IE970019A1

IE970019A1 - Improvements relating to packaging

Info

Publication number: IE970019A1
Application number: IE970019A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Fernon Maurice De Monge
Original assignee: Fernon Maurice De Monge
Priority date: 1996-01-12
Filing date: 1997-01-13
Publication date: 1997-07-16
Also published as: GB2309026B; GB9700538D0; GB2309026A

Abstract

A carton blank (1) has an inner face (2) and an outer face. A product-viewing window (4) extends through the blank (1). A transparent film (5) is mounted on the inner face (2) of the blank (1) covering the entire inner face (2) and extending across the window opening (4). The film is attached to the blank by an ultra-violet curing adhesive. The blank (1) can be folded to form a sleeve for compact discs.<Fig.1>

Description

This invention relates to improvements relating to packaging.

The invention particularly relates to carton blanks and packages produced therefrom which incorporate a product5 viewing window. In producing such packages it is known to form a window opening in a blank and then apply a transparent patch of film across the blank, gluing a periphery of the film around an edge of the opening. The problem with this package type window is that the edges of the film can often be readily easily parted from the blank allowing easy access to the contents of the package. Thus, typically it is relatively easy to tamper with the contents of the package.

Another problem that can arise with these patches is that where a thermal film incorporating adhesive is used when the film is heated to cure the adhesive this also dulls a portion of the film which is stretched across the productviewing opening making it more difficult to see the contents of the package.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming these problems .

According to the invention there is provided a flat carton blank having an inner face and an outer face, the blank having a product having a product-viewing window opening, a transparent film being attached to the inner face or to the outer face of the blank, the transparent film covering substantially all of the face and extending across the window opening to close the window opening. *******'· ff~ ·..·* ΟΡΕΝΤΟΡυβ; < inspection SECTION 26 AND HULE 23 JNL No....../&.(?........T - 2 In one embodiment of the invention the transparent film is attached to the face of the carton blank by an ultraviolet curable adhesive.

Preferably the transparent film is of acetate material.

Conveniently the blank is formed from a paper based material.

In another embodiment there is provided a flat carton blank for forming a sleeve for a compact disc, the carton blank having a substantially square front panel attached along an inner edge to a substantially square rear panel, the inner edge forming a fold line between the front and rear panels, side flaps attached along opposite side edges of the front panel, each side edge forming a fold line between the front panel and the side flaps, a circular opening extending through the front panel forming a discviewing window opening and a transparent film being attached to an inner face of the blank by an ultra-violet curable adhesive, the film fully covering the inner face of the blank.

In another aspect the invention provides a package formed from a blank of the type described herein.

In one embodiment the package comprises a carton defining a compartment for reception of a product, a window opening in a side wall of the carton, a transparent film coating an inner surface or an outer surface of the carton and extending across the window opening.

In another embodiment the package comprises a carton having a substantially square front panel and a substantially square rear panel, the front panel and rear panel interconnected at an inner end of each panel, side - 3 flaps extending outwardly at each side of the front panel and being adhesively attached to an outer face of the rear panel, the front panels thus forming a pocket for reception of a compact disc, the window being provided in the front panel and an inner surface of the package being covered by the transparent film which extends across the window opening.

In a still further aspect the invention provides a process for manufacturing a carton blank which incorporates a product viewing window, the process including the step of applying an adhesive coating to a surface of the carton blank, leading a transparent film to the blank, applying the transparent film to the adhesive-coated surface of the blank, the transparent film covering substantially all of the adhesive-coated surface and extending across the product viewing window.

Preferably the adhesive is an ultra-violet curing adhesive and the process includes irradiating the blank with ultraviolet light after applying the transparent film to the blank for curing the adhesive to secure the transparent film to the blank.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the transparent film is of acetate material.

In a further embodiment the blank is of a paper based material.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:IE 970019 - 4 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a carton blank according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a sleeve for reception of a compact disc formed from the carton blank of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sleeve shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a packaging box according to another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a carton blank according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The carton blank 1 has an inner face 2 and an outer face 3. A window opening 4 extends through the blank 1. A transparent film 5 is mounted on an inner face 2 of the blank 1 covering substantially all of the inner face and extending across the window opening 4. To produce the blank 1, the inner face 2 of the blank 1 is coated with adhesive and then the film 5 is laid on the inner face 2 and pressed against the inner face 2 to bond the film 5 to the inner face 2. It will be noted that as glue is only put on the inner face 2, the portion of the film 5 which overlies the window opening 4 remains clear and is not affected by the gluing process. A number of fold lines 6, 7, 8 are provided on the blank 2 for dividing the blank 1 into a front panel 10 with side flaps 11, 12 and a rear panel 14. - 5 The blank 1 can be folded to form a sleeve 15 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 for reception of compact discs. The blank 1 is folded about the fold line 8 to overly the front panel 10 and rear panel 14 and then the flaps 11, 12 are folded around and glued to the outer face of the rear panel 14. It will be noted that the sleeve 15 thus formed has a viewing window 16 for viewing a compact disc within the sleeve 15. Further, the inner surface of the sleeve 15 is covered by the transparent film 5 which protects the compact disc and prevents damage to the disc when inserting and removing the disc into the sleeve 15.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown a carton or box 20 defining a compartment 21 with a lid 22 for reception of a product. A window 23 is provided in the lid 22 for viewing contents of the carton 20. The window 23 is formed by an opening 24 in the material of the carton 20 in combination with a transparent plastics film which coats an inner surface of the carton 20 extending across the window opening 24.

