Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D25/02—Internal fittings
  • B65D25/10—Devices to locate articles in containers
  • B65D25/107—Grooves, ribs, or the like, situated on opposed walls and between which the articles are located
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/22—Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents
  • B65D1/24—Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents with moulded compartments or partitions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D25/02—Internal fittings
  • B65D25/04—Partitions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D43/14—Non-removable lids or covers
  • B65D43/16—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement
  • B65D43/162—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement the container, the lid and the hinge being made of one piece
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D43/14—Non-removable lids or covers
  • B65D43/16—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement
  • B65D43/163—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement the container and the lid being made separately
  • B65D43/164—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement the container and the lid being made separately and connected by interfitting hinge elements integrally with the container and the lid formed respectively
  • B65D43/165—Non-removable lids or covers hinged for upward or downward movement the container and the lid being made separately and connected by interfitting hinge elements integrally with the container and the lid formed respectively these elements being assembled by a separate pin-like member

Definitions

• This invention generally relates to the field of material packaging and more specifically relates to reclosable packages for confectionery items, such as sticks of chewing gum.
• the package is a reclosable package that includes a container having a front portion, a top end portion and a back portion. An adhesive front label is applied to the front portion of the container and a flexible adhesive flap including a non- adhesive pull tab is provided for covering the label, the top end and the back portions of the container.
• the label and front portion of the container preferably has a contour edge formed therein to define an opening edge.
• lifting the pull-tab detaches the front portion along the contour edge and also removes the top end to open the package.
• the back of the flap remains attached to the back of the package to form a hinged connection.
• the flap is resealable to the front portion of the package to allow the package to be reclosed.
• U.S. Patent 5,636,732 discloses a cap for a package of chewing gum.
• the cap is placed over an open end of the package and has a frame which surrounds the open end.
• the frame has two windows, each of which is juxtaposed with a group of chewing gum sticks stored in the package.
• a pair of covers for the two windows is pivotally mounted on the frame of the cap.
• a reclosable package for containing one or more elongated items such as one or more sticks of chewing gum, includes a container having a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from the bottom wall.
• the sidewalls preferably surround an interior region of the container and have upper ends that are remote from the bottom wall.
• the upper ends of the sidewalls define an opening of the container through which one or more of the elongated items may be placed.
• the sidewalls include a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, and first and second sidewalls that oppose one another.
• the front and rear walls preferably include respective interior surfaces that confront one another and the first and second sidewalls preferably extend between the front wall and the rear wall.
• the distance between the bottom wall and the upper end of the rear wall is greater than the distance between the bottom wall and the upper end of the front wall.
• the rear wall has a greater height than the front wall.
• the reclosable package also includes one or more dividers disposed in the interior region of the container.
• the one or more dividers preferably extend between the opening of the container and the bottom wall.
• the opening of the container is preferably located at the upper ends of the front and rear walls.
• the one or more dividers define elongated slots adapted for receiving one or more elongated items, such as one or more sticks of chewing gum.
• the one or more dividers include a first set of spaced ribs that are attached to and extend from the interior surface of the front wall toward the rear wall.
• the reclosable package may also include a second set of spaced ribs that oppose the first set of spaced ribs.
• the second set of spaced ribs is preferably attached to the interior surface of the rear wall and extends from the interior surface of the rear wall toward the front wall.
• the ribs of the first and second set preferably oppose one another.
• the ribs of the first set of ribs are preferably in substantial alignment with the ribs of the second set of ribs, thereby forming a series of elongated slots defined by the opposing ribs.
• the ribs are preferably integrally formed with the respective interior surfaces of the front and rear walls and preferably extends about 1-3 rnm from the respective interior surfaces.
• the first and second sets of ribs extend from the upper ends of the respective front and rear walls to the bottom wall.
• the ribs may only be provided on either the front wall or the rear wall.
• the ribs may also extend only part of the way between the upper ends of the front and rear walls and the bottom wall.
• the reclosable package also preferably includes a cap attached to the container that is closable over the opening of the container.
• the cap preferably includes a top wall, a cap front wall extending from a front edge of the top wall, a cap rear wall extending from a rear edge of the top wall and first and second cap sidewalls extending between the cap front wall and the cap rear wall.
• the cap is generally attached to one of the sidewalls of the container such as the upper end of one of the sidewalls.
• the cap is hingedly secured to one of the upper ends of one of the sidewalls of the container.
• the cap is hingedly secured to the upper end of the rear wall of the container.
• the cap and the container are molded together as one piece and are integrally connected together via an integrally molded hinge.
