CA1327551C - Tamper proof folding box - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
A folding box has a reclosable end flap opening on a side wall panel end which defines a seal identifying segment portion. The reclosable end flap covers the reclosable opening and has a bent over flap extension adjacent to the seal identifying segment. The box permits hand separation of the segment to break the seal of the box while allowing the reclosable flap to act as a reclosable portion after the seal is broken so that there is a visible indication that the seal is no longer intact.

Description

~ 3~755~

T~PER PRO(3F FOLD ING BOX
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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Folded cartons or boxes are often used with a nurnber of products which come ints contact with the hands of the conswner. Par~icularly in pharmaceu~ical products, it i~ important to know whether or no~ the boxes have been opened at any time prior to sale or certain uses.
Oten the prior art has turned to ~he use of attaching supplemental labels over fold lines and opening lines of cartons. If the label~ are broken, one ass~es the cartsn has been opened by a curious consumer or other. It is sometimes difficult or inconv~ni ent to use l abel s in connec~ i on with ~he tucked-in end of olding cartons to determine whether or not they have b~?en opened . Somet imes packaging machines are slowed down in their operation by the use of such label~ or other complications arise. Often change~ in overall manufacture may be r~quired when suppl~mentary labels ar~ usPd.

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SUMMARY OF THE I NVENT I ON

It is an object uf ~his inYention to provide a reclosable box having a seal whlch can be identif i~d as intact or not and which perm~ ts ease o reclosure after the seal has b~en broken.
S~il l another obj ect o this invention is to provide a novel and advantageous folding box in accorclance with the precedins obj ect wherein box blanks can be formed in a conventional manner and assembled rapidly and efficiently in manuacturing procedur~s.
Still anoth~r object of this invention is ~o proYide a box in accordance with ~he preceding objects which can be formed ~f paper or cardboard in a highly efficient manner with ease of produc~ion and assurance of seal i~tegri~y idenkification in u~Q.
According to the invention, a reclosable box ~uch as a folding box or carton having a seal cbmprises an encircling side panel means defining an upper edge forming a reclo~able opening to the bo~.
The ~ide panel means defines a ~eal identifying segment portion defined therein and located adjacen~
~he upper edge. A reclosable end flap covers the reclosable opening having a ben~-over flap extension adjacent the eal identifying segment. Means pQrmit .. ~,. .,,:,, . ., . .. ; , .. , , . .. , , . . . . -1 3~7551 hand separation of the segmPn~ from ~he side panel means whereby the end flap acts as a closure for the box and the means permit~ing hand separa~ion allows an observer ~o identify that the segment has been s~parated.
Preferably the box is a cardboard bvx and the segment is attached ts a supplementary flap ex~ending therefrom which i8 sev~red along with ~aid segment and attached to said reclosable end 1ap to aid in closure. In the preferred embodiment the box is generally rectangular with ~our planar side walls meeking at right angles having a con~entional bent-over bottom and top flap, all of which can be seal~d at adjacen~ portion~ of the planar ~urfaces by conven~ional ho~-melt adhPsives, gluing, or adhesively united wi~h the use of ultrasonic energy.
It is a eature of ~his invention tha~ a folding box or carton can be kept constantly closed and any unauthorized first opening of the folding carton can be visually identified immediately. Aft~r ~h~
intial opening and breaking of the sPal, the box is easy to close again and to reuse ~ven though the original seal is ~roken. The eye of an observer can quickly identi~y the original ~eal ~eparation; yet, ~he conten~s are fully protec~ed and maintained wi~hin the box by a reclosable end flap which cov~rs a reclosable opening and carxies a bent ov0~ flap '. , ' extension adjacent to the segment. The bent-over : flap extension is the tuck-in end of a flap as generally known in the folding carton industry.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
'.':' The above and other objec~s, featurPs and - advantages of the present invention will be better under~tood from a reading of ~he specification in ;. which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a box blank in ~; accordance with a preferred embodiment of the ` present invetion;
FI~. 2 is an assembled form of the box showing ~ the hand of the user located on the box to permi~
`:: hand opening of the box by pres~ure of ~he thumb;
~;~ FIG. 3 is a d~ail of a second embodiment of a feature of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The folding carton or box as shown in FIG. 1 in the form of a blank, defines an encircling side panel means having an upper encircling edge forming .~ a reclosable opening to the box. The upper edge is closed by a reclosable end flap 3 which has a ~- bent-over flap ~xtension 5. A seal identifying , ., .
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,.~' ` ~ ' ~ ~egment portion i~ defined in the side panel m~an~
:~ at 33 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in the form of a . trapezoidal-~haped segment and lies adjacent ~he .~ flap ~xtension 5 in the box as æhown in FIG. 2.
:, :................. When the extension i~ broken from the box as by finger pressure acting on a tear line in the box, the end flap 3 can act as a reclosable means and an : observer can identify ~ha~ the segment 33 has been '~ separated.
The box is preferably a folding box having thin planar side walls as known in the art. The side : walls can be of paper, plastic, cardboard, ordinary : carton makerial and the like a~ is well known.
Preferably, a ~hin, less than one quarter inch thick side wall material is used, althouyh ~his can vary.
:;` The side wall material is preerably rigid but :::
yieldable as is known in th.in cardboard boxes. In the pxeferred embodiment, ~he box is generally rectangular in shapeO although square, round or other shapes ca~ by used.
The sid~ panel means of the box of this invention comprises planar thin cardboard side panels or walls 7, 1, 13, 15 and an outwardly ex~ending sealing ~lap ~7 divided by old lines 6, 12, 14 and 26 respectively. The panels form a re~tangular cross section box when the flap 27 is glued or adhered in place behind ~he sid~ wall 7.

