Abstract:
A seal-end package or box for dispensing a solid pourable product includes folding major side panels foldably connected together extending laterally, and formed into a tube around a central axis. Further extending laterally is an overlapping panel similarly folded over and conforming to the tube. A slide is connected to the major side panels, with the overlapping panel having a cover panel with an opening. The slide obstructs the opening, until a thumb tab on the slide engaged by a user and moved laterally relative the axis un-obstructs the opening allowing dispensing of the product.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to packaging for solid pourable product, and more particularly to a specialty box for conveniently dispensing confectioneries or the like. 
       2. Description of the Related Art 
       [0002]    Boxes with end flaps which open for dispensing confectioneries are well known in the art. They are inexpensive and easy to manufacture on a mass scale since they are typically made of a single sheet of paperboard stock which is folded together in a certain sequence to form the box. Most mass-produced boxes, and in particular small candy and mint boxes, are formed, filled and sealed using high speed cartoners, folding 50 to 2000 packages per minute or more. Such high speed packaging machinery typically accepts large quantities of blanks that are each formed into a folding carton in a series of folds, and then open each box, fill it with product, and close the flaps applying an appropriate time-sensitive adhesive to seal the flaps. 
         [0003]    Applicant is the inventor of numerous specialty folding box packaging designs having a slider openers for easy dispensing of pourable products and closing of the box for subsequent use, including U.S. utility Pat. Nos. 6,116,499, 6,273,332, 6,360,942, 6,435,402, 6,945,449, 7,040,528, 7,156,286, 7,337,904, 7,743,973 and 9,085,386. Applicant was also the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373, now expired, licensed for the popular CERTS® mints box. Applicant continues to develop packages of new and differing functionality which offer improvements over the prior art including in ease of operation and manufacturing. Among the improvements are those addressing marketability with potential food manufacturers. 
         [0004]    Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 7,743,973 entitled “Thumb-Actuated Candy or Mint Box” formed with a horizontal slide opener provides most convenient and easy utilization of a box, by enabling the consumer to hold this box with one hand and by use of a thumb for example, easily opens to dispense the contents and also close the box as easily. When a user holds the box upright in one hand and opens the box, the user&#39;s thumb slides away from the box and the opening is revealed. One drawback of the &#39;973 box is that the blank used to form the box includes an elongated flap that is folded over the slide which may require customized machinery for filling and closing the box. Also, the cost of the blank (material) is more expensive due to a larger blank needed for such a configuration. 
         [0005]    Prior art such as the &#39;973 box may require machinery modifications, specialized manufacturing equipment, and extra folding steps to accommodate the elongated flap covering the slide and other unusually shaped structures. And Applicant&#39;s &#39;973 design, although innovative, can be refused for high volume production by food companies because of increased material cost. For these reasons, there is a need for a thumb-actuated, sideways sliding box that can be manufactured using existing high speed packaging techniques and conventional folding of short flaps to close the box once it is filled. 
       3. Objects of the Invention 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package having a blank with dimensions and flap sizes corresponding to standard sizes commonly used in a high-speed commercial form and to fill packaging machineries, making it suitable for mass production that all major food producers are already equipped with, and this makes it a convenient transition of using this innovative design that can increase the sale of a product, as consumers have shown they lean towards new designs with convenience of easy utilization. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention to provide a package comprising a conventional seal-end box that offers a convenient slide opening not tied to the top or bottom of the boy 
         [0008]    It is a further object of the present invention to offer a slide opening that moves in a sideways direction perpendicular to the top opening of the box for convenient pourability and ease of use. 
         [0009]    It is a further object to provide a package with an opening that is actuated by the user&#39;s thumb at the same time not tending to block the opening. 
         [0010]    It is a further object to provide a package that conveniently can be utilized single-handedly by the user, to meet today&#39;s lifestyle demands of multitasking, i.e. leaving the other hand available for some other task. 
         [0011]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved package that can be easily dispensed while the user is engaged in other activities, even while driving, without overly distracting or interfering with the user&#39;s operation of the moving vehicle. 
         [0012]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package that can be sized to fit well into a user&#39;s pocket, while still adaptable for larger sizes such as cereal boxes. 
         [0013]    It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a box that is inexpensive, economically produced, and easy to manufacture on a mass scale, for example being made from a smaller single sheet of blank stock material and constructed in such a way to avoid any difficult insertion step for high speed packaging machinery. 
         [0014]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are more fully discussed in the following summary, description and drawings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0015]    The present design is a seal-end standard package, such as a box or carton, that standard cartoners normally used in food and other manufacturing to produce large numbers of seal-end boxes can use, thus providing an advantage over prior thumb-actuated boxes or cartons. 
         [0016]    A package for dispensing a solid pourable product, such as candy or mints, includes folding side panels connected together and formed into a tube, for example, a square tube, around a common axis. The side panels are secured to maintain the tube shape. A first overlapping panel is connected to the side panels, and a second overlapping panel is connected to the first overlapping panel so that the first overlapping panel and the second overlapping panel extend over and conform to the shape of the tube. 
