U.S. patent application number 10/718200 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-27 for child resistant carton package.
This patent application is currently assigned to Stora Enso Oyj.. Invention is credited to Dehlin, Marcus, Ehrlund, Ake, Tuominen, Tommi.
Application Number | 20040099565 10/718200 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32322616 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040099565 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dehlin, Marcus ; et
al. |
May 27, 2004 |
Child resistant carton package
Abstract
The invention relates to a child resistant carton package for a
pharmaceutical or like dangerous product. The package comprises an
outer sleeve (2), an insert (3) that can be slidingly drawn out of
the sleeve, the insert carrying the packaged product, and a locking
mechanism (7, 9) between the sleeve and the insert. According to
the invention at least the outer sleeve (2) is made of board
reinforced with polymer to increase its resistance to tearing. The
board may have a reinforcing layer of a tough polymer such as
polyester, preferably on both sides of the board. There may also be
a coextruded outer heat seal layer of polyolefine. The cutting
edges may be protected with a polymer shield against delamination
of the board. The same extrusion coated board can be used also for
the inner sleeve.
Inventors: |
Dehlin, Marcus; (Karlstad,
SE) ; Ehrlund, Ake; (Spanga, SE) ; Tuominen,
Tommi; (Kotka, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREER, BURNS & CRAIN, LTD.
Suite 2500
300 South Wacker Drive
Chicago
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
Stora Enso Oyj.
|
Family ID: |
32322616 |
Appl. No.: |
10/718200 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10718200 |
Nov 20, 2003 |
|
|
|
PCT/SE01/02496 |
May 21, 2003 |
|
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10718200 |
Nov 20, 2003 |
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PCT/SE02/01600 |
Sep 6, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/536 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 50/046 20130101;
B65D 5/38 20130101; B65D 2215/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/536 |
International
Class: |
B65D 083/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A child resistant carton package, the package comprising an
outer sleeve of fiber-based material, an insert that can be
slidingly drawn out of the sleeve, the insert carrying the packaged
product, and a locking mechanism between the sleeve and the insert,
for preventing a child from drawing the insert out of the sleeve,
said outer sleeve comprising board reinforced with a polymer to
increase its resistance to tearing.
2. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve
is made from polymer extrusion coated board.
3. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein the board has a
coating layer of a tough polymer selected from the group consisting
of polyester, polyamide, polypropene and polycarbonate.
4. A carton package according to claim 3, wherein the coating
polymer is polyethylene terephtalate.
5. A carton package according to claim 3, wherein the board on both
sides thereof is provided with a coating layer of a tough
polymer.
6. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein said polymer
comprises an inner reinforcement layer of a tough polymer and an
outer heat seal polymer layer.
7. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein the insert is
made of the same polymer extrusion coated board as the outer
sleeve.
8. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein cutting edges at
least on the outside of the outer sleeve are provided with a
polymer shield against delamination of the board.
9. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein the board is
delaminable along a fiber-based material layer in case of failure
of a cutting edge.
10. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve
comprises four longitudinal side walls parallel to a sliding
direction (S) of the insert and an open end to let the insert be
drawn out of the sleeve, and that the locking mechanism comprises a
first stop tab in the sleeve, the first stop tab extending from a
first to a second of the longitudinal walls and being at least
partly separated from the first longitudinal wall and the second
longitudinal wall, and a first locking edge provided in the insert,
the insert being prevented, upon contact of the first locking edge
with the first stop tab, from moving out of the sleeve, while the
first locking edge can, through elastic deforming of a part of the
insert by a user, be moved so that its movement past the first stop
tab is made possible.
11. A carton package according to claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve
has one or more holes permitting release of the locking by a user's
finger.
12. A carton package according to claim 2, wherein the outer sleeve
is made by folding a blank of the polymer extrusion coated board
and seaming overlapping parts of the folded blank together by heat
sealing the coating polymer of the board, the seams on the outside
of the sleeve having the edge of the outer board part protected by
polymeric shielding against delamination of the coated board.
