Patent Grant
7581644
Premium articles have been used to promote the sale of products enclosed within cartons. For example, toys and other novelty items have been mounted in cartons containing food products in order to enhance the salability of the products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,886 to Brauner et al. discloses one such product. Brauner's package, however, requires the use of a separate premium tray to house a promotional product, which increases the cost and difficulty of manufacture of the package.
According to a first embodiment, a carton blank comprises a front panel having a display window, a first side panel, a back panel, a second side panel, a display panel, at least one top flap extending across a first marginal potion of the blank, and at least one bottom flap extending across a second marginal portion of the blank. When the carton is assembled from the blank, a portion of the display panel faces the display window.
According to the first embodiment, an article can be mounted within the carton between the display panel and the display window, where it is visible from the exterior of the carton. Additional mounting trays or inserts are not required, which reduces the cost of manufacture. In alternative embodiments, graphical and/or textual information can be printed on the display panel such that it is visible through the display window.
The article may kept separate from the contents of the carton, which prevents contamination of the carton contents and reduces the likelihood of damage to the article. The size of the display window can be selected so that the article may not be removed through the display window, which reduces the likelihood of pilferage of the article.
Other aspects, features, and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
The present embodiments are addressed to cartons having display features which allow a premium, product information, and/or other items to be viewed from an exterior of the cartons.
The blank 8 comprises a first side panel 10 foldably connected to a front panel 20 at a first transverse fold line 21, a second side panel 30 foldably connected to the front panel 20 at a second transverse fold line 31, a back panel 40 foldably connected to the first side panel 30 at a third transverse fold line 41, a third side panel 50 foldably connected to the back panel 40 at a fourth transverse fold line 51, a display panel 60 foldably connected to the third side panel 50 at a fifth transverse fold line 61, and an adhesive flap 80 foldably connected to the display panel 60 at a sixth transverse fold line 81.
The first side panel 10 is foldably connected to a side top flap 12 and a side bottom flap 14. The front panel 20 is foldably connected to a front top flap 22 and a front bottom flap 24. The second side panel 30 is foldably connected to a side top flap 32 and a side bottom flap 34. The back panel 40 is foldably connected to a back top flap 42 and a back bottom flap 44. The flaps 12, 22, 32, 42 extend along a top marginal area of the blank 8, and the flaps 14, 24, 34, 44 extend along a bottom marginal area of the blank 8. When the carton 100 is assembled, the flaps 12, 22, 32, 42 close a top opening of the carton 100, and the flaps 14, 24, 34, 44 close a bottom opening of the carton 100.
The front top flap 22 can include a closure tab 26 that is sized to be received in a closure slit 46 formed in the back top flap 42. The closure tab 26 and closure slit 46 provide for recloseable sealing of the carton 100 after the top of the carton 100 has been opened. Glue release cuts 48 can also be included in the back top flap 42 to aid in opening of the carton 100.
A display window or aperture 26 is formed in the front panel 20. The display window 26 is arranged in the front panel 20 so that when the carton 100 is erected, a premium article A (shown in
Referring to
Referring also to
The premium article A can be, for example, any item used to enhance the salability or desirability of a product contained within the assembled carton 100. For example, the premium article A is illustrated in
According to the above embodiments, product salability can be enhanced by an article mounted within the carton between the display panel and the display window, where it is visible from the exterior of the carton. The article is kept separate from the contents of the carton, which prevents contamination of the carton contents and reduces the likelihood of damage to the article. In some embodiments, the size of the display window can be selected so that the article may not be removed through the display window, which reduces the likelihood of pilferage of the article. Graphical and/or textual information can also be printed on the display panel such that it is visible and/or accessible through the display window.
In the exemplary embodiments discussed above, the blanks may be formed from clay coated newsprint (CCN). In general, the blanks may be constructed of paperboard, having a caliper of at least about 14, so that they are heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blanks, and thus the cartons, can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the cartons to function at least generally as described above. The first and second sides of the blanks can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blank. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blanks can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present invention, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features. In situations where cutting is used to create a fold line, typically the cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable user to incorrectly consider the fold line to be a tear line.
The above embodiments may be described as having one or panels adhered together by glue. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place.
The foregoing description of the invention illustrates and describes the present invention. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected preferred embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20060254954 A1 | Nov 2006 | US |
