Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CONTAINER WITH LINER
[0001] Continue to [0002].
[0002] Continue to [0003].
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] The present disclosure relates to blanks, containers, trays,
constructs, and various features and
methods for forming a container from a blank. More specifically, the
disclosure is generally directed to a
container having a liner, the container being suitable for heating a food
product.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0004] In general, one aspect of the disclosure is generally directed to a
container for heating a food
product. The container comprises a base layer of material and a liner
releasably attached to an inner surface
of the base layer. The liner is at least partially attached to the base layer
by a heat seal layer, and the liner
is separable from the base layer after heating the container. The container
comprises a bottom panel and a
sidewall extending along the bottom panel.
[0005] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method
of forming a container comprising
a bottom panel and a sidewall extending along the bottom panel. The method can
comprise obtaining a
blank, a liner material, and a heat seal layer, forming the blank into an
initial construct, activating the heat
seal layer, and applying at least a portion of the liner material to an inner
surface of the initial construct so
that the liner material and the initial construct form a respective liner and
base layer of the container and so
that the liner is releasably attached to the inner surface of the base layer
by the heat seal layer. The liner can
be separable from the base layer after heating the container.
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[0006] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a container for
heating a food
product. The container can comprise a base layer of material and a liner
releasably attached to an
inner surface of the base layer. The liner can be separable from the base
layer after heating the
container. The container further can comprise a bottom panel and a sidewall.
The sidewall can
comprise at least an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel and a
side panel foldably
connected to the bottom panel. The sidewall can comprise a lower portion
extending along the
bottom panel and an upper portion extending upwardly from the lower portion
along an intermediate
fold line.
[0007] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to, in combination, a
blank and a liner
material for forming a container for heating a food product. The blank can
comprise a bottom panel,
an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a side panel foldably
connected to the
bottom panel. The end panel and the side panel can be for at least partially
forming a sidewall
comprising a lower portion extending along the bottom panel and an upper
portion extending
upwardly from the lower portion along an intermediate fold line when the
container is formed from
the blank and the liner material. The blank can be for forming a base layer of
the container. The
liner material can be for forming a liner that is releasably attached to an
inner surface of the base
layer when the container is formed from the blank and the liner material. The
liner can be separable
from the base layer after heating of the container formed from the blank and
the liner material.
[0008] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a
container.
The method can comprise obtaining a blank and a liner material, the blank
comprising a bottom
panel, an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a side panel
foldably connected to
the bottom panel. The method further can comprise forming the blank into an
initial construct and
attaching at least a portion of the liner material to an inner surface of the
initial construct so that the
liner material and the initial construct form a respective liner and base
layer of the container and so
that the liner is releasably attached to the inner surface of the base layer
by the heat seal layer. The
liner can be separable from the base layer after heating the container. The
end panel and the side
panel can at least partially form a sidewall comprising a lower portion
extending along the bottom
panel and an upper portion extending upwardly from the lower portion along an
intermediate fold
line.
[0009] Those
skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other
advantages and
benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed
description of the
embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] According to common practice, the various features of the drawings
discussed below are not
necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the
drawings may be
expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the
disclosure.
[0011] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank used for forming a container
according to a first exemplary
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0012] Figs. 2A and 2B are perspective views of the container formed from
the blank of Fig. 1 and a
liner according to the first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
[0013] Figs. 3A and 3B are schematic cross-sectional views of portions of
the container of Figs. 2A
and 2B.
[0014] Fig. 4 is a schematic of an apparatus for forming a container of one
embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0015] Fig. 5 is a schematic view of the application of the liner to the
base layer of the container
according to one embodiment of the disclosure.
[0016] Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank used for forming a container
according to a second exemplary
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0017] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the container formed from the blank
of Fig. 6 and a liner
according to the second exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
[0018] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the container of
Fig. 7.
[0019] Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank used for forming a container
according to a third exemplary
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0020] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the container formed from the blank
of Fig. 9 and a liner
according to the third exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
[0021] Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the container of
Fig. 10.
[0022] Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference
numbers throughout the
drawings.
3
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[00023] The present disclosure relates generally to various aspects of
containers, constructs, trays,
materials, packages, elements, and articles, and methods of making such
containers, constructs, trays,
materials, packages, elements, and articles. Although several different
aspects, implementations, and
embodiments are disclosed, numerous interrelationships between, combinations
thereof, and modifications
of the various aspects, implementations, and embodiments are contemplated
hereby. In one illustrated
embodiment, the present disclosure relates to forming a container or tray for
holding food items or various
other articles. However, in other embodiments, the container or tray can be
used to form other non-food
containing articles or may be used for heating or cooking.
[00024] Fig. 1 illustrates a blank 3 that is used to form a container 5
(Figs. 2A and 2B) having a base layer
7 and a liner 9 according to a first embodiment of the disclosure. In one
embodiment, the base layer
comprises paperboard (e.g., solid bleached sulphate folding boxboard), or
other suitable material that can
be recyclable and/or suitable for use in an oven (not shown), and the liner 9
comprises a plastic layer such
as polyethylene, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material, or any other
thermoplastic material, or a
bioplastic, such as vegetable oil or starch based plastics. In an exemplary
embodiment, the liner 9 comprises
PET or a similar material that is at least partially attached to the base
layer 7 by a heat seal layer 10 (Figs.
3A and 3B). For example, the heat seal layer 10 can include a thermoformable
sealant grade transparent
polyester packaging film, such as Mylar XMPOL12 available from DuPont Teijin
Films U.S. Limited
Partnership of Hopