Container

Details Container Container

2000-06-14

2001-12-25

Fidei, David T. (Department: 3728)

Special receptacle or package

Combined or convertible

Packaged assemblage or kit

C206S807000, C229S148000, C229S186000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06332538

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly, though not exclusively, to a container for use with loose particulate or bagged particulate materials such as, for example, tea, herb, fruit and other similar beverages. It also relates to a container blank, a method of assembling a container and adhesives for use in the assembly of the container.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a container, or presentation box, which is tamper evident, and reclosable.
It would also be desirable to provide a container which is easy and cheap to construct and fill on a production line, and which uses as little material as possible.
The container of the present invention has thus been designed with a view to overcoming one or more of the following problems:
1. It should be tamper evident;
2. It should be easy to open and be reclosable;
3. It should be lockable to the extent that the contents are not emptied if the container is, for example, accidentally knocked over;
4. It should provide an aroma barrier;
5. It should provide a moisture barrier;
6. It should be constructed to alleviate, as far as possible, dusting; and
7. It should be strong, thus reducing the need for secondary (e.g. cellophane wrap) and tertiary (e.g. boxing for transit) packaging.
These problems have been addressed in a number of ways:
Thus, the container may be made tamper evident by the provision of a lid which is sealed over the opening of a box, which seal is broken by the end-user. This is preferably achieved using a “tear strip” , most preferably one produced by a process called Concora. It will, however, be appreciated that other methods of producing “lines of weakness” could be used.
Most preferably the lid is designed to pivotally open. In a preferred construction the lid comprises a top panel and a skirt and the tear strip runs around all three sides of the skirt. In this way the lid can be integrally and hingedly connected to the box making it easy to open and re-close the container by pivoting the lid over the box's opening.
The applicant has found that the container can be made lockable using a “click lock” mechanism. The preferred “click lock” mechanism is one known as a Z-lock. Thus, by providing a “back fold” on at least a portion of a rim of at least one of the panels which define the box's opening, preferably on the panel opposite the hinge, the skirt of the lid, when the lid is closed, moves over the “back fold” , which is resiliently biased to exert a locking force against it and a raised surface formed on the inside of the skirt of the lid, thus preventing accidental emptying of the container.
Preferably the container is constructed from a barrier board. Preferred barrier coatings include:
1. High density polyethylene (HDPE) which provides an aroma and moisture barrier;
2. Vinyl polymers which provide an aroma and moisture barrier; and
3. Acrylic polymer varnish which also provides an aroma and moisture barrier.
To overcome the problem of dusting (escape of the fine particulate material from the container) it proved necessary to reduce air change within the container. The applicant determined that air change can be reduced by making the container stronger and by creating better seals. One way of achieving this was by reinforcing the container at its vertices and providing deflectors about the rim of the box's opening. The resulting improvement in strength was also found to reduce or alleviate a need for secondary and tertiary packaging.
The vertices are reinforced by increasing the thickness of the carton about them. In one embodiment this is achieved by gusseting. Preferably, an integral gusset is formed from a substantially L-shaped tab situated between the fold lines of a carton blank which when the blank is folded form the vertice. The L-shaped tab is pleated bringing the respective fold lines forming the vertice together and the pleat is then secured by gluing it to a panel adjacent to the vertice. To simplify the gluing procedure one or more apertures are formed in one of the arms making up the L-shape such that by gluing a single surface it is possible to stick the two arms of the L-shape together and the resulting pleat to the panel adjacent to the vertices the adhesive on one of the arms being able to secure the pleat to the panel by virtue of the fact it can pass through the aperture in the other arm. Another significant feature of the invention is the provision of delaminating areas.
A first delaminating area comprises a “die cut” area formed through a layer of the laminate so that the layer of the laminate within the “cut” may be lifted away. This technique allows a tear strip formed in the lid to be glued at its ends to the box so as to seal the container yet, at the same time, enhance ease of opening, since when the tear strip is pulled back the die cut area will lift away. Preferably, the die cut is shaped to terminate in a point which is directed in the direction in which the tear strip is pulled to open the container.
A second delaminating area allows the lid to be glued to the box near its pivot. When the lid is hingedly opened delamination occurs.
A fuller understanding of the delaminating areas will be gleaned from the specific description.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a reclosable container comprising:
a box having an opening and comprising a base panel, two end panels, a back panel, and a front panel; and
a lid comprising a top panel and a skirt incorporating a tamper evident seal;
said lid being hingedly connected to said box such that on breaking the tamper evident seal it can pivot between a first position in which it lies over the opening of the box closing the container and a second position in which it is remote from the opening of the box leaving the container open.
Preferably, the container is formed from a single sheet. This saves on materials and reduces assembly costs.
Preferably the box's opening is substantially the same size as the base of the box and includes dust deflector tabs about the rim.
Preferably the tamper evident seal is in the form of a tear strip.
Preferably the container is lockable, and the provision of one or more tabs “back folded” along all or a portion of an edge of the front panel of the box provides the locking means. The back fold is biased to exert a force against the inner face of the lids skirt which preferably also comprises a stop. The resulting appearance gives rise to it being known as a Z-lock.
Preferably the container is constructed of box or carton board although other materials such as, for example, paper, plastics, metal plastics or other metal coated materials could be used.
More preferably the container is constructed from a barrier board (in this case a coated box board). Most preferably the outer most face is coated with a combination of primer and over lacquers which can be conventionally or ultra violet cured. Preferably the lacquers are polyvinyl polymers and acrylic which provide moisture and aroma resistance.
The use of a barrier coating is particularly important for containers carrying beverages containing citrus oils, since these will attack the adhesives traditionally use d in the manufacture of cartons. T he applicant has found that polyamide based adhesives are less prone to degradation by these oils and these are preferred.
An advantage of an acrylic outer most coating is that it can easily be overprinted.
The use of polyamide adhesives in the constructions of the container, the carton blank and the method of constructing the container are separate and further aspects of the present invention.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a container blank comprising nine panel forming sections, six panel connectors, a locking tab and two deflector tabs which serve to retain particulate material within the box.
The nine panel forming sections comprise five panels which form a box with an opening and four panels which form a lid with a skirt.
The five panels which form the box with an opening are arrange

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Container does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Container, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Container will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2598754