FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to packages for consumer products and more particularly, to product packages for shaving razors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Personal care articles such as shaving razors and tooth brushes are typically sold in clear plastic product packages containing a plurality of product units. These plastic packages are commonly referred to as blister packages and conventionally include a transparent plastic blister with a sheet or card material inside the package and/or as an outer seal which may add rigidity to the package and facilitate suspension of the package from a hanger of a point-of-sale display. The sheet and/or card material will usually be printed with appropriate data concerning the product within the pack. The pack is typically configured so that on the point-of-sale display the blister is at the front so that the contents within the blister are clearly visible to the customer. Alternatively, the card may be located at the front with artwork illustrating the contents. The card and/or blister may be provided with tear perforations to provide access to the contents within the package.

Personal care articles items such as shaving razors, combs, brushes, and tooth brushes are typically suspended from retail pegs or placed directly on store shelves. Therefore, as used herein, the term “package”, or the phrase “product package” should be broadly construed to mean packaging for retaining personal care articles, such packaging being displayable.

Typically, individual product packages are received from a manufacturer in shipping containers with several individual product packages contained loosely therein. These product packages must then be removed from the shipping container by a retail employee and mounted to the hanger of a point-of-sale display. The product is typically jostled during shipment and mounting of the product to the point-of-sale display, which may affect the orientation of the product within the package. Some packages include a separate tray within the package which holds a single product, however, these trays add extra cost and are typically reused by the customer to hold or store the product after the pack is thrown away. Thus, these trays are not cost effective options. Disposable items that are packaged together (e.g., multiple disposable razors or a handle and one or more cartridge packaged together) are typically not secured and are allowed to move freely within the package. The movement of the items is limited only by the external shape of the package and the number of items in the package. Items that are not secured to the package may change orientation by the time they reach the point-of-sale display.

In addition, conventional consumer goods packages frequently include a significant amount of unused space or material and are not recyclable or are not easily recyclable. Consumers have become increasingly aware of the financial and environmental impact of such packaging and expect businesses that ship products to provide environmentally-friendly and cost-effective packaging.

Thus, there is a desire to overcome the problem associated with the holding and displaying multiple items within a consumer product package, such as a shaving razor package assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention features, in general, a shaving razor package assembly with a shaving razor package having a base with a perimeter wall defining a cavity. The base defines a first opening. A handle having a first end is positioned within the first opening. An insert tray having a body is mounted to the base. The insert tray having a tab extending from the body. A bottom surface of the tab extends into the first opening and secures the first end of the handle. A lid is mounted over the insert tray and sealed to the base.

In another aspect, the invention features, in general, a method of packaging a shaving razor by providing a shaving razor package having a base. A first end of a handle is positioned within a first opening defined by the base of the shaving razor package. An insert tray having tab is mounted to the base. A first cartridge container is positioned within a first aperture defined by the insert tray. The first end of the handle is temporarily secured within the first opening by positioning a bottom surface of the tab within the first opening on top of the first end of the handle.

In another aspect, the invention features, in general, a shaving razor package assembly with a shaving razor package having a base and a perimeter wall defining a cavity. An upper surface of the shaving razor package defines a recessed lip. A first protrusion spaced apart from a second protrusion, each extending upward from the base to define a first opening. A handle having a first end positioned within the first opening. An insert tray mounted to the base. The insert tray having a tab with a recessed top surface and an opposing bottom surface with a concave region. A first cartridge container is positioned within a first aperture that extends through the insert tray. The bottom surface of the tab extends into the first opening and engages the first end of the handle. The razor package assembly may optionally include the insert tray having n raised or recessed brand indicia adjacent the first aperture. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one possible embodiment of a shaving razor package assembly.

FIG. 2 is an assembly view of the shaving razor package assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the shaving razor package assembly of FIG. 1 with the lid removed for clarity.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an insert tray of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an insert tray.

