Abstract:
A food package storage and dispensing container having a top, bottom and sides. At least one side has a structure defining a potential dispensing opening. The opening includes an openable line defining a downwardly extending U-shaped path. The opening of the container is provided along the openable line in which a flap is formed that turns about a transverse line thereabove. In the absence of an object passing through the opening, the flap naturally turns about the transverse line to extend generally downwardly to generally cover the opening.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a food package storage and dispensing container, and in particular, such a container with a side opening flap.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Food products such as cookies and other snacks may be packaged in individual single serving snack packages for convenience. These single serving snack packages may be displayed on store shelves in a box container with a removable, cut-away or otherwise openable top, thereby allowing a customer to select individual food packages from the box container for individual purchase. Alternatively, a consumer may purchase the entire box container of food packages. One disadvantage of conventional box containers is that once the top is removed or opened, the structural integrity of the box container is compromised, thereby limiting the utility of a box container for transporting and storing the remaining food packages.  
         [0003]     Other disadvantages of some other conventional containers are that they are not convenient and are not designed for the storage dispensing and transport of food packages. For example, such containers may lack a reclosable opening which opens to gain access to the food contents inside and then closes after some of the food contents have been removed. Therefore, these containers fail to be suitable to dispense and transport food packages once these containers have been opened.  
         [0004]     Some conventional box containers have side access openings in the form of an upwardly extending flap which folds down and out from the container, thereby allowing access to the contents inside the container. Typically, these dispensing containers with upwardly extending flaps are used to dispense stacked items such as beverages as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,681 to Arneson et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,581 to Dutcher or planar articles such as diapers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,236 to Roccaforte.  
         [0005]     These aforementioned dispensing containers with side flaps are not ideally suited for storing and dispensing food packages since they fail to provide an adequate structure to retain the remaining food packages once the dispensing container has been opened since the upwardly extending flap will remain down and thereby possibly lead to inadvertent spilling of food packages out of the dispensing container.  
         [0006]     Due to these and other limitations with present containers, a need exists for a food storage and dispensing container which provides structural integrity once the container is opened and also provides adequate protection against inadvertently dropping food packages from the container is needed.  
         [0007]     There is also a need for a convenient storage, dispensing and transport container for food products such as snack food packages.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new and improved box container for individual food products such as snack packages, in which the container provides structural integrity once opened, while concurrently facilitating the individual removal of food packages from the box container which has a re-closeable side opening, thereby limiting inadvertent spillage of food packages from a once opened container.  
         [0009]     This purpose is achieved, in part, by providing a suitable container for individual food packages in combination with a side opening defined by a downwardly extending U-shaped path of a weakened line forming a flap. The U-shaped path of the weakened line can be completely curved path or the path may have right angles so long as the path extends down and then back up. Once the weakened line is broken, the flap turns about a transverse line located above the flap. As a result of the flap&#39;s configuration, in the absence of an object passing through the opening, the flap naturally turns about the transverse line via its own weight and the resiliency of the material of which the container is formed to extend generally downwardly to generally cover the opening.  
         [0010]     In various further alternative forms of the container, the transverse line is below a junction of the top and the side having the flap, and a plurality of food packages are disposed inside the container wherein the packages are of a size to be retrieved individually through the opening. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The invention will now be described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a food package storage and dispensing container in a closed configuration in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  in a partially opened configuration;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the container of  FIG. 1  in an opened configuration and showing a hand gaining access to the contents of the package; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a different food package storage and dispensing container in accordance with the present invention in a closed configuration. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Referring now to the drawings, like numbers represent like elements throughout the several views.  
         [0017]     Referring now specifically to  FIGS. 1-3 , a rectangular box-like container  10  has a top  12 , bottom  14 , and two pairs of opposing sides  16 , 18  and  20 , 22 . Top  12  is formed of a single panel that substantially forms the entire top surface  50  of container  10 . As a result, top surface  13  provides a continuous uninterrupted surface for graphics or other indicia.  
         [0018]     Side  16  has an openable line defined by perforations  24  (indicated by a dashed line in  FIG. 1 ) in the shape of a downwardly extending U-shaped path. A transverse fold line  26  extends along the length of the side  16  spanning between perforation end  24   a  and perforation end  24   b.    
         [0019]     Although the openable line of perforations  24  is a symmetrical arc path, the operable line can be any downwardly extending U-shaped path. For example, the U-shaped path may be composed of two substantially vertical portions connected by a substantially horizontal portion thereby defining a U-shaped path having right angles. Alternatively, the U-shaped path can have any shape so long as the U-shaped path extends below and connects to the ends of the transverse fold line  26 .  
         [0020]     Flap  28  is formed by tearing the side  16  along the perforations  24  as depicted in  FIG. 2 . The flap  28  turns upwardly about the transverse line  26  and forms an opening  30  in the container  10  having a sufficient size for a human hand to reach through. Flap  28  can be pivoted, i.e., turned either inward towards the center of the box-like container  10 , depicted as flap  28   b  in  FIG. 3 , drawn with broken lines, or outwards away from the box-like container  10  as shown at flap  28   a  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , drawn with solid lines.  
         [0021]     After flap  28  has been turned upwardly about transverse line  26 , a plurality of food packages such as snack packages  32  become hand accessible for individual retrieval through opening  30 . The snack packages may be a plastic, foil or other bag-like structure containing the food product. The body of container  10  is formed of a suitable material such as cardboard which acts with the composition and the quantity of the bag-like food packages to advantageously accommodate turning of flap  28 .  
         [0022]     After one has reached one&#39;s hand  34  into the container  10  and removed a snack package  32  from the container  10 , flap  28  naturally turns about the transverse line  26  to extend generally downwardly to generally cover the opening  30 . The natural turning of flap  28  occurs via the mass of flap  28 . Since the flap is pivotally connected to the side  16  from above the flap  28 , the force of gravity and the resilient memory of the flap to return to its original position urge the flap  28  downward to generally cover the opening  30 . The closing of the opening  30  via the flap  28  can be further assisted by one&#39;s hand  34 .  
         [0023]     After flap  28  is returned to substantially cover the opening  30 , the weight of the flap  28  and its resilient memory prevent flap  28  from turning, thereby preventing remaining snack packages  32  from inadvertently falling or spilling out of container  10  when container  10  is transported or otherwise disturbed.  
         [0024]     A pair of handles, including handle  38  formed in side  20  and a corresponding handle (not shown) formed in side  22  provide structures for one to grasp and use to transport the container  10 . Handle  38  is formed in side  20  via perforations  40  which, once separated, forms a flap  42  which pivots along fold line  44  thereby forming a slot  46  which acts as a handle for one to grasp. As a result, one can use handle  38  along with a similar handle formed in side  22  to transport container  10 . Top  12  is preferably permanently affixed to container  10  via glue or other suitable material including staples.  
         [0025]     The container of the present invention can have many different shapes. As one example of a different shape,  FIG. 4  depicts a dispensing container  410  similarly numbered as container  10  with the numerals raised by  400 . Container  410  differs from container  10  in that container  410  has a polygonal shape body rather than the rectangular shape. Other than the different shape, in all other aspects, container  410  is configured and operates identically to that of container  10  with flap  428  formed by opening side  416  along perforation line  424 . Turning flap  428  along transverse line  426  provides an opening to container  410 . The opening allows one to withdraw individual food packages from inside container  412 . Like container  10 , one may easily transport container  412  using slot handle  438  formed in side  420  and a similarly formed handle formed in side  422 .  
         [0026]     It will now be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that containers  10 ,  410  offer substantial features and advantages not found in previous snack package dispensing containers. The present containers provide a reclosable flap  28 ,  428  which pivots to close an opening and thereby prevents remaining food products from inadvertently spilling out of the container. Further, the non-opening top provides rigidity to the containers which assists in providing support and integrity for storing and transporting the containers. As a result, the containers are highly adaptable for transporting the food products such as snack packages and dispensing the food products on location such as tailgate parties, children&#39;s sporting events, picnics, and the like. Further, the reclosable flap  28 ,  428  provides for a container well suited and convenient for toting any remaining snack packages home again from such events as the flap  28 ,  428  will help prevent snack packages from inadvertently spilling out of the container.  
         [0027]     Although the invention has been described in detail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skilled in the art that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations within the scope and spirit of the invention.