Edge voids in a wrapped container for creating loose tear-away material

Abstract

Product container 10 has base 10 B carrying collapse voids 12 A and 12 B and 12 C. The collapse voids are located in the perimeter of the container, and intrude into the container defining open span faces 14 A and 14 B and 14 C. Tear-off skin wrap 10 W encloses the container and extends unsupported across the span faces of the collapse voids. A stress site proximate each collapse void, engage the material of the skin wrap spanning the span faces, causing initial tensile failure of the spanning material (see FIG. 2 ). Cover 10 C may be hinge connected to the base at side points 10 L and 10 R. The cover pivots over the base forming a closure or protective jacket having three rigid dimensions. Product 10 P is contained within the closure. Product insert 10 I is mounted on the base and may be custom shaped for holding the product during shipment and later during consumer storage.

1 ) A wrapped product container, comprising:
 a container which is rigid along at least one dimension;   a collapse void located in the perimeter of the container, and intruding into the container in the direction of the rigid dimension defining an open span face;   tear-off skin wrap enclosing the container and spanning the span face across the collapse void; and   a first stress site proximate the collapse void, for engaging the material of the skin wrap spanning the span face and causing initial tensile failure of the spanning material as the spanning material is collapsed into the collapse void in the direction of the rigid dimension, for providing loose tear-away material proximate the collapse void which facilitates the complete failure and removal of the tear-off skin wrap.   
   
   
       2 ) The container of  claim 1 , wherein the skin wrap has a low tensile strength and tears-off easily. 
   
   
       3 ) The container of  claim 1 , wherein the skin wrap is thin and tears-off easily. 
   
   
       4 ) The container of  claim 1 , wherein the skin wrap is shrink-wrapped around the container. 
   
   
       5 ) The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a pull filament:
 positioned between the skin wrap and the container;   extending at least partially around the container; and   starting proximate the collapse void and included in the spanning material which is to be collapsed and to provide the loose tear-away material for facilitating complete failure and removal of the skin wrap.   
   
   
       6 ) The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the container has X and Y and Z dimensions extending in an X direction and a Y direction and a Z direction which directions are mutually orthogonal;   in which the Z dimension is thin relative to the X and Y dimensions, creating a thin edge surface;   the skin wrap spans the collapse void in the X direction and the Y direction; and   the spanning material collapse in the Y direction.   
   
   
       7 ) The container of  claim 6 , wherein the collapse void penetrates completely through the thin Z dimension defining two spanning X-Y faces one on either side of the thin Z dimension. 
   
   
       8 ) The container of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first edge junction along the intersection of the collapse void and the thin edge surface of the container, which first edge junction forms the first stress site.   
   
   
       9 ) The container of  claim 8 , wherein the thin edge surface of the container is beveled to create an edge which forms a point at the edge junction for expediting the stress site engagement with the spanning material. 
   
   
       10 ) The container of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a second edge junction along the intersection of the collapse void and the thin edge surface of the container and spaced from the first edge junction; and   a second stress site formed by the second edge junction spaced from the first stress site.   
   
   
       11 ) The container of  claim 10 , wherein the collapse void has:
 a first side surface extending into the interior of the collapse void from the first edge junction;   a parallel second side surface extending into the interior of the collapse void from the second edge junction; and   an interior surface connecting the first and second surfaces.   
   
   
       12 ) The container of  claim 11 , wherein the interior surface is concave. 
   
   
       13 ) The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container has multiple collapse voids. 
   
   
       14 ) The container of  claim 13 , wherein the multiple collapse voids are located along the thin edge surface and intrude in the Y direction. 
   
   
       15 ) The container of  claim 13 , wherein the multiple collapse voids are the same size. 
   
   
       16 ) The container of  claim 13 , wherein the multiple collapse voids are different sizes. 
   
   
       17 ) The container of  claim 16 , wherein the multiple collapse voids have different spanning widths in the X direction and different intrusion depths in the Y direction. 
   
   
       18 ) The container of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a base carrying the collapse void;   a cover hinged to pivot over the base forming a closure with three rigid dimensions;   a data disc contained within the closure; and   an insert mounted on the base for holding the data disc.