US2974846A - Carton with reclosing pour spout - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1961 G. E. STRUBLE 2,974,846

CARTON WITH RECLOSING POUR SPOUT Filed May 19, 1959 V 2 Sheers-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Glenn E. S.truble BY KARL. Locus ATTORNEY March 14, 1961 G. E. STRUBLE 2,974,846

CARTON WITH RECLOSING POUR SPOUT Filed May 19, 1959 2 sheei's-sheet 2 INVENTOR Glenn E. STruble BY KARL. U). :Locts ATTORNEY United States Patent O CARTON WITH RECLOSING POUR SPOUT Glenn E. Struble, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Diamond National Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 19, 1959, Ser. No. 814,292

12 Claims. (Cl. 22917) The present invention relates to a carton, and more particularly to a carton having a reclosing pour spout.

Cartons made of paperboard material, or the like, have long been used for the packaging of a wide variety of products, including granular and flaked products. These cartons have often provided for the severing of a closure lid therefrom, so that the resulting opening could be used as a pouring throat or spout.

While these cartons, as above referred to, have performed with a certain degree of satisfaction, there have been nevertheless certain deficiencies in them. Among these deficiencies of the prior art cartons are the inability of the cartons to be reclosed once they have been opened, thus permitting foreign matter to enter into the opening in the carton. In addition, the failure of the carton to be reclosed properly also results in the contents of the carton spilling out as when, for example, the carton is accidentally turned on its side. Another deficiency of these cartons has resided in the irregular opening through which the contained material was to be poured. Hence, it was difiicult with these cartons to readily pour a controlled amount of contents from them due to the irregular shape of the pouring opening or throat.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carton having a pouring spout with a reclosing lid.

7 Another object of the present invention is the provision of such a carton in which a movable closure lid is releaseably held in a reclosed position.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a carton having a pour spout with a reclosing lid and also having a regularly shaped pouring throat, to thereby permit readily controlled pouring of the contents thereof.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank, with certain parts there- .of folded, for making a carton in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carton in accordance with the present invention during the erection thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views showing the carton of the present invention in further stages of the erection thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a corner of a carton in accordance with the present invention after the lid thereof has been initially opened.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective illustrating the reclosing of the closure lid of the carton.

' Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the carton during a further stage of the reclosing of the closure lid thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig.v 1 a blank 10 for a carton in accordance with the present invention, the blank 10 comprising an end panel 11, a side panel 12, and end-panel 13 and a sidepanel 14.

2,974,846 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 ice 2 These panels are of equal height, and are separated by fold lines designated 15, 16 and 17. Foldably connected to side panel 14 at the side margin thereof defined by a fold line 18 is a throat panel 19, throat panel 19 having a second throat panel 20 connected thereto along a fold line 21. Throat panel 19 has a strip of glue 22 extending along the fold line 18 and the throat panel 20 has a strip of glue 23 extending along the free edge thereof. At the tops of each of the strips of glue 22 and 23 are small, preferably triangular, areas 24 and 25, respectively, that have varnish applied to them. The throat panel 19 is of approximately the same width as the end panels 11 and 13, and has a heighth equal to the heighth of the panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 throughout at least a part of its width beginning at the fold line 18.

Foldably connected to the top of end panel 11 is a triangular flap 31. Top flaps 32, 33 and 34 are similarly foldably connected to the tops of panels 12, 13 and 14, respectively. The usual bottom flaps are connected to the bottoms of the panels 11 to 14, as shown.

Triangular flap 31 has an edge 35 thereof in line with the fold line 15. The hypotenuse 36 of triangular flap 31 extends at approximately a 45 angle to the edge 35, and a score 37 extends at the same diagonal angle in the top flap 32 from the upper corner 38 thereof that is adjacent triangular flap 31. Also, top flap 34 has a diagonal score 39 therein that is parallel to diagonal score 37 and extends to the lower corner 40 of top flap 34 that is adajcent the throat panel 19.

