Abstract:
There is provided a re-closable container that can be reduced in size once a predetermined amount has been removed from the container. Containers according to certain embodiments provide a utility flap that can be used to secure a bag in place, to help prevent moisture from affecting the contents of the container, and to help provide a secure closure for the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to reducible and reclosable locking containers for keeping bagged items fresh and/or for preventing items contained within the container from spilling out.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     In many instances, products are packaged in quantities that are greater than a single serving or use, such that the product container is not completely emptied after being opened. It is desirable for the consumer to be able to efficiently store the product for later use, and in the case of food products, prevent the unused portion from becoming stale or otherwise undesirable.  
         [0003]     For example, many food products currently on the market are provided in a sealed bag that is contained within a paperboard box. The typical box has a tab and slot configuration on its lid located at the top of the box for closing the box, but the configuration does not prevent the contents from becoming stale or spilling out. Consumers typically roll the inner bag down and “stuff” the bag inside the box. There is not a seal on the bag or any other way to prevent moisture from entering the bag and spoiling the food.  
         [0004]     The tab and slot configuration is also not a sturdy locking mechanism because it does not secure the open bag in place or close the top of the bag. If the box were to tip over in the cupboard after being opened, its contents could easily spill out. This is the case whether the product is a food item such as cereal, crackers, or cookies, or a household item, such as laundry detergent or fertilizer.  
         [0005]     Products are also packaged in boxes or containers that are large enough to hold the full amount of the item being packaged, but that end up being too large for the remaining product once a serving or two has been removed. Reduction in container size once a certain amount has been used would increase available storage space.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, there is a need to provide a re-closable container that can be reduced in size once a predetermined amount has been removed from the container. Additionally, because existing packaging does not provide a way to secure an open bag within a box to keep the contents fresh or prevent them from spilling, there is a need to provide a container that allows for re-closing of the box and fastening of the bag to protect the remainder of the product.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     There is provided a re-closable container that can be reduced in size once a predetermined amount has been removed from the container. Containers according to certain embodiments provide a utility flap that can be used to secure a bag in place, to help prevent moisture from affecting the contents of the container, and to help provide a secure closure for the container. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a blank used to make a container according to certain embodiments of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a container according to certain embodiments of the invention during assembly and filling.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a container according to certain embodiments of the invention once assembled and prior to removal of the tear away strip.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a container according to certain embodiments of the invention once opened.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a container according to certain embodiments of the invention in the open position and during closure.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of a container according to certain embodiments of the invention in the closed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a blank  10  according to certain embodiments of the invention, prior to being assembled. Blank  10  has a front wall panel  12 , a back wall panel  14 , and side wall panels  16 . It also includes a glue flap  18  that is preferably used to secure the box in its assembled box-shaped position. Although glue flap  18  is shown attached to back wall panel  14 , it can alternatively extend from any edge panel of blank  10 . Blank  10  also features a series of dust flaps  19  that are useful in preventing dust and other particles from entering the assembled container where the panels are joined.  
         [0015]     Front wall panel  12 , back wall panel  14 , side wall panels  16 , glue flap  18 , and dust flaps  19  are attached to one another by lines of weakness that allow the panels to be folded relatively easily with respect to one another during assembly. For the purposes of this document, “line of weakness” means any area of weakness formed in blank  10  that allows a consumer or manufacturer to relatively easily fold a portion of blank  10  without removing the portion being folded from blank  10 .  
         [0016]     Front wall panel  12  features a lower portion  20  and an upper portion  22 . Lower portion  20  has a line of perforation  24 , which forms an insertion slit  26 . For the purposes of this document, “line of perforation” means a score line or other area of weakness formed in blank  10  that allows a consumer to easily tear away a portion of blank  10  or puncture blank  10 . Insertion slit  26  stays closed until the consumer presses against the perforation  24  to form the slit  26 . Insertion slit may be located anywhere on front wall panel  12 , may extend between front wall panel  12  and side wall panels  16 , or may be located on side wall panels  16  alone.  
         [0017]     Extending from upper portion  22  of front wall panel  12  is utility flap  28 . Utility flap  28  is preferably joined to front wall panel  12  by a line of weakness  30  that allows it to be folded over.  
         [0018]     Utility flap  28  preferably also attached to upper portion  22  of front wall panel  12  by two small lines of perforation  24  that form tear away strip  32  (described below). Utility flap  28  may optionally extend the full distance of front panel or may extend a smaller distance. Although preferably associated with front wall panel  12 , utility flap  28  may be provided anywhere on blank  10  such that it is allowed to perform the tucking functions described below. Utility flap  28  is shown as trapezoidal in shape, but it should be understood that it may be any shape that allows it to perform the desired tucking function, such as square, triangular, circular, semi-circular and so forth. Utility flap  28  is also shown as a single flap, but it should be understood that utility flap may be multiple flaps or a single flap with multiple panels.  
         [0019]     Upper portion  22  of front wall panel  12  also features a locking tab  34 . In use, locking tab  34  is adapted to cooperate with insertion slit  26  to close container, as will be described more fully below. Locking tab  34  may be any shape or size and may be located anywhere on carton, as long as it provides the desired closure function. For example, it is possible for the edges of new lid  60  (described further below) to provide the desired locking tabs  34 . Additionally, locking tab and insertion slit may have their locations reversed such that locking tab is on the lower portion  20  of front wall panel, extending between front wall panel  12  and side wall panels, or on side panels  16  alone  12  and insertion slit is on the upper portion  22 .  
