Anti-sifting polygonal carton

• US 7,731,080 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Buscema, Craig W., Brandenburger, Allen M., Zacher, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/347,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20060180642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 229/109, 229/108, 229/200, 229/204, 229/207, 229/227, 206/822
• US Class Current: 229/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0227 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by heat-sealing, by applying adhesive to the flaps or by staples
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/029 the tubular body presenting a special shape pyramidal B65D5/008
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4279 Joints, seams, leakproof joints or corners, special connections between panels B65D5/209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/541 the lines of weakness being provided in one or more closure flaps

Abstract

An anti-sifting polygonal carton stores granulated and powdered products. The carton starts as a single blank with four sections: a side, a front, a side, and a rear. The sides have a side panel with two flanking miter panels and two minor flaps. Each miter panel has two opposite miter flaps with embossing. The front has a front panel with a second major flap having a tear strip and an opposite second major lower flap having a crease. Separated from the front by a side, the rear has a rear panel having a miter tab opposite the side and a first major flap and an opposite first major lower flap. The fold lines continuous with the miter flaps and the miter tab are reinforced with tape or patches. The tear strip and top of the carton have a pattern of cuts to open and to reclose the carton.

Claims

1. A polygonal shaped carton formed from a single blank comprising:

a front panel;

a rear panel spaced apart and parallel to said front panel;

two or more parallel and spaced apart side panels generally perpendicular to said front panel;

two or more miter panels contiguous with said side panels, said front panel, and said rear panel and said rear panels;

a miter tab to secure said rear panel to one of said side panels;

a bottom formed from a first major lower flap, a second major lower flap, a first minor lower flap, a second minor lower flap and at least two or more lower miter flaps, wherein

a first lower miter flap of said two or more lower miter flaps is foldably connected to a first miter panel of the two or more miter panels,

a second lower miter flap of said two or more lower miter flaps is foldably connected to a second miter panel of the two or more miter panels;

a top opposite said bottom, said top being formed from a first major upper flap, a second major upper flap, a first minor upper flap, a second minor upper flap and at least two or more upper miter flaps, wherein

a first upper miter flap of said two or more upper miter flaps is foldably connected to the first miter panel,

a second upper miter flap of said two or more upper miter flaps is foldably connected to the second miter panel;

a tear strip extending entirely across said second major upper flap; and

one or more parallel cuts in said second major upper flap, said one or more parallel cuts extending substantially perpendicular to said tear strip from said tear strip to a fold line connecting said second major upper flap to one of said front panel;

whereby said front panel, said rear panel, said miter panels, said miter tab and said bottom form a polyhedron that receives granulated or powdered product and said top seals said carton.

2. The carton of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more adhesive patches upon the reverse face of said blank, said pieces spanning said miter flaps and adjacent flaps.

3. The carton of claim 2 wherein said adhesive patches are generally arranged symmetrically.

4. The carton of claim 1 further comprising:

said lower and upper miter flaps having a generally triangular shape and an emboss pad raised from the reverse face of said blank;

whereby said carton has said bottom sealed by folding said two or more lower miter flaps beneath said first and second minor lower flaps, then folding said first and second minor lower flaps beneath said first and second major lower flaps, and then folding said first major lower flap beneath said second major lower flap; and

whereby then said carton has said top sealed by folding said two or more upper miter flaps beneath said first and second minor upper flaps, then folding said first and second minor upper flaps beneath said first and second major upper flaps, and then folding said first major upper flap beneath said second major upper flap.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein said carton has a generally octagonal shape.

6. The carton of claim 4 wherein said first minor upper flap, said first minor lower flap, said second minor upper flap, said second minor lower flap, said first major upper flap, said first major lower flap, said second major upper flap, said second major lower flap, and said miter tab have adhesive applied to seal said carton upon folding.

7. The carton of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more parallel cuts extending in said first major upper flap perpendicular to the length of said first major upper flap.

8. The carton of claim 1 wherein said second major upper flap has a centered tab and said first major upper flap has a centered notch whereby removal of said tear strip releases said tab, and said tab and said notch interlock to releasably seal said top.

