US20170081101A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20170081101A1
Application number: US15/272,263
Authority: US
Inventors: Moshe Begim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-09-21
Filing date: 2016-09-21
Publication date: 2017-03-23

Abstract

A display package for securing an electronic consumer product includes a blister sheet with a plastic blister and raised ridges partially surrounding the plastic blister, a cut resistant sheet overlapping the blister sheet to cover at least the back of the plastic blister, and a housing for encasing the blister sheet and cut resistant sheet, the housing having an aperture through which the plastic blister protrudes. The housing has an adhesively sealed peripheral edge for sealing the package. The raised ridges are located inward of the peripheral edge to assist with sealing, while the cut resistant sheet may be adhesively sealed to the peripheral edge to impart tear resistance and rigidity to the package.

Description

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional application No. 62/221,532, filed on Sep. 21, 2015.

BACKGROUND

Blister packaging for electronic consumer products is known in the art. Since electronic components are often small but expensive items, larger packaging for hanging from a peg or displayed in a similarly visible and accessible manner is used for advertising and sale, and to prevent easy theft (e.g., customers putting the items in their pockets or purse and leaving the store without paying for the items). Blister packaging typically involves vacuum forming a thermoplastic material, and placing the form inside a two-sheet paper or cardboard housing, such that the form extends through a display portal in one sheet, while a flat lip of thermoplastic material around the form remains trapped between the two sheets. The sheets are often made from one blank of material, which is folded over to have matching edges, and the edges glued or otherwise sealed to prevent access to the interior of the package. Often, the edges are compressed as well to add rigidity to the periphery of the package.

Such traditional blister packaging is less secure from tampering for several reasons. The lip of the thermoplastic material around the vacuum formed portion typically extends only slightly inward from the display portal, and pulling the form away from the display portal can result in the form dislodging from the package, releasing its contents. If a person bends the edge of the housing sufficiently to cause the edge of the cardboard to fray and separate, the housing can be opened to reach the contents of the package. Additionally, because the blister is open to the interior of the package, the sheet of cardboard opposite the display portal may be compromised, allowing direct access to the contents of the package.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a blister-type package that resists access to an electronic item or other asset contained therein. Another object of the invention is to provide a blister-type packaging that prevents the blister from dislodging through the display portal of the package. Another object of the invention, is to provide a blister-type package wherein the housing is reinforced to prevent bending the package. Another object of the invention is to provide blister-type package having soft and stretchable, but resilient and cut resistant characteristics to prevent unauthorized cutting into the edges or surfaces of the package. These and other objects of the invention are more fully disclosed in the following description and drawings.

SUMMARY

A display package for securing an electronic consumer product includes a plastic blister for housing and displaying the electronic consumer product. The plastic blister is formed in a blister sheet. In addition to the plastic blister, the blister sheet has raised ridges at least partially surrounding the plastic blister. The package also includes a cut resistant sheet for overlapping the blister sheet and covering the back of the plastic blister and a housing for encasing the blister sheet and cut resistant sheet. The housing has an aperture through which the plastic blister protrudes and includes a peripheral edge for adhesively sealing the package. In one embodiment, the peripheral edge of the housing is compressed to remove air and impart tear resistance at least partially around the housing.

The plastic blister is preferably made from a transparent thermo-formable plastic, and the raised ridges may be contoured around the plastic blister. Preferably the raised ridges are disposed inward of a first peripheral area of the blister sheet, allowing it to remain flat. The cut resistant sheet includes a second peripheral area overlapping the first peripheral area of the blister sheet, and is made of a material with tear-resistant properties such as vinyl and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The housing is preferably made of corrugated cardboard.

The housing preferably also includes a fold line separating a first half and a complimentary second half which are glued together. In one alternative embodiment, the cut resistant sheet is glued to the peripheral edge of the housing. In another alternative embodiment, the blister sheet is glued to the peripheral edge of the housing. The assembled display package may also include a peg hole for suspending it on a display peg. In such an embodiment, the peg hole preferably extends through the blister sheet and the cut-resistant sheet to impart tamper resistance.

A method of manufacturing the secure blister package for an electronic consumer product includes providing a thermo-formable blister sheet, forming in the blister sheet a plastic blister suitable for housing the electronic consumer product, and forming raised ridges in the blister sheet at least partially surrounding the plastic blister. The cut resistant sheet is provided, sized for overlapping the blister sheet, and the housing is provided, including the first half, complimentary second half and aperture.

