Abstract:
A gabled, gussetted resealable lined container having an outer carton with foldable closure flaps and a liner within the carton. The upper inner surfaces of the liner are releasably sealed together after filling with product and at least one of the liner upper outer edges adhered to the closure flaps on the carton, whereby when the closure flaps are opened, the inner liner is pulled opened and when the closure flaps are closed, the inner liner is resealed to maintain product freshness.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 09/541,641, filed Apr. 3, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,943, entitled Fresh Fold Package, an which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to paperboard containers and more particularly to a gabled container having reclosable end closure flaps and a resealable inner bag in combination in which the container and the sealed inner bag are simultaneously opened and, when the container is closed the inner bag is resealed. 
     Prior art reclosable paperboard containers are known. A number of folded containers are known to the prior art which include inner liners as well. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,292,653, to Palmer, shows a package having an inner container. U.S. Pat. No. 2,307,559, to Angus, shows a typical combined bag and box. U.S. Pat. No. 2,321,681, to Hultin, provides for a carton with a flat top and liner assembly as does U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,357, to Egger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,060, to Bergstein, provides for a carton with a self-sealing end closure which lies within the confines of the closure and U.S. Pat. No. 4,6609,737, shows a carton and pouch system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,701, to Ackerman et al, does not show a carton, but an envelope-type container with an inner bag. The two lateral walls of the outer envelope have no moving parts. 
     None of the prior art provides for a gusseted, gabled container having fold over closure flaps which extend above the confines of the container and run the length of the gable which opens the inner line when opened and, when closed, seals the inner liner thereby offering the advantages of double sealing to keep the contents of the container fresh. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, generally stated, a gusseted, gabled resealable lined container is provided having opposing side body panels and narrower opposing end panels defining an inner chamber. The tops of the end panels each terminate in a gusset. The upper ends of side body panels are connected by the gussets so that when the gussets are folded, the upper ends of the side body panels angle inwardly forming a gable. An opposing pair of sealing flaps extend the length of the body panels forming a ridge along the gable. A liner can be positioned in the inner chamber of the container. The upper end of the inner liner, when filled and sealed, assumes a complementary gabled configuration. The upper gabled end of the sealed liner extends out of the chamber. The top sealing flaps adhere to the top of the liner so that when the sealing flaps are opened, the sealed liner is pulled open. When the container is closed, the sealing flaps are folded over one side of the gable, securing the closed liner therebetween for sealing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the gabled resealable lined container of the present invention in a closed, sealed gabled configuration; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the gabled resealable lined container of the present invention in an open configuration; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional, exploded view of gable resealable lined container of the present invention showing the relationship between the liner and the container carton; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the access end of the gabled resealable lined container of the present invention in a closed and sealed configuration; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the access end of the gabled resealable lined container of the present invention in an opened configuration; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the access end of the gabled resealable lined container of the present invention in a closed configuration with the outer closure opened with the inner liner remaining sealed; and 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the locking tab feature of the closure the gabled resealable lined container of the present invention. 
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding structures throughout the various drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The gabled resealable lined container of the present invention is indicated generally in the drawings by reference number  10 . It will be appreciated that the container  10  is designed as a container for any number of products to maintain freshness and purity. For example, container  10  can contain food products for man or animal, such as cereals, snacks, condiments of the like. Furthermore, the container can be used for non-edible products which may be granular or powdered, such as chemicals. Hence, the ultimate contents of container  10  are not necessarily related to the scope of the invention. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that container  10  includes an outer semi-rigid carton  11  with an inner liner  12 . The carton  11  is constructed from a folded paper board blank (not shown) which is conventionally stamped from sheet stock using a cutting die as is known to the art. Carton  10  includes first side wall  13  and a second opposed side wall  14  (FIGS.  2 , 4 , 5 ). The side walls  13  and  14  include fold lines  15  which allow the upper portions  13 A and  14 A of side walls  13  and  14  respectively, to be folded inwardly, as shown in FIG.  1  and as will be explained below. The carton  11  includes a first end wall  16  and an opposed, identical second end wall  18 . It will be noted in the illustrated embodiment, the side walls  13  and  14  have a greater width than the end walls  16  and  18 . However, the walls can be constructed in any acceptable dimensions. As shown in FIG. 3, first side wall  13  includes, at a lower end, a bottom wall flap  20 . Second side wall  14  also includes, at a lower end, a bottom wall flap  22 . The bottom wall flaps  20  and  22  are folded into an overlapping relationship and glued or appropriately secured to create a bottom wall  24 . The first and second side walls  13  and  14 , the end walls  16  and  18  and bottom wall  24  define an inner carton chamber  26 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, each end wall  16  and  18  includes, at the top edge, a gusset  28 . Gusset  28  includes a first inwardly angled fold line  30  and a second inwardly angled fold line  32 . The gussets  28  at the top of each end wall allow the tops of the end walls to be folded inwardly, thus drawing the top portions  13 A and  14 A of side walls  13  and  14  respectively, inward to form a gable  34 . 
