US3275214A

US3275214A - Containers and closure therefor

Info

Publication number: US3275214A
Application number: US370867A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pasquale S Carangelo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-05-28
Filing date: 1964-05-28
Publication date: 1966-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-27

Description

Sept. 27, 1966 P. s. CARANGELO 3,275,214

CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR Filed May 28, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l f7 kg; 4:

INVENTOR Pasc mlie SCamngeio ATTORNEYS P 27, 1966 P. s. CARANGELO 3,275,214

CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR Filed May 28, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 z iliv L L 23' L54 UAW Pasqume 5. CamnqeAo RM Ma A 'F'I"O RNEY5 Sept. 27, 1966 P. s. CARANGELO CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet, 5

Filed May 28, 1964 INVENTOR Pasquale 5.Camnge.\o

BY M 22154 R Ma ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,275,214 CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR Pasrguale S. Carangelo, West Haven, Conn, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, of one-third to Alfred Celentano, New Haven, Conn., and one-third to Anthony P. Delio, Hamden, Conn.

Filed May 28, 1964, Ser. No. 370,867 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) This invention relates to containers and closures therefor and more particularly to paperboard containers, and the like, adapted for use in packaging food and drink.

In the prior art there are many different containers and closures. For example, milk containers which are in common use and available in supermarkets throughout the world are provided with various openings and closures. However, most of these containers suffer from one disadvantage or another. The two major types of cornerdispensing milk containers, for example, pose serious problems. In one type the liquid is dispensed from the corner of the carton and the top adjacent the closure easily collects dirt, debris, etc., during shipment and handling. Another type requires the insertion of a metal foil at a corner thereof which increases the cost of the containers and decreases the expedient opening by the consumer. The socalled pyramidal containers, which conceal the spout openings and keep them clean during transportation and handling, usually become defective during use with the result that the user inserts a finger or finger nail into the folded corner portion thereof, thereby transporting dirt thereto.

In the cartons and closures which form a part of my invention, the disadvantages of the prior art are substantially eliminated by providing paperboard cartons and the like which are easily manufactured. In addition, the closure for the carton keeps the pouring spout area clean during handling and use and makes provision for efiective rescaling of the container during storage by the consumer.

In view of the foregoing it is an object of my invention to provide new and improved containers and closures therefor which can be easily manufactured and sealed.

Another object of my invention is to provide new and improved containers and closures thereof, which containers are provided with a tear-open portion and a tab closure which is sanitary and convenient.

Still another object of my invention is to provide new and improved containers which can be made from paperboard blanks and the like, which have their surfaces coated with various plastic materials and which can be easily and eifectively sealed with or without glue utilizing standard practices in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereafter described and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank for the container according to the preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective of the container shown in FIG. 1 withthe top of the container in position for filling;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 with the spout portion removed and the slidable closure in position over the spout opening;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 55 FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of another embodiment of my invention showing an alternate closure therefor.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of still another container according to another embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross sectional view taken along line 1010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a partial cross sectional view of the container top according to a further embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 12 is a partial plan view of a blank according to still another embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of an assembled container top made in accordance with the blank shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a partial cross sectional view taken along line 1414 of FIG. 13.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a container generally indicated at 20 comprises a plurality of

body panels

22, 24, 26 and 28, which at the bottom thereof are provided with

end panel portions

23, 25, 27 and 29. As shown in FIG. 2 the blank is preferably formed in one piece and is provided with suitable horizontal 30, vertical 31 and diagonal 32 crease lines to facilitate proper assembly of the bottom end panel portions in fluid-tight fashion. The bottom end panel portions of the container could be designed in various ways and since they form no distinctive portion of my invention further reference thereto will be dispensed with as those skilled in the art are conversant with the manner and means of folding and sealing same.

