WO2011116259A1

WO2011116259A1 - Paperboard container for housing a tray or blister pack

Info

Publication number: WO2011116259A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/028945
Authority: WO
Inventors: Caleb S. Loftin; Ryan A. Bailey
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Corporation
Priority date: 2010-03-19
Filing date: 2011-03-18
Publication date: 2011-09-22

Abstract

Disclosed is a paperboard container packaging system for housing a tray or blister pack. The container is formed from a paperboard blank and includes a front panel, a back panel, opposing side panels and at least one end panel adhered together such that the container defines an interior chamber with one open end for receiving and securing a tray-like apparatus. The front panel includes: (i) a substantial cut out area exposing the interior chamber and (ii) may include a retaining flap along a creased edge of the cut out area, the retaining flap extending into the interior chamber. At least one cover panel can be coupled with the container for covering the front panel when the container is not in use.

Description

PAPERBOARD CONTAINER FOR HOUSING A TRAY OR BLISTER PACK

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/315,495, filed 19 March 2010, and incorporates the same herein by reference in its entirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Disclosed is a paperboard container packaging system for housing a tray or blister pack. The container is formed from a paperboard blank and includes a front panel, a back panel, opposing side panels and at least one end panel adhered together such that the container defines an interior chamber with at least one open end for receiving and securing a tray-like apparatus. The front panel includes: (i) a substantial cut out area exposing the interior chamber and may include (ii) a retaining flap along a creased edge of the cut out area, the retaining flap extending into the interior chamber. The retaining flap functions to obstruct the movement of the tray-like apparatus into and out of the interior chamber such that an external force is necessary to overcome the obstruction while inserting and removing the tray-like apparatus into and out of the interior chamber of the container. At least one cover panel can be coupled with the container for covering the front panel when the container is not in use. The at least one cover panel may have various locking and or attachment elements to keep the flap closed like a book when the package is not in use and may serve as a product retaining feature if the locking tab covers the container opening.

[0002] The packaging system container may also include a pair of tear- away closure flaps adhered to one another and that may covering the open end of the container. At least one closure flap may be coupled to the container by means of a perforated crease.

[0003] The container can also include a locking tab and a locking tab insert for securing the cover to the container. The locking tab insert can be located on the front panel and the locking tab is located on one of the at least one cover panels. Alternatively, the locking tab can be located on the front panel and the locking tab insert is located on one of the at least one cover panels. The locking tab may also be located on an extension of the front panel and the locking tab insert may be located on the back panel of the product containing portion, the side panel parallel to the spine panel, or on the front panel of the product containing portion or on any other panel other than the cover panel itself.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure 1 is an illustration of a paperboard blank that can be assembled into a container for housing a blister pack or tray according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0005] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembled container for housing a blister pack.

[0006] Figure 3 is an illustration of a paperboard blank that can be assembled into a container for housing a blister pack or tray according to another embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Figure 1 is an illustration of a paperboard blank 10 that can be assembled into a container for housing a blister pack or tray according to an embodiment of the invention. In general, the paperboard blank 10 can be functionally separated into two sections. The first section is the container and the second section is the container cover. The container section when assembled forms a box-like structure having an interior chamber that can house a blister pack or other tray-like apparatus. The container cover section folds over the top of the container section and is attachable to the container section to resemble the cover of a book with the cover hinged at the outer spine panel.

[0008] The container section is generally comprised of a back panel 12, a front panel 16, a right side wall 14, and a left side wall 22. The container also may include first and second end panels 26, 28 that seal one end of the container.

[0009] More specifically, the back panel 12 may include a first end panel 26 attached at one end. The connection between the first end panel 26 and the back panel 12 may form a crease along which the first end panel 26 can be folded. A first closure flap 38 may be attached at the other end of the back panel 12. The connection between the first closure flap 38 and the back panel 12 may be a perforated crease along which the first closure flap 38 may be torn and separated from the back panel 12. On one side of back panel 12 may be a cover side wall 30 that may be coupled with back panel 12 along a crease that may be folded. On the other side of back panel 12 may be a right side wall 14 that may be coupled with back panel 12 along a crease that can be folded.

[0010] The front panel 16 may be coupled to the back panel 12 by way of right side panel 14. The other edge of right side wall 14 may be coupled with front panel 16 along a crease that can be folded. Front panel 16 may also include a second end panel 28. The connection between the second end panel 28 and the front panel 16 forms a crease along which the second end panel 28 may be folded. On the side opposite right side wall 14 there may be a left side wall 22 coupled to the front panel 16 along a crease that can be folded. The other side of left side wall 22 is coupled with a glue flap 24 along a crease that can be folded. The front panel 16 may include a front panel cut out 18 that may expose a substantial portion of the front panel 16 to the interior chamber. The front panel cut out 18 allows direct access to the blister pack or other tray that is contained by the package. However, this direct access is not designed to allow the user to retrieve the contents of the blister pack or tray. Rather, the front panel cut out 18 is designed to let the user urge the blister pack or tray out of the open end of the container. The open end of the container may be along the top of the product container in place of flaps 38 and 36, in place of the inner spine wall 22, in place of outer spine wall 14, or in place of bottom side walls 26 and 28. It is to be understood that manufacturing preferences will dictate which location for the opening is preferred and the package blank may be adjusted to accommodate that preference. For example to close the top of the container flap 36 may need to be moved to front panel 16. To open at the spine inner spine panel 22 may need to be removed. [001 1] The front panel 16 may include another flap termed the retaining and indexing flap 20. The retaining and indexing flap 20 may be attached to the top edge of the front panel cutout 18 closest to the open end of the container. If the open end of the container is in another location retaining flap 20 may be oriented so that it lays in that orientation parallel to the opening. Its function will be described more fully below. Lastly, a locking tab insert 17 may be cut out of the front panel 16 along the crease /edge that is shared with the right side wall 14. The locking tab insert 17 is designed to accept a locking tab 33 located on the container cover section. Locking tab insert 17 may be positioned on back panel 12 and/or on top or bottom end panels 36 (if oriented off of front panel 16), 38, 26 and/or 28.

[0012] The container cover section may be comprised of first and second cover panels 32, 34. It should be noted that a single cover panel could be employed. Use of a second cover panel adds to the strength and durability of the overall structure but is not functionally necessary. The first and second cover panels 32, 34 may share a common edge that is creased. A locking tab 33 may be formed along this crease by cutting out a portion of the first cover panel 32. This cut out portion forms the locking tab 33. Locking tab 33 may be cut long enough to wrap around and connect with a locking tab insert 17 located on the back of panel 12. Locking tab 33 may be cut out of the blank such that it wraps around the top of front panel 16 and connects with locking tan insert 17 located on the top end panel 38 or 36 (if oriented off of front panel 16) or the back of panel 12. [0013] The second cover panel 34 further may include a second closure flap 36 along its top edge. The second closure flap 36 may be coupled to the top edge of the second cover panel along a perforated crease. The entire container cover section may coupled to the container section by a cover side wall 30 that may disposed between one edge of the second cover panel and one edge of the back panel, each of these edges being creased.

[0014] It should be noted that the order of the folds about to be described may not necessarily be the only order that the paperboard blank can be folded to achieve the resulting container.

[0015] To form the cover section, the first cover panel 32 may be folded atop the second cover panel 34 along their shared crease 35 and may be sealed together with glue or other sealing means.

[0016] To form the container section, the front panel 16 may be folded atop the back panel 12 along the creases 21 , 15 that separate the right side wall 14 from both the front panel 16 and the back panel 12 such that the front panel 16 and the back panel 12 may be separated by a distance that corresponds to the width of right side wall 14 and left side wall 22. The left side wall may be folded downward along its crease 25 with the front panel while the glue flap may be folded inward along its crease 27 with the left side wall 22. The glue flap may now be in a position that allows it to be rested upon (and glued to) the back panel 12 thereby forming the basic structure of the container.

[0017] Now that the front, back and sides have been assembled, the ends of the container can be formed. First end panel 26 may folded along its shared crease 29 with back panel 12 while second end panel 28 may folded along its shared crease 31 with front panel 16. The end panels 26, 28 overlap one another and can be glued (or otherwise fastened) together to form a closed end for the container.

[0018] At this point, a blister pack or other tray-like apparatus can be inserted into the interior chamber of the container. As the blister pack is inserted, the retaining and indexing flap 20 that may folded along its crease 43 with the top edge of the front panel cut out 18 to protrude into the interior chamber, may engage each row of blisters of a blister pack. Once fully inserted, the retaining and indexing flap 20 may help retain the blister pack within the interior chamber of the container. A retaining indexing flap may not be needed with all package designs. If the opening of the inner chamber of the container is toward the outer spine, the outer spine 30 may retain the inner blister card or tray within the container without the retaining flap 20. In addition a locking tab 33 may serve as a retention means for the inner blister card or tray by folding over the opening of the container such that the blister card or tray may not be removed until locking tab 33 is removed from the locking tab insert 17.

[0019] The container cover section may be folded atop the front panel

16 along the creases 33, 37 that couple the cover side wall 30 to the back panel 12. The locking tab 33 may be aligned to enter the locking tab insert

17 to maintain the entire package in a closed position. Prior to initial use the open end of the container may be sealed by means of the first and second closure flaps 38, 36. First closure flap 38 shares a perforated crease 39 with the top edge of back panel 12. Second closure flap 36 may share a perforated crease 41 with the top edge of second cover panel 34. Alternatively second closure flap 36 may extend off of front panel 16. Each of the closure flaps 38, 36 may be folded over one another and glued (or otherwise fastened) together.

[0020] To initially access the contents in this container embodiment

(blister pack or other tray apparatus) of the container, a user may first remove the closure flaps 38, 36. This is done by gripping one end of the closure flaps 38, 36 and tearing along the perforated creases 39, 41 to completely remove the closure flaps 38, 36 leaving an open end to the container. Even though there may be an open end to the container after removal of the closure flaps 38, 36 the blister pack will not fall out because of the retaining and indexing flap 20 that acts to block the path of the blister pack.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the user must overcome the retaining and indexing flap 20 to remove the blister pack 50 from the assembled container 60. This is done by opening the cover section to expose the front panel cut out 18. The user can then push against the blister pack 50 using, for instance, a thumb to urge it out of the open end of assembled container 60. Each row of blister pack 50 may encounter the retaining and indexing flap 20 and cause it to fold up along its crease 43 until that row clears the retaining and indexing flap 20 and the leading edge of blister pack 50 emerges from the open end of assembled container 60.

[0022] To replace the blister pack 50 in the assembled container 60, the user simply reverses the process and pushes the blister pack 50 back into the interior chamber. The retaining and indexing flap 20 will slide up over each row of blisters until the blister pack 50 is fully inserted. [0023] Figure 3 is an illustration of a paperboard blank that can be assembled into a container for housing a blister pack or tray according to another embodiment of the invention. This embodiment differs from that of Figure 1 in the means for securing the cover section to the container section. Essentially the locations of the locking tab and the locking tab insert have been switched. In this embodiment the locking tab 19 may part of the front panel 16 and juts out slightly along crease 21. The locking tab insert 44 may formed as a cutout along crease 49 that separates the first cover panel 32 from an inner side wall cover 40. The inner side wall cover 40 may be coupled with an outer side wall cover 42 along crease 47. The outer side wall cover 42 may also be coupled with the second cover panel 34 along crease 45. The cover panel may be formed by folding the inner and outer side wall covers 40, 42 over one another along crease 47. This will line up creases 45 and 49 and allow the first cover panel 32 to rest atop and adhered to the second cover panel 34. When the cover panel 32 is folded over the front panel along creases 33, 37 the locking tab 19 may cooperatively engage the locking tab insert 44 to hold the cover in place. It is to be understood that like the previous embodiment the locking tab 19 and locking tab insert 44 may in located on alternate panels of the container so long as one of either the locking tab 19 or insert 44 is located on the cover portion 32 of the container and one of either the locking tab 19 or insert 44 is located on the product containing portion of the container. Manufacturing preferences will dictate the appropriate location for the package design. As before the locking tab 19 may be located on, adjacent to, or extending from panel 22, panel 16, panel 38, panel 36 (if relocated to extend off panel 16), panel 26, panel 28, and/ or panel 12. Locking tab insert 44 may be located on or adjacent to panel 40, panel 32, and/or panel 34.