The blister sheet is placed on the first half, and the cut resistant sheet is placed on the second half. The plastic blister may be formed prior to, or during these assembly steps. The housing is then folded along the fold line to encase the cut resistant sheet and the blister sheet within the housing with the plastic blister protruding through the aperture. Preferably during this process, the first half and the complimentary second half are glued together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an electronic device securing package displayed for sale;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the components of the package prior to assembly;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the components of the package oriented for insertion of an electronic device prior to packaging;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the package, spread apart o show the layers of the package.

DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, the electronic device securing package (package)10 appears as a typical blister-type packaging. Thepackage10 includes a transparent substantially three-dimensionalplastic blister12 for holding an electronic consumer product or device (not shown). A substantially twodimensional housing14 supports and surrounds theplastic blister12. Thehousing14 is preferably made of paper-based stock, including corrugated cardboard. Thehousing14 includes aperipheral edge26, which is sealed to retain theplastic blister12 and guard against tampering.

Still referring toFIG. 1, thehousing14 may also include apeg hole16 for hanging one ormore packages10 on adisplay11, including the ability to hangseveral packages10 serially on asingle peg18 for display and sale after assembly. Preferably theplastic blister12 comprises a rigid, thermo-formable clear biodegradable or similar recyclable plastic, and thehousing14 comprises a thin to thick paper or cardboard, rigid enough to resist bending or folding. Thus, in the absence of thepeg hole16, multiple packages can be palletized for transport and standing display.

Referring toFIG. 2, thehousing14 is preferably a single folding sheet, including afold line15 bisecting thehousing14 into afirst half17 and a complimentarysecond half19 of substantially equal size and shape, such that folding thehousing14 along thefold line15 brings thefirst half17 and thesecond half19 into peripheral contour with each other sharing theperipheral edge26. Thehousing14 also includes anaperture20 through which theplastic blister12 protrudes.

Still referring toFIG. 2, theplastic blister12 is formed in ablister sheet22 which may include raisedridges24 for added resiliency. The raisedridges24 preferably contour around theplastic blister12 as shown, although they may also be formed in any other pattern effective to impart bending and tearing resilience to theblister sheet22. Theblister sheet22 is characterized by a firstperipheral area23, and the raisedridges24 preferably do not extend into the firstperipheral area23.

In addition to thehousing14 andblister sheet22 in which theblister12 is formed, thepackage10 includes a cutresistant sheet28. A secondperipheral area29 is located on the cutresistant sheet28. The firstperipheral area23 of theblister sheet22 and the secondperipheral area29 of the cutresistant sheet28 may be located inward of the peripheral edge36 of thehousing14 to enable clean glued sealing at the peripheral edge36. In another preferred embodiment, the firstperipheral area23 of theblister sheet22 and the secondperipheral area29 of the cutresistant sheet28 may extend substantially up to theperipheral edge26 of thehousing14. In yet another embodiment theblister sheet22 may be slightly smaller than the cut resistant sheet to permit sealing theperipheral edge26 of thehousing14 to the cutresistant sheet28 while facilitating easy removal of theblister sheet22 from thehousing14 for recycling. Thepeg hole16 may extend through theblister sheet22 and cutresistant sheet28 in addition to thefirst half17 andsecond half19 of thehousing14.

The cutresistant sheet28 is preferably a soft plastic stretchable and sealable material, such as vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that makes cutting the cardboard of thehousing14 difficult, and prevents persons from peeling away a portion of theperipheral edge26 of thehousing14 to open thepackage10. In the embodiment wherein theperipheral edge26 of thehousing14 is glued onto the cutresistant sheet28, it may be also compressed to make theperipheral edge26 rigid and enable to package10 to be stacked in open-topped flats (not shown). When gluing and sealing theperipheral edge26 of the package, an adhesive compatible with the cutresistant sheet28 is preferably used. Compression at the peripheral edge also removes air and imparts tear resistance to thepackage10.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, thepackage10 is assembled by placing theblister sheet22 on thefirst half17 of the unfoldedhousing14, and placing the cutresistant sheet28 on thesecond half19 of the unfoldedhousing14 with thefold line15 separating them. With theblister sheet22 and the cutresistant sheet28 in position, thehousing14 can be folded over thereby forming aperipheral edge26 surrounding theblister sheet22 and cutresistant sheet28. Theblister sheet22 is oriented so that theplastic blister12 extends through theaperture20.

