Patent Publication Number: US-2013240552-A1

Title: Recloseable paperboard container

Description:
FIELD 
     This application relates to recloseable containers and, more particularly, to recloseable paperboard containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recloseable containers are well-known in the art. For example, recloseable plastic containers having a lid sealingly connectable to a body have been sold under the TUPPERWARE brand since the mid-1900&#39;s. More recently, container manufacturers introduced disposable, recloseable plastic containers. 
     The retail success of recloseable plastic containers is often attributed to their ability to form substantially air-tight and liquid-tight seals. For example, TUPPERWARE® brand recloseable plastic containers have a so-called burping seal, wherein a small quantity of air is expelled from the container as the lid is applied to the body, thereby creating a partial vacuum within the container that draws the lid into engagement with the body to maintain an air-tight and liquid-tight seal. The ability to form air-tight and liquid-tight seals has rendered recloseable plastic containers particular useful for packaging and storing foodstuffs, particularly foodstuffs that contain a liquid. 
     Paperboard containers have been developed as a lower cost and more environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic containers. Specifically, the raw material costs (wood pulp) associated with manufacturing paperboard containers are generally lower than the costs (petroleum by-products) associated with plastic containers. Furthermore, paperboard containers may be significantly more biodegradable than plastic containers and/or may be more compactable such that they occupy less volume in a landfill. 
     Unfortunately, paperboard is typically less rigid than the plastic used to form recloseable plastic containers. Therefore, an air-tight and liquid-tight seal is difficult to achieve in a recloseable paperboard container. 
     Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of recloseable containers 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the disclosed recloseable paperboard container may include a body defining an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, a connector member fixedly connected to the body, the connector member including a flange extending about the opening, and a lid releasably engaged with the flange to seal the opening. 
     In another aspect, the disclosed recloseable paperboard container may include a body defining an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, the body including a first flange extending about the opening, a connector member fixedly connected to the body, said connector member including a second flange positioned over said first flange, and a lid releasably engaged with the connector member to form a seal between the lid and the second flange, the seal sealing the opening. 
     In yet another aspect, the disclosed recloseable paperboard container may include a paperboard body defining an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, the body including a side wall and a first flange extending outward from the side wall, a connector member comprising a neck having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, and a second flange extending outward from the upper end portion, wherein the second flange is connected to the first flange, and wherein the lower end portion is received in the internal volume and connected to the side wall, and a lid releasably engaged with the second flange to seal the opening. 
     Other aspects of the disclosed recloseable paperboard container will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded front perspective view of one aspect of the disclosed recloseable paperboard container; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the recloseable paperboard container of  FIG. 1  in a partially assembled configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the recloseable paperboard container of  FIG. 1  in a fully assembled configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of the underside of the lid of the recloseable paperboard container of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic front elevational view, in section, of the recloseable paperboard container of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , one aspect of the disclosed recloseable paperboard container, generally designated  10 , may include a container body  12 , a connector member  14  and a lid  16 . The connector member  14  may be fixedly connected to the container body  12 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The lid  16  may be releasably engaged with the connector member  14  to seal the container  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . 
     The container body  12  may be formed as a tray, a cup, a bowl or the like that defines an internal volume  18  and an opening  20  into the internal volume  18 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the size and shape of the container body  12  and, hence, the size and shape of the internal volume  18  may be dictated by the size and shape of the goods that will be housed within the container body  12 . 
     In one particular construction, the container body  12  may include a side wall  22  extending about a vertical axis A of the container  10 . The side wall  22  may include an upper end portion  24  and a lower end portion  26  longitudinally spaced from the upper end portion  24 . The opening  20  into the internal volume  18  of the container body  12  may be defined by the upper end portion  24  of the side wall  22 . A base wall  28  may be connected to the lower end portion  26  to enclose the lower end portion  26  of the side wall  22 . 
     The upper end portion  24  of the side wall  22  may further define a flange  30  extending about the opening  20 . The flange  30  may radiate outward from the side wall  22  relative to the vertical axis A of the container  10 . The flange  30  may define an upper face  32 , an underside face  34  longitudinally opposed from (i.e., subjacent) the upper face  32 , and a peripheral edge  36 . The upper face  32  of the flange  30  may define a sealing surface  38 . 
     The container body  12  may be formed from a paperboard material using any available technique. In one implementation, the container body  12  may be formed by shaping a paperboard fiber slurry into the desired shape. In another implementation, the container body  12  may be formed by shaping a paperboard blank (e.g., between one or more dies) to obtain the desired shape. Examples of suitable techniques for shaping a paperboard blank include thermoforming, in which pressure and heat (e.g., steam) are used to shape the paperboard blank, and vacuum forming, in which a paperboard blank is drawn into a mold by a vacuum. 
