CA1177030A - Ice cream container, blank therefor, partially erected tube, and package comprising same, said container plus plastic cover and plastic cover itself - Google Patents

Abstract

JR 100 - Div. III

A B S T R A C T O F T H E D I S C L O S U R E
A novel ice cream product container with complementary clo-sure member is disclosed. The container body member is usually of paperboard and formed from an integral blank comprising edge-rein-forcing flaps articulated to wall members, which reinforcing flaps are then folded down upon and secured to their respective wall members to provide a reinforced portion of double thickness in the container formed from the blank. This folded-over, reinforced portion is also present in the flat-folded tube produced from the blank, the squared-up tube, the erected container, and finally in the closed and filled package. This folded-over, reinforced por-tion of double thickness contains defined areas of low resistance adapted to receive lugs formed in a wall of the complementary closure member. The closure member also provides a complementary channel between essentially upstanding and downstanding walls for receiving the reinforced portion of the container walls in fric-tional engagement therewith. The defined areas of low resistance in the upper edge areas of the container walls may be provided by cuts or cut-outs, preferably of a generally inverted-V shape, and the corresponding lugs formed in the complementary closure member are complementarily shaped to provide excellent releasable secure-ment of the closure member to the container walls. The combination of the container and complementary closure member, method of closing the container with the complementary closure member, and method of packaging ice cream product therein are also disclosed and form a part of the invention.

Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE: INVENTION
~1) FIELD OF INV~NTION:
Ice cream product or produce con-tainers, including combin-ation of container body and closure member, blanks from which such eontainer body may be erected, such containers erected and filled with ice cream product and closed with such closure member;
such containers partially erected in the form of a tube open at both ends, closed at one end by bottom-forming members, or closed at one end by said elosure member; method of closing such contain-ers by means of closure members particularly adapted for such purpose. Also, such eontainers which may be readily constructed of inexpensive sheetform materials such as paperboard and such closure members which may be readily constructed from plastic materials, and the combination of which container and closure member has numerous advantages which will appear from the follow-ing. Methods of packaging ice eream produet or produce.

(2) PRIOR ART:
Ice cream products, including sherbets, milk ice, ices, and related products, have long been packaged in containers of various types and sizes, including numerous forms and shapes of paperboard and, rather recently,tub-type cylindrical cartons of the type historically employed for cottage cheese and the like, with a single paperboard sheet closing the upper circular area thereof.
Although such latter types of containers are structurally sound, they are extremely expensive and do not solve the problems of vapor-transfer or stability once opened. Moreover, they are bulky and sPaCeWaStin~ at all marketing and consumer levels. ~xist-ing ice-cream carton structures, with or without tearstrips, are likewise characterized by numerous shortcomings, not the least of which is the expense, due to the relatively high caliper of paper-board which must be employed. In addition, since these are all ~1--7~3~
made of integral blanks, any cover member must of necessity be hinged from the bottom or carton body along the ed~e of the rear wall of the carton body, which makes it impossible to provide any substantial friction between the carton cover and the carton body along the front wall. In addition, even when higher caliper sheet-form material is employed of the paperboard type~ once a carton is opened, moisture vapor and fluid content of the carton penetrate the raw edge of the carton body, with the result that the carton takes on a shabby and inelegant appearance and, moreover, produces less and less of a barrier to the outside atmosphere as the pene-tration into the raw edge of the paperboard increases and deterior-ation and leakage progresses. Moreover, even with higher caliper board, due to usual pressures occurring in storage and in use, the carton body does not remain stable and, even under normal condi-tions of use, frequently assumes a flimsy, bowed, nonsupportive and grossly inelegant condition.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide an ice cream product container with complementary container closure member which is as elegant in appearance as the classic cylindr.ical containers, but which is not subject to any of the foregoing dis-advantages, including economic disaclvantages, thereof. In addi-tion, it is an object of the invention to provide an ice cream product container constructed from an integral blank, and a cover formed from plastic, and combination thereof by securement of the closure member to the container body in such a manner and accord-ing to such a structure whereby all of the aforementioned disad-vantages of prior art paperboard ice cream carton structures are genuinely avoided and a novel, unique, and and elegant type of ice cream product container thereby provided.

OBJECT~ OF THE INVENTION

It is, accordingly, an object of the prescnt invcntion to '7~3~
provide a novel, top-opening ic~ cream product container which may be closed an~ subsequently opened by the removal of the closure member of the invention, which may be readily reclosed when it is desired to store unconsumed contents, which is com-prised of an individual container body provided from an integral cut and scored blank and an individual cover of plastic material, and which is in appearance and elegance comparable to the cylin-drical cartons presently in use but which avoids the aforesaid economic and leakage disadvantages thereof, and which moreover avoids the disadvantages of inelegance, structural instability, leakage, deterioration of raw edges of carton body due to infil-tration or penetration of moisture, moisture vapor, and fluid con-tents of the carton, and which, due to the fact that the container closure member is provided as a separate unit and is not made from the same integral blank as the container body, permits the provision of unprecedented friction and therefore also an un-precedented close fit between the container closure member and the container body member along all edges of the opening end of -the container both as consti-tuted initially and also upon reclosure.
Moreover, wi.th the container of the present invention, there is no wasted space, either in shipment or in storage, since the con-tainer is generally of a rectangular cross-section allowing econ-omic utilization of all available space, on the shelves of both the consumer and the vendor~ In addition, the novel closure, opening, and reclosure feature of the present invention elimlnates many of the closure and leakage problems inherent in previously available ice cream cartons and containers of other types. The provision or a uni~ue me~nod o~ ciosing a con~ainer or ~he presen~
invention with a container closure member of the present invention, and a method of packaging ice crcam products therein, as well as intermediate forms of the container blank, with and without closure - ~1'7~d3~
member and or bottom, and the blank itself are additional objects of the invention which have been fully accomplished thereby. The accomplishment of the f~regoing and additional objects will become more fully apparent hereinafter, and still other objects will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which this invention per-tains as the description proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The invention, in brief, comprises a new and improved more elegant container for the containment and packaging of ice cream products. According to the invention, the container body member is formed from an integral blank, usually of paperboard, and the complementary closure member is formed of a sheetform material, generally a thermoplastic, and the two members are subse~uently secured to each other. The manner in which they are secured to each other is novel and significant. The blank from which the container is constructed comprises edge-reinforcing flaps articu-lated to panel or wall members of the container blank, which are folded down upon the.ir respective wall or panel member and ad-hesively secured thereto to provide a folded-over, reinforced ~o portion of double thickness, which first appears in the container blank, then in the tube produced when the blank is folded over and adhered to itself along the manufacturer's glue seam, then in the squared-up tube erected therefrom, and finally in the closed container. Whether the container closure member, having complemen-tary features, is employed to close this reinforced end of the carton or carton blank before or after closure and adherence of the bottom-forming flaps at the other end thereof, the frictional fit provided between this folded-over reinforced portion of double thickness in the container body and the complementary closure member is indeed an excellent closure for a container designed ~4--Q3~

