FOLDED LAMINATE BLANK AND A PACK FORMED THEREFROM

Abstract

A blank which can be folded to form a pack for food items and the like. The blank being formed of a laminate of a card layer on a film layer. The blank has a front face (9) and rear face (13) connected to opposite sides of a base (10) via fold lines (12, 14). The base has a central third transverse fold line (11) about which the base can be folded in an opposite sense. Side panels (15, 17) extend transversely from both sides of the blank. A film layer extends beyond the card layer so as to form unsupported film regions with a first region extending transversely from the base (10) and a second region continuous with the first region to at least partially overlie a corresponding side panel (15, 17) when the blank is folded. The second regions of unsupported film bond with the film on the corresponding side panel to seal the side panels in the erected pack.

Claims

1. A blank which can be folded to form a pack, the blank being formed of a laminate comprising a card layer laminated to a film layer, the blank comprising a laminated front face connected to a laminated base via a first transverse first fold line at one edge of the base, and a laminated rear face connected to the base via a second transverse fold line at the opposite edge of the base, the base having longitudinal edges extending between the one edge and the opposite edge, and a central third transverse fold line about which the base can be folded in the opposite sense to the first and second fold lines; side panels extending transversely from both sides of the blank from a longitudinal edge of the front face and/or the rear face, such that in the assembled pack in an erected configuration, the upper edges of the front face, back face and side panels form an opening into the pack; the film layer extending beyond the card layer so as to form an unsupported film regions with a first region extending transversely from the longitudinal sides of the base and a second region continuous with the first region which is positioned to at least partially overlie a corresponding side panel when the blank is folded about the first to third fold lines, the second regions of unsupported film being configured to bond with the film on the corresponding side panel to seal the side panels in the erected pack.

2. A pack formed from a blank according to claim 1, wherein, in a fold flat configuration, the base is folded in half about the third fold line, the film in the second unsupported film region is bonded to the film of the corresponding side panel; and in the transversely outermost area of the first unsupported film region, which overlaps with the second unsupported film region, the layers of film are bonded together.

3. A pack according to claim 2, wherein the pack formed from the blank is pivotally moveable about the fold lines and a longitudinal axis at the innermost edge of the bonded part of the second unsupported film region of each side panel, such that the pack is moveable from a fold-flat configuration to the erected configuration.

4. A blank according to claim 1, wherein each side panel is at least partially formed of the laminate.

5. A blank according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the side panels is formed of two laminated side panels sections, one extending transversely from a lateral edge of the front face and the other extending transversely from a lateral edge of the rear face, one of the panels being narrower than the other in the transverse direction such that the second unsupported film region extends from the longitudinal edge of the narrower panel.

6. A blank according to claim 5, wherein the side panel sections of a side panel overlap one another in the erected configuration.

7. A blank according to claim 1, further comprising an integral lid formed at an upper edge of the front face, back face, or side panels so as to be capable of closing the opening.

8. A blank according to claim 1, further comprising out turned flanges at the upper edges of at least some of the front face, back face, and side panels.

9. A blank according to claim 8, wherein, at an interface between adjacent flanges, there is a cut in the card but not in the underlying film to create a continuous layer of film across and between the flanges.

10. A blank according to claim 8, wherein at an interface between the lid and an adjacent flange there is a cut in the card but not in the underlying film to create a continuous layer of film across and between the lid and adjacent flange.

11. A blank according to claim 5, wherein each side panel section is formed at its upper edge with an out turned flange portion.

12. A blank according to claim 11, wherein the out turned flange portions of adjacent side panel sections overlap one another.

13. A blank according to claim 11, wherein at the interface of a side panel section and its associated flange portion at the end closest to an adjacent flange portion is a cut out region in the card but not the film.

14. A blank according to claim 1, configured such that the pack is moveable from a fold-flat configuration to the erected configuration without folding the card layer in the side panels.

15. A blank according to claim 1, wherein the card layer is fully covered with the film layer.

16. A method of forming a pack formed from a folded laminate blank according to claim 1, the method comprising: forming the blank; and folding the blank about the first and second fold lines in one sense and about the third fold line in the opposite sense causing the first unsupported film region to fold onto itself and the second unsupported film region to fold onto the film of a corresponding side panel, bonding the second unsupported film region to the film of the corresponding side panel and bonding the film layers at a transversely outermost area of the first unsupported film region which overlaps with the second unsupported film region.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein bonding is a heat sealing process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] An example of a blank, pack, and method in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank of the prior art;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank of the present invention;

[0034] FIGS. 3A-3F show the various stages in the process by which the fold-flat blank is produced on from a flat web of material; and

[0035] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an erected container.

[0036] The blank shown in FIG. 2 is formed of a laminate of a card layer and film layer. It is depicted in FIG. 2 with the card layer uppermost. The film layer fully covers the card layer and has unsupported film sections as shown as the shaded parts of FIG. 2 as described in greater detail below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0037] As used throughout the specification, the reference to the longitudinal direction is a direction along the blank from top to bottom as shown in FIG. 2. The transverse direction is the direction across the blank from side to side as shown in FIG. 2. Reference to an upper part of the container refers to the upper portion of the container in normal use, namely the end opposite to the base.

[0038] In general terms, the container is made up of a number of primary components namely the front face 9 which is connected to a base 10 with a central fold line 11 at its lowermost edge via a first fold line 12. A back face 13 is connected at its lowermost edge to the edge of the base 10 opposite to the front face 9 via a second fold line 14.

[0039] At either side of front face 9 are a pair of first side panel sections 15 connected to longitudinal edges of the front face 9 via third fold lines 16. Similarly, on opposite sides of the back face 13 are a pair of second side panel sections 17 connected to the longitudinal edges of the back face 13 along fourth fold lines 18.

[0040] As an alternative to having both the first and second side panel sections formed of laminate, these sections could be formed of just film. As a further alternative, only one of the front face 9 and back face 13 may be provided with laminated side panels. In this case, these will need to be longer in the transverse direction as they are required to form the whole of the side of the pack in the erected configuration.

[0041] As is apparent from FIG. 2, the height of the back face 13 is greater than the height of the front face 9 which terminates at fifth fold line 19 above which the lid 20 is formed.

[0042] A window 21 is formed by cutting the cut but not the film in an area extending across a substantial portion of the front face 9 and lid 20. Other windows may be formed in this region in other regions of the blank in the same way.

[0043] The uppermost edges 22 of the first side panel sections 15 are inclined such that the lid extends at an oblique angle along the edges 22 and meets the upper edge of the back face 13 which, as mentioned above, is above the upper edge of the front face 9.

[0044] The lid is provided with a transversely extending perforation 23 forming a flange 24. The perforations in the erected configuration are aligned with a corresponding transversely extending perforation 25 on the back face 13 forming an out turned flange 26. When bonded together, the flanges 24, 26 form a tear off tab 27.

[0045] Longitudinally extended perforations 28 extending only through card extend away from the tear off tab 27 down either side of the lid towards the fold line 19 and could even extend beyond this. Once the tear off tab 27 has been removed, the lid can be torn along these perforations 28 to open the pack. These perforations are optional and other opening mechanisms could be employed as well known in the art.

[0046] At the top of the oblique edges 22 of first panel sections 15 are first flange portions 30, which fold out about the uppermost edge 22. In the blank, there is a single cut 31 through the laminate at the interface between the first flange portion 30 and the lid 10, although there could be a gap here.

[0047] At interface between the first flange portion 30 and lid 20 immediately adjacent to the first side panel section 15 there is a small cut 32 designated by the single dashed line in FIG. 2. This extends only through the card and not through the film.

[0048] The second side panels sections 17 similarly form uppermost edges 33, which are inclined in alignment with the uppermost edges 22 of the first side panels 15 in the erected configuration.

[0049] Second flange portions 34 are provided at the top of each second side panels section 17 and can be folded out about the uppermost edge 33.

[0050] At the interface between the second flange panel section 34 and the flange 26 is a small cut 35 similar to the small cut 32 described above that extends only through the card and not through the film thereby separating the flange 26 from an adjacent second flange panel section 34 but leaving a continuous layer of film across the interface.

[0051] A cut out 36 is formed in the second side panel section 17 and the adjacent second flange portion 34 spanning the uppermost edge 33. As will apparent from FIG. 2, the cut out 36 is formed in the card only leaving an underlying section of film 37.

[0052] The manner in which the blank is formed will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3A-3F.

[0053] It should be noted that the blank described above in relation to FIG. 2 does not ever exist in that state as the blank is formed directly in the fold-flat configuration in which (with reference to FIG. 2) it is folded about fold lines 11, 12 and 14 prior to being bonded and cut from the web of material.

[0054] The various stages shown in FIGS. 3A to 3F represent a number of consecutive stages as the web of material passes though the processing machine from left to right from FIGS. 3A to 3F.

[0055] FIG. 3A shows the first stage when a web 39 of material undergoes a first cutting stage. At this point, the web 39 consists only of the card. As shown in FIG. 3A, there are a number of broken lines which represent the various fold lines as previously described. In addition, small cuts 32, 35 as described above are made at this stage.

[0056] In addition, three cuts are made fully through the card layer to form three windows. These are a cut out for the window 21 as well as two symmetrical cuts 40 forming windows which correspond to the unsupported film shown as shaded in FIG. 2.

[0057] Between the first stage cut in FIG. 3A and the second stage cut shown in FIG. 3B, the web of card is laminated with a layer of plastic film in a well known lamination process. With reference to FIG. 3B, the film layer is on top of the layer of card. In the second cutting stage shown in FIG. 3B, cuts 41 are made through both the card and the film in order to define the outer edges of the lid 20. A cut 42 is made at the lowermost edge of the blank again through the card and film in order to define the second out turned flange 26 and the second flange panel sections 34. This cut 42 intersects with the cuts made for the windows 40 such that part of the blank below the fold line 12 in FIG. 3B has now been separated from the web 39.

[0058] This allows folding to take place as show in FIG. 3C where the base 10 is pushed up at fold line 11 as the lower part of the blank is folded in the opposite sense along fold lines 12, 14 such that the base 10 is effectively tucked up inside the blank which has been folded flat.

[0059] In this configuration, heat is applied to region 50 as shown in FIG. 3D which has the effect of bonding the part of the film which is directly beyond the edge of the side panel section 17 onto the underlying side panel section 15. The free film which is between the outer edge of the side panel section 17 and the fourth fold line 18 in the region labelled 51 in FIG. 3D is not heated such that the film here is not bonded by allowing the blank to be moved into the erected configuration as described subsequently.

[0060] Once bonded, the blank moves to the final cut as shown in FIG. 3E where a cut 52 is made such that the tab 27 is freed from the web 39 and a cut 53 is made to free the right hand edge of the blank from the web 39. In the subsequent position of the right hand side of FIG. 3E, a similar cut 54 is made on the opposite edge of the blank thereby freeing the finished blank from the web 39.

[0061] The final blank is show in the fold flat configuration in FIG. 3F this shows the container from the rear with the back face 13 on side panel section 17 being visible while the lid 20 is shown extending above the tear off tab 27.

[0062] Outside of the side panel section 17 is a region 55 where the upper layer is the previously described unsupported film and the lower layer is the outermost portion of the side panel section 15.

[0063] In order to create the erected container shown in FIG. 4 from the fold flat blank shown in FIG. 3F, it is essentially a matter of pushing the two sides inwardly. The side panel sections 15, 17 rotate relatively to one another about the outer most edge of the second side panel sections 17 as the container folds about third fold lines 16 and fourth fold lines 18. This causes the base to fold down about the fold lines 11, 12 and 14 until the base is essentially flat and the first side panel section 15 overlies the second side panel section 17.

[0064] At the same time, a continuous flange is formed around the upper edge of the container and all sides except for the front face 9 as this has the lid. This upper flange is formed by the flange 26, first flange portions 30 and second flange panels 34. As described above, there is a continuous film running around all of these flanges. Once the erected container is filled, the lid 20 is then folded down onto this flange and sealed in place.

[0065] The interior of the container is effectively lined with a single sheet of film where any joints are formed of the surface-to-surface joint between adjacent film sections thereby removing any pin-holes. This allows the creation of a hermitically sealed container. As set above, this can be achieved by a simple manufacturing process to create a fold flat blank which is very easy to erect, fill, and seal.

[0066] Particular aspects of the disclosure are described below in the following sets of interrelated Clauses:

[0067] Clause 1. A blank which can be folded to form a pack, the blank being formed of a laminate comprising a card layer laminated to a film layer, the blank comprising a laminated front face connected to a laminated base via a first transverse first fold line at one edge of the base, and a laminated rear face connected to the base via a second transverse fold line at the opposite edge of the base, the base having longitudinal edges extending between the one edge and the opposite edge, and a central third transverse fold line about which the base can be folded in the opposite sense to the first and second fold lines; [0068] side panels extending transversely from both sides of the blank from a longitudinal edge of the front face and/or the rear face, such that in the assembled pack in an erected configuration, the upper edges of the front face, back face and side panels form an opening into the pack; [0069] the film layer extending beyond the card layer so as to form an unsupported film regions with a first region extending transversely from the longitudinal sides of the base and a second region continuous with the first region which is positioned to at least partially overlie a corresponding side panel when the blank is folded about the first to third fold lines, the second regions of unsupported film being configured to bond with the film on the corresponding side panel to seal the side panels in the erected pack.

[0070] Clause 2. A pack formed from a blank according to Clause 1, wherein, in a fold flat configuration, the base is folded in half about the third fold line, the film in the second unsupported film region is bonded to the film of the corresponding side panel; and

[0071] in the transversely outermost area of the first unsupported film region, which overlaps with the second unsupported film region, the layers of film are bonded together.

[0072] Clause 3. A pack according to Clause 2, wherein the pack formed from the blank is pivotally moveable about the fold lines and a longitudinal axis at the innermost edge of the bonded part of the second unsupported film region of each side panel, such that the pack is moveable from a fold-flat configuration to the erected configuration.

[0073] Clause 4. A blank according to Clause 1 or a pack according to Clause 2, wherein each side panel is at least partially formed of the laminate.

[0074] Clause 5. A blank or a pack according to Clause 4 wherein at least one of the side panels is formed of two laminated side panels sections, one extending transversely from a lateral edge of the front face and the other extending transversely from a lateral edge of the rear face, one of the panels being narrower than the other in the transverse direction such that the second unsupported film region extends from the longitudinal edge of the narrower panel.

[0075] Clause 6. A blank or pack according to Clause 5, wherein the side panel sections of a side panel overlap one another in the erected configuration.

[0076] Clause 7. A blank or pack according to any preceding Clause, further comprising an integral lid formed at an upper edge of the front face, back face or side panels so as to be capable of closing the opening.

[0077] Clause 8. A blank or pack according to any preceding Clause, further comprising out turned flanges at the upper edges of at least some of the front face, back face and side panels.

[0078] Clause 9. A blank or pack according to Clause 8, wherein, at an interface between adjacent flanges, there is a cut in the card but not in the underlying film to create a continuous layer of film across and between the flanges.

[0079] Clause 10. A blank or pack according to Clause 8 or Clause 9, wherein at an interface between the lid and an adjacent flange there is a cut in the card but not in the underlying film to create a continuous layer of film across and between the lid and adjacent flange.

[0080] Clause 11. A blank or pack according to Clause 5 and any of Clauses 8 to 10, wherein each side panel section is formed at its upper edge with an out turned flange portion.

[0081] Clause 12. A blank or pack according to Clause 11, wherein the out turned flange portions of adjacent side panel sections overlap one another.

[0082] Clause 13. A blank or pack according to Clause 11 or 12, wherein at the interface of a side panel section and its associated flange portion at the end closest to an adjacent flange portion is a cut out region in the card but not the film.

[0083] Clause 14. A blank or pack according to any preceding Clause, configures such that the pack is moveable from a fold-flat configuration to the erected configuration without folding the card layer in the side panels.

[0084] Clause 15. A blank or pack according to any preceding Clause, wherein the card layer is fully covered with the film layer.

[0085] Clause 16. A method of forming a pack formed from a folded laminate blank according to Clause 1, the method comprising forming the blank;

[0086] folding the blank about the first and second fold lines in one sense and about the third fold line in the opposite sense causing the first unsupported film region to fold onto itself and the second unsupported film region to fold onto the film of a corresponding side panel, bonding the second unsupported film region to the film of the corresponding side panel and bonding the film layers at a transversely outermost area of the first unsupported film region which overlaps with the second unsupported film region.

[0087] Clause 17. A method according to Clause 16, wherein bonding is a heat sealing process.

[0088] The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.