US3229876A

US3229876A - Dispensing sheet material in predetermined lengths

Info

Publication number: US3229876A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Paul V Osborn
Original assignee: National Destillers and Chemical Corp
Current assignee: Millennium Petrochemicals Inc
Priority date: 1962-08-23
Filing date: 1964-10-05
Publication date: 1966-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-18

Description

Jan. 18, 1966 p v, OSBORN, JR 3,229,876

DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL IN PREDETERMINED LENGTHS Original Filed Aug. 23, 1962 PAU L v. osBoRN JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent C) 3,229,876 DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL IN PREDETERNHNED LENGTHS Paul V. Qshorn, Jr., Webster, N.Y., assignor to National Distillers and Chemical Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of Virginia Original application Aug. 23, 1962, Ser. N o. 218,898, nonl Patent No. 3,173,691, dated Mar. 16, 1965. Divided and this application Oct. S, 1964, Ser. No. 401,345

3 Claims. (Cl. 22S-49) The present application is a division of copending application Serial No. 218,898, filed August 23, 1962, now Patent No. 3,173,601.

This invention relates to the packaging of sheet material and to the dispensing thereof from a continuous strip, whether in roll or other form. More particularly the invention relates to a novel container for the shipping and storing of a continuous length of such material and to the dispensing thereof in predetermined lengths.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel container in which a continuous length of prefabricated sheet material, whether in roll or zig-zag or other folded form, may be packaged conveniently for shipment and storage and from which such material may be dispensed readily in predetermined lengths, the commercial requirements of such a container including economy of manufacture, ease of assembly, automatic means for insuring precise separation of material being dispensed in predetermined lengths along predetermined lines of severance, and inherent strength to withstand normal handling until the contents have been exhausted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel container which will permit the successive ready withdrawal of a predetermined length of packaged material and insure the automatic severance thereof from the source of supply.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel container for the packaging, shipping, storing, and dispensing of successive lengths of plastic film from a roll or other package thereof, such film being either in sheet form or pre-fabricated into sealed bag-like containers disposed in unitary end-to-end relationship, means being provided for supporting and retaining the free edge of such material available for ready grasping following each severance operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invent-ion will be readily apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of a blank of sheet material, such as cardboard or the like, which when set up will produce a shipping, storing and dispensing container constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the shipping, storing and dispensing container of FIGURE 1 illustrating a predetermined length of a continuous roll of sheet material having been withdrawn from the carton or container to severing position.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one embodiment of continuous sheet material especially designed for dispensing in combination with the novel container of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, particular reference being had to FIGURE 1 thereof, a novel carton or container C for shipping, storing and dispensing predeterm-ined lengths of sheet material which has been prepared'in continuous roll or folded form, may be produced or set up from a blank of suitable sheet material, such as cardboard or the like.

ICC

Desirably this blank will include a front wall 10, bottom Wall 11, rear wall 12, and top wall or cover 13, suitable score or fold lines being provided between such wall portions. The free edge of the top or cover 13 is provided with a front ap portion 14 and this flap portion, in turn, is provided with a reinforcing tab 15 desirably of lesser length and intended for adhesive or other attachment to the lower surface of the flap portion, the extending corner portions of the ap portion being rounded as illustrated at 14a for purposes of convenience in closing and opening the container.

Integral end wall portions 16 are provided on the bottom wall 11 and each of these end wall portions includes au integral top end ap 17. The rear wall portion 12 includes a contiguous end Wall flap 18 at each extremity thereof, intended for attachment, as by adhesive engagement, or the like, to the inner surface of the adjacent end wall portion 16. The front wall portion 10 also is provided with a contiguous end wall flap 19 at each extremity thereof, intended for attachment, when the carton or container is set up, in any desired manner as by adhesive engagement or the like, to the companion end wall flap 18 and associated end wall portion. To provide for convenient assembly, suitable score or fold lines are provided between adjacent wall portions and end flaps and, for nicety of fit, when the container blank is stamped out or otherwise produced, slots 14b may be provided between the top wall portion 13 and the front llap portion 14 at the opposed extremities of the score line therebetween. Additionally, also for purposes of nicety of t, the side edges of the

end wall flaps

18 and 19 may be tapered as indicated respectively at 18a and 19a.

The upper free edge of the front Wall portion 10 is provided with an arresting tab portion 20. Desirably, this arresting tab is centrally located and is formed by notching or cutting away the material of said front wall on either side of the arresting tab as indicated at 21, these notches extending longitudinally along the upper edge of the front wall portion and terminating short of the extremities to provide tab or guide portions 22. Each guide tab 22 is provided with an angularly inclined edge or surface 22m which functions to support the corner of the free edge material being dispensed, as will be discussed more fully hereafter, and retains such free edge ready for convenient grasping after each severance operation.

There has been illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing suitable material for packaging and dispensing from the container and, in the embodiment illustrated, such material is a thermoplastic tubular film F attened to provide front and rear walls and sealed transversely at S to provide a continuous length of bag-like containers disposed n end-to-end relationship and rolled upon a suitable core 23. Located adjacent each transverse seal S is a tear or severance line 24 which, desirably, is created by spaced lines of slit-like perforations extending inwardly from each edge of the sheet material or iilm, it being understood that Where tubular material is employed both front and rear walls contain such slit-like perforations.

The precise manner in which the severance or tear line is produced has been found in practice to be of importance and one embodiment thereof has been illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawing. It is highly desirable that this line of severance olfer varying degrees of resistance of separation along the length thereof. To carry this into practice, a centrally located portion of greatest susceptibility to separation is provided, this portion being in direct alignment with the arresting tab 20. Thus, as sheet material is withdrawn from the container and passed in a downward direction over the upper edge of the front wall of the container, the arresting tab 20 will penetrate the tear or resistance line immediately upon contact with the readily frangible central portion thereof, and thus continued movement of the tilm is brought to an abrupt stop with the material per se, on each side of the arresting tab, coming to rest upon the notched surfaces 21, this position being illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. Exertion of continued pressure upon the material will result in automatic severance along the tear line and in this manner individual bag-like containers may be severed successively, as desired, from a continuous length thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 4 of the drawing, the tear or severance line indicated generally at 24 is create-d by a plurality of spaced slit-like perforations. The slits of the central portion are relatively short in length and are closely spaced, the tie portions therebetween being extremely narrow in width. On either side of the central portion of the tear or severance line, a portion of increased resistance is provided. Desirably these portions may include a minimum of three spaced slits, the length of each of such slits being slightly greater than twice the length of the slits of the central portion of the severance line with the Width of the tie portions therebetween having a corresponding relation to the width of the tie portions in the central portion of the severance line. On the -outer sides of these portions of increased resistance, and continuing to the side edges of the sheet material, the severance line is constituted by slits of substantially similar length however the tie spaces therebetween are of a lesser width but substantially greater than the width of the tie spaces in the centrally located portion of greatest frangibility.

Thus, as sheet material is dispensed from the container 10, and successively separated into predetermined lengths, controlled severance takes place along each tear line 24. The arresting tab 20, as stated hereabove, immediately penetrates the centrally located portion of greatest frangibility and continued forward movement of the sheet material or film is retarded temporarily by reason of the restraining influence of the intermediate portions of increased resistance; it will be understood, however, that this retarding of movement is overcome readily by the exertion of continued pressure and automatic completion of the act of separation results.

The operation of the dispensing container thus described is particularly simple. The top cover 13 is lifted and the free edge of the material to be dispensed is withdrawn to some slight extent; the cover then is closed with the front flap portion 14 extending downwardly between the free material and the remainder of the supply (as is illustrated clearly in FIGURE 3 of the drawing) the material now being in dispensing position and supported upon the upper edges of the guide portions 22 and arresting tab 20.

Continued withdrawal of material will result in engagement of the arresting tab 20, which for ease of operation includes downwardly and outwardly inclined surfaces 20a, within the weakened central portion 24a in the severance line 24 (as illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawing) at which time forward movement of the material is brought to a stop. Exertion of continued pressure upon the material will result in automatic detachment along the severance line and in this manner individual bag-like containers or predetermined lengths of sheet material may be successively severed, as desired, from a continuous length thereof.

During the act of severance, some small distortion of the sheet material takes place whereby the severed portions thereof, on opposite sides of the arresting tab 20, i

extend outwardly and the corner extremities are supported upon the angular edges 22a of the guide tabs 22 and thus restrained against dropping within the container and out of reach. In this manner the material of the roll (or otherwise packaged material) remains available for convenient grasping whereby withdrawal and severance of the next successive length may be accomplished.

There has thus been described a novel shipping, storing and dispensing container` of the character contemplated which will be particularly durable, which may be ma'nufactured with extreme economy, and from which predetermined lengths of sheet material may be dispensed and severed automatically. Since various changes may be made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, the invention is not considered limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification and reference therefore is made to the claims for summaries of the essentials of the invention, novel features of construction, and novel comy binations of parts, for all of which protection is desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for the shipping, storing and successive dispensing of predetermined lengths from a continuous web of sheet material which has been provided `with spaced and transversely disposed severance lines, each of said severance lines including a central portion of greatest frangibility, sai-d central portion comprising a plurality of relatively short spaced slit-like perforations havingextremely narrow tie portions therebetween, said severance line including a portion of increased resistance to severance located on either side of said central portion, said portions of increased resistance being of lesser length than:

