Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to packaging pourable materials and, in particular, to a package blank for forming a box with a slide. 
   2. General Background and State of the Art 
   A wide range of pourable products, such as candies, cereals, laundry soaps, and many other products, are dispensed in cardboard boxes. To access the contents, a user must generally open the top of the box. Sometimes the contents are held in a wax paper bag inside the box, and the bag must be opened as well. To store the contents, the user closes the bag and then closes the box. 
   Designs of boxes and of re-sealable bags are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,402 (“Package design”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,942 (“Multiple compartment package design”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,332 (“Package design”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,499 (“Package design”), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373 (“Folding package”), all of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
   In manufacturing the box, it is preferable that the box be such that it can be delivered to the end-manufacturer as a “tube box,” which refers to a box that is partially assembled but that is collapsed. Automated machinery at the end-user uncollapses the “tube,” then folds and secures top or bottom flaps to form a box with an open end. The machinery can then fill the box with a pourable product, or a bag filled with a pourable product. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373 discloses a box for conveniently storing and dispensing pourable items. The box has a back wall and a slide connected to the back wall. The slide has a slide opening and two side tabs extending from the slide. A front wall with an opening is connected to the back wall. The box also has an interior supporting wall having first and second side slits. The slide is disposed within the box, with each of the tabs being inserted into a corresponding one of the slits. The box has an open position in which the openings are aligned and in which the contents of the box may be poured out. The box also has a closed position for storing the contents. 
   It is desirable to provide a box that can be manufactured and provided as a “tube,” that also has a slide mechanism for opening and closing the box. 
   INVENTION SUMMARY 
   In one embodiment of a blank for forming a tube type dispensing box having a top and a bottom, the blank has a main box portion having two major sides and a minor side, each having a rectangular configuration. A second minor side is connected to one of the major sides by a fold line, the second minor side having a first opening at the top thereof. A slide retention member is foldably coupled to the second minor side, and has a second opening substantially aligned with the first opening when the slide retention member is folded over the second minor side. The blank further includes a slide opener secured by at least one tie to the slide retention member and to the second minor side, the slide opener including a third opening comparable in size to the first and second openings, and having an attachment portion for securing to the top of the box along an area spaced back from the second minor side. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a blank for forming a tube type dispensing box has a main box portion having two major sides and one minor side each of full rectangular configuration. A second minor side is connected to one of the major sides by a fold line, the second minor side having a first opening at the top thereof. Slide retention arrangements are mounted to the second minor side, and providing a second opening substantially aligned with the first opening. The blank further includes a slide opener having third opening comparable in size to the first and second openings, and having an attachment portion for securing to the top of the box along an area spaced back from the second minor side. The blank has top and bottom flaps for sealing the box in a conventional tube box configuration. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a blank for forming a tube type dispensing box comprises a first pair of opposing sides and a second pair of opposing sides, with both of the first pair and one of the second pair of sides being of full rectangular configuration. The other one of the second pair of sides has a first opening near the top thereof. The blank further includes a slide opener having a second opening comparable in size to the first opening, and having an attachment portion for securing to the top of the box along an area spaced back from the side having the opening therein. The blank has top and bottom flaps for sealing the box in a conventional tube box configuration. The slide retention arrangements comprise two narrow strips, one on each side of the first opening. The other one of the second pair of sides has at least one additional opening near the top thereof. 
   According to another embodiment, a tube style box has first, second, third and fourth sides, one of the sides having a side opening. The box has upper and lower flaps, and means for opening and closing the side opening. The box may include means within the box for retaining the means for opening and closing said side opening. The means for opening and closing may be a slide having an opening. The box may further include a retention member mounted within the box on a side wall of the box. 
   The retention member has an opening in alignment with the side opening. The retention member may include a slide member that is mounted on the top of the box. One of the sides includes a second side opening, and the box may include means for opening and closing the second side opening. One of the sides may include second and third side openings, and the box may include means for independently opening and closing the first, second and third side openings. 
   Embodiments of the invention may further comprise means for forming multiple compartments within the box. The box may, for example, also include means for forming three separate compartments within the box. Such means may include panel members that are folded over from a side of a box blank to form the multiple compartments. One or more of the panel members may include an aperture, which will align with the aperture in the side of the box to form a box opening. 