to contain ice cream product. In addition, in the said folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness, there are p~ovide~
defined areas of low resistance which are adapted to receive lugs formed in a wall of said closure member which comes into juxta~
position with said folded-over, reinforced portions of the con-tainer walls, so that the lugs in said closure member can comple-mentarily extend into the said areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface of the walls of the container at the end thereof which is closed by the closure member. The said lugs may also be adhesively secured in said areas of low resistance for better releasable securement of the closure member to the contain-er walls, as will appear more fully hereafter. The structure described is an integral part of the present invention in all of its aspects, and permits the attainment of unprecedented elegance, closure, opening, and reclosure characteristics, wîthout undesir-able leakage and with retentlon of the basic container form, struc-ture, and elegance, throughout the period of its use and until the exhaustion of its content and even beyond.
The container body is unique in its structure in that it in-cludes, as already described, articulated to each of its generally rectangular walls, but adhesively secured to the said walls, the folded-over, reinforcing portion of double thickness for stabiliza-tion and edging purposes, as well as for provision of the stated areas of low resistance to receive the complementary lugs formed in an upstanding tubular inner wall of the unique closure member of the invention, which comes into juxtaposition with the folded-over edge-reinforced portions of the walls of the container upon closure thereof with said closure member. The container body also comprises bottom flaps, which are generally the last to be closed in the erected container, but which may be closed before the closure member is used to close the reinforced end thereof. In a - ~77~3~
preferred embodiment, the container of the invention, and its pre-ferred manner of utilization, is unique in that it is fully assembled except for closure of its bottom flaps before filling, whereafter the bo~tom flaps are closed and secured. In this em-bodiment of the invention, the novel closure member of the inven-tion is secured to the reinforced end of the squared-up tube con-structed from the starting container blank before the filling operation commences. Other aspects of the various structures and procedures of the present invention, and advantages, will become apparent hereinafter but, all in all, the combination of the inde-pendent but integrally cooperating container closure member and the container body, the integral blanks for forming the said con~
tainer body, the unique aspects of the container body and its reinforcing double edge, and especially the combination of the two into an integral unit, the complete ice cream-product contain-ing package, and the unique method of assembly, filling, and pack-aging, all provide novel and unique contributions to the art of ice cream packaging, which will now be more particularly described.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
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The invention, in several preferred embodiments, is illus-trated by the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank for forming a container having the novel features according to the inventiont viewed from the inside surface thereof.
Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the blank of Fig~ 1 viewed from the outside.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. 1 with the edge-reinforcing flaps folded over and adhered in reinorcing position to provide a double thickness at that end of the blank.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the blank of Fig. 3 partially 77~33~
glued and in thc form of an crected sl~ve or tube.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the tube of Fig. ~ with its bottom-forming flaps closed and adhered to orm a container and with its complementary closure member about to be placed thereon.
Fig. 6 is a partially cut away side view of the container of Fig. 5 with closure member in place, having previously been filled with content. There is no Fig ~; 6a appears on Sheet 3.
Fig. 6c is an enlarged cross-sectional view of t.~e section 6c identified in Fig. 6 showing details of the means whereby the con-tainer closure member is removably secured to the container.
Fig. 5a on Sheet 3 is a Perspective view of th~ tu~e of FigO ~ in re-versed position with its top end down and closed by the closure member shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 6a on Sheet 3 is a side view 0f the upside down oontainer of Fig.
5a after having been filled with content and having its bottom-forming members folded upon and adhered to each other to form a closed container.
Fig. 7 on 5heet 4 is a top perspective view of a closure m~er accord-ing to the invention.
ZO Fig. 8 on Sheet 4 is a bottom persp~tive view of the closure ~mber of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 on Sheet 4 is a top plan view of two closure ~,bers of Fig. 7 nesting in vertical juxtaposition.
Fig. 10 on Sheet 4 is a top plan view of another embodLment of the closure member, two such members being nested in vertical juxta-position.
Fig. 11 on Sheet 4 is a to~ ~lan vi~A70f still another e~x~iment of the closure member, two such members again nesting in vertical juxtaposition.
~igs. 9a, lOa, and lla on Sheet 4 are r~sDectively cross-sectional views along lines 9a, lOa, and lla of Figs~ 9, 10, and 11, each 33~

showing details of thc two closurc mcmbcrs ncsting in vcrtical juxtaposition.
Figs~ 12 and 14 on Sheet 3 are tcg? plan views of still additional bodiments of khe closure member of the invention, having a pull tab for facilitating opening of a container closed therewith, and Figs. 13 and 15 also on Sheet 3 are respectively side views of the closure m~ers of Figs. 12 and 14.
Fig. 16 on Sheet 5 is a ~lan view of the inside of ano~er container blank according to the invention, having different areas of low resistance in the edge-reinforcing flaps, and Fig 17 also on Sheet 5 is a ~1~ view of the blank of Fig. lfi with ~e - edge-reinforcing ~laps folded over and ~ ~ed as in Fi~. 3.

