PAPERBOARD BLISTER PACK AND MANUFACTURING METHOD

Abstract

A package for containing a product includes a face card and a tray sealed to a rear surface of the face card, The tray includes a rectangular bottom portion, opposing side walls extending from respective sides of the bottom portion, first and second side flanges extending from outer edges of the side walls, and opposing end walls extending from respective ends of the bottom portion. In this tray, each end wall is configured with opposing lateral edges and opposing corner flaps extending from those lateral edges. First and second end flanges extend from outer edges of the end walls and are adhered to respective side flanges. The corner flaps are adhered to respective surfaces of the opposing side walls.

Claims

1. A package for containing a product, the package comprising: a face card; and a tray sealed to a rear surface of the face card, the tray comprising: a rectangular bottom portion; opposing side walls extending from respective sides of the bottom portion; first and second side flanges extending from outer edges of the side walls; opposing end walls extending from respective ends of the bottom portion, each end wall comprising opposing lateral edges and opposing corner flaps extending from the lateral edges and outward edges, the corner flaps being adhered to respective surfaces of the opposing side walls; and first and second end flanges extending from the outward edges of the end walls and adhered to respective side flanges.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein each corner flap comprises an angled free edge.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein each corner flap comprises an arcuate free edge.

4. The package of claim 1, wherein each corner flap comprises an angled free edge and an arcuate free edge.

5. The package of claim 1, wherein the tray defines a rectangular prism.

6. The package of claim 1, wherein the tray defines a truncated pyramid.

7. The package of claim 6, wherein the corners of the tray deviate from perpendicular by 20 degrees, 15 degrees, or 10 degrees.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein the tray further comprises a pull tab extending outward from a side flange.

9. The package of claim 1, wherein the corner flaps are adhered to respective inner surfaces of the opposing side walls.

10. A method for forming a product package, the product package comprising a tray, the tray comprising a rectangular bottom portion, opposing side walls extending from respective sides of the bottom portion, first and second side flanges extending from outer edges of the side walls, opposing end walls extending from respective ends of the bottom portion, each end wall comprising opposing lateral edges and opposing corner flaps extending from the lateral edges, and first and second end flanges extending from outer edges of the end walls, the tray having an interior, the method comprising the steps of: folding tray end walls toward the interior; folding end flanges away from the interior; folding corner flaps toward the interior; folding side walls toward the interior; folding side flanges away from the interior; adhering corner flaps to respective side walls; and adhering end flanges to respective side flanges.

11. The method for forming a product package of claim 10, wherein the tray further comprises a pull tab extending outward from a side flange.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adhering steps are performing by heat sealing.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each corner flap comprises an angled free edge and an arcuate free edge.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the tray defines a rectangular prism.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the tray defines a truncated pyramid.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the corners of the tray deviate from perpendicular by 20 degrees, 15 degrees, or 10 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The disclosed apparatus and method are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.

[0013] FIG. 1 is an exemplary blister pack;

[0014] FIG. 2A is an exemplary tray for a blister pack;

[0015] FIG. 2B depicts three exemplary versions of the tray of FIG. 2A;

[0016] FIG. 3 is an exemplary tray blank;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting and exemplary method for forming the tray;

[0018] FIGS. 5A through 5F illustrate an exemplary apparatus for forming a tray;

[0019] FIGS. 6A&B show another embodiment of the paper tray where FIG. 6A is a top plan view of the tray and 6B is a bottom plan view; and

[0020] FIG. 7 is a plan view of an exemplary tray blank for the embodiment of FIGS. 6A&B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The various embodiments of the paper board blister pack and method, and their advantages, are best understood by referring to FIGS. 1 through 7 of the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the novel features and principles of operation. Throughout the drawings, like numerals are used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

[0022] Furthermore, reference in the specification to an embodiment, one embodiment, various embodiments, or any variant thereof means that a particular feature or aspect described in conjunction with the particular embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrases in one embodiment, in another embodiment, or variations thereof in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to its respective embodiment.

[0023] The term fold line as used herein may refer to a fold line, a score line, an ablated channel or multiple parallel fold lines, score lines or ablated channels in close proximity so as to function as a fold line.

[0024] Referring first to FIG. 1, package 100 comprises a flat face card 103 sealed to tray 101. Face card 103 may include a small hole 102 defined therein and located near the top of package 100 for accommodating a rod or hook for retail display purposes. Tray 101 may be a rectangular prism as seen in FIG. 1. FIGS. 2A & B depict various embodiments of tray 101. Alternatively, tray 101 may define a truncated pyramid as shown in FIGS. 2A & 2B. FIG. 2B shows three versions of tray 101, specifically, a 20 version 101a, wherein the corners deviate from perpendicular by roughly 20, a 15 version 101b, and a 10 version 101c. It will be understood that tray 101 may be configured such that the corners define any suitable angle depending on the product intended to be contained within tray 101. When formed, tray 101 defines a cavity 102 within which a product (not shown) may be contained.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a tray blank 300 used to make tray 100. Tray blank 300 comprises a tray bottom 301, two opposing tray side walls 305a, b and two opposing tray end walls 303a, b. Tray blank 300 also comprises two opposing side flanges 307a, b and two opposing end flanges 309a, b. Tray bottom 301 may be rectangular and may have a periphery comprising two opposing parallel side fold lines 302a, b and two opposing parallel end fold lines 306a, b. Tray side walls 305a, b are attached to tray bottom 301 along the side fold lines 302a, b and terminate in side wall free edges 316a-d. Tray end walls 303a, b are attached to tray bottom 301 along the end fold lines 306a, b. Each tray side wall 305a, b extends outwardly from tray bottom 301 to a side flange fold line 304a, b, and each tray end wall 303a, b extends outwardly from tray bottom 301 to an end flange fold line 308a, b. As in the previous embodiment, the side fold lines 302a, b, end fold lines 306a, b, side flange fold lines 304a, b and end flange fold lines 308a, b may be shallow channels formed into the three-dimensional tray 101.

