Carton for viewing contents and method

Abstract

A carton for viewing the contents thereof without disturbing the integrity of the carton comprising a unitary body enclosed by a wall or walls having apertures for manipulating and viewing the articles contained therein.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A carton for containing an article comprising a unitary body totally enclosed by a wall or walls having at least one aperture in each wall for manipulating and viewing the article and a means of accessing and removing the article.  
     
     
         2 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the unitary body is spherical, cylindrical, conical, cubical, pyramidal, triangular or rectangular.  
     
     
         3 . A carton according to  claim 2  wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.  
     
     
         4 . The carton according to  claim 3  wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.  
     
     
         5 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures.  
     
     
         6 . The carton according to  claim 5  wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures to permit manipulating and viewing the article.  
     
     
         7 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein each wall of the unitary body has apertures shaped to permit manipulating and viewing the article.  
     
     
         8 . The carton according to  claim 7  wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular, square, triangular, rectangular or elliptical.  
     
     
         9 . The carton according to  claim 8  wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular or rectangular.  
     
     
         10 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the unitary body is opaque, translucent, or transparent.  
     
     
         11 . A carton according to  claim 10  wherein the unitary body is translucent or transparent.  
     
     
         12 . The carton according to  claim 11  wherein the unitary body is transparent.  
     
     
         13 . A carton according to  claim 12  wherein the unitary body is flexible, resilient, or rigid.  
     
     
         14 . A carton according to  claim 13  wherein the unitary body is resilient or rigid.  
     
     
         15 . The carton according to  claim 14  wherein the unitary body is resilient.  
     
     
         16 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the unitary body comprises a partition or partitions to divide the body into two or more sections.  
     
     
         17 . A carton for containing an article comprising an enclosed unitary body having cubically or rectangularly arranged side and end walls, a side wall attached to the rear edges of the side walls, a top wall attached to the top edges of the side wall and top edge of the rear wall, a bottom wall attached to the bottom edges of the side walls and rear wall and a side wall hingedly attached to the front edge of the bottom wall, to permit access to and removal of the article or articles, wherein the hingedly attached side wall is secured to the top wall by a tamper evident seal, and each wall of the unitary body has at least one aperture for manipulating and viewing the article or articles.  
     
     
         18 . A carton according to  claim 17  wherein each wall of the unitary body contains a plurality of apertures.  
     
     
         19 . A carton according to  claim 18  wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures of each wall are positioned to permit manipulation and viewing of the article or articles in the container.  
     
     
         20 . A carton according to  claim 19  wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures in each wall of the unitary body are circular, square, triangular or rectangular.  
     
     
         21 . A carton according to  claim 20  wherein the apertures in each wall of the unitary body are linearly aligned in one or more rows or columns.  
     
     
         22 . A carton according to  claim 21  wherein the walls of the unitary body are transparent and resilient.  
     
     
         23 . The carton according to  claim 22  wherein the unitary body is rectangular having transparent, resilient walls on which the rectangular apertures of the end walls are off-centered, the sides, top and bottom apertures of which are parallel to the sides, top and bottom, respectively, of the body, the circular apertures of the side, top and bottom walls are symmetrically aligned in two parallel rows equidistant from the top, bottom and side edges of the body to allow, manipulation and viewing of the article and one of the walls is hingedly attached to the bottom wall to allow access to and removal of the article.  
     
     
         24 . A carton for containing an article according to  claim 1  wherein information is imprinted thereon or presented on a label attached thereto.  
     
     
         25 . A carton according to  claim 24  wherein the article is a vial, bottle, blister or blister card.  
     
     
         26 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the unitary body is divided into independent compartments, each compartment having an independent means for accessing and removing the articles without disturbing the integrity of the other compartments.  
     
     
         27 . A method of entirely viewing an article contained in a carton without disturbing the integrity of the carton comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a carton having a unitary body totally enclosed by a wall or walls having at least one aperture in a wall of the body;    b) a means for manipulating the article within the body; whereby the article is manipulated through the aperture and viewed.    
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the article is viewed through the aperture when the carton is opaque or translucent.  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the article is viewed through the aperture or carton when the carton is transparent.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the unitary body is spherical, cylindrical, conical, cubical, pyramidal, triangular or rectangular.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30  wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures to permit manipulating and viewing the article.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein each wall of the unitary body has apertures shaped to permit manipulating and viewing the article.  
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35  wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular, square, triangular, rectangular or elliptical.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 36  wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular or rectangular.  
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the unitary body is opaque, translucent, or transparent.  
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 38  wherein the unitary body is translucent or transparent.  
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein the unitary body is transparent.  
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein the unitary body is flexible, resilient, or rigid.  
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41  wherein the unitary body is resilient or rigid.  
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 42  wherein the unitary body is resilient.  
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the unitary body comprises a partition or partitions to divide the body into two or more sections.  
     
     
         45 . A method of entirely viewing an article contained in a body having cubically or rectangularly arranged side and end walls, a side wall attached to the rear edges of the side walls, a top wall attached to the top edges of the side wall and top edge of the rear wall, a bottom wall attached to the bottom edges of the side walls and rear wall and a side wall hingedly attached to the front edge of the bottom wall, to permit access to and removal of the article or articles, wherein the hingedly attached side wall is secured to the top wall by a tamper evident seal, and each wall of the unitary body has at least one aperture for manipulating and viewing the article or articles.  
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 44  wherein each wall of the unitary body contains a plurality of apertures.  
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures of each wall are positioned to permit manipulation and viewing of the article or articles in the container.  
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures in each wall of the unitary body are circular, square, triangular or rectangular.  
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 48  wherein the apertures in each wall of the unitary body are linearly aligned in one or more rows or columns.  
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 49  wherein the walls of the unitary body are transparent and resilient.  
     
     
         51 . A method according to  claim 50  wherein the unitary body is rectangular having transparent, resilient walls on which the rectangular apertures of the end walls are off-centered, the sides, top and bottom apertures of which are parallel to the sides, top and bottom, respectively, of the body, the circular apertures of the side, top and bottom walls are symmetrically aligned in two parallel rows equidistant from the top, bottom and side edges of the body to allow, manipulation and viewing of the article and one of the walls is hingedly attached to the bottom wall to allow access to and removal of the article.  
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 51  wherein information is imprinted thereon or presented on a label attached thereto.  
     
     
         53 . A method according to  claim 51  wherein the article is a container for a pharmaceutical agent.  
     
     
         54 . A method according to  claim 53  wherein the article agent is a vial, bottle, blister or blister card.