Confectionary Package

Abstract

A confectionary package is disclosed having a metering top, a paperboard body, and means for securing the body to the top. The metering top having an upper surface, a skirt extending below the upper surface, an opening in the upper surface sized to meter a portion of confectionary, and a hinged door having a closed position and sized to cover the opening when in the closed position. The body being formed of paperboard folded and secured into a generally tubular shape having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a cross section sized to mate with the metering top, and the lower end including flaps that may be closed creating a sealed container. The adhesive may be a label placed over the metering top and extending down the sides of the paperboard body.

Description

The disclosure relates generally to confectionary packaging, and in particular to a confectionary package combing the advantages of differing material properties.

BACKGROUND

Confectionary packaging has included many forms including the basic paperboard box, the foil wrapper, complex formed plastic containers, and shrink-wrapped versions of all of these. Most confectionary packaging in the market is either a paperboard box or a formed plastic container.

Paperboard boxes are favored by some manufacturers because of low cost of manufacturing, low cost of printing, low cost of shipping, ease of filling, adjustable size, and biodegradability. Paperboard boxes have disadvantages in that they have limited metering capabilities, have a very limited resealing once opened, and have a low perceived value in the market.

Formed plastic containers are favored by other manufacturers because of better metering, better closing, longer lasting, and an increase in perceived value. Formed plastic containers have disadvantages in that they are costly to manufacture, require substantial investment to change once production has begun, have a low incidence of recycling, and are perceived in the market as wasteful due to environmental impact.

No container in the prior art provides the advantages of both types of containers without the disadvantages.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a confectionary package comprised of a formed plastic top and a paperboard body joined to provide the substantial advantages of a paperboard box with the substantial advantages of formed plastic container.

A confectionary package is disclosed having a metering top, a paperboard body, and means for securing the body to the top. The metering top having an upper surface, a skirt extending below the upper surface, an opening in the upper surface sized to meter a portion of confectionary, and a hinged door having a closed position and sized to cover the opening when in the closed position. The body being formed of paperboard folded and secured into a generally tubular shape having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a cross section sized to mate with the metering top, and the lower end including flaps that may be closed creating a sealed container. The adhesive may be a label placed over the metering top and extending down the sides of the paperboard body.

Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its features, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a confectionary package;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a confectionary package;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a confectionary package with the door in an open position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded comparison view of two similar confectionary packages having differing bodies;

FIG. 5 is an inverted view of an open confectionary package ready to be filled;

FIG. 6 is a comparison view of several metering tops for different confectionary sizes;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a confectionary package having a textured skirt;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a confectionary package having a textured skirt with the door in an open position;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a confectionary package with plugs and apertures;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a confectionary package with plugs and apertures with the door in an open position;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a confectionary package having two opposing tops;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a confectionary package having two compartments and two opposing tops;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a confectionary package having a single top with two openings having differing metering rates;

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a confectionary package having two compartments and a single top with an opening for each compartment; and

FIG. 15 is a comparison view of several confectionary packages having differing cross sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure generally provides for a confectionary package. “Confectionary” in this context would include candies, gums, mints, chocolates and other similarly packaged snack foods that are generally kept on the person or in purses and consumed in small numbers over time. This would include some pharmaceutical delivery means such as nicotine gums, cough drops, and antacid tablets, and other candy-like consumables.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a confectionary package 10 having a body 12, a top 14 and an adhesive label 16. The package 10, assembled in this view, shows how the label 16 covers the top 14 and extends down the sides of the body 12. The label 16 may be the sole means of securing the body 12 to the top 14. In this configuration the label 16 will be partially torn to open the top 14. This provides a tamper evident feature to the package 10.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a confectionary package 10 more clearly showing how the body 12 and top 14 are joined and secured by the label 16. Also shown are flaps 18 at a lower end of body 12. The flaps 18 fold over and may be secured by many methods well known in the manufacture of paperboard box containers. The typical method is the use of a small amount of adhesive. Additionally, the label 16 may extend far enough to secure the flaps 18. As is clear in this view and others, the paperboard body 12 has a generally tubular shape and is shown here with a rectangular cross section. Other cross sections would be a simple modification of this basic design as discussed in more detail below.

