US3881601A

US3881601A - Rack display package for dry cells and the like

Info

Publication number: US3881601A
Application number: US399528A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard L Walus; Peter S Cartwright
Original assignee: Possis Corp
Current assignee: Possis Corp
Priority date: 1973-09-21
Filing date: 1973-09-21
Publication date: 1975-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-06

Abstract

Dry cells are placed on a substrate blank with their boss-like terminals lowermost and received in holes in the blank. A transparent thermoplastic film, applied over dry cells and substrate, is vacuum drawn into skin-like engagement with them. The substrate is folded to have a base panel overlying the upper ends of the cells, cover panels flatwise overlying the base panel, and flatwise contiguous adhered tabs projecting up from the cover panels and which have registering holes to receive a rack hook. One cover panel can have windows registering with the terminal holes in the base panel.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Walus et al. May 6, 1975 [541 RACK DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR DRY 3,424,306 1/1969 Munck 206/432 LL AND THE LIKE 3,490,582 1/1970 Farquar 206/432 3,532,214 l0/l970 Helms 206/4533 [75] Inventors: Richard L. Walus; Peter S. 3,625,348 12/1971 Titchenalw 206/497 Cartwright, both of Minneapolis, 3,695,508 10/1972 Hocking 206/806 Minn. 3,747,750 7/1973 Chapman 206/4533 [73] Asslgnee: 53:8: Corporation, Mmneapohs, Primary Examiner william L Price Assistant Examiner-Allan N. Shoap [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 211 App]. No.: 399,528 [571 ABSTRACT Dry cells are placed on a substrate blank with their boss-like terminals lowermost and received in holes in [52] 206/497 'gg gi g g the blank. A transparent thermoplastic film, applied 51 Int. Cl... 865d 65/12; 865d 65/16; 865d 73/00 P cell and substfam' vacuum draw ""9 skin-like engagement with them. The substrate 15 [58] Field of Search 206/497, 471, 461, 462,

206 folded to have a base panel overlying the upper ends I489, 45.33, 431, 432, 194, B16. 806, f th H I n l m b 229N316 l2 0 e ce s, cot/er panes atwlse over ying e ase panel, and flatwise contiguous adhered tabs pro ectmg up from the cover panels and which have registering [56] References cued holes to receive a rack hook. One cover panel can UNITED STATES PATENTS have windows registering with the terminal holes in 2,514,858 7/1950 Gray 206/431 the base panel, 3,193,134 7/1965 Cote 3,388,788 6/1968 Hellem 206145.33 5 Claims, 6 Drawing RACK DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR DRY CELLS AND THE LIKE This invention relates to the packaging of cylindrical articles for point-of-sale rack display; and the invention is more particularly concerned with a package for one or more flashlight dry cells by which they can be supported on a hook, and with the method of forming such a package.

It is a fundamental of retail merchandising that every square foot of floor area in a store must account for its share of the dollar sales volume of the establishment. On that basis it is economically undesirable, in a selfservice store, to display small items such as flashlight dry cells on horizontal counter or shelf space. Horizontal display space must be at about waist level for customer convenience and effective display, and it cannot be blocked by a shelf or the like spaced too closely above it. Thus horizontal display space severely limits the number of items that can be exposed for sale in a given floor area.

On the basis of both retailing economics and buyer appeal, the preferred display for small items is a rack comprising an upright wall or partition having hooks or rods projecting forwardly from it, with a number of like items hung on each hook. With that arrangement a large assortment of items can be displayed effectively in a comparatively small floor area, the customer can readily take the item he wants, and inventory control is simple because the number of items on each hook can be seen at a glance.

The cylindrical shape of the conventional flashlight cell does not lend it especially well to exposure on horizontal display space because of its tendency to roll. But, obviously, a cylinder is even less adaptable to hanging on a hook. Nevertheless, flashlight cells are volume sellers that are suitable for retailing in such widely varying types of outlets as drug stores, hardware stores and grocery stores, all of which consciously strive to obtain the maximum possible sales volume for every square foot of floor space.

From the foregoing considerations it is evident that a package which will enable dry cells to be displayed on a rack will have advantages that will be recognized immediately by the retailer, will therefore redound to the advantage of the manufacturer, and will probably also benefit the consumer.

