US3768719A

US3768719A - Carton having a bag-like liner

Info

Publication number: US3768719A
Application number: US00163218A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Johnson
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 1971-07-16
Filing date: 1971-07-16
Publication date: 1973-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-30
Also published as: JPS4862571A; GB1375935A; CA966463A

Abstract

A container comprising a carton having a freshness-preserving liner disposed therein wherein superimposed apertures having substantially wholly die-cut lineaments are opened in said carton and said liner substantially simultaneously upon opening of the container.

Description

EJEed States Patent 1 Johnson 1 Oct. 30, 1973 [54] CARTON HAVING A BAG-LIKE LINER 2,577,304 12/1951 Brooks. 229/17 R 2,719,663 10/1955 Meyer-Jagemberg... 229/17 R X [751 Invent Chimes Deer Park 3,127,082 3/1964 Meyer-Jagemberg 229 7 R Ohm 3,136,471 6/1964 Brastad 229/14 BL 3,269,635 8/1966 Berostein et al. 229/14 B [73] Assgnee' g s gfggf ig Cmpany 3,426,955 2/1969 015011 229 17 R 3,640,447 2/1972 Forbes, Jr 229/14 BA 22 Filed: July 16, 1971 Primary ExaminerDavis T. Moorhead 1 1. .2 l 1 [2 1 App No 8 AttorneyRichard C. Witte et al.

[52] US. Cl. 229114 B, 229/7, 229/17 57 AB TRA T [51] Int. Cl B6511 5/56, 365d 25/16 I l S C [58] Field of Search 229/14 R, 14 B, 14 BA, A comm compflsmg a havmg a freshness- 229/14 BL 14 w 7, 17 preserving liner disposed therein wherein superimposed apertures having substantially wholly die-cut [56] References Cited lineaments are opened in said carton and said liner UNTED STATES PATENTS substantially simultaneously upon opening of the con- 1 3,580,466 5/1971 Thelen 229/14 BA amer 2,361,408 10/1944 Moore 229/14 BW 13 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PAIENIEnucI 30m: 3.768.719

sum 10F 4 INVENTOR. Charlesv L. Johnson ATTORNEY PAIENIEnntIsrJ ms 3.768.719

sum 2 UF 4 Z l 53 INVENTOR A l L Charles L. Johnson A ORNEY PAIENTEuum 30 ms 3.768.719

sum 30F 4 9 mw'n'l INVENTOR. Charles L. Johnson lax/W ATTORNEY PAIENTEUUEI 30 1915 3,768,719

SHEET u 0? 4 INVENTOR. Charles L. Johnson //.WN A ORNEY CARTON HAVING A BAG-LIKE LINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to containers for products such as dry breakfast cereals and snack foods and more particularly to a carton, or the like, having a freshnesspreserving bag-like inner liner adapted to be opened substantially simultaneously with the opening of the carton closure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The general practice today, to open and reclose a lined carton, entails unfolding, tearing, or unrolling the top, closure-forming portion of the liner to open it and re folding or re-rolling the top of the liner to close it. Generally, also, the linear must be opened independently from the carton opening operation. This is not to say, however, that configurations of lined cartons providing simultaneous opening of the liner and the carton have not been devised. For instance, McGinnis, U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,778, issued Apr. 22, 1952, provides opening of a bag-line liner simultaneously with opening the top of a carton. However, in doing so the liner material is ripped, forming an aperture therein having an uneven, rough, somewhat randomly shaped perimeter rather than being smooth and having a predefined, substantially wholly die-cut lineament. Opening of the McGinnis liner is somewhat further complicated because a portion of the top of the liner that is ripped when opened is multi-ply thus requiring commensurately increased stress during opening.

Nerenberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,585, issued Jan. 21, 1958, also discloses a means of simultaneously forming a pouring opening in containers and liners although the opening formed in the liner is not defined by a die-cut perforate line of weakening as in the instant invention. a portion of the liner is stressed and secured like the head of a drum to the inner surface of the carton by a line of adhesive surrounding a flap in the carton whereby pushing the carton flap inwardly ruptures the liner forming an opening therein.

Another approach to the problem is shown by Olson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,955, issued Feb. 11, 1969, which discloses a combination bag-in-box wherein a portion of an unsealed liner is pulled out of the carton when a carton flap is opened outwardly.