End panel 11 has a score 41 therein and side panel 12 has a score 42 therein, these scores 41 and 42 diverging from the upper end of fold line 15. Score 41 terminates intermediate the sides of end panel 11, and score 42 is substantially equal in length to score 41. End panel 11 also has a line of perforations 43 therein that extends from the upper free corner 44 thereof to the end of score 41. Similarly, a line of perforations 45 in side panel 12 extends from the lower end of score 42 diagonally upwardly to the top of side panel 12. A out line 46 extends between and connects the lower ends of scores 41 and 42, this cut line 46 being undulated to provide the lobes 47 and 48 in the end panel 11 and side panel 12, respectively.

Referring now to Fig. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a carton during an intermediate stage of its erection from the blank 10 of Fig. l. The blank 10 has been folded so that the side panels 12 and 14 are parallel to each other, and so that throat panel 19 is parallel to end panel 13. Throat panel 20 has been secured to the inside of side panel 12, in the usual manner, and top flap 33 has been folded inwardly. End panel 11, which will be folded so as to be secured in overlying relationship to throat panel 19 extends in coplanar relationship with side panel 12, and the flaps 31, 32 and 34 have not yet been infolded, but instead are shown, for purposes of clarity, in a slightly outfolded position.

In Fig. 3, there may be seen the appearance of the carton after the end panel 11 has been folded over throat panel 19 and secured in position. The flaps 31, 32 and 34 are not yet folded down to form the top of the carton. The folding of the panels to form the top of the carton is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the triangular flap 31 was first folded in, then the flap '32 and finally the flap 34. Securing of the various flaps into the folded condition to form the completed carton is done in the normal manner, and

the carton has the appearance as shown in this figure. There may be seen in Fig. 5 a triplanar closure lid section 50, the section 50 being made up of parts of end panel 11, side panel 12, top flaps 32 and 34 and triangular flap 31. More particularly, the line of perforations 45 may be seen in side panel or wall 12 extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereof that is removed from the triplanar juncture 51 of the end panel or wall 11, side panel or wall 12 and the top wall of the carton. The line of perforations 45 may be seen to terminate short of the juncture between walls 11 and 12. Side wall 12 also has the diagonal score 42 therein extending between the juncture of walls 11 and 12 and the lower end of the line of perforations 45. A similar line of perforations 43 may be seen in the end wall 11 extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereof removed from juncture 51 towards but short of the corner between the side and end walls 12 and 11. Diagonal score 41 and end wall 11 extend between the juncture 51 and the lower end of the line of perforations 43. The cut 46 may also be seen in Fig. 4 extending between the lower ends of the lines of perforations 43 and 45. The score 39 in top 34 extends between the upper ends of the lines of perforations 43 and 45; underlying the score 39 is the score 37 in top panel 32, and underlying the score 37 is the free edge or hypotenuse 36 of the triangular fiap31.

It will be understood that the carton is partially erected from the blank 10, and is filled through either the open top or bottom thereof, and then the remaining opening, provided by the unfolded top or bottom flaps, is closed. The carton is then shipped, filled, in the condition shown in Fig. 4. When the carton has been purchased, and it is desired to open it so that the contents thereof may be poured from it, it is only necessary to partially sever the corner closure lid section 50 along the lines of perforations 43 and 45 and to raise the section 50 on the hinge line formed by the scores 37 and 39. The appearance of the carton with the closure lid section 50 opened and raised is shown in Fig. 5, where there may be seen the score 37 of top panel 32. There may also be seen the upper ends of the throat panels 19 and 20, which remain in position when the cover lid section 50 is raised, and thereby provides a regular pouring opening for the contents of the carton.

When it is desired to reclose the corner closure lid 50, it is only necessary to squeeze the parts thereof that were made from the end panel 11 and the side panel 12,

so that the intermediate parts thereof are caused to fold inwardly on the scores 41 and 42, this action being shown in Fig. 6. When the parts have been sufliciently squeezed, the entire corner closure lid section 50 may be moved downwardly, the depending parts thereof being positioned interiorily of the throat panels 19 and 20, this reclosed position being obtained upon a movement of the section 50 slightly past the position shown in Fig. 7. Due to the natural resiliency of the paperboard material of which the carton is made, the depending parts of corner closure lid section 56 will push against the interior surfaces of throat panels 19 and 20 and thereby secure the closure lid section 50 into position by frictional contact.