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SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE DR~W~NGS

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention, wherein all the parts are numbered and wherein the same numbers are used to refer to corre-sponding parts, or wherein the same numbers but differing by a factor of one hundred (100) are used to refer to corresponding parts.
In a preferred form, the container of the invention may be constructed from an integral blank as illustrated in Fig. 1, the blank of Fig. 1 generally being constructed of paperboard and preferably waxed both internally and-externally except in the areas where adhesive is or is to be applied during erection into a completed container. The blank comprises rear, side, front, and side panels or walls 1, 2, 3r and 4, and glue-flap 14, respec-tively articulated to each other along crease scores 18, 19, 20, and 21. Bottom-forming flaps 5, 6, 7, and 8 are respectively ar-ticulated to their main carton panels or walls along crease scores 22, 23, 24, and 25, and glue-flap extension 15 is articulated to glue flap 14 along crease score 25a. The stippled areas are un-waxed in view of the fact that they are or will contain adhesive during the process of erection of the blank into a container, and the unstippled areas are generally and preferably coated with wax.
The stippled areas are representatively indicated at 16 and the waxed areas at 17.
Articulated to the top edges of the main container panels or walls along crease sc~res 26, 27~ 28, and 29 are edge-reinforc-ing flaps 9, 10, 11, and 12, adapted to be folded cver upon the inner surfaces of their respective main wa]l panels and adhered thereto. In these said edge-reinforcing flaps are located areas of low resistance, in Fig. 1 shown as generally V-shaped cuts 30,

3(3 one being located in each of side panels 2 and ~ and two such cuts being located in each of rear and front panels 1 and 3, the same cuts 30 designed to become inverted-V-shaped cuts when the edge-reinforcing flaps 9 through 12 are folded over and adhered to their respective main container wall panels. These areas of low resistance ma~ take various forms and configurations, as will appear hereinafter, e.g , in Figs~ 16 and 17.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art from Fig~ 1 that glue flap 14 and its extension 15 could e~ually well be articulated to one side edge of rear wall panel 1, or that the wall panels could be differently arranged to give the sarne result upon erection.
In erecting a container from the blank of Fig. 1, the bottom-forming flaps 5 through 8 are folded in in usual manner. Ordin-arily, for convenience, the sequence is 5, 7, 6, and 8, the outer bottom~forming flap 8 being folded in last into juxtaposition with bottom-forming flap 6 and into overlapping position with respect thereto, as will be apparent from subsequent Figs.
Whereas Fig. 1 illustrated the side of the blan~ adap-ted to b0 inside the container erected -therefrom, Fig. 2 is precisely the same blank, viewed from the outside. Fig. 3 again shows the in-side of the blank, with the edge-reinforcing flaps 9 through 12 folded over into reinforcing position to provide a double thick-ness of the material of construction at that end of the container, flaps 9 through 12 now being adhered to the respective main con-tainer panels or walls to which they are articulated, and the areas of low resistance in the said edge-reinforcing flaps 9 through 12 now being in the form of an inverted V, in which form they will appear in the completely erected container.

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The blank of Fig. 3 :is then erectcd into a fla-t-folded tu~e by folding over the glue flap 14 upon its adjacent wall panel 4 and then folding over side and rear panels along score 19, so as t~
bring -the edge of rear panel 1 inko juxtaposition with the dry side of glue flap 14. In this position the inside of wall panel 1 is secured by any suitable adhesive to the folded over outside of glue flap 14, thereby forming the flat-folded tube which is sealed to itself along ~he proverbial manufacturer's glue strip, and which may be shipped to the trade for erection by squaring u~
into a tube as shown in Fig. 4, all the elements being the sarne in Fig. 4 as in Fig. 3. Alternatively and preferably, the folds are made at scores 18 and 20 instead of 15 and 21.
In one manner of proceeding, the bottom flaps are then closed upon each other first, to form a bottom and produce a container with upstanding walls having reinforced edges, as shown in Fig. 5.
As shown and as previously indicated, the folding sequence of the bottom~forming flaps is 5, 7, 6, and 8, secured to each other to form a bottom by means of suitable adhesive o any type placed or preplaced into the dry areas thereof in the usual manner.
In Fig. 5 the container closure member of the invention is shown about to be placed upon the reinforced edges of the upstand~
ing walls of the container. In thtis view of the closure member, identified generally at 50, upstanding tubular inner wall con-forming to the inner surfaces of the tubular container walls to be closed by said closure mernber is identified at 52, with down-standing tubular outer wall connected thereto by a bight 59 and conforming to the outer surfaces of the tubular container walls of the container to be closed by the closure member being identi-fied at 51. Centrally-located upwardly elevated dome portion 55 is defined by upstanding dome-forrning wall 54 which is inwardly spaced from upstanding tubular inner wall 52, the said two up-standing walls thereby defining a tubular valley 53 therebetween.

'1~77~3~ j l'he blght 59 constitutes the outer top edge of the channel formed by said upstandiilg wall 52 and downstanding wall 51, in which the upstanding walls l, 2, 3, and 4 of said tubular container can be seated in frictional engagement. S~id bight constituting said top edge of said tubular channel in which the upstanding walls of the tubular container can be seated may be in the form of a corner, bend, angle, or curve, but in any event constitutes the outer top edge of the said channel formed by upstanding wall 52 and down-standing wall 51.
Clearly visible in upstanding wall 52 o-f closure member 50 are lugs, fingers, detents, or prongs 60~ hereinafter'referred to as lugs. Also visible in Fig. 5 are nesting means to facilitate vertical stacking or feeding of a'plurality of closure members 50 in the form of a step 56 having a vertical riser 57 and a horizon-tal tread 58, in this embodiment the said step being formed in the upstanding dome-forming wall 54. As will be seen hereinafter, this step 56 may also conveniently be Eormed in the other of the upstanding walls defining the tubular valley 53, namely, in inner upstanding walL 52. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, lugs are in the form of an inverted V triangle, to yenerally correspond with the inverted V cuts 30 located inthe reinforced edges of the container walls, said reinforced edges being provided by means of edge-reinforcing flaps 9 - 12.
After filling of the container of Fig. 5 with semi-solid ice cream product prior to closing of the same with the closure member 50 of the invention, the finished package is shown in Fig.
6. Ice cream product 500 will be in either semi-solid or solid form, depending upon whether the package of Fig. 6 has or has not been yet subjected to the "hardening room'`, as will be described further hereinafter. All of the elements already described in Fig. 5 are apparent in Fig. 6, including upwardly elevated dome 3~ ;

portion of the closure m~mber at 55, downstanding wall 51, dome-forming wall 54, upstanding inner wall 52, folded-over edge~rein-forcing flap lO shown adhered to its adjacent container wall panel 2, and the bottom-forming panels in their respective closed and adhered condition. The area of low resistance in edge-reinforcing flap 10 is show at 30 and the section 6c, taken through this area of weakened resistance 30 and lug 60, is shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 6c. Most of the elements previously described in Fig 6 are immediately apparent from Fig. 6c, including, in clockwise orde~, container wall 2, closure member downstanding outer wall 51, crease score 27, now constituting an upper edge of the con-tainer wall, bight 59 constituting the outer top edge of the channel in which the upstanding wall 2 of the container is seated in frictional engagement, said channel being comprised by down-standing outer wall 51 and upstanding inner wall 52. Edge-rein-forcing flap lO is shown within said channel, with lug 60 forcing back area of low resistance 30, thus securing closure member 50 to upstanding wall 2 of the container. A portion of valley 53 is also shown in the enlarged detail of Fig~ 6c.
Fig. 5a is the same as ~ig. 5, except reversed, that is, show-ing an embodiment in which the closure member has been placed upon the reinforced edyes of the container walls of a tube of Fig. 4 prior to closing the bottom-forming members of the said tube. In this embodiment of Fig. 5a, then, the "upside down" version of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the bottom closure flaps are outwardly extending and in an unfolded and non-secured position, and the reinforced end of the tube of Fig. 4 is closed by the closure member 50 as shown in Fig. 5. Aside from the container wall and the outwardly extending unfolded and non-secured bottom-forming flaps, only the ordinarily downstanding outer wall 51 of closure member 50 is visible.

