International Paper Company

International Paper

Other

Robert L Gordon

Linda A Bernstein

Roderick W Kalberer

George H Naugle

David E Stier

Keith A Cooper

Paul D Roosa

Andrew J Alba

Richard J Pines

Michael G Bodary

John G Smith

Katherine A Swenson

Barbara Mesquida

James R Quick

Kurt D Jensen

Burton Salkin

Tung C Ma

Xiang Yu

James F Zavatone

Robert E Rehm

Teresa A Bronk

Virginia K Silver

Theresa A Bronk

Robert Sosnowski

Robert Sosnowksi

Paul Z Wolak

George H Maugle

Barbara Mesquida-Feirman

Helga H Ulrich

James A Griesemer

Barry L Hess

Larry A Richardson

A method for preventing bulges in liquid packaging. Disclosed is a mechanical process for squeezing the carton during the carton sealing process. When sealed, a partial vacuum is created, thus making the filled and sealed carton side walls concave. Over an extended period of time, the vacuum will release to the point of having a straight wall carton.

Method for preventing bulge of liquid packaging

A brick type container, particularly adapted for aseptic packaging of product such as potable liquids, is formed having optimum dimensions and location of a pour spout fitment thereon. The dimensions of the pour spout components are chosen for optimum performance. The top of the container carries a dispensing opening covered by a severable or frangible extrusion coating or other type of membrane. The fitment is applied to the container by applying it while the container is encased in a pocket on a conveyor, the pocket sides being rigid. The fitment includes a hollow cutter having cutting teeth on its lower periphery, the cutter also functioning as part of a pour spout. The toothed end of the cutter severs the membrane to permit dispensing of product from the carton. To prevent the severed extrusion or membrane which originally covers the dispensing opening from passing out of the carton upon dispensing of product, a flow filter is provided in the form of bars at one end of the entrance lumen of the cutter element. Typically, these bars are integrally molded with the cutter. The bars are located above the lower portions of the cutting teeth, in a plane containing the teeth roots or bases, to thereby preclude entry of a severed disc of membrane from entering the lumen of the pour spout or the cutter.

Aseptic brick package spout

A paperboard container of generally semi-rigid construction and formed from a unitary blank of paperboard folded in the general shape of a U. The interior surface of the container is coated with a thermoplastic polymer barrier layer, the container having a manually openable, normally closed pour spout at one upper edge portion, and also having a recessed or raised bottom. The container is particularly adapted for packaging granular, dry material such as corn flakes, pretzels, and the like. Due to its construction and the thermoplastic barrier layer, the usual inner pouch which contains dry cereal is omitted, thereby effecting savings in both material and in assembly of the final package. In one embodiment, an opening is provided for carrying the package, the opening located at the top of the container. In another embodiment one side wall of the panel is provided with an extension to serve as a reclosure flap.

Method of making a semi-rigid cereal carton

A frangible pour spout construction is improved by the addition of reinforcing webs at the upper plug portion. These webs function to localize the upward pulling force to thereby concentrate the rupture force at the frangible connection between the upper plug and lower pour spout portions. This insures that the pulling force is concentrated so that the frangible connection will rupture prior to the entire fitment being pulled off of the container to which the fitment is secured. The upper plug, later to function as a cap or stopper for the lower spout portion, is provided with a pull ring. The entire construction is die molded, as for example of polyethylene, with the pull ring being molded substantially at 90.degree. from its flat or storage position. A pair of lugs carried by the upper plug holds the pull ring down in its storage position.

Frangible pour spout fitment

A bottle carrier having a central or upper panel of paperboard and at least one lower panel or layer. Each panel has a plurality of bottle neck receiving openings. The periphery of each opening of each panel is defined by the tips of a plurality of radially extending fingers, the tips of the fingers of the upper panel engaging beneath a portion of an abutment associated with each bottle neck. Each finger is bent upwardly at about 45 degrees after insertion of a bottle into a respective opening. Each upper panel radial finger is provided at its widest portion with a base slit extending through the paperboard. Another and intermediate slit is located about half way along the length of each upper panel finger, the intermediate slit also extending through the paperboard. The base slit permits bending of each finger upwardly upon bottle insertion, while the intermediate slit facilitates removal of each bottle from its respective opening. The lower panel is provided with reinforcing fingers which are in surface and reinforcing contact with the radially outermost portions only of the upper radial fingers, namely, from the base of each upper finger to its respective intermediate slit. These lower reinforcing fingers permit significant reduction in thickness of the paperboard stock which forms the carrier.

Paperboard bottle carrier

A stackable can carrier is formed from a unitary paperboard blank. The carrier compensates for stacking problems caused by smaller diameter tops and bottoms on present cans, the latter termed 202 cans which have a tendency to rock with respect to each other when stacked. An otherwise conventional can carrier is provided with foldable, lateral flaps having pairs of cuts lines which define ears. The latter are glued to the carrier top surface. The flaps overlie respective can top receiving openings in the carrier less than one half of the diameter of the can openings. Upon stacking of the carriers and cans therein for storage or for display, the carrier provides improved stability.

Stackable can carrier

A flat paperboard bottle carrier is provided with an integral and depending bottle divider panel which makes the carrier particularly useful for carrying glass bottles. The divider flap extends between adjacent pairs of glass bottles and prevents glass clinking sound or banging together of the glass bottles as they are carried by a consumer. The carrier is provided with a finger hole for insertion of the fingers for carrying the carrier, with the longitudinal axis of the finger hole lying in the plane of the divider. Three variations in form are disclosed.

Glass bottle carrier with divider

A bottle carrier is formed of two superposed panels of paperboard having a plurality of bottle neck receiving openings and a handle sandwiched between the panels. Each opening has a plurality of radially extending fingers whose ends engage beneath a portion of an abutment associated with each bottle neck. Each finger is bent upwardly at about 45 degrees after insertion of a bottle into a respective opening. Each finger is provided with a microcut line on its upper surface, each microcut line extending about 10-50% through the paperboard. Such microcut lines facilitate removal of the bottles from the carrier by permitting easier rupture. The handle has a manually accessible flexible strip at the upper surface of the uppermost panel or section, one end of the strip being folded prior to use.

Paperboard bottle carrier with handle

Semi-rigid cereal carton

A package particularly useful for either conventional oven or microwave heating of refrigerated or frozen foodstuffs includes a lower paperboard tray, an upper frangible paperboard cover, and an intermediate compartmentalized plastic food tray. The bottom of the plastic tray food compartments rest on the tray bottom. The plastic tray side edges are clamped between laterally extending side flanges on the lower tray and edges of the top cover. The top cover is removed by ripping along tear lines. After consumption of the food, the plastic tray is readily removed to thereby facilitate separation for recycling. The package construction also facilitates the use of relatively thin plastic for forming the compartmentalized plastic tray because the weight of the foodstuffs in the plastic tray components is partially borne by the lower tray. In an embodiment, the plastic tray is inserted into the either end of a paperboard rectangular sleeve or tube and the tube ends closed, with only the two ends of the plastic tray supported by the paperboard lower tray portion.

Multi-compartment ovenable food container

A gas barrier folding carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank (10) having a gas impermeable polymer layer (52) such as EVOH, nylon, or foil extruded on or laminated to one surface of the blank, except for certain adhesive (56, 58) coated areas. Two opposite side edges of the blank are seamed to form a flattened tube (13) having top and bottom closure flaps (30, 34, 36, 38, 40). One of the major closure flaps (36) at each top and bottom container end is provided with spaced abhesive areas (58), with areas of the two minor closure flaps (34, 38) also provided with abhesive (56). Upon folding the closure flaps at each end, the folding sequence pulls the barrier film (52) away from the abhesive (56, 58) areas and subsequent heat sealing produces hermetic sealing of the carton. This process and carton construction may be employed with conventional gas purging of the container interior by an inert gas before final sealing.

Gas barrier folding carton construction

A paperboard tray which resists warping is formed of a unitary blank, the blank having a polymer coating on its tray interior forming surface. The polymer coating is typically a heat resistant, non-stick, FDA approved polymer applied by extrusion coating. The upstanding sidewalls of the tray are joined to respective peripheral portions of the tray base through curved score lines on the tray interior surface. Curved cut lines on the exterior tray surface are each aligned with respective curved score lines on the tray interior surface, the cut lines extending 75 to 90 percent through the blank. The curved score lines and their complementary cut lines may be curved either convex outwardly or concavely inwardly with respect to the tray base.

Reduced warp paperboard tray

A container is provided with a pour spout fitment. The fitment carries a flange which secures the fitment to the container, the flange surrounding a dispensing opening in the container. The pour spout is normally externally closed by a screw cap threaded thereon. A frangible membrane normally spans and internally closes the dispensing opening. A hollow piercing insert is positioned within the pour spout lumen, the lower edge of the insert being serrated to define cutting teeth. The screw cap is removed and the piercing element pushed downwardly to thereby rupture the frangible membrane and permit dispensing from the container. The interior of the spout is provided with a plurality of axially spaced, inwardly extending ribs which cooperate with outwardly extending protrusions on the piercing insert to thus define a plurality of discrete axial locations of the piercing insert relative to the spout.

Pour spout with piercing insert

A gas barrier folding carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank (10) having a gas impermeable polymer layer (52) such as EVOH, nylon, or foil extruded on or laminated to one surface of the blank, except for certain abhesive (56, 58) coated areas. Two opposite side edges of the blank are seamed to form a flattened tube (13) having top and bottom closure flaps (30, 34, 36, 38, 40). One of the major closure flaps (36) at each top and bottom container end is provided with spaced abhesive areas (58), with areas of the two minor closure flaps (34, 38) also provided with abhesive (56). Upon folding the closure flaps at each end, the folding sequence pulls the barrier film (52) away from the abhesive (56, 58) areas and subsequent heat sealing produces hermetic sealing of the carton. This process and carton construction may be employed with conventional gas purging of the container interior by an inert gas before final sealing.

Growing community of inventors

Monroe, NY, United States of America

Robert L Gordon