Paperboard dispensing container

June 23, 1964

3,138,293

V. J. ROAK ETAL PAPERBOARD DISPENSING CONTAINER

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June 23, 1964

V. J. ROAK ETAL

PAPERBOARD DISPENSING CONTAINER

3,138,293

Sheets-Sheet 2

Filed March 15, 1961

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June 23, 1964

3,138,293

V. J. ROAK ETAL

PAPERBOARD DISPENSING CONTAINER

Filed March 15, 1961

Sheets-Sheet 3

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BY

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INVENTORS Vernon J. Roak William R' Scholle

U Attys

3,138,293

Patented June 23, 1964

United States Patent Office

2

138 293

PAPERBOARD DISPENSING CONTAINER Vernon J. Roak, Costa Mesa, and William R. Scholle, Newport Beach, Calif., assignors to Scholle Container „ Corporation, Long Beach, Calif., a corporation of Illinois

Filed Mar. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 95,843

Claims. (CI. 222—105)

This invention relates to improvements in containers 10 of the class wherein fluent materials such as chemicals, for example battery acid, or food products in a liquid condition, for example milk, or food products in semisolid condition, for example ice cream slushes, are packaged within containers of flexible material such as poly- 15 ethylene, and the filled flexible container is encased in a relatively rigid, rectangular paperboard container.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide containers of the class aforesaid with novel means for readily dispensing their aforesaid contents. 20

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container of the class aforementioned in which the contents may be dispensed in a plurality of manners, depending in part on the type of the contents and in part on the rapidity in which it is desired to dispense to con- 25 tents.

Other objects of the present invention relate to the association of means with the aforesaid container for aiding and dispensing of the contents thereof.

Further objects and advantages relate to details of con- 30 struction, arrangement of parts, and the economies thereof, as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of a paperboard container blank formed in accordance with 35 the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the twocomponent or lined container assembly of the present invention, that is, a filled flexible liner bag disposed in a rectangular outer paperboard container, showing the top ⁴⁰closure flaps of the outer container in opened position, that is, before closing them down to complete the packaging.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 2 but with one of the opposed pairs of top closure flaps ⁴⁵closed down against the liner bag.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the last two top closure flaps sealed down.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the top of the container of FIG. 4, but with portions removed and elevated 50 from one of the closure flaps for the purpose of dispensing the contents.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 5 showing a further progressive step in dispensing, that is, with a spout associated with the flexible liner bag re- ⁵⁵moved from the confines of the outer container.

FIG. 7 illustrates the use of a container such as has been opened in FIG. 6 inverted and disposed within an oversize dispensing receptacle.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line ⁶⁰8—8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top of the carton assembly of the present invention, being a step progressive to the assembly shown in FIG. 4; that is, with one of the uppermost flaps elevated to expose certain score lines pro- 65 vided on the lower or first top flaps.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the container assembly of the present invention illustrating an alternative dispensing arrangement from that of, for example, FIG. 6.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views progressive to 70 that of FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrating the aforesaid alternative dispensing means.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container assembly of the present invention illustrating another alternative dispensing arrangement.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a separable dispensing spout adapted to be employed in conjunction with the spout or nozzle on the liner bag.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a slotted or apertured plate adapted for association with the spout or nozzle of the liner bag and for cooperative association therewith, as illustrated in the perspective view of FIG. 16, the latter being a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 13 but in a progressive dispensing state.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG. 8 but through the assembly of FIG. 16 in likewise inverted position.

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary sectional detail view on the line 18—18 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a modified form of slotted plate.

Referring to FIG. 1' of the drawings, the reference numeral 1® generally indicates a carton blank composed of paperboard such as corrugated board, adapted to, be set up in rectangular formation comprising side walls 11 having closure flaps hinged to their opposed ends, the flaps hinged to the bottom not being shown. The top closure flaps comprise a first opposed pair 12 and 13 adapted to be closed down first and secured, as by adhesion, beneath a second pair of opposed top flaps 14 and 15 when the sides 11 are folded to rectangular formation and they can be secured together either by a tape 16, or by a side flap contiguous with one of the outer panels 11, not shown but as is well understood.

The flaps 12 and 13 when closed down in FIG. 3 come into abutting relationship, whereas the uppermost flaps 14 and 15 when closed down over the flaps 12 and 13 remain edgewise shaped from each other as best shown in FIG. 4 and the figures following. One of the first top flaps, namely, flap 13, is formed with a spaced pair of relatively short score lines 17, 17 parallel to each other and extending normal to and adjacent to the flap hinge line 18.

