HEXAGONAL CONTAINER FOR FOOD PRODUCTS OR THE LIKE

• US 3,809,310 A
• Filed: 03/01/1971
• Issued: 05/07/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James River Corporation of Virginia (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thomas Vanderlugt Jr
• Inventors: VanderLugt, Thomas Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US05/119,593
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 229/8,37R,41R,41C,52B,24,25,26,38,39R
• US Class Current: 229/110
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/008 the container body having a pyramidal shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/02 by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0227 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by heat-sealing, by applying adhesive to the flaps or by staples
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/902 Box for prepared or processed food
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/911 with closure

Abstract

A carton for food products or the like of generally hexagonal shape formed from an integral blank of a foldable material such as paperboard. The carton is provided with a self-locking, foldable end closure which is connected to side panels of the carton and which comprises a pair of overlapping closure flaps hingedly connected to opposing side panels which lock in place when folded downwardly by the interaction of a pair of locking tabs and retaining flaps therefor. The locking tabs are provided on one of the closure flaps and the retaining flaps are provided on a pair of web means that are associated with the other of said closure flaps and each web means hingedly connected between the closure flap and a side panel adjacent to the side panel connected with the closure flap. An integral blank from which the carton can be erected is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A carton erected from a unitary blank of foldAble sheet material having six hingedly connected side panels defining a substantially hexagonal cross-sectional shape when completely erected, and a self-locking, foldable top end closure connected to said side panels and comprising overlapping first and second closure flaps, each hingedly connected to an opposing side panel and adapted to overlap when folded;

a pair of webs associated with each closure flap, each of said closure flaps having a pair of webs one on each side thereof, each of said webs being hingedly connected at one edge to said closure flap and at the other edge to the side panel adjacent to the side panel connected to said closure flap;

a pair of outwardly extending locking tabs provided on opposing sides of said second closure flap; and

a pair of locking tab retaining flaps each hingedly connected at only one edge to one of the webs hingedly connected to said first closure flap engaging and retaining said locking tabs when said top end closure is closed in place.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein cut-outs are provided in each closure flap providing finger grip means.

3. The carton of claim 1 wherein each closure flap is reinforced by an underlying strengthening member.

4. The carton of claim 1 wherein said webs associated with the first closure flap are trapezoidal in shape with the longer base of the trapezoid being connected to the first closure flap and said webs associated with the second closure flap are triangular in shape with the longest side of the triangle being connected to said side panel.

5. The carton of claim 1 wherein the closure flaps are hingedly connected to the respective side panels along a curved score line.

6. An integral paperboard blank for a substantially hexagonal carton cut and scored to provide a series of six hingedly connected side panels, a closure flap member constituting a major portion of a first closure flap hingedly connected to the first of said six side panels;

a first web hingedly connected between said closure flap member and the second consecutive side panel and provided with a hingedly connected locking tab retaining flap, second closure flap hingedly connected to the fourth consecutive side panel and provided with a pair of opposed, outwardly extending locking tabs;

a second web hingedly connected between said second closure flap and the third consecutive side panel;

a third web hingedly connected between said second closure flap and the fifth consecutive side panel;

a fourth web hingedly connected to the sixth consecutive side panel; and

a complementary closure flap member constituting a minor portion of said first closure flap hingedly connected to the fourth web;

said fourth web being provided with a locking tab retaining flap hingedly connected thereto along a free side thereof and situated between said sixth consecutive side panel and said complementary closure flap member.

7. The blank of claim 6 wherein cut-outs are provided in the first closure flap member and in the second closure flap providing finger grip means.

8. The blank of claim 6 wherein the closure flap member and the second closure flap each are provided with a strengthening member hingedly connected thereto and adapted for folding back against said closure flap member and said second closure flap, respectively.

9. The blank of claim 6 wherein said first and fourth webs are triangular in shape and said second and third webs are trapezoidal in shape.

10. The blank of claim 6 wherein the closure flap member and the second closure flap are hingedly connected to the respective side panels along a curved score line.