[0024] The cover can be released by exerting a slight force to separate the locking tab 19 from the locking tab insert 44.

[0025] This disclosure should not be read as being limited only to the foregoing examples or only to the designated preferred embodiments.

Claims

Claims:

1. A packaging for receiving and securing a tray-like apparatus, the packaging system comprising:

a container comprised of a front panel, a back panel, opposing side panels and at least one end panel adhered together such that the container defines an interior chamber with one open end for receiving and securing a tray-like apparatus,

wherein the front panel includes: a substantial cut out area exposing the interior chamber.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the front panel further comprises a retaining flap along a creased edge of the cut out area, the retaining flap extending into the interior chamber and parallel to the open of the container.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein a cover panel is coupled to the container for covering the front panel when the container is not in use.

4. The package of claim 1 , wherein the tray-like apparatus is a blister pack having at least one row of raised blisters.

5. The package of claim 1 , further comprising a locking tab and a locking tab insert for securing the cover to the container.

6. The package of claim 5, wherein the locking tab insert is located on the front panel and the locking tab is located on one of the at least one cover panels.

7. The package of claim 5, wherein the locking tab is located on the front panel and the locking tab insert is located on one of the at least one cover panels.

8. The package of claim 5, wherein the locking tab insert is on the back of panel 12.

9. The package of claim 5, wherein the locking tab extends off of at least one cover panel.

10. A packaging system for receiving and securing a tray-like apparatus, the packaging system comprising:

wherein the front panel includes: (i) a substantial cut out area exposing the interior chamber and (ii) a retaining flap along a creased edge of the cut out area, the retaining flap extending into the interior chamber, wherein the retaining flap functions to obstruct the movement of the tray-like apparatus into and out of the interior chamber such that an external force is necessary to overcome the obstruction while inserting and removing the tray-like apparatus into and out of the interior chamber of the container.

1 1. The packaging system of claim 10 further comprising at least one cover panel coupled with the container for covering the front panel when the container is not in use.

12. The packaging system of claim 10, wherein the tray-like apparatus is a blister pack having at least one row of raised blisters.

13. The packaging system of claim 10 further comprising a pair of tear- away closure flaps adhered to one another and covering the open end of the container, at least one closure flap coupled to the container by means of a perforated crease.

14. The packaging system of claim 10 further comprising a locking tab and a locking tab insert for securing the cover to the container.

15. The packaging system of claim 14, wherein the locking tab insert is located on the front panel and the locking tab is located on one of the at least one cover panels.

16. The packaging system of claim 14, wherein the locking tab is located on the front panel and the locking tab insert is located on one of the at least one cover panels.

17. A paperboard blank for forming a covered container comprising:

a first cover panel having a locking tab cut out;

a second cover panel coupled with the first cover panel along a shared crease;

a back panel;

a cover side wall coupled on one side with the second cover panel along a shared crease and on the other side with the back panel along a shared crease;

a front panel having a substantial cut out area; a right side wall coupled on one side with the back panel along a shared crease and on the other side with the front panel along a shared crease;

a left side wall coupled on one side with the front panel along a shared crease and on the other side with a glue panel along a shared crease;

a first end panel coupled with the back panel along a shared crease; and

a second end panel coupled with the front panel along a shared crease.

18. The paperboard blank of claim 17 further comprising a retaining flap coupled to the front panel along a crease located on an edge of the front panel cut out area.

19. The paperboard blank of claim 17 further comprising:

a first closure flap coupled with the back panel along a shared perforated crease; and

a second closure flap coupled with the second cover panel along a shared perforated crease.

20. The paperboard blank of claim 17 further comprising:

a locking tab located on the second cover panel along the shared crease with the first cover panel; and

a locking tab insert located on the front panel.