US3524578A - Container with squeeze open dispensing spout - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 18, 1970 M. T. BENEZRA 3,524,578

.CONTAINER WITH'SQUEEZE OPEN DISPENSING SPOUT Filed July 30. 1968 FIG.: 2f# F163 v.

INVENTOR. MAR T. BEN EZRA his A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office U.S. Cl. 229-7 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tubular container having a squeeze open dispensing spout and a pop open top formed by inverted Y-shaped crease or score lines in the top and in the front panel of the container.

The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to containers having a squeeze open dispensing spout and a pop open top.

The prior art containers having dispensing spouts have proven to be not completely satisfactory in their pour characteristics. The present invention, on the other hand, provides containers having a dispensing spout which is more drip proof. Moreover, the containers have a pop open top, are compact and easily manufactured.

The containers of the present invention are tubular shaped and are provided with a squeeze open dispensing spout in the front panel thereof and a pop open top. Both the pop open top and the squeeze open front panel have three crease or score lines therein which form Y-shapes. The legs of the Ys of the front panel and top meet one another and are in alignment with one another i.e., they are in inverted position to each other. Upon lifting the front tabs of the top and applying pressure to the upper forward corners of the two side panels, the container is forced open along the Y-shaped crease in the top and the Y-shaped crease in the front panel so as to form a pop open top and a squeeze open front panel such that the leg of the Y-shaped crease in the front panel forms the dispensing spout.

A preferred embodiment of the containers of the'invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: .v

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container in open position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blank for the bottom of the container.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the blank for the top of the container. v

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the blank for the sides of the container. v

Referring now to the drawings, the container is formed from side panel blank 1, bottom panel blank 2 and top panel blank 3, which are made of paperboard, plastic or other flexible material. The side panel blank 1 is composed of rectangular front panel 4 having three sections 4A, 4B, and 4C; rectangular side panles 5 and 6; and a rectangular back panel formed from overlapping sections 7A and 7B. The side panel blank 1 contains vertical fold lines 8, 9, 10 and 11 for folding the side panel blank 1 thereon so as to form front panel 4, side panels 5 and 6 and a back panel from overlapping sections 7A and 7B which are sealed together at the overlapping edges 12 and 13.

The bottom panel blank 2 contains a square center area 14 having extending therearound flange sections 15A, 15B, 15C and 15D. These flange sections 15A, 15B, 15C

3,524,578 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 and 15D are formed by folding the bottom panel blank 2 upwardly along fold lines 16, 17, 18 and 19 respectively. The folded bottom panel blank 2 is affixed along the bottom edge 20 of the folded side panel blank 1 by sealing the flanges 15A, 15B, 15C and 15D to the outside lower portions of the folded side panel blank 1.

The top edge 21 of the folded side panel blank 1 has affixed therearound the top panel blank 3. The top panel blank 3 has a square center area 22 containing sections 22A, 22B and 22C. The center area 22 of the top panel blank 3 has extending therearound flanges 23A, 23B, 23C and 23D which are formed by folding upwardly along fold lines 25, 26, 27 and 28 and downwardly along fold lines 29, 30, 31 and 32.

The folded top panel blank 3 is placed in recessed position about the upper edge 21 of the folded side panel blank 1 along fold lines 29, 30, 31 and 32 so as to form upwardly extending and then downwardly extending flanges of the top for channel engagement with the top edge 21 of the folded side panel blank 1. These flanges of the folded top panel blank 3, except for the front flange 23D, are sealed to the upper inner and outer portions of the folded side panel blank 1 so as to form a recessed top. The front flange 23D having lift tabs 50 and 51 is sealed to the front panel 4 with a peelable strip 33.

The front panel 4 of the side panel blank 1 contains crease or score lines 34, 35 and 36 which meet at point 37 thereon. The crease or score line 34, which is equidistant from and parallel to side edges or fold lines 9 and 10, extends vertically from the top edge 21 of the front panel 4 to the point 37 above the bottom edge 20 0f the side panel blank 1. The crease line 35 extends from point 37 toward, and usually to, bottom corner 38 of the front panel .4 while crease line 36 extends from point 37 toward, and usually to, the other bottom corner 39 of the front panel 4. The crease lines 34, 35 and 36 thereby define a Y-coniguration subdividing front panel 4 into sections 4A, 4B and 4C.

