US3270947A

US3270947A - Reclosable containers

Info

Publication number: US3270947A
Application number: US436576A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter H Rasmussen
Original assignee: Waldorf Paper Products Co
Current assignee: Waldorf Paper Products Co
Priority date: 1965-03-02
Filing date: 1965-03-02
Publication date: 1966-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-06

Description

p 6, 1966 w. H. RASMUSSEN 3,270,947

RECLOSABLE CONTAINERS Filed March 2, 1965 INVENT OR WAL TER b. fiAs/wussz/v Qowhag ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Fatented Sept. 6, 1966 3,270,947 RECLOSABLE CONTAINERS Walter H. Rasmussen, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, Ramsey County, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 436,576 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to an improvement in reclosable containers and deals particularly with a container structure which may be easily opened and which may be reclosed after a portion of the contents have been removed.

In U.S. Patent No. 3,141,598, issued July 21, 1964, to W. H. Rasmussen et -al., an easy opening container is disclosed. This container includes a pair of tear strips extending across the flaps connected to the relatively long side walls of a regular style container. By removing these tear strips, the container could be readily opened so that the contents could be removed. The present construction is somewhat similar to the construction shown in this previous patent. However, in the present structure, the container is reclosable so that the top closure can be reclosed after a portion of the contents have 'been removed.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a container including a pair of closing flaps which are hinged to the relatively long side walls of a regular style container, and which are provided with tuck flaps which are foldable downwardly toward the bottom of the .container in face contact. The container also includes flaps which are hinged to the shorter end walls of the container and which are folded to overlie the side wall closure flaps. These end wall closure flaps are provided with removable tear strips extending thereacross. By removing the tear strips, the container may be easily opened, as the end wall closure flaps are slit centrally from the tear strip to the end of each fiap. The end Wall closure flaps are also provided with apertures which extend from the tear strips to the hinge lines connecting the end wall closure flaps to the end walls. After the container has been opened, these apertures provide slots into which the ends of the tuck flaps may be inserted in the reclosing of the container.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of the container including side and end walls, the side walls being wider than the end walls, and in closing the container with the end wall closure fiaps overlying the wider side wall closure flaps. After the container has been opened by removing the removable tear strips, the container may be reclosed by folding the portions of the end wall closure flaps which remain hinged to the end walls downwardly, and folding the side wall closure flaps thereover, the remaining portions of the end wall closure flaps thus limiting the inward swinging of the side wall closure flaps.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIGURE 1 in partially opened position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 in opened position.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the container in reclosed condition.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the reclosed container, the position of the section being indicated 'by the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the container is formed.

The container A is formed from the blank illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. As shown, the container includes a side wall 10, an end wall 11, a second side wall 12, and a second end wall 13, connected along

parallel fold lines

14, 15, and 16. The container may be stitched, glued, or taped in closed position. In the particular construction illustrated, the end wall 13 is hingedly connected along a fold line 17 to a stitch or glue flap 19 which is designed to overlie the side wall 10 and to be stitched or glued thereto.

The side and end walls are connected along their lower edges by a fold line 20 to bottom closure flaps. A closure flap 21 is hinged to the side wall 10, a closure flap 22 is hinged to the end wall 11, a closure flap 23 is hinged to the side wall 12, and a closure flap 24 is hinged to the end wall 13. The closure flaps 22, 24 are, in the form shown, about one-half the width of the

side walls

10 and 12, and are centrally slotted throughout their length as indicated at 25 and 26, respectively. The side wall closure flaps 21, 23 are of a length substantially equal to one-half the width of the

end walls

11 and 13, and these side wall closure flaps are connected along lined

fold lines

27 and 23 to tuck or

partition flaps

30 and 31, respectively.

The various wall panels of the container are also connected along their upper edges by a fold line 32 to top closure flaps. The side wall 10 is connected to a closure flap 33, the end wall 11 is connected to a closure flap 34, the side wall 12 is connected to a closure flap 35, and the end wall 13 is connected to a closure flap 36. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the end wall closure flaps 34 and 36 connected to the upper edges of the end walls are of a length substantially equal to onehalf the width of the

side walls

10 and 12 so that these flaps extend in an end abutting relation in closed position of the container. Obviously, however, this is a matter of choice.

The

end walls

34 and 36, as well as the

side wall flaps

33 and 35 are provided with removable tear strips. The removable areas of the side wall closure flaps are not of importance as they are not employed in the opening of the container. The only reason why they are present is that the tear strips are preferably formed by slitting the inner liner of the corrugated paperboard before it is adhered to the corrugated medium and it is more con venient t0 slit this liner substantially continuously than to provide it in selected areas. If other types of tear strips are provided, such as those defined by perforated lines, the tear strips will be located in the

end flaps

33 and 35 only.