Although neither McGinnis, Nerenberg et al., nor Olson provide openings in liners defined by die-cut lines of weakening, Bergstein, U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,529, issued Jan. 2, 1951, discloses a method of producing bags with opening means defined by forming a predetermined line of weakening in the walls of the bag or liner so that they will tear readily along the predetermined line. Bergstein also teaches how to preserve the proofness ofa bag having a perforate line of weakening by coating the line of weakening and the contiguous areas of the bag walls with a film forming substance capable of bonding tightly with the walls and capable of filling or closing perforations in the weakened line, or forming a tenaceous membrane thereover. Although Bergstein recognizes the advantage of providing a line of weakening for opening a bag and recognizes that a line of weakening can be bridged by a sealant rendering the line of weakening substantially impervious to the passage of freshness comprising elements whereby the freshness of the contents of the package could be preserved, he does not disclose nor suggest a combination of a carton having such an easily opened liner that is opened simultaneously with the opening of the carton.

Yet another approach to the problem, although it is not a bag in a box per se, is shown by Meyer- Jagenbergs U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,082, which discloses a means of sealing a preformed aperture in a substantially impervious liquid-tight carton by securing an impervious outer covering member to the portion of the container contiguous to the aperture, and providing an impervious inner covering member secured to the inner surface of the impervious carton contiguous to the aperture and sealing the adjacent surfaces of the two covering members to each other within the aperture area. Meyer-Jagenberg further provides a line of weakening in the inner covering member so that a tongue portion thereof is peeled outwardly as the outer covering member is peeled outwardly and upwardly thereby forming an aperture in the inner covering member that is defined by the line of weakening. Because the inner and outer covering members are both sealed to the container around the entire perimeter of the preformed aperture in the carton, the carton is sealed without dependence on sealing the line of weakening in the inner foil.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a carton having a freshness-preserving liner therein in which a substantially wholly die-cut dispensing port of predefined shape is opened substantially simultaneously as the carton is opened.

It is another object of this invention to provide a carton having a freshness-preserving liner therein in which a die-cut line of weakening defined dispensing port is opened substantially simultaneously as the carton is opened.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a recloseable carton having a freshness-preserving liner therein in which a dispensing port of predefined shape is opened substantially simultaneously as the carton is opened.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a recloseable carton having a freshness-preserving liner therein in which a die-cut dispensing port of predefined shape is opened substantially simultaneously as the carton is opened, and wherein said carton can be releasably latchedly reclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a container comprising a carton having a freshness-preserving liner of barrier material secured therein by liner restraining means. Means having barrier property are provided for forming an aperture in a surface of the carton upon initial opening of the carton. The liner has a die-cut dispensing port in it which is smaller than the aperture to be formed in the carton by the aperture forming means. The liner is disposed in the carton so that the area of the liner bordering the dispensing port is juxtaposed the aperture forming means and secured therto by an interconnecting adhesive sealant. The sealant comprises freshness-preserving barrier material which renders the interconnections substantially as freshness-preserving as the barrier material of the liner and the aperture forming means. The adhesive sealant includes means for rendering the aperture forming means partable from the linear without tearing the barrier material of the liner or the aperture forming means when the carton is initially opened. Thus, an aperture is substantially simultaneously formed in the carton in superimposed relation to the dispensing port in the liner as the aperture forming means parts from the liner upon initial opening of the carton.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of one container embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 having its closure in the closed and latched position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of area 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of area 4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the area depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective cutaway view of the container of FIG. 1 illustrating a liner within a carton which liner has a seamless top panel in which a dispensing port forming portion is defined by a line of weakening comprising spaced die-cuts.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 taken along line 7--7 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a reduced scale of the inner surface of a carton blank suitable for forming the carton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the inner surface of the scored minor flap area of the carton blank of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the specially scored minor flap taken along line 1010 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of an alternate container construction embodying the instant invention.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of yet another container construction embodying the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view of a bridged cut area of still another alternate container construction ernbodying the present invention having a liner formed of laminated material. The area of this view corresponds to the area of the preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view of the alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 13 after the carton is opened.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of yet still another alternate container construction embodying the present invention wherein the liner has a wholly die-cut dispensing port forming portion of its top panel removed prior to completing the container.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the container of FlG. 15 having its closure in the closed and latched position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is container 20 which comprises carton 21 having liner 22 therein and having closure 23 hingedly secured thereto by hinge 24. In this view, container 20 is depicted as it would appear after adjacent superimposed apertures were simultaneously opened in carton 21 and liner 22. Further details shown in this figure will be referred to after the following detailed descriptions of liner 22, closure 23, carton 21 and the assembly thereof to form container 20.

Liner 22, FIG. 6, is folded from a sheet of heat sealable barrier material to form a bag having a seamless top panel 35, flaps 36 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 6) and side seams 37 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 6), which seams are heat sealed to render them substantially as impervious to the passage of gases and vapors therethrough as the barrier material of liner 22. Top panel 35 has a dispensing port forming portion, removable panel 25, defined therein by a perforate line of weakening 30 comprising a plurality of cuts 27 spaced by uncut portions 28.

It will be understood by persons having ordinary skill in the art that liner 22 is substantially identical to baglike liners used extensively at the present time in cartons for dry cereal type products and snack foods. However, when placed in carton 21, liner 22 is essentially inverted relative to carton 21 as compared to conventional orientation. Inverted orientation of liner 22 to carton 21 provides a seamless top panel 35. Of course this makes it desirable to fill the container while inverted, heat sealing the bottom of liner 22, and finally closing the bottom of the carton and securing it closed by adhesive or the like.

Uncut portions 28, FIG. 6, of top panel 35 of liner 22 serve to maintain removable panel 25 in space-fixed relation with the remainder or residual portion 32 of liner 22 when liner 22 is inserted into carton 21 and secured therein as hereinafter delineated. Uncut portions 28 are relatively short compared to cuts 27 so that they can be ruptured easily to remove panel 25 and, when ruptured, will not materially affect the die-cut appearance of the edge of aperture 29, FIG. 1, thus formed in liner 22. For instance, four uncut portions 28 spacing cuts 27 one-thirty-second to one-sixteenth of in inch apart in a liner of polyvinylidence chloride coated glassine paper available from Olin Chemical Co., Pisgah Forest, N.C., and identified as l l5-PCG-081 have been found satisfactory in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention as hereinafter further described. This material has also been determined to be a satisfactory freshness-preserving barrier material for dry breakfast cereal and the like because it is sufficiently impervious to the passage of gases and vapors therethrough.

Carton 21 is fomed from blank 50, FIG. 8, made of cartonboard or the like. FIG. 8 is a view of the inwardly facing surface of blank 50. Blank 50 is conventionally cut and scored except: minor flap 53 has

auxiliary score lines

54b, 54c and 54d; minor flap 53 is also somewhat narrower than end 48; and portions of

major flaps

58, 59 are removed forming

edges

66, 67 and 68, 69, respectively. Blank 50 is adapted to form a somewhat conventional rectangular tubular shape by securing the outside surface of tab 51 to the inwardly facing surface 33 adjacent edge 52, and to become a rectangular parallelepiped when the end closure forming flaps are closed and secured.

Blank 50 is adpated to form a carton 21 having a substantially wholy die-cut aperture 65, FIG. 1, in its top when folded into a rectangular parallelepiped, which aperture is defined by

edges

66, 67 of major flap 58, edges 68, 69 of major flap 59, and by lip 56, FIG. 7, formed by inwardly folding specially scored minor flap 53.

Specially scored minor flap 53, enlarged for clarity in FIG. 9, has scored proximal edge 54a and auxiliary

transverse score lines

54b, 54c and 54d embossed therein to facilitate forming lip 56. Minor flaps 53 comprises lip-top portion 60

intermediate score lines

54a and 54b, lip-support portion 61

intermediate score lines

54b and 54c auxiliary lip-support portion 62

intermediate score lines

54c and 54d, and securement portion 63 intermediate score line 54a and distal edge 55. Lip 56, best seen in FIG. 7, is formed by applying adhesive 75, FIGS. 9, 10, to the portions of the inwardly facing surface of minor flap 53 intermediate score line 54c and distal edge 55, then inwardly folding minor flap 53 until lip-top 60 thereof is generally coplanar with the top of carton 21, then folding at

score lines

54b and 540 until the adhesively coated portion thereof is juxtaposed with, and adhesively secured to, the inwardly facing surface of side 48 of carton 21. In this manner, lip-support portion 61 of minor flap 53 becomes the hypotenuse of a structurally sound, triangular cross section tubular shape which is designated lip 56. Because minor flap 53 is not as wide as side 48, lip 56 will be shorter than the width of side 48. This geometry results in improved resilience of the carton during opening and closing as will be further described hereinafter.

Scoreline 54d of minor flap 53 is provided as a backup line of flexure in minor flap 53 to enable lipsupport 61 and auxililary lip-support 62 to jointly form the hypotenuse of lip 56 in the event that flexure does not occur as intended at score line 540. It is believed that score line 54a and additional scorelines (not shown) intermediate score line 54c and distal edge 55 and parallel thereto, if provided, lessens the criticality of adjustment of automatic equipment that might be devised to form lip 56.

