WO2012130529A1

WO2012130529A1 - Package

Info

Publication number: WO2012130529A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/052772
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Gallagher
Original assignee: Unilever Plc; Unilever N.V.; Hindustan Unilever Limited
Priority date: 2011-03-31
Filing date: 2012-02-17
Publication date: 2012-10-04

Abstract

A package (1) for displaying on a shelf characterized in that the package comprises at least one thumb- shaped recess (3). The recess is preferably thumb-pad shaped and is comprised in a body/reservoir portion of the package.

Description

PACKAGE

The present invention relates to package for products to be removed individually at point of sale from shelving. More particularly but not exclusively the invention relates to package for concentrated products which have previously been marketed in a more dilute form.

Despite the prior art there remains a need for improved package. Accordingly, and in a first aspect, the present invention provides a package for displaying on a shelf, the package comprising at least one thumb-shaped recess.

As used herein, the term "thumb-shaped" is intended to mean a 3-dimensional shape corresponding with the human thumb.

As used herein, the term "thumb" is intended to mean the first digit of the human hand. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position (where the palm is stretched forward), the thumb is the lateral most digit. With this arrangement, the user is intuitively directed to placing the thumb into the recess, which then positions the hand in a way so that it improves the ability of the consumer to pick up the product. Surprisingly, the applicant has found that this not only enhances the user's ability to pick up the product, enhancing the ability of retail employees to handle the package conveniently and also makes the package more likely to be selected versus other packages.

The invention is especially advantageous for smaller packages containing concentrated compositions - and in particular for those compositions which have previously been sold in a more dilute form, and larger packages. Concentration can bring environmental advantages but there can be lack of belief in concentrated products and often this boils down to the fact the package is smaller. Those consumers who are, by inclination or by necessity, motivated by cost rather than environmental concerns, often instinctively prefer larger packages. The present invention increases the chances of selection of the smaller package for the consumer. Further, holding the package correctly can avoid dropping the package (and subsequent damage leading to leakage) - even a small spillage can be highly wasteful with concentrated products. Furthermore, concentrated packages can be unexpectedly heavy (due to increased density over similarly branded but dilute products), but devices used on large packages, such as straps and handles, do not fit well on compact packages. The present invention achieves better placement of the user's hand for handling small dense and unexpectedly heavy packages.

The package may contain a recess in one or more walls.

Preferably the package has a front wall (which may bear graphics for marketing, such that the package is marketed with front wall facing consumers e.g. on shelving whereby the front wall faces outward) wherein the front face comprises the recess. The package may have one side wall which bears instructions for use. Additionally or alternatively, this side wall comprises the recess. Post purchase use of the package may focus on the instructions for use, and so the product may be stored with the walls bearing instructions facing outward and it is therefore this wall which requires proper placement of the thumb. Preferably the recess is shaped to correspond with the pad of a human thumb. This feature has the advantage that is positions the hand with the remaining digits easily moved to a grasping position whereby the package is comfortably held between opposing forces of thumb pad (as opposed to the tip) and remaining digits. The recess preferably incorporates a pattern corresponding to a human thumb print.

The recess is concave and, in the case of thumb-pad shaped recesses, preferably these exclude overhang at any perimeter section. This restricts the recess to correspond with the pad part of the thumb, improves visual recognition of the recess as a position for the thumb pad and also prevents any restriction when the thumb during insertion into the recess. Preferably the thumb-pad shaped recess, when viewed face-on (in plan view) comprises a distal end portion, corresponding to the distal end of a thumb pad, and an opposing proximal end portion corresponding to the proximal part of a thumb pad. Preferably the recess is angled obliquely when viewed face-on. By oblique, it is meant the angle between the longitudinal axis of the recess and the plane of the base of the package, wherein the angle is less than 90 degrees and greater than 45 degrees. With oblique orientation in combination with relative location of the distal end portion, the user is directed to position the remaining digits of the hand toward an appropriate part of the package. Many bottles comprise an upper neck (on to which may be fitted a closure/spout) adjoining a shoulder which may present one or more level faces, one or more side walls contiguous with the shoulder and a base portion/wall which is/are contiguous with the side walls. The shoulder, side walls and base portion/wall may together define a body portion containing or corresponding to a reservoir for storing the product. Preferably the oblique orientation directs the user to position the remaining digits of the hand away from the neck/closure/spout portion i.e. on at least a portion of the side wall and/or shoulder. When the angle is greater than or equal to 45 degrees but less than or equal to 90 degrees, the remaining digits of the hand are directed on to a side wall and/or shoulder of the package. As the angle decreases below 45 degrees and the thumb pad is orientated increasingly laterally, and this can bring the first digit of the remaining digits of the hand toward the neck/closure which is undesirable.