13. A carton package according to claim 12, wherein an edge portion
of the outer board part is skived from its inside and turned
twofold, the polymer coating of the folded portion forming the
delamination shield and at least part of the heat seal between the
overlapping inner and outer board parts at the seam.
14. Use of polymer extrusion coated board for a child resistant
carton package for a pharmaceutical or like dangerous product, the
package comprising an outer sleeve, a slidable insert and a locking
mechanism between the outer sleeve and the insert.
15. Use of polyethylene terephtalate coated board in accordance
with claim 14.
16. Use of polymer extrusion coated board having an inner layer of
a tough polymer selected from the group consisting of polyester,
polyamide, polypropene and polycarbonate and an outer heat seal
layer of polyolefine, for a child resistant carton package in
accordance with claim 14.
17. Use of polymer extrusion coated board in accordance with claim
14 for the outer sleeve, the slidable insert and the locking
mechanism parts of the carton package.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
U.S. Ser. No. ______ filed May 21, 2003 (U.S. National stage of
PCT/SE01/02496), and is a continuation-in-part of co-pending Serial
No. PCT/SE02/01600, filed Sep. 6, 2002 designating the United
States.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a child resistant carton package,
the package comprising an outer sleeve of fiber-based material, an
insert that can be slidingly drawn out from the sleeve, the insert
carrying the packaged product, and a locking mechanism between the
sleeve and the insert, for preventing a child from drawing the
insert out of the sleeve. Furthermore, the invention covers use of
specific fiber-based boards for such carton packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Consumer packages for pharmaceutical or other products
posing a risk for small children must be designed so as to hinder
ansy access by a child to the contents of the package. In box type
packages consisting of a sleeve and a sliding insert that can be
pulled out of the sleeve this has been achieved by locking
mechanisms dimensioned so as to require the hand of an average
adult for their ready operation. There are standards for child
resistance defining tests such packages should pass so as to be
acceptable to the market, most notably the international standard
ISO 8317.
[0004] Child-proof pharmaceutical packages with locking means have
been manufactured of plastics, but more recently also paperboard
and cardboard have been introduced or suggested as materials for
such packages.
[0005] EP 1 002 744 A1 describes a two piece paperboard package
with a child resistant locking system arranged between an inner
paperboard slide card housing a product and an outer paperboard
sleeve. For locking the pieces the system has a tab in the inner
slide coming into contact with a shoulder on the inside of the
sleeve. Releasing the parts takes place by pressing a release
button. The paperboard used is described as being within the
thickness range of 0.2 to 0.7 mm and usually has clay coating
either on one side surface or on both sides. The coating is taught
to provide a high degree of smoothness and superior graphic print
surface. A weakness in the mechanism according to EP 1 002 744 A1
is that the locking system is dependent on selection of a
sufficiently thick material for the outer sleeve. A material that
is too thin can put the locking security at risk.
[0006] A further prior art two-part carton package for
pharmaceuticals is described in US 6 491 211 B1. The outer carton
is taught to be formed of a blank of any suitable material,
paperboard of sulfate, clay-coated newsback or recycled paperboard,
having a thickness of 0.008 to 0.028 inch (about 0.2 to 0.7 mm),
being specifically preferred.
[0007] A different type of pharmaceutical packages are
press-through or blister packs comprising a plastics sheet with
flexible bubbles and a sheet of rupturable aluminium foil attached
to the plastics sheet. The pills contained in the compartments or
blisters between the sheets are removed by pressing, so as to force
them through the rupturing foil. In EP 0 771 737 B1 there is
described a blister pack, which is made child resistant by
providing it with a backing sheet that cannot be ruptured, the
backing sheet comprising a heat seal layer, a foil layer, a layer
of polyester of other strong polymer material and an outer paper
layer for printing. The backing sheet has a nearly invisible score
cut as an opening feature to let the package be opened by peeling
off of the backing sheet, use of the opening feature requiring the
cognitive skills of an adult, in contrast to that of a child not
being able to use it. WO 03/066323 A1 further describes a laminate
for child-resistant blister packs comprising a heat seal layer, a
tear-resistant polymer layer and a paperboard substrate for
printing. The laminate is provided with areas of controlled
weakness to direct opening of the package according to
instructions, which are easily followed by an adult but not by a
child.
