CA1175786A - Display mountable container having recloseable feature - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:

The present invention is directed to a package or container made of folded cardboard or the like and more partic-ularly to a container intended to be used in conjunction with a marketing display rack. The container is characterized in that the same is provided with a reinforced support member which reduces the likelihood of the container being inadvertantly separated from the point of purchase display. Removal of the element providing the support feature also functions to open the package. Means are created as a result of the removal of the supporting portions for subsequent reclosing of the container.

Description

~757~6 12~

TITLE: DISPLAY MOUNTABLE CONTAINER HAVING
RECLOSEABLE FEATURE

Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention is in the packaging field and is directed more particularly to a package made of folded cardboard or like material and adapted to be mounted on a dis-play rack, such as a wire point-of-purchase display rack.
The Prior Art It is conventional to package articles for sale in containers which incorporate~ flaps, extensions or like appen-dages fitted with receiver apertures enabling the packages to be mounted on polnt-of-purchase displays, such as racks having projecting fingers, rods or loops. It is not uncommon for such packages to be removed from the rack and replaced after a prospective purchase has inspected the product description and like informative material printed on the packages. Where packages are subjected to multiple handlings, the apertured support flap may become worn or torn, leaving the article in a condition no longer to be supportable on the racX and rendering the package soiled or deformed and hence unsaleable.
Since the appendage whereby the package is mounted on a display rack typically projects a substantial distance beyond the article proper, the prospective purchaser will u~ually be required to undertake t~ro operations in utilizing and storing ~`

~7S786 - -- the package, namely, tearing off the appendage to render the package more compact, and opening the package to gain access to the contents.
Additionally, where the nature of the article is such that the entire contents of the package are not used directly after opening, it is desirable that the container be recloseable.
The operation of opening packages of the aforemen-tioned type as heretofore known has resulted in removal of printed portions of the containerO In order to avoid exposing unprinted areas, manufacturers have resorted to printing both faces of the blank fr~m which the package is fabricated, a procedure whiDh substantially increases costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention may be summarized as directed to an improved display package, the term "display pacXing" being used hereinafter to connote a package which functions both to enclose the articles vended and also to provide means for supporting the same on a display rack or the like.
The package, ~Jhich is generally in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, includes top~ bottom, front and rear walls and side closures, and is characterized in that a rear panel member defining an upward extension of the bottom wall portion of the container outwardly laps the rear wall of the container.

1~L757816 s - The rear panel member is folded transversely, to define a single thickened section which outwardly laps the rear wall and a double thickness area projecting above the top wall of the container. The double thickness area is ~oined to the rear wall along an adhesive line adjacent the top of the container.
The singlè thickness section of rear panel is divided into two parts along a score line. An aperture is formed in the double thickness portion of the rear panel, enabling the same to be mounted on a display rack with the wire component of the rack extendlng through a reinforc~d portion of the article.
To open the package, the rear panel is ripped in two along the score line, an operation which automatically separates the adhesive line connectting the removable porti~on of the panel to the rear wall of the container. This single operation pro-vides access to the interior of the package by pivoting the bottom wall and remaining portions of the back panel upwardly.
The package may thereafter be reclosed by slee~ing the tab portion formed as a result of severing the back panel along the score line, into the interior of the container in the space ~ defined bet~7een the bottom wall and the rear panel.
; Optionally but preferable, the back panel may be slit to define a tongue~ within which the tag is engageable in the reclosed position to maintain the device in its reclosed condition.

~175786 It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved display package.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a display package of the type described which affords a durable connection to the display rack and which, upon removal of the component or extension connecting the package to the display rack, fuctions also to open the package.
Stil~ a further object of the invention is the provislon of a display package of the type described which may be readily reclosed after initial opening and which will remain dependably in the reclosed condition.
Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a display package of the type described wherein all printing is effected solely on one face of the package and which, after opening and reclosing, will present to view only elements of the imprinted face.
To attain these obJec~ and such further objects as may appear herein or be herelnafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in

2~ which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a box blank for fabricating a container in accordance with the invention:
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a finished container in accordance with the invention;

~'75786 - ~ ~ Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 .illustrating one mode of opening the container;
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing-another mode of opening the container;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a opened container;
Flgure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7--7 o~ Figure 2;
Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 2;
Figure 9 is a further perspective view of the opened package;
Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the posit1on of the parts after reclosing of the package;
Figure 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 11--11 of Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the blank in a partially assembled condition, Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a blank 10 of cardboard or the like from which a package in accordance with the invention is fabricated. The blank is comprised generally of a rear wall portion 11, a top wall section 12, front wall portion 13, bottom wall portion 14 and rear panel assembly 15.