Another feature more visible in this view is hinged door 20 covering opening 22 in top 14. As is explained below, the size and orientation of opening 22 is chosen to facilitate metering of the confectionary. Door 20 is then sized to seal opening 22.

Also shown is skirt 24 extending down from upper surface 26 of top 14. Skirt 24 slides within body 12 and can be sized to provide a friction fit between top 14 and body 12.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a confectionary package 10 with the door 20 in an open position. This view shows how door 20 is attached to upper surface 26 by a hinge 28. Hinge 28 may be a thin portion of plastic material, known as a living hinge, when top 14 is made of molded plastic material.

Also shown in this view is the overlap between skirt 24 and body 12 and the closure of flaps 18. Body 12 is sized to fit over skirt 24 as shown. Skirt adhesive 29 may be applied between body 12 and skirt 24 as shown in FIG. 3. Skirt adhesive 29 may be in addition to label 16 or instead of label 16.

Door 20 can be made to securely close by incorporating a snap, detent, overlapping ridge, or other means well known in the industry. Door 20 can be made such that a closed position is maintained until a user opens door 20 using various structures well known in the art. It is also understood that door 20 could be arranged to slide from a closed position to an open position as is well known in the art.

Body 12 can be made of plain paperboard, but offers the advantage of being made with interior or exterior coatings to improve the performance of body 12 and package 10. Interior coatings may include a foil barrier layer, waxed coatings, or other coatings based on the confection to be stored in body 12. Exterior coatings would include decorative elements based on the marketing of the confection and consumer interface with the body 12 or additional barrier layers.

FIG. 4 is an exploded comparison view of two similar confectionary packages 10 having differing bodies 12 but similar tops 14. This comparison shows that different sized packages 10 may be made without having to re-tool for a different sized top 14. This is important as the investment for changes in a paperboard body 12 are far lower than the investment required for changing a molded plastic top 14. This allows for low cost rapid changes in package 10 volume in response to market demands.

FIG. 5 is an inverted view of an open confectionary package 10 ready to be filled. From this angle it is easy to see how a package 10 may be treated the same as a paperboard box once assembled. This allows for the usage of low cost packaging equipment already being used for paperboard box processing. Flaps 18 may be sealed in exactly the same manner as similar flaps on a paperboard box.

FIG. 6 is a comparison view of several metering tops 14 for different confectionary sizes. Opening 22 in top 14 is determined by the size of the confection, shape of the confection, and desired dispense rate of the confection. Smaller confections in smooth shapes will require a smaller opening 22 for a given dispense rate. Similarly, the dispense rate for a given confection may be increased by increasing the size of opening 22. A large top 14 with a relatively small opening 22 allows for greater storage capacity and slower dispensing of confections.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an embodiment of the confectionary package 10 including texture 30 on skirt 24 to better secure body 12 to top 14. Texture 30 may be simple roughening of the surface of skirt 24 or raised elements, such as the barbs 32 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Barbs 32 may push out on body 12 such that a lip 34 may be needed to keep body 12 from simply deforming. Lip 34 keeps body 12 engaged with barbs 32. Lip 34 is shown extending all the way around the perimeter of top 14, but could be intermittent in nature to achieve the same function.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an embodiment of the confectionary package 10 where plugs 36 extend out from skirt 24 and through apertures 38 in body 12. Such mating plugs and apertures allow for body 12 to be lid onto top 14 and at least partially secured by the plugs 36 extending through the apertures 38. Such plugs 36 and apertures 38 can be of any shape and may be shaped to compliment the printing on the outside of body 12. As shown in these figures plugs 36 may be sloped or tapered to ease assembly of package 10.

