This invention relates to containers that may be used for packaging items and that may serve as information carriers. Preferred aspects of the invention relate to packages suitable for displaying items in a retail display. The invention may also be applied to containers that do not package items but, in effect, package information within to be revealed when opened. An example of such a container is a promotional item such as a mailer.

Information carriers such as packages or mailers may bear information comprising text such as instructions or a marketing message, or graphics such as pictures or logos. Graphical information may have a functional purpose, such as an explanatory diagram, or may be merely decorative.

The Applicant's International patent application published as WO 00/38999 discloses a band-drive package that may be used for packaging an item such as a compact disc in a tray that is movable out of an open-ended sleeve. When a tab is pulled out of the sleeve in one direction, a band-drive mechanism drives the tray out of the sleeve in the opposite direction. This transforms the package from a compact retracted state into a substantially larger extended state, in which the tray and the tab emerge from opposite ends of the sleeve and may be viewed side-by-side.

The package of WO 00/38999 is attractive, intriguing and easy to use to gain access to the item in the tray. However, the package does not merely carry and display the item; it is also an information carrier. The tab is particularly apt to carry and, when extended, to display information relating to the item carried by the tray. The package of WO 00/38999 therefore presents information effectively while providing a much- increased display area for setting out that information, in comparison with the compact size of the package when in the retracted state.

There is also a demand for improved information carriers that are not necessarily packages. For example, it is also known to use a band-drive mechanism for information carriers whose sole or overriding purpose is to present information. An example is a promotional item such as a mailer whose purpose is to carry information in the form of a marketing message. In that case, the tray of WO 00/38999 may be replaced by a second tab, to carry information additional to that carried by the first tab. When the tabs are extended from the sleeve, they increase the effective display area for presenting information by a ratio of approximately 3:1 in comparison with the retracted state, in which information is visible on the sleeve alone. Band-drive containers such as those described above are merely examples of containers in which at least one movable carrier such as a tray emerges from a housing such as a sleeve to reveal the content of the container, whether that content is an item, information or a combination of both. As good packaging is known to increase sales of products and to reinforce their quality, there is a demand for containers that are stylish, ingenious and easy to use. There is also a demand for containers that are functionally effective, being easy to assemble and inexpensive to make and yet also robust and secure enough for use in retail display.

It is against this background that the present invention has been devised.

Broadly, the invention resides in a container, comprising: a tubular housing having first and second opposed open ends; a sliding carrier supported in the housing for movement through the first end of the housing between a retracted position in which a first portion of the carrier is within the housing and a second portion of the carrier protrudes from the second end; and an extended position in which the first portion of the carrier protrudes from the first end and the second portion is within the housing; an insertion stop structure that limits movement of the carrier from the extended position upon reaching the retracted position and limits protrusion of the second portion of the carrier from the second end of the housing; and a withdrawal stop structure that limits movement of the carrier from the retracted position upon reaching the extended position.

Optional and advantageous features of the invention are set out in the appended claims. In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package of the invention in a closed state;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the package of Figure 1 in an open state;

Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a tray of the package of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a sleeve of the package of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the package of Figure 1 in the closed state; Figure 8 corresponds to Figure 7 but shows the package in the open state;

Figure 9 is an enlarged partial side view corresponding with detail IX of Figure 7; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a package in a closed state, being a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of the package of Figure 10 in an open state. Referring to a first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 9, a package 10 comprises a sleeve 12 surrounding a tray 14. The tray 14 and the sleeve 12 are shown separately in Figures 5 and 6 respectively. The tray 14 is movable with respect to the sleeve 12 between a closed state shown in Figures 1 , 3 and 7 and an open state shown in Figures 2, 4 and 8. In the closed state, a major portion 16 of the tray 14 lies within the sleeve 12, which therefore blocks access to an item and/or information carried by the major portion 16 of the tray 14 as will be explained. In the open state, a user can access or view the item and/or information carried by the major portion 16 of the tray 14.

The sleeve 12 is generally rectangular - in this case, approximately square - in plan and comprises a planar front panel 18 and a parallel planar rear panel 20 of folded cardboard or folded or extruded plastics. The sleeve 12 may be of intrinsically opaque or see-through material or may be of opaque material with see-through construction, such as having a perforated cardboard front panel 18. However the sleeve 12 shown in this example is fully opaque. Where the sleeve 12 is opaque, it prevents the item or information carried by the tray 14 being viewed when the package 10 is in the closed state.

