GB2045723A - Sealed-end carton with reclosable pouring opening - Google Patents

Abstract

A container formed from a blank has a recloseable pouring opening formed in one side panel 2. The panel 2 is formed from an inner side sheet having a hingedly liftable and returnable tongue 17 to form and close the pouring opening, and an outer side sheet 6 having a hingedly liftable and returnable tab, the sides of the tab being defined by lines of weakness 20 in the outer side sheet 6 and a lifting end 21 of the tab being defined by a section expressed from the outer side sheet 6, the tab overlying the tongue 17 and part 22 of the inner side sheet and being adhered to the tongue 17 but not significantly to the rest of the inner side sheet. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sealed-end carton with reclosable pouring opening This invention relates to a container for the storage and dispensing of pourable materials and to a blank of sheet packaging material suitable for assembly into such a container, the container of the present invention being an improvement in the container described and illustrated in the specification of U.K.

Patent No. 1472157.

In this specification, as in the specification of U.K. Patent No. 1472157, the following terms are defined to have the following meanings: a carton means a container made from paperboard, fibreboard or like material which will usually be of thickness of from 0.305 mm to 1.188 mm; a glue-end carton means a carton having an end closure of the kind shown in BS 11 33 (1967): Section 7 at page 73; a panel means a part of a container or blank connection at each of its edges to other parts of the container or blank; and a flap means a part of a container or blank attached at one edge to the remainder of the container or blank, the edge usually being defined by a crease or score line.

The specification of U.K. Patent No.

14721 57 notes that containers for pourable materials are often supplied to the manufacturer in the form of appropriately shaped blanks of sheet packaging material which are assembled at a packaging point, filled with the desired pourable material and then sealed; that it may be desirable to provide a reclosable pouring opening in such containers in cases where the contents are not likely to be used all at once; that a variety of designs for containers having a reclosable pouring opening have been suggested but it has proved difficult to arrive at a design which is satisfactory in use and practical from the manufacturing standpoint; and that the drawbacks associated with previous designs are for example complicated shape which increases manufacturing cost, increase in bulk of the container in the area of the pouring opening, weakening of the container in the area of the pouring opening, and incomplete reclosure with consequent risk of spillage of the contents of the container.

The specification of U.K. Patent No.

1472157 then describes and illustrates a cu boidal or parallelepipedal container having a simple but effective reclosable pouring opening in an end panel, said recloseable pouring opening being formed by providing an inner sheet of the container construction with a tongue which is frictionally engageable with the inner sheet to form a closure for the container and hingedly liftable to form a pouring opening, and overlaying and sealingly adhering to the inner sheet an outer sheet containing a tab defined by one or more lines of weakness in the outer sheet and resulting from a series of unconnected cuts in zig-zag pattern, the container being formed so that the tab overlies the tongue and part of the inner sheet with its base overlying the base of the tongue, and the tab is adhered to the tongue and is hingedly liftable from the inner sheet, the construction and arrangement being such that by hingedly lifting the tab from the inner sheet so that the lines of weakness are severed, the tongue is hingedly lifted to form the pouring opening in an end panel at the top of the container, whereby powdered or granulated solid materials packaged in the container may be poured therefrom through the pouring opening in the top end panel of the container by partially upending the container, the pouring opening being reclosable by pressing the tab against the inner sheet so that the tab frictionally engages the outer sheet and the tongue is pressed into frictional re-engagement with the inner sheet.

In practice the carton blank forming the cuboidal or parallelepipedal container illustrated in the specification of U.K. Patent No.

1472157 is manufactured by a carton maker and supplied to a carton filler for the production of cartons filled with powdered or granulated solid material, in a so-called cut, creased and glued condition, that is, as a collapsed tube, with the joining side flaps of the carton blank glued together lengthwise. This requires the carton filler to glue and close the bottom flpas of the carton, then glue the appropriate area of the tab/tongue for subsequently forming the pouring opening, then fill the partially assembled carton, then glue and close the top flaps of the carton to form the container with the contents sealed therein.

