Magnetically closable product accommodating package

Abstract

A package for containing and dispensing contents includes a magnetic closure. The package defines a package interior for accommodating the contents. A pair of package portions defines an opening for accessing the package interior. The magnetic closure includes magnetic material which is placed on at least one of the packaging portions for permitting reopenable closure of the packaging portions.

1 . A package for containing and dispensing contents comprising:
 a housing having a package interior for accommodating said contents;   a pair of package housing portions defining an opening for accessing said package interior;   a closure formed of magnetic material applied to at least one of said packaging portions for permitting re-openable closure of said package portions, said closure having a magnetic field strength of between about 50-400 gauss, measured at a distance of no greater than 1 mm.   
     
     
         2 . A package of  claim 1  wherein said magnetic field strength is no greater than about 10 gauss measured at a distance of about 5 mm. 
     
     
         3 . A package of  claim 1  wherein said magnetic field strength has an upper limit of about 300 gauss. 
     
     
         4 . A package of  claim 1  wherein said magnetic field strength is between about 100-200 gauss. 
     
     
         5 . A package of  claim 1  wherein said magnetic material is a magnetic adhesive deposited on said at least one package portion. 
     
     
         6 . A package of  claim 5  wherein said magnetic material is flexible. 
     
     
         7 . A package of  claim 6  wherein each of said pair of package portions including said magnetic material is flexible. 
     
     
         8 . A package of  claim 1  wherein said package housing includes:
 a first compartment for containing said product and a second compartment containing said product, said first and second compartments being foldably joined by a hinge for movement between an open and closed position; 
 said first and second compartments each including said flexible magnet positioned for magnetic engagement in said closed condition. 
 
     
     
         9 . A package of  claim 1  wherein said package housing includes a compartment defining said package interior, said compartment having an opening and a foldable flap, said flap being foldable to cover said opening of said compartment, said magnetic material providing openable closure of said flap with said compartment. 
     
     
         10 . A package for containing a plurality of products comprising:
 a package housing having a first portion including a first product accommodating pocket having an open end for dispensing said product, and a second portion connected to said first portion by a hinge member;   said first and said second portions being mutually movable about said hinge member to permit articulation of said package housing between an open position providing access to said pocket and a closed position wherein said second portion overlies said first portion preventing access to said pocket;   said first and said second portions each including a mutually magnetically attractable magnetic material applied directly thereon and disposed in aligned facing relationship for mutual magnetic engagement in said closed position to releasably maintain said package housing in said closed condition.   
     
     
         11 . A package of  claim 10  wherein said second portion of said package housing includes a second open ended product accommodating pocket. 
     
     
         12 . A package of  claim 10  wherein said package housing is formed from at least one flat blank. 
     
     
         13 . A package of  claim 12  wherein said flat blank is formed of paperboard. 
     
     
         14 . A package of  claim 10  wherein said open ends of said pockets of said compartments are in facing orientation in said open condition. 
     
     
         15 . A package of  claim 10  wherein said package housing is formed from a pair of flat blanks. 
     
     
         16 . A package of  claim 15  wherein each of said flat blanks forms one of said first and second compartments. 
     
     
         17 . A package of  claim 11  wherein each of said first and second compartments includes a front wall and wherein said magnetic material is disposed on said front wall. 
     
     
         18 . A package of  claim 17  wherein said magnetic material covers said front wall. 
     
     
         19 . A package assembly for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of elongate consumable products comprising:
 a package housing for supporting said products;   said package housing including a first product accommodating compartment and a second product accommodating compartment separated by a hinge;   each said product accommodating compartment having an open end adjacent said hinge, said product accommodating compartments being foldable about said hinge in a book-like fashion; and   a flexible magnetic material adhesively applied to each compartment and positioned to be in mutual magnetic engagement upon closably folding said compartments about said hinge.   
     
     
         20 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein said flexible magnetic material has a magnetic field strength of no less than about 50 gauss, measured at a distance of no greater than 1 mm. 
     
     
         21 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein said magnetic field strength is between about 50-400 gauss. 
     
     
         22 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein said magnetic field strength is between about 100-200 gauss. 
     
     
         23 . A package assembly of  claim 20  wherein said magnetic field strength is no greater than about 10 gauss at a distance of about 5 mm. 
     
     
         24 . A package assembly of  claim 20  wherein said magnetic field strength has an upper limit of about 300 gauss. 
     
     
         25 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein said package housing is openable with one-handed manipulation. 
     
     
         26 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein said magnetic material has a magnetic field strength sufficient to maintain said housing closed under gravitational forces. 
     
     
         27 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein said mutual magnetic engagement of flexible magnetic material causes an audible indication. 
     
     
         28 . A package assembly of  claim 19  wherein each said product compartment includes an open area defined by said open end and a closed area, and wherein said open area is greater than said closed area. 
     
     
         29 . A package assembly of  claim 28  wherein said closed area is defined by a front wall. 
     
     
         30 . A package assembly of  claim 29  wherein said front wall includes said magnetic material applied thereto. 
     
     
         31 . A package assembly of  claim 29  wherein said magnetic material is applied to the entire front wall. 
     
     
         32 - 40 . (canceled)