US1977687A - Cellophane box - Google Patents

Description

W. MEDOF'F' GELLOPHANE Box Oct. 23, 1934.

Filed Aug. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l BMQATTORNEYS Oct. 23, 1934. w M DOFF 1,977,687

CELLOPHANE BOX Filed Aug. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 23, 1934 PATENT OFFICE cnnnorrwm nox' William Medoff, New York, N. Y., Ilslgnor to National Cellulose Corporation. New York. N. Y., a corporation of New York Application sum 25. 1932, Serial No. 030,300

8 Claims. (01. 208-46) This invention relates to packages, and particularly to packages for putting-up those articles. of commerce the salability of which depends peculiarly on how the contents are dis- I played in the package and how the package is used.

The chief object behind the present improvements is to provide a package having a wrapper or envelope which will be transparent and serve to completely and attractively display and expose all its contents clearly to even a casual glance, even though tightly closed, and at the same time function by itself to constitute the package a permanent container, yet which wrapper will be of such a transient, inexpensive nature that it can be thrown away or readily disposed of after one use, in contradistinction to glass and the like, so that any dispensing-package can be provided with this improvement at no advance whatever in the sale-price thereof, and indeed, in most cases causing a decrease in the cost.

A particular object of the invention is to transform transparent, flexible, collapsible, easilylacerated and frayable materials, like sheet cellophane, into a wrapper-and-dispenser which can be used for packing a plurality of loose, shifty articles like granular or sheet material, into a semi-rigid unitary article with a permanent shape, and sufllciently permanent and durable to withstand repeated openings and closings, or other handling necessitated in dispensing out all its contents one at a time, and otherwise function as if it were a rigid, permanent box.

The inventive principle is shown (merely by .way of elucidation) embodied in a few of its presently contemplated forms, in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is a perspective of a package of tissues involving the novel flexible-receptacle, showing the bottom side up;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it inthe position in which it is usually kept and displayed;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is aplan view of one of the unfolded tissues;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a folded tissue;

6 is a perspective of another one of the elements of the package;

Fig. 7 is a perspective, top side up, of a modification of the idea of Figs. 1-6, as applied to putting-up such materials as corn-flakes, etc.;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an elevation of another modification of the present invention, as applied to such materials as elbow noodles, etc.

In all the figures, the present invention contemplates the full, clear and attractive display and exposure of an article-of commerce which depends upon attractive exhibition of its colors and tints, freshness and condition, etc. for its salability, yet is of a more or less perishable nature and must be kept in absolutely airtight condition while in storage or on display, to preclude the adverse influences on the contents of foreign matters, such as the bleaching and fading effect of the actinic rays of solar light; the rotting and gumming effects of humidity and moisture; and the effects of dust, dirt, grease, etc. While it has been heretofore proposed to effectuate more or less of an exhibition of the contents of packages, such as by employing a tray or other partial-container of cardboard, etc. and a wrapper therefor of translucent or transparent material, in all such proposals, either the actual container or receptacle itself was not of transparent or flexible material alone, or else it was never used for, and was incapable of use per se as, a permanent dispenser, as all flexible transparencies, even when so made of a tough transparency like cellophane, will tear easily, and run? or fray, thus disintegrating or at least losing its airtight integrity as soon as it is opened, and hence being capable of serving merely as a cover or sheathing and beingusually thrown away as soon as the package is opened, or'at any rate ceasing to act as a box or container, per se, as soon as the package is opened.

The present invention provides a package comprising the loose materials to be put up and dispensed in a container or dispenser made solely of an element which can be made of such transparent, cheap, waterproof and airtight, but flexible and non-shape-retaining and easily lacerated materials, as cellophane, glac paper, waxed paper, waxine, and the like sheet-material; nothing else is required, but, if desired, spreaders or fillers, later to be particularized, may be added for extreme meticulosity of shape. Thus, contrary to the established practice in making receptacles, or to that of using cellophane and the like,,the flexible, delicate, outer wrapper of cellophane, itself constitutes permanently a permanent receptacle and dispenser.

In that embodiment of the inventive concep of ends and results which is shown in Figs. 1-6 inclusive, the articles to be put up for dispensing comprise a plurality of sheet-cleansing tissues 2,

one of which is shown in Fig. 4. These tissues are preferably two-ply, of a cellulose-flock tissue constituency, are crimped together at two opposite edges, and are folded individually in oblated S-form and stacked vertically in a plurality of groups, the tissues in each group being of the same tint or pastel-shade, as shown in Fig. 3. The groups are preferably separated from each other by cardboard spacers 3 or spreaders, shown in reduced-size in Fig. 6. These spacers have elongated openings 4 in their centers, as shown, these openings registering in the successive layers. The cellophane sheet itself, is wrapped bundle-wise around the thus completed stack, and its end-flaps folded together and united merely by heat-and-pressure. A member 5, preferably of some stifl'lsh sheet material like cardboard, and of substantially the same size, both as to the cardboard and the opening 5', as the members 3, is attached rigidly and securely, preferably by heat-and-pressure, on the center lines of the top surface of the cellophane, with the front edge 6 of the uppermost bight of the s-folded sheets'lying right on the larger center line of the opening 5, below and enclosed airtight by the cellophane.

When it is desired to use the package and remove a cleansing tissue, the thumb nail can be run through the cellophane around the edges of the opening 5' to thus separate out the cello-,

phane comprised within the opening 5'. This is the only part of the package which has to be opened to dispense the sheets and indeed is the only part which can conveniently be opened at all, as the entire cellophane sheet as a whole cannot be readily removed as an entirety, and is meant to be kept and retained airtight around the package.

