ZA200602421B

ZA200602421B - A tear-open box

Info

Publication number: ZA200602421B
Application number: ZA200602421A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Rama Bhadresh; Govan Samarth
Original assignee: New Era Packaging Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-29
Filing date: 2006-03-24
Publication date: 2007-05-30

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to packaging, and more specifically to boxes for packaging articles. In particular, the invention relates to a box which, when closed, includes means for opening the box without the need for a tool. The invention also relates to a blank for forming the box.

Boxes for packaging articles such as packaged comestibles generally include an upper wall, a lower wall, two opposed side walls extending between side edges of the upper and lower walls, and two opposed end walls extending between end edges of the upper and lower walls. These boxes, which may be formed from a blank, usually are sealed with tape to retain the packaged articles within the box.

To access the packaged articles, for example to pack the articles onto a shelf in a supermarket, the tape seal is broken and portions of the box are separated from one another in order to open the box. Generally, this is achieved by using a knife or the like to cut along the tape and along portions of the box, and this cutting can be difficult and often results in damage to the packaged articles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a box which, when closed, includes means for opening the box relatively easily without a tool and without damaging packaged articles within the box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a box for storing and/or transporting at least one article, the box comprising: an upper wall; a lower wall; a pair of opposed side walls extending between side edges of the upper and lower walls; a pair of opposed end walls extending between end edges of the upper and lower walls; and means for opening the box along a series of tear lines to access the at least one article within the box, the means for opening the box including: a tear strip extending across at least one of the walls of the box, the tear strip including a first end adjacent a first edge of the wall carrying the tear strip, a second end adjacent a second edge of the wall carrying the tear strip, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip; a third tear line extending along the first edge of the wall carrying the tear strip; a fourth tear line extending along the second edge of the wall carrying the tear strip; a fifth tear line extending from the third tear line along a wall contiguous with the wall carrying the tear strip; and a sixth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the wall contiguous with the wall carrying the tear strip.

The fifth tear line and the sixth tear line may extend along opposed edges of the wall contiguous with the wall carrying the tear strip.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for opening the box includes: a tear strip extending across the top wall of the box, the tear strip including a first end adjacent a first end edge of the top wall, a second end adjacent a second end edge of the top wall, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip; a third tear line extending along the first end edge of the top wall; a fourth tear line extending along the second end edge of the top wall; a fifth tear line extending from the third tear line along a first side wall of the box; and a sixth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the first side wall of the box, the fifth and sixth tear lines extending along opposed edges of the first side wall of the box.

In a particularly preferred arrangement, the means for opening the box also includes: a seventh tear line extending from the third tear line along a second side wall of the box; and an eighth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the second side wall of the box, the seventh and eighth tear lines extending along opposed edges of the second side wall of the box.

The tear strip may have the form of a “fish-bone” in which each of the spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first and second ends of the tear strip comprises a plurality of spaced apart cuts, which may be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the tear strip.

The third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth tear lines of the means for opening the box may include perforations which facilitate tearing along these lines.

Preferably, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth tear lines extend along the entire lengths of the respective edges of the box. In this way, the box may be opened by first tearing off the tear strip, and then tearing along the third and fourth tear lines to open the top wall of the box, tearing along the fifth and sixth tear lines to open the first side wall of the box, and tearing along the seventh and eighth tear lines to open the second side wall of the box. Thereafter, both side walls and both end walls may be folded down to expose the contents of the box.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank for forming a box of the type described above, the blank including: a first panel; a second panel connected side-by-side to the first panel along a first fold line; a third panel connected side-by-side to the second panel along a second fold line; a fourth panel connected side-by-side to the third panel along a third fold line; each of the panels connected along end edges to a pair of opposed end flaps; a tear strip extending along at least one of the panels, the tear strip including a first end adjacent a first edge of the panel carrying the tear strip, a second end adjacent a second edge of the panel carrying the tear strip, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip; a third tear line extending along the first edge of the panel carrying the tear strip; a fourth tear line extending along the second edge of the panel carrying the tear strip; a fifth tear line extending from the third tear line along a panel adjacent the panel carrying the tear strip; and a sixth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the panel adjacent the panel carrying the tear strip.

The fifth and sixth tear lines may extend along opposed edges of the panel adjacent the panel carrying the tear strip.

In one arrangement, the tear strip extends across the third panel of the blank and includes a first end adjacent a first end edge of the third panel, a second end adjacent a second end edge of the third panel, and a pair of spaced- apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip. In this arrangement, the third tear line may extend along a first end edge of the third panel, the fourth tear line may extend along a second end edge of the third panel, the fifth tear line may extend from the third tear line along the second panel, and the sixth tear line may extend from the fourth tear line along the second panel.

The blank may also include a seventh tear line extending from the third tear line along the fourth panel, and an eighth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the fourth panel.

The third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth tear lines may include perforations which facilitate tearing along these lines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a blank for forming a box according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a sleeve formed from the blank of Figure 1 in a flat, folded down condition;

Figure 3 shows the sleeve of Figure 2, also in perspective view, in a raised, folded up condition;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a box formed from the sleeve of Figure 3; and

Figures 5to 9 illustrate how the box of Figure 4 is opened along a tear strip and a plurality of tear lines to access articles within the box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has application in the field of packaging, and more particularly in boxes for packaging articles. The invention is embodied in a tear-away arrangement for opening boxes containing packaged articles, and is designed to allow such boxes to be opened relatively easily without damaging the packaged articles.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a blank 10 for forming a box according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the bank 10 is formed from a corrugated cardboard, and includes a first panel 12, a second panel 14 connected side-by-side to the first panel 12 along a fold line 16, a third panel 18 connected side-by-side to the second panel 14 along a fold line 20, and a fourth panel 22 connected side-by-side to the third panel 18 along a fold line 24.

The first panel 12 is also connected to two end flaps 26 and 28, as shown.

Similarly, the second panel 14 is connected to two end flaps 30 and 32, the third panel 18 is connected to two end flaps 34 and 36, and the fourth panel 22 is connected to two end flaps 38 and 40. Typically, an additional, glue flap 42 is connected to the fourth panel 22 along a fold line 44, as illustrated.

A tear strip, designated generally with the reference numeral 46, extends across the third panel 18 and includes a first end 48 on a first end edge of the third panel, a second end 50 on a second end edge of the third panel, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines 52 and 54 extending between the first end 48 and the second end 50. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the tear lines 52 and 54 comprises a plurality of spaced apart cuts 56, and each cut 56 is inclined relative to a longitudinal axis of the tear strip 46 so as to define a generally “fish-bone” shaped tear strip.

A third tear line 58 extends along the first end edge of the third panel 18, and a fourth tear line 60 extends along the second end edge of the panel 18, as shown. The blank 10 also includes a fifth tear line 62 which extends from the third tear line 58 along the second panel 14, a sixth tear line 64 which extends from the fourth tear line 60 along the second panel 14, a seventh tear line 66 which extends from the third tear line 58 along the fourth panel 22, and an eighth tear line 68 which extends from the fourth tear line 60 along the fourth panel 22. The various tear lines are specifically arranged on - the blank 10 to allow a box formed from the blank to be opened relatively easily in a manner which is described in detail below without damaging articles within the box. The blank 10 may also include additional tear lines 70 and 72 along end edges of the first panel 12 to facilitate the manufacture of the blank.

Typically, the blank 10 is formed by passing corrugated cardboard, which may be formed on a conventional board making machine (not illustrated), through a press (also not shown) which includes a rotary die for forming all of the fold lines and cuts on the blank. The press may include a device for printing indicia on the blanks, and may be designed to form the blanks in a continuous process.

With reference now to Figure 2 of the drawings, the first panel 12 of the blank 10 may be connected to the fourth pane! 22 by gluing the glue flap 42 to a side portion of the first panel, thereby forming a flat, folded down sleeve 74, as shown. The sleeve 74 may be folded from the flat, folded down condition illustrated in Figure 2 to the raised, folded up condition illustrated in

Figure 3, and a box 76, which is illustrated in Figure 4, may then be formed by folding the end flaps 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 an 40 inwardly in the directions of the arrows A in Figure 3, and applying conventional tape 78, as shown. Typically, articles to be packaged within the box 76 are introduced into the sleeve 74 before all the end flaps are folded and taped closed. It will be appreciated from Figure 4 that the third panel 18 forms a top wall of the box 786, the first panel 12 forms a bottom wall of the box, the panels 14 and 22 form side walls of the box, and the various end flaps 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 an 40 form end walls of the box.

With particular reference now to Figures 5 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, the box 76 may be opened to access the packaged articles (which are omitted from Figures 5 to 8 for clarity) in the following manner. First, one end 48 of the tear strip 46 is lifted to form a tab, and the tab is pulled up, away from the third panel 18, in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. As the tear strip 46 is pulled away from the third panel 18, it separates from the top wall of the box along the tear lines 52 and 54. With the tear strip 46 fully removed, as shown in Figure 6, the two portions of the third panel 18 may be grasped by hand and pulled up, separating from the end walls of the box along the tear lines 58 and 60, as shown in Figure 7. In this way, the top wall of the box 76 is opened to partially expose the packaged articles (not shown). Thereafter, the side wall of the box 76 formed from the fourth panel 22 may be pulled down, separating from the end walls of the box along the tear lines 66 and 68 in the manner illustrated in Figure 8, and the side wall of the box 76 formed from the second panel 14 may be pulled down, separating from the end walls of the box along the tear lines 62 and 64 in the manner illustrated in Figure 9, so as to open the box as petals open on a flower to fully expose the packaged articles 80. In the fully torn and opened condition of the box, the packaged articles 80 may be unpacked relatively easily, without damage.

