Product Package, Product Packaging and Method for Maximizing Retail Merchandizing Space

Abstract

A product package, product packaging and method for maximizing retail merchandizing space for merchandizing products including a product package having an exterior width dimension, having a flange and having a hinge and positioned in the interior of a display case having an internal width dimension that is smaller than the exterior width dimension of the packages by bending the flange at the hinge to reduce the width of the packages to thereby fit within the interior of the display case.

Claims

1. A product tray for retail display in a display case, the display case having an internal width dimension, said tray comprising: a compartment for containing a product; a flange; an exterior width dimension that is larger than an internal width dimension of a display case into which the tray is placed for retail display; and at least one hinge on the flange adapted to allow the flange to flex to therefore allow the tray to be placed into the display case in the flexed orientation.

2. The product tray of claim 1 wherein tray is composed of a semi-rigid material.

3. The product tray of claim 1 wherein the flange is planar.

4. The product tray of claim 1 wherein the flange extends around a periphery of the compartment.

5. The product tray of claim 1 wherein the hinge is proximate to the compartment.

6. The product tray of claim 1 wherein the hinge includes a score line.

7. The product tray of claim 1 wherein the at least one hinge is two hinges.

8. A product packaging for retail display, said packaging comprising: a retail display case having an internal width dimension; and a product package having an exterior width dimension that is larger than the internal width dimension of the display case, the package including a tray for containing a product, the tray having a periphery and having a flange positioned on the periphery; wherein the hinge enables the package to bend to thereby decrease its width dimension so as to fit within the display case in the bent orientation.

9. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the display case is a display ready case.

10. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the tray is composed of a semi-rigid material.

11. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the flange is planar.

12. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the package further includes a top cover sealed to the flange and composed of a flexible film.

13. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the flange extends around the periphery of the tray.

14. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the hinge includes a score line.

15. The product packaging of claim 12 wherein when the package is bent, the integrity of the top cover being sealed to the flange is maintained.

16. The product packaging of claim 8 and further including a second hinge.

17. A method for maximizing retail merchandizing space for merchandizing products, said method including the steps of: sourcing products in packages, the packages having an exterior width dimension, having a flange and having a hinge on the flange; and displaying the packages in a display case having an internal width dimension that is smaller than the exterior width dimension of the packages by bending the flange at the hinge to reduce the width of the packages to thereby fit the packages within the interior of the display case.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the hinge includes a score line.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the packages further includes a tray and a top cover.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the tray is semi-rigid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray of the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a top view of the tray;

[0009] FIG. 3 is an end view of the tray;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a product package including the tray with a top cover;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the product package including the tray with an alternate embodiment of the top cover;

[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a top view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

[0015] FIG. 9 is an end view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

[0016] FIG. 10 is a side view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

[0017] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a product package in a retail display case;

[0018] FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11; and

[0019] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of multiple display cases in a retail merchandizing space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Before any constructions of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other constructions and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0021] With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a product tray 10 is illustrated in accordance with the present disclosure. The tray 10 has a periphery 12 and includes a compartment 14 for containing a product (not shown). One compartment 14 is shown in the drawings, however, the tray 10 can also contain multiple compartments. The tray 10 includes a seal flange 16 around the periphery 12 of the tray 10. The flange 16 is preferably planar. The flange 16 includes a least one hinge 18. Preferably, the hinge 18 is a score line integrated into the flange 16, however, other types of hinges such as a perforation or crease can also be utilized. Preferably, the hinge 18 is positioned on the flange 16 close to or proximate to the compartment 14, however, other positions can also be utilized. As shown in the drawings, two hinges 18 are utilized, one on each side of the tray 10.

[0022] The tray 10 is preferably semi-rigid and manufactured from polymeric material by utilizing a thermoforming or injection molding process. The tray 10, however, could be manufactured from a laminated fiber material or other materials utilized for the purpose of manufacturing trays.

[0023] Turning to FIG. 5, the product package 20 is shown which includes the tray 10 having an exterior width dimension of W. Preferably, the package 20 includes a top cover 22 enclosing the product within the compartment 14, however, in other embodiments the product 20 does not include the top cover 22. The top cover 22 is preferably sealed to the flange 16 as is known in the art, however, other methods of securing the top cover 22 to the tray 10 can also be utilized such as utilizing a friction fit in absence of, or together with, either a heat or cold seal application. The top cover 22 is preferably a semi-rigid film such as polymers (e.g. PP, PET, PE, PS, PVC), however, a flexible polymer material could also be utilized. Laminated fiber materials could also be utilized.

[0024] In FIGS. 6-10, an alternative embodiment of the top cover 22 is shown.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the hinge 18 on the tray 10 enables the package 20 to flex or bend reducing its exterior width to W′. The range of flexing is approximately 1 to 90 degrees and is preferably about 90 degrees.

[0026] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 11 and 12, the product package 20 is displayed for retail merchandizing in a display case 24 to create the packaging 26. The display case 24 has a width CW that is smaller than the exterior width W of the package 20. Accordingly, to enable the packages 20 to be displayed in the display case 24, the package 20 is flexed, bent or folded along at least one hinge 18 to reduce its exterior width dimension to W′ and thereafter placed within the interior of the display case 24. When so placed, the width dimension W′ of the package 20 is substantially the same dimension as the width dimension CW of the display case 24. The flexing, bending or folding at the hinge 18 maintains the integrity of the top cover's seal to the tray 10 if a top cover 22 is used.

[0027] The display case 24 can be any type of display case and, for example, can include a display ready case for a retail shelf as is known in the art.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 13, the invention also provides a method for allowing for the maximizing of retail merchandizing space and efficiency by displaying packages 20 in multiple display cases 24 in a smaller footprint. For exemplary purposes, a package 20 that has an exterior width dimension of 4.75 inches can be flexed on two hinges 18 approximately 0.37 inches on each side so that W′ is 4 inches, a reduction of 0.75 inches, allowing the packages 20 to fit within a display case 24 having an internal width dimension CW of 4 inches and allowing an additional two display cases 24 on an eight foot shelf 28 as compared to merchandizing the packages 20 at their width dimension of W. Accordingly, a retailer or product manufacturer can utilize the method for maximizing retail shelf space for merchandizing products. The retailer would source products in a plurality of packages 20. Each package 20 would have an exterior width dimension, a flange 16 and a hinge 18. The retailer would display the packages 20 in the merchandizing space placed in a display case 24 having an internal width dimension that is smaller than the exterior width dimension of the packages 20 such that by folding the flange 16 at the hinge 18, the packages 20 would thereby fit within the interior of the display case 24 thus maximizing retail merchandizing space.

[0029] The invention allows more packages 20 to be displayed in a given merchandizing space without having to change/decrease the package width dimensions.

[0030] Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.