Reverse blister ground calcium carbonates packaging and method of making same

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an environmentally friendly “reverse blister” style packaging article that contains a ground calcium carbonate-containing composite structure. The packaging article has a front card having a substantially flat front region and an opening formed therethough. The opening is at least partially covered by a layer of transparent material. The packaging article also has a back card that has a substantially flat back region and a recessed compartment that is capable of holding the retail product therein. The front and back cards are adhered to one another such that a product being held in the recessed compartment is visible through the layer of transparent material that at least partially covers the opening in the front card. The ground calcium carbonate composite structure can be flexible and pliable to impart enhanced performance characteristics as well as improved look and feel to the “reverse blister” style packaging article.

1 . A packaging article capable of holding a retail product, the article comprising:
 (a) a front card comprising a substantially flat front portion having an opening formed therethrough;   (b) a layer of transparent material at least partially covering the opening; and   (c) a back card comprising a substantially flat back portion and a recessed compartment portion that is capable of holding the retail product therein;
 wherein at least one of the front and back cards are made from a composite structure containing ground calcium carbonate, and wherein the back card and front card are adhered to one another such that retail product held in the recessed compartment portion is visible through the layer of transparent material. 
   
   
   
       2 . The packaging article according to  claim 1  wherein the composite structure is a pliable composite structure comprising a ground calcium carbonate-containing layer covering a base layer. 
   
   
       3 . The packaging article according to  claim 2  wherein both the front card and back card are formed from the pliable composite structure. 
   
   
       4 . The packaging article according to  claim 2  wherein the back card is formed from the pliable composite structure, and wherein the recessed compartment portion is formed by at least one of vacuum forming and thermo-forming of the pliable composite structure. 
   
   
       5 . The packaging article according to  claim 2  wherein the base layer of the pliable composite structure comprises at least one of cellulosic fibers, chemical pulps, thermochemical pulps, natural starch-based foams, plastic, paper, paperboard, felt, non-woven mats, kraft linerboard and fiberboard. 
   
   
       6 . The packaging article according to  claim 2  wherein the ground calcium carbonate-containing layer of the pliable composite structure is of a thickness in the range of from about 2 to about 30 mils. 
   
   
       7 . The packaging article according to  claim 1  wherein the composite structure containing the ground calcium carbonate is a corrugated structure. 
   
   
       8 . The packaging article according to  claim 1  wherein one or more of the front and back cards contain printing thereon. 
   
   
       9 . A method of making a packaging article to hold a retail product, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a front card and a back card, wherein at least one of the front card and back card comprises a composite structure containing ground calcium carbonate;   (b) forming an opening in the front card and providing a transparent layer to at least partially cover the opening;   (c) shaping the back card to form a recessed compartment therein capable of holding the retail product; and   (d) adhering the front card and back card to one another;
 wherein the product held in the recessed compartment is visible through the transparent layer at least partially covering the opening in the front card. 
   
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein step (a) comprises providing front and back cards wherein at least one of the cards is formed from a pliable composite structure comprising a ground calcium carbonate-containing layer covering a base layer. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein step (a) comprises providing both front and back cards that are formed from the pliable composite structure. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein step (a) comprises providing a back card that is formed from the pliable composite structure, and wherein (c) comprises shaping the back card to form the recessed compartment portion by at least one of vacuum forming and thermo-forming of the pliable composite structure. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein step (a) comprises providing at least one of the front and back cards from a pliable composite structure having a base layer that comprises at least one of cellulosic fibers, chemical pulps, thermochemical pulps, natural starch-based foams, plastic, paper, paperboard, felt, non-woven mats, kraft linerboard and fiberboard. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein step (a) comprises providing a ground calcium carbonate-containing layer that is of a thickness in the range of from about 2 to about 30 mils. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein step (a) comprises providing front and back cards which are made from a composite structure containing ground calcium carbonate that is a corrugated structure. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein step (a) comprises providing printing on one or more of the front and back cards. 
   
   
       17 . A method of displaying a product for retail, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a packaging article comprising:
 (i) a front card comprising a substantially flat front portion having an opening formed therethrough; 
 (ii) a layer of transparent material at least partially covering the opening; and 
 (iii) a back card comprising a substantially flat back portion and a recessed compartment portion that is capable of holding the retail product therein, the back card being adhered to the front card;
 wherein at least one of the front and back cards are made from a composite structure containing ground calcium carbonate, and wherein the retail product held in the recessed compartment portion of the back card is visible through the layer of transparent material at least partially covering the opening in the front card; 
 
   (b) placing the product within the packaging article; and   (c) displaying the packaging article.   
   
   
       18 . The method of displaying an article for retail according to  claim 17  wherein step (a) comprises providing a packaging article comprising a composite structure that is a pliable composite structure comprising a ground calcium carbonate-containing layer covering a base layer. 
   
   
       19 . The method of displaying an article for retail according to  claim 18  wherein step (a) comprises providing a packaging article having both the front card and the back card formed from the pliable composite structure. 
   
   
       20 . The method of displaying an article for retail according to  claim 18 , wherein step (a) comprises providing a packaging article having a back card formed from the pliable composite structure, and wherein the recessed compartment portion is formed by at least one of vacuum forming and thermo-forming of the pliable composite structure.