The technology would also allow for data to be transferred in addition to charging the battery, according to a report from AppleInsider.

The patent application, titled “Active Electronic Media Packaging,” would allow Apple to transmit software updates to devices and display things on the screen, like images or product demonstrations. Basically, it would become a new form of advertising for the product that moves beyond just the packaging itself.

“Although typical packaging for an electronic media device may be designed to adequately protect the device from shock or damage, the packaging is extremely limited in other respects,” Apple states in the filing. “For example, the ability to fully view or interact with the electronic media device while still inside the packaging is severely limited in most packaging designs. Although unobtrusive packaging designs have been developed, these designs typically do not allow electronic media devices to be interacted with while inside the packaging.”

Should Apple be granted a patent for this technology, it could become very useful for the future of product packaging design. I’d imagine Apple wouldn’t want to be the only electronics manufacturer to take advantage of this either, so licensing it out to other companies could also be quite lucrative.

But for now, it’s little more than a cool idea that lives inside of Apple’s R&D department.

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2012/04/06/apple-patent-wireless-charging/
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Loughborough University

Responsible for manufacturing Fisher Price and Matchbox products and the Barbie doll line, Mattel dates back to 1945 and, on sales figures, is the globally dominant toy company.

In light of a wide-reaching campaign carried out by environmental organisation Greenpeace earlier this year, Mattel will now entirely avoid purchasing packaging and paper products from companies associated with the destruction of the world’s rainforests.

As far as Greenpeace is concerned, these companies include APP (Asia Pulp and Paper), which reportedly has a heavy hand in Indonesian rainforest clearance programmes. From here on, sustainability principles will inform Mattel’s packaging use criteria, through a three-step process.

Mattel: Recycled Packaging

Mattel intends to ensure that it recycles as much post-consumer packaging as it can, completely sidesteping rainforest-sourced products and drawing on independently-certified virgin fibre, instead.

“We are committed to advancing the use of sustainably sourced paper and wood fiber across our business, beginning with packaging”, Mattel’s Corporate Affairs Vice President, Lisa Marie Bongiovanni, explained in a company statement.

“In developing these sourcing principles and setting goals, we applied a thoughtful and rigorous approach in evaluating our supply chain and identifying meaningful opportunities for continuous improvement.”

Sustainable Mattel Packaging

Specific sustainable Mattel packaging goals have been set. In the immediate short-term, the firm wants sustainable fibre or recycled products to make up 70 per cent of its packaging – a total set to increase to 85 per cent by Q4 2015.

Mattel’s new, eco-packaging directive also includes a pledge to release progress reports into the public domain. It adds in its official press release that it’s ‘…already launched efforts to implement the new sustainable sourcing principles and established aggressive goals to measure progress on packaging as the focus of the company’s initial implementation phase.’

Source: www.packaging-int.com
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The printed electronic functionality has been “successfully” integrated onto Innovia Films’ Biaxially Orientated Polypropylene (BOPP) label substrates, according to Innovia.

Innovia said that the first prototypes were interactive bottle labels that activate a sequence of flashing lights when the bottle is held.

It also said that this is only one example, from numerous possibilities, of how active packaging can be used to attract, inform or interact with the consumer.

Pragmatic Printing is based in Cambridge. It produces printed logic circuits that introduce interactivity into a wide range of products.

Electronics can be integrated on plastic, paper, card or metal surfaces, which may be curved or flexible.

Source: www.packagingnews.co.uk
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Source: www.packworld.com/machinery
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The cosmetics tube CLUBE combines the production of the tube, the closure and the labelling into one single bi-injection moulding production step instead of three traditional steps. This results in greater production efficiency, according to the company.

“ We are always looking for new opportunities to push the boundaries of design and functionality in the packaging solutions we offer for the personal care market, … in combination with cost-effective intellectual manufacturing processes ,” commented Rian Stegeman, chief technology officer, Plasticum Group.

Sustainability efforts

In simplifying the production process, Borealis has reduced the production cycle time and consequently the amount of energy used.

Likewise, the condensation of all three steps in to one means less equipment investments required, the company claims.

This gives the added benefit of money saved and goes towards both companies’ sustainability and environmental efforts.

“ Our long and trusted relationship with Borealis enabled us to find the right material to achieve an effective tube and closure combination that follows a sustainable approach for ourselves and our customers ,” Stegeman added.

Less going to waste

The PP tube and cap are fully recyclable and as an integrated closure cuts material use by 40 per cent.

According to the company, the integration of the closure eliminates the need for a tube shoulder which results in significant savings in material usage as well as reduction in waste.

The in-mould labelling options available consist of silver contour and metallic surfaces as well as the use of bi-colour.

Source: www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com
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The dual-chamber round FPT tube has a 40-mm diameter. WWP is currently building the tooling to bring other sizes to market. “The tube is crimped, then it can be filled with two different products that remain separated with the barrier wall,” says Hayet.

How does it differ from a toothpaste tube? “You can barely see the seam, because our flexoprinting technology enables us to print the tube all around—360 degrees, which greatly enhances this tube’s look,” says Hayet. WWP built its own flexo-printing machines in China, customizing them around its technology. “It’s a real breakthrough in the industry, because  a tube like this has never been done before,” says Hayet. He says the process of getting the wall inside is a manufacturing innovation. “A custom-built robot places the wall inside the tube in a very efficient, high-speed way. Many customers want to know more details, but it’s our proprietary process,” he adds.

Another breakthrough is the wall’s material. Making the wall in foil laminate material took much time, effort, and investment, according to Hayet.

“Our original concept was a polyethylene-based wall, which is not a great polymer for aggressive products,” says Hayet. Fragrance-based and oil-based cosmetics, along with ammonia-based hair dyes, are considered aggressive products that need the barrier properties of laminate material.

Hayet says they are already fielding calls from other suppliers who want to license the  technology, including the patented process of inserting the wall inside the tube.

“We’re not going to go down the licensing road yet,” says Hayet. “We’ve only just started to  show this to our top customers a few weeks ago,” he says.

Source: www.pmp-digital.com
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The Gold medal from Practical Parenting & Pregnancy magazine in the ‘Innovative Product Under £10’ category is for its nutritious snack range MUNCHCUP packaging. The MUNCHCUP is the first anti-spill, “less mess” packaging of its kind anywhere in the world. The awards recognise innovation, excellence, practicality and value, and use the toughest judges possible – real mums and dads!

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The award was collected by Managing Director Dr. Monika Kopra-Schäfer, Johann Beil (Head of the Research and Development department) and Horst Soder (Head of the LINHARDT plant in Hambrücken).

According to the Multiflex principle
The Paperflex tube is a multi-layer tube manufactured according to the Multiflex principle developed by LINHARDT. The special feature of the Paperflex tube is that the metal and plastic layers in conventional tubes responsible for the stiffness have been replaced by paper layers.

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Source: Linhadrt.com
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