Product packaging and display system and method having engaging means for structural display support

Abstract

A product package useful for a variety of display applications enables upright stability for commercial display of the package with a front side adapted for display purposes and engagement elements for providing upright stability to said product package for display of said front side by engagement with another adjacently located product package.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A product holder, comprising: 
 a partially rigid structure having a first side adapted for display purposes; and    engagement means affixed to said structure and adapted for providing upright stability to said product holder for display of said first side by engagement with another adjacently located product holder.    
     
     
         2 . The product holder of  claim 1 , wherein said engagement means include one or more interface members adapted to engage an adjacently located product holder.  
     
     
         3 . The product holder of  claim 2 , wherein said interface members are adapted to engage interface members of an adjacently located product holder.  
     
     
         4 . The product holder of  claim 2 , wherein said structure includes a second side opposed to said first side, and further wherein said interface members extend from at least one of said first and second sides.  
     
     
         5 . The product holder of  claim 4 , wherein said interface members are formed as part of a ridge located on at least one said first or second side.  
     
     
         6 . The product holder of  claim 5 , wherein each said ridge is located proximally to a periphery of a respective said first or second side.  
     
     
         7 . The product holder of  claim 6 , wherein said ridge is adapted to allow manual access between engaged product holders that are adjacently located and mutually engaged by said interface members.  
     
     
         8 . The product holder of  claim 7 , wherein said engagement means include a plurality of interface members which are oriented by partial rigidity of said structure to maintain engagement with an adjacently located product holder.  
     
     
         9 . The product holder of  claim 8 , wherein said structure is adapted to flex under manual insertion between engaged product holders to enhance disengagement between said interface members of such engaged product holders.  
     
     
         10 . The product holder of  claim 4 , wherein said first and second sides are separately formed and then combined to form a product package.  
     
     
         11 . The product holder of  claim 4 , wherein both said first and second sides include interface members extending therefrom and adapted to engage interface members of adjacently located product holders.  
     
     
         12 . The product holder of  claim 11 , wherein each said first and second side includes at least one ridge formed therein and adapted to provide support for said interface members, and further wherein said ridges are adapted to abut ridges of adjacently located product holders.  
     
     
         13 . The product holder of  claim 11 , wherein said interface members on each respective said first side and second side are complementary and adapted to only engage said interface members of an adjacently located product holder extending from a respective opposite said second or first side of their respective said product holder.  
     
     
         14 . The product holder of  claim 4 , wherein said structure includes a lower end adapted for substantially vertical movement with respect to an adjacently located product holder.  
     
     
         15 . The product holder of  claim 14 , wherein one or more said interface members are located at said lower end and are adapted for disengagement by lifting a first said product holder relative to a second said product holder.  
     
     
         16 . The product holder of  claim 15 , wherein said interface members located at said lower end extend from a rear side of said product holder.  
     
     
         17 . The product holder of  claim 1 , wherein said engagement means are oriented by partial rigidity in said structure to maintain engagement with an adjacently located product holder.  
     
     
         18 . The product holder of  claim 17 , wherein said structure is adapted to flex to enhance disengagement between adjacently located product holders engaged by said interface members.  
     
     
         19 . The product holder of  claim 17 , wherein said interface members are spaced around and proximal to a periphery of their respective said product holders.  
     
     
         20 . The product holder of  claim 19 , wherein said container is adapted for vertical rigidity to support the weight of additional product holders stacked thereon.  
     
     
         21 . A product package, comprising: 
 a partially rigid structure having a front side adapted for display purposes and a rear side opposed to said front side; and    at least one interface member located on each said front and rear side and adapted for providing upright stability to said product package for display of said front or rear side by engagement with another adjacently located product package.    
     
     
         22 . The product package of  claim 21 , wherein said interface members are oriented by partial rigidity of said structure to maintain engagement with interface members of an adjacently located product package.  
     
     
         23 . The product package of  claim 22 , wherein said structure is adapted to allow manual access between engaged product packages that are adjacently located and mutually engaged by said interface members, and further wherein said product package is adapted to flex under manual insertion between engaged product packages to enhance disengagement between said interface members of such engaged product packages.  
     
     
         24 . A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of: 
 enclosing products in a plurality of product packages, wherein each product package includes a partially rigid structure with a first side adapted for display purposes, and engagement means for providing upright stability for display of said first side by engagement with another adjacently located product package; and    engaging said plurality of product packages together by said engagement means.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of engaging said product packages causes said first side of all engaged product packages to face in the same direction.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising locating engaged product packages from said step of engaging in a single shipping container.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising stacking a plurality of groups of engaged product packages from said step of engaging in a single shipping container.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said plurality of groups of engaged product packages stacked in said single shipping container are adapted for display by removal of a portion of said single shipping container.  
     
     
         29 . A product display system, comprising a plurality of product packages each including a partially rigid structure having a first side adapted for display purposes and engagement means for providing upright stability for display of said first side by engagement with another adjacently located product package, wherein said plurality of packages are engaged together by said engagement means.  
     
     
         30 . The product display system of  claim 29 , wherein said first side of said plurality of product packages face in the same direction.  
     
     
         31 . The product display system of  claim 29 , further comprising a second plurality of engaged product packages stacked on top of the first said plurality of product packages.  
     
     
         32 . The product packaging system of  claim 31 , wherein said first said and second plurality of engaged product packages are stacked in a single container for shipping and are adapted for display by removal of part or all of said single container.