Multi-Ply Carton Having Reclosable Opening Feature

• US 20070221713A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Fitzwater, Kelly, Wilson, Weston, Conatser, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/101.200
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/001 made from laminated webs, e.g. including laminating the webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/0025 Making boxes by uniting two U-shaped blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0005 of variable capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5425 and defining after rupture a lid hinged to the upper edge of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/566 Linings made of relatively rigid sheet material, e.g. carton B65D5/0281 and B65D5/58 takes precedence; combined with a flexible lining B65D5/56, B65D5/60; for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3858; for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/1275
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6608 the lid being held in closed position by self-locking integral flaps

Abstract

A carton is formed from an inner blank and an outer blank. The outer blank ply of the carton includes a pivoting, reclosable lid that allows a top end of the carton to be accessed and subsequently closed. A latch feature is included in the carton to allow the lid to be securely closed over the open top of the carton. The inner blank may form a closed and/or sealed liner vessel within the outer blank ply of the carton.

Claims

1. A method of opening and closing a carton, comprising:

providing a carton formed from an inner blank and an outer blank, wherein the outer blank comprises;

an outer first end panel;

an outer first side panel;

an outer second end panel opposite to the outer first end panel;

an outer second side panel opposite to the outer first side panel;

an outer bottom panel; and

an outer top panel, wherein a reclosable lid comprises at least a portion of the outer top panel, at least a portion of the outer first end panel, at least a portion of the outer second end panel, and at least a portion of the outer first side panel, the reclosable lid being pivotably mounted at the outer second side panel, and wherein the inner blank comprises;

a plurality of inner panels forming a vessel within the outer blank;

opening the reclosable lid;

opening a top end of the vessel; and

closing the reclosable lid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inner panels comprises:

an inner first end panel;

an inner first side panel;

an inner second end panel opposite to the inner first end panel; and

an inner second side panel opposite to the inner first side panel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the inner first end panel is adhered to the outer first end panel;

the inner first side panel is adhered to the outer first side panel;

the inner second end panel is adhered to the outer second end panel; and

the inner second side panel is adhered to the outer second side panel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the inner blank comprises a plurality of top panels, the top panels including at least one gable score pattern.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein opening the reclosable lid comprises removing at least one outer tear strip of the outer blank.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein opening the reclosable lid further comprises pivoting the reclosable lid toward the outer second side panel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein opening the vessel comprises removing an inner tear strip from the vessel.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein closing the reclosable lid comprises engaging a latch feature on the outer first side panel with the reclosable lid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein closing the reclosable lid comprises engaging a latch feature on the outer first side panel with the reclosable lid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer top panel comprises a plurality of outer top flaps and the bottom panel comprises a plurality of outer bottom flaps.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the carton is substantially parallelepipedal.

12. A carton, comprising:

an outer blank formed into a substantially parallelepipedal form, the outer blank comprising;

an outer first end panel;

an outer first side panel;

an outer second end panel opposite to the outer first end panel;

an outer second side panel opposite to the outer first side panel;

an outer bottom panel; and

an outer top panel, wherein

a reclosable lid comprises at least a portion of the outer top panel, at least a portion of the outer first end panel, at least a portion of the outer second end panel, and at least a portion of the outer first side panel, the reclosable lid being pivotably mounted at the outer second side panel at a hinge line spaced from the top panel;

an inner blank formed into a vessel disposed within the substantially parallelepipedal form.

13. The carton of claim 12, wherein the vessel comprises:

an inner first end panel adhered to the outer first end panel;

an inner first side panel adhered to the outer first side panel;

an inner second end panel adhered to the outer second end panel;

an inner second side panel adhered to the outer second side panel;

an at least partially closed bottom end; and

an at least partially closed top end.

14. The carton of claim 12, wherein the outer blank further comprises at least one outer tear strip defined by a plurality of breachable lines of disruption in at least the outer first end panel, the outer first side panel, and the outer second end panel, the at least one outer tear strip allowing the reclosable lid to be pivoted open upon removal of the at least one outer tear strip.

15. The carton of claim 14, wherein the inner blank further comprises at least one inner tear strip defined by a plurality of breachable lines of disruption, the at least one inner tear strip allowing the liner vessel to be opened.

16. The carton of claim 15, wherein the top end of the inner blank comprises at least one gable score pattern.

17. The carton of claim 12, wherein a latch feature is defined in the outer first side panel.

18. The carton of claim 12, wherein the hinge line extends substantially across an entire width of the second side panel.

19. The carton of claim 12, wherein the outer top panel comprises a plurality of outer top flaps and the bottom panel comprises a plurality of outer bottom flaps.

20. The carton of claim 19, wherein the carton is substantially parallelepipedal.

21. A method of forming a multi-ply carton blank, comprising:

providing a first web of material;

providing a second web of material;

continuously moving the first web of material through a production line;

continuously moving the second web of material through the production line;

repeatedly providing the first web of material with a first pattern of lines of disruption at a first disrupting station as the first web of material moves through the production line;

repeatedly providing the second web of material with a pattern of second lines of disruption as the second web of material moves through the production line;

adhering the first web of material to the second web of material; and

after adhering the first web of material to the second web of material, cutting the first and second webs into individual carton blanks, wherein each blank comprises;

an outer blank formed from the first web of material and having one of the first patterns of lines of disruption formed therein, the first pattern of lines of disruption at least partially defining an outer second side panel, and at least one outer tear strip in an outer first end panel, an outer first side panel, and an outer second end panel of the outer blank; and

an inner blank formed from the second web of material and having one of the second patterns of lines of disruption formed therein, the inner blank comprising an inner tear feature.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first patterns of lines of disruption each define a reclosable lid in the first web of material, each reclosable lid being pivotable about a hinge line extending longitudinally through the first web of material through one of the outer second side panels.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the inner blank comprises an inner first end panel adhered to the outer first end panel, an inner first side panel adhered to the outer first side panel, and an inner second end panel adhered to the outer second end panel.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the second patterns of lines of disruption are formed at a second disrupting station.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising repeatedly providing the first and second webs of material with a third pattern of lines of disruption at a third disrupting station.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first patterns of lines of disruption each define a latch feature in the first side panels of the first web of material.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the first patterns of lines of disruption each define a plurality of top flaps in the first web of material.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first patterns of lines of disruption each define a plurality of bottom flaps in the first web of material.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the inner tear features are inner tear strips.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the second patterns of lines of disruption each define at least one gable score pattern in the second web of material.