Carton with cap

Abstract

The present invention relates to containers, and more particularly to a cereal carton with a closing device, such as a cap. Unlike conventional cereal cartons, the container of the present invention does not include a plastic bag. The upper region of the container includes an angled surface connecting top surface and one of the side surfaces. The angled surface includes an access port with an opening, which is covered by a closing device. The closing device hermitically seals the container to preserve its contents.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims to priority to provisional application 60/819,538, filed Jul. 7, 2006.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

[0002] Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0003] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A variety of packages, including dispensing packages or containers, have been developed for food and drink products. More particular, various packages have been developed for dry goods.

[0005] These inventions are generally boxes or cartons for the storage and dispensing of dry cereals and other free-flowing particulate materials. Typically they are formed of a paperboard or cardboard outer carton and a product-containing liner. To reseal the remaining contents in the package after opening, the liner must be refolded over itself or otherwise sealed with a mechanical device. As such, sealing will vary depending on the user and consistent sealing is unlikely.

[0006] Liner-less paperboard cartons were therefore developed to overcome the disadvantages of the lined paperboard cartons. These cartons frequently included an openable pouring spout which is formed or opened by tearing a portion of the panel. Some spouts are arranged to be re-closed after dispensing of the content. Unfortunately, this type of liner-less carton construction frequently does not provide the necessary sealing of the product remaining within the carton. Furthermore, liner-less cartons which incorporate an easily opened and reclosable pouring spout are frequently complex in construction and expensive to manufacture as they require complex scoring and weakening line patterns and/or necessitate the utilization of excess amounts of paperboard or carton stock to form the package.

[0007] Packages including "flip-open" reclosable spouts, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,865 (Schermund); U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,236 (Lowe); U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,104 (Holmes); U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,780 (Foote et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,615 (Davitian); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,486 (Wein), have been disclosed in the patent literature. However, the disadvantages with these prior arts are that they are complex to construct and when the "flip-open" reclosable spout is closed, it may not provide a sufficient seal for the remaining product. Thus, the shelf life of the remaining product is significantly reduced.

[0008] Similar disadvantages are also present in other prior art cartons/boxes having reclosable pouring spouts, such as, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,806 (McSherry); U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,051 (Reil); U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,156 (Holmstrom); U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,325 (Gordon et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,683 (Farber); U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,542 (Roccaforte); U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,613 (Bryan); U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,781 (Roccaforte); U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,066 (Fogle); U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,986 (Bofterman); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,479 (Weber-Caspers).

[0009] Furthermore, prior arts similar to U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,806 (Hess et al), is impractical with the dispensing of dry goods products. The '806 patent functions through the application of pressure on the side walls to dispense the interior contents. The '806 patent like other prior arts are complex and expensive to manufacture. Therefore, because of the simplicity of the present invention and the ease of use, the present invention is different from the prior arts.

SUMMARY

[0010] The present invention relates to containers, and more particularly to a cereal carton with a closing device, such as a cap. Unlike conventional cereal cartons, the container of the present invention does not include a plastic bag. The upper region of the container includes an angled surface connecting top surface and one of the side surfaces. The angled surface includes an access port with an opening, which is covered by a closing device. The closing device hermitically seals the container to preserve its contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container without the closing device in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container with the closing device removed and the safety seal.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container with the closing device on.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a side view of the container in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURES--REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0015] 10 . . . Container [0016] 12 . . . Angled Surface [0017] 13 . . . Top Surface [0018] 14 . . . Side Surface [0019] 15 . . . Access Port [0020] 16 . . . Closing Device [0021] 17 . . . Safety Seal

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and as illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4. The present invention is a container 10 with an access port 15, and closing device 16. The container 10 of the present invention can be employed for the storage of dry goods and more particularly, cereals. The container 10 does not include any plastic bag to hold dry goods as opposed to conventional containers or cereal cartons. However, the inner walls of the container 10 can be coated with lining materials such as wax, aluminum thin film, or other materials to further seal and preserve the freshness of the contents. The access port 15 should also be of sufficient size to allow for the easy pour of it's content.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1 through 4, the container 10 is in the shape of a carton defined by front, back, top 13, bottom and a pair of side surfaces 14. The upper region of the container 10 may include an angled surface 12 connected to the top surface 13 and one of the side surfaces 14. The angled surface 12 includes an opening defined by an access port 15. The access port 15 further comprises a closing device 16 to seal the opening to the container 10. The closing device 16 can be an airtight cap or a similar item that is secured to the access port 15 to hermitically seal the container 10 for preserving its contents. The container 10 may also include a safety seal 17 between the closing device 16 and the opening of the access port 15 to notify the consumer that the content of the container has not been tampered with. An external safety seal wrapped around the cap or other methods of tamper proofing the container 10 known in the art may also be employed. The access port 15 may also include ridges on its outer surface, which facilitate a secure and hermetic fit when the closing device 16 is secured to the access port 15.

[0024] When using conventional cereal cartons, a user has to tear open the plastic bag to retrieve its contents. For later use, the user has to seal the plastic bag perfectly. However, the contents become stale if the plastic bag is not sealed properly, which is very likely when a cereal carton is used by children. The container 10 of the present invention overcomes this problem by providing the closing device 16. A user first twists the closing device 16 on the access port 15 to the open direction. The closing device 16 may employ a break-away twist cap similar to those used on milk jugs. Once the closing device 16 is opened and removed, the user would remove the safety seal 17 from the access port 15. Removal of safety seal 17 removes the final obstacle to accessing the contents of the container 10. Users then pours out the content of the container 10 through access port 15. When the desired amount has been poured, the closing device 16 is securely replaced onto the access port 15 to preserve the remaining contents.

[0025] All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0026] While specific systems and methods have been disclosed in the preceding description, it should be understood that these specifics have been given for the purpose of disclosing the principles of the present invention and that many variations thereof will become apparent to those who are versed in the art.

Claims

1. A container comprising: front, back, top, bottom and side surfaces in which the surfaces are formed into the shape of the container; an access port connected to at least one surface of the container for providing access to the container; and a closing device for sealing the opening of the access port to the container.

2. The container of claim 1, further comprising an angled surface connecting one of the side surface with the top surface to form the angled surface wherein the access port is attached.

3. The container of claim 1, further comprising a lining material on the interior of the container.

4. The container of claim 3, in which the lining material is a wax film.

5. The container of claim 3, in which the lining material is a metallic film.

6. The container of claim 1, further comprising a safety seal between the closing device and opening to the access port.

7. The container of claim 2, further comprising a safety seal between the closing device and opening to the access port.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the opening of the access port is sufficiently large to allow for the discharge of dry goods.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the closing device is a twist cap.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is made of cardboard.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is in the shape of a box.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is made of cardboard, in the shape of a box, comprises a safety seal, and the closing device is a twist cap.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein a content of the container is dry goods.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein the dry goods is cereal.

15. The container of claim 1, further comprising a tamper proof wrap around the closing device.

16. The container of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises an angled surface between the top and one side surface for attaching the access port, a lining material on its interior for preserving the content, a safety seal attached to the opening of the access point, and the closing device is a cap for securing the opening to the access port.

17. The container of claim 16, further containing dry goods.

18. The container of claim 17, wherein the dry goods are cereal.

19. The container of claim 1, wherein the access port has ridges.

20. A method of using the container of the present invention comprising the steps of: Opening a closing device of the present container by removing the closing device from an access port on the container to access the content of the container; Pouring out the content of the container of the present invention; Closing the closing device of the present container by replacing the closing device onto the access port.