Patent Application
20130026059
This disclosure relates to packaging. More particularly, this disclosure relates to packaging that resists leakage.
In manufacturing environments, packaging is often important. Different styles of packaging fit different applications. In one application, products are packaged in a manufacturing line. In hopes of providing a fast manufacturing process, bliss boxes are often used, wherein a product is not removed from the manufacturing line to be packaged, but, instead, packaging is applied to the product. However, bliss boxes often include seams between separate pieces where packaging contents can escape. In most bliss boxes, seams are included on at least one side of the bliss box. If seams unseat, even to a small degree, the contents of the bliss box may be exposed to the elements or may leak out of the bliss box. Particularly where fluids are contained inside the bliss box, such as with food packaging, the risk of spillage or contamination of the contents of the packaging remains a risk.
Disclosed is leak-resistant packaging. The packaging includes at least one side panel and at least a bottom panel.
The features and components of the following figures are illustrated to emphasize the general principles of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Corresponding features and components throughout the figures may be designated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity.
As seen in
The packaging 100 includes four side panels 110,120,130,140. Although there are four side panels 110,120,130,140 in the current embodiment, any number of side panels may be used in various embodiments. In the current embodiment, side panels 120 and 140 include the same dimensions while side panels 110 and 130 include the same dimensions, although side panels 110 and 130 do not include the same dimensions as side panels 120 and 140. This results in a rectangular-shaped box packaging 100 in an assembled state. Each side panel 110,120,130,140 includes a top end 112,122,132,142, a bottom end 114,124,134,144, a first lateral end 116,126,136,146, a second lateral end 118,128,138,148, an inner surface 117,127,137,147, and an outer surface 119,129,139,149 (not shown). References to “top” and “bottom” in this disclosure are intended to refer to the packaging 100 in an assembled state.
A bottom panel 150 is included and connected to the bottom end 114,124,134,144 of each side panel 110,120,130,140. The bottom panel 150 includes a back end 152, a front end 154, a left end 156, a right end 158, an inner surface 157, and an outer surface 159 (not shown). The connections between the bottom panel 150 and the side panels 110,120,130,140 are bend lines in the current embodiment. Bend lines to which this disclosure refers are designed as weakened regions, and may include a crease, a perforation, a series of perforations, or another arrangement to weaken the area of the bend line.
In the packaging 100 of the current embodiment, all features are connected by bend lines. As such, the blank of
The packaging 100 includes a first top panel 160 and a second top panel 170. Each top panel 160,170 includes an outer end 162,172, a connected end 164,172, a first lateral end 166,176, a second lateral end 168,178, an inner surface 167,177, and an outer surface 169,179 (not shown). Each top panel 160,170 is connected by its connected end 164,174 to the top end 112,132 of the side panel 110,130 adjacent to the top panel 160,170.
The packaging 100 includes a first top flap 180 and a second top flap 190. Each top flap 180,190 includes an outer end 182,192, a connected end 184,194, a first lateral end 186,196, a second lateral end 188,198, an inner surface 187,197, and an outer surface 189,199 (not shown). Each top flap 180,190 is connected by its connected end 184,194 to the top end 122,142 of the side panel 120,140 adjacent to the top flap 180,190. The connections between each side panel 110,120,130,140 and the respective top panel 160,170 or top flap 180,190 are bend lines in the current embodiment.
In the current embodiment, three panels are located between each side panel 110,120,130,140. A first bending panel 210a,b,c,d is connected to each first lateral end 116,126,136,146. Each first bending panel 210a,b,c,d includes a side panel end 212a,b,c,d, a triangular panel end 214a,b,c,d, a first outer end 216a,b,c,d, a second outer end 218a,b,c,d, an inner surface 217a,b,c,d, and an outer surface 219a,b,c,d (not shown).