         [0020]     Locking tab  34  is shown as a single tab, but it should be understood that locking tab may be multiple tabs. There may also be provided one or more locking tab and slit combinations. Locking tab and slit need not be positioned on the center of container  100 , but may be positioned at the edges of container or be otherwise offset.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows utility flap  28  and locking tab  34  in their formed position once the container  100  (that is ultimately formed from blank  10 ) is assembled and opened by removal of the tear away strip  32  described below.  
         [0022]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , also extending from upper portion  22  of front wall panel  12  is tear away strip  32 . (In some embodiments, however, tear away strip  32  is not connected to front wall panel  12 . It may extend from lid panel  36   a  only.) Tear away strip  32  is provided to allow the container  100  that is ultimately formed from blank  10  to be provided in a typical box-type shape, as shown in  FIGS. 2-6 . The consumer removes and discards tear away strip  32 , shown in cross-hatchings in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , to access the contents of container. It should be understood that rather than discarding tear away strip  32 , tear away strip  32  may be printed with promotional tools, including coupons or game pieces. As discussed above, removal of tear away strip defines utility flap  28  and locking tab  34 .  
         [0023]     At the top of front wall panel upper portion  22  is lid panel  36   a . Lid panel  36   a  (along with  36   b ) forms the top lid of container  100  in the container&#39;s assembled position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Once box  100  is opened and collapsed, lid panel  36   a  forms the front lid  36  of container  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
         [0024]     Returning back to  FIG. 1 , back wall panel  14  preferably has a lower portion  38  and an upper portion  40 . Lower portion  38  and upper portion  40  of back wall  14  are separated by a line of weakness defining a hinge  42 . Upper portion  40  is further divided by another line of weakness  30  defining back lid panel  44  and upper lid panel  36   b . Upon assembly, upper lid panel  36   b  and lid panel  36   a  are glued to form lid  36  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). Base panels  52   a  and  52   b  extend from front wall panel  12  and back wall panel  14 .  
         [0025]     Side wall panels  16  connect front wall panel  12  and back wall panel  14 . Side wall panels  16  have lower portions  46  and upper portions  48 . Lower portions  46  of the side walls  16  form the main wall area and upper portions  48  form closure flaps  50  upon removal of tear away strip  32  and assembly of blank  10 .  
         [0026]     Blank  10  is preferably formed of paperboard, fiberboard, chip board, corrugated or any other easily assembled material. Multiple blanks  10  may be shipped to the food producer in their flat form for assembly and filling on site.  
         [0027]     In order to assemble blank  10 , front wall panel  12 , side wall panels  16 , back wall panel  14  are folded to form a rectangular box. Glue or any other adhesive substance or securing mechanism secures glue flap  18  and the other panels in place. Base panels  52   a  and  52   b  are also glued or otherwise adhered to one another and lower dust flaps  19  (if provided) are secured.  
         [0028]     At this point, a box  100  with an open top is provided, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Typically, the box will be filled with a bagged food product  54 , such as cereal, crackers, or cookies, although it is also possible to fill it with other items in bags, such as laundry detergent, fertilizer, or any other item as desired.  
         [0029]     Once inner portion of box  100  is filled with the bagged product  54 , lid panels  36   a  and  36   b  are preferably glued or otherwise adhered to one another to form lid  36 , and dust flaps  19  are then glued or otherwise adhered to cover the fold joints formed. This provides a container like that shown by  FIG. 3 .  
         [0030]     Upon purchase or receipt of the product container, a consumer will remove tear away strip  32  to open the container  100 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . A new lid  60  is now formed by back lid panel  44  (upper portion  40  of back wall), lid panels  36   a  and  36   b , and closure flaps  50  of the side walls  18 . The lid  60  also features locking tab  34  that is defined upon removal of tear away strip  32 . Front panel  12  also features utility flap  28 .  
         [0031]     Once the bagged product  54  is opened and used, the consumer may fold the new lid  60  back along hinge  42  and replace the bag, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Once the bag  54  is placed inside container, its open end  56  should be placed over utility flap  28  and optionally may be crimped over utility flap. Some users may wish to use a bag clip or a paperclip or other closure device to fully secure bag to utility flap  28 , although this is not necessary. After open end  56  of the bag has been folded over the utility flap  28 , the utility flap  28  and bag are folded forward and against front wall panel  12 , securing the bag against moisture and spillage. In other words, the bag is preferably folded once against the front wall panel  12  of container, over utility flap  28 , and is “pinned” or secured against the container  100  when the new lid  60  is closed to help prevent against moisture and spillage. The new lid  60  is folded over and the locking tab  34  (or tabs) is secured in insertion slit  26  for closure.  
         [0032]     Container may be printed to provide promotional or marketing material. According to certain embodiments, it is printed so that graphics on the box have the same appearance before and after the box is collapsed. It is also possible, however, the provide new graphics on the lid panels  36   a  and  36   b  that are not seen from the front view until the container is collapsed and locked.  
         [0033]     Changes and modifications, additions and deletions may be made to the structures and methods recited above and shown in the drawings without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention and the following claims.