Functional Product Packaging

Abstract

A functional reusable packaging system includes a hand covering implement, wherein the hand covering implement has an internal cavity configured to accommodate a user's hand and a wrist opening through which the user's hand is inserted into the internal cavity, and a sealable mechanism configured to close off the wrist opening to substantially seal the internal cavity to form packaging that houses at least one of utensils, tools, or accessories placed within the internal cavity.

Claims

1. A functional packaging system comprising: a hand covering implement, wherein the hand covering implement has an internal cavity configured to accommodate a user's hand and a wrist opening through which the user's hand is inserted into the internal cavity; and a resealable mechanism configured to close off the wrist opening to substantially seal the internal cavity to form reusable packaging that houses at least one of utensils, tools, or accessories placed within the internal cavity.

2. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the sealable mechanism is at least one of a zipper, cinch string, snap, hook-and-loop fastener, button, slide lock, or magnet.

3. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the hand covering implement is at least one of a pot holder, double pot holder, oven mitt, grilling mitt, auto cleaning glove, dusting glove, gardening glove, makeup remover glove, sliding glove, baseball glove, painters mitt, polishing mitt, exfoliating mitt, application mitt, work glove, ski glove, or pet grooming glove.

4. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the hand covering implement is formed of a heat-insulative material.

5. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the hand covering implement is formed of a soft, absorbent material.

6. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the hand covering implement has a shape of a mitten.

7. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the hand covering implement has a shape of a glove.

8. The functional packaging system of claim 1, wherein the hand covering implement has an outer wall and at least one pocket positioned on the outer wall, said at least one pocket configured to house at least one additional utensil, tool or accessory.

9. A functional reusable packaging system comprising: an assembly comprising a main body with a first end and a second end, wherein said first end comprises a first hand covering implement and said second end comprises a second hand covering implement, and a sealable mechanism positioned along an outer periphery of the main body, wherein the assembly has a packaging configuration, in which the main body is folded in half and the sealable mechanism joins two halves of the main body to form an internal cavity configured to house at least one of utensils, tools, or accessories.

10. The functional packaging system of claim 9, wherein each of the first hand covering implement and the second hand covering implement has a wrist opening configured to receive a user's hand.

11. The functional packaging system of claim 10, wherein the wrist openings do not close via the sealable mechanism.

12. The functional packaging system of claim 10, wherein the main body has a first side and a second side, with the wrist openings being positioned on the first side, and wherein two halves of the first side face each other when the assembly is in the packaging configuration.

13. The functional packaging system of claim 10, wherein the main body has a first side and a second side, with the wrist openings being positioned on the first side, and wherein two halves of the second side face each other when the assembly is in the packaging configuration.

14. The functional packaging system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first hand covering implement and the second hand covering implement form an external pocket when the assembly is in the packaging configuration to house at least one additional utensil, tool or accessory.

15. The functional packaging system of claim 9, wherein the sealable mechanism is at least one of a zipper, cinch string, snap, hook-and-loop fastener, button, slide lock, or magnet.

16. The functional packaging system of claim 9, wherein the assembly comprises at least one of a fabric, rubber, silicone or polymer-based material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a functional product packaging system of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 2A is a front view of the functional product packaging system of FIG. 1 with utensils as an example of possible components.

[0040] FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of the functional product packaging system being used by a user as a grilling mitt to hold a grilling utensil.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the functional product packaging system of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a front view of the functional product packaging system of FIG. 3 with utensils as an example of possible components.

[0043] FIG. 5 illustrates the functional product packaging system of FIG. 3 being used as a double oven mitt.

[0044] FIG. 6 are front and back views of yet another embodiment of the functional product packaging system of the present invention in the form of an auto cleaning glove or home dusting mitt.

[0045] FIG. 7 illustrates the functional product packaging system of FIG. 6 being opened by a user.

[0046] FIG. 8 illustrates the functional product packaging system of FIG. 6 being used as a car washing mitt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers designate corresponding structure throughout the views. The following examples are presented to further illustrate and explain the present invention and should not be taken as limiting in any regard. Likewise, the illustrations and drawings are not provided to scale and are provided to further explain and illustrate the novel features of the invention.

