US3278011A - Display package - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1966 R, VIEMEISTER 3,278,011

DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed May 18, 1964 INVENTOR.

READ VIEMEISTER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,278,011 DISPLAY PACKAGE Read Viemeister, Yellow Springs, Ohio, assignor to Vernay Laboratories, Inc, Yellow Springs, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed May 18, 1964, Ser. No. 368,130 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-4514) This invention relates to a novel display package wherein a packaged article or articles may be suspended within the body of the package, and is visible from the exterior of the package to create an illusion that the packaged article is free from support by the package structure.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the packaging of small magnetically attractable items, chiefly toys and similar novelties. The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel display package having at least a portion of its body transparent to allow viewing of a magnetically attractable packaged article, and having a support at its top including a permanent magnet device which will attract the packaged article under normal conditions toward the top of the package, whereby the article appears to be suspended in an unknown way within the center of the package, free from support by its sides and bottom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display package of the aforementioned character, which may be simply constructed of inexpensive materials, and which preferably includes a tubular body portion having walls which are transparent, together with structure for mounting a permanent magnet at the top of the body portion of the package for attracting articles Within the body portion away from the sides and bottom thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a package in the form of a tubular body portion having a closed bottom and transparent side walls, together with a platform extending across the open top of the body portion and covered by a cap or similar cover member which cooperates with the platform to form a small chamber at the top of the package in which the permanent magnet member can be retained.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a display package in which the platform includes parts of semispherical shape, extending partially into the body poition of the package, and forming a support for a spherical permanent magnet member of somewhat less diameter than the semi-spherical part of the platform, whereby the spherical magnet member is free to orient itself to the proper polarity for attracting an article to be displayed within the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a package wherein the semi-sphenical part of the platform is constructed of thin non-magnetic material which presents a minimum of separation between the permanent magnet member and the article, and which presents minimum interference to the establishment of a magnetic field between the magnet member and the article.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the ac companying drawing and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a preferred form of display package constructed accord ing to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken through the package shown in FIG. 1, with the cap, platform, magnet, and packaged article in normal position; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the cooperation between the spherical permanent magnet member, the supporting platform, and the packaged article.

3,278,011 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 ice Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, the novel package includes a tubular body portion 10, preferably formed from transparent material such as a cellulose acetate or equivalent, and having a closed bottom 12 which may be formed by a flanged disc-like member welded or otherwise secured to the body member 10. The body portion 10 is open at its top, which includes a rolled inward rim 14. On this rim there is supported a platform 15, the periphery of which is of approximately the same diameter as the rolled rim portion 14, in order to rest upon such rim. The central part of the platform includes a depending portion 18, preferably of semi-spherical shape, or substantially such shape, such that with the platform in position the portion 18 extends somewhat into the body portion iii. The platform can conveniently be molded of material similar to that from which the present portion is constructed, and thus may also be transparent, although this is not essential. Also, the platform may conveniently either be formed as a continuous member or it may be discontinuous, such as being provided with one or more apertures therethrough.

The package is provided with a cover or lid 20 including a depending flange 21 which fits snugly around the upper end of the body portion 10, serving to cover the open end of the package, and to form with the platform 15 a cavity or chamber 22. In this chamber there is a permanent magnet member 25, preferably spherical in shape. This magnet member may be conveniently formed of a synthetic rubber material, or equivalent, containing ferrous particles which are magnetized by any suitable process, thus producing the spherical permanent magnet member which will exhibit north and south magnetic polarities, as indicated in FIG. 3. It should be understood that the permanent magnet member does not necessarily have to be of this form. However, in a preferred embodiment of the construction the spherical permanent magnet is employed and the depending central section 18 of the platform is formed to the generally semi-spherical shape of somewhat greater radius than the magnet member. This arrangement permits the magnet member to rotate easily in order to align itself in a position where the most effective magnetic circuit is established.

The article or articles to be packaged and displayed are indicated by the general reference numeral 30. In the example illustrated these articles are additional permanent magnet spheres, of different diameters, and form a novel and instructive toy for demonstrating the various properties of magnetic fields, and for performing various tricks. It should be understood, however, that the package is useful for enclosing and displaying any type of small article which is magnetically attractable. One purpose of the invention is to hold the article or articles 30 suspended beneath the platform 15, and visible through the body portion 10, such that when the package is held erect, the article appears to be suspended freely within the body portion, and is out of contact with the walls and bottom, in apparent defiance of the laws of gravity.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3, where the magnetic polarities are noted on the magnet member 25 within the chamber 22, and on one of the members 30, the mounting of the member 25 within the semi-spherical portion of the platform enables it to rotate with sufiicient ease that the pole, here the north pole, of the member 25 can be most effectively aligned. The thickness of the platform member 15, or at least the portion 18 thereof, is maintained at a minimum, and of course the platform member is constructed of material which offers minimum interference to the magnetic lines of force. Also, the external partial spherical surface presented by the bottom of the platform section 18 results in minimum surface contact between it and the supported article 30, and thus presents a minimum of interference to the optimum orientation between this article and the magnet member 25.

While the form of the apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display package for a magnetically attractable article, said package comprising a tubular body portion closed at its bottom and having an open top, said body portion having at least a section thereof transparent for viewing of the article contained therein, a cover removably mounted across said open top of said body portion, a thin non-magnetic supporting platform mounted beneath said cover and across said open top of said body portion and defining with said top a depending chamber separated from the remainder of the interior of said body portion, a permanent magnet member of predetermined shape contained in said chamber, said platform having a portion thereof formed to a generally corresponding shape to said magnet member to facilitate movement of said magnet member into a position of optimum alignment with a magnetically attractable article contained in said body portion to establish a magnetic circuit of optimum strength through said platform between said magnet member and the article for causing the article to be suspended against the undersurface of said platform and apparently free from support by said body portion.

2. In a display package as defined in claim 1, the combination wherein said permanent magnet member is of spherical shape, and said portion of said platform is formed to a generally semi-spherical shape of slightly greater radius than said spherical magnet member.

3. A display package as defined in claim 2, wherein said platform and said tubular body portion are constructed of transparent material, and wherein said platform is of minimum thickness and of a non-magnetic material to provide for attraction of the packaged article into close proximity with said magnet member and to establish an optimum magnetic circuit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,214,202 9/1940 Odell .Q 206-47 2,621,661 12/ 1952 Gaskin.

2,848,006 8/1958 Simpson.

3,127,011 3/1964 Weddle 20645 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,348,460 12/ 1963 France. 1,369,370 7/1964 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DISPLAY PACKAGE FOR A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE ARTICLE, SAID PACKAGE COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY PORTION CLOSED AT ITS BOTTOM AND HAVING AN OPEN TOP, SAID BODY PORTION HAVING AT LEAST A SECTION THEREOF TRANSPARENT FOR VIEWING OF THE ARTICLE CONTAINED THEREIN, A COVER REMOVABLY MOUNTED ACROSS SAID OPEN TOP OF SAID BODY PORTION, A THIN NON-MAGNETIC SUPPORTING PLATFORM MOUNTED BENEATH SAID COVER AND ACROSS SAID OPEN TOP OF SAID BODY PORTION AND DEFINING WITH SAID TOP A DEPENDING CHAMBER SEPARATED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY PORTION, A PERMANENT MAGNET MEMBER OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE CONTAINED IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID PLATFORM HAVING A PORTION THEREOF FORMED TO A GENERALLY CORRESPONDING SHAPE TO SAID MAGNET MEMBER TO FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF SAID MAGNET MEMBER INTO A POSITION OF OPTIMUM ALIGNMENET WITH A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE ARTICLE CONTAINED IN SAID BODY PORTION TO ESTABLISH A MAGNETIC CIRCUIT OF OPTIMUM STRENGTH THROUGH SAID PLATFORM BETWEEN SAID MAGNET MEMBER AND THE ARTICLE FOR CAUSING THE ARTICLE TO BE SUSPENDED AGAINST THE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID PLAFTFORM AND APPARENTLY FREE FROM SUPPORT BY SAID BODY PORTION.

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