The front panel 18 and the rear panel 20 are joined to each other along two opposed edges to form a flattened tube with two open ends 22, 24. The open ends 22, 24 of the sleeve 12 will be distinguished from each other in this description by referring to them as an upper end 22 and a lower end 24 where appropriate.

The tray 14 is a generally oblong and largely planar panel of cardboard or plastics whose width is a close sliding fit within the sleeve 12 between the joined edges of the sleeve 12 and whose length is greater than the length of the sleeve 12 between the two open ends 22, 24. Again, the corresponding ends 26, 28 of the tray 14 will be distinguished from each other in this description by referring to them as an upper end 26 and a lower end 28 where appropriate. References to 'upper' or 'lower' or corresponding directions in this description are simply for convenience, with regard to the orientation of the package 10 when displayed in use. The orientation of the package 10 is otherwise insignificant.

As the tray 14 is longer than the sleeve 12, one or both of its ends 26, 28 lie outside one or both of the open ends 22, 24 of the sleeve 12 depending upon the position of the tray 14 relative to the sleeve 12. In a closed state, the lower end 28 of the tray 14 is substantially flush with the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12 and the upper end 26 of the tray 14 lies outside the upper end 22 of the sleeve 12. The minor portion 30 of the tray 14 protruding beyond the upper end 22 of the sleeve 12 has an opening 32 for hanging the package 10 in a retail display unit, not shown. The opening 32 is of 'Euro hook' format in this example, but this is not essential. Nor is it essential that the minor portion 30 of the tray 14 has an opening: it is possible for the minor portion to have other hanging means such as a hook attached to it, or indeed no hanging means at all.

The lower end 24 of the sleeve 12 has curved, aligned cut-outs 34 in the front panel 18 and the rear panel 20. The cut-outs 34 provide clearance for a user to grip the corresponding lower end 28 of the tray 14 between thumb and forefinger when the tray 14 is retracted into the sleeve 12 in the closed state and hence the lower end 28 of the tray 14 lies flush with the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. This allows the user to pull the tray 14 out of the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12 into the open state to gain access to an item or information carried by the major portion 16 of the tray 14. This opening movement pulls the minor portion 30 of the tray 14 into the sleeve 12 through the upper end 22 of the sleeve 12. Of course, it is also possible for a user to hold the lower end 28 of the tray 14 and to move the sleeve 12 relative to the tray 14.

When the package 10 hangs in a retail display unit with a hanger such as a hook extending through the opening 32 in the minor portion 30 of the tray 14, the minor portion 30 cannot enter the sleeve 12 through the upper end 22 of the sleeve 12. This prevents the lower end 28 of the tray 14 being pulled out of the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. Thus, the sleeve 12 continues to cover the major portion 16 of the tray 14 and so blocks access to an item or information carried by the tray 14. Indeed, where the sleeve 12 is opaque, it prevents the item or information being viewed when the tray 14 is in the closed state.

It follows that it is necessary to remove the package 10 from the hanger to open the tray 14, which is beneficial for security; also, security may be enhanced by applying a security sticker (not shown), for example between the minor portion 30 of the tray 14 and an adjacent part of the sleeve 12, or to bridge the open lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. The sticker must be removed or broken to allow the tray 14 to be withdrawn from the sleeve 12.

An insertion stop structure is provided to limit insertion of the tray 14 into the sleeve 12 through the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. This also limits withdrawal of the tray 14 from the sleeve 12 through the upper end 22 of the sleeve 12. The insertion stop structure comprises lugs 36 that project laterally in the plane of the tray 14 adjacent its lower end 28. When the tray 14 is in the closed state, the lugs 36 are received by notches 38 in the joined edges of the sleeve 12 that open to its lower end 24. This ensures that the lower end 28 of the tray 14 can lie flush with the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12 when in the closed state. A withdrawal stop structure is also provided to limit withdrawal of the tray 14 from the sleeve 12 through the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. The withdrawal stop structure comprises a flap 40 on the tray 14 that faces toward the lower end 28 of the tray 14. The flap 40 is acutely angled with respect to, and is biased to pivot away from, the remainder of the tray 14. When the tray 14 reaches the open state, a free edge of the flap 40 engages an oppositely-facing shoulder 42 of the sleeve 12 to prevent further withdrawal of the tray 14 from the sleeve 12.

