Display package and shipping system

Abstract

A display package for containing, shipping and displaying products to be sold at retail has a top and bottom portion with central recessed areas. The package is configured such that the rims defining the central recessed areas can be telescopically engaged in the recesses of similarly configured packages located in front of and behind the package. Two or more packages so assembled conveniently support each other without any additional support. When so assembled the packages form self supporting rows that lend themselves particularly well for shipping on pallets. Once at the retail outlet, the packages and packaging system are ready for immediate display and sale when the pallet is placed on the floor of the retail outlet.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A display package for merchandising an article of commerce comprising: 
 a front half of the package having a first raised element defining a first central recessed area on the top side of the package;    a rear half of the package having a second raised element defining a second central recessed area on the bottom side of the package, the second perimeter having a boundary dimension smaller than the boundary dimension of the first perimeter such that when the two halves of the package are joined together enclosing the article of commerce, the package can then be engaged with an adjacent display package of the same configuration with the bottom half of the first package being received into the top portion of the adjacent package in a telescoping relationship.    
     
     
         2 . A display package according to  claim 1  wherein the raised elements are continuous.  
     
     
         3 . A display package according to  claim 2  wherein the raised elements define generally rectangular central recessed areas.  
     
     
         4 . A display package according to  claim 2  wherein the raised elements define generally irregular congruent central recessed areas.  
     
     
         5 . A display package according to  claim 2  wherein the raised elements define a generally elliptical central recessed areas.  
     
     
         6 . A display package according to  claim 2  wherein the raised elements define generally circular central recessed areas.  
     
     
         7 . A display package according to  claim 1  having planar flanges on the front and rear halves extending outwardly from the raised elements around the outer edge of the display package.  
     
     
         8 . A display package according to  claim 1  wherein the upper central recessed area includes at least one protrusion extending inwardly from the interior wall of the first raised element and spaced intermediate the top and bottom of the first element to provide a stop for an adjacent package telescoped into engagement with the package.  
     
     
         9 . A display package according to  claim 8  wherein the at least one protrusion is a shelf extending around the interior of the first raised element.  
     
     
         10 . A display package according to  claim 8  wherein the at least one protrusion is one or more shoulders located at spaced intervals on the interior of the first raised element.  
     
     
         11 . A display package according to  claim 8  wherein the first raised element is generally rectangular and the protrusion is a shoulder located at each corner of the rectangle.  
     
     
         12 . A display package according to  claim 2  having a product receptacle formed into the first central recessed area.  
     
     
         13 . A display package for merchandising an article of commerce comprising: 
 a top half of the package having a first rim extending around four raised walls disposed at right angles to each other defining a generally rectangular central recessed surface, wherein the interior sides of the walls taper inwardly toward the recessed surface;    a bottom half of the package having a second rim to be received into and matingly engage the first rim, the second rim extending around a central surface wherein the bottom half has four downwardly extending channels disposed at right angles to each other surrounding the central surface which define four raised walls disposed at right angles to each on the opposite side of the bottom half, said walls having an outward tapered on their exterior side to mate with the tapered side walls on the top portion such that when the two portions are sealed together enclosing the article of commerce in a blister pack, said package can be nested with other display packages of the same configuration with the bottom half of the first package receiving the top portion of an adjacent package in a nesting relationship.    
     
     
         14 . A display package according to  claim 13  wherein the raised walls of the top half define a channel on the opposite side of the top half surrounding the recessed surface.  
     
     
         15 . A display package according to  claim 14  wherein the downwardly extending channels define four raised walls on the opposite side thereof extending away from the plane of the central surface.  
     
     
         16 . A display package for merchandising an article of commerce in a retail setting comprising: 
 a top portion of the package having a raised wall extending around the entire top portion and defining a central depressed area, the sides of which taper slightly inwardly toward the bottom of the central area;    a first rim extending around the top portion at the base of the raised wall;    a bottom portion having a second rim to be received into and matingly engage the first rim and a central area located within and surrounded by the rim, the bottom portion having four downwardly extending sides at right angles to each other which taper inwardly to mate with the taper on the top portion of an adjacent package such that when the two portions are joined together enclosing the article of commerce, said package can be nested with other display packages of a similar configuration with the bottom portion of the first package being received and nesting within the central area of the top portion of an adjacent package.    
     
     
         17 . A row of display packages according to  claim 16  wherein the top portion of each package defines a recess of a predetermined geometry and rims of each succeeding bottom portion are telescopically engaged in the recess of the top portion immediately following it in the row.  
     
     
         18 . A display pack which comprises: 
 a) a first section which functions as the bottom half of the display pack, the first section comprising a first rectangular surface surrounded by four raised sides extending downwardly from the first surface to define a first perimeter and a first rim integrally formed on the exterior of the raised sides at the base thereof;    b) a second section which functions as the top half of the display pack, the second section comprising a second rectangular surface having the same dimensions as the first surface, the second surface being surrounded by four raised sides extending upwardly from the second surface to define a second perimeter slightly larger than the first perimeter and a second rim integrally formed with the exterior of the raised sides at the base thereof;    wherein the exterior surfaces of the first section raised sides taper outwardly and the interior surfaces of the second section taper inwardly such that a second display pack of the same configuration as the first display pack can be engaged with and partially telescope within the pack.    
     
     
         19 . A row of display pack according to  claim 18  wherein the first section of each package defines a rectangular central recess and the raised walls of each succeeding second section are telescopically engaged in the rectangular recess of the first section immediately following it in the row.