Abstract:
A seal end carton having a feature that creates an aperture and that may be opened and reclosed. The carton may be constructed from a flat carton blank that is then folded and sealed. The carton further includes an opening and reclosing feature that can be opened and reclosed multiple times.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/726,164 filed Nov. 14, 2012 and titled “Carton with Opening and Reclosing Feature,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to folding cartons having an opening and reclosing feature. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Seal end type folding cartons are used in various industries for a variety of purposes, for example, but not limited to, food storage and dispensing. In some cases it is desirable to have a reclose feature that allows the contents of the seal end folding carton to be easily dispensed while also allowing the carton to be reclosed and its contents secured within the carton. For example, but without limitation, a seal end carton may be used to store and dispense candy, pasta, chewing gum, nuts, bolts, or other food or non-food particulate products. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim. 
         [0005]    Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a seal end carton having a feature that creates an aperture and that may be opened and reclosed. Embodiments of the invention may be constructed from a flat carton blank that is then folded and sealed. In some embodiments, the blank may be folded and glued into an erected carton, the carton may be filled with a particulate product, and the carton may then be closed and sealed. Embodiments further include an opening and reclosing feature that may be opened and reclosed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a unitary blank of foldable material that may be folded and glued to form a carton having an opening and reclosing feature according to one embodiment; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a carton assembled from the blank of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the assembled carton of  FIG. 2  as a user begins to open the opening and reclosing feature; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the assembled carton of  FIG. 2  as the opening and reclosing feature moves to its open position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the assembled carton of  FIG. 2 , showing the opening and reclosing feature in the open position and product being dispensed from the carton; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the assembled carton of  FIG. 2  as the opening and reclosing feature is moved back to its closed position; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled carton of  FIG. 2  shown in the closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. 
         [0014]    Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention,  FIG. 1  illustrates a single blank of foldable material  1 . The blank illustrated herein is formed from foldable substrates, which may be paper-based material such as paperboard or corrugated sheet material, although other materials may be used if desired. The blank may be formed from virgin or recycled material, may be coated or uncoated, and may be single-ply or laminated paperboard. 
         [0015]    As illustrated, blank  1  includes five adjacent panels  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6 . In some embodiments, panels  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  are generally rectangular in shape, although the panels may have any suitable shape to form an assembled carton having a desired shape. The panels of blank  1  shown in  FIG. 1  may be folded to create an assembled carton. 
         [0016]    Once erected, panels  12 ,  16 ,  17 , and  20  serve as top end panels and panels  14 ,  15 ,  19 , and  22  serve as bottom end panels. In some embodiments, panel  2  is a glue panel and any suitable adhesive may be applied to glue panel  2 . Panels  3  and  5  are referred to as side panels, panel  4  is referred to as a front panel, and glue panel  2  overlaps with rear panel  6  to form the rear portion of the assembled carton. Once erected, either the top end panels  12 ,  16 ,  20 ,  17  are sealed or the bottom end panels  14 ,  15 ,  22 ,  19  are sealed, and the carton may be filled with a particulate product. After filled with product, the other of the top or bottom end panels is then sealed. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments, blank  1  may be configured as a seal end type carton. As described below, blank  1  may also include an opening and reclosing feature  50 . In some embodiments, the addition of the opening and reclosing feature does not require reconfiguring the seal end type carton, but only the addition of various score, perforation and/or cut lines, so a standard seal end type style carton may be used. Because the tab created by the opening and reclosing feature  50  (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 ) is integral with the carton, no material is removed from the package. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , opening and reclosing feature  50  of blank  1  is defined by perforation lines  46 ,  48  and fold lines  42 ,  44 . Perforation lines  46 ,  48  may be perforation lines, cut lines, nicks, or other suitable lines of weakness. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the top of the opening and reclosing feature  50  is created by perforation line  46 , which extends upwards slightly from the top of fold line  42  and curves to the right, extending from panel  3  across the width of panel  4  and into panel  5 , where it curves down and terminates at fold line  44 . The bottom of the opening and reclosing feature  50  is created by perforation line  48 , which extends downwardly slightly from the bottom of fold line  42  and curves to the right extending across panel  4  and into panel  5 , where perforation line  48  curves upwards and terminates at fold line  44 . Once perforation lines  46 ,  48  are broken, tab  62  is released and may fold around fold lines  42 ,  44  as described below to create an aperture  60  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0019]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , perforation line  48  is slightly angled upward as it extends from panel  4  into panel  3  and is slightly angled upward as it extends from panel  4  into panel  5 , while remaining substantially horizontal throughout the width of panel  4 . This slight angling creates an offset so the opening and reclosing feature has varying heights. Specifically, in the non-limiting embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the angling of perforation line  48  results in a front portion  52  of opening and reclosing feature  50  that has a height  51  and rear portions  54  of opening and reclosing feature  50  that have a height  53 , with the front portion  52 &#39;s height  51  being approximately 1/32 inch taller than height  53  of rear portions  54  in this particular embodiment. In other embodiments, other suitable offsets may be used. Similarly, in other embodiments, the offset (the angle) may vary or have different starting and/or termination points. 
