GB2076369A - Containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A container for food or beverage products has a closed carton body (71) formed from a blank and a plastics closure member (70) mounted on the top of the body and arranged to provide a reclosure for the container after a closure panel of the top end of the body (71) has been ruptured to open the container for product dispensing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Containers This invention relates to containers.

From UK Patent Specification 1,397,242 it is known to provide a container for food or beverage products, which has a generally rectangular carton body and a plastics closure member mounted on the top end of the body and capable of providing a reclosure for the container after it has first been opened. Such a container may combine the advantages of cartons (for example material cost, ease of manufacture and closing, printability) with the reclosure capabilities of more expensive containers such as cans and jars.

The carton body of the container described and claimed in UK Specification 1,397,242 is opentopped, the plastics closure member having a base which is glued to the carbon as a rim around its open top, and a lid which is integrally hinged to the base and arranged to close releasably onto the base to reclose the container when required.

The hinged lid in Patent Specification 1,397,242 provides a secondary seal for the container. A primary seal for the container, which is effective up to the point of first use, is provided buy a sheet of flexible material which is arranged as a diaphragm across the dispensing aperture defined by the base, and which may be ruptured by the user to open the container for the first time. However, providing the primary seal on the closure member involves two possible sources of product leakage, one at the attachment of the closure member to the container body and the other at the attachment of the diaphragm to the closure member.In addition to product leakage, these two attachments represent potential sites for oxygen permeation into the container, so that although the materials of the container may be chosen to have low oxygen permeability, the overall resistance of the container to oxygen permeation may be insufficient to provide adequate protection for oxygen sensitive products.

The present invention seeks to provide a container which, like the container of 1,397,242, has a carton body surmounted by a plastics closure member for providing reclosure capability for the container, and yet which, with suitable arrangement, may provide a high degree of protection for oxygen sensitive products at least to the point of first use.Accordingly, from a first aspect, the invention provides a container, comprising a tubular body and a plastics closure member, the body comprising a tubular body wall of rectangular cross-section and an end closure sealing an end of the body wall against escape of product, the body wall and the end closure being integrally formed from a blank of foldable sheet material, the body wall comprising four body panels attached along fold lines extending iongitudinally of the body, and the end closure comprising an end panel hinged to one ofthe body panels and extending transversely of the body into closing relation with each of the three other body panels, the plastics closure member being mounted on the body and operable between a first, open position; in which the end panel is exposed to enable a user to rupture it and dispense product from the container, and a second, closed position in which the closure member covers the end panel to provide a reclosure for the container.

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention the closure member has a base which is glued over the top end closure of the container body, and a lid integrally hinged to the base and arranged to form a reclosure for the container. In a second preferred embodiment of the invention the closure member is held captive on the container body for sliding movement across the top end closure between open and closed positions.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, the two preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of the container forming the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows the blank from which the body of the first embodiment is formed; Figure 3 is an upper plan view of the plastics closure member of the first embodiment, in the open position in which it is moulded; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the closure member as seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view of the closure taken in section along the line V-V of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a further view of the closure member, taken on a sectional view at right angles to the section of Figure 5 and with the closure member in its closed position;; Figure 7shows part of the blank of Figure 2 in a modification; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the container forming the second embodiment of the invention, with its closure member at a partly open position; Figure 9 shows part of the blank from which the body of the second embodiment is formed; Figure 10 shows the top end closure of the body for the second embodiment; Figure 11 is a view of the plastics closure member of the second embodiment, taken in transverse section on the line X1 - X1 of Figure 8; and Figure 12 is a further view of the plastics closure member of the second embodiment, taken in longitudinal section on the line X11 - X11 of Figure 11.

In Figures 2,7 and 9 the dashed lines are used in contra-distinction to the chain-dotted lines to indicate how the blank is folded for the erection of the container body; in Figures 1,3,6,8 and 10, however, the dashed lines indicate hidden detail.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a reclosable container comprises a generally rectangular, closed tubular body 71 formed from a unitary blank of plasticscoated paperboard, and an injection-moulded plastics closure member 70 arranged to provide a reclosure for the container after an end closure formed at one end of the body - the top end as shown in Figure 1 - has been ruptured in use.

Figure 2 shows the blank from which the container body 71 is made. The body is of square cross-section and the blank accordingly has four equal width body-forming panels 72 to 75 separated by fold lines 76 to 78. A tab 79 attached by a further fold line 80 enables the blank to be set up to its desired tubular.

form. The blank is cut from paperboard having on each side a liquid-proof and heat-sealable coating of a suitable polyolefin, possibly with an intermediate layer of aluminium foil in addition. The polyolefin is preferably polyethylene.

For closing the bottom end of the container as seen in Figure 1, the blank provides rectangular bottom panels 81 and 82 attached to the body panels 73 and 75, and irregular bottom panels 83 and 84 which are attached to the body panels 72 and 74 and so are alternate with the panels 81 and 82. The four bottom panels are hinged to one another and to the tab 79 along extensions of the fold lines 76,77,78 and 80.

They are attached to their respective body panels along a common fold line 85.

The panels 81, 82 are not articulated, but the panels 83,84 are internally formed with further, inclined fold lines 86, 87 to form each panel with a generally triangular central portion 83A or 84A flanked by further generally triangular outer portions 83B, 83C or 84B, 84C on either side.

The bottom panels 83 and 84 are mirror images of one another on either side of the bottom panel 81 between them. With the bottom panels 81, 82 they are capable of forming a bottom end closure which is formed on the previously erected tubular body by turning the panel region 83A, 84A towards one another by folding along the fold line 85, and turning the bottom panels 81 and 82 overlying relation with the panel portions 83A, 84A and heat-sealing them together where they overlap across the centre of the end closure. The panel portions 83B, 83C and 84B, 84Cform gusset folds joining their respective panel portions 83A, 84A to the panels 81,82, and accordingly they are reverse-folded along the fold lines 86, 87 as indicated.Rectangular notches 88, 89 are formed in the bottom edge (as shown) of the blank at the panel regions 83A, and 84A, 84Cto provide a square central area of the end closure which is free of the gusset folds to prevent the undesirable concentration of board material which would otherwise result in that region.

To form the top end closure for the body the blank has a rectangular end panel 90 which projects beyond the body forming panel 73 along a transverse fold line 21. The end panel 90 has the same width as the panel 73; its depth, that is to say, its dimension longitudinally of the panel 73, is equal to the width of the body forming panels.

The body forming panel 73 is shorter in length than the panels 72,74 on either side by the perpendicular distance 'd' by which the transverse fold line 21 is short of the adjacent free ends of those panels. At its end remote from the panel 73 the end panel 90 carries a rectangular flap 91 attached by a fold line 23. This flap 91 extends for the width of the end panel and has a depth which is equal to this distance 'd'.

Further flaps are carried by the end panel 90 along its opposed side edges, on either side of the flap 91.

Thesefurtherflaps, denoted by the reference numeral 92, are attached to the end panel along continuations of the fold lines 76, 77; they are attached to the adjacent body forming panels 72, 74 along further fold lines 25 joining the ends of the fold line 21 to the corners formed between the adjacent free ends of the panels 72 or 74 and the flaps 92. The flaps 92 have a depth 'd', so that the fold lines 25 are inclined at 45" to the fold lines 76, 77 and 21.

Small triangular fillets 120 may be formed in the blank at the corners between the adjacent flaps, 91, 92, so as in the erected container body (Figure 1) to form gussets (not shown) projecting from the con tainerwall inwardly into the recessed corners of the top end closure. The gussets close the pinholes which might otherwise be formed at the recessed corners, thereby helping to ensure security against product escape into the interference between the top end closure and the closure member.

In order to provide ready initial access to the product within the container, the end panel 90 is formed with a line of weakening 93 to define a removable central area 94 which the consumer can putl away or push into the container interior.

The formation of the top end closure is effected by inturning the end panel 90 along the fold line 21 until it extends transversely of the body that is, orthogonally to the body-forming panels 72 to 75; its dimensions are such that it then completely conforms to the square cross-section of the body, in closing relation with the body panels 75, 72 and 74.

During the latter part of its inturning movement, the end panel moves into recessed relation with those parts (unnumbered) of the body-forming panels which stand proud of the fold line 21 by the distance 'd'. The resulting interference to their movement with the end panel therefore causes the flaps 91, 92 to become progressively outturned in relation to the end panel. When, therefore, the end panel has moved into its desired transverse position, the flaps lie adjacent the projecting parts of the panels 75, 72 and 74 and there can be heat-sealed into position to complete the end closure. If desired, the flaps 91,92 may be folded partly or wholly to their outturned position in relation to the end panel 90 before the end panel is moved into position.

The depth of the flaps 91, 92 is equal to the depth 'd' of the projecting parts of the panels 75,72 and 74 to which they are individually attached, so that the free edges of the flaps and those of the attached panels coincide in planar relation to form a free terminal edge on an upstanding rim which extends around three sides of the container body.

Figures 3 to 6 show the arrangement of the plastics closure member 70 providing the reclosure capability for the container. Referring now to those Figures, the closure member is an essentially rigid one-piece injection-moulding formed from a suitable thermoplastics material such as polypropylene. It has a base 95 and a lid 96 integrally joined by a flexible hinge 97 which is formed by a reduced thickness portion of the plastics material. The closure member is moulded with the base and lid in the open position shown in Figures 3 to 5, that is, with the lid opened through 180" and generally coplanar with the base.

The base 95 has a plane bottom web 98 formed with an aperture 99 corresponding to the removable central area 94 of the container body. Upstanding perpendicularly from the bottom web and substantially conforming to the periphery of the base is a tubular web 100 the top edge of which provides a seat for the lid 96 when the latter is in its closed position.

Athird web 101, of somewhat lesser height than the web 100, extends around the base at a predetermined small distance from, and within, the web 100.

Whereas the web 100 is continuous around the base, however, the web 101 is absent from the back side of the base, that is, the side nearest the hinge 97.

The lid 96 has a plane and unbroken top web 102 of the same overall dimensions as the base bottom web 98. Atubularweb 103 stands up (in the open position of the lid) from the web 102, and is adapted when the lid is closed to fit snugly into the channel formed between the base outer and inner webs 100, 101, so as with those webs to form a labyrinth seal for the closure member. To accommodate the pivotal movement of the back side of the web 103 as the lid is opened and closed, the terminal ends of the base inner web are cut away at an angle as can be seen in Figure 5.

A bead 104 is formed on the front face of the lid web 103 and arranged for resilient engagement in a complementary groove 105 in the base web 100 to latch the lid releasably in its closed position.

The container is despatched to the packer with the closure member 70 separate from the body 71, and with the body itself in the form of a flattened tube having its side edges provided by the fold lines 77 and 80 or, alternatively, 76 and 78, and with the tab 79 adhered along the free marginal edge of the panel 75. The packer cranks-up the container body to its desired square-section tubular form, and then forms one or other of the end closures in the manner described above.

After the first end closure has been formed the packer fills the container body with product through its other, still open, end, and then closes that end by forming the second end closure. The container body is thereby completely closed against subsequent escape of product.

At a suitable time after the top end closure is formed, the closure member 70 is glued into superposed position on it as shown in Figure 1. The member 70 then has the under surface of its plane bottom web 98 adjacent, and preferably glued to, the recessed end panel 90; the aperture 99 conforms to the line of weakening 93 immediately beneath it and there is no gap between 98 and the panel 90 in which product can accumulate during use.

Along the front of the container both the bottom web 98, of the base and the top web 102 of the lid project forward of their respective webs 100, 103 so as, together with forwardly projecting spurs 106 on the base outer web 100, to provide a finger aperture 107 (Figure 1) facilitating opening of the closure member.

When the lid is closed the base front edge is flush with the front face of the body, and the front edge of the lid lies on the common planes of those two items.

Along the sides and back of the container the free terminal edge of the container body, formed by the body panels 75, 72,74 and the attached flaps 91,92, is snugly received in a downwardly facing channel 115 created between the base outer web 100 and a cheek portion 111 which is carried on the outside of 4he outer web by a spacing portion 112. As can clearly be seen from Figure 5, the cheek portion provides the anchorage for the hinge 97 on the base 95.

The under surface presented within the channel 115 by the spacing portion 112 is preferably relieved in relation to the terminal edge of the body to ensure that the bottom web 98 can be in face-to-face relation with the end panel 90. In a modification the cheek portion is omitted, and for aesthetic reasons the spacing portion is made to conform closely to the free terminal edge of the body.

In a further non-illustrated modification of the closure member, the cheek portion 111 is made deeper and is continued along the front of the closure as a downwardly extending lip along the front edge of the base bottom web 98.

As an alternative to the procedure described above for forming and filling the container, the manufacturer may despatch the body to the packer as the flat blank of Figure 2; the packer then forms the collapsed tubular form of the body, cranks it up to tubular form and performs the remaining opera tions as described above.

As a further alternative procedure, the body may be received by the packer already in its erected tubular form and with the top end closure formed and the closure member attached. The packer then fills the container through its bottom end. To reduce transport and storage costs the body is preferably tapered by making the fold lines 76,77,78 and 80 slightly convergent; a stack of the containers may then be nested together.

For use of the container of Figures 1 t 6 the consumer opens the lid 96, ruptures the top end closure along the line 93 (Figure 2) by finger pressure or a suitable instrument, and dispenses product as desired through the dispensing opening so formed in the top of the container. The lid is available as a reclosure if required.

As previously mentioned, the container body 71 provides a complete product enclosure in its own right. By suitable choice of materials it can therefore provide a high barrier level against oxygen permea tion, so giving a long shelf life to the point of sale, even for oxygen-sensitive products. In addition, the closure member 70 can be arranged to provide a substantial oxygen barrier in its capacity as a reclosure, so ensuring little or no noticeable de terioration of the product over normal periods of consumption.

Figure 7 shows a modified arrangement for the top end closure, in which the end panel 90 is arranged to be recessed in relation to its attached body panel 73 in addition to the other three body panels 72,74 and 75. Accordingly, it is joined to the body panel 73 by an additional panel 130.

This panel has the same width as the flaps 91,92, and is attached to the body panel 73 by a fold line 131 aligned with the adjacent free edges of the body panels 72,74 and 75. In the completed top end closure the panel 120 is downfolded along the fold line 131 so as to lie against the body panel 73 in the manner of the flaps 91 and 92 in relation to their respective body panels 75,72 and 74.

It will be understood that the top end closure formed by the blank of Figure 7 has an unbroken upstanding rim around all four sides of the container body. The closure member 70 is modified to correspond, by extending the channel 115 around the front of the lid where it can accommodate the additional part of the upstanding rim. The finger aperture 107 (Figure 1) is replaced by a suitable tab or notch formation provided on the lid web 102 for finger engagement by the consumer.

Figures 8 to 12 show a second embodiment of the invention. As before, the container has a closed paperboard body 71 of foldable sheet material, and a plastics closure member 70 which is superimposed on the top end closure of the body and is capable of providing a reclosure for the container after the top end closure has been ruptured. However, whereas in the first embodiment the closure member 70 is glued to the body and has an integrally hinged lid to provide a reclosure, in this embodiment the closure member is held captive on the body for sliding movement across the face of the top end closure between open and closed positions.

The arrangement of the top end closure is apparent from Figure 10, and from Figure 9 which shows the relevant part of the blank from which the container body is made. The bottom end closure may have the same arrangement as that of the previous embodiment, and is therefore not shown or described.

Referring now to Figure 9, the blank (which may advantageously be formed from the same plasticscoated paperboard material as the first embodiment,) has rectangular body forming panels 150 to 153 separated by parallel fold lines 154 to 156. The panels 150, 152 are of equal width, and the panels 151, 153 are likewise of an equal width which is less than that of the panels 150, 152.Atab 157 attached by a fold line 158 enables the blank to be set up to its desired tubular form.

To form the top end closure the blank has a rectangular end panel 160 attached to the body panel 151 along a transverse fold line 161. The dimension of the end panel from the fold line 161 to its remote free edge 162 is equal to the width of the body panels 150 and 152.

The body panels 150, 152 themselves carry equal depth flaps 163 attached by the fold line 161. Further flaps 164 are carried by the side edges of the end panel 160, being attached to the end panel by continuations of the fold lines 154 and 155. The flaps 163 and 164 are hinged to one another in pairs by fold lines 165 on either side of the end panel; they are of equal width, and accordingly the fold lines 165 are inclined at 45" to the fold lines 161, 154 and 155, to the junctions of which they are convergent.

In addition to the end panel 160 and the flaps 163, 164, the blank provides the top end closure with a rectangularflap 170 which is hinged to the body panel 153 by the fold line 161, but is freed from the adjacentflap 163 along a cut line 180 forming a continuation of the fold line 156. As will later become apparent, the flap 170 sets a limit for the opening movement of the closure member 70. Accordingly it has a predetermined dimension between the hinge line 161 and its opposite free edge 171.

The top end closure is formed after the container body has been set up to tubular form with the body panels 150, 152 and 151, 153 is opposed, mutually parallel, pairs; the end panel 160 and the flaps 163, 164 and 170 are then in coplanar relation to the panels to which they are attached.

The end panel 160 is folded down through 90" along fold line 161 until it closes the top end of the container body. During the movement of the end panel the flaps 163 are folded outwards along the fold line 161 and the adjacent flaps 164 are folded inwards along the fold lines 161, 165. The flaps 163 are therefore brought to lie against the outside surfaces of their respective body panels 150,152, while the flaps 164 are broughtto lie againstthe outside of the flaps 163. The flaps 163, 164 are bonded by heat-sealing and/or glueing to one another and to the adjacent body panels, so as to hold the end panel 160 in closure position and, by means of their coincident free edges, to provide guide edges for the closure member 70 as is shortly to become apparent.

The top end closure is completed by folding the flap 170 inwards along the fold line 161, and securing it to the underlying end panel 160 by heat sealing or glueing. The end closure is then as shown in Figure 10.

The closure member 70 (Figures 11 and 12) is generally in the form of an inverted channel closed at one end. It has a rectangular top panel 181 dimensioned to overlie the top end closure of the container body, side panels 182 vertically depending from the side edges of the top panel and dimensioned to extend down the body panels 150, 152 to beyond the flaps 164, and an end panel 183 having the same depth as the side panels 182 and joining them together at one end.

Adjacent their bottom free edges inside the closure member, the side panels are formed with upwardly facing shoulders 184 on thickened portions 185. The shoulders extend for the lengths of the side panels, in parallel relation to the top panel 181.

The top panel 181 itself is internally formed with a shoulder 186 by a thickened portion 187 adjacent its free edge. The shoulder 186 extends across the top panel in parallel and facing relation to the end panel 183.

The spacing of the shoulders 184 from the top panel 181 is slightly greater than the depth of the flaps 163, 164 on the container body 71. Furthermore, the internal plan dimensions of the closure member are equal to the corresponding plan dimensions of the body. Thus, as shown in Figure 10, the closure member may be slidably mounted on the body with its shoulders 184 engaged under the free edges of the flaps 163, 164. The closure member is then slidable between a closed position in which it completely covers the top end closure of the body, and an open position in which a removable area 94 defined in the top panel 160 by a line of weakening 93 is exposed for product dispensing.The open position is defined by face-to-face engagement of the shoulder 186 with the free edge 171 of the flap 170; thus, Figure 10 shows the closure member at a position intermediate its closed and open positions.

The engagements of the shoulders 184 with the flaps 163,164and 163, l64andoftheshoulderi86withtheflap 170 serve to hold the closure member captive on the container body. In order to reduce any tendency for the shoulder 186 to ride ride over the flap 170 and so allow the closure member to become detached, a marginal area of the flap adjacent the free edge 171 may be left unattached to the end panel 160 and bent to a raised position in which it resiliently engages the underside of the top panel 181 of the closure member.

The closure member may initially be attached to the body by relative downwards movement onto the body to force the shoulders 184 resiliently over the flaps 163, 164. This may be readily achieved automatically by machine.

The invention has application to containers having lined bodies, as well as to those having unlined bodies as particularly described.

Claims (19)

1. A container, comprising a tubular body and a plastics closure member, the body comprising a tubular body wall of rectangular cross-section and an end closure sealing an end of the body wall against escape of product, the body wall and the end closure being integrally formed from a blank of foldable sheet material, the body wall comprising four body panels attached along fold lines extending longitudinally of the body, and the end closure comprising an end panel hinged to one ofthe body panels and extending transversely of the body into closing relation with each of the three other body panels, the plastics closure member being mounted on the body and operable between a first, open position in which the end panel is exposed to enable a user to rupture it and dispense product from the container, and a second, closed position in which the closure member covers the end panel to provide a reclosure for the container.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the end panel is formed with a line of weakening defining a panel portion which the user may remove to rupture the end panel.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the closure member comprises a base attached to the container and defining a dispensing aperture through which the end panel is exposed, and a lid hinged to the base and releasably engageable with the same as a reclosure for the container

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein the closure member is a one-piece moulding, the lid being joined to the base by an integral hinge.

5. A container according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the lid and the base are provided with upstanding webs are arranged to lie adjacent one another when the lid is closed.

6. A container according to claim 4 or claim 5, including complementary bead and grooveformations on said webs of the lid and base to latch the lid releasably in its closed position.

7. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein in addition to the said end panel the end closure comprises a plurality of flaps integrally carried by the end panel one for each said other body panel, at least the said other body panels projecting beyond the end panel to terminal edges thereof, the said flaps being outurned in relation to the end panel so as each to lie adjacent to the projecting part of the respective other body panel, and being adhered to the projecting parts against which they lie so as with the projecting parts to form an upstanding rim around at least part of the end panel.

8. A container according to claim 7, wherein the end panel is attached to the said one body panel by a further flap which is infolded to lie adjacent a projecting part of the said one body panel and adhered to the same as a further part of the upstanding rim, the rim thereby surrounding the end panel.

9. A container according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the base of the plastics closure has a peripheral channel in which the upstanding rim on the container body is received.

10. A container according to claim 1 orclaim2, wherein the closure member is held captive on the container body for bodily movement in parallel relation to the end panel between its open and closed positions.

11. A container according to claim 10, wherein the closure member has a top panel overlying the end panel of the container body, and side panels attached along-opposed side edges of the top panel and extending part way down respective ones of the body panels adjacent thereto, the side panels and the adjacent body panels having co-operable guide formations to hold the closure member on the body for sliding movement between its open and closed positions.

12. A container according to claim 11, wherein the closure member has an end panel attached along a further side edge of the top panel and joining the side panels together at one end thereof so as to constitute a stop by which the closed position of the closure member on the body is positively defined.

13. A container according to any claim of claims 10 to 12, wherein the closure member and the body have co-operable abutment formations for positively defining the open position of the closure member on the body.

14. A container according to claim 11,wherein in addition to the end panel the end closure comprises first flaps hinged to the end panel along the sides thereof neighbouring its hinged connection with the said one body panel, second flaps hinged to the body panels neighbouring the said one body panel and, on an inclined fold line, to the respectively adjacent first flaps, the first and second flaps being folded together and secured to the outside of the said neighbouring body panels as the said guide formations for the body, the said guide formations on the closure member being provided by upwardly facing shoulders formed on the inside of its side panels.

15. A container according to any claim of claims 10 to 14, wherein the end closure further comprises a further panel hingedly attached to the body panel opposite to the said one body panel and secured in overlying relation to the end panel.

16. A container according to claim 15, wherein for positively defining the open position of the closure member on the body the top panel of the closure member is formed on its underside with a shoulder arranged to abut the further panel in edge-to-edge relation.

17. A blank of foldable sheet material, adapted for forming the tubular body and the end closure of a container as claimed in any preceding claim.

18. A blank for a container, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6, Figure 7 or Figures 8 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.