         [0017]    A slide is also connected to the side panels. A cover panel is connected to the second overlapping panel and folds perpendicular to the axis so that the cover panel overlies the slide. The cover panel includes a cover panel opening preferably aligned with a side panel opening located in the side panels. The slide obstructs the cover panel opening and the side panel opening, but when a user moves the slide lateral to the axis, the slide un-obstructs the cover panel opening and the side panel opening, to allow the solid pourable product egress for dispensing it from the package. 
         [0018]    The package is preferably formed from a single die-cut blank, and may have four side panels extending laterally across the blank. The slide may be connected to the side panels next to the connection of the first overlapping panel with to the side panels. Like the first and second overlapping panels, the slide also may extend around the package, bringing it adjacent the second overlapping panel and cover panel. The slide should include a stop, and the major panels include a catch that engages the stop to prevent the slide from completely disengaging the cover panel. 
         [0019]    A thumb tab is preferably collinear with a panel fold line between the first overlapping panel and the second overlapping panel, and is formed from a cut-out along a slide fold line which is collinear with the panel fold line. An adhesive holds the cover panel against the second overlapping panel, and a top panel is connected to the cover panel opposite the second overlapping panel for folding over the top of the package. Preferably the top panel is coplanar with the top of the package. 
         [0020]    A box for dispensing a solid pourable product s preferably configured with four major panels, one preferably having an opening therein, and the four major panels connected together extending laterally and folded into a square-shaped tube about a central axis. The box preferably has one or more additional overlapping panels connected to the four major panels and similarly extending laterally and folded to overlay and conform to the square-shaped tube, and a slide connected to the major panels next to the overlapping panel. A cover panel further extends laterally from the four major panels, the cover panel having an opening overlying the slide. The slide obstructs the cover panel opening until the user moves the slide, thereby un-obstructing the opening and allowing the solid product to be poured from the box. 
         [0021]    The package allows for dispensing a solid pourable product when held in a hand and with a thumb due to the orientation of the slide in relation to the package. When the slide moves laterally relative to the axis, the user&#39;s thumb clears the opening in the cover panel opening along with the slide, thereby allowing free and immediate egress of the solid pourable product. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a flat pattern view of a stock blank from which an improved convenient, easy open and close laterally thumb actuated candy and mint package is made; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the blank being folded in an initial stage of construction; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the blank being folded in a further stage of construction with the major side panels affixed in position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a tube formed from the blank with first and second overlapping sides in position over the major side panels; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the tube with the slide in position over a major side panel opening; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of the package partially constructed with a cover panel adhered over the slide; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the tube flattened for stacking; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of the package fully assembled; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of the package partially disassembled to show the cover panel and slide mechanism; 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective view of the package being filled with a solid pourable product from the bottom; 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of the package being filled with the solid pourable product from the top; 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of an assembled and filled box with the slide open for dispensing the solid pourable product; 
           [0034]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a user opening an assembled box to dispense the solid pourable product. 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a prior art thumb-actuated candy or mint box partially disassembled to show the slide mechanism. 
           [0036]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the prior art thumb-actuated candy or mint box completely assembled. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 14-15  a prior art thumb-actuated candy or mint box  100  is shown. As shown in  FIG. 14 , while the box  100  has a sideways sliding opening movement, it includes an elongated top flap  102 , which extends far beyond the box  100  when unfolded. For this reason, specialized machinery is often necessary to assemble the box  100  resulting in increased costs. For this reason, the improved box  12  of  FIGS. 1-13  is cleverly re-configured to avoid this problem and make it compatible with existing high speed packaging machines and thus easier to implement in the marketplace. 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a flat patterned paper or cardboard stock blank  10  is provided for forming a package or box  12 . The blank  10  has a top  14  and bottom  16 , and preferably four major sides made up of a front panel  18 , right side panel  20 , left side panel  22  and back panel  24  (collectively, “side panels  18 - 24 ”) which are generally rectangular in the illustrated embodiment and extend laterally across the blank  10 . The side panels  18 - 24  extend in the other direction between the top  14  and the bottom  16 , and the blank  10  is scored for folding. 
         [0039]    A first overlapping panel  26  is connected to the back panel  24 , and a second overlapping panel  28  is connected to the first overlapping panel  26  along a panel fold line  30 . A slide  32  is also connected the back panel  24 , shown in the illustrated embodiment adjacent he first overlapping panel  26 . The slide  32  is folded along a slide fold line  34 , and a thumb tab  36  is die-cut along the slide fold line  34 . The slide  32  also includes a notch  38  terminating in a stop  40 , the notch  38  extending from the stop  40  to the slide fold line  34 . A small portion of the right side panel  20  is cut away to make a catch  42  for engaging the stop  40 . 
