US3412927A - Cylindrical sector-shaped tearable wrapping or package, particularly for cheese portions, and blank for forming such wrapping or package - Google Patents

Description

J. BAUR 3,412,927

TEARABLE WRAPPING OR PACKAGE,

Nov. 26, 1968 AND BLANK FOR E G A K C A s w R N O H mm m w P P mm 8 m m w E W J E P H A W C W H U1 wn 0 F R G w m V. C M E L R S M Q L L F A U C C I R T D R A N I P L Y C m m K N I Jakob BRUR- E M United States Patent 3,412,927 CYLINDRICAL SECTOR-SHAPED TEARABLE WRAPPING 0R PACKAGE, PARTICULARLY FOR CHEESE PORTIONS, AND BLANK FOR FORMING SUCH WRAPPING OR PACKAGE Jakob Baur, Thun, Bern, Switzerland, assiguor to Gerberkase AG, Thun, Switzerland, a company limited by shares of Switzerland Filed June 13, 1966, Ser. No. 557,131 Claims priority, application Switzerland, July 23, 1965, 10,392/ 65 Claims. (Cl. 229-87) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved substantially circular cylindrical sectorshaped tearable wrapping or package for an article or commodity such as a cheese portion, and an improved blank for fabricating such a package. The blank has one panel substantially in the form of a sector of a circle, a second panel forming the outer arcuate or cylindrical wall surface of the package and side panels for forming the side walls of the package. A cover sheet or foil forms the remaining surface and is also substantially in the form of a sector of a circle. Two tear strips extending approximately along the straight side edges of one of the sector-shaped sides are included. The tear strips have portions extending past their point of intersection.

The present invention has reference to an improved substantially circular cylindrical sector-shaped tearable wrapping or package for an article or commodity, especially for cheese portions, and to an improved blank for fabricating such package. The inventive package or wrapping comprises an article-wrapping or enclosure sheet incorporating a blank having one panel substantially in the form of a sector of a circle, a further panel forming the outer arcuate or cylindrical wall surface of the circular cylindrical sector-shaped pack-age as well as side panels for forming the side walls of the aforesaid package. Additionally, such package also has a cover sheet or foil forming the other surface which is likewise substantially in the form of a sector of a circle. Although for illustrative purposes the invention will hereinafter be described with regard to packaging of cheese portions, obviously it could also be employed in conjunction with other type articles or commodities.

Tearable packages of the aforementioned type are already known to the art, yet possess the drawback that when tearing open the package there could only be formed one slot-shaped opening substantially corresponding to the width of a tear strip. Consequently, the freeing or exposing of the entire package contents essentially had to be undertaken manually. This disadvantage was attempted to be overcome through the provision of a tear flap at the cover foil or sheet. However, the desired effect, namely re moval of the entire cover sheet, could only then be realized if this cover sheet was produced from a particularly strong or thick foil. Only in this manner was is possible to prevent tearing of the relevant cover sheet. Tearable packages of this type are expensive since, apart from the cost of the thicker or additional coat or layered foil, considerable waste was produced during manufacture of the cover sheet together with the tear flap.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved tearable package or wrapping for commodities which overcomes the aforementioned d-rawbacks of the prior art packages.

Another more specific object of this invention is directed to the fabrication of a tearable package of the men- 3,412,927 Patented Nov. 26, I968 tioned type which, without appreciable increase in price, enables removal of at least one wall or surface of the package which is substantially in the form of a sector of a circle together with the adjoining outer package surface or wall by carrying out a single tear movement.

Still a further significant object of this invention is directed to the provision of an improved blank for forming a tearable wrapping or pack-age for commodities, wherein the packaged commodity can be substantially exposed by a single tear movement, so that it can be easily removed from the package, if desired, and then without soiling the hands or contact-ing the package contents.

Yet a further noteworthy object of this invention has reference to an improved tearable wrapping or package for articles which enables opening of the package by tear means in a manner that contact with the package contents is positively avoided.

The inventive tearable package or wrapping is generally characterized by the features of two tear strips extending approximately along the straight side edges of the one package surface substantially in the form of a sector of a circle and which strips have portions extending past their point of intersection.

The blank used for forming the inventive package comprises a sheet of material having a first panel substantially in the form of a sector of a circle, a second panel connected along a fold line with the first panel and having the form of an arc-shaped cylindrical surface portion, a respective side panel connected along a fold line with each laterally extending straight edge of the first panel, and a pair of tear strips extending at least approximately along the vicinity of the straight lateral edge of the first panel, such tear strips intersecting at a point and including portions extending past said point of intersection.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of unfolded blank or enclosure sheet used for forming the inventive tearable package or Wrapping;

FIGURE 2 depicts in perspective view the blank of FIGURE 1, partially folded, as well as the cover sheet or foil, the cheese portion being omitted to preserve clarity in illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a packaged cheese portion wrapped by means of the blank of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing the tearable package torn open to expose its contents.

