GB2229997A

GB2229997A - Packaging containers

Info

Publication number: GB2229997A
Application number: GB9004883A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Charles Aston
Original assignee: Premier Brands UK Ltd
Current assignee: Premier Brands UK Ltd
Priority date: 1989-03-09
Filing date: 1990-03-05
Publication date: 1990-10-10
Also published as: GB9004883D0; AU5078290A; GB8905362D0; IT9047738A1; IT9047738A0; CA2011765A1

Abstract

A rectilinear packaging container has a base, side walls (10, 12, 14, 16) and a top. The top is defined by flaps (46, 48, 50, 52) hinged to the tops of the side walls, and is closed by folding and sealing the flaps. The uppermost flap (46) is provided with a tear strip (62) which can be removed to enable a remaining portion of the top flap and the other flaps to be opened to gain access to the interior of the container. The said remaining portion is provided with a tab (68) which can engage a slit (76) in another of said flaps (48) for the reclosing of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements Relating to Packaging Containers This invention relates to a packaging container, specifically a container constructed from cut and creased sheet material such as cardboard, and which is provided with a top feature enabling the ready opening and re-closing of the container.

The container is of rectilinear construct:ion having a base, four side walls and a top.

In accordance with the invention, the top comprises flaps foldable relative to the side walls and arranged in overlapping arrangement, one of said flaps at least having a tear strip by which a portion can be removed from the flap to enable the remainder of the flap to be pivoted open to gain access to the interior of the container.

Preferably each of said two overlapping flaps can be moved to the open position when the tear strip is removed, and can be returned to the closed position, one of said flaps being provided with a tongue which fits in a slot in the other flap to keep the flaps in a closed condition.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank of cardboard or the like sheet material foldable into a container according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the container of Fig. 1 after erection, and at the commencement of removal of the tear strip; and Fig. 3 shows the container of Fig. 2 after removal of the tear strip and illustrates how the closure flaps can be interlocked.

Referring to the drawings, a blank of cardboard or the like sheet material is shown, said blank being erectable into a rectilinear container of the form shown in Fig. 2. The convention which is adopted for illustrating the blank in Fig. 1 is that full lines illustrate cut edges, whilst the double dotted lines illustrate fold lines.

The blank comprises two large side panels 10 and 12 of similar configuration, and two smaller side panels 14 and 16 also of similar configuration. The said panels are of the same length, and are hinged together along hinge lines 18, 20 and 22, whilst hinge line 24 provides for the connection of a glue tab-26 to a free edge of panel 12.

End panels 30, 32, 34 and 36 of the configuration shown in Fig. 1 and hinged to the lower edges of the panels 10 to 16 about hinge lines 38, 40, 42 and 44 form the base of the container in the erected form, whilst panels 46, 48, 50 and 52 hinged to the top edges of panels 10 to 16 along hinge lines 54, 56, 58 and 60 form the top of the container shown in Fig. 2.

To erect the container from the blank shown in shown in Fig.

1, panel 12 with its panels 32 and 48 and the glue tab 26 are folded about fold line 22. Reference 1 in Fig. 1 indicates where the first fold takes place. The second fold takes place as indicated by reference 2 in Fig. 1 about fold line 18 so that panel 14 and its end panels 34 and 50 are folded over onto the already folded panel 12. The glue tab 26 lies under the free edge of the panel 14, and adhesive provided between these overlapping portions results in the portions becoming secured together. The blank is now in the flat 'lay flat' sleeve form.

The blank is erected to the rectangular configuration shown in Fig. 2 by pushing the edges of the lay flat together, and when the blank reaches this form, the panels 34 and 36 are first folded inwardly about fold lines 42 and 44, then panel 32 is folded about fold line 40, and panel 30 about fold line 38. Panel 30 at least is glued to panel 32 in order to seal the base of the container. Panels 34 and 36 may also be glued to panels 30 and 32 if required.

As regards the closure of the top of the container, initially panels 50 and 52 are folded about fold lines 58 and 60 and this is followed by the folding of the panel 48 about line 56 and the folding of panel 46 about fold line 54.

Panel 46 is provided with a tear strip 62 which is defined by cut lines 64, and additionally there is a cut line 66 which defines a lock tab 68 in panel 46. Cut lines 70 furthermore provide that a section 72 of the tear strip 62 is free to be moved out of the plane of panel 46 to commence the tearing action. An extremity strip 74 along the free edge of panel 46 forms a glue tab for gluing to the panel 48 in order to seal the container. Panel 48 is provided with a receiving slot 76 into which the tongue 68 can be clipped as will be described hereinafter when the container is to be re-closed after initial opening.

As shown in Fig. 2, in order to open the container after it has been erected and charged with its contents and then sealed, the user simply pulls on the tab 72 and tears the strip 64 from the panel 46. When this has been done, the remaining portion of the panel 46 with the exception of the glue strip 74 can be pivoted upwardly as indicated in dotted line in Fig. 3, and the panel 48 can also be pivoted upwardly in order to open the top of the container and allow access to the contents. The panels 50 and 52 can also be opened up.

To re-close the container it is simply a matter of re-closing the various panels, in the correct order, so that the tongue 68 can be clipped into the slot 76 as shown clearly in Fig. 3 enabling the container to be re-closed.

The container illustrated in Fig. 2 is preferably for holding two sealed packages 78 and 80 which contain stacks of tea bags, and are constructed and manufactured in accordance with the arrangements disclosed in our co-pending Patent Application No. 8906466.1.

The applicant reserves the right to claim any feature or combination of features of the described embodiment which comprises or is shown to constitute a novelty.

Claims

1. A packaging container of rectilinear construction having a base, four side walls and a top, and wherein the top comprises flaps foldable relative to the side walls and arranged in overlapping arrangement, one of said flaps at least having a tear strip by which a portion can be removed from the flap to enable a remaining portion of the flap to be pivoted open to gain access to the interior of the container.

2. A packaging container according to Claim 1, wherein the tear strip is defined by slits and/or perforations in said one of said flaps which overlaps another of said flaps in the closed condition of the container so that when the tear strip is removed, an extremity portion remains connected to the other of said flaps and the said remaining portion can be hinged relative to the walls of the container to open same, and the said other of said flaps with the extremity portion connected thereto can be hinged relative to the walls of the containers.

3. A packaging container according to Claim 2, wherein said slits and/or perforations define a locking tab in the free edge of the said remaining portion after removal of the tear strip, which tab can engage in a locking slit or aperture in the said other flap for the reclosing of the container.

4. A packaging container according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein said slits and/or perforations define a tab portion in said tear strip which can be gripped by the fingers in order to effect removal of the tear strip.

5. A packaging container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.