Reclosable Door-Latching Package

Abstract

A reclosable package having a blister with an outer wall defining an article-holding cavity in communication with a cavity opening that includes a door attached by a hinge and configured to seat in the opening with engagement between the door and a cavity-opening defining side or edge helping keep the door closed. In one embodiment, the door includes an indented portion that frictionally engages at least one and preferably a plurality of cavity-opening defining side when closed. Such an indented portion can include an undercut that underlies part of the adjacent cavity-opening defining side when the door is closed having an interference fit therebetween that can be a snap fit. The package can also be configured to provide releasable engagement between part of the door and part of the blister outer wall when the door is closed that can be in the form of a bar snap.

1 . A reclosable package comprising:
 a package body having a blister defining an article holding cavity comprised of an outer wall and an endwall having a cavity opening therethrough;   a door that operably cooperates with the blister; and   wherein the door and blister comprise a reclosable latching arrangement that releasably retains the door when the door is disposed in a closed position and that allows the door to be opened permitting access to the cavity opening.   
     
     
         2 . The reclosable package of  claim 1  wherein the reclosable latching arrangement comprises a first latching arrangement configured to provide releasable engagement between the blister endwall and the door and a second latching arrangement configured to provide releasable engagement between the blister outer wall and the door. 
     
     
         3 . The reclosable package of  claim 2  wherein the first latching arrangement is configured to provide releasable engagement between part of the door and a cavity opening-defining side of the blister endwall. 
     
     
         4 . The reclosable package of  claim 3  wherein the first latching arrangement comprises at least one outwardly extending portion of the door that is received in the cavity when the door is closed engaging at least a portion of the cavity opening-defining side. 
     
     
         5 . The reclosable package of  claim 4  wherein the first latching arrangement comprises an indented portion formed in the door that seats in the cavity opening when the door is closed frictionally engaging with the blister endwall along a plurality of cavity sides. 
     
     
         6 . The reclosable package of  claim 5  wherein the at least one outwardly extending portion of the door comprises an outwardly extending rib that is disposed in the cavity and bears against part of the cavity opening-defining side when the door is closed. 
     
     
         7 . The reclosable package of  claim 6  wherein the package body comprises the door attached to the blister by a hinge and the pocket formed in the endwall is formed along a portion of the cavity-opening defining side disposed adjacent the hinge. 
     
     
         8 . The reclosable package of  claim 7  wherein each cavity opening-defining side comprises a cavity-opening defining edge. 
     
     
         9 . The reclosable package of  claim 5  wherein the cavity-opening is a generally rectangular cavity opening having a pair of cavity opening defining sides, a cavity opening defining top and a cavity opening defining bottom, and wherein the indented portion is configured to engage one of the cavity opening defining top and bottom. 
     
     
         10 . The reclosable package of  claim 9  wherein the indented portion further comprises an undercut. 
     
     
         11 . The reclosable package of  claim 10  wherein the undercut produces a snap fit with a corresponding one of the cavity opening defining sides. 
     
     
         12 . The reclosable package of  claim 10  wherein the undercut projects outwardly from the indented portion along a portion of the corresponding cavity opening defining side with which it engages when the door is closed. 
     
     
         13 . The reclosable package of  claim 10  wherein the undercut extends along one side of the indented portion and the indented portion has another side configured to at least frictionally engage the cavity opening defining side opposite the cavity opening defining side engaged by the undercut. 
     
     
         14 . The reclosable package of  claim 2  wherein the second latching arrangement comprises a rib formed in one of the door and outer wall that is received in a channel formed in the other one of the door and blister outer wall. 
     
     
         15 . The reclosable package of  claim 14  wherein the second latching arrangement comprises a bar snap. 
     
     
         16 . The reclosable package of  claim 15  wherein the bar snap extends generally transversely relative to the blister. 
     
     
         17 . A reclosable package comprising:
 a package body comprised of a blister defining an article holding cavity comprised of an outer wall and an end wall having a cavity opening therethrough and a door joined by a hinge that is movable between a closed position covering the cavity opening and an open position allowing access to the cavity opening, the door having an endwall and a pair of sidewalls; and   wherein the door and blister comprise a reclosable latching arrangement that releasably retains the door when the door is disposed in a closed position, the reclosable latching arrangement comprising a first latching arrangement configured to provide releasable engagement between the door and at least one cavity opening defining edge formed in the blister end wall, and a second latching arrangement configured provide releasable engagement between the door and the outer wall of the blister.   
     
     
         18 . The reclosable package of  claim 17  wherein the first latching arrangement comprises an outwardly extending portion of one of the door that is received in a cavity opening formed in the blister end wall. 
     
     
         19 . The reclosable package of  claim 18  wherein the outwardly extending portion comprises an upraised portion of the door, the cavity opening comprises a generally rectangular opening having a pair of opposed side cavity opening defining edges, a top or outer cavity opening defining edge, and a bottom or inner cavity opening defining edge, and wherein the upraised portion of the door is configured to engage a plurality of cavity opening defining edges when the door is closed. 
     
     
         20 . The reclosable package of  claim 19  wherein the first latching arrangement comprises a cavity opening-defining edge engaging portion of the door that engages a cavity opening defining edge formed in the blister endwall. 
     
     
         21 . The reclosable package of  claim 20  wherein the upraised portion of the door is generally rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         22 . The reclosable package of  claim 21  wherein the generally rectangular shaped upraised portion further comprises an undercut projecting outwardly therefrom that produces snap fit engagement with a corresponding cavity opening defining edge when the door is closed. 
     
     
         23 . The reclosable package of  claim 18  wherein the second latching arrangement comprises a rib formed in one of the door and blister outer wall and a rib-receiving recess formed in the other one of the door and blister outer wall. 
     
     
         24 . The reclosable package of  claim 23  wherein the rib and channel are configured to provide a snap fit therebetween when the door is closed. 
     
     
         25 . A reclosable package comprising:
 a package body having a blister defining an article holding cavity comprised of a pair of sidewall panels, an outer wall panel, and an endwall having a cavity opening therethrough;   a door joined by a hinge that is movable between a closed position covering the cavity opening and an open position allowing access to the cavity opening, the door having an endwall and a pair of sidewalls; and   wherein the door and blister comprise a reclosable latching arrangement that releasably retains the door when the door is disposed in a closed position, the reclosable latching arrangement comprising a first latching arrangement that includes a cavity opening-defining edge engaging portion of the door that releasably engages a cavity opening defining edge formed in the blister endwall when the door is closed and a second latching arrangement that includes a blister engaging portion of the door that releasably engages part of the blister spaced from the cavity opening when the door is closed that comprises a rib that is releasably received in a recess when the door is closed.   
     
     
         26 . The reclosable package of  claim 25  wherein the rib is formed in the door and the recess comprises a channel formed in the outer wall panel of the package blister. 
     
     
         27 . The reclosable package of  claim 26  wherein the rib and channel are configured to provide a snap fit therebetween when the door is closed. 
     
     
         28 . The reclosable package of  claim 25  wherein the cavity opening-defining edge engaging portion of the door comprises an indented portion having an undercut that projects outwardly therefrom that engages a corresponding cavity opening-defining edge when the door is closed.