Itmay be seen that the carton manufactured from the blank has a pour spout formed by the throat panels 19 and 20, together with a reclosable closure lid section 50. This reclosable lid section is releasably held, as by friction, in the reclosed position, and this lid section 50 is securely held in position during shipment of the carton, due to the unseparated perforation lines 43 and 45. Once the carton of the present invention has been opened, the pour spout provided has a regular opening, thus permitting ready control of the pouring of the contents of the carton. 7

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank for a carton comprising an end paneL-a 4 side panel, an end panel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being of equal height and separated by fold lines, a first throat panel foldably connected to said second side panel at a side margin thereof, a second throat panel foldably connected to said first throat panel, a triangular flap foldably connected to the top of said first end panel and having one edge thereof in line with the fold line between the first end panel and the first side panel, first and second top flaps respectively foldably connected to said side panels, a diagonal score in said first top flap extending from the upper corner thereof adjacent said triangular flap, a diagonal score in said second top flap parallel to said first diagonal score and extending to the lower corner thereof adjacent said first throat panel, a pair of scores in said first end and side panels, respectively, diverging from the upper end of the fold line connecting said first end and side panels, the score in said first end panel terminating intermediate the sides thereof and the score in said first side panel being of substantially equal length as the score in the first end panel, a line of perforations extending from the upper free corner of said first end panel to the end of the score in said panel, a line of perforations extending from the lower end of the score in the first side panel diagonally upward ly to the top thereof, and a out line extending between the lower end of the scores in said first end and side panels.

2. The blank of claim 1, said cut line being undulated and defining a lobe in each of the first end and side panels.

3. A blank for a carton comprising an end panel, a side panel, an end panel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being separated by fold lines, a first throat panel foldably connected to said second side panel at a side margin thereof, a second throat panel foldably connected to said first throat panel, a triangular flap foldably connected to the top of said first end panel and having one edge thereof in line with the fold line between the first end panel and the first side panel, first and second top flaps respectively foldably connected to said side panels, a diagonal score in said first top flap extending from the upper corner thereof adjacent said triangular flap to the bottom margin of said first top flap, a diagonal score in said second top flap parallel to said first diagonal score and extending to the lower corner thereof adjacent said first throat panel, a line of perforations extending from the upper free corner of said first end panel and terminating intermediate the sides thereof, a line of perforations in'the first side panel extending from the lower end of the score in the first top flap diagonally downwardly in converging relationship with said other line of perforations and of length equal to said other lines of perforations, and a cut line extending between the lower end of the lines of perforations in said first end and side panels.

4. A blank for a carton comprising an end panel, a side panel, an end panel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being separated by fold lines, a triangular flap foldably connected to the top of said first end panel and having one edge thereof in line with the fold line between the first end panel and the first side panel, first and second top flaps respectively foldably connected to said side panels, a diagonal score in said first top flap extending from the upper corner thereof adjacent said triangular fiap, a diagonal score in said second top flap parallel to said first diagonal score and extending to the lower corner thereof remote from said second end panel, a pair of scores in said first end and side panels, respectively, diverging from the upper of the fold line connecting said first end and side panels, thescore in said first end panel terminating intermediate the sides thereof and the score in said first side panel being of substantially equal length as the score in the first end panel, a line of perforations extending from the upper free corner of said first end panel to the end of the score in said panel, a line of perforations extending from the lower end of the score in the first side panel diagonally upwardly to the top thereof, and a out line extending between the lower end of the scores in said first end and side panels.

