Battery package

Abstract

To provide a battery package that prevents a battery in contact with metal or a battery whose plus terminal is in contact with a minus terminal of another battery from being rapidly depleted to generate heat.SOLUTION: A battery package 100 is described herein which includes a carton having a sleeve 16' formed of a front wall, a rear wall 104, and side walls 106, a closed top, and a closed bottom. The carton defines an interior sized to receive a tray 12' therein. One or more ends of the closed top can be at least partially defined by a line of weakness configured to allow a user to remove the closed top to access the carton interior and the tray therein.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 221,420, filed December 14, 2018, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 784,018, filed October 13, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to packaging, and more particularly to packaging for batteries. [Background technology]

[0003] Batteries can become electrically conductive when they come into contact with metal or when the positive terminal of one battery touches the negative terminal of another battery. As a result, batteries that come into contact with metal or when the positive terminal touches the negative terminal can quickly drain and heat up. Therefore, proper storage practices should be used to minimize the occurrence of such phenomena. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect, a battery package is disclosed that includes a tray having a recess and a peripheral flange extending outward from an edge of the recess around the periphery of the recess. Curved surface portions are disposed within the recess, each curved surface portion configured to receive a cylindrical battery therein. The battery package further includes a carton having a front major wall, a rear major wall, side walls extending between the front and rear major walls, and a closed top portion and a closed bottom portion defining an interior dimensioned to receive the tray therein. One or more edges of the closed top portion are defined at least in part by a line of weakness configured to allow a user to remove the closed top portion and thereby remove the tray from the carton.

[0005] In some forms, the battery package may include one or more of the following features: a slotted opening may extend between the closed top portion and the front main wall, and the tray may include a tab extending upward from an end of its flange and including a hanging mechanism, the tab protruding through the slotted opening in the carton; the front main wall may include a window extending across its width, providing the tray access for observing the inside of the carton; the closed top portion may include tabs secured together and pivotally coupled to the rear main wall and side wall, respectively; the line of weakness may be at least a portion of the edge between the tab and the rear main wall, and in a further form, the line of weakness may also be at least a portion of the edge between the tab and the side wall; the battery package may include a frangible grip portion formed in one of the side walls by a line of weakness extending adjacent the closed top portion; the front main wall may protrude above the closed top portion; the closed bottom portion may include tabs secured together and pivotally coupled to the front main wall, the rear main wall, and the side wall, respectively; or the curved surface portions of the tray may be arranged in multiple separate bays.

[0006] According to a second aspect, a blank that can be formed into a carton for battery packaging is disclosed, the blank including a central sleeve portion having a front wall, a rear wall, side walls, and a connecting wall pivotally connected together. The front wall, rear wall, side walls, and connecting wall are configured to be folded together and secure the connecting wall to one of the front wall, rear wall, or side walls to form the sleeve of the carton. The blank further includes a top portion including tabs pivotally connected to the rear wall and side walls and configured to be secured together to form a closed top of the carton. The closed top further includes a slot gap extending between the tabs and the front wall. The blank's bottom portion includes tabs pivotally connected to the front wall, rear wall, and side walls and configured to be secured together to form a closed bottom of the carton, with the sleeve, closed top, and closed bottom defining the interior of the carton.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the blank may include one or more of the following features: the front wall may include a window extending across its width to provide access for viewing the interior of the carton after assembly; or one or more edges between the tabs of the top portion may include a line of weakness configured to allow a user to easily tear the corresponding tab from the carton, and in a further embodiment, one of the side walls may include a breakable grip portion formed by a line of weakness extending adjacent the edge of the corresponding tab.

[0008] In some configurations, any of the blanks described above can be combined during formation with a tray configured to be received within the carton. The tray can take any of the configurations described herein. For example, the tray can include a tab extending upward from the end of the flange and including a hanging mechanism, such that when the tray is received within the carton, the tab projects through a slot opening in the closed top.

[0009] According to a third aspect, a method of forming a battery package is disclosed, comprising: forming a carton sleeve by folding a front wall, a rear wall, a side wall, and a connecting wall pivotally connected together about one another so that the connecting wall extends along a surface of one of the front wall, rear wall, or side wall, and securing the connecting wall to one of the front wall, rear wall, or side wall. The method further comprises forming a closed bottom of the carton by folding tabs pivotally connected to the front wall, rear wall, and side wall into an arrangement generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and securing the tabs together. The method then includes inserting a tray into the carton and forming a closed top of the carton with the tray received therein by folding the tabs pivotally connected to the rear wall and side wall into an arrangement generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and securing the tabs together.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the method may further include loading batteries into the curved surface portion of the tray recess prior to inserting the tray into the carton.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect, a blank capable of being formed into a carton for battery packaging is disclosed, the blank including a central sleeve portion including a front wall, a rear wall, side walls, and a connecting wall pivotally connected together. The front wall, rear wall, side walls, and connecting wall are configured to be folded together and secure the connecting wall to one of the front wall, rear wall, or side walls to form the carton sleeve. The blank further includes a top flap pivotally connected to an upper end of the front wall, the top flap including a pivotally connected tab, a top carton wall, and an outer rear wall. The blank further includes a bottom flap pivotally connected to a bottom end of the front wall, the bottom flap including the bottom carton wall. One of the top or bottom flaps further includes a connecting tab such that the tab extends along the front wall, the top wall extends over the sleeve, the top flap pivots so that the outer rear wall extends along the rear wall of the sleeve, and the bottom flap pivots so that the bottom wall extends below the sleeve, and the other of the top or bottom flap can be secured to the connecting tab to form a carton.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the blank may include one or more of the following features: the top flap tab and the front wall may be secured together by an adhesive; the top flap tab may be configured to extend along an upper portion of the front wall that projects upwardly from the adjacent portion of the central sleeve portion, and in a further embodiment, a hanging mechanism may extend through the upper portion and the top flap tab; the front wall may include a window extending across its width to provide access for observing the interior of the carton after assembly; or the blank may be provided in combination with a tray configured to be received within the interior of the carton.

