US2315116A

US2315116A - Quick opening package

Info

Publication number: US2315116A
Application number: US294605A
Authority: US
Inventors: John S Flizikowski
Original assignee: JAMES ELWYN DANIELS
Current assignee: JAMES ELWYN DANIELS
Priority date: 1939-09-13
Filing date: 1939-09-13
Publication date: 1943-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 1960-03-30

Description

March 30, 1943. J. 5. FLIZIKOWSKI 2,315,116

QUICK OPENING PACKAGE Filed Sept. 15, 19:59 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ficed 2M W March 1 J. 5. FLIZIKOWSKI 2,315,116

QUICK OPENING PACKAGE Filed Sept. 13, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 30, 1 943 QUICK OPENING PACKAGE John S. Flizikowski, Chicago, Ill., assignor by mesne assignments to James Elwyn Daniels,

Chicago, Ill.

Application September 13, 1939, Serial No. 294,605

12 Claims.

quick opening packages by providing, in conjunc tion with the opening means, a reinforcement for the margins of the removed area or the margins of the slit, as the case may be.

This objective I realize, in general, by adhering to the underside of the sheet stock to be torn, a tear tape which has considerable longitudinal strength but which is easily split longitudinally. For opening a package, the entire width of the tape is not torn, but only apart of the width,

thus leaving at least one lateral margin of the tape adhered to the slit along its margin to serve as a permanent reinforcement. If the opening in the package is to be a slit-or narrow slot, as in the instance of an envelope, for example, I tear only the middle band of the tape, leaving both its lateral edges adhered to the respective margins of the slit or slot to serve as a reinforcement for both margins thereof. When an area'of the sheet stock is tov be removed, as in opening a cigarette package, for example, then I tear out one lateral edge or half of the tape,

leaving the other lateral edge or half adhered.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of one corner of the package of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a'view of the inside of the blank for the carton of Fig. 1 before it is made up into a carton;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the tearing by the tape progressed to an intermediate stage;

Fig. 5 is a detailed cross-section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modification in which all of the protruding end of thetearing tape is of reduced width;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the back side of an envelope incorporating my invention with the tearing tape torn to an intermediate stage;

Fig.8 is a perspective view of a cigarette package embodying my invention;

Fig. 9 is a layout view of the liner for the cigarette package before it is folded up into a package;

Figs. 9A and 9B are somewhat diagrammatical detailed perspective views illustrating the manner of folding-thetape to make a ninety degree turn;

Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal section of the cigarette package of Fig. 8 taken on the line i0ld thereof;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the cigarette package of Fig. 8 but showing the start of the tearing;

to the margin of the opening as a permanent reinforcement therefor.

The tearing tape employed in my invention is peculiarly susceptible of being arranged to tear around comers or to other angular changes and to yield a less ragged line of tear in, the sheet 7 stock.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a. package of the carton type embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the tearing I completed;

Fig. 12A is a perspective view of the panel which was removed from thetop of the package or box of the type in which breakfast cereals, sugar, soap flakes, or many'other products might be packaged. .The carton may conveniently be formed, as usual, from a single blank scored and cut to form the front l6, ends ll, end-carried top flaps l8, a front-carried flap l9, and a backcarried flap 20. As is usual in making up the blank into a box, the end flaps [8 are first folded in at the top, then the back-carried flap 20 is folded down and adhered to the end flaps l8,

and finally the front-carried flap i9 is folded down upon and secured to the flap 20.

As shown in Fig. 3, a length of tape 2| is adhered to the underside of the flap l9 adjoining I a corresponding slit in the inner package.

.this way the top of the front l6 may be bellied its scored connection to the front ii. The same coating of adhesive applied to the underside of the top flap l9 whereby it is adhered to'the flap 20 may be used to adhere the tearing tape 2| to the flap IS. The tape 2| preferably extends from one end of the flap l8 to the other end and is adhered to the flap throughout the length of the flap. The tape 2| is longer than the flap l9, leaving a protruding end 2|. This protruding end 2| overlies the end flap IS in Fig. 3, but it is not adhered to it. When the blank is folded up into the carton i 5, only the end 2| of the tape is exposed.

