Display package for trouser socks or similar hosiery articles, and blanks for making same

Abstract

A display package for trouser socks or similar hosiery articles comprises a box extending longitudinally from a first closed end to a second open end thereof, and a removable card configured to be inserted through an open end of one of the hosiery articles to an opposite closed end thereof such that the card extends substantially along an entire length of the hosiery article and stretches the hosiery article flat. The card with the hosiery article stretched thereover is inserted into the box along with at least one additional hosiery article. The card preferably is folded in a doubled-over configuration before inserting the card into the box. The consumer can readily remove the card with the hosiery article stretched over it, and can examine all areas of the article without having to remove the article from the card. When finished examining the article, the consumer can easily insert the card back into the box, thereby placing the box in its original state. The package preferably includes a hang tab that can be moved from a non-use position lying in the plane of a rear wall of the box below the upper edge thereof, and a deployed position projecting above the upper edge.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A display package for at least one pair of trouser socks or similar hosiery articles, comprising: 
 a box extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end thereof, the first end being closed and the second end being open for insertion and removal of the hosiery articles into and from the box; and    a removable card configured to be inserted through an open end of one of the hosiery articles to an opposite closed end thereof such that the card extends substantially along an entire length of the hosiery article and stretches the hosiery article flat, the card with the hosiery article stretched thereover being insertable into the box along with at least one additional hosiery article and being removable from the box to allow the flattened hosiery article on the card to be examined.    
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein respective lengths of the box and the card are such that, when the card with the hosiery article stretched thereover is fully inserted longitudinally into the open end of the box, a portion of the hosiery article on the card protrudes out from the open end of the box so as to display the hosiery article.  
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the length of the box is substantially less than that of the card and of the hosiery articles, and wherein the card has a fold region for folding the card into a doubled-over configuration before inserting the card into the box.  
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 3 , wherein the length of the card is about twice that of the box.  
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 2 , further comprising a hanger element formed at the open end of the box for hanging the box from a display rack.  
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 5 , wherein the hanger element comprises a tab projecting from one wall of the box.  
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6 , wherein the tab comprises an integral portion of a rear wall of the box and is movable between a non-use position in which the tab lies in the plane of the rear wall below an upper edge thereof and a deployed position in which the tab projects above the upper edge of the rear wall.  
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the box is formed from a single sheet of flexible material folded and secured in a generally rectangular box shape, the box having a rear wall and a front wall and three side walls extending between the rear and front walls along three edges thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein the card is generally rectangular and has a length about twice that of the rear wall, the card being folded into a doubled-over configuration and inserted into the box.  
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the front wall of the box has a length less than that of the rear wall so as to expose a portion of the card with the hosiery article stretched thereover at the open end of the box.  
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 10 , further comprising a hanger element formed on the rear wall at the open end of the box for hanging the package from a display rack.  
     
     
         12 . A packaged hosiery product, comprising: 
 at least one pair of hosiery articles of generally tubular configuration each having a closed toe end and an open top end;    a generally rectangular card having a length at least about that of the hosiery articles when the hosiery articles are fully extended lengthwise and having a width exceeding a relaxed width of the hosiery articles when the articles are flattened; and    a generally rectangular box extending longitudinally from a closed bottom end to an open top end thereof, the box having a front wall and a rear wall and a hanger element formed at the open top end for hanging the box from a display rack, the hanger element being spaced vertically above an upper edge of the front wall;    one of the hosiery articles being sleeved over the card such that the article is stretched by the card into a flattened configuration, and the card with the one hosiery article thereon being inserted into the box along with the other hosiery article, an end portion of the one hosiery article on the card projecting upward above the open top end of the box so as to display the hosiery article.    
     
     
         13 . The packaged hosiery product of  claim 12 , wherein the length of the box is substantially less than that of the card and of the hosiery articles, and wherein the card has a fold region for folding the card into a doubled-over configuration before inserting the card into the box.  
     
     
         14 . The packaged hosiery product of  claim 13 , wherein the length of the card is about twice that of the box.  
     
     
         15 . A pair of blanks for making a display package for a pair of trouser socks or similar hosiery articles, comprising: 
 a box blank for forming a generally rectangular box, the box blank comprising a sheet of flexible material and having a generally rectangular front panel for forming a front wall of the box, a generally rectangular rear panel for forming a rear wall of the box, and first, second, and third side panels for forming side walls of the box, the box blank defining fold lines for folding the front panel into spaced, parallel and opposing relation with the rear panel and for folding the side panels so as to extend between the front and rear panels along three edges thereof to form the box with an open end, the front and rear panels having substantially equal widths; and    a card blank for forming a card that is insertable into one of the hosiery articles to stretch the hosiery article into a flattened configuration, the card blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of flexible material having a width slightly less than that of the front and rear panels and a length substantially exceeding a length of the front and rear panels, the card blank defining a fold region for folding the card blank into a doubled-over configuration with a length substantially matching that of the front and rear panels.    
     
     
         16 . The blanks of  claim 15 , wherein the length of the rear panel exceeds that of the front panel such that when the front panel is folded into spaced, parallel and opposing relation with the rear panel one end of the rear panel extends beyond a corresponding end of the front panel.  
     
     
         17 . The blanks of  claim 16 , wherein the card blank has a length about twice that of the rear panel and the fold region of the card blank is located centrally along the length of the card blank such that when doubled over the card blank has a length about equal to that of the rear panel.  
     
     
         18 . The blanks of  claim 15 , wherein the box blank includes a hanger panel formed at one end of the rear panel for forming a hanger element by which the box can be hung from a display rack.  
     
     
         19 . The blanks of  claim 18 , wherein the hanger panel comprises an integral portion of the rear panel.  
     
     
         20 . The blanks of  claim 19 , wherein the hanger panel is movable between a non-use position lying in the plane of the rear panel below an upper edge thereof and a deployed position projecting above the upper edge of the rear panel.