[0013] According to a fifth aspect, a method for forming a battery package is disclosed, comprising: folding a front wall, a rear wall, a side wall, and a connecting wall pivotally connected together around one another so that the connecting wall extends along a surface of one of the front wall, rear wall, or side wall, and securing the connecting wall to one of the front wall, rear wall, or side wall to form a carton sleeve. The method further comprises folding a top flap pivotally connected to an upper end of the front wall and including a tab, a top wall of the carton, and an outer rear wall so that the tab extends along the front wall, the top wall extends over the sleeve, and the outer rear wall extends along the rear wall of the sleeve. The method further comprises folding a bottom flap pivotally connected to a bottom end of the front wall and including a bottom wall of the carton so that the bottom wall extends under the sleeve. The carton may then be formed by securing a connecting tab of one of the top flap or the bottom flap to the other of the top flap or the bottom flap.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the method may further include one or more of the following aspects: the method may include securing a tab of the top flap to the front wall; the method may include forming a hanging mechanism that extends through the tab of the top flap and the front wall; or the method may include inserting the tray into a sleeve prior to forming the carton. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] The above needs are met, at least in part, by providing the exemplary battery packages described in the detailed description below, particularly when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the battery package of FIG. 1.

[0018] [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a front view of the battery package of FIG.

[0019] [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of the battery package of FIG.

[0020] [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery package of FIG.

[0021] [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the battery package of FIG. 1.

[0022] [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tray and cover of the battery package of FIG. 1.

[0023] [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of the battery package of FIG. 8.

[0025] [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a side view of the battery package of FIG. 8.

[0026] [Figure 11] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the battery package of FIG. 8.

[0027] [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first exemplary blank for a carton of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 12.

[0029] [Figure 14]FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of a battery package including the carton of FIG. 13.

[0030] [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a second exemplary blank for a carton of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 15.

[0032] [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of a battery package including the carton of FIG. 16.

[0033] [Figure 18] 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary tray of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG.

[0034] [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a third exemplary blank for a carton of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 19.

[0036] [Figure 21] FIG. 20 is a rear perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 19.

[0037] [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a fourth exemplary blank for a carton of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 22.

[0039] [Figure 24] FIG. 23 is a rear perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 22.

[0040] [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a fifth exemplary blank for a carton of a battery package according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0041] Those skilled in the art will understand that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and / or relative positions of some of the elements in the figures may be illustrated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements useful in commercially feasible embodiments may not be shown so as to unduly distract from the views of these various embodiments. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that certain acts and / or steps may be described or shown in a particular chronological order, although those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to order is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and phrases used herein have the ordinary technical meaning, as set forth above, that would be ascribed to such terms and phrases by those skilled in the art, unless a different, specific meaning is otherwise explained herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] In one embodiment, a battery package is described herein that advantageously maintains separation between batteries received therein while also providing a resealable opening for sequential battery removal therefrom. Additionally, the battery package may include an outer cover or sleeve for holding the various individual components together during storage.

[0043] An exemplary battery package 10 of a first embodiment is shown in Figures 1-7. The battery package 10 includes a tray 12, a cover 14, and a sleeve 16 extending generally along a longitudinal axis L. As shown in Figure 7, the tray 12 is configured to receive therein a battery 18 having a cylindrical sidewall 20, and the cover 14 is configured to adhere to the tray 12 and secure the battery 18 therebetween. When the tray 12 is housed within the sleeve 16 in a closed configuration, i.e., when the tray 12 is received within the sleeve 16, the sleeve 16 extends around the tray 12 and the cover 14.

[0044] Tray 12 is shown in detail in Figure 7. Tray 12 includes a recessed central portion 22 and a peripheral flange 24 extending outwardly from recessed central portion 22. Recessed central portion 22 has a rear wall 26 and side walls 28 extending between rear wall 26 and peripheral flange 24. Recessed central portion 22 is configured to receive a battery 18 therein and is preferably sized to receive the battery 18 completely within central portion 22 such that the battery 18 does not interrupt the plane of peripheral flange 24.

