AU2015100699A4 - A carton and blank - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a carton and a blank for making the carton. The carton and blank are provided with 5 an openable closure for pouring or dispensing the contents of the carton through the opening. The carton may have inner and outer panels about the opening, at least one of which is overlapped when in the closure is in a closed position so as to hold the closure in a closed position by 10 friction engaging a panel. 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 Figure 1 ' &9~5(GH~Nttt) P9MIb1AL BYRON

Description

A CARTON AND BLANK FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention relates to a carton and a blank for making the carton. The carton and blank are provided with a means for pouring or dispensing the contents therefrom. The contents may be any material, including particulate material, such as granular material or powder material. 10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many different cartons and blanks for particulate material. In some instances the granular 15 material is contained within a bag that is placed within the box, which for example, is common for breakfast cereals. The box may also have top flaps that can be closed to help prevent dust from entering the bag after being opened. Bag-in-box cartons are not suitable for all 20 materials and have the additional cost of the bag. Another example of a carton adapted for pouring or dispensing its contents is a carton having a tearaway panel that can be removed to leave a permanent opening in 25 the carton. A disadvantage of this type of carton is that the contents can be easily contaminated after being opened. Yet another example is a carton with a metal spout having 30 a floor and side walls. The spout is configured to be pivoted between a closed position in which the floor of the spout lies flat with an opening in the side wall of the carton. 35 It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative carton, and blank for making the carton that 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 2 is adapted for pouring the contents from the carton. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention relates to a carton for particulate material such as granular material and powdered material, the carton includes: a base and a side wall extending from the base; a top wall extending over the side wall; and 10 an openable closure that can be moved between an opened position to allow contents of the carton to be poured or dispensed therefrom through an opening in the side wall, and a closed position in which the opening is closed, 15 and the side wall includes a first region that forms at least part of the closure such that when the closure is moved into the opened position, the opening is provided in the side wall, and wherein the side wall about the opening has an 20 inner panel and an outer panel, of which at least one extends beyond the other into the opening, and when the closure is in the closed position, the closure overlaps with at least one of the inner panel or the outer panel, hereinafter referred as an "overlapped 25 panel", and the closure and the overlapped panel engage in a frictional manner to hold the closure in the closed position. 30 An advantage of the present invention is that the overlapped panel provides a barrier against the entry of contaminants into the carton. It will also be appreciated that the entire inner panel need not be overlapped when the closure is in the closed position. 35 It is preferred that the closure and the overlapped panel 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 3 have co-operating formations that can frictionally inter engage. For example the overlapped panel may a slot that can receive part of the closure, or vice versa, the closure may have a slit or a slot that receives part of 5 the overlapped panel. It is also possible that both the overlapped panel and the closure may have slits or slots which may or may not align. Although it is possible that the closure may overlap with 10 both the inner panel and the outer panel, ideally, when the closure is in the closed position, the closure may overlap with only one of the inner panel or the outer panel. 15 The first region of the side wall that forms part of the closure may be connected by a connector to either one of the inner panel or the outer panel prior to the closure being opened for a first time, and when opened for the first time, the connector is disabled. The connector may 20 include, or is ideally in the form of, frangible bridging elements that interconnects the closure to either one of the inner panel or the outer panel. The connector may also include a tear strip, or an 25 adhesive strip. The first region of the side wall that forms part of the closure may be connected to either one of the inner panel or the outer panel, hereinafter referred to as "the 30 connected panel", prior to the closure being opened for a first time, and when the closure is moved into the closed position after being opened, the overlapped panel and the connected panel are not the same panels. 35 Ideally, the connected panel is the outer panel and the overlapped panel is the inner panel of the side wall. 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 4 The top wall may include a second region that forms part of the closure, the second region of the top wall is connected to the first region of the side wall by a fold 5 line, and when the closure is located in the closed position the part of the top wall that forms the closure is located in the same plane as the top wall. The second region of the top wall may be connected to the 10 top wall by a fold line or preformed crease. Moreover, when the closure is in the closed position, any bends, fold lines, creases and so forth between the second region of the top wall and the top wall will be relaxed and therefore, will not have any tendency to urge the closure 15 away from the closed position. The first region of the side wall forming at least part of the closure includes two panels subtending from a fold line at a corner of the carton. As a result, the opening 20 formed is located at the corner of the carton. The present invention also relates to a blank that can be erected into a carton, the blank including: a set of wall panels that can be folded to form the 25 side walls of the carton; a set of base panels extending from at least two of the wall panels that can be folded to form the base of the carton; a set of top