In the illustrated embodiment, the end flaps 30 and 32 have straight side edges 82 and 84 (see Figure 1) which are arranged to engage the upper wall and the lower wall of the box 76 directly, i.e. these side edges are not tapered and hence do not form gaps between the flaps and the upper and lower walls of the box. In this way, the flaps 30 and 32 may receive loads from the upper and lower walls of the box 76, and thereby improve the compressive strength of the box. It should also be understood that if the tear strip 46 and the relevant tear lines are suitably positioned on the blank 10, the box 76 may be formed without compromising the strength of the box.

The tear strip 46 need not have the exact “fish-bone” shape as illustrated in the drawings, and it may extend across panels other than the third panel 18.

Also the tear strip 46 may extend across the relevant panel from one side to another, as opposed to from one end to the other, and may be inclined relative to side edges of the relevant panel. Furthermore, the various tear lines which are positioned between contiguous walls of the box may, in other embodiments, be arranged to extend across end or side portions of the relevant walls.

It should be appreciated that the box 76 may be opened relatively easily to expose the packaged articles 80 by simply tearing away the tear strip 46 and subsequently tearing the box open along the various tear lines. Since it is not necessary to use a tool such as a knife to open the box, the risk of damaging the packaged articles is greatly reduced.

Claims

1. A box for storing and/or transporting at least one article, the box comprising: an upper wall; a lower wall, a pair of opposed side walls extending between side edges of the upper and lower walls; a pair of opposed end walls extending between end edges of the upper and lower walls; and means for opening the box along a series of tear lines to access the at least one article within the box, the means for opening the box including: a tear strip extending across at least one of the walls of the box, the tear strip including a first end adjacent a first edge of the wall carrying the tear strip, a second end adjacent a second edge of the wall carrying the tear strip, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip; a third tear line extending along the first edge of the wall carrying the tear strip; a fourth tear line extending along the second edge of the wall carrying the tear strip; a fifth tear line extending from the third tear line along a wall contiguous with the wall carrying the tear strip; and a sixth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the wall contiguous with the wall carrying the tear strip.

2. A box according to claim 1, wherein the fifth tear line and the sixth tear line extend along opposed edges of the wall contiguous with the wall carrying the tear strip.

3. A box according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for opening the box includes: a tear strip extending across the top wall of the box, the tear strip including a first end adjacent a first end edge of the top wall, a second end adjacent a second end edge of the top wall, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip; a third tear line extending along the first end edge of the top wall; a fourth tear line extending along the second end edge of the top wall; a fifth tear line extending from the third tear line along a first side wall of the box; and a sixth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the first side wall of the box, the fifth and sixth tear lines extending along opposed edges of the first side wall of the box.

4, A box according to claim 3, wherein the means for opening the box also includes: a seventh tear line extending from the third tear line along a second side wall of the box; and an eighth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the second side wall of the box, the seventh and eighth tear lines extending along opposed edges of the second side wall of the box.

5. A box according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tear strip has the form of a “fish-bone” in which each of the spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first and second ends of the tear strip comprises a plurality of spaced apart cuts which are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the tear strip.

6. A box according to claim 4, wherein the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth tear lines of the means for opening the box include perforations which facilitate tearing along these lines.

7. A box according to either claim 4 or claim 6, wherein the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth tear lines extend along the entire lengths of the respective edges of the box.

8. A blank for forming a box according to claim 1, the blank including: a first panel; a second panel connected side-by-side to the first panel along a first fold line; a third panel connected side-by-side to the second panel along a second fold line; a fourth panel connected side-by-side to the third panel along a third fold line; each of the panels connected along end edges to a pair of opposed end flaps; a tear strip extending along at least one of the panels, the tear strip including a first end adjacent a first edge of the panel carrying the tear strip, a second end adjacent a second edge of the panel carrying the tear strip, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip;

a third tear line extending along the first edge of the panel carrying the tear strip; a fourth tear line extending along the second edge of the panel carrying the tear strip; a fifth tear line extending from the third tear line along a panel adjacent the panel carrying the tear strip; and a sixth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the panel adjacent the panel carrying the tear strip.

9. A blank according to claim 8, wherein the fifth and sixth tear lines extend along opposed edges of the panel adjacent the panel carrying the tear strip.

10. A blank according to either claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the tear strip extends across the third panel of the blank and includes a first end adjacent a first end edge of the third panel, a second end adjacent a second end edge of the third panel, and a pair of spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first end and the second end of the tear strip.

11. A blank according to claim 10, wherein the third tear line extends along a first end edge of the third panel, the fourth tear line extends along a second end edge of the third panel, the fifth tear line extends from the third tear line along the second panel, and the sixth tear line extends from the fourth tear line along the second panel.

12. A blank according to claim 11, including a seventh tear line extending from the third tear line along the fourth panel, and an eighth tear line extending from the fourth tear line along the fourth panel.

13. A blank according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the tear strip has the form of a “fish-bone” in which each of the spaced-apart tear lines extending between the first and second ends of the tear strip comprises a plurality of spaced apart cuts which are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the tear strip.

14. A blank according to claim 12, wherein the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth tear lines include perforations which facilitate tearing along these lines. DATED THIS 24TH DAY OF MARCH 2006 SPOOR & APPLI P ATTORNEY l}