After the tape 2| is adhered to the flap l9- still referring to Fig. 3a pair of oblique cuts 22 is made through the flap l9 and also through the tape 2|. The cuts extend from the adjacent end edge. of the flap l9 obliquely inwardly toward the center line of the tape 2|, but the cuts do not extend to the center line. Instead they terminate a spaced distance from the center; line of the tape, leaving the central third or fourth of the width of the tape uncut.

If, as is frequently the case in packaging breakfast foods, or other products to be kept moisturefree, the carton is jacketed in wax paper or Cellophane, the jacketing may entirely envelop the protruding end 2| of the tearing tape, in which case the thumb nail is used to break through the jacketing to get a hold on the protruding end of the tape, after which the tearing of the tape may tear a corresponding slit in the jacket. Alternatively, the protruding end 2 I of the-tearing tape may be somewhat longer, if need be, and interfolded with the jacket to extend outwardly through the sealed folds of the jacket to expose the protruding end 2| without interfering with the moisture-proof seal of the jacket.

To open the package of Fig. 1, the protruding end 2| of the tearing tape is grasped between the thumb and index finger and pulled upwardly longitudinally of the package. Because of the dovetail-like cuts 22, the full width of the tape is not torn through the panel l9. Instead, the tearing width of the tape is confined to the uncut portion between the converging ends of the cuts 22. Thus only a narrow central band 22a of the tearing tape is torn. The lateral margins 22b of the tearing tape, lying outwardly of the central band 22a, remain adhered to the panel l9.

' The upward tearing of the narrow central band 22a along the length of the tearing strip 2| tears a narrow band |9a from the panel I9, as shown in Fig. 4. The tearing is continued beyond the intermediate stage of Fig. 4 to the opposite end of the top panel l9, when the central band 22a of the tape and the narrow band l9a of the panel top i9 will have been completely removed from the box. This leaves a slot 23 in the top panel I9 extending the length thereof and adjacent the front of the box, and 'with the margins of the slot 23 reinforced on the underside by the lateral bands 22b of the tearing tape which remain adhered to the underside of the top panel. As shown in Fig. 5, the, tape is preferably so placed that the slot 23 will come beyond the adjacent edge of the flap 20 so that it becomes unnecessary to teal-through two thicknesses of flap. If the contents of the package are enclosed in an inner envelope, bag or liner,- a knife blade may be inserted through the slot 23 to out In out to enlarge the width of the slot 23 in pouring out the contents, especially in the instance of cornflakes, soap chips, or contents of a similar physical nature. Where the contents are not of a nature which permits them to be poured out of such a slot, but instead the top has to be fully opened, the formation of the slot 23, involving the cutting through of the top panel l9, makes it' very convenient to lift the flaps l9 and 20 about the scored connection of the latter with the back, and either tearing the end flaps l8 at their scored connection to the ends II, or pulling loose their adherence to the flap 20. In either case the entire composite or multi-layered top of the box then becomes a hinged cover.

The tearing tape 2| is of a. type which readilythe quality of tearing longitudinally much easier than transversely, the central band 22a would be defined by twin longitudinal scoring or perforation lines to predetermine the central band which is. to be torn from the lateral band.

It will be understood that in the instance of the carton of Fig. 1, the tearing tape might be adhered to the underside of the front I 6 adjacent its upper edge rather than on the top panel. Also, the tape may be extended around more than one side or end, or completely around the package. In the instance of some types of packaging it could extend about all four sides at a region near the middle of the package. In this way boxes containing individual portions of breakfast foods, for example, could be so opened that the boxes are cut in the top and bottom halves in accordance with the prevailing custom in restaurants.

In Fig. 7 I have shown my invention incorporated in an envelope. The tearing tape is adhered to the inner side of the flap adjacent its folded juncture with the envelope front.

In Figs. 8 to 13 I have shown my invention incorporated in a cigarette package which is otherwise of standard design. The cigarette package 25, shown in Fig. 8, is, pursuant to usual practice, formed by a two-ply liner 26, the outer ply being foil and the inner ply a liner paper. All sides, save the top, are further enclosed by a label sheet 21. The package is sealed at the top by a revenue stamp 28, the ends of which are brought down onto the front .and back and tion with reference thereto but laid flat before being formed up into a package. The lines of fold indicated in Fig. 9 do not show before the sheets are folded into a package, but I have here indicated them for clarity. Or, alternatively, Fig. 9 can be considered as a plan view of the inside of the sheets after'they have been removed from a cigarette package and laid flat.

A tearing tape 30 is shown adhered in U-shaped form to the inside surface of the two-ply liner 26, The tearing tape 30 comprises a protruding end 30a, which extends beyond the upper edge of the liner 26, a first flap leg 3017, a web' reach 300, and a second flap leg 30d, which terminates at the upper edge of the sheet 26. The web reach 300 is so placed that it straddles the line of fold I 3|, which will come at the upper edge of the package and which separates the top flap 32 from the side panels. The

legs

30b and 30d of the tearing tape come on portions of the liner 2' which will constitute the top flaps of the package. The tearing tape 30 may be of the same construction as previously described. Those portions of the tearing tape 30 which overlie the liner sheet 26 are adhered thereto. Figs. 9A and 9B illustrate how the tape may be folded to effect a neat and fiat ninety degree turn in the tape. The tape is first folded along a forty-five degree line of fold and then refolded along a transverse line of fold in register with the outer edge of the previously adhered leg or reach.

The reach of tape 300 is centeredupon the panel 26a, which will constitute one of the narrow side panels of the package, so that the

legs

30b and 30d, when the top flaps 32 are folded down, will come into superposed register partially underlying one edge of the revenue stamp 28, as best seen in Fig. 10.

The protruding end 30a of the tearing strip is made a continuation of the leg 30b rather than of the leg 30d, because the leg 30b ism that portion of the top flap 32 which, when the package is made up, comes uppermost of the several superposed portions of the flap 32. Thus, as shown in Fig. 8, the end 30a is exposed at the top edge of the front (or back, as the case may be) panel of the package, rather than being hidden by some superposed portion of the flap 32.

Usually cigarette packages carry an outer jacket of Cellophane or other transparent sheet material. That problem may be met in any of three ways. The user may first remove the Cellophane completely. Or he may dig his thumb nailinto the Cellophane to make an opening to get access to the end 30a of the tearingtape. Or, the end 30a may be made considerably longer and extend back across the top of .the package beneath the top flap of the Cellophane jacket so that the tip of the end 30a is exposed without the jacket. In either of the latter two instances, the tearing of the tape toopen the package will neatly tear out a corresponding opening in the jacket.

To open the cigarette package, the protruding end 30a of the tearing tape is engaged between the thumb and forefinger which protruding end, a

it will be noted, is of only half width) and is pulled upwardly and across the top of the package, as shown in-Fig. 11. One lateral half 30c is torn from the tape. When the tape has reached vthe'other side of the package, the band 30c is pulled down toward the end of the package, then forwardly along the end edge, then back to the revenue stamp, and then again along the edge of the revenue stamp, about half way toward the other panel. (There is some overlapping of tear-' ing because

thelegs

30b and 30d overlap.) This entirely removes about one-third of the composite top of the package, which removed rectangular portion is shown in Fig. 12A. Because the tear ing tape cleaves so easily in a longitudinal direction, but not transversely, only the half We of the tearing tape, as predetermined by the narrow protruding end, is torn from the remainder of the tape and remains more or less fixed to the removed portion shown in Fig. 12A. The other half 30, of the tape remains affixed to the margins of the opening, as shown in Fig. 12A, and constitutes a marginal reinforcement therefor.

The use of a longitudinally splitting tearing tape, one lateral half of which remains on the package, not only has the advantage of leaving the marginal reinforcement but it produces a trimmer and neater torn edge for the two-ply liner sheet 26. That is because the tape is closely adhered to the sheet and the tape itself will cleave only in a neat straight line, and hence the sheet is likewise torn in a fairly neat straight line.

By the use of this tape and the folding expedient shown in Figs. 9A and 98 to effect flat angular turns, no problem is involved in tearing around comers. Nor is any. difliculty encountered because of the fact that the reach 30c of the tearing tape lies along a fold so that one marginal half lies in vertical planes and the other marginal half lies in a horizontal plane. Thus, the line of tear may be placed exactly on the line of fold.

