Easy-open container having an improved reinforcing and tear strip

• US 5,487,506 A
• Filed: 06/22/1994
• Issued: 01/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonoco Development Inc (Sonoco Products Company)
• Original Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
• Inventors: Lowry, James W., Drummond, Michael T., Suski, William C., Hill, Calvin G., Roberts, Rodney W., Lowman, Richard M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/263,556
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 229/45, 229/198.2, 229/201, 229/202, 229/205, 229/208, 229/940
• US Class Current: 229/202
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 3/266 forming a helical line of weakness

Abstract

An easy-open container has a spirally-wound bodywall layer, interior barrier liner layer and outer label layer forming an easy-open seam extending spirally between the ends of the container and which is provided with an improved reinforcing and tear strip extending along the easy-open spiral seam. This reinforcing and tear strip is formed by overlapped edge portions of the label layer extending through and out of the spiral seam of the container and being folded-over onto the outside of the bodywall layer and under the label layer. Low strength bonding is provided between the overlapped label layer edge portions and high strength bonding is positioned between the superimposed label layer and folded-over a liner layer edge portion and between the superimposed label layer and bodywall layer for allowing easy starting and stripping of the reinforcing and tear strip along the spiral easy-open seam without the necessity of removing the entire label layer.

Claims

1. An easy-open container particularly adapted for packaging products under pressure and comprising:

a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer in strip form defining a substantially cylindrical container having opposed ends, said bodywall layer having longitudinal edges lying adjacent each other to thereby define an easy-open spiral seam extending between said opposed ends;

a flexible barrier liner layer in strip form spirally-wound inside said bodywall layer in superimposed position therewith and being wider than said bodywall layer to define longitudinal edge portion means on each side thereof which extend transversely beyond said bodywall layer side edges;

said liner edge portion means extending through and out of said easy-open spiral seam and positioned on the outside of said bodywall layer in folded-over superimposed position therewith;

a flexible label layer in strip form spirally-wound outside said bodywall layer and said folded-over liner edge portion means in superimposed position therewith and having longitudinal edge portions overlapped with each other, said label layer being positioned in bridging relation to said easy-open spiral seam and said folded-over liner layer edge portion means;

a tab cut extending through the upper of said label layer edge portions and inwardly thereof to generally the outer edge of said folded-over liner layer edge portion mean to define a tear tab to be used in easy-opening of said container; and

low strength bonding means positioned between said overlapped label layer edge portions, and high strength bonding means positioned between said superimposed label layer and folded-over liner layer edge portion means and between said superimposed label layer and bodywall layer for creating a reinforcing and tear strip extending from said tear tab along said easy-open spiral seam and between the outer edge of the uppermost of said overlapped label layer edge portions and said easy-open spiral seam and which includes the portion of the uppermost of said overlapped label layer edge portions and said folded-over liner layer edge portion means bonded thereto by said high strength bonding means.

2. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 1, in which said low strength bonding means comprises a frangible adhesive, and in which said high strength bonding means comprises a permanent adhesive.

6. An easy-open container as set forth in claim 1 or 3, including a second tab cut aligned with the other said tab cut and extending through the upper of said folded-over liner layer edge portion toward said easy-open spiral seam.

10. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 1, 3 or 7, in which one of said liner layer edge portions is folded back on itself and heat sealed to the other of said liner layer edge portions to define an expansion joint positioned in the region of said easy-open spiral seam.

11. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 2, 5 or 9, in which said frangible adhesive comprises an adhesive having a peel strength less than the tear strength of said liner layer and said label layer.

12. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 2, 5 or 9, in which said permanent adhesive comprises an adhesive having a peel strength greater than the tear strength of said liner layer and said label layer.

13. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 2, 5 or 9, in which said frangible adhesive comprises an adhesive having a peel strength less than the tear strength of said liner layer and said label layer, and said permanent adhesive comprises an adhesive having a peel strength greater than the tear strength of said liner layer and said label layer.