But a rack display package for dry cells must be something more than a mere expedient for hanging dry cells on a hook. Because of intense competition, the profit margin on dry cells imposes a severe limitation on the cost of a rack display package. Nevertheless, it is imperative that the package not look cheap.

The body of a dry cell has imprinted on it a substantial amount of information that should be visible to the consumer, and this fact imposes another stringent requirement upon dry cell rack packaging. lfthe package were to conceal any part of the cylindrical side surface of the cell, such concealment would perhaps be psychologically undesirable but, more important, would make necessary the imprinting of the concealed information on the package as well as on the dry cell, thereby increasing the cost of the package. But if the cells in the package are to be fully visible, it is also important that the package confine them in a predetermined orientation, so that each individual package will be neat in itself and so that several such packages on a rack will not present a jumbled, disorderly appearance.

Other requirements for such a package are perhaps more obvious: it must be as compact as possible; it must be attractive in appearance; it should not require unusual or expensive machinery for its formation; and it must be resistant to tearing in view of the fact that dry cells are relatively heavy and may receive rough handling in reliance upon their sturdy construction.

The general object of this invention is to provide a rack display package for flashlight cells and similar cylindrical articles that fully meets all of the above stated requirements, and a method of forming such a package.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a so-called skin package for dry cells wherein the cells are embraced by a closely fitting film of transparent plastic material that leaves their side surfaces fully visible, and wherein terminals at opposite ends of the cell are also visible.

A further specific object of this invention is to provide a method of forming packages of the character described that can be practiced with the use of conventional skin packaging machines.

Another of the specific objects of this invention is to provide a skin package for rack display of dry cells and similar articles, which package comprises a substrate to which there is securely attached a film of transparent plastic material that snugly embraces the articles, and wherein the substrate need have only one decorated surface, its other surface being substantially completely hidden, and wherein the substrate has a double thickness rack hook receiving portion that affords good resistance to tearing around the rack hook receiving hole.

With these observations and objectives in mind, the manner in which the invention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the following description and the accompanying drawings, which exemplify the invention, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise method of practicing the invention and in the specific article of manufacture disclosed herein without departing from the essentials of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of an embodiment of the invention according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a substrate blank that is prepared for receiving dry cells to be packaged in accordance with the method of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the substrate blank with a pair of dry cells to be packaged in place thereon and ready for application of a skin packaging film;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate and dry cells with film applied and shrunk, the substrate being not yet folded;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the finished package of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the middle of a finished package of this invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper end portion of one of the dry cells.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates each of a pair of cylindrical flashlight dry cells that are to be packaged by the method of this invention. It will be understood that the method and package of this invention are applicable to a variety of small cylindrical articles other than dry cells (fluorescent lamp starters, for example), but the packaging of dry cells represents a commercially important application of the invention and nicely exemplifies its principles. It will also be understood that the invention is applicable to packaging cylindrical articles individually and in groups of more than two; but, again, the packaging of dry cells in pairs is of particular commercial importance and therefore serves as a good example for purposes of explanation.

As is conventional with cylindrical flashlight cells, a bottom end 6 of each cell is substantially flat and of bare metal to provide a negative terminal, while the upper end has a concentric boss-like positive terminal 7. ln this case each of the dry cells is of a type sold with a strip 8 of paper or similar frangible insulating material secured diametrically across its upper end, to insulate the positive terminal against short circuiting and assure the buyer that the cell has not been used.

In general the package of the present invention comprises, in addition to a dry cell or dry cells 5, a substrate component 9 of paperboard that overlies the tops of the cells and comprises apertured tabs 10 that project upwardly from the cells to receive a rack hook 11, and a transparent plastic film 12 that encloses the cells and is adhered to the substrate component with a skin-like close fit. Further details of the package will be apparent from the following description of the method of forming it.

The substrate 9 is initially in the form of a flat blank 13 of a paperboard stock that is either inherently porous or has numerous pinholes made in it to allow air to be drawn through it. The upper surface of the blank can be finished and decorated in any desired manner; its lower surface can remain unfinished. Depending upon the skin packaging machine to be used, the blank can be either a continuous strip which is ultimately slitted and cut into individual package elements or can consist of individual sheets, each of which forms one package or is cut up to form a few packages. Inasmuch as such alternatives with respect to the form of the substrate involve well known apparatus and techniques in the skin packaging art, they need no further exemplification or description.