[0008] As a material for disposable consumer packages fiber-based
board is generally preferable to plastics, due to lower material or
manufacturing costs and environmental aspects. However, as carton
packages have been subjected to child safety tests by the present
applicant it has unexpectedly turned out that in spite of the
advances made, such packages still easily fail to fulfill the
requirements. While the prior art so far has concentrated on
improving the locking mechanism, to add its structural rigidity and
wear-resistance and to make it resistant to a child's tampering,
the tests reveal that the weak point is no more the design of the
locking mechanism but rather the material itself. Whether for
curiosity or any other reason, a child can all too easily open a
board package and gain access to its contents simply by tearing it
apart.
[0009] A feature apt to trigger a child's interest in the package
is the holes or other accessories required by the locking
mechanism. However, rather than from the holes, a child would tear
the sleeve starting from the insert opening or the seals, where the
material will lose integrity and break off.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The object of the invention is thus to provide a carton
package of fiber-based material for pharmaceuticals etc. that
overcomes the structural weakness problem discussed above. In
particular, the invention has the object of providing a package
which better prevents the access of children to the contents by
modification of the fiber-based material used for the package.
Thereby a package with improved child resistance may be obtained
while substantially preserving the advantages of paperboard or
cardboard materials in comparison with the all-plastic packages as
used in the prior art.
[0011] The invention has in particular the object of providing
added strength for the package without any need to change its
overall design and manufacture, so that the improvement is easy to
put into practice and, except the material, does not increase the
manufacturing costs of the package.
[0012] According to the invention the above objects are achieved
through a child resistant two-part carton package for a
pharmaceutical product or other products that might be dangerous
for children, which has an outer sleeve that is made of board
reinforced with polymer to increase its resistance to tearing.
[0013] The reinforcement may be a layer of tough polymer coated
onto the fiber-based board. Suitable coating polymers for use in
the invention are those selected from the group consisting of
polyester, polyamide, polypropene and polycarbonate, polyesters
being preferred, and among them, polyethylene terephtalate (PET)
being particularly preferred. The polymer layer can be brought to
the board by extrusion.
[0014] The board may have a polymer coating on one side thereof,
this side then being used for the outer side of the sleeve. A
polymer coating covering the outside of the sleeve prevents a child
from wetting and tearing the material with her teeth. However, the
board is preferably provided on both sides thereof with a coating
layer of a tough polymer. In either case the coating polymer may be
used to form the heat seals needed to hold the sleeve folded from a
blank of the coated board together.
[0015] More preferably, the board is provided with a multilayer
coating comprising an inner reinforcement layer of a tough polymer
such as PET and an outer heat seal layer of polyolefin. Such
multilayer coating can be on one side or, preferably, on both sides
of the board. The adjacent layers can be brought to the board
simultaneously by coextrusion.
[0016] In a carton package according to the invention not only the
sleeve but also the insert can be made of board coated with a
reinforcement layer of tough polymer. Especially the end face of
the insert closing the open end of the sleeve advantageously has a
polymer coating so that the outside of the package has a similar
polymer reinforcement throughout. Preferably the insert is made of
the same polymer extrusion coated board as the outer sleeve.
[0017] The reinforced board used especially for the outer sleeve of
the carton package may have such a structure that it delaminates
under a sufficient tearing force subjected to its raw cutting edge.
It has been found that even in case of such a rupture the inner
material layers, including a polymer coating on the inside,
together with the heat sealings may hold the package closed and
thus succeed in preventing the child to get access to its
contents.
[0018] Alternatively, specific measures can be taken to reinforce
the cut edges at least on the outside of the outer sleeve so that
delamination, i.e. peeling off of an outer material layer, is
prevented in the first place. Skiving and folding of the edges of a
polymer coated board, application of glue to the cut edges, or
covering the edges with a protecive film may be mentioned as
examples of such techniques.
