IE45956B1 - Coated paperboard blank - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a blank for coated paperboard container including a body portion having a top end closed by a top end closure.

Containers for beverages such as milk, cream, other dairy products, and juices, are conventionally constructed from thermoplastics coated paperboard.

One type of such containers includes a top end closure with a folded gable roof having a vertically projecting seal at the roof ridge for sealing the container and providing a pouring spout when the contents of the container are to be dispensed. Stacking of such containers requires the use of separating trays intermediate different layers due to the vertically projecting seals of their top end closures. Also, storage space is lost in stacking these containers due to the empty space resulting from the configuration of the top end closure. Such containers are shown by U.S. Patents 3,116,002 and 3,120,335. Another type of such containers includes a flat top end closure that is folded and has a flat seal projecting from a centerline of the closure with an outer end that is releasably secured to the rest of the closure generally adjacent one of its sides. Various releasable connections are provided for releasing the flat seals to permit them to be opened so as to provide a pouring spout for dispensing the beverage. U.S. Patents 3,869,078 and 3,892,347 disclose such flat top end closures. A further type of such containers is disclosed by United States - 2 Published Patent Application B 461,257, published January 13, 1976, and includes a top end closure with an inclined seal.

Coated paperboard blanks for constructing each type of container described above are made on converting machines like those disclosed by U.S. Patents 2,682,208 and 3,731,600. After construction of the blanks to form the containers, application of heat or high frequency vibration applied by clamping pressure to interengaged portions of the blanks provides sealing of the containers.

An objection of the invention is to provide an improved blank for a coated paperboard container with a body portion having a top end that is closed by a top end closure comprised of a folded gable roof and a top seal for sealing the roof while projecting upwardly and laterally therefrom at an inclined angle so as to be stackable, and lessen the required storage space of the container.

According to this invention there is provided a coated paperboard blank for constructing a container which includes a body portion having top and bottom ends and constructed frcm a pair of side panels and front and back panels, connecting the side panels, a bottom end closure including folded panels connected to the panels of the body portion at the bottom end thereof, and a top end closure, the blank comprising the combination of: roof panels for forming a folded roof connected to the panels of the body portion at a a a a o - 3 the top end thereof and seal lips for forming a top seal that seals the roof; the roof panels including outer roof panels connected to the side panels; the roof panels also including front and back triangular gable panels connected to the front and back panels of the body portion; each triangular gable panel having a pair of , triangular inner roof panels; the triangular inner roof panels of each pair thereof being respectively located on opposite sides of the associated gable panel; the gable panels including intersecting inclined edges extending from the front and back panels; the outer roof panels including triangular spout portions adjacent the front panel so as to cooperate with the front gable panel and the inner roof panels connected thereto upon opening of the container after construction to provide a pouring spout; the seal lips including outer seal lips that are sealed to each other upon construction and which respectively project from the outer roof panels; the seal lips also including front and back inner seal lips projecting from the inner roof panels between the outer seal lips upon construction respectively above the front and back gable panels; the outer seal lips including terminal edges spaced from their associated outer roof panels; the inner seal lips including terminal edges that terminate short of the terminal edges on the outer seal lips upon construction; a score line that connects each of the seal lips and the associated roof panel; the 459 5θ - 4 inner seal lips also including opposite ends; and each inner seal lip being foldable between the ends thereof upon construction such that the constructed top seal has a cross section including folded inner seal lip edge portions that terminate adjacent each other to lessen the likelihood of leakage occurring along the seal, and the blank being characterized by the score line that connects one of the outer seal lips and its associated roof panel being positioned lower than the score line that connects the other outer seal lip and its associated roof panel. Preferably the triangular inner roof panels on the opposite sides of each gable panel are of different areas. Preferably also each gable panel has inclined edges that define different angles with the associated body portion panel to provide the triangular inner roof panels of different areas on the opposite sides of the gable panel.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a view of a coated paperboard container blank used to construct a container having a top end closure with a roof and a slant top seal; Figure 2 is a front elevation of a container constructed from the container blank shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan as seen along line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the slant top roof seal; - 5 Figure 4 is a,bottom plan as seen along line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing a bottom end closure of the constructed container; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the top end closure in a closed and sealed condition; Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views through the slant top seal'of the end closure and are respectively taken along lines 6-6 and 7-7 of Figure 5; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the top end closure in an opened condition providing a pouring spout for dispensing the container contents.