     The upper portion  13 A of side wall  13  includes a fold line  36  defining a sealing flap  38 . The upper portion  14 A of side wall  14  includes a fold line  40  defining a first sealing flap  42 . The first sealing flap  42  includes a fold line  44  which defines a second sealing flap  46 . A locking tab  48  is formed at the fold line  44 . The locking tab  48  is positioned to engage a locking tab slot  55  formed in the upper segment  13 A of side wall  13  when the container is in a closed and locked configuration, as shown in FIG.  1 . Slot  55  is formed by a slit  55 A through the paperboard and fold line  55 B. The relationship between the locking tab  48  and slot  55  is shown in greater detail in FIG.  7 . As can be appreciated, the locking tab  48  can be inserted into slot  55  in the engaging wall segment  13 A. It will be noted that this tab-slot locking arrangement is designed to be used after the container is opened the first time to keep the container  10  closed. It will be understood that when the container is filled for the first time, by the manufacturer, the sealing flaps are adhered to the wall segment  13 A with an appropriate adhesive  60 , as illustrated in FIG. 4, and as will be explained below. 
     The tab  48  and its associated slot  55  do not form a part of this invention, and could be omitted if desired. Alternatively, some other conventional arrangement can be used to hold the container  11  closed after it has been opened by a consumer. 
     As stated previously, the container  10  includes an inner liner  12  made from a liner blank, as is known in the art. The inner liner  12  is a lightly sealed or an open ended bag or the like configured having contiguous side walls and a bottom to rest within chamber  26 . It will be appreciated that the liner  12  is constructed from a durable, moisture and air resistant material such as waxed paper, cellophane, foil or any appropriate material. During production of the container the liner  12  is filled with desired contents. The inner surfaces of upper edges  12 A and  12 B (FIG. 5) then are sealed together, if it is an opened liner, as shown in FIG. 6 by a light adhesive  62 . The adhesive  62  can be omitted if desired. If used, the adhesive  62  can be any appropriate adhesive that will secure the upper edges to the liner together yet will retain a “tackiness” or adhesive property after the liner edges are pulled apart. The filled liner  12  is inserted into chamber  26 . The gussets  28  are collapsed inwardly drawing the upper segments  13 A and  14 A of the side walls into the gabled configuration. The sealing flap  38  and sealing flap  42  are adhered to the liner outer surfaces  12 A and  12 B, respectively, with an adhesive  64 . (FIG.  6 ). The adhesive  64  is stronger than the adhesive  62 . As illustrated in FIG. 3, the adhesive  64  is designed to have greater adhesive strength than the adhesive  62 . The various sealing flaps are folded over, as shown in FIG. 4, and sealing flap  38  is adhered to upper side wall segment  13 A. Due to the presence of adhesives  60 ,  62  and  64  the container  10  is sealed in a closed configuration for shipment and storage. 
     In use, the consumer can grasp flap  46  and pull seal flap  38  away from adhesive  60  and move the various sealing flaps into an upright or rigid configuration as shown in FIG.  6 . The user can then grasp flaps  38  and  46  and exert an outward pressure to break the seal between upper liner edges  12 A and  12 B. Since the adhesive strength of adhesive  64  is greater than that of adhesive  62 , the liner upper edges  12 A and  12 B will remain adhered to flaps  38  and  42 , respectively, and allow the liner to be pulled open for access to the contents as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     To close the container  10  after access and use, the gussets  28  are collapsed and the gable  34  is formed. Because adhesive  62  retains its adhesive properties, the upper edges of the liner  12  are resealed. Thus, if the adhesive  62  is used, the liner  12  will be sealed independently of the carton  11 . The various sealing flaps are folded into their closed position (FIG.  4 ). The upper edges  12 A and  12 B of the liner  12  are sandwiched between flaps  38  and  42 . Moreover, the liner is pinched at the flap fold area F (FIG. 4) to more completely seal the liner, resulting in a closed container that retains the freshness of its contents by forming relatively air impervious seals between the liner edges  12 A and  12 B, as well as at fold area F. When closed after the first use, the various flaps are secured in their folded and sealed arrangement by inserting tab  48  into slot  55 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various changes and modifications may be made in the container of the present invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative only and should not be construed in a limiting sense. For example, the container can be formed by first forming the carton  11 , then inserting the liner  12  and adhering the liner upper edges  12 A and  12 B to the sealing flaps  38  and  42 , respectively. In this instance, the liner  12  can be pre-filled, or the container (with the liner  12  in the carton  11 ) can be filled subsequently. Alternatively, the manufacturing process could begin with a carton blank and a liner blank which are adhered together. The carton/liner would then be side seam glued, and the bottom panels folded and glued, leaving an opened top, lined carton. Then the outer edges of the liner top would be adhered to one or both of the sealing flaps  38  and  42 , if this was not done previously. Then, as above, the flaps would be folded over, with the liner trapped between them, and the extended flap of open outer carton wall would be adhered to the other carton wall. If desired, the third sealing flap  46  (which extends from the sealing flap  42 ) could be omitted. In this instance, alternative means, such as bendable tabs, could be used to maintain the sealing flaps  38  and  42  folded in a closed position. These examples are merely illustrative.