         [0020]    When the carton is assembled and the opening and reclosing feature is in the closed position ( FIGS. 2 ,  7 ), taller front portion  52  of tab  62  of opening and reclosing feature  50  is located closer to the front of the carton, and shorter rear portions  54  of tab  62  are located closer to the rear of the carton. 
         [0021]    In other embodiments, perforation line  46  may be angled instead of perforation line  48 , or perforation lines  46  and  48  may both be angled to create the desired offset between tab  62 &#39;s front height  51  and tab  62 &#39;s rear height  53 . Varying the amount of offset determines the ease with which the opening and reclosing feature moves from its open to closed position and how securely the opening and reclosing feature stays in its open position. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 1 , blank  1  may include a notch  40  positioned above the opening and reclosing feature  50 . When used, notch  40  helps ensure that flap  16  is folded correctly despite the proximity of perforation line  46  to fold line  30 . Notch  40  may be a small cut or other suitable feature. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 2  and described above, the carton assembled from the blank of  FIG. 1  has an opening and reclosing feature  50  that is defined by perforation lines  46 ,  48  and fold lines  42 ,  44  (not shown). As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the carton is assembled, perforation lines  46 ,  48  wrap from side panel  3  (not shown), across front panel  4  and into side panel  5 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , opening and reclosing feature  50  comprises tab  62  with front portion  52  having height  51  that is taller than tab  62 &#39;s rear portions  54 &#39;s height  53 , as determined by the angle of perforation line  48 . As stated above, in other embodiments, perforation line  46  may be angled (such as angled upward from rear to front) while perforation line  48  may be substantially horizontal, such that the front portion  52  is taller than rear portion  54  of tab  62 , or in yet other embodiments, both perforation lines  46 ,  48  could be angled to create the desired offset between the height of front portion  52  and rear portions  54 . Once perforation lines  46 ,  48  are broken, tab  62  may be folded around fold lines  42 ,  44  (not shown) to move tab  62  between its closed position ( FIGS. 2 ,  7 ) and its open position ( FIGS. 4-5 ). When tab  62  moves from its closed position toward its open position, aperture  60  (not shown) of opening and reclosing feature  50  is exposed. The smaller height  53  towards rear portions  54  of aperture  60  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) aids in retaining tab  62  in its open position by way of friction, as described in more detail below. 
         [0024]    While  FIG. 2  shows opening and reclosing feature  50  located near the top of the carton, opening and reclosing feature  50  may be located at other locations on the carton, such as toward the middle of the carton as long as the product remains beneath the level of opening and reclosing feature  50 . In addition, the width and/or height of opening and reclosing feature  50  may vary from what is shown in  FIG. 2 . For example, the width and/or the height of opening and reclosing feature  50  may be increased to allow for the dispensing of larger product or decreased if intended to be used with smaller product. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a carton assembled from the blank of  FIG. 1  as a user is pressing against the opening and reclosing feature  50  with sufficient pressure to break perforation lines  46 ,  48  and release tab  62 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the carton as tab  62  of opening and reclosing feature  50  moves around fold lines  42 ,  44  (not shown) from its closed position into its open position. Once moved from its closed position, aperture  60  is exposed, allowing for the dispensing of product from the carton. Aperture  60  includes a front portion  61  and a rear portion  63 , with front portion  61  having a height  71  and rear portion  63  having a height  73 , where height  71  is greater than height  73  due to the offset discussed above. Although tab  62  is shown in  FIG. 4  as moving to its open position toward panel  3 , tab  62  could alternatively be pushed toward panel  5 . The offset between the front and rear portions of tab  62  and aperture  60  created by the angling of perforation line  48  (and in other embodiments, perforation line  46  and/or perforation line  48 ) aids in the retention of tab  62  in its open position. Specifically, the angling results in an aperture  60  that has a height  73  towards rear portion  63  of aperture  60  that is shorter than height  51  of front portion  52  of tab  62 . When tab  62  moves to its open position, front portion  52  of tab  62  is wedged into rear portion  63  of aperture  60 . Because front portion  52  of tab  62  has a height  51  that is taller than height  73  of rear portion  63  of aperture  60 , tab  62  is securely held in this open position via friction. As shown in  FIG. 5 , once tab  62  is secured by friction in its open position, product  70  housed within the container may be dispensed through aperture  60 . 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , tab  62  may be moved back to its closed position to cover aperture  60  and secure the product within the carton. The friction between tab  62  and the edges of aperture  60  (at perforation lines  46 ,  48 ) assists in securing tab  62  in its closed position. As shown in  FIG. 7 , when tab  62  is moved back into its closed position, aperture  60  is covered and the carton may be turned upside down and even shaken without its contents being dispensed. Tab  62  is configured so it may be moved from its open to its closed position repeatedly. As mentioned above, the degree of the offset between the front and rear portions of tab  62  and aperture  60  (as determined by the angling of perforation line  48  and/or perforation line  46 ) can be adjusted to vary how easily tab  62  moves from its open position to its closed position and how securely tab  62  is secured in its open position. 
         [0027]    The foregoing description of the embodiments, including illustrated embodiments, of the invention has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention.