Tamper-Resistant Facial Tissue Carton

Abstract

Tamper resistance is provided for facial tissue cartons having a poly dispensing window and a detachable surfboard with detachment openings to enable a user to grasp and remove the surfboard. The underside of the surfboard is provided with a releasable adhesive barrier which releasably adheres the poly window to the surfboard in order to block unwanted access to the interior of the carton through the detachment openings. The ability of the user to grasp and remove the surfboard is unaffected.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Facial tissue cartons are provided with a removable “surfboard” which the user detaches from the top of the carton in order to access the tissues within the carton. These surfboards are integral with the top of the carton and their edges are defined by perforations circumscribing the surfboard, which is typically oblong-shaped. For pop-up dispensing, a poly film containing a dispensing slit underlies the surfboard and is exposed when the surfboard is removed, creating a “window”. For ease of removal, the surfboard can be provided with small detachment openings on each end to enable the user to insert a finger in order to grasp and detach the surfboard from the carton. Unfortunately, it has been determined that these openings also provide an opportunity for tampering with the product by inserting material between the surfboard and the poly film. Therefore there is a need for a tissue carton that continues to provide the convenience of the current surfboard and poly window features, but makes tampering with the product more difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been discovered that the tamper resistance of facial tissue cartons can be improved, without adversely affecting the dispensing of the tissues or removal of the surfboard, by providing a releasable adhesive barrier between the surfboard and the poly film.

Hence in one aspect the invention resides in a tissue product comprising a clip of interfolded facial tissues within a container, said container having a top through which the facial tissues are withdrawn by a user, said top comprising a poly film having a dispensing opening and a detachable surfboard overlaying the poly film, there being at least one detachment opening in the top of the container adjacent an edge of the surfboard which enables the user to grasp and remove the surfboard, wherein the surfboard is releasably adhered to the poly film by a releasable adhesive barrier which reduces access to the space between the surfboard and the poly film through said one or more detachment openings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tissue product of this invention having a flat tissue carton or container.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the tissue product of FIG. 1, more clearly illustrating the top of the container having a surfboard and two access openings.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the tissue product of FIG. 1 with the surfboard removed, illustrating the resulting poly opening with the dispensing opening.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the underside of the surfboard removed from the container of FIG. 1, illustrating one embodiment of the releasable adhesive barrier.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the underside of the surfboard removed from the container of FIG. 1, illustrating another embodiment of the releasable adhesive barrier.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a another embodiment of a tissue product of this invention having an oval-shaped container.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the tissue product of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the tissue product of FIG. 6 with the surfboard removed.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the underside of the surfboard removed from the container of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a another embodiment of a tissue product of this invention having cube-shaped container.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the tissue product of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top view of the tissue product of FIG. 10 with the surfboard removed.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the underside of the surfboard removed from the container of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be further described in connection with the following Figures. The use of the same reference number in different figures is intended to represent the same feature.

Referring to FIG. 1, shown is a perspective view of a product of this invention. Shown is a rectangular container or carton 1 containing a clip or stack 2 of interfolded facial tissues (schematically illustrated in phantom lines). The carton has four sidewalls (sidewalls 3 and 3′ visible in this view), a bottom and a top 5. The top contains a surfboard 6 which is defined by a combinations of cuts and perforations 7 delineating its periphery. Also shown are two access openings 8 and 9 which expose a poly film which is glued to the inside of the top of the carton and which is larger than the surfboard, so when the surfboard is removed, a poly window is created in the resulting opening.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the carton of FIG. 1, more clearly showing the surfboard 6 and the two openings 8 and 9. As previously described, in order to open the carton and begin to dispense the tissues, a user simply inserts a finger into one of the two access openings to grasp the surfboard and pull it to detach it from the top of the carton along the line of perforations. As one might appreciate, however, because these access openings provide access to the space between the poly film and the surfboard, someone wishing to tamper with the product could insert unwanted materials into that space.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the carton after the surfboard has been removed, showing the poly window 11 and the dispensing opening or slit 12 through which the tissues are dispensed. The dispensing slit shown has an “S” shape, but any suitable opening or slit shape can be used.

FIG. 4 shows the underside of the detached surfboard 6 (the side of the surfboard originally facing the poly window), illustrating one aspect of this invention. Specifically, shown are two discontinuous releasable adhesive barriers 15 and 15′ which remain adhered to the surfboard when the surfboard is removed from the top of the carton, but which release from the poly window so that the poly window remains clean during use. As a result, prior to the user detaching the surfboard from the carton, the locations of these releasable adhesive barriers prevent insertion of unwanted materials through the access openings 8 and 9 into the space between the surfboard and the poly window before the surfboard is removed by the consumer/user. In this embodiment, each of the two releasable adhesive barriers comprise three spaced-apart individual adhesive deposits arranged generally in a straight line. In a specific example of this embodiment, each of the adhesive deposits can be about 0.25 inch in diameter and spaced-apart about 0.25 inch. The net result is a discontinuous releasable adhesive barrier having an effective length, measured from one outside end of the barrier to the other, of about 1.25 inches long.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the releasable adhesive barriers are continuous releasable adhesive barriers, each continuous releasable adhesive barrier comprising a continuous line of adhesive. In a specific example of this embodiment, the overall length of the releasable adhesive barrier can be about 1.25 inches.

