Carton with reclosable lock

• US 10,017,290 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Faulkner, William, Bates, Aaron Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US15/372,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20170158372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 229128, 229155, 229186, 22911714, 2291033, 229114, 229149, 22912528, 229126, 229157, 229158, 229188, 2291982
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2047 trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls B65D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2057 Inter-engaging self-locking flaps B65D5/4254 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/244 and the gussets folds connected to the outside of the container body B65D5/247, B65D5/248 take precedence

Abstract

A carton for holding at least one food product is disclosed, and includes a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, a first side flap, and a second side flap. The plurality of panels includes a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. The first side flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and includes a first tab and a second tab. The second side flap is foldably connected to the second side panel and includes a first locking feature and a second locking feature. The first tab is engaged with the first locking feature and the second tab is engaged with the second locking feature to form a reclosable lock of the carton.

Claims

1. A carton for holding at least one food product, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

a plurality of flaps respectively foldably connected to the plurality of panels for closing a top of the carton, the plurality of flaps comprises a first side flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side flap foldably connected to the second side panel;

a reclosable lock for securing at least the first side flap and the second side flap to close the top of the carton, the reclosable lock comprises a first locking feature and a second locking feature in the first side flap, and a first locking tab and a second locking tab in the second side flap,

the first locking tab being for engagement with the first locking feature and the second locking tab being for engagement with the second locking feature to engage the reclosable lock.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first locking tab and the first locking feature form a secondary lock and the second locking tab and the second locking feature form a primary lock.

3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the second locking tab is at least partially defined by a cut and at least one fold line and is pivotable relative to the second side flap.

4. The carton of claim 3, wherein the first locking feature comprises a first locking flap and the second locking feature comprises a second locking flap.

5. The carton of claim 4, wherein the first locking flap is defined by a cut and forms a first locking opening, the second locking flap is foldably connected to the first side flap and pivotable relative to the first side flap to form a second locking opening.

6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the second locking tab is in engagement with the second locking opening to engage the primary lock.

7. The carton of claim 6, wherein the first locking tab is in engagement with the first locking opening to engage the secondary lock.

8. The carton of claim 6, wherein the plurality of flaps comprises at least one end flap foldably connected to the at least one end panel, the primary lock engages at least a portion of the at least one end flap.

9. The carton of claim 8, wherein the second locking tab is in face-to-face contact with the second locking flap and the second locking flap is in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the at least one end flap.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the at least one end panel is a first end panel, the at least one end flap is a first end flap, the plurality of panels comprises a second end panel and the plurality of end flaps comprises a second end flap foldably connected to the second end panel.

11. The carton of claim 10, wherein the primary lock engages at least one of the first end flap and the second end flap.

12. The carton of claim 11, wherein the second locking flap is in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of at least one of the first end flap and the second end flap.

13. The carton of claim 8, wherein the at least one end flap comprises an extension, the primary lock engages at least a portion of the extension.

14. The carton of claim 6, wherein the first locking tab is in engagement with the first locking opening to engage the secondary lock.

15. The carton of claim 14, wherein the first locking tab is in face-to-face contact with the first locking flap.

16. The carton of claim 15, wherein the first locking tab comprises at least one edge of the second side flap.

17. The carton of claim 16, wherein the at least one edge comprises a pair of oblique edges that converge to form the first tab.

18. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first side panel, the second side panel, and the at least one end panel are sloped relative to the bottom panel.

19. The carton of claim 1, wherein a first gusset foldably connects the first side panel and the at least one end panel and a second gusset foldably connects the second side panel and the at least one end panel.

20. The carton of claim 19, wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprises a first gusset panel and a second gusset panel foldably connected at a fold line, the second gusset panel comprises a notch in an edge of the gusset.

21. The carton of claim 20, wherein the first gusset panel of each of the first gusset and the second gusset is attached to an exterior surface of the at least one end panel through the notch.

22. A blank for forming a carton for holding at least one food product, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

a plurality of flaps respectively foldably connected to the plurality of panels for closing a top of the carton formed from the blank, the plurality of flaps comprises a first side flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side flap foldably connected to the second side panel; and

locking features forming a reclosable lock for securing at least the first side flap and the second side flap to close the top of the carton formed from the blank, the locking features comprise a first locking feature and a second locking feature in the first side flap, and a first locking tab and a second locking tab in the second side flap,

the first locking tab being for engagement with the first locking feature and the second locking tab being for engagement with the second locking feature to engage the reclosable lock in the carton formed from the blank.

23. The blank of claim 22, wherein the first locking tab and the first locking feature form a secondary lock in the carton formed from the blank and the second locking tab and the second locking feature form a primary lock in the carton formed from the blank.

