WO2006015688A1

WO2006015688A1 - Container with reclosure feature

Info

Publication number: WO2006015688A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/007766
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew John Cole; Barthold Vandehoek
Original assignee: Unilever Plc; Unilever Nv; Hindustan Lever Limited
Priority date: 2004-08-09
Filing date: 2005-07-15
Publication date: 2006-02-16
Also published as: EP1789332A1; GB0417575D0

Abstract

A container (1) suitable for packaging a product, comprising: a) a base wall (11), opposing side walls (27, 29) and opposing front (5) and rear walls (9) together defining a storage space (70) for storing the product, b) a lid (105) hingedly connected to the rear wall and comprising a top wall (7) opposed to the base wall, and one or more front and/or side lid flaps (111) depending from the top wall; c) one or more locking flaps (100) the one or more locking flaps comprising a locking portion (57) nested within a lid attachment portion (59), d) the lid attachment portion being connected to said top edge by lines of weakness (53, 55) at two points which straddle the joint (51) between the locking portion and said top edge and wherein respective adjacent (57a, 59a) of the locking portion and lid attachment portion are cut edges; e) the lid attachment portion and the locking portion are separated on first opening of the lid to tear the lines of weakness wherein reclosure of the lid procedures an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective cut edges of the locking portion and the lid attachment portion as they return to the nested arrangement.

Description

CONTAINERWITH RECLOSURE FEATURE

The present invention relates to a container for a particulate material with an improved closure device.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a container suitable for packaging a product, the container comprising: a) a base wall, opposing side walls and opposing front and rear walls together defining a storage space for storing the product, b) a lid hingedly connected to the rear wall and comprising a top wall opposed to the base wall, and one or more front and/or side lid flaps depending from the top wall; c) the lid being closable to overlie (s) the storage space such that the one or more lid flaps overlie an upper portion of a respective front and/or side wall; d) one or more locking flaps extending from the top edge of the front and/or side walls along at least a part of its/their length, the one or more locking flaps comprising a locking portion nested within a lid attachment portion, the lid attachment portion being attached to the inner surface of a respective lid flap e) the lid attachment portion being connected to said top edge by lines of weakness at two points which straddle the joint between the locking portion and said top edge and wherein respective adjacent edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion are cut edges; f)the lid attachment portion and the locking portion are separated on first opening of the lid to tear the lines of weakness g) reclosure of the lid produces an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective cut edges of the locking portion and the lid attachment portion as they return to the nested arrangement.

The container may comprise a sift-resistant container which is particularly advantageous for packaging free flowing particulate product, such as powder, granules agglomerates and the like.

Accordingly a further aspect of the invention provides a sift-resistant container suitable for packaging a particulate composition, the container comprising: a) a base wall and opposing top wall, opposing side walls and opposing front and rear walls together defining a storage space for storing the composition; b) the side and front walls comprise an inner layer having a top edge abutting the top wall and an outer layer and sharing a continuous horizontal tear strip c) one or more locking flaps extending from the top edge of the inner layer of front and/or side walls along at least a part of its/their length, the one or more locking flaps comprising a locking portion nested within a lid attachment portion, the lid attachment portion being attached to the inner surface of out layer of the respective front or side wall above the tear strip d) the lid attachment portion being connected to said top edge by lines of weakness at two points which straddle the joint between the locking portion and said top edge and wherein respective adjacent edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion are cut edges; e) the lid attachment portion and the locking portion are separated on first opening of the lid to tear the lines of weakness f) reclosure of the container produces an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective cut edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion as they return to the nested arrangement.

The use of interengaging cut edges afford the advantage that the locking action of the locking portions is accurate e.g. as compared with intergagement of edges which have result from tearing along a line of weakness.

Preferably the edges. are die cut, and may be part of the blank cutting process, for improved efficiency.

