Packaging shell with hinged bottom wall

Claim 2

A package for an article having a peripheral edge in any desired shape, said package comprising a shell formed from a film and including a recess formed in one face of said shell for receiving the article therein, said recess including a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls and having a depth of at least equal to the greatest thickness of the article to be received therein, at least a portion of an opposite pair of said side walls forming an angle less than 90° with said bottom wall whereby said portion retains the article in said recess, a hinge line extending throughout said shell and being formed in said bottom wall between said pair of said side walls, said bottom wall being bendable about said hinge line to a position wherein said pair of side walls are spaced apart a distance such that said article can be inserted into said recess.

Claim 3

A package according to claim 1, characterized in that the said portion of the walls of the recess is formed by substantially vertical ribs which are inclined upwardly and inwardly to the walls themselves.

Claim 4

A package according to claim 2 characterized in that the side walls of the recess on which the ribs are formed are themselves inclined to the bottom wall at an angle of 90°.

Claim 5

A package according to claim 1 characterized in that said shell is formed with outer walls, the bottom wall of the recess being at a higher level than the lower edges of the outer walls of the shell.

Claim 6

A package according to claim 1, characterized in that the package has a rectangular exterior shape and the hinge line extends along the long axis of symmetry of the rectangle.

Claim 7

A package according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess is a rectangular shape including short side walls and the hinge line is parallel to the short side walls of the rectangular recess, at least a portion of said short side walls being inclined to the bottom of the recess at an angle which is smaller than 90°.

Claim 8

A package according to claim 6 having a rectangular exterior shape, characterized in that the hinge line extends along the short axis of symmetry of the rectangular package.

Claim 9

A package according to claim 6, characterized in that the short side walls of the recess are of buckled shape, the part of each short side wall adjacent to the bottom wall of the recess being inclined to the bottom wall at an angle which is smaller than 90°.

Claim 10

A package according to claim 8, characterized in that the height of the said part of each short wall is approximately 2/3 of the overall height of the short side wall.

Claim 11

A package according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper part of each short wall above the buckled line is inclined to the bottom at an angle which is larger than 90°.

Claim 12

A package according to claim 6, characterized in that the said portion of the short side walls of the recess which are inclined to the bottom at an angle which is smaller than 90° have ribs formed therein which extend in height in the direction of said short walls and are parallel to said short walls.

Claim 13

A package for an article having a peripheral edge in any desired shape including an axis of symmetry, said package comprising a shell formed from a film and including a recess formed in one face of said shell for receiving the article therein, said recess having an axis of symmetry coincidental with the axis of symmetry of said article when said article is received in said recess, said recess being formed with a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, said sidewalls having a depth at least equal to the greatest thickness of the article to be received therein, at least a portion of said sidewalls on opposite sides of said axis of symmetry of said recess forming an angle of less than 90° with said bottom wall whereby said portions of said sidewalls retain the article in said recess, a hinge line extending throughout said shell and being formed in said recess and being generally coincident with the axis of symmetry of said recess, said bottom wall being bendable about said hinge line to a position wherein said portion of said sidewalls are spaced apart such that said article can be inserted into said recess.

Claim 14

A package for an article having a peripheral edge in any desired shape including an axis of symmetry, said package comprising a shell formed from a film and including a recess formed in one face of said shell for receiving the article therein, said recess having an axis of symmetry coincidental with the axis of symmetry of said article when said article is received in said recess, said recess being formed with a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, said sidewalls having a depth at least equal to the greatest thickness of the article to be received therein, at least a portion of said sidewalls on opposite sides of said axis of symmetry of said recess forming an angle of less than 90° with said bottom wall whereby said portions of said sidewalls retain the article in said recess, a hinge line extending throughout said shell and being formed in said recess and being generally coincident with the axis of symmetry of said recess, said bottom wall being bendable about said hinge line to a position wherein said portion of said sidewalls are spaced apart such that said article can be inserted into said recess.