Dispensing carton with integral pour spout

• US 5,660,324 A
• Filed: 06/27/1996
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jefferson Smurfit Corporation (Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation)
• Inventors: Rowland, Angela L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCDONALD, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US08/672,115
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 229/210, 229/215, 229/221, 229/160.2
• 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 one piece, paperboard, dispensing carton having a dispensing opening in a side wall panel thereof, the major portion of which is covered by a cover panel foldably and partially detachably joined to the side wall panel, and also having a pour spout, secured to the cover panel and joined to a side edge of a glue flap panel by a two-piece connecting member that includes a pair of upper and lower connecting elements, one of which is adapted to cover a remaining portion of the dispensing opening.

Claims

1. A dispensing carton with an integral pour spout, said carton being formed from a unitary blank of foldable sheet material, such as paperboard, and comprising:

(a) a first major side wall panel, a first minor side wall panel, a second major side wall panel, a second minor side wall panel, and a glue panel foldably joined to each other along parallel fold lines to form a tubular structure open at each end;

(b) pairs of major and minor upper and lower closure flaps foldably joined to upper and lower end edges of said major and minor side wall panels, respectively, and secured to each other in overlapped relation, with said minor upper closure flaps interposed between said major closure flaps, to close said carton ends;

(c) one of said minor side wall panels located adjacent said glue panel and having formed in an upper area thereof, but spaced below an upper edge thereof, a dispensing opening, a major portion of which is covered by a cover panel that is formed from material of said one minor side wall panel, that has a lower edge foldably joined to said one minor side wall panel along a fold line, that has opposed side edges detachably joined to said one minor side wall panel by a pair of weakened lines of tear extending upwardly from opposite ends of said fold line, and that has a free upper edge spaced downwardly from an upper edge of said dispensing opening;

(d) a pour spout including a central panel and a pair of side panels foldably joined to opposite side edges of said side central panel and having hooks at outer ends thereof;

(e) a connecting member upper element including;

(i) a first section having an inner side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel, lying against said glue panel, and extending toward said one minor side wall panel;

(ii) a second section having a side edge foldably joined to another side edge of said first section, being secured to said one minor side wall panel, having a lower portion covering a minor portion of said opening, and having a lower edge detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel;

(iii) a third section having an upper edge foldably joined to an upper edge of said second section, being folded downwardly over and adhesively secured to said second section, and having a lower portion extending downwardly over an upper portion of said cover panel;

(f) a connecting member lower element including;

(i) a first section having an inner side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel and extending outwardly therefrom against an inner face of said glue panel;

(ii) a second section having a side edge foldably joined to another side edge of said first section, being secured to said one minor side wall panel, and having an upper edge foldably joined to a lower edge of said pour spout central panel;

(g) said pour spout central panel being secured to an inner face of said dispensing opening cover panel, so when said cover panel is partially detached from said one minor side wall panel at said weakened lines of tear and pulled outwardly therefrom, said central panel will be detached from said upper connecting element third section and will also be pulled outwardly until said pour spout hooks engage said connecting member third section to prevent said pour spout from being pulled completely out of said carton.

2. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing opening and said cover panel have opposing upper edges that are parallel to each other.

3. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said connecting member upper element second section lower edge is detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel by an uninterrupted, arcuate, weakened line of tear.

4. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said connecting member upper element second section lower edge is detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel by a line of weakness interrupted by a recess in said second section lower edge.

5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing opening and said cover panel have opposed upper edges that are concave in contour.

6. A dispensing carton with an integral pour spout, said carton being formed from a unitary blank of foldable sheet material, such as paperboard, and comprising:

(a) a first major side wall panel, a first minor side wall panel, a second major side wall panel, a second minor side wall panel, and a glue panel foldably joined to each other along parallel fold lines to form a tubular structure open at each end;

(b) pairs of major and minor upper and lower closure flaps foldably joined to upper and lower end edges of said major and minor side wall panels, respectively, and secured to each other in overlapped relation, with said minor upper closure flaps interposed between said major closure flaps, to close said carton ends;

(c) one of said minor side wall panels located adjacent said glue panel and having formed in an upper area thereof, but spaced below an upper edge thereof, a dispensing opening, a major portion of which is covered by a cover panel that is formed from material of said one minor side wall panel, that has a lower edge foldably joined to said one minor side wall panel along a fold line, that has opposed side edges detachably joined to said one minor side wall panel by a pair of weakened lines of tear extending upwardly from opposite ends of said fold line, and that has a free upper edge spaced downwardly from an upper edge of said dispensing opening;

(d) a pour spout including a central panel and a pair of side panels foldably joined to opposite side edges of said side central panel and having hooks at outer ends thereof;

(e) a connecting member upper element having a side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel, having a lower portion Covering a minor portion of said dispensing opening, and having a lower edge detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel;

(f) a connecting member lower element having a side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel, being secured to said one minor side wall panel, and having an upper edge foldably joined to a lower edge of said pour spout central panel;

(g) said pour spout central panel being secured to an inner face of said dispensing opening cover panel, so when said cover panel is partially detached from said one minor side wall panel at said weakened lines of tear and pulled outwardly therefrom, said central panel will be detached from said lower connecting element third section and will also be pulled outwardly until said pour spout hooks engage said connecting member third section to prevent said pour spout from being pulled completely out of said carton.

7. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said connecting member upper element includes:

(a) a first section having an inner side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel, lying against said glue panel, and extending toward said one minor side wall panel;

(b) a second section having a side edge foldably joined to another side edge of said first section, being secured to said one minor side wall panel, having a lower portion covering a minor portion of said opening, and having a lower edge detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel;

(c) a third section having an upper edge foldably joined to an upper edge of said second section, being folded downwardly over and adhesively secured to said second section, and having a lower portion extending downwardly over an upper portion of said cover panel.

8. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said connecting member lower element includes:

(a) a first section having an inner side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel and extending outwardly therefrom against an inner face of said glue panel;

(b) a second section having a side edge foldably joined to another side edge of said first section, being secured to said one minor side wall panel, and having an upper edge foldably joined to a lower edge of said pour spout central panel.

9. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said dispensing opening and said cover panel have opposing upper edges that are parallel to each other.

10. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said connecting member upper element lower edge is detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel by an uninterrupted, arcuate, weakened line of tear.

11. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said connecting member upper element lower edge is detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel by a line of weakness interrupted by a recess in said second section lower edge.

12. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said dispensing opening and said cover panel have opposed upper edges that are concave in contour.

13. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said cover panel side edge weakened lines of tear are parallel to each other.

14. A carton according to claim 6, wherein said cover panel side edge weakened lines of tear diverge upwardly.

15. A carton according to claim 6, wherein certain said cover panel side edge weakened lines of tear are bowed outwardly relative to other of said weakened lines of tear.

16. A unitary blank of foldable sheet material, such as paperboard, for use in forming a dispensing carton with an integral pour spout, said blank being cut and scored to provide:

(a) a first major side wall panel, a first minor side wall panel, a second major side wall panel, a second minor side wall panel, and a glue panel foldably joined to each other along parallel fold lines;

(b) pairs of major and minor upper and lower closure flaps foldably joined to upper and lower end edges of said major and minor side wall panels, respectively;

(c) one of said minor side wall panels being located adjacent said glue panel and having formed in an upper area thereof, but spaced below an upper edge thereof, a dispensing opening, a major portion of which is covered by a cover panel that is formed from material of said one minor side wall panel, that has a lower edge foldably joined to said one minor side wall panel along a fold line, that has opposed side edges detachably joined to said one minor side wall panel by a pair of parallel weakened lines of tear extending from opposite ends of said fold line, and that has a free upper edge spaced from an upper edge of said dispensing opening;

(d) a pour spout including a central panel and a pair of side panels foldably joined to opposite side edges of said side central panel and having hooks at outer ends thereof;

(e) a connecting member upper element including;

(i) a first section having an inner side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel;

(ii) a second section having one side edge foldably joined to an adjacent side edge of said first section, and having another edge detachably joined to an adjacent edge of said pour spout central panel;

(iii) a third section having one edge foldably joined to an upper edge of said second section, being adapted to be folded downwardly over and adhesively secured to said second section, when said carton is erected, with a lower end portion adapted to extend over an upper end portion of said cover panel;

(f) a connecting member lower element including;

(i) a first section having a side edge foldably joined to a free side edge of said glue panel;

(ii) a second section having one side edge foldably joined to an adjacent side edge of said first section, and having another edge foldably joined to an adjacent edge of said pour spout central panel.

17. A carton blank according to claim 16, wherein said dispensing opening and said cover panel have opposing edges that are parallel to each other.

18. A carton blank according to claim 16, wherein said connecting member upper element second section lower edge is detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel by an uninterrupted, arcuate, weakened line of tear.

19. A carton blank according to claim 16, wherein said connecting member upper element second section lower edge is detachably joined to an upper edge of said pour spout central panel by a line of weakness interrupted by a recess in said second section lower edge.

20. A carton blank according to claim 16, wherein said dispensing opening and said cover panel have opposed edges that are concave in contour.