As more and more tissues are removed, the cellophane collapses or sinks down onto the depleted pile of tissues and thus continues to contact and enfold them satisfactorily. The package is to rest in a drawer, when not in use, with the face 5 flat down on the wood so that even though the cellophane has been permanently removed, dust, moisture, etc., will not enter and damage the tissues. It is preferable to out free only one edge of the cellophane in the opening,

forming a sort of flap which can be closed substantially airtight again. When a cardboard spreader 3 is reached or uncovered by successive removal of tissues, it is of no moment because the tissues below it can then readily be seized and drawn up through the opening 4.

By this construction and arrangement, a multiplicity of tissues, say 1000 or more, can be removed and dispensed one after the other, one at a time, the sheet 1 serving as a true dispensingreceptacle or box and remaining intact and untorn, etc., even though, ordinarily, cellophane is quite susceptible to rips and tears, and is so much so that even the tiniest nick will soon develop into a run or fray extending throughout the entire length or width of the sheet, thus ruining it and destroying its function as an airtight dispenser. The member 1 can even be kept, after being emptied, for refilling and use as a permanent box or dispenser for other articles in either case; instead of being thrown away once it is opened, like most wrappers, etc., at present, it constitutes a true, permanent dispensing-container.

Most transparent yet airtight permanent containers used for continual dispensing of their contents have had to be made of some more or less expensive material, like glass, heretofore,

nature that it can, if desired, instead of being sold separately and/or preserved for a permanent dispenser-receptacle, be given away wrapped around the goods and thrown away by the recipient once the package is opened without causing any appreciable rise in the price of the goods, though of course the natural tendency will almost irresistibly be to keep the package intact and use it as meant herein.

In Fig. 7, the invention is applied to loose, more or less granular material such as breakfast cereals, face powder, etc. and comprises a sheet 8 of cellophane which has edges 8-8 on the top, ending short of meeting each other, leaving an open space 9 extending the entire width of the top, and these edges are joined and united on the outside by a sheet 9' of a stiffish material such as cardboard. The sheet 9 is also joined airtight to the cellophane at each end 10 of the top.

The member 9' has a line-of-weakness 11 paralleling one edge and the ends of this line are extended forward and then looped together in the form of a frangible line 12 defining a flap 13. This line is continued further, forward in the form of a loop to define a locking-tab 13. Both these regions are adapted to be broken loose from the rest of the strip and to hinge upwardly and downwardly on the hinge-line 11. The contents can be poured out of the opening formed by raising the flap and the flap can then be closed down substantially airtight again and locked by the wrapper of a tin-can and wrapped directly around a quantity of loose noodles; and an annular, washer-like member 40 of some stiffiish but flexible material attached securely to the cellophane. Spreaders 50 may be employed if desired. The package is opened and used substantially as with reference to those of Figs. 1-6.

It is to be understood that the present invention contemplates all embodiments of the inventive elements and means hereinabove disclosed which are within the scope of the sub-joined claims, and does not reside merely in the three forms shown in the drawings.

I claim:

1. A package, comprising a plurality of loose articles, a sheet of flexible, easily running material forming an envelope for gathering same together to form a unit and display same while closed, and means for transforming said envelope into a repeatedly-usable container for dispensing articles a limited quantity at a time, comprising a piece of material arranged on said envelope so as to remove, detrimental strains from said envelope in that portion of the envelope included within the boundaries of said piece.

2. In a package, a wrapper for displaying and preserving articles and serving by itself as a permanent, repeatedly and indefinitely unable con- 150 tainer and dispenser, comprising a sheet of "running amorphous material for enveloping the articles, and a piece of sheet material, having {a dispensing region, attached to said first maerial.

3. A package, comprising a plurality of articles, a flexible envelope for gathering same compactly together into a unit and displaying same while closed, and means for transforming said envelope into a substantially permanent container for dispensing the articles a limited quantity at a time, comprising a piece of higher tensile-strength material attached to said envelope, said strip having an aperture therein suflicient for passing the contained articles therethrough.

4. A package, comprising a plurality of articles, a flexible envelope for gathering same compactly together into a unit and displaying same while closed, and means for transforming said package into a permanent container for dispensing the articles a limited quantity at a time, comprising a strip of cardboard having an opening therein, said cardboard being attached over a frangible portion of the envelope.

5. A package, comprising a plurality of articles, a flexible envelope for gathering same compactly together into a unit and displaying same while closed, and means for transforming said package into a permanent container for dispensing the articles a limited quantity. at a time, comprising a circular sheet of cardboard having a circular opening therein, said sheet being attached to the envelope over a removable portion thereof.

6. A package, comprising a plurality of articles,

a flexible envelope for gathering same compactly together into a unit and displaying same while closed, and means transforming said package into a permanent container for dispensing the articles a limited quantity at a time, comprising a rectangular sheet of material attached to the envelope, said sheet having a line-of-weakness scored parallel to one edge thereof, and a partially-severed line extending therefrom and defining a tabbed-flap.

'7. A package, comprising a plurality of articles, a flexible envelope for gathering same compactly together into a unit and displaying same while closed, and means for transforming said package into a permanent container for dispensing the articles a limited quantity at a time, comprising a rectangular sheet of cardboard attached to the standing edges of the envelope, said sheet having a line-of-weakness scored parallel to one edge thereof, and a partially-severed line extending therefrom and defining a tabbed-flap, said cardboard sheet being attached to said envelope over an opening.

8. A package; comprising a plurality of loose articles, a flexible envelope for gathering same compactly together into a rigid unit and fully displaying all of same while closed, and means for transforming said package into a permanent container for dispensing the articles a limited quantity at a time, comprising a rectangular strip of cardboard having an oval opening therein of suiflcient size to dispense s-folded cleansing tissues and unfolding same, said cardboard being attached over a frangible portion of the envelope.

WILLIAM MEDOFF.

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