U.S. patent application number 12/890630 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-29 for paperboard container with friction-reducing coating.
Invention is credited to Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi, Laurel Thomas.
Application Number | 20120074211 12/890630 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44674886 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120074211 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gelardi; John ; et
al. |
March 29, 2012 |
Paperboard Container with Friction-Reducing Coating
Abstract
A paperboard container including a paperboard substrate that
defines at least one wall panel and at least one partition panel,
the wall panel defining an internal volume, the partition panel
including a first major surface and a second major surface, and
being position in the internal volume such that the first major
surface defines a first chamber within the internal volume and the
second major surface defines a second chamber within the internal
volume, and a friction-reducing coating applied to at least a
portion of the first and/or second major surfaces.
Inventors: |
Gelardi; John; (Midlothian,
VA) ; Bates; Aaron L.; (Moseley, VA) ; Thomas;
Laurel; (Richmond, VA) |
Family ID: |
44674886 |
Appl. No.: |
12/890630 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/5.81 ;
229/5.83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/16 20130101; B65D
5/48014 20130101; B65D 5/563 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/5.81 ;
229/5.83 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/00 20060101
B65D090/00 |
Claims
1. A paperboard container comprising: a paperboard substrate that
defines at least one wall panel and at least one partition panel,
said wall panel defining an internal volume, said partition panel
including first and second major surfaces and being positioned in
said internal volume such that said first major surface defines a
first chamber within said internal volume and said second major
surface defines a second chamber within said internal volume; and a
friction-reducing coating applied to at least a portion of at least
one of said first major surface and said second major surface.
2. The paperboard container of claim 1 wherein said paperboard
substrate is a C1S paperboard substrate having a coated side and an
uncoated side.
3. The paperboard container of claim 2 wherein said coated side
comprises clay.
4. The paperboard container of claim 2 wherein said
friction-reducing coating is applied to said coated side of said
partition panel.
5. The paperboard container of claim 2 wherein said
friction-reducing coating has a first coefficient of friction and
said coated side of said paperboard substrate has a second
coefficient of friction, and wherein said first coefficient of
friction is less than said second coefficient of friction.
6. The paperboard container of claim 5 wherein said first
coefficient of friction is at most 90 percent of said second
coefficient of friction.
7. The paperboard container of claim 2 wherein said
friction-reducing coating has a first coefficient of friction and
said uncoated side of said paperboard substrate has a second
coefficient of friction, and wherein said first coefficient of
friction is at most said second coefficient of friction.
8. The paperboard container of claim 1 wherein said first major
surface of said partition panel defines a surface area, and wherein
said friction-reducing coating covers at least 50 percent of said
surface area.
9. The paperboard container of claim 8 wherein said
friction-reducing coating covers at least 75 percent of said
surface area.
10. The paperboard container of claim 8 wherein said
friction-reducing coating covers at least 90 percent of said
surface area.
11. The paperboard container of claim 8 wherein said
friction-reducing coating covers about 100 percent of said surface
area.
12. The paperboard container of claim 1 wherein said
friction-reducing coating comprises at least one of a varnish and
an ink.
13. The paperboard container of claim 1 wherein said
friction-reducing coating is a gloss coating.
14. The paperboard container of claim 1 wherein said
friction-reducing coating has a slide angle of at most 15.degree.
as determined using a TMI 32-25 coefficient of friction tester at a
relative humidity of 50 percent.
15. The paperboard container of claim 1 wherein said
friction-reducing coating has a slide angle of at most 11.degree.
as determined using a TMI 32-25 coefficient of friction tester at a
relative humidity of 50 percent.
16. A dispensing system comprising: a dispenser comprising a frame
having longitudinally opposed front and rear end sections and
including an upper support deck extending at least partially
between said front and rear end sections and below which a product
display area is provided; and the paperboard container of claim 1
positioned on said upper support deck.
17. The dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said paperboard
container houses multiple units of a product.
18. A paperboard container comprising: a paperboard substrate
having a clay coated side and an uncoated side, said paperboard
substrate defining a plurality of wall panels and at least one
partition panel, said plurality of wall panels being assembled into
a three-dimensional structure defining an internal volume, said
partition panel being positioned in said internal volume such that
said clay coated side of said partition panel defines a first
chamber within said internal volume and said uncoated side of said
partition panel defines a second chamber within said internal
volume; and a friction-reducing coating applied to said clay coated
side of said partition panel.
