Field Of Invention

The present disclosure generally relates to packaging which can be in the form of a container which is capable of carrying merchandise in a manner so as to accentuate the identified prominent feature of the merchandise by offering a magnified view of the prominent feature.

Background

It is desirable to package a product in a manner so as to entice potential buyers to buy the product. For example, a common way is to improve aesthetic appearance of the packaging, itself, carrying the product.

However, present packaging for products is generally still unable to effectively entice potential buyers.

It is therefore desirable to provide a solution to address the foregoing problem. Summary of the Invention

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a container having a first end and a second end. The container can be shaped and dimensioned so as to be suitable for carrying merchandise.

The container can include a body portion defined between the first and second ends. The body portion can include a magnifying portion which facilitates a magnified view of at least a portion of the merchandise carried within the container.

In one embodiment, the magnifying portion can be coupled to the body portion. The magnifying portion can, for example, be coupled to the body portion by adhesive means (e.g., sticky tape, glue).

In another embodiment, the magnifying portion can be an integral part of the body portion. The magnifying portion can, for example, be formed by manner of injection moulding. Additionally, in one embodiment, at least a portion of the body portion can be transparent and the magnifying portion can be carried at the transparent portion of the body portion such that, effectively, a part of the transparent portion provides a magnified view of the merchandise carried within the container. The remaining parts of the transparent portion (i.e., parts of the transparent portion not carrying the magnifying portion) can provide a non-magnified view of the merchandise as compared to the magnified view provided by the magnifying portion.

Specifically, at least one part of the merchandise can be viewed via the magnifying portion and at least one other part of the merchandise can be viewed via the remaining (i.e., parts of the transparent portion not carrying the magnifying portion) transparent portion of the body portion.

Preferably, the part of the merchandise viewable via the magnifying portion is a prominent feature of the merchandise.

In one example, the merchandise carried in the container is a pair of earphones having a pair of earpieces and the prominent feature of the pair of earphones can be considered to be at least one of the earpieces. In this regard, a viewer can be provided with a magnified view of at least one of the earpieces as compared to a non-magnified view of the reminder (For example, as will be discussed later in further detail, the cable and jack) of the pair of earphones as viewed by the viewer via the remaining transparent portions (i.e., parts of the transparent portion not carrying the magnifying portion) of the body portion.

The container can further include a base portion and a cover portion. The cover portion can be defined at the first end of the container and the base portion can be defined at the second end of the container.

Preferably, the cover portion can be removed. When the cover portion is removed, an opening can be defined for the merchandise to be put into the container.

As an option, the container can further include a securing portion for holding the merchandise in place when placed in the container. The securing portion can be coupled to the base portion. Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the disclosure are described hereinafter with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a container which includes a magnifying portion, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig, 2 shows the container of Fig. 1 capable of being shaped and dimensioned to carry a pair of earphones, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 3a and Fig, 3b show that the magnifying portion of the container of Fig. 1 can be in the form of a lens, according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

Fig. 4 shows a table of computed numerical figures for lens types in relation to Fig. 3, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Detailed Description

Representative embodiments of the disclosure, for addressing the foregoing problem(s), are described hereinafter with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4.

Specifically, the present disclosure contemplates a packaging for merchandise (also referable to as "a product") which is capable of accentuating an identified prominent feature of the merchandise. The packaging can take the form of a container which is capable of carrying merchandise in a manner so as to accentuate the identified prominent feature of the merchandise by offering a magnified view of the prominent feature.

Referring to Fig. 1, a container 100 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The container 100 can be shaped and dimensioned so as to be suitable for carrying merchandise (not shown).

As shown, the container 100 can have a first end 100a and a second end 100b. The container 100 can include a body portion 102. The body portion 102 can be defined between the first and second ends lOOa/lOOb. The body portion 102 can include a magnifying portion 104 which facilitates a magnified view of at least a portion of the merchandize carried within the container. Specifically, the magnifying portion 104 can be shaped and dimensioned in a manner so as to facilitate magnified viewing of at least a portion of the merchandise carried within the container 100. The magnifying portion 104 will be discussed later in further detail with reference to Fig. 3.

In one embodiment, the magnifying portion 104 can be coupled to the body portion 102. The magnifying portion can be coupled to the body portion by, for example, adhesive means. Examples of adhesive means can include double sided sticky tape and glue.

