U.S. patent application number 13/989832 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-19 for recloseable paperboard container.
This patent application is currently assigned to MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Laurel Thomas. Invention is credited to Laurel Thomas.
Application Number | 20130240552 13/989832 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44910312 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130240552 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thomas; Laurel |
September 19, 2013 |
RECLOSEABLE PAPERBOARD CONTAINER
Abstract
A recloseable paperboard container (10) is disclosed that
includes: a body (12) defining an internal volume (18) and an
opening (20) into the internal volume, a connector member (14)
connected to the body, and a lid (16) releasably engaged with the
connector member to form a seal between the connector member and
the lid. The connector member may include a flange (44) extending
about the opening of the body and releasably engaging with the
lid.
Inventors: |
Thomas; Laurel; (Portland,
OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Thomas; Laurel |
Portland |
OR |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION
Richmond
VA
|
Family ID: |
44910312 |
Appl. No.: |
13/989832 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
October 27, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US11/57964 |
371 Date: |
May 28, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61418568 |
Dec 1, 2010 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/806 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 77/202 20130101;
B65D 53/02 20130101; B65D 43/0268 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/806 |
International
Class: |
B65D 53/02 20060101
B65D053/02; B65D 43/02 20060101 B65D043/02 |
Claims
1. A container comprising: a body defining an internal volume and
an opening into said internal volume; a connector member fixedly
connected to said body, said connector member comprising a flange
extending about said opening; and a lid releasably engaged with
said flange.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein said body comprises
paperboard.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a second
flange, and wherein said flange of said connector member is
connected to said second flange.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein said connector member further
comprises a neck having an upper end portion and a lower end
portion, said flange of said connector member extending from said
upper end portion.
5. The container of claim 4 wherein said lower end portion is
received in said internal volume.
6. The container of claim 4 wherein said neck is sealingly
connected to said body.
7. The container of claim 1 wherein said engagement between said
lid and said flange forms a water-tight seal.
8. The container of claim 1 wherein one of said flange and said lid
comprises a protrusion and the other of said flange and said lid
comprises a recess sized to closely receive said protrusion.
9. The container of claim 1 wherein said lid comprises a rim, and
wherein said rim is sealingly engaged with said flange.
10. A container comprising: a body defining an internal volume and
an opening into said internal volume, said body comprising a first
flange extending about said opening, a connector member fixedly
connected to said body, said connector member comprising a second
flange, wherein said first flange is subjacent to said second
flange; and a lid releasably engaged with said second flange to
seal said opening.
11. The container of claim 10 wherein said body comprises
paperboard.
12. The container of claim 10 wherein said connector member further
comprises a neck having an upper end portion and a lower end
portion, said second flange extending from said upper end
portion.
13. The container of claim 12 wherein said lower end portion is
received in said internal volume.
14. The container of claim 12 wherein said neck is sealingly
connected to said body.
15. The container of claim 10 wherein said engagement between said
lid and said second flange forms a water-tight seal.
16. The container of claim 10 wherein one of said second flange and
said lid comprises a protrusion and the other of said second flange
and said lid comprises a recess sized to closely receive said
protrusion.
17. The container of claim 10 wherein said lid comprises a rim, and
wherein said rim is sealingly engaged with said second flange.
18. A container comprising: a paperboard body defining an internal
volume and an opening into said internal volume, said body
comprising a side wall and a first flange extending outward from
said side wall; a connector member comprising a neck having an
upper end portion and a lower end portion, and a second flange
extending outward from said upper end portion, wherein said second
flange is connected to said first flange, and wherein said lower
end portion is received in said internal volume and connected to
said side wall; and a lid releasably engaged with said second
flange to seal said opening.
19. The container of claim 18 wherein said engagement between said
lid and said second flange forms a water-tight seal.
20. The container of claim 18 wherein one of said second flange and
said lid comprises a protrusion and the other of said second flange
and said lid comprises a recess sized to closely receive said
protrusion.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This application relates to recloseable containers and, more
particularly, to recloseable paperboard containers.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Recloseable containers are well-known in the art. For
example, recloseable plastic containers having a lid sealingly
connectable to a body have been sold under the TUPPERWARE brand
since the mid-1900's. More recently, container manufacturers
introduced disposable, recloseable plastic containers.
[0003] The retail success of recloseable plastic containers is
often attributed to their ability to form substantially air-tight
and liquid-tight seals. For example, TUPPERWARE.RTM. brand
recloseable plastic containers have a so-called burping seal,
wherein a small quantity of air is expelled from the container as
the lid is applied to the body, thereby creating a partial vacuum
within the container that draws the lid into engagement with the
body to maintain an air-tight and liquid-tight seal. The ability to
form air-tight and liquid-tight seals has rendered recloseable
plastic containers particular useful for packaging and storing
foodstuffs, particularly foodstuffs that contain a liquid.
