DUAL PRIMARY-SECONDARY PACKAGE

Abstract

The present application provides a dual primary-secondary package. The dual primary-secondary package includes a first container, a second container, a first label attached to the first container and the second container, and a second label attached to the first container and the second container. Rotating the first container and the second container causes the first label to roll off of the second container and attach fully to the first container and the second label to roll off of the first container and attach fully to the second container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to packaging systems and more particularly relate to a dual primary-secondary package using a pair of pressure sensitive labels as both the primary labeling and the secondary packaging for a pair of like or unique containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pressure sensitive labels and the like have long been used on any number of product containers. Such labels may contain product trademarks, usage information, ingredient information, decorations, promotions, and many other types of product related indicia and the like. Many types of products also may be combined in “twin packs”, “value packs”, and like where two or more product are packaged together for sale. The product pairs may be combined with secondary packaging such as a polyolefin shrink sleeve, PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) or PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) shrink films, and the like. The secondary packaging also may contain product indicia and other types of information thereon. Although this type of secondary packaging is popular and effective in promoting the products therein, any type of secondary packaging involves additional material costs, additional production time, and additional weight during transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a dual primary-secondary package. The dual primary-secondary package includes a first container, a second container, a first label attached to the first container and the second container, and a second label attached to the first container and the second container. Rotating the first container and the second container causes the first label to roll off of the second container and attach fully to the first container and the second label to roll off of the first container and attach fully to the second container.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a method of using a dual primary-secondary package. The method may include the steps of attaching a first end of a first label to a first container, attaching a second end of the first label to a second container, attaching a first end of a second label to the first container, attaching a second end of the second label to the second container, and rotating the first container and the second container such that the first label attaches fully to the first container and the second label attaches fully to the second container.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a combined dual primary-secondary package system. The combined dual primary-secondary package system may include a number of dual primary-secondary packages with each having a first container, a second container, a first label attached to the first container and the second container, and a second label attached to the first container and the second container. Each of the dual primary-secondary packages is attached to a retainer such that a first of the dual primary-secondary packages extends along a long direction of the retainer and a second of the dual primary-secondary packages extends along a short direction of the retainer. Any number of the dual primary-secondary packages may be used herein.

These and other features and improvements of the present application and the resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional two product twin pack combined with secondary packaging.

FIG. 2 is a prospective view of a dual primary-secondary package as may be described herein.

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the dual primary-secondary package of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the assembly of the dual primary-secondary package of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the separation of the two containers in the dual primary-secondary package of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a combined dual primary-secondary package system as may be described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional two product twin pack 10 combined with a secondary packaging layer 15. Specifically, the twin pack 10 has two containers, a first container 20 and a second container 25 connected by the secondary packaging layer 15. The containers 20, 25 may be any type of conventional bottle, can, box, pouch, or other type of enclosure in any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The containers 20, 25 may be made out of metal, glass, thermoplastics, laminates, and the like. The containers 20, 25 may hold any type of product therein. Each container 20, 25 may have a primary label 30 with product indicia 35 thereon. The product indicia 35 may include any type of product information, promotion, graphics, and the like. The secondary packaging layer 15 also may have the same or different product indicia 35 thereon. As described above, the secondary packaging layer 15 may be a polyolefin shrink sleeve, PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) or PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) shrink films, and the like. The twin pack 10 may be purchased by a consumer with the individual containers 20, 25 being accessible by removing the secondary packaging layer 15.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an example of a dual primary-secondary package 100 as may be described herein. The dual primary-secondary package 100 includes the first container 20 and the second container 25 in a side by side configuration. As described above, although the containers 20, 25 are shown herein as cans, the containers 20, 25 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration and may include cans, bottles, boxes, pouches, and the like.

The dual primary-secondary package 100 includes a pair of labels, a first label 110 and a second label 120. The labels 110, 120 may be made out of any type of substrate material such as paper, polymers, metallic, combinations thereof, and the like. The labels 110, 120 may be pressure sensitive labels 130 with a pre-applied adhesive. Any type of conventional adhesive may be used herein. The labels 110, 120 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The labels 110, 120 may have any type of indicia 35 thereon. The labels 110, 120 may be largely identically or individually intended for one container 20, 25 or the other.

A first label first end 140 may be attached to the first container 20 while a first label second end 150 may be attached to the second container 25. A first label middle portion 160 may remain unattached therebetween and may or may not contain an adhesive. Likewise, a second label first end 170 may be attached to the first container 20 while a second label second end 180 may be attached to the second container 25. A second label middle portion 190 may remain unattached therebetween and may or may not contain an adhesive. About 20 percent to about 45 percent of the length of each label 110, 120 may be attached to the containers 20, 25 at each end 140, 150, 170, 180 with about 25 percent to about 40 percent preferred. The remaining percentage of the length of each label 110, 120 may be in the unattached middle portions 160, 190. Other percentages and lengths may be used herein. Each container 20, 25 need not receive the same percentage of the label length as the other. A first gap 200 may extend between the first label first end 140 and the second label first end 170 on the first container 20 while a second gap 210 may extend between the first label second end 150 and the second label second end 180 on the second container 25. The width of the gaps 200, 210 may vary. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the labeling process that may be used herein. The containers 20, 25 may extend along a conveyor 220 or other type of movement device. The first label first end 140 may be attached to the first container 20 while the first label second end 150 is attached to the second container 25 in a first attachment direction 230. Likewise, the second label second end 180 may be attached to the second container 25 while the second label first end 170 is attached to the first container 20 in a second attachment direction 240. Conventional labeling equipment may be used herein. Other types of attachment processes may be used herein. The dual primary-secondary package 100 is thus complete and ready for packing, shipment, and sale to a consumer and the like.

