Pour spout for a carton

• US 5,429,297 A
• Filed: 01/21/1994
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging Corporation
• Inventors: Walsh, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/184,958
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 229/125.12, 229/214, 229/215, 229/217, 229/219, 229/220
• US Class Current: 229/215
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/744 combined with swivelling devices having a bottom-wall and two side-walls

Abstract

A pour spout for a recyclable carton is provided wherein an inner portion of the pour spout is formed from normally waste material and wherein the inner portion is removably attached to a top panel so that when the top panel is moved around its fold line the inner portion is superposed over an outer portion of the pour spout located in a sidewall panel so that when the top panel is unfolded, the inner portion breaks away to remain secured to the outer portion. In one embodiment, a pair of spaced apart side panels are integral with the inner portion to provide sidewalls for the pour spout. In another embodiment, a slide member moves with an intermediate panel in linear directions between locations to allow an opening to be used or to cover the opening.

Claims

1. A carton formed from a one piece carton blank and said carton having a pour spout comprising:

a front wall panel, a back wall panel, opposite sidewall panels, a plurality of top wall panels, a plurality of bottom wall panel, and a glue panel folded and secured to form a carton;

pour spout means in one of said panels for permitting removal of materials inside of the carton comprising;

an inner panel having a series of perforations so that an opening may be formed therein;

an outer panel having at least a series of perforations;

a slide member located within said at least a series of perforations so that said slide member can have linear sliding movement when said at least a series of perforations have been broken so that said slide member can be moved between locations to expose or cover said opening in said inner panel; and

an intermediate panel secured to at least a portion of said slide member and mounted for linear sliding movement therewith.

2. A carton as in claim 1 and further comprising:

said carton having a top end and a bottom end;

said at least a series of perforations in said outer panel having opposite portions extending generally in linear directions and each having a top end and a bottom end; and

the distance between said top ends being less than the distance between said bottom ends.

3. A carton formed from a one piece carton blank and said carton having a pour spout comprising:

a front wall panel, a back wall panel, opposite sidewall panels, a plurality of top wall panels, a plurality of bottom wall panels, and a glue panel folded and secured to form a carton;

pour spot means in one of said panels for permitting removal of materials inside of the carton;

an inner panel having a series of perforations for forming an opening therein;

an outer panel having a first series of perforations formed therein for forming an opening therein in superposed relationship with said series of perforations in said inner panel and also having a second series of perforations; and

a slide member located within said second series of perforations in said outer panel so that said slide member can have linear sliding movement when all of said second series of perforations have been broken so that said slide member can be moved between locations to expose or cover said superposed openings in said inner and outer panels formed by breaking the series of perforations in said inner panel and said first series of perforations.

4. A carton as in claim 3 and further comprising:

an intermediate panel secured to at least a portion of said slide member and mounted for linear sliding movement therewith.

5. A carton as in claim 4 and further comprising:

said carton having a top end and a bottom end;

said series of perforations in said outer panel having opposite portions extending generally in linear directions and each having a top end and a bottom end; and

the distance between said bottom ends being less than the distance between said top ends.

6. A carton blank comprising:

a unitary sheet of material having an inner surface and an outer surface;

said unitary sheet of material having a left side edge, a right side edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, said left and right side edges being perpendicular to said top and bottom edges;

said unitary sheet of material having cut and fold lines for dividing said unitary sheet of material into front and back wall panels, opposite sidewall panels, a glue panel and top and bottom wall panels extending from said front and back wall panels and said opposite sidewall panels and joined thereto by fold lines and an intermediate panel joined to one of said top wall panels by a perforated line so that said intermediate panel may be separated from said one of said top wall panels;

said glue panel having an opening formed therein;

perforations in at least one of said opposite sidewall panels for forming a slide member when said perforations are broken to form a portion of pour spot means in a carton formed from said carton blank; and

said pour spot means comprising said opening in said glue panel, said slide member and said intermediate member secured to said slide member for movement therewith.