[0019] A carton package according to the invention may be
constructed so that the sleeve comprises four longitudinal side
walls parallel to the sliding direction of the insert, a rear wall,
and an open end to let the insert be drawn out of the sleeve, and
that the locking mechanism comprises a first stop tab in the
sleeve, the first stop tab extending from a first to a second of
the longitudinal walls and being at least partly separated from the
first longitudinal wall and the second longitudinal wall, and a
first locking edge provided in the insert, the insert being
prevented, upon contact of the first locking edge with the first
stop tab, from moving out of the sleeve, while the first locking
edge can, through elastic deforming of a part of the insert by a
user, be moved so that its movement past the first stop tab is made
possible.
[0020] For operation of the locking mechanism the outer sleeve may
have one or more holes permitting release of the locking by the
user's finger.
[0021] The invention also comprises use of polymer extrusion coated
board for a child resistant carton package for a dangerous product
such as a pharmaceutical, the package comprising an outer sleeve, a
slidable insert and a locking mechanism between the outer sleeve
and the insert.
[0022] The coated board for use according to the invention is as
already described. A board coated on both sides with a reinforcing
tough polymer, such as PET, and a heat sealing polymer such as
polyolefin is thus preferred.
[0023] Such a board reinforced with an extruded polymer coating may
be used for the outer sleeve as well as for the slidable insert and
would then also form the locking mechanism parts of the carton
package.
[0024] The board base for use in the invention may be kraft board
of a weight in the interval 170 to 500 g/m.sup.2, preferably 200 to
300 g/m.sup.2. The extruded coating layers of PET or other suitable
tough polymer may have a weight of 30 to 100 g/m.sup.2 preferably
40 to 60 g/m.sup.2. The extruded outer heat seal layers of
polyolefin such as low density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropene
(PP) may be of a weight of 15 to 60 g/m.sup.2, preferably 20 to 40
g/m.sup.2. The coated board is used for the outer sleeve or the
insert or both, the polymer coating reinforcing the board by way of
increasing its tearing strength, with benefit to at least 2000 mN
and preferably more than 2500 mN according to standard SCAN-P
11:96.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The invention will be described in detail below with
reference to the drawings, in which
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a package according to an
embodiment of the invention,
[0027] FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the package in FIG.
1,
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a manufacturing blank for a part of the package
in FIG. 1,
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a part of the package
which has been manufactured from the manufacturing blank in FIG. 3,
certain concealed parts being marked by broken lines,
[0030] FIG. 5 shows in perspective a cut-out part of the part in
FIG. 4,
[0031] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a part of the package in
FIG. 1,
[0032] FIG. 7 shows a manufacturing blank for the part in FIG.
6,
[0033] FIG. 8 shows a transverse section of a part of the package
in FIGS. 1 and 2,
[0034] FIG. 9 shows as a schematic cross-section a material
applicable for the package according to FIGS. 1-8,
[0035] FIG. 10 shows as a schematic cross-section another material
applicable for packages according to the invention,
[0036] FIG. 11 is a cross-section XI-XI from FIG. 2, showing in a
schematic manner the material used in the package according to
FIGS. 1-8,
[0037] FIG. 12 shows a bottom view of the package corresponding to
that in FIG. 1 and having shielded cutting edges at the seams,
[0038] FIG. 13 shows in cross-section a skived edge portion of a
blank for a part of a package according to the invention,
[0039] FIG. 14 is a cross-section XIV-XIV from FIG. 12, showing a
seam area of the package formed by use of the blank in FIG. 13, the
seam comprising the skived edge portion,
[0040] FIG. 15 corresponds to FIG. 12, showing in a bottom view a
variation of the package according to the invention,
[0041] FIG. 16 shows a bottom view of a further variation of the
package according to the invention, and
[0042] FIG. 17 shows a part of a still further variation of the
package according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0043] For its general structure the package shown in FIGS. 1-8 is
described in PCT/SE02/01600, which is hereby incorporated by
reference in the present disclosure. Further examples of package
structures with locking mechanisms applicable in connection with
the present invention may be found in WO 02/38454 A1, the latter
publication being also incorporated by reference in the present
disclosure.
