ES2350644T3 - PACK FOR GUM STRIPES WITH RETAINING TONGUE. - Google Patents

Abstract

Assembly of the chewing gum package (110) for individual chewing gum strips (114) comprising: a plurality of said strips strips (114) aligned in a side-by-side assembly (112); a package housing (116) for enclosing said set of strips (114), said package housing (116) with front (118) and rear walls (120) for supporting said strips (114) therebetween and a cover that is can close (130) to close a dispensing opening; and said front wall (118) with a wall tab (119) extending inward towards said rear wall (120) for frictionally engaging with said set of strips (114) for detachable retention of said strips (114) in it; wherein said wall tongue (119) is folded to provide an elastic bias, wherein said elastic bias of said wall tongue (119) provides said frictionally engaging said strips (114) therein, and said tongue of the wall (119) has a distal edge (123) nestable through said set (112) of strips (114), characterized in that said strips (114) of said set (112) include a transversely aligned groove marked (125) therethrough, said distal edge (123) of said wall tab (119) being nestable within said slot (125) to provide additional retentive engagement of said strips (114).

Description

Package for gum strips with retention tab

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a package to contain a set of rubber strip products from chew consumable and retain the rubber strips in the package until the when it is desirable to dispense individual products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a package to retain and dispense rubber strips using a tongue in the front wall

Background of the invention

It is well known to host products consumables such as rubber strips in a package or housing that retains the rubber strips and allows the dispensing of a strip individual of the same. Rubber strips are typically arranged in a set, so that an individual rubber strip can be removal of the assembly leaving the remaining rubber strips in the package. Often, the rubber strips may be wrapped individually in an outer wrapper.

Certain packages of rubber strips are of the type that maintain their external configuration even after the removal of one of the rubber strips. This creates a space in the package that allows the adjacent rubber strips to go away shifting Therefore, it can be difficult to remove the strips Additional rubber pack if one or more of the rubber strips Remaining inclines or falls inside the package. In addition, creating such space, the remaining rubber strips can slide or move in the package and may even fall out of the package.

An attempt to retain and dispense individual rubber strips from a package is shown in Kopecky U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0080020. The Kopecky publication discloses a housing of the package of rubber strips formed of a preform of die-cut cardboard with a generally rectangular configuration. The housing includes a front cover that opens to expose a plurality of rubber strips. The rubber strips are contained in a set side by side by a sheet that is wrapped around the rubber strips. The sheet, including the set of rubber strips, is placed in the package housing so that the rubber strips are exposed as soon as the front cover is opened. In order to retain the rubber strips in an upright condition and keep the rubber strips inside the package as soon as one or more of the strips are removed from the assembly, the rubber strips are adhesively attached to the sheet. The adhesive fixation can take the form of wax areas on the inner surface of the sheet. As soon as the wrapped strips are inserted into the sheet, heat is applied to the sheet to cause the wax to melt. The con-
together with rubber strips attached to the sheet can then be placed in the package for retention and dispensing.

While the device disclosed in the Kopecky publication tries to provide a package that allows both retention and dispensing of rubber strips, has been discovered that the package may not perform properly in a term long. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a package Enhanced rubber strips that allow retention and dispensing of individual rubber strips and which will retain the rubber strips remaining in the package as soon as one or more of the rubber strips

DE 653242C describes a cigarette carrier for a row of cigarettes in which bars fit elastically the two ends of each cigarette. In DE 10238905A a carrier of more cigarettes for a row of cigarettes is described in which a flexible band receives one end of each cigarette, the other end of the cigarette being propelled against the opposite wall of the cigarette carrier. US 3,187,889 describes a package for Individually packaged modules such as razors and blades Shaving The edges of the package have brackets that are retained below the tabs that extend transversely of the package.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides an assembly Package for individual chewing gum strips comprising:

a plurality of said strips aligned in a side by side assembly;

accommodation of the package to enclose said set of strips, said housing of the package that has front and rear walls to support said strips between the middle thereof and a cover that can be close to close a dispensing opening; Y

said wall front with a wall tab that extends towards the interior in the direction of said rear wall for fitting frictional with said set of strips for detachable retention of those strips in it;

where said Wall tab folds to provide an elastic bias, wherein said elastic bias of said wall tab provides said frictional fit of said strips in it, and said wall tab has a distal edge that fits through said set of strips.

In a first aspect of the invention, the set of gum strips includes a slot transversely marked through it. The distal edge of the tongue is embedded within the groove to provide the additional retentive fitting.