19. The paperboard container of claim 18 wherein said
friction-reducing coating is a gloss coating.
20. The paperboard container of claim 18 wherein said
friction-reducing coating has a first coefficient of friction and
said clay coated side of said paperboard substrate has a second
coefficient of friction, and wherein said first coefficient of
friction is at most 90 percent of said second coefficient of
frictions.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This application relates to paperboard containers, such as
cartons, boxes and the like, and, more particularly, to paperboard
containers having a friction-reducing coating on an interior
surface thereof.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Products are typically shipped to retailers in bulk by
enclosing multiple individual product units in a container, such as
a carton or box. For example, canned soup may be shipped to a
retailer in a box containing twenty-four individual cans. Then, it
is typically the retailer's obligation to remove the individual
product units from the container and present them (e.g., on a
shelf) to consumers.
[0003] Alternatives to the traditional package-ship-unpack-display
model are being developed in an effort to improve operating
efficiency. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/777,444 filed on May 11, 2010, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference, discloses a new system for
dispensing and displaying products packaged in a container.
Specifically, the system includes a frame having a support
structure, a product display area and an opening tool. The frame
may be positioned on a retailer's shelf and loaded with product
simply by placing a container comprising multiple units of product
onto the support structure of the frame. As the container is being
placed onto the support structure, the opening tool of the frame
opens the container in such a manner that product is dispensed from
the container and moved to the product display area of the frame
under the force of gravity.
[0004] Unfortunately, from time-to-time, clogs have developed in
such systems, thereby preventing product from making its way from
the container to the product display area of the frame. Such clogs
have been observed to occur when product fails to move relative to
the container as intended.
[0005] Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research
and development efforts directed to apparatus and methods for
dispensing products from packaging containers.
SUMMARY
[0006] In one aspect, the disclosed paperboard container may
include a paperboard substrate assembled into a three-dimensional
structure having an external surface and at least one internal
surface, wherein at least a portion of the internal surface
includes a friction-reducing coating applied thereto.
[0007] In another aspect, the disclosed paperboard container may
include a paperboard substrate that defines at least one wall panel
and at least one partition panel, the wall panel defining an
internal volume, the partition panel including a first major
surface and a second major surface, and being position in the
internal volume such that the first major surface defines a first
chamber within the internal volume and the second major surface
defines a second chamber within the internal volume, and a
friction-reducing coating applied to at least a portion of the
first and/or second major surfaces.
[0008] In another aspect, the disclosed paperboard container may
include a paperboard substrate having a clay coated side and an
uncoated side, the paperboard substrate defining a plurality of
wall panels and at least one partition panel, the wall panels being
assembled into a three-dimensional structure defining an internal
volume, the partition panel being positioned in the internal volume
such that the clay coated side of the partition panel defines a
first chamber within the internal volume and the uncoated side of
the partition panel defines a second chamber within the internal
volume, and a friction-reducing coating applied to the clay coated
side of the partition panel.
[0009] In yet another aspect, the disclosed paperboard container
may include a paperboard substrate having a clay coated side and an
uncoated side, the paperboard substrate defining a plurality of
wall panels and at least one partition panel, the wall panels being
assembled into a three-dimensional rectilinear structure defining
an internal volume, the partition panel being positioned in the
internal volume such that the clay coated side of the partition
panel defines a first chamber within the internal volume and the
uncoated side of the partition panel defines a second chamber
within the internal volume, and a gloss coating applied to the clay
coated side of the partition panel, the gloss coating having a
coefficient of friction that is substantially less than the
coefficient of friction of the clay coated side of the paperboard
substrate.
[0010] Other aspects of the disclosed paperboard container with
friction-reducing coating will become apparent from the following
description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a container blank useful in
forming a paperboard container with friction-reducing coating in
accordance with one aspect of the disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a paperboard container
formed from the container blank of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, in section, of the
paperboard container of FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a first portion
of the paperboard container of FIG. 3; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a second
portion of the paperboard container of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Paperboard containers may be formed from C1S paperboard
substrates having a coated first major surface and an uncoated
second major surface. The uncoated side of the paperboard substrate
may be presented on the inside of the finished container. The
coated side may be coated with clay or the like, and may be
presented on the outside of the finished container. Various indicia
and graphics may be printed on the coated side of the paperboard
substrate prior to forming the finished container.
