IE86924B1

IE86924B1 - A carton

Info

Publication number: IE86924B1
Application number: IE20160236A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Neale Steven; Shattock Ricky
Original assignee: Coveris Flexibles Uk Ltd
Priority date: 2015-09-30
Filing date: 2016-09-30
Publication date: 2018-09-19
Also published as: GB201517305D0; GB201616194D0; IE20160236A1; GB2542945B; GB2542945A

Abstract

A carton for food, the carton comprising a body configured to receive food, the body defining an opening and a flange adjacent the opening; and a lid panel configured for sealing to the flange in a closed position. The lid panel defines a plane and comprises a lid and an adjacent lip in said plane, the lid being frangibly secured to the lip. The lid comprises a projection in said plane configured for grasping in order to open the lid. A portion of the lip is configured to be moved from a first position where the projection is protected from grasping, to a second position where the projection is exposed for grasping,such that the lid can be opened by separation from the lip. <Figure 1>

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a carton for food. The present invention further relates to a blank for forming a carton for food, and a method of manufacturing such a blank.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cartons made from paperboard material for packaging triangular cut sandwiches are well known and widely used for sandwiches sold in supermarkets, cafes and convenience food outlets. The board is readily printed so that the sandwich is attractively presented on the shelf, and the packs are relatively low cost and user-friendly for the consumer.

Such a carton usually has a triangular-prism shaped body to hold a sandwich and a lid for sealing over the body, to ensure that food remains fresh. The lid must be sealed or hinged to the body on all sides to properly protect the food.

This arrangement can make it difficult to open the lid easily, as it can be difficult to grasp the lid. It is known to address this by providing the lid with a projecting tab by which to grasp the lid. However, such a tab can become bent or tom prior to use, e.g. during packing or transportation. A tab may be protected by the remainder of the carton, but this can lead to the tab itself being difficult to grasp.

The present invention seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the present invention provides a carton for food, the carton comprising a body configured to receive food, the body defining an opening and a flange adjacent the opening; and a lid panel configured for sealing to the flange in a closed position. The lid panel defines a plane and comprises a lid and an adjacent lip in said plane, the lid being frangibly secured to the lip. The lid comprises a projection in said plane configured for grasping in order to open the lid. A portion of the lip is configured to be moved from a first position where the projection is protected from grasping, to a second position where the projection is exposed for grasping, such that the lid can be opened by separation from the lip. The lid overlaps the lid, and the carton further comprises a first cut partway through the lid at the overlap and a second cut partway through the lip at the overlap, proximal the first cut, such that delamination of the lid or the lip takes place at the overlap on opening of the lid.

The carton may further comprise a linear indentation configured to define said portion of the lip, such that movement of the portion from the first position to the second position is encouraged to occur about said indentation.

Said portion of the lip may be configured to be folded out of the plane of the lid panel to expose the projection for grasping.

The lid panel may be substantially rectangular, and wherein said portion of the lip is located at a comer of the lid panel.

Said portion of the lip may be located at an upper comer of the lid panel, when the carton is in a display position.

The lid panel may be hingedly connected to the body at a first side, and said portion of the lip may be located at a comer of the lid panel distal the first side.

The projection may be defined by a cut between the lid and the lip, and the cut may be of less than full depth along at least part of its length.

The cut may be discontinuous. The cut may be of substantially 50% of its full depth along at least part of its length.

At least the body may be of paperboard.

The lid panel may define a viewing opening.

There is further provided a blank for a carton as described above.

There is yet further provided a method of forming a blank for a carton as described above, the method including the steps of: a) providing a sheet to form a carton lid panel; b) making an incision in the lid panel to define a lid and an adjacent lip; c) making an incision in the lid panel to define a projection configured for grasping in order to open the lid; and d) making a linear indentation in the lip to define a portion of the lip configured to be moved from a first position where the projection is protected from grasping, to a second position where the projection is exposed for grasping, such that the lid can be opened by separation from the lip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton according to an embodiment of the present invention with a tab in a first, protected condition; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carton of Figure 1 with the tab in a second, exposed condition; Figure 3 is a rear view of the carton of Figures 1 and 2 with the tab in the first condition; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a carton according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a carton according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) Figure 1 shows a carton 10, which in this embodiment is for accommodating triangular sandwiches.

The carton 10 has a body 12 and a lid panel 14. The body 12 is made up of first and second triangular side walls 16, 18 and first and second trapezoidal end walls 20, 22. When the carton 10 is erected, the body 12 forms a triangular prism suitable for receiving triangular sandwiches, and defines an opening through which food can be placed in the body 12.

The lid panel 14 is configured for sealing in a closed position over the opening, in order to protect food received within the body 12. In this embodiment, the lid panel 14 is hingedly connected to the body 12, although in alternative embodiments the lid panel may be detached from the body 12. A first side 15 of the lid panel 14 is hingedly connected to the first side wall 16.

The body 12 has a flange or a series of flanges 38 (see Figure 3) extending around the opening. The flanges 38 extend from free edges of the end walls 20, 22 and the second side wall 18. The flanges 38 are configured for sealing to the lid panel 14. In this embodiment, the lid panel 14 is attached to the flanges 38 by heat sealing, although in other embodiments an alternative means of sealing may be used, e.g. adhesive.

The carton 10 is formed from a blank manufactured from a sheet of a laminate formed of a substrate covered with a barrier material. The substrate of this embodiment is paperboard, although in alternative embodiments other suitable materials may be used. The substrate imparts a desired degree of rigidity to the laminate and typically is readily printed with product information. The barrier material of this embodiment is a sheet of plastics material (e.g. polyethylene (PE) or polylactic acid (PLA)) attached to the substrate with adhesive. The barrier material is provided to substantially prevent liquid and fats from the sandwich from contacting the substrate (which if paperboard weakens and/or discolours it), and to inhibit the passage of gases in and out of the body 12. The barrier material also enables heat sealing to occur by virtue of the facing layers of material fusing together when heated. In alternative embodiments, the barrier material may take some other suitable form, for example a co-extruded plastics material bonded to the substrate.

The lid panel 14 defines a plane. The lid panel 14 is made up of a lid 24 and an adjacent lip 26 in that plane. The lip 26 of this embodiment surrounds the lid 24 on 3 sides, i.e. not the hinged side . In this embodiment, the lid 24 defines a viewing opening or window 34, covered with transparent barrier material, through which the contents of the carton 10 can be viewed.

The lid 24 is frangibly secured to the lip 26. The lid 24 is configured to be opened to provide access to food held within the body 12, whilst the lip 26 remains in place, sealed to the flanges 38. The lid 24 overlaps the lip 26. In this embodiment, corresponding 'concora' cuts are made on the underside of the lid 24 and the outer side of the lip 26, such that the material of one of the lid 24 and the lip 26 delaminates at the overlap to allow opening of the lid 24. That is, substantially parallel cuts are made partway through the underside of the lid 24 (not visible) and partway through the outer side of the lip 26, so that delamination of the overlap takes place on opening of the lid 24.

In an alternative embodiment, the lid and the lip may simply separate along a perforated line.

The lid 24 has a projection or tab 28 in the plane of the lid panel 14 defined by a cut 13 through the full depth of the lid panel 14. The tab 28 is configured for grasping, in order for a consumer to easily open the lid 24. In this embodiment, the cut 13 is continuous.

In other embodiments, the cut 13 is of less than full depth along at least part of its length. Figures 4 and 5 show alternative embodiments where the cut 13 is discontinuous, so that it is of less than full depth (i.e. is of zero depth) along portions of its length. That is, uncut portions or ties 44 extend between the lid 24 and the lip 26, such that the tab 28 of the lid 24 is frangibly secured to the lip 26. The ties 44 are configured to break as the consumer grasps the tab 28 and opens the lid 24, allowing the lid 24 to open. In a further alternative embodiment (not shown), the cut is of partial depth along at least part of its length, so that the tab 28 is again frangibly secured to the lip 26.

The lip 26 has a portion 30 adjacent the tab 28 that is configured to be moved from a first position, as shown in Figure 1, to a second position, as shown in Figure 2. In the first position of Figure 1, the lip portion 30 surrounds the tab 28, and protects the tab 28 from grasping and from inadvertent damage. In the second position of Figure 2, the lip portion 30 is folded out of the plane of the lid panel 14, exposing the tab 28 so that it may easily be grasped by a consumer. In this embodiment, the lip portion 30 is moved out of the plane of the lid panel 14 towards the body 12.

The lip portion 30 is sealed to a corresponding portion 40 of the flanges 38. The flange portion 40 is configured to be folded out of the plane of the lid panel 14 with the lip portion 30.

The tab 28 is not heat sealed to the underlying flanges, so that it separates from the lip portion 30 and remains in the plane of the lid panel 14 when the lip portion 30 is folded away.

The lip portion 30 is defined in this embodiment by substantially straight linear indentations or score lines 32 arranged at approximately 45° to the edges of the lid panel along which the portion 30 is folded. The indentations 32 encourage folding to occur at the line they define, so that the lip portion 30 is folded correctly, i.e. so that the tab 28 is exposed. The portion 40 of the flange 38 is similarly defined by substantially straight linear indentations or score lines 42 arranged at approximately 45° to the edges of the lid panel. In alternative embodiments, the flange portion 40 is not defined by indentations.

