Barrier carton with reclosable pour spout

• US 4,768,703 A
• Filed: 12/01/1986
• Issued: 09/06/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Paper Company
• Original Assignee: International Paper Company
• Inventors: Hambleton, Thomas P., Sosler, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US06/936,207
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 229/7 R, 229/17 R, 229/43, 229/125, 229/131, 229/123.1, 229/123.2, 229/123.3, 229/125.05, 229/125.11, 229/125.19, 229/125.34, 206/621, 206/624-626, 206/629, 206/631
• US Class Current: 229/123.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0272 with end closures formed by applying a web on the edge of the body, and subsequent inward folding of flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/54 Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing B65D5/06, B65D5/5233, B65D5/5253 take precedence ; break-in flaps, or members adapted to be torn-off, to provide pouring openings B65D5/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6697 Separate lids attached to the container body by a hinge element

Abstract

An open ended carton including a membrane liner and a cover having a peripherally depending flange which overlies a top end portion of the carton. A transverse score line in the cover and contiguous perforation lines in the flange divide the cover into first and second sections to provide a hinged pour spout. An extension panel attached to a peripheral edge of the carton includes a terminal section which is heat sealed to an interior section of the peripheral cover flange. Severance of a hinged section of the extension panel defines an indentation between a top panel in the cover and the terminal section which receives the hinged section for locking reclosure of the cover. The cover is locked in open position by inward flexing of sections of the peripheral cover flange which are received in the carton opening.

Claims

1. A carton which comprises:

an open ended body portion formed by an upright boundary wall, and a top end peripheral edge which defines the carton opening, said body portion including a side wall and an exterior surface;

a membrane liner which is hermetically sealed to the carton opening, said membrane liner including interior and exterior sides, a central area dimensioned to overlie the carton opening and a peripheral extension which is sealed to said exterior surface of the body portion;

a cover including a top panel dimensioned to overlie said membrane liner, said top panel including opposing edges, a flange depending from said opposing edges and extending around the periphery of the carton boundary wall, said peripheral flange including a transverse section which overlies said side wall, said cover also including first and second sections defined by a transverse score line in the top panel and contiguous perforation lines in the flange which extend from said opposing edges to a terminal flange edge; and

integral closure means for locking said cover in fixed engagement with said carton prior to severance of the hermetic membrane seal, and thereafter providing a locking reclosure feature, said integral closure means including an extension panel hingedly attached to and extending from the top end peripheral edge of the carton, said extension panel including interior and exterior surfaces, and a first transverse line of perforations extending across its width to define first and second extension sections, said interior surface of the first extension section being sealed to the interior surface of the peripheral membrane extension, said interior surface of the second extension section being sealed to said transverse section of the peripheral flange to fix said cover in locking engagement with the carton opening, so that a reclosable pour spout is formed by pivoting said first cover section outwardly about said transverse score line to sever said first perforation line and release said first and second extension sections from engagement, said second extension section thereafter defining an indentation for receiving said first extension section in releasable locking engagement.

2. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton body portion is fabricated of a high moisture barrier polymer coated folding carton paperboard.

3. A carton according to claim 2, wherein the body portion has a generally parallelepiped configuration, and the cover has a rectangular configuration.

4. A carton according to claim 3, wherein the carton body portion includes a bottom end closure having interior surfaces, and a second sealing membrane attached to said interior surfaces.

5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said membrane liner includes a second transverse perforation line disposed in general alignment with said transverse score line to facilitate removal of the membrane in the area of the pour spout.

6. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the perforation lines of said peripheral flange extend angularly from said opposing edges to said terminal flange edge in said second cover section, so that when said first cover section is pivoted outwardly said depending flange of the first cover section may be received within the carton opening for maintaining the cover in open orientation for dispensing of the carton contents.

7. A carton which comprises:

an open ended body portion formed by an upright boundary wall, and a top end peripheral edge which defines the carton opening, said body portion including a side wall and an exterior surface;

a membrane liner which is hermetically sealed to the carton opening, said membrane liner including a central area dimensioned to overlie the carton opening and a peripheral extension which is sealed to said exterior surface of the body portion;

a cover including a top panel dimensioned to overlie said membrane liner, said top panel including opposing edges, a flange depending from said opposing edges and extending around the periphery of the carton boundary wall, said peripheral flange including a transverse section which overlies said side wall, said cover also including first and second sections defined by a transverse score line in the top panel and contiguous perforation lines in the flange which extend from said opposing edges to a terminal flange edge; and