[0048] FIG. 1 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the inventive functional product packaging system. The functional product packaging system has a hand covering implement 100, wherein the hand covering implement 100 has an internal cavity 102 configured to accommodate a user's hand and a wrist opening 104 through which the user's hand is inserted into the internal cavity 102. The hand covering implement 100 may be an oven or kitchen mitt designed to protect a user's hand from heat. In one preferred embodiment, the mitt 100 has a first section for accommodating a user's thumb and a second separate section for accommodating the rest of the user's fingers. In other embodiments, separate sections for each of the user's fingers may be provided, in a glove-like construction. The body of the hand covering implement 100 may be made with any suitable material, such as, e.g., fabric, silicone, rubber, and other similar materials. In some embodiments, the body of the hand covering implement 100 includes insulating material to prevent or lessen transmission of heat to the user's hand.

[0049] The functional product packaging system has a resealable mechanism 106, e.g., a zipper, configured to close off the wrist opening 104 to substantially seal the internal cavity 102 in order to form packaging that can house utensils, tools, or accessories 202 within the internal cavity 102. In different embodiments of the invention the sealable mechanism 106 can be snaps, hook and loop fastener material, buttons, slide lock, magnets, Velcro or another suitable type of closure mechanism. The closure mechanism 106 is designed to be closed off to securely contain items and become the reusable packaging vessel for the items or components inside the internal cavity 102 in a packaging configuration. The closure mechanism 106 can then be opened to remove the items and to allow a user to insert his/her hand into the internal cavity 102 for use in a hand covering implement configuration.

[0050] FIG. 2A shows the functional product packaging system of FIG. 1 with utensils packed therein. As shown, the internal cavity 102 of the hand covering implement 100 is used to store utensils, tools, or accessories 202, which can be grilling tools such as a spatula or tongs. Other items, such as retail products, can be placed in the internal cavity 102 at the point of manufacture or at another point in the supply chain, such that the hand covering implement 100 product becomes reusable packaging for the retail item. Preferably, the items packaged in the functional product packaging system have a utility/function related to the utility/function of the hand covering implement, such as, for examples, a grilling mitt with grilling tools/utensils or a washing mitt with a detergent/washing accessories. Additional pockets/cavities may be positioned on the inside and/or outside of the hand covering implement 100 to house at least some of the utensils, tools or accessors or other complementary items, such as, e.g., cooking spices, etc.

[0051] In different embodiments of the invention, the hand covering implement 100 can be a potholder, double potholder, oven mitt, grilling mitt, auto cleaning glove, dusting glove, makeup remover glove, sliding glove (baseball), painter's mitt, polishing mitt, exfoliating mitt, application mitt, work glove, ski glove, pet grooming glove, or other type of glove or mitt or hand covering that can become reusable kits.

[0052] FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of the functional product packaging system being used by a user as a grilling mitt to hold a grilling utensil. As shown, when the packaging system is in its use configuration, a user can open the wrist opening 104 via the resealable mechanism 106 such that a user's hand 610 may be inserted into the cavity 102 through the wrist opening 104. The user can then use the hand covering implement 100 as a grilling mitt to hold a grilling utensil 202 to protect the hand 610 from heat of the grill and/or the grilling utensil.

