Abstract:
A pair of relatively small spaced apart identical tray type containers for packaging products such as food are formed from a one-piece blank arranged so that, when completed with the contents enclosed, the containers can only be opened by ripping apart integral tamper-proof tear-away portions, not by just separating the flaps or panels. 
     In some embodiments tear strips are provided across the middle panel portion to allow easy severance of the containers from each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the food and other consumer products industries, a need and therefore a market has been established for a twin-tray type small container for packaging food or food products, either as two separate portions in a single double-container structure or two different products such as a meat portion and a vegetable portion in the same two-container structure. 
     As an example, a double portion of the same product can be packaged in the twin trays which can then be separated, one opened for immediate use and the other put away for subsequent use or for use by two different people. As another example, a meat product can be put in one and a vegetable product in the other. Such a structure can be adapted for microwave use by the addition of microwave susceptor material for preparing related but separate food substances. 
     To be more acceptable to the customer, the product has to be user friendly, that is, easily handled and opened and at the same time tamper proof so that if one or both of the containers are opened prior to purchase by the end customer this fact will be readily apparent. This requires a seal of some sort which will remain intact until final use. 
     Such containers are supplied by the original manufacturer in flat, unerected, tubular form for erection by the customer&#39;s conventional forming, filling and sealing equipment. To keep the price down for the benefit of the original manufacturer, the customer for the unerected flat partially completed blanks who will erect the containers, fill them, and sell them and also the final customer of the food product, it is desirable to provide a container which may be formed from a one-piece flat blank which can be processed on such conventional packaging machinery and which will have an economy of material and as few parts as possible to provide the necessary features. 
     If such a twin arrangement is provided, particularly in substantially separated form, it is desirable to contemplate the inclusion of a relatively large panel portion which can be used as a billboard for printed and graphic advertising and informational intelligence. 
     It is the broad object of this invention to incorporate the above described desirable features in a one-part blank and also a twin-type container arrangement formed from the blank in a choice of embodiments and with an economy of material and container forming, filling and sealing process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention includes a one part paperboard blank for forming spaced-apart identical tray type containers for packaging products, primarily food, in which a relatively large central panel portion serves not only to form major panels in erected containers, either the tops or the bottoms depending upon the embodiments, but also a bridge across the spaced-apart containers and in which additional panel forming portions and glue tabs extend successively and foldably outwardly from the ends of the central panel portion and in which the glue tabs are brought around and glued to the central panel portion, thus forming the top, bottoms and sides of the containers. End panel portions are foldably attached to the major and minor panel portions to provide end panels for the containers. 
     Tear-away portions are provided which are integrally preformed in a pair of major top panels or else in end panel portions of the blank thus providing easy access to the contents of each of the containers. 
     One form of such tear-away portion is defined and pre-formed by the reverse cut construction as known in the art to facilitate ripping apart of the material of the panel portion. 
     Another form is the so-called H-pattern of perforations to provide lines of weakness on both sides of the tear-away portion for easier ripping apart of the panel material. The important feature is the tearing apart of the material of a panel and not just separtion of one panel from another in the structure of the completed container. Thus any previous opening and unsealing is readily discernible so as to provide the tamper-proof feature. 
     In a first embodiment of the invention, a relatively large central panel portion of the blank bridges the containers across their bottoms and also forms their bottoms, while the tear-away portions are defined and provided in the other and outer major panel portions by the reverse cut construction. 
     In a second embodiment the relatively large tear-away portions are provided in the central panel portion of the blank which in this form provides the tops of the containers. 
     In the third embodiment the tear-away portions are provided between the double lines of H-pattern perforations which extend along the length of the end panel portions. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a layout or plan view of one embodiment of a one-piece blank of the invention showing removable tear-away portions on top forming outer major panel portions. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of twin containers formed from the blank of FIG. 1, showing one of the tear-away portions removed from the top of one of the containers. 
     FIG. 3 is a section view of the containers of FIG. 2 taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 3a is an expanded partial view as indicated in FIG. 3 showing the reverse cut construction to facilitate ripping apart of the tear-away portion as illustrated in FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 4 is a section view of one of the containers of FIG. 2 taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 5 is a section view of the containers of FIG. 2 taken 
     along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 6 is a layout or plan view of a second embodiment of a one-piece blank of the invention showing removable tear-away portions on the top forming large central panel portion. 
     FIG. 7 is a partially exploded perspective view of twin containers formed from the blank of FIG. 6 and showing one of the tear-away portions removed from the top of on of the containers. 
     FIG. 8 is a section view of the containers of FIG. 7 taken along the line 8--8 of FIG. 7. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the containers of FIG. 7 showing them separated from each other and with the tear-away portion removed from one of them. 
     FIG. 10 is a layout or plan view of a third embodiment of a one-piece blank of the invention showing removable tear-away portions for opening the ends of the containers located along the end panel portions of the central panel portion as well as a transverse tear strip for separating the containers. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of twin containers formed from the blank of FIG. 10. 
     FIG. 12 is a section view of the containers of FIG. 11 taken along the line 12--12 of FIG. 11. 
     FIG. 13 is a section view of one of the containers of FIG. 11 taken along the line 13--13 of FIG. 11. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of one of the containers of FIG. 11 after it has been removed from the other and showing one end opened for access to the contents after removal of the tear-away portion which had kept it closed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5 inclusive in which FIG. 1 shows the blank indicated at 10 and FIG. 2 shows the container structure erected from the blank indicated at 11. 
     A second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6-9 inclusive in which FIG. 6 shows the blank indicated at 12 and FIG. 7 shows the container structure indicated at 13 made from the blank 12. 
     A third embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 10-14 inclusive in which the blank is indicated at 14 and the container made from the blank is indicated at 15. 
     The blank 10 in FIG. 1 has a relatively large central panel portion 20 for forming a bridge 22 as seen in FIG. 3 across a substantial space between the two containers 11A and 11B of the twin-tray type structure 11. In this embodiment the panel portion 20 also forms the bottoms 24a and 24b of the containers 11A and 11B as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     Inner minor panel portions 26a and 26b are foldably attached to the ends of the central panel portion 20 for forming the outer side edge panels of the two containers 11A and 11B as seen in FIG. 3. Outer major panel portions 28a and 28b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the minor panel portions 26a and 26b for forming the other major panels, in this case the tops 28a and 28b of the erected containers of FIG. 2 as best seen in FIG. 3. 
     Outer minor panel portions 30a and 30b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the outer major panel portions 28a and 28b forming the other and inner side edge panels of the containers as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     Glue tabs 32a and 32b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the outer minor panel portions 30a and 30b to secure the blank 10 to itself as seen in FIG. 3 so that it can be shipped in flat form before erecting and filling. 
     End panel portions 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d are foldably attached respectively to the central panel portion 20, the inner minor panel portions 26a and 26b, the outer major panel portions 28a and 28b, and the outer minor panel portions 30a and 30b to provide end panels for the container 11 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. 
     The top panel portions 28a and 28b have tear-away portions 35a and 35b integrally formed with and occupying substantial areas of them. They are defined and pre-formed by reverse cut construction cuts 37a and 37b, seen most clearly in FIG. 3a enlarged from FIG. 3, to facilitate ripping apart the tear-away portions 35a and 35b from the remaining parts of the tops 28a and 28b. 
     The tear-away portions 35a and 35b terminate in tapered portions 37a and 37b which themselves terminate in lift tabs 37c and 37d. 
     When the carton structure 11 is assembled into the form seen in FIG. 2, the end panels 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d are glued to each other except that no glue is applied between the portions 36a, 37b, 37c and 37d of the tear-away panels 35a and 35b and the end panels 34a against which they abut. Thus, when the lift tabs 37c and 37d are pulled away by the ultimate consumer, the unglued portions 37a and 37b of the tear-away portions 35a and 35b readily come away from the end panels for easy tearing away by ripping along the reverse cuts 37a and 37b as seen in FIG. 2. 
     In the second embodiment the blank indicated at 12 in FIG. 6 is eventually formed into the container structure indicated at 13 in FIG. 7, comprising individual containers 13A and 13B. 
     In this embodiment the blank 12 is essentially the same as the blank 10 of the first embodiment except that, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the central panel portion 40 provides the tops 44a and 44b of the two containers 13A and 13B and a top bridge portion 42 across a substantial space between the containers as best seen in FIG. 8, these being top forming major panel portions 44a and 44b of the blank 12. 
     Inner minor panel portions 46a and 46b are foldably attached to the ends of the central panel portion 40 for forming outer edge panels of the containers 13A and 13B as best seen in FIG. 8. Outer major panel portions 48a and 48b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the minor panel portions 46a and 46b for forming the other and bottom major panels of the containers 13A and 13B. Outer minor panel portions 50a and 50b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the outer major panel portions 48a and 48b for forming the other and inner side edge panels 50a and 50b of the two containers 13A and 13B, as best seen in FIG. 8. 
     Glue tabs 52a and 52b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the outer minor panel portions 50a and 50b and are glued under the central panel portion 40, as best seen in FIG. 8, so the structure can be shipped in flat condition. 
     End panel portions 54a, 54b, 54c, and 54d are foldably attached to the major and minor panel portions to provide end panels for the containers 13A and 13B, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 9. 
     In this embodiment the central panel portion 40 has a pair of tear-away portions 45a and 45b each integrally formed with and occupying a substantial area of the top panel portions 44a and 44b. They are defined and pre-formed by reverse cut construction cuts 47a and 47b to facilitate ripping apart from the tops 44a and 44b. As in the first embodiment, the details of this reverse cut arrangement are shown in FIG. 3a. 
     The blank 12 has a tear strip 59 across the middle of the central panel portion 40 and the end panel portions 54a on both sides, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. This is formed by a double line of so-called H-pattern perforations forming lines of weakness so that it may be easily removed to separate the two halves of the structure 13 into two separate cartons. 
     The tear-away portions 45a and 45b terminate in tapered portions 55a and 55b which themselves terminate in lift-tabs 55c and 55d. 
     When the carton structure 13 is assembled into the form seen in FIGS. 7 and 9, the end panels 54a, 54b, 54c, and 54d are glued to each other except that no glue is applied between the portions 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d of the tear-away panels 45a, 45b and the end panels 54c against which they abut. Thus, when the lift tabs 55c and 55d are pulled away by the ultimate consumer, the unglued portions 55a and 55b of the tear-away portions 45a and 45b, readily come away from the end panels 54c for easy tearing away by ripping along the reverse cuts 47a and 47b as seen in FIG. 7. 
     In the third embodiment of the blank 14 and the erected container structure 15 the corresponding body parts are essentially the same as in the first two embodiments except for the tear-away portions. 
     As seen in FIG. 10, the blank 14 has a central panel portion 60, a central bridge portion 62, and top portions 64a and 64b. Inner minor panel portions 66a and 66b for forming the outer side edges of the containers 15A and 15B are foldably attached to the ends of the central panel portion 60. Outer major panel portions 68a and 68b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the minor panel portions 66a and 66b for forming the other and bottom major panels of the two containers 15A and 15B as seen in FIG. 12. 
     Outer minor panel portions 70a and 70b are foldably attached to the outer edges of the panel portions 68a and 68b for forming the other and inner side edge panels of the same containers. Glue tabs are foldably attached to the outer edges of the outer minor panels portions 70a and 70b for securing the blank 14 into the double tubular condition seen in erected form in FIG. 12. 
     All of the panel portions 60, 66a, 66b, 68a and 68b and 70A and 70B have end panel portions 74a, 74b, 74c and 74d respectively foldably attached to them to provide the end panels for the containers 15A and 15B. 
     The tear-away portions in this embodiment consists of tear strips 65 formed by parallel lines of H-pattern perforations running lengthwise of the end panels 74a as seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. 
     In this case when the end panels of the container structure are glued together, the upper or inner portions 77 of the panels 74a and also the tear strips 65 are left unglued, and only the outer or lower portions 75 are glued to secure the box closed. Therefore when the glue strip 65 is removed on both sides and the center strip 69 separating the containers is also removed, either the top 64a or 64b or both will be free to be raised pivotally around its outer hinge line 78. 
     Thus the invention presents a container structure of the twin-tray type for food products and other materials which has a tamper proof feature in which some of the material of the container must be ripped apart and torn away from itself to open the container to get at the contents so that this is not just a matter of separating one panel from another as in conventional containers in the art. This cannot be accomplished without revealing that it has been done with the result that the closure is tamper proof.