US3184144A

US3184144A - Self sealing container

Info

Publication number: US3184144A
Application number: US370192A
Authority: US
Inventors: Greene Abbot; Densen Paul
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-05-26
Filing date: 1964-05-26
Publication date: 1965-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-18
Also published as: FR1426674A; GB1102278A

Description

May 18, 19 A. GREENE E TAL 4 SELF SEALING CONTAINER Filed May 26, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3

A 24A 24A -INVENTOR-5 Abbof Greene BY Paul Densen JMM ATTORNEY May 18, 1965 A. GREENE ETAL SELF SEALING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1964 FIG. 8

INVENTORS A b but G re ene By Paul Densen ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,184,144 SELF SEALING CONTAINER Abbot Greene, 24 Carter Road, and Paul Densen, 27 Colony Drive 131., both of West Orange, NJ. Filed May 26, 1964, Ser. No. 370,192 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-37) This invention elates in general to a self sealing container, and more specifically to a quadrilateral, collapsible, self sealing container which is constructed and arranged so as to prevent portions of the same container or of adjacent containers in a stack of similarly constructed collapsible containers from sticking to one another.

Considerable efforts have been expended in the past in an attempt to make a container, preferably of corrugated or solid fiber type cardboard, paperboard and the like, which can be secured or be rendered self sealing by the employing of a pressure sensitive adhesive coating, which, when in the collapsed state, will not adhere to itself and/ or to other similarly constructed containers when stacked one upon the other. Heretofore, most of the efforts to overcome the problem have been directed to modifying or altering the general shape of the blanks from which such containers have been formed in order to solve the dilemma in the art. However, this type of solution detracted from the use of the standard blank construction which is the most economical to manufacture and use, and that for this reason, the most widely favored of the known blank constructions. The containers made from such most economical blank construction are generally referred to in the art as a regular slotted container.

The regulated slotted container is generally formed from a single blank of sheet material, die cut and scored so as to define opposed side and end panels which are connected into end to end relationship, and which, when folded, define a closed quadrilateral figure that may be either square or rectangular in cross section. Connected to the respective upper and lower edges of the side and end panels are hinged closure flaps. The respective closure flaps may be constructed so that when folded, one or both pairs of the opposed flaps have their free ends disposed in substantially abutting relationship. For this reason, the hinged flaps generally do not exceed more than one half the length of the side or end panels disposed adjacent the panel to which said respective flaps are hinged.

Such slotted containers are generally shipped to the user in their collapsed state stacked one on the other. The rectangular containers, that is one in which the side panels are longer than the end panels thereof, portions of the opposed side panel flaps overlap one another in the collapsed position of the container. For this reason, the flaps of self sealing containers would tend to stick to one another, when collapsed, or when stacked, on one another as in the shipment of the same.

US. Patent No. 2,874,891 discloses an effort to overcome this sticking problem with self sealing containers. However, the patented disclosure has a disadvantage in that only a limited surface area of the respective flaps could be utilized for receiving an adhesive coating necessary for rendering the flap self sealing. In the patented construction, the available coated area is limited because of specific manner in which the flaps were required to be dd l idd Patented May 18, 1965 coated so as to avoid the objection of having the opposed flaps from sticking to one another in the collapsed position, of the container. Because of the limited coated area, the flaps could be easily or accidentally pried loose, and thereby the use and strength of such containers were adversely affected.

Since the area of the coated and uncoated portions of the overlapping portions of the opposed side panel flaps is fixed in the collapsed position of the container for a given size container, the problem to be solved was how to increase the adhesively coated surface area of such overlapping flap areas to enhance the holding quality thereof and consequently the strength of the container, while at the same time prohibiting the opposed coated portions of the overlapped flaps from interfering or sticking with one another in the collapsed position.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved regular slotted container in which its strength and versatility of the container is enhanced providing for more surface area of the flaps in the overlapping portions thereof to be coated with a layer of adhesive material.

