RECLOSABLE CONTAINER
A container for retaining one or more inner packets can have a first front panel having an irregular pattern on at least one edge; a shrink band disposed along an axis of the container to engage the irregular pattern on at least one edge; a second front panel having at least a back and a flap, the flap including a first layer and a second layer which are joined along side edges thereof to create a pocket in the flap that is open along only one side, wherein the flap is divided from the back by a fold line; at least one inner packet slot configured to receive the inner packet, the inner packet slot being defined between the first and second layers of the flap; whereby an opened inner packet can be partially inserted behind the inner packet slot and into the pocket between the first and second layers of the flap of the outer package, so that when the outer package is folded along the fold line, the inner packet is folded against itself and is pinched shut to retain its contents; and whereby the irregular patterns inhibits lateral movement of the shrink band.
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The present application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to, currently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/623,837 filed on Nov. 23, 2009 and entitled RECLOSABLE CONTAINER, which claims priority from provisional patent application No. 61/239,688, filed Sep. 3, 2009 and entitled RECLOSABLE CONTAINER, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
FIELDThe embodiments described herein relate to containers, and in particular to containers having a means to keep opened inner packets sealed.
BACKGROUNDReclosable containers that include a plurality of inner packets or liners that contain product are known in the art. Some containers can be opened and closed by the use of locking flaps and made of paperboard.
Containers of this type are susceptible to spillage of product when the inner packet has granular or powdered material and is opened and returned to the container. Containers of this type do not form adequate seals to hold any inner product that has spilled.
Accordingly, there is a desire and need for a container that can be reliably closed and additionally can seal an opened inner packet from spillage.
SUMMARYA reclosable container is provided that can be reliably closed and can seal one or more opened inner packets.
One embodiment can provide a container having a first front panel having an irregular pattern on at least one edge; a shrink band disposed along an axis of the container to engage the irregular pattern on at least one edge; a second front panel having at least a back and a flap, the flap including a first layer and a second layer which are joined along side edges thereof to create a pocket in the flap that is open along only one side, wherein the flap is divided from the back by a fold line; at least one inner packet slot configured to receive the inner packet, the inner packet slot being defined between the first and second layers of the flap; whereby an opened inner packet can be partially inserted behind the inner packet slot and into the pocket between the first and second layers of the flap of the outer package, so that when the outer package is folded along the fold line, the inner packet is folded against itself and is pinched shut to retain its contents; and whereby the irregular patterns inhibits lateral movement of the shrink band.
In some embodiments the shrink band can be composed of a material selected from the list costing of oriented polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and preferably glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG). The shrink band gauge can be between about 45 and 55 microns and optionally have two substantially parallel perforations spanning a width of the shrink band.
In other embodiments, the container can have relief score lines on a back panel of the container.
Other features will become more apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the container pertains and from the following description and claims.
The foregoing features, as well as other features, will become apparent with reference to the description and figures below, in which like numerals represent like elements, and in which:
Referring now to the figures, like elements are represented by like numerals throughout the several views.
As shown in the
Also, as shown in the figures, a pattern or irregularity can be die cut into a container edge. As shown, at least one tab 21 can be added to bottom edge 20. Tab 21 can facilitate the retention of a shrink band 23 as shown in
It is also noted that the irregular pattern, such as tabs 21, can be formed on any of the package sides, such as bottom and/or top side, and left side and/or right side so long as at least one of the irregular patterns engages the shrink band 23 as described. In embodiments where a right side and/or left side irregular pattern is included, shrink band 23 would envelop the container in a lateral direction. Thus, as shown, preferably three tabs 21 can be provided and the shrink band configured to engage all three tabs.
First front panel 16 can also include a slot 28 for receiving a lower edge 26 of second front panel 18 to close container 10. Second front panel 18 can at least partially overlap first front panel 16. In exemplary embodiments, when container 10 is initially purchased and is unopened, an adhesive means can be used to retain the first front panel 18 over second front panel 16. Adhesive retaining means can include such things as cold glue, hot melt glue, tape, stickers, labels, band overwrap, shrink overwrap, and the like. In such embodiments, slot 28 is unused until the adhesive retaining means is broken.
The combination of slot 28 and reclosing edge 26 can generally be referred to as reclosing mechanism. The exact position of slot 28 on first front panel 16 can vary, though it has been found that placement near the apex of the arcuate edge 30 is preferable and can provide a closure that will not readily open by itself when upside down or inverted, when first front panel 16 is folded to an acute angle, when container 10 is dropped, or when container 10 is subjected to compressive forces. The folding angle can adjust to accommodate the convex curvature of container 10. The reclosing mechanism can be configured for a consumer to open using one hand.