[0004] Paperboard containers have been developed as a lower cost
and more environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic
containers. Specifically, the raw material costs (wood pulp)
associated with manufacturing paperboard containers are generally
lower than the costs (petroleum by-products) associated with
plastic containers. Furthermore, paperboard containers may be
significantly more biodegradable than plastic containers and/or may
be more compactable such that they occupy less volume in a
landfill.
[0005] Unfortunately, paperboard is typically less rigid than the
plastic used to form recloseable plastic containers. Therefore, an
air-tight and liquid-tight seal is difficult to achieve in a
recloseable paperboard container.
[0006] Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research
and development efforts in the field of recloseable containers
SUMMARY
[0007] In one aspect, the disclosed recloseable paperboard
container may include a body defining an internal volume and an
opening into the internal volume, a connector member fixedly
connected to the body, the connector member including a flange
extending about the opening, and a lid releasably engaged with the
flange to seal the opening.
[0008] In another aspect, the disclosed recloseable paperboard
container may include a body defining an internal volume and an
opening into the internal volume, the body including a first flange
extending about the opening, a connector member fixedly connected
to the body, said connector member including a second flange
positioned over said first flange, and a lid releasably engaged
with the connector member to form a seal between the lid and the
second flange, the seal sealing the opening.
[0009] In yet another aspect, the disclosed recloseable paperboard
container may include a paperboard body defining an internal volume
and an opening into the internal volume, the body including a side
wall and a first flange extending outward from the side wall, a
connector member comprising a neck having an upper end portion and
a lower end portion, and a second flange extending outward from the
upper end portion, wherein the second flange is connected to the
first flange, and wherein the lower end portion is received in the
internal volume and connected to the side wall, and a lid
releasably engaged with the second flange to seal the opening.
[0010] Other aspects of the disclosed recloseable paperboard
container will become apparent from the following description, the
accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded front perspective view of one aspect
of the disclosed recloseable paperboard container;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the recloseable
paperboard container of FIG. 1 in a partially assembled
configuration;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the recloseable
paperboard container of FIG. 1 in a fully assembled
configuration;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the underside of the lid
of the recloseable paperboard container of FIG. 1; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic front elevational view, in section, of
the recloseable paperboard container of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, one aspect of the disclosed
recloseable paperboard container, generally designated 10, may
include a container body 12, a connector member 14 and a lid 16.
The connector member 14 may be fixedly connected to the container
body 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The lid 16 may be releasably engaged
with the connector member 14 to seal the container 10, as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 5.
[0017] The container body 12 may be formed as a tray, a cup, a bowl
or the like that defines an internal volume 18 and an opening 20
into the internal volume 18. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that the size and shape of the container body 12 and,
hence, the size and shape of the internal volume 18 may be dictated
by the size and shape of the goods that will be housed within the
container body 12.
[0018] In one particular construction, the container body 12 may
include a side wall 22 extending about a vertical axis A of the
container 10. The side wall 22 may include an upper end portion 24
and a lower end portion 26 longitudinally spaced from the upper end
portion 24. The opening 20 into the internal volume 18 of the
container body 12 may be defined by the upper end portion 24 of the
side wall 22. A base wall 28 may be connected to the lower end
portion 26 to enclose the lower end portion 26 of the side wall
22.
[0019] The upper end portion 24 of the side wall 22 may further
define a flange 30 extending about the opening 20. The flange 30
may radiate outward from the side wall 22 relative to the vertical
axis A of the container 10. The flange 30 may define an upper face
32, an underside face 34 longitudinally opposed from (i.e.,
subjacent) the upper face 32, and a peripheral edge 36. The upper
face 32 of the flange 30 may define a sealing surface 38.
[0020] The container body 12 may be formed from a paperboard
material using any available technique. In one implementation, the
container body 12 may be formed by shaping a paperboard fiber
slurry into the desired shape. In another implementation, the
container body 12 may be formed by shaping a paperboard blank
(e.g., between one or more dies) to obtain the desired shape.
Examples of suitable techniques for shaping a paperboard blank
include thermoforming, in which pressure and heat (e.g., steam) are
used to shape the paperboard blank, and vacuum forming, in which a
paperboard blank is drawn into a mold by a vacuum.