Closure 23 of the preferred embodiment having a trapezoidal depression, the distinctive features of which can best be described by referring to FIG. 7, is vacuum thermoformed from a sheet of high impact polystyrene plastic. The closure has distal end 39 comprising gripping edge W and rounded nose 41. Closure 23 also includes proximal end 42 comprising tongue 34 and registration surface 38. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, closure 23 has inwardly facing surface 43 which is generally planar in the portion thereof that bridges the entire line of weakening 30 defining removable panel 25 in liner 22 when closure 23 is closed and liner 22 is disposed and restrained inside carton 21. Gripping edge 40 of closure 23 is adapted to facilitate movement of closure 23 by hand. Rounded nose 41 of closure 23 is precisely spaced from registration surface 38 by an amount slightly greater than the length of aperture 65 in carton 21 which is hereby defined as the distance between

edges

66, 68 and lip 56 of the carton.

Closure 23 is hingedly secured to carton 21, FIG. 7, by hinge 24 of flexible, adhesive coated tape '76 in such a position that when closed or nearly closed, registration surface 38 abuts edges 66, 68 of the carton, FIG. 2. Because the length of closure 23 is slightly longer than the length of aperture 65 as hereinabove stated, there is interference between nose 41 and lip 56 upon opening or closing closure 23. This interference requires the carton to yield during such openings and closings. Such yielding is enabled by the resiliency of carton 21 in general, lip 56 in particular, and the fact that lip 56 does not extend the full width of side 48 as hereinbefore delineated. Thus, closure 23 is latched when closed but can be reopened by acting upwardly on edge 40 of closure 23. Such a latching arrangement that permits reopening and reclosing of closure 23 is hereby designated a releasably latchable closure.

Container 20 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is assembled by adhesively securing liner 22 inside carton 21, FIG. 6, by bands of adhesive 31 disposed therebetween around theperimeter of liner 22 near the top of the side and end walls of liner 22, and by adhesively securing surface 43 of closure 23 to residual portion 32 and removable portion 25 of liner 22 with adhesive sealant 26, FIG. 1, so that the entire line of weakening 30 defining removable panel 25 is wholly bridged thereby. By securing residual portion 32 to carton 21 as by adhesive bands 31, as shown, and to closure 23 by adhesive sealant 26 and by further securing removable panel 25 of liner 22 to closure 23 by adhesive sealant 26, as shown, when closure 23 is closed and releasably latched, all of these elements are maintained in relatively space fixed orientation from the time of assembly until container 20 is initially opened.

Adhesive sealant 26 is selected with due consideration of the materials from which liner 22 and closure 23 are made so that it performs several functions. First, it must be a barrier material to sealingly bridge perforate line of weakening 30 thereby rendering line of weakening 30 substantially as impervious to freshness compromising passage of gases and vapors as the barrier material of liner 22 until the container is initially opened. Second, adhesive sealant 26 must partably secure closure 23 to the area of residual portion 32 of liner 22 contiguous to line of weakening 30 so that they will remain space fixed relative to each other until closure 23 is initially opened. Third, adhesive sealant 26 must be selectively adhesive so that it secures closure 23 to removable panel 25 and residual portion 32 in such a manner that upon initial opening, closure 23 parts from residual portion 32 of liner 22, line of weakening 30 is ruptured, and removable panel 25 is removed from liner 22 without impairing the substantially wholly die-cut appearance of the edge of aperture 23 thus formed in liner 22.

An example of a barrier material adhesive sealant which satisfies the foregoing requirements when liner 22 of the preferred embodiment is composed of polyvinyldiene chloride coated glassine paper No. l 15-PCG- 081 available as hereinbefore delineated, and closure 23 of the preferred embodiment is composed of vacuum thermoformed high impact polystyrene, is holt melt blend 214 produced by Specialty Paper Company,

Dayton, Ohio. I-Iot melt blend 214 comprises fully re-' fined paraffin in combination with Elvax 260 available from Dupont Co. Elvax 260 is a high molecular weight ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. When a container comprising this combination having four uncut portions 28 from about one thirty-second to about onesixteenth of an inch long and aperture 29 about 2 /16 inches long by about 2 inches wide is initially opened, this adhesive sealant peels away from residual portion 32 of liner 22 surrounding removable panel 25. Uncut portions 28 of line of weakening 31) are then ruptured rendering removable panel 25 wholly severed from residual portion 32 of liner 22 restrained in carton 21 by lines of adhesive 31. Finally, removable panel 25 is removed upwardly by virtue of being adhesively secured to closure 23. The stress required to peel closure 23 secured away from residual portion 32 of liner 22 and to rupture uncut portions 28 of liner 22 is developed by acting upwardly on edge 41) of closure 23 while residual 7 portion 32 of liner 22 is restrained within carton 21 by bands of adhesive 31.