Container 10 can be made from a variety of materials such as a single sheet of foldable material (blank). Preferably, container 10 is made of paperboard of the type conventionally used in food containers or product packages, and more specifically, can be made of 14 point paperboard (approximately 0.3 mm thick). Other materials can include plastic, paperboard-plastic composites, cardboard, fabric, leather, vinyl and the like. Container 10 can additionally include texture on one or more of the surfaces, indicia, or other designs to make the package aesthetically pleasing to consumers.
Referring back to
As shown in
After an inner packet 32 has been opened by tearing its upper end, the upper end may be inserted within inner packet slot 38, between interior layer 34 and exterior layer 36 of second front panel 18, as shown in
Referring now to
As
Referring back to
Container blank 42, as illustrated, also includes two side panels 12. Side panels 12 are divided from back 14 along fold lines 48 and 50, located on edges of the back 14 opposing one another, and each adjacent to first front panel 80. Fold lines 48 and 50, as shown, are straight edges, which allow back 14 to remain flat when the package is assembled and contains product so as to minimize the amount of space the package occupies. Side panels 12 additionally include precisely scored arcuate edges 30 which define the depth of the package and provide a convex shape to first front panel 16. In exemplary embodiments, the distance from fold line 48 or 50 to the apex of arcuate edge 30 of side panel 12 is about one centimeter to allow the container to be easily transported in a small purse, bag, or pocket. The distance from fold line 48 or 50 to the apex of arcuate edge 30 of side panel 12 varies depending on inner packet 32 to be contained within the container 10. It is this distance from fold line 48 or 50 to the apex of the arcuate edge 30 that gives the package its depth. Furthermore, the distance from fold line 48 to the apex of the arcuate edge 30 of the associated side panel 12 is equal to the distance from fold line 50 to the apex of the corresponding arcuate edge 30 of the side panel 12 associated with fold line 50.
Other features can be provided to container 10. As shown in
Side panels 12 can each be connected to an attachment flap 58 along the scored edge using adhesive means described herein. Attachment flaps 58 are folded into the inside of the container 10 when it is assembled and provides a means by which first front panel 16 can be joined to side panels 12. Each attachment flap 58 can have a straight edge 56 opposing arcuate edge 30 and a straight edge 60 adjacent to arcuate edge 30 near fold line 46. Further, each attachment flap 58 has a contoured edge 54 adjacent to the arcuate edge 30 near fold line 44. This edge 54 is contoured to substantially match hyperbolic edge 62 of first front panel 16 when container blank 42 is folded to form a container. When container 10 is constructed from container blank 42 as shown in
Container 10 can also include a second front panel 18 which, as shown in
In preferred embodiments, the second portion of the second front panel, or interior layer 34, includes an inner packet slot 38. When the container blank 42 is folded to create container 10, inner packet slot 38 allows the interior layer 34 and the exterior layer 36 to be easily separated to receive an inner packet 32 containing product between the two layers. Inner packet slot 38 can vary in size, creating a wider or narrower inner packet slot 38. As shown in
To create the container 10 as shown in
While preferred embodiments have been described in detail, variations and modifications can be effected within the scope of the embodiments.
Claims
1. A container for retaining one or more inner packets, the container comprising:
- a first front panel having an irregular pattern on at least one edge;
- a shrink band disposed along an axis of the container to engage the irregular pattern on at least one edge;
- a second front panel having at least a back and a flap, the flap including a first layer and a second layer which are joined along side edges thereof to create a pocket in the flap that is open along only one side, wherein the flap is divided from the back by a fold line;
- at least one inner packet slot configured to receive the inner packet, the inner packet slot being defined between the first and second layers of the flap;
- whereby an opened inner packet can be partially inserted behind the inner packet slot and into the pocket between the first and second layers of the flap of the outer package, so that when the outer package is folded along the fold line, the inner packet is folded against itself and is pinched shut to retain its contents; and
- whereby the irregular patterns inhibits lateral movement of the shrink band.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the shrink band is composed of a material selected from the list costing of oriented polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG).
3. The container of claim 1, wherein a gauge of shrink band is between about 45 and 55 microns.
4. The container of claim 1, wherein the shrink band further comprises two substantially parallel perforations spanning a width of the shrink band.
5. The container of claim 1, further comprising relief score lines on a back panel of the container.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 15, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 3, 2011
Applicant: KRAFT FOODS GLOBAL BRANDS LLC (Northfield, IL)
Inventors: Kofi N. AMPADU (Mount Vernon, NY), Gary N. Langer (New City, NY), Thomas Tedeschi, JR. (Brewster, NY)
Application Number: 12/816,036
International Classification: B65D 21/02 (20060101);