24. The blank of claim 23, wherein the second locking tab is at least partially defined by a cut and at least one fold line and is pivotable relative to the second side flap, the first locking feature comprises a first locking flap and the second locking feature comprises a second locking flap.

25. The blank of claim 24, wherein the first locking flap is defined by a cut and forms a first locking opening, the second locking flap is foldably connected to the first side flap and pivotable relative to the first side flap to form a second locking opening.

26. The blank of claim 25, wherein the plurality of flaps comprises at least one end flap foldably connected to the at least one end panel, the primary lock engages at least a portion of the at least one end flap in the carton formed from the blank.

27. The blank of claim 26, wherein the second locking tab is in face-to-face contact with the second locking flap in the carton formed from the blank and the second locking flap is in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the at least one end flap in the carton formed from the blank.

28. The blank of claim 27, wherein the at least one end panel is a first end panel, the at least one end flap is a first end flap, the plurality of panels comprises a second end panel and the plurality of end flaps comprises a second end flap foldably connected to the second end panel, the primary lock engages at least one of the first end flap and the second end flap in the carton formed from the blank and the second locking flap is in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of at least one of the first end flap and the second end flap in the carton formed from the blank.

29. The blank of claim 26, wherein the at least one end flap comprises an extension, the primary lock engages at least a portion of the extension in the carton formed from the blank.

30. The blank of claim 25, wherein the first locking tab is in engagement with the first locking opening to engage the secondary lock and is in face-to-face contact with the first locking flap in the carton formed from the blank.

31. The blank of claim 30, wherein the first locking tab comprises at least one edge of the second side flap.

32. The blank of claim 31, wherein the at least one edge comprises a pair of oblique edges that converge to form the first tab.

33. The blank of claim 22, wherein a first gusset foldably connects the first side panel and the at least one end panel and a second gusset foldably connects the second side panel and the at least one end panel.

34. The blank of claim 33, wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprises a first gusset panel and a second gusset panel foldably connected at a fold line, the second gusset panel comprises a notch in an edge of the gusset.

35. The blank of claim 34, wherein the first gusset panel of each of the first gusset and the second gusset is attached to an exterior surface of the at least one end panel through the notch in the carton formed from the blank.

36. A method of forming a carton for holding at least one food product, the method comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a plurality of flaps respectively foldably connected to the plurality of panels, the plurality of flaps comprises a first side flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side flap foldably connected to the second side panel, locking features comprising a first locking feature and a second locking feature in the first side flap and a first locking tab and a second locking tab in the second side flap,

at least partially forming an interior of the carton by positioning the plurality of panels;

at least partially closing a top of the carton by positioning the first side flap and the second side flap;

forming a reclosable lock from the locking features and securing at least the first side flap and the second side flap to close the top of the carton; and

engaging the reclosable lock by engaging the first locking tab with the first locking feature and engaging the second locking tab with the second locking feature.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the forming the reclosable lock comprises forming a secondary lock comprising the first locking tab and the first locking feature and a primary lock comprising the second locking tab and the second locking feature.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the second locking tab is at least partially defined by a cut and at least one fold line, the first locking feature comprises a first locking flap and the second locking feature comprises a second locking flap.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the first locking flap is defined by a cut and forms a first locking opening, and the engaging the reclosable lock comprises pivoting the second locking tab to engage and pivot the second locking flap to form a second locking opening and engage the primary lock.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising engaging the secondary lock by engaging the first locking tab with the first locking opening.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the engaging the secondary lock comprises engaging the first locking tab with the first locking opening and positioning the first locking tab in face-to-face contact with the first locking flap.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the plurality of flaps comprises at least one end flap foldably connected to the at least one end panel, the primary lock engages at least a portion of the at least one end flap.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the engaging the primary lock comprises positioning the second locking tab in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the second locking flap and positioning the second locking flap in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the at least one end flap.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the at least one end panel is a first end panel, the at least one end flap is a first end flap, the plurality of panels comprises a second end panel and the plurality of end flaps comprises a second end flap foldably connected to the second end panel, the engaging the primary lock comprises positioning the second locking flap in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of at least one of the first end flap and the second end flap.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the at least one end flap comprises an extension, the primary lock engages at least a portion of the extension.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein the blank comprises a first gusset foldably connected the first side panel and the at least one end panel and a second gusset foldably connected to the second side panel and the at least one end panel.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprises a first gusset panel and a second gusset panel foldably connected at a fold line, the second gusset panel comprises a notch in an edge of the gusset, the at least partially forming the interior of the carton comprises attaching the first gusset panel of each of the first gusset and the second gusset to an exterior surface of the at least one end panel through the notch.