Pocket-sized, hand-held container for consumer items having a receptacle for used product, sealed tray, and thumb ridge on lid

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. provisional Application No. 60/924,714, filed on May 29, 2007, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Provided is a container adapted to hold a number of consumer items, and in particular a pocket-size container that can be held and opened by one hand of a consumer to expose the items therein. The container includes a receptacle to store spent product.

[0013] Shown in the accompanying drawings is a pocket-size container capable of being held in one hand of a consumer and opened by a finger or thumb of that hand. The container, which is preferably formed of about three to about six pieces, preferably contains a tray that is sealed with a membrane. An openable window on the membrane situated behind an access opening of the container facilitates access to the contained items. In a preferred embodiment, the container includes a receptacle for storing used products. Preferably, the container also includes a lid having thumb ridges thereon to facilitate opening and closing of the lid.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the pocket-size container includes an outer housing having an upper housing and a lower housing. A tray is received within the outer housing. Preferably, the tray includes a cavity formed by a bottom wall and sidewalls of the tray. In a preferred embodiment, the container also includes a receptacle located at least partially within said outer housing. Preferably, the receptacle includes a lid and a compartment formed by a bottom wall and sidewalls of the receptacle. In an embodiment, the receptacle includes a compartment formed by a recessed surface in the lower housing enclosed by a lid.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the tray holds a plurality of smokeless tobacco products and is hermetically sealed by a membrane to maintain freshness. Preferably, the membrane includes a pull tab that is pulled to open the membrane. In an embodiment, the membrane is a poly-laminated membrane.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the upper housing of the outer housing includes a lid. Preferably, the lid slides open to reveal an openable window of the membrane. The openable window includes a pull tab that is pulled to open the window and access the enclosed product. In an embodiment, the lid includes at least one raised thumb ridge to facilitate opening and closing of the lid. In use, the upper housing forms a front of the container and the lower housing forms the back of the container.

[0017] Preferably, the lower housing includes a recess for housing said receptacle. In an embodiment, the receptacle is removable from the pocket-size container. In a preferred embodiment, the receptacle is integrally formed with the lower housing such that a recess therein forms the walls and sidewall of the receptacle.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the pocket-size container is made of rigid plastic. Preferably, the pocket-size container is injection molded of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon, polysulfone, polyester, polyurethane, and combinations thereof.

[0019] Also provided is a method of packaging smokeless tobacco products. Preferably, the method includes filling a tray with smokeless tobacco products and hermetically sealing the tray with a membrane. The tray is then inserted into a lower housing. If the receptacle is not molded as part of the lower housing, the receptacle is also at least partially inserted into the lower housing. The upper housing is positioned over the lower housing so as to line up pins in the upper housing with pin holes in the lower housing, and the pins are inserted into the pin holes to form a smokeless tobacco container.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pocket-size container 10 for smokeless tobacco products. The container 10 includes an outer housing 12 having an upper housing 32 (shown in FIG. 7) that is designed to fit over and around the tray 14 (shown in FIG. 6) and engage with the lower housing 30 to form the outer housing 12 (shown in FIG. 9). Preferably, the container 10 includes a first lid 34 (shown in FIG. 8), which allows access to the unused product stored in the tray 14 and a receptacle 40 for storing spent product. In a preferred embodiment, the receptacle 40 is located adjacent a first end 36 of the container 10 and is accessible via a second lid 48 in lower housing 30. In another embodiment, the receptacle 40 may be in a central location on the container or accessible via a second lid in the upper housing.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the tray 14 is shaped to accommodate the receptacle within the outer housing 12. The tray 14 may be shortened on one end to make room for the receptacle 40, as shown in FIG. 10. Alternatively, the tray 14 may be contoured to fit around the receptacle 40.

[0022] In an embodiment, as seen in FIG. 2, the receptacle 40 has a lid 48 that opens to reveal a receptacle cavity 56 defined by sidewalls 58 and a bottom 60. Preferably, the receptacle 40 is sized and configured to hold at least one spent tobacco product. Preferably, the receptacle 40 holds between 1 and 10 spent tobacco products. In an embodiment, the receptacle 40 is a molded plastic component with a lid 48 hingedly mounted over an access opening 46 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 9) and has dimensions of about 20 mm to about 50 mm wide, about 10 mm to about 25 mm tall and about 5 mm to about 20 mm deep.

[0023] Preferably, the spent product is isolated from the remaining unused tobacco product. The user can empty the receptacle cavity 56 when convenient so that the receptacle 40 can be used again or the entire container can be disposed of. In an embodiment, the receptacle 40 is a permanent part of the lower housing 30.