A further advantage arises from interengaging die cut edges, in that the audible sound is enhanced i.e. it is much crisper and provides improved audible feedback to the consumer to confirm that the container has been properly closed

The nested arrangement of locking portions themselves is advantageous in that the nested locking portion is better secured in the locked position, due to it being nested on more than one side, within the surrounding lid attachment portion, as compared with e.g. an arrangement where the portions interengage along only one side even when such an arrangement includes tabs etc. The nested arrangement is also advantageous in that the entire lengths of the respective interengaging edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion can be die cut. Because of the nested arrangement both portions can be at least initially attached to the front flap of the carton blank and so the portions do not need to be attached to each other at all along the intersecting edges. These can then be cleanly cut edges (as opposed to e.g. edges resulting from some tearing, as with lines of weakness) with advantages for locking efficiency etc as described above.

Preferably, the locking flap and lid attachment portion are not directly connected to each other, so that when the carton is opened, they are released from each other without tearing of any part of their mutual perimeter.

Preferably the locking flap is die cut to produce the locking portion and lid attachment portion so that the one die cut line provides the external perimeter of the locking portion and internal perimeter of the lid attachment portion.

The locking portion may have a square or rectangular outer perimeter and, in such cases, the lid attachment portion may comprise an angular U-shape.

Alternatively the locking portion may have a curved external perimeter and the lid attachment portion has a corresponding curved internal perimeter, e.g. the external perimeter of the locking portion and the internal perimeter of the lid attachment portion may be U-shaped. The container may be provided as commercial package unopened, i.e. with lid and tear strip (if included) in place, and may contain a laundry or machine dishwashing composition.

The container is preferably formed from paperboard, cardboard, and may include layers of metal or plastic materials for barrier purposes.

The laundry (fabric treatment: washing, conditioning etc) composition may be in any form such as free flowing powder or granules or the like, or tablets which may or may not be in wrappers, water soluble capsules containing the laundry composition.

Various non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the following figures in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, following opening;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the blank used to make the container of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention, prior to opening;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container of Figure 2, following opening; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the blank used to make the container of Figure 2;

Referring to figure 1 a container comprising a carton, generally indicated at 1 is shown. The container 1 is suitable for housing e.g. laundry or machine dishwashing tablets. The container comprises: a) a base wall 11, opposing side walls 27,29 and opposing front and rear walls together defining a storage space 70 for storing the tablets (not shown) , b) a lid 105 hingedly connected to the rear wall 9 and comprising a top wall 7 opposed to the base wall 11, and a front lid flap 111 depending from the top wall 7. c) the lid 105 closable to overlie the storage space 70 such that the lid flap 111 overlies an upper portion of the front wall 5, the lid flap having lines of weakness 117,119 defining respective ears 113,115; d) the carton 1 having a locking flap 100 extending from the centre of the top edge of the front wall 5 along only a part of its length, the locking flap 100 comprising a locking portion 57 nested within a lid attachment portion 59, the lid attachment portion 59 being attached to the inner surface of a respective lid flap, which in this embodiment is the front lid flap 111 e) the lid attachment portion 59 being connected to said top edge by lines of weakness 53,55 at two points which straddle the joint 51 between the locking portion and said top edge of the front wall 5 and wherein respective adjacent edges 57a_,59a of the locking portion 57 and lid attachment portion 57 are die cut along their entire length (and not the result of e.g. tearing along a line of weakness). The locking portion 57 and lid attachment portion 59 are not directly connected to each other, they are only connected via connection to the front wall 5; f) on first opening of the lid the lines of weakness 53,55 are torn thereby removing the lid attachment from the front wall and separating the lid attachment portion 59 from the locking portion 57.

The locking flap is a regular rectangle as is the locking portion 57. The external perimeter 57a. of the locking portion is an angular U shape, as is the internal perimeter 59a of the lid attachment portion 59

The container is first opened by grasping the front flap 111 and lifting upwards ripping lines of weakness 117,119 to release lid leaving small ears 113 and 115 in place attached to the front wall. The lid 105 is raised and the board tears along lines of weakness 53,55 to release the lid attachment portion 57 from the inner front wall 13. Reclosure of the container lid 1 produces an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective die cut edges 57a., 59a. of the locking portion 57 and the lid attachment portion 59 as they return to the nested arrangement (shown in figure 2) .