• the integrally molded hinge is preferably a flexible polymer material.
• the cap rear wall and the rear wall of the container include tubular elements having axial bores extending therethrough. During assembly of the cap to the container, the respective tubular elements are intermesh with one another so that the axial bores of all of the tubular elements are in substantial alignment with one another. An elongated rod may then be passed through the aligned axial bores for hingedly connecting
• the cap to the container.
• the cap may move between a closed position and a fully open position by pivoting about the elongated rod.
• the ribs formed on the interior surfaces of the front and rear walls provide elongated slots adapted for receiving one or more elongated items such as sticks of chewing gum.
• the ribs maintain the sticks of chewing gum in an upright position
• the ribs prevent sticks of gum from falling to the side, shifting or moving within the interior region of the container after one or more sticks of gum have been removed from the package.
• the top wall of the cap does not overlie the bottom wall of the container and the exterior surface of the top wall faces toward the bottom wall of the container.
• the height of the cap front wall is greater than the height of the cap rear wall.
• the lower ends of the cap sidewalls slope between the cap front wall and the cap rear wall.
• the slope of the lower ends of the cap sidewalls substantially mirrors the slope of the upper ends of the container sidewalls.
• the lower end of the cap front wall includes a vertically extending flange that projects from the lower end of the cap front wall and that is engagable with a recess formed on the interior surface of the front wall of the container.
• the engagement of the vertically extending flange with the recess holds the cap in the closed position.
• the recess formed in the interior surface of the front wall is preferably adapted for receiving the vertically extending flange projecting from the lower end of the cap front wall.
• the cap front wall may also include a horizontally extending flange projecting from the exterior surface of the cap front wall. The horizontally extending flange is engagable for grasping the cap when the cap is moved between the open and closed positions.
• the cap is preferably hingedly connected to the container by a hinge subassembly.
• the hinge subassembly preferably includes one or more tubular elements connected to the lower end of the cap rear wall, and one or more tubular elements connected to the upper end of the rear wall of the container.
• Each tubular element includes an elongated axial bore extending therethrough.
• the elongated bores of the tubular elements are placed in substantial alignment with one another and an elongated rod is passed through the elongated bores of the tubular elements for hingedly connecting the cap to the rear wall of the container.
• the cap may swing between the fully closed position.
• the cap may also be hingedly connected to the container by a hinge integrally molded at one end to the cap and at the other end to the container.
• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a reclosable package including a container and a cap hingedly connected to the container, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the invention.
• Figures 2 shows a front view of the container of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 shows a rear view of the container of Figure 2.
• Figure 4 shows a left side view of the container of Figure 2.
• Figure 5 shows a right side view of the container of Figure 2.
• Figure 6 shows atop view of the container of Figures 2-5.
• Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the container of Figure 6 taken along lines VII- VII.
• Figure 8 shows a front view of the cap of Figure 1.
• Figure 9 shows a rear view of the cap of Figure 8.
• Figure 10 shows a right side view of the cap of Figure 8.
• Figure 11 shows a right side view of the reclosable package of Figure 1 during one stage of an assembly process.
• Figure 12 shows a rear view of the reclosable package shown in Figure 11.
• Figure 13 shows a rear view of the reclosable package of Figure 11 during a later stage of an assembly process.
• Figure 14 shows a top view of the reclosable package shown in Figure 1.
• Figure 15 shows a perspective view of the reclosable package of Figure 1 in an open position.
• Figure 16 shows a right side view of the reclosable package of Figure 15.
• Figure 17 shows the reclosable package of Figure 15 with elongated items stored within the container, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• Figure 18 shows a right side view of the reclosable package of Figure 17.
• Figure 19 shows a top view of the reclosable package of Figures 17 and 18 with the elongated items stored in the container.
• Figure 20 shows a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the cap and container taken along line XX-XX of Figure 1.
• Figure 21 shows a perspective view of a reclosable package including a container and a cap hingedly connected to the container via an integrally molded hinge, in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the invention.
• Figure 22 shows a left side view of the package shown in Figure 21.
• Figure 23 shows a right side view of the package shown in Figure 21 with the cap in the open position.
• Figure 24 shows a magnified view of the integrally molded hinge of Figure
• Figure 25 shows a perspective view of the package of Figure 23.
• Figure 26 shows another perspective view of the package of Figure 23.
• Figure 27 shows a top plan view of the package of Figure 23.
• Figure 28 shows a top view of a container for a reclosable package in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• Figure 29 shows a top view of a container for a reclosable package in accordance with still further preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• Figure 30 shows a cross-sectional view of the container of Figure 29 taken along line XXX-XXX of Figure 29.