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Fig. 6a shows the con~iner of Fiy 5a a~t~r filling with ~-solid ice cream product and closure and adherence of the bottom-forming flaps thereof. The ice cream product in this embodiment completely fills the dome of the closure member, and is shown in the partially cut-away section as 600 Figs. 7 and 8 respectively show the top perspective and bot-tom perspective of the closure member 50 as first shown and de-scribed for Fig. 5. The elements are the same and lugs 60 are apparent in both views, said lugs being in the form of triangles preformed in the inner upstanding wall 52 cf the closure member so as to coincide with inverted-V-shaped areas of low resistance in edge-reinforcing flaps 9 - 12, now constituting the inner edge of the container body. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the closure member, as well as two such closure members stacked in vertical juxtaposition. Fig. 9a is a cross-sectional view along line 9a -9a of Fig. 9, showing all the elements as previously described, including the step 56 and its horizontal tread 58 and ver-tical riser 57 and how these cooperate in two vertically-juxtaposed closure members of the invention for stacking or nesting purposes.
Figs. 10 and 11 are kop plan views of additional embodiments of the closure member of the invention, as well as two such closure members stacked in vertical juxtaposi-tion. Cross sections thereof are shown respectively in Figs. 10a and lla, in which all of the elements are correspondingly numbered identically but in the 100 and 200 series. Once again, the step for nesting or stacking purposes is located in one of the upstanding walls defining the tubular valley, in Figs. 10 and 10a in upstanding dome-forming wall 154, where step 156 is provided with vertical riser 157 and horizontal tread 158, and in Figs. 11 and lla in upstanding tubular inner wall 252 where step 256 is provided by means of vertical riser 257 and horizontal tread 258. The risers and treads .

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providing such steps need of course only be general]y vertical and generally horizontal so as to permit the desired nes~ing, as shown.
Figs. 12 and 14 are top pla~ ~iews of addi~ional embodiments of the closure member of the invention, being identical with the version of Figs. 11 and lla with the exception of pull-tabs 265 and 266, having slightly different configurations, which are pro-vided in thc downstanding outer wall of the closure member at the outer or lawer edge thereof. As will be noted fromFigs. 13 and 15, re-spectively side views of the closure members of Figs 12 and 14, as well as from all of the other views of the closure member 50 of the invention, the same is generally and preferably provided with an outwardly flaring skirt portion in its downstanding outer wall 51, 151, 251 to facilitate placement thereof on a container.
Also, as will be noted from Figs. 12 and 14, as well as from Figs.
10, lOa, 11, and lla, it is not necessary that the step designated 56 in Fig. 9 be provided entirely around the periphery of upstanding tubular inner wall 52, 152, 252 or upstanding dome-forming wall 54, 154, 254, since such step may be present in one of said walls at only a limited portion thereof, for example at corner 156 or 256, as particularly apparent from Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 14.
Fig. 16 shows another b.lank of the same type as shown in Fig.
1, also viewed from the side which will be the inside of a con-tainer formed therefrom, differing from the blank of Fig. 1 es~
sentially in that areas of low resistance 330 formed in edge-reinforcing flaps 309 - 312 are in the form of generally V-shaped cut outs, rather than mere cuts 30 as provided in the blank of Fig. 1.
Upon folding over these edge-reinforcing flaps 309 - 312, and adhering them to adjacent container walls 301 - 304, excess adhesive appears in the cut-out areas of low resistance 330 which, ~15-~ ~ 77 t~ 3~
especially iE heat-activatable or hot-lne1t adhesive, may serve the further function of at least temporarily adhering lugs 60 of the closure member therein, as will be more fully described hereinafter.
It should be apparent to one skilled in the art that these areas of low resistance provided in the edge-reinforcing flaps 9 - 12 and 309 - 312 may take any one of a large number of shapes, forms, or configurations and, whether cuts or cut outs, may also provide access to excess adhesive therein by the lugs of the com-plementary closure member. Additional configurations of cuts 30 or cut outs 330 may, for example, be diamond or partial diamond, square, arcuate, oblong, circular, and so on. In each case the complementary lug is advantageously and preferably similarly shaped. However, for best results, it has been found that a V-cut, constituting an inverted V-cut in the finished container, or a V-shaped cut out, constituting an inverted-V-cut out in the fin-ished container,are advantageous and preferable, inasmuch as such configuration permits excellent interlocking between the corresponding and preferably complementarily~;shaped lugs of the closure member and the said cuts or cut ouks, without however seriously impairing the strengkh of the container or the imper-viousness or elegance thereof. Experlence has shown -that, when instead of the :inverted V cuts or cut outs, or configurations of that general type, as shown in Pigs. 3 and 17 at 30 and 330, one employs a reverse configuration, with the broad end base of the triangle adjacent to the top edge of the contalner, or some other similar configuration having a relatively broad cllt or cut out portion in relatively close relationship to the top edge of the container wall, not only is the stability of the container somewhat impaired, together with its imperviousness to liquid, moisture, and moisture-vapor transfer, but also that the elegance of the container structure at the upper and mos-t visible edges ~7'7~3~) thereof is co~siderably impaired. Accordingly, althou~h n~t essential for general operativeness of the inVention, in their preferred form, the areas of low resistance provided in edge-rein-forcing flaps such as 9 - 1~ and 309 - 312, whether in the form of cuts 30 or cut-outs 330, will have their apex or smaller por-tion upwardly extending when in place in the erected carton, and any broader base downwardly extending, that is, furthermost re-moved from the top or upper edge of the container body wall. More-over, the inverted V-shape, or a configuration of that general nature, having its apex upwardly-disposed nearest adjacent the edge of the container wall,has also been found preferable and most suitable for superior interlocking with closure member lugs of the same or similar interlocking or interfitting configuration.
As to the number of lugs 60 in any particular closure member 50, depending upon size and shape of the container to be closed, the number may be varied within reasonable limits, e.g., usually four to eightr and of course the number of cuts 30 or cut-outs 330 generally and preferably corresponds to the number of lugs employed in the complementary closure member.
The closure member of the invention, as previously stated, is preferably constructed of thermoplastic material. Such thermo-plastic or plastic material must of course be FDA-approved for use in the packaging of foodstuffs, as is well known to one skilled in the art. Representative suitable thermoplastic materi-als are the heat-deformable plastic materials such as polye-thylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, copolyesters such as that sold under the trademark "Lustro", acrylics and modified acrylics such as that sold under the trademark "Cyrolite", ABS polymers, and many more which will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
The adhesive employed in the specified glue areas for adherina various members of the container may be of any suitable or conven-7~

