EP0087839A1

EP0087839A1 - Packaging container

Info

Publication number: EP0087839A1
Application number: EP83200263A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adriaan Theodoor Van Dale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-02-26
Filing date: 1983-02-22
Publication date: 1983-09-07
Also published as: NO830652L; NL8200798A

Abstract

In a packaging container for packaging milk and/or high consistency foodstuffs such as yoghurt, custard, etc. and being comprised of side panels (1), folded from a blank and two pairs of top flaps (2a), (2b); (3a), (3b), at least one (3a) of the top flaps is being folded between adjoining top flaps (2a), (2b) and provided with a special part (13); (14) extending to beyond the seal-member (5), (4) of the said top flaps (2a) (2b).

This construction enables a packaging container of this type to be so easily opened that only a very slight pressure need be exerted.

Description

The invention relates to a packaging container comprising .side panels folded from a blank and two pairs of opposite top flaps at the upper side to be opened, the top flaps of the one pair being folded in between the top flaps of the other pair, all the top flaps being sealed together along their closing edges.
Such a packaging container is generally known and used for packaging liquids such as milk and high-consistency foodstuffs, such as yoghurt, custard, etc.
In order to open the sealed containers the two opposite exterior top flaps are pulled apart and bent outwards near a folded-in top flap, so that the folded-in top flap is released in an almost level condition. However, the folded-in top flap is still sealed at the edge to the adjoining top flaps which have been pulled apart, and the release of the folded-in top flap, that is to say, the breaking of the sealed-edge connection, must be brought about by the exertion of a lateral pressure on the edges of the folded-out parts, so that the container can be opened.
A large number of users of these containers, however, have insufficient digital strength to exert the necessary pressure, for instance elderly people or people with reumatically afflicted hands. Moreover, when containers have suffered some slight deformation close to the folded-in top flap, for instance as a result of damage during transport, it becomes difficult to release the folded-in top flap by means of the exertion of lateral pressure on the folded-out top flaps.
It is an object of the present invention to do away with this disadvantage of the known packaging container and to provide a novel container which can be easily opened at all times.
According to the invention, this is attained with a packaging container of the kind as described above, which is characterised in that at least one of the top flaps folded in between adjoining top flaps is provided with a special part located at the edge near the centre-fold and extending to beyond the seal-member of the top flaps, for pulling open the centre corner of the folded-in top flap.
The advantage of this measure is that only a very slight force has to be exerted on this part after the exterior top flaps have been pulled apart, because this pressure acts as an inducement to the release of the folded-in top flap at the very corner near the centre-fold.
According to the invention, it is possible to construct the packaging container in such a way that the folded-in top flap is provided with a tear-member near its centre-fold-line and along its edge, which is attached to the blank and extends to beyond the edges of the adjoining top flap.
In a practical embodiment the packaging container according to the present invention is so embodied that the folded-in top flap is provided with a tongue near its centre-fold-line which is sealed in conjunction with the seal-strip.
The invention will be described further with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper part of a known packaging container with pulled-apart top flaps;
Fig. 2 is the same view as in fig. 1, but with a pushed-open folded-in top flap;
Fig. 3 is part of a blank for a packaging container such as shown in figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is part of a blank provided with a tongue on the location of the folded-in top flap;
Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-section of a folded-in top flap provided with a tongue; and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the upper side of a packaging container constructed according to the invention, and in a half-opened condition.