[0045] The rear wall 26 includes a plurality of bays 30, each having a curved, partially cylindrical surface, extending parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the package 10. Preferably, the cylindrical structure of the bays 28 is sized to complement the cylindrical side walls 20 of the battery 18 so that the bays 28 limit lateral movement of the battery 18 when the battery 18 is received therein. Furthermore, the length of the bay 28 between the bay end walls 29 can be slightly greater than the length of the battery 18 intended to be received therein, e.g., approximately 1-5 mm greater. In this configuration, the dimensions of the bays 28 and the recessed central portion 22 work together to limit movement of the battery 18. Furthermore, limiting movement of the battery 18 advantageously helps prevent the terminals 31 of the battery 18 from contacting each other when placed within the package 10.

[0046] Advantageously, the tray 12 can be configured to store any desired number of batteries 18 therein. For example, the illustrated tray 12 includes a row 32 of four bays 30, but the row 32 can have any desired number of bays 30. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7 , the tray 12 can include multiple recesses 22. The multiple recesses 22 can be arranged in a stack-like configuration by having dividers 34 extending between the recesses 22 and flanked by the end walls 29 of the bays 30. In one approach, the dividers 34 include forward-facing walls 36 extending between the end walls 29. The forward-facing walls 36 are positioned above the bottom surfaces of the bays 30, and the end walls 29 can prevent contact between the negative terminal of one battery 18 in one recess 22 and the positive terminal of a different battery 18 in a second recess 22. In the illustrated configuration, the forward-facing walls 36 are recessed relative to the flange 24. Alternatively, the forward-facing wall 36 may be flush with the flange 24 .

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, tray 12 may further include a rearwardly projecting stand portion 38. Such a configuration allows tray 12 to stand in an upright position by resting on bottom edge 40 of flange 24 along its front surface 42 and on bottom edge or surface 44 of stand portion 38 along its rear surface 46. If desired, flange 24 and stand portion 38 may be dimensioned so that tray 12 rests at a slight angle relative to vertical. For example, tray 12 may be at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees relative to vertical, more specifically about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees, and even more specifically about 10 degrees to about 15 degrees.

[0048] In the illustrated form, the stand portion 38 has a generally parallelepiped shape extending rearwardly from the bottom 48 of the rear wall 26 corresponding to the bottom row 32 of the bay 30. With this shape, the stand portion 38 includes a rear wall 50 suitable for disposing alphanumeric data (e.g., the brand or other identification number of the battery 18), a top wall 54, a bottom wall 56, and a side wall 58 extending therebetween. The alphanumeric data may be molded into the tray 12 as shown, embossed, printed, or adhered to the tray using a label or the like.

[0049] In an alternative form (not shown), the stand portion 38 may be provided by one or more rearwardly extending walls projecting from the rear wall 26, the corner between the rear wall 26 and the side wall 28, or the bottom end 40 of the flange 24. The rearwardly extending walls may be generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, and may have any desired configuration, such as a plurality of generally perpendicular walls at that angle, etc.

[0050] The tray 12 may also include a tab 60 having a hanging mechanism 62, such as a hang hole, projecting therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the tab 60 projects from an upper end 64 of the peripheral flange 24. As shown, the tab 60 projects from the peripheral flange 24 and is bent toward the rear wall 26 so as to project beyond an intermediate depth of the tray 12. More specifically, the tab 60 includes a first bent portion 66 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, the first bent portion 66 extending from the upper end 64 of the flange 24, and a second bent portion 68 substantially perpendicular to the first bent portion 66, the second bent portion 68 being spaced from the first bent portion 66 by a rearwardly extending wall 70 and extending from an end of the rearwardly extending wall 70 opposite the first bent portion 66. This configuration causes tab 60 to project upwardly generally along longitudinal axis L when tray 12 is received within sleeve 16. In the illustrated form, wall 70 is formed with a dimension that is shallower than the depth of recessed central portion 22 of tray 12, and more specifically, approximately half the depth of recessed central portion 22. Hanging mechanism 62 can take any suitable shape and / or configuration as is commonly understood.

[0051] The tray 12 may be manufactured using any suitable method, such as in a mold using pressed paper pulp, injection molding, blow molding, etc. Any suitable paperboard or plastic material may be used to manufacture the tray, for example, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7 , the cover 14 has a planar structure with an attachment area generally corresponding to the tray 12, and more specifically, its flange 24. In the illustrated form, the cover 14 is a flexible film material. Furthermore, the cover 14 can be transparent or translucent so that a user can see the batteries 18 remaining in the tray 12. Of course, the cover 14 can alternatively be made of a flexible, rigid, or semi-rigid material as desired. Generally, the cover 14 is manufactured by blown film extrusion, cast film extrusion, or the like. The cover 14 may comprise any suitable paperboard or plastic material, such as nylon, cellophane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate. Furthermore, in the case of a tray 12 with multiple recesses 22, the cover 14 can be divided into multiple separate sections as needed. For example, each cover 14 can be glued to a portion of the flange 24 that covers and extends around one of the recesses 22. Additionally, if the partition wall 36 is flush with or slightly offset from the flange 24, the one or more covers 14 may be further adhered to a portion of the partition wall 36 and may be perforable to allow for easy removal of the cover once the batteries 18 housed within the row 32 have been removed / used.

