A container

Abstract

 A container (2) for containing a liquid has a closed condition in which the container (2) has a folded gable top and an open condition in which the gable top is partly unfolded to form a pouring spout (11). The pouring spout (11) is formed by an upper end portion (3u) of a front wall (3) and upper end portions (4u) of opposite side walls (4) of the container (2). The side walls (4) are adjacent to the front wall (3). The upper end portion (3u) of the front wall (3) extends above the upper end portions (4u) of the side walls (4) in both the closed condition and the condition.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a disposable beverage container for containing a liquid having a closed condition in which the container has a folded gable top and an open condition in which the gable top is partly unfolded forming a pouring spout, wherein the pouring spout is formed by an upper end portion of a front wall and upper end portions of opposite side walls of the container, which side walls are adjacent to the front wall.

[0002] Such a container is known from US 5,803,350. In the known container the spout is partly formed by a panel which is hingedly connected to the front wall and which is pivoted upwardly in the open position and downwardly into the container in the closed condition.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved container.

[0004] This is achieved by the container according to the invention which is characterized in that the upper end portion of the front wall extends above the upper end portions of the side walls in both the closed condition and the open condition.

[0005] Due to this feature the container according to the invention provides a pouring spout in the open condition, whereas the container can be opened from the closed condition in an easy way, as well. In practice, after filling of the container, the gable top will be sealed in the closed condition. Also in this sealed and closed condition the upper end portion of the front wall extends above the upper end portions of the side walls. Since the upper end portion of the front wall extends above the end portions of the side walls in both conditions the extension of the front wall can be used as an opening aid which can be pulled so as to facilitate breaking the seal between the front wall and the side walls at the upper end portions thereof.

[0006] The container can be suitable for containing liquids like milk, fruit juice or alternative liquids. Furthermore, it may also contain other pourable materials like powder, granulate, or the like.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment the front wall and the side walls form a continuous wall which extends substantially up to the upper ends of the side walls. This prevents the container from leakage through any opening or recess between the front wall and the side walls. If there are minor recesses between the upper end portions of the front wall and the side walls, their depths in longitudinal direction of the container are preferably smaller than 30% of the extension of the front wall above the side walls.

[0008] Preferably the front wall between its upper end and the upper end of the side walls, or the front wall between its upper end and a rim of the upper end of the side walls, is free from a prepared folding line in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the pouring spout. A prepared folding line may comprise a scored folding line, for example, but any laying or horizontally oriented folding line which may function as a hinge is omitted in this case. This means that the portion which is free from the folding line is a flexible but substantially rigid portion.

[0009] The upper end portion of the front wall may be sealed at its outer side in the closed condition. The outer side is directed away from the container in the closed condition but forms at least a part of the inner side of the pouring spout in the open condition. Sealing or covering this portion in the closed condition is advantageous in terms of hygiene.

[0010] The invention will hereafter be elucidated with reference to the schematic drawings showing an embodiment of the invention by way of example.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a part of a blank for forming an embodiment of a container according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the embodiment of a container formed from the blank according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view as Fig. 2 showing the embodiment including an additional sealing.

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views as Fig. 2, but illustrating consecutive steps of opening the container.

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a part of a blank 1 for making a container 2 as shown in part in Figs. 2-5. The blank 1 may be formed out of a web of carton, for example, and possibly be coated with a coating material for using the container 2 for liquid food products. The blank has a front wall 3, side walls 4, a rear wall 5 and a sealing wall 6 as seen in transverse direction of the blank 1. The walls 3-6 are separated by longitudinal folding lines 7 which extend longitudinally or upwardly of the container 2.

[0012] The upper portion of the blank 1 is subdivided in different blank portions located beyond a first transverse folding line 8 as seen from an intended bottom of the container 2. The blank 1 is also provided with a second transverse folding line 9, which extends substantially parallel to the first transverse folding line 8. When the blank 1 is folded to the configuration of the container 2, large triangle portions 3a and 5a of the respective front wall 3 and rear wall 5 are folded inwardly, whereas small triangle portions 3b and 5b are folded to the inner sides of respective oblique side wall portions 4a of the side walls 4. Oblique folding lines 3f at the large triangle portion 3a substantially coincide with oblique folding lines 4f at the side walls 4, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The presence of the folding lines 4f are preferred so as to facilitate the first act of opening as described hereinafter.

[0013] The front wall 3, the side walls 4 and the rear wall 5 have upper end portions 3u, 4u and 5u respectively. These upper end portions extend between the second transverse folding line 9 and the upper ends of the respective walls 3, 4, 5. The upper end portions 3u, 4u, 5u are attached to each other by sealing such that the container 2 is sealed during transport. The resulting container 2 in a closed condition looks like a traditional folded gable top container, but in the container 2 according to the invention the upper end portion 3u of the front wall 3 extends beyond the upper end portions 4u of the side walls 4 as seen from a bottom of the container 2, see Fig. 2.

[0014] In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 3 the upper end portion 3u of the front wall 3 is covered by a closure, in this case a tape 10. This protects the outer side of the upper end portion 3u against fouling during transportation and otherwise handling before the first opening of the container since this portion may contact the content of the container 2 upon pouring out the content of the container 2.

[0015] Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a way of opening the container 2 from the closed condition as shown in Fig. 2 to an open condition as shown in Fig. 5. The first act is to break the seal between the attached halves of the upper portion 3u of the front panel 3 by means of pushing the large triangles 3b from each other backwardly until the part of the front wall 3 that lies above the first transverse folding line 8 extends in a substantial flat plane, as shown in Fig. 4. In a next step the upper end portion 3u of the front wall 3 can be displaced, for example by gripping this portion between thumb and index finger, in a direction away from the rear wall 5 towards the front wall 3 such that the seal between the front wall 3 and the side walls 4 breaks. As a result the container 2 in open condition comprises a pouring spout 11 when the gable top is partly unfolded, as shown in Fig. 5. The pouring spout 11 is formed by the upper end portion 3u of the front wall 3 and parts of the upper end portions 4u of the adjacent (and) opposite side walls 4. This means that both in the closed condition and the open position of the container 2 the upper end portion 3u of the front wall 3 extends above the end portions 4u of the side walls 4.

[0016] In the open condition the content of the container 2 can be poured out via the pouring spout 11. An advantage of the embodiment as shown in the figures is that the part of the upper end portion 3u that extends above the upper end portions 4u of the side walls 4 is free from a laying or transversely running prepared folding line since this would increase the risk of undesired folding downwardly during pouring.

[0017] The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings and described hereinbefore, which may be varied in different manners within the scope of the claims. The container may, for example, have a rectangular or square cross-section.

Claims

1. A container (2) for containing a liquid having a closed condition in which the container (2) has a folded gable top and an open condition in which the gable top is partly unfolded forming a pouring spout (11), wherein the pouring spout (11) is formed by an upper end portion (3u) of a front wall (3) and upper end portions (4u) of opposite side walls (4) of the container (2) which side walls (4) are adjacent to the front wall (3), characterized in that the upper end portion (3u) of the front wall (3) extends above the upper end portions (4u) of the side walls (4) in both the closed condition and the open condition.

2. A container (2) according to claim 1, wherein in the open condition the front wall (3) and the side walls (4) form a continuous wall extending substantially up to the upper ends of the side walls (4).

3. A container (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front wall (3) between its upper end and the upper ends of the side walls (4) is free from any prepared folding line extending in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the pouring spout.

4. A container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper end portion (3u) of the front wall (3) is sealed at its outer side in the closed condition.

Drawing