Container for foodstuffs

• US 5,330,099 A
• Filed: 10/04/1993
• Issued: 07/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Paper Company
• Original Assignee: International Paper Company
• Inventors: Stier, David E., Beales, Jonathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/131,520
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 229/125.08, 229/125.19, 229/160, 229/207, 229/229, 229/232, 229/902, 229/903, 229/906
• US Class Current: 229/207
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/443 Integral reinforcements, e.g. folds, flaps double walls B65D5/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/546 the lines of weakness being provided in an extension panel or tab of a hinged closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods

Abstract

An eat-in paperboard container for frozen or refrigerated foodstuffs is provided with lateral flanges and triangular sections at its forward two corners. The package is opened by a tear strip which frees an edge of the top cover for lifting and access to the foodstuff. In use, the triangular sections rigidify the tray when the top cover is ripped up to open the container and when the consumer grasps one of the lateral flanges during eating out of the container.

Claims

1. A paperboard container of generally rectangular parallelepiped form and displaying particular utility for the packaging of frozen foodstuffs, the container including a lower tray and an upper cover panel which covers said tray, said tray having a bottom wall, two side walls, a rear wall, and a front wall, said side walls and said front wall each having an upper edge, said front wall, said rear wall, and said side walls each having ends, a horizontal flange extending laterally outwardly from said upper edge of each said side walls, a horizontal flange extending inwardly from said upper edge of said front wall, an external gusset integrally joining adjacent said ends of each of said side walls, front wall, and rear wall to thereby define four external fold gussets, each of said external gussets being at least partially folded upon itself along a fold line extending across itself, said upper cover panel extending over and covering said tray and adhesively secured to said side wall horizontal flanges, said upper cover panel having a front flange and an elongated tear strip therein, said front flange having ends and being of a length substantially the same as the length of said tray front wall except for generally triangular web portions at respective said front flange ends adjacent the juncture of said upper cover panel and to said upper cover panel front flange, said upper cover front flange adhesively secured to said tray front wall except at said tear strip and except at a region of said upper cover front flange which is located above said tear strip, a slanting exterior cut line at a front edge of said upper cover panel to define a triangular segment of each said front edge of said upper cover panel, slanting interior cut lines which parallel respective said slanting exterior cut lines, and main lateral cut lines running parallel to said outwardly extending side wall horizontal flange, all of said cut lines extending approximately one half through the thickness of said upper cover panel.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the major portion of each said folded external gusset extends from a said side wall and is folded against and adhesively secured to a corresponding said front or said rear wall, from a said front or rear wall and folded against and adhesively secured to a corresponding said side wall.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the major portion of each said folded external gusset extends from a said front or said rear wall and is folded against and adhesively secured to a corresponding said side wall.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said tray and said upper cover panel are formed from a unitary blank.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein said upper cover panel is provided with a second said cover flange of a construction identical to said first recited front flange, said cover panel flanges being opposite to each other.

9. The container of claim 2 wherein said major portion of each said folded gusset is provided with an integral, coplanar extension.

10. The container of claim 3 wherein said major portion of each said folded gusset is provided with an integral, coplanar extension.

6. A unitary paperboard blank for forming an eat-in container, said blank having first and second surfaces, said blank including a front cover panel hinged by a score line to a top cover panel, said top cover panel hinged by a score line to a rear wall panel, the latter hinged by a score line to a bottom panel, the latter hinged by a score line to a front wall panel, said panels being vertically aligned and in series, a generally horizontal tear strip in said front cover panel, said tear strip having ends, a first pair of parallel, vertically running cut lines on said first surface of said cover panel and extending approximately one half through said paperboard, upper respective ends of said parallel cut lines terminating in a second pair of cut lines, said second pair of cut lines located on said first surface and extending approximately half way through said paperboard, said second pair of cut lines slanting towards each other and extending at least to said hinge between said top cover panel and said front cover panel, a third pair of cut lines parallel to said second pair of cut lines, said third pair of cut lines extending approximately half way through said paperboard on said second surface of said blank said second and third pair of parallel cut lines having upper termini, said upper termini located contiguous to said ends of said tear strip, whereby said third pair of cut lines define two respective triangular sectors at upper ends of said top cover panel.

7. The blank of claim 6 wherein said front cover panel has upper and lower zones, said lower zone being wider than said upper zone, said upper and lower zones each having left and right ends, said lower zone ends being slanted and merging with sections of said top cover at a region along said score line between said front cover panel and said top cover panel.

8. A blank of paperboard for forming a top cover for a tray, said blank being generally rectangular and having a rectangular central panel, said rectangular central panel having corners, said central panel having cover flaps hinged by respective score lines to respective upper and lower edges of said central panel, each said cover flap having a generally horizontal tear strip therein, each said tear strip having ends, a first set of four slanted cut lines at said corners of said rectangular central panel, a first set of two parallel cut lines joining respective ends of upper and lower respective pairs of said first set of four cut lines, portions of said score lines respectively joining other ends of said second set of four cut lines, all of said cut lines extending from one surface of the blank half way through the blank, a second set of four cut lines each of which is parallel to respective ones of said first set of four cut lines and cut half way through said blank from another blank surface, one set of ends of said second set of four cut lines terminating at respective edges of said blank, other ends of said second set of four cut lines terminating contiguously to respective said ends of said tear strips.