panels extending from at least two of 30 the wall panels that can be folded to form the top wall of the carton, and wherein at least one of the wall panels includes a first region that forms at least part of an openable closure that can be moved between an opened position to 35 allow contents to be poured or dispensed through an opening in the side wall of the carton made from the 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 5 blank, and a closed position in which the opening is closed, and wherein the wall panels are configured such that when the blank is made in to the carton, the side wall of 5 the carton includes an opening, and the side wall about the opening has an inner panel and an outer panel, of which at least one extends beyond the other into the opening, and when the closure is in the closed position, the 10 closure overlaps with at least one of the inner panel or the outer panel, hereinafter referred as an "overlapped panel", and the closure and the overlapped panel engage in a frictional manner to hold the closure in the closed 15 position. The set of wall panels include a line of five panels connected by fold lines, and end panels at opposite ends of the line provide, when the blank is erected into the 20 carton, one of the inner panels and one of the outer panels. The set of base panels may be in the form of base flaps. 25 The set of top panels may be in the form of base flaps. The blank described herein may include any one or a combination of the features of the carton described herein, and vice versa, namely the carton may include any 30 one or a combination blank. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention may be 35 described with reference to the accompanying representation, of which: 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 6 Figure 1 is a perspective view a carton having an openable closure for pouring the contents from the carton in which the closure is position in an opened position; Figure 2 is a side view of the carton shown in Figure 5 1; Figure 3 is a reverse perspective view showing the back of the carton shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carton with the closure sealed prior to being opened for the first time; 10 Figure 5A is a transparent view of the carton in which the lines shown the outline of the panels and the location of fold lines; Figure 5B is a perspective view of the carton with the closure in a closed position; and 15 Figure 6 is an illustration of a blank for making the carton shown in Figure 1 to 5B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION 20 The following text describes a preferred embodiment of a carton and a blank for making the carton with reference to the accompanying figures. The same reference numerals have been used to identify the same or comparable features on the carton and the blank. However, in order to 25 maintain the clarity of the figures, not all of the reference numbers have been used on each of the figures. With reference to figures 1 to 3, the carton 10 has a rectangular base 11 and a side wall 12 extending from the 30 base 11. The side wall 12 comprises four outer panels 13 and a fifth panel that forms an inner panel 14. In the case of the preferred embodiment, the inner panel 14 includes two sub-panels that are joined by a fold line 15, illustrated as a dashed line (in Figure 4). The base 11 35 includes four bottom flaps 11a that extend from the panels 13 of the side wall 12, the bottom flaps 11a can 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 7 overlapped in the conventional manner. The carton 10 also includes a top wall 16 comprising four top flaps 16a that are also overlapped in the conventional manner. 5 The carton 10 includes an openable closure 20 that can be pivoted between a closed position, as shown in Figure 5B and an opened position for pouring the contents from an opening 25 the carton 10, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. 10 Two panels of the side wall 12 each include a first region 21 that forms part of the openable closure 20. The first regions 21 are joined to the top flaps 16a by top fold lines 22 and the first region 21 includes a corner fold line 23 that aligns with a fold line lb between the two 15 adjacent panels 13 of the side wall 12. The first region 21 also has a downwardly facing edge in the shape of a concave arc. The side wall 12 of the carton 10 about the opening 25 20 includes the inner panel 14 and one of the outer panels 13. Prior to the closure 20 being opened for the first time, the first region 21 of the side wall 12 that forms part of the closure 20 is connected to the outer panel 13 of the side wall 12. The closure 20 may be joined to the 25 outer panel 13 using any suitable means including any one or combination of adhesive tape, releasable adhesive tape, and frangible connectors, such as a serrated line or a perforated line. It is also possible the first region 21 of the panel 13 that forms part of the closure 20 may be 30 connected thereto by means of the removable tear strip. The outer panel 13 of the side wall 12 that is connected to the closure 20 has an upwardly face edge having a convex arc shape that corresponds to the concave arc shape 35 of the closure 20. Ideally, when the closure 20 is located in the closed position, the closure 20 is 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 8 positioned adjacent to the edge of the outer panel 13. The inner panel 14 of the side wall 12 of the carton 10 has a cutout in the form of a V-shape. The cutout is 5 sized so that the inner panel 14 extends inwardly toward the opening 25 and extends beyond the frangible line of weakness connecting the first region 21 of the panels 13 of the side wall 12. 10 The inner panel 14 includes two slots or slits 26 extending from the edge of the outer panel 13 upwardly to the upper edge of the inner panel 14. The slits 26 are located in either side of the corner fold line 15 so as to define a tongue 27 subtending from either side of the 15 corner fold line 15, and two flanking portions 14a located either side of the tongue 27. When the closure 20 is located in the closed position, the closure 20 is received by the slits 26 such that the tongue 27 is located to the outside of the closure 20 and the flanking portions 14a 20 are located to an inside of the panel. Frictional forces between the closure 20 and the central tongue 27, and between the closure 20 and the flanking portions 14a help to retain the closure 20 in the closed position. 