Environmental rigid blister package

Abstract

Rigid blister packages contain at least one rigid transparent plastic blister protruding outwardly from a relatively flat base on one or two sides. The blister confines and protects an article or articles, while permitting the article(s) to be viewed. The package is environmentally friendly and attractive through incorporation of a relatively thick stiffener or equivalent captured between the two paperboard sheets that provide the outer surfaces of the package. The stiffener occupies a smaller portion of the surface area covered by each paperboard sheet to produce a bulge or puffiness in the surface of at least one of the paperboard sheets to give the base of the package an appearance and feel of strength

1 . A rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article comprising:
 a base; and   a compartment for confining an article supported on said base, said compartment protruding from a first side of said base, said compartment having at least a transparent wall to permit a view into the interior to observe any article confined in said compartment;   said first side of said base including a flat surface portion and a raised surface portion, said flat surface portion located contiguous to and extending along the peripheral edge of said base and said raised surface portion surrounding said compartment and extending to said flat surface portion.   
   
   
       2 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said base comprises a first layer of paperboard on the top side of said base and a second layer of paperboard on the bottom side of said base, said first layer including an opening for permitting said compartment to protrude there through; and
 wherein said compartment includes an open end and a flange portion, said flange portion extending outwardly of and about said open end, said open end being positioned facing an upper side of said second layer of paperboard to close said compartment, and said flange portion positioned surrounding said opening in and being in abutment with the underside of said first layer of paperboard.   
   
   
       3 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said compartment comprises a transparent plastic material, and further comprising a debossment located in said raised surface portion of said first side of said base. 
   
   
       4 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said flange portion of said compartment comprises a wide flange, said wide flange including raised channels of a predetermined height and length about the surface of said wide flange, said raised channels being positioned in abutment with and raising said underside surface of an adjacent portion of said first paperboard layer to produce said raised surface portion in said top surface of said base, said raised channels being of a height that is greater than the thickness of said first paperboard layer. 
   
   
       5 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 2 , further comprising a sheet of corrugated cardboard, said sheet including an opening of a size and geometry to receive said flange portion and said open end of said compartment, said sheet being positioned between said first and second layers of paperboard material and being of a thickness that is greater than the thickness of said first layer of paperboard material and of a thickness and geometry to produce and define said raised surface portion of said base. 
   
   
       6 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 2 , further comprising a sheet of chipboard, said sheet including an opening of a size and geometry to receive said flange portion and said open end of said compartment, said sheet being positioned between said first and second layers of paperboard material and being of a thickness and geometry to produce and define said raised surface portion of said base. 
   
   
       7 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising an adhesive on said upper side of said second paperboard layer, said adhesive for attaching paperboard to paperboard and paperboard to plastic, but not for attaching paperboard to cardboard; and an adhesive on said underside of said first paperboard layer, said adhesive for attaching paperboard to paperboard and paperboard to plastic, but not for attaching paperboard to cardboard. 
   
   
       8 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said compartment comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid and clarified styrene. 
   
   
       9 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said base includes a hanger slot located at one end for mounting the package to a rack hanger rod hanger rod. 
   
   
       10 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising an adhesive on said upper side of said second paperboard layer, said adhesive for attaching paperboard to paperboard and paperboard to plastic, but not for attaching paperboard to cardboard or to chipboard; and an adhesive on said underside of said first paperboard layer, said adhesive for attaching paperboard to paperboard and paperboard to plastic, but not for attaching paperboard to cardboard or to chipboard. 
   
   
       11 . A rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article comprising:
 a base; and   a plurality of compartments supported by said base for confining components of articles, some of said compartments protruding from a first side of said base and some of said compartments protruding from a second opposite side of said base, said compartments being transparent to provide a view into the respective compartment interiors to observe any articles or components of an article confined therein;   said first side of said base including a flat surface portion and a bulging surface portion, said flat surface portion located contiguous and extending along the peripheral edge of said base and said bulging portion surrounding said compartments and extending to said flat surface portion.   
   
   
       12 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said base comprises a first layer of paperboard on the top side of said base and a second layer of paperboard on the bottom side of said base, said first layer including openings to permit some of said compartments to protrude there through and said second layer including openings to permit the remainder of said compartments to protrude there through; and
 wherein each of said plurality of compartments includes an open end and a rim portion, said rim portion extending outwardly of and about said open end, said open end of some of said plurality of compartments being positioned facing an upper side of said second layer of paperboard to close said compartments and said rim portions associated therewith being positioned surrounding said respective openings in and being in abutment with the underside of said first layer of paperboard; and said open end of the remainder of said plurality of compartments being positioned facing an under side of said first layer of paperboard to close said respective compartments and said rim portions associated therewith positioned surrounding said respective openings in and being in abutment with the upper side of said first layer of paperboard.   
   
   
       13 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said base includes at least one hanger slot located at one end of said base for mounting the package to a rack hanger rod. 
   
   
       14 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising: a sheet of corrugated cardboard, said sheet including a plurality of openings, each said opening being of a size and geometry to receive said flange portion and said open end of a respective one of said plurality of compartments, said sheet being positioned between said first and second layers of paperboard material and being of a thickness and geometry to produce and define said bulging surface portion of said base. 
   
   
       15 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising: a sheet of chipboard, said sheet including a plurality of openings, each said opening being of a size and geometry to receive said rim portion and open end of a respective one of said plurality of compartments, said sheet being positioned between said first and second layers of paperboard material and being of a thickness and geometry to produce and define said bulging surface portion of said base. 
   
   
       16 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said compartment comprises a transparent plastic material. 
   
   
       17 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said compartment comprises a transparent plastic material. 
   
   
       18 . The rigid blister package for protecting and displaying an article as defined in  claim 14 , further comprising an adhesive on said upper side of said second paperboard layer, said adhesive for attaching paperboard to paperboard and paperboard to plastic, but not for attaching paperboard to cardboard or chipboard; and an adhesive on said underside of said first paperboard layer, said adhesive for attaching paperboard to paperboard and paperboard to plastic, but not for attaching paperboard to cardboard or chipboard. 
   
   
       19 . A blister package for confining and displaying product, comprising:
 a base, said base including at least two layers of paperboard material defining first and second surfaces;   a compartment for holding an article, said compartment comprising a thin plastic material defining a hollow bubble-like shape of predetermined volume in which to receive said article, said compartment being anchored in and protruding out of said base, said plastic material of said compartment being transparent and providing a view from the exterior to the interior of said compartment;   at least one of said first and second surfaces of said base including a raised portion and a flat portion, said raised portion being recessed behind the peripheral edge of said base and said flat portion occupying at least the surface region between said peripheral edge and said raised portion and a narrow region bordering said compartment.   
   
   
       20 . The blister package for confining and displaying product, as defined in  claim 19 ,
 wherein said compartment includes an open base end and in which said open base end is bordered by an outwardly extending flange:   wherein said base comprises top and bottom layers of heavy paper respectively defining said top and bottom surfaces of said base;   said top layer of heavy paper includes an opening there through of size sufficient to fit said compartment therethrough but insufficient in size to fit said outwardly extending rim therethrough;   wherein base includes a planar sheet of chipboard or corrugated cardboard, said sheet being of a predetermined thickness and stiffness that is greater than the thickness and stiffness of said paperboard material and said planar sheet containing an opening there through sufficient in size to seat said rim of said compartment and said open end;   said opening in said planar sheet being aligned with and overlying said opening in said top layer of heavy paper;   said compartment being positioned with said open end abutting said bottom layer of heavy paper and with said upper portion projecting through said opening in said planar sheet of chipboard or corrugated cardboard and through said opening in said top layer of heavy paper and said flange to said compartment abutting said top layer of heavy paper;   
   
   
       21 . The blister package for confining and displaying product as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising: an adhesive coating on the bottom side of said top layer of heavy paperboard and the top side of said bottom layer of heavy paperboard, said adhesive for adhering paperboard to plastic and paperboard to paperboard, but not for adhering paperboard to cardboard or chip board, wherein said layers of heavy paperboard are attached along said flat portion of said base and are each attached to a opposite abutting sides of said flange, capturing said planar sheet there between to produce a bulge in at least said upper surface of said base, but leaving said planar sheet unattached. 
   
   
       22 . The bubble package for confining and displaying product as defined in  claim 21 , further comprising a hanger slot, said hanger slot located at an upper end of said package to enable said package to be mounted to a rack rod. 
   
   
       23 . The blister package for confining and displaying product as defined in  claim 19 , further comprising printed and graphic matter located on each of said top and bottom surface of said base. 
   
   
       24 . The blister package as defined in  claim 19  wherein said raised portion of a surface includes an embossment. 
   
   
       25 . The blister package as defined in  claim 20  wherein said raised portion of a surface includes any of a embossment or debossment.