In preparation for package formation the substrate blank 13 has terminal holes 14 and window holes 15 punched in it. Fold-defining

score lines

16, 17, 18, 19 are also made in each area of the blank that is to comprise the substrate component 9 of an individual package. The lines 16-19 can be scored either prior to placement of the dry cells upon the blank (as shown) or at some later stage of the process, up to the time at which folding on the score lines is to occur.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate blank 13 is in the form of a continuous strip having a width equal to the combined widths of two packages, intended to be slitted along a longitudinal centerline 20, and also intended to be severed along uniformly spaced transverse cutting lines 21. Thus the

cutting lines

20 and 21 cooperate with the side edges 22 of the strip to define a plurality of areas 9', each of which will constitute the substrate component 9 of one finished package. Since the

cutting lines

20 and 21 will thus define edges of each such substrate component 9, each area 9' can be said to be a rectangle with

opposite side edges

20 and 22 and opposite end edges 21.

The width of each substrate area 9' is substantially equal to the combined diameters of the dry cells in a package (i.e., twice the diameter of a dry cell in the present case). In the illustrated case of a two-cell package, the length of each substrate area 9' is somewhat greater than its width, but a substrate for a package containing a different number of cells would have about the same length as the one here shown.

The terminal holes 14 in each substrate area 9' have their centers on a line parallel to fold lines 16-19 and somewhat closer to one end than to the other of the substrate area. The terminal holes are of such size, and are so spaced from the

side edges

20 and 22, that they can receive the terminals 7 of cells that are circumferentially contiguous and disposed between said side edges.

There is a window hole 15 for each of terminal holes 14. Each window hole has its center on a line through the center of its terminal hole that is parallel to the side edges 20, 22', and the center-to-center distance between each window hole and its terminal hole is substantially equal to the diameter of a dry cell.

The substrate blank, having the holes 14 and 15 therein, is run through a conventional skin packaging machine (not shown). At the loading station of the machine the dry cells to be packaged are placed on the substrate blank with their terminals 7 lowermost, each terminal being received in one of the terminal holes 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2. 1n the conventional manner of skin packaging, a film of molten transparent thermoplastic material, applied either as a sheet or as a curtain-like stream, is deposited over the dry cells and over substantially all portions of the substrate not covered by the cells. Note that the film extends across the window holes 15 to form windows. By the conventional application of suction to the underside of the substrate before the film material hardens, that material is drawn into skin-like intimate engagement with the dry cells and substrate.

After application and shrinking of the film, the substrate blank is cut up to define the individual package substrate components 9, as shown in in FIG. 3, and if the fold lines 16-19 have not previously scored, they are scored at that time.

Attention is now directed to the relationships between the score lines 16-19. The terminal holes 14 have their centers midway between fold lines 17 and 18, and those fold lines are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a dry cell. Hence fold lines 17 and 18 define between them a base panel 24 that overlies the tops of the dry cells and has substantially only corner portions projecting radially beyond them. Note that the finished surface of the base panel faces the dry cells.

The fold line 19 is at the opposite side of window holes 15 from the fold line 18, and is closely adjacent to those holes. The fold lines 18 and 19 thus define between them a windowed cover panel 25. The windowed cover panel 25 is folded flatwise over the base panel 24, along the fold line 18. Since the fold line 18 is midway between the centers of holes 14 and of holes 15, such folding establishes the window holes 15 in register with the terminal holes 14, so that the terminals 7 of the dry cells are readily visible through the windows. It will be observed that the windowed cover panel 25 overlies more than half of the base panel 24.

The space between fold line 17 and its outwardly adjacent fold line 16 defines another cover panel 26. The last mentioned cover panel is substantially narrower than the windowed cover panel. It is folded flatwise over the base panel, along fold line 17, to flatwise overlie the minor portion of the base panel that the windowed panel does not cover. When the

cover panels

25 and 26 are thus folded into flatwise overlying relation to the base panel, the score lines 16 and 19 are contiguous to one another. Note that the finished surfaces of the cover panels face upwardly, away from the dry cells.

Between each of the score lines 16 and 19 and its adjacent end edge 21 of the substrate there is a tab 27. The two tabs 27 are identical in size, and in the finished package they project upwardly from the

cover panels

25 and 26 in flatwise contiguous relation to one another. Preferably the tabs 27 are flatwise bonded to one another by means of a suitable adhesive, as designated by 28 in FIG. 5. As further indicated in that figure, the two

cover panels

25 and 26 can also be bonded to their underlying base panel 24, although this is not consid ered necessary for satisfactory appearance. Registering holes 29 through the two tabs, receive a rack display hook 11. These holes may be punched in a single operation after the substrate is folded, or they may be punched before the substrate is folded and while it is still flat. Note that the finished surfaces of the tabs face outwardly.

It will be observed that the surface of the substrate that is lowermost during the skin forming operation is substantially entirely hidden in the finished package by reason of the manner of folding the substrate.

From the foregoing description, taken with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that this invention provides an inexpensive but very attractive package that permits rack display of dry cells and similar cylindrical articles and allows substantially all parts of the finished article to be visible. It will also be apparent that the invention provides a simple and expeditious method of forming a package of the character de scribed that can be readily practiced with the use of a conventional skin packaging machine.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can be embodied in forms other than as herein disclosed for purposes of illustration.

The invention is defined by the following claims:

1. A package containing a group of identical cylindrical articles of merchandise, each having an upper and a lower end, said articles being visible in substantial part in said package and being confined by the package in circumferentially adjacent relationship with their upper ends coplanar, said package further comprising:

A. a substantially rectangular substrate having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges spaced apart by a distance such that the substrate can extend entirely across the entire group of articles at one end thereof, and opposite end edges, said substrate having fold lines extending transversely to said side edges and along which the substrate is folded to have 1. a base panel that overlies the articles at one end thereof and which base panel lies between a pair of adjacent ones of said fold lines, the outer surface of said base panel being adjacent to the articles,

2. a pair of cover panels, each flatwise overlying a portion of the surface of the base panel that is remote from the articles and extending inwardly to the other from one of said pair of fold lines to have an inner edge defined by another fold line, each of said cover panels having its outer surface facing away from the articles, and

3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each projecting away from the articles from the inner edge of one of the cover panels and defined from its cover panel by said other fold line, said tabs being flatwise adhered to one another, having their outer surfaces remote from one another, and having registering holes in which a display rack hook is receivable; and

B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing the group of articles and flatwise secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of the substrate to thus hold the articles assembled with one another and the substrate.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein each of said articles comprises a cylindrical dry cell having at its upper end a concentric boss-like terminal, further characterized by:

1. said base panel of the substrate having a plurality of terminal holes, one for each dry cell, and having one of said terminals received in each terminal hole; and

2. one of said cover panels extending a substantially greater distance across the base panel than the other, and said one cover panel having a plurality of window holes, one for each terminal hole, each window hole being in register with its terminal hole to allow the terminals to be seen.

3. The package of claim 2, further characterized by:

said film extending entirely across the outer surface of said one cover panel, including the window holes therein, to cooperate with the window holes in defining windows.

4. A package for rack display of a cylindrical article of merchandise having upper and lower ends and by which the article is confined in an axially vertical orientation, said package further comprising:

A. a substrate component having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges, opposite end edges, and four spaced apart, parallel, transverse fold lines along which the substrate is folded to have I. a base panel that extends between two of said fold lines and completely overlies the upper end of the article, with its outer surface facing downward,

2. a pair of cover panels that flatwise overlie the base panel with their outer surfaces facing upward, each of said cover panels extending inwardly across the base panel from one of said two fold lines and having an inner edge which is defined by one of the other two fold lines and which is contiguous to the inner edge of the other cover panel, and

3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each having its outer surface remote from the other and each projecting upwardly from the inner edge of a cover panel and connected therewith around one of said other two fold lines, said tabs being flatwise adhered to one another and having registering holes in which a rack hook is receivable; and

B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing substantial portions of the article including the bottom end thereof, and flatwise overlying and secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of the substrate component around the article. 5. A package suitable for point-of-sale rack display containing a group of cylindrical dry cells in circumferentially adjacent relationship, each of said dry cells being of the type having a concentric boss-like terminal at an upper end thereof, said package further compris- A. a substantially rectangular substrate having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges spaced apart by a distance such that the substrate can extend entirely across the group of dry cells, and opposite end edges, said substrate also having fold lines extending transversely to said side edges and defining l a base panel that overlies the tops of the dry cells and has holes in which the terminals of the dry cells are received, the inner surface of said base panel facing downward,