The need for the carton filler to glue the appropriate area of the tab/tongue for subsequently forming the pouring opening of the sealed container is a step to be avoided if possible with respect to the equipment which the carton filler is required to have for the purpose. This results in added expense for the carton filler besides having the disadvantage that the effectiveness of the glueing in the area of the tab/tongue, which is critical to the performance of the reclosable closure constituted by the tab/tongue, may be adversely affected by the powdered or granulated solid material being charged into the partially assembled carton, inadvertently fouling the glue in the area of the tab/tongue.

We have now found that the disadvantages indicated above can be avoided to the extent that a cut, creased and glued carton blank with the appropriate area of the tab/tongue glued, with only the top and bottom end flaps unglued and open, can be manufactured by a carton maker and supplied to a carton filler for glueing of the end flaps, then closing of the end flaps at one end of the carton, then filling of the partially assembled container, then closing of the remaining open end, by location of the reclosable pouring opening in a side panel of the container near one end of the container.

Of the several locations in which the closable pouring opening may be placed and positioned for orientation on the side panel of the cuboidal or parallelepipedal container illustrated in the specification of U.K. Patent No.

1472157, the most convenient with respect to manufacture of the carton blank and discharging of the carton contents is near the top of the carton and about mid-way of the width of the panel, with the lifting end of the tab disposed below the hinged end of the tab when the carton is in the upright position for partial up-ending to discharge the carton contents. When the reclosable pouring opening is so located and orientated, the carton contents can be readily discharged from the carton by a user partially upending the filled carton and the carton contents will readily discharge downwardly through the pouring opening without being impeded by the tab and tongue assembly, in being disposed hingedly outwardly from and relatively clear of the pouring opening.

We have also found however that location of the reclosable pouring opening in a side panel of the container near the top of the container and about midway of the width of the panel, with the lifting end of the tab disposed below the hinged end of the tab when the carton is in the upright position for partial upending to discharge the carton contents, results in the lifting end of the tab being difficult to grasp for hinged lifting of the tab, in relation to the comparative ease of grasping the lifting end of the tab located in the top end panel of the cuboidal or parallelepipedal container illustrated in the specification of U.K. Patent No. 1472157.

In accordance with the present invention, we now provide a container suitable for the storage and dispensing of pourable materials, said container being formed of sheet packaging material and having a reclosable pouring opening in a side panel of the container structure near the top of the container and about mid-way of the width of the side panel, a hingedly liftable tab and tongue assembly forming the reclosable pouring opening and means being provided to facilitate grasping of the lifting end of the hingedly liftable tab, said container comprising:: an inner side sheet forming one part of said side panel and having a hingedly liftable tongue defined by a cut line in the inner side sheet, the tongue being hingedly liftable to form the pouring opening and hingedly returnable for engagement with the inner side sheet to close the pouring opening, and an outer side sheet forming another part of said side panel and overlying and sealingly adhered to the inner side sheet to form said side panel and having a hingedly liftable tab, the sides of said tab being defined by lines of weakness in the outer side sheet and the lifting end of the tab being defined by a section expressed from the outer side sheet, the tab overlying the tongue and part of the inner side sheet, the base of the tab overlying the base of the tongue, the expressed section of the outer side sheet overlying a further part of the inner side sheet and forming a recess in the outer side sheet part of the side panel adjacent the lifting end of the tab to facilitate grasping of the tab, and the tab adhered to the tongue but substantially unadhered to the inner side sheet so as to be hingedly liftable from the inner side sheet, the container being openable by hingedly lifting the tab whereby the lines of weakness are severed and the tongue is hingedly lifted to form the pouring opening, and reclosable by pressing the tab against the inner side sheet whereby the tab frictionally engages the outer side sheet and the tongue is pressed into frictional re-engagement with the inner side sheet.

We have also found that grasping and lifting of the tab can be further facilitated, in accordance with a preferred construction of the container of the invention, by providing for the lifting end portion of the tab to be hingedly moveable in relation to the tab body, whereby the outer end portion of the tab is more readily liftable. This can be achieved conveniently by providing the tab with a transverse crease a relatively short distance from the edge of the lifting end of the tab for the purpose.

