Carton with reclosable lid

• US 10,501,227 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Fitzwater, Kelly R., Wilson, Weston R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Robert F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Christopher Robin
• Application Number:
  US15/617,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20170267400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 493 70, 493 87, 493102, 493114, 493115, 493139
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6623 the lid being hinged about a line located in the top surface of the container

Abstract

A carton for containing a product. The carton can comprise a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, and a second side panel. At least one top flap is respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels. The at least one top flap at least partially forms a closed top end of the carton. A reclosable lid is positionable between an open position and a closed position. The reclosable lid comprises a central panel that is foldably connected to the at least one top flap. The reclosable lid can be downwardly folded relative to the at least one top flap in the closed position.

Claims

1. A method of forming a carton, the method comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, and a second side panel, at least one top flap respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and lid features comprising a central panel, the central panel being foldably connected to the at least one top flap, wherein the first side panel comprises a first oblique edge and the second side panel comprises a second oblique edge;

forming an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-ended sleeve;

positioning the at least one top flap to at least partially close a top end of the open-ended sleeve;

positioning the lid features to form a reclosable lid; and

positioning the reclosable lid to a closed position wherein the reclosable lid is downwardly folded relative to the at least one top flap, wherein the positioning the reclosable lid to the closed position comprises positioning the central panel of the reclosable lid to be oblique with respect to the at least one top flap and contacting the central panel with the first oblique edge and the second oblique edge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the interior of the carton comprises forming a front top portion of the carton, and the positioning the reclosable lid to the closed position comprises closing the front top portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reclosable lid comprises a first lid flap, a second lid flap, and a third lid flap, each of the first lid flap, the second lid flap, and the third lid flap being respectively foldably connected to the central panel; and

the positioning the lid features comprises folding the first lid flap, the second lid flap, and the third lid flap downwardly with respect to the central panel so that, in the closed position of the reclosable lid, the first lid flap at least partially overlaps the first side panel, the second lid flap at least partially overlaps the second side panel, and the third lid flap at least partially overlaps the second end panel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the at least one top flap comprises at least one side top flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the positioning the at least one top flap comprising folding the at least one side top flap relative to the first side panel or the second side panel to at least partially close the top end.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the reclosable lid comprises a first closure tab foldably connected to the first lid flap and a second closure tab foldably connected to the second lid flap, the positioning the lid features comprises securing the first closure tab and the second closure tab to an interior surface of the third lid flap.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising a locking flap foldably connected to the second end panel, the positioning the reclosable lid to the closed position comprises at least partially engaging the locking flap and the reclosable lid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one top flap comprises at least a first side top flap foldably connected to the first side panel along a first fold line, the central panel being foldably connected to the first side top flap along a second fold line.

5. A method of forming a carton, the method comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, and a second side panel, at least one top flap respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and lid features comprising a central panel, a first lid flap, a second lid flap, and a third lid flap, each of the first lid flap, the second lid flap, and the third lid flap being respectively foldably connected to the central panel, the central panel being foldably connected to the at least one top flap, wherein the at least one top flap comprises at least one side top flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel;

forming an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-ended sleeve;

positioning the at least one top flap to at least partially close a top end of the open-ended sleeve, the positioning the at least one top flap comprising folding the at least one side top flap relative to the first side panel or the second side panel to at least partially close the top end;

positioning the lid features to form a reclosable lid; and

positioning the reclosable lid to a closed position wherein the reclosable lid is downwardly folded relative to the at least one top flap, wherein the central panel of the reclosable lid is foldably connected to the at least one side top flap along a lateral fold line, the positioning the reclosable lid to the closed position comprising folding the central panel downwardly along the lateral fold line to be oblique with respect to the at least one side top flap;

wherein the positioning the lid features comprises folding the first lid flap, the second lid flap, and the third lid flap downwardly with respect to the central panel so that, in the closed position of the reclosable lid, the first lid flap at least partially overlaps the first side panel, the second lid flap at least partially overlaps the second side panel, and the third lid flap at least partially overlaps the second end panel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising positioning the reclosable lid to an open position by folding the reclosable lid upwardly along the lateral fold line relative to the at least one side top flap.