The number, size, shape spacing and arrangement of the releasable adhesive barriers and the adhesive deposits forming the releasable adhesive barriers can be any number, size, shape, spacing or arrangement which effectively prevents or resists insertion of unwanted materials into the product. In general, the width of the openings in commercially available facial tissue cartons is about 1.5 inches, so the effective length of the releasable adhesive barriers can be from about 0.5 to about 1.5 inches, more specifically from about 0.75 to about 1.25 inches, and still more specifically from about 1.0 to about 1.25 inches. The effective length of the releasable adhesive barriers and the spacing between individual adhesive deposits in a discontinuous releasable adhesive barrier will be determined by the size and stiffness of the material sought to be excluded. If the material is a 1 inch wide strip of paper, for example, a discontinuous releasable adhesive barrier having individual adhesive deposits spaced apart by about 0.50 inch or less would likely be sufficient, which would take into consideration some bending of the paper strip trying to be inserted.

Suitable releasable adhesives include, without limitation, pressure sensitive hot melt adhesives or cold adhesives. Hot melt adhesives are commonly styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymers and cold adhesives are commonly water-based acrylic polymers. Particularly suitable commercially available releasable adhesives include National Adhesives 70-003A (hot melt) as well as Capital Adhesives and Packaging Company R61315 or R30315 fugitive adhesives (cold). In all cases, the adhesive must adhere the poly window to the surfboard until the surfboard is removed. The degree of force required to detach the surfboard from the poly window should be minimal so the user is not inconvenienced. At the same time, the releasable adhesive preferably should not leave a residue on poly film and remain with the surfboard, which is discarded.

During manufacturing, prior to inserting the clip of tissues into the carton, the releasable adhesive is applied to the carton blank in the location of the underside of the surfboard prior to assembling the carton blank into a carton by any suitable method well known to those skilled in the packaging arts. The poly window is then applied and adhered by pressure to the carton blank over the releasable adhesive deposits, as well as being permanently adhered (glued) to the inside of the top of the carton at a location outside of the periphery of the surfboard. The carton is then assembled in a conventional manner and the tissues loaded into the carton.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of this invention, in which the container is an oval-shaped container 20 having a continuous sidewall 21, a bottom and a top 25. The surfboard 26 and access openings 28 and 29 for such containers have a slightly different shape than those of the larger rectangular containers of FIG. 1. The shape of the surfboard is defined by the line of perforations 27.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the container of FIG. 6, more clearly showing the surfboard 26 and the two access openings 28 and 29. As previously described, in order to open the carton and begin to dispense the tissues, a user simply inserts a finger into one of the two access openings to grasp the surfboard and pull it to detach it from the top of the carton along the line of perforations.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the container after the surfboard has been removed, showing the poly window 31 and an X-shaped dispensing slit 32 through which the tissues are dispensed.

FIG. 9 shows the underside of the detached surfboard 26, illustrating another aspect of this invention. Specifically, shown are two linear continuous releasable adhesive barriers 35 and 35′ which remain adhered to the surfboard when the surfboard is removed from the top of the carton, but which release from the poly window so that the poly window remains clean during use.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of this invention, in which the container 40 is generally cubical in shape, commonly referred to as an “upright” carton, containing an inverted U-shaped clip of interfolded tissues. The carton has four sidewalls (sidewalls 43 and 43′ visible in this view), a bottom and a top 45. The top contains a surfboard 46 which is defined by a combinations of cuts and perforations 47 delineating its periphery. Also shown are two access openings 48 and 49 which are used to grasp and remove the surfboard.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the container of FIG. 10, more clearly showing the surfboard 46 and the two access openings 48 and 49.

FIG. 12 is a top view of the container of FIG. 10 after the surfboard has been removed, showing the poly window 51 and an X-shaped dispensing slit 52 through which the tissues are dispensed.

FIG. 13 shows the underside of the detached surfboard 46, illustrating two discontinuous linear releasable adhesive barriers 55 and 55′, each of which comprises three individual spaced apart dots of adhesive which remain adhered to the surfboard when the surfboard is removed from the top of the carton, but which release from the poly window so that the poly window remains clean during use. As described above, any suitable arrangement of the individual adhesive deposits can be used to form the releasable adhesive barrier.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing drawings and description, given for purposes of illustration, are not to be construed as limiting the scope of this invention, which is defined by the following claims and all equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A tissue product comprising a clip of interfolded facial tissues within a container, said container having a top through which the facial tissues are withdrawn by a user, said top comprising a poly film which is glued to the inside of the top and which has a dispensing opening therein, said top further having a detachable surfboard overlaying the poly film, said detachable surfboard having a periphery defined by a combination of cuts and perforations in the top, there being at least one detachment opening in the top of the container adjacent an edge of the surfboard which enables the user to grasp and remove the surfboard to create a poly window in the resulting opening, wherein the surfboard is releasably adhered to the poly film by a releasable adhesive barrier which reduces access to the space between the surfboard and the poly film through said at least one detachment opening.

2. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the releasable adhesive barrier is continuous.

3. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the releasable adhesive barrier is discontinuous.

4. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the effective length of the releasable adhesive barrier is from about 0.5 to about 1.5 inches.

5. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the effective length of the releasable adhesive barrier is from about 0.75 to about 1.25 inches.

6. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the effective length of the releasable adhesive barrier is from about 1.0 to about 1.25 inches.

7. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the releasable adhesive barrier is discontinuous and comprises three individual spaced-apart adhesive deposits.

8. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the releasable adhesive barrier is a pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive.

9. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the releasable adhesive barrier is a pressure sensitive cold adhesive.

10. The tissue product of claim 1 wherein the dispensing opening in the poly film is a slit.