7. A carton blank as in claim 6 wherein:

said cut and fold lines divide said unitary sheet of material into a front wall panel, a first sidewall panel integral with said front wall panel and joined thereto by a fold line, a back wall panel integral with said first sidewall panel and joined thereto by a fold line, a second sidewall panel integral with said back wall panel and joined thereto by a fold line and top and bottom wall panels extending outwardly from said front wall panel, said first sidewall panel, said back wall panel and said second sidewall panel and joined thereto by fold lines;

said first sidewall panel having a series of perforations for defining a first opening;

an outer pour spout portion located within said perforations and having a portion thereof integral with said first sidewall panel and joined thereto by a fold line; and

said another panel comprising an inner pour spout portion so that said one of said top wall panels may be folded around its fold line so that said inner pour spout portion may be superposed over and secured to said outer pour spout portion and said one of said top panel portions may be returned to its original position with said inner pour spout portion remaining secured to said outer pour spout portion.

8. A carton blank as in claim 7 and further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart side panels integral with said inner pour spout portion and joined thereto by fold lines.

9. A carton blank as in claim 8 and further comprising:

said first sidewall panel having another series of perforations for defining a second opening; and

a tab located within said another series of perforations and having a portion thereof integral with said first sidewall panel and joined thereto by a fold line so that an inwardly directed force may be applied to said tab to move said tab inwardly so that an outwardly directed force may be applied to said outer and inner pour spout portions to move said outer and inner pour spout portions outwardly and to move said side panels outwardly to form a pour spout.

10. A carton blank as in claim 7 wherein:

said inner pour spout portion having a configuration slightly larger than the configuration of said outer pour spout portion so as to have an interference fit in said opening in said outer panel; and

a pair of spaced apart tabs integral with said inner pour spout portion and joined thereto by fold lines so that, when an outwardly directed force is applied to said inner and outer pour spout portion to move said inner and outer pour spout portions outwardly, said tabs will move outwardly and fold around said fold lines and when a force is applied to move said inner and outer pour spout portions inwardly, said tabs will abut against portions of said first sidewall panel to limit the inward movement of said inner and outer pour spout portions.

11. A carton blank comprising:

a unitary sheet of material having an inner surface and an outer surface;

said unitary sheet of material having a left side edge, a right side edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, said left and right side edges being perpendicular to said top and bottom edges;

said unitary sheet of material having cut and fold lines for dividing said unitary sheet of material into front and back wall panels, opposite sidewall panels, a glue panel and top and bottom wall panels extending from said front and back wall panels and said opposite sidewall panels;

said glue panel having an opening formed therein to form an inner portion of pour spot means in a carton formed from said carton blank;

perforations in at least one of said opposite sidewall panels for forming an outer portion of said pour spot means; and

another panel secured to one of said top wall panels for forming an intermediate portion of said pour spot means.

12. A carton formed from a one piece carton blank and having a pour spout comprising:

a front wall panel, a back wall panel, opposite sidewall panels, a plurality of top wall panels, a plurality of bottom wall panels and a glue panel folded and secured to form a carton;

pour spout means for permitting removal of materials inside of said carton comprising;

at least one of said opposite sidewall panels superposed and secured to at least a portion of said glue tab panel;

said at least a portion of said glue tab panel having an opening formed therein;

said at least one of said opposite sidewall panels having at least a series of perforations formed therein;

a slide member located within said at least a series of perforations so that said slide member can have linear sliding movement relative to said at least one of said opposite sidewall panels when said at least a series of perforations have been broken so that said slide member can be moved between locations to expose or cover said opening in said portion of said glue tab panel;

an intermediate panel secured to at least a portion of said slide member and mounted for linear sliding movement therewith.

13. A carton as in claim 12 and further comprising:

said carton having a top end and a bottom end;

said at least a series of perforations in said outer panel having opposite portions extending generally in linear directions and each having a top end and a bottom end; and

the distance between said top ends being less than the distance between said bottom ends.

14. A carton as in claim 12 and further comprising:

at least one of said top wall panels joined to said at least one of said opposite sidewall panels by a fold line; and

said intermediate panel comprising a separate panel detachably secured to said at least one of said top wall panels.