   Various other aspects of the invention will be recognized from studying the Detailed Description, the Drawings and the claims. Consequently, the invention is not limited to specifics that are disclosed in this Summary. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a box having an opening and a slide that opens and closes the opening; 
       FIG. 2  is a view of the package of  FIG. 1 , with the bottom open to receive a bag filled with a pourable item; 
       FIG. 3  is a box blank for forming the package of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3A  is an alternative version of  FIG. 3 , in which an elongated opening substitutes for a round opening; 
       FIG. 4  is illustrates a first step in forming a slider mechanism from the box blank of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a second step in forming a slider mechanism from the box blank of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an alternative blank for forming a box, with the slider mechanism provided separately from the box blank; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a first step in assembling the slider mechanism illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the assembled slider mechanism of  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a multi-compartment package; 
       FIG. 10  is a blank from which the multi-compartment package of  FIG. 9  is formed; 
       FIG. 11  illustrates folding down strips of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 12  illustrates loading the slides onto the box; 
       FIG. 12A  illustrates the slides slid down into a “closed” position in which the slide opening does not align with the package opening; 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a folding step; 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a final step in constructing the box; 
       FIG. 15  is a top view illustrating the three slides atop the box; 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  are side views of the constructed box of  FIG. 10 ; and 
       FIG. 18  is an alternative blank design for forming a multi-compartment package; and 
       FIG. 19  is the blank of  FIG. 18  with the slides engaged with the slide retention members. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a package  10  having an opening  14 . A slider mechanism  16  includes a lifting flap  18  and a slider  20  that are coupled together along a fold line  22 . The lifting flap  18  can be lifted up to open the opening  14 , or, relative to the position in  FIG. 1 , can be pushed downward to close the opening  14 . 
   The package  10  stores pourable items such as cereal  12 , or any of a variety of items that can be poured. The pourable items may be stored directly in the box  10 , or may be stored within a bag such as bag  24  in  FIG. 2 . As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,499, issued on Sep. 12, 2000 to David Todjar Hengami, the bag  24  may include a removable portion  26  defined by lines of weakness  28 . The removable portion  26  may be removed by the user prior to use, so that the contents of the bag  24  may be poured out. The bag  24  may be inserted into the package  10  through an open bottom as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , prior to the bottom being sealed. The bottom is typically sealed by gluing the various bottom flaps together after the box  10  is filled with the pourable material. The lifting flap  18  is secured to the top portion of the box at attachment portion  30 , which is typically glued in place. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the opening  14  being blocked by the slider  20  to put the package  10  in a closed position. This contrasts with  FIG. 1 , in which the lifting flap  18  is raised so that the slider  20  is moved upward to open the opening  14 . In fact, the slider  20  includes an aperture that will be discussed in conjunction with  FIG. 3 , that comes into alignment with aperture  14  to allow contents of the box to be poured. This manner of aligning an aperture in a slide member with an aperture in the package member is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373 issued to von Stillfreid on Apr. 9, 1996, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a die-cut box blank that may be used to form the package  10 . The blank includes a slider retention portion  40  having an aperture  42 . The slider retention portion  40  includes stopper tabs  44 A and  44 B, as well as stopper tabs  46 A and  46 B. Stopper openings  48 A and  48 B are formed on either side of the slider retention portion  40 . 
   The slider retention portion  40  is attached to the slider  20  by tie  50 . The tie  50  may be a small portion that interconnects the slider retention portion  40  with the slider  20 , but that is easily broken when desired. The slider  20  includes a neck  54  and an aperture  56 , which corresponds generally in shape to the aperture  42  although not necessarily precisely the same. The neck  54  also includes stopper tabs  58 A and  58 B. The slider neck  54  is foldably interconnected with the lifting flap  18  along fold line  22 . The fold line  22  is typically a square line, but may alternatively be another line of weakness. The lifting flap  18  is foldably interconnected with the attachment portion  30  by a fold line  60 . A tie  62  separates the lifting flap  18  from a minor side  64 . The stopper tab  58 B is also interconnected with minor side  64  by a tie  66 . Another tie  68  interconnects the slider retention portion  40  with the minor side  64 . 