A thermoplastic coated paperboard blank indicated by reference numeral 20 in Figure 1 is constructed to provide a carton or container 22 as shown in Figure 2. A tubular body portion 24 of container 22 has a top end closed by a slant top end closure 26 and also has a bottom end closed by a bottom end closure 28. As can be seen in Figures 3 and 5 in addition to Figure 2, the slant top end closure 26 includes a folded gable roof 30 at the top ·. end of the container with a slant top seal 32 projecting laterally and upwardly at an inclined orientation from a roof ridge axis A. Bottom end closure 28 has a square configuration as shown in FIGURE 4 for closing the bottom end of the container body portion 24.

Container blank 20 as shown in FIGURE 1 includes various scores along which the blank is folded to provide the container body portion 24, the slant top er.d closure 26, and the bottom end closure 28. Intermediate its upper and lower ends, blank 20 includes a rectangular side panel 34 connected to a rectangular ,front panel 36 which is itself connected to another rectangular side panel 38. A rectangular back panel 40 is also connected to the side panel 38 and is secured to a seam flap 42 connected to the side panel 34 during construction of the container in order to form a tubular configuration. Securement of the seam flap 42 to the back panel 40 is provided by heat with a clamping pressure utilized to bond the thermoplastic coating of the container blank portions to each other.

Bottom end closure 28 is formed after the construction of the container blank into its tubular shape by folding the various triangular and rectangular panels 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50 and then bonding these panels to each other. A lower end 42a of seam flap 42 is secured to the panel 50 during the formation of the container blank into its tubular configuration. Inward folding of the triangular panels 44 and 48 toward each other then pulls the triangular panels 43, 45 and 47, 49 connected there to into an overlying relationship therewith as the rectangular panels 46 and 50 are concomitantly pulled inwardly to overlie the triangular panels in a generally planar relationship to form the end closure. End closure 28, as can be seen in FIGURE 4, is of the tucked in type with a portion 50a of panel 50 extending past a centerline B of the closure beneath a flap 46a of panel 46. -ΊΑ high frequency vibration sealing apparatus such as the one disclosed by U. S. Patent 3,912,576 or a conventional heat sealing apparatus is utilized to seal the end closure whose various portions have one, two, three and four layers of the carton material respectively indicated by numerals a, b, c and d. It should also be noted that the bottom end closure 28 may also be of the non-tuck in” type wherein the panel 50 terminates at the centerline B of this closure.

Slant top end closure 26 is formed from the container blank 20 shown in FIGURE 1 after construction thereof into the tubular configuration described above and after formation of the bottom end closure 28 and filling of the partially constructed container with its contents. Roof 30 of the top end closure includes a rectangular outer roof panel 52 connected to the body portion side panel 34, a front triangular gable panel 54 connected to the body portion front panel 36, an outer roof panel 56 connected to the body portion side panels 38, and a back triangular gable panel 58 connected to the body portion back panel 40. Triangular inner roof panels 53 and 55 respectively connect the front triangular gable panel 54 with pouring spout portions 52a and 56a of the outer roof panels. Likewise, triangular inner roof panels 57 and 59 of the constructed container respectively connect the back triangular gable panel 58 with the outer roof panels 56 and 52, the latter connection being made by an upper portion 42b of the seam flap which is bonded to panel 59.

