Patent Publication Number: US-6709684-B2

Title: Reclosable package

Description:
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/585,903 filed on Jun. 2, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to the field of material packaging and more specifically relates to reclosable packages for confectionery items, such as sticks of chewing gum. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When packaging confectionery items, particularly sticks of gum, it has been customary to package the individual sticks of gum in a flexible package. These flexible packages are typically opened by pulling a narrow strip or cord that is wrapped around one end of the package so as to tear off the end of the package. After the package has been opened, the torn-off end of the package and the cord are no longer useful and must be discarded. As a result, once a flexible gum package has been opened, the package cannot be resealed or reclosed. This is because there is no lid or cap to reclose the package. Moreover, the package must be maintained in an upright position to keep the remaining sticks of gum from falling out of the package. 
     One solution to the above-mentioned problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,378 which provides an adhesive at a closed end of an opened package to retain individual sticks of gum in the package. However, this solution has often proven to be unsatisfactory and inconvenient because after the package is opened, the sticks of gum remain exposed to the elements. As a result, the exposed sticks of gum lose their freshness after a short period of time. 
     Another solution to the above-mentioned problems is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,211, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. In the &#39;211 patent, the package is a reclosable package that includes a container having a front portion, a top end portion and a back portion. An adhesive front label is applied to the front portion of the container and a flexible adhesive flap including a non-adhesive pull tab is provided for covering the label, the top end and the back portions of the container. The label and front portion of the container preferably has a contour edge formed therein to define an opening edge. During operation, lifting the pull-tab detaches the front portion along the contour edge and also removes the top end to open the package. The back of the flap remains attached to the back of the package to form a hinged connection. The flap is resealable to the front portion of the package to allow the package to be reclosed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,732 discloses a cap for a package of chewing gum. The cap is placed over an open end of the package and has a frame which surrounds the open end. The frame has two windows, each of which is juxtaposed with a group of chewing gum sticks stored in the package. A pair of covers for the two windows is pivotally mounted on the frame of the cap. When it is desired to remove a stick of chewing gum from the package, one of the covers is opened to expose the ends of a first group of chewing gum sticks. Once a chewing gum stick has been removed, the cover may be closed by snapping the lip of one of the covers over a cooperating lip on the frame. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a reclosable package for containing one or more elongated items, such as one or more sticks of chewing gum, includes a container having a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from the bottom wall. The sidewalls preferably surround an interior region of the container and have upper ends that are remote from the bottom wall. The upper ends of the sidewalls define an opening of the container through which one or more of the elongated items may be placed. In one preferred embodiment, the sidewalls include a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, and first and second sidewalls that oppose one another. The front and rear walls preferably include respective interior surfaces that confront one another and the first and second sidewalls preferably extend between the front wall and the rear wall. In preferred embodiments, the distance between the bottom wall and the upper end of the rear wall is greater than the distance between the bottom wall and the upper end of the front wall. In other words, the rear wall has a greater height than the front wall. As a result, upper ends of the opposing sidewalls slope in a downward direction between the rear wall and the front wall. 
     The reclosable package also includes one or more dividers disposed in the interior region of the container. The one or more dividers preferably extend between the opening of the container and the bottom wall. The opening of the container is preferably located at the upper ends of the front and rear walls. The one or more dividers define elongated slots adapted for receiving one or more elongated items, such as one or more sticks of chewing gum. In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more dividers include a first set of spaced ribs that are attached to and extend from the interior surface of the front wall toward the rear wall. The reclosable package may also include a second set of spaced ribs that oppose the first set of spaced ribs. The second set of spaced ribs is preferably attached to the interior surface of the rear wall and extends from the interior surface of the rear wall toward the front wall. Thus, the ribs of the first and second set preferably oppose one another. The ribs of the first set of ribs are preferably in substantial alignment with the ribs of the second set of ribs, thereby forming a series of elongated slots defined by the opposing ribs. The ribs are preferably integrally formed with the respective interior surfaces of the front and rear walls and preferably extends about 1-3 mm from the respective interior surfaces. In certain preferred embodiments, the first and second sets of ribs extend from the upper ends of the respective front and rear walls to the bottom wall. However, in other preferred embodiments, the ribs may only be provided on either the front wall or the rear wall. The ribs may also extend only part of the way between the upper ends of the front and rear walls and the bottom wall. 