[0044] FIG. 1 shows a package 1 according to a preferred embodiment
of the invention. The package comprises an outer sleeve 2 of
essentially parallelepipedal shape, and an insert 3 intended to
hold the contents of the package. The sleeve 2 and the insert 3 are
preferably produced by folding and heat sealing blanks made of
extrusion coated cardboard material (see below). The insert 3 can
be inserted into and withdrawn from the sleeve 2 in a sliding
direction S, indicated by a double arrow in FIG. 1, through an
opening 4 in the sleeve 2. FIG. 1 shows the package 1 in the
completely inserted state of the insert. FIG. 2 shows the package 1
in a partly withdrawn state of the insert 3, access to the contents
of the package being possible.
[0045] The sleeve 2 comprises four longitudinal walls which are
essentially parallel to the sliding direction S. The longitudinal
walls are an upper wall 2a, a lower wall 2b, a first side wall 2c
and a second side wall 2d, the upper wall 2a and the first side
wall 2c being visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0046] At the opening 4, the side walls 2c, 2d each have gripping
notches 5, at each of which the insert 3 can be gripped by a finger
in order to be drawn out. The width of the package is preferably
adapted so that the insert 3 can be gripped only by people who have
sufficiently large hands for this. This means that small children
cannot reach across the width of the package with a
thumb/forefinger grip in order to draw the insert 3 out.
[0047] At one end, the insert 3 preferably has a beam-like part 6
which is produced by folding an insert blank (see below). The beam
has such stiffness that it is impossible or extremely difficult for
a child to deform the end of the insert and in this way reach the
contents of the package.
[0048] At the opening 4, the sleeve 2 preferably has two tabs which
are folded inwards essentially parallel to the upper wall 2a and
the lower wall 2b, respectively, (see below). This means that an
upper and a lower edge at the opening 4 are reinforced, making it
impossible or difficult for children to tear open the sleeve 2 at
these edges in order to reach the contents of the package.
[0049] FIG. 3 shows a sleeve blank 2' made of extrusion coated
cardboard, which is formed into the sleeve 2 by folding and heat
sealing. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the sleeve blank 2' comprises
the two tabs 21, 22 which, as mentioned above, reinforce the
opening 4 of the sleeve by being folded inwards essentially
parallel to the upper wall 2a and the lower wall 2b,
respectively.
[0050] The sleeve blank 2' comprises a first portion 2a' intended
to form the upper wall 2a of the sleeve and a second portion 2b'
intended to form the lower wall 2b of the sleeve. A third portion
2c' and a fourth portion 2c" are intended to form the first side
wall 2c of the sleeve, the fourth portion 2c" being intended to be
positioned inside the third portion 2c'. In a corresponding way, a
fifth portion 2d' and a sixth portion 2d" are intended to form the
second side wall 2d of the sleeve.
[0051] A seventh portion 7a' and an eighth portion 7b" are intended
to form a first stop tab 7a and a second stop tab 7b, respectively,
which act to bring about locking of the insert 3 in the sleeve 2,
which is described in greater detail below. As can be seen in FIG.
3, the portions 7a', 7b' which are to form stop tabs have an
essentially triangular shape, one of the points of the triangle
being located at a free longitudinal edge on the fourth portion 2c"
and the sixth portion 2d", respectively. The seventh portion 7a'
and the eighth portion 7b' project outside the free longitudinal
edge on the fourth portion 2c" and the sixth portion 2d",
respectively, and they are intended to be folded at respective
lines 7a", 7b" inside said free edges.
[0052] Alternatively, the portions which are to form stop tabs can
have a shape other than triangular, for example rectangular.
[0053] When the sleeve blank is folded, the fourth portion 2c" and
the sixth portion 2d" are folded so that their free longitudinal
edges are positioned at the connection between the upper wall 2a
and the first side wall 2c and the second side wall 2d,
respectively, of the sleeve. The seventh portion 7a' and the eighth
portion 7b' are then folded so that they are positioned at an angle
to the upper wall 2a and the first side wall 2c and the second side
wall 2d, respectively, of the sleeve; they then form the first stop
tab 7a and, respectively, the second stop tab 7b. Each stop tab is
therefore connected to the respective side wall and forms an angle
in relation to the same by bearing against the upper wall.