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: --6--, ~, This forms the folding box so that it has an enc i r c l ing edge compr i s ing ~op edge s 8, 2, 21, 3 7, 23 and parallel bottom edges 9, 17, 2û and 22.
~: ~Exterl~ion flaps lû, 11, 1~ anâ 19 have fold lines ~, 9, 20 ~nd 21 respecti-rely to provide backup flaps. Flaps 11 and 18 m~y be glued for structural support as is known in the art.
Bottom f laps 16 and 2~ are a~tached at fold lines 17 and 2~ for folding under the carton ~o form a bo~torn end with flap 16 outermost. Glue lines or adhesive lines for ultrasonic welding as are shown in 28 to provide a ~ealed lower end o~ the box.
`;Planar reclosable end f lap 3 extends upward ar d ;~is separated from the side panel means by fold line 2 and has a fold line 4 ~rom which extends a flap esctension ~ to :Eorm the tuck-in top as is cUstomary in the art. Conventional cut lines 29 and 30 provide ends for ~he tu~k-in fea~ure.
. ~The upper edge of side wall 15 has a perforated line at 34 whieh can have solid ~egment~ 38, 39, 40, 41 attaching the segment 33 to the side wall so that the sQgment i~ actually integral with the side wall although capable ~f separation by f irlger pressure .
-~Perforations ox slits can be used and the like. A
top flap 25 extends upwardly from side wall 15 at a fold line 23. The fold line 23 has a central portion 37 where the 1ap is aktached to the ~egm~nt 33 .
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In use, flap 3 can be bent to have its extensio~
5 extend rearw2rdly and be po~itioned directly b~hind the segment 33 when the s sment 33 îs in the position shown in FIG. 2. Fold lines ~3, 37 can be perforated to allow breakage by finger pressure. In æome cases, only portion 23 is perforated while in other cases if desired, ~he entire ~ection 23-37 is perforated. It is also possibls to perforate and separate only alony line 38 and if desired lin~ 23.
Note that fold lines 23 and 37 are parallel to the opposite edge 2 of the car~on. In final position, it is preferred that ~he f:lap 25 be the outside o the carto~ with underlining adhesive means attaching it to the top of flap 3.
FIG. 3 shows slits with int gral portions 60 connecting the sesmen~ 53 to the top flap 25. In this embodiment, the segment 53 is separable from the top flap 25 whereas in FIG. l, line 37 can merely b a solid old line. In ~ither ~mbodiment, perfora~ion slits or the like can be used.
The fold lines in the car~on can be crease lines i~ accordance with ordinary folding box terhniques.
In alt~rnate embodiment~ of the invention, flap 25 ~eed not be glued to flap 3 but can be glued or otherwise adhered only to flaps 19 and 10 or can be fre~, al~hough it is preferred to have flap 3 und~rlie flap 25 and be adhered to flap 25.
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Many variations in th~ olding box construction can be used including variations in matsrial, dimensions and the like. In the pref~rred embodiment, the box has dimensions for pharmaceutical purposes and may b~ of a size to fit in or he handled by a single hand of the u~er. For example, ~he box can have a length of 5 inches with a height of 2 inches and a depth of 1 inch.
GenerallyJ to form the carton from the box blank as shown in FIG. 1, it is bent into ~n encircling shape with the ? ides planar to have a generally rectangular cross section with the f lap 27 bent under and adhered to the sidP 7. The side walls 1 and lS are parallel to each o~her as are the end side walls 7 and 12. The flaps 10, 11, 19 and 20 are bent at right angles towards the inside of ~?he box and th~ f laps ~4 and 16 over~apped and adh2red.
Flap 3 and extension flap 5 are ben~ at right angles and pssi~ioned ovex flaps 10 and 19 with flap 25 t?hen bent over the top of f lap 3 and adhered thereto .
In order to open the sealed carton, f inger pressure is applied ~o the segment 33 to break the line of perfoEation~ at least at lines 34, 35 and 36 whereupon line 23 can be broken and flaps 25 and 3 allowing op~ ing of the carton to the position of .
: f lap 3 a~ shown ia ~IG . 1 . Th~ carton is reclosed u~ ing ex~ens ion ~ l ap 5 . At this point, one can ' ~; ' :
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visually see on the outside of the carton that ~egment 33 has been broken ~rom the side wall means. ~n addition, if a utout line ~7 is u~ed, the f lap 53 resulting can be discarded although ~his is not required. In s~ither case, i~ will be obvious to a user ~hat the box has been previously opened once the perforation line is separated. The carton can no longer be made to appear as it was at the time :It was originally filled and seal~d, ye~
reclosure is possible.
The original seal can be of any type although in most cases, a ~eal is not meant to include a hermetic ~eal but rather a full closure without separa~ion of joined parts.
In sununary, the empty carton or box is erected by conven'ciorlal means with flaps 11, 16, 18, arld 28 cooperating to form the f loor of the cartsn and ~laps 7, 13 and 27 cooperating to form the end~; o~
the carton . The top of the carton comprises f laps 1~, 3, 19 and 25 which can remain ~pen for filling.
The carkon can be filled, flaps 10 and 19 folded down and subsequently covered by flap 3 with the insertion f lap 5 turned over and inserted at that time. Flap 25 is then folded over 1ap 3 and t~naciously bonded thereto whereupon th~ f illed carto~ ealed.