The center area- 22 of the top blank 3 contains crease or score lines 40, 41 and 42 which meet at inward point 43. The crease or score line 40, which is equidistant from and parallel to top edges or fold lines 26 and 27, extends from the front edge 46 of the front flange section 23D and in alignment with vertical score or crease line 34 of the front panel 4. The score line 40 terminates at point 43 inwardly of the center area 22 of the top blank 3. Score or crease line 41 extends from point 43 in a diverging direction toward, and usually to, the back corner 44 of the top blank 3 while the crease or score line 42 extends from point 43 in a diverging direction toward, and usually to, the other back corner 45 of the top center area 22 of the top blank 3.

In using the container, the peela'ble strip 33 is removed from the front flange section 23D and the tabs 50 and 51 lifted upwardly. Pressure is then applied to the side panels 5 and 6 adjacent the front corners 47 and 48 of the top so as to thereby squeeze open the front panel 4 which folds forwardly or outwardly along crease lines 34, 35 and 36. This applied pressure also pops open the center area 22 of the top panel 3 along crease lines 40, 41 and 42 as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. When the opened container is tipped forwardly toward the front panel 4, the liquid or pulverant solid material contained therein is then poured therefrom along crease line 34 which serves as a pouring spout or dispensing guide which has been found to be essentially drip proof. In the event that the entire contents of the container are not dispensed at one time, the pressure upon the container is then released so that the forwardly distended front panel 4 and the upwardly distended center area 22 of the top panel 3 retract to their former flat position and then front ange section 23D is folded in engagement with the upper edge 21 of the container.

The general geometry or configuration of the containers of the invention may diier from that shown in the figures of the drawing. For example, although the ilustrated and preferred container is a four-sided container having equidimensional rectangular sides, the four sides thereof could be other than equirectangular, for example, they could be square or trapezoidal in configuration and two opposing sides could be wider than the other two opposing sides with the top then rectangular. Moreover, the number of side walls and anges of the top and bottom need not be limited to four but could be of a different number, such as ve or more, with a corresponding change in the polygonal configuration of the center areas of the top and bottom members. When there are more than four sides, the crease lines 41 and 42 in the top area 22 diverage away from crease line' 40 and point 43 either toward back corners of the top or toward rearward edges of the top depending upon the configuration of the top. Moreover, the top need not be recessed but could have only downwardly extending flanges so that the top would be in the plane of the top edge 21 of the side panel blank 1.

It will be appreciated that various modilications and changes may Ibe made in the containers of the invention, in addition to those mentioned above, by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the invention. Accordingly, the containers of the invention are to be limited only within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having a squeeze open dispensing spout which comprises a tubular body member having side panels, a bottom member and a top member; one of the side panels having three crease lines therein, one of which crease lines is equidistant from the side edges of said side panel and extends vertically from said top member to a point above said bottom member and the other two of which crease lines diverge from said point toward opposite bottom corners of said side panel; the top member having anges at each of the edges thereof in engagement with the top edges of each of the respective side panels and having a flat central area, the at central area having three crease lines therein, one of which crease lines meets said vertical crease line of said side panel at an edge of the flat central area and extends therefrom in alignment with the vertical crease line to a point inward of the flat central area and the other two of which crease lines diverge from 4 said point and away from said edge of the at central area.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein the side panels are four in number and are rectangular in shape.

3. The container as del-ined by claim 1 wherein the top member is recessed and the anges thereof extend upwardly and then downwardly at each of the edges of the top member in channel engagement with the top edges of each of the respective side panels.

4. A container having a squeeze open dispensing spout which comprises a tubular body having four rectangular side panels, a square bottom member and a square recessed top member; the front panel having three crease lines therein, one of which crease lines is equidistant from and parallel to the side edges of said front panel and extends vertically from said top member to a point above said -bottom member and the other two of which crease lines diverge from said point to opposite bottom corners of said front panel; the top member having upwardly and then downwardly extending anges at each of the edges thereof in channel engagement with the top edges of each of the respective side panels and having a flat central area, the at central area having three crease lines therein, one of which crease lines meets said vertical crease line of said front panel at an edge of the at central area and extends therefrom in alignment with the vertical crease line to a point inward of the flat central area and the other two of which crease lines diverge from said point and to the respective back corners of the ilat central area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,150 4/1930 Ganz 229-7 2,097,647 1 1 1937 Scott 229-7 2,323,505 7/ 1943 Wilcox 229-7 2,839,234 6/ 1958 ONeil 229-7 2,865,498 12/ 1958 Ringler 229-7 X 3,057,531 10/ 1962 Preen 229-7 3,172,594 3/ 1965 Kuchenbecker 229-7 X 3,447,732 6/ 1969 Deckys 229-7 X 3,107,839 10/1963 Kauffeld 229-17 3,175,749 3/ 1965 Elias 229-17 o DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 229-17; 229-23

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