While bands of adhesive 31 have been found desirable to maintain the elements of container in space fixed positions relative to each other prior to initial opening to preclude premature rupturing of line of weakening 30 and concurrent loss of freshnesspreserving capability, other means of restraining the liner within the carton will occur to persons having ordinary skill in the art. For instance, spaced areas of adhesive rather than continuous bands of adhesive would be suitable for certain applications but may be more difficult to apply.

As depicted in FIGS. 1 through 5 and '7, removable panel is somewhat smaller than aperture 65 in carton 21 in order to secure the border portion of liner 22 that surrounds removable panel 25 to a planar portion of inwardly facing surface 43 of closure 23 whereby adhesive sealant at can perform its function of adhesively securing residual portion 32 and removable panel 25 of liner 22 to closure 23 and to sealingly bridge cuts 27 as hereinbefore described until container 20 is initially opened. F168. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the areas of FIG. 2 enclosed by circles designated 3 and 4 in order to show the bridging and securement aspects of adhesive sealant 26 more clearly. Thus, removable panel 25, alternatively designated dispensing port forming portion 25, of liner 22 defined by perforate line of weakening 30, FIG. 6, forms dispensing port 2% FIG. 1, in liner 22 simultaneously with the opening of aperture 65 in carton 21 as closure 23 is initially hinged outwardly its closed position.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is convenient to fill container 20 embodying the instant invention through its bottom after liner 22 is installed in carton 21 and secured thereto by bands of adhesive 31 and to closure 23 by adhesive sealant 26. After being filled with a quantity of product, the bottom of liner 22, not shown in the figures, is folded closed and heat sealed rendering the bottom of liner 22 as impervious to the passage of gas or vapor therethrough as the barrier material of the liner to protect the freshness of the contents packaged therein. Then the bottom closure of carton 21 is formed and secured as hereinbefore delineated but not shown in the figures.

H6. 5 depicts an alternative method of securing liner 22 and removable panel 25 thereof to closure 23 to insure rupturing line of weakening and removing removable panel 25 when closure 23 is initially hinged outwardly from the closed position if adhesive sealant 26 is peelable as hereinbefore delineated. An endless line of unpeelable adhesive 26' is disposed adjacent adhesive sealant 26 intermediate removable panel 25 and inwardly facing surface 43 of closure 23 to preclude peeling removable panel 25 from closure 23. Yet another alternative would be to provide spaced areas of unpeelable adhesive adjacent peelable seal 26 as necessary near the perimeter of removable panel 25 to insure the strength thereof exceeds the rupture strength of uncut portions 28 of liner 22 intermediate cuts 27.

Although not presented in the figures, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that removable panel 25 of the preferred embodiment, FIG. 1, can be wholly severed from liner 22 by a single endless die-cut 27 and held in registration with liner 22 by adhesive sealant 26 until cover 23 is initially moved outwardly as hereinbefore described rather than having a plurality of cuts 27 spaced by uncut portions 28. This provides a neat, clean, wholly die-cut port through which the contents of container 20 can be dispensed and whereby container 20 can repeatedly be opened and closed without having to unfold or unroll an inner liner as in conventional cartons. Further, FIGS. 15 and 16 show an alternate configuration of a container embodying the present invention in which the material from which aperture-forming closure 23 is formed is sufficiently freshness-preserving barrier material that removable panel 25 has been wholly removed and discarded from liner 22 before completing container 20. in this embodiment, residual portion 32 of liner 22 is secured to carton 21 as by bands of adhesive 31, H6. 16, and to closure 23 as by an endless border of peelable adhesive sealant 26. Closure 23 of this embodiment performs the dual function of being a means of simultaneously forming an aperture in carton 21 superimposed with a dispensing port in liner 22 upon initial opening of closure 23. In this event, when the portion of closure 23 superimposed over dispensing port 29 in liner 22 is transparent, the closure performs yet another function, that of being a window through which the appearance and quantity of product can be ascertained without opening container 20.

An opened, alternative embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 11. in this embodiment, closure 23' is formed as an integral element of carton 21. Dispensing port forming portion 25' of liner 22, defined by a U-shape series of cuts 27 spaced by uncut portions therebetween, is tongue shaped rather than being wholly removable. As in the preferred embodiment, adhesive sealant 26 being barrier material bridges cuts 27 until the container is initially opened rendering them substantially impervious to the passage of gases and vapors, and secures liner 22 and dispensing port forming portion 25 thereof to the inwardly facing securement surface of closure 23'. As depicted in FIG. 11, it is not considered necessary to completely disengage dispensing port forming portion 25 of liner 22 from liner 22 upon opening container 30 in order to practice the instant invention.