It will be appreciated that the packaging formed according to the invention eliminates the need for secondary packaging on a product housed within an outer package. Further, the manner in which the transparent film is secured to the inner surface of the package provides tamper evident protection for the contents of the package. Further, the manner in which the transparent film is bonded to the packaging material ensures that the film extending across the window opening remains clear for viewing the contents of the package.

It will be noted that the transparent film may fully cover either an inner face or an outer face of the blank. In this way there is improved bonding between the film and the blank. Also it is not possible to gain entry into the - 6 carton or package without breaking the film which would give evidence of tampering. When the film is mounted on the inner face of the blank it gives a protective finish to an interior of the carton or package to protect the goods mounted in the carton or package in use. When the film is mounted on an outer face of the blank then it gives an attractive cosmetic finish to an outside of the carton or package in use.

While it is possible to use various different adhesives for securing the film to the blank it is preferred that an ultra-violet drying adhesive be used. This gives a good bond with quick drying properties which facilitate production.

Various different materials may be used for the transparent film such as orientated polypropylene and polyester. The preferred material for the transparent film is, however, acetate, and is also biodegradable.

This gives excellent clarity It is envisaged that where possible the carton blank should be of a paper based material and the transparent film should be of acetate. Thus, conveniently, as there materials are similar it facilitates in the recycling of packaging. There is no need to separate the film from the blank as they are similar and can both be reduced together to paper pulp for recycling.

While the embodiments described herein show the invention as applied to a carton blank it will be appreciated that the invention can be applied to window patching generally in the production of packaging, cartons, books, brochures and magazines in which a blank with a window has a transparent film applied to one surface of the blank covering substantially all of the surface and extending across the window opening.

The invention is not limited to hereinbefore described which may be construction and detail. the embodiments varied in both

Claims

1. A flat carton blank having an inner face and an outer face, the blank having a product having a productviewing window opening, a transparent film being attached to the inner face or to the outer face of the blank, the transparent film covering substantially all of the face and extending across the window opening to close the window opening.

2. A carton blank as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transparent film is attached to the face of the carton blank by an ultra-violet curable adhesive.

3. A carton blank as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the transparent film is of acetate material.

4. A carton blank as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the blank is formed from a paper based material.

5. A flat carton blank as claimed in any preceding claim for forming a sleeve for a compact disc, the carton blank having a substantially square front panel attached along an inner edge to a substantially square rear panel, the inner edge forming a fold line between the front and rear panels, side flaps attached along opposite side edges of the front panel, each side edge forming a fold line between the front panel and the side flaps, a circular opening extending through the front panel forming a discviewing window opening and a transparent film being attached to an inner face of the blank by an ultraviolet curable adhesive, the film fully covering the inner face of the blank. - 9

6. A flat carton blank substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .

7. A package formed from a blank as claimed in any preceding claim.

8. A package as claimed in claim 7 comprising a carton defining a compartment for reception of a product, a window opening in a side wall of the carton, a transparent film coating an inner surface or an outer surface of the carton and extending across the window opening.

9. A package as claimed in claim 7 or 8 comprising a carton having a substantially square front panel and a substantially square rear panel, the front panel and rear panel interconnected at an inner end of each panel, side flaps extending outwardly at each side of the front panel and being adhesively attached to an outer face of the rear panel, the front panels thus forming a pocket for reception of a compact disc, the window being provided in the front panel and an inner surface of the package being covered by the transparent film which extends across the window opening.

10. A package substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A process for manufacturing a carton blank which incorporates a product viewing window, the process including the step of applying an adhesive coating to a surface of the carton blank, leading a transparent film to the blank, applying the transparent film to the adhesive-coated surface of the blank, the - 10 transparent film covering substantially all of the adhesive-coated surface and extending across the product viewing window.

12. A process as claimed in claim 11 wherein the adhesive 5 is an ultra-violet curing adhesive and the process includes irradiating the blank with ultra-violet light after applying the transparent film to the blank for curing the adhesive to secure the transparent film to the blank.

13. A process as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein the transparent film is of acetate material.

14. A process as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13 wherein the blank is of a paper based material.

15. A process for manufacturing a carton blank 15 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.