US2291281A - Package - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1942. J. J. JUHASS PACKAGE Filed Feb. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNvENTUf? July 28, 1942. J, J, JUHASS 2,291,281

PACKAGE Filed Feb. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED PACKAGE Joseph J. Juhass, West New Brighton, Staten Island, N. Y.

Application February 21, 1939, Serial No. 257,705

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the packaging art and more particularly to packaging as related to multi-layer containers.

Among the objects herein is the provision of a novel packaging structure wherein means for identifying the contents of the innermost container are provided; said means being active and visible regardless of whether the inner container is wrapped or unwrapped.

Another object herein lies in the provision of packaging structure which may be readily adapted to packaging means and machines already known in the art, and while giving the results accomplished by more expensive methods, will actually require only a very slight increase in cost.

Another feature of the present invention lies in the ease with which the package made according to the invention is packed, or unwrapped by the user or consumer.

Another feature herein resides in the ability of the present packaging means to protect the contents of the inside container from moisture,

without sacrificing any of the other advantages inherent in the present structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of so wrapping packages that when the package is opened identification marks will still remain associated with the contents of the package.

According to the present invention, a container once opened will retain positive means for identifying the contents of the container throughout the period of use of the container and until the contents thereof have been entirely consumed.

These objects and other features and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings constituting a material part of this disclosure and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a first embodiment of the invention with part of the exterior wrapping torn away from the inner container.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, greatly enlarged, as seen from the plane 2--2 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, greatly enlarged, as seen from the plane 3-3 on Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a-central vertical sectional schematic thickness of the various parts exaggerated for purposes of clarity.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View showing a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View showing a third embodiment of the invention.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional schematic view, as seen from the plane !--1 in Fig. 6, the thickness of the various parts being exaggerated for purposes of clarity.

Fig. 8 is a developed plan View showing an external wrapper as used with the third embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the prior art, many articles as for example, dry spaghetti, noodles, biscuits, crackers, cookies, wafers, toasts, marshmallows, and various other baked goods and confectioneries have been packed within pasteboard or cardboard containers of the collapsible type. Such cardboard containers have frequently been lined with moisture proof sheet material such as waxed paper, Cellophane, glassine and parchment type papers. For the purpose of economy and eificiency, many manufacturing plants rather than have cardboard containers or collapsible containers specially printed for each kind of food which is placed into the container when the same is sent to market, use a series of standard size containers which bear only the name of the manufacturer but have no indicia on them which would tend to show the specific product therewithin. These containers are enclosed within an outside Wrapper which is specially printed to indicate the contents of the inner container.

This outer wrapper is usually composed of paper either of a moisture proof variety or otherwise and in order for the consumer to remove the contents of the inner container it is necessary to tear the outer wrapper over a considerable area thereof. The result of this is, that after the outer wrapper has been removed in order to gain access to the inner container, the outer wrapper falls off or is destroyed and at a subsequent time it is necessary to open the container in order to see what commodity the container has within it.

The disadvantage of this results in considerable inconvenience when the consumer has a plurality of containers each holding a different commodity and all having a very similar external appearance. The effect therefore is, that in order to find a package of graham crackers for example, it is frequently necessary to open up, look into, close, and replace in position on the shelf,

View of the embodiment in Fig. 1, with the a series of boxes or containers having almost anything but the commodity desired at the particular time.

In accordance with the present invention, the collapsible cardboard container and the moisture proof liner therefor is utilized as heretofore requiring no change in style, shape or size, and require no change in packaging machinery and technique. Only the external wrapper is altered so that when this wrapper is removed a portion thereof remains attached to the container thereby conveniently indicating the contents of that container.

In accordance with the present invention only a slight and inexpensive alteration is made in the outer wrapper and a slight and inexpensive change in the technique of applying the outer wrapper of the container.

Turning now to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, the inner container indicated generally by numeral I may be of any of the well known types used heretofore in the art. Examples of such are containers formed up from' sheet blanks and maintained in operative position by means of interlocking tabs, or containers which collapse by means of the side walls folding upon them.- selves, or ordinary boxes such as candy boxes in which the coverand the base telescope or nest within each other or metal containers such as cracker tins. While as illustrated in the drawings, the containers are indicated as being of generally block type or rectangular configuration, it is of course obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates, that containers having any geometric shape may be substituted therefor without decreasing the utility of the invention.

As seen in Fig. 4, the container It! may be provided with a moisture-proof liner I I within which is placed commodity contents l2.

