Patent Application
20150102095
The present invention relates to a packaging-container blank, particularly to a packaging-container blank for a novel packaging container of a gable top type.
Gable top cartons as such have been used for quite some time and many such gable top carton appear quite similar. Typically, they have four upstanding side walls that are generally rectangular panels that are closed by a gable-shaped top. The typical gable top has equal-sized front and rear gable panels that are joined by a sealed top fin. The front panel can include a closure, such as a spout mounted to the panel to facilitate access to the contents of the carton. A threaded cap can be fitted to the spout to close the package.
After filling of the above type of containers, they are commonly loaded onto crates or similar and forwarded in the value chain, to a store, the end consumer, and recycling of the material. When loading gable top packages the sealed top fin has to be considered. Too high loads on the fin from above by bend the fin. This bending may be acceptable. Loads from above will also be distributed throughout the length of the container, with the risk of inducing structural damage to various portions of the packaging container. Presently, due care is taken during stacking of containers for this not to happen, yet a packaging container being able to withstand higher loads from the above would be advantageous.
The present invention is defined by the appended independent claims, and further embodiments thereof are defined by the corresponding dependent claims.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention a gable top packaging container comprises a bottom, a plurality of upstanding walls extending from the bottom to a sealed top fin. The upstanding walls include a first side wall adjacent to a back wall and a front wall. The front wall is adjacent to a second side wall being adjacent to the back wall. The front wall is continuous with a front gable panel via a front transition area and the back wall is continuous with a back gable panel via a back transition area. Both gable panels, the back and the front, extends to a sealed top fin, and the first side wall connects to a first side gable panel, and the second side wall connects to a second side gable panel. Adjacent upstanding walls are separated by crease lines extending in a longitudinal direction of the packaging container from the bottom to the top fin, and the front wall and the back wall follows a sloping curve in the front and back transition area respectively.
For a packaging container according to the above description focusing of forces as a result of stress from above will be avoided, since the sloping curve does not present any sharp bends through which the forces have to be transferred. In one or more embodiment it is preferred that the transition area is free from transversal crease lines.
Within the context of the present application a crease line is a fold indication which is arranged on the packaging material during converting thereof. Converting is the process in which a core of fibrous material, such as paper board, is provided with coatings, print, laminated outer layers of plastic, metal foil or etc. Generally a set of rollers with mating patterns (protrusions on one roller and mating indentations on the other) is used to compress the crease lines into the material such as to facilitate and localize folding at a later stage. The crease lines may be provided to the core before any outer layers have been laminated thereon, but they may also be provided to the material at a later stage.
In a preferred embodiment the first side gable panel is separated from the first side wall by a curved crease line, the crease line extending in a transversal direction and having a convex section, and the same is true for the second side wall and the second side gable panel.
In one or more preferred embodiments the curved crease line follows a closed path, such that the side gable panel is confined within the constraints of the two longitudinal crease lines defining the corresponding side wall and extends up towards the top fin where two ends of the curved crease line meets. This is preferably the case for both side gable panels.
In one or several embodiments it is preferred that the curved crease line has a smooth convex shape towards the delimiting longitudinal crease lines of the side panel as it passes closest to it, close to the transition area. In one or more of these embodiments the curved crease line may touch upon the longitudinal crease line, while in others there may be a defined clearance between the curved crease line and the longitudinal crease line. In this context the term “smooth” refers to a gentle curvature, as oppose to a corner or a sharp curve.
In one or more preferred embodiments the curved crease line also comprises a concave section between the smooth convex shape and the position where the two ends meet.
Though it does not have to be the case, the curved crease line is preferably symmetrical such that it is essentially mirrored in a longitudinal axis, giving the side gable panel a distinct drop shape as will be better described in the detailed description. It is preferably also centered in relation to its corresponding side wall, such that it has the same behavior in relation to longitudinal crease lines on either side of it.
In regard of the bottom of the packaging container, a sealed bottom wall is formed from a plurality of bottom wall panels, and many alternatives are known and described in prior art.
An inventive packaging container, according to one or several embodiments thereof will have properties such that a load from above will be absorbed by that container without being severely concentrated to any specific portion thereof, leaving the packaging container less prone to damage induced by top loads, thus making it less sensitive to handling. Features of the packaging container may facilitate adequate force distributions.
The present invention also relates to a blank for a packaging container according to one or more of the already mentioned embodiments. Four longitudinal crease lines, extending from a bottom to a top of the blank divides it into five panels. The first panel will when folded form the back wall and the back gable panel. The second panel is adjacent to the first panel, only being separated by the first longitudinal crease line. The second panel will when folded from a first side wall and the first side gable panel. The third panel is adjacent to the second panel, separated by the second longitudinal crease line. The third panel will when folded form the front wall and the front gable panel. The fourth panel follows next to the third panel, being separated by the third longitudinal crease line. The fourth panel will when folded form the second side wall and the second side gable panel. The fifth panel will when folded be sealed to the first panel, and is separated from the fourth panel by the fourth longitudinal crease line. A bottom creasing pattern enabling proper sealing of the bottom extends transversally over a bottom end of all panels. In regard of the bottom creasing pattern there are several known alternatives. The blank also have a top crease pattern which is localized to the side walls, said top crease pattern comprising a curved crease line extending in the transversal direction and having a convex section, bulging in the direction of the side wall (towards the bottom crease pattern). In one or more preferred embodiments the curved crease line follows a closed path, such that the side gable panel is confined within the constraints of the two longitudinal crease lines defining the corresponding side wall and extends up towards the top fin where two ends of the curved crease line meets. This is preferably the case for both side gable panels.
A “blank” is well-known to the skilled person, and should be construed as a piece of packaging material which is configured to be folded into a packaging container by being cut into a suitable shape and provided with suitable crease lines. The exact shape of a blank will vary with the type of packaging container it relates to, yet it is common that the blank is a generally rectangular shape, and it may also be folded and sealed such as to form a flattened sleeve (a packaging container with an open to a bottom). The blank is delivered to a filling machine in which is filled with its contents and sealed.
In one or several embodiments it is preferred that the curved crease line has a smooth convex shape towards the delimiting longitudinal crease lines of the side panel as it passes closest to it. In one or more of these embodiments the curved crease line may touch upon the longitudinal crease line, while in others there may be a defined clearance between the curved crease line and the longitudinal crease line.
In one or more preferred embodiments the curved crease line also comprises a concave section between the smooth convex shape (area B in the detailed description) and the position where the two ends meet. In this way an S-shape will be created.
Though it does not have to be the case, the curved crease line is preferably symmetrical such that it is essentially mirrored in a longitudinal axis, giving the side gable panel a distinct drop shape as will be better described in the detailed description. It is preferably also centered in relation to its corresponding side wall, such that it has the same behavior in relation to longitudinal crease lines on either side of it.
According to another aspect, the present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an inventive packaging blank. The method comprises the steps of providing web of packaging material with a crease pattern, cutting the packaging material into separate blanks.
The above stated steps may be preceded by the one or more of the steps of providing a web of packaging material with a coating (such as a clay based material) laminating further layers onto the web of packaging material (such as polyethylene and/or aluminium foil). In this context laponite, kaolinite, dickite, nacrite, halloysite, antigorite, chrysolite, pyrophyllite, montmorillonite, hectorite, sodium tetrasilicic mica, sodium taeniolite, commonmica, margarite, vermiculite, phlogophite, xanthophyllite and the like may be mentioned as suitable clay minerals. The material may also be provided with a print prior to creasing and cutting it into individual blanks.
According to yet another aspect the present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing and filling an inventive gable-top packaging container. The method comprises the steps of rising the blank from a flat shape to the shape of a packaging container having an open top and bottom, arranging the risen blank on a mandrel, folding and sealing one end, the top or the bottom, of the packaging container, sterilizing an interior of the packaging container, filling the packaging container, folding and sealing another end, the bottom or the top, of the packaging container. In this embodiment the longitudinal edges of the blank has first been sealed, such as to form a sleeve. When the blank is risen from this state it will this form a tube, having a rectangular cross section, and both the bottom end and the top end will be open, as is specified above.
Additional embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed in the detailed description which is to follow. Though several individual embodiments will be described, it should be obvious to the skilled person that these embodiments are provided for explaining particular features of enabled within the scope of the present invention, and unless physically impossible features from different embodiments may be readily combined, which is also true for the embodiments previously described.
The front wall 102 is continuous with the front gable panel 108 via a curved transition area T, and the front gable panel in connects to the sealed top fin 110. A transversal crease line 112 separates the front gable panel 108 from the sealed top fin 110, while the front wall as such 102 is continuous with the front gable panel 108, i.e. they are not separated by a crease line in the curved transition area T. The transversal crease line 112 between the front gable panel 108 and the sealed top fin 110 is preferred for most embodiments, yet it may be left out if desired. Moving on, the first side wall 104 is separated from a first side gable panel 114 by means of a curved crease line 116 comprising a convex section A bulging towards the bottom of the packaging container 100. Convex in this context implies that the curved crease line 116 follows a smooth curve, which bulges outwards from the first side gable panel 114 and for the present section outwards corresponds to a direction towards the bottom of the packaging container. The curved crease line 116 also comprises a convex section in the area B where it is closest to a longitudinal crease line 212 (and 214) for that matter. Following an analogous terminology this corresponds to the curved crease line bulging outwards towards an adjacent longitudinal crease line. Further features of the curved crease line 116 will be described in relation to
One or more embodiments the longitudinal crease lines 212, 214 etc may have a curved shape. Further, the back wall 106 and the front wall 102 may be divided into more walls by use of further longitudinal crease lines.