   The stopper tab  58 B is defined on the one side by a cut-out  70 B and on the other side by another cut-out  72 B. Additional cut-outs  72 A and  70 A define the stopper tab  58 A. 
   The minor side  64  includes the aperture  14 , as well as a minor bottom dust flap  80 . The minor bottom dust flap  80  is defined by a fold line  82  between the minor bottom dust flap  80  and the main minor side portion  84 . A further fold line  86  foldably interconnects the minor side  64  with the major side  88 . The major side  88  includes a major bottom dust flap  90  and a major top dust flap  92 . The major bottom dust flap  90  is foldably interconnected with the main body portion  94  by fold line  96 . An additional fold line  98  foldably interconnects the main body portion  94  with the major top dust flap  92 . 
   A fold line  100  foldably interconnects the major side  88  with a second minor side  102 . A minor bottom dust flap  104  is foldably interconnected with the main body portion by fold line  106 . An additional fold line  108  foldably interconnects the main body portion  110  with the minor dust top flap  112 . 
   An additional fold line  114  foldably interconnects the main body portion  110  of the second minor side  102  to a major side  114 . The second major side  114  includes a main body portion  116 , which is foldably interconnected with the major bottom dust flap  118  by fold line  120 . An additional fold line  122  foldably interconnects the main body portion  116  with a major dust flap  124 . A fold line  126  foldably interconnects the main body portion  116  with an overlapping flap  128 . The blank illustrated in  FIG. 3  may be folded and secured into a box  10 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 3A  is an alternative version of the blank of  FIG. 3 , in which the aperture  42 ′ is elongated rather than round. The opening  42 ′ may be of any of a variety of different shapes, so long as apertures  14 ,  42 ′ and  56  align in the open position to provide a pathway from the interior of the package to the exterior. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a first step in forming a slider mechanism from the blank of  FIG. 3 . The lower portion of the slider mechanism that includes the lifting flap  18  is folded upward onto the slider retention portion  40 . Then, as  FIG. 5  illustrates, the mechanism is folded over onto the first minor side  64 . The stopper tabs  46 A and  46 B, as well as stopper tabs  44 A and  44 B, may be glued onto the minor side  64  to secure the sliding mechanism into place. The remainder of the box blank may be then folded and secured into the configuration of box  10  in  FIG. 1 . The overlapping flap  128  in  FIG. 3  may be glued or otherwise adhered to the minor side  64  to secure the box into place. The attachment portion  30  of the slider mechanism may be glued or otherwise adhered to the top of the box to anchor the slider mechanism into place. When the lifting flap  18  is first lifted upward, the tie  50  is broken and the slider neck  54  is free to slide up and down along the minor side of the box  64 . The stopper tabs  44 A and  44 B limit the upward movement of the slider member  54 , as the stopper tabs  58 A and  58 B are prevented by stopper tabs  44 A and  44 B from advancing upwardly out of the box. 
   Alternatively, the tie may be broken in advance, before the slider is mounted into position. relative to the slider retention member. 
   It should be understood that the apertures  14 ,  42  and  56  are all compatible in shape, such that when the three openings are aligned, a path is formed from the interior of the package to the exterior. The contents on the interior of the package may then be poured out the apertures when they are aligned. The apertures  14 ,  42  and  56  are not necessarily the same shape, however. It is only important that the shapes are compatible in the manner described. 
     FIG. 6  illustrates an alternative box blank embodiment. In this embodiment, a slider mechanism is provided into separate, independent pieces. These pieces are not necessarily part of the larger box blank. The box blank  200  includes a first major side  202  having a top flap  204  and a bottom flap  206 . The top flap  204  is foldably attached to the first major side  202  by fold line  206 . The bottom flap  206  is foldably connected with the main body portion of the first major side  202  by fold line  208 . The first major side  202  is foldably interconnected along fold line  210  with the first minor side  212 . The first minor side  212  includes an aperture  214  and a first minor side bottom flap  209 . The first minor side  212  is foldably interconnected along fold line  216  with the second major side  218 . The second major side  218  is foldably interconnected along fold line  220  with the second major side bottom flap  222 . The main body portion of the second major side  218  is also foldably interconnected with a major top flap  224  along a fold line  226 . 