The container I!) includes a front wall l3, a bottom l4, a rear wall I5, a top or cover member l6 and front flap or tab I1. An external wrapper 23 is of suitable size and configuration that the same may be wrapped about the container ID. The wrapper includes a front wall 2|, a bottom flap 22, a cover wall 23, a rear wall 24 and a bottom 25. The length of the wrapper is such that it may be wrapped about the container I0 circumferentially and the portion 26 of the bottom may overlap and be secured to the bottom flap 22 by means of any suitable adhesive 21.

The ends of the container l0 are covered by the end portions 28 of the wrapper 20 and are maintained in place by the seal piece 29.

The cover wall 23 includes an integral panel 30, the edges of which are defined by the circumferential row of perforations 3|. The panel 30 is-provided with suitable indicia 32 such as a printed designation of the contents of the package.

Preferably after the contents l2 have been placed within the previously combined container l0 and liner II, a portion of the cover member I6 corresponding to the area included within the row of perforations 3| is coated with a suitable adhesive 33. Or, if desired, the adhesive 33' may be coated upon the under or inner surface of the panel 33. Then when the panel 33 is brought into contact with the cover member IS, the panel 33 will becomesecured to the outer surface of the cover member l6.

Any suitable adhesive material 33 may be used such as various glues and cements. If desired,

the adhesive material 33 may be of a thermoplastic material so that the same may be deposited upon the inner surface of the outer wrapper 20 or the outer surface of the container [0 at an earlier time in an earlier fabricating operation and after the entire wrapper 20 is in place, adequate heat may be applied to the panel 30 of the wrapper 20 so that the same may be secured to the inner container.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Upon receiving the package, it is only necessary for the consumer to manually grasp some portion of the wrapper 20 and to start tearing the same off of the container I0. Since the panel 30 is secured to the container and by reason of the row of perforations 3|, all of the portions of the wrapper, exclusive of the panel 30 may be readily removed. The consumer or user will naturally perform this operation in an automatic manner and since the panel 3!] is secured to the container it], it is difiicult to grasp such panel separately from the container. It is a relatively simple manner, however, to grasp any of the other portions of the wrapper because they are only loosely associated with the container. No particular skill is necessary in this operation sincethe perforations act as guiding means to direct the severing of the'wrapper along the proper path.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the wrapper 20' is provided with a relatively smaller panel 30 which contains the contents indicating means or indicia 32 The panel 30 is preferably integral with the cover wall 23 being bounded by an annular weakened area, border or line 3|.

The weakened area, border or line 3| may be formed as indicated in Fig. 3 by compressing or scoring the cover wall 23', or by any other mechanical weakening method or if desired, in any other suitable manner as by treating the material of which the cover wall is composed with heat or chemicals. The under or inner surface'of the panel 30' is treated with an adhesive or combined adhesively with the upper surface of the cover member of the design (not shown) in a manner similar to that set forth above in connection-with the first embodiment of the invention.

The operation of the second embodiment is generally similar to that of the first embodiment and differs therefrom mainly in weakening the border of the panel carrying the indicia and in the relative area of the said panel as compared with the area of the wrapper 20'. When the wrapper'20' is manually removed by tearing the same from the inner container, the panel 30 will remain affixed to the outer wall of the container to indicate the contents of the said container.

Turning now to the third embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, the invention is shown as adapted to have an indicating panel 30" on the end wall 40 of the container I0". Indicia 32" may be placed upon the seal piece 29", while the wrapper 20" is provided with a single row of perforations or weakened line 3|".

The external wrapper 20" includes a front wall 21", a bottom flap 22", a top or cover wall 23", a rear wall 24", a bottom 25" and end portions 28" and I23".

When the wrapper 20" is placed about the container in a manner similar to the manner in which the wrapper 20 was placed about the container ID, the end portions 28" and I23 are folded inwardly about the package. The end portions 28" and I23" are situated outwardly of the dashdouble-dot and dash-triple-dot lines 4|" and MI" respectively. The row of perforations or weakened line 3|" is disposed slightly outwardly of the dash-double dot line 4|" in Fig. 8 or in such a position to lie adjacent to the seal piece 29" forming the outer border of the panel 30". As has been described above, the row of perforations or weakened line 3|" may be formed in a number of ways so that when the wrapper 2B" is placed upon the container I, adhesive 33" may secure the seal piece 29" to the end 40 of the container 10''. The outer portions of the seal piece 29 by means of the adhesive 33" will be secured to portion 45" which is that portion of the wrapper 20" disposed outwardly of the weakened line 3| as seen in Fig. 8.

If desired, the inner surface of the portion 45" may be also secured to the end of the container l0" by means of adhesive 63". This structure is seen in Fig. '7.