Describing now the drawing, the inventive blank or enclosure sheet 1 for forming the inventive tearable package essentially comprises four main panels 25. The panel 2 is substantially in the form of a sector of a circle and serves to cover the correspondingly-shaped surface of a substantially circular cylindrical sector-shaped cheese portion 6. The side panels 3 and 4 extend along the straight lateral edges of the panel 2 at the region of the respective fold lines 20, shown in phantom, and they bear against the side surfaces of this cheese portion. Additionally, the panel 5 adjoins the panel 2 along the fold line 21 and bears against the outer substantially cylindrical arc-shaped wall of the cheese portion 6. The described panels 3, 4 and 5 are advantageously wider than the height of the cheese portion by the amount of their associated marginal edges or panels 13, 14 and 15 respectively, these latter panels being folded onto one of the sector-shaped surfaces of the cheese portion 6, as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Between the panels 3 to 5 there are provided further, essentially triangular, intermediate panels 7 to 9. As will be described shortly, these inter-mediate panels 7 to 9, upon folding of the blank 1, form tabs or flaps 7a, 8a and 9a respectively which are to be folded onto the side surfaces 3a, 4a or the outer surface 5a of the package 6, as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Essentially along the straight edges of the panel 2, near the fold lines 20, there are two tear strips and 11 which are connected in any suitable manner with the body of the blank or enclosure sheet 1, for instance are adhesively bonded thereto. The: e tear strips 10 and 11 intersect at location or point 12 (FIGURE 1) and extend past such point of intersection, the strip ends 10a and 11a preferably projecting past the marginal edge of the blank or enclosure sheet 1. The other ends 10b and 11b of these tear strips 10 and 11 respectively, extend along the lateral edges of the panel 5 near the fold lines 22, reaching up to the associated marginal panel portion 15. The previously mentioned cover foil or sheet 16 has a form and dimensions which at least essentially correspond to that of one of the sector-shaped surfaces of the package.

Packaging of the goods, in this case the cheese portion 6, takes place as follows: Initially the blank or enclosure sheet 1 is folded so it possesses an appropriate form, specifically in that the panels 3 to 5 are folded along their fold or parting lines 20, 21 with respect to the panel 2, and erected in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. The intermediate panels 7, 8 and 9 thereby form laterally protruding flaps or tabs 7a, 8a and 9a respectively. The thus erected blank 1 now forms a container or receptacle into which the fluid cheese mass may be poured. After pouring, the cover sheet or foil 16 is applied and the panels 13, 14 and 15 projecting past such cover sheet 16 are folded onto the latter along their fold lines 23, 24 and 25 and adhesively connected therewith. After the tabs or fiaps 7a to 9a are folded onto the side walls or panels 3a, 4a and/ or the outer arcuate wall or panel 5a, the package in completed. The tab or flap 8a formed at the edge or line of intersection of the side walls 3a and 4a contains the ends 10a and 11a of the tear strips 10 and 11 respectively, these ends protruding past the point of intersection 12 of such strips. In this finished package, the panel 2 forms the upper package surface 20 substantially in the form of a sector of a circle; the panel 5 the arc-shaped outer wall 5a; the side panels 3 and 4 the side walls 3a and 4a of the package; and the cover sheet or foil 16 the underside or face 16a of the package, whereas the tear strip ends 10b and 11b are folded over the neighboring edge of this cover sheet 16.

Considering now the completed package of FIGURE 3, if the ends 10a and 11a of the tear strips 10 and 11 eventually together with the tab 8a are seized, then the folded blank or enclosure sheet 1 tears along the straight edges of the upper surface 2a, so that the entire upper surface of the cheese portion 6 is exposed. Upon continuing the tearing movement also the curved or arched outer wall 5a and finally also the underface 16a of the package will be torn away, so that essentially there only still remain both side walls 3a, 4a of the package.

In this manner it is possible, with a single tearing movement, to expose three surfaces of the cheese portion, and without having had to resort to measures which would have resulted in appreciable increase in the cost of production.

What is claimed is:

1. A tearable package of substantially circular cylindrical sector shape, for the packaging of correspondingly-shaped articles, particularly cheese portions, comprising an enclosure sheet having one panel substantially in the form of a sector of a circle for covering one corresponding sector-shaped surface of the article, a panel for covering the outer substantially cylindrical arc-shaped surface of the article, and side panels for covering the side surfaces of said article, a cover sheet for covering the other surface of the article which is also substantially in the form of a sector of a circle, and two tear strips on said one panel extending at least approximately along the straight lateral edges thereof, said two-tear strips being disposed to intersect one another and extending past their point of intersection.

2. A tearable package as defined in claim 1, wherein said two tear strips extend past said panel covering the subtantially cylidndrical arc-shaped surface of the article.

3. A tearable package as defined in claim. 2, wherein said two tear strips extend at least up to said cover sheet which covers said other article surface also in the form of a sector of a circle.

4. A tearable package as defined in claim 1, wherein said two tear strips intersect at a point remote from said panel covering the outer substantially cylindrical arc-shaped surface of the article.

5. A blank for wrapping a substantially cylindrical, sector-shaped article, particularly for packaging correspondingly-shaped cheese portions, comprising a sheet of material having a first panel substantially in the form of a sector of a circle, a second panel hingedly connected along a fold line with said first panel and having the form of an outer cylindrical surface portion, a respective side panel connected along a fold line with each laterally extending edge of said first panel, a pair of tear strips on said first panel extending at least approximately along the vicinity of said lateral edges of said first panel, said two tear strips intersecting at a point and including portions extending past said point of intersection.

6. A blank as defined in claim 5, wherein said portions of said two tear strips extending past said point of intersection each extend along an edge of one of said side panels.

7. A blank as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said tear strips extends along an edge of one side panelv at the region of said straight lateral edge of said first panel whereas said portion of the same tear strip which extends past said point of intersection extends along an edge of the other of said side panels.

8. A blank as defined in claim 5, said two tear strips extending at least up to the outermost extremity of said second panel.

9. A blank as defined in claim 8, said two tear strips extending past said second panel.

10. A blank as defined in claim 6, further including a respective marginal panel externally bounding said second panel and each of said side panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,021,860 11/1935 Kelley 229-51 3,268,105 8/1966 Geiger 229-51

Images