In a second aspect of the invention, each strip of the set is wrapped with a strip wrap. The wrapper is folded at least one end to define a tongue of the wrap turned up facing the tongue of the wall. The wrapping tongue is clickable with the wall tongue, in when the strips were removed from the housing by way of provide releasable retentive support of the strips in the accommodation. The wrapped tongue is removed by deflecting the tongue of wrapping at the time of withdrawal.

In a third aspect of the invention, the assembly includes a band wrapped transversely around the set of strips. The band supports the strips inside the housing of the package. The band includes a transverse edge that extends to Through the whole product. The tongue of the wall is fit with the band over the transverse edge to retain the Band inside the accommodation. The strips can be retained from releasable form within the band by means of an adhesive.

Even more, the band can be shaped of a U-shaped bag.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective showing the assembly of the package of the present invention in a condition closed.

Figure 2 is a perspective showing the assembly of the package of figure 1 in an open condition that shows a set of chewing gum strips products that are They can dispense from a dispensing opening.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention where the set of strip products chewing gum is positioned inside a package housing shown in its preassembled condition.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show more details of the embodiment of figure 3 to retain the assembly of products inside the package accommodation.

Figure 7 shows more embodiments of the present invention where a set of strip products individually wrapped chewing gum are supported within a assembly housing shown in its condition preassembled

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show details additional assembly of Figure 7 to retain the assembly of wrapped products.

Figure 11 shows yet another form of embodiment of the present invention including a set of chewing gum strip products supported on a band that is inserted into a package housing shown in your preassembled condition

Figures 12, 13 and 14 show more details of the package of figure 11.

Detailed description of the embodiments preferred

The present invention is directed to an assembly of the package that contains a set of consumable products from Chewing gum strips in a package housing. He Package housing can be opened to allow dispensing of one or more products thereof and is resealable to contain and Keep the products in it.

The consumable product packages of this type are disclosed in US patent applications commonly assigned serial number 11 / 883,468 deposited on 1 July, 2004 entitled "Design of confectionery packages" and the serial number 11 / 025,739 deposited on December 22, 2004 titled "Chewing gum package design with two separate compartments. "

On the other hand, the present invention discloses Consumable product packages of the type shown in the US patent application commonly assigned the number of series 11 / 124,906, deposited on the same date and entitled "Package of rubber strips with insertable retention element product "and identified as file number 1421-18, and that is also shown in the application for US patent commonly assigned serial number 11 / 124,922, deposited on the same date and entitled "Package for dispense and retain rubber strips with adhesive fixation "e identified as file number 1421-23.

Referring now to figures 1 and 2, the The present invention provides a package assembly 10 that includes a set 12 of rubber strips 14. On strips 14 there are typically rectangularly long shaped elements that can optionally include wrappers (not shown in the figure 2) individually around each rubber strip. Rubber strips They are arranged side by side to form the assembly 12. The rubber strips 14 are supported in the assembly in a housing of package 16. The housing of package 16 includes a wall front 18, an opposite side wall 20, a bottom wall 22, and opposite side walls 24 and 26. As will be described with more detail below, the package accommodation is formed of die cut cardboard, which folds in a well known way to form the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2. The package 16 housing is folded so that it provides a open upper end 28 defining a dispensing opening. The rear wall 20 includes a folding cover that extends upwards 30 that can be folded over the upper end open to close the opening and contain the strips 14 inside the package housing 16. A slot 32 positioned on the wall front 18 allows the distal edge 34 of the cover 30 to be inserted into It is for the purpose of resealing. Additionally, it is contemplated that The package is provided in the condition shown in the figure 1 with the cover 30 adhesively attached to the front wall 18. A once the adhesive fastener is removed to dispense the first chewing gum strip, cover 30 can be resealed inserting it in the recess 32.

It is also contemplated that the accommodation of the Package 16 can be covered by a plastic wrap (which does not shown) that encloses and protects the package during transport and before sale and use.

As will be described in more detail at then, it is contemplated that the set 12 of strips 14 be detachable and elastically supported inside the housing of the package 16 so as to allow easy removal of one or more strips rubber while keeping the rest of the rubber strips in the package accommodation. In addition, it is contemplated that the technique for withstand the strips releasably 14 inside the housing of the package will allow strips 14 to maintain their position within the accommodation even after the withdrawal of one or more of the strips of adjacent rubber to prevent the rubber strips from tilting or fall in the package or fall out of the package.