A slit line 19 is disposed parallel to and immediately of the score lines 17, 17, and another pair of slit lines 20, 2® extend normal to and between the score lines 17, 17, thereby defining a pair of tabs adapted to be lifted on the score lines 17, 17 to provide an opening to the container. When these resultant tabs 21, 21 are elevated from the face of flap 13, they provide alignment abutment means on inversion of the container and disposition thereof in an oversize receptacle 22 for dispensing purposes of the contents of the flexible liner bag 23 disposed within the container formed by the blank 10, as will be hereinafter set forth in greater detail.

The flap 13 is further provided with slit lines 24, 24 extending from the slit line 20 and to the free edge of flap 13 defining tear-out strip 25 which can be separated entirely as indicated in the exploded view of FIG. 5.

It will be understood that the slit lines 24, 24, 20, 20, and 19 may be continuous or discontinuous and may extend wholly or partially through the thickness of the paperboard for facilitating separation, as distinguished from the score lines 17, 17. The latter are adapted to provide hinge lines without inducing separation of the tabs 21, 21 from the hinge lines but rather keeping them attached when desired for the purpose of providing alignment abutment means for the paperboard container in the oversize receptacle 22.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the paperboard container formed by the blank 10 and indicated generally as 26, is disposed in the receptacle 22 for dispensing of the contents, for example milk, from the liner bag 23 disposed in the container 26. It is essential that the flexible tube

3,138,283 scored corner portions of the panels 12 and 13 are exposed, whereupon the resulting tabs 39, 39 may be elevated as shown in FIG. 10. Thereupon an overfolded corner 35 of the liner bag 23 may be withdrawn and from 5 the outer container 26 and a corner portion thereof, as at 40, may be cut off by means of a scissors to leave an opening whereby the contents 36 may be rapidly disposed as shown in FIG. 12.

In the dispensing arrangement shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, 10 while the flap 13 is provided with slit and score lines to provide lift-up tabs and the tear-out strip, as shown, these are not necessarily included, and in such case it is not essential that there be provided a pouring spout 29 associated with the liner bag 23. However, all components 15 may be associated so that dispensing may be carried out alternatively, as desired.

FIGS. 13 to 18 illustrate another method of dispensing the contents 41 of the liner bag 23 in a manner which provides a relatively large passage as compared to the 20 flexible tube 27 when, for example, the contents 41 are a semifluid material such as an ice cream slush. In this case the liner bag 23 has associated therewith the nozzle or spout 29 as previously indicated, but it is normally closed by a screw cap 42 having a closed top. In such case, while 25 the flap 13 is provided with slits and score lines to define the elevatable tabs 21, 21, it need not be provided with a separable strip 25, but it is, the strip 25 is not in this case removed, since as shown in FIG. 13, the cap 42 is upwardly imperforate and there is not attached any elongated 30 tube such as in the case of FIGS. 2 to 8. In the form of FIGS. 13 to 18 the tabs 21, 21 may be left on, or if desired they may be separated from the flap 13.

As best shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the spout 28 is formed with an annular flange 43 intermediate its length 35 defining a collar 44 therebeneath or between it and a portion of the flange 33 which is sealed to the surface of the linear bag 23 about a communicating opening therein. This collar 44 is formed with a pair of parallel peripheral defining areas such as 45, 45 resulting from the hexagonal 40 shape of the collar 44. It will be understood that in the alternative the collar may have a square configuration to provide the same parallel spaced faces 45, 45.

For dispensing purposes and for keeping the spout 28 elevated and outwardly of the container 26, an anchoring means or plate 46 is provided which has spaced parallel 43 arm portions 47, 47 adapted to snugly embrace the collar 44 at the opposed faces 45, 45 thereof against relative rotation. The plate 46 also seats on the top of the carton and suitably projects over and above the flaps 14 and 15 as shown in FIGS. 16 and 18 and anchors the nozzle or 50 spout 28 thereabove.

The plate 46, as illustrated, is formed with a keyhole slot, the relatively enlarged area 48 thereof being adapted to pass over the collar 43 and then by lateral movement the sides 47, 47 are brought into engagement against the 55 faces 45, 45 of nozzle 28. Although the plate 46 is thus shown to be provided with a keyhole slot, in the alternative it may be in the form of a fork 54 defined by the components 47', 47' which would then be the prongs of a forklike open ended plate, as shown in FIG. 19.

As a dispensing aid, when the nozzle 28 is thus anchored exteriorly of the top of the container 26 by means of the anchor plate 46, a dispensing tube 49 may be employed. One end of tube 49 is defined by a plurality of spaced prongs 50, 50 being projected within the confines of the 65 liner bag 23, providing free flow and preventing collapse of the liner bag over the aperture at the nozzle 28, similar to the arrangement shown in FIG. 8. The tube 49 may be composed of metal or plastic and has associated therewith an internally threaded sleeve 51 which is adapted to be en70 gaged with the external thread on the nozzle or spout 28.