The packaging container as shown is folded from a blank with four top flaps on top of the side panels 1, which consist of opposite pairs. Figures 1 and 2 show only the top flaps 2a, while in the part of the blank of fig. 3 top flap 2b is also visible. Top flaps 2a and 2b together form a pair and in between these top flaps fold in flaps 3a and 3b of the other pair are to be folded. As with top flaps 2a, only top flap 3a can be seen in figures 1 and 2, while top flap 3b is shown in the blank of fig. 3. Top flaps 2a, ab, 3a and 3b have been provided with a fold-line 4, which runs parallel to the edges of the top flaps and functions as a seal-strip, as shown in figs 1, 2 and 6 as the standing crest 5. Because top flaps 3a and 3b have been provided with fold-lines 6 and centre-fold-line 7, these top flaps can be folded in between top flaps 2a and 2b. Top flaps 2a and 2b also possess a fold-line 8, which makes it possible to pull parts of the adjoining flaps apart and, in so doing, to break the seal-strip of crest 5, as shown in fig. 1. The sealing of a packaging container manufactured from cardboard is possible because said cardboard has been coated with a thermically sealable polyethylene layer. When the parts of top flaps 2a, 2b and 3a which are indicated by the reference numbers 9 and 10 in fig. 1 are pulled apart one of the coated layers of the cardboard is torn loose. The parts which are torn loose are here referenced 11. Top flap 3a, however, is still sealed to top flaps 2a and 2b and must be pulled loose in the usual manner, by means of pushing together the edges of parts 9 and 10 in order to obtain the condition illustrated in fig. 2 in which the seal is torn in accordance with the part referenced 12. According to the invention this can be easier done because at least one of the top flaps 3a folded in between the adjoining top flaps 2a and 2b provided with a special part located at the edge near the centre-fold 7, and extending to beyond the seal-strip of the top flaps and intended for the pulling open of the centre corner of the folded-in top flap. In the blank according to fig. 3, the folded-in top flap 3a is provided with a tear-member on the blank along its edge, which extends beyond the edges of the adjoining top flaps 2a and 2b. This tear-member is indicated with a dotted line 13 in fig. 3. The centre-fold-line 7 of top flap 3a also continues into the attached tear-member 13. The advantage of locating the tear-member at this spot is that only a very slight pressure need be exerted to pull loose top flap 3a with its seal-strip 12 near the corner formed by fold-line 7.
According to the invention, it is also possible that the folded-in top flap 3a possesses a tongue 14 near its centre-fold-line 7, which is sealed on in the strip-sealing process. This sealed-on tongue 14 extends to beyond the container along the folded-in top flap 3a. The sealed-on tongue 14 is a strip of sealable material, which is sealed onto the folded-in top flap at some distance from the top seal-strip, as shown in fig. 5, by means of seal-tips 15. Tongue 14, which runs alongside the folded-in top flap 3a, is then attached around the edge of the folded-in top flap in U-shaped position. This enables the strip or tongue to lie straight alongside the top flap without any risk of its being caught in parts of the packaging machinery, or disturbing the production process in any other way. Because centre-fold-line 7, together with the adjoining part of the top flap between fold-line 4 and the edge is made to stand at an angle in relation to the part of top flap 3a which is tucked between fold-lines 6 as a result of the seal-strip of the container in crest 5, strip 14 is released from the free part of the flap and a finger can therefore be easily put behind this strip. The released part of strip 14 is no obstacle in transport however, because parts 9 and 10 of the top flaps are still sealed together and so protect the strip. Since the strip must be made of sealable material, it is reinforced with material which must not melt in the sealing process, preferably a fibrous material and, more specifically threads which are positioned lengthwise in the strip.
In this manner a pulling-loose member is obtained which is easy in use, while the closing of the container by means of a thermical seal is not subject to any negative influences.
Moreover, the pulling-loose member has the additional advantage of enabling blind people to easily open the packaging container according to the invention.
It is observed that the reference numerals in the claims are not intended to restrict the scope thereof, but are only denoted for clarification.

Claims

1. A packaging container comprising side panels 1 folded from a blank and two pairs of opposite top flaps .2a, 2b, 3a, 3b at the upper side to be opened, the top flaps of the one pair 3a, 3b being folded in between the top flaps of the other pair 2a, 2b all the top flaps being sealed together along their closing edges, characterised in that at least one of the top flaps (3a) folded in between adjoining top flaps (2a, 2b) is provided with a special part (13; 14) located at the edge near the centre-fold (7) and extending to beyond the seal-strip (4, 5) of the top flaps for pulling open the centre corner of the folded-in top flap (3a).

2. A packaging container according to claim 1, characterised in that the folded-in to flap (3a) is provided with a tear-member (13; 14) near its centre-fold-line (7) and along its edge, which is attached to the blank and extends to beyond the edges of the adjoining top flaps (2a, 2b).

3. A packaging container according to claim 1, characterised in that the folded-in top.flap(3a) is provided with tongue (13;14) near its centre-fold-line (7), which is sealed in conjunction with the seal-strip(5).

4. A packaging container according to claims 1 and 3, characterised in that the sealed-on tongue (14) extends to beyond the container alongside the folded-in top flap (3a).

5. A packaging container according to any one or more of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that the sealed-on tongue (14) consists of a strip (14) of sealable material, which is sealed onto folded-in top flap (3a) at some distance from the top flap seal-strip (5).

6. A packaging container according to any one or more of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that the tongue (14) running alongside the folded-in top flap (3a) is attached around the edge of said folded-in top flap in U-shaped position.

7. A packaging container according to any one or more of claims 1 - 6, characterised in that the tongue (14) is made of sealable material reinforced with material which does not melt in the sealing process.

8. A packaging container according to claim 7 characterised in that the said reinforced material is a fibrous material, more specifically threads which are positioned lengthwise in the flap.