Product container blank, carrier and package

Abstract

A package is formed from a paperboard blank having two panels foldably connected together. One panel has formed therein openings which are configured to the shape of a product which is inserted into the opening so as to be held, yet displayed, thereby. When the blank is folded, a rim portion of the product is sandwiched between the panels and a body portion of the product extends through one of the openings. The rim of each product is sandwiched between panels to thereby retain the product in the associated product receiving hole. A number of flaps in the second panel are each aligned with one of the product receiving holes and superimposed over the upper face of the product. Each flap is at least partially removable from the carrier so as to allow for removal of the product from the package. Another aspect of this invention is a blank for forming such a carrier and package.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A package comprising:
 a plurality of products each having a body and a rim projecting outwardly from the body;   a first carrier panel and a second carrier panel, each carrier panel having a front face and a back face, the first carrier panel front face being juxtaposed in face-to-face relation to the second carrier panel back face; and   a plurality of product receiving features in the first carrier panel in which each of the products is received in one of the product receiving features with at least a portion of the product body projecting rearwardly from the first carrier panel back face;   wherein at least a portion of the rim of each product is sandwiched between the first carrier panel front face and the second carrier panel back face to thereby retain the product in the associated product receiving feature.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the rim of each product is proximate an upper face of the product. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a plurality of product retainers in the second carrier panel in which each product retainer is associated with one of the product receiving features in the first carrier panel; 
 wherein each product retainer and the associated product receiving feature retains the associated product in the package. 
 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 3  wherein each product retainer is a flap which is at least partially removable from the second carrier panel so as to allow for removal of the associated product from the package. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a plurality of tear lines in at least one of the first and second carrier panels. 
 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of tabs in one of the carrier panels, each of which is associated with one of the product receiving features such that a user manipulates the tab to tear at least one of the carrier panels and thereby release the associated product from the package. 
 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising:
 product indicia on an upper face of each product; and 
 carrier indicia on the second carrier panel, wherein the carrier indicia substantially corresponds to the product indicia and substantially overlies the upper face of the associated product in the package. 
 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the first and second carrier panels are joined together along a common edge of the panels by a carrier panel fold line. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein each product receiving feature further comprises:
 a hole in the first carrier panel sized and configured to receive passage of at least a portion of the body of the associated product from the first carrier panel front face through to the first carrier panel back face. 
 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9  wherein a dimension of the hole is less than a dimension of the rim of the associated product to thereby inhibit the rim from passing through the hole. 
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a plurality of second holes in the second carrier panel, each of which is associated with one of the holes in the first carrier panel to cooperatively retain the associated product in the package. 
 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a display hook receiving hole on at least one of the first and second carrier panels by which the package may be suspended on a display hook. 
 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the product further comprises:
 a product container; and 
 a removable lid capturing a product material within the product container; 
 wherein the rim is formed proximate a juncture of the product container and the removable lid. 
 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of utensils removably mounted to the package, each for use by a user of one of the products after removal from the package. 
 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of tear lines in at least one of the carrier panels, each of the plurality of tear lines being severable to remove one of the products and a portion of the package from a remainder of the package. 
 
     
     
         16 . A package comprising:
 a plurality of products each having a body and a rim projecting outwardly from the body, the rim of each product being proximate an upper face of the product;   a first carrier panel and a second carrier panel, each carrier panel having a front face and a back face, the first carrier panel front face being juxtaposed in face-to-face relation to the second carrier panel back face;   a plurality of product receiving holes in the first carrier panel in which each of the products is received in one of the product receiving holes with at least a portion of the product body projecting rearwardly from the first carrier panel back face, each product receiving hole being sized and configured to receive passage of the body of the associated product from the first carrier panel front face through to the first carrier panel back face;   a dimension of the product receiving hole being less than a dimension of the rim of the associated product to thereby inhibit the rim from passing through the product receiving hole;   wherein at least a portion of the rim of each product is sandwiched between first carrier panel front face and the second carrier panel back face to thereby retain the product in the associated product receiving hole;   a plurality of flaps in the second carrier panel in which each flap is aligned with one of the product receiving holes in the first carrier panel and superimposed over the upper face of the product in the associated product receiving hole;   wherein each flap is at least partially removable from the second carrier panel so as to allow for removal of the associated product from the package; and   a plurality of flap tear lines in the second carrier panel, each of which defines at least in part one of the flaps.   
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 16  further comprising:
 product indicia on the upper face of each product; and 
 carrier indicia on each flap wherein the carrier indicia substantially corresponds to the product indicia and substantially overlies the upper face of the associated product in the package. 
 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17  wherein the first and second carrier panels are joined together along a common edge of the panels by a carrier panel fold line. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a display hook receiving hole in at least one of the first and second carrier panels by which the package may be suspended on a display hook. 
 
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 16  wherein the product further comprises:
 a product container; and 
 a removable lid capturing a product material within the product container; 
 wherein the rim is formed proximate a juncture of the product container and the removable lid. 
 
     
     
         21 . The package of  claim 20  further comprising:
 a plurality of utensils removably mounted to the package, each for use by a user of one of the products after removal from the package. 
 
     
     
         22 . A blank for forming a carrier for a plurality of products each having a body and a rim projecting outwardly from the body, the blank comprising:
 a first panel and a second panel, each panel having a front face and a back face, the first panel front face being adapted for juxtaposition in face-to-face relation to the second panel back face; and   a plurality of product receiving features in the first panel in which each of the products is to be received in one of the product receiving features with at least a portion of the product body projecting rearwardly from the first panel back face;   wherein at least a portion of the rim of each product is adapted to be sandwiched between first panel front face and the second panel back face to thereby retain the product in the associated product receiving feature.   
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22  further comprising:
 a plurality of product retainers in the second panel in which each product retainer is adapted to be aligned with one of the product receiving features in the first panel and adapted to be superimposed over an upper face of the product in the associated product receiving feature. 
 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 23  wherein each product retainer is at least partially removable from the second panel so as to allow for removal of the associated product from a package formed from the blank. 
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 23  further comprising:
 a plurality of tear lines in the second panel, each flap tear line defines, at least in part, one of the product retainers. 
 
     
     
         26 . The blank of  claim 22  further comprising:
 a plurality of tabs in the second panel, each of which is associated with one of the product receiving features such that a user manipulates the tab to tear the second panel and thereby release the associated product from a package formed from the blank. 
 
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 22  wherein an upper face of each product bears product indicia, the blank further comprising:
 carrier indicia on the second panel wherein the carrier indicia substantially corresponds to the product indicia and substantially overlies the upper face of the associated product in the package formed from the blank. 
 
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 22  wherein the first and second panels are joined together along a common boundary of the panels by a panel fold line. 
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 22  wherein each product receiving feature further comprises:
 a hole in the first panel sized and configured to receive passage of the body of the associated product from the first panel front face through to the first panel back face. 
 
     
     
         30 . The blank of  claim 29  wherein a dimension of the hole is less than a dimension of the rim of the associated product to thereby inhibit the rim from passing through the hole. 
     
     
         31 . The blank of  claim 22  further comprising:
 a display hook receiving hole on at least one of the first and second panels by which a package formed by the blank may be suspended on a display hook. 
 
     
     
         32 . The blank of  claim 22  further comprising:
 a plurality of utensils removably coupled to one of the panels, each utensil being for use by a user of one of the products after removal from the package formed by the blank. 
 
     
     
         33 . The blank of  claim 22  wherein an entire periphery of the first panel substantially coincides with an entire periphery of the second panel when the panels are in face-to-face juxtaposition.