Carton with Bag Closures

• US 20070187471A1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Ford, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/117.340
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/1625 Small plates or the like made of one piece and presenting slits or a central aperture to jam the neck of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/703 the score-lines or incisions extending in the body of the tubular container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/062 Flexible containers disposed within polygonal containers formed by folding a carton blank
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/064 comprising discharging means formed by cutting a part, e.g. a corner, of the flexible container

Abstract

A carton for containing a bag having dispensable material therein. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a first end panel, a second end panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. At least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels. The end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton. A closure removably attached to the carton having an aperture for receiving at least a portion of the bag to close the bag and seal the material held therein.

Claims

1. A carton for containing a bag having dispensable material therein, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton; and

a closure removably attached to the carton with the closure having an aperture for receiving at least a portion of the bag to close the bag and seal the material held therein.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the plurality of panels comprises a first end panel, a second end panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, and

the carton further comprises at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels,

wherein the end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton, and

the closure comprises a closure panel that is at least partially defined by a tear line in the carton and is for being at least partially removed from the carton.

3. The carton of claim 2 wherein the carton comprises at least one corner and the closure panel comprises the corner.

4. The carton of claim 2 wherein the closure panel comprises at least a portion of the first side panel, the second side panel, and at least one of the first and second end panels.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein the closure panel comprises at least a portion of the at least two end flaps.

6. The carton of claim 5 wherein at least two end flaps cooperate to form a closed top of the carton.

7. The carton of claim 5 wherein the at least two end flaps cooperate to form a closed bottom end of the carton.

8. The carton of claim 2 wherein the closure panel comprises an access flap for grasping the closure panel.

9. The carton of claim 5 wherein the tear line comprises at least one longitudinal portion and at least one oblique portion in at least one of the first and second side panels.

10. The carton of claim 4 wherein the tear line comprises at least one lateral portion and at least one oblique portion in at least one of the first and second side panels.

11. The carton of claim 2 wherein the aperture is formed by at least one line of disruption in the closure panel.

12. The carton of claim 11 wherein the at least one line of disruption comprises at least one cut.

13. The carton of claim 12 wherein the at least one cut comprises two orthogonal cuts that intersect in the closure panel.

14. The carton of claim 13 wherein the orthogonal cuts each have a transverse cut at a respective end.

15. The carton of claim 14 wherein each transverse cut is perpendicular to a respective one of the orthogonal cuts.

16. The carton of claim 14 wherein each transverse cut is generally V-shaped.

17. The carton of claim 11 wherein the at least one line of disruption is a slit.

18. The carton of claim 1 in combination with a bag containing dispensable material, the dispensable material comprising a perishable foodstuff, and the bag being within the interior of the carton.

19. A blank for forming a carton comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a first end panel, a second end panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel;

at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of a carton formed from the blank; and

a closure panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the blank, the closure panel having an elongate aperture therein.

20. The blank of claim 19 wherein the closure panel comprises at least a portion of the first side panel, the second side panel, and at least one of the first and second end panels.

21. The blank of claim 20 wherein the closure panel comprises at least a portion of the at least two end flaps.

22. The blank of claim 19 wherein at least two end flaps cooperate to form a closed top of the carton formed form the blank.

23. The blank of claim 19 wherein the at least two end flaps cooperate to form a closed bottom end of the carton formed from the blank.

24. The blank of claim 19 wherein the closure panel comprises an access flap for grasping and separating the closure panel from the blank.

25. The blank of claim 19 wherein the tear line comprises at least one longitudinal portion and at least one oblique portion in at least one of the first and second side panels.

26. The blank of claim 19 wherein the tear line comprises at least one lateral portion and at least one oblique portion in at least one of the first and second side panels.

27. The blank of claim 19 wherein the aperture is formed by at least one line of disruption in the closure panel.

28. The blank of claim 27 wherein the at least one line of disruption comprises at least one cut.

29. The blank of claim 28 wherein the at least one cut comprises two orthogonal cuts that intersect in the closure panel.

30. The blank of claim 29 wherein the orthogonal cuts each have a transverse cut at a respective end.

31. The blank of claim 30 wherein each transverse cut is perpendicular to a respective one of the orthogonal cuts.

32. The blank of claim 30 wherein each transverse cut is generally V-shaped.

33. The blank of claim 27 wherein the at least one line of disruption comprises a slit.

34. The blank of claim 33 wherein the slit is at least approximately 25% of a width of at least one of the first end panel and the second end panel.

35. A method of closing a bag containing dispensable material, the method comprising:

providing a carton for housing the bag, the carton having a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton and a closure removably attached to the carton having an aperture;

at least partially removing the closure from the carton;

closing the bag by inserting at least a portion of the bag through the aperture in the closure to seal the material therein.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the closure comprises a closure panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the panel, and at least partially removing the closure comprises tearing the carton along the tear line and removing the closure panel from the carton.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

opening the carton;

opening the bag;

at least partially removing the dispensable material from the bag; and

removing the opened bag from the container prior to closing the bag.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising placing the closed bag in the opened carton for storing the material prior to a subsequent use.