A top panel portion 33 is provided for eifecting a closure of the assembled body portionand vertical crease lines 34 are provided in each body panel for facilitating the assembly of the carton into a polygonal container. In this connection it should be observed that one of the body panels, body panel 22 in this instance, has appended thereto a longitudinal portion A which either overlaps or underlaps the opposite body panel 28 and forms a sealing flap when glued or heat-sealed in place. At the top of one of the body panels, preferably one of the

inner body panels

24 or 26, the top panel portion 33 which is preferably an integral part of the blank is formed with

flange flaps

35, 36 and 37. A main portion 38 of the top panel portion 33 is provided with a series of horizontal and

vertical crease lines

39 and 40, respectively. In this preferred embodiment of my invention embossed ribs 41 are formed in the

vertical flange flaps

35 and 37 so as to provide retaining means for a slidable closure 42, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 1-4.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the container is shown assembled with the slidable closure 42 removed from the top panel portion 33 and with the

flaps

35, 36 and 37 folded along the

appropriate crease lines

40, 39 and 40, respectively. The top panel portion is in a vertical 'position to facilitate filling of the carton with the food or fluid to be contained therein. A perforated spout portion 43 forms the necessary pouring spout 46 when torn away and is preferably formed with a tab 44 which can be easily grasped for tearing away portion 43. The top panel portion when constructed as a separate portion and not as an integral part of the body blank would be provided with a 3 flange flap and crease lines similar to flange flap 36. The body panel 24 would of course be of the same height as the

other body panels

22, 26 and 28 and perforations corresponding to tab 44 would be made in both the body panel 24 and the flap.

When the carton is filled, the top panel portion 33 is folded down and the carton is heat sealed in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art. Heat sealing techniques form no portion of my invention but it is readily understood that techniques are employed with or without glue depending upon the outer surface of the carton, etc. If the outer surfaces of the carton are plastic coated paperboard they may be heat sealed in the usual manner so as to provide a water tight or fluid tight closure. The arrangement of crease lines and flaps in the top panel portion are such that the sealing surfaces are not easily splashed with the foods or fluids being placed in the container during the filling operation.

As shown in FIG. 4, after the container has been scaled and shipped to a customer or consumer and the perforated portion removed, the consumer bends up a closure flap 45 on the slidable closure 42 and moves the slidable closure from the dotted line position to the full line position. As such, the pouring spout is then covered over during storage of the container for reuse at a later time.

The interrelationship of the embossed rib 41, slidable closure 42 and spout opening 46 is clearly indicated in FIG. 5. As shown, the embossed ri'b 41 holds the slidable closure 42 in position in such a fashion that the closure 42 can be moved back and forth over the main portion 38. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the embossed rib 41 extends a substantial length along

flaps

35 and 37.

Turning now to FIG. 7 which shows an alternate embodiment of the slidable closure, the main portion 50 of the top panel 33 is slit along two parallel lines so as to define a quadrilateral portion 48. The quadrilateral portion 48 contains a slidable closure 49 for slidable movement back and forth over the spout opening 46. As more clearly shown in FIG. 8, the quadrilateral portion 48 is part and parcel of the main portion 50. Accordingly, during sealing, a suitable sealant such as wax, plastic or the like should be applied to the corners of the quadriateral to effect a fluid tight seal.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the top panel portion 50 of the container is provided with two

rectangular tabs

51 and 52 which hold the slidable closure member 49 in place so that it can be moved back and forth over the spout opening 46. As more clearly shown in FIG. 10 the

rectangular tab portions

51 and 52 are formed of additional material which is preferably heat sealed or glued at each extremity as shown. The rectangular tabs are creased at 53 so as to provide sufficient clearance for the slidable closure 49. As is readily apparent the rectangular ta-bs can be formed into one portion similar to the quadrilateral portion 48 illustrated above in connection with FIG. 7. In the modification the one piece portion 'would be attached to the main portion in the same manner as the rectangular tabs-51.

In FIG. 11, the embossed ribs are eliminated in favor of upstanding tabs 54 on each side of the container. These upstanding tabs 54 are fastened to fiap by suitable heat sealing or gluing techniques and extend down to a point so that it just about contacts the slidable closure 49. This particular modification is useful in connection with a slidable closure as described and shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 and 12 through 14.

In FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 I propose an alternate arrangement for the blank shown in FIG. 2. The blank shown in FIG. 12 contains the

usual body panels

22, 24, 26 and 28 with the vertical crease lines 34 as shown. A top panel portion 55 is provided with modified flange flaps 56 and 57 and flange flap 36 similar to that shown in FIG. 2. The flaps of FIG. 12 are approximately half the size of the flaps shown in FIG. 2 but the adjacent "body panels ar provided with body panel flaps 59 and 60 which are assembled in place over flaps '56 and 57, respectively, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In this particular arrangement the body panel flaps are similar in function to the upstanding tabs 54 of FIG. 11 and hold the slidable closure 42 in position for movement to and fro over the spout opening 46.

