Package including an expandable top opening

• US 5,292,058 A
• Filed: 04/26/1993
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Zoss, Robert A., Snee, Francis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDonald, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US08/051,961
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 229/123, 206/274, 206/273, 206/268, 383/120
• US Class Current: 229/123
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/029 the tubular body presenting a special shape pyramidal B65D5/008
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/606 Bags or bag-like tubes loosely glued to the wall of a "tubular" container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6605 the lid being formed by two mating halves joined to opposite edges of the container body

Abstract

A package (10) of a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape is disclosed including a liner (14) inside of a carton (12). A first score line (72) extends from the free edges (47, 96) of the front and back top closure panels (48, 60) and onto the front and back panels (18, 28) parallel and intermediate the side edges (20, 22, 26, 30, 50, 52, 59, 64) thereof. Second and third score lines (74, 76) are further located in each of the front and back panels (18, 28) and extend at an obtuse angle from and on opposite sides of the first score lines (72), with the score lines (72, 74, 76) having a Y-shape. The bottom of the carton (12) holds the bottom edges (40, 44) of the front, back, and side panels (18, 24, 28, 32) in a rectangular configuration. With the top closure panels (48, 60) in an open condition, the top closure panels (48, 60) and the front and back panels (18, 28) can be flexed into a non-planar shape with the upper edges (48, 56, 62, 68) of the carton panels (18, 24, 28, 32) being open and generally of an oval shape allowing removal of ingredients from the liner (14) by a measuring cup which could not have been inserted into the top opening in a non-expanded, static condition.

Claims

1. A package comprising, in combination:

a carton comprising, in combination;

a front panel having inside and outside surfaces, a top edge, a bottom edge, and first and second side edges;

first and second side panels, with each of the side panels including inside and outside surfaces, a top edge, a botton edge, and first and second side edges;

a back panel including inside and outside surfaces, a top edge, a bottom edge, and first and second side edges, with the first edges of the front and first side panels being connected about a fold line, with the second edges of the front and second side panels being connected about a fold line, with the second edges of the back and first side panels being connected about a fold line, with the first edges of the back and second side panels being connected about a fold line, with the height between the top edges and bottom edges of the front panel, the side panels, and the back panel being equal, with the width between the side edges of the front panel and the back panel being equal, with the width between the side edges of the first and second panels being equal, with the width between the side edges of the front panel and the back panel being substantially larger than the width between the side edges of the first and second side panels;

a bottom closing and holding the bottom edges of the front panel, the side panels and the back panel in a rectangular configuration; and

means for allowing the front and back panels to flex into a non-planar shape with the top edges of the front, side, and back panels being open and generally of an oval shape having a length less than the width between the side edges of the front panel and the back panel and a width greater than the width between the side edges of the first and second side panels, with the flex allowing means being spaced from the bottom edges and the first and second side edges of the front and back panels.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the flex allowing means comprises at least a first score line located in each of the front and back panels extending from the top edges towards the bottom edges.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein the first score lines are parallel to the side edges of the front and back panels.

4. The package of claim 3 wherein the first score lines are intermediate the side edges of the front and back panels.

5. The package of claim 4 wherein the flex allowing means further comprises, in combination:

second and third score lines located in each of the front and back panels and extending at an obtuse angle from and on opposite sides of the first score lines towards the side edges of the front and back panels.

6. The package of claim 5 wherein the second and third score lines are linear, with the second and third score lines extending from the first score line in a direction which is not linear with a corner of the edges of the front and back panels.

7. The package of claim 6 wherein the second and third score lines have first ends interconnected to each other and the first score lines and have second ends, with the first ends located at a greater distance from the bottom edges of the front and back panels than the second ends;

and wherein the second and third score lines extend from the first score line in a direction which intersects the side edges above the bottom edges of the front and back panels.

8. The package of claim 1 wherein the flex allowing means comprises first and second score lines located in each of the front and back panels and having interconnected first ends, with the first and second score lines extending at an acute angle.

9. The package of claim 8 wherein the first and second score lines have second ends, with the first ends located at a greater distance from the bottom edges of the front and back panels than the second ends.

10. The package of claim 9 wherein the first ends of the first and second score lines are spaced from the top edges of the front and back panels.

11. The package of claim 6 wherein the first ends of the first and second score lines are spaced from the top edges of the front and back panels.

12. The package of claim 8 wherein the first and second score lines are linear, with the first and second score lines extending from the first ends in a direction which is not linear with a corner of the edges of the front and back panels.

13. The package of claim 12 wherein the first and second score lines have second ends, with the first ends located at a greater distance from the bottom edges of the front and back panels than the second ends;

and wherein the first and second score lines extend from the first ends in a direction which intersects the side edges above the bottom edges of the front and back panels.

14. The package of claim 1 further comprising, in combination:

a front top panel having a free top edge and a bottom edge, with the bottom edge of the front top panel being connected about a fold line to the top edge of the front panel;

a back top panel having a free top edge and a bottom edge, with the bottom edge of the bottom top panel being connected about a fold line to the top edge of the back panel, with the back top panel including a tab and the front top panel including a slot for slideably receiving the tab for removably securing the back top panel to the front top panel; and

wherein the flex allowing means includes means for allowing the front and back top panels to flex into a non-planar shape when the front and back top panels are in a position other than perpendicular to the front and back panels.

15. The package of claim 14 wherein the flex allowing means comprises at least a first score line located in the front panel and in the front top panel and located in the back panel and in the back top panel extending from the free top edges of the front and back top panels towards the bottom edges of the front and back panels.

16. The package of claim 15 wherein the first score lines are linear and are parallel to the side edges of the front and back panels.

17. The package of claim 16 wherein the flex allowing means further comprises, in combination:

second and third score lines located in each of the front and back panels and extending at an obtuse angle from and on opposite sides of the first score lines towards the side edges of the front and back panels.

18. The package of claim 17 wherein the second and third score lines are linear, with the second and third score lines extending from the first score line in a direction which is not linear with a corner of the edges of the front and back panels.

19. The package of claim 18 wherein the second and third score lines have first ends interconnected to each other and the first score lines and have second ends, with the first ends located at a greater distance from the bottom edges of the front and back panels than the second ends;

and wherein the second and third score lines extend from the first score line in a direction which intersects the side edges above the bottom edges of the front and back panels.