WO2018114302A1

WO2018114302A1 - A carton

Info

Publication number: WO2018114302A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/081355
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas GEIS; Zihui LING
Original assignee: Unilever N.V.; Unilever Plc; Conopco, Inc., D/B/A Unilever
Priority date: 2016-12-23
Filing date: 2017-12-04
Publication date: 2018-06-28

Abstract

Disclosed is a carton comprising a container (1) and a tearable panel (2), wherein: (a) the container (1) comprises a lid panel (11), a front panel (12), a rear panel (13), a bottom panel (14), and two side panels (15, 16); and (b) the tearable panel (2) comprises an outer edge (21), inner edge (22), a top edge (23), a bottom edge (24), and a window (25) which is at least translucent, said tearable panel (1) is adhered to the container (2) with a de-bondable adhesive, wherein the inner edge (22) of the tearable panel (2) is hingedly attached to the container (1) at a crease line (17) defined between the front panel (12) and one of the two side panels (15) such that the tearable panel (2) can pivot when the tearable panel (2) is de-bonded; and wherein the crease line (17) has a perforated section (18).

Description

A CARTON

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a carton comprising a tearable panel. More particularly, this invention is directed towards a carton comprising a tearable panel having a window which is at least translucent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cartons formed from a paperboard blank or multiple paperboard blanks, are already known. For example, WO 2009/106535 (Unilever) describes a re-closable carton which maintains its integrity when it is opened by a user and is designed to be easily opened without tearing unwanted areas of the carton. Nonetheless there is a continuing need for improved cartons. In particular, we have recognized that there is a need for a carton that improves interaction with users without the need for including additional accessory. Therefore, we have developed a carton comprising a container a tearable panel having a window which is at least translucent. The tearable panel may be adhesively bonded to the container during transportation but may be moved easily by the consumer for users' interaction. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a carton comprising a container (1 ) and a tearable panel (2), wherein:

(a) the container (1 ) comprises a lid panel (1 1 ), a front panel (12), a rear panel (13), a bottom panel (14), and two side panels (15, 16); and

(b) the tearable panel (2) comprises an outer edge (21 ), inner edge (22), a top edge (23), a bottom edge (24), and a window (25) which is at least translucent, said tearable panel (2) is adhered to the container (1 ) with a de-bondable adhesive,

wherein the inner edge (22) of the tearable panel (2) is hingedly attached to the container (1 ) at a crease line (17) defined between the front panel (12) and one of the two side panels (15) such that the tearable panel (2) can pivot when the tearable panel (2) is de- bonded; and wherein the crease line (17) has a perforated section (18). All other aspects of the present invention will more readily become apparent upon considering the detailed description and examples which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Certain non-limiting embodiments of the invention are illustrated by the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete carton according to an embodiment of the present invention when the tearable panel is adhesively bonded to the container.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the complete carton according to an embodiment of the present invention when the tearable panel is de-bonded from the container.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a carton blank for the complete carton according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Except in the examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use may optionally be understood as modified by the word "about".

It should be noted that in specifying any range of values, any particular upper value can be associated with any particular lower value. For the avoidance of doubt, the word "comprising" is intended to mean "including" but not necessarily "consisting of" or "composed of. In other words, the listed steps or options need not be exhaustive.

Unless otherwise specified, terms such as front, bottom, rear, side, etc. refer to the carton in the orientation in which it will usually be stored— as illustrated, for example, in Fig.1.

Translucent as used herein refers to having a light transmittance of at least 50%. Values of transmittance quoted herein are determined at a wavelength of 550 nm at 25°C. Transmittance may be measured with a UV-vis spectrometer (e.g. Perkin-Elmer Lambda 650S). Transmittance is used herein as a measure of transparency and so should be determined in the absence of any chromophores with appreciable absorbance at 550 nm. The tearable panel is adhesively bonded to the container, preferably at the portions close to and/or at the outer edge, even more preferably at the portions close to the middle of the outer edge and/or at the middle of the outer edge.