[0017] Other types of paperboard substrates may be also be used to
form the disclosed paperboard container with friction-reducing
coating. For example, the disclosed paperboard container may be
formed from a C2S paperboard substrate, which may include a coating
(e.g., clay) on both major surfaces of the paperboard substrate.
Other examples of suitable paperboard substrates will become
apparent to the skilled artisan.
[0018] It has now been discovered that certain surfaces of a
paperboard substrate may have coefficients of friction that are
sufficiently high that such surfaces impede the movement of product
relative to the container. For example, it has been discovered that
the clay coated side of a paperboard substrate has a significantly
higher coefficient of friction than the uncoated side of a
paperboard substrate. As such, product may move relative to the
uncoated side of a paperboard substrate as desired. However, if the
product makes contact with the coated surface of the paperboard
substrate, friction between the product and the coated surface may
impede movement of the product relative to the container.
[0019] Accordingly, a friction-reducing coating may be applied to
all or a portion of the interior surface of a paperboard container
to facilitate the desired movement of product relative to the
container. In particular, the friction-reducing coating may be
applied to the portions of the interior surface of the paperboard
container having a relatively high coefficient of friction (e.g.,
clay coated portions), thereby reducing the effective coefficient
of friction at such locations to facilitate the desired movement of
product relative to the container.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 1-3, a container blank, generally
designated 10 (FIG. 1), may be used to form a paperboard container
with friction-reducing coating, generally designated 12 (FIGS. 2
and 3), in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure. The
paperboard container 12 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is only one specific
example of the disclosed paperboard container with
friction-reducing coating. Those skilled in the art will appreciate
that paperboard containers of various sizes, shapes, configurations
and dimensions may be formed without departing from the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0021] The container blank 10 may be pre-cut from a sheet of
paperboard substrate material to define an outer periphery 14 of
the container blank 10. As noted above, various paperboard
substrates may be used to form the container blank 10 and,
ultimately, the disclosed paperboard container 12.
[0022] In one implementation, the container blank 10 may be cut
from a C1S paperboard substrate having a coating layer 88 that
defines a first (i.e., coated) major surface 16 of the paperboard
substrate and a paperboard layer 90 that defines a second (i.e.,
uncoated) major surface 17 of the paperboard substrate, as best
shown in FIG. 5. The coating layer 88 may include clay, such as
kaolin clay. Optionally, portions of the first major surface 16,
specifically certain portions of the first major surface 16 that
form the external surface of the finished container 12 (FIG. 2),
may be printed with various text and/or graphics, thereby forming
an additional layer over the coating layer 88.
[0023] The container blank 10 may include a plurality of pre-formed
fold lines 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 that define four side
wall panels 36, 38, 40, 42, first end-enclosing panels 44, 46, 48,
50, second end-enclosing panels 52, 54, 56, a partition panel 58
and partition support panels 60, 62, 64. Specifically, side wall
panel 36 may be defined by fold lines 18, 30 and 32, side wall
panel 38 may be defined by fold lines 18, 20, 30 and 32, side wall
panel 40 may be defined by fold lines 20, 22 and 30 and side wall
panel 42 may be defined by fold lines 22, 24, 30, 34. The first
end-enclosing panels 44, 46, 48, 50 may be defined by fold line 30.
Second end-enclosing panels 52 and 54 may be defined by fold line
32 and second end-enclosing panel 56 may be defined by fold line
34. The partition panel 58 may be defined by fold lines 26, 28 and
30. Partition support panel 60 may be defined by fold lines 24, 26
and 30, partition support panel 62 may be defined by fold line 30
and partition support panel 64 may be defined by fold line 28.
[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the container blank 10 of
FIG. 1 may be folded into a three-dimensional rectilinear structure
having four side walls 70, 72, 74, 76 corresponding to side wall
panels 36, 38, 40, 42 of the container blank 10, a first (e.g.,
rear) end wall 78 comprised of the first end-enclosing panels 44,
46, 48, 50 of the container blank 10, and a second (e.g., front)
end wall 80 comprised of the second end-enclosing panels 52, 54, 56
of the container blank 10. The side walls 70, 72, 74, 76 and the
end walls 78, 80 of the paperboard container 12 may define an
internal volume 82 (FIG. 3), which may be fully or only partially
enclosed by the walls 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80. For example, the
second end wall 80 may define an opening 84 (FIG. 2) into the
internal volume 82 of the paperboard container 12.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, the partition panel 58 may divide the
internal volume 82 of the paperboard container 12 into a first
chamber 84 and a second chamber 86. For example, the partition
panel 58 may extend from side wall 70 to side wall 74, and may
define a plane that is generally parallel with the planes defined
by side walls 72, 76. The partition panel 58 may be secured within
the internal volume 82 by connecting (e.g., with mechanical
fasteners, adhesive and/or tape) partition support panel 60 to side
wall 70, partition support panel 62 to the first end wall 78 and
partition support panel 64 to side wall 74.
[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the first major surface 16' of
the partition panel 58 may include a friction-reducing coating 92
(shown with cross-hatching in FIG. 1) positioned over the coating
(e.g., clay coating) layer 88 of the paperboard substrate. The
friction-reducing coating 92 may have a cross-sectional layer
thickness T, which may depend on the type of material being used as
the friction-reducing coating. For example, the thickness T of the
friction-reducing coating 92 may range from about 0.5 mils to 3
mils.
[0027] While the friction-reducing coating 92 is shown covering
about 100 percent of the first major surface 16' of the partition
panel 58, those skilled in the art will appreciate that coverage of
less than 100 percent may be used and may still provide the
required reduction in friction. For example, the friction-reducing
coating 92 may cover at least 50 percent of the first major surface
16 of the partition panel 58, such as at least about 75 percent of
the first major surface 16 of the partition panel 58, or at least
90 percent of the first major surface 16 of the partition panel 58,
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0028] In a first construction, the friction-reducing coating 92
may be any coating material that provides a coefficient of friction
that is less than the coefficient of friction of the coating layer
88 (FIG. 4). In a first expression of the first construction, the
friction-reducing coating 92 may yield a coefficient of friction
that is at most 90 percent of the coefficient of friction of the
underlying coating layer 88. In a second expression of the first
construction, the friction-reducing coating 92 may yield a
coefficient of friction that is at most 80 percent of the
coefficient of friction of the underlying coating layer 88. In a
third expression of the first construction, the friction-reducing
coating 92 may yield a coefficient of friction that is at most 70
percent of the coefficient of friction of the underlying coating
layer 88.
[0029] In a second construction, the friction-reducing coating 92
may be any coating material that provides a coefficient of friction
that is the same or less than the coefficient of friction of the
underlying, but uncoated, paperboard layer 90.
[0030] In a third construction, the friction-reducing coating 92
may be any coating material that provides a coefficient of friction
that is sufficiently low to allow product 94 (FIG. 3) to move and
dispense from the paperboard container 12 when the paperboard
container 12 is loaded onto a dispenser, such as the frame
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/777,444 discussed
above. Therefore, the friction-reducing coating 92 may be selected
based on the type of dispenser being used with the paperboard
container 12.
[0031] It has been discovered that various coating compositions
used in the paper industry, including varnishes, gloss coatings,
inks (e.g., color inks) and printing, form suitable
friction-reducing coatings 92. In one specific, non-limiting
example, the friction-reducing coating 92 may be 1469E low angle
gloss coating available from Coatings & Adhesives Corporation
of Leland, N.C. Static friction testing has shown that 1469E low
angle gloss coating has a slide angle (TMI 32-25) of 11.degree.
(.+-.4.degree.) using a face-to-face configuration at a relative
humidity of 50 percent (.+-.5 percent).
[0032] Accordingly, the second major surface 17 of the container
blank 10 may define each of the internal surfaces of the first
chamber 84 of the paperboard container 12, but the internal
surfaces of the second chamber 86 may be defined by both the second
major surface 17 of the container blank 10 and the first major
surface 16' of the partition panel 58 (e.g., the surface of the
partition panel 58 that includes the friction-reducing coating 92).
As such, product 94 received in the internal volume 82 of the
paperboard container 12 may be isolated from contact with the
coating layer 88 of the paperboard substrate, thereby improving
movement of the product 94 relative to the paperboard container
12.
[0033] While the paperboard container 12 is shown and described
with the friction-reducing coating 92 (FIG. 4) only on the first
major surface 16' of the partition panel 58, those skilled in the
art will appreciate that advantage may be gained by applying the
friction-reducing coating to other internal surfaces of the
paperboard container 12. For example, in an alternative
implementation, all (or substantially all) internal surfaces of the
paperboard container 12 may be provided with the friction-reducing
coating 92.
[0034] Although various aspects of the disclosed paperboard
container with friction-reducing coating have been shown and
described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon
reading the specification. The present application includes such
modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.
* * * * *