[0054] FIG. 4 shows the folded-together and heat sealed sleeve with
certain concealed parts marked by broken lines. The first stop tab
7a and the second stop tab 7b are located on the inside of the
sleeve, in respective corners formed by the upper wall 2a, and the
first side wall 2c and the second side wall 2d, respectively. The
first stop tab 7a and the second stop tab 7b are also located at a
distance from a rear wall 2e of the sleeve 2.
[0055] FIG. 5 shows, for the sake of clarity, a part of the sleeve
2 cut out, in perspective at an angle from below. The second stop
tab 7b extends from the inside of the second side wall 2d to the
inside of the upper wall 2a. The stop tab 7b therefore extends at
an angle to the walls 2a, 2d of the sleeve so that at least a part
of it is located in a part of the area for the movement of the
insert 3 in the sliding direction S. As described in greater detail
below, the stop tab 7b acts by contact with the insert 3 in order
to prevent the latter from being drawn out of the sleeve 2. The
fact that the stop tab 7b extends inside the walls of the sleeve
and is separated from these ensures that its functioning is not
sensitive to wear of the same after repeated use. Furthermore, a
solution is achieved, in which the stop tab is separated from the
sleeve walls without a means, such as a projecting part, intended
especially for the purpose being required.
[0056] As can be seen in FIG. 5, the stop tab 7b is also angled in
relation to the sliding direction S of the insert 3, so that that
part of the stop tab located closest to the opening 4 of the sleeve
is located closer to the sleeve walls 2a, 2d than the other parts
of the stop tab. By virtue of this, when the insert is inserted
into the sleeve, parts of the insert 3 intended for locking, which
are described in greater detail below, can, by elastic deformation
on contact with the stop tab 7b, pass the latter and "snap" back
after passing. This design of the stop tab 7b also means that it is
very strong and can withstand great forces when attempts are made
to draw it out without an unlocking manoeuvre as described
below.
[0057] FIG. 6 shows the insert 3, and FIG. 7 shows a blank 3' for
manufacturing an insert by means of folding and if appropriate heat
sealing. The insert blank comprises portions 6' for making the beam
6 mentioned above.
[0058] The insert 3 comprises a bottom part 3a, a first side part
3b and a second side part 3c. In the inserted state of the insert,
the side parts 3b, 3c are located essentially parallel to and next
to the side walls 2c, 2d of the sleeve 2. The side parts 3b, 3c
extend essentially in the sliding direction S, intended for the
insert, in the sleeve 2. They are connected to the bottom part 3a
and are oriented essentially at right angles thereto.
[0059] Each side part 3b, 3c has a notch 8a, 8b. At the notches, a
first locking edge 9a and a second locking edge 9b are formed,
respectively. In the inserted state of the insert, the locking
edges 9a, 9b are located slightly closer to the rear wall 2e of the
sleeve than the stop tabs 7a, 7b, and, if attempts are made to draw
the insert out of the sleeve, this is prevented by virtue of the
side parts 3b, 3c coming into contact, in the area of the locking
edges 9a, 9b, with the first stop tab 7a and the second stop tab
7b, respectively.
[0060] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the sleeve blank 2' has holes
10a', 10b', referred to as outer holes 10a', 10b' below, on the
third portion 2c' and the fifth portion 2d', and holes 10a", 10b",
referred to as inner holes 1a", 10b" below, on the fourth portion
2c" and the sixth portion 2d". The inner holes 10a", 10b" are each
covered by a flap 101 which, at an essentially straight edge of the
respective inner hole, is connected to the sleeve blank so that the
flap is pivotable about the straight edge.
[0061] In the finished state of the sleeve 3, the first side wall
2c and the second side wall 2d comprise parts of the third and the
fourth portion 2c', 2c", and the fifth and the sixth portion 2d',
2d", respectively. In this regard, the third portion 2c' and the
fifth portion 2d' are located outside the fourth portion 2c" and
the sixth portion 2d", respectively. The flaps 101 and the outer
holes 10a', 10b' are adapted in terms of size so that the flaps 101
extend outside the area of the respective outer hole 10a', 10b' so
that they are pivotable only inwards in the package. The flaps are
then prevented from being moved outside the package and in this way
being damaged.