The container of the invention preferably is in the form of a box-shaped, glue-end carton, comprising a first side flap forming one part of a first side panel, a front panel, a second side panel, a rear panel, and a second side flap forming the other part of the first side panel, with end flaps at each end of the front and rear panels and the first and second side flaps and the second side panel, the first and second side flaps constituting the inner side sheet and the outer side sheet, respectively, the tongue and the tab being disposed in opposite portions of said flaps, respectively, near one end of the carton, said first flap being dimensioned such that the tongue is disposed about mid-way of the width of the flap and has direct access to the interior of the carton.

The lines of weakness in the outer side sheet which define the sides of the tab are preferably a series of straight cuts however the cuts may be in zig-zag pattern. The tab preferably has a hinge crease or score line as its base. As stated above, the tab is adhered to the tongue, however, for it to be hingedly liftable from the inner side sheet, it should not be adhered, or it should be only weakly adhered, to the inner side sheet. Accordingly, it is desirable to coat an appropriate area of the inner side sheet adjoining the tongue and overlaid by the tab when the tab is in the closed position with a layer of glue-repellent material such as ink or varnish.

Alternatively, an area of the tab not overlaid by the tongue may be coated with a layer of the glue-repellent material. However, the coating of the glue-repellent material is not applied to the tongue or to the under surface of the outer side sheet because it is desirable that the outer and inner side sheets should be strongly adhered together except where the tab overlies the inner side sheet. Furthermore, in the initial glueing of the carton of the invention it is desirable to avoid applying adhesive to the inner surface of the inner side sheet in the area bounded by the cut line defining the tongue because hardened adhesive makes the tongue more difficult to return for re-engagement with the inner side sheet.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, we have now provided a blank of sheet packaging material for forming into a box-shaped, glue-end container of the kind indicated herein, comprising: a section divided by transverse and longitudinal score lines or creases into a first side flap forming one part of a first side panel, a front panel, a second side panel, a rear panel, and a second side flap forming the other part of the first side panel and foldable into overlap with the first side flap of said first side panel; end flaps at each end of the front and rear panels and at each end of the first side flap and/or at each end of the second side flap and at the second side panel, the end flaps being foldable to form a glue-end closure for the container;; said first side flap having a tongue defined by a cut line in said flap, the tongue being hingedly liftable to form an opening and frictionally re-engageable with said first side flap to close said opening; and said second side flap having a hingedly liftable tab of greater length and width than the tongue, the sides of said tab being defined by lines of weakness in the second side flap and formed such that the tab after severance of said lines of weakness is frictionally re-engageable with the second side flap, and the lifting end of the tab being defined by a section expressed from the second side flap, the second side flap being foldable to overlie the first side flap with the tab overlying the tongue and part of the first side flap, the base of the tab overlying the base of the tongue, and the expressed section overlying a further part of first side flap and forming a recess in the second side flap adjacent to the lifting end of the tab to facilitate grasping of the tab.

In the preferred construction of carton according to the invention, the tab has a transverse score line or crease a relatively short distance from the edge of the lifting end of the tab. The preferred construction of carton is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a development view of a paperboard blank suitable for assembly into a carton according to the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a paperboard blank of Fig. 1 which has been glued lengthwise of the overlapping side panels and folded and pressed into collapsed tube form ready for supply to a carton filler;; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the top end portion of a carton partially assembled from the collapsed tube form of the blank as shown in Fig. 2, ready for filling, the glued top end flaps being shown open for filling of the partially assembled carton, following which the glued top end flaps are folded and pressed together to close and seal the carton; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the top end portion of the filled and closed carton shown in Fig. 3 but showing the reclosable pouring opening of the carton opened by hingedly lifting the tab in the outer side flap of the side panel.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a substantially rectangular cardboard carton blank divided by transverse and longitudinal score lines into a first side flap 1 forming one part of a first side panel 2, a front panel 3, a second side panel 4, a rear panel 5 and a second side flap 6 forming the other part of said first side panel 2. Top end flaps 7 and 8 and bottom end flaps 9 and 10 and provided at the ends of the front and rear panels 3 and 5. Closure flaps 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are provided at the respective top and bottom ends of the first side flap 1, the front panel 3, the second side flap 4, the rear panel 5, and the second side flap 6.The first side flap 1 embodies a tongue 1 7 formed in the flap by a V- or U-shaped cut, an area 1 8 in the first side flap 6 surrounding the tongue 1 7 being coated with a layer of ink or varnish to reduce adhesive absorption. The second side flap 6 embodies a hingedly liftable tab 1 9 of greater length and width than the tongue 17, the sides of the tab 1 9 being defined by lines 20 of weakness, which can be formed by a series of unconnected straight cuts however the cuts may be in zig-zag pattern, the lifting end 21 of the tab 1 9 being defined by a section 22 expressed from the second side flap 6, and the base of the tab 1 9 being defined by a hinge crease or score line 23.

The blank shown in Fig. 1 may be manufactured and partially assembled by a carton maker so as to be in the form of a collapsed tube, by applying adhesive lengthwise of the first and second side flaps 1 and 6, folding said flaps so that second side flaps 6 overlies first side flap 1, and applying pressure to adhere said flaps together, the tab 1 9 thereby overlying the tongue 1 7. The partially assembled carton is supplied in the form of a collapsed tube to a carton filler for filling with the desired contents, which will usually be a powdered or granulated solid material, through the end top of the carton.

In filling and closing the partially assembled blank forming the carton, a layer of glue is applied to the top and bottom end flaps 7, 8, 9 and 10; the bottom end flaps 9 and 10 are folded over and pressure applied to close and seal the bottom of the carton; the partially closed carton is filled with the selected solid material; and the top end flaps 7 and 8 are folded over and pressure applied to close and seal the top of the carton.

The assembled and sealed carton can be opened by grasping the lifting end 21 of the tab 19 and lifting the tab so as to tear the lines 20 of weakness and separate the tab from the second side flap 6 except at the hinged crease or score line 23 defining the base of the tab 1 9. The tongue 17, which is attached to the tab 19, is thereby hingedly lifted away from the first side flap 1 to form a pouring opening 24 as shown in Fig. 4. The coating of ink or varnish on the area 1 8 of the first side flap 1 reduces penetration of adhesive into that area of the flap and facilitates lifting of the tongue.Reclosure of the carton can be effected by pressing the tab 1 9 towards the first side flap 1 whereby the tongue 1 7 is pressed into relatively tight fitting reengagement with the first side flap 1 and the tab 1 9 frictionally engages the second side flap 6.

As an alternative to coating the ink or varnish in the area 1 8 of the first side flap 1 around the tongue member 17, a similar coating can be applied to those areas of the tab 1 9 which in the assembled and sealed carton do not overlap with the tongue 1 7. In this alternative construction, the tongue 1 7 still adheres to the tab 1 9 but any adhesion of the tab 1 9 to the first side flap 1 is reduced so that the tab 1 9 can be readily lifted away from the first side flap 1 when the carton is opened.

Claims (16)

1. A container suitable for the storage and dispensing of pourable materials, said container being formed of sheet packaging material and having a reclosable pouring opening in a side panel of the container structure near the top of the container and about mid-way of the width of the side panel, a hingedly liftable tab and tongue assembly forming the reclosable pouring opening and means being provided to facilitate grasping of the lifting end of the hingedly liftable tab, said container comprising:: an inner side sheet forming one part of said side panel and having a hingedly liftable tongue defined by a cut line in the inner side sheet, the tongue being hingedly liftable to form the pouring opening and hingedly returnable for engagement with the inner side sheet to close the pouring opening, and an outer side sheet forming another part of said side panel and overlying and sealingly adhered to the inner side sheet to form said side panel and having a hingedly liftable tab, the sides of said tab being defined by lines of weakness in the outer side sheet and the lifting end of the tab being defined by a section expressed from the outer side sheet, the tab overlying the tongue and part of the inner side sheet, the base of the tab overlying the base of the tongue, the expressed section of the outer side sheet overlying a further part of the inner side sheet and forming a recess in the outer side sheet part of the side panel adjacent the lifting end of the tab to facilitate grasping of the tab, and the tab adhered to the tongue but substantially unadhered to the inner side sheet so as to be hingedly liftable from the inner side sheet, the container being openable by hingedly lifting the tab whereby the lines of weakness are severed and the tongue is hingedly lifted to form the pouring opening, and reclosable by pressing the tab against the inner side sheet whereby the tab frictionally engages the outer side sheet and the tongue is pressed into frictional re-engagement with the inner side sheet.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein a transverse crease is provided a relatively short distance from the edge of the lifting end of the tab for the lifting end portion of the tab to be hingedly moveable in relation to the tab body, whereby the outer end portion of the tab is more readily liftable.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a hinge crease is provided at the base of the tab.

4. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an area of the inner sheet adjoining the tongue and overlaid by the tab when the tab is in the closed position is coated with a layer of glue-repellent material.

5. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an area of the inner surface of the tab not overlying the tongue is coated with a layer of glue-repellent material.

6. A container according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, which is in the form of a boxshaped carton.

7. A container according to claim 6, which is in the form of a glue-end carton.

8. A container according to claim 7, comprising a first side flap forming one part of a first side panel, a front panel, a second side panel, a rear panel, and a second side flap forming the other part of the first side panel, with end flaps at each end of the front and rear panels and the first and second side flaps and the second side panel, the first and second side flaps constituting the inner side sheet and the outer side sheet, respectively, the tongue and the tab being disposed in opposite portions of said flaps, respectively, near one end of the carton, said first flap being dimensioned such that the tongue is disposed about mid-way of the width of the flap and has direct access to the interior of the carton.

9. A container according to claim 1, sub stantially as hereinbefore described with refer ence to the illustrations of Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A blank sheet packaging material for assembly into a container according to claim 1, said container being a box-shaped, glue end container of the kind indicated herein, said blank comprising: a section divided by transverse and longitu dinal score lines or creases into a first side flap forming one part of a first side panel, a front panel, a second side panel, a rear panel, and a second side flap forming the other part of the first side panel and foldable into over lap with the first side flap of said first side panel; end flaps of each end of the front and rear panels and at each end of the first side flap and/or at each end of the second side flap and at the second side panel, the end flaps being foldable to form a glue-end closure for the container;; said first side flap having a tongue defined by a cut line in said flap, the tongue being hingedly liftable to form an opening and fric tionally re-engageable with said first side flap to close said opening; and said second side flap having a hingedly liftable tab of greater length and width than the tongue, the sides of said tab being defined by lines of weakness in the second side flap and formed such that the tab after severance of said lines of weakness is friction ally re-engageable with the second side flap, sand the lifting end of the tab being defined by a section expressed from the second side flap, the second side flap being foldable to overlie jhe first side flap with the tab overlying the tongue and part of the first side flap, the base of the tab overlying the base of the tongue, and the expressed section overlying a further part of first side flap and forming a recess in the second side flap adjacent to the lifting end of the tab to facilitate grasping of the tab.

11. A blank according to claim 10, wherein the tab has a transverse crease a relatively short distance from the edge of the lifting end of the tab.

12. A blank according to claim 10 or 11, wherein a hinge crease is located at the base of the tab.

1 3. A blank according to any one of the claims 10 to 12, wherein an area of the first end or side flap adjoining the tongue and foldable to lie under the tab is coated with a layer of glue-repellent material.

14. A blank according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein an area of the tab not foldable to overlie the tongue is coated with a layer of glue-repellent material.

1 5. A blank according to any one of claims 10 to 14, comprising a first side flap forming one part of a first side panel, a front panel, a second side panel, a rear panel, and a second side flap forming the other part of the first side panel, with end flaps at each end of the front and rear panels and the first and second side flaps and the second side panel, the first and second side flaps constituting the inner side sheet and the outer side sheet, respectively, the tongue and the tab being disposed in opposite portions of said flaps, respectively, near one end of the carton, said first flap being dimensioned such that the tongue is disposed about mid-way of the width of the flap and has direct access to the interior of the carton.

16. A blank according to claim 10, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the illustration of Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A container according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 which is cuboidal or parallelepipedal.