2. a windowed cover panel integrally connected to the base panel around one of said fold lines and flatwise overlying a major portion of the base panel, said windowed cover panel having its outer surface uppermost and having holes that register with said holes in the base panel,

3. a smaller cover panel integrally connected to the base panel around another of said fold lines and flatwise overlying the remainder of the base panel, the outer surface of said smaller cover panel being uppermost, and

4. a pair of tabs, each integrally connected with one of the cover panels around another fold line and each projecting upwardly from its connected cover panel, said tabs being bonded together with their inner surfaces opposing one another and having registering holes in which a supporting hook can be received; and

B. a skin-like transparent film snugly enclosing the dry cells and flatwise overlying outer surface portions of the substrate around the dry cells to hold the dry cells assembled with one another and the substrate, said film extending across said holes in the windowed cover panel to provide windows through which the terminals of the dry cells are visible.

Claims

1. A package containing a group of identical cylindrical articles of merchandise, each having an upper and a lower end, said articles being visible in substantial part in said package and being confined by the package in circumferentially adjacent relationship with their upper ends coplanar, said package further comprising: A. a substantially rectangular substrate having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges spaced apart by a distance such that the substrate can extend entirely across the entire group of articles at one end thereof, and opposite end edges, said substrate having fold lines extending transversely to said side edges and along which the substrate is folded to have 1. a base panel that overlies the articles at one end thereof and which base panel lies between a pair of adjacent ones of said fold lines, the outer surface of said base panel being adjacent to the artlcies, 2. a pair of cover panels, each flatwise overlying a portion of the surface of the base panel that is remote from the articles and extending inwardly to the other from one of said pair of fold lines to have an inner edge defined by another fold line, each of said cover panels having its outer surface facing away from the articles, and 3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each projecting away from the articles from the inner edge of one of the cover panels and defined from its cover panel by said other fold line, said tabs being flatwise adhered to one another, having their outer surfaces remote from one another, and having registering holes in which a display rack hook is receivable; and B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing the group of articles and flatwise secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of the substrate to thus hold the articles assembled with one another and the substrate.

3. The package of claim 2, further characterized by: said film extending entirely across the outer surface of said one cover panel, including the window holes therein, to cooperate with the window holes in defining windows.

3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each having its outer surface remote from the other and each projecting upwardly from the inner edge of a cover panel and connected therewith around one of said other two fold lines, said tabs being flatwise adhered to one another and having registering holes in which a rack hook is receivable; and B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing substantial portions of the article including the bottom end thereof, and flatwise overlying and secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of the substrate component around the article.

3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each projecting away from the articles from the inner edge of one of the cover panels and defined from its cover panel by said other fold line, said tabs being flatwise adhered to one another, having their outer surfaces remote from one another, and having registering holes in which a display rack hook is receivable; and B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing the group of articles and flatwise secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of the substrate to thus hold the articles assembled with one another and the substrate.

4. a pair of tabs, each integrally connected with one of the cover panels around another fold line and each projecting upwardly from its connected cover panel, said tabs being bonded together with their inner surfaces opposing one another and having registering holes in which a supporting hook can be received; and B. a skin-like transparent film snugly enclosing the dry cells and flatwise overlying outer surface portions of the substrate around the dry cells to hold the dry cells assembled with one another and the substrate, said film extending across said holes in the windowed cover panel to provide windows through which the terminals of the dry cells are visible.

4. A package for rack display of a cylindrical article of merchandise having upper and lower ends and by which the article is confined in an axially vertical orientation, said package further comprising: A. a substrate component having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges, opposite end edges, and four spaced apart, parallel, transverse fold lines along which the substrate is folded to have

5. A package suitable for point-of-sale rack display containing a group of cylindrical dry cells in circumferentially adjacent relationship, each of said dry cells being of the type having a concentric boss-like terminal at an upper end thereof, said package further comprising: A. a substantially rectangular substrate having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges spaced apart by a distance such that the substrate can extend entirely across the group of dry cells, and opposite end edges, said substrate also having fold lines extending transversely to said side edges and defining