In another embodiment, the magnifying portion 104 can be an integral part of the body portion 102. In possible way to achieve this is by forming the magnifying portion 104 by manner of injection moulding.

The container 100 can further include a cover portion 106 and a base portion 108. The cover portion 106 can be defined at the first end 100a of the container 100 and the base portion 108 can be defined at the second end 100b of the container 100.

Preferably, the cover portion 106 can be removed so that when the cover portion 106 is removed, an opening can be defined for the merchandise to be put into the container 100.

Therefore, effectively, the cover portion 106 can be considered to be a first face of the container 100 and the base portion 108 can be considered to be a second face of the container 100. Additionally, the body portion 102 can be considered to be side(s) of the container 100. The first and second faces of the container 100 can be spaced apart such that side(s) of the container 100 can be defined.

In one embodiment, the body portion 102 can include a plurality of sides. In another embodiment, the body portion 102 can be considered to have only one side.

In one example, as shown in Fig. 1, the container 100 can be in the form of a cube in which case the cover portion 106 and the base portion 108 can be viewed as the top face (i.e., the first face) and the bottom face (i.e., the second face) of the cube respectively. Appreciably, the body portion 102 will then include four sides (i.e., a plurality of sides), completing the cube. In another example, as will be shown later in Fig. 2, the container 100 can be in the form of a cylinder in which case the cover portion 106 and the base portion 108 can be viewed as the top face (i.e., the first face) and the bottom face (i.e., the second face) of the cylinder respectively. Appreciably, the body portion 102 can then be considered to have only one side in the form of a continuous curvilinear surface.

As an option, within the container 100, there can be a securing portion 110 (shown in dotted lines) for holding the merchandise in place. The securing portion 110 can be coupled to the base portion 108.

Earlier mentioned, the container 100 can be shaped and dimensioned so as to be suitable for carrying merchandise. In one exemplary scenario, the merchandise can be a pair of earphones. This will be discussed in further detail hereinafter with reference to Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 2, the container 100 can be shaped and dimensioned to carry a pair of earphones 200. The pair of earphones 200 can include a pair of earpieces 202, a cable 204 and a jack (not shown).

Moreover, at least a portion of the body portion 102 can be transparent. Specifically, the body portion 102 can include a transparent portion 206. Preferably, the pair of earphones 200 can be viewed via the transparent portion 206.

In one embodiment, one part of the body portion 102 can be transparent while the remaining parts of the body portion 102 can be opaque. The part of the body portion 102 which is transparent corresponds to the aforementioned transparent portion 206. In this regard, the transparent portion 206 effectively forms a window through which the pair of earphones 200 can be viewed whereas the remaining parts of the body portion 102 which are opaque impedes view of the pair of earphones 200.

In another embodiment, the body portion 102 can be entirely transparent. In this regard, the aforementioned transparent portion 206 can refer to the entire body portion 102. Preferably, the magnifying portion 104 can be carried at the transparent portion 206. Therefore, a part of the transparent portion 206 effectively provides a magnified view of at least one part of the pair of earphones 200 whereas the remaining parts of the transparent portion 206 (i.e., parts of the transparent portion 206 not carrying the magnifying portion 104) provides a non-magnified view of the pair of earphones 200.

Specifically, the part of the pair of earphones 200 viewed via the magnifying portion 104 will be visually magnified as compared to remaining parts of the pair of earphones 200 viewed via the parts of the transparent portion 206 not carrying the magnifying portion 104.

In this regard, it is appreciable that the magnifying portion 104 can be carried at the transparent portion 206 of the body portion 102 such that a part of the transparent portion 206 provides a magnified view of the merchandise (e.g., the pair of earphones) owing to the magnifying portion 104 and the remaining parts of the transparent portion 206 (i.e., parts of the transparent portion 206 not carrying the magnifying portion 104) provides a non-magnified view of the merchandise as compared to the magnified view provided by the magnifying portion 104.

Therefore, it is further appreciable that at least one part of the merchandise (e.g., the pair of earphones 200) is viewable via the magnifying portion 104 and at least one other part of the merchandise is viewable via the remaining transparent portion 206 of the body portion 102.

Preferably, the part of the merchandise viewable via the magnifying portion 104 is a prominent feature of the merchandise.