A description of the back wall 106 and back gable panel would correspond to the above description of the front wall 102 and the front gable panel 108, and a description of the second side wall and the second side gable panel would correspond to the above description of the first side wall and the first side gable panel.
In a further embodiment the front wall and the front gable panel may be separated by a transversal crease line, and the same goes for the back panel. This approach may be used for any of the described embodiments, and in particular embodiments where the side gable panels have the defined curved shape since sections of the curved shape may be used to guide the shape of the front wall/back wall in their transition to the front wall panel/back wall panel. Such guidance may result in that the presence of a transversal crease line in the transition area T still would not have to result in a sharp corner of the container.
Features of the various sides of the packaging container are easily understood from studying features of a blank 200 from which the package is formed.
The blank 200 for a packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in the view of
Four longitudinal crease lines 212, 214, 216, 218, extending from a bottom edge to a top edge of the blank 200, divides the blank into five panels. The first panel 202 will when folded form the back wall and the back gable panel, and therefore preferably consists of a continuous area not divided by crease lines. The second panel 204 is adjacent to the first panel 202, and the first longitudinal crease line 212 separates the two. The second panel 204 will when folded from a first side wall and the first side gable panel and has a creasing pattern, the curved crease line 116, separating the two panels. This curved crease line 116 forms part of the top crease pattern. The third panel 206 is adjacent to the second panel 204, separated by the second longitudinal crease line 214. The third panel 206 will when folded form the front wall and the front gable panel, and consequently the properties of the third panel 206 corresponds to those of the first panel 202. The fourth panel 208 follows next to the third panel 206, being separated therefrom by the third longitudinal crease line 216. The fourth panel 208 will when folded form the second side wall and the second side gable panel. The fifth 210 panel will eventually be sealed to the first panel 202, and it is separated from the fourth panel 208 by the fourth longitudinal crease line 218. The fifth panel will not be visible on the exterior of the formed packaging container, it is merely used to seal towards the interior of the first panel 202, to partly form the packaging container, i.e. a sleeve having two open ends later to form the top and bottom of the packaging container. The blank also have a top crease pattern which is localized to the second panel 204 and the fourth panel 208, said top crease pattern comprising a curved crease line 116 on each one of the second and the fourth panel respectively, as mentioned earlier.
A portion forming the top fin 110 of the package when folded is defined by the upper edge of the blank and a transversal crease line 128 (in part corresponding to crease line 112 of
The portions of the blank which will form the front wall 102, the back wall 106, the first side wall 104 and the second side wall 105 are clearly seen in
Variations in crease pattern in this region B may affect the overall stability of the packaging container but that is not the sole purpose since it may also affect the design and appearance of the packaging container. The impact of the crease pattern on these two areas (the stability and the design) may also vary with the type of material used, e.g. a thinner, less rigid material may be more prone to accept a crease pattern resulting in small clearances between adjacent crease lines and areas of narrow angles, than what is the case for a thicker and more rigid material. It should also be emphasized that the variations performed in the well defined region B is not intended to alter the overall impression of the package design, merely accomplish an optimized effect on a detail level. It may also be noticed that for all embodiments the overall convex appearance prevails.
A method for forming a blank, and a method for forming a packaging container from a blank, respectively, is shown in
Thus far the material used in the web of packaging material (and consequently in the packaging container as well as the blank) has not been discussed. It is preferred that the material is a packaging laminate made from a paper board another fibrous core layer, preferably made from recyclable material, interposed with one or more layers of plastic, such as LDPE. The laminate may include further barrier layers, such as aluminum for prevention of passage of oxygen and/or light through the packaging container, as well as layers used for attaching separate layers to each other. There are many other types of laminates used for the purpose of forming packaging containers. This is well known to the skilled person and the present invention, as defined by the claims, should not be limited to this particular example.
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. Generally, making small alterations in the curved creasing line, such as leaving small segments non-creased should be considered as forming part of the present invention according to the previous description, unless relevant prior art prevents this broadened interpretation. Further, the lower convex segment may involve additional convex and concave segments of the same curve, arranged in an alternating fashion.
All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure. In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. When used herein a “drop shape” is defined as a two-dimensional shape having a semicircular or semielliptical lower portion and a curved, tapered upper portion, i.e. the present definition remains within the conventional definition of a stylized drop.
From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, it is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12160992.9 | Mar 2012 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/055950 | 3/21/2013 | WO | 00 |