The crease line has a perforated section so that the user may tear off the tearable panel easily. In order to keep the integrity of the carton before selling and to make the tearable panel more easily tearable, the first perforation is preferably not located at the end of the crease line. It is more preferable that the distance of the first perforation to the closer end of the crease line is at least 1 mm, preferably from 2 mm to 5 cm, even more preferably from 3 mm to 2 cm and most preferably from 5 to 15 mm. Thus, the tearable panel will not be damaged during the transportation but the consumer may tear it off easily. Distance as used herein refers to the length from the closer edge of the first perforation to the closer end of the crease line.

In order to make the tearable panel being easily teared off, it is preferred that there is a cut at one end of the crease line. More preferably, there is two cuts at the two ends of the crease line. The cut is preferably at least 3 mm long, more preferably at least 5 mm, even more preferably at least 8 mm for the tearable panel to be easily teared off. The cut is preferably not great than 25 mm, more preferably not greater than 18 mm, even more preferably, nto great than 12 mm for continuous production of the carton board and/or transportation, without being damaged.

Preferably, the crease line comprises 5 to 200 perforations, more preferably 10 to 100 perforations. For continuous production of the carton board, transportation without being damaged, and/or tearable panel being easily tearable, the perforations preferably have a length of at least 0.5 mm, more preferably at least 1 mm, even more preferably at least 2 mm, still even more preferably from 2 to 20 mm. The perforation preferably has a length of no greater than 15 mm, more preferably no greater than 7 mm, even more preferably no greater than 3 mm. Preferably, the perforations have same length. Preferably, the closest distance between two perforations is at least 1 mm, more preferably from 2 to 20 mm. Preferably, the distance between two perforation equals to the length of the perforation. Preferably each perforation has same length. In order to manufacture the carton more conveniently and make the tearable panel more appealing, the tearable panel is preferably made of two layers of board, more preferably two layers of paper board. So that, the artwork may be printed only in one side of the two layers of board, which makes it easy to manufacture. After being folded, the tearable panel has artwork on both its sides, which is more appealing to users. Therefore, it is preferred that the tearable panel is printed on both sides.

The consumers may tear off the tearable panel. The tearable panel may then be used by the consumers to observe their skins through the at least translucent windows. Therefore, the window preferably has a transmittance of at least 70%, more preferably at least 80% and even more preferably at least 85%. It is preferable that the windows is blue in color. Then, the visual skin defects, for example wrinkles, lines, blemishes or pigmentation, may be detected easily through the blue window. Preferably, the window is made using plastics, glass, or combination thereof. More preferably the window is made of polyesters. Even more preferably the window is made of polyethylene terephthalate.

To become more attractive, it is preferable that the container has printed indicia, for example, portrait, schematic illustrations, logos, and/or product claims, on the front panel viewable through the at least translucent window. Preferably, the printed indicia include a portrait.

Preferably, the area of the window is at least 10% of the area of the tearable panel, more preferably 20% to 50% of the area of the tearable panel. Preferably, the length of the window is at least 10% of the length of the tearable panel, more preferably 20 to 60% of the length of the tearable panel. Length as used herein means the largest measurable distance on the windows in the event a well-defined shape is not generated. The window is preferably substantially centrally located at the tearable panel, more preferably, the centre of the window is overlapped with the centre of the tearable panel. Preferably, the window is substantially circular, elliptic, square or rectangle in shape. More preferably the window is rectangle in shape.

Preferably the tearable panel is rectangle in shape. The tearable panel may be either larger or smaller than the front panel of the container. However, it is preferred that the tearable panel has same size as the front panel, or smaller than the front panel. More preferably, the tearable panel has same size as the front panel. Preferably, the tearable panel is substantially fully overlapped with the front panel. To bond the tearable panel to the container firmly, while ensuring that the user can easily tear the tearable panel, the tearable panel is adhesively bonded to the container using a de-bondable adhesive. De-bondable adhesive as used herein refers to adhesive capable of detaching the tearable panel from the container using human efforts without the use of any tool and without substantially damaging to either the tearable panel or the container. More preferably, the tearable panel is adhesively bonded to the container with a de-bondable plastic tape.