The combination 45 and transverse folds of the tape in forming corners, per Figs. 9A and 9B, are important. It keeps the torn-out half of the tape on the inner margin of the U. If only a 45 fold were used at each corner of the U, the tornout half of the tape would be on the inside of the U along the first leg, then it would shift over to the outside margin ofthe U along the web reach, and then shift back again to the inside margin of the U along the second leg. This shifting would not shear the liner at the fold line. There would also be a practical complication in tearing through both corners if formed merely by simple 45 folds, the reason for which is better understood by experimenting than from verbal explanation.

The operation of opening the package to remove a portion of the composite top is in practice a very simple and quick operation. The user need not concern himself with the detail of following the path of the tear; if he merely pulls upwardly on the protruding end 30a and continues to pull upwardly,- the tearing will find its own path without further guiding. An incidental advantage of this cigarette opening tape is that, when arranged as shown, it tears out a substantial portion of the revenue stamp, thereby conforming to the statutory requirement that the revenue stamp be destroyed when the contents are removed. U

My longitudinally splitting tearing tape adhered to the underside of the sheet-whether arranged to split along a single medial line or to split along two spaced lines to tear out'an intermediate band-yields a neater shearing of the sheet than does an ordinary tear thread, and it avoids the jamming so frequently encountered with ordinary tear threads. Because it may easily be lead about turns, my splitting tearing tape may be used for forming narrow slots of desired shape in tearable sheets. The predetermined shape which the slot will take where the tape is torn is not visible from the outer side of the sheet.

While I have illustrated and described these specific embodiments of my invention, I contemplate that many changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of myinvention. For example, the tearing tape may be split in half, rather than in thirds in application to a carton such as shown in Fig. 1: or, conversely, the tearing tape may be incorporated in a cigarette package, although it might not be of advantage to make the latter substitution.-

I claim:

l. A tearable package wall having adhered fiatwise to its inner side at an unslotted region thereof, a self-tearing tear tape composed of parallel longitudinal strands so held together that the tape readily splits longitudinally but not transversely, a portion of the tape. being exposed tabwise with only a, narrow band of the longitudinal strands extending from the tab portion into the adhered main reach of the tape, for the purpose the tape between the preformed line and a lateral edge whereby outward pulling of the tab will sever one lateral band of the tape along the preformed line, also shearing the sheet along said preformed line, and leaving the remaining lateral band of the tape adhered to the sheet.'

3. The combination with a tearablesheet of a tearing tape adhered flatwise to'the reverse side of the sheet, the tape being preformed to render it readily tearable longitudinally along a pair of laterally spaced lines which are spaced inwardly from the respective lateral margins of the tape, an end of the tape being exposed as a tab and the tape being cut adjacent the base of the tab between the respective preformed lines and the respective marginal edges, whereby outward pull-' ing of the tab will tear the central longitudinal band of thetape defined by the two'preformed lines from the marginal band and tear a slot in the sheet, leaving the marginal bands adhered to the sheet at the margins ofthe slot as reinforcementstherefor. v

4. The combination with a carton formed from a sheet of paper stock to provide a plurality of walls, of a tearing tape adhered flatwise to the inner side of-the sheet stock along one wall of the carton, the tearing tape being formed of a multiplicity of parallel strands held together as a flat tape to split readily longitudinally but not transversely, one end of th tape being exposed as a tab and the tape, adjacent the base of the tab, being cut transversely inwardly from one lateral margin part way across the tape, whereby, when the tab is pulled outwardly, only the uncut width of the band is torn fromthe tape and shears the sheet,.leaving the remainder of the tape adhered to the sheet as a marginal reinforcement at the line of shear. A

5. The. method of forming and subsequently opening a package which consists in preassem-' bling a multiplicity of parallel longitudinal strands into a flat singleply tape which splits readily longitudinally but not transversely, forming tearable sheet stock into a package, adhering the tape flatwise to the inner side of an imperforate'wallforming portion of the sheet stock, leaving an end of the tape exposed as a tab for manual engagement, cutting the tape partway transversely from a lateral margin and then, for subsequently opening the package, pulling the tab outwardly to-tear its uncut width from the remainder of the tape and thereby shearing the overlying sheet, leaving the-remaining width of the tape adhered to the sheet as a marginal reinforcement at the line of shear.

