Packaging container with stacking members

Abstract

A lid component for a paperboard packaging container, the lid component comprising a lid part and a connecting part, the lid part comprising a top portion and a side wall portion, the top portion having an outer lid surface, an inner lid surface opposite to the outer lid surface, and a peripheral edge surrounding the outer lid surface; and the connecting part comprising an upper portion and a lower portion and having a lower edge surface. Stacking members are arranged on the outer lid surface and comprise a lid component stacking step and a container stacking step, the lid component stacking step being arranged laterally outboard and below the container stacking step. The lower portion of the connecting part is adapted to be supported by the lid component stacking step. A lid component comprising a locking arrangement and paperboard packaging container comprising a lid component are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A lid component for a paperboard packaging container said lid component having a lateral direction and a height direction perpendicular to said lateral direction, said lid component comprising a lid part and a connecting part said lid part comprising a top portion and a side wall portion, said top portion having an outer lid surface and an inner lid surface opposite to said outer lid surface and a peripheral edge surrounding said outer lid surface; and said connecting part comprising an upper portion and a lower portion in said height direction and having a lower edge surface, wherein stacking members are arranged on said outer lid surface, said connecting part being hingedly connected to said lid part, said connecting part being configured to remain hingedly connected to said lid part when said container is opened, said stacking members on said outer lid surface comprising a lid component stacking step and a container stacking step, said container stacking step comprising a first support surface arranged at a first level below an uppermost level of said outer lid surface in said height direction of said lid component and said lid component stacking step comprising a first support surface arranged at a second level below said uppermost level of said outer lid surface and below said first level in said height direction of said lid component, said lid component stacking step being arranged at said peripheral edge of said outer lid surface, outboard of said container stacking step in said lateral direction, said connecting part being adapted to fit on and be supported by said lid component stacking step, said container stacking step being adapted for receiving and supporting a bottom edge of a packaging container characterized in that said lid component comprises a locking arrangement said locking arrangement comprising mating locking elements, wherein a female locking element is arranged in said outer lid surface of said top portion of said lid part and a male locking element is arranged on a locking flap arranged on said connecting part and being hingedly connected to said connecting part by means of a live hinge formed integrally with said connecting part and said locking flap, wherein said lid component stacking step and said container stacking step extend across said locking flap, whereby said locking flap in a closed position with said mating locking elements being in mating engagement forms a part of said side wall portion of said lid part.

2. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein an inset gripping area is arranged in said outer lid surface of said top portion of said lid part, said inset gripping area being arranged at a free end portion of said locking flap which is positioned opposite said hinge and being arranged to provide access to said free end portion of said locking flap in a direction perpendicular to said height direction of said lid component.

3. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said lid component stacking step and/or said container stacking step comprises one or more interruptions.

4. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said first support surface of said lid component stacking step is arranged to support said lower edge surface of said lower portion of said connecting part, said lower edge surface being a lowermost edge surface of said lower portion of said connecting part.

5. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said lid component stacking step and said container stacking step each comprises a second support surface, said second support surface of said lid component stacking step being arranged to support an inner wall of said lower portion of said connecting part.

6. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said lid component stacking step and/or said container stacking step is arranged along 50% or more of the peripheral edge of said top portion.

7. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said lid component stacking step comprises two interruptions arranged at opposite locations along said peripheral edge of said top portion.

8. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein a height of said second support surface of said lid component stacking step is from 0.3 millimetres to 7 millimetres as measured in said height direction of said lid component.

9. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein a height of said second support surface of said container stacking step is from 0.3 millimetres to 7 millimetres as measured in said height direction of said lid component.

10. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein a height of said lid component in said height direction of said lid component is from 5 millimetres to 50 millimetres.

11. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said first support surface of said lid component stacking step has a width in said lateral direction of said lid component of from 0.5 millimetre to 5 millimetres.

12. A lid component according to claim 11, wherein said width of said first support surface of said lid component stacking step corresponds to a width of said lower edge surface of said lower portion of said connecting part in said lateral direction of said lid component.

13. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said first support surface of said container stacking step has a width in said lateral direction of said lid component being from 1 millimetre to 10 millimetres.