[0053] As described above, the tray 12 and cover 14 may be adhesively bonded to one another. In a preferred approach, the tray 12 and cover 14 are bonded to one another using a resealable adhesive 72, as shown in FIG. 7 . For example, the resealable adhesive 72 may be a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Thus, when a user peels back the cover 14 to remove one or more batteries 18, the user can reseal the cover 14 to the tray 12, thereby securing the remaining batteries 18 within the tray. Furthermore, with a package 10 having multiple rows 32 in the bay 30, the user need only peel back the cover 14 to expose the desired portion of the tray 12. If desired, the cover 14 may have a tab 33, without adhesive, that the user can grip to open the cover 14. The tab 33 may be located at a corner, as shown, along the side, or a combination thereof.

[0054] First, a resealable adhesive 72 can be placed on the perimeter flange 24 of the tray 12. In this configuration, the cover 14 can be aligned with and adhered to the flange 24. If a pressure-sensitive adhesive is used, the cover 14 can be adhered to the flange 24 using pressure.

[0055] According to a second approach, a resealable adhesive 72 can be placed on the cover 14 in at least an area that corresponds to and is in contact with the peripheral flange 24 of the tray 12. This form of resealable adhesive 72 can include voids 74 spaced inward from the perimeter of the cover 14 and configured to align with the recess(es) 22 when the cover 14 is adhered to the tray 12, thereby preventing the cover 14 from adhering to the batteries 18 in the tray 12. The voids 74 can be areas that do not have any adhesive placed thereon, or they can be areas where a deadening material is placed over the adhesive 72 to deactivate the adhesive.

[0056] An example of the sleeve 16 is shown in Figures 1-6. The sleeve 16 includes a front panel 76, a rear panel 78, and a side panel 80 extending between the front panel 76 and the rear panel 78. As configured in this manner, the sleeve 16 has a tubular structure extending between a top portion 82 and a bottom portion 84. As shown, the top portion 82 and the bottom portion 84 may be open. The sleeve 16 is configured to slide over the tray 12 and the cover 14 when they are adhered to one another.

[0057] In the illustrated form, the sleeve 16 has a generally trapezoidal cross-section, with a front panel 76 having an outer periphery corresponding to the peripheral flange 24 and cover 14 of the tray 12, a rear panel 78 having a width corresponding to the width of the recess 22, and side panels 80 extending therebetween. The rear panel 78 may have a length adapted to abut the stand portion 38 when the tray 12 and cover 14 are fully received within the sleeve 16. Therefore, the rear panel 78 in this form has a shorter length than the front panel 76. If desired, the side panels 80 may have a length corresponding to the rear panel 78, as shown, or to the front panel 76. The sleeve 16 can be manufactured from any suitable material, such as paperboard or cardboard. The sleeve 16 can be cut from a sheet of material and folded as shown to form its panel portions. To maintain the sleeve's tubular configuration, the sleeve may include overlapping portions, such as along one of its side panels 80, which can be glued or otherwise secured to one another. Alternatively, any suitable plastic material may be used, such as nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 1 , the sleeve 16 may further include a flap 86 extending from the top edge 88 of the rear panel 78. The flap 86 is configured to fold over and securely over the open top 82 of the sleeve 16. For example, the flap 86 may be secured to the interior surface of the front panel 76 by any suitable mechanism, such as adhesive, tabs and gaps in the flap, mechanical interaction between the top edge of the front panel 76, or the like. Alternatively, the flap 86 may be secured to a flap extending from the top edge of the side panel 80. If desired, the bottom 84 may include a similar configuration. The flap 86 may further include or define an elongated slot opening 90, if desired. The slot opening 90 may extend the entire length of the flap 86 or may be adjacent to an end thereof. The opening 90 is configured to be positioned intermediate the front panel 76 and the rear panel 78 when the flap 86 is folded. As such, when the tray 12 is slid into the sleeve 16, the tray's tab 60 extends through the opening 90, and the tray wall 70 abuts the flap 86. This structure effectively aligns the tray 12, with the cover 14 adhered thereto, within the sleeve 16. Furthermore, it prevents the sleeve 16 from becoming detached when the tray 12 is hung from a merchandise display using the hanging mechanism 62 of the tab 60. If desired, the connection between the flap 86 and the rear panel 78 may be a line of weakness, such as a perforation, score, or the like, to allow a user to easily remove the flap 86 after purchase. Similarly, a line of weakness may be included between the tab 60 and the tray 12.

[0059] An alternative form of battery package 100 is shown in Figures 8-11. This form of package 100 has many similarities to package 10 described above, so only the differences will be described here.