Another opened, alternative embodiment of the instant invention is depicted in H6. 12. In this embodiment dispensing port forming portion 25" is a tongue shaped portion of liner 22 formed by a single U-shape cut 27 that is formed by an unnicked knife blade or the like. in this configuration portion 25 is maintained in registration with liner 22 by adhesive sealant 26 as hereinbefore delineated without the benefit of uncut portion 28 incorporated in the other embodiments. in this configuration, a wholly die-cut U-shape lineament forms port 29' in liner 22 simultaneously with the opening of flap 23" which is an integrally hinged portion of carton 21.

Referring now to FIG. 13, an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a line-of-weakening portion of yet another alternative embodiment of the instant invention is depicted before initial opening. This view is substantially similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the preferred embodiment. This alternative embodiment comprises laminated liner material 89 having an outermost ply 90 of fibrous material and another ply 91 of barrier material such as aluminum floil or the like.

in the laminated liner embodiment, H6. 13, adhesive sealant 26 must be selected from barrier materials with due regard for its interaction with laminated liner material 89. Upon initial opening of closure 23, adhesive sealant 26 must either peel away from residual portion 32 of liner 22 as hereinbefore described or cause a portion of the fibrous ply to separate from residual portion 32 of liner 22 without tearing barrier ply 91 of residual portion 32 or otherwise impairing the plan view die-cut appearance of port 29 therethrough. FIG. 14 depicts a portion of the laminated liner embodiment of the instant invention after parting on initial opening. In this instance, a portion of the fibrous outermost ply 90 of liner material 89 is shown to have been separated from residual portion 32 of liner 22 in such a way that barrier ply 91 of residual portion 32 is not torn leaving the plan view die-cut appearance on edge 92 of residual portion 32 substantially unimpaired. in order to insure that the plan view die-cut appearance of edge 92 remains substantially unimpaired upon removal of panel 25, the tear strength of ply 91 must be greater than the separation strength of the fibrous outermost ply 90, separation strength being defined as the force required to cause fiber separation within the fibrous ply, or adhesive sealant 26 must otherwise part or peel away from liner 22 without tearing ply 91.

An example of a satisfactory embodiment of the instant invention having a laminated liner includes: closure 23 made of high impact polystyrene; laminated barrier material 89 comprising an outermost ply 90 of paper having a basis weight of 25 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft., air dried, adhered to a 0.00035 inch thick aluminum foil intermediate ply by a half mill layer of low density polyethylene and a 1 mill innermost ply of low density polyethylene; and, hot melt adhesive sealant 26 designated X371-335-02 which is available from Findley Adhesive Co., Milwaukee, Wis. The laminated barrier material is availabe from American Can Go, Greenwich, Conn.

It is anticipated that persons having ordinary skill in the art will be able to apply the teaching of the instant invention to devise yet other alternative embodiments of the instant invention. Therefore, the descriptions of the preferred embodiment and the alternative embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the instant invention. The terms used in describing the invention are used in their descriptive sense and are not intended to be terms of limitation.

What is claimed is:

1. A container comprising:

a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof,

b. a closure adapted to close said aperture in said car ton, said closure being formed of freshnesspreserving barrier material,

c. a product-containing liner comprising freshness preserving barrier material, said liner having a diecut portion wholly removed therefrom forming a dispensing port in one wall thereof, said dispensing port being smaller than said aperture, said liner being received within said carton with the area of said liner bordering said dispensing port being juxtaposed the inwardly facing area of said closure,

d. liner restraining means securing said liner within said carton, and

e. an adhesive sealant of freshness-preserving barrier material bridging said border area of said liner and said inwardly facing area of said closure forming an interconnection substantially as freshnesspreserving as said freshness-preserving barrier material of said liner and said closure, said sealant being selectively adhesive rendering said closure partable from said liner without tearing the barrier material of either said liner or said closure upon initially opening said closure.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said closure comprises transparent barrier material in its area coincident with said dispensing port of said liner.

3. A container comprising:

a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof;

b. a closure adapted to close said aperture in said carton, said closure having an inwardly facing securement surface;

c. a sealed product-containing liner comprising laminated material having a plurality of plies including a ply of freshnesspreserving barrier material, said liner further comprising a dispensing port forming portion and a residual portion, said port forming portion being defined by a die-cut perforate line of weakening, said liner being received within said carton with said line of weakening contiguous said securement surface;

d. liner restraining means interconnecting said residual portion of the liner with said carton; and,

e. a bridging adhesive sealant also comprising freshness-preserving barrier material directly overlying said line of weakening and serving to interconnect said securement surface of said closure with the areas of said residual and port forming portions of said liner bordering said line of weakening, said sealant bridging the entirety of said line of weakening and thereby rendering it substantially as freshness-preserving as uncut portions of said liner, said sealant being selectively adhesive rendering said securement surface partable from said residual portion, and said sealant being sufficiently adhesive between said dispensing port forming portion of said liner and said securement surface to cause separation along said line of weakening substantially simultaneously as said securement surface parts from said border area of said residual portion upon opening of said closure, said laminated material having sufficient tear strength to separate said dispensing port forming portion from said residual portion Without tearing the barrier ply of said residual portion of said liner as said closure is initially opened whereby said dispensing port thus formed in said liner has a substantially unimpaired plan view die-cut lineament.