tional type. For example, o~dinary glue may be c~lploycd, conven-tional hot-melt adhesives may be employed or, in a non-preferred embodiment, the adhesive may be pre-applied and heat-activatahle by application of heated mandrels or plates during the sealing operation. EIowever, for effecting the side-sealing at the manu-facturer's ~oint, as well as securing bottom-forming members, or-dinary glue or hot-melt is entirely satisfactory and is accordingly preferred~ For securing the edge-reinforcing flaps to their ad-jacent wall panels, hot-melt or other heat-activatable adhesive is preferred, in view of the fact that it is sometimes desirable, as previously indicated, to punch lugs in the inner upstanding wall of the closure member of the invention into areas of low resistance in the edge areas of the upstanding container walls and adhere them there in place in the areas of said low resistance. This is most conveniently accomplished by using a heated punch against a mandrel located on the outside of the container closure member, which serves to activate the heat-activatable or hot-melt adhesive at the same time as it punches the lugs of the inner upstanding wall of the closure member into the areas of low .resistance .~n the upper edge areas of the upstanding container walls, whether or not the said luys are pre~formed in the sald container closure member or whether they are fo.rmed therein by the said punching operation as a part of the container closing operation, with or without the application of heat, as may be desired in a particular case.
When the lugs of the upstanding inner wall of the closure member are punched into the areas of low resistance in the edge areas of the upstanding container walls and secured therein by adhesive, whether with or without heat, an extremely secure bond is formed between the said lugs and the areas of low resistance ~77~3~
in the container walls. This is of particular advantage when it is desired to affix the container closure member to the reinforced end of the tube of Fig. 4 to produce a closed-end tube of Fig. 5a and then proceed to fill the same with semi-solid ice cream pro-duct in the usual manner. However, even when the closure member is affixed last, and the semi-solid ice cream product is filled into a container of the invention according to Fig. 5 to produce a filled and closed container according to Fig. 6, the subsequent procedure is the same. Whether the filled container is that of Fig. 6 or Fig. 6a, the usual procedure for providing the finished ice cream product package is to store the filled container in a so-called "hardening room" for a period of time up to several days at a temperature below about zero degrees centigrade, and usually at or about minus thirty degrees centigrade. When the closed container is that of Fig. 6, the thus solidified ice cream pro-duct assists in maintaining stability of the bottom-forming mem-bers at the bottom of the container and, when the finished package is that of Fig. 6a, the frozen ice cream product assists greatly in the solidification and rigidification o~ the closure be~ween the container walls and the end closure member of the invention.
In either case, however, the adherence of the lugs of the closure member by means of the adhesive, if any, employed for increasing the interlock between the luys of the closure member of the inven-tion and the area of low-resistance in the edge-reinforcing flaps of the container according to the invention presents no problem, inasmuch as the package is in such case merely subjected to the said reduced temperature in the said hardening room for a period of time sufficient not only to cause solidification of the semi-solid ice cream proauct contained therein, but also sufficient to cause separation of the lugs in the container closure member from the said adhesive, thereby effecting enhanced releasability of the 11~77~

container closure member from the con-tainer at -the time of consumer use.
In the event it is desired either to form or extend lugs in the inner upstanding wall of the container closure member at the time of closing a container of the invention with a con-tainer closure member of the invention, either with or without the application of heat for purposes of activating or reactivat-ing heat-activatable or hot-melt adhesive in the areas of low resistance in the edge-reinforcing flaps of the container, this may of course be done by hand, with a hand-held punch or heater, or both, either simultaneously or sequentially, or a device may be employed for carrying out such step or steps, Such a device may conveniently comprise a fastening-head having a plurality, e.g., four to eight, punching points located therein, and with or without corresponding heating units also located at said punching points, adapted to fit within and/or around the closure member of the invention and ~o deliver simultaneous suitably~
localized sharp punching blows to the preselected designated areas which either are alxeady lugs or which ~re desiyned to be lugs in the inner upstanding wall of the closure member of the invention. ~ device par-ticularly adapted for use in such manner, that is, for punching preexisting lugs formed in the inner upstanding wall of the closure member of the invention into closer co~tact with complementary areas of low resistance in the edge areas of the container walls, or to perform the same function in preselected areas of the said inner upstanding wall of the closure member in which lugs have not been pre-formed, either with or without the employrnent of heat for tem-porarily locally heat-deforming the thermoplastic material, of which the closure member is constructed, to facilitate the 3(~ 1 aforementioned punch:ing for lu~ ormation or extension and/or for activating or reactivating heat-ac-tivatable adhesive or hot-melt adhesive in the said areas of low resistance in the edge-reinforced areas, is disclosed in the Canadi~n appli-cation of Richard G. Haas, entitled "Container Closing Machine", filed even date herewith, Serial No. 359,179. Therein is disclosed apparatus for performing the aforesaid functions of punching and/or heating, by means of a fastening head, in a machine particularly designed for the aforesaid purpose or purposes and for ensuring adequate securement of a closure . member of the type provided according to the present invention by means of lugs in the closure member extending into areas of low resistance in the upstanding walls of the container~
As already stated, although such functions can be perfor~ed by hand, it goes without saying that the e~.ployment of a machine designed for the express purposes is of great advan-tage and the procedure of choice.