The carton of the invention can be used for packaging various different products. In a preferred embodiment, the carton contains a personal care product. More preferably the carton contains a skin care product. The carton of the invention may be made by any suitably rigid material, but preferably paperboard.

Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the preferred carton when the tearable panel 2 is adhesively bonded to the container 1. The carton comprises a container 1 and a tearable panel 2. The tearable panel 2 is adhesively bonded to the container 1. In the preferred embodiment, the tearable panel 2 substantially fully overlaps with the front panel 12 (12 not shown in Fig. 1 ). Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the preferred carton when the tearable panel is de- bonded from the container. The container comprises a lid panel 11 , a front panel 12, a rear panel 13, a bottom panel 14, and two side panels (15, 16) (13, 14, 15 were hidden in Fig. 2). The tearable panel 2 contains an outer edge 21 , an inner edge 22, a top edge 23, a bottom edge 24, and a window 25. The window 25 is preferably substantially centrally located at the tearable panel 2.

The tearable panel 2 is hingedly attached to the container via a crease line 17 of one of the two side panels 15 so as to be able to pivot when the tearable panel 2 is de-bonded from the container 1. The tearable panel 2 may be easily torn off by human hands without any tool and without any damage to either the panel or the container. The window 25 is preferably made of polyester, more preferably blue coloured polyester. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of a blank for a container according to an embodiment of the invention. The blank can be stamped or cut from any suitably rigid material, but is preferably paperboard.

As shown in Fig. 3, the tearable panel 2 may be integrally formed with the container 1 and wherein the tearable panel 2 is hingedly attached to one of the two side panels 15 of the container 1 via the crease line 17. In Fig. 3, the tearable panel 2 is preferably made of two layers (26, 27). The two layers (26, 27) are delimited from each other by the outer edge 21. The window is also preferably made by two layers (28, 29). The two layers (26, 27) of panels are attached together (e.g. by gluing) to form the tearable panel when the carton is assembled.

The two layers (26, 27) for forming the carton are delimited from the side panel of the container 1 by the crease line 17. The crease line 17 has a perforated section 18. The tearable panel 2 may be torn off easily via the perforated section 18.

The carton may be used for packaging a skin care product.

Claims

1. A carton comprising a container (1 ) and a tearable panel (2), wherein:

a) the container (1 ) comprises a lid panel (1 1 ), a front panel (12), a rear panel (13), a bottom panel (14), and two side panels (15, 16); and

b) the tearable panel (2) comprises an outer edge (21 ), inner edge (22), a top edge (23), a bottom edge (24), and a window (25) which is at least translucent, said tearable panel (2) is adhered to the container (1 ) with a de-bondable adhesive,

wherein the inner edge (22) of the tearable panel (2) is hingedly attached to the container (1 ) at a crease line (17) defined between the front panel (12) and one of the two side panels (15) such that the tearable panel (2) can pivot when the tearable panel (2) is de-bonded; and wherein the crease line (17) has a perforated section (18).

2. The carton according to claim 1 wherein the distance of the first perforation to the closer end of the crease line (17) is at least 1 mm, preferably from 2 mm to 3 cm.

3. The carton according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the tearable panel 2 is made of two layers (26, 27) of board, preferably paper board.

4. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the window (25) has a light transmittance of at least 70%.

5. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the window (25) is made of plastics, glass, or combination thereof, preferably the window (25) is made of polyester.

6. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tearable panel (2) is rectangle in shape.

7. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the length of the window (25) is at least 10% of the length of the tearable panel (2), preferably 20 to 60% of the length of the tearable panel (2).

8. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the window (25) is substantially centrally located at the tearable panel (2).

9. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tearable panel (2) substantially fully overlaps the front panel (12).

10. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tearable panel (2) is adhesively bonded to the container (1 ) with a de-bondable plastic tape.

1 1. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the container (1 ) has printed indicia on the front panel viewable through the window (25).

12. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims for packaging a skin care product.