Package opening

An improved straw hole design for a drink package which allows venting to occur in air gaps around the straw while the straw is inserted in the straw hole. This invention prevents the common problem of squirting or spill-over out of the top of the straw when a drink box is squeezed or otherwise compressed. Several embodiments are disclosed in which a "C" shaped pre-cut, a "U" shaped pre-cut and "V" shaped pre-cut are incorporated into the package for later insertion of the straw.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to straw holes in food and beverage 
packages. More particularly, the present invention is an improved design 
for a straw hole that allows air to vent from around a straw to avoid the 
messy problem of contents squirting out of the straw when the package is 
compressed by picking it up or slightly squeezing the package. 
Drink boxes or "juice boxes", as they are sometimes called, have become 
very popular in many countries around the world. These drink boxes may 
come in single serve sizes and up and usually come with a straw in a 
protective, sterile wrapper attached to the outside of the box. The top of 
the drink box has a predetermined, premarked location for insertion of one 
end of the straw for the consumer to drink the contents of the box through 
the straw. Typically, the premarked location for the straw insertion has 
been pre-cut in some fashion to assist ease of insertion of the straw, yet 
not to break the liquid seal of the box prior to insertion of the straw. 
A typical drink box of today is aseptic in nature and is well-known to 
those of ordinary skill in the art. However, the present invention would 
be useful on non-aseptic packages as well. Aseptic packages are 
multi-layered structures, usually comprising a paperboard layer with 
plastic layer(s) such as polyethelyne and in some cases, an oxygen barrier 
layer such as aluminum foil. In premarking a location on the box top for 
insertion of a straw, aseptic packages are usually half cut. A half cut 
may be placed through the paperboard layer, leaving the foil and usually 
one or more layers of plastic intact to maintain the liquid barrier seal 
prior to insertion of the straw. In known packages or boxes, once the 
straw is inserted through the half cut and pierces the liquid seal barrier 
to enter the contents of the box, the layers of the box tend to form 
around the straw resulting in an air seal between the perimeter of the 
straw and the box layers around the straw. 
This seal between the straw and the layers of the box surrounding the straw 
hole causes an unfortunate problem. When the box is handled by the 
consumer, the contents of the box tend to squirt out of the top of the 
straw unintentionally when the box is even slightly compressed. Applicants 
have discovered that one way of avoiding this problem is to allow venting 
of air trapped at the very top of the box above the contents level through 
the straw hole outside the perimeter of the straw. To prevent the box 
material from forming a seal around the straw required a novel half cut 
straw hole design. The present application discloses three different 
embodiments of this unique pre-cut, self-venting straw hole. 
In one preferred embodiment, a "C" shaped half cut is formed in the package 
top for a location for insertion of a straw. When the straw is inserted, a 
"C" shaped flap of material is formed which is diverted into the package 
by the straw. Due to the nature of the layered material of the package the 
"C" shaped flap of material will tend to spring back to a closed position 
which results in the flap exerting a force against the straw. This force 
pressing the straw against the opposing wall of the hole will slightly 
grip the straw keeping the straw from loosely moving within the straw 
hole. The "C" is somewhat larger in diameter than the straw diameter. Once 
the straw is in place in the hole there will be gaps on either side of the 
straw to allow air to vent from around the straw through the straw hole 
when the package is compressed. Another embodiment that functions in 
substantially the same way is comprised of a "U" shaped half cut straw 
hole. Yet another embodiment incorporates a substantially "V" shaped straw 
hole. It will be recognized that various shaped straw hole openings may be 
incorporated to provide venting space around the straw that would fall 
within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1 there is shown a 
typical drink box package 10 of a type that is widely known and may 
typically contain a beverage such as juice, soda pop, other flavored 
drinks, or even liquid foods such as soup. Typically, the package 10 is 
provided with a straw 12 to be inserted into a straw hole. The straw hole 
14 of the present invention may be partially pre-cut into a layer 16 of 
the package 10 as shown in FIG. 4. Drink boxes are ordinarily manufactured 
with several layers of material including a paperboard layer and an oxygen 
barrier layer along with plastic layers. By pre-cutting or "half-cutting" 
the outer paperboard layer 16 of the package 10 without disturbing the 
inner product barrier layer(s) 18 the consumer will have a readily 
recognizable location for insertion of the straw 12 and actual insertion 
of the straw 12 will be accomplished more easily since the paperboard 
layer 16 will have already been pre-cut. 
As shown in FIG. 2, a "C" shaped pre-cut 20 is made in the paperboard layer 
16 of the package 10 and is of a size to be somewhat larger in diameter 
than the diameter of the straw 12. In FIG. 3, the straw 12 is shown 
inserted in the "C" shaped vent hole 20. Gaps 19 will occur between the 
package layers and the perimeter of the straw 12. A flap 21 of package 10 
layers 16, 18 will protrude down into the package 10 and tend to spring 
back against the straw 12. This is advantageous because it keeps the straw 
12 under control and does not allow it to float around loosely within the 
hole 14. Air 25 trapped above the contents 27 of the package will be 
vented through the gaps 19 when the package 10 is even slightly 
compressed. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, another embodiment of the present invention is 
shown, wherein a "U" shaped pre-cut 22 vent hole is incorporated into the 
package 10. In FIG. 6 the straw 12 is shown inserted in the "U" shaped 
vent hole 22 and gaps 26 are present around the perimeter of the straw 12. 
As shown in FIG. 7, the flap 23 of material layers of the package 10 is 
again diverted into the package 10 and exerts a force against the straw 12 
to prevent the straw 12 from loosely floating within the hole 14. In the 
same manner as described above, the air 25 at the top of the package 10 
above the contents 27 will be vented out of the package 10 through the 
gaps 26 whenever the package 10 is squeezed or otherwise compressed. 
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, yet another embodiment of the present invention 
which functions in substantially the same way is a "V" shaped pre-cut 24 
vent hole for insertion of a straw 12. Gaps 28 occur around the straw 12 
which allow air 25 to vent from the package 10. All of the above described 
embodiments, and other embodiments that would fall within the scope of the 
present invention will prevent the squirting or spill-over of contents 27 
from out of the top 30 of the straw 12 unintentionally when the straw 12 
is not in the mouth of the consumer.