,,/

.... . , ;~ 1--~177¢:J)3~

In an obvious alternative embodim~nt of th~ invention, it is apparent that reinforcing flaps 9~12 or 309-312 may carry or receive suitable adhesive and be folded down upon the container body walls 1-4 or 301-304 on the exteriox thereof and adhesively secured thereto on the exterior rather than on the interior of the container body. In such embodimen~, it is also obvious that the glue flap 14 or 314, appended to the container body side wall 4 or rear ~ or 304 or 301,as shown appended to the car~on side wall 4 or 304,w~uld still most advantageously be folded inside of the adjacent container body 1, 301 and adhesively secured thereto on -the interior thereof, although securement to the exterior thereof would also provide an operative structure.
As is conventional, the material of construction of the container body of the present invention may suitably comprise the normal paperboard, with the usual filler and interior and exterior liners. The exterior liner may, as usual, be suitably clay-coated, and both of the liners may be, and preferably are, also wax-coated in areas to be non-adhering.
Also as conventional, the adhesive employed may be any one of the u~,ual hot-melt adhesives, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, glue, or the like. Numerous alternatives are available and will readily be apparent to one skilled in the art. Heat activatable, and especially hot-melt adhesives, are generally preferred, especially for securing the reinforcing flaps to their adjacent walls.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that all of the objectives of the invention have been attained, and in a ready, facile, and economical manner. A compact and elegant container with complementary closure member for filling with ~ 22 -~'77~33~)~

ice cream product, including products such as sherbet, milk ice, or the like, has been provided, as well as the ~illed package, and blanks ~or producing the container body and the assembled combinatio~, and in which structure sheetform material, e.g., paperboard, of lesser caliper than previously employed may be used, because of the superior structural aspects of the invention, especially the edge-reinforcing flaps, which provide a double thickness of board in areas of usual weakness. These edge-reinforcing flaps of the con-tainer body provide a rim or edge, upon opening of the con-tainer, which is not readily subject to wicking or permeation by moisture or fluid contents, so that the container is adapted to maintain its elegance even upon opening. More-over, the container, once sealed, is readily and conveniently opened and, due to the unique complementary relationship between the container closure member and container body according to the present invention, not only is the closure member adapted for ready opening and closing once the con-tainer has been opened, but also for a particularly close fit and improved frictional contact along the reinforced ~ges o all of the container walls upon reclosure. Such advantages are not possible with structures in which both the carton cover and the carton body are erected from a single integral blank.
The invention, then, in its most significant and multifaceted aspects, can be described as follows:

~n integral blank cut and scored to provide a tubular container comprising substantially rectangular rcar, side, and front ~all members, a glue flap articulate~d along a score to one of said container ~all members and adapted to 3~

be adhered to an adjacent container wall rnernber, bot-tom-forming flaps articulated to each of sai.d wall members along scores at one end of said hlank, and edge-reinforcing flaps articulated to each of said container rear, side, and front wall members at the other end of said blank having areas of low resistance defined therein and being adapted to be folded over and adhesively secured to said adjacent wall members to which said flaps are articulated, thereby to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of said blank and in a tubular container erected from said blank, with said areas of low resistance being present in the inner exposed surface of folded-over edge~reinforced portions of the walls of said container erected f.rom said blank; such an integral blank wherein at least two of said bottom-forming flaps are adapted to be outer bot-tom~
forming flaps upon erection of a container from said Dlank, said two flaps being adapted to be adhesively secured to the other bottom-forming flaps which are adapt.ed to be interior bottom-forming flaps upon erection of a container :Erom said blank; such an integral blank wherein said glue flap is articulated to said ontainer rear wall or side wall member and ~herein two bottom-forming :Elaps adaptcd to be exterior bottom-forming flaps are of di.mensions so that one overlaps the other upon erection of a containcr from said blank; such an integral blank wherein said areas of low resistance are defined by cuts in said edge-reinforcing flaps; such an integral blank wherein said areas of low resistance are defined by cut-out areas in said edge-reinforcing flaps; such an inteyral blank wherein said 3~ areas of low resistance are defined by generally V-shaped 3L~ 3~

cuts in said edge-reinforcing flaps, such an integral blank wherein said areas of low resistance are defined by generally V-shaped cut-out areas in said edge-reinforcing f laps; such an edge-reinforced integral blank having sai.d edge-reinforcing flaps folded over and adhesively secured to the wall members of said blank to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of the blank; a tube erected from such a preceding integral blank, having its wall members connected by means of said glue flap, and having its bottom-forming flaps outwardly extending in an unfolded and non-~ secured position and such a tube, folded over upon itself and in the form of a flat-folded tube; a container erected from such a pxeceding integral blank, having its wall members connected by means of said glue flap, and having its bottom-forming flaps folded over and secured to each other thereby forming the container bottom; a container erected fxom such a preceding integral blank, having its wall members connected by rneans of said ylue flap, having its bottom-forming flaps outwardly extenclincl in an unfolded and non-securcd position, and haviny its .reinforced end closed by a closure member compri.sing:
an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surfaces of the walls of the container, and a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto by a bight and conforming to the outer surfaces of the walls of the container, said inner and outer walls and said bight forming a tubular channel in which said upstanding walls of said tubular container are seated in frictional engagement, a ccntrally-located upwardly-elevated dome portion, ~ 25 -defined by an upstanding dome-forming wall which i.s:in~rdly spa~ed from the said ups~andiny tubular inner wall o~ said closure member, the said two upstanding walls o~ said closurc member defining a tubular valley therebetween, and lugs formed in said upstanding tubular inner wall, said lugs compl~nentarily extending into said ~reas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface of the walls of said container at the end thereof closed by the closure mernber, for releasably securing said container closure mernber to said tubular container walls; a container erected from such-a preceding integral blank,-having its wall members connected by means of said glue flap, having its bottom-forming flaps outwardly extending in an unfolded and non-secured position, and having its reinforced end closed bythe closure member as described hereinafter. ~lso a closure mernber, suitable for use in closing a tubular container having upstanding walls comprising areas of low resis~
tance defined in the inner exposed sur~ace of the edge areas o~
0 said upstanding walls, cornprising:
an upstanding tubular .inner wall conforming to the .inner surfaces of the walls of the cont~iner to be closed by said closure member, and a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto by a 5 bight and conforming to the outer surfaces of the wal.ls of the container to be closed by said closure member, thereby forming a tubular channel in which said u~standing walls of sald tubular container can be seated in frictional engagement, a centrally located up-"ardly-elevated dorne portion, defined 3~