9. A polygonal shaped carton formed from a single blank comprising:

a front panel and an opposite and spaced apart rear panel;

two or more parallel and spaced apart side panels generally perpendicular to said front panel;

two or more miter panels contiguous with said side panels, said front panel, and said rear panel;

a miter tab to secure said rear panel to one of said side panels;

a bottom and an opposite top, wherein said top comprises

a first major flap foldably connected to said rear panel at a fold line,

a second major flap foldably connected to said front panel at said fold line and overlapping said first major flap,

a first minor flap foldably connected to a first side panel of said two or more parallel and spaced apart side panels,

a second minor flap foldably connected to a second side panel of said two or more parallel and spaced apart side panels,

a tear strip extending across said second major flap,

a pair of first cuts extending in said first major flap perpendicularly to said fold line, said first cuts intersecting a marginal edge of said first major flap and said fold line, and

a pair of second cuts extending in said second major flap perpendicularly to said tear strip and said fold line, said first cuts intersecting said tear strip and said fold line;

whereby said front panel, said rear panel, said miter panels, said miter tab and said bottom form upon specialized machinery into a polygon with three or more corners that receives granulated or powdered product and then said top seals upon said carton.

10. The carton of claim 9 further comprising:

said corners having triangular miter flaps, said first and second minor flaps having emboss pads, and reinforcing tape on the reverse face of said corners;

whereby said miter flaps fold inwards of said carton, said first and second minor flaps fold upon said miter flaps, and said first and second major flaps fold upon said first and second minor flaps thus sealing said carton.

11. The carton of claim 10, wherein:

said tear strip extends lengthwise; and

the top includes an interlocking tab and notch.

12. A blank for forming a polygonal shaped carton, the blank comprising:

a first miter panel connected along a first fold line to a first side panel;

a second miter panel connected along a second fold line to the first side panel;

a first major panel connected along a third fold line to the second miter panel;

a third miter panel connected along a fourth fold line to the first major panel;

a second side panel connected along a fifth fold line to the third miter panel;

a fourth miter panel connected along a sixth fold line to the second side panel;

a second major panel connected along a seventh fold line to the fourth miter panel;

a first miter panel end flap connected to the first miter panel along a first transverse fold line;

a first side panel end flap connected to the first side panel along the first transverse fold line;

a second miter panel end flap connected to the second miter panel along the first transverse fold line;

a first major panel end flap connected to the first major end panel along the first transverse fold line;

a third miter panel end flap connected to the third miter panel along the first transverse fold line;

a second side panel end flap connected to the second side panel along the first transverse fold line;

a fourth miter panel end flap connected to the fourth miter panel along the first transverse fold line;

a second major panel end flap connected to the second major panel along the first transverse fold line;

a tear strip extending across the first major panel end flap;

a first cut and a second cut that extend in the first major panel end flap from the first transverse fold line to the tear strip, with the first cut and the second cut extending substantially parallel each other to form a first dispensing flap; and

at least one end flap connected to either the first miter panel, first side panel, second miter panel, first major panel, third miter panel, second side panel, fourth miter panel, or second major panel along a second transverse fold line.

13. The blank of claim 12 further including an adhesive flap connected to the second major panel along an eighth fold line.

14. The blank of claim 12 wherein the first fold line, second fold line, third fold line, fourth fold line, fifth fold line, sixth fold line, seventh fold line, and eighth fold line are substantially parallel.

15. The blank of claim 12 wherein the first miter panel end flap, second miter panel end flap, third miter panel end flap, and fourth miter panel end flap are substantially triangular.

16. The blank of claim 15 wherein adhesive is applied in a substantially triangular pattern to at least a portion of the first miter panel end flap, second miter panel end flap, third miter panel end flap, or fourth miter panel end flap.

17. The blank of claim 15 wherein adhesive is applied in a substantially triangular pattern to at least a portion of the first miter panel end flap, second miter panel end flap, third miter panel end flap, and fourth miter panel end flap.

18. The blank of claim 12 wherein the tear strip includes two ear portions therealong that form a male tab therebetween.

19. The blank of claim 18 wherein the second major panel end flap includes a female notch portion sized to receive the male tab when the blank is formed into the carton.

20. The blank of claim 12 wherein the second major panel end flap includes a third cut and a fourth cut that extend from the first transverse fold line to a peripheral portion of the second major panel end flap, with the third cut and the fourth cut extending substantially parallel each other to form a second dispensing flap.

21. The blank of claim 20 wherein the first dispensing flap and the second dispensing flap are capable of being hinged about the first transverse fold line.