14. A lid component according to claim 1, wherein said lid part is connected to said connecting part with a hinge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be further explained hereinafter by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a stackable packaging container;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the packaging container in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a stack and a detail view illustrating stacking of the packaging container in FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a lid component in a closed configuration;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the lid component in FIG. 3 in an open configuration; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a stack and a detail view illustrating stacking of the lid component in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) It is to be understood that the drawings are schematic and that individual components, such as layers of material are not necessarily drawn to scale. The packaging container and lid component shown in the figures are provided as examples only and should not be considered limiting to the invention as disclosed herein. It should be understood that the stacking means as disclosed herein are applicable in a corresponding manner to lid components in which the lid part and the connecting part are formed in on piece with the connecting part being an integral continuation of the side wall portion of the lid part.

(9) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a paperboard packaging container 1 for bulk solids. The particular shape of the container 1 shown in the figures should not be considered limiting to the invention. Accordingly, the paperboard packaging container according to the invention may have any useful shape or size.

(10) The packaging container 1 comprises a container body 2 formed by a tubular container wall 3. The container wall 3 extends from a container body bottom edge 4 to a container body opening edge 5 at a container body opening 6 in a height direction H of the packaging container 1, perpendicular to a lateral direction L of the packaging container 1. The container wall 3 has an inner surface 7 facing towards an inner compartment 11 in the packaging container 1 and an outer surface 8 facing away from the inner compartment 11 and being exposed to the exterior of the packaging container 1. A bottom disc 9 is positioned at the bottom edge 4 of the container body 2. The container body 2 is made from paperboard material as defined herein. The container body 2 may be formed by bringing together the side edges of a web of paperboard causing the material to assume a tubular shape, where after the side edges are sealed together. Sealing of the side edges may be made by any suitable method as known in the art, such as by welding or gluing, with welding being preferred. Sealing of the side edges of the container body web may involve using a sealing strip, as known in the art. The bottom disc 9 may be made from paperboard, metal, plastic, or from any suitable combination of such materials as known in the art. The body tube may be formed into any desired tubular shape including circular, oval, rectangular and modified rectangular shapes, such as the modified rectangular shape with rounded corners which is shown in the figures.

(11) The container body bottom edge 4 is reinforced by a bottom rim 10 which is attached to the inner surface 7 of the container wall 3, between the bottom disc 9 and the container body bottom edge 4 and which has an outwardly directed flange 12 which covers the container body bottom edge 4 and a lower end surface 13 as is shown in FIG. 3. The bottom rim 10 reinforces the container body paperboard bottom edge 4, stabilizes the shape of the container body 2 and protects the container body bottom edge 4 from mechanical deformation. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the flange 12 of the plastic bottom rim 10 also serves as a protective barrier against water and other fluids which may be present on a surface on which the packaging container is placed. The bottom rim 10 delimits a downwardly open space between the bottom disc 9 and the lower end surface 13 of the bottom rim 10 which space may be used to accommodate a part of another packaging container in a stacking configuration, as shown in FIG. 3. The bottom rim may alternatively be attached to the outside of the container body and may be made without the protective flange 12.

(12) The paperboard packaging container 1 is provided with a closure arrangement comprising a lid 16 and an upper reinforcing rim 15 extending along the container body opening edge 5 and defining a perimeter of a container access opening 35 which is smaller than the container body opening 6 which is defined by the upper edge 5 of the container body 2.

(13) The upper reinforcing rim 15 is preferably a plastic rim, most preferably a thermoplastic rim and is attached to the inner surface 7 of the container body wall 3 at the container body opening 6. The upper reinforcing rim 15 has an extension in the height direction, H, of the container 1 and has a lower rim edge 17 facing towards the container bottom 9 and an upper rim edge 19 facing away from the container bottom 9.

(14) The upper reinforcing rim 15 is joined to the inner surface 7 of the container wall 3 e.g. by means of a weld seal extending around the container opening 6. The weld seal preferably extends continuously around the container body opening 5 to provide a seal between the upper reinforcing rim 15 and the container wall 3. The seal is preferably sift-proof, more preferably moisture proof and most preferably gas-tight.

(15) The lid 16 comprises an outer lid part 20 which is part of a lid component 14 and an inner lid part 18. The outer lid part 20 is a profiled part with a three-dimensional shape providing an upper outer surface 23 of the lid 16. As is shown in FIG. 5, the outer lid part 20 has an inner surface 24 comprising a pattern of reinforcing elements 27. The inner lid part 18 is a planar disc, as shown in FIG. 2. The inner lid part 18 is attached e.g. by mechanical means or adhesively over the inner surface 24 of the outer lid part 20 and has an inner surface which faces towards the bottom disc 9 when the lid 16 is closed and which is arranged to seal against the upper rim edge 19 of the upper reinforcing rim 15 and an outer surface facing towards the inner surface 24 of the outer lid part 20.

(16) The outer lid part 20 is connected by a hinge 29 to a connecting part 30. The hinge 29 may comprise or consist of a live hinge, formed integrally with the upper lid part 20 and the connecting part 30 as one or more flexible connections between the upper lid part 20 and the connecting part 30. As set out herein a live hinge is only one example of a useful hinge and it should be understood that any other type of functional hinge may be used for creating a hinged connection between the connecting part and the lid. Moreover, the lid may be of the removable kind, without any permanent connection to the connecting part 30.

(17) The connecting part 30 is applied to the packaging container 1 at the container body opening edge 5 and is mechanically attached to the upper reinforcing rim 15 by a snap-on connection. The connecting part 30 is attached to the upper reinforcing rim 15 after the reinforcing rim 15 has been attached to the inner surface 7 of the paperboard container wall 3. Accordingly, the connecting part can be attached at a late stage in a process for assembling and filling the packaging container as disclosed herein. The connecting part 30 is applied to the upper reinforcing rim 15 by pressing the connecting part 30 down over the upper edge 19 of the upper reinforcing rim 15 until the connecting part 30 locks in place on the upper reinforcing rim 15. When the connecting part 30 has been attached to the upper reinforcing rim 15, it can only be removed again by breaking or damaging the connection.

(18) The interior compartment 11 of the packaging container is sealed with a fully or partly removable sealing membrane 33 which constitutes a transport seal over packaged bulk solids in the packaging container 1 and which is sealed to the container body wall 3. The removable sealing membrane 33 may be attached to the container body wall 3 either from the top end of the container body 2 or from the bottom end of the container body 2. In order to gain a first access to the packaged bulk solids, a user opens the lid 16 and exposes the packaged bulk solids by fully or partly removing the sealing membrane 33.

(19) The sealing membrane 33 may be arranged to be peeled away from the wall 3 of the container body 2 or may be arranged with means for breaking the membrane 33 so that it can be at least partly torn away. Such means may be in the form of one or more predefined weakenings, such as perforations or a cut partly through the membrane. When the membrane is of the tear-open type, a narrow edge part of the sealing membrane may be left at the inner surface 7 of the container wall 3. The sealing membrane 33 is an optional feature of the disclosed packaging container 1 and may be omitted.

(20) Once the sealing membrane 33 has been removed, it is sufficient to open the lid 16 in order to gain access to the contents in the interior compartment 11 through the access opening 35. The upper reinforcing rim 15 which is shown in FIG. 2 carries a scraper bar 40 which extends across a corner portion of the reinforcing rim 15. The scraper bar 40 may be a combined scraper bar and scoop holder and may in addition to a scraping edge for scraping off excess scooped-up contents from a scoop or spoon be arranged to receiving and hold a fastening element and/or a scoop head of a scoop or spoon. The scraper bar 40 is an optional element of the packaging container 1 as disclosed herein.

(21) When the packaging container 1 has been opened, a desired quantity of the contents may be removed from the interior compartment 11 through the access opening 35 either by hand, by using a scoop or a spoon, or by pouring. If a scoop or spoon is used, it may be a scoop or spoon which is provided together with the packaging container. The scoop or spoon may initially be placed on the sealing membrane 33, if present, may be removably attached to the inner lid part 18 or may be attached to a combined scraper bar and scoop holder 40.

(22) The closure arrangement as shown on the packaging container 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 with an upper reinforcing rim 15 directly attached to the inner surface 7 of the container wall 3 and a lid component 14 comprising a lid part 20 and a connecting part 30 provides a tight closure between the lid 16 and the container body 2. When the lid 16 is closed on the packaging container 1, the upper rim edge 19 abuts against the inner lid part 18 and creates a seal between the upper reinforcing rim 15 and the lid 16.