4. A container comprising:

a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof;

b, a closure adapted to close said aperture in said carton, said closure having an inwardly facing securement surface;

c. a sealed product-containing liner comprising freshness-preserving barrier material, said liner further comprising a dispensing port forming portion and a residual portion, said port forming portion being defined by a single die-cut through said liner material, said liner being received within said carton with said single die-cut contiguous said securement surface;

e. a bridging adhesive sealant also comprising freshness-preserving barrier material directly overlying said single die-cut and serving to interconnect said securement surface of said closure with the areas of said residual and port forming portions of said liner bordering said single die-cut, said sealant bridging the entirety of said single die-cut and thereby rendering it substantially as freshnesspreserving as uncut portions of said liner, said sealant being selectively adhesive rendering said securement surface partable from said residual portion, and said sealant being sufficiently adhesive between said dispensing port forming portion of said liner and said securement surface to cause separation along said single die-cut substantially simultaneously as said securement surface parts from said border area of said residual portion upon opening of said closure.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein said single diecut is endless whereby said dispensing port forming portion of said liner is wholly die-cut from said residual portion of said liner whereby it forms a dispensing port having a wholly die-cut perimeter upon initial opening of said closure.

6. A container comprising:

a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof;

c. a sealed product-containing liner comprising freshness-preserving barrier material, said liner comprising a dispensing port forming portion and a residual portion, said port forming portion being defined by a die-cut perforate line of weakening, said liner being received within said carton with said line of weakening contiguous said securement surface;

e. a bridging adhesive sealant also comprising freshness-preserving barrier material directly overlying said line of weakening and serving to interconnect said securement surface of said closure with the areas of said residual and port forming portions of said liner bordering said line of weakening, said sealant bridging the entirety of said line of weakening and thereby rendering it substantially as freshness-preserving as uncut portions of said liner, said adhesive sealant being selectively adhesive so that said securement surface is peelable from said area of said residual portion of said liner bordering said line of weakening during initial opening of said container and said sealant being sufficiently adhesive to interconnect said dispensing port forming portion of said liner with said securement surface of said closure strongly enough to separate said line of weakening substantially simultaneously as said securement surface parts from said border area of said residual portion during said initial opening of said closure.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein said closure is hingedly attached to said carton, said closure being configured to open outwardly only.

8. The container of claim 7 having a repeatably latchable-unlatchable means adapted to retain said closure in the closed position upon closing untilunlatched and opened.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein one edge of said aperture in said carton is formed by folding a flap inwardly until a portion of its inwardly facing surface is juxtaposed with an inwardly facing surface of said carton, said flap having a plurality of transverse score lines formed therein which extend generally parallel to its proximal edge, said score lines adapted for forming said flap into a transversely extending lip when said flap is folded inwardly, said closure having a rounded nose adapted to co-act with said lip whereby said closure is releasably latchable and said aperture can be repeatedly opened and closed.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein a securement portion of said inwardly folded flap extending from adjacent its distal edge is adhesively secured to said inwardly facing surface of said carton.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein said flap is a minor flap of said carton, said minor flap being narrower than the side of the carton to which it is hinged and said aperture is disposed in the top panel of said carton.

12. The container of claim 6 wherein said dispensing port is formed in a seamless portion of said liner.

13. The container of claim 12 wherein said liner restraining means comprises bands of adhesive intermediate the upper perimeter of said residual portion of said liner and said carton whereby said residual portion of said liner and said carton are maintained substantially spaced fixed relative to each other after being so secured.

* i l l U N ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,768,719 Dated October 30, 1973 Inventofls) Charles ohnson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 22, "bag-line" should be bag-like line 37, "a" should be A line 65, "comprising" should be compromising Col. 4, line 49, "polyvinylidence" should be polyvinylidene Col. 9, line 49, "availabe" should be available Signed and sealed this 9th day of April 197b,.

(SEAL) Attest: EDWARD ILFLETCHER,JR C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. A container comprising: a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof, b. a closure adapted to close said aperture in said carton, said closure being formed of freshness-preserving barrier material, c. a product-containing liner comprising freshness-preserving barrier material, said liner having a die-cut portion whOlly removed therefrom forming a dispensing port in one wall thereof, said dispensing port being smaller than said aperture, said liner being received within said carton with the area of said liner bordering said dispensing port being juxtaposed the inwardly facing area of said closure, d. liner restraining means securing said liner within said carton, and e. an adhesive sealant of freshness-preserving barrier material bridging said border area of said liner and said inwardly facing area of said closure forming an interconnection substantially as freshness-preserving as said freshnesspreserving barrier material of said liner and said closure, said sealant being selectively adhesive rendering said closure partable from said liner without tearing the barrier material of either said liner or said closure upon initially opening said closure.

3. A container comprising: a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof; b. a closure adapted to close said aperture in said carton, said closure having an inwardly facing securement surface; c. a sealed product-containing liner comprising laminated material having a plurality of plies including a ply of freshness-preserving barrier material, said liner further comprising a dispensing port forming portion and a residual portion, said port forming portion being defined by a die-cut perforate line of weakening, said liner being received within said carton with said line of weakening contiguous said securement surface; d. liner restraining means interconnecting said residual portion of the liner with said carton; and, e. a bridging adhesive sealant also comprising freshness-preserving barrier material directly overlying said line of weakening and serving to interconnect said securement surface of said closure with the areas of said residual and port forming portions of said liner bordering said line of weakening, said sealant bridging the entirety of said line of weakening and thereby rendering it substantially as freshness-preserving as uncut portions of said liner, said sealant being selectively adhesive rendering said securement surface partable from said residual portion, and said sealant being sufficiently adhesive between said dispensing port forming portion of said liner and said securement surface to cause separation along said line of weakening substantially simultaneously as said securement surface parts from said border area of said residual portion upon opening of said closure, said laminated material having sufficient tear strength to separate said dispensing port forming portion from said residual portion without tearing the barrier ply of said residual portion of said liner as said closure is initially opened whereby said dispensing port thus formed in said liner has a substantially unimpaired plan view die-cut lineament.

4. A container comprising: a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof; b. a closure adapted to close said aperture in said carton, said closure having an inwardly facing securement surface; c. a sealed product-containing liner comprising freshness-preserving barrier material, said liner further comprising a dispensing port forming portion and a residual portion, said port forming portion being defined by a single die-cut through said liner material, said liner being received within said carton with said single die-cut contiguous said securement surface; d. liner restraining means interconnecting said residual portion of the liner with said carton; and, e. a bridging adhesive sealant also comprising freshness-preserving barrier material directly overlying said single die-cut and serving to interconnect said securement surface of said closure with the areas of said residual and port forming portions of said liner bordering said single die-cut, said sealant bridging the entirety of said single die-cut and thereby rendering it substantially as freshness-preserving as uncut portions of said liner, said sealant being selectively adhesive rendering said securement surface partable from said residual portion, and said sealant being sufficiently adhesive between said dispensing port forming portion of said liner and said securement surface to cause separation along said single die-cut substantially simultaneously as said securement surface parts from said border area of said residual portion upon opening of said closure.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein said single die-cut is endless whereby said dispensing port forming portion of said liner is wholly die-cut from said residual portion of said liner whereby it forms a dispensing port having a wholly die-cut perimeter upon initial opening of said closure.

6. A container comprising: a. a carton having an aperture in one surface thereof; b. a closure adapted to close said aperture in said carton, said closure having an inwardly facing securement surface; c. a sealed product-containing liner comprising freshness-preserving barrier material, said liner comprising a dispensing port forming portion and a residual portion, said port forming portion being defined by a die-cut perforate line of weakening, said liner being received within said carton with said line of weakening contiguous said securement surface; d. liner restraining means interconnecting said residual portion of the liner with said carton; and, e. a bridging adhesive sealant also comprising freshness-preserving barrier material directly overlying said line of weakening and serving to interconnect said securement surface of said closure with the areas of said residual and port forming portions of said liner bordering said line of weakening, said sealant bridging the entirety of said line of weakening and thereby rendering it substantially as freshness-preserving as uncut portions of said liner, said adhesive sealant being selectively adhesive so that said securement surface is peelable from said area of said residual portion of said liner bordering said line of weakening during initial opening of said container and said sealant being sufficiently adhesive to interconnect said dispensing port forming portion of said liner with said securement surface of said closure strongly enough to separate said line of weakening substantially simultaneously as said securement surface parts from said border area of said residual portion during said initial opening of said closure.

8. The container of claim 7 having a repeatably latchable-unlatchable means adapted to retain said closure in the closed position upon closing until unlatched and opened.