1~L7578t~

A pair of side ears 14', 14' extend laterally from the bottom wall portion 14, being separated therefrom by weakened score lines 14". In similar fashion, side flaps 13', 13l extend outwardly of and are separated from the front wall portion 13 by score lines 13". Similarly, edge flaps 12' 12' and side flaps 11', 11' extend from top wall 12 and rear wall 11, respectively, the flaps in each instance being separated from the wall portions by score lines 12" and 11", respectively.
The rear panel 15 incorporates a transverse arcuate perforation line 16, for purposes which will appear hereinafter.
Optionally but preferably, the terminal ends of the perforation line 16 are formed with notches 17, 18 to facilitate tearing along the score line 16. The perforation line 16 thus defines a tab section 19 which is connected to the bottom wall portion 14 along a first scored fold line 20.
The rear panel member 15 includes, in addition, 8 second section 21 and a third section 22, the sections 21 and 22 being separated by a second scored fold line 23.
A pair of support apertures 24~ 25 are formed in the blank as mirror images symetrically about the fold line 23.
Additionally, the rear wall portion 11 is provided with a slit 26 generally in the form of a broad V, defining a tongue portion 27.
It w111 be understood that the upwardly directed ~75~86 .
surface of the blank as viewed in Figure 1 will form the inside of the package, and that any printed material, directions for use, advertising, etc., will appear on the bottom face, i.e. the face away from that viewed in Figure 1.
The blank depicted in Figure 1 i5 used by partially assembling the same to a box preform as depicted in Figure 12, which preform may be packaged in bulk in flatwise condition for subsequent assembly in a conventional box filling and forming apparatus such as is known in the trade as a Jones ~illing machine.

More particularly and with references to Figure 1 and 12, the preform is fabricated by folding the section 22 of the rear panel forwardly ( toward the viewer) about the fold line 23 through 180 and effecting a transverse adhesive line of connection 28 between the rear panel sections 21 and 22. There-after the blank is folded along scored lines 29 and 31 to the configuration shown in Figure 12 and a further adhesive connection 32 effected between the undersurface of section 22 (e.g. the surface not shown in Figure 1~ and an area of the rear wall portion 11 adjacent fold line 31.
2~ As will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 12~
after the formatlon of the adhesive connections 28 and 3~, the box preforms may be flattened as for shipment to a filling station where they may be erected to a three dimensional configuration which is generally a rectangular parallelepiped. The preforms as shown in F~gure 12 are next filled and sealed in a manner known per se and formlng no part of the present invention.

~757~36 ,, Briefly, the filling sequence includes the steps of first deflecting the wall portions of the preforms to the parallelepiped configuration, folding the ears and edge flaps at one side of the package at 90 to the plane of the blank along fold lines 14" and 12", respectively, thereafter inwardly folding side flaps 11 and 13 into mutually overlapping condition, and gluing one said side flap over the other.
Thereafter, the partially closed but three dimensional package is filled from the open end, following which the unsealed end of the box 1s closed, and glued utilizing the same sequence of inwardly be`nding the remaining side ear and edge flap and inwardly folding and gluing the remaining side flaps 11' and 13'.
Following the last mentioned ~tep, the package is completely formed and ready for application to a merchandising apparatus, such as a display rack Typically, the dispensing rack, which forms no part of the present invention, may comprise a stanchion having a series of rods R extending therefrom, (Fig. 2).
The~aligned apertures 24~ 25 may include sem1clrcular notches 24~, 25' at upper portions, thereof facilitating mountlng of the package where the dispensing arm is, as notedj rod shaped.
Alternatively, the dispensers may comprise a length of wire bent upon itself and defining a bight having two legs which are parallel and spaced apart, in which event it will be appreciated -- 8 -- .