The cutresistant sheet28 may be oriented to overlay theblister sheet22 when thehousing14 is sealed, thereby providing a backing to theopen side30 of theblister12 in addition to adding resilience to the peripheral edge. By extending across theblister sheet22 and over theopen side30, the cutresistant sheet28 prevents tampering from cutting into the side of the package10 at theperipheral edge26, and also prevents puncturing thehousing14 on the side of thepackage10 opposite theplastic blister12 to reach the item held therein.

In order to construct thesecure blister package10, the thermo-formable blister sheet22 is provided and formed to include theplastic blister12 and raisedridges24. Theplastic blister12 is preferably sized for housing the electronic consumer product, and the raisedridges24 preferably at least partially surround theplastic blister12. The cutresistant sheet28 is also provided and may be sized for overlapping theblister sheet22. Thehousing14 having thefirst half17, complimentarysecond half19 andaperture20 is also provided, with thefold line15 between thefirst half17 and complimentarysecond half19.

Thehousing14 is initially unfolded, with theblister sheet22 placed on thefirst half17, and the cutresistant sheet28 placed on the complimentarysecond half19. Theplastic blister12 and raisedridges24 may be formed in theblister sheet22 prior to, or during these assembly steps. Thehousing14 is then folded along thefold line15 to encase the cutresistant sheet28 and theblister sheet22 within thehousing14 with theplastic blister12 protruding through theaperture20. Thefirst half17 and the complimentarysecond half19 are adhered together to seal thepackage10. In various embodiments, the firstperipheral area23 of theblister sheet22 and the secondperipheral area29 of the cutresistant sheet28 may be glued to thehousing14 near theperipheral edge26.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the Invention is sufficient in detail to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is understood, however, that the detail of the preferred embodiment presented is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, in as much as equivalents thereof and other modifications which come within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A display package for securing an electronic consumer product, comprising:

a plastic blister for housing and displaying the electronic consumer product, the plastic blister formed in a blister sheet;

the blister sheet comprising raised ridges at least partially surrounding the plastic blister;

a cut resistant sheet substantially aligned with the blister sheet;

a housing encasing the blister sheet, the housing having an aperture through which the plastic blister protrudes and a peripheral edge; and

wherein the peripheral edge of the housing is compressed to remove air and impart tear resistance at least partially around the housing.

2. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the raised ridges are contoured around the plastic blister.

3. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the raised ridges are disposed inward of a first peripheral area of the blister sheet.

4. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the cut resistant sheet is made of a second peripheral area overlapping the first peripheral area of the blister sheet.

5. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the cut resistant sheet is made of a material selected from the group consisting of vinyl and polyvinyl chloride.

6. The display package of claim I wherein the housing comprises corrugated cardboard.

7. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the housing comprises a fold line separating a first half and a complimentary second half.

8. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the cut resistant sheet is glued to the peripheral edge of the housing.

9. The display package ofclaim 1 wherein the blister sheet is glued to the peripheral edge of the housing.

10. The display package ofclaim 1 further comprising a peg hole extending through the blister sheet and the cut-resistant sheet.

11. A display package for securing an electronic consumer product, comprising:

a cut resistant sheet substantially aligned with the blister sheet;

a housing encasing the blister sheet, the housing having an aperture through which the plastic blister protrudes and a peripheral edge for sealing;

the housing including a fold line separating a first half and a complimentary second half for foldably encasing the blister sheet and cut resistant sheet.

12. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the raised ridges are disposed inward of a first peripheral area of the blister sheet.

13. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the blister sheet comprising raised ridges at least partially contoured around the plastic blister.

14. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the cut resistant sheet is made of a second peripheral area overlapping the first peripheral area of the blister sheet.

15. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the cut resistant sheet is made of a material selected from the group consisting of vinyl and polyvinyl chloride.

16. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the housing comprises corrugated cardboard.

17. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the peripheral edge of the housing is compressed to remove air and impart tear resistance at least partially around the housing.

18. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the cut resistant sheet is glued to the peripheral edge of the housing.

19. The display package ofclaim 11 wherein the blister sheet is glued to the peripheral edge of the housing.

20. A method of constructing a secure blister package for an electronic consumer product, the method comprising:

providing a blister sheet;

forming a plastic blister in the blister sheet for housing the electronic consumer product;

forming raised ridges in the blister sheet the raised ridges at least partially surrounding the plastic blister;

providing a cut resistant sheet sized for overlapping the blister sheet;

providing a housing with a first half, a complimentary second half and an aperture;

placing the blister sheet on the first half;

placing the cut resistant sheet on the second half;

folding the housing to encase the cut resistant sheet and the blister sheet with the plastic blister protruding through the aperture; and

gluing the first half to the complimentary second half.