It may thus be seen that the seal piece 29 together with the portion 45" forms a panel 30" which is positively secured to the end of the box [0" so that when the portions of the wrapper 20" which are loosely associated with the container Ill" are torn away therefrom, the panel 30" will remain in place and by means of its indicia, indicate the contents of the package.

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed a novel combination of wrapper and container and a novel wrapper. lines 3!, 3| and 3|" may be put into the wrapper 20, 20' and 28" at the time the same is printed and the indicia 32, 32 and 32" may likewise be imprinted on the wrapper at the same time they are manufactured. By means of a simple securing operation utilizing adhesives of any desired nature, a certain indicating panel 30, 30' and 30" is made to stay with the container until all of the contents of the container have been consumed.

With regard to the perforations or scoring of the line 3|, 3| and 3|" it will be readily understood that where any moisture proof qualities of the outer wrapper 20, 20' and 20 are to be retained, it is preferable to weaken the wrapper along said lines rather than to entirely perforate same.

In any event, the utilization of the present invention requires only a slight additional cost in the packaging of the commodity and presents the identification advantages detailed hereinabove.

The foregoing description has been made rather detailed for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. The combination with a container, of an external wrapper incompletely covering said container leaving a portion of the container exposed; a seal piece bearing indicia thereon and larger than the exposed portion of the container, secured to the exposed portion of the container and overlapping the external wrapper and secured thereto; said wrapper having a weakened tear line adjacent the border edge of said seal piece; whereby when the portions of the wrapper loosely associated with the container are manually removed, said portions will separate from The weakened or perforated said seal piece and the external wrapper portions secured to said seal piece, along said weakened line or connection so that the seal piece having the indicia will remain secured to said container.

2. The combination with a container, of an external Wrapper incompletely covering said container leaving a portion of the container exposed; a seal piece bearing indicia thereon and larger than the exposed portion of the container, adhesively secured to the exposed portion of the container and overlapping the external wrapper and adhesively secured thereto; said wrapper having a weakened tear line adjacent the border edge of said seal piece; whereby when the portions of the wrapper loosely associated with the container are manually removed, said portions will separate from said seal piece and the external wrapper portions adhesively secured to said seal piece, along said weakened line or connection so that the seal piece having the indicia will remain adhesively secured to said container.

3. An article container comprising: an inner receptacle; a first covering for said inner receptacle which is adapted to incompletely cover the said inner receptacle leaving a portion of the inner receptacle exposed, a second covering hearing indicia thereon and thermoplastically secured to the said exposed portion of the inner receptacle and to a neighboring portion of said first covering; the first covering having a weakened tear line adjacent the border or edge of the second covering,

4. The combination with a container, of an external wrapper incompletely covering said container leaving a portion of the container exposed; a seal piece bearing indicia thereon and larger than the exposed portion of the container, secured to the exposed portion of the container and overlapping the external wrapper and secured thereto; said wrapper having a weakened tear line adjacent the border edge of said seal piece; the inner surfaces of the portion of the external Wrapper disposed beneath the seal piece being secured to said container; whereby when the portions of the wrapper loosely associated with the container are manually removed, said portions will separate from said seal piece and the external wrapper portions secured to said seal piece, along said weakened line or connection so that the seal piece having the indicia and the external wrapper portions secured to said seal piece will remain secured to said container.

5. The combination with a folded cardboard box of an opaque external paper wrapper having a portion or panel thereof with indicia printed on the external surface thereof, said panel being bordered by a weakened line or connection with said wrapper, and means securing only said panel to said box; whereby when the portions of the wrapper loosely associated with the box are manually removed said portions will separate from said panel along said weakened line or connection so that the panel having the indicia printed upon the external surface thereof will remain secured to said box.

6. The combination with a folded cardboard box of an opaque external paper wrapper having a portion or panel thereof with indicia printed on the external surface thereof, said panel being bordered by a weakened line or connection with said wrapper, and adhesive means securing only said panel to said box; whereby when the portions of the wrapper loosely associated with the box are manually removed said portions will separate from said panel along said weakened line or connection so that the panel having the indicia printed upon the external surface thereof will remain secured to said box.

'7. The combination with a folded cardboard box of an opaque external paper wrapper having a portion or panel thereof with indicia printed on the external surface thereof, said panel being bordered by a weakened line or connection with said wrapper, and thermo-plastic means securing only said panel to said box; whereby when the portions of the wrapper loosely associated with the box are manually removed said portions will separate from said panel along said weakened line or connection so that the panel having the indicia printed upon the external surface thereof will remain secured to said box.

JOSEPH J. J UHASS.

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