US3637131A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Carton with locking means for reclosable cover
Assignee: Gulf States Paper Corp
•
Filing: 1970-09-08
•
Granted: 1972-01-25
•
Expires: 1990-09-08
Abstract
Abstract A carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard or the like having a reclosable cover which is hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall panel of the carton proper or tray portion and provided with front and end apron panels, which, when the cover is closed, respectively overlap the front and end wall panels of the carton. A relatively short horizontal cut, parallel with the upper edges of the front and end walls of the carton, is provided at each upper end corner formed by the front and end walls of the carton. This cut bisects the vertical crease or fold line at each corner, extending into adjacent portions of the front and end walls. That portion of the fold line above the vertical crease which extends to the upper edge of the corner is parallel with but offset towards the body of the front panel from the fold line below the cut. When the end flaps are folded at right angles along these creases, the portions above the horizontal cut are shifted outwardly from the face of the panel and present a detentlike projection, designed to coact with aligned keeper cutouts formed in the cover glue flaps to releasably lock the cover in closed position. The lock is released by applying a firm upward force on the front portion of the cover, causing an upward and inward pressure on the detents, whereby they snap out of their keeper cutouts. Reclosing the cover automatically relocks the same.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard F Gulliver
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:13
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D5/00; B65D5/20; B65D5/26; B65D5/42; B65D5/4204; B65D5/54; B65D5/545; B65D5/546; B65D5/64; B65D5/66; B65D5/6626; B65D5/665; B65D5/6661; B65D5/6664; B65D5/6667
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
In a carton having a tray portion including flexible front, rear and end walls connected along vertical crease lines, and a reclosable cover with a depending apron panel on at least one edge thereof which is adapted to overlap the upper edge of a corresponding wall of said tray portion, releasable locking means for retaining said cover in closed position, comprising a protruding detent formed by adjoining upper portions of the walls at a corner of said tray portion, the upper portion of said crease line at the junction of said tray walls at said corner being laterally offset, a horizontal cut line in the adjoining tray walls at said corner, bisecting said vertical crease line at the inner extremity of the offset portion thereof and defining the lower edge of said detent, whereby, when said adjoining tray walls are initially folded in the erection of said carton, the offset portion of said crease line causes said detent to flexibly protrude at said corner, and keeper means on the depending cover apron panel adjacent said corner aligned to engage said detent, the flexibility of said detent permitting its release from said keeper means upon the application of manual upward force on said overlapping cover apron panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
In a carton having a tray portion including flexible front, rear and end walls connected along vertical crease lines, and a reclosable cover with a depending apron panel on at least one edge thereof which is adapted to overlap the upper edge of a corresponding wall of said tray portion, releasable locking means for retaining said cover in closed position, comprising a protruding detent formed by adjoining upper portions of the walls at a corner of said tray portion, the upper portion of said crease line at the junction of said tray walls at said corner being laterally offset, a horizontal cut line in the adjoining tray walls at said corner, bisecting said vertical crease line at the inner extremity of the offset portion thereof and defining the lower edge of said detent, whereby, when said adjoining tray walls are initially folded in the erection of said carton, the offset portion of said crease line causes said detent to flexibly protrude at said corner, and keeper means on the depending cover apron panel adjacent said corner aligned to engage said detent, the flexibility of said detent permitting its release from said keeper means upon the application of manual upward force on said overlapping cover apron panel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
265 words
In a carton of paperboard or the like including a tray portion having hinged front, rear and end walls and a cover portion having at least front and end hinged apron panels adapted to overlap the front and end walls of said tray portion when the cover portion is closed, said end apron panels being connected to said front apron panel by hinged glue flaps integral with one of said apron panels and overlapping the inner face of a right angularly adjacent apron panel, means for releasably locking said cover portion in closed position, comprising at least one detent formed at a corner of said tray portion by providing the hinge line connecting said front and end tray walls at said corner with an offset portion which extends to the free horizontal edges of said front and end tray walls, a horizontal cut line at the junction of said front and end walls, bisecting said last-named hinge line at the inner terminus of the offset portion thereof, whereby, when said walls are folded on said hinge line, the portions of said front and end walls connected by said offset portion of said hinge line protrude outwardly to form a detent, at least one Of said glue flaps being formed to provide an abutment, which, when said cover is closed, is aligned to engage said protruding detent, acting as a keeper therefore, said detent being releasable from said abutment by applying upward pressure on the cover apron panel to which the glue flap is adhered, causing the detent to snap out of contact with said abutment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
265 words
In a carton of paperboard or the like including a tray portion having hinged front, rear and end walls and a cover portion having at least front and end hinged apron panels adapted to overlap the front and end walls of said tray portion when the cover portion is closed, said end apron panels being connected to said front apron panel by hinged glue flaps integral with one of said apron panels and overlapping the inner face of a right angularly adjacent apron panel, means for releasably locking said cover portion in closed position, comprising at least one detent formed at a corner of said tray portion by providing the hinge line connecting said front and end tray walls at said corner with an offset portion which extends to the free horizontal edges of said front and end tray walls, a horizontal cut line at the junction of said front and end walls, bisecting said last-named hinge line at the inner terminus of the offset portion thereof, whereby, when said walls are folded on said hinge line, the portions of said front and end walls connected by said offset portion of said hinge line protrude outwardly to form a detent, at least one Of said glue flaps being formed to provide an abutment, which, when said cover is closed, is aligned to engage said protruding detent, acting as a keeper therefore, said detent being releasable from said abutment by applying upward pressure on the cover apron panel to which the glue flap is adhered, causing the detent to snap out of contact with said abutment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detent is provided with weakened vertical hinge lines at predetermined points to facilitate its flexibility.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detent is provided with weakened vertical hinge lines at its horizontal extremities to facilitate its flexibility.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention as claimed in claim 4, wherein said detent is provided with weakened hinge lines at its horizontal extremities and intermediate said horizontal extremities to facilitate its flexibility.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein said horizontal cut line extends a greater distance from one corner into one tray wall than into the adjoining wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein the offset portion of said vertical crease line is offset toward the body of the tray wall overlapped by the cover apron having said keeper means, whereby the detent projects outwardly from said tray wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said keeper means is formed by a cutout area in one of said glue flaps.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said one of said glue flaps is provided with a vertical extension of less depth than that of the glue flap proper, said extension being folded upon the glue flap proper, whereby its free extremity forms a keeper abutment for engagement by said detent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
92 words
The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hinge line of said one of said glue flaps is offset at its upper extremity, and a horizontal cut line in said glue flap bisecting said hinge line at the point of its offset and extending into the apron panel to which the glue flap is hinged, whereby, when said glue flap is folded on its hinge line, that portion of said flap below said horizontal cut line protrudes inwardly to form an abutment for engagement by the detent of said tray portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2551324A
Cited
US3010638A
Cited
US3084842A
Cited
US3310223A
Cited
US3298595A
Cited
US3361323A
Cited
US3338505A
Cited
US3326447A
Cited
US3520468A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-24 | 1975-07-26 | 1976-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-24 | 1979-07-26 | 1980-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-24 | 1983-07-26 | 1984-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |