US3651935A

US3651935A - Package with slideable display band

Info

Publication number: US3651935A
Application number: US73354A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernhard P Nysten
Original assignee: William Prym Werke GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: William Prym Werke GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1969-09-19
Filing date: 1970-09-18
Publication date: 1972-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-28
Also published as: DE6937066U

Abstract

A package for needles and similar rod-shaped articles has an elongated sleeve of predetermined width and a pair of longitudinally spaced open ends. An elongated carrier member is received in the sleeve slidable into and out of one of the open ends by a predetermined maximum distance. An elongated guide flap is of one piece with the sleeve at the opposite end and extends through this opposite end into the interior of the sleeve either towards but short of, or outwardly beyond the one open end. The width of the guide flap is smaller than that of the carrier member and that of the sleeve itself. Portions of the carrier member are folded about the guide flap so that they embrace the longitudinal margins thereof and abutments are provided on the guide glap adjacent the open end through which the carrier member moves in and out so that the engagement portions of the carrier member abut against the abutment portions when the carrier member is withdrawn to the maximum extent to prevent it from becoming separated from the sleeve.

Description

[451 Mar. 28, 1972 PACKAGE WITH SLIDEABLE DISPLAY BAND Inventor: Bernhard P. Nysten, Aachen, Germany Assignee:

land, Germany Sept. 18, 1970 Filed:

App]. No.:

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 22, 1969 Germany ..G 69 37 066.7

U.S. C1 ..206/66, 40/18, 206/78 B, 206/79, 229/9 Int. Cl ..B65d 85/24 Field of Search ..206/46 R, 66, 78 R, 78 B, 79, 206/80 R; 229/9, 19; 40/16-18 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1926 Glasner ..40/18 X 8/1968 Deneke..... 11/1968 Vogel 5/1969 Sanders ..206/66 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 1,236,064 6/1960 France ..206/66 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney-Michael S. Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT A package for needles and similar rod-shaped articles has an elongated sleeve of predetermined width and a pair of longitudinally spaced open ends. An elongated carrier member is received in the sleeve slidable into and out of one of the open ends by a predetermined maximum distance. An elongated guide flap is of one piece with the sleeve at the opposite end and extends through this opposite end into the interior of the sleeve either towards but short of, or outwardly beyond the one open end. The width of the guide flap is smaller than that of the carrier member and that of the sleeve itself. Portions of the carrier member are folded about the guide flap so that they embrace the longitudinal margins thereof and abutments are provided on the guide glap adjacent the open end through which the carrier member moves in and out so that the engagement portions of the carrier member abut against the abutment portions when the carrier member is withdrawn to the maximum extent to prevent it from becoming separated from the sleeve.

15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARN m2 a. 651 .935

SHEET 1 OF 3 47 5541/0409 nuyrra film #L-L- MOrOI/ PATENTED MR 2 8 1912 SHEET 3 OF 3 INVEN'FOR: 86:00.09 9. 'l/fffip lk/ul- //-L.

ATTORN EY PACKAGE WITH SLIDEABLE DISPLAY BAND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a package construction, and more particularly to a package specially suitable for needles and analogous rod-shaped articles.

conventionally, needles are sold in a package of essentially envelope-shaped configuration. Such packages use a flat envelope-shaped sleeve having opposite open ends, and a slide member which is guided in the interior of the sleeve and can be withdrawn through either open end. The needles are usually simply pushed into the material of the slide member so that when the latter is partially withdrawn from the sleeve, the needles become accessible for removal. These known packages have two highly undesirable disadvantages, namely, firstly, that an undesired complete removal of the carrier or slide member from the sleeve is not prevented, and that the packages cannot be suspended from a display unit or the like because the carrier member can then simply slide out through whichever of the open ends is lowermost. A further disadvantage is the fact that the carrier itself is improperly guided in the sleeves. On the one hand it is desirable that the carrier be slidable with ease so that it is therefore made substantially narrower than the sleeve itself; this is particularly necessary if the needles are relatively thick with the sleeve being very flat so that a certain amount of internal contact and pressure exists. On the other hand, however, the slider should not be so easily slidable that it can readily become dislodged from the sleeve when such is not desired. Also, if it is to be avoided that the slider become completely separated from the sleeve unintentionally, it must not be withdrawn too far out of the sleeve and this, in turn, then prevents ready access to the needles. Further, all these considerations make it impossible to freely design the package with respect to giving it an improved aesthetic appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package construction, particularly for needles and analogous rod-shaped articles.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide such an improved package construction which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art but is nevertheless simple and inexpensive to manufacture and sell.

ln pursuance of the above objects and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a package, particularly for needles and analogous rod-shaped articles, which comprises an elongated sleeve having a predetermined width and a pair of longitudinally spaced open ends. An elongated carrier member is received in the sleeve slidable into and out of one of the open ends by a predetermined maximum distance and having a main portion and an end portion which faces towards the other of the ends. An elongated guide flap is fast with the sleeve and extends through the other open end into and longitudinally of the sleeve between a peripheral wall thereof and the carrier member; this guide flap has a width smaller than the predetermined width and the width of the carrier member and it further has intermediate the open ends of the sleeve a length at least equal to the aforementioned maximum distance. Engagement means is provided on the carrier member in the region of the end portion thereof and at least in part embraces the guide flap and abutment means is provided on the guide flap in the region of the one open end and cooperates with the engagement means for preventing undesired sliding ofthe carrier member out of the one open end beyond the aforementioned predetermined maximum distance.

Because the guide flap is preferably fast with the front wall portion of the package, that is the front wall portion which faces the user when a needle is to be removed, and because the guide flap is also not loose but is fast with this front wall portion, it prevents the carrier member from falling out through the aforementioned other open end. Thus, the carrier member can move only through one open end eliminating by half the possibility that it might undesirably become dislodged from the sleeve. The package therefore is closed to almost to the maximum extent possible. In addition, however, the guide flap serves as a guide and delimiting instrumentality for the carrier member. Because it is narrower than the width of the sleeve the engagement between the engagement means of the carrier member and the guide flap takes place inwardly spaced from the side walls or side edges of the sleeve, whereby the carrier member is readily and freely slidable even if the needles carried by it are relatively thick. In this connection it must be considered that the sleeve is essentially envelope-shaped, that is very flat.

Further, the guide flap determines the extent to which the carrier member can be withdrawn from the sleeve and provides an automatic stop once the maximum withdrawal extent has been reached. This is accomplished by provision of the abutment means which cooperates with the engagement means so that undesired or unintentional complete separation of the carrier member from the sleeve is entirely avoided. The arrangement may in fact be such that the carrier member may be almost completely withdrawn from the sleeve while still remaining connected with the same via the guide flap.

It is possible to have the longitudinal marginal edges of the tongue or guide flap converge slightly in the direction towards the open end through which the carrier member is withdrawable; this facilitates withdrawal and on the other hand provides an increased friction when the carrier member is reinserted into the sleeve so that once such reinsertion is accomplished, the carrier member is more reliably held in position. On the other hand, improved guidance in all positions of the carrier member is obtained if the longitudinal margins of the guide flap extend in straight parallelism with one another.

The manufacture of the package according to the present invention is particularly simple if the guide flap is not produced separately and made fast with the sleeve, but is in fact an integral or unitary part of the sleeve. The sleeve is usually cut or stamped out of heavy paper, cardboard or the like, and the guide flap can be made of one piece with it and stamped or cut at the same time. In this case the sleeve can be readied for insertion of the carrier member by simply folding the guide flap into the interior of the sleeve when the latter is folded and prepared.