Referring now to the figures 3-6, an embodiment of the present invention With respect to the present embodiment, similar reference numbers indicate similar elements with 100 added to the reference numbers of figures 1 and 2 for denote the present embodiment.

Figure 3 shows the package assembly 110 with the package 116 housing in its condition preassembled The package 116 housing is formed in a way die cut cardboard that can be folded from its configuration flat shown in figure 3, to the configuration shown shown in Figures 1 and 2. The package housing includes a rear wall 120, a folding front wall 118, walls folding sides 124 and 126 and a folding cover 130. The package housing 116 supports a set 112 of rubber strips 114 against the inner surface of the rear wall 120.

In the present illustrative embodiment, rubber strips 114 are unwrapped rubber strips including a transverse marked groove 125 extending in an aligned manner to throughout them.

The front wall 118 of the package housing 116 includes a foldable tongue 119 that extends distally from there. When package 116 housing folds to your package configuration, folding tongue 119 folds towards inside towards the rubber strips 114 along the line of fold 121.

Referring now to the Figures 4-6, where cover 130 is not shown by clarity, the foldable tongue 119 folds inward toward the rear wall 120 after the fold, thus forming the wall front 118. A distal edge 123 of the folding tongue 119 fits strips 114 of assembly 112. The transverse length of the folding tongue 119 is such that it encompasses and extends through each of the rubber strips 114 of assembly 112. The tongue folding 119, exerts in its closed position as shown in the Figures 5 and 6, an elastic bias or pressure against the strips 114. Such elastic bias is sufficient, when the package accommodation is assembled, to retain friction strips 114 in the package accommodation 116.

Such inclination provided by the tongue Folding 119 is enough to keep the rubber strips in the Package releasable. Thus, one or more of the rubber strips can be removed from the package 116 housing against the inclination provided by the folding tongue 119. However, After removal of one or more of the rubber strips, the strips remaining rubber will be retentively supported in the package accommodation 116 and will be held in position vertical despite the fact that a rubber strip has been withdrawal.

As mentioned earlier, set 112 of rubber strips 114 includes a transverse groove marked 125 which extends in an aligned manner through it. It is contemplated that the distal edge 123 of the foldable tongue 119 is nestable inside of the groove marked 125 to provide more retention of the rubber strips 114 inside package 116 housing. So, in order to remove the rubber strips individually from the housing of the package, the positioning of the distal edge 123 of the tongue 119 inside slot 125 must be overcome.

The slot marked 125 also helps confine positionally the strips 114 and keep the strips 114 in a vertical condition, even after the removal of a strip contiguous

Referring now to the figures 7-10, a further embodiment of the present invention With respect to the present embodiment, similar reference numbers denote similar elements with 200 being added to the reference numbers of figures 1 and 2 to denote the present embodiment.

Figure 7 shows the package assembly 210 with the package accommodation 216 in its condition preassembled The housing of package 216 is formed in a way die cut cardboard that can be folded from its configuration plan shown in Figures 7, to the configuration shown shown in Figures 1 and 2. The package housing includes a rear wall 220, a folding front wall 218, walls folding sides 224 and 226 and a folding cover 230. The Package 216 housing supports a 212 set of rubber strips 214 against the inner surface of the back wall 220.

In the present illustrative embodiment, 214 rubber strips are wrapped rubber strips. Each rubber strip 214 can be individually wrapped with a paper wrapper and / or aluminum foil 215 in the conventional manner. The wrapper thus provides a folded wrapper tongue 217 in Each end of it. In the present embodiment, the wrap tabs 217 fold on the same side of the strip of rubber and face each other inwards. The set 214 of the rubber strips are arranged so that the tabs of the wrapper face the front wall 218 when the Package housing is assembled.

The front wall 218 of the package housing 216 includes a folding wall tongue 219 that extends distally from her. When the package accommodation 216 is folded in its package configuration, the foldable tongue 219 is folds inward toward the rubber strips 214 along the fold line 221.

Referring now to the figures 8-10 where cover 230 is not shown by clarity, the foldable tongue 219 folds inwards with with respect to the rear wall 220 after the fold, thus forming the front wall 218. A distal edge 223 of the collapsible tongue 219 fits the strips 214 of the set 212. The transverse length of the folding tongue 219 is such that it encompasses and extends through each of the wrapped rubber strips 214 of assembly 212. The folding tongue 219 exerts, in its closed position as shown in Figures 8 and 9, an elastic pressure bias against the strips wrapped 214. Such elastic bias is sufficient, when the package housing is assembled, to retain by friction the 214 strips in the 216 package housing. Such bias provided by folding tab 219 is sufficient to keep the rubber strips in the package releasably. In that sense, the regulation provided by the folding tongue 219 is such that although the strips 214 are shown in position within the package housing 216 where the tongue of the wrapper 217 is faces the front wall 218, the wrapped rubber strips 214 they can be arranged in an opposite way with the folded tabs of wrapper 217 facing the wall rear 220.