Another object of this invention is to provide the flaps of a slotted container with a maximum surface area of an adhesive coating material by applying the coating material in narrow longitudinally extending strips which extend substantially the length of the respective side panel fia s.

Another object is to provide an improved self-sealing slotted container that is relatively simple in construction, positive in operation and relatively inexpensive to fabricate.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision wherein each of the respective side panel flaps are provided with a plurality of alternately spaced strips of coated and uncoated portions which extend substantially longitudinal length of the flap so that in the collapsed position of the carton, the overlapping end portions of the respective opposed side panel flaps have the coated strip portions thereof disposed in contacting relationship with the uncoated strip portion of the oppositely disposed side panel flaps.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawings and description in which,

FIGURE 1 is an expanded view of the blank from which a slotted container is formed in accordance with this invention, with the inside surface being shown face up.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the blank of FIG. 1 folded in the collapsed position of the container.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a perspective view of the container in a partially erected position.

FIGURE 4 illustrates another perspective erected view of the container of FIG. 3 shown in a manner to better illustrate the coated portions of the flaps in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 5 is atop plan view of the container illustrating the flaps in their closed position.

FIGURE 6 illustrates two similarly constructed collapsed containers showing how they can be readily stacked one upon the other in their collapsed state without sticking to one another.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 8 is an expanded inside View of a modified blank construction for forming a modified slotted container. I

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view illustrating a slotted container formed of the blank construction of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an expanded blank construction from which a rectangular slotted container 21 is formed in accordance with this invention. As shown, the blank construction 20 is die cut and scored so as to define a front panel connected in end to end relationship. The arrangement is such that the

respective panels

22, 23, 24 and 25 can be readily folded along transversely extending foldlines F1, F2, F3, so as to define a substantially rectangular shaped container as shown in FIG. 4. The upper and lower edge. portions of the respective front 22,

ends

23, 25 and back 24 panels have hingedly connected thereto closure flaps which in the erected position of the con- .tainer are adapted to be folded to define the top and bottom of the container. As shown,

flaps

22A and 22B are connected to the opposed edge portions of the front panel 22,

flaps

23A and 23B are hingedly connected to the opposed edge portions of the end panel 23,

flaps

24A and 24B are connected to the opposed edges of the back panel 24, and

flaps

25A and 25B are connected to the opposed edges of the other end panel 25.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the width of the respective closure flaps 22A, 2213; 23A, 23B; 24A, 24B; 25A, 25B are made substantially uniform. Generally, however, the width of the respective flaps does not exceed more than one half the length of the side or end panels adjacent the panel to which the respective flap is connected. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the

flaps

22A, 22B and 24A, 24B are connected to the respective front and

back panels

22 and 24, do not exceed more than one half the width of the end panels 23 or 25'. Thus, in

the folded position of the container, the

flaps

22A, 23A

and 22B and 23B which define respectively the top and bottom portion of the container have their free edges disposed in substantially abutting or contiguous relationship, as best seen in FIG. 5 and wherein they overlie the

adjacent end flaps

23A and 25A.

In the collapsed position, blank 20 is folded so that the free edge 22C of the front panel 22 is disposed contiguous to the free edge 25C of the end panel 25 so that the

respective panels

22, 25 can be secured in the folded position thereof by a suitable securing means as for. example, a strip of adhesive tape 26 or the like. Thus, the panels'so secured define closed quadrilateral figure of the container, when it is erected as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that in the folded collapsed position of the blank 20, the diagonally disposed opposed end portions of the

flaps

22A, 24A and 22B, 24B overlap in the collapsed position of the container. For this reason, the instant invention contemplates a unique disposition of pressure sensitive adhesive coating to the overlying portions of the respective

side panel flaps

22A, 22B and 24A, 24B so as to enhance their respective holding or strength characteristics as will be hereinafter described.

