corresponding portion 38 of a side surface of the container 12 as shown in FIGS. 2-5. As best shown in FIG. 10, the hook and pile fabric panels may be adhered to their respective surfaces using any suitable adhesive 39.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5 and 7, the device 10 may also include container end closures 40 configured and positioned to releasably secure the tray 14 in its fully inserted position. One of the container end closures 40 may be opened to allow the tray 14 to be slid out of its fully inserted position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and then closed once the tray 14 has been returned to its fully inserted position. The container end closures 40 may comprise any one of a number of suitable releasable closure configurations known in the packaging art to include, for example, and as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, box closure flaps 42, 44 comprising two opposite end flaps 42 and a closure flap 44 having an insert tab 48 along a distal edge. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each container end closure 40 may also include a piece of adhesive tape 50 that may be applied across the closure flap 44 and an adjacent surface 52 of the container 12 after the cover flap's insert tab 48 has been inserted. Once applied, the adhesive tape piece 50 spans a seam formed between the closure flap 44 and the adjacent surface 52, into which the cover flap insert tab 48 is inserted.

This description, rather than describing limitations of an invention, only illustrates one embodiment of the invention recited in the claims. The language of this description is therefore exclusively descriptive and is non-limiting.

Obviously, it's possible to modify this invention from what the description teaches. Within the scope of the claims, one may practice the invention other than as described above.

Claims

1. A product packaging device comprising:

a container;

a tray slidably receivable in the container and movable into and out of a fully inserted position in the container;

a visual inspection window included in the container; and

an olfactory inspection port included in the container.

2. The device of claim 1 in which product carried in the tray is enclosed within the container when the tray is in the fully inserted position.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the product is accessible and removable from the tray when the try is in the open position.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the visual inspection window includes a window opening formed in a top wall of the container in a position to allow visual inspection of product carried in the tray.

5. The device of claim 1 in which the visual inspection window includes a transparent panel carried by the container top wall in a position extending across and closing the window opening.

6. The device of claim 1 in which the olfactory inspection port is formed in a top wall of the container in a position to allow olfactory inspection of product carried in the tray.

7. The device of claim 1 further including a cover foldable over at least one of the window or port.

8. The device of claim 1 further including an olfactory port plug carried by the cover in a position where it will be received in the olfactory inspection port when the cover is in its closed position.

9. A product packaging device comprising:

a carton;

a visual inspection window comprising a window opening formed in the carton; and

a cover carried by the carton and foldable into a closed position over the window.

10. The device of claim 9 in which the visual inspection window includes a transparent panel carried by the carton in a position extending across and closing the window opening.

11. A product packaging device comprising:

a carton;

an olfactory inspection port formed in the carton; and

a cover carried by the carton and foldable into a closed position over the port.

12. The device of claim 11 further including an olfactory port plug carried by the cover in a position where it will be received in the olfactory inspection port when the cover is in its closed position