[0053] FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the functional product packaging system of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system includes an assembly with a main body 300 having a first end 302 and second end 306. The first end 302 includes a first hand covering implement 304 and the second end 306 includes a second hand covering implement 308. In this embodiment, the first and second hand covering implements 304 and 308 are kitchen mitts; however, it is understood that any other type of hand covering implement described above may also be used. The first and second hand covering implements 304 and 308 are formed by an extra sheet of material positioned over the main body and adhered to the main body along its outer periphery to create a cavity with an opening for receiving a user's hand therein. It is understood that other suitable constructions may be used to create the first and second hand covering implements. The main body 300 and the first and second hand covering implements 304 and 308 may be made with any suitable material described above and may be heat insulated to protect the user's hands from heat.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the two halves of the main body are symmetrical such that they have the same outer periphery shape when folded in half. A sealable mechanism 310, in this case a zipper, is positioned along the outer periphery of the main body 300. The assembly has a packaging configuration shown in FIG. 4, in which the main body 300 can be folded in half, and the sealable mechanism 310 joins the two halves of the main body 300 to form an internal cavity 402 configured to house at least one of a utensil, tool, or accessory 404. In different embodiments of the invention, the sealable mechanism 310 can be snaps, hook and loop fastener material, buttons, slide lock, magnets, Velcro or another type of closure mechanism.

[0055] The internal cavity is substantially sealed in the packaging configuration to securely contain the utensils, tools or accessories 404 therein. This way, the functional reusable product packaging system may be transported and/or displayed in a retail location with the packaged items safely secured therein. It is envisioned that the sealable mechanism may in some instances be provided with a tamper proof element when the system is in the packaging configuration to prevent theft of items packaged in the system. Any known and suitable tamper proof mechanism may be utilized. The tamper proof mechanism can be removed once the item is purchased by a consumer to allow the resealable mechanism to be opened into a use configuration.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows the packaging configuration of the functional product packaging system of FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the internal cavity 402 formed by sealable mechanism 310 and the two halves of the main body 300 is used to store utensils, tools, or accessories 404 which can be, for example, wooden cooking utensils. When the two halves of the main body 300 are adjoined by the sealable mechanism 310 to form the internal cavity 402, the product, which can be an assembly of oven mitts, also becomes reusable packaging for utensils, tools, or accessories 404. In a preferred embodiment, the two halves of the main body 300 are adjoined such that the hand covering implements 304 and 308 are positioned on the outside of the system. This way, the internal cavities of the first and second hand covering implements 304 and 308 can serve as additional pockets/storage to accommodate additional utensils, tools or accessories.

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates the functional product packaging system of FIG. 3 in the use configuration. In this embodiment, a user's first hand 502 is placed within a cavity of the first hand covering implement 304 and a user's second hand 504 is placed within a cavity of the second hand covering implement 308. This allows the user to utilize the functionality of the product he or she is using, which can be holding a hot pan 506. The assembly transforms via a release of the sealable mechanism 310 from a form of packaging with an internal cavity for holding utensils and/or accessories into a functional product, such as a double oven mitt.

[0058] Another exemplary embodiment of the inventive functional product packaging system is shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, hand covering implement 100 also has the functionality of a wash mitt 600 with a first side 602 and a second side 604. The first side and/or second side of the mitt 600 may include soft absorbent material suited for washing various surfaces, such as microfiber. The mitt 600 may be rectangular or have any other suitable shape.

[0059] The first side 602 and the second side 604 of the mitt 600 are secured together to form an internal cavity 102, as shown in FIG. 7. The internal cavity has a wrist opening 104 for receiving a user's hand therethrough. The internal cavity 102 is configured to accommodate the user's hand 502 inserted therein. A sealable mechanism 106, which can be a cinch strap or any other closure mechanism, closes the wrist opening 104 to securely contain items within the cavity and to transform the system into packaging. The internal cavity can hold other items, such as soap, detergent, wax, paper towels, or other cleaning materials related to the system's product function. The packaging can also hold promotional materials including those related to marketing. One or more additional cavities/pockets may be included on the inside and/or outside of the mitt 600 to hold additional items.

[0060] Once the wash mitt 600 is purchased by a consumer, the internal cavity 102 is opened via the sealable mechanism 106 and the items packaged therein are removed. A user's hand 502 is then placed inside the internal cavity of the hand covering implement 100 such that the functionality of the wash mitt 600 may be utilized to clean a surface, such as a car. Once the wash mitt is no longer being used, it can once again transform into reusable packaging for holding items related to its use, such as soap, detergent, wax, or other materials related to its product function, for storage.

[0061] Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.