Patent Application
20050115965
This invention concerns closures for containers, and especially closures for single serving foodstuff containers having utensils provided with the closure.
Foodstuffs such as yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese and the like are conveniently packaged in containers holding a single serving size. The food in such containers is intended to be consumed directly from the container as a meal or a snack. The aforementioned food items are not conveniently eaten without utensils, however, and it is found troublesome to supply a utensil, such as a spoon, with the container.
Separate utensils may be supplied along with the container at its point of purchase, or a separate utensil may be packaged on the outside of the container, but these measures do not reliably provide a utensil with a container. The utensils become separated and lost, or the supply of food containers exceeds the supply of utensils. If utensils are not supplied, the result is lost sales of a perishable product with limited shelf life.
Attempts have been made in the past to integrally mold utensils into container closures. However, such solutions have largely been confined to homogeneous plastic closures and are not readily applicable to composite closures formed of a central paperboard panel surrounded by a plastic skirt. Composite closures are in widespread use for their ability to be substantially sealingly re-closed after opening. Furthermore, composite closures are advantageous because the paperboard panel in such closures provides a large surface area that may be printed with colorful indicia such as trademarks and illustrations identifying the product within the container.
It would be advantageous to reliably provide a utensil, such as a spoon, with composite closures for containers, especially for use with single serving sized containers for foodstuffs.
The invention concerns a closure for a container. In one preferred embodiment, the closure comprises a central panel formed from paperboard and bounded by a perimeter. The central panel has opposite side surfaces. A plastic skirt is attached to the central panel along the perimeter. The skirt extends substantially perpendicularly to the panel and thereby defines a well on one of the side surfaces. A release coating is preferably applied substantially over the one side surface, but a region is formed on the one side surface wherein the release coating is absent. A plastic utensil is removably attached to the central panel over the region having no release coating.
The utensil may be a spoon, a knife, a fork or other implement. Preferably, the plastic is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene and polystyrene, although other materials are also feasible.
The invention further includes a method of making a closure for a container. As described above, the closure includes a utensil and a plastic skirt surrounding a central panel. The method comprises the steps of:
The method may also include the step of adhering the utensil to the central panel.
Central panel 14 is surrounded by a plastic skirt 16 which is attached to the perimeter 18 of the panel. Skirt 16 is sized to engage the container 10 and form a seal between it and the closure 12. Preferably, the composite closure 12 is formed by injection molding in a cavity and core mold. The mold is opened by removing the core from the cavity, and a pre-printed central panel 14 is placed therein. The mold is then closed by inserting the core into the cavity, the cavity and core having a predetermined mold space defining the skirt 16.
Molten plastic is injected into the mold space between the cavity and core to form the skirt 16. A portion of the perimeter 18 of panel 12 extends into the mold space within the mold and is thereby engaged by the molten plastic upon injection. As shown in
With reference again to
The core of the cavity and core mold has a mold space defining the utensil 28. One surface of this mold space is bounded by the central panel 14 when it is placed in the mold. A gate is positioned between the aforementioned mold space defining the skirt 16 and the mold space defining the utensil 28 to provide fluid communication between these spaces, allowing the molten plastic to flow under pressure into both mold spaces to mold both the utensil and the skirt. Sprue 32 is formed in the gate between the mold spaces. The sprue is readily severable for ease of removal of the utensil 28 from the skirt 16.
The inwardly facing surface 34 of central panel 14 preferably has a release coating 36 thereon to prevent the utensil 28 from adhering to the central panel 14 substantially over the length of the utensil upon curing of the plastic resin. If the utensil 28 is allowed to adhere lengthwise to the central panel 14, or even at spaced locations along the utensil's length, it will cause the panel to warp because the plastic comprising the utensil shrinks upon curing. The release coating 36 may comprise a layer of varnish or polyester, which is preferably pre-printed or coated onto the surface 34. Attachment of the utensil 28 to the closure 12 is effected by providing a relatively small region 38 on surface 34 of the central panel 14 that does not have a release coating. Region 38 is preferably positioned at or near the end of handle 30 and allows a portion of the utensil to adhere to the inwardly facing surface 34 upon molding of the utensil and the skirt. This prevents the utensil 28 from becoming detached from the closure 12 during manufacturing, handling and assembly. It also prevents the utensil from contacting the food item within the container during shipment and storage. Significant distortion of the central panel 14 is avoided by attaching the handle 30 to the central panel over a relatively small area substantially adjacent to the skirt 16.
Container closures according to the invention provide a composite closure having a utensil and are advantageously used with single serving containers to allow the food therein to be consumed directly out of the container.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60515344 | Oct 2003 | US |