     The paperboard blank used to form the container body  12  may be formed as a layered structure that includes a paperboard layer and a sealing layer. The sealing layer of the paperboard blank may be exposed on the interior surface  40  of the container body  12  and may form the sealing surface  38  of the flange  30 . Optionally, a barrier layer may be positioned between the paperboard layer and the sealing layer. Additional layers, such as additional paperboard layers and/or additional functional layers, may be included in the layered structure of the paperboard blank without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The paperboard layer of the paperboard blank used to form the container body  12  may be formed from various paperboard substrates. Examples of suitable paperboard substrates include, but are not limited to, coated natural kraft board (CNK), solid bleached sulfate board (SBS), solid unbleached sulfate board (SUS), coated recycled board (CRB), coated white lined chipboard (WLC) and folding boxboard (FBB). However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any paper-based substrate suitable for forming containers may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The sealing layer of the paperboard blank used to form the container body  12  may be formed from various materials capable of being activated, such as with heat, ultrasonic energy, radiation or the like, to form a seal. Examples of suitable sealing materials include, but are not limited to, polyester, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer, ionomer polymers (e.g., poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) copolymer) and combinations thereof. 
     The barrier layer of the paperboard blank used to form the container body  12  may be formed from various materials having moisture and/or oxygen barrier properties. Examples of suitable barrier materials include, but are not limited to, nylon polymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), materials derived from water-based barrier coatings, polyamide, polyvinylidene chloride, cyclic olefin copolymer, metalized polymer film and combinations thereof. 
     The connector member  14  may be fixedly connected to the container body  12  to structurally reinforce the flange  30  of the container body  12 . Furthermore, the connector member  14  may include structure for forming a releasable engagement with the lid  16 . 
     The connector member  14  may include a neck  42  and a flange  44 . The neck  42  may extend about the vertical axis A of the container  10  and may include an upper end portion  46  and a lower end portion  48  longitudinally spaced from the upper end portion  46 . The flange  44  may be connected to, and may radially extend from, the upper end portion  46  of the neck  42 . A connector member  14  without a neck  42  is also contemplated. 
     In one particular embodiment, the flange  44  may radiate outward (relative to the vertical axis A of the container  10 ) from the upper end portion  46  of the neck  42 . The flange  44  may define an upper face  50 , an underside face  52  longitudinally opposed from (i.e., subjacent) the upper face  50 , and a peripheral edge  54 . The underside face  52  of the flange  44  may define a sealing surface  56 . 
     The connector member  14  may be connected to the container body  12  such that the flange  44  of the connector member  14  sits on the flange  30  of the container body  12  and the neck  42  of the connector member  14  is received within, and generally co-axially aligned with, the upper end portion  24  of the side wall  22  of the container body  12 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Other configurations are also contemplated, such as a configuration wherein the neck  42  is radially outside of the side wall  22  of the container body  12 . 
     In one realization, the connector member  14  may be connected to the container body  12  by sealingly connecting the underside face  52  of the flange  44  of the connector member  14  to the upper face  32  of the flange  30  of the container body  12 . In another realization, the connector member  14  may be connected to the container body  12  by sealingly connecting the neck  42  of the connector member  14  to the upper end portion  24  of the side wall  22  of the container body  12 . In yet another realization, the connector member  14  may be connected to the container body  12  by sealingly connecting both the flange  44  and the neck  42  of the connector member  14  to the container body  12 . 
     The sealing connection between the connector member  14  and the container body  12  may be formed using any available technique. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the sealing connection should be liquid-tight when the container  10  will be used to house liquids or wet goods. 
     In a first expression, the connection between the connector member  14  and the container body  12  may be effected with an adhesive. The type of adhesive used will depend on the compositions of the surfaces receiving the adhesive. As one example of the first expression, the adhesive may be positioned between the underside face  52  of the flange  44  of the connector member  14  and the upper face  32  of the flange  30  of the container body  12 . As another example of the first expression, the adhesive may be positioned in the annular region between the side wall  22  and the neck  42 . 
     In a second expression, the connection between the connector member  14  and the container body  12  may be formed by activating the optional sealing layer of the container body  12  to bond the relevant portion of the container body  12  to the connector portion  14 . As one example of the second expression, the upper face  32  of the flange  30  of the container body  12  may be heated to melt (or at least tackify) the sealing layer prior to applying the connector member  14  to the container body  12 . 