It is especially advantageous that the thumb-shaped recess is located in the body/reservoir portion. It is further advantageous that the recess is located in the upper region of the body portion. This together with the orientation can achieve precision handling of the package and direct digits away from grasping the closure portion. This is extremely important for packaged concentrated products as if the closure has not been properly installed, and the package is grasped by the closure, the body / reservoir portion may fall away and concentrated product spilled - for concentrated product even a small spillage is big waste

environmentally.

Various non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the following figures in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a package according to one

embodiment of the present invention.

Package 1 comprises a bottle 1 containing a personal care composition (not shown) with the user's hand position indicated at 50. The bottle 1 comprises a closure 101 mounted on a upper neck portion 103 shoulders 105, front wall 107 bearing graphics etc and side walls generally indicated at 109 and base wall 1 1 1 lying generally in a plane indicated a X. The package 1 is marketed on shelving in a retail establishment, standing on the base wall 1 1 1 , with front wall 107 facing outward. One side wall bears instructions for use (not shown). A (human) thumb pad-shaped recess 3 located in an upper region of the front wall 107 of the bottle 1 .

In other embodiments not shown, the package contains a recess in one or more other walls.

The recess 3 is shaped to correspond with the pad of a human thumb. This feature has the advantage that is positions the hand with the remaining digits easily moved to a grasping position whereby the package is comfortably held between opposing forces of thumb pad (as opposed to the tip) and remaining digits.

The recess 3 incorporates a surface pattern 3c corresponding to a human thumb print.

The recess 3 is concave and excludes overhang at any perimeter 30 section. This restricts the recess 3 to correspond with the pad part of the thumb, improves visual recognition of the recess 3 as a position for the thumb pad and also prevents any restriction when the thumb during insertion into the recess 3.

Thumb-pad shaped recess, comprises a narrower (when viewed face on) distal end portion 3a, corresponding to the narrower distal end of a thumb pad, and an opposing wider proximal end portion 3b corresponding to the wider proximal part of a thumb pad. The shape of the recess together with the thumb print direct the user to orient thumb properly in the recess.

Preferably the recess 3 is angled obliquely when viewed face-on (as in figure 1 ). By oblique, it is meant the angle Z between the longitudinal axis Y of the recess and the plane X of the base of the package, wherein the angle Z is less than 90 degrees and greater than 45 degrees. With oblique orientation i.e. angle Z greater than or equal to 45 degrees but less than or equal to 90 degrees in combination with relative location of the distal end portion (upward relative to the proximal), the user is directed to position the remaining digits of the hand toward an appropriate part of the package i.e. away from the closure 103 portion and toward the side wall 109 and shoulder 103. As the angle decreases below 45 degrees and the thumb pad is orientated

increasingly laterally, and this can bring the first digit of the remaining digits of the hand toward the neck/closure which is undesirable. It is especially advantageous that the thumb-shaped recess 3 is located in the body / reservoir portion. This together with the orientation can achieve precision handling of the package and direct digits away from grasping the closure portion 101 . This is extremely important for packaged concentrated products as if the closure has not been properly installed, and the package is grasped by the closure, the body/reservoir portion may fall away and concentrated product spilled - for concentrated product even a small spillage is big waste environmentally.

The package 1 also has one side wall (not shown) which bears instructions for use. Additionally or alternatively, this side wall comprises a thumb pad-shaped recess (not shown here). Post purchase use of the package may focus on the instructions for use, and so the product may be stored with the walls bearing instructions facing outward and it is therefore this wall which requires proper placement of the thumb. It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

A package for displaying on a shelf characterised in that the package comprising at least one thumb-shaped recess.

A package according to claim 1 characterised in that the package comprising a recess in one or more walls.

A package according to any preceding claim, the package comprising a front wall characterised in that the front face comprises the recess.

A package according to any preceding claim, the package comprising at least one side wall which bears instructions for use, characterised in that the one or more of such side walls comprise a recess.

A package according to any preceding claim characterised in that the recess is shaped to correspond with the pad of a human thumb.

A package according to any preceding claim characterized in that the recess incorporates a pattern corresponding to a human thumb print.

A package according to any preceding claim characterized in that the recess is angled obliquely when viewed face-on.

A package according to any preceding claim characterized in that the recess angle is less than 90 degrees and greater than 45 degrees.

9. A package according to any preceding claim characterized in that the recess orientation directs the user to position the remaining digits of the hand toward an appropriate part of the package.

A package according to any preceding claim wherein the package comprises an upper neck and/or closure portion and an adjoining shoulder portion and/or side walls, and characterized in that the recess orientation in combination with relative location of the distal end portion being upward relative to the proximal portion, directs the user to position the remaining digits of the hand toward the side wall and /or shoulder portion and away from the closure portion.

A package according to any preceding claim wherein the package comprises a body or reservoir portion and characterized in that the thumb-shaped recess is located in the body/reservoir portion.

12. A package according to any preceding claim wherein the package comprises a body or reservoir portion and characterized in that the thumb-shaped recess is located in an upper part of the body/reservoir portion.