[0060] This form of package 100 includes a tray 12′, a cover 14′, and a sleeve 16′, and further includes a base 102. The base 102 includes a rear wall 104, a side wall 106, and a peripheral flange 108 extending outwardly from the periphery of the side wall 106 opposite the rear wall 104. The base 102 defines an interior 110 configured to receive the tray 12′ therein.

[0061] As shown, the tray 12' nests within the base 102 and is captured between the base 102 and the cover 14'. A resealable adhesive 72' can be disposed between the cover 14' and the peripheral flange 108 of the base 102. Alternatively, the cover 14' can be adhered to the flange 24' of the tray 12'. As with the first embodiment above, the adhesive 72' can be disposed on the cover 14' with a corresponding void 74, or alternatively, can be disposed on the peripheral flange 108 of the base and / or the flange 24' of the tray.

[0062] In another embodiment, the tab 60′ of the tray 12′ can project upward without the bend of the first embodiment described above. Thus, in one embodiment, when the tray 12′ nests within the base 102, the tab 60′ projects forward of the flange 108 of the base 102 and can be at least partially captured between the flange 108 and the cover 14′ when the cover 14′ is adhered to the base 102. If desired, the sleeve 16′ can optionally include a similarly configured flap 86′ for aligning the base 102, tray 12′, and cover 14′ within the sleeve 16′. In a second embodiment, similar to the base 102 shown in FIG. 11 , the sidewall 106 can include an elongated opening 111 in an upper portion of the sidewall 106 configured to receive the tab 60′ therethrough when the tray 12′ nests within the base 102.

[0063] Additionally, due to the nesting configuration of the tray 12', the base 102 may include a rearwardly projecting portion 112 that abuts the rear panel 78' of the sleeve 16'. The rearwardly projecting portion 112 need not be configured to provide an upright mechanism for the package 100, but may have a similar dimension or configuration to the stand portion 38 described above such that the package 100 can be placed on the rearwardly projecting portion 112 and the front end 114 of the flange 108 and similarly stand in an upright orientation.

[0064] Additional embodiments of battery package 200 will now be described with reference to Figures 12-18. A first configuration thereof having a first width is shown in Figures 12-14, and a second configuration having a second, wider width is shown in Figures 15-17. It will be understood that the dimensions of package 200 can be adjusted to accommodate any desired size and / or number of batteries. For example, package 200 can be sized to accommodate a variety of battery sizes, including AA, AAA, AAA, D, C, A23, CR123A, and CR2, to name a few. Accordingly, the same reference numbers are used to refer to similar structures in each configuration, despite the different dimensions.

[0065] A blank 202 configured to form the carton 204 of the package 200 is shown in FIGS. 12 and 15. A central sleeve portion 206 of the blank 202 includes a front wall 208, a rear wall 210, side walls 212, and a connecting wall 214 that are pivotally connected together via longitudinal fold lines / edges 216. In the illustrated form, the central sleeve portion 206 includes, in order, the front wall 208, one of the side walls 212, the rear wall 210, the other side wall 212, and the connecting wall 214. For assembly, the walls 208, 210, 212, and 214 are pivoted relative to one another about the fold line 216 therebetween until the connecting wall 214 extends along a portion of the front wall 208. The connecting wall 214 can then be secured to the front wall 208 using a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism to create the sleeve 218 of the carton 204 shown in FIGS. 13, 14, 16, and 17. Although the connecting wall 214 has been described as being pivotally coupled to one of the side walls 212, it will be appreciated that the connecting wall 214 could alternatively be pivotally coupled to the front wall 208 or the rear wall 210, and the assembly could include the connecting wall 214 extending along one of the rear wall 210 or the side wall 212.

[0066] The bottom portion 220 of the blank 202 includes a forward tab 222 connected to the front wall 208, a rear tab 224 connected to the rear wall 210, and a side tab 226 connected to the side wall 212, each pivotally connected to a respective wall 208, 210, 212 via a fold line / edge 228. After the sleeve 218 is formed, the tabs 222, 224, 226 can be rotated about the fold line 228 until they overlap a portion of each other and extend generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the sleeve 218. In one approach, the side tab 226 is folded first, followed by the rear tab 224, ultimately overlapping with the forward tab 222. During assembly, a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism can be used to secure the overlapping portions of tabs 222, 224, 226 together, thereby allowing bottom portion 220 to form a closed bottom 230 of carton 204 as shown in Figures 13, 14, 16 and 17.