In order to render the container 21 of this invention self-sealing, each of the

respective flaps

22A, 22B; 23A, 23B; 24A, 24B; and 25A, 253 have portions thereof coated with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive of any suitable or well known brand. As shown, the outside surface of the

end flaps

23A, 23B and 25A, 25B has the entire area thereof covered with a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive. In accordance with this invention, the inside portions of the

side panel flaps

22A, 22B and 24A, 24B are coated with a similar pressure sensitive adhesive which is applied thereto in a plurality of spaced

narrow strips

27, 28 respectively extending longitudinally and substantially co-ext-ensive the length of the side panel flap. In the illustrated embodiment, it is to be noted that the

strips

27, 28 of coating material are spaced so as to define alterf 4 nate coated and uncoated portions. In accordance with this invention, the arrangement is such that the coated portions'or strips 27 extending longitudinally in flaps 22A,

22B are spaced so that they will coincide with the uncoated portions on the

opposed flaps

24A, 24B respectively in the collapsed position of the carton. Therefore, as it is readily apparent in FIGS. 2 and'7 in the collapsed position of the carton, the strips 27 in the overlapping portions of the

side panel flaps

22A, 22B are arranged so as to be in contacting relationship with the uncoated portions of the other adjacent

side panel flaps

24A, 24B. It will therefore be apparent that in the collapsed position of the carton, because none of the coated

surfaces

27, 28 of the

flaps

22A, 22B and 24A, 24B are disposed in contacting relationship with the coated portions of the flaps adjacent thereto, that sticking of the

respective flaps

22A, 24A and 22B, 2413 to one another is prohibited.

In slotted type containers of the type of which this invention pertains, it has been observed that as the rectangular shape of the container approaches that of a square, the amount of overlap in the respective side panel closure flaps is progressively decreased. For this reason, the adhesive coating which can be applied on the-ends or near the end portions of the side panelfiaps which overlap is seriously restricted as the square is approached. For this reason, the holding characteristics of the closure flaps in such cartons is progressively reduced as the carton size approaches a square. This is'readily apparent when it is noted that as the end panels increased in width, the amount of overlapping portion of the side panel flaps is diminished accordingly. As a result, the amount of area that can be coated with the adhesive is progressively limited as the square is approached. When this occurs, the bonding or holding force made possible by the coated portions in the overlapped end portions of the closure flaps of the prior construction is seriously affected. Thus the str ngth of the container is progressively reduced as the size of the rectangular container approaches that of the square.

With the novel arrangement of the instant invention, the holding characteristics of the respective closure flaps is not reduced as the container size approaches that of a square. This is because by applying the adhesive in alternate

narrow strips

26, 27 to the respective overlapped portions of the side panel flaps, a sufficient surface area of the flap is covered to render the bonding thereof positive in the operative or folded position of the container.

In accordance with this invention, it is desired that the Width of the respective coated and uncoated strips be made small so that the expanse between coated strips is maintained at a relatively low figure. It is contemplated that, for example, the strips of coated and uncoated portions on the respective flaps approximate a width of approximately /2" more or less. Also, the invention contemplates that the coated and uncoated portions or strips on one side panel flap be staggered with respect to the coated and uncoated strips formed on the other side panel fiap adjacent thereto so that in the collapsed position of the container, the overlapping portions of the respective side panel flaps 22A, 24A and 22B, 24B is such that the collapsed position coated portion on one side panel flap will be in facing contact with the uncoated strip on the other side panel flap. In this manner, there is not permitted any wide expanse of coated or uncoated areas in the overlapping portion of the respective side panel flaps.

It has therefore been shown, that by having a series of relatively narrow longitudinally extending strips of adhesive material that the bonding effect atforded thereby is greatly enhanced over that provided by a much fewer number of larger coated areas. Thus, in this form of the invention, it is to be noted that contiguous portions of the side panel flaps 22A, 22B and 24A, 24B are positively secured to the underlying folded end panel flaps 23A, 23B; 25A, 25B in such a manner that a positive bond is afforded thereby.