25 The closure 20 overlaps the inner panel 14, when the closure 20 is sealed with the entire inner panel 14 located to the inside of the closure 20 as shown in Figure 4, and prior to being opened for the first occasion. After the carton 10 has been opened for the first time and 30 then subsequently closed so that the closure 20 overlaps the inner panel 14, the flanking portions 14a of the inner panel 14 can be located inwardly of the closure 20, and the tongue 27 located outwardly of the closure 20. 35 It will be appreciated that both the tongue 27 and the flanking portions 14a can be located inwardly of the 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 9 closure 20 when in the closed position. However the closure 20 will not engage the slits 26 of the inner panel 14 in this arrangement. 5 The top wall 16 also includes a second region 30 (best seen in figures 3 and 4) having a triangular shape that also forms part of the openable closure 20. The second region 30 is joined to the first region by fold lines 31, and the second region 30 is joined to the top wall 16 by a 10 fold line 32 about which the openable closure 20 pivots between the opened and closed positions. As can be seen in figure 4, when the closure 20 is located in the closed position, the second region of the top wall 15 16 is located in the same position relative to the top wall 16 prior to the carton being opened for the first time, as shown in Figure 4. In other words, the closure 20 lies in a plane parallel to the top wall 16 of the carton 10 and the fold line 32 between the top wall 16 and 20 the second region 30 of the top wall 16 does not urge, or does not tend to urge the closure 20 into an opened position. Figure 6 illustrates a blank 40 for making the carton 10 25 shown in Figures 1 to 5B. The blank 40 includes a line of five panels 13, 14 connected by fold lines lb that form the side wall 12 of the carton 10. Four of the panels 13 form outer panels of the side wall 12 and the fifth panel 14, extending from the right side of the blank 40 is, when 30 the blank 40 is folded into the carton 10, the inner panel 14. Extending from a lower edge of the panels 13 of the side wall 12 are bottom flaps 11a that can be overlapped in the 35 conventional manner to form the base 11 of the carton 10. Extending from an upper edge of the panels 13 are top wall 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 10 flaps 16a that can be overlapped in the conventional manner to form the top wall 16 of the carton 10. The two panels 13 on the left of the blank 40 shown in 5 Figure 6 each have a first region 21 defined by the fold lines 31 between the top flaps 16a and the fold line 15a extending in a longitudinal direction and the arc 36, which is a frangible line of weakness having connector elements. Three of the top flaps 16a, include fold lines 10 32 which when the top flaps 16a are overlapped in an assembled configuration substantially align with each other and define a second region 30 of the top wall 16 that forms part of the closure 20. When the frangible line of weakness 36 is broken, the closure 20 comprising 15 the first region 21 of the panels 13 of the side wall 12 and, the second region 30 of the top wall 16 can be pivoted between a closed position and an opened position about the fold line 32. When in the opened position, an opening is provided in the side wall and top wall of the 20 carton. As can be seen in Figure 6, the fifth panel 14 includes a V-shaped cutout and slits 26 that extend from an upper edge of the fifth panel 14 downwardly. The V-shaped 25 cutout is sized to define opening 25 of the carton 10. The slits 26 in fifth panel define a central tongue 27 and are configured so as extend to at least the frangible line of the weakness 36 of the side wall 12 when the blank 40 30 is assembled into a carton 10. When the blank 40 is assembled into the carton 10, the frangible line 36 can be broken to allow the closured to the opened and closed. When the closure 20 is in the 35 closed position, the closure 20 can received by the slits 26, with the central tongue 27 overlapping the closure 27 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 11 to the outside, and with the flanking portion 14a to the inside. One of the benefits of the preferred embodiment is that 5 the closure 20, formed by regions 21 and 30 of the side wall 13 and the top wall 16, does not protrude from the carton 10 prior to being opened for the first time or when the closure 20 is in a closed position. In addition, when the closure 20 in a closed position, the closure 20 is 10 located in substantially the same position, prior to being opened for the first position, and therefore the closure 20 does not have a tendency to re-open. Moreover, the closure 20 includes an inner panel 14 having flanking portions 14a, that overlap inwardly of the closure 20 when 15 in the closed position, and a central tongue 27 that overlaps outwardly of the closure when in the closed position. The flanking portions 14a and the central tongue 27 are separated by slits 26 through which the closure 20 passes, and frictionally engages, to help 20 retain the closure in the closed position. It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made to the embodiment described herein without departing from the 25 spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it is within the scope of the present invention that the closure may be confined to one side of the carton, and does not subtend about the corner of the 30 carton as shown in the Figures. It is within the scope of the present invention that the carton may be made of one or more discrete pieces. In one example, the carton may be made from two discrete pieces, 35 and in another example, the carton may be made from three or four discrete pieces. For instance, the inner panel 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 12 and the outer panel of the side wall may be made from discrete and separate pieces. In other instance, the bottom walls may also be constructed from a separate piece compared to the side wall. 5 As can be seen in figure 6, the preferred blank for making the carton is constructed as a single piece. However it is also within the scope of the present invention that the blank for making the carton may have separate pieces. For 10 example, it is possible the inner panel and the outer panel of the second regions of the wall panels may be formed by discrete piece that may be glued or attached together. 15 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15