by an ups-tanding dome-forming wall which is inwardly spaced from the said upstanding tubular inner wall of said closure member, the said two upstanding walls of said closure mem~er defining a tubular valley therebetween, and lugs formed in said upstanding tubular inner wall, said lugs being for complementarily extending into said areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface o.f the walls of the container to be closed by the closure member, for releas~
ably securing said container closure member to said tubular container; such a closure member made of a thermoplastic material; such a closure member wherein said downstanding tubu-lar outer wall has an outwardly-flaring skirt portion to facilitate placement of said closure member on a container to be closed thereby; such a closure member comprising nesting means, to facilitate vertical stacking or feeding of a plurality of said closure members, in the form of a step having a vert.ical riser and a hor1zontal tread in one of said upstanding walls defining said tubular valley; such a closure member comprising a laterally~extending pull~tab at the lower edge of said downstanding outer wall. Also a tubular container having a bottom and upstanding walls, the end edges of which walls are folded-over and adhered to said walls to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of the tubular container, the inner exposed surface of said folded-over, edge-reinforced portions of the upstanding walls of said container having areas of low resistance defined therein for facilitating the removable securement of a container closure member thereto; such a tubular container, wherein said areas of low resistance are defined by cuts in said edge-reinforced portions; such a 77~ 3 tubular container, wherein said areas of low resistance axe defined by cut-out areas in said edge-reinforeed portions;
such a tubular container, wherein said areas o~ low resistance are defined by generally inverted-V-shaped cuts in said edge-reinforced portions; sueh a tubular container, wherein saidareas of low resistance are defined by generally inverted-V-shaped cut-out areas in said edge-reinforced portions; sueh a tubular container, wherein said end edges are folded over inwardly so as to provide said reinforced portion on the container interior; such a tubular container, having a rectangular cross-seetion; sueh a tubular container, eon-strueted of paperboard; and such a tubular container, wherein said end edges are adhered by means of heat-activatable or hot-melt adhesive; and such a container, having its reinforced 15: end closed by the closure member as previously described; and such a container having a bottom and upstanding walls, the end edges of which walls are folded-over and adhered -to said walls to form a folded-over, reinf.orced port:ion of doublethickneJa at that end of the tubular container, the inner exposec1 surface of said folded-over, edc~e reinforeed portions of the upstand.ing w~lls of said container having areas of low resistance defined therein for facilitating the removable securerrlent of a container closure member thereto, closed by the container closure member as described. Also a closed tubular container having a bottom and upstanding walls, the end edges of which walls are folded-over and adhered to said walls to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of the tubular con-tainer, the inner exposed surface of said folded-over, edge-reinforced portions of the upstanding walls of said container comprising areas of low resistance defined therein for 36~
facilitating the removable securement of a container closure member thereto and, removeably secured thereto, a closure member, comprising:
an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surfaces of the walls of the container, and a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto by a bight and conforming to the outer surfaces of the walls of the container, said inner and outer walls and said bight forming a channel in which said upstanding walls of said tubular container are seated in frictional engagement, a centrally-located upwardly-elevated dome portion, defined by an upstanding dome-forming wall which is inwardly spaced from the said upstanding tubular inner wall of said closure member, the said two upstanding walls of said closure member defining a tubular valley therebetween, and lugs formed in said tubular inner wall, said lugs complementarily extending into said areas o~ low xesistance in the inner exposed surface of the walls of said.
0 container, thereby releasably securing said container closure member to said tubular container; such a combination, wherein said areas of low resistance are defined by cuts in said edge-reinforced portions; such a combination, wherein said areas of low resis-tance are defined by cut-out areas in said edge-reinforced ~ortio~s; same wherein said areas of l~w resist~nce are defined by generally inverted-V-shaped cuts; same wherein said areas of low resistance are defined by generally inverted-V-shaped cut-out.areas; such a ccmbination wherein said lugs are of a oonfi~lration adapted to interlock with said areas of low resis~ce, especially such inverted-V-shaped cuts or cut-outs; such a 11~77~3~

combination wherein said closure mernber is of a thermoplasticmaterial; such a tubular container, wherein said downstanding tubular outer wall of said closure member has an outwardly-flaring skirt portion to facilitate placement of said closure member on said container; such a tubular oontainer, wherein said closure member comprises nesting means, to facilitate vertical stacking or feeding of a plurality of said closure members, in the form of a step having a vertical riser and.a horizontal tre~d in one of said upstanding walls defining said valley,and a laterally extending pull-tab at the lower edge of.said downstanding ou-ter wall; such a combination, wherein said end edges are folded over inwardly so as to provide said reinforced portion on the container interior; such a combination, having a rectangular cross-section; such a combination, wherein the container is constructed of paperboard; and such a combination, wherein said end edges of said container are adhered by means of heat-activatable or hot-melt adhesive. Also, a container or closed container as hereinbefore described filled with ice cream prodwct. Al~o, a method of clos.i.ng an open end of a tube or tubular cont~iner ag herein descri.bed, comprising the steps of placing a container closure mernber as herein described onto the reinforced end of said tube or tubular container and forcing the lugs in the upstanding tubular inner wall of said clo$ure member into the complementary areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface of the walls of the said tube or tubular container; such a method which includes the step of adhering said lugs in said areas of low resistance by means of adhesive in said areas of low resis-tance; and such a method, wherein said adherence is effected by means of heat-activatable or hot-melt adhesi~e in said ~77~3~

areas. Also, a method of packaginy ice cream product com-prising the steps of filling semi-solid ice cxeam product into such a container as hereinbefore described having its reinforced end closed with a closure member as hereinbefore described, closing the bottom-forming f~aps on the open end of said container and adhering them to each other, and sub-jecting the package to hardening at a temperature below about zero degrees centigrade to solidify the semi-solid ice cream product; and a method of packaging ice cream product comprising I0 the steps of filling semi-solid ice cream product into a con-tainer as hereinbefore described, having its bottom formed by closed and adhered bottom-forming flaps, closing the rein-forced end of said container with a closure member as herein-before described, and then subjecting the package to harden-ing at a temperature below about zero degrees centigrade tosolidify the semi-solid ice cream product; and such methods wherein the lugs in the upstanding tubular inner wall of the closure member are adhered in the cornp.1e.mentary areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface o the wall o~ the conta:iner hy heat-activclta~lc or hot-melt ad-hesive, and wherein the pac~age is subjected to said reduced tem-perature for a period of time sufficient to cause separation o~
the said lugs in the container closure member from -the said ad-hesive, thereby effecting enhanced releasability of said container closure member from said container~
It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, opera-tion, or e~act materials or embodirnents shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents ~ill be apparent to one skilled in the art, wherefore in the invcntion is to be limited only by the full scope of thc appended clairns.

