Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paperboard box – Including tearing or breaking means for opening a nonunitary...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-02
2001-03-06
Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paperboard box
Including tearing or breaking means for opening a nonunitary...
C229S005500, C220S359300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196450
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a composite container having a membrane-type closure on one end thereof which provides sufficient strength to withstand internal pressure while being easily opened without tearing the membrane during such opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Composite containers (usually spirally wound) are used for packaging a wide variety of products including food products, such as PRINGLES® potato chips. These composite containers typically have a metal end seamed onto the container on a lower end thereof and a membrane bonded to the upper end of the composite container which usually has an outwardly turned flange on the upper end for receiving the membrane.
The bond between the membrane and the outwardly turned flanged upper end of the composite container, as well as the metal end seamed lower end of the composite container, must be hermetic and have a strength sufficient to withstand high internal pressures developed inside the container at high altitudes and/or temperature after being packaged with a food product or the like. The bond between the membrane and the flanged upper end of the composite container must also be weak enough to be opened easily without tearing the membrane during the opening. These opposed structural characteristics have presented problems in either having a membrane to container bond which is too weak to withstand the internal pressures developed at high altitudes and/or temperatures or too strong to provide easy-opening without tearing the membrane.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an easy-open composite container having a membrane-type closure which provides a bond between the membrane closure and the container body member which is strong enough to withstand very high pressure developed inside the container at high altitudes and/or temperatures and is weak enough to allow easy-opening without tearing of the membrane closure.
By this invention, it has been found that the above object may be accomplished by providing an easy-open composite container having a membrane-type closure and comprising the following.
A laminated tubular body member of composite materials (preferably of a spirally-wound construction) having a predetermined laminated strength (preferably laminated with a suitable adhesive) and defining inside and outside surfaces and an open upper end. The body member includes a body wall portion and a liner portion positioned inside the body wall portion and forming the body member inside surface. An outwardly-rolled rim portion is formed at an upper area of the open upper end of the tubular body member and the liner portion forms a top surface of the body member open upper end and an outside surface of the outwardly-rolled rim portion. A cut extends circumferentially around a segment of the outside surface of the rim portion and extends radially-inwardly through at least a part of the liner portion.
A membrane closure member of substantially a shape corresponding to the body member open upper end has a pull tab portion extending outwardly from an outer circumferential area thereof. The membrane closure member is positioned on the top surface of the body member open upper end with the pull tab portion over the cut in the rim portion. A bond (preferably a heat seal) is formed between the top surface of the body member open upper end and the membrane member for hermetically closing the open upper end. The bond has a predetermined strength greater than the laminated strength of the tubular body member and sufficient to prevent leakage caused by internal pressure within the container.
The above defined composite container can be easily opened by pulling the pull tab portion of the membrane closure member which causes radial delamination of a segment of the body member at the cut in the rim portion to provide an easy start for removing the membrane member with the segment delaminated rim portion from the remainder of the body member rim portion.
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Drummond Michael T.
Varadarajan Krishnaraju
Williams Alan D.
Alston & Bird LLP
Elkins Gary E.
Sonoco Development Inc.
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