GB2192177A

GB2192177A - Package for particulate material

Info

Publication number: GB2192177A
Application number: GB08615910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Mccrory
Original assignee: UNWINS SEEDS Ltd
Current assignee: UNWINS SEEDS Ltd
Priority date: 1986-06-30
Filing date: 1986-06-30
Publication date: 1988-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2006-06-30
Also published as: GB2192177B; GB8615910D0

Abstract

A dispensing package for particulate material comprises an elongate area prepared such that a plurality of dispensing orifices 26 can be readily revealed or created by the user. The orifices 26 are preferably revealed by tearing off a strip 28 defined by perforations 30 and which initially closes the orifices 26. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Package for particulate material The present invention relates to a package for particulate material, and particularly to a package for material that it may bedesired to distribute over an area. Examples of such materials are seeds and soil or plant treatment agents, such as fertilizers and weed killers. As a particular example, grass seed is conventionally sold in ordinary bags or boxes, and is intended to be distributed overthe ground evenly and at an appropriate dosage. Farmers and other large-scale users have special distribution equipment, but ordinary gardeners tend just to sprinkle the seed from the open mouth of a container, relying on luck and judgement to attain a satisfactory distribution.

The invention providesapackageforparticulate material having elongate outlet means adapted to provide an elongate outlet region through which particulate material in the package can be dispensed.

Suitably the package is elongate and the elongate outlet region extends for at least a substantial part of a major dimension. The elongate outlet means may be adapted to provide a multiplicity of outlet apertures. Thus the package may have a multiplicity of outlet apertures which are closed by a tear-off strip. (Alternatively, but less preferably, outlet apertures may be providable by punching out perforated portions.) One preferred form comprises a package formed offoldable sheet material (e.g. card), package having a face which extends in a major dimension and is formed, at least in part, by two superimposed portions of sheet material; the inner one having a line of outlet apertures; and the outer one having a strip adapted to be torn away to uncovee the outlet apertures. Suitably the strip is defined by lines of perforation.A similar package can have a line of outlet apertures in a face, covered by a separate peel-off strip. This can reduce the amount of sheet material, but complicates the fabrication process.

In furtheraspectsthe invention provides: a package ofthe above type containing particulate material; and a blank four prqducing such a package.

The blank may comprise sheet material adapted to be formed into a package having a face which extends in a majordimensiqn and is formed at least in part by two superposed portions of sheet material; the portions of the blank which provide these portions having respectively a line of apertures; and means defining a tear-away strip for overlying the apertures.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a package embodying the invention, at an intermediate stage of being opened for use; and Figure 2 is a schematic vertical section through the package.

The illustrated package loins a boxformed of card material, having the form of an elongate cuboid.

Most details of its construction, such as the formation of the end faces 12 by the folding over and (preferably) gluing offlaps is conventional, and will not be described further. The major faces 14, 16, 18 are formed from respective panels of sheet material, connected to adjacent panels byfold-lineswhich providethevertices. In a generally conventional way, the remaining face 20 is formed of a major edge panel 22 which overlaps and is adhered to an edge panel 24 from the opposite edge of the blank ofcard material. In a conventional package, this edge panel 24would merely be a small glue flap. But inthiscase, it extends forsubstantiallythe whole width of the face 20. It is provided with a line of apertures 26, extending forthe length of the face 20, in its centre.In the initial state of the formed package, the panel 24 is entirely covered by the panel 22, so that the apertures 26 are hidden and closed. However, the panel 22 has a tear-off strip 28 defined by a pair of lines of perforation 30. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the tear-off strip 28 can be torn away, revealing the line of apertures 26. Particulate material within the package 10 can then be dispensed by careful shaking. The package may be heid in the orientation shown, with the dispensing face 20 vertical, or rotated through 90 so that the dispensing face is at the bottom ofthe package. The sizes of the apertures 26 are selected in dependence on the nature ofthe material to be packaged in, and dispensed from, the package 10. The illustrated package is specifically intended for use with grass seed.The individual seeds are highly elongate, and so quite large apertures are required if they are not to become clogged. On the other hand, if are too large, it is difficult to dispense the seed at a convenient rate.

Trials have shown that satisfactory results are obtained with apertures all of the same diameter in the range 7to 10mm, e.g.8.5mm, and with the apertures being at spacings of about 18mm. Of course, different shapes and sizes of seeds or other particulate material may require different aperture configuration.

Ablankforforming a package 10 can beformed very simply and easily using conventional box-forming machinery. In outline, the blanks differ from those for ordinary packages only in the greater size of the marginal panels 24. The punching ofthe apertures 26 and the lines of perforation 30 can be effected simply on a conventional machine. In the usual way, blanks can be provided to filling stations in a partially assembled state, i.e. in the form of flattened tubes which can be erected. One end face 12 is then closed, the package is filled, and the other end face 12 is closed. The package is then ready.

The dispenser packages 10 can be made and filled for little more than the cost of ordinary packages.

They are very convenient for the ultimate user who can use them as convenient dispensers, or simply open an end face to remove the contents in bulk.

Generally the packages will be printed with instructions.

1. A package for particulate material having an arrangement by which the material can be dispensed

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Package for particulate material The present invention relates to a package for particulate material, and particularly to a package for material that it may bedesired to distribute over an area. Examples of such materials are seeds and soil or plant treatment agents, such as fertilizers and weed killers. As a particular example, grass seed is conventionally sold in ordinary bags or boxes, and is intended to be distributed overthe ground evenly and at an appropriate dosage. Farmers and other large-scale users have special distribution equipment, but ordinary gardeners tend just to sprinkle the seed from the open mouth of a container, relying on luck and judgement to attain a satisfactory distribution. The invention providesapackageforparticulate material having elongate outlet means adapted to provide an elongate outlet region through which particulate material in the package can be dispensed. Suitably the package is elongate and the elongate outlet region extends for at least a substantial part of a major dimension. The elongate outlet means may be adapted to provide a multiplicity of outlet apertures. Thus the package may have a multiplicity of outlet apertures which are closed by a tear-off strip. (Alternatively, but less preferably, outlet apertures may be providable by punching out perforated portions.) One preferred form comprises a package formed offoldable sheet material (e.g. card), package having a face which extends in a major dimension and is formed, at least in part, by two superimposed portions of sheet material; the inner one having a line of outlet apertures; and the outer one having a strip adapted to be torn away to uncovee the outlet apertures. Suitably the strip is defined by lines of perforation.A similar package can have a line of outlet apertures in a face, covered by a separate peel-off strip. This can reduce the amount of sheet material, but complicates the fabrication process. In furtheraspectsthe invention provides: a package ofthe above type containing particulate material; and a blank four prqducing such a package. The blank may comprise sheet material adapted to be formed into a package having a face which extends in a majordimensiqn and is formed at least in part by two superposed portions of sheet material; the portions of the blank which provide these portions having respectively a line of apertures; and means defining a tear-away strip for overlying the apertures. An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a package embodying the invention, at an intermediate stage of being opened for use; and Figure 2 is a schematic vertical section through the package. The illustrated package loins a boxformed of card material, having the form of an elongate cuboid. Most details of its construction, such as the formation of the end faces 12 by the folding over and (preferably) gluing offlaps is conventional, and will not be described further. The major faces 14, 16, 18 are formed from respective panels of sheet material, connected to adjacent panels byfold-lineswhich providethevertices. In a generally conventional way, the remaining face 20 is formed of a major edge panel 22 which overlaps and is adhered to an edge panel 24 from the opposite edge of the blank ofcard material. In a conventional package, this edge panel 24would merely be a small glue flap. But inthiscase, it extends forsubstantiallythe whole width of the face 20. It is provided with a line of apertures 26, extending forthe length of the face 20, in its centre.In the initial state of the formed package, the panel 24 is entirely covered by the panel 22, so that the apertures 26 are hidden and closed. However, the panel 22 has a tear-off strip 28 defined by a pair of lines of perforation 30. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the tear-off strip 28 can be torn away, revealing the line of apertures 26. Particulate material within the package 10 can then be dispensed by careful shaking. The package may be heid in the orientation shown, with the dispensing face 20 vertical, or rotated through 90 so that the dispensing face is at the bottom ofthe package. The sizes of the apertures 26 are selected in dependence on the nature ofthe material to be packaged in, and dispensed from, the package 10. The illustrated package is specifically intended for use with grass seed.The individual seeds are highly elongate, and so quite large apertures are required if they are not to become clogged. On the other hand, if are too large, it is difficult to dispense the seed at a convenient rate. Trials have shown that satisfactory results are obtained with apertures all of the same diameter in the range 7to 10mm, e.g.8.5mm, and with the apertures being at spacings of about 18mm. Of course, different shapes and sizes of seeds or other particulate material may require different aperture configuration. Ablankforforming a package 10 can beformed very simply and easily using conventional box-forming machinery. In outline, the blanks differ from those for ordinary packages only in the greater size of the marginal panels 24. The punching ofthe apertures 26 and the lines of perforation 30 can be effected simply on a conventional machine. In the usual way, blanks can be provided to filling stations in a partially assembled state, i.e. in the form of flattened tubes which can be erected. One end face 12 is then closed, the package is filled, and the other end face 12 is closed. The package is then ready. The dispenser packages 10 can be made and filled for little more than the cost of ordinary packages. They are very convenient for the ultimate user who can use them as convenient dispensers, or simply open an end face to remove the contents in bulk. Generally the packages will be printed with instructions. CLAIMS

1. A package for particulate material having an arrangement by which the material can be dispensed from the package comprising an elongate area ofthe package prepared such that a plurality of orifices can be readily revealed or created bythe user.

2. Apackage according to claim 1 wherein the elongate area extends for a substantial part of the length dimension ofthe package.

3. A package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the.elongate area is an area including a plurality of apertures which are covered buy a removable strip.

4. A package according to dlaim 1 or 2 wherein the elongate area is an area having a plurality of sets of perforations bounding parts that can be punched out.

5. A package according to claim 3 wherein the face of the package including the elongate area is formed with two superimposed sheets of which the inner has apertures and the outer has a tear-offstrip covering the apertures.

6. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein the said area extends throughout the length of one face of the package.

7.. A package according to any preceding claim wherein the apertures have a diameter of 7 to 10 mm.

8. A package according to any preceding claim wherein the apertures are spaced, centre to centre, about 18 mm.

9. A package for particulate material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.