[0026] Side flanges 307a, b extend alongside flange fold lines 304a, b and comprise side flange tabs 315a-d that extend beyond the edges of side walls 305a, b. Similarly, end flanges 309a, b extend along end flange fold lines 308a, b and comprise tabs 313a-d that extend beyond corner flap fold lines 310a-d. The respective sides of the end walls 303a, b comprise corner flap fold lines 310a-d that demarcate between end walls 303a, b and corner flaps 311a-d. Each corner flap 311a-d includes an angled free edge 312a-d traversing from the ends of end flange fold lines 308a-b angling away from end flange 309a, b. Angled free edge 312a-d transitions or an arcuate free edge 314a-d.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 4, tray 100 may be formed, tray blank 300 held in parallel then at Step 401, end walls 303a, b are urged out of plane with respect to tray bottom 301, folded along end wall fold lines 306a, b until they reach the desired angle with respect to tray bottom 301. At step 403, end flanges are folded along end flange fold lines 308a, b away from tray interior. End walls 303a, b are held in place while corner flaps 311a-d are urged out of plane with respect to end walls 303a, b toward the interior of tray 100, folded along corner flap fold lines 310a-d (Step 405). Next, at Step 407, side walls 305a, b are urged out of plane with respect to tray bottom 301 toward the interior, folded alongside wall fold line 302a, b. Side flanges 307a, b are urged outward alongside flange fold lines 304a, b at Step 409. The outer surfaces of corner flaps 311a-d are adhered to the interior surfaces of side walls 305a, b such that a truncated pyramid is formed with closed corners at Step 411. At Step 413 respective end flange tabs 313a-d are adhered to corresponding side flange tabs 315a-d.

[0028] It will be appreciated having corner flaps that are adhered to the interior side walls provides better strength and alignment to the paper blister flange corners. Second, when a stack of these paper blister assemblies is loaded into a feeding magazine on a typical heat seal machine, they will have a good feed rate without misfeeds/or nonfeed/or double feed of the paper blister assembly.

[0029] FIGS. 5A through 5F illustrate an exemplary forming apparatus 500 for forming tray 100. Forming block 501 is configured with a die in the shape of a truncated pyramid. Prior to the forming process, tray blank 300 may be coated with a heat-activated adhesive during a printing process. Adhesive (not shown) may be applied to the exterior surfaces of corner flaps 311a-d and to end flange tabs 313a-d and/or side flange tabs 315a-d.

[0030] Then, in the forming process, tray blank 300 is held horizontally with tray bottom 301 against the die. The apparatus further comprises a pair of end wall blocks 503a, b and arms 505a, b. Forming block 501 travels downward pressing tray blank 300 into the end wall blocks 503a, b which urges the end walls 303a, b upward away from tray bottom 301 (FIG. 5B). Forming block 501 seats tray blank 300 against end wall blocks 503a, b which then forces end flanges 309a, b against the under surface of forming block 501, as shown in FIG. 5C, fold end flanges 309a, b outward. In FIG. 5D, corner flaps 311a, c may be folded inwardly by inward movement of arms 505a, b. Note that an opposing pair of arms 505 will be on the opposite side of the apparatus to fold the remaining corner flaps 311b, d.

[0031] FIG. 5E is a view of the apparatus in an end-on view illustrating end wall 303 up against the die. In this illustration, forming block 501 has traveled further downward pressing tray blank 300 against side wall blocks 507a, b which urges side walls 305a, b upward. In FIG. 5F, downward motion of forming block 501 has seated tray blank 300 against side wall blocks 507a, b forcing side flanges 307a, b against the under surface of forming block 501, thus folding side flanges 307a, b outward. Corner flaps 311 outer surfaces are adhered to the interior surfaces of side walls 305 and end flange tabs 313a-d are adhered to respective side flange tabs 315a-d. The truncated pyramid is pressed on the sides and heated to activate the adhesive on the corner flaps 311 and pressed on the top and heated to activate the adhesive on the tabs 313, 315.

[0032] FIGS. 6A&B are photographs of another embodiment of a tray 101 in which a pull tab 601 extends outward from a side flange. These photos illustrate the overlapping tabs 313a-d & 315a-d. FIG. 7 is a drawing of tray blank 300 for the tray 101 of FIGS. 6A&B. Pull tab 601 can be seen extending from an outward edge of one of the side flanges 307.

[0033] As described above and shown in the associated drawings, the present invention comprises a paper board blister pack with closed corners and manufacturing method. While particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood, however, that any invention appertaining to the apparatus/system/method described is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications that incorporate those features or those improvements that embody the spirit and scope of the invention.