GB2155440A

GB2155440A - A display package and method of assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2155440A
Application number: GB08406192A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Maunder
Original assignee: LOCKE SHIRLEY; MAUNDER BRIAN LAWRENCE
Current assignee: LOCKE SHIRLEY; MAUNDER BRIAN LAWRENCE
Priority date: 1984-03-09
Filing date: 1984-03-09
Publication date: 1985-09-25
Also published as: GB8406192D0

Abstract

A package especially suitable for displaying parasitic insects, e.g. the head louse, for visual examination comprises a card having two portions 31,32 joined by a fold line 33, and transparent members 50 to cover apertures 40,41 in each portion and enclose the specimen. Adhesive means secures the transparent members 50 and seals the package after insertion of the specimen. The transparent members 50 are formed of plastics strip material with a non-reflective surface and the card portions may be formed separately. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A display package and method of assembly This invention relates to a display package for specimens, e.g. biological specimens, geological specimens, and more especially for parasitic insects and a method of manufacture of such a display package.

In presenting a discussion of parasitic insects, for example, head lice (pediculis humanus capitis), it is necessary to illustrate of display the parasitic insect in question. Whilst this can be achieved by the use of pictorial illustrations or photographs, there is a considerable advantage in being able to display the insect itself. This particularly applies, for example, when health workers are being trained to identify head lice, and when health workers, perhaps visiting schools, are endeavouring to indicate to parents or teachers how to identify parasitic insects such as lice.

As part of the preparation of a health education presentation on the subject of the head louse, extensive inquiries were made to discover a suitable container means for displaying a head louse to facilitate its identification in these instructional situations. Despite inquiries, it was found that there was no display package available which suited the criteria of simple and economic assembly and dura bility of the package in general usuage, as opposed to the careful handling which can be demanded in scientific or medical laboratories.

In laboratory use, specimens of various kinds may be held in glass phials or microscope slides themselves having a cavity for the location of a specimen. Each of these articles is too frangible to be risked in the forum envisaged for the use of the packages sought.

The present invention seeks to provide a display package for a specimen which is simple and eco nomical to manufacture and which is durable and not prone to breakage in general use. It is further sought to provide a method of assembly therefor.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a display package for a specimen comprising a casing defining a window aperture therein, the casing accomodating at least one transparent member within the casing, and a cavity for-a specimen the casing being adapted to be sealed after insertion of the specimen wherein, in use, the specimen is viewed through said window aperture. Preferably there are two said transparent members which define said cavity therebetween.

The casing may be of regular geometric configu ration such as square or rectangular. It is possible for the casing to be formed of plastics material with a slot along one of its marginal edges for the insertion of the pair of transparent members. The specimen may be located between the transparent members, prior to their insertion in the casing.

Advantageously, the specimen is fixedly positioned relative to one of the transparent members.

An adhesive may be employed for this purpose, the adhesive being selected so as to avoid any detrimental effect on the specimen during or subsequent to the fixing thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the casing comprises a member formed from card having two portions joined by a fold-line, a window aperture in each of the said card portions, the fold-line being located such that when folded the two window apertures are in register. The fold-line may be scored. In the preferred embodiment the window apertures have the same dimensions and are positioned such that when the respective card portions are placed in overlapping juxtaposition the apertures are co-extensive and centred with respect to each other.In this embodiment, the pair of transparent members are of similar dimensions and-of sufficient size as to exceed the dimensions of said window apertures whilst being of lesser dimensions than the outer dimensions of said card portions, whereby when said transparent members are located between said card portions and centred with respect to said window apertures, a margin of each of the card portions extends outwardly of the periphery of the transparent members. It is a preferred feature, that at least one of said card portions carries adhesive means, said adhesive means following a path on said card portion which path extends around the window apertures. This path may be spaced from the aperture.This path may be arranged such that the adhesive means is located on that margin of the card portion which extends outwardly of the transparent members, whereby in the assembled package the adhesive means holds the card portions together and seals the marginal edges of the casing. Advantageously, the path also overlaps the periphery of the transparent members such that, in the assembled package, the adhesive means also fixedly locates the transparent members relative to the casing. Both card portions may be provided with a said path of adhesive means.

The transparent members may be formed from plastics material produced in strip form. The plastics material may be selected with regard to having a non-reflecting surface. It may be non-coloured or tinted.

The present invention also provides a display package as herein defined containing a parasitic insect fixedly located between the transparent members. More especially, but not exclusively, it provides such a package containing a head louse, the head louse having been treated prior to packaging. The treatment may include preserving the head louse in alcohol and then drying same in glycerine.

Other parasitic insects may be displayed in such packages.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a display package containing a specimen comprising the steps of: (a) providing a casing formed of card and having two card portions; (b) providing a window aperture in at least one of said card portions; (c) providing a transparent member which has peripheral dimensions in excess of the dimensions of said window aperture whilst being of lesser di mensions than the outer dimensions of said card portion with the said window aperture; (d) locating the said transparent member relative to the card portion with the window aperture such that the said transparent member is centred with respect to the window aperture of that card portion and a margin of card extends around the periphery of said transparent member;; (e) bringing the card portions together and securing the card portions together to seal the casing with the specimen in a cavity therein in a position to be viewed through the said transparent member.

The method may comprise providing two separate card portions. Both of these card portions may be provided with a window aperture and these apertures may be co-extensive and in register in the assembled display package. In such a display package, each window aperture will be provided with a transparent member. The transparent members may be positioned on their respective card portions prior to the bringing together of the card portions. The specimen may be located, by means of a suitable adhesive, on one of the said transparent members prior to the bringing together of said card portions. Aiternatively, if one of said card portions is formed wholly of card, the specimen may be located on that card portion prior to the bringing together of the card portions, the specimen then being viewed through, but not adhered to, the transparent member.

A preferred embodiment of the method comprises providing a said casing having two card portions joined by a fold-line. It is further preferred to provide a said window aperture in each of the card portions, these window apertures being in register when the casing is folded about the fold-line. In this embodiment, each of the transparent members are so dimensioned as to cover respective ones of said window apertures when located on respective said card portions whilst leaving a margin of card extending round that transparent member. This method further comprises arranging adhesive means along a path on at least one of said card portions for said sealing.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the step of arranging the adhesive means may be effected, prior to positioning of the transparent members, by applying a coating of adhesive to that surface of the card which in the assembled package forms the inner surface. The adhesive may be applied to one or both card portions and over the whole of said surface or a limited path around the window aperture and spaced therefrom.

In a preferred embodiment, the specimen is a parasitic insect and, prior to step (e) the parasitic insect is preserved and dried, and in step (e) the parasitic insect is fixedly located to one of the transparent members by adhesive means selected so as to avoid any detrimental effect on the insect during or subsequent to the fixing thereof.

For the display of a head louse, the head louse is preserved in alcohol and dried in glycerine. Step (a) may include printing the description/name of the insect on the card.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example ohly, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which there is shown in Fig. 1 the components of a display package for a parasitic insect and in Fig. 2 the assembled package.

In the drawings there is shown a display package 10 for a parasitic insect 20. It has a casing defining window apertures 40, 41 therein. The casing 30 accommodates transparent members 50, 50a therein and. a cavity for the parasitic insect 20. The casing 30 is adapted to be sealed after insertion of the parasitic insect 20, wherein, in use, the parasitic insect is viewed through a window apertures 50. In this embodiment the transparent members 50, 50a define said cavity therebetween.

As shown in Fig. 1, the casing is formed from card and has two portions 31, 32 joined by a foldline 33, which is located such that when folded the two window apertures 40, 41 are in register. The fold-line 33 is scored on the card. The window apertures 40, 41 have the same dimensions and are portioned such that when the respective card portions 31, 32 are placed in overlapping juxtaposition, the apertures 40, 41 are co-extensive and centred with respect to each other.

The pair of transparent members 50, 50a are of similar dimensions and of sufficient size as to exceed the dimensions of said window apertures 40, 41 whilst being of lesser dimensions than the outer dimensions of card portions 31, 32, whereby when the transparent members 50, 50a are located between card portions 31, 32 and centred with respect to window apertures 40, 41, a margin 35, 36 of each of the card portions 31, 32 extends outwardly of the periphery of the transparent members 50, 50a. The card portions 31, 32 have an adhesive coating thereon. The adhesive is located on the margins 35, 36 of the card portion 31, 32 which extend outwardly of the transparent members 50, 50a whereby in the assembled package the adhesive holds the card portions 31, 32 together and seals the marginal edges of the casing 30.The adhesive also overlaps the periphery of the transparent members 50, 50a such that, in the assembled package, the adhesive also fixedly locates the transparent members 50, 50a to the casing 30.

In this embodiment both card portions 31, 32 are provided with a coating of adhesive. The transparent members 50, 50a are formed from plastics material produced in strip form and selected with regard to having a non-reflecting surface.

The display package 10 may be assembled as follows. The method includes providing a casing 30 formed of card and having two card portions 31, 32. Window aperture 50 is provided in card portion 31. A transparent member 50 is placed on card portion 31. It has peripheral dimensions in excess of the dimensions of window aperture 40 whilst being of lesser dimensions than the outer dimensions of card portion 31. The transparent member 50 is located relative to the card portion 31 such that the transparent member 50 is centred with respect to the window aperture 50 and a mar gin 35 of card extends around the periphery of said transparent member 40. The card portions 31, 32 are brought together and secured by means of adhesive to seal the casing 30 with the parasitic insect 20 in a cavity therein in a position to be viewed through the transparent member 50.

In this embodiment the casing 30 is provided by two card portions 31, 32 joined by the fold-line 33, anda window aperture 50, 50a is provided in each of the card portions 31, 32. These window apertures 50, 50a are placed in register when the casing 30 is folded about the fold-line 33.

The adhesive is provided prior to the positioning of the transparent members 50, 50a by applying a coating of adhesive to that surface of the card 31, 32 whichin the assembled package 10 forms the inner surface. The adhesive may be applied to one or both card portions 31, 32 and over the whole of said surface or a limited path around the window apertures 50, 50a and spaced therefrom. In this embodiment it is applied to the whole surface.

Prior to location, the parasitic insect is preserved and dried. The parasitic insect is fixedly located to one of the transparent members 50, 50a by means of an adhesive selected so as to avoid any detrimental effect on the insect during or subsequent to the fixing thereof. For the display of a head louse, the head louse is preserved in alcohol and dried in glycerine.

In a modified embodiment, the casing has only a single aperture 40 and a single transparent member 50. Furthermore casing portion 32 is provided with a light reflective surface to facilitate viewing the specimen through the transparent member 50 of the aperture 40.

Also in a modified embodiment, the adhesive means for securing the specimen is a double sided adhesive tape, which is found to enhance viewing in comparison with some solvent adhesives which impaired light transmission/reflection.

Examples of biological specimens include pollen, insects, stamen, and examples of geological specimens include small crystals.

Claims

1. A display package for a specimen comprising a casing defining a window aperture therein, the casing accommodating at least one transparent member within the casing, and a cavity for a specimen, the casing being adapted to be sealed after insertion of the specimen, wherein, in use, the specimen is viewed through said window aperture.

2. A display package as claimed in Claim 1, wherein two said transparent members define said cavity therebetween.

3. A display package as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the casing comprises a member formed from card having two portions joined by a foldline, a window aperture in each of said card portions, the fold-line being located such that when folded the two window apertures are in register.

4. A display package as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the window apertures have the same dimensions and are positioned such that when the respective card portions are placed in overlapping juxtaposition the apertures are co-extensive and centred with respect to each other.

5. A display package as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the pair of transparent members are of similar dimensions and of sufficient size as to exceed the dimensions of said window apertures whilst being of lesser dimensions that the outer dimensions of said card portions, whereby said transparent members are located between said card portions and centred with respect to said window apertures, a margin of each of the card portions extends outwardly of the periphery of the transparent members.

6. A display package as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein at least one of said card portions carried adhesive means, said adhesive means following a path on said card portion which path extends around the window aperture, said path being arranged such that the adhesive means is located on that margin of the card portion which extends outwardly of the transparent members, whereby in the assembled package the adhesive means holds the card portion together and seals the marginal edges of the casing.

7. A display package as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the path also overlaps the periphery of the transparent members such that, in the assembled package, the adhesive means also fixedly locates the transparent members relative to the casing.

8. A display package as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the or each transparent member is formed from plastics material produced in strip form.

9. A display package as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the plastics material has a non-reflecting surface.

10. A display package as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said cavity contains a parasitic insect fixedly located between the transparent members.

11. A display package as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said parasitic insect is a head louse, the head louse having been trated prior to packaging by being preserved in alcohol and dried in glycerine.

12. A method of assembling a display package containing a specimen comprising the steps of: (a) providing a casing formed of card and having two card portions; (b) providing a window aperture in at least one of said card portions; (c) providing a transparent member which has peripheral dimensions in excess of the dimensions of said window aperture whilst being of lesser dimensions than the outer dimensions of said card portion with the said window aperture; (d) locating the said transparent member relative to the card portion with the window aperture such that the said transparent member is centred with respect to the window aperture of that card portion and a margin of card extends around the periphery of said transparent member;; (e) bringing the card portions together and securing the card portions together to seal the casing with the specimen in a cavity therein in a position to be viewed through the said transparent member.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said two card portions are separate and each is provided with a window aperture, said apertures being co-extensive and in register in the assembled display package, and wherein each window aperture is provided with a transparent member, said transparent members being positioned on their respective card portions prior to the bringing together of the card portions.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the specimen is located by means of a suitable adhesive, on one of said transparent members prior to the bringing together of said card portions.

15. A method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said two card portions are joined by a fold-line, a said window aperture being provided in each of the card portions, these window apertures being in register when the casing is folded about the foldline.

16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, wherein eachof the transparent members is so dimensioned as to cover respective ones of said window apertures when located on respective said card portions whilst leaving a margin of card extending round that transparent member, and further comprising the step of arranging adhesive means along a path on at least one of said card portions for said sealing.

17. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 16, wherein the specimen is a parasitic insect and, prior to step (e) the parasitic insect is preserved and dried and in step (e) the parasitic insect is fixedly located to one of the transparent members by adhesive means selected so as to avoid any detrimental effecton the insect during or subsequent to the fixing thereof.

18. A display package for a specimen, arranged, adapted, and constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

19. A display package containing a preserved head louse, arranged, adapted and constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanydrawing.

20. A method of containing a display package containing a specimen substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.