EP0751903A1 - Combined packaging and plaything with lollipop - Google Patents

Abstract

A lollipop head 10 is accommodated in a package comprising a unitary plastics box 12 in the form of a cube provided with retaining formations, some male, some female, whereby the box may be snap-fitted to other similar boxes and may thus form a respective part of a constructional toy. The lollipop head may incorporate a telescopically extensible and retractable stick so that, the stick can be almost fully retracted into the head, so that the product, as supplied, can have a substantially rectangular envelope. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Combined packaging and plaything"

THIS INVENTION relates to a combined packaging and plaything, more particularly a packaging for a sweet or lollipop.

According to the invention there is provided a combined package device and plaything comprising a unitary box having, on different sides thereof, complementary retaining formations such that the box may be releasably connected in face-to-face relationship with an identical box by interengagement of complementary said retaining formations on the two boxes and whereby an indefinite number of such identical boxes may be fitted after the fashion of building blocks or bricks.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a package comprising a box in accordance with the first mentioned aspect of the invention containing a sweet, such as the head of a lollipop.

An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

FIGURES 1 and 3 are diagrammatic perspective views, from above and below respectively, of a combined toy and packaging item embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the device used as packaging for the head of a lollipop, FIGURE 4 illustrates how a number of identical such devices may be fitted together to form a mosaic, and

FIGURE 5 illustrates the fitting together of a plurality of such packaging items to form a three dimensional structure (use of the device as a constructional toy) .

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is intended as a packaging or protective covering for the spherical head 10 of a lollipop. The packaging item takes the form of a box, in the form of a cube, the box being open at one end for insertion of or removal of the lollipop head 10, the open end of the box being shown uppermost in Figure 3. The box is preferably formed as a unitary moulding in an appropriate synthetic plastics material. As shown in Figure 2, when the lollipop head 10 is fitted in the box, the lollipop stick projects upwardly through the open side of the box. It is envisaged that a conventional outer wrapping (not shown) will be applied over the lollipop head and wrapped around the lollipop stem in the usual way, before the lollipop head is inserted in the box. The box may be so configured that the lollipop head is, effectively, a "snap-fit" within the box so that a positive effort is required to withdraw the lollipop from the box.

On each side of the cubic box, the latter is provided with retaining formations 14, 16, indicated only schematically in the figures. The retaining formations are such that the box 12 may be fitted to an identical box with any of a plurality of sides of one box mating with any of a plurality of sides of the other box, the two boxes being held together by resilient snap-engagement of complementary formations 14, 16, on the two boxes. By the same token, a larger number of such boxes may be fitted together face-to- face and end-to-end, after the manner of building bricks to afford any desired configuration, so that a collection of such boxes 12 may be used as a constructional toy. Thus, a three-dimensional construction such as shown in Figure 5 may be formed, or, as illustrated in Figure 4, a two- dimensional array or mosaic of interfitted boxes 12 may be formed.

By way of example only, each box 12 may have on three faces thereof, male retaining formations 14 and, on each of the other three faces, female retaining formations 16. In the arrangement illustrated, the male retaining formations 14 take the form of generally triangular studs projecting from the respective faces of the box 12 at the corners thereof, whilst the female retaining formations take the form of complementary rectangular apertures at the corners of each of the remaining three faces. As shown in Figure 3, on the open side of the box, the retaining formations 14 occupy the corner regions of the respective face of the box leaving a generally octagonal opening through which the lollipop head 10 may be inserted or removed.

If desired, a rectangular closure plate (not shown) with a central aperture to receive the lollipop stick, may be fitted over the open end of the box, such a square plate having, for example, retaining formations complementary with and engaged with those round the open side of the box.

It will be appreciated that any other convenient forms of complementary retaining formations may be provided and that these need not be disposed at the corners of the respective faces, although, as regards the open side of the box, the retaining formations must necessary be disposed somewhere around the edge of the respective "face". Furthermore, instead of the box having three faces with male retaining formations and the other three with female retaining formations, if desired, one or more faces may be entirely without retaining formations, or each face may have two male and two female formations, for example, so that any face of one box 12 may be fitted to any other face of an identical box 12 in either of two positions.

The containers 12 are preferably moulded in brightly coloured plastics, in a variety of colours, so that a child can assemble a collection of boxes of different colours, whereby the attractiveness of such a collection as a plaything, for example, to form a mosaic, as shown in Figure 4 or other construction (Figure 5) is enhanced. Likewise, the various faces of the box may be patterned or printed as desired, for example, may be printed or otherwise marked with letters of the alphabet so that a child may use the boxes to spell out a name or message. Alternatively, the boxes may have faces printed or otherwise marked with fragments of a larger message or picture, so that a child may aspire to collect a complete set of such boxes which will fit together as a mosaic or "jigsaw" to complete a picture or message.

For vending display purposes, the boxes 12, with their lollipop heads, and with the lollipop sticks projecting upwardly, may be plugged together, in much the same way as in the "mosaic" arrangement of Figure 4, to form a composite block from which the requisite number of box 12/lollipop packages may be detached when a purchase is made.

In a variant, not shown, the lollipop stick may be extensible, for example comprising a plurality of co-axial tubular sections of plastics or metal, for instance, so that the lollipop may be packed in its box 12, with the stick telescopically retracted so as to project only very slightly or not at all from the lollipop head. This arrangement simplifies packing since the product then has a substantially rectangular "envelope", and allows, if desired, the box 12, and the lollipop with retracted telescopic stick, to be packed in an outer rectangular box, or in an outer wrapping to form a block-shaped package. To assist in extension of the lollipop stick, the end of the stick section which will be outermost when extended may have a pull tab of thin string or plastics foil attached thereto, which can be pulled to extend the stick. In one arrangement such a pull tab may also form a tear-strip for an outer packaging layer for the product, the free end of the tear-strip taking the form of a manually accessible pull tab on the exterior of such outer packaging so that the purchaser may remove the outer packaging and extend the lollipop stick in one single action. The box 12 also forms a convenient container for the head of a half-consumed lollipop, for example when a child has become tired of sucking the lollipop and wishes to put it aside for the time being. The box 12 around the lollipop head thus protects, for example, clothing or furniture from coming into contact with the sticky surface of the lollipop head.

It is envisaged that the complete package, comprising the lollipop 10 within the protective box 12, might be retailed under an attractive name such as "PLOPPY".

Claims

1. A combined package device and plaything comprising a unitary box having, on different sides thereof, complementary retaining formations such that the box may be releasably connected in face-to-face relationship with an identical box by interengagement of complementary said retaining formations on the two boxes and whereby an indefinite number of such identical boxes may be fitted after the fashion of building blocks or bricks.

2. A package comprising a box in accordance with claim 1 containing a sweet, such as the head of a lollipop.

3. A package according to claim 2 wherein said sweet comprises a lollipop head having an extensible stick accommodated therein.

4. A package according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.