While the spout opening shown is somewhat different than those well known in the art, and is preferably adapted to a one piece blank, the spout opening can be formed as an oval or circle with a separate detachable interference fit cover.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the objects set forth above among those made apparent from the preceding description are efi'iciently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described in my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A blank for producing a quadrilateral container comprising four attached body panels, said body panels separated from each other by at least one crease line, a bottom sealing flap means coupled to said body panels, said bottom flap separated from the body panels by a crease line, a top pouring flap coupled to one of said body panels, said top flap including a rectangular member having one side separated by a first crease line from said one of said body panels, and a second crease line parallel to and spaced apart from said first crease line, three flange flaps coupled to the three other sides of the rectangular member and separated from said rectangular member by crease lines, two of said three flange flaps only extending from the second crease line to the crease line separating the third of said flange flaps from the rectangular member.

2. A blank in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said flange flaps has a crease line spaced apart from and parallel to the crease lines separating the flange flaps from the rectangular member.

3. A blank in accordance with claim 1, wherein a perforated spout means is formed from a part of the rectangular member and :a top portion of the body panel coupled to it.

4. A blank in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two of said flange flaps have rib means.

5. A blank in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said flange flaps has a crease line spaced apart from and parallel to the crease lines separating the flange flaps from the rectangular member, wherein each of two of said flange flaps has ri'b means positioned between the crease line separating it from the rectangular member and the last-mentioned crease line, and wherein a perforated pouring and fluid-directing means is formed from a portion of the rectangular member and from a portion of the body panel coupled to the rectangular member.

6. A container having a plurality of side panels coupled together to form a hollow body, a bottom panel coupled to each of said side panels at one end thereof and forming .a closure therewith, a top panel coupled to each of the side panels at the other end thereof and positioned below the other ends of the side panels so that a plurality of lips are formed between a surface of the top panel and the ends of the side panels, and a spout means formed from one of the lips and from a portion of the top panel adjacent said one of the lips, such that fluid may be directed away from the container during use thereof.

7. In a container of the class described, having body panels forming a hollow substantially polygonal body and having end panels forming a transverse closure at the bottom of the hollow body, said container characterized by a top panel portion provided with a main portion coupled to one of the body panels and flange flaps bent normal to the plane of said main portion to lie against the body panels and form a transverse closure at the top of the hollow body, said main portion and a top portion of the body panel coupled to the main portion having a cutout portion which forms a fluid directing spout portion means, a slidable closure movable back and forth and in at least one position overlying at least a portion of said spout portion means, two of said flange flaps provided with means for retaining said slidable closure in place over said main portion, and wherein said retaining means are in the form of embossed ribs located above the plane of said main portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/ 1909 Davis 22917 7/1917 Craven 22937 X 7/ 1922 Thole 2297 2/ 1928 Michael. 3/ 1934 Denman. 6/1941 Bergstein. 10/ 1946' Waters.

4/ 195 1 Forsyth 2297 X 12/ 1958- Moore 22917 FOREIGN PATENTS 1/1959 France. of 1908 Great Britain.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A BLANK FOR PRODUCING A QUADRILATERAL CONTAINER COMPRISING FOUR ATTACHED BODY PANELS, SAID BODY PANELS SEPERATED FROM EACH OTHER BY AT LEAST ONE CREASE LINE, A BOTTOM SEALING FLAP MEANS COUPLED TO SAID BODY PANELS, SAID BOTTOM FLAP SEPARATED FROM THE BODY PANELS BY A CREASE LINE, A TOP POURING FLAP COUPLED TO ONE OF SAID BODY PANELS, SAID TOP FLAP INCLUDING A RECTANGULAR MEMBER HAVING ONE SIDE SEPARATED BY A FIRST CREASE LINE FROM SAID ONE OF SAID BODY PANELS, AND A SECOND CREASE LINE PARALLEL TO AND SPACED APART FROM SAID FIRST CREASE LINE, THREE FLANGE FLAPS COUPLED TO THE THREE OTHER SIDES OF THE RECTANGULAR MEMBER AND SEPARATED FROM SAID RECTANGULAR MEMBER BY CREASE LINES, TWO OF SAID THREE FLAPS ONLY EXTENDING FROM THE SECOND CREASE LINE TO THE CREASE LINE SEPARATING THE THIRD OF SAID FLANGE FLAPS FROM THE RECTANGULAR MEMBER.