   A further fold line  228  foldably interconnects the second major side  218  with a second minor side  230 . A second minor side  230  includes a second minor side bottom flap  232  that is foldably interconnected with the main body portion of the second minor side  230  by fold line  234 . An additional fold line  236  foldably interconnects the second minor side  230  with the second minor side top flap  238 . An overlapping flap  250  is foldably interconnected with the second minor side  230  by a fold line  252 . 
   The sliding mechanism includes a slider retention portion  260  having an aperture  262  and upper stopper flaps  264 A and  264 B, along with lower stopper flaps  266 A and  266 B. A slider member  280  includes upper slider members  282 A and  282 B, as well as an aperture  284 . A lifting flap  286  is separated from an attachment portion  288  by a fold line  290 . A fold line  292  foldably interconnects the lifting flap  286  with a neck portion of the slider member  294 . 
     FIG. 7  illustrates the slider member  280  being applied to the minor side  212 . The slider stopper mechanism  260  is put down atop the slider member  280  relative to  FIG. 7 . The slider stopper  260  is typically glued at stopper tabs  264 A and  264 B and at stopper tabs  266 A and  266 B. The slider unit then becomes as in  FIG. 8 , in which the slider member  280  may be slid upwardly and downwardly, as desired. The stopper tabs  264 A and  264 B will serve to prevent the slider member  280  from pulling out of the box, by limiting the distance that the slider tabs  282 A and  282 B can travel. That is the slider tabs  282 A and  282 B are stopped by the slider tabs  264 A and  264 B as the tabs  282 A and  282 B are pulled out of the box. 
   It should be understood that the two embodiments illustrated in the drawings may be pre-made into a tube-style box, in which the box is formed but collapsed, such that the upper tabs and lower tabs are not yet secured. That is, the blank is formed into a collapsed, partially constructed box. The tube may then be opened by standard machinery for forming boxes from box blank. The top flaps are then secured in place by the box machinery, and the attachment portion of the slider is affixed atop the box. The box is filled, either by inserting a bag filled with pourable material or by directly filling the box with pourable materials, such as cereal or another pourable item. 
   In particular, with reference to  FIG. 6 , the tube-style box would be formed by first constructing the slider mechanism as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Then, the box blank is folded along fold lines  210 ,  216 ,  228  and  252 . The attachment portion  250  is secured to the exterior, or optionally the interior, of the first major side  202 , by way of adhesive or other securing means. The box is collapsed, without having interconnected the top or bottom flaps. The collapsed box blank may then be provided to an end manufacturer to be uncollapsed, and formed into the package of  FIG. 2 . The box may be filled with pourable material or with a bag that is itself filled with a pourable material, such as cereal or another pourable item. 
     FIG. 9  illustrates a multi-compartment package embodiment  500  having a first, second and third opening,  502 ,  504  and  506 , respectively. The box has a front  508 , two sides  510  and  512 , respectively, a back, a bottom, and a top. Three slide members serve to open and close the openings  502 ,  504 , and  506 . The slides  514 ,  516 , and  518  include respective lifting flaps  520 ,  522 , and  524 . The lifting flaps are foldably interconnected with respective necks, such as  526 ,  528 , and  530  (not shown). Each neck has a respective opening. When the lifting flaps are pulled upward, the opening of the lifting flaps aligns with an opening in the package, such that the contents of the package may be poured out the opening. 
   The opening  502  is shown as being blocked and therefore in a closed position. The opening  504  is shown as partially opened, such that the opening in the neck is partially aligned with the opening in the package. The opening  506  is shown as being completely opened, such that the opening in the neck  526  is perfectly aligned with the opening in the package  506 . It should be noted that the openings in the respective neck portions may have the same shape as the opening in the package portions, or alternatively may be a different shape that is compatible with the shape of the respective package opening. 
     FIG. 10  illustrates a blank for forming the multi-compartment package of  FIG. 9 . The blank includes several compartment panels  540 ,  542 , and  544 . A connection panel  546  is typically coated with adhesive or glue and serves to secure the panels to the interior of the package. A minor side  550  is foldably interconnected with a major side  552 , which in turn is foldably interconnected with a second minor side  554 . A second major side  556  is foldably interconnected with the second minor side  554 . The bottom of the box is defined by flaps  560 ,  562 ,  564  and  566 . Extension  558  is typically glued or supplied with other adhesive for securing the box shut. The top  558  serves to define a portion of the top of the box, along with flap  570 . Narrow strips  572  and  574 , along with strips  576  and  578  are foldably interconnected with the major panel  552 . The major panel  552  includes opening  580 ,  582 , and  584 . 