[0021] The paperboard blank used to form the container body 12 may
be formed as a layered structure that includes a paperboard layer
and a sealing layer. The sealing layer of the paperboard blank may
be exposed on the interior surface 40 of the container body 12 and
may form the sealing surface 38 of the flange 30. Optionally, a
barrier layer may be positioned between the paperboard layer and
the sealing layer. Additional layers, such as additional paperboard
layers and/or additional functional layers, may be included in the
layered structure of the paperboard blank without departing from
the scope of the present disclosure.
[0022] The paperboard layer of the paperboard blank used to form
the container body 12 may be formed from various paperboard
substrates. Examples of suitable paperboard substrates include, but
are not limited to, coated natural kraft board (CNK), solid
bleached sulfate board (SBS), solid unbleached sulfate board (SUS),
coated recycled board (CRB), coated white lined chipboard (WLC) and
folding boxboard (FBB). However, those skilled in the art will
appreciate that any paper-based substrate suitable for forming
containers may be used without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0023] The sealing layer of the paperboard blank used to form the
container body 12 may be formed from various materials capable of
being activated, such as with heat, ultrasonic energy, radiation or
the like, to form a seal. Examples of suitable sealing materials
include, but are not limited to, polyester, low density
polyethylene, high density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate
copolymer, ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer, ionomer polymers
(e.g., poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) copolymer) and
combinations thereof.
[0024] The barrier layer of the paperboard blank used to form the
container body 12 may be formed from various materials having
moisture and/or oxygen barrier properties. Examples of suitable
barrier materials include, but are not limited to, nylon polymers,
ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate
(PET), materials derived from water-based barrier coatings,
polyamide, polyvinylidene chloride, cyclic olefin copolymer,
metalized polymer film and combinations thereof.
[0025] The connector member 14 may be fixedly connected to the
container body 12 to structurally reinforce the flange 30 of the
container body 12. Furthermore, the connector member 14 may include
structure for forming a releasable engagement with the lid 16.
[0026] The connector member 14 may include a neck 42 and a flange
44. The neck 42 may extend about the vertical axis A of the
container 10 and may include an upper end portion 46 and a lower
end portion 48 longitudinally spaced from the upper end portion 46.
The flange 44 may be connected to, and may radially extend from,
the upper end portion 46 of the neck 42. A connector member 14
without a neck 42 is also contemplated.
[0027] In one particular embodiment, the flange 44 may radiate
outward (relative to the vertical axis A of the container 10) from
the upper end portion 46 of the neck 42. The flange 44 may define
an upper face 50, an underside face 52 longitudinally opposed from
(i.e., subjacent) the upper face 50, and a peripheral edge 54. The
underside face 52 of the flange 44 may define a sealing surface
56.
[0028] The connector member 14 may be connected to the container
body 12 such that the flange 44 of the connector member 14 sits on
the flange 30 of the container body 12 and the neck 42 of the
connector member 14 is received within, and generally co-axially
aligned with, the upper end portion 24 of the side wall 22 of the
container body 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Other configurations are
also contemplated, such as a configuration wherein the neck 42 is
radially outside of the side wall 22 of the container body 12.
[0029] In one realization, the connector member 14 may be connected
to the container body 12 by sealingly connecting the underside face
52 of the flange 44 of the connector member 14 to the upper face 32
of the flange 30 of the container body 12. In another realization,
the connector member 14 may be connected to the container body 12
by sealingly connecting the neck 42 of the connector member 14 to
the upper end portion 24 of the side wall 22 of the container body
12. In yet another realization, the connector member 14 may be
connected to the container body 12 by sealingly connecting both the
flange 44 and the neck 42 of the connector member 14 to the
container body 12.
[0030] The sealing connection between the connector member 14 and
the container body 12 may be formed using any available technique.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the sealing
connection should be liquid-tight when the container 10 will be
used to house liquids or wet goods.
[0031] In a first expression, the connection between the connector
member 14 and the container body 12 may be effected with an
adhesive. The type of adhesive used will depend on the compositions
of the surfaces receiving the adhesive. As one example of the first
expression, the adhesive may be positioned between the underside
face 52 of the flange 44 of the connector member 14 and the upper
face 32 of the flange 30 of the container body 12. As another
example of the first expression, the adhesive may be positioned in
the annular region between the side wall 22 and the neck 42.
[0032] In a second expression, the connection between the connector
member 14 and the container body 12 may be formed by activating the
optional sealing layer of the container body 12 to bond the
relevant portion of the container body 12 to the connector portion
14. As one example of the second expression, the upper face 32 of
the flange 30 of the container body 12 may be heated to melt (or at
least tackify) the sealing layer prior to applying the connector
member 14 to the container body 12.