In a modified form of construction, that is, in containers 40 wherein the length is greater than width, the blank may be formed so that the end flaps 41A, 41B and 43A, 43B connected to the

respective end panels

41 and 43 are ex tended so that they will equal to substantially one half the length of the

respective side panels

42 and 44. Therefore, in the folded position of the box 40 as best seen in FIG. 9, the free ends of the opposing end flaps 41A, 43A when folded are disposed in contiguous abutting relationship. Since in this form of the invention, the entire outside surface of the end panel flaps 41A, 41B and 43A, 43B is formed or coated with a pressure senesitive adhe sive, the side panel flaps 42A, 42B and 44A, 44B, which are coated with alternate strips of coated and uncoated portions as hereinbefore described when folded into overlapping position, provide the maximum of holding surface, and thereby insures a most positive bond.

FIGURE 6 illustrates how two collapsed containers may be stacked in a manner so that they not stick to one another. It will be noted that the

containers

20A and 20B are stacked front to back. Thus, the uncoated outer surfaces of the side panel flaps 22A, 22B of container ZQB will engage the

coated surfaces

23A, 23B of the next adjacent container stacked thereon. Therefore, so long as the exposed coated portions of container 20A do not make contact with the coated portion of container 298, the respective containers can be readily stacked one on the other without sticking.

Accordingly, the instant construction has particular application in most standard size slotted type containers which approach a square, but not a square, that is, one in which the side and ends are proportioned so that overlapped portions of the respective side panel flaps define a substantially rectangular area. Since this shaped container is one of the most popular used today, and therefore the most desirable, it is important that such containers be made as strong as possible which the physical limitations thereof will permit. With the instant invention, the versatility and strength of such containers is greatly enhanced.

While the instant invention has been disclosed with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it is to be appreciated that the invention is not to be taken as limited to all of the details thereof as modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-sealing container which is both collapsible and stackable comprising,

(a) a blank of sheet material defining opposed side and end panels hingedly connected together in end to end relationship to define in the erected folded position thereof a closed quadrilateral figure,

(b) said side panels being longer than said end panels,

() closure flaps extending from and hingedly connected to the edge of each of said side and end panels,

(d) said flaps being substantially coextensive in length with respect to their connected panels,

(e) the flaps hingedly connected to said end panels having a width no greater than one-half of the length of said side panels,

( and the flaps hingedly connected to said side panels having a width no greater than one-half of the length of said end panels,

(3) said flaps in the collapsed position of the container being disposed in face to face contacting relationship whereby the diagonally opposed end portions of the respective side panel flaps are disposed in overlapping contacting relationship with one another,

(h) and a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to a surface portion of each of said flaps,

(1') each of said end panel flaps having its outer surface portion coated with said adhesive,

(1') and each of said side panel flaps having its respective inner surface coated with pressure sensitive adhesive applied in a plurality of spaced relatively narrow strips extending substantially co-extensively the length of said side panel flaps to define a plurality of strips of alternately coated and uncoated portions, said strips being so relatively located in the collapsed position of the container that the coated strip portions on one of said side panels coincide with the uncoated strip portions of the other side panel flap so as to prohibit sticking of said side panel flaps in the overlapping portions thereof.

2. A self-sealing container which is both collapsible and stackable comprising,

(a) a blank of sheet material defining opposed side and end panels hingedly connected together in end to end relationship to define in the folded position thereof a closed quadrilateral figure.

(b) said side panels being longer than said end panels,

(c) closure flaps extending from and hingedly connected to the edge of each of said side and end panels.

(e) the flaps hingedly connected to said end panels being equal to substantially one-half of the length of said side panels,

(1) and the flaps hingedly connected to said side panels having a width no greater than one-half of the length of said end panels,

(g) said flaps in the collapsed position of the container being disposed in face to face contacting relationship whereby the diagonally opposed end portions of the respective side panel flaps are disposed in overlapping contacting relationship With one another,

(it) and a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to a surface portion of each of said flaps,

(i) said end panel flaps having substantially the entire outer surface portion thereof coated with said adhesive,

(1') and each of said side panel flaps having its respec tive inner surface coated with a plurality of spaced narrow strips of adhesive material extending substantially co-extensively the length of said side panel flaps to define a plurality of alternate strips of coated and uncoated portions, said strips being so relatively l0- oated that the adhesive coated strip portions on one of said side panels coincide with the uncoated strip portions of the other side panel flaps in the overlapped portions of said side panel flaps, and in the folded position of said container said side panel flaps have substantially one-half of the area of said respective side panel flaps positively secured to said end panel flaps.