3. An easy-open container particularly adapted for packaging products under pressure and comprising:

a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer in strip form defining a substantially cylindrical container having opposed ends, said bodywall layer having longitudinal edges lying adjacent each other and defining an easy-open spiral seam having a butt joint and extending between said opposed ends;

a flexible barrier liner layer in strip form spirally-wound inside said bodywall layer in superimposed position therewith and being wider than said bodywall layer to define longitudinal edge portions on each side thereof which extend transversely beyond said bodywall layer side edges each of said liner layer edge portions extending through said butt joint and out of said easy-open spiral seam and positioned on the outside of said bodywall layer in folded-over superimposed position with each other and with said bodywall layer;

a flexible label layer in strip form spirally-wound outside said bodywall layer and said folded-over liner layer edge portions in superimposed position therewith and having longitudinal edge portions overlapped with each other, said label layer being positioned in bridging relation to said easy-open spiral seam and said folded-over liner layer edge portions;

a tab cut extending through the upper of said label layer edge portions and inwardly from the outer edge thereof to generally the outer edge of said folded-over liner layer edge portions to define a tear tab to be used in easy-opening of said container; and

low strength bonding means positioned between said overlapped label layer edge portions and between said folded-over liner layer edge portions, and high strength bonding means positioned between said superimposed label layer and the upper folded-over liner layer edge portion and between said superimposed label layer and bodywall layer for creating a reinforcing and tear strip extending from said tear tab along said easy-open spiral seam and between the outer edge of the uppermost of said overlapped label layer edge portions and said easy-open spiral seam and which includes the portion of the uppermost of said overlapped label layer edge portions and the upper of said folded-over liner layer edge portions bonded thereto by said high strength bonding means.

4. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the lowermost of said folded-over liner edge portions is wider than the uppermost of said folded-over liner edge portions and extends beyond the outer edge thereof, and wherein low strength bonding means is positioned between said label layer and the portion of the lowermost of said folded-over liner edge portions extending beyond the outer edge of the uppermost of said folded-over liner edge portions.

5. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 4, in which said low strength bonding means positioned between said overlapped label layer edge portions and between said label layer and the portion of the lowermost of said folded-over liner edge portions comprises a frangible adhesive, said low strength bonding means positioned between said folded-over liner edge portions comprises heat sealing, and said high strength bonding means comprising a permanent adhesive.

7. An easy-open container particularly adapted for packaging products under pressure and comprising:

a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer in strip form defining a substantially cylindrical container having opposed ends, said bodywall layer having longitudinal skied edges overlapped with each other to thereby define an easy-open spiral seam extending between said opposed ends;

a flexible barrier liner layer in strip form spirally-wound inside said bodywall layer in superimposed position therewith and being wider than said bodywall layer to define a longitudinal edge portion on each side thereof which extend transversely beyond said bodywall layer side edges;

one of said liner layer edge portions extending through and out of said easy-open spiral seam and positioned on the outside of said bodywall layer in folded-over superimposed position therewith and the other of said liner layer edge portions being positioned in overlapping relation with the one of said liner layer edge portions on the inside of said bodywall layer;

a flexible label layer in strip form spirally-wound outside said bodywall layer and said folded-over liner layer edge portion in superimposed position therewith and having longitudinal edge portions overlapped with each other, said label layer being positioned in bridging relation to said easy-open spiral seam and said folded-over liner layer edge portion means;

a tab cut extending through the upper of said label layer edge portions and inwardly from the outer edge thereof to generally the outer edge of said folded-over liner layer edge portion mean to define a tear tab to be used in easy-opening of said container; and

low strength bonding means positioned between said overlapped label layer edge portions and between said superimposed folded-over liner layer edge portion and bodywall layer and between said overlapped liner layer edge portions, and high strength bonding means positioned between said superimposed label layer and folded-over liner layer edge portion and between said superimposed label layer and body layer for creating a reinforcing and tear strip extending from said tear tab along said easy-open spiral seam and between the outer edge of the uppermost of said overlapped label layer edge portions and said easy-open spiral seam and which includes the portion of the uppermost of said overlapped label layer edge portions and said folded-over liner layer edge portion bonded thereto by said high strength bonding means.

8. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 7, in which said overlapped skied edges of said bodywall layer comprise edges which have been compressed.

9. An easy-open container, as set forth in claim 7, in which said low strength bonding means positioned between said overlapped label layer edge portions and between said superimposed folded-over liner layer edge portion and bodywall layer comprises frangible adhesive, said low strength bonding means positioned between said overlapped liner layer edge portions comprises heat sealing, and said high strength bonding means comprises permanent adhesive.