[0062] As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the inner holes 10a",
10b" and the outer holes 10a', 10b' form, in the finished folded
sleeve 2, a first hole 10a and a second hole 10b in the first side
wall 2c and the second side wall 2d, respectively. The package is
adapted so that a user can grip across the package with a
thumb/forefinger grip. The user can then press a finger on each of
the holes 10a, 10b in order to move the flaps 101 inwards and, on
the inside of the sleeve, to press the side parts 3b, 3c of the
insert so that these, at least in the area of the locking edges,
are deformed elastically so that they are inclined inwards in the
sleeve 2, which can be seen in FIG. 8 (where only one side part 3c
is shown). The locking edges 9a, 9b are then moved away from the
side walls 2c, 2d of the sleeve. In this way, the locking edges 9a,
9b come to lie, seen in the sliding direction S of the insert 3,
outside the area of the extent of the stop tabs 7a, 7b, and the
insert can, by means of a thumb/forefinger grip at the gripping
notches 5 (described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2) with
the other hand of the user, be drawn out of the sleeve.
[0063] The width of the package is preferably adapted so that
people with small hands, for example children, cannot reach across
the package with thumb and forefinger in order to manoeuvre the
locking by the locking edges 9a, 9b. Opening of the package
therefore requires the use of two hands of the size of those of a
normal adult.
[0064] The design of parts intended for locking in longitudinal
side parts of the insert results in a strong construction, and thus
in combination with a reinforced board a reduced risk of the insert
being drawn out by force, for example by a child.
[0065] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-section of a coated board
applicable for the carton package described above with reference to
FIGS. 1-8. The coated board would form the blanks shown in FIGS. 3
and 7, and thereby the entire package, i.e. the sleeve and the
insert, and thus also the locking mechanism which is part of the
sleeve as described.
[0066] The coated packaging board 11 of FIG. 9 comprises a board
base 12, which is preferably a multilayer kraft board of a weight
in the interval 170 to 500 g/m.sup.2, preferably 200 to 300
g/m.sup.2. On both sides of the kraft board base 12 there is an
extruded layer 13 of tough polymer, preferably polyethylene
terephtalate (PET), each PET layer having a weight of 30 to 100
g/m.sup.2, preferably 40 to 60 g/m.sup.2. The multilayer structure
may be symmetrical with respect to the board base 12, the PET
layers on opposite sides of the board base then having similar
coating weight.
[0067] The coated board 11 shown in FIG. 10 differs from that shown
in FIG. 9 principally in that there is an extruded polymer coating
layer 13 only on one side of the board base 12. The material and
weight of the board base may be as above, and the single polymer
layer preferably is a PET layer having a weight of 30 to 100 g/m 2,
preferably 40 to 60 g/m.sup.2. In making the package the PET coated
side of the board would be used to form the outer surface of the
sleeve and the insert.
[0068] FIG. 11 shows the coated board 11 preferably used for the
package described in FIGS. 1-8. The coated board of FIG. 11
corresponds to that shown and described in connection with FIG. 9
above, but has an outer heat seal polymer layer 14, preferably of
LDPE, on both sides thereof. Each of the LDPE layers 14 has a
weight of 15-60 g/m.sup.2, preferably 20-40 g/m.sup.2. The PET and
LDPE layers 13, 14 may be brought to the fibrous board base 12 at a
single manufacturing step by coextrusion.
[0069] In the manufacture of the package 1 the polymer coating
layers 13, 14 are used to form the heat seals as required in the
sleeve and in the insert. FIG. 12 shows the bottom side of the
sleeve 2 comprising two parallel seams 15, in which two opposite
edges of the sleeve blank 2' have been brought to overlap with the
lower wall portion 2b'. In the case of the boards 11 with polymer
coatings on both sides as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 the coating
layers 13 or 14 on the overlapped parts of the blank are fused
together by means of heat sufficient to melt the polymer. In the
case of the singly coated board of FIG. 10 the overlapped parts are
sealed by melting the single polymer layer 13 on one part to attach
it to the adjacent uncoated board surface of the other part.