• FIG 1 shows a perspective view of a reclosable package 20 for storing one or more elongated items in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• the reclosable package 20 includes a container 22 having an opening 24 for receiving the one or more elongated items (Fig. 6) and a cap 26 hingedly connected to the container 22.
• the container 22 includes a front wall 28 having an exterior surface 30 and an interior surface 32.
• the container 22 also includes a rear wall 34 -having an exterior surface 36 and an interior surface 38.
• the container 22 also has a bottom wall 40.
• the front wall 28 projects from a front edge 42 of bottom wall 40 and the rear wall 34 extends from a rear edge 44 of bottom wall 40.
• the distance D_ between an upper end 46 of rear wall 34 and the rear edge 44 of bottom wall 40 is greater than the distance D 2 between an upper end 48 of front wall 28 and the front edge 42 of bottom wall 40.
• the container 22 also includes first sidewall 50 and second sidewall 52.
• the first and second sidewalls 50 and 52 oppose one another and extend between the front wall 28 and rear wall 34 of container 22.
• the interior surface 32 of front wall 28 includes a first set of ribs 54.
• the first set of ribs 54 are preferably attached to the interior surface 32 of the front wall 28 and extend from the front wall 28 toward rear wall 34.
• the rear wall 34 preferably includes a second set of ribs 56 attached to the interior surface 38 thereof, the second set of ribs 56 extending toward the front wall 28.
• the first and second sets of ribs 54 and 56 are preferably integrally formed to the respective front and rear walls of the container. In certain preferred embodiments, the ribs extend approximately one to three millimeters from the respective front and rear walls 28 and 34.
• the rear wall 34 of the container includes one or more tubular shaped elements 58 A, 58B connected to the upper end 46 of the rear wall.
• Each tubular shaped element has a central bore 60A, 60B extending therethrough.
• the central bores 60 A, 60B of tubular elements 58 A, 58B are preferably in substantial alignment with one another so that a single elongated rod may pass through both of the central bores 60 A, 60B.
• the upper ends of the first and second sidewalls 50, 52 slope in a downward direction between the rear wall 34 and the front wall 28.
• the upper ends of the first and second sidewalls 50 and 52 slope along a substantially straight line extending between the upper end 46 of rear wall 34 and the upper end 48 offront wall 28.
• Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the container taken along lines VII-
• ribs 56 extend between the upper end 46 and lower end of the rear wall 34.
• the ribs 56 are preferably integrally molded to the rear wall 34 and extend approximately 1-3 mm from the rear wall. In certain preferred embodiments the ribs extend from the upper end of the rear wall entirely to the lower end of the rear wall. However, in other preferred embodiments the ribs do not extend completely from the upper to the lower end of the rear wall. For example, the ribs may extend only partially between the upper and lower ends of the rear wall or may extend intermittently between the upper and lower ends of the rear wall. In still other preferred embodiments, the ribs may be provided on only one of the front or rear walls.
• the ribs may be provided only on the interior surface of the front wall with no ribs provided on the only surface of the rear wall.
• the ribs may only be provided on the interior surface of the rear wall with no ribs provided on the front wall.
• the interior surface 38 of the front wall includes a recessed portion 62, preferably at the upper end of the front wall, for receiving a vertically extending flange of the cap, as will be explained in more detail below.
• the cap 26 includes a top wall 64, a cap front wall
• the cap also preferably includes a first sidewall 74 and a
• the height L . of the cap front wall is preferably greater than the height L of the cap rear wall. In other words, the distance between a lower end 78 of cap front wall 66 and the top wall 64 is greater than the distance between a lower end 80 of cap
• the cap front wall 66 preferably includes a horizontally extending flange 82 which projects from the exterior surface 84 of the cap front wall.
• the cap front wall 66 also includes a substantially vertically extending flange 86 that is attached to an interior surface 88 of the cap front wall 66 and which projects below the lower end 78 of the cap front wall 66.
• the vertically extending flange 86 preferably engages the recess 62 (Fig. 7) formed in the interior surface 32 of the front wall 28 of the container when the cap is in the closed position.
• the cap also includes tubular elements 90A, 90B having central bores 60A, 60B' extending therethrough. The central bores are preferably in substantial alignment with one another.
• Figures 11-13 shows one preferred method for assembling the cap 26 to the container 22.
• the rear wall 34 of the container 22 and the cap rear wall 70 are abutted against one another so that the respective tubular elements 90 A, 58B, 90B and 58 A intermesh with another.