Slant top seal 32 of top' end closure 26 includes a rectangular outer seal lip 60 shown in FIGURE 1 as projecting from the outer roof panel 52 and connected to a front inner seal lip 62 projecting from the inner roof panels 53 and 55 that .jre connected to the front triangular gable panel 54, An outer seal lip of the slant top seal projects from the outer roof panel 56 ' and is connected to the inner seal lip 62 as well as to a back inner seal lip 66 projecting from the inner roof panels 57 and 59 that are connected to the back triangular gable panel 58. Inner seal lip 66 is also connected to the outer seal lip 60 during construction of the container by bonc'jng thereof to the top end 42b of the seam flap.

Construction of the slant top end closure 26 begins by in.zard folding of the triangular gable panels 54 and 58 shown in FIGURE 1 toward each other with the container blank in its tubular configuration. This folding moves the inner roof panels 53, 55 and 57, 59 respectively connected to gable panels 54 and 58 in an overlying relationship thereto and pulls the outer roof pan els 52 and 56 downwardly into their inclined orientation so as to cooperatively provide the roof ridge A from which the slant top seal 32 projects at its inclined orientation. Bonds 68 best shown in FIGURES 3 and 8 along seal 32 are formed by application of either heat or high frequency vibration together with a clamping action that seals the contents of the container. Each bond 68, as seen by additional reference to FIGURE 6, not only seals the outer seal lips 60 and 64 to each other but also secures the outer seal lips to the folded inner seal lip 66 therebetween which is connected to the back triangular gable panel 58 shown in FIGURE 1 by the inner roof panels 57 and 59.’ Outer seal lips 60 v and 64 are also secured to each other as shown in FIGURE 7 by the one bond 68 but are prevented from forming a complete seal with the inner seal lip 62 associated with the front triangular gable panel 54 shown in FIGURE 1 by coating of an abhesive material applied to the inner seal lip 62 as shown at 70 and to the .'outer seal lips 60 and 64 as shown at 72 and 74. This abhesive coating may be made of any suitable material, such as a wax based material, and permits the sealed top end closure 26 to be opened from its closed condition of FIGURE 5 to its open condition of FIGURE 8 where a pouring spout indicated by 76 is provided. Front gable panel 54 and its connected inner roof panels 53 and 55 cooperate with the spout portions 52a and 56a of outer roof panels 52 and 56 as well as with the front portions of the outer seal lips 60 and 64 and the front inner seal lip 62 to provide the pouring spout that is used to dispense the contents of the container.

Outer seal lips 60 and 64 as seen in FIGURE 1 have respective straight outer terminal edges 60a and 64a. Outer seal lip 60 has a greater height projecting from its associated outer roof panel 52 to its terminal edge 60a than the height of outer seal lip 64 projecting from its associated outer roof panel 56 to its terminal edge 64a. Both outer roof panels 52 and 56 have the same height projecting from their associated body portion side panels 34 and 38 and the scores that interconnect these panels are located slightly above the scores that connect the triangular gable panels 54 and 58 with the front and back panels 36 and 40 to enhance foldability. The combined height of panel 56 and seal lip 64 is thus shorter than the combined height of ' panel 52 and seal lip 60 so both of these outer seal lips can project at the inclined orientation as shown in FIGURE 2 while terminating adjacent each other without the lower lip 64 projecting beyond the upper lip 60 so as to form any upwardly exposed groove.

Formation of the slant top end closure 26 is facilitated by the configuration of the triangular front and back gable panels 54 and 58 shown in FIGURE 1. Inclined edges 78 and όί gable panel 54 respectively define angles 54a and 54b with the - 10 body portion front panel 36 while intersecting with each other at an upper intersection 80. Likewise, triangular gable panel 58 has inclined edges 82 and 83 that respectively define angles 58a and 58b with the body portion back panel 40 while intersecting at an upper intersection 84. Inclined edge angles 54a and 58a are located on the opposite side of the roof ridge A from the direction in which the top slant seal 32 projects laterally and have a slightly smaller size than the angles 54b and 58b on the opposite side of the seal. Preferably, angle 54a and 58a have a size of approximately 46° and angles 54b and 58b have a size of approximately 47°. This difference in angle size results in different areas of the inner roof panels on opposite sides of each gable panel and enhances the foldability of the top end closure and its ability to be sealed with the slant top seal 32 projecting at its inclined orientation which is preferably between approximately 15° and 45° relative to the horizontal.