[0070] FIGS. 13 and 14 show as a further embodiment of the
invention protection of a seam 15 of the outer sleeve 2 against
delamination of the coated board. Delamination starting from an
exposed seam 15 on the outside of the package is one of the
possible ways of disruption the package may suffer in children's
hands. Delamination could occur either by the polymer coating
peeling off from the board base or between adjacent layers of a
multilayer fibrous board.
[0071] In FIG. 13 an edge portion 16 of a blank 2', which is made
of a coated board 11 as shown in FIG. 11 and has the design as
shown in FIG. 3, has been skived from one side of the blank, to
reduce its thickness approximately to a half. It should be
understood that such skiving is carried out particularly for the
parts of the blank 2' forming exposed seam edges 15 on the outside
of the finished sleeve 2.
[0072] In FIG. 14 such a seam is shown between overlapped parts 17,
18 of the blank 2' of FIG. 13 as it has been folded and heat sealed
to form the sleeve 2. The part 17 having the skived edge portion 16
is the outer board part at the seam, lying on the outside ot the
sleeve, more particularly in its bottom as the blank 2' and the
sleeve 2 have the configurations as seen in FIGS. 3 and 8,
respectively.
[0073] As seen in FIG. 14 the skived edge portion 16 of the outer
board part 17 with reduced material thickness has been bent
twofold, the outside coating layers thus enclosing the fibrous
board base 12 at the seam edge 15 and extending to lie against the
outside coating layers of the inner board part 18. The seam between
the parts 17, 18 has been produced by heat sealing the adjacent
heat seal layers 14, 14' within an area denoted as 19 in FIG. 14,
the outer heat seal layer 14' of the inner part 18 being fused
together with parts of the inner as well as the folded outer heat
seal layer 14 of the outer part 17. If desired, an adhesive may be
applied to the raw board base 12 surface produced by the skiving so
as to provide inner structural strength for the fold.
[0074] An alternative manner of shielding the seams 15 against
delamination would be application of glue on the cut raw edges
thereof, so as to close the pores in the fibrous board base 12.
Preferably such gluing would be carried out for any cut edge
portions exposed to the outside of the package 1.
[0075] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 the edge portions of the
blank 2' forming the seams 15 have been extended to bring the
cutting edges into a protective contact with each other, to make
them resist tampering and the risk of delamination.
[0076] FIG. 16 shows as a further embodiment shielding of the raw
cut edges at the seams 15 as well as around the holes 10 of the
sleeve 2 by covering them with an adhered protection film 20 of a
tough plastic material. According to FIG. 17 similar protective
film 20 has been applied around the opening part 4 of the outer
sleeve 2, to shield the cut edges 21 thereof against tampering and
delamination. Otherwise the material for the sleeve 2 may be any
one of those described in connection with FIGS. 9-11.
EXAMPLE
[0077] A coated board was prepared by using packaging board of
grade Cupforma Classic by Stora Enso, having a weight of 210
g/m.sup.2, as board base. This board was extrusion coated on one
side or on both sides thereof with a PET layer of a weight 50
g/m.sup.2. The tearing strengths measured according to the standard
SCAN-P 11:96 are presented in the following table:
1 TABLE Coating on Coating on both sides one side Uncoated Tearing
strength m.d. (mN) 3114 2724 1902 Tearing strength c.d. (mN) 3083
2904 1924 m.d. = machine direction c.d. = cross-machine
direction
[0078] A package according to FIGS. 1-8, made by gluing of a
packaging board grade with a weight of 250 g/m.sup.2 and having a
PET coating layer of 50 g/m.sup.2 on both sides thereof, was
subject to a successful pilot child resistance test according to
standard ISO 8317. For comparison, a similarly designed package
manufactured of a packaging board grade with a weight of 315
g/m.sup.2 and without the PET coating layers failed in a
corresponding test.
[0079] While presently preferred embodiments of the invention have
been herein described, it is to be appreciated that various
changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein
without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims.
* * * * *