When a consumer desires to access one of the containers 20, 25, the dual primary-secondary package 100 may be separated as shown in the example of FIG. 5. A consumer may position the dual primary-secondary package 100 between his or her hands and apply opposite direction sliding motions to each long side of the dual primary-secondary package 100. Specifically a first sliding motion 250 to one side of the dual primary-secondary package 100 and an opposite second sliding motion 260 to the other side. These opposed sliding motions 250, 260 cause the containers 20, 25 to rotate such that the first label second end 150 is pulled of the second container 25 and attaches fully to the first container 20 while the second label first end 170 is pulled off of the first container 20 and attaches fully to the second container 25. Each container 20, 25 is now separate and fully labeled. Separation also may occur by twisting the top of the containers 20, 25 in the same rotational force.

The dual primary-secondary package 100 thus provides dual packs or value packs of the containers 20, 25 without the need, expense, and weight of conventional secondary packaging. The dual primary-secondary package 100 provides for the safe transport and retail display of the containers 20, 25 while providing easy separation by the consumer. Moreover, the labels 110, 120 may be somewhat smaller as compared to conventional labels given the application process, thus providing a further cost savings. Although the dual primary-secondary package 100 has been discussed as a replacement for a primary label or the secondary packaging, the dual primary-secondary package 100 could be used in combination with such.

A number of the dual primary-secondary packages 100 may be used together. For example, in a conventional six pack of containers joined together by a common retainer, it is not uncommon for the individual containers to rotate such that the package as a whole is unfaced, i.e., the primary indicia 35 of the containers is not facing forward towards the consumer. FIG. 6 shows a combined dual primary-secondary package system 270 as may be claimed herein. The combined dual primary-secondary package system 270 in this example may use three of the dual primary-secondary packages 100 assembled with a retainer 280. Any number of the dual primary-secondary packages 100 may be used herein. The retainer 280 may be of conventional design. The retainer 280 may have a pair of long sides 290 and a pair of short sides 300. The combined dual primary-secondary package system 270 may have two dual primary-secondary packages 100 extending along the long sides 290 of the retainer 280 with the indicia 35 facing outwardly and one dual primary-secondary package 100 extending along one of the short sides 300 with the indicia 35 facing outwardly. This configuration ensures that three of the four sides of the retainer 280 will display the full indicia 35 of the three dual primary-secondary packages 100. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and the resultant patent. Numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A dual primary-secondary package, comprising:

a first container;

a second container;

a first label attached to the first container and the second container; and

a second label attached to the first container and the second container;

wherein rotating the first container and the second container causes the first label to roll off of the second container and attach fully to the first container and the second label to roll off of the first container and attach fully to the second container.

2. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 1, wherein the first container and the second container comprise a can, a bottle, a box, or a pouch.

3. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 1, wherein the first label and the second label comprise a pressure sensitive label.

4. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 1, wherein a first end of the first label is attached to the first container and a second end of the first label is attached to the second container.

5. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 4, wherein a first end of the second label is attached to the first container and a second end of the second label is attached to the second container.

6. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 5, further comprising a first gap between the attached first end of the first label and the attached first end of the second label.

7. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 6, further comprising a second gap between the attached second end of the first label and the attached second end of the second label.

8. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 4, wherein the first label comprises an unattached middle portion between the first end and the second end.

9. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 5, wherein the second label comprises an unattached middle portion between the first end and the second end.

10. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 1, wherein about 25 percent to about 40 percent of the first label is attached to the first container.

11. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 10, wherein about 25 percent to about 40 percent of the first label is attached to the second container.

12. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 1, wherein about 25 percent to about 40 percent of the second label is attached to the first container.

13. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 12, wherein about 25 percent to about 40 percent of the second label is attached to the second container.

14. The dual primary-secondary package of claim 1, wherein the first label and the second label comprise indicia thereon.

15. A method of using a dual primary-secondary package, comprising:

attaching a first end of a first label to a first container;

attaching a second end of the first label to a second container;

attaching a first end of a second label to the first container;

attaching a second end of the second label to the second container; and

rotating the first container and the second container such that the first label attaches fully to the first container and the second label attaches fully to the second container.

16. A combined dual primary-secondary package system, comprising:

a plurality of dual primary-secondary packages;

the plurality of dual primary-secondary packages each comprising a first container, a second container, a first label attached to the first container and the second container, and a second label attached to the first container and the second container;

the plurality of dual primary-secondary packages attached to a retainer;

wherein a first of the plurality of dual primary-secondary packages extends along a long direction of the retainer and a second of the plurality of dual primary-secondary packages extends along a short direction of the retainer.

17. The combined dual primary-secondary package system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of dual primary-secondary packages comprises indicia thereon.

18. The combined dual primary-secondary package system of claim 16, wherein the first label and the second label comprise a pressure sensitive label.

19. The combined dual primary-secondary package system of claim 16, wherein a first end of the first label is attached to the first container and a second end of the first label is attached to the second container and a first end of the second label is attached to the first container and a second end of the second label is attached to the second container.

20. The combined dual primary-secondary package system of claim 16, wherein about 25 percent to about 40 percent of the first label is attached to the first container and about 25 percent to about 40 percent of the first label is attached to the second container.