As seen in FIGURE 1, inner seal lips 62 and 66 include respective terminal edges 62a and 66a that have somewhat blunt V shapes forming associated vertices 86 and 88. Opposite ends 90 and 92 of inner seal lip 62 are respectively connected to the outer seal lips 60 and 64 adjacent their coatings of abhesive material indicated by 72 and 74. Likewise, opposite ends 94 and 96 of inner seal lip 66 are respectively connected to oute.· seal lip 64 and outer - 11 seal lip 60, the latter connection being at the top seam flap end 42b. Intermediate its ends, inner seal lip 62 includes a score 98 extending between its terminal edge vertex 86 and the adjacent front gable panel inclined edge intersection 80. Likewise, inner seal lip 66 includes a score 100 extending between its terminal edge vertex 88 and the adjacent back gable panel inclined edge intersection 84. During sealing of the slant top seal 32, the inner seal lips fold along their respective scores 93 and 100 so as to be located between the outer seal lips 60 and 64 as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. End 90 of the inner seal lip 62 projects from its associated inner roof panel 53 a slightly greater distance than end 92 of this inner seal lip projects from its associated inner roof panel 55. Similarly, end 96 of inner seal lip 66 projects from its associated inner roof panel 59 a slightly greater distance than end 94 of this inner seal lip projects from its associated roof panel 57. Inner seal lip termi..al edges 62a and 66a thus have unsymmetrical V shapes about their associated vertices £6 and 88 due to the different heights of their ends and their scores 98 and 100 are uncentered between their ends due to the differences between the gable inclined edge angles 54a, 58a and 54b, 58b. During folding of the slant top end closure 26 and formation of the seal cross section shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the different heights of the inner seal lip ends causes the folded terminal edges of each inner seal lip to have edge portions that terminate adjacent each other to form a uniform space inward from the outer bond 68 in a manner that mitigates leakage of the seal in its inclined orientation. It should also be noted in FIGURE 1 that the abhesive material coatings 70, and 74 terminate short of the front inner seal lip ends 90 and 92 to ensure the formation of a liquid tight seal.

Containers like the container 22 shown by FIGURES 1 through 8 can be packed in layers on top of each other to mini25 mize the storage and cargo space necessary. As the containers are stacked, their slant top seals 32 will deflect downwardly as shown in FIGURE 2 from their solid line position to the lower position shown by phantom line. As this deflection takes place, the slant top end closure 26 provides an inherent cushioning ex30 feet between the layers of containers to enhance the transport45956 - 13 ability of the containers without leakage occurring. Unlike folded gable roof closures with vertically projecting seals, the container herein disclosed does not require any shipping tray intermediate the different layers of stacked containers. No releasable securement of the slant top seal to the rest of the top end closure is necessary as with flat top end closures.

Container blank 20 shown in Figure 1 has the 10 combined heights of its panel 56 and lip 64 less than the combined height of its panel 52 and lip 60, and panel 56 also has a shorter height than panel 52. The score 122 that interconnects outer roof panel 56 and outer seal lip 64 is thus dropped relative to (i.e. located lower than) the score 124 that interconnects outer roof panel 52 and outer seal lip 60 and thereby enhances the foldability of the container slant top seal. Thus, this score positioning helps in folding the slant top seal 32 into its inclined position of Figure 2 prior to sealing thereof to provide a liquid tight seal.