As you can see, once the package housing 216 is assembled, the distal edge 223 of the foldable tongue 219 charges against the wrapped rubber strips 214 just above the location of the wrap tabs folded 217. In addition to the frictional retention of bias elastic of the 214 wrapped rubber strips provided by the folding tab 219, in an attempt to remove one of the strips rubber wrapped 214 of the set, the tongue folded from the wrap 217 will be fixed on the distal edge 223 of the tongue folding wall 219. This will also be used to hold Retentive the rubber strips inside package 216. Since the wrap tab 217 is folded after removal manual of an individual rubber strip 214 of it, wrapper 217 will be deployed allowing complete removal of the 216 package. No However, the engagement between the folded tongue wrapped 217 and the distal edge 223 of the folding tongue 219 is sufficient to keep individual rubber strips inside the package, preventing involuntary eviction thereof even where the adjacent rubber strips have been previously removed. For the both, after the removal of one or more rubber strips from the 216 package housing, the remaining rubber strips will be supported retentively within package 216 housing because of the bias provided by the folding tongue 219 and also they will be held retentively in it by the fitting between the distal edge 223 and the tongue of the wrapper 217.

Referring now to the figures 11-14, another embodiment is shown Additional of the present invention. With respect to this form of realization, similar reference numbers denote similar items with 300 added to reference numbers of figures 1 and 2 to denote the present form of realization.

Figure 11 shows the package assembly 310 with the package 316 housing in its condition preassembled The package 316 housing is formed from a die cut cardboard shape that can be folded from your flat configuration shown in figure 11 to the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2. The housing Package includes a 320 rear wall, a front wall folding 318, folding side walls 324 and 326 and a cover folding 330. The housing of package 316 supports a set 312 of rubber strips 314 against the inside surface of the wall 320. In the present illustrative embodiment, the 314 rubber strips can be wrapped rubber strips or unwrapped.

The rubber strips are also contained inside of a band 331. Band 331 can be formed by a broad variety of materials including paper, foil or combinations thereof.

In the present illustrative embodiment, the band is formed in a bag or U-shaped configuration with front and back walls, side walls, and a wall lower. The 312 set of rubber strips 314 is positioned within the band with the lower ends aligned therein contained within the U-shaped band. While here it is show a U-shaped band, other band settings They can be used. Band 331 defines an upper distal edge 333 beyond which the rubber strips 314 extend.

The front wall 318 of the package housing 316 includes a folding tongue 319 that extends distally of the same. When the housing of package 316 is folded in its package configuration, foldable tongue 319 is folded inwards towards the rubber strips along the line of 321 fold.

Referring now to the figures 12-14 where cover 330 is shown removed by clarity, the foldable tongue 319 is folded inwards towards the rear wall 320 at the time of the fold, thus forming the front wall 318 to retain the set of products inside of the package. The transverse length of the folding tongue 319 is such that a distal edge 323 extends through the strips 314 of set 312. Therefore, as described above, the folding tab 319 exerts in its closed position, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, an elastic pressure bias against strips 314. Such elastic bias is sufficient, when the housing of the package is assembled, to retain friction strips 314 in the package 316 housing.

On the other hand, the distal edge 323 of the inward folding tab 319, is coated with the edge cross 333 of band 331, thus residing between strips 312 and band 331. Such a coating prevents the band from being removed. of the package. In this way, the rubber strips retained within band 331 are thus retained within the package housing 316. It is contemplated that, optionally, a releasable adhesive can be used to detachably fix the rubber strips individual within the band 331. Wax or other adhesives acquaintances can be employed. Therefore, one or more strips of rubber can be removed from the housing of package 316 against the bias provided by the folding tongue 319. After such removal of one or more of the rubber strips, the rubber strips Remaining will be supported retentively within the accommodation of the package and will be kept in an upright position. For other part, band 331 itself remains within the housing of the package 316 by the engagement between the transverse edge 333 of the band 331 and edge 323 of the tongue folded inwards 319 therefore retaining more products within the accommodation of package 316.

