Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paperboard box – Having means to facilitate opening the box by severing box...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-29
2001-04-03
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paperboard box
Having means to facilitate opening the box by severing box...
C229S120210, C229S224000, C229S234000, C206S542000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209785
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to improvements in boxes, especially boxes suitable for solid or semi-solid materials, such as frozen desserts, frozen cakes and ice cream.
Folding boxes are well known in the packaging art. The boxes are constructed from flat blanks, being pre-cut and pre-scored cardboard sheets which are folded into the required shape and secured by means of known adhesives. The boxes are used for packaging retail products, particularly consumable goods. During the filling operation, packaging machinery is used to form the box from the blank, fill it with product and then seal the fully assembled boxes according to a prescribed folding sequence and adhesive pattern.
Frozen, consumable products are most frequently supplied in cartons made of a plastics or cardboard material comprising a container portion and a lid. A spoon for eating the product is then supplied separately with the product. Such cartons are environmentally unfriendly, are not tamper proof and are not convenient. The round-shaped tubs in which frozen desserts and the like are most usually supplied to the consumer are not ideal since the tubs cannot be shrink-wrapped and cannot be sold in rectangular multi-packs.
Further state of the art boxes include those formed as a single unit from blanks which are suitable for such food products as ice cream and frozen yoghurt. However, such boxes have a number of drawbacks including leakage of the contents from the box and being difficult to open and eat from. Additionally, a large number of flaps are used to assemble and secure the box in its constructed state which are visible from the outside thus reducing the neat appearance of the box which results in the box being less consumer-appealing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved box, particularly for solid and semi-solid products, in which leakage of the contents of the box may be avoided. A further object of the present invention is to provide a box which is tamper evident and is easy to eat from.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a box which is more visually appealing to the consumer. Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a box which is easily opened by the user to provide access to the product. Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a box in which means for consuming the contents thereof is conveniently provided therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rectangular box which may be conveniently shrink-wrapped and is suitable for supplying to the consumer in multi-pack portions to result in a much higher and efficient usage of pallets for improved distribution and display of the boxes.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a box, suitable for a solid or semi-solid food product, made up from a blank to form a three dimensional rectangular section box comprising:
a body portion having a side panel, a rear panel, a second side panel and a front panel;
a base portion formed from the folding inwards of end flaps provided on said side panel, rear panel, second side panel and front panel and secured together by means of an adhesive;
a lid portion having two overlapping flaps and a third top flap secured to the body portion by means of an adhesive, the top flap being provided with a tear-away zip for opening the box.
It is preferable that the flaps of the box are secured by means of a hot, melt adhesive.
Preferably, the front panel of the body portion is provided with an end flap for securing to the side panel separate to the front panel, during assembly of the box. A strip of adhesive is preferably provided along the intended innermost surface of the flap for securement to the side panel.
It is to be appreciated that the side panels of the body portion are of substantially the same dimension, as are the rear and front panels, such as to form a three dimensional rectangular box in the assembled state.
Preferably, the end flaps of the said side panels for forming the base portion are dimensioned such that, in the assembled box, the flaps overlap one another. Preferably, the end flap of the rear panel is folded inwards first and the end flaps of the side panels are folded thereover. The end flap of the front panel is then folded over these flaps and adhered thereto. It is preferable that at least one of the end flaps of the side panels is provided with an indented side to prevent the flap being visible in the fully assembled box. Adhesive may also be provided between the innermost end flap and the end flaps of the side panels.
An additional flange may be provided running along the length, or a part thereof, of the end flap of the rear panel between the end flaps of the side panel. Preferably, the connection between the flange and the end flap is half cut to allow the flange to be bent at approximately 90° and tucked in against the front panel in the assembled box.
It is preferable that the two overlapping flaps of the lid portion are continuous with the side panels of the body portion, being separated therefrom by fold lines. Preferably, one flap is greater in length than the other such that, in the assembled box, the longer flap overlaps the shorter flap, or vice versa. In this manner, means for consuming or removing the contents of the box such as a spoon or other item may be placed on the surface created by the overlapping flaps.
More preferably, the two overlapping flaps of the lid portion are each provided with a series of substantially parallel crease lines running near to and parallel with the fold line separating the flaps from their respective side panels. Preferably, the creases are provided across approximately one third of the length of the flap. In constructing the assembled box, the creased regions of the flaps are pushed inwards towards their respective side panel with the non-creased region of each flap lying substantially perpendicularly to the side panels thereby forming a suspended surface across the opening of the box which may have an item, such as a spoon, placed thereon. The top flap is then folded over and secured to a part of the box. In this manner, the item is separated from contacting the food product contained in the box and lies below the top flap of the front panel.
Preferably, the top flap comprises two sections, a first section for folding over the overlapping end flaps of the side panels and a second section for folding over the front panel and securing the lid to the body portion by means of adhesive. Preferably, the second section is provided with the tear-away zip for detaching the lid portion from the body portion to enable opening of the box. Preferably, the top flap is continuous with the rear panel of the body portion.
Alternatively, the top flap comprises two sections, one section being continuous with the rear panel of the body portion and the second section being continuous with the front panel of the body portion, both sections being separated from their respective panels by fold lines. The sections are at least half the width of their respective panels, preferably being approximately two-thirds the width thereof. Each portion is provided with a line of complimentary spaced apart cut lines to form respectively male and female portions of a tear-away zip. In assembling the box, the sections are folded over the overlapping end flaps of the side panels and secured to each other by means of adhesive. Preferably, a line of adhesive is provided between the outermost edge of one of the sections and the cut line thereof for securement to the corresponding part of the underlying section. In this manner, the complimentary spaced apart cut lines of the sections form a tear-away strip in the assembled box which, upon removal, results in the simultaneous removal of the adhesive which secures the two flaps. This is advantageous for safety reasons in that adhesive is not left on the box which may be accidently ingested, particularly by a child.
Preferably, cut lines into but not through the cardboard are provided above and below the tear-away strip to pr
Allied Balfour Limited
Levisohn, Lerner, Berger & Langsam
Mai Tri M.
Shoap Allan N.
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