The

tear strips

37 and 39 in the end wall closure flaps 34- and 36 are formed in the manner illustrated in Patent No. 2,706,076 issued April 12, 1955, to Reynolds Guyer. The tear strips are defined by parallel slits 4t) and 41 in the inner liner of the corrugated paperboard forming the container A. Short cut lines 42 at one end of each tear strip 39 converge toward the cut lines 4t) and 41 to simplify the operation of grasping the end of the tear strip for removing the same. The

end wall flaps

34 and 36 are provided with central

rectangular apertures

43 and 44 which extend from the slits 41 defining one side of each

tear strip

37 and 39 to the fold line 32 connecting the end flaps to the end walls. The

closure flaps

34 and 36 are also provided with

slits

45 and 46 which extend from the slit 40 defining the opposite side of the tear strip to the end of the closure flap, the slits being located centrally between the side edges of the closure flaps. The purpose of this arrangement will be later more clearly described.

The side wall closure flaps 33 and 35 are of a length substantially equal to one-half the width of the

end walls

10 and 12,and are hingedly connected along aligned

fold lines

47 and 49 to tuck or

partition flaps

50 and 51, respectively. In the particular construction illustrated, the fold line 49 is interrupted by a pair of generally semicircular cut lines 52 which terminate at the fold line 49 and extend into the tuck flap 51. The cut lines 52 defines tabs 53 which may overlap the side wall closure flap 33 in closed position of the container as is indicated in F IG- URES 4 and 5 of the drawings.

As will be noted from FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the container when closed includes side by side tuck or partition flaps extending inwardly toward the center of the container from both the top and bottom closures. Containers of this type may be employed for containing cans of a product, and the tuck flaps form central partitions between the side walls which tend to separate the cans and hold them spaced. The tuck flaps also add considerable strength and rigidity to the finished container.

The container is closed at the manufacturers joint by gluing or stitching the flap 19 in overlapping relation to the side wall panel 10. In setting up the container, the bottom closure flaps 22 and 24 are folded inwardly into a common plane, and the side

wall closure flaps

21 and 23 are folded to lie beneath the closure flaps 22 and 24. During the closing operation, the

tuck flaps

30 and 31 are tucked through the slots 25 and 26. The closure flaps are normal-1y glued in face contact. After the container has been filled, the top is closed by first folding the side

wall closure flaps

33 and 35 downwardly into a common plane, the

tuck flaps

50 and 51 being folded in face contact to provide a center partition in opposed relation to that formed by the

flaps

30 and 31. When folded down, the tabs 53 on the closure flap 35 overlie the end of the closure flap 33. The

closure flaps

34 and 36 are next folded to overlie the

flaps

33 and 35, and adhesive is applied between the surfaces which are in face contact. Preferably, only the end portions of the closure flaps 34 and 36 which are between the

tear strips

37 and 39 and the ends of these closure flaps are adhered.

When it is desired to open the containers, the

tear strips

37 and 39 are grasped and removed. This operation is indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings where one of the tear strips has been removed and the other is partially removed. After-the

tear strips

37 and 39 have been removed, the topof the container is free to open, as the areas of the end

wall closure flaps

34, 36 which remain attached to the

end Walls

11 and 13 are free of adhesive engagement with the side

wall closure flaps

33 and 35. The container may then be opened.

When it is desired to reclose the container, the portions of the end wall closure flaps which remain attached to the end walls are folded down into a common plane as indicated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The tuck flaps 50, 51 on the side wall closure flaps 33 and 35 may then be folded into closed position and into face contact extending through the slots formed by the

apertures

43 and 44. When reclosed, the container appears as indicated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. It will be noted that the end portions of the end wall closure fiaps overlie areas of the side wall closure flaps 33 and 35 while the portions of the end wall closure flaps which remain hinged to the end walls underlie the side wall closure flaps 33 and 35.

The end

wall closure fiaps

34 and 36 are described as including slits 46 extending from the tear strips 37, 39 to the ends of these flaps. In some instances, the use of slits unduly weakens these flaps and makes them hard to fold properly on automatic equipment. Accordingly, the slits may terminate just short of the ends of the flaps to provide connected end edges which may be easily fractured. Alternatively, the members 46 may comprise perforated lines or similar easily fracturable lines of separation. Thus the members 46 might be more accurately described as lines of separation.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my reclosable container; and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changesmay be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1. A reclosable container including, a rectangular tubular body having parallel end walls and parallel side walls connected in tubular relation,

closure flaps hingedly connected to said side and end walls, the closure flaps on said side walls extending substantially in edge abutting relation when folded into a common plane,

tuck flaps hinged to the ends of said side wall closure flaps and extendable into said container at substantially right angular relation to said side wall closure flaps and in face contact when said side wall closure flaps are folded into a common plane,

said end wall closure flaps being foldable outwardly of said side wall closure flaps, said end wall closure flaps including removable tear strips defined by spaced parallel weakened lines of separation extending substantially parallel to the lines of fold connecting said end wall closure flaps to said end walls and dividing each said end wall closure flaps into an end portion between said tear strip and the end of said end wall closure flaps and a hinged portion between said tear strip and the lines of fold connecting said end wall closure flaps to said end walls. said portions including lines of separation extending from said tear strip to the end of said end wall closure flaps, said slits being adapted to substantially register with the end edges of said side wall closure flaps in closed condition of said container, and