     The reclosable package also preferably includes a cap attached to the container that is closable over the opening of the container. The cap preferably includes a top wall, a cap front wall extending from a front edge of the top wall, a cap rear wall extending from a rear edge of the top wall and first and second cap sidewalls extending between the cap front wall and the cap rear wall. The cap is generally attached to one of the sidewalls of the container such as the upper end of one of the sidewalls. In preferred embodiments, the cap is hingedly secured to one of the upper ends of one of the sidewalls of the container. In preferred embodiments, the cap is hingedly secured to the upper end of the rear wall of the container. In highly preferred embodiments the cap and the container are molded together as one piece and are integrally connected together via an integrally molded hinge. The integrally molded hinge is preferably a flexible polymer material. In other preferred embodiments, the cap rear wall and the rear wall of the container include tubular elements having axial bores extending therethrough. During assembly of the cap to the container, the respective tubular elements are intermesh with one another so that the axial bores of all of the tubular elements are in substantial alignment with one another. An elongated rod may then be passed through the aligned axial bores for hingedly connecting the cap to the container. As a result, the cap may move between a closed position and a fully open position by pivoting about the elongated rod. 
     As mentioned above, the ribs formed on the interior surfaces of the front and rear walls provide elongated slots adapted for receiving one or more elongated items such as sticks of chewing gum. The ribs maintain the sticks of chewing gum in an upright position, even after one or more sticks of gum have been removed from the interior region of the container. Thus, the ribs prevent sticks of gum from falling to the side, shifting or moving within the interior region of the container after one or more sticks of gum have been removed from the package. 
     When the reclosable package is in the closed position, the top wall of the cap overlies the bottom wall of the container and is substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the container. In this closed position, the exterior surface of the top wall overlies the bottom wall and is substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the container. When the cap is in the fully open position, the top wall of the cap does not overlie the bottom wall of the container and the exterior surface of the top wall faces toward the bottom wall of the container. 
     The height of the cap front wall is greater than the height of the cap rear wall. As a result, the lower ends of the cap sidewalls (i.e., the ends of the sidewalls remote from the top wall of the cap) slope between the cap front wall and the cap rear wall. The slope of the lower ends of the cap sidewalls substantially mirrors the slope of the upper ends of the container sidewalls. When the cap is in the closed position, the lower end of the cap front wall engages the upper end of the container front wall. In addition, the lower ends of the cap sidewalls engage the upper ends of the container sidewalls. The close engagement of the lower ends of the cap walls with the upper ends of the container walls provides a seal when the cap is in the closed position; thereby limiting the exposure of the elongated items stored within the container. 
     In certain preferred embodiments, the lower end of the cap front wall includes a vertically extending flange that projects from the lower end of the cap front wall and that is engagable with a recess formed on the interior surface of the front wall of the container. The engagement of the vertically extending flange with the recess holds the cap in the closed position. Thus, the recess formed in the interior surface of the front wall is preferably adapted for receiving the vertically extending flange projecting from the lower end of the cap front wall. The cap front wall may also include a horizontally extending flange projecting from the exterior surface of the cap front wall. The horizontally extending flange is engagable for grasping the cap when the cap is moved between the open and closed positions. 
     In certain preferred embodiments, the cap is preferably hingedly connected to the container by a hinge subassembly. The hinge subassembly preferably includes one or more tubular elements connected to the lower end of the cap rear wall, and one or more tubular elements connected to the upper end of the rear wall of the container. Each tubular element includes an elongated axial bore extending therethrough. During assembly of the cap with the container, the elongated bores of the tubular elements are placed in substantial alignment with one another and an elongated rod is passed through the elongated bores of the tubular elements for hingedly connecting the cap to the rear wall of the container. As a result, the cap may swing between the fully closed position. As mentioned above, the cap may also be hingedly connected to the container by a hinge integrally molded at one end to the cap and at the other end to the container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a reclosable package including a container and a cap hingedly connected to the container, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a front view of the container of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the container of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a left side view of the container of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 shows a right side view of the container of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a top view of the container of FIGS. 2-5. 
     FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 6 taken along lines VII—VII. 
     FIG. 8 shows a front view of the cap of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 9 shows a rear view of the cap of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a right side view of the cap of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 11 shows a right side view of the reclosable package of FIG. 1 during one stage of an assembly process. 
     FIG. 12 shows a rear view of the reclosable package shown in FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 shows a rear view of the reclosable package of FIG. 11 during a later stage of an assembly process. 
     FIG. 14 shows a top view of the reclosable package shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of the reclosable package of FIG. 1 in an open position. 
     FIG. 16 shows a right side view of the reclosable package of FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 17 shows the reclosable package of FIG. 15 with elongated items stored within the container, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 18 shows a right side view of the reclosable package of FIG.  17 . 
     FIG. 19 shows a top view of the reclosable package of FIGS. 17 and 18 with the elongated items stored in the container. 
     FIG. 20 shows a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the cap and container taken along line XX—XX of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of a reclosable package including a container and a cap hingedly connected to the container via an integrally molded hinge, in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 22 shows a left side view of the package shown in FIG.  21 . 
     FIG. 23 shows a right side view of the package shown in FIG. 21 with the cap in the open position. 
     FIG. 24 shows a magnified view of the integrally molded hinge of FIG.  21 . 
     FIG. 25 shows a perspective view of the package of FIG.  23 . 
     FIG. 26 shows another perspective view of the package of FIG.  23 . 
     FIG. 27 shows a top plan view of the package of FIG.  23 . 
     FIG. 28 shows a top view of a container for a reclosable package in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 29 shows a top view of a container for a reclosable package in accordance with still further preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 30 shows a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 29 taken along line XXX—XXX of FIG.  29 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a reclosable package  20  for storing one or more elongated items in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. The reclosable package  20  includes a container  22  having an opening  24  for receiving the one or more elongated items (FIG. 6) and a cap  26  hingedly connected to the container  22 . Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the container  22  includes a front wall  28  having an exterior surface  30  and an interior surface  32 . The container  22  also includes a rear wall  34  having an exterior surface  36  and an interior surface  38 . The container  22  also has a bottom wall  40 . The front wall  28  projects from a front edge  42  of bottom wall  40  and the rear wall  34  extends from a rear edge  44  of bottom wall  40 . The distance D 1  between an upper end  46  of rear wall  34  and the rear edge  44  of bottom wall  40  is greater than the distance D 2  between an upper end  48  of front wall  28  and the front edge  42  of bottom wall  40 . The container  22  also includes first sidewall  50  and second sidewall  52 . The first and second sidewalls  50  and  52  oppose one another and extend between the front wall  28  and rear wall  34  of container  22 . Referring to FIG. 6, the interior surface  32  of front wall  28  includes a first set of ribs  54 . The first set of ribs  54  are preferably attached to the interior surface  32  of the front wall  28  and extend from the front wall  28  toward rear wall  34 . The rear wall  34  preferably includes a second set of ribs  56  attached to the interior surface  38  thereof, the second set of ribs  56  extending toward the front wall  28 . The first and second sets of ribs  54  and  56  are preferably integrally formed to the respective front and rear walls of the container. In certain preferred embodiments, the ribs extend approximately one to three millimeters from the respective front and rear walls  28  and  34 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2-5, in certain preferred embodiments the rear wall  34  of the container includes one or more tubular shaped elements  58 A,  58 B connected to the upper end  46  of the rear wall. Each tubular shaped element has a central bore  60 A,  60 B extending therethrough. The central bores  60 A,  60 B of tubular elements  58 A,  58 B are preferably in substantial alignment with one another so that a single elongated rod may pass through both of the central bores  60 A,  60 B. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, because the rear wall  34  has a greater height than the front wall  28 , the upper ends of the first and second sidewalls  50 ,  52  slope in a downward direction between the rear wall  34  and the front wall  28 . In certain preferred embodiments, the upper ends of the first and second sidewalls  50  and  52  slope along a substantially straight line extending between the upper end  46  of rear wall  34  and the upper end  48  of front wall  28 . 
     FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the container taken along lines VII—VII of FIG.  6 . As shown in FIG. 7, ribs  56  extend between the upper end  46  and lower end of the rear wall  34 . The ribs  56  are preferably integrally molded to the rear wall  34  and extend approximately 1-3 mm from the rear wall. In certain preferred embodiments the ribs extend from the upper end of the rear wall entirely to the lower end of the rear wall. However, in other preferred embodiments the ribs do not extend completely from the upper to the lower end of the rear wall. For example, the ribs may extend only partially between the upper and lower ends of the rear wall or may extend intermittently between the upper and lower ends of the rear wall. In still other preferred embodiments, the ribs may be provided on only one of the front or rear walls. For example, the ribs may be provided only on the interior surface of the front wall with no ribs provided on the only surface of the rear wall. In the alternative, the ribs may only be provided on the interior surface of the rear wall with no ribs provided on the front wall. Referring to FIG. 6, the interior surface  38  of the front wall includes a recessed portion  62 , preferably at the upper end of the front wall, for receiving a vertically extending flange of the cap, as will be explained in more detail below. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8-10, the cap  26  includes a top wall  64 , a cap front wall  66  extending from a front edge  68  of the top wall, and a cap rear wall  70  extending from a rear edge  72  of the top wall  64 . The cap also preferably includes a first sidewall  74  and a second sidewall  76 , the first and second sidewalls extending between the cap front wall  66  and the cap rear wall  70 . The height L 1  of the cap front wall is preferably greater than the height L 2  of the cap rear wall. In other words, the distance between a lower end  78  of cap front wall  66  and the top wall  64  is greater than the distance between a lower end  80  of cap rear wall  70  and the top wall  64 . The cap front wall  66  preferably includes a horizontally extending flange  82  which projects from the exterior surface  84  of the cap front wall. The cap front wall  66  also includes a substantially vertically extending flange  86  that is attached to an interior surface  88  of the cap front wall  66  and which projects below the lower end  78  of the cap front wall  66 . As will be explained in more detail below, the vertically extending flange  86  preferably engages the recess  62  (FIG. 7) formed in the interior surface  32  of the front wall  28  of the container when the cap is in the closed position. The engagement of the vertically extending flange  86  with the recess  62  provides a releasable snap fit engagement between the vertically extending flange  86  and the recess  62  when the cap is in the closed position. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the cap also includes tubular elements  90 A,  90 B having central bores  60 A′,  60 B′ extending therethrough. The central bores are preferably in substantial alignment with one another. 
     FIGS. 11-13 shows one preferred method for assembling the cap  26  to the container  22 . The rear wall  34  of the container  22  and the cap rear wall  70  are abutted against one another so that the respective tubular elements  90 A,  58 B,  90 B and  58 A intermesh with another. Referring to FIG. 13, an elongated rod  92  is then passed through the aligned bores of the tubular elements  90 A,  58 B,  90 B,  58 A for hingedly connecting the cap  26  to the container  22 . The rod  92  is preferably secured in place within the aligned bores, such as by crimping the rod. As a result, the cap is hingedly secured to the container and is able to swing about an axis A 1  extending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rod  92 . 
     FIG. 14 shows a top view of the reclosable package  20  after the elongated rod  92  has been inserted into the aligned bores of the tubular elements  90 A,  58 B,  90 B and  58 A. 
     Referring to FIGS. 15-19, after the reclosable package has been assembled, the cap  26  is movable between the completely open position shown in FIG.  15  and the closed position shown in FIG.  1 . In the open position of FIG. 15, one or more sticks of gum may be placed into elongated slots  94 . As mentioned above, the elongated slots are defined by the opposing ribs  54 ,  56 . In certain preferred embodiments, the container includes approximately 10-20 elongated slots  94  for receiving and storing approximately 10-20 sticks of gum. However, preferred embodiments may include containers having two or more slots. FIGS. 17-19 show the reclosable package after sticks of gum  96  have been stored in the slots  94 . After the reclosable package  20  has been completed filled with the sticks of gun, the cap  26  may be closed over the opening  24  of the container  22 . The reclosable package is preferably made of a rigid material, such as a rigid polymer material. As a result, the exterior surface of the package can withstand a substantial amount of external force without those forces being transferred to the product stored within the package. 
     When it is desired to retrieve a stick of gum  96  from the package, a user may grasp the outer surface of the container  22  and apply pressure to the horizontally extending flange  82  so as to withdraw the vertically extending flange  86  from the recess  62  formed in the interior surface  32  of the front wall  28  of the container. The cap  26  may then be pivoted or swung to the open position shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. In this position, the opening  24  at the upper end of the container  22  is completely accessible for removing one or more sticks of gum  96  from the elongated slots  94 . After one or more sticks of gum  96  have been removed from the package, the cap may once again be swung to the closed position shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 20 shows a magnified fragmentary view of the cap  26  when the cap is secured to the front wall  28  of container  22 . The front wall  28  of container  22  has an interior surface  32  including recess  62  formed adjacent an upper end of front wall  28 . The front wall of the cap  26  includes a vertically extending flange  62  and a horizontally extending flange  82 . When the cap  26  is swung into the closed position (FIG.  1 ), the vertically extending flange  86  fits into the recess  62  for securing the cap in the closed position. When it is desirable to open the cap, a force F 1 , may be exerted on the horizontally extending flange  82  to urge the vertically extending flange  86  away from the recess  62 . Once the vertically extending flange is away from recess  62 , the cap  26  may be moved to the open position shown in FIG.  17 . 
     FIGS. 21-27 show a reclosable package having a cap hingedly secured to a container in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 21 and 22, the reclosable package  120  includes cap  126  and container  122  that are molded together in a single piece. Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, the cap  126  is connected to the container  122  via hinge  192 . Referring to FIG. 24, the hinge has a first end integrally molded to cap  126  and a second end integrally molded to container  122 . The hinge  192  is made of a flexible resilient material such as plastic so that the cap  126  may be repeatedly opened and closed relative to container opening  124  (FIG.  23 ). 
     FIGS. 25-27 show the reclosable package in the open position. Referring to FIG. 25, the front wall  130  of container  128  has ribs  154  provided on interior surface  132  thereof. The front wall ribs  154  extend toward the rear wall  134  of container  122 . The interior surface  132  of front wall  128  includes recess  162  for receiving vertically extending flange  186  of cap  126 . The container includes a central support  197  extending between front wall  128  and rear wall  134 . The central support  197  adds rigidity to the container  122 . The underside of cap  126  also includes a central support  198  for adding rigidity to the cap. Referring to FIG. 26, rear wall  134  of container  122  includes a series of vertically extending ribs  156  which project toward front wall  128  of container  122 . Referring to FIG. 27, the front wall ribs  154  and the rear wall ribs  156  are in substantial alignment with one another. The ribs define a series of slots  196  that extend between the front wall  128  and the rear wall  134  of the container  122 . The container  122  shown in of FIG. 27 has 18 slots for receiving elongated items such as sticks of gum. However, preferred embodiments of the present invention may include anywhere from two slots to an infinite number of slots for receiving elongated items. 
     FIG. 28 shows another alternate embodiment of the present invention wherein ribs are provided on either the front wall or the rear wall of the container. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 28, the ribs  256  are provided on the interior surface  238  of the rear wall  236  of the container  222  and no ribs are provided upon the interior surface  132  of the front wall  228 . However, in other embodiments, ribs may be provided on the front wall  228  and not rear wall  236 . 
     FIGS. 29 and 30 show another embodiment of the present invention wherein ribs  356  are provided on the interior surface of the rear wall  336  and on the upper surface of bottom wall  340 . The ribs  356  extend above the interior surface of the front wall  336  and the interior surface of the bottom wall  340 . The interior surface  332  of the front wall  328  has no ribs. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and application of the present invention. For example, a wide variety of confectionery items such as candy or mints may be stored in the package. In addition, the package of the present invention could be used to store medicine, such as pills. It is therefore understood that numerous modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.