Combination package and sleeve support means

Claim 1

A package comprising a pair of non-metallic containers placed in face-to-face juxtaposition, each container housing an expandable food bag in a non-expanded, stored condition, said bag capable of being in an expanded condition having a substantially increased volume, each of said containers including: a base portion having a bottom support panel of regular polygonal shape, upwardly and outwardly extending side panels with a side panel connected to each edge of said polygonally shaped bottom support panel, each one of said side panels being connected to the adjacent one thereof to form with said bottom support panel a bowl containing an expandable food bag in store condition, and an integral cover enclosing and storing an expandable food bag in each of said bowls and providing additional side support for the bag when opened and the bag is expanded, the containers being positioned such that the covers of each of said containers is placed in face-to-face contact one upon the other, and a binder sleeve for holding the pair of said containers together as a unitized package in front-to-front juxtaposition and for supporting at least one of said containers above a plane surface when said containers are separated, said sleeve including: a tube formed from an endless paperboard strip disposed around said containers holding said containers together; the tube having a pair of opposed undulating edges and a perforated score line bisecting the strip positioned equidistant from said undulating edges, an undulating edge of said strip providing a raised seat for one of said containers, when separated, above a plane surface when said strip is separated along said score line and supported on the edge formed by said perforated score line; said endless paperboard strip including a plurality of panels joined to each other along common score lines and defined by the opposing undulating edges; some of said paperboard strip panels in said tube being in the shape of a regular polygon complemental to the shape of said bottom support panels of said containers whereas others of said paperboard strip panels being in the shape of said side panels.