~17S786 .- that the wire components of such dispenser will be in spaced relation within the apertures 24, 25.
It will be readily recognized that the connection between the package device and the dispensing apparatus i8 -afforded by a double layer of cardboard, whereby the likelihood of tearing during handling is substantially reduced.
A principal feature of the invention lies in the manner : in which it may be readily opened for use, the action of opening in addition functioning to remove the portions of the back panel ; 10 which previously served as the medium for supporting the device on the dispenser rack~
Referring now to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the package is opened by re~oving the rear panel sections 21 and 22. Such removal may be effected in one of two manners.
As shown in ~igure 3, the panel sections 21, 22 may simply be peeled back, se~ering the sections from the remainder of the rear panel along the score line 16 and simultaneously rupturing the adhesive connection 32 which secures section 22 to rear wa~l portion 11.
20 . Alternatively, the adhesive connection 32 may first be fractured as shown in Figure 4, and thereafter the section 21 separated from section 19 along score line 16, as ~llustrated in Figure 5.
As will be evident, either of the two opening operations ~ill leave the contents accessible by simply pivoting the bottom ~7~86 wall portion 14 (which now~ in effect, defines the top of the container) outwardly along fold iine 29, providing access to the interior.
In order to reclose the container, it is merely necessary to tuck the remaining portion o~ the rear panel, namely the tab shaped section 19, into the interior of the ~ntainer into a position essentially parallel with the rear wall portion 11 thereof. Preferably the tab is inserted through the slit 26, whereby a frictional resistance to reopening of the packaged is obtained -- see Figure 10.
As will be evident from the preceding description, ; there is shown and described herein an improved box, container or receptacle particularly a;dapted for use in con~unction with merchandising apparatus having projecting rods or fingers~ It will be noted that the container provides a double thickness of material riding on the support rods or fingers, whereby the likelihood of tearing, rendering the package unsuitable to be maintained on the dispenser, is substantially lessened.
It will rurther be appreciated that the components of the container which previously functioned to maintain the device on a merchandising display~ when peeled away in the manner aforesaid, provide access to the contents of the package simultaneously with the removal of the surplus material.
Optionally a glue dot D may be added between panels 10 and 11 (see Fig. 5) to maintain the device closed even after separation Or the rear panel components 15 along ~core line 16.

,- ( ~75786 After opening, the package.may readily be reclosed by tucking the portion of the back panel remaining through : the open mouth of the container into ~uxtaposition with the rear wall of the container.
It will be further understood that all printing is effected on only one surfa.ce of the blank forming the container and that both before and after the removable portions of the back panel are separated, only those components which were on the printed surface of the biank are exposed to the exterior of the container.
As will be apparent to tho~ sk~lled in the art and familiarized with the instant disclosure, numerous variations may be made in the details of construction of the illustrated embodiment of the invention and, accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (3)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A reclosable package comprising an integral blank printed on one face, said package including an enclosed space in the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped define by front, rear, top and bottom walls, having said one face directed outwardly, each of said front and top walls being joined to others of said walls along two parallel fold lines, said rear wall being connected to said top wall along a single fold line and having a downwardly directed free edge, a rear panel member joined to said bottom wall along a first fold line coincident with the rear margin thereof, said rear panel extending upwardly parallel to said rear wall and therebeyond, a slit formed in said rear wall defining a tongue including a tip directed toward said bottom wall, said rear panel being folded forwardly toward said rear wall along a second line parallel to said first fold line to define a depending tab interposed between said rear wall and the wall adjacent face of said panel, the end margin of said tab terminating at a level along said rear wall above said bottom wall, registering rack retainer apertures formed in said tab and back panel to define a double thickness mounting support for engagement with a display rack, an adhesive connection formed between said tab and said rear wall and a score line formed across said panel at a position between said adhesive line and said bottom wall whereby said package may be opened by separating said adhesive line and may be reclosed by severing said panel along said score line and inserting the remaining portions of said panel into the space defined between said bottom wall and said rear wall, said tab in said reclosed condition of said package being disposed within said slit with said tongue, engaging one surface of said tab and said rear wall engaging the other surface of said tab, thereby frictionally to retain said tab in said reclosed position.

2. A package in accordance with claim 1 including flaps on the ends of said front and rear walls defining end closures of said package, the combination including ears extending from and perpendicular to said bottom wall, said ears, in the closed and reclosed conditions of said package being frictionally engaged against said flaps.

3. A package in accordance with claim 2 wherein said score line is arcuate.