said end wall closure flaps having apertures therein extending substantially across said hinged portions thereof in alignment with said lines of separation in said end portions and of a width to receive said tuck flaps,

whereby after said containers are closed and said end portions of said end wall closure flaps are adhered in face contact with the portions of said side wall closure flaps which they overlie, said tear strips may be removed to open said container, and said hinged portions of said end wall closure flaps may be folded beneath said side wall closure flaps to receive said tuck flaps in said apertures.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said side wall closure flaps are of equal length.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said end wall closure flaps are of a length equal to about one-half the width of said side walls.

4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said lines of separation extending across said end portions of said end wall closure flaps comprise slits.

5. A reclosable container including,

side walls and end walls connected in rectangular tubular relation,

closure flaps hingedly connected to an edge of said side and end walls,

the side wall closure flaps extending substantially in end abutting relation and including tuck flaps folded between said side walls and parallel thereto in face contact,

said end wall closure flaps including removable tear strips therein defined by parallel side-by-side weakened lines of separation extending parallel to the lines of fold connecting said end Wall closure flaps to said end walls,

said tear strips dividing each said end wall closure flaps into an end portion extending between said tear strip and the end of the flap, and a hinged portion 6X:-

tending from said tear strip to the line of fold connecting said end wall closure flap to its end wall,

means securing said end portions to the areas of said side wall closure flaps which they overlie, the remainder of said end Wall closure flap being substantially free of attachment to said side Wall closure flaps,

said end portions including lines of separation substantially in registry with the abutting ends of said side wall closure flaps and extending from said tear strips to the ends thereof, and

said hinged portions including apertures therein extending from said tear strips toward the lines of fold connecting said end wall closure flaps to said end walls and of a width to accommodate the end edges of said tuck flaps,

whereby when said tear strips have been removed and said container opened, said hinged portions may be folded inwardly of said side wall closure flaps to permit engagement of said tuck flaps through said apertures.

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which said side wall closure flaps are of substantially equal width.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,851 11/1934 Crawford 22951 2,149,955 3/1939 Burns 229-44 X 2,287,520 6/ 1942 Freshwater 22951 3,141,598 7/1964 Rasmussen et a1. 22951 3,144,195 8/1964 Hennessey.

3,163,347 12/1964 BiXler 22939 3,226,007 12/1965 Thies et a1. 229-39 OTHER REFERENCES 449,968 7/1936 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

20 D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A RECLOSABLE CONTAINER INCLUDING, A RECTANGULAR TUBULAR BODY HAVING PARALLEL END WALLS AND PARALLEL SIDE WALLS CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE AND END CLOSURE FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE AND END WALLS, THE CLOSURE FLAPS ON SAID SIDE WALLS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY IN EDGE ABUTTING RELATION WHEN FOLDED INTO A COMMON PLANE, TUCK FLAPS HINGED TO THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS AND EXTENDABLE INTO SAID CONTAINER AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGULAR RELATION TO SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS AND IN FACE CONTACT WHEN SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS ARE FOLDED INTO A COMMON PLANE, SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS BEING FOLDABLE OUTWARDLY OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS, SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS INCLUDING REMOVABLE TEAR STRIPS DEFINED BY SPACED PARALLEL WEAKENED LINES OF SEPARATION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LINES OF FOLD CONNECTING SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS TO SAID END WALLS AND DIVIDING EACH SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS INTO AN END PORTION BETWEEN SAID TEAR STRIP AND THE END OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS AND A HINGED PORTION BETWEEN SAID TEAR STRIP AND THE LINES OF FOLD CONNECTING SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS TO SAID END WALLS. SAID PORTIONS INCLUDING LINES OF SEPARATION EXTENDING FROM SAID TEAR STRIP TO THE END OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS, SAID SLITS BEING ADAPTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY REGISTER WITH THE END EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS IN CLOSED CONDITION OF SAID CONTAINER, AND SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS HAVING APERTURES THEREIN EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS SADI HINGED PORTIONS THEREOF IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LINES OF SEPARATION IN SAID END PORTIONS AND OF A WIDTH TO RECEIVE SAID TUCK FLAPS, WHEREBY AFTER SAID CONTAINERS ARE CLOSED AND SAID END PORTIONS OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS ARE ADHERED IN FACE CONTACT WITH THE PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS WHICH THEY OVERLIE, SAID TEAR STRIPS MAY BE REMOVED TO OPEN SAID CONTAINER, AND SAID HINGED PORTIONS OF SAID END WALL CLOSURE FLAPS MAY BE FOLDED BENEATH SAID SIDE WALL CLOSURE FLAPS TO RECEIVE SAID TUCK FLAPS IN SAID APERTURES.