Reclosable container

• US 20040178252A1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caraustar Custom Packaging Group, Inc. (Greif Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caraustar Custom Packaging Group, Inc. (Greif Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stone, James L., Lampe, Scott A., Brink, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,863,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/116.1
• 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 5/244 and the gussets folds connected to the outside of the container body B65D5/247, B65D5/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6655 Local flaps or tabs provided at the lid edge opposite to the hinge

Abstract

A container is provided with a simple opening and closure mechanism which provides for easy reclosure of the container. A user may grasp a reclosable flap and move the flap between open and closed positions to effect opening and closure of the container. The reslosable flap may overlay a container lid such that the container lid is kept in a closed position when the reclosable flap overlays the container lid with the reslosable flap in its closed position. The container may be open and closed several times, and a seal may be maintained in the vicinity of the reclosable flap even after multiple uses of the container.

Claims

1. A reclosable container comprising:

a base having a front panel and a back panel, said back panel terminating along a top edge at a hinge fold line, said front panel bowing outwardly from a center of said container;

a lid extending upwardly from said hinge fold line and movable between a closed and an open position; and

a closure flap attached to said front panel of said base along a curved closure flap fold line, said closure flap movable between a closed and an open position.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said curved fold line is provided with one or more scored areas such that said closure flap tends to fold inwardly toward said center of said container rather than outwardly.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said hinge fold line is provided with one or more scored areas such that said lid tends to fold inwardly rather than outwardly.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said lid is comprised of a top panel, first and second minor side flaps, and a minor front flap.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein said first and second minor side flaps are respectively attached to said top panel along first and second curved minor side flap fold lines and said minor front flap is attached to said top panel along a curved minor front flap fold line.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein said first and second curved minor side flap fold lines and said minor front flap are provided with scored areas such that said first and second minor side flaps and said minor front flap tend to fold inwardly toward a center of said container rather than outwardly.

7. A reclosable container comprising:

a base having a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and first and second side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel, said back panel terminating along a top edge at a hinge fold line,

a lid attached to said hinge fold line, said lid having a top panel, first and second minor side flaps, and a minor front flap, said first and second minor side flaps respectively attached to said top panel along first and second curved minor side flap fold lines, said minor front flap attached to said top panel along a curved minor front flap fold line, said lid being repeatedly movable between an open and a closed position, and

a closure flap attached along a top of said front panel along a curved closure flap fold line, said closure flap being repeatedly movable between an open and a closed position.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein said front panel, said back panel, and said first and second side panels extend upwardly from said bottom panel at angles from about 90 degrees to about 120 degrees.

9. The container of claim 7 wherein said closure flap has a tab and said top panel has a slot, said slot being positioned to accept said tab when said closure flap is in said closed position.

10. The container of claim 7 wherein said hinge fold line is provided with scored areas such that said lid tends to fold inwardly over said base rather than outwardly.

11. The container of claim 7 wherein said first and second side panels and said front and back panels meet at corners, said corners being reinforced with gusset-like corner structures.

12. The container of claim 11 wherein said gusset-like corner structures contain at least three plies of material.

13. A blank for forming a container comprising:

a bottom panel;

first and second side panels attached to said bottom panel along first and second side panel fold lines;

a back panel attached to said bottom panel along a back panel fold line;

a front panel attached to said bottom panel along a front panel fold line;

a closure flap attached to said front panel along a curved closure flap fold line; and

a top panel attached to said back panel along a hinge fold line.

14. The blank of claim 13 wherein said curved closure flap fold line is concave with respect to said closure flap.

15. The blank of claim 13 further comprising first and second minor side flaps attached to said top panel along first and second curved minor side flap fold lines and a minor front flap attached to said top panel along a curved minor front flap fold line.

16. A method of constructing a container comprising:

providing a blank comprising a bottom panel;

first and second side panels attached to said bottom panel along first and second side panel fold lines;

a back panel attached to said bottom panel along a back panel fold line;

a front panel attached to said bottom panel along a front panel fold line;

a closure flap attached to said front panel along a curved closure flap fold line; and

a top panel attached to said back panel along a hinge fold line;

folding said first and second side panels upwardly respectively along said first and second side panel fold lines;

folding said front panel upwardly along said front panel fold line;

folding said back panel upwardly along said back panel fold line;

folding said top panel inwardly along said hinge fold line; and

folding said closure flap over said top panel along said curved closure flap fold line.

17. A method of constructing a container comprising:

providing a blank comprising;

a bottom panel;

first and second side panels attached to said bottom panel along first and second side panel fold lines;

a back panel attached to said bottom panel along a back panel fold line;

a front panel attached to said bottom panel along a front panel fold line;

a closure flap attached to said front panel along a curved closure flap fold line;

a top panel attached to said back panel along a hinge fold line;

first and second minor side flaps attached to said top panel along first and second curved minor side flap fold lines;

a minor front flap attached to said top panel along a curved minor front flap fold line; and

four pairs of corner structure panels provided between each of said back panel and said first side panel, said back panel and said second side panel, said front panel and said first side panel, and said front panel and said second side panel;

folding said first and second side panels upwardly respectively along said first and second side panel fold lines;

folding said front panel upwardly along said front panel fold line;

folding said back panel upwardly along said back panel fold line;

folding said four pairs of corner structure panels along respective ones of said first and second side panels;

folding said first minor side flap inwardly along said first curved minor side flap fold line;

folding said second minor side flap inwardly along said second curved minor side flap fold line;

folding said minor front flap inwardly along said curved minor front flap fold line;

folding said top panel inwardly along said hinge fold line; and

folding said closure flap over said top panel along said curved closure flap fold line.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising adhering said corner structure panels to respective ones of said first and second side walls.

19. A method for using a container comprising:

providing a container comprising a base having a front panel and a back panel, said front panel being bowed outwardly from a center of said container and having a closure flap extending therefrom in a closed position along a curved closure flap fold line, said container further comprising a lid attached to said back panel along a hinge fold line and initially provided in a closed position;

grasping said closure flap;

moving said closure flap from a closed position to an open position by folding said closure flap outwardly along said curved closure flap fold line; and

moving said lid from said closed position outwardly to an open position by folding said lid along said hinge fold line.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

reclosing said container by moving said lid from said open position inwardly to a closed position by folding said lid along said hinge fold line, and moving said closure flap from said open position to said closed position by folding said closure flap inwardly along said curved closure flap fold line.