Packaging for hair bands having split mount panel

Abstract

A packaging assembly for looped elastic hair bands includes a display member having a mount panel on which the hair bands are received in a side-by-side arrangement. The mount panel is surrounded by an outer peripheral portion of the display member and includes an intermediately located discontinuity dividing the panel into first and second portions each having a first end adjacent the discontinuity and an opposite second end secured to the peripheral portion. The assembly further includes a panel link member having opposite tabs received in elongated openings of the mount panel portions. An elongated flexible connector is received through openings in each of the link member tabs and includes opposite ends secured together to form a closed loop. The connector may also be received through the loop of at least one of the hair bands.

1 . A packaging assembly for retaining and displaying a plurality of elastic bands each defining a closed loop, the packaging assembly comprising: 
 a display member including a mount panel having a length, the mount panel adapted for receipt of a plurality of elastic bands defining closed loops in a side-by-side arrangement in which the closed loop of each hair band encircles the mount panel, the display member further including a peripheral portion surrounding the mount panel, the mount panel having a discontinuity extending across the mount panel at an intermediate location along the length to divide the mount panel into first and second portions each having a first end unsupported by the display member and an opposite second end secured to the peripheral portion of the display member, each of the first and second portions including an elongated opening;    a panel link member having a body portion and a pair of tabs extending from opposite sides of the body portion, each of the tabs adapted for receipt by the elongated opening of one of the first and second portions of the mount panel, each of the tabs including an opening; and    an elongated flexible connector received through the opening in each of the tabs, the flexible connector having opposite first and second ends securable together such that the flexible connector defines a closed loop.    
   
   
       2 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the display member includes a pair of elongated slots defining the mount panel.  
   
   
       3 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the pair of slots extends substantially parallel to the sides of the display member.  
   
   
       4 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the discontinuity in the mount panel defines a non-linear path across the mount panel forming at least one projection in the first end of one of the mount panel portions that interfits with a corresponding indentation formed in the first end of the other of the mount panel portions.  
   
   
       5 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the non-linear path defined by the discontinuity is curved.  
   
   
       6 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible connector is received through the loop defined by at least one of the hair bands.  
   
   
       7 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible connector includes a locking mechanism secured to one of the first and second ends of the flexible connector.  
   
   
       8 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a tubular portion receiving the other one of the first and second ends and wherein the flexible connector includes barbed members spaced along at least a portion of the flexible connector and adapted for passage through the tubular portion.  
   
   
       9 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the tabs of the panel link member extend substantially perpendicular to the body portion of the panel link member.  
   
   
       10 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second portions of the mount panel includes a fold line extending across the mount panel, each of the fold lines being located between the elongated opening and the second end of one of the mount panel portions.  
   
   
       11 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral portion of the display member includes an opening adapted for receipt of a display peg.  
   
   
       12 . A packaging assembly for displaying elastic articles each defining a closed loop, the packaging assembly comprising: 
 a display card made from a foldable material, the display card including an outer peripheral portion and an integral mount panel continuously surrounded by the outer peripheral portion, the mount panel having a length and first and second portions defined by a discontinuity extending across the mount panel at an intermediate location along the length,    each of the first and second portions of the mount panel having a first end adjacent the discontinuity unsupported by the display card and an opposite second end secured to the peripheral portion of the display card, each of mount panel portions adapted to receive a plurality of hair bands defining closed loops via the unsupported first end such that the loop of each hair band encircles the mount panel portion,    the first end of either one of the first and second portions of the mount panel defining at least one projection adapted to interfit with a corresponding indentation defined by the first end of the other one of the first and second mount panel portions, each of the first and second portions of the mount panel including a fold line adjacent the second end thereof and an elongated opening;    a panel link member including a central body having opposite ends and a pair of tabs extending from opposite ends of the body, the tabs adapted for receipt by the elongated openings in the mount panel portions such that the body spans the discontinuity in the mount panel; and    a connector engaging both tabs of the panel link member to limit removal of the panel link member from the display card.    
   
   
       13 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the tabs of the panel link member includes an opening and wherein the connector is received by the opening in each of the tabs.  
   
   
       14 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the connector is elongated and flexible and includes opposite first and second ends that are securable to each other such that the connector defines a closed loop.  
   
   
       15 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the connector includes a locking mechanism secured to one of the first and second ends adapted for receiving the other one of the first and second ends.  
   
   
       16 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the integral mount panel of the display card is defined by a pair of elongated slots extending substantially parallel to each other along the length of the mount panel.  
   
   
       17 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the connector is received through the closed loop of at least one of the hair bands.  
   
   
       18 . A display assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of elastic hair bands each defining a closed loop;    a display member including a mount panel having a length, the hair bands received by the mount panel in a side-by-side arrangement in which the closed loop of each hair band encircles the mount panel, the mount panel having a length and a discontinuity extending across the mount panel at an intermediate location along the length of the mount panel to form first and second portions, each of the first and second portions of the mount panel having a first end adjacent the discontinuity unsupported by the display member and an opposite second end secured to an outer peripheral portion of the display member such that the first and second portions of the mount panel are surrounded by the outer peripheral portion, each of the first and second portions including an elongated opening;    a panel link member having opposite end portions received by the elongated openings in the first and second portions of the mount panel of the display member, each of the opposite end portions of the panel link member having an opening; and    an elongated flexible connector received through the openings in each of the opposite end portions of the panel link member, the flexible connector includes opposite ends engaged to each other such that the connector defines a closed loop.    
   
   
       19 . The display assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the elongated flexible connector is received through the closed loop of at least one of the hair bands.  
   
   
       20 . A packaging assembly for retaining and displaying a plurality of elastic bands each defining a closed loop, the packaging assembly comprising: 
 a display member including 
 an outer annular panel with an inner opening,  
 a first mount flap attached to a portion of the outer annular panel and extending inwardly,  
 a second mount flap attached to a portion of the outer annular panel on substantially the opposite side of the inner opening from the first mount flap and extending inwardly toward the first mount flap, and  
 the first and second mount flaps adapted to receive a plurality of elastic bands defining closed loops which are each disposed about one of the mount flaps; and  
   a panel connector having a body portion and a pair of tabs extending from opposite sides of the body portion, each tab adapted to engage with one of the first and second mount flaps for removably connecting the first mount flap to the second mount flap.