said central portion and comprising a plurality of spaced slit-like perforations each of which. is at least twice the length of the slit-like perforations of the central portion, the width of the tie spaces between the slit-like perforations of said portions of increased resistance being at least twice the width of the tie spaces of the central` portion, the remainder of said severance line extending outwardly to the edges of said sheet material comprising a plurality of spaced slit-like perforations of approximately the same length asrthose of said central portion, thewidth of the tie spaces between the slit-like perforations of said remainder of the severance line being greater than that of the central portion but lesser than that of the portions of increased resistance, said container being provided with a dispensing orifice having an edge over which material dispensed is withdrawn, said edge being provided with a guide tab adjacent each extremity thereof over which material being withdrawn is supported and also being provided with a centrally located arresting tab located in alignment with the central portion of said severance line and spaced from said guide tabs by opposed notches, said arresting tab penetrating the central portion of greatest frangibility as material is withdrawn whereby predetermined lengths ymay be severed along successive tear lines with the material on each side of the arresting tab being supported within said opposed notches.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1, said container including top, bottom, front, rear and end wall portions, the top edge of the front wall portion comprising one edge of the dispensing orice and being provided with guide tabs at the extremities thereof and a centrally located arresting tab spaced from said guide tabs by opposed notches.

3. In combination, a container as set forth in claim 2 and sheet material in the form of a tlattened thermoplastic tubular film sealed transversely immediately `adjacent a severance line, whereby predetermined lengths of bag-like containers may be successively severed therefrom.

y References Cited by the Examiner` UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,050 5/1952 Guyer 229-17 2,968,431 l/196l Pellaton 229-17 3,096,918 7/1963 Van Dyke et al 225--48 3,098,594 7/1963 Williamson 22S-48 WILLIAM W. DYER, IR., Primary Examiner.

I. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A CONTAINER FOR THE SHIPPING, STORING AND SUCCESSIVE DISPENSING OF PREDETERMINED LENGTHS FROM A CONTINUOUS WEB OF SHEET MATERIAL WHICH HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH SPACED AND TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED SEVERANCE LINES, EACH OF SAID SEVERANCE LINES INCLUDING A CENTRAL PORTION OF GREATEST FRANGIBILITY, SAID CENTRAL PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY SHORT SPACED SLIT-LIKE PERFORATIONS HAVING EXTREMELY NARROW TIE PORTIONS THEREBETWEEN, SAID SEVERANCE LINE INCLUDING A PORTION OF INCREASED RESISTANCE TO SEVERANCE LOCATED ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, SAID PORTIONS OF INCREASED RESISTANCE BEING OF LESSER LENGTH THEN SAID CENTRAL PORTION AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED SLIT-LIKE PERFORATIONS EACH OF WHICH IS AT LEAST TWICE THE LENGTH OF THE SLIT-LIKE PERFORATIONS OF THE CENTRAL PORTION, THE WIDTH OF THE TIE SPACES BETWEEN THE SLIT-LIKE PERFORATIONS OF SAID PORTIONS OF INCREASED RESISTANCE BEING AT LEAST TWICE THE WIDTH OF THE TIE SPACES OF THE CENTRAL PORTION, THE REMAINDER OF SAID SEVERANCE LINE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY TO THE EDGE OF SAID SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED SLIT-LIKE PERFORATIONS OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LENGTH AS THOSE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, THE WIDTH OF THE TIE SPACES BETWEEN THE SLIT-LIKE PERFORATIONS OF SAID REMAINDER OF THE SEVERANCE LINE BEING GREATER THAN THAT OF THE CENTRAL PORTION BUT LESSER THAN THAT OF THE PORTIONS OF INCREASED RESISTANCE, SAID CONTAINER BEING PROVIDED WITH A DISPENSING ORIFICE HAVING AN EDGE OVER WHICH MATERIAL DISPENSED IS WITHDRAWN, SAID EDGE BEING PROVIDED WITH A GUIDE TAB ADJACENT EACH EXTREMITY THEREOF OVER WHICH MATERIAL BEING WITHDRAWN IS SUPPORTED AND ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH A CENTRALLY LOCATED ARRESTING TAB LOCATED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SEVERANCE LINE AND SPACED FROM SAID GUIDE TABS BY OPPOSED NOTCHES, SAID ARRESTING TAB PENETRATING THE CENTRAL PORTION OF GREATEST FRANGIBILITY AS MATERIAL IS WITHDRAWN WHEREBY PREDETERMINED LENGTHS MAY BE SEVERED ALONG SUCCESSIVE TEAR LINES WITH THE MATERIAL ON EACH SIDE OF THE ARRESTING TAB BEING SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID OPPOSED NOTCHES.