Claims (5)

1. A carton for particulate material such as granular material and powdered material, the carton includes: 5 a base and a side wall extending from the base; a top wall extending over the side wall; and an openable closure that can be moved between an opened position to allow contents of the carton to be poured or dispensed therefrom through an opening in the 10 side wall, and a closed position in which the opening is closed, and the side wall includes a first region that forms at least part of the closure such that when the closure is moved into the opened position, the opening is provided in 15 the side wall, and wherein the side wall about the opening has an inner panel and an outer panel, of which at least one extends beyond the other into the opening, and when the closure is in the closed position, the 20 closure overlaps with at least one of the inner panel or the outer panel, hereinafter referred as an "overlapped panel", and the closure and the overlapped panel engage in a frictional manner to hold the closure in the closed 25 position.

2. The carton according to claim 1, wherein the closure and the overlapped panel have co-operating formations that can frictionally inter-engage. 30

3. The carton according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the overlapped panel has a slot or slit that can receive part of the closure, or vice versa, the closure has a slot or slit that receives part of the overlapped panel. 35

4. The carton according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 14 including any one or combination of the following features: a) the closure overlaps with the inner panel only; b) the first region of the side wall that forms part of 5 the closure is connected by a connector to either one of the inner panel or the outer panel prior to the closure being opened for a first time, and when the closure is opened for the first time, the connector is disabled; 10 c) the connector includes frangible bridging elements that interconnects the closure to either one of the inner panel or the outer panel; d) the first region of the side wall that forms part of the closure is connected to either one of the inner 15 panel or the outer panel, hereinafter referred to as "the connected panel", prior to the closure being opened for a first time, and when the closure is moved into the closed position after being opened, the overlapped panel and the connected panel are not 20 the same panels; e) the connected panel is the outer panel and the overlapped panel is the inner panel of the side wall; f) the top wall includes a second region that forms part of the closure, the second region of the top wall is 25 connected to the first region of the side wall that forms part of the closure by a fold line, and when the closure is located in the closed position, the part of the top wall of the closure is located in the same plane as the top wall; and 30 g) the first region of the side wall forming at least part of the closure includes two segments subtending from a fold line at a corner of the carton such that the opening formed is located at the corner of the carton. 35

5. A blank that can be erected into a carton, the blank 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15 - 15 including: a set of wall panels that can be folded to form the side walls of the carton; a set of base panels extending from at least two of 5 the wall panels that can be folded to form the base of the carton; a set of top panels extending from at least two of the wall panels that can be folded to form the top wall of the carton, and 10 wherein at least one of the wall panels includes a first region that forms at least part of an openable closure that can be moved between an opened position to allow contents to be poured or dispensed through an opening in the side wall of the carton made from the 15 blank, and a closed position in which the opening is closed, and wherein the wall panels are configured such that when the blank is made into the carton, the side wall of the carton includes a second region about the opening, and 20 the second region has an inner panel and an outer panel, of which at least one extends beyond the other into the opening, and when the closure is in the closed position, the closure overlaps with at least one of the inner panel or 25 the outer panel, hereinafter referred as an "overlapped panel", and the closure and the overlapped panel engage in a frictional manner to hold the closure in the closed position. 30 65435041 (GHMatters) P99861.AU NIOUSHAA 28/05/15