Connected to each triangular panel end 214a,b,c,d is a triangular panel 230a,b,c,d. Each triangular panel 230a,b,c,d includes a first end 232a,b,c,d, a second end 234ab,c,d, an outer end 236a,b,c,d, an inner surface 237a,b,c,d, and an outer surface 239a,b,c,d (not shown). Each second bending panel 220a,b,c,d includes a side panel end 222a,b,c,d, a triangular panel end 224a,b,c,d, a first outer end 226a,b,c,d, a second outer end 228a,b,c,d, an inner surface 227a,b,c,d, and an outer surface 229a,b,c,d (not shown).
Connected to each second end 234a,b,c,d is a second bending panel 220a,b,c,d. The second bending panel 220a,b,c,d is connected to each second lateral end 148,118,128,138.
As seen in assembled state in
In the current embodiment, when the packaging 100 is in assembly, the bending panels 210,220 and triangular panels 230 generally would protrude into the center of the packaging 100. The protrusion is bent toward the side panels 120,140. This helps prevent the panels 210,220,230 from interfering with items in the center of the packaging 100. The panels 210,220,230 are arranged so that inner surfaces 227a and 217d contact inner surface 147 and, similarly, so that inner surfaces 217b and 227c contact inner surface 127. The contacts described are glued together to maintain the packaging 100 in the assembled state.
In assembly line configuration, the packaging 100 may be configured such that it can be assembled around an assembly-line product without removing the product from the line. For example, if a manufacturing process creates a product, the product may be placed onto the bottom panel 150 on the assembly line such that the product contacts the inner surface 157. A packager—which may be a line worker or a packing machine—may then fold the packaging 100 as described above so that the side panels 110,120,130,140 are orthogonal to the bottom panel 150. The packager then may glue the bending panels 210,220 to the side panels 110,120,130,140 as described above. Optionally, the packager may then fold the top flaps 180,190 and top panels 160,170 to enclose the product, gluing or taping the packaging 100 together.
In the depicted configuration, first bending panel 210a, second bending panel 220d, second bending panel 220b, first bending panel 210c, and all four triangular panels 230a,b,c,d protrude into the interior of the packaging 100, even though the packaging is in its assembled state. This configuration allows the first bending panels 210a,c, the second bending panels 220b,d, and the triangular panels 230a,b,c,d to provide additional strength and support the top panels 160,170 and top flaps 180,190 when they are folded over to seal the packaging 100. This additional support can result in greater strength when stacking other items (such as additional boxes and packaging 100) on top of packaging 100. One of skill in the art would understand that the thickness and size of these features can be changed to provide additional or reduced strength, depending on specifications.
When assembled, the packaging 100 includes no seams that are vertically below the top ends 112,122,132,142 of the packaging 100. The coating on the corrugated cardboard is generally impervious to liquids to some degree, and thus prevents liquids from penetrating into the corrugated paper. As such, so long as the packaging 100 is not overturned and is not punctured, liquid cannot escape from inside the packaging 100, and external contaminants cannot penetrate the packaging.
Although the top panels 160,170 and the top flaps 180,190 of the current embodiment provide one enclosure for the packaging 100, other enclosures should be considered included within this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the top flaps 180,190 may be larger and may be configured to wrap around the outside of the packaging 100 to provide a sealable connection when glue is applied.
Although a glued configuration is disclosed in the current embodiment, glue may be replaced with other connections in various embodiments, including mechanical connections, taped configurations, stapled configurations, key/fit configurations, and welding or integrated configurations, among others. In the current embodiment, eight glue points—two per connection—secure the packaging. In other embodiment, more or fewer glue points or glue configurations may be used. Although all panels are connected in the current embodiment, various embodiments may include panels disconnected from each other or from various other panels so long as the connection is are in leak-resistant arrangement sufficient to contain products without substantial leakage.
It should be emphasized that the embodiments described herein are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and all combinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspects discussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.
One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while alternative embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particular embodiments or that one or more particular embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
Various implementations described in the present disclosure may include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which may not necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/511,984 filed on Jul. 26, 2011, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61511984 | Jul 2011 | US |