The carton blank for the carton 1 of figure 1 is shown in figure 2. This comprises four main panels 7,9,29,5,27 successively connected to each other, and which correspond with similarly numbered walls referred to in above description of figure 1. The base of the carton is provided by panels 11a, lib, lie, lid. Side flaps 27a and 29a serve to give rigidity. The flaps are interconnected to adjacent flaps by score lines 15,17,19,23,25.

A locking flap 100 extends from the panel 5 and comprises a locking portion 57 and lid attachment portion 59. The locking portion 57 is joined to the panel 13 by a score line 51 (which may be cut to sufficient depth to allow folding but not separation from repeated use of the locking mechanism) , whereas the lid attachment is connected to the panel 5 by lines of weakness 53,55 (e.g. perforation or partial depth continuous cut) at two separate positions 53,55 which straddle the joint between the locking portion 57 and panel 5.

The carton blank in figure 2 is assembled to form the carton of figure 1 . The locking flap 100 is folded about folds/lines of weakness 51,53,55 to lie flat against the outer side of front panel 5 and the lid attachment portion 59 is glued to the inner side of the front lid flap 111. Flap 27b is glued to panel 9 and the resulting sleeve is then opened form a box like construction, and sealed at the base by folding and gluing the base panels lla - Hd. The carton 1 is then filled and the lid sealed under the ears only. NB the ears may be double thickness (by an addition layer not shown) to allow for the thickness of the locking flap 100.

Referring to figures 3 and 4, a second embodiment comprises a side-fill, sift-resistant (for housing granular or powdered materials, e.g. a laundry or machine dishwashing composition) , reclosable container being paperboard carton, indicated generally as 1 and having: g) a base wall 11 and opposing top wall 7, opposing side walls 27, 29 and opposing front wall 5 and rear wall 9 together defining a storage space 70 for storing the material (not shown) ; h) the side and front walls comprise an inner layer 43, 13, 45 having a top edge abutting the top wall and an outer layer 27,5,29 and sharing a continuous horizontal tear strip 47 i) a single locking flap 100 extending from the centre of the top edge of the inner layer of front wall 13 i.e. only along a part of its length. The one or more locking flap 100 comprises a locking portion 57 nested within a lid attachment portion 59, the lid attachment portion 59 being attached to the inner surface of out layer of the respective front wall 5 above the tear strip 47 j) the lid attachment 59 portion being connected to the top edge of the front wall by lines of weakness 53,55 at two points which straddle the joint 51 between the locking portion 57 and the top edge of the front wall layer 13 so that respective adjacent edges 57a., 59a. of the locking portion 57 and lid attachment portion 59 are die cut along their entire length (and not the result of e.g. tearing along a line of weakness) . The locking portion and lid attachment portion are not connected directly to each other, they are only connected via connection to the front wall. k) on first opening of the lid the lines of weakness 53,55 are torn thereby removing the lid attachment portion 59 from the front wall layer 13 and separating the lid attachment portion 59 from the locking portion 57.

The construction of the locking flap 100 is as described for the first embodiment.

The container is first opened by grasping a tab 47a. which extends from an end of the tear strip 47. The top wall is raised and the board tears along lines of weakness 53,55 to release the lid attachment portion 57 from the inner front wall 13. Reclosure of the container 1 produces an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective die cut edges 57ει, 59a of the locking portion 57 and lid attachment portion 59 as they return to the nested arrangement.