(23) In order to keep the lid 16 secured in the closed position between dispensing occasions, the closure arrangement of the packaging container 1 may further comprise a locking arrangement 45, as seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5. The locking arrangement 45 may comprise mating locking elements, e.g. a female locking element such as a groove 47 arranged in the outer lid surface 23 of the top portion 21 of the lid part 20 and a male locking element such as a rib 48 arranged on a locking flap 46 arranged on the connecting part 30. The locking flap 46 is hingedly connected to the connecting part 30, preferably by means of a live hinge 49 formed integrally with the connecting part 30 and the locking flap 46.

(24) A locking arrangement 45 of this type is illustrated in the figures and is closed by moving the locking flap 46 upward and inward over the lid 16 to the position shown in FIG. 4 where the locking elements come into mating engagement and is opened by moving the locking flap 46 outward and downward to the position shown in FIG. 5, whereby the locking elements are brought out of engagement with each other. When the locking flap 46 is in the closed position with the first and second locking elements engaging with each other, the lid part 20 and the connecting part 30 are firmly clamped together.

(25) As shown in the figures, the lid component stacking step 51 and the container stacking step 52 may extend across the locking flap 46. Thereby, the locking flap in the closed position which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 forms a continuation of the side wall portion 22 of the lid part 20. At the same time, the parts of the stacking steps 51, 52 which are arranged on the locking flap 46 may contribute to improve grippability of the locking flap 46 and facilitate manipulation of the locking flap between the open and the closed positions.

(26) An inset gripping area 65 may be arranged in the outer lid surface 23 of the top portion 21 of the lid part 20. The inset gripping area 65 is arranged at the free end portion of the locking flap which is positioned opposite the hinge 49 and serves to provide access to the free end portion of the locking flap 46 in a direction perpendicular to the height direction H of the lid component 14. Thereby, the locking flap 46 can be easily accessed and manipulated even if no part of the locking flap 46 in the closed position extends in the height direction H of the lid component 14 beyond the outer lid surface 23 of the top portion 21 of the of the lid part 20, as is shown in the figures.

(27) A male locking element may be one or more protrusions, such as one or more knobs or ribs arranged on and the female locking element may be one or more corresponding cavities or grooves. The locking arrangement 45 is preferably designed such that it exerts a force on the connection between the lid 16 and the upper rim edge 19 by pressing the upper edge 19 of the upper reinforcing rim 15 against the inner lid part 18.

(28) The lid component 14 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and comprises a lid part 20 which constitutes the outer lid part 20 of the lid 16 when the lid component 14 is a part of a packaging container such as the packaging container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a connecting part 30 which in the illustrated example is the connecting part 30 of the closure arrangement on the packaging container in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lid component has a lateral direction L and a height direction H perpendicular to the lateral direction L. When the lid component 14 is part of a packaging container, such as the packaging container in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lateral direction L and the height direction H of the lid component coincide with the lateral direction L and the height direction H of the packaging container.

(29) The lid part 20 of the lid component 14 comprises a top portion 21 and a side wall portion 22. The top portion 21 has an outer lid surface 23 and an inner lid surface 24 opposite to the outer lid surface 23 and a peripheral edge 25 surrounding the outer lid surface. The connecting part 30 comprises an upper portion 31 which faces the inner lid surface 24 in the closed configuration of the lid component 14 which is shown in FIG. 4. The connecting part 30 further comprises a lower portion 32 having a lower edge surface 33 which faces away from the inner lid surface 24 in the closed configuration of the lid component 15.

(30) Stacking members 50 are arranged on the outer lid surface 23. The stacking members on the outer lid surface 23 comprise a lid component stacking step 51 and a container stacking step 52. The container stacking step 52 comprises a first support surface 56 arranged at a first level below an uppermost level of the outer lid surface 23 in the height direction H of the lid component 14. The lid component stacking step 51 comprises a first support surface 55 arranged at a second level below the uppermost level of the outer lid surface 23 and below the first level in the height direction H of the lid component 14. The lid component stacking step 51 is arranged at the peripheral edge 25 of the outer lid surface 23, outboard of the container stacking step 52 in the lateral direction L of the lid component 14 whereby the outer lid surface 23 has a stepped configuration in the area immediately inward of the peripheral edge 25. The lower portion 32 of the connecting part 30 is sized and configured to be supported by the lid component stacking step 51.

