Carton blank, carton and method of forming the carton

• US 7,036,714 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Kastanek, Raymond S., Walsh, Joseph C., Conatser, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Tri M.
• Application Number:
  US09/972,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.27, 229/125.42, 229/160.1, 229/217, 229/228, 229/234, 229/125.09, 229/231, 229/117.3, 229/219, 534/49
• US Class Current: 229/117.27
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6623 the lid being hinged about a line located in the top surface of the container

Abstract

A carton blank having an outer layer of a relatively rigid material, a first inner layer of a relatively rigid material superposed over a portion of the outer layer and a second inner layer of a relatively flexible layer of a fluid impervious material is provided with first and second weakened portions so that, after a carton has been formed from the carton blank, filled with a desired material and sealed, the first weakened portion may be broken to form a flip top lid which when moved in an arcuate path will gradually sever the second weakened portion to form an opening in the carton so that an amount of the desired material may be removed from the carton. The carton also may include a feature which allows the flip top lid to be securely re-closed after initial opening of the lid.

Claims

1. A method of opening and closing a container, said method comprising:

providing said container comprising;

a body portion having at least one wall;

a dispensing opening;

a lid movably attached to said body portion;

a panel formed in said at least one wail of said body portion;

wherein said panel is attached to said lid;

moving said container to an open condition, in which product can be dispensed from said container through said dispensing opening, by applying an opening force to said lid, wherein said opening force causes said panel to separate from said at least one wall, thereby forming a hole in said at least one wall;

moving said container to a closed condition by applying a closing force to said lid;

releasably retaining said container in said closed condition by engaging at least a portion of said panel with at least a portion of said wall;

wherein said container further comprises a sheet of material covering said hole while said container is in said open condition;

wherein, said panel includes a stationary portion and a hinge portion separated from said stationary portion by a score line;

wherein, said stationary portion is attached to said lid; and

wherein, said engaging at least a portion of said panel with at least a portion of said wall comprises engaging said hinge portion with said at least a portion of said wall.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said lid is a flip top lid.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sheet of material is a sheet of fluid impervious material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said engaging at least a portion of said panel with at least a portion of said wall comprises engaging said at least a portion of said panel with at least a portion of said wall within said hole.

5. A container comprising:

a body portion having at least one wall;

a dispensing opening;

a lid movably attached to said body portion;

wherein said container includes a first condition before said container has initially been opened, a second open condition and a third re-closed condition;

wherein, in said first condition, a panel is attached to both said at least one wall of said body portion and said lid;

wherein in said second condition, said panel remains attached to said lid but has been removed from said at least one wall, thus leaving a hole in said at least one wall;

wherein, in said third condition, at least a portion of said panel is releasably engaged with at least a portion of said wall;

a sheet of material coring said hole while said container is in said second open condition;

wherein, sad panel Includes a stationary portion and a hinge portion separated from said stationary portion by a score line;

wherein, said stationary portion is attached to said lid; and

wherein said at least a portion of said panel comprises said hinge portion.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein said lid is a flip top lid.

7. The container of claim 5 wherein said sheet of material is a sheet of fluid impervious material.