. - 31 - 1.

Claims (7)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of packaging ice cream product comprising the steps of filling semi-solid ice cream product into a tubular container formed from an integral blank which is cut and scored to provide a tubular container comprising substanti-ally rectangular rear, side, and front wall members, a glue flap articulated along a score to one of said container wall members and adhered to an adjacent container wall member, bottom-forming flaps articulated to each of said wall members along scores at one end of said blank, and edge-reinforcing flaps articulated to each of said con-tainer rear, side, and front wall members at the other end of said blank having areas of low resistance defined therein and being folded over and adhered to said adjacent wall members to which said flaps are articulated, thereby to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of the tubular container erected from said blank, with said areas of low resistance being present in the inner exposed surface of folded-over edge-reinforced portions of the walls of said container, having its wall members connected by means of said glue flap, having its bottom-forming flaps outwardly extending in an unfolded and non-secured position, and having its rein-forced end closed by a closure member comprising:
an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surfaces of the walls of the container, and -32- (Claims page 1) a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto by a bight and conforming to the outer surfaces of the walls of the container, said inner and outer walls and said bight forming a tubular channel in which said upstanding walls of said tubular container are seated in frictional engagement, a centrally-located upwardly-elevated dome portion, defined by an upstanding dome-forming wall which is in-wardly spaced from the said upstanding tubular inner wall of said closure member, the said two upstanding walls of said closure member defining a tubular valley therebetween, and lugs formed in said upstanding tubular inner wall, said lugs complementarily extending into said areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface of the walls of said container at the end thereof closed by the closure member, for releasably securing said container closure member to said tubular container walls.
closing the bottom-forming flaps on the open end of said container and adhering them to each other, and subjecting the package to hardening at a temperature below about zero degrees centigrade to solidify the semi-solid ice cream product.

2. A method of packaging ice cream product comprising the steps of filling semi-solid ice cream product into a tubular container formed from an integral blank which is cut and -33- (Claims page 2) scored to provide a tubular container comprising substanti-ally rectangular rear, side, and front wall members, a glue flap articulated along a score to one of said container wall members and adhered to an adjacent container wall member, bottom-forming flaps articulated to each of said wall members along scores at one end of said blank, and edge-reinforcing flaps articulated to each of said con-tainer rear, side, and front wall members at the other end of said blank having areas of low resistance defined therein and being folded over and adhered to said adjacent wall members to which said flaps are articulated, thereby to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of the tubular container erected from said blank, with said areas of low resistance being present in the inner exposed surface of folded-over edge-reinforced portions of the walls of said container, having its wall members connected by means of said glue flap, and having its bottom-forming flaps folded over and secured to each other thereby forming the container bottom, closing the reinforced end of said container with a closure member, comprising an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surfaces of the walls of the container, a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto by a bight and conforming to the outer surfaces of the walls of the container, thereby forming a tubular channel in which said up-standing walls of said tubular container are seated in -34- (Claims page 3) frictional engagement, a centrally-located upwardly elevated dome portion, defined by an upstanding dome-forming wall which is in-wardly spaced from the said upstanding tubular inner wall of said closure member, the said two upstanding walls of said closure member defining a tubular valley therebetween, providing lugs in said upstanding tubular inner wall, said lugs complementarily extending into said areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface of the walls of the container closed by the closure member, for releasably securing said container closure member to said tubular container, and then subjecting the package to hardening at a temperature below about zero degrees centigrade to solidify the semi-solid ice cream product.

3. Method of Claim 1 or 2, wherein the lugs in the upstanding tubular inner wall of the closure member are adhered in the complementary areas of low resistance in the inner exposed surface of the wall of the container by heat-activatable or hot-melt adhesive, and wherein the package is subjected to said reduced temperature for a period of time sufficient to cause separation of the said lugs in the container closure member from the said adhesive, thereby effecting enhanced releasability of said container closure member from said container.

-35- (Claims page 4)

4. A method of packaging ice cream product comprising the steps of filling semi-solid ice cream product into a tubular container said container comprising substantially rectangular rear, side, and front wall members, a glue flap articulated along a score to one of said container wall members and adhered to an adjacent container wall member, bottom-forming flaps articulated to each of said wall members along scores at one end of said container and outwardly extending in an unfolded and non secured position, and edge-reinforcing flaps articulated to each of said con-tainer rear, side, and front wall members at the other end of said container having areas of low resistance including adhesive-containing areas therein, said edge-reinforcing flaps being folded over and adhesively secured to the wall members of said container to form a folded-over-reinforced portion of double thickness at that end of the tubular container, with said areas of low resistance including adhesive-containing areas being present in the inner exposed surface of folded-over edge-reinforced portions of the walls of said tubular container, said container having its reinforced end closed by a closure member comprising:
an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surfaces of the walls of the container, and a down-standing tubular outer wall connected thereto by a bight and conforming to the outer surfaces of the walls of the -36- (Claims page 5) container, said inner and outer walls and said bight forming a tubular channel in which said upstanding walls of said tubular container are seated in frictional engagement, and lugs formed in said upstanding tubular inner wall, said lugs complementarily extending into said areas of low resistance and being adhesively secured to correspond-ing adhesive-containing areas in the inner exposed surface of the walls of said container at the end thereof closed by the closure member, for releasably securing said container closure member to said tubular container walls, closing the bottom-forming flaps on the open end of said container and adhering them to each other, and subjecting the package to hardening at a reduced temperature below about zero degrees centigrade to solidify the semi-solid ice cream product, wherein the package is subjected to said reduced temperature for a period of time sufficient to cause separation of the said lugs in the container closure member from the said adhesive, thereby effecting enhanced releasability of said container closure member from said container.

5. The method of Claim 4, wherein said lugs are of a configuration adapted to coincide with the configuration of the corresponding adhesive-containing areas in the edge-reinforced portions of the upstanding walls of said container.

-37- (Claims page 6)

6. The method of Claim 4, wherein said lugs are of a configuration adapted to coincide with said areas of low resistance in the form of cut or cut-out areas in said edge-reinforced portions.

7. The method of Claim 4, wherein said adhesive is a hot-melt or heat-activatable adhesive.

- 38 - (Claims page 7)