• an elongated rod 92 is then passed through
• the aligned bores of the tubular elements 90A, 58B, 90B, 58A for hingedly connecting the cap 26 to the container 22.
• the rod 92 is preferably secured in place within the aligned bores, such as by crimping the rod.
• the cap is hingedly secured to the container and is able to swing about an axis Ai extending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated
• Figure 14 shows a top view of the reclosable package 20 after the elongated
• the cap 26 is movable between the completely open position shown in Figure 15 and the
• the container includes approximately 10-20 elongated slots 94 for receiving and storing approximately 10-
• FIG. 17-19 show the reclosable package after sticks of gum 96 have been stored in the slots 94.
• the cap 26 may be closed over the opening 24 of the container 22.
• the reclosable package is preferably made of a rigid material, such as a rigid polymer material. As a result, the exterior surface of the package can withstand a substantial amount of external force without those forces being transferred to the product stored within the package.
• a user may grasp the outer surface of the container 22 and apply pressure to the horizontally extending
• the cap may once again be swung to the closed position shown
• Figure 20 shows a magnified fragmentary view of the cap 26 when the cap is secured to the front wall 28 of container 22.
• the front wall 28 of container 22 has an interior surface 32 including recess 62 formed adjacent an upper end of front wall 28.
• front wall of the cap 26 includes a vertically extending flange 62 and a horizontally extending flange 82.
• the vertically extending flange 86 fits into the recess 62 for securing the cap in the closed position.
• a force F t may be exerted on the horizontally extending flange 82 to urge the vertically extending flange 86 away from the recess 62.
• Figures 21-27 show a reclosable package having a cap hingedly secured to a container in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• the reclosable package 120 includes cap 126 and container 122 that are molded together in a single piece.
• the cap 126 is connected to the container 122 via hinge 192.
• the hinge has a first
• hinge 192 is made of a flexible resilient material such as plastic so that the cap 126 may be repeatedly opened and closed relative to container opening 124 ( Figure 23).
• Figures 25-27 show the reclosable package in the open position.
• the front wall 130 of container 128 has ribs 154 provided on interior surface 132
• the front wall ribs 154 extend toward the rear wall 134 of container 122.
• front wall 128 includes recess 162 for receiving vertically extending flange 186 of cap 126.
• the container includes a central support 197 extending between front wall 128 and rear wall 134.
• the central support 197 adds rigidity to the container 122.
• the underside of cap 126 also includes a central support 198 for adding rigidity to the cap.
• rear wall 134 of container 122 includes a series of vertically extending ribs 156 which project toward front wall 128 of container 122.
• the front wall ribs 154 and the rear wall ribs 156 are in substantial alignment with one another.
• the ribs define a series of slots 196 that extend between the front wall 128 and the rear wall 134 of the container 122.
• the container 122 shown in of Figure 27 has 18 slots for receiving elongated items such as sticks of gum.
• the present invention may include anywhere from two slots to an infinite number of slots for receiving elongated items.
• Figure 28 shows another alternate embodiment of the present invention wherein ribs are provided on either the front wall or the rear wall of the container.
• the ribs 256 are provided on the interior surface 238 of the rear wall 236 of the container 222 and no ribs are provided upon the interior
• ribs may be provided on the front wall 228 and not rear wall 236.
• FIGS 29 and 30 show another embodiment of the present invention
• ribs 356 are provided on the interior surface of the rear wall 336 and on the upper surface of bottom wall 340.
• the ribs 356 extend above the interior surface of the front wall 336 and the interior surface of the bottom wall 340.
• the interior surface 332 of the front wall 328 has no ribs.

Priority Applications (13)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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ID=11004182

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (16)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (6)

• 2001
  • 2001-11-02 DE DE60141255T patent/DE60141255D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-11-02 ES ES01974583T patent/ES2340573T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-11-02 EP EP01974583A patent/EP1440009B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-11-02 MX MXPA04004208A patent/MXPA04004208A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-11-02 RU RU2004116688/12A patent/RU2288145C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-11-02 JP JP2003540025A patent/JP2005507347A/ja active Pending
  • 2001-11-02 CN CN01823754.1A patent/CN1257091C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-11-02 AU AU2001294097A patent/AU2001294097B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2001-11-02 WO PCT/IB2001/001904 patent/WO2003037727A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-11-02 BR BR0117165-8A patent/BR0117165A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-11-02 CA CA002464734A patent/CA2464734C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-11-02 AT AT01974583T patent/ATE457009T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (6)

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