3. A self-sealing container which is both collapsible and stackable comprising,

(a) a blank of sheet material defining opposed side and end panels hingedly connected together to define in the folded position thereof a closed quadrilateral figure,

(b) said side panels being longer than said end panels,

(c) closure flaps extending from and hingedly con nected to the edge of each of said side and end panels,

(f) and the flaps hingedly connected to said side panels having a width no greater than one-half of the length of said end panels,

(h) and a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive ap plied to a surface portion of each of said flaps,

(i) said end panel flaps having an outer surface portion uncoated strip portions of the other side panel flaps coated with said adhesive, in the overlapping portions of said side panel flaps. (j) and'each of said side panel flaps having its respecr tive inner surface coated with pressure sensitive adf s d by th s mlller hesive to define a plurality of spaced relatively mm 5 V UNITED STATES PA row strips substantially coextensively the length of said side panel flaps and entending parallel to the longitudinal edges of said s1de flaps to define 'alter- 3,116,008 12/63 Greene t a1 4 22948 nate strips .of coated and uncoated portions, said strips being so relatively located that the coated strip 10 FRANKLIN T GARRETT Primary Examiner portions on one of said side panels coincide with the

Claims

1. A SELF-SEALING CONTAINER WHICH IS BOTH COLLAPSIBLE AND STACKABLE COMPRISING, (A) A BLANK OF SHEET MATERIAL DEFINING OPPOSED SIDE AND END PANELS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOGETHER IN END TO END RELATIONSHIP TO DEFINE IN THE ERECTED FOLDED POSITION THEREOF A CLOSED QUADRILATERAL FIGURE, (B) SAID SIDE PANELS BEING LONGER THAN SAID END PANELS, (C) CLOSURE FLAPS EXTENDING FROM AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE EDGE OF EACH OF SAID SIDE AND END PANELS, (D) SAID FLAPS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE IN LENGTH WITH RESPECT TO THEIR CONNECTED PANELS, (E) THE FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID END PANELS HAVING A WIDTH NO GREATER THAN ONE-HALF OF THE LENGTH OF SAID SIDE PANELS, (F) AND THE FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE PANELS HAVING A WIDTH NO GREATER THAN ONE-HALF OF THE LENGTH OF SAID END PANELS, (G) SAID FLAPS IN THE COLLAPSIBLE POSITION OF THE CONTAINER BEING DISPOSED IN FACE TO FACE CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP WHEREBY THE DIAGONALLY OPPOSED END PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE SIDE PANELS FLAPS ARE DISPOSED IN OVERLAPPING CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, (H) AND A COATING OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE APPLIED TO A SURFACE PORTION OF EACH OF SAID FLAPS, (I) EACH OF SAID END PANEL FLAPS HAVING ITS OUTER SURFACE PORTION COATED WITH SAID ADHESIVE, (J) AND EACH OF SAID SIDE PANEL FLAPS HAVING ITS RESPECTIVE INNER SURFACE COATED WITH PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE APPLIED IN A PLURALITY OF SPACED RELATIVELY NARROW STRIPS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVELY THE LENGTH OF SAID SIDE PANEL FLAPS TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF STRIPS OF ALTERNATELY COATED AND UNCOATED PORTIONS, SAID STRIP BEING SO RELATIVELY LOCATED IN THE COLLAPSED POSITION OF THE CONTAINER THAT THE COATED STRIP PORTIONS ON ONE OF SAID SIDE PANELS COINCIDE WITH THE UNCOATED STRIP PORTIONS OF THE OTHER SIDE PANEL FLAP SO AS TO PROHIBIT STICKING OF SAID SIDE PANEL FLAPS IN THE OVERLAPPING PORTIONS THEREOF.