5. A blank for a carton comprising an end panel, a side panel, an end panel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being separated by fold lines, a flap foldably connected to the top of said first end panel, first and second top flaps respectively foldably connected to said side panels, a diagonal score in said first top flap extending from the upper corner thereof adjacent said last mentioned flap, a diagonal score in said second top flap parallel to said first diagonal score and extending to the lower corner thereof remote from said second end panel, a pair of scores in said first end and side panels, respectively, diverging from the upper of the fold line connecting said first end and side panels, the score in said first end panel terminating intermediate the sides thereof and the score in said first side panel being of substantially equal length as the score in the first end panel, a line of perforations extending from the upper free corner of said first end panel to the end of the score in said panel, a line of perforations extending from the lower end of the score in the first side panel diagonally upwardly to the top thereof, a out line extending between the lower end of the scores in said first end and side panels, and a throat panel foldably connected to the second-mentioned side panel at the side margin thereof.

6. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and a side wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a second top fiap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and top meeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said side wall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of the corner between said side and end walls, a diagonal score in said side wall extending between said juncture and the lower end of said line of perforations, a line of perforations in said end wall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of said corner, a diagonal score in said end wall extending between said juncture and the lower end of the line of perforations in said end wall, a cut in said end and side walls connecting the lower ends of said lines of perforations, a score in said first top flap extending between said points on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second top flap having a free edge underlying said score in said first top flap, whereby to define a triplanar corner closure lid section, and a pair of foldably connected throat panels within said carton, one adjacent each said end and side panels and positioned to be exposed upon movement of said corner closure lid section as a unit on said score in said first top panel.

7. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and a side wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a second top flap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and top meeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said side wall extending diagonflly from a point on the upper margin thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of the corner between said side and end walls, a line of perforations in said end wall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of said corner, a cut in said end and side wall connecting the lower ends of said lines of perforations, a diagonal score in each of said side and end walls extending from said juncture to said out, a score in said first top flap extending between said points on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second top flap having a free edge underlying said score in said first top flap, whereby to define a triplanar corner closure lid section, and a pair of throat panels within said carton, one adjacent each said end and side panels and positioned to be exposed upon movement of said corner closure lid section as a unit on said score in said first top panel.

8. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and a side wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a second top flap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and top meeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said side wall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of the corner between said side and end walls, a diagonal score in said side wall extending between said juncture and the lower end of said line of perforations, a line of perforations in said end wall extending diagonally from apoint on the upper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of said corner, a diagonal score in said end wall extending between said juncture and the lower end of the line of perforations in said end wall, a cut in said end and side wall connecting the lower ends of said lines of perforations, a score in said first top flap extending between said points on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second top flap having a free edge underlying said score in said first top flap, whereby to define a triplanar corner closure lid section.

9. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and a side wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a second top flap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and top meeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said side wall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of the corner between said side and end walls, a diagonal score in said side wall extending from said juncture toward the lower end of said line of perforations, a line of perforations in said end wall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but short of said corner, a diagonal score in said end wall extending from said juncture towards the lower end of the line of perforations in said end wall, a cut in said end and side wall connecting the lower ends of said lines of perforations, a score in said first top flap extending between said points on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second top flap having a free edge underlying said score, whereby to define a triplanar corner closure lid section, and throat panel means on said end and side walls and extending above the lower margins of the triplanar closure lid section.

10. The carton of claim 9, said throat panel means comprising a pair of throat panels within said carton, one adjacent each said end and side panel and positioned to be exposed upon movement of said corner section as a unit on said score in said first top panel.

ll. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising a triplanar juncture of an end .wall, a side wall and a top, means defining a triplanar closure lid section of said juncture comprising a diagonally extending score in the carton top having the ends thereof on two adjacent side margins of said top, said score being spaced from a corner of said top, means in said end wall for permitting the ready severing of a generally triangular portion thereof depending from and integral with the part of said top bounded by said score, means in said side wall for permitting the ready severing of a generally triangular portion thereof depending from and integral with said part of said top and said portion of said end wall, a score in each of said end and side triangular portions diverging from the common juncture of said portions and said top part, and a throat panel behind each of said triangular portions.

12. The carton of claim 11, and a downwardly extending lobe on each of said generally triangular portions beneath the score thereof.

(References on following page) 7 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,403,138 2,475,677 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,509,289

1,286,038 Lowy Nov. 26, 1918 5 2,039,437 Moore May 5, 1936 426,341

8 Sullivan July 2, 1946 Ringler July 12, 1949 Dunning May 30, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1935

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