6. A cigarette package comprising a rectangular sheet folded into block shape with panels intermediate the top and bottom margins constituting the four side panels and the top and bottom margins being infolded as superposed flaps to conof a tearing tape formed from a multiplicity of longitudinal strands held together as a flat tape which readily splits longitudinally between adjacent strands but does not readily split transversely, the tape being adhered flatwise to the inner side of th sheet and applied thereto in U-form with the web reach-of the U elongated and lying along the fold between the side panel and top flaps and extending across one side panel of the package and continuing on both sides thereof, and with the legs extending from the ends of the web reach to the upper edge of the'sheet, one of the legs protruding as a tab beyondthe upper edge of the sheet for manual engagement, the tape being severed adjacent the protruding tab whereby outward pulling of the tab will split the ,tape longitudinally and shear the sheet, cutting therefrom an end portion of the top and leaving' the remainder of the tape adhered to the sheet as a marginal reinforcement for the opening thus cut in the top.

7. The combination according to claim 6 in which a revenue stamp extends across the top and downwardly upon the opposite side of the package in overlying relation to a reach of the tape to be ''and side panels, one end of the tape being available as a tab for' manual engagement, outward pulling of the tab splitting the half of the tape which is carried by the flap portion from the remaining halfof the tape and shearing the flap portion to open the package and leave the other half of the tape adhered to the sheet as a marginal reinforcement for the opening.

9. The combination with a package-forming sheet of a longitudinally splitting tearing tape adhered flatwise to the inner face of the sheet in theform of a U with the web reach of the U exstitute' the top and bottom walls of the package, 76

tending parallel with, but spaced inwardly from, one margin of the sheet and the two legs of the U extending from the ends of the 'web reach to the said edge of the sheet, and one of the legs protruding beyond the edge of the sheet as a tab,

the tape having a line of severance near the tab for resolving an outward pull on the tab into a longitudinal splitting of the tape and a tearing of the sheet along the line of split, said legs being joined as square comers with the web reach by means of 45 degree and degree folds across the tape at the comers, substantially as set forth.

10. The method of forming and subsequently opening a cigarette paekage which consists in wrapping a sheet into cigarette package form to form the four sides of the package, infolding the upper margin as superposed flaps to form the top of the package, and adhering a longitudinally splitting tape to the inside of the sheet along the line of fold between the tab and side panels adjoining one end of the package and transversely of the flap portion with an end of the tape exposed as a tab, and then subsequently opening the package by pulling outwardly upon the tab to split the tape longitudinally and thereby shear the flap of the sheet to'sever one end of the top, leaving one half of the split tape adhered to the sheet adjoining the severed portion of the top to constitute a marginal reinforcement for it.

11. In a package, a wall-forming tearable sheet having an exposed edge, a longitudinally splitting tear tape adhered to the inner face of the sheet and extending inwardly from the edge, and also protrud ng beyond the edge as a tab, and a pair of cuts through the sheet and tape extending convergingly inwardly from points at the edge of the sheet at the respective lateral edges of the tape and terminating a spaced distance apart intermediate the lateral edges of the tape whereby, when the tab is pulled outwardly, the tape is constrained to split longitudinally along two lines substantially in register with the respective termini of th cuts to split out a central longitudinal band of the tape and shear the sheet, leaving the outer margins of the tape adhered to the inner side of the sheet along the margins of of the sheet flatwise to that face of the sheet which will be inside the package, and an exposed tab on the tape adapted to be grasped for an outward tearing pull upon the tape progressively along its length, starting at the tab, whereby to shear the sheet open for access into the interior, the tear tape being of integral construction and preformed to render it readily and cleanly severable, as an incident to. said tearing pull, along a predetermined longitudinal line extending from said tab, and the tab being structurally divorced from longitudinal connection with at least one longitudinal band of the adhered tape but structurally connected with another longitudinal band of the adhered tape alongside the first mentioned band, so that only the connected longitudinal narrow band of the tape carrying said tab will tearingly sever the sheet and carry some of the sheet adhered to the band while the divorced band of the tape remains adhered to the sheet as reinforcement along the margin of its severance.

JOHN S. FLIZIKOWSKI.