Two-cell slide top dispenser with tamper evident top

• US 5,056,708 A
• Filed: 08/27/1990
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Waldorf Corp
• Original Assignee: Waldorf Corp
• Inventors: Lambert, Herbert L., Boyle, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDonald, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US07/573,363
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 206/621.8, 229/120.03, 229/125.12, 229/120.18
• US Class Current: 229/120.03
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/10 Tearable part of the container B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/48014 formed by folding extensions hinged to the side edges of a tubular body B65D5/48004 takes precedence; partition separated by erecting the body B65D5/48048
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/723 Sliding elements for covering and uncovering discharge openings of containers, e.g. slide-closures

Abstract

An improved reclosable dispensing carton is provided. The carton includes a dispensing end having a plurality of flaps which, when the carton is closed, are in parallel planes. The flaps include major inside and outside flaps and a pair of slide slidably positioned therebetween. A removable security tab is provided on the major outside flap and is removably affixed to both slide flaps prior to opening the carton.

Claims

1. A carton having a multi-layered, dispensing end closure, said carton having front and rear walls, opposed side walls connected to and extending between said front and rear walls, a closed bottom end and a top dispensing end, said dispensing end closure comprising a plurality of panels in parallel, planar relationship including:

an inside major panel having opposed front and rear edges and opposed side edges, said panel connected to said rear wall along the rear edge thereof, said panel having at least one aperture;

an outside major panel comprising an opening panel and a glue panel, said opening panel foldably connected to said front wall and said glue panel foldably connected to said opening panel, said opening panel having a generally central security opener tab therein, said tab defined by a continuous perforated line of weakness;

two opposed minor slide flaps, one of said slide flaps foldably connected to each of said side walls; and

wherein said inside major panel, outside major panel and slide flaps are in overlying relationship and at least a portion of said security opener tab overlies said at least one aperture, one of said slide flaps interposed between

2. The carton as recited in claim 1, wherein said carton has two separate, interior cells and wherein said inside major panel has two apertures, one opening into each of said cells.

3. The carton as recited in claim 2, wherein said side walls include articulation means operably connected to said slide flaps for enabling said slide flaps to reciprocatingly slide between said outside major panel and said inside major panel.

4. The carton as recited in claim 3, wherein said security opener tab in said opening panel is generally oblong and is defined by a continuous, curved line of spaced perforations, including at least one perforation that is colinear with the side of said opening panel opposite the side where said opening panel is connected to said front wall.

5. A multi-layer, dispensing end closure for cartons, said closure comprising a plurality of panels in parallel, planar relationship including:

an underlying, innermost major panel having at least two apertures therethrough;

an overlying outermost panel comprising an opening panel and a glue panel foldably joined to said opening panel, said opening panel having a generally central removable security opener tab therein;

two opposed minor slide flaps interposed between said underlying panel and said overlying panel whereby said slide flaps may reciprocate therebetween, each of said slide flaps being slidably positionable relative to one of said apertures to selectively cover or uncover said one of said apertures; and

wherein, when said end closure is closed before the initial opening, said removable security opener tab is releasably, adhesively affixed to each one of said slide flaps, and after said closure is opened, said security tab is removed from said end closure and said slide flaps may reciprocate between said overlying and said underlying flaps in a plane parallel thereto.

6. A dispensing structure for a wall of a carton for dispensing materials from two or more separate cells within said carton, comprising:

a first, inner panel having at least one dispensing hole therein corresponding to each of the internal cells;

a second, outer panel overlying the inner panel, said outer panel having a single security opener tab formed therein by a closed curve of perforations positioned such that the security opener tab overlies at least a portion of each of the dispensing holes; and

a slide flap associated with each dispensing hole, each said slide flap being interposed between said inner and outer panels and slidably mounted therebetween for reciprocal motion, each said slide flap being initially releasably, adhesively connected to said security opener tab, such that removal of the security opener tab releases the adhesive connection between the security opener tab and each slide flap for said sliding reciprocal motion.

7. A flat blank for forming a reclosable dispensing carton, comprising:

two generally rectangular central wall panels each having a pair of opposed parallel side edges and a pair of opposed, parallel end edges;

a first side panel having two side edges and two end edges and being foldably attached to one of said central wall panels along one side edge of said one central wall panel;

a second side panel having two side edges and two end edges and being attached to and foldably interconnecting said two central wall panels such that the end edges of the central wall panels and first and second side panels form a first group of substantially aligned end edges along one side of the blank and a second group of substantially aligned end edges along the other side of the blank;

carton interior cell structure means for forming a carton interior cell structure, comprising a plurality of foldably connected panels, said interior cell structure means foldably attached to the remaining side edge of said one central wall panel;

bottom end closure means for forming a closed carton bottom, comprising a plurality of panels foldably attached to the first group of substantially aligned end edges of said central wall panels and said side panels; and

top end dispensing closure means for forming a closed carton top, comprising a plurality of panels foldably attached to the second group of substantially aligned end edges of said central wall panels and said side panels, including a major inside panel attached to one of said central wall panels and having at least one aperture therethrough, a major outside panel attached to the other of said central wall panels and having an opener tab formed therein, and two minor slide flaps, each said slide flap having means for releasably affixing said slide flap to said opener tab.

8. The flat blank as recited in claim 7, wherein said major outside panel having said opener tab comprises an opening subpanel and a gluing subpanel, said subpanels being connected along a generally medial fold line in said outside panel, said fold line being generally parallel to the end edges of the second group of substantially aligned end edges.

9. The flat blank as recited in claim 8, wherein said opener tab further comprises a generally oblong portion of said major outside panel, said portion being generally centered in said opening subpanel.

10. The flat blank according to claim 7, wherein said means for releasably affixing said slide flaps to said opener tab comprises tamper evidencing means for providing visible evidence of the release of said opener tab from either of said slide flaps.

11. The flat blank according to claim 10, wherein said tamper evidencing means comprises a delamination area on each of said two slide flaps.

12. The flat blank according to claim 7, wherein said means for releasably affixing said slide flaps to said opener tab comprises an adhesive receiving delamination area on each of said two slide flaps, said area defined by a score line.

13. A carton having a multi-layered, dispensing end closure, said carton having front and rear walls, opposed side walls connected to and extending between said front and rear walls, a closed bottom end and a top dispensing end, said dispensing end closure including:

an inside major panel having opposed front and rear edges and opposed side edges, said panel connected to said rear wall along the rear edge of said rear wall, said panel having at least one aperture;

an outside major panel comprising an opening panel and a glue panel, said opening panel foldably connected to said front wall and said glue panel foldably connected to said opening panel, said opening panel having a generally central security opener tab therein, said tab defined by a continuous perforated line of weakness;

at least one minor slide flap foldably connected to one of said side walls; and

wherein said inside major panel, outside major panel and at least one slide flap are in overlying relationship and at least a portion of said security opener tab overlies said at least one aperture, said at least one slide flap interposed between the outside major panel and said at least one aperture, said security opener tab being releasably affixed to said at least one slide flap.

14. The carton as recited in claim 13, wherein said side wall to which said at least one slide flap is connected includes articulation means for enabling said slide flap to reciprocatingly slide between said outside major panel and said inside major panel.