(31) A paperboard packaging container 1′ such as the packaging container 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be stacked on another such packaging container 1″ by resting the bottom rim 10 on the container stacking step 52 at the peripheral edge 25 of the top portion 21 of the lid part 20, the bottom rim 10 and the container stacking step 52 thus forming mating stacking members. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the top portion 21 of the lid 16 laterally inside of the container stacking step 52 forms a protrusion from the plane in which the container stacking step 52 is arranged. When one packaging container 1 is stacked upon another packaging container as disclosed herein, the protruding portion of the lid 16 is accommodated in the space defined by the bottom disc 9 and the bottom rim 10 at the bottom 9 of an upper stacked packaging container 1′.

(32) As set out herein the lid components 14 are stackable on each other and the packaging containers 1 are also stackable on each other using different stacking means provided on the outer surface of the lid component for stacking the lid components and for stacking the packaging containers.

(33) When stacking a lid component 14″ on another lid component 14′, the first support surface 55 of the lid component stacking step 51 of the lower lid component 14′ supports the lower edge surface 33 of the lower portion 32 of the connecting part 30 of the second lid component 14″, i.e. in the height direction of the lid components 14′, 14″ as is shown in FIG. 6.

(34) Each of the lid component stacking step 51 and the container stacking step 52 comprises a second support surface 57, 58. The second support surface 58 of the container stacking step 52 is shown in FIG. 3 and the second support surface 57 of the lid component stacking step 51 is shown in FIG. 6.

(35) The second support surface 57 of the lid component stacking step 51 is arranged to support an inner wall 34 of the lower portion 32 of the connecting part 30, i.e. to support the second lid component 14″ in the lateral direction L of the lid components 14′, 14″. Accordingly, the first and second support surfaces 55, 57 of the lid component stacking step 51 are arranged to take up forces in two generally perpendicular directions corresponding to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction when the lid components 14′, 14″ are stacked on each other on a horizontal surface.

(36) As shown in FIG. 6, the lid components are nested in each other such that the combined height of the stacked lid components 14′, 14″ is less than the sum of the heights of each individual lid component 14′, 14″.

(37) As set out herein, the first and second support surfaces of a stacking step may be arranged perpendicular to each other or nearly perpendicular to each other, i.e. the angle between the first and second support surfaces may be 90°±3°. One or both of the second support surfaces of the stacking steps as disclosed herein may have a curved or slanted upper part which may serve as a guiding means when stacking one lid component on another lid component or when stacking a packaging container on another packaging container. Stacking steps in which the second support surfaces 57, 58 have a curved upper part are shown in the figures.

(38) As is shown in the figures, a pair of interruptions 60 in the stacking steps is arranged at opposite locations at opposite side portions of the peripheral edge 25 of the lid part 20. The interruptions extend from the peripheral edge 25 of the top portion 21 of the lid part 20 downwards in the height direction H into the side wall portion 22 of the lid part 20. The interruptions are optional features of the invention and may be omitted or a different number of interruptions from that which is shown in the figures may be used, such as one interruption, three interruptions or four interruptions. The interruptions may have any useful shape and size and may be provided only in the top portion 21 of the lid part 20.

(39) The interruptions 60 may be used as separation means for facilitating gripping and separation of individual lid components 14 from a stack of lid components when applying the lid components to a container body in a production process for producing a packaging container as disclosed herein. The provision of separation means may be particularly useful when stacking lid components which fit snugly on each other with almost invisible separation lines between the stacked lid components.

(40) As is shown in FIG. 6, the lower portion 32 of the connecting part 30 may form a continuation of the lid part side wall 22 and may fit on the lid component stacking step 51 with the lower portion 32 of the connecting part 30 flush with the lid part side wall 22, whereby the stack of lid components 14 is provided with a regular shape which may be beneficial when processing the lid components 14 in a packaging machine.

(41) Any plastic component in the packaging container as disclosed herein may be formed from thermo-formable or moldable plastic materials, e.g. by injection molding. Injection molding is particularly suitable for producing plastic components having a three-dimensional structure, such as the lid component and the reinforcing rims disclosed herein.

(42) It should be understood that the lid construction shown in the figures is optional to the packaging container of the claimed invention. In particular, the connecting part of the lid component may be arranged to be directly attached to a container body, without the optional upper reinforcing rim as disclosed herein or be removably attachable to an upper reinforcing rim which is permanently attached to the container body.