Envelopes – wrappers – and paperboard boxes – Paperboard box – With closure for an access opening
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-02
2002-02-12
Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)
Envelopes, wrappers, and paperboard boxes
Paperboard box
With closure for an access opening
C229S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06345759
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gable top carton having an enlarged pour spout opening. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-square cross-section gable top carton having an enlarged pour spout opening defined by multiple creases in the gable.
The traditional gable top carton is in wide spread use for liquid food packaging and various particulate and solid foods packaging. For example, the conventional gable top carton has become fairly widely used for packaging soups and the like that contain particulate in liquid and/or powdered combinations.
In that these packages are readily manufactured from relatively low cost materials and can be processed, e.g., filled, with high speed filling lines, it would be advantageous to package other types of goods in such packages. One problem is that the size of the pour spout opening is limited to that that is formed when the gable panels are unfolded. In those instances where the containers are relatively small, for example, (70 mm×70 mm, and 95 mm×95 mm) the opening of the spout is limited to less than one half of the dimension of the container. That is, for a 70 mm×70 mm container, the opening of the spout is limited to 35 mm×35 mm. This limitation is true (a spout opening size limited to one half of each dimension of the container) regardless of the size or configuration of the container.
This size limitation limits the type of product that can be stored and dispensed from the container. For example, many dry cereals, such as corn flakes vary in size as does the product make-up of some snack foods, such as snack mix. As a result, products such as these may not lend themselves well for storage and dispensing from traditional gable top containers.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a gable top carton or container that has an enlarged pour spout opening. Desirably, such a container is configured so that the pour spout opening is sufficiently large for readily dispensing various types and sizes of products. Most desirably, such a container includes a pour spout opening that has an opening size that is greater than one half of the dimensions of the overall carton configuration.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A non-square, gable top carton has an enlarged pour spout opening. The carton is formed from four upstanding side walls. A first pair of opposing side walls have a first width and an opposing pair of sides walls have a second width less than the first width. The carton includes a sealed bottom wall contiguous with the upstanding sides walls.
A gable top is openable at one side thereof. The gable top is formed from opposing outer gable walls, opposing inner gable walls and a spout wall. The opposing outer gable walls are contiguous with the wider side walls. The opposing inner gable walls and spout wall are contiguous with one of the narrower side walls. The gable top terminates at an upstanding fin.
The outer gable walls are separated from their respective inner gable walls by longitudinal creases formed therebetween. The inner gable walls are separated from the spout wall by a pair of angled creases formed therebetween. The inner gable walls are folded within the upstanding fin.
The outer gable walls have a plurality of pairs of angled creases formed therein for forming the opening. Preferably, the outer gable walls have two pairs of angled creases. A first pair of angled creases corresponds to the angled creases separating the inner gable walls from the spout wall. Each of the first pair of angled creases extends from a first terminal location about a juncture of the outer gable wall, the inner gable wall and their respective upstanding side walls to a second terminal location proximate the fin.
Each of the second pair of angled creases is adjacent a respective one of the first pair of creases. Each of the second pair of angled creases extends from about the first terminal location to a third terminal location proximate the fin and spaced from and rearwardly of the second terminal location. The third terminal location is at a rearward distance from an edge of the fin a distance greater than one-half of the narrower carton width.
The carton is opened at a portion of the gable top folding the outer gable walls along the first pair of angled creases to expose the inner gable walls and spout wall. The spout wall is urged away from the inner gable walls, and is opened further by folding the outer gable walls along the second pair of creases to a point on the fin rearward of an intersection of the inner gable walls being folded within the upstanding fin.
The third terminal location can be spaced rearwardly of the second terminal location a distance from an edge of the fin that is at least about one-half of the upstanding narrower carton width. Preferably, the third terminal location is spaced a distance from the edge of the fin a distance greater than one-half of the narrower carton width.
To facilitate readily opening the carton at the fin, the fin is sealed with abhering means to the third terminal location.
A blank for the enlarged pour spout opening carton includes first and third wall panels having a first width and second and fourth wall panels having a second width less than the first width. A fifth panel is adjacent the fourth wall panel for securing to the first wall panel. A plurality of bottom wall panels are contiguous with the first, second, third, fourth and fifth wall panels.
A plurality of gable panels form a gable top and a plurality of fin panels are contiguous with the gable panels. The fin panels are configured for sealing the carton. The gable panels include outer gable panels adjacent the first and third wall panels, inner gable panels adjacent the second and fourth wall panels, and a spout panel adjacent the second wall panel.
The fin panels extend from and are contiguous with the inner and outer gable panels. The outer gable panels are separated from their respective inner gable panels by longitudinal creases formed therebetween. The inner gable panels are separated from the spout panel by a pair of angled creases formed therebetween. The outer gable panels have a plurality of pairs of angled creases formed therein.
A first pair of angled creases correspond to the angled creases separating the inner gable panels from the spout panel. Each of the first pair of angled creases extends from a first terminal location about a juncture of the outer gable panel, the inner gable panel and their respective upstanding side wall panels to a second terminal location at or proximate the fin.
A second pair of angled creases are each adjacent a respective one of the first pair of angled creases. Each second crease extends from about the first terminal location to a third terminal location spaced from the second terminal location. The third terminal location is at a distance from a juncture with the second panel at least one-half of the second and fourth panel second width. The third terminal location is at or proximate the fin. A vertical crease can be formed in the fin at the third terminal location.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.
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Elkins Gary E.
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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