In the case of the pair of earphones 200, the prominent feature of the pair of earphones can be one or both of the earpieces 202 (as compared to the cable 204 and the jack). A viewer (not shown) can therefore be provided with a magnified view of one or both of the earpieces 202 as compared to a non-magnified view of the remainder (i.e., the cable 204 and the jack) of the pair of earphones 200 as viewable by the viewer via the remaining transparent portion 206 (i.e., remaining parts of the transparent portion 206 not carrying the magnifying portion 104) of the body portion 102.

Appreciably, for the pair of earphones 200, the earpieces 202 can be considered to be a prominent feature as compared to the cable 204 and jack because the aesthetic value of the pair of earphones 200 hinges substantially on the industrial design (i.e., look) of the earpieces 202. In this regard, the container 100 can be capable of carrying merchandise (e.g., the pair of earphones 200) in a manner so as to accentuate the identified prominent feature (e.g., the earpieces 202) of the merchandise by offering a magnified view of the prominent feature.

By doing so, the prominent feature of a product (i.e., the aforementioned merchandise such as the pair of earphones 200) can be brought to the attention of a potential buyer and entice the potential buyer to purchase the product.

Earlier mentioned, the magnifying portion 104 can be shaped and dimensioned in a manner so as to facilitate magnified viewing of at least a portion of the merchandise carried within the container 100. The magnifying portion 104 will now be discussed in further detail with reference to Fig. 3 hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b, the magnifying portion 104 can, for example, be in the form of a lens. Fig. 3a shows a front view of the lens and Fig. 3b shows a side view of the lens. In a more specific example, the magnifying portion 104 can be in the form of a lens type which lens material is based on Polycarbonate.

For the present disclosure, the objective, in terms of lens design, is to have an aesthetically pleasing lens (i.e., optimized for minimum thickness) yet achieving adequate magnification without too much distortion.

Based on known equations such as "Lensmaker's Equation" (see, for example, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_(optics)) and geometry, equations relating the thickness of a lens type (e.g., symmetric Biconvex type lens, PlanoConvex type lens) versus the amount of linear magnification for the magnifying portion 104 can be derived.

Specifically, the lensmaker's equation (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_(optics)) is:

where the focal length of the lens, ?i,is the refractive index of the lens material,

-¾s the radius of curvature (with sign, see below) of the lens surface closest to the light source,

is the radius of curvature of the lens surface farthest from the light source, and the thickness of the lens (the distance along the lens axis between the two surface vertices).

Additionally, the linear magnification (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_(optics)) of an imaging system using a single lens is given by:

& f

where

M is the magnification factor defined as the ratio of the size of an image compared to the size of the object. The sign convention here dictates that if M is negative, as it is for real images, the image is upside-down with respect to the object. For virtual images M is positive, so the image is upright.

The distances from the object to the lens and from the lens to the image are Si and S ₂ respectively

For the present disclosure, refractive Index of lens material is based on, for example, Polycarbonate which is 1.58.

The equations relating the thickness of a plano-convex type lens versus the amount of linear magnification for the magnifying portion 104 derived are:

This lens has one side completely flat or Radius = infinity, so 1/lnf = 0.

1/f = k [ 1/Ri - 1/lnifinity] where k = n -1 R _x = f*k

The equations relating the thickness of a BiConvex type lens versus the amount of linear magnification for the magnifying portion 104 derived are:

For "symmetric" Biconvex lens, R2 = - Rl.

1/f = k [ 1/R + 1/R ]

l/f = k ( 2/R)

R = 2*f*k in general, for the lens thickness, given the curvature, R, the present disclosure contemplates the need to derive the thickness of the lens (i.e., Sagittal height ) of one surface. The derivation is based on geometry (with reference to Fig. 3b). y = R - d

d = square root of (R * R - x * x ) (Pythagoras theorem with reference to Fig. 3b) where

x is the lens radius (not to be mistaken as the curvature)

y is the lens thickness

R is the curvature of the surface

Based on the above derivations, a table of numerical figures for the aforementioned exemplary lens types e.g., symmetric Biconvex type lens, Planoconvex type lens) can be computed as shown in Fig. 4 where the parameters varied are:

1) lens diameter;

2) focal length (which relates to the curvature of the lens surface); and

3) distance between the merchandise in the container 100 and the lens.

In the foregoing manner, various embodiments of the disclosure are described for addressing at least one of the foregoing disadvantages. Such embodiments are intended to be encompassed by the following claims, and are not to be limited to specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure that numerous changes and/or modification can be made, which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.