FIG. 6 is a cross section view, taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1, one possible embodiment of the present invention is shown illustrating a shaving razor package assembly 10. The shaving razor package assembly 10 may include a base 12 and a lid 14 sealed to the base 12. The base 12 and/or the lid 14 may define an opening 16 to display the shaving razor package assembly 10 on a peg. The opening 16 may be circular, a slot, or any other geometry known to those skilled in the art for easy placement of the shaving razor package assembly 10 on a peg or hook. Hanging displays, such as peg boards offer increased versatility for presenting articles to consumers. For example, pegboard racks that revolve or spin work extremely well for stores that have limited floor space. A hanging display, such as a peg board, increases the versatility of packaging design because a flat surface is not needed to display the package on a shelf. This versatility allows for even more creative package designs, thus allowing the article displayed on the peg board to stand out even further from competitive products. However, it is understood that the shaving razor package assembly 10 may also be displayed on a shelf without the a hang hole 16.

The lid 14 may have a top face 18 that displays product graphics and/or information thereon, including but not limited to branding, product title, advertising, product instructions, advertising claims, product claims, product comparisons, and/or any other graphics, information, text, etc., as desired. It is understood that the base 12 may also contain similar graphics and artwork. In certain embodiments, the lid 14 may be substantially planar. While the base 12 shown in FIG. 1 is substantially rectangular, it will be appreciated that a base may take the form of any of a variety of suitable shapes, including, for example, the shape of the product contained within the package. In certain embodiments, a thickness of the base 12 may be from about 0.4 mm to about 1.5 mm; from about 0.8 mm to about 1.25 mm; or in some examples, about 1.0 mm. The lid 14 and/or the base 12 may comprise one or more cellulose-based products such as cardboard, paperboard, paper sheet, bamboo and other sustainable, compostable, biodegradable or recycled/recyclable materials. The lid 14 and/or the base 12 may also be made from a slurry of water and pulp from fibrous materials, such as virgin pulp or recycled paper products, or other natural fibers (e.g., sugarcane, bamboo, wheat straw). The raw materials may help determine the color, surface texture and strength of the lid 14 and/or base 12. The pulp may be formed into a shape by custom designed molds. The molds are lowered into a pulp mixture and water is pulled through a mesh of the mold with a vacuum. An upper part of the mold may press into the lower part of the mold to arrive at the final shape. Although a variety of sustainable materials are discussed, it is understood more durable materials may also be used such as plastics. The lid 14 may be sealed to the base 12 with a pressure sensitive adhesive or other conventional methods known to those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 2, an assembly view of the shaving razor package assembly 10 is illustrated. The base 12 may have a perimeter wall 20 that defines a cavity 22 for holding one or more products. The perimeter wall 20 may have an upper surface 24 with a recessed lip 26. One or more protrusions may extend from the base 12. For example a first protrusion 28, a second protrusion 30, a third protrusion 32 and a fourth protrusion 34 may extend from a bottom surface 36 of the base 12. The cavity 22 may be dimensioned to receive a handle 38 having a first end 40 and a second end 42. The base 12 may define a first opening 44 to hold a portion of the handle 38. For example, the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 30 may be spaced apart to define the first opening 44 dimensioned to receive the first end 40 of the handle 38. The first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 30 may be spaced apart to allow the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 30 to flex as the handle 38 is inserted into the first opening 44, which may provide for improved securement of the handle 38. It is understood that although the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 30 are spaced apart to define the first opening 44, the first protrusion 28 and the second protrusion 30 may be partially interconnected for improved strength. In certain embodiments, the first end 40 of the handle 38 may fit loosely between the first and second protrusions 28 and 30 because of material limitations of the base 12.

The third protrusion 32 and the fourth protrusion 34 may be spaced apart to define a second opening 46 dimensioned to receive the second end 42 of the handle 38. It is understood that although the third protrusion 32 and the fourth protrusion 34 are spaced apart to define the second opening 46, the third protrusion 32 and the fourth protrusion 34 may be partially interconnected for improved strength. In certain embodiments, the second end 42 of the handle 38 may fit loosely between the third protrusion 32 and the fourth protrusion 34 because of material limitations of the base 12. For example, pulp based materials (or other sustainable materials) may not have the same strength and rigidity of polymer based materials. Accordingly, press fitting the handle 38 within the first and second openings 44 and 46 may damage the base 12.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an insert tray 48 may be provided to hold one or more cartridge containers 50a and 50b and/or shaving razor cartridges 55a and 55b. Each of the cartridge containers 50a and 50b may hold the shaving razor cartridge 55a and 55b. The insert tray 48 may include a body 52 that defines one or more apertures 54 and 56. The apertures 54 and 56 may be dimensioned to receive the respective cartridge containers 50a and 50b. It is understood that the apertures 54 and 56 may extend completely through the insert tray 48 (as shown) or only partially into the insert tray (e.g., recessed). In certain embodiments, the cartridge containers 50a and 50b may each have a flange 58a and 58b that rests on a top surface 60 of the body 52 of the insert tray 48. Although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate two apertures 54 and 56 holding two cartridge containers 50a and 50b, it is understood that more apertures and cartridge containers may be used depending on the desired package quantity. For example, club stores, larger count packages may hold ten or more cartridges.

A tab 62 may extend from the body 52 of the insert tray 48. As will be explained in greater detail below, the tab 62 may facilitate the removal of the insert tray 48 from the base 12 and facilitate the securement of the first end 40 of the handle 38 to the base 12. The tab 62 may define a recess 64. The recess 64 may be dimensioned to receive a thumb or a finger of a consumer to facilitate the removal of the insert tray 48 from the base 12. Although, the cartridge containers 50a and 50b are illustrated as being positioned with the respective apertures 54 and 56, it is understood that the shaving razor cartridges 55a and 55b may be positioned directly within the apertures 54 and 56 without the need of using an extra container. The cartridge containers 50a and 50b may provide a sealed compartment to control moisture and/or keep the shaving razor cartridge(s) 55a and 55b clean. For example, the shaving razor cartridges 55a and 55b may have a lubrication member that may break down over time if exposed to a certain amount of moisture.

A bridge 70 may extend between the pair of apertures 54 and 56. The bridge 70 may be positioned over the handle 38 and the cartridge containers 50a and 50b may be inserted into the respective apertures 54 and 56 on either side of the bridge 70. The handle 38 may be positioned between the pair of cartridge containers 50a and 50b. Lateral movement of the cartridge containers 50b and 50b may be limited by being positioned between the handle 38 and a respective side wall 72a and 72b of the base 12. The insert tray 48 may rest on the base 12. For example, a pair of lateral ends 66 and 68 of the body 52 may be positioned on the recessed lip 26. Accordingly, the insert tray 48 may be positioned at or below a flange 74 of the upper surface 24 of the base 12. The flange 74 may extend around a perimeter of the base 12 with the lid 14 secured to the flange 74. The flange 74 may have a plurality of tabs 76, 78, 80 and 82. The body 52 of the insert tray 48 may be positioned between the plurality of tabs 76, 78, 80 and 82 to minimize movement of the insert tray 48 and the cartridge containers 50a and 50b. For example, the lateral end 66 of the body 52 may be positioned between the tabs 80 and 82. Similarly, the lateral end 68 may be positioned between tabs 76 and 78. As will be described in greater detail below, the tab 62 may be inserted into the opening 40 between the pair of protrusions 28 and 30 to secure the handle 38 within the cavity 22 of the base 12.

Referring to FIG. 4, a bottom perspective view of the insert tray 48 is illustrated. In certain embodiments, the pair of apertures 54 and 56 may be positioned between a pair of flaps 84 and 86 that extend away from a bottom surface 88 of the body 52 of the insert tray 48. The flaps 84 and 86 may extend into the cavity 22 of the base 12 to facilitate alignment and securement of the insert tray 48 to the base 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The tab 62 may have a bottom surface 90 to facilitate securement of the handle 38. The tab 62 may also help secure the insert tray 48 to the base 12. The bottom surface 90 may include a concave region 92 that engages a corresponding area of the handle 38 (FIGS. 2 and 3). In certain embodiments, the bottom surface 90 may be opposite the recess 64 of the tab 62 (FIG 3). For example, the recess 64 may be directly opposite the concave region 92 of the tab 62. Accordingly, the tab 62 facilitates easy removal of the insert tray 48 and facilitates securement of the handle 38 (FIG. 4).