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a confectionary package 10 having two opposing tops 14 and a body 12 without flaps 18. In this embodiment, body 12 may include an internal divider as shown in FIG. 12 such that two divided compartments are created. Additionally, this embodiment may include two different tops 14 such that a slower dispensing top 14, with a smaller opening 22 may be on one end of the container 10 and a faster dispensing top 14, with a larger opening 22, may be on the opposite end.

FIG. 12 is an exploded sectional view of a confectionary package 10 having two compartments 40 created by a divider 42 in body 12 and two opposing tops 14. The confectionary package 10 with divider 42 can provide multiple flavors or types of confection in a single package 10 with out changing the design of top 14, if desired for brand consistency.

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a confectionary package 10 having a single top 14 with two openings 22 having differing metering rates to provide a user choice in metering rates.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a confectionary package 10 having two compartments 40 created by a divider 42 in body 12 and a single top 14 with an opening for each compartment 40. Divider 42 in body 12 creates two compartments 40 to hold two different confections separate from each other. As shown, divider 42 may include slits 44 to allow skirt 24 to securely fit in body 12 without interference from divider 42.

FIG. 15 is a comparison view of several confectionary packages 10 having differing cross sections to provide differing shapes. Body 12 of each package 10 has a tubular shape, but each with a different cross section to form very different shapes. Also shown are openings 22 with a tapered shape instead of a rectangular shape. Openings 22 can be of many different shapes and sizes to control metering of the confection.

It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like.

While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A confectionary package comprising:

a paperboard body;

a formed metering top on an end of the paperboard body; and

an adhesive securing the body to the top.

2. The confectionary package of claim 1 wherein the metering top comprises:

an upper surface;

a skirt extending below the upper surface;

an opening in the upper surface sized to meter a portion of confectionary; and

a door having a closed position and sized to cover the opening when in the closed position.

3. The confectionary package of claim 1 wherein the paperboard body comprises:

a paperboard folded and secured into a container shape having an upper end and a lower end;

the upper end having a cross section shaped to mate with the metering top; and

the lower end including flaps that may be closed creating a sealed container.

4. The confectionary package of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a label placed over the metering top and extending down the sides of the paperboard body.

5. The confectionary package of claim 1 wherein the formed metering top is a plastic material.

6. The confectionary package of claim 2 wherein the adhesive is a skirt adhesive between the skirt and the body.

7. The confectionary package of claim 2 further comprising a second metering top on an end of the body opposite the metering top.

8. The confectionary package of claim 7 wherein the body further comprises a divider within the body creating two compartments within the body, a first compartment in communication with the metering top and a second compartment in communication with the second metering top.

9. The confectionary package of claim 2 wherein the metering top has a second opening in the upper surface.

10. The confectionary package of claim 9 wherein the second opening is sized to meter at a different rate than the first opening.

11. The confectionary package of claim 9 wherein the body further comprises a divider within the body creating two compartments within the body, a first compartment in communication with the opening and a second compartment in communication with the second opening.

12. A confectionary package comprising:

a formed metering top having an upper surface, a skirt extending below the upper surface, an opening in the upper surface sized to meter a portion of confectionary, and a hinged door having a closed position and sized to cover the opening when in the closed position;

a body formed of paperboard folded and secured into a generally tubular shape having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a cross section sized to mate with the metering top, and the lower end including flaps that may be closed creating a sealed container; and

a structure securing the body to the top.

13. The confectionary package of claim 12 wherein the structure is a label placed over the metering top and extending down the paperboard body.

14. The confectionary package of claim 13 wherein the label is printed such that any tear in the label would be evident.

15. The confectionary package of claim 12 wherein the metering top is a plastic material.

16. The confectionary package of claim 12 wherein the structure is a skirt adhesive between the body and the skirt.

17. The confectionary package of claim 12 wherein the structure is a texture on the skirt that increases friction between the skirt and the body.

18. The confectionary package of claim 12 wherein the structure is a barb that extends from the skirt and engages the body.

19. The confectionary package of claim 12 wherein the structure is a plug extending from the skirt through an aperture in the body.

20. The confectionary package of claim 17 further including a tamper evident label.