[0033] At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
the neck 42 of the connector member 14 may reinforce the upper end
portion 24 of the side wall 22 of the container body 12 and the
flange 44 of the connector member 14 may reinforce the flange 30 of
the container body 12.
[0034] The connector member 14 may be formed from one or more
polymeric materials, such as low density polyethylene, high density
polyethylene and polypropylene. The selected polymeric material may
be molded into the connector member 14 using known molding
techniques, such as injection molding or vacuum forming. The amount
of polymeric material ultimately used to form the connector member
14 may depend on the inherent rigidity of the selected polymeric
material.
[0035] While it may be advantageous to form the connector member 14
from polymeric materials due to the low cost, the light weight, the
rigidity and the workability of polymeric materials, those skilled
in the art will appreciate that various materials may be used.
Specifically, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
selected materials may provide the connector member 14 with the
rigidity necessary to reinforce the container body 12 such that the
container body 12 is capable of securely receive the lid 16. For
example, connector members 14 formed from paperboard or
paperboard-containing substrates are also contemplated.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector member 14 may
include a plurality of protrusions 58 extending upward from (e.g.,
normal to) the upper face 50 of the flange 44 of the connector
portion 14. The protrusions 58 may be sized and shaped to be
closely received in corresponding recesses 72 in the lid 16, as is
described in greater detail below. A single, continuous rib in lieu
of multiple protrusions 58 is also contemplated.
[0037] The lid 16 may be releasably connected to the connector
member 14 to seal the opening 20 of the container 10. Specifically,
the lid 16 may be constructed to form a releasable sealing
engagement with the flange 44 of the connector member 14 to seal
the opening 20 of the container 10.
[0038] The lid 16 may be formed from the same or similar materials
as the connector member 14. For example, the lid 16 may be formed
from a polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, high
density polyethylene and polypropylene.
[0039] In one particular assembly, the lid 16 may include a sealing
panel 60 and a rim 62. The sealing panel 60 may be sized and shaped
to cover the opening in the container body 12. The rim 62 may
extend circumferentially about the periphery 64 of the sealing
panel 60, and may include an upper end portion 66 connected to the
sealing panel 60 and a lower end portion 68 longitudinally spaced
from the upper end portion 66.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 5, the rim 62 may be sized as shaped to be
received over the peripheral edge 54 of the connector member 14,
while minimizing, if not eliminating, the annular gap between the
peripheral edge 54 of the connector member 14 and the rim 62.
Therefore, the close-fitting engagement between the rim 62 and the
peripheral edge 54 of the connector member 14 may form a seal
between the lid 16 and the connector member 14, which may be
sufficient to seal the opening 20.
[0041] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a flange 70 may extend radially
inward from the rim 62 of the lid 16. The flange 70 may define an
underside face 76 (FIG. 4), an upper face 74 longitudinally opposed
from (i.e., superjacent) the underside face 76, and an internal
edge 78. The underside face 76 of the flange 70 may define a
sealing surface 80.
[0042] Thus, a face-to-face engagement between the underside face
76 of the flange 70 of the lid 16 with the upper face 50 of the
flange 44 of the connector member 14 may seal the opening 20 of the
container 10. Such a face-to-face seal may be an alternative to, or
in addition to, the seal created by the close-fitting engagement
between the rim 62 and the peripheral edge 54 of the connector
member 14.
[0043] The flange 70 may define a plurality of recesses 72 sized
and shaped to closely receive the protrusions 58 extending from the
flange 44 of the connector member 14. Therefore, the lid 16 may be
releasably and sealingly connected to the connector member 14 and,
ultimately, to the container body 12 by (1) positioning the lid 16
over the connector member 14, (2) aligning the flange 70 of the lid
16 with the flange 44 of the connector member 14 such that the
protrusions 58 of the connector member 14 are aligned with the
recesses 72 of the lid 16, and (3) pressing the lid 16 into
engagement with the connector member 14 such that the protrusions
58 are urged into the recesses 72. A sufficient pulling force
should separate the lid 16 from the connector member 14.
[0044] Accordingly, the disclosed container 10 includes a connector
member 14 connected to a paperboard container body 12 and a lid 16
that sealingly engages the connector member 14 to seal the opening
20 in the container body 12. Without being limited to any
particular theory, it is believed that the structure and rigidity
of the connector member 14 forms a tighter seal with the lid 16
than would be achievable by connecting the lid 16 directly to the
paperboard container body 12. Indeed, the use of a connector member
14 may facilitate the formation of a liquid tight seal between the
lid 16 and the paperboard container body 12.
[0045] Although various aspects of the disclosed recloseable
paperboard container 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.
* * * * *