     At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the neck  42  of the connector member  14  may reinforce the upper end portion  24  of the side wall  22  of the container body  12  and the flange  44  of the connector member  14  may reinforce the flange  30  of the container body  12 . 
     The connector member  14  may be formed from one or more polymeric materials, such as low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene and polypropylene. The selected polymeric material may be molded into the connector member  14  using known molding techniques, such as injection molding or vacuum forming. The amount of polymeric material ultimately used to form the connector member  14  may depend on the inherent rigidity of the selected polymeric material. 
     While it may be advantageous to form the connector member  14  from polymeric materials due to the low cost, the light weight, the rigidity and the workability of polymeric materials, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various materials may be used. Specifically, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the selected materials may provide the connector member  14  with the rigidity necessary to reinforce the container body  12  such that the container body  12  is capable of securely receive the lid  16 . For example, connector members  14  formed from paperboard or paperboard-containing substrates are also contemplated. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the connector member  14  may include a plurality of protrusions  58  extending upward from (e.g., normal to) the upper face  50  of the flange  44  of the connector portion  14 . The protrusions  58  may be sized and shaped to be closely received in corresponding recesses  72  in the lid  16 , as is described in greater detail below. A single, continuous rib in lieu of multiple protrusions  58  is also contemplated. 
     The lid  16  may be releasably connected to the connector member  14  to seal the opening  20  of the container  10 . Specifically, the lid  16  may be constructed to form a releasable sealing engagement with the flange  44  of the connector member  14  to seal the opening  20  of the container  10 . 
     The lid  16  may be formed from the same or similar materials as the connector member  14 . For example, the lid  16  may be formed from a polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene and polypropylene. 
     In one particular assembly, the lid  16  may include a sealing panel  60  and a rim  62 . The sealing panel  60  may be sized and shaped to cover the opening in the container body  12 . The rim  62  may extend circumferentially about the periphery  64  of the sealing panel  60 , and may include an upper end portion  66  connected to the sealing panel  60  and a lower end portion  68  longitudinally spaced from the upper end portion  66 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rim  62  may be sized as shaped to be received over the peripheral edge  54  of the connector member  14 , while minimizing, if not eliminating, the annular gap between the peripheral edge  54  of the connector member  14  and the rim  62 . Therefore, the close-fitting engagement between the rim  62  and the peripheral edge  54  of the connector member  14  may form a seal between the lid  16  and the connector member  14 , which may be sufficient to seal the opening  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a flange  70  may extend radially inward from the rim  62  of the lid  16 . The flange  70  may define an underside face  76  ( FIG. 4 ), an upper face  74  longitudinally opposed from (i.e., superjacent) the underside face  76 , and an internal edge  78 . The underside face  76  of the flange  70  may define a sealing surface  80 . 
     Thus, a face-to-face engagement between the underside face  76  of the flange  70  of the lid  16  with the upper face  50  of the flange  44  of the connector member  14  may seal the opening  20  of the container  10 . Such a face-to-face seal may be an alternative to, or in addition to, the seal created by the close-fitting engagement between the rim  62  and the peripheral edge  54  of the connector member  14 . 
     The flange  70  may define a plurality of recesses  72  sized and shaped to closely receive the protrusions  58  extending from the flange  44  of the connector member  14 . Therefore, the lid  16  may be releasably and sealingly connected to the connector member  14  and, ultimately, to the container body  12  by (1) positioning the lid  16  over the connector member  14 , (2) aligning the flange  70  of the lid  16  with the flange  44  of the connector member  14  such that the protrusions  58  of the connector member  14  are aligned with the recesses  72  of the lid  16 , and (3) pressing the lid  16  into engagement with the connector member  14  such that the protrusions  58  are urged into the recesses  72 . A sufficient pulling force should separate the lid  16  from the connector member  14 . 
     Accordingly, the disclosed container  10  includes a connector member  14  connected to a paperboard container body  12  and a lid  16  that sealingly engages the connector member  14  to seal the opening  20  in the container body  12 . Without being limited to any particular theory, it is believed that the structure and rigidity of the connector member  14  forms a tighter seal with the lid  16  than would be achievable by connecting the lid  16  directly to the paperboard container body  12 . Indeed, the use of a connector member  14  may facilitate the formation of a liquid tight seal between the lid  16  and the paperboard container body  12 . 
     Although various aspects of the disclosed recloseable paperboard container have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.