The engagement means on the carrier member itself can be of various different types. On the one hand the carrier member may be provided with a transversely extending slot in the region of that end portion which is closer to the open end of the sleeve with which the guide flap is fast. The guide flap is then simply pushed through this slot. Although this is perhaps the simplest way, better guidance is obtained if in the region of the aforementioned end portion the carrier member is provided at transversely opposite locations in its marginal zones with inwardly extending incisions and if the portions of the margin which are closer to the open end where the guide flap is fast with the sleeve, are folded back upon the carrier member transversely towards one another, to thus embrace the margins of the guide flap itself. Because these folded-over marginal portions may be relatively long as seen in the direction of elongation of the guide flap, they provide excellent guidance and security against canting or skewing of the carrier member in the sleeve. Also, the carrier member may be provided with a transversely extending strip member which is secured to its opposite margins and overlies and embraces the guide flap which is thus confined between the strip member and the carrier member. This avoids the folding of marginal portions of the carrier member and thus is a construction which is particularly advantageous if the package is to be produced by automation.

The abutment means may simply be provided in form of ears or projections on that end or in the region of that end of the guide flap located adjacent the open end of the sleeve through which the carrier member is withdrawn and which abut against the engagement means in response to such withdrawal. The guide flap may be of substantially T-shaped configuration with the cross-portion of the T constituting the abutment means and being located adjacent the open end of the sleeve through which the carrier is to be withdrawn. However, it is also possible to have a portion of the guide flap extend through this open end and to fold it over and if desired to secure it at the outside of the requisite wall portion of the sleeve, whereby a very simple abutment means is provided.

The present invention makes is possible to provide several of the carrier members in a single sleeve which may be stacked or which may be laterally adjacent one another and nevertheless can be properly withdrawn and reinserted without accidentally becoming separated from the sleeve and without skewing with reference to one another and to the sleeve. It is simply necessary to provide several of the carrier members, to associate each of the carrier members with a guide flap, and to provide cooperating engagement means and abutment means on the associated carrier members and guide flaps.

Because the package according to the present invention reliably prevents undesired falling out of the carrier member from the sleeve, it is now possible to suspend the package, for instance in a display unit. For this purpose it is simply necessary to provide the sleeve and/or the carrier member with suitable aperture means in the region of the open end through which the carrier member can be withdrawn, and then the package may be suspended from a pin, rod or the like provided for this purpose on a display unit.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for making a sleeve of the novel package, before the blank is folded;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a finished package according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a further embodiment of a finished package according to the present invention, with the portions of the sleeve which constitute the rear wall of the package being folded apart to permit viewing of the interior;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but of an additional embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic rear view of an additional embodiment, showing the complete but without the rear wall being opened for viewing;

and FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but of still another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, it will be seen that reference numeral 10 generally identifies the outer sleeve of the package according to the present invention. As FIG. 1 shows, the sleeve is stamped, cut or otherwise produced as a blank 11 from cardboard or another suitable material, with the configuration of the blank 11 in flat unfolded condition shown in FIG. 1. The blank 11 has a wall portion 12 which in the completed package will be a first wall-namely the front wall--facing the viewer and user and being provided with a cutout 13 which permits viewing of the contents of the package, that is for instance the needles. At opposite sides of the wall portion 12 there are provided

wall portions

14 and 15 which are of one piece therewith and which are to be folded along

parallel fold lines

16 and 17, that is the wall portion 14 along the fold line 16 towards the right in FIG. 1, and the wall portion 15 along the fold line 17 towards the left in FIG. 1 so that they partly aqua overlap. The wall portion 14 in the illustrated embodiment is provided with a tuck-in flap 18 and the wall portion 15 with a corresponding slot or slit 19 into which the flap 18 may be tucked to connect the two wall portions with one another. Together, they constitute a second wall-namely the rear wall-of the sleeve 10, that is the wall which normally faces away from the user when the user holds the package so that he can view the contents through the cutout 13. It is emphasized that the

elements

18 and 19 may advantageously be omitted if the sleeve 10 is to be assembled-that is folded and secured automatically by machine. The tucking-in in the embodiment of FIG. 1 usually requires manual labor and if the operation is to be carried out with a machine the overlapping portions of the

wall portions

14 and 15 may simply be bonded together, by means of a suitable adhesive or the like.

In any case, the one axial end of the wall portion 12 is provided with a projecting flap or tongue 20 which extends from it and which is to be folded over it along the fold line 24. In the illustrated embodiment the flap 20 is of substantially T-shaped outline having at its free end 25 the laterally extending projections 21 which later will constitute abutment means. That end of the blank which subsequently in the finished package will be the end closed by the flap 20 is identified with reference numeral 22. The other end, through which the carrier member can be moved in and out of the sleeve 10, is identified with reference numeral 23.

In assembling the sleeve, the projection or flap 20 is first folded along the fold line 24 onto the wall portion 12, whereupon the wall portion 15 is folded over it and the wall portion 14 folded over the wall portion 15 with the flap 18 being tucked into the slot 19. Of course, if the

elements

18 and 19 are omitted it is immaterial which of the

wall portions

14 or 15 is first folded in because it is then of no consequence which is innermost and which is outermost.

As seen in FIG. 2, the cutout 13 is advantageously closed by a transparent foil of synthetic plastic material, identified with reference numeral 26, and secured to the front wall portion 12 at the inner side thereof. In the illustrated embodiment it is profiled, that is substantially dome-shaped, but it could also be flat and this would be a less expensive way of doing so. Evidently, it could also be completely omitted.

A carrier member 27 is accommodated in the sleeve once the latter has been folded to closed position, and needles 28 or analogous means are carried by it, for instance are pushed through the material of the carrier member 27 in known conventional manner. Evidently, the carrier member 27 could be of several layers of material if desired.

As the FIGS. 2 and 3 clearly show, that end of the carrier member 27 which is closest to the end 22 of the sleeve 10, is provided with engagement means or engagement portions 29 which embrace the opposite longitudinally extending

marginal portions

30 and 31 of the flap 20. In the embodiment of FIGS. l-3 the engagement portions 29 are provided in that the marginal portions of the carrier member are provided with transversely aligned inwardly extending incisions 33 in the region of the end portion 32 of the carrier member, whereupon the portions 29 of the margins-whose length corresponds to the end portion 32are folded inwardly so as to embrace cor responding marginal portions of the flap 20.

The flap 20 is substantially narrower than the width 34 of the sleeve, and the width of the carrier member 27. Its longitudinal

marginal edges

30 and 31 extend in the direction of movement of the carrier member 27, such direction being indicated by the double-headed arrow 35. The length of the flap 20 intermediate the fold line 24 and the open end 23 determines the extent to which the carrier member 27 can be withdrawn from the sleeve 10. The projections 21 provide stop or abutment means beyond which the carrier member 27 cannot be withdrawn because the engagement portions 29 will abut against them and prevent further withdrawal.

As FIG. 3 also shows, the sleeve 10 is provided with a front wall portion 12 and the overlapping sidewall portion 15 with corresponding cutouts to facilitate gripping of the carrier "H070 nice member 27 by the fingers of the user. Furthermore, these

wall portions

12 and 15 are provided with apertures or

cutouts

38 and 39 which will register with one another after the portion 15 has been folded about the fold line 17 and which together will register with a corresponding opening 4050 that a pin or similar member on a display unit may be passed through the package for suspending it.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 differs somewhat from that of FIGS. 1-3. It will be understood that it also utilizes a sleeve made from a blank such as that shown in FIG. 1. The package in toto is identified with reference numeral 1 in FIG. 4 and as in the case of FIG. 3, the wall portions 14 and are folded apart to permit a view of the interior. Normally of course they will be connected in the manner already discussed.

Like reference numerals in FIG. 4 designate the same elements as in FIGS. 13. Here, however, the carrier member is identified with reference numeral 42, and provided at its lower end, that is the end adjacent the fold line 24, with a transversely extending engagement strip 43 which replaces the engagement portions 29 of FIG. 3. It extends transversely of the direction of movement of the carrier member 42 and overlies the flap 20, being secured to the opposite marginal portions of the carrier member 42 at the adhesive or bonding locations 44 and 45. Of course, if the carrier member 42 were to be not as wide as shown in the drawing with respect to the width of the flap 20, that is if the flap and the carrier member were of substantially the same width, then the adhesive portions 44 and 45 could be located at other points of the carrier member 42 not as illustrated, for instance on that side of the carrier member which faces away the flap and faces the inner side of the wall portion 12.

FIG. 5 is another rear view of still a further embodiment, but with the

wall portions

14 and 15 folded upon and connected with one another. The package in toto is identified with reference numeral 46 and is here provided with a flap 47 corresponding to the flap 20 of the preceding embodiments and shown in broken lines because it is located in the interior of the closed package. The flap 47, however, extends over the entire length of the sleeve and somewhat beyond, with that free end portion 51 of the flap 47 which extends beyond the end through which the carrier member 48also shown in broken lines-can be withdrawn, being folded over at the outer side of the rear wall constituted by the

wall portions

14 and 15. The portion 51 may be left loose after being folded, or it may be adhered in suitable manner to the outside of the rear wall.

The engagement portions 49 of the carrier member 48 correspond to the engagement portions 29 in FIG. 3. Here, however, the incisions 50-which correspond to the incisions 33 in FIG. 3converge in direction towards the fold line 24 (see FIG. 3) in order to facilitate reinsertion of the carrier member 48 once it has been withdrawn to the maximum outer position.

Evidently, the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only and not to be considered limiting. The particular configuration, size and material of the package according to the present invention may be all different from what has been illustrated. Also, the number and configuration and location of cutouts for viewing the interior and the contents of the package may be different, as may in fact be the shape and configuration of a foil-if anywhich overlies such cutouts. As pointed out before, several carrier members may be accommodated in a single sleeve, either superimposed or laterally adjacent one another, and each provided with a separate associated guide flap and corresponding abutment means and engagement means. Such an embodiment is shown by way of example in FIG. 6. Because FIG. 6 is basically analogous in most aspects to the embodiment of FIG. 1, like reference numerals have been used to describe like elements. However, in FIG. 6 two of the tongues 20 are provided in the sleeve, in side-by-side relationship, and accordingly there are two of the carrier members 27 each associated with one of the tongues 20. Naturally, there could be more than two of each. Also, in FIG. 6 the engagement means is in form of transverse slots S in the carrier members 27, with the tongues extending through the respective slots from one to the other side of the rejection carrier member 27 as signified by their showing partially in broken lines. The invention makes it impossible for laterally adjacent carrier members accommodated in a single sleeve to skew or otherwise laterally become displaced with reference to one another. If several carrier members are located in a single sleeve laterally adjacent one another it may be advantageous to connect the front and rear wall portions of the sleeve at the open end through which the carrier members are withdrawn and reinserted, intermediate the individual carrier members to provide individual openings for withdrawal of the carrier members.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of applications and constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a package which is particularly suitable for needles and analogous rod-shaped articles, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range ofequivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. A package, particularly for needles and analogous rodshaped articles, comprising an elongated sleeve having a predetermined width and a pair of longitudinally spaced open ends; an elongated carrier member received in said sleeve and slidable into and out of one of said open ends by a predetermined maximum distance and having a main portion and an end portion facing towards the other of said ends; an elongated guide flap fast with said sleeve and extending through said other open end into and longitudinally of said sleeve between a peripheral wall thereof and said carrier member, said guide flap having a width smaller than said predetermined width and the width of said carrier member and having intermediate said open ends a length at least equal to said maximum distance; engagement means on said carrier member in the region of said end portion and at least in part embracing said guide flap; and abutment means provided on said guide flap in the region of said one open end and cooperating with said engagement means for preventing undesired sliding of said carrier member out of said one open end beyond said predetermined maximum distance.

2. A package as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide flap is of one piece with said sleeve.

3. A package as defined in claim 1, said peripheral wall comprising a pair of opposite wall portions one of which is a first wall of said package and the other of which is a second wall of said package; and wherein said guide flap is fast with said one wall portion in the region of said other open end and extends between said carrier member and said other wall portion.

4. A package as defined in claim 3, wherein said guide flap is of one piece with said one wall portion.

5. A package as defined in claim 1, said guide flap having a longitudinal portion provided with a free end region facing towards said one open end, and a transverse portion extending transversely beyond said longitudinal portion at said free end region and constituting said abutment means.

6. A package as defined in claim 1, said peripheral wall comprising a pair of opposite wall portions one of which is a first wall and the other of which is a second wall of said package; and wherein said guide flap comprises a first flap portion extending to and beyond said one open end intermediate said carrier member and the inner side of one of said wall portions, and a second flap portion provided on said first flap portion overlying the outer side of the same wall portion in the region of said one open end.

7. A package as defined in claim 6, wherein said wall portion having said inner and outer sides is said other wall portion.

8. A package as defined in claim 1, said peripheral wall comprising a pair of opposite wall portions one of which is a first wall and the other of which is a second wall of said package; and wherein said guide flap comprises a first flap portion extending to and beyond said one open end intermediate said carrier member and the inner side of one of said wall portions, and a second flap portion provided on said first flap portion overlying and fast with the outer side of the same wall portion in the region of said one open end.

9. A package as defined in claim 1, said guide flap having transversely spaced marginal portions at least in part embraced by said engagement means and extending in parallelism with one another and in direction of elongation of said sleeve.

10. A package as defined in claim 1, said engagement means comprising transverse slot means provided in said carrier member, and wherein said guide flap extends through said slot means from one to the other side of the general plane of said carrier member.

11. A package as defined in claim 1, said carrier member having transversely spaced longitudinally extending marginal portions and having in said marginal portions a pair of transversely aligned inwardly extending incisions provided at the juncture of said main portion with said end portion and having a combined length at least substantially equal to the difference between the widths of said carrier member and said guide flap, said incisions subdividing the respective marginal portions each into a main section and an end section and said end sections being folded over respectively adjacent longitudinally extending edge portions of said guide flap.

12. A package as defined in claim 1, said engagement means comprising a strip member extending transversely of said carrier member in the region of said end portion, said strip member overlying said guide flap and having opposite free ends fast with respective transversely spaced marginal portions of said carrier member.

13. A package as defined in claim 1, and further comprising aperture means provided in said package in the region of said one open end for suspending said package when desired.

14. A package as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one additional carrier member slidably received in said sleeve together with and proximal to the first-mentioned carrier member, an additional guide flap provided on said additional carrier member similar to the first-mentioned guide flap, and additional engagement means and additional abutment means provided on said additional carrier member and said additional guide flap, respectively.

15. A package as defined in claim 1, wherein said sleeve is of flat substantially rectangular internal cross section.

Claims

1. A package, particularly for needles and analogous rod-shaped articles, comprising an elongated sleeve having a predetermined width and a pair of longitudinally spaced open ends; an elongated carrier member received in said sleeve and slidable into and out of one of said open ends by a predetermined maximum distance and having a main portion and an end portion facing towards the other of said ends; an elongated guide flap fast with said sleeve and extending through said other open end into and longitudinally of said sleeve between a peripheral wall thereof and said carrier member, said guide flap having a width smaller than said predetermined width and the width of said carrier member and having intermediate said open ends a length at least equal to said maximum distance; engagement means on said carrier member in the region of said end portion and at least in part embracing said guide flap; and abutment means provided on said guide flap in the region of said one open end and cooperating with said engagement means for preventing undesired sliding of said carrier member out of said one open end beyond said predetermined maximum distance.