Although the shaving razor package assembly 10 of FIG. 2 is shown containing a shaving razor handle 38 and two cartridge containers 50a and 50b, it is understood that a similar package could be used for just one of the cartridge containers 50a or 50b. Referring to FIG. 5, an alternative embodiment (i.e., a single insert tray 94), of the insert tray 48 is illustrated. The single insert tray 94 may include a body 96 defining an aperture 98. The aperture 98 may be dimensioned to receive one of the cartridge containers 50a or 50b. The single insert tray 94 may be very similar to the insert tray 48 illustrated in FIG. 4, but the insert tray 94 may include a brand indicia 100 instead of the second aperture 56. The brand indicia 100 may include logos, letters, words, numbers and/or designs that are raised or recessed on the body 96 of the insert tray 98. In certain embodiments, a bottom surface 99 of the body 96 may define a break-away portion 101. Accordingly, the manufacturer may be able to easily punch out or remove the break-away portion 101 to create the insert tray 48 with the pair of apertures 54 and 56, as shown in FIG. 4. In certain embodiments, the break-away portion 101 may include half cuts, such that the break-away portion 101 does not extend to a top surface 103 of the body 96. Accordingly, the consumer may not notice the breakaway portion 101. The break-away portion 101 may make it more efficient to produce an insert tray having different counts (e.g., a two count as shown for insert tray 48 of FIG. 4 or a single count, as shown for insert tray 98). However, it is understood that the break-away portion 101 may include perforations or slits that extend to the top surface 103. In certain embodiments, the breakaway portion 101 may circumscribe the brand indicia 100.

A tab 102 may extend from the body 96. The tab may have a bottom surface 104 with a concave region 106, similar to the insert tray 48 of FIG. 4. The single insert tray 94 is illustrated without the flaps 84 and 86. However, it is understood that the flaps 84 and 86 are optional. The insert tray 48 and the single insert tray 94 may provide a simple way to offer different cost figuration alternatives to the consumer. Accordingly, different configurations of the shaving razor package assembly 10 (FIG. 1) may be easily implemented without causing consumer confusion. For example, if the insert tray 48 is provided with only a single cartridge container 50a for a lower price point offering, the consumer may see the aperture 56 in the insert tray 48 is empty and think there is product missing. However, if the consumer sees the brand indicia 100 instead of the aperture 56 (which is empty), they will not be confused as to how many cartridge containers 50a and 50b should be included in the shaving razor package assembly 10.

Referring to FIG. 6, a cross section view of the shaving razor package assembly 10, taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, is illustrated. The handle 38 may be positioned within the cavity 22 of the base 12. The first end 40 of the handle 38 may be positioned within the first opening 44 defined by the first and second protrusions 28 and 30 (FIG. 2). The first and second protrusions 28 and 30 may prevent the handle 38 from shifting laterally within the base 12. The first end 40 of the handle 38 may also be positioned between a lower surface 108 of the base 12 and the bottom surface 90 (e.g., concave region 92) of the tab 62 of the insert tray 48. Accordingly, the bottom surface 90 of the tab 62 may extend into the first opening 44 to facilitate securing the first end 40 of the handle 38. In certain embodiments, the bottom surface 90 of the tab 62 may engage the handle 38. The first end 40 of the handle 38 may have a corresponding region (e.g., convex region 110) that engages the concave region 92 of the tab 62 for improved securement of the handle 38. The lid 14 may be mounted over the insert tray 48 and the base 12. The lid 14 may be sealed to the base 12 (e.g., the flange 74 of FIG. 3), but not the insert tray 48, which allows for easy removal of the insert tray 48 from the base 12. The insert tray 48 may be secured between the lid 14 and the base 12. In certain embodiments, the insert tray 48 may contact the lid 14 and the base 12 for improved security.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.” Furthermore, dimensions should not be held to an impossibly high standard of metaphysical identity that does not allow for discrepancies due to typical manufacturing tolerances. Therefore, the term “about” should be interpreted as being within typical manufacturing tolerances.

Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.