Printed plastic packaging

Abstract

A premium plastic package is provided as well as a method for producing such a package. Printing on multiple surfaces of a package to obtain appealing visual effects is described. Methods of sealing plastic packages are described, including some that use ultraviolet light to activate an adhesive. Plastic materials that can be used include recycled and / or recyclable polyurethane.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS [0001] 1. Field of the Inventions [0002] The inventions disclosed herein relate to product packaging. More specifically, some embodiments provide for a retail product display package that is not only resistant to theft and tampering, but also highly attractive and formed from recycled materials. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Retail establishments commonly attempt to make their products more attractive to customers. However, some of the same techniques that attract buyers can also attract thieves. Theft is a problem that has long plagued retail establishments, especially theft of compact, high-margin goods-personal electronic devices, for example which are attractive to thieves because they can be easy to pocket and have a high resale value. Often, retail stores make these items less accessible to customers, placing them behind or inside of a glass counter, for example. That way, store personnel do not have to spend as much time watching...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The inventions described herein have several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for their desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the inventions as expressed by the claims that follow, some of the prominent features will now be discussed briefly. Embodiments disclosed in this application provide for packaging that solves many of the problems encountered in the past. For example, some embodiments are not only resistant to theft and tampering, they are also inexpensive to manufacture and highly attractive. Furthermore, some embodiments provide high impact point-of-sale marketing through use of specialty printing directly on multiple surfaces of plastic materials. Various plastic materials can be used in accordance with the disclosed embodiments, including recycled or virgin plastics. The disclosed inventions provide for superior quality and environmentally favorable packaging with unique visual appeal and theft-resistant properties.

Problems solved by technology

However, some of the same techniques that attract buyers can also attract thieves.

Theft is a problem that has long plagued retail establishments, especially theft of compact, high-margin goods-personal electronic devices, for example which are attractive to thieves because they can be easy to pocket and have a high resale value.

Often, retail stores make these items less accessible to customers, placing them behind or inside of a glass counter, for example.

This solution is effective at preventing theft, but can have the undesirable side effect of lowering sales.

For a variety of reasons, many customers are uncomfortable asking a sales clerk to help them.

For example, some customers are simply too impatient to wait for a busy clerk to get to them.

However, currently used plastic packaging and the techniques for creating it leave much to be desired.

For example, low cost skin packs use shrink wrap surrounding printed cardboard, but these packages are not sufficiently tamper resistant to package high-priced items.

Likewise, blister packs are not sufficiently secure, due to readily-tom cardboard portions.

Clamshell packaging can be more tamper-resistant than blister packs, but in current forms, it has drawbacks as well, because generally a cardboard insert must be separately printed and then positioned within the packaging by human hands.

Indeed, many of the complex folds and features employed to make clamshell packaging more tamper resistant make such packaging expensive to manufacture.

For example, the thick plastic often used is relatively expensive, and assembly steps are difficult to automate.

Furthermore, many of the packaging genres described above do not make use of recycled materials, leading to increased manufacturing costs.

Finally, current methods do not provide for printing on more than one surface of plastic packaging material.

Indeed, low cost theft prevention packaging that also provides a very high quality presentation while using recycled materials has not been available in the past.

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