Packages for storing products and methods of making and using such packages

Abstract

The invention provides packages for storing consumable products and methods for making and using same. The packages may include containers housed within a housing, which may include at least one viewable area in a wall of the housing to allow a consumer to see through at least a portion of the housing. The containers may also include at least one viewable area in a wall of the containers and the location of the viewable area may correspond to a location of the viewable area of the housing. The containers may also be connected such that the containers may be removed from the housing, rotated about a hinged connection, and placed on a shelf for storage.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method for storing products comprising:
 removing a first container and a second container from a housing, wherein the first container is hingedly connected to the second container;   rotating the second container from a first position wherein the first and second containers are oriented in opposing directions to a second position wherein the first and second containers are in a same direction; and   storing the first and second containers in the second position.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  comprising rotating the second container about a vertical axis defined by the hinged connection. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the first and second containers are stored on a pantry shelf. 
     
     
         37 . A method for displaying products comprising:
 housing at least two connected containers in a housing, the containers comprising a first viewable area in a container wall, the first viewable area surrounded by the remainder of the container wall;   aligning the first viewable area of the containers with a second viewable area of the housing, the housing comprising a housing wall comprising the second viewable area, the second viewable area is a structure selected from the group consisting of (i) a window surrounded by the reminder of the housing wall and having a transparent material which is a different material than the remainder of the housing wall and (ii) a hole surrounded by the reminder of the housing wall; and   displaying the at least two connected containers and the housing with the first viewable area aligned with the second viewable area.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  comprising displaying the at least two connected containers and the housing in a position selected from the group consisting of vertical, horizontal, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the second viewable area comprises a window having a transparent material. 
     
     
         40 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37  comprising packaging a consumable product in a package. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  comprising inserting the package into at least one of the first and second containers. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  comprising inserting the first and second containers into the housing. 
     
     
         46 . A method for displaying products in a package comprising:
 housing at least two connected containers in a housing, the containers comprising at least one indicia;   aligning the at least one indicia of the containers with a viewable area of the housing, the housing comprising a housing wall comprising the viewable area, the viewable area is a structure selected from the group consisting of (i) a window surrounded by the reminder of the housing wall and having a transparent material which is a different material than the remainder of the housing wall and (ii) a hole surrounded by the reminder of the housing wall; and   displaying the at least two connected containers and the housing with the at least one indicia of the containers aligned with the viewable area of the housing.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46  comprising displaying the at least two connected containers and the housing in a position selected from the group consisting of vertical, horizontal, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46  comprising packaging a consumable product in a package. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  comprising inserting the package into at least one of the first and second containers. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51  comprising inserting the first and second containers into the housing. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 34  comprising aligning a first viewable area in a back wall of the first container with a second viewable area in a wall of the housing, the first viewable area surrounded by the remainder of the back wall of the first container, and the second viewable area is a structure selected from the group consisting of (i) a window surrounded by the reminder of the housing wall and having a transparent material which is a different material than the remainder of the housing wall and (ii) a hole surrounded by the reminder of the housing wall. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the aligning of the first viewable area with the second viewable area comprises positioning the first and second containers within the housing. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the first container comprises a front wall opposite to the back wall, the second container comprises a front wall and a back wall, the front walls of each of the first and second containers oriented in opposing directions in the first position and a same direction in the second position, the front wall of the second container positioned against the back wall of the first container when in the second position. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the first container is hingedly connected to the second container by a connection of the back wall of the first container to the front wall of the second container, and the height of the back wall is greater than the front wall for each of the containers. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53 , comprising aligning indicia of an item in the first container with the first and second viewable areas. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the aligning of the indicia of the item in the first container with the first and second viewable areas comprises positioning the first and second containers within the housing.