GB2458506A - Blank for forming food container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a blank 1 for forming a container (100). The blank 1 consists of a panel with fold lines 25 which do not extend fully from one edge of the panel to the other such that, when the blank 1 is formed into a container (100), only a portion of the container (100) has distinct wall sections 19, 21, 23 delimited by fold lines 25. The formed container (100) has a round base portion (107) and a polygonal opening (105). Preferably the container (100) has closure means to close the polygonal opening (105). The closure means may comprise a lid panel 27 heat sealable to a flange 29 provided around the container opening (105). The container (100) may be of a paperboard laminate, and put to storing food stuffs such as noodles.

Description

A CONTAINER AND A BLANK THEREFOR

The invention relates to a blank for a container, and particularly, but not exclusively to a blank for a food container such as a noodle pot. The invention also relates to a container and to a container formed from the blank.

Food containers come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, depending on their intended use. Some containers, for example sandwich packs, have their shape dictated to them to a large degree by the food which they are to contain. However, where containers are designed to hold foods with no clearly defined shape, such as soups or noodles, other factors can be considered. These factors include ergonomics, robustness, quality of seal and ease on manufacture. In many cases there has to be a trade-off between the various considerations.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a robust container to be formed using known manufacturing techniques which is also simply and readily closable.

According to the present invention there is provided a blank for a container, the blank comprising a panel with fold lines which do not extend fully from one edge of the panel to the other such that, when blank is formed into a container, only a portion of the container has distinct wall sections delimited by the fold lines.

A blank as described above allows the construction of a container having a varying cross sectional shape. In particular, a container can be formed with a round base and a polygonal opening. The transition between the round base and the polygonal opening is advantageously achieved without the incorporation of a step.

The technology required to form paper cups is well known and understood. The use of a wrapped side wall piece joined to a separate base piece is known to provide a robust finished container with a good quality seal. However, the difficulties associated with closing a round opening mean that if a closure is required for a paper cup, it is normally provided in the form of a separate, usually plastic1 lid.

Polygonal, and in particular rectangular or square, openings are much easier to close. A number of methods are possible, from providing a folding lid panel which uses one side of the polygon as a hinge, to more complex closures requiring parts of the blank to be folded from many different straight fold lines.

However, polygonal shapes are, in general, less easy to hold than round shapes. For this reason, round containers -have remained favourable when a user is likely to hold the container in question, possibly using only one hand.

The blank may additionally comprise panels to form a flange portion around the opening of a finished container, and/or to form a folding lid. It is particularly advantageous if such a flange and lid are heat sealable to one another The blank is typically made of paperboard. Here, paperboard is taken to encompass paper, cardboard and similar materials. Preferably, the paperboard is provided with an additional barrier layer of a liquid impermeable substance. This layer may be in the form of a separate physical layer or may be applied to the paperboard as a coating, and is preferably also susceptible to heat sealing and/or RE welding.

The blank as previously described is beneficial in that it allows the construction of a container which is round at its base to ease handling; but is polygonal, and preferably rectangular, at its opening so that it can be readily closed, preferably by incorporated closure means.

Accordingly, the invention further provides a container having a round base portion and a polygonal opening. The transition between the round base and the polygonal opening should preferably be smooth, without a step in the wall of the container. The container may preferably be formed from a flat sheet of material, for example from a blank as previously described.

The container may be closed by separate closure means, or preferably by closure means that are integral with the container.

Where only a temporary a closure is required, much like the covers provided on cups of takeaway coffee, the closure could comprise simply a series of interlocking flaps so that a tub could be filled with food, perhaps from a takeaway outlet, and then closed if required for transit. The ccntainers could be supplied to a retailer pre-formed and.ready for closure.

The inherent resilience of the container walls and fold lines provided would still allow the containers to nest' inside one another when stacked so as to minimise thern required storage space.

The present invention also allows the incorporation of more permanent, sealable closures.

By providing a sealable closure, a container could be provided to be used for food requiring a certain shelf life, for example ready meals or snacks sold in supermarkets and the like. Numerous types of sealable closure would be possible, including a fold flat lid which could be heat sealed to a flange portion of the finished container, a gable top similar to that seen on milk cartons and a centrally sealed top folding arrangement most typically seen on cartons of frUit juice. In the last of these examples the generally flat wall portions adjacent the container opening beneficially allow the resulting triangular end of the sealed closure to be folded against and sealed to flat container walls.

A number of other closures are also made possible, and the method of formation of all suitable closure types is considered well known to those skilled in the art.

A better understanding of the present invention will be obtained from the following detailed description. The description is given by way of example only and makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for a container according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a container formed from the blank of Figure 1, with a lid panel in an open position; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container of Figure 2, with the lid panel closed; Figure 4 is a further perspective view of the container of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a bottom view of the container of Figures 2 and 3.

The paperboard blank 1 of Figure 1 is suitable for forming a tub like container, for example.

a noodle pot, having a round base and a rectangular opening. The blank I comprises a first panel 3 which, when assembled, forms the walls of a tub. The wall panel 3 is in the form of an arc, with a longer side 5 which will, in use, form the opening of the tub; and a shorter side 7 which will, in use, be at the base of the tub. The shorter side 7 of the wall panel 3 has a smooth radius of curvature, whereas the longer side 7 is made up of five straight sections 9,11,13 of differing lengths. The shortest straight sections 9 are found at either end 15,17 of the arc of the wall panel 3. Adjacent each of these is one of two longest straight sections 13, and between the two longest straight sections 13 is the final, medium, straight section 11.

Between each pair of adjacent straight sections 9,11,13, a fold line 25 is provided. The four fold lines 25 extend from the longer side 5 of the arc about two thirds of the distance towards the shorter side 7. Accordingly, no fold lines are provided in the area of the wall panel 3 adjacent the shorter side 7 of the arc. The fold lines 25 serve to effectively divide the remainder of the wall panel 3 into a number of discrete areas 19,21,23. Each area 19,21,23 takes the shape of a trapezium, with the longer of its two parallel sides defined by one of the straight sections 9,11,13. Accordingly, the size of the each area 19,21,23 differs in line with the different lengths of the straight sections 9,11,13.

A substantially rectangular lid panel 27 extends from one of the longest straight sections 13 at the edge of one of the largest areas 23 of the wall panel 3, and flange forming panels 29 extend from each of the remaining straight sections 9,11,13. The lid panel 27 initially extends at an angle to the fold line 25 where it joins the wall panel 3, so that each major dimension 33 of the substantially rectangular lid panel 27 has a length greater than that of the longest straight section 13 of the wall panel 3. Likewise, each minor dimension 31 of the lid panel 27 is longer than the medium straight section 11 of the wall panel 3.

In order to form the container 100, the wall panel 3 of the blank 1 of Figure 1 is wrapped round and.joined to itself by overlapping its two ends 1517. The shorter side 7 çf the wall panel 3 forms a smooth circular opening, to which a circular base 35 (see Figure 5) is joined asis typical in the manufacture of paper cups. The circular nature of the por4ainr extends up to the point at which the fold lines 25 in the wall panel 3 begin. Abovethis, the container 100 becomes rectangular in cross-section, with each corner of the rectangle.

beirg defined by one of the fold lines 25. The flange forming panels 29 are folded out around the periphery of the rectangular opening to form a flange 129 to which the lid panel 27 can be sealed. The entirety of one surface of the blank is provided with a liquid impermeable coating to prevent the ingress of fat, oils and other liquids into the paperboard walls of the finished container.

Figure 2 shows a container 100 formed from the blank I of Figure 1. The perspective view of Figure 2 shows that the container 100 has a round base 107 and a rectangular opening 105. The transition between the round base 107 and the rectangular opening 105 is smooth, and does not comprise a step or similar discontinuity in the container walls. Each area 19,21,23 between the fold lines 25 of the wall panel 3 forms a wall in a generally rectangular top section of the finished container 100. The area of the wall panel 3 which does not contain fold lines 25 has maintained a curved shape to provide the round base 107 of the container 100. The lid panel 27 of the container 100 is shown in an open position, and the flange forming panels 29 are shown folded outwards from the rectangular opening 105 to form a flange 129.

Figure 3 shows the same container 100 with the lid panel 27 closed and sealed to the flange 129 to close the container 100. The provision of a rectangular opening 105 allows the container 100 to incorporate a lid panel 27 and flange forming panels 29 much more easily than if the opening were circular. A better seal is thereby achievable, and the need for a separate lid is obviated.

The perspective view of Figure 4 shows an alternate view of the container 100. The seam 37 caused by the overlapping of the two ends 15,17 of the blank I is clearly visible. By virtue of the overlap, the combined area 39 of the two overlapping small areas 19 of the wallpanel is the same as that of the medium.area 21 which forms the opposite side of the rectangular portion of the container 100. The remaining sides are formed by the two large areas 23 of the wall panel 3. . ,.* Figure 5 is a view of the container 100 taken from directly below. The circular base panel can be seen, with the flange 129 and rectangular lid panel 27 beyond.

The invention is not considered to be limited to the configurations and materials described above. The configuration of the structure as well as the dimensions and, to a certain extent, the material of the component parts would be dependent on a specific application.

For example, the blank could be fabricated from a plastics material, alternative closures could be used and the opening could take the form of a hexagon or other polygonal shape.

Although the container 100 shown in the drawings is formed from a blank 1, other methods of construction are also contemplated.