integral closure means for locking said cover in fixed engagement with said carton prior to severance of the hermetic membrane seal, and thereafter providing a locking reclosure feature, said integral closure means including an extension panel hingedly attached to and extending from the top end peripheral edge of the carton, said extension panel including interior and exterior surfaces, and a first transverse line of perforations extending across its width to define first and second extension sections, said interior surface of the second extension section being sealed to said transverse section of the peripheral flange to fix said cover in locking engagement with the carton opening, so that a reclosable pour spout is formed by pivoting said first cover section outwardly about said transverse score line to sever said first perforation line and release said first and second extension sections from engagement, said second extension section thereater defining an indentation for receiving said first extension section in releasable locking engagement, said membrane liner including a second transverse perforation line disposed in general alignment with said transverse score line to facilitate removal of the membrane in the area of the pour spout.

8. A carton according to claim 7, wherein said membrane liner includes a tab release for severance of the membrane seal.

9. A carton having a parallelepiped configuration which comprises:

an open ended body portion including an exterior surface and front, rear and side walls, and a top end peripheral edge which defines the carton opening;

a membrane liner which is hermetically sealed to the carton opening, said membrane liner including interior and exterior sides, a central area dimensioned to overlie the carton opening and a peripheral extension which is heat sealed to said exterior surface of the body portion;

a cover including a top panel dimensioned to overlie said membrane liner, said top panel including longitudinal and transverse edges, a flange including longitudinal and transverse sections which respectively depend from said longitudinal and transverse edges and extend around the periphery of the carton boundary wall, said cover also including first and second sections defined by a transverse score line in the top panel and contiguous perforation lines in the flange which extend from said longitudinal edges to terminal flange edges; and

integral closure means for locking said cover in fixed engagement with said carton prior to severance of the hermetic membrane seal, and thereafter providing a locking reclosure feature, said closure means including an extension panel hingedly attached to said side wall at the top end peripheral edge of the carton, said extension panel including interior and exterior surfaces, and a first transverse line of perforations extending across its width to define first and second extension sections, said interior surface of the first extension section being heat sealed to the interior surface of said peripheral membrane extension, said interior surface of the second extension section being heat sealed to said transverse section of the peripheral flange in spaced relation to said top panel to fix said cover in locking engagement with the carton opening, so that a reclosable pour spout is formed by pivoting said first cover section outwardly about said transverse score line to sever said first perforation line and release said first and second extension sections from engagement, said second extension section thereafter defining an indentation for receiving said first extension for locking reclosure of the carton.

10. A carton according to claim 9, wherein the contiguous perforation lines of said peripheral flange extend angularly from said longitudinal edges to said terminal flange edge in said second cover section, so that when said first cover section is pivoted outwardly said depending flange of said first cover section may be received within the carton opening for maintaining the first cover section in open orientation for dispensing of the carton contents.

11. A carton having a parallelepiped configuration which comprises:

an open ended body portion including front, rear and side walls, and a top end peripheral edge which defines the carton opening;

a membrane liner which is hermetically sealed to the carton opening;

a cover including a top panel dimensioned to overlie said membrane liner, said top panel including longitudinal and transverse edges, a flange including longitudinal and transverse sections which respectively depend from said longitudinal and transverse edges and extend around the periphery of the carton boundary wall, said cover including first and second sections defined by a transverse score line in the top panel and contiguous perforation lines in the flange which extend from said longitudinal edges to terminal flange edges; and

integral closure means for locking said cover in fixed engagement with said carton prior to severance of the hermetic membrane seal, and thereafter providing a locking reclosure feature, said closure means including an extension panel hingedly attached to said side wall at the top end peripheral edge of the carton, said extension panel including interior and exterior surfaces, and a first transverse line of perforations extending across its width to define first and second extension sections, said interior surface of the second extension section being heat sealed to said transverse section of the peripheral flange in spaced relation to said top panel to fix said cover in locking engagement with the carton opening, so that a reclosable pour spout is formed by pivoting said first cover section outwardly about said transverse score line to sever said first perforation line and release said first and second extension sections from engagement, said second extension section thereafter defining an indentation for receiving the first extension section for locking reclosure of the carton, said membrane liner including a second transverse perforation line disposed in general alignment with said transverse perforation line to facilitate removal of the membrane in the area of the pour spout.

12. A carton according to claim 11, wherein said membrane liner includes a tab release for severance of the membrane seal.