Other features of the container described above are claimed in our Patent Specification No. 45955 which claims :25 A coated paperboard container including a body portion having top and bottom ends and constructed from a pair of side panels and a front panel connecting the side panels as well as a back panel connected to one of the side panels, and a bottom 45θ86 - 14 end closure including folded panels connected to the panels of the body portion at the bottom end thereof, ' I a slant top end closure comprising the combination of: a folded gable roof connected to the top ends of the panels of thq body portion; a slant top seal for sealing the roof while projecting upwardly and laterally therefrom at an inclined angle so as to be deflectable to permit stacking of the containers in a manner that lessens the required storage space; said roof including outer roof panels connected to the side panels extending at inclined orientations therefrom to cooperatively define an upper ridge from which the slant top seal projects; the roof also including front and back triangular gable panels connected to the front and back panels of the body portion and having triangular inner roof panels connecting the gable panels with the outer roof panels; the gable panels including intersecting inclined edges extending from the front and back panels with the angles defined therewith just slightly greater for the inclined edges adjacent the side panel toward which the slant top seal projects than for the inclined edges adjacent the other side panel; the roof outer panels including triangular spout portions adjacent the front panel so as to cooperate with the front gable panel and the inner roof panels connected thereto to provide a pouring spout upon opening of the top end closure; said slant top seal including outer seal lips sealed to each other 459 56 - 15 respectively projecting from the outer roof panels and also including folded front and back inner seal lips projecting from the inner roof panels between the outer seal lips respectively above the front and back gable panels; said outer seal lips including straight terminal edges that are located adjacent each other spaced from their associated outer roof panels; said inner seal lips including terminal edges terminating short of the straight terminal edges on the outer seal lips extending parallel therewith; and each inner seal lip having the ends thereof connected to the outer seal lips so that the slant top seal has a cross section along the roof ridge including folded inner seal lip edge portions that terminate adjacent each other in the inclined orientation thereof to lessen the likelihood of leakage occurring along the seal.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A coated paperboard blank for constructing a container which includes a body portion having top and bottom ends and constructed from a pair of side 5 panels and front and back panels connecting the side panels, a bottom end closure including folded panels connected to the panels of the body portion at the bottom end thereof, and a top end closure the blank comprising the combination of: roof panels for 10 forming a folded roof connected to the panels of the body portion at the top end thereof and seal lips for forming a top seal that seals the roof; the roof panels including outer roof panels connected to the side panels; the roof panels also including front 15 and back triangular gable panels connected to the front and back panels of the body portion; each triangular gable panel having a pair of triangular inner roof panels; the triangular inner roof panels of each pair thereof being respectively located on 20 opposite sides of the associated gable panel; the gable panels including intersecting inclined edges extending from the front and back panels; the outer roof panels including triangular spout portions adjacent the front panel so as to cooperate with the 25 front gable panel and the inner roof panels connected thereto upon opening of the container after construction to provide a pouring spout; the seal lips including outer seal lips that are sealed to each other upon construction aid which respectively - 17 project from the outer roof panels; the seal lips also including front and back inner seal lips projecting from the inner roof panels between the outer seal lips upon construction respectively above the front and back gable panels; the outer seal lips including terminal edges spaced from their associated outer roof panels; the inner seal lips including terminal edges that terminate' short of the terminal edges of the outer seal lips upon construction; a score line that connects each of the seal lips and the associated roof panel; the inner seal lips also including opposite ends; and each inner seal lip being foldable between the ends thereof upon construction such that the constructed top seal has a cross section including folded inner seal lip edge portions that terminate adjacent each other to lessen the likelihood of leakage occurring along the seal, and the blank being characterized by the score line that connects one of the outer seal lips and its associated roof panel being positioned lower than the score line that connects the other outer seal lip and its associated roof panel.

2. A blank according to claim 1, wherein the triangular inner roof panels on the opposite sides of each gable panel are of different areas.

3. A blank according to claim 2, wherein each gable panel has inclined edges that define different angles with the associated body portion panel to provide the different areas of the triangular inner roof panels on the opposite sides of the gable panel. - 18

4. A blank according to claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings,

5. A container whenever constructed from a blank 5 according to any of claims 1 to 4,