Referring now to figure 5, the blank for making the carton of figures 3&4, incorporates five main panels 5,7,9,11 and 13 which are successively connected to each other. Each of the main panels 5,7,9,11 and 13, correspond to a wall of the carton. The main panels comprise a front outer panel 5, a top panel 7, a back panel 9, a bottom panel 11 and a front inner panel 13. On either side of these panels are end flaps 27,29,31,33,35,37,39,41,43,45 separated from panels 5,7,9,11 and 13. Panels are attached to adjacent panels by score lines 15,17,19,21, 23 and 25.

The main panel 5 and associated end flaps 27,29 include tear strip 47 comprising two transverse parallel lines of weakness i.e. by means of perforations or a continuous cut which does not extend all the way through the panel.

Attached to the inner side of tear strip 47 is a reinforcing tape, not shown, which helps prevent the tear strip 47 from breaking into pieces as it is removed from the carton 20. One end of the tear strip 47 extends beyond the axial edge of the extension panel 29, providing a tab to facilitate grasping tear strip 47.

A locking flap 100 extends from the panel 13 and comprises a locking portion 57 and lid attachment portion 59. The locking portion 57 is joined to the panel 13 by a score line 51 (which may be cut to sufficient depth to allow folding but not separation from repeated use of the locking mechanism) , whereas the lid attachment is connected to the panel 13 by lines of weakness 53,55 (e.g. perforation or partial depth continuous cut) at two separate positions 53,55 which straddle the joint between the locking portion 57 and panel 13.

The carton blank in Figure 3 is assembled to form the carton of figure 1 . The locking flap 100 is folded about folds/lines of weakness 51,53,55 to lie flat against the outer side of front inner panel 13 and the lid attachment portion 59 is glued to the inner side of the front outer panel 5 above tear strip 47. Front inner and outer panels 5 and 13 are overlapped and glued to each other. The now formed sleeve is then opened form a box like construction, and sealed at one end using one set of end panels, filled at the other end and then sealed at that other end. The containers of the figures 1 are provided as commercial package, containing the laundry product and instructions for use.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A container suitable for packaging a product, the container comprising: a) a base wall, opposing side walls and opposing front and rear walls together defining a storage space for storing the product, b) a lid hingedly connected to the rear wall and comprising a top wall opposed to the base wall, and one or more front and/or side lid flaps depending from the top wall; c) the lid being closable to overlie (s) the storage space such that the one or more lid flaps overlie an upper portion of a respective front and/or side wall; d) one or more locking flaps extending from the top edge of the front and/or side walls along at least a part of its/their length, the one or more locking flaps comprising a locking portion nested within a lid attachment portion, the lid attachment portion being attached to the inner surface of a respective lid flap e) the lid attachment portion being connected to said top edge by lines of weakness at two points which straddle the joint between the locking portion and said top edge and wherein' respective adjacent edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion are cut edges; f)the lid attachment portion and the locking portion are separated on first opening of the lid to tear the lines of weakness wherein reclosure of the lid produces an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective cut edges of the locking portion and the lid attachment portion as they return to the nested arrangement.

2. A sift-resistant container suitable for packaging a particulate composition, the container comprising: a) a base wall and opposing top wall, opposing side walls and opposing front and rear walls together defining a storage space for storing the composition; b) the side and front walls comprise an inner layer having a top edge abutting the top wall and an outer layer and sharing a continuous horizontal tear strip; c) one or more locking flaps extending from the top edge of the inner layer of front and/or side walls along at least a part of its/their length, the one or more locking flaps comprising a locking portion nested within a lid- attachment portion, the lid attachment portion being attached to the inner surface of out layer of the respective front or side wall above the tear strip; d) the lid attachment portion being connected to said top edge by lines of weakness at two points which straddle the joint between the locking portion and said top edge and wherein respective adjacent edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion are cut edges; e) the lid attachment portion and the locking portion are separated on first opening of the lid to tear the lines of weakness, wherein reclosure of the container produces an audible sound by forced interengagement of the respective cut edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion as they return to the nested arrangement.

3. A container according to any preceding claim in which the respective edges of the locking portion and lid attachment portion are cut along their entire length.

4. A container (1) as substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings