Currently, toothpicks are packaged either loose in boxes containing a relatively large number of toothpicks, or in cylindrical containers- dispensers provided at one base with a hole, through which one toothpick at a time can be taken out. Both packages cannot be carried by the user in his pocket.

There is also another packaging system, ac- cording to which toothpicks are singularly intro- duced into a small paper envelope, from which they can be taken out by piercing said envelope. How- ever, also this packaging system cannot be easily carried by the user and taken out when necessary.

It is therefore the object of the present in- vention to provide a package for toothpicks which is apt to obviate to the drawbacks of the known packages, which is easy and handy to carry in a pocket without being bulky, and which is ready to use under any circumstance.

According to a feature of the present inven- tion, such package comprises a small envelope con- sisting of a thin card strip, which-when suitably folded-on one end holds by means of a short edge a bottom strip from which a plurality of toothpicks extends, and on the other end has an edge having the same height as the toothpicks, which can be folded so as to cover said toothpicks.

Normally, the toothpicks are arranged in a single row. They can obviously be arranged also in several rows.

Obviously, the toothpicks can be made either of wood or of plastic. They can also be personal- ized with particular essences, colors, tastes and anti-bacterial treatments.

The envelope can also be equipped with lateral wings that can be folded inside, so that when said envelope is closed, also the sides of the tooth- picks are covered.

Advantageously, said envelope can be provided with advertisements, and with a seal ensuring its integrity, and/or with means for closing it after each use.

Further objects and advantages of the package according to the present invention will be evident from the following description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, shown in the enclosed drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package for toothpicks according to the invention, in closed position, and with a warranty seal applied for closing said package; Figure 2 is a perspective view like the one of Figure 1, with the closing edge lifted in opening position of the package, and with a corner par- tially sectioned; Figure 3 is a partial view showing some other possible embodiments of the package according to the invention and Figure 4 shows a fragment of a detail accord- ing to a further embodiment of the present inven- tion.

With reference to the drawing, and with par- ticular reference to Figures 1 and 2 of said draw- ing, the package shown comprises a small envelope 1 consisting of a thin card strip, which-when suitably folded-has on one end a short edge 101 extending with a back edge 201 whose height sub- stantially equals the length of the toothpicks 2 contained in the package. Said back edge extends in its turn with an edge 301 having the same height as edge 201, which covers the toothpicks contained in the package 1.

The toothpicks 2, which in the case shown are made of wood, are joined together by means of a bottom strip 102, which is covered by the edge 101.

Such bottom strip is glued or otherwise fastened to the opposite walls of the edge 101 and of the back edge 201. At the bottom of the toothpicks 2 a weak- ening line 302 can be provided for, although in the case of wood toothpicks the latter is not abso- lutely necessary. The numeral 3 refers to a war- ranty seal. As shown, the edges 301 and/or the back side of the edge 201 can be provided with adver- tisements 4. Furthermore, in said figure a variant is shown according to which from the edge 101 a tab 501 is obtained by punching, which tab can be in- troduced into a slot 601 made in a corresponding position on the end of the edge 301, so as to en- able the closing of the package after opening it.

Obviously, such tab 501, instead from the edge 101, can be obtained from the edge 301, in which case the slot 601 will be made on the edge 101.

The use of the package shown is quite obvious and needs not be described.

Figure 3 shows some embodiments of the inven- tion. According to one of these embodiments, the toothpicks 2'are made of plastic instead of wood.

Moreover, from the two sides of the edge 201 in- side-foldable wings 401 extend, which-when the package 1 is closed-protect also the sides of the toothpicks contained in said package.

Eventually, Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the invention according to which the bottom strip 102', instead of being integral with the tooth- picks, consists of a series of cylindrical recesses into which the ends of the toothpicks 2"are intro- duced.