[0024] As seen in FIG. 3, the container 10 can include a lower housing 30 having an opening 46 for holding a separate molded receptacle 40 as shown in FIG. 5. The opening 46 communicates with a recess that is sized and configured to receive the receptacle 40. In an embodiment, the removable receptacle 40 is held within the housing by friction, e.g., snap fitting elements which engage edges of the opening 46. In an embodiment, the receptacle 40 is snapped into place within the recess. If desired, the receptacle may include a release mechanism to facilitate removal and cleaning of the receptacle.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the container 10 wherein the receptacle 40 comprises a recess in the lower housing enclosed by a lid 48 having a lift tab 5 overhanging a depression 70 in the edge of the lower housing 30. The depression 70 allows a user to pull the lift tab 5 to open the lid 48 of the receptacle 40 and access the compartment. Preferably, the lid 48 is attached to the lower housing via a hinge 65. In a preferred embodiment, the lid 48 is held in the open or closed position by friction, a catch mechanism, and/or spring.

[0026] In an embodiment, the receptacle 40 as illustrated in FIG. 5, is a separate container defined by sidewalls 58, a lid 48, and a bottom 60. In another embodiment, the lid 48 is hinged via a living hinge to the remainder of the receptacle and opens to reveal a cavity 56, which contains the spent product. In the FIG. 5 embodiment, the receptacle 40 can be separated from the container 10 to empty and/or clean the receptacle 40.

[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the smokeless tobacco container includes a tray 14 that holds the smokeless tobacco product within the container 10.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the tray 14 is sealed by a membrane 26, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Preferably, the tray 14 is hermetically sealed to prevent moisture from escaping from the enclosed product. In an embodiment, the membrane 26 may cover just the inner cavity 18, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the membrane 26 is a poly-laminated foil membrane when a hermetic seal is required. In another embodiment, the membrane 26 is made of foil. The membrane 26 may be sealed to and/or around the tray 14 using an adhesive, a heat seal, and/or weld.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the membrane 26 has a pull tab 28 that is pulled by the consumer to break the seal and expose the smokeless tobacco product 50 held within the tray 14. In an embodiment, only one portion of the membrane 26 is opened and removed when the tab 28 is pulled. If desired, a section of material can be torn from the membrane 26 when the tab 28 is pulled to form an access opening into the tray for removal of product. In a preferred embodiment, the membrane 26 is pre-scored such that when the tab 28 is pulled a uniform section of the membrane 26 is removed.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the membrane 26 covers only the top portion of the tray 14. In another embodiment, the membrane 26 may encapsulate the entire outer surface of the tray.

[0032] Preferably, the tray 14 is sized and configured to fit within the outer housing 12. In a preferred embodiment, the tray 14 fits snugly within the outer housing 12 and includes a cavity sized to fit around the receptacle 40.

[0033] Also preferably, the tray 14 is contoured to hold a plurality of smokeless tobacco products. In an embodiment, the tray 14 is shaped to have an outside 16 and an inner cavity 18 that is capable of holding products 50 within the tray 14. Preferably, the enclosed product 50 is a smokeless tobacco product such as snus (pouched tobacco products).

[0034] The tray 14 may be any shape including rectangular, square, oval, round, octagonal, and other shapes. Preferably, the tray 14 is sized and configured to conform to the shape of the inside of the outer housing 12. Most preferably, the tray 14 has curved sides and bottom to conform to the shape of the outer housing 12 and maximize the available volume for product storage.

[0035] Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the upper housing 32 fits over and around the tray 14 so that the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 30 fasten together to enclose the tray 14 and form the outer housing 12.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, as seen in FIG. 7, the upper housing 32 includes a lid 34 on the top surface 52. The lid 34 is adapted to be slid from a closed position in which it overlies the access opening 55, as shown in FIG. 9, to an open position in which the lid 34 exposes the access opening 55, while still being situated within the footprint of the frame, i.e., the lid 34 is still situated within the boundaries of the upper housing 32.

[0037] In another embodiment, the lid 34 is hinged. The lid 34 allows access to an opening in the upper housing through which product is removed from the tray.

[0038] In an embodiment, the lid is secured by a securement mechanism which is yieldable to manual pressure.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the lid 34 includes at least one transverse thumb ridge 24. Preferably, the lid 34 includes two small ridges 24 located on opposite ends of the lid. In a preferred embodiment, the ridges 24 are located in the middle of each end of the lid. The ridges 24 are slightly raised. Preferably, the ridges 24 are located at a central location, which extends at least 50% of the width of the edges of the lid 34. In a preferred embodiment, the ridges are about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm in width, about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm in height, and about 5 mm to about 25 mm in length. The ridges 24 provide a point of contact on the lid 34 that creates friction with a user's thumb to facilitate opening the lid. Preferably, the ridges 24 are symmetrical too allow easier assembly

[0040] Preferably, the lid 34 covers an opening 55 that is sized and configured to allow for easy removal of product 50 from the inner cavity 18 of the tray 14 once at least a portion 27 of the membrane 26 has been removed.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the lid 34 in the upper housing 32 is positioned so that the lid 34 remains within the footprint of the container 10 and opens to reveal the pull tab 28 of the membrane 26. Therefore, the tray is preferably sealed or positioned within the outer housing 12 so that the pull tab 28 will align with the opening 55 once the lid 34 is opened.