[0067] The top portion 232 of the blank 202 includes a rear tab 234 connected to the rear wall 210 and a side tab 236 connected to the side wall 212, each pivotally connected to its respective wall 210, 212 via a fold line / edge 238. After the sleeve 218 is formed, the tabs 234, 236 can be pivoted about the fold line 238 until they overlap each other and extend generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the sleeve 218. In one approach, the side tab 236 is folded over first, followed by the rear tab 234. The overlapping portions of the tabs 234, 236 can then be secured together using a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism, thereby allowing the top portion 232 to form a closed top 240 of the carton 204, as shown in FIGS. 13, 14, 16, and 17. Because the top portion 232 does not include a tab extending from the front wall 208, the closed top 240 includes a slot opening or gap 242 (FIG. 13) located between the secured together tabs 234, 236 and the front wall 208 that extends through the closed top 240. Furthermore, if desired, the front wall 208 may be dimensioned to have a height greater than the rear wall 210 and the side walls 212 such that the front wall 208 includes a portion 241 that projects above the closed top 240 after the carton 204 is erected.

[0068] In the illustrated form, the front wall 208, the rear wall 210, and the side walls 212 are generally rectangular. However, the rear wall 210 may have a width less than the front wall 208 so that the sleeve 218 can have a trapezoidal cross-section in the horizontal plane after assembly. Accordingly, the front tab 222, the rear tabs 224, 234 may have corresponding trapezoidal shapes, as shown. Furthermore, the side tabs 226, 236 may extend from their respective fold lines 228, 238 at an angle such that they extend above and below the rear wall 210 when the blank 202 is laid flat. This configuration allows the side tabs 226 to project above the open top / bottom of the sleeve 218 and overlap with the front tab 222 and / or the rear tabs 224, 234 after assembly of the sleeve 218.

[0069] Any suitable paperboard or plastic material may be used to manufacture the blank 202, such as nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate. Being an opaque material, the front wall 208 may include a cutout window 243 extending along its width to provide viewing access to the interior 244 of the carton 204 so that a consumer can view the products stored within the carton 204.

[0070] The carton 204 may further include an opening mechanism 246 that provides access to the interior 244 of the carton 204. More specifically, the closure top 240 may include one or more lines of weakness 248, including any combination of perforations, cuts, notches, etc., to allow the closure top 240 to be easily removed, fully or partially, from the carton 204, thereby providing access to the interior 244. In the alternative or additional form, any of the fold lines described herein may include a line of weakness to facilitate folding of the blank 202 to form the carton 204. As shown in the figures, the fold line 238 between the top rear tab 234 and the rear wall 210 may include a line of weakness 248 extending therealong. Additionally, one or both of the fold lines 238 between the top side tab 236 and the side wall 212 may include a line of weakness 248 extending therealong. This configuration allows each tab 234, 236 to be easily attached and detached from the corresponding wall 210, 212 of the sleeve 218. Optionally, the opening mechanism 246 may further include a gripping tab 250 defined by a line of weakness 252 on one of the side walls 212 that ends at or adjacent the fold line 238. This configuration allows a user to press on the gripping tab 250 to break it from the adjacent side wall 212 and grasp the closure top 240 from above and below to tear the closure top 240 apart, exposing an opening to the interior 244. In the illustrated form, the line of weakness 252 provides a dome-shaped shape for the gripping tab 250.

[0071] The package 200 may further include a tray 254 that is sized and configured to be received within the carton interior 244. A detailed depiction of a suitable tray 254 is shown in FIG. 18. The tray 254 includes a recessed central portion 256 and a peripheral flange 258 extending outwardly from the recessed central portion 256. The recessed central portion 256 has a rear wall 260 and side walls 262 that extend between the rear wall 260 and the peripheral flange 258. The recessed central portion 256 is configured to receive a battery therein and is preferably sized and configured to receive the battery completely within the central portion 256 such that the battery does not interrupt the plane of the peripheral flange 258.

[0072] The rear wall 260 includes a plurality of bays 264, each having a curved, partially cylindrical surface, extending parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the package 200. Preferably, the cylindrical structure of the bays 264 is sized to complement the cylindrical side walls of a battery, as described above, so that the bays 264 limit lateral movement of the battery when the battery is received therein. Furthermore, the length of the bay 264 between the bay end walls 266 can be equal to or slightly greater than the length of the battery intended to be received therein, e.g., approximately 1-5 mm or 1-3 mm greater. In this configuration, the dimensions of the bays 264 and the recessed central portion 256 work together to limit battery movement. Furthermore, limiting battery movement advantageously helps prevent battery terminals from contacting each other when placed within the package 200.

[0073] Advantageously, the tray 254 can be configured to store any desired number of batteries therein. For example, while the illustrated tray 254 includes two rows 268 of four bays 264, the rows 268 can have any desired number of bays 264 and can include any number of rows 268. As shown, a divider 270 extends between the rows 268, with the end walls 266 of the bays 264 flanked by the divider 270, allowing the rows 268 to be arranged in a stack-like configuration. In one approach, the divider 270 includes a forward-facing wall 272 extending between the end walls 266. The forward-facing wall 272 is positioned above the rear wall 260, and the end wall 266 prevents contact between the negative terminals of the batteries in the row 268. In the illustrated configuration, the forward-facing wall 272 is recessed relative to the flange 258. Alternatively, forward-facing wall 272 may be flush with flange 258. In one approach, flange 258 may have a mounting area that is approximately equal to or slightly less than the width of front wall 208, e.g., 1-5 mm or 1-3 mm less, and a height (corresponding to the height of interior 244) that is approximately equal to or slightly less than the height of rear wall 210, e.g., 1-5 mm or 1-3 mm less. Assuming centering of recess 256, tray 254 is configured to be inserted into the trapezoidal shape of carton 204.

[0074] As shown in FIGS. 14, 17, and 18, the tray 254 may also include a tab 274 having a hanging mechanism 276, such as a hanger hole, projecting upward from an upper end 278 of the peripheral flange 258. The hanging mechanism 276 may take any suitable shape and / or configuration as is commonly understood. For example, the tab 274 may have a width smaller than the flange 258 and project upward from a middle portion thereof, as shown in FIG. 18. Alternatively, the tab 274 may extend the entire width of the tray 254, as shown in FIG. 14. This configuration allows the tab 274 to project through the slot opening 242 in the closure top 240 when the tray 254 is inserted into the carton interior 244 and the top portion 232 is secured to the closure top 240. The side walls 262 of the tray 254 abut against the closure top 240, which prevents the tray 254 from being removed from the carton 204 before the closure top 240 is opened / released, allowing the hanging mechanism 276 to be used to display the package 200 for sale.

[0075] The tray 254 may be manufactured using any suitable method, such as in a mold using pressed paper pulp, injection molding, blow molding, etc. Any suitable paperboard or plastic material may be used to manufacture the tray, for example, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0076] Additional embodiments of battery package 300 will now be described with reference to Figures 19-25. A first configuration having a first width is shown in Figures 19-21, a second configuration having a second, wider width is shown in Figures 22-24, and a third configuration is shown in Figure 25. It will be understood that the dimensions of package 300 can be adjusted to accommodate any desired size and / or number of batteries. For example, package 300 can be sized to accommodate AA, AAA, AAA, D, C, A23, CR123A, and CR2, to name a few. Accordingly, the same reference numerals are used to refer to similar structures in each configuration, despite the different dimensions.

[0077] A blank 302 configured to form a carton 304 of package 300 is shown in Figures 19, 22, and 25. A central sleeve portion 306 of blank 302 includes a front wall 308, a rear wall 310, side walls 312, and a connecting wall 314 that are pivotally connected together via longitudinal fold lines / edges 316. In the illustrated form, central sleeve portion 306 includes, in order, one of the side walls 312, the front wall 308, the other side wall 312, the rear wall 310, and the connecting wall 314. For assembly, walls 308, 310, 312, and 314 are pivoted relative to one another about the fold line 316 therebetween until connecting wall 314 extends along a portion of front wall 308. The connecting wall 314 can then be secured to front wall 308 using a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism to create the sleeve 318 of carton 304 as shown in Figures 20, 21, 23, and 24. Although the connecting wall 314 has been described as being pivotally coupled to the rear wall 310, it will be appreciated that the connecting wall 314 could alternatively be pivotally coupled to one of the front wall 308 or the side wall 312, and the assembly could include the connecting wall 314 extending along one of the rear wall 310 or the side wall 312.

[0078] 19, 22, and 25, the blank 302 further includes a top flap 320 and a bottom flap 322 pivotally connected to upper and lower fold lines / edges 324, 326, respectively, of the front wall 308. The top flap 320 and the bottom flaps 322 are configured to fold backward so that their portions can at least partially overlap to secure the flaps 320, 322 together. More specifically, the top flap 320 includes a tab 328 that can be divided into two portions 328a, 328b as desired, a top wall 330 of the carton 304, and an outer rear wall 332 that extends away from the top wall 330. The portions of the top flap 320 are pivotally connected to each other by a fold line 334. By one approach, the tab 328 can have a shape and dimensions that are substantially equal, e.g., within 1-2 mm, to an upper portion 336 of the front wall 308 that extends upward relative to the adjacent side wall 312. Next, the top wall 330 can have a shape and width / length dimensions that are substantially equal, e.g., within 1-2 mm, to the horizontal cross-section of the sleeve 318. Finally, the outer rear wall 332 can have a shape and dimensions that are substantially equal, e.g., within 1-2 mm, to the (inner) rear wall 310 of the sleeve 318.

[0079] 19, the bottom flap 322 includes a bottom wall 338 of the carton 304 pivotally connected to the front wall 308 by a fold line 326, and a connecting tab 340 pivotally connected to the bottom wall 338 by a fold line 342. So configured, after the sleeve 318 is formed, the bottom flap 322 can be folded along line 326 so that the bottom wall 338 extends across its open bottom generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the sleeve 318, and the connecting tab 340 can be folded along line 342 so that it extends generally parallel to, e.g., the rear wall 310 of the sleeve 318. Next, the top flap 320 can be folded along line 324 ( FIG. 19 ) so that the tab 328 extends relative to, e.g., generally parallel to, the upper portion 336 of the front wall 308, along line 334b ​​so that the top wall 330 extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the sleeve 318 across its open top, and along line 334c so that the outer rear wall 332 extends along the rear wall 310 of the sleeve 318. Finally, the outer rear wall 332 can then be secured to the connecting tab 340 by a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism to form the final carton 304 for securing contents thereto. If desired, the tab 328 can be secured to the upper portion 336 of the front wall 308 by a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism.