Having described here the embodiments preferred, now it should be appreciated that they can be done variations in them without departing from the scope contemplated of the invention. Therefore, the ways of preferred embodiments described herein are believed to be illustrative instead of limiting, of the real scope of the invention being established in the appended claims here.

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References cited in the description

This list of references cited by the applicant has been compiled exclusively for reader information. It is not part of the European patent document. It has been made with the greatest diligence; However, the EPO assumes no responsibility for possible errors and omissions .

Patent bibliography cited in the description

US 20030080020 A, Kopecky [0004]

DE 653242 C [0006]

DE 10238905 A [0006]

US 3187889 A [0006]

US 88346804 A, 2004 [0014]

US 11025739 B, [0014]

US 124906 A [0015]

US 124922 A [0015]

Claims (8)

1. Chewing gum package assembly (110) for individual gum strips (114) comprising: a plurality of said strips strips (114) aligned in a side-by-side assembly (112); an accommodation of package (116) for enclosing said set of strips (114), said package housing (116) with anterior walls (118) and rear (120) to support said strips (114) between it and a cover that can be closed (130) to close an opening of dispensing; Y said front wall (118) with a wall tab (119) extending inwards towards said rear wall (120) for frictionally engaging with said set of strips (114) for detachable retention of said strips ( 114) in it; wherein said wall tongue (119) is folded to provide an elastic bias, wherein said elastic bias of said wall tongue (119) provides said frictionally engaging said strips (114) therein, and said tongue of the wall (119) has a distal edge (123) nestable through said set (112) of strips (114), characterized in that said strips (114) of said set (112) include a transversely aligned groove marked (125) therethrough, said distal edge (123) of said wall tab (119) being nestable within said slot (125) to provide additional retentive engagement of said strips (114).

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2. Assembly of a pack of chewing gum (210) for individual chewing gum strips (214), comprising: a plurality of said strips (214) aligned in a side by side assembly (212); a package housing (216) to enclose said set of strips (214), said package housing (216) which has front walls (218) and rear walls (220) to support said strips (214) between it and a cover that can be closed (230) to close a dispensing opening; Y said front wall (218) with a wall tab (219) extending inward towards said rear wall (220) for frictional engagement with said set of strips (214) for detachable retention of said strips (214) in her; wherein said wall tongue (219) is folded to provide an elastic bias, wherein said elastic bias of said wall tongue (219) provides said frictional engagement of said strips (214) therein, and said tongue tongue wall (219) has a distal edge (223) that can be fitted through said set (212) of strips (214), characterized in that each of said strips (214) of said set includes a wrapper (215), said wrapper being folded into at least one end to define a tongue of the upturned wrapper (217) facing said wall tongue (219), said wrapper tongue (217) being engageable with said wall tongue (219) at the time of the removal of said strips (214) from said housing (216) for the releasable retentive support of said strips (214) in said housing (216).

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3. Package assembly (210) according to claim 2, characterized in that said wall tab (219) is folded to provide an elastic bias against said set of strips (214). 4. Assembly of the package (210) of claim 2, characterized in that said tongue of the wrapper formed upwards (217) is deflectable to allow the removal of said strips (214) from said housing (216). 5. Assembly of the chewing gum package (310) for individual gum strips (314) comprising: a plurality of said strips (314) aligned in a side by side assembly (312); a package accommodation (316) for enclose said set of strips (314), said housing of the package (316) with front walls (318) and rear (320) for supporting said strips (314) between them and a cover that is can close (330) to close a dispensing opening; Y said front wall (318) with a wall tab (319) extending inward towards said rear wall (320) for frictional engagement with said set of strips (314) for detachable retention of said strips (314) in her; wherein said wall tongue (319) is folded to provide an elastic bias, wherein said elastic bias of said wall tongue (319) provides said frictional engagement of said strips (314) therein, and said tongue tongue wall (319) has a distal edge (323) that can be fitted through said set (312) of strips (314), characterized in that it also includes a band (331) wrapped transversely on said set of strips (314) to support detachably said strips (314) therein, said band (331) with a transverse edge (333) extending through said set of strips (312), and said wall tab (319) being interlockable with said band (331 ) on said transverse edge (333) of said band (331) to retain said band (331) within said housing (316).

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6. Package assembly (310) according to claim 5, characterized in that said strips (314) are detachably retained with said strip with a releasable adhesive. 7. Package assembly (310) according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that said band (331) is in the form of a U-shaped case. 8. Package assembly (310) according to claim 7, characterized in that said strips are detachably retained in said case with said releasable adhesive.