         [0040]    The second overlapping panel  28  has a cover panel  44  for folding over the slide  32 . A top panel  46  extends from the cover panel  44  for folding over the top  14 . A side tab  48  is connected to the right side panel  20  for folding and adhesion to the back panel  24 . A cover panel opening  50  is disposed in the cover panel  44 , and a side panel opening  52  is disposed in the front panel  18 . When the box  12  is constructed, the cover panel opening  50  and side panel opening  52  align. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2  shows the blank  10  in an initial stage of folding. The blank  10  folds in a sequence avoiding the need for specialized packaging machinery that might otherwise be necessary to form the slide  32  when the box  12  is assembled. The side tab  48  is folded substantially perpendicular to the right side panel  20 , and similar folds are made between the right side panel  20  and front panel  18 , the front panel  18  and left side panel  22 , and the left side panel  22  and back panel  24 . An adhesive  54  on the side tab  48  adheres it to the back panel  24  to locate the side tab  48  adjacent the first overlapping panel  26 , thereby forming a tube  56  ( FIGS. 3-6 ) oriented along an axis  58 . 
         [0042]      FIGS. 3-4  show the next stages of assembly. After the front panel  18 , right side panel  20 , left side panel  22  and back panel  24  are folded and the side tab  48  adhered to the back panel  24 , the first overlapping panel  26  is folded up against the right side panel  20 . The second overlapping panel  28  is folded up against the front panel  18  along the panel fold line  30 . Preferably the second overlapping panel  28  is adhered to the front panel  18 , and has additional adhesive  54  for retaining a cover panel  44  coupled to the second overlapping panel  28  and including a cover panel opening  50 . 
         [0043]      FIGS. 5-7  show further assembly of the box  12  resulting in an assembled, collapsed structure ready for stacking and loading in an automatic assembly machine (not shown). Referring to  FIG. 5 , the slide  32  is brought adjacent to the first overlapping panel  26 . The slide  32  folds along the slide fold line  34 , extending the thumb tab  36  away from the tube  56 . When the slide  32  is fully folded over the tube  56  it overlies both the front panel  18  and the right side panel  20  on a corner  60  common with the first overlapping panel  26  and second overlapping panel  28 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the second overlapping panel  28  is adhered to the front panel  18  to secure it in position, with the cover panel  44  adhered to the second overlapping panel  28  so the cover panel opening  50  is over the slide  32 , which covers the side panel opening  52 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , with the slide fold line  34  placed collinear with the junction of the first overlapping panel  26  and second overlapping panel  28 , the tube  56  can be flattened for stacking prior to use in automated filling machinery. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIGS. 8-9 , a preferred embodiment of the completed box  12  is shown.  FIG. 8  shows the box  12  partially disassembled for viewing how the slide  32  cooperates with the cover panel  44  and the stop  40  cooperates with the catch  42  to open and close the box  12 .  FIG. 9  shows the box  12  in a closed arrangement for containing and dispensing a solid pourable product  62  ( FIGS. 10-12 ) such as small candies or mints. 
         [0046]      FIG. 10  shows the box  12  being filled with solid pourable product  62  introduced into the bottom  16  as is typical for conventional large capacity filling machines.  FIG. 11  shows the box  12  being filled with solid pourable product  62  introduced through the top  14  as an alternative. Top  14  or bottom  16  filling may be selected according to preference and equipment. Once the box  12  is filled with solid pourable product  62 , it may be sealed prior to distribution and sale. Referring to  FIG. 12 , the solid pourable product  62  can be easily accessed by urging sliding the thumb tab  36  away from the box  12 , simultaneously un-obstructing the cover panel opening  50  and side panel opening  52 . The slide  32  is closed by urging the thumb tab  36  in the reverse direction. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , the box  12  is an improvement over other candy or mint dispensing designs. The cover panel opening  50  and side panel opening  52  face away from a user&#39;s hand  200 , leaving them unobstructed, while the thumb tab  36  is oriented to slide  32  complimentary to the user&#39;s thumb  202 . Thus, the user can open and close the box  12  with an easy back-and-forth thumb movement while holding it. 
         [0048]    The structure and steps of forming the box  12  having been fully described, its operation will now be discussed. 
         [0049]    In order to use the box  12 , the blank  10  is folded and flattened as shown in  FIG. 7 . A series of flattened blanks  10  are stacked and loaded into folding and filling machinery. The machinery removes a flattened blank  10  from the stack, folding it open as shown in  FIG. 6 . The machinery closes and glues either the top  14  or bottom  16 , according to preference. Solid pourable product  62  is introduced into the box  12  and the opposing top  14  or bottom  16  sealed to close the box  12 . Multiple filled boxes  12  will typically be assembled and packed for delivery. 
         [0050]    When a user purchases the solid pourable product  62  contained in the box  12 , the user removes any wrapping or sealing, and grasps the box  12  singlehandedly with the cover panel opening  50  facing away from the user&#39;s hand. To open the box  12 , the user presses the user&#39;s thumb  202  against the thumb tab  36 , and urges it away from the box  12 . Once the slide  32  clears the cover panel opening  50  and side panel opening  52 , a desired quantity of solid pourable product  62  may be dispensed. Then the user urges the thumb tab  36  back toward the box  12  to occlude the cover panel opening  50  and side panel opening  52  in the process. The box  12  may be retained until additional solid pourable product  62  is desired, at which time the user repeats the process. 
         [0051]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment is sufficient in detail to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is understood, however, that the detail of the preferred embodiment presented is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, in as much as equivalents thereof and other modifications which come within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification.