Display package for a combination fishing rod and reel assembly

Claim 1

A display package for a combination fishing rod and reel assembly, comprising: (a) a back support member; (b) a front member formed of transparent material and adapted to be secured to said back member to form a closed package; (c) said back member having a U-shaped groove extending across the surface thereof to reinforce said back member and to receive therein a mid-portion of the rod to which the reel is mounted; (d) a reinforcing rib formed in said back member transverse to said U-shaped groove to restrain tearing of said back member, whereby unauthorized access to the reel through said back member, by tearing, is prevented by the combined reinforcing action of said U-shaped groove and said reinforcing rib; (e) said front member defining a cavity substantially conforming to the reel and adapted to receive the reel therein; and (f) said package when closed being adapted to surround and closely conform both to the reel and to said mid-portion of the rod; the opposite ends of said U-shaped groove cooperating with said front member, and when said package is closed, to define opposed openings in said package through which the rod extends to provide a pilfer-proof display package.