[0042] In lieu of a sealed tray, the product could simply be placed directly into the compartment formed by the outer housing or in a sealed bag having an openable and/or resealable window.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the upper housing 32 includes rearwardly projecting pins 42 located on a bottom edge 62 that are receivable in respective sockets 44 disposed in the upper edge 6 of the lower housing 30 thereby securing the front and back parts together. The pins 42 and sockets 44 are located so that the upper housing 32 can be attached to the lower housing 30 in only one position.

[0044] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, to close the outer housing 12 around the tray 14, the pin 42 is inserted into the pin hole 44 to hold the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 30 together. If the edges of the tray 14 overlap the edges of the lower housing 30, pin holes 7 can be formed in the edges of the tray 14 such that the pin 42 on the underside of the upper housing 32 slides through the pin holes 7 in the tray 14 and into the pin holes 44 of the lower housing 30. Preferably, no adhesives are needed to secure the pin 42 within the pin hole 44. However, adhesives may be used if desired and/or the pin or pins can be located on the lower housing and mating hole or holes on the upper housing.

[0045] In one embodiment, the upper housing may be secured to the lower housing by a ball and socket type mechanism. In other embodiments, a snap fit connection secures the upper housing to the lower housing.

[0046] In an embodiment, the pocket-sized container 10, including the receptacle 40 and tray 14, is an injection molded or thermal formed container. Suitable plastics include, without limitation, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon, polysulfone, polyester, polyurethane, and combinations thereof. Because some plastics absorb flavors, the preferred plastic is polypropylene because polypropylene will not absorb the flavors of the product while the product is held in the tray.

[0047] In other embodiments, the pocket-sized container 10 is cast of metal or formed from wood. Suitable metals include without limitation aluminum.

[0048] In an embodiment, the pocket-sized container 10 is about 30 mm to about 60 mm wide, about 70 mm to about 100 mm long, and about 15 mm to about 40 mm deep. In a preferred embodiment, the container 10 fits in the palm of an adult users hand or in a pocket. Most preferably, the size of the tray enclosure 14 is determined based on the amount of product 50 to be enclosed.

[0049] Assembly of a container is very simple. The item-containing tray 14 is inserted into the lower housing 30 of the outer housing 12. Next, the upper housing 32 is inserted onto the lower housing 30 and the pins 42 are aligned with their respective sockets 44, thus facilitate mating thereof. The pins 42 and sockets 44 can be sized to provide a snug frictional fit, and/or held together by glue. The lid 34 can be installed on the upper housing 32 either before or after the upper and lower housings are secured together. The lid 34 can be secured in either of two positions, due to the symmetrical configuration thereof as explained earlier.

[0050] In use, a consumer grips the underside (back) of the container 10 in the palm of his/her hand, while another digit of the consumer's hand, preferably the thumb, presses against the thumb ridges 24, and slides the lid 34 on the front of the container. Since the lid 34, when fully opened, remains within the footprint of the container 10, it can be easily opened without abutting the consumer's palm as could be the case if the lid were so long that the bottom portion thereof traveled outside of the container's footprint.

[0051] The hermetically sealed tray keeps the items in a fresh state until ready for use, and can be conveniently opened, and optionally resealed.

[0052] In an embodiment, the container 10 is enclosed in a shrink-wrap enclosure which includes a tear strip along one side for opening the shrink wrap.

[0053] However, the particular dimensions and proportions of the container are not critical. The proportions are preferably selected to provide a container which is suitably sized to accommodate the particular items to be packaged therein. Thus, the actual container could be more elongated than shown in the drawings, or the container could be more nearly square, i.e., shorter than shown in the drawings. Preferably, however, the container is sized so it can be conveniently carried in a pocket, and held and opened by one hand of a consumer.

[0054] The items can be arranged in various ways. For example, the products could be arranged with the items overlapped or staggered relative to one another. Of course, if the products are small enough, they could be randomly placed in the tray, bag, or loosely held inside the outer housing without a tray or bag.

[0055] The container could, of course, be used for a variety of products. One specific product for which the container can be used is commercially available smokeless pouched tobacco. Such tobacco is provided in packets, sometimes known as “snus” and comprise individual packets of tobacco material.

[0056] It will be appreciated from the foregoing that there is provided an inexpensive pocket-size container capable of holding multiple items, and capable of being held and opened in one hand of a consumer.

[0057] It should be understood that the foregoing description is of the preferred embodiments, and is, therefore, merely representative of the article and methods of manufacturing the same. It can be appreciated that variations and modifications of the different embodiments in light of the above teachings will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, exemplary embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the articles and methods as set forth in the attached claims.