[0080] 22, the top flap 320, rather than the bottom flap 322, can include a connecting tab 340' pivotally connected to the outer rear wall 332 by fold line 334d. Such a configuration allows the top flap 320 to be folded along line 324 so that the tab 328 extends, e.g., generally parallel, to the upper portion 336 of the front wall 308; along line 334b ​​so that the top wall 330 extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the sleeve 318 across its open top; along line 334c so that the outer rear wall 332 extends along the rear wall 310 of the sleeve 318; and along line 334d so that the connecting tab 340' extends along the bottom wall 338. Finally, the connecting tab 340' can then be secured to the bottom wall 338 by a suitable adhesive or other material or mechanism to form the final carton 304 for securing contents thereto.

[0081] In the illustrated configuration, the front wall 308, rear wall 310, and side walls 312 are generally rectangular. However, the rear wall 310 may have a width less than the front wall 308 so that the sleeve 318 can have a trapezoidal cross-section in the horizontal plane after assembly. Accordingly, the top wall 330 and bottom wall 338 may have corresponding trapezoidal shapes as shown. Furthermore, in the configurations of FIGS. 19-24, the blank 302 and resulting carton 304 may include a hanging feature 344, such as a hang hole, extending through the top portion 336 of the front wall 308 and the tab 328 of the top flap 320. In the illustrated configuration, the bottom end of the hanging feature 344 extends along the fold line 334 between portions 328a and 328b of the tab 328. The hanging feature 344 may have any suitable shape and / or configuration, as is commonly understood.

[0082] Any suitable paperboard or plastic material may be used to manufacture the blank 302, such as nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate. To allow consumers to view the products stored within the carton 304, the front wall 308 may include a cutout window 346 extending along its width to provide viewing access to the interior 348 of the carton 304, being an opaque material.

[0083] In some configurations, the carton 304 can be sized to receive a tray therein, which can be configured as described in the above embodiments. For example, the carton 304 can be configured to receive a tray configured as shown in FIG. 18 without the tabs 274.

[0084] It will be understood that those skilled in the art can make a wide variety of modifications, changes and combinations with respect to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and such modifications, changes and combinations should be considered within the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. 1. A battery package comprising: Equipped with carton, The carton is a sleeve including a front wall, a rear wall, and a side wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall; a top flap pivotally connected to an upper end of the front wall of the sleeve, the top flap including a top wall portion extending over the sleeve and a rear wall portion configured to extend along the rear wall of the sleeve; and a bottom flap pivotally connected to a bottom end of the front wall, the bottom flap including a bottom wall portion extending below the sleeve, the top flap and the bottom flap configured to be connected to each other; Battery package.

2. One of the rear wall portion or the bottom flap includes a connecting tab for connecting the top flap to the bottom flap. The battery package of claim 1 .

3. The battery package of claim 2 , wherein the rear wall portion is configured to extend along an outer surface of the rear wall of the sleeve.

4. 3. The battery package of claim 2, wherein said rear wall portion of said top flap and said rear wall of said sleeve are substantially equal in size.

5. 2. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the rear wall of the sleeve has a width less than the front wall of the sleeve, thereby causing the sleeve to have a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in a horizontal plane.

6. 6. The battery package of claim 5, wherein said upper wall portion of said top flap has a trapezoidal shape with dimensions substantially equal to a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in said horizontal plane of said sleeve.

7. 2. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the front wall of the sleeve includes an upper portion that projects upwardly relative to the side wall of the sleeve.

8. 8. The battery package of claim 7, wherein the top flap includes a tab portion rotatably connected between an upper end of the front wall of the sleeve and the top wall portion of the top flap, the tab portion configured to extend along the top of the front wall of the sleeve.

9. 9. The battery package of claim 8, wherein said tab portion of said top flap and said upper portion of said front wall of said sleeve are secured together by an adhesive.

10. 9. The battery package of claim 8, wherein the tab portion of the top flap and the top portion of the front wall of the sleeve are substantially equal in size.

11. 9. The battery package of claim 8, further comprising a hanging mechanism extending through said top portion of said front wall of said sleeve and said tab portion of said top flap.

12. 10. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the front wall includes a window extending across its width to provide access for viewing the interior of the carton after assembly.

13. a tray having a recess and a peripheral flange extending outwardly from an end of the recess around the periphery of the recess; a curved surface portion disposed within the recess, each curved surface portion configured to receive a cylindrical battery therein; Furthermore, the carton defining an interior dimensioned to receive the tray; The battery package of claim 1 .

14. 14. The battery package of claim 13, wherein the curved surface portion of the tray is arranged in a plurality of separate bays.

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