The sleeve 51 is normally retained on the tube 49 between the outwardly projecting annular flanges or beads 52 and 53.

When employing the forked plate 54 of FIG. 19, it may 75 be engaged with the annular collar portion of the nozzle

27, engaged by its associated screw cap 28 to the nozzle or spout 29 on the liner bag 23, be free of the lower edge or corner portion 30 of the receptacle 22. The tabs 21, 21 when erected abut against the corner portion 30 of the receptacle 22, thereby aligning it and preventing pinching of the tube 27 other than when desired by means of the conventional dispensing clamp 31.

As previously indicated, the container 26 has disposed therein a substantially but incompletely filled flexible liner bag 23 composed of a plastic such as polyethylene sheet material.

The liner bag 23 is conveniently of the envelope-type construction, that is, it is formed generally of a seamless tubular bag transversely heat-sealed at opposed ends, one top of line of seal being indicated at 32 in FIG. 2. The liner bag 23 is filled prior to or while it is within the outer container 26, through the nozzle or spout 29 which is secured as by heat-sealing to one face of the liner bag 23 over an opening therein by means of an integral annular flange 33. This flange 33 is relatively flexible and thin as compared to the upstanding spout or nozzle component 29, the latter being also suitably formed with an external thread for engagement by the threaded cap 28 which has a flexible tube 27 secured thereto and which is normally plugged at the end 34. In the alternative, although not shown, the cap 23 and the outer periphery of the spout 29 may be formed for association with each other by pressure-fit engagement; and as a further alternative, when the use of the relatively elongated flexible tube 27 is not desired the cap 28 may be closed on its top surface, as at 42.

In the assembled package shown for example in FIG. 2, the liner bag 23 is substantially but incompletely filled so as to leave end portions, such as the envelope corner portions 35, normally folded down against the top of the otherwise filled liner bag 23.

When the liner bag 23 is packaged with a liquid material such as milk or battery acid and which it is desired to dispense in increments as, for example, in the manner indicated in FIG. 7, the spout 29 of the liner bag has associated therewith a relatively elongated flexible tube 27 which normally is folded against the filled portion of liner bag 23 and disposed in a direction substantially parallel to and beneath the tear-out strip 25 on flap 13. Thus, when it is desired to dispense the contents of a package formed and sealed as for example shown in FIG. 4, the tabs 21, 21 are separated and elevated and the strip 25 entirely removed as shown progressively in FIG. 5. Thereupon the elongated tube 27 may be manually grasped and elevated as shown in FIG. 6, with the spout 29 and associated cap 28 elevated at the opening left by elevation of the tabs 21, 21.

The opened assembly of FIG. 6 is then normally inverted for dispensing purposes, and if a dispensing cabinet 22 is employed, the carton 26 is aligned therein by means of the elevated tabs 21, 21 which serve as alignment and positioning guides, leaving the flexible tube 27 free for engagement by the valve means 31. After engagement by the clamp 31 the plugged tip portion of the tube 27 is cut off to provide a free dispensing path.

Flow of fluent material 36 from the liner 23 is shown in the section of FIG. 8. This view further shows a plurality of spaced fingers 37 extending inwardly from the cap 28 engaged to the nozzle or spout 29 and inwardly of the liner bag 23 so that upon collapse of the latter during dispensing, the communicating opening between the liner bag 23 and the spout 29 will not be prematurely closed.

When it is desired to quickly discharge the contents of the liner bag 23, an alternative dispensing means is provided. This comprises the provision of oblique score lines 38, 38 shown in FIG. 9, on the panels 12 and 13, the score lines 38, 38 extending from the hinge lines of the panels 12 and 13 adjacent the hinge lines of one of the panels 14, 15 and inwardly to the abutting edges of the panels 12 and 13. By elevating an overlying flap 15 the

3,138,293

6 over the top of the container body 26 so as to project in a direction normal to the arrangement of the plate 46 shown for example in FIG. 16, and in a manner whereby the angular recess portion 55 will lodge closely against the angular collar portion, and with the edge portion 56 projecting freely over the top of the container. It will be noted that the plate 54 has a pair of oppositely inclined tip or corner portions 57, 57, thus forming a spout, and for some dispensing purposes this will eliminate the necessity for the employment of a separate dispensing tube 49.

It will thus be apparent that we have provided a package for fluent materials of a composite character, the contents of which are adapted to be dispensed in a plurality of manners so that we have at one and the same time a plurality of dispensing means or avenues forming a highly flexible assembly with great economy.

Although we have shown and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in the details thereof without departing from its scope, as comprehended by the following claims.