US2931493A - Container - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1960 l| H. PFoHL 2,931,493

CONTAINER Filed March e, 1958 United St CONTAINER Louis H. Pfohl, Forest Hills, N Y., assigner to Design Center, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application March 6, 1958, Serial No. 719,587

Claims. (Cl. 20G-78) `The present invention relates to containers and the like, and more particularly to containers for packaging merchandise and other items for purposes of display or sale.

AIt is frequently desirable to package merchandise for purposes of display in transparent packages. It is also desirable in many cases for such transparent packages to be aflixed removably to large supporting structures such as display cards. For example, a number of items o f merchandise are often removably mounted on a single display card so that the individual items may be removed one by one for purposes of sale. When the individual items are separately packaged and the packages themselves are mounted on the display card, it is important that the packages be easily removable from the display card. It has also been found desirable to make each individual package a complete unit so that the item or items of merchandise contained therein will be retained securely when the package is removed from the display card or the like.

A principal object of the invention has been the provision of a novel and improved container.

More particularly, it has been a principal object of the invention to provide a novel and improved container which may readily be affixed to and remove from a supvision of a hollow container structure having a rim adapted to be snapped into engagement with a supporting structure, the rim being adapted to retain a closure whose size and configuration is substantially the same as the hole in the supporting structure into which the container structure is snapped.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description.

In accordance with the invention, the container is provided with a body member which may be generally domeshaped and which is open at the base. The base has a rimwhich is generally S-shapcd in cross section, thus affording a double undercut with the upper undercut extending outwardly and the lower undercut extending inwardly. A. container bottom is snapped into and retainedin the upper undercut. The lower undercut is adapted to have snapped into it and to retain therein the rim of a hole in a supporting structure.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one form of container embodying the invention;

Fig a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 2.

iwatented Apr. 5, 1960 the open base of the body member. The body member 10 is preferably made from a transparent plastic material such as acetate or vinyl plastic, While the bottom 11 may be made of paperboard or other suitable material. Either the body member 10 or the bottom 11 may be made of resilient material to permit the snap-in construction to be described. However, it is preferable that both be somewhat resilient.

The container illustrated is adapted for the display of sun glasses, as shown in dotted lines at 1,2, but it will be understood that this is only one example, and that a` tremendous variety of articles may be packaged in containers constructed in accordance with the invention.

Thus the shape of the body member and bottom may' be varied widely to accommodate the particularA item to be displayed.

As is best shown in Fig. 3, the base of the body memi ing flange edge 17 and a vertical surface 18. The sur' faces 16 and 18 are joined by a diagonal surface 19. It should be understood that the terms upper, lower-,W

inwardly, outwardly, horizontal, vertical and diagonal are employed only as convenient terms of reference relative to the dome part of the body member 10 and do not necessarily have reference to the nal disposition of the container in service.

The bottom 11 which closes the open base of the body member 10 lits within the undercut 13. A peripheral portion of the upper surface of the bottom 11 engages the lower side of the horizontal surface 15. The lower4 corner 20 of the bottom 11 contacts the diagonal surface v 19. This surface contact with the surface 15 and the. line contact with the surface 19, which preferably extend completely around the open base of the body member.

10, serve releasably to retain the bottom 11 within the undercut 13.

ln order to permit insertion of the bottom 11 into the undercut 13 and also to permit removal of the bottom.; 11 from the undercut 13, either the body member 10, or'

at leastthe base portion thereof, or the bottom 11 should be resilient.

is placed in substantial registry with the open base of the body member 10 and is snapped into the position illustrated. To facilitate removal of the bottom 11 from the body member 10, a peripheral notch or a hole may be provided in the bottom 11 to permit insertion of a finger or instrument, thus permitting the bottom 11 to be snapped out of engagement with the body member 10.

Such a peripheral notch is illustrated at 21 in Fig. 1.

The body member 16 with inserted bottom 11 istinserted into a hole provided in a supporting structure 22 which might be, for example, a paperboard display card arranged to support and display one or more containers'` such as are formed by the body member lili and bottom 11. Such a display card could conveniently carry a suitable advertising message.

The bottom surface of the supporting structure 22 adjacent the hole is in surface contact with the :upper surface of the ange 17. An upper corner 23 forming.A the upper edge of the hole in the structure 22 is in contactwith the diagonal surface 1 9. The surface Contact; with the iiange surface 17 and the linel contact With'ftheg-1 surface 19 serve releasably to retain the rim 'of the holeE in the supporting structure 22 within the undercuti 14,11: or in other words, causes the container to belretainedf Y in the hole provided in the structure 22., y f g Preferably both are resilient. `ln assem-W bling the bottom 11 and the body member 10, the bottom In order to assemble the container and the supporting structure, the dome of the body member is inserted into the hole in the supporting structure 22 so that the surface is in substantial registry with the rim of the hole. A force is then, exerted on either the ange, i7 or Ythe bottom 11 to cause the body member li to snap into position in the hoie, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Disassembly of the container from the supporting structure can easily be effected by exerting a force on the upper surface of the body member 1t). The supporting structure, or at least that portion thereof adja ent the hole, or the body member 10 should be made of a resilient material to permit the snap in assembly and disassembly described. Preferably both are made from resilient materials. Thus, as mentioned previously, the supporting structure can conveniently be made of paperboard while thebody member 1? can conveniently be made of a suitv The plastic should, of course, be one which able plastic. will retain its shape in service. The outward extent of the` ange 17 prevents the container from being forced completely through the hole in the supporting structure during assembly.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the bottom 11 should be substantially the same size as the hole in the supporting structure 22 so that both the bottom l and the supporting structure 22 can be retained in the undercutsl and 14, respectively. Preferably the bottom 11 is the same piece (or an identical one) removed from the structure 22 in die cutting or otherwise forming the hole therein.

.When thecontainer formed by the body member 10 and bottom Il is removed from the supporting structure itj nevertheless constitutes a complete package in itself.

While the invention has been described in connection with a' specific embodiment thereof and in a specific use, various modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in`- the art without departing from the spirit and scope 0f the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Forexample, although the invention has been described in connection with the packaging ofmechandise, it will bev readily apparent that it may be used for other pur-v poses such as a picture frame or as a toy or game. For the latter purpose some suitable game structure will usually be mounted or formed on the upper surface of the bottom 11.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a body'member'having an open base forming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross section to provide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantially iiat, outwardly extending flange, and a bottom having a shape corresponding to the shape of said open base, the'peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upper undercut whereby said bottom is removably retained in said upper undercut.

2. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped bodyV member having an open base forming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross section t-o provide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a -substantially flat, outwardly extending flange, and a bottom having a shape corresponding to the shape of said open base, the peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upper undercut, whereby said bottom is removably retained in said upper undercut.

3. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped body member having an open base forming a rim which isgenerally S-shaped in cross section to provide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly ex tending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantially at, outwardly extending flange, a card member having an aperture corresponding in size and shapeto said open base, the peripheral edge of said aperture being arranged to be snapped into and out of said lower undercut for releasable retention of said body member on said card, and a bottom having a shape cord,v responding to thershape of said open base, the peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upper undercut whereby said bottom is removably retained in said upper undercut, at least one of said body members and said bottom being resilient to permit said bottom to be snapped into and out ofsaid upper undercut.

4. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped body member formed from a resilient transparent plastic material and having an open base forming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross section to providean upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly eX- tending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantially flat, outwardly extending flange, a card member having an aperture corresponding in size and shape to said open base, the peripheral edge of said aperture being arranged to be snapped into and out of said lov er undercut for releasable retention of said body member on said card, anda bottom having a shape corresponding to the shape of said open base, the peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upper undercut,

whereby ,said bottom is removably Vretained in said upper undercut.

5. A container comprising a generally dome-shaped body member formed from a resilient plastic material and having an open base forming a rim which is generally S-shaped in cross section to provide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, the lower edge of said rim having a substantially flat, outwardly extending flange, a card member having an aperture corresponding in size and shape to said open base, the peripheral edge of said aperture being arranged to be snappedinto and out of said lower undercut for releasable retention of said body member on said card, and a bottom having a shape corresponding to the shape of said open base, the peripheral edge of said bottom extending into said upper undercut whereby said bottom is removably retained in said upper undercut, said upper undercut having an upper substantiallyhorizontal surface in surface Contact with said bottomV and a lower diagonal surface in line contact with a peripheral edge of said bottom.

6. A display structure comprising a supporting member having a hole therein; and a container comprising a body member adapted to be inserted through said hole,

said body member having an openV base forming a rimy which is generally S-shaped inV cross section to provide an upper outwardly extending undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, the lower edge of said rim" having a substantially flat, outwardly extending ilange, and a bottom. corresponding substantially in size and shape to said hole, the peripheral edge of said bottomextending into said upper undercut whereby said bottomv is removably retained in said upper undercut, the rim of said hole extending Vinto said lower undercut and a substantial portion of the area of said supporting mem-- ber adjacent said rim thereof being in surface contact with said flange whereby said container is removably cross section to provide an upper outwardlyl extending` undercut and a lower inwardly extending undercut, said lower undercut being in snap-in engagement with the rim of said hole for removably mounting said body member on said sheet, and a bottom having a size and shape conforming substantially'with said hole and being in snap-in engagement with said upper undercut for removably retaining saidbottom in said open base.

8. A merchandising display as set forth in claim 7 in which said sheet is formed from paperboard and said body member is formed from a resilient plastic.

9. A merchandising display asv s'et forth in claim 8 in which said bottom is formed from paperboard.

10. A merchandisingv display as set forth in claim 9 in v 6 which said bottom is identical with the material removed 2,424,898 Pressman July 29, 1947 from said sheet to form said hole therein. 2,446,361 Clibbon Aug. 3, 1948 2,739,751 Bailey Mar. 27, 1956 References Cited in the ile 0f thls patent 2,853,185 Rollie Sept. 2, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,734,032 Evans Nov. 5, 1929 231,281 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1925 1,944,050 Wolkenhauer Ian. 16, 1934 517,502 Canada Oct. 18, 1955

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