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.- --10--Side panels 15 define the trapeæoidal segme~t 33 which segment is bounded in part by perforated bendi~g lines 23 which extends th~ full length of side panel 15 and then in part by a perforated line extending from 34 to 36 ~or a cut from 34 to 36 bridged by carton material at points 38, 39, 40 and 41). The carton is opened by depressing flap 33 as shown in FI~. 2, and drawing up the cover. This operation ha~ the two-fold effect of separ ting segment 33 from ~ide panel 15 at points 34, 38, 39, 35, 40 and 41 (or along the perforat~d line so defined) and of separating cover flap 25 from ~ide panel 15 along pexforated bending lin~ 23. Segment 33, having been lightly attached ~o top flap 25, ~eparates all together, thereby permanently and conspicuously altering the carton.
Cover flap 3 which lies immediately below cover 1ap 25 and remains bonded to it, is also raised wh~n ~he car~on is opened. Thereaft~r, bonded cover flaps 25 a~d 3 form the top of the carton, hinged at bending line 2 . Insertion f lap 5 permanently attached to cover flap 3 along bending l;ne 4 may be reinserted ~o close the carl;on in an unsealed condition .
~ hile a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, many varia~ions are possible. While a trapezoidal shape has been shown , , .
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., ".~,, ,1~ for segments 33 and 53, the shape can vary greatly.
all ~a~es, it ls preferrad that a portion b0 elonga~ed and parallel to a rear edge o~ ~he carton to make obviou~ the fact that the seal has been 1 broken if the segment is r~moved. However, other shapes such as rectangular, non xegular or the like c~n ba used. Similarly, the box can be rectangular, square, round or irregular in cross section and side wall shape. The separation means can be o~ any known type as can be the means for sealing the cartons. Conventional material~ for box and carton :~ construction can also be used in a variety of sizes.
While the car~on constructed as described above can be closed and reopened subsequent to initlal opening, it cannot be resealed or made to appear sealed as it was at the ~irne of original filing.

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Claims (5)

1. A reclosable folding box having a seal, said box comprising encircling side panels defining an encircling upper edge forming a reclosable opening to said box, one of said side panels having a seal identifying segment portion enclosed therein by perforated lines and having a segment portion width and extending from said upper edge, a reclosable end flap covering said reclosable opening having a bent over flap extension having a width greater than said segment width, and underlying said segment portion, said one panel having a second flap extending from said one panel and overlying said first-mentioned flap and secured thereto, said flap extension being unweakened in an area underlying said panel weakening lines so as to present a complete closure at said one panel if said segment portion is removed, said bent over flap extension being unattached to said one side panel adjacent to said segment, said weakening lines acting as separation lines permitting hand separation of said segment portion from said one side panel whereby said end flap acts as a complete closure for said box and means permitting hand separation allows an observer to identify separation or integrity of said segment portion with said side panel means.

2. A reclosable folding box in accordance with claim 1, wherein said side panels comprise four encircling substantially planar side wall portions defining the upper edge as a rectangular top edge, said top edge having two opposed generally longitudinally extending portions with said reclosable end flap extending from one of said two edge portions and bent over towards said other edge portion and carrying said bent over flap to act as a closure adjacent to said segment portion and said second flap extending from said other edge portion wherein said segment portion is located at and removably attached to said edge.

3. A reclosable folding box in accordance with claim 2, wherein said box side wall panels comprise paper material and further comprise at least one ultrasonic energy formed seal of at least one flap.

4. A reclosable folding box in accordance with claim 3, wherein said box is generally rectangular in shape.

5. A reclosable closing box in accordance with claim 4, wherein said segment is attached to said side walls by a plurality of spaced paper bridge portions.