In this example, the flap 40 is folded from the remainder of the tray 14 along a fold line at the upper end 26 of the tray 14. The flap 40 is therefore part of the minor portion 30 of the tray 14 that protrudes from the upper end 24 of the sleeve 12 when the tray 14 is in the closed state. The minor portion 30 of the tray 14 is therefore double-walled, and the opening 32 extends also through the flap 40. This

advantageously strengthens the package 10 around the opening 32 to resist hanging loads in use. To prevent the flap 40 unfolding, the free edge of the flap 40 remains within the sleeve 12 when the minor portion 30 of the tray 14 protrudes from the upper end 24 of the sleeve 12.

The shoulder 42 is defined by an inner edge of a return panel 44 folded inwardly from the front panel 18 of the sleeve 12 at its lower end 24. The return panel 44 is glued inside the front panel 18 to define a double-thickness portion extending across the sleeve 12.

In the example shown, the purpose of the tray 14 is to support a card of credit card format, such as a prepayment card for a mobile telephone or a token bearing credits for an online service such as music downloads. The tray 14 also displays the card when pulled out of the sleeve 12 into the open state.

The tray 14 comprises a sheet of cardboard folded about its lower end 28 and glued onto itself to form a front layer 46 and a back layer 48, thus having a double thickness across much of its major portion 16. The front layer 46 extends across the full width and length of the major portion 16 of the tray 14. The back layer 48 extends across the full width and length of the tray 14 including the major portion 16 and the minor portion 30 beside the major portion 16.

The flap 40 is an integral extension of the back layer 48 and its length, when folded flat against the back layer 48, is no greater than the length of the minor portion 30. This allows the flap 40 to lie flush beside the front layer 46 when folded flat against the back layer 48.

The front layer 46 has a generally oblong aperture 50 with rounded corners, corresponding to the size and shape of the credit card format. A central part-circular recess 52 interrupts an upper long edge 54 of the aperture 50. Inwardly-extending retaining webs 56 extend along parallel short edges of the aperture 50, terminating short of the upper long edge 54. For greater flexibility, the webs 56 may have score lines that follow the credit card outline of the remainder of the aperture 50. Glue strips may be provided under the retaining webs 56 to retain a card whose short edges fit under the retaining webs 56.

The back layer 48 is interrupted by: the opening 32 near the upper end 26 of the tray 14; a circular hole 58 near the middle of the tray 14 that intersects the upper long edge 54 of the aperture 50 in the front layer 46 and whose circumference aligns with the recess 52; and parallel slots 60 that align with the retaining webs 56 of the back layer 48.

Whilst the tray 14 is largely of double-layer thickness, the aforementioned lugs 36 of the insertion stop structure are defined by a single layer, in this instance the front layer 46. This single-layer construction eases entry of the lugs 36 into the notches 38 in the joined edges of the sleeve 12. It also minimises the thickness of the package 10 at the lower end of the sleeve 12, where the sleeve 12 is three layers thick by virtue of the front panel 18, the rear panel 20 and the return panel 44 within the front panel 16.

On assembling the package 10, the tray 14 may be inserted readily into the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12 as the flap 40 deflects to clear the return panel 44. The flap 40 then snaps up resiliently to engage the shoulder 42 to prevent withdrawal of the tray 14 from the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. When the package 10 reaches the retracted state with the tray 14 pushed fully into the sleeve 12, the lugs 36 of the tray 14 engage in the notches 38 in the sleeve 12 to prevent further insertion of the tray 14. Here, the minor portion 30 protrudes from the upper end 22 of the sleeve 12 and the lower end 28 of the tray lies substantially in alignment with the lower end 24 of the sleeve 12. Thus, the insertion stop structure and the withdrawal stop structure work together and unobtrusively to define a range of movement of the tray 14 with respect to the sleeve 12 between the retracted and extended states of the package 10.

Many variations are possible without departing from the inventive concept. For example, Figures 10 and 1 1 show a second embodiment of the invention in which a package 62 is adapted to hold an item or items of appreciable depth or volume. Here, a tray 64 comprises a front panel 66 surrounding an access opening of a cuboidal storage volume defined between mutually orthogonal side walls 68 and a rear panel 70. The tubular sleeve 72 has side walls 74 of slightly greater depth than the side walls 68 of the tray 64.

The package 62 has an insertion stop structure and a withdrawal stop structure like those of the first embodiment. The insertion stop structure comprises lugs 36 on the front panel 66 that engage in notches 38 at the lower front corner of the side walls 68. The withdrawal stop structure comprises a flap 40 that engages a shoulder concealed behind the front panel 76 of the sleeve 72, like the shoulder 42 of the first embodiment.