   Slide mechanisms  586 ,  588 , and  590  are provided adjacent to the second major side  556 . Each of the slides includes a respective slide opening  592 ,  594 , and  596 . The slides include respective neck portions  600 ,  602 , and  604 . The slides also include respective top flap portions  606 ,  608 , and  610 . The flaps  586 ,  588 , and  590  are removably attached to the second major portion  556  along lines of weakness  620 ,  622 , and  624 , which may be perforations, one or more ties, or other line of weakness. Each slide includes a respective mid-fold line  626 ,  628 , and  630 . 
     FIG. 11  shows a first step in preparing the box. The respective hinge strips  572 ,  574 ,  576 , and  578  are folded down into what will be the interior of the box. 
     FIG. 12  illustrates a second step, in which the respective slide portions  586 ,  588 , and  560  have been removed from the major side  556  and inserted within slots created by the narrow strips  572 ,  574 ,  576 , and  578 . The narrow strips may be secured to the interior of the package by, for example, gluing the stips into place. 
   In  FIG. 12A , the slide portions are shown displaced from the “open” position of  FIG. 12 , in which the openings in the slide portions align with openings in the package. In  FIG. 12A , by contrast, the slides are moved down such that the slide openings do not align with the openings in the package. Thus, the slides are free to move up and down within the slots created by the narrow strips  572 ,  574 ,  576  and  578 . 
   Considering a further step in constructing the box, in  FIG. 13  the box is further folded such that the respective compartment panels form individual compartments within the package. The compartment panels may be glued into place, or otherwise secured, to form the interior compartments. In  FIG. 14 , the two top flaps are folded downward to define the top of the box. The slides are secured to the box along the respective fold lines  620 ,  622 , and  624 . The slides are positioned such that they may be pulled up and down, to open and close the respective package openings, as the user desires. 
     FIG. 15  is a top view showing the top of the respective flaps. The flaps in  FIG. 15  are in a down or closed position, such that the respective package openings are secured shut. 
     FIG. 16  is a view showing the package secured together.  FIG. 17  illustrates the securing flap  558  having been secured onto the package by way of adhesive or other securing means, to secure the package into place. 
   Considering now a further alternative,  FIG. 18  illustrates a blank for forming a multi-compartment package. The various panels and flaps of the blank are generally numbered as in  FIG. 11 , but in the seven hundred series. In this embodiment, the slide retention members are provided to be mounted on the interior of the package, adjacent to the package openings. The retention members may be provided as an integral, removable part of the blank. Or, as in the embodiment of  FIGS. 18 and 19 , may be provided separately. As a further alternative, the retention members may be provided in a single unit  800  having multiple openings  792 – 796 , or may be provided as multiple individual units such as  810  with one opening  812  each. 
   To install the retention members to the interior of the package, the ears of the slide retention members  820 ,  822 ,  824  and  826  are typically glued or are otherwise attached to the interior of the package, such that the openings  792 ,  794  and  796  of the slide retention members align with the openings  780 ,  782  and  784  of the package. The retention member  800  may also be glued or otherwise attached to the package at  828 ,  830 ,  832  and  834 . 
   Each respective slide  786 ,  788 ,  790  has a single set of stopper ears, and a respective fold line  726 ,  728 ,  730  about which the respective slide may be folded. The slides do not include respective slide openings. The respective pairs of stopper ears may slide within the space defined by the slide retention members, to open and close the package. The ears of the slide retention members that are glued or otherwise attached to the interior of the package limit the range of motion of the respective slides. That is, the slides are not permitted to slide upwardly beyond the top edge of the box, or downwardly past the bottom of the slide retention members. 
   The panels  742 – 748  fold to form interior walls of a multi-compartment package. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the package has three compartments, although embodiments may be formed having less than or more than three compartments in alternative embodiments. 
   The foregoing as described presently preferred embodiments of the invention. However, numerous variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. Consequently the invention is defined by the claims and not by the details in this Detailed Description.

Technology Category: b