In alternative embodiments, the indentations may be curved, or may be of some other suitable shape. The lip portion 30 and/or the flange portion 40 may be removed rather than folded to expose the tab 28, for example by tearing along perforations.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, a single tie 44 is positioned on either side of the exposed part of the tab 28. In the embodiment of Figure 5, multiple ties 44 are located on either side of the exposed part of the tab 28. In further embodiments (not shown), there may be one or more ties only on one side of the exposed part of the tab 28.

In embodiments where the cut 13 is of partial depth along some of its length, there are one or more areas of partial depth located on one or both sides of the exposed part of the tab 28.

The ties 44 act to prevent the tab 28 being unintentionally raised, e.g. during transport or stacking on a shelf, yet allow easy intentional opening by a consumer due to their frangible nature. The ties are of a width that allows the carton material to be broken easily when a consumer opens the lid 24, yet to be strong enough to hinder inadvertent opening. In embodiments where the cut 13 is of partial depth, it is of a depth of between 30% and 90%, or a depth of between 40% and 70%, or of substantially 50%. As with the ties 44, this depth allows the carton material to be broken easily when a consumer opens the lid, yet inhibits inadvertent opening.

The lid panel 14 of the above-described embodiments is substantially rectangular, as is the lid 24. The tab 28 is defined by a stepped incision 36, so that the tab 28 extends or projects beyond the remainder of the lid 24. The tab 28 and the lip portion 30 are situated at a comer of the lid panel 14 at the second side of the body 16, i.e. away from the hinge between the lid panel 14 and the body 12. In this embodiment, the tab 28 and the lip portion 30 are at an upper comer of the lid panel 14 when the carton 10 is in a display position. For example, when the carton 10 is positioned on a shelf, displayed to be sold, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In an alternative embodiment, the tab 28, the lip portion 30 and the flange portion 40 are of different suitable shapes, and are situated elsewhere on the lid panel 14. For example, the tab 28, the lip portion 30 and the flange portion 40 may be at a side of the lid panel 14. The carton may have more than one tab and corresponding lip portion and flange portion, e.g. at each comer at the second side of the body.

The lid panel with the tab and lip portion arrangement as described above is suitable for sandwich cartons of other shapes, or other food containers.

A blank for the carton 10 is manufactured as follows. A sheet is provided to form the lid panel 14, and is this embodiment additionally forms the body 12. Incisions are made in the lid panel 14 to define the lid 24 and the adjacent lip 26. Incisions are also made in the lid panel 14 to define the tab 28. Linear indentations or creases 32 are made in the lip 24 to define the lip portion 30.

Claims

1. A carton for food, the carton comprising: a body configured to receive food, the body defining an opening and a flange adjacent the opening; and a lid panel configured for sealing to the flange in a closed position; wherein the lid panel defines a plane and comprises a lid and an adjacent lip in said plane, the lid being frangibly secured to the lip; wherein the lid comprises a projection in said plane configured for grasping in order to open the lid; wherein a portion of the lip is configured to be moved from a first position where the projection is protected from grasping, to a second position where the projection is exposed for grasping, such that the lid can be opened by separation from the lip; and wherein the lid overlaps the lip, further comprising a first cut partway through the lid at the overlap and a second cut partway through the lip at the overlap, proximal the first cut, such that delamination of the lid or the lip takes place at the overlap on opening of the lid.

2. A carton according to claim 1 further comprising a linear indentation configured to define said portion of the lip, such that movement of the portion from the first position to the second position is encouraged to occur about said indentation.

3. A carton according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said portion of the lip is configured to be folded out of the plane of the lid panel to expose the projection for grasping.

4. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the lid panel is substantially rectangular, and wherein said portion of the lip is located at a comer of the lid panel.

5. A carton according to claim 4 wherein said portion of the lip is located at an upper comer of the lid panel, when the carton is in a display position.

6. A carton according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the lid panel is hingedly connected to the body at a first side, and wherein said portion of the lip is located at a comer of the lid panel distal the first side.

7. A carton according to any preceding claim wherein the projection is defined by a cut between the lid and the lip, and wherein the cut is of less than full depth along at least part of its length.

8. A carton according to claim 7 wherein the cut is discontinuous.

9. A carton according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the cut is of substantially 50% of its full depth along at least part of its length.

10. A carton according to any preceding claim wherein at least the body is of paperboard.

11. A carton according to any preceding claim wherein the lid panel defines a viewing opening.

12. A blank for forming a carton according to any preceding claim.

13. A method of forming a blank according to claim 12, the method including the steps of: a) providing a sheet to form a carton lid panel; b) making an incision in the lid panel to define a lid and an adjacent lip; c) making an incision in the lid panel to define a projection configured for grasping in order to open the lid; and d) making a linear indentation in the lip to define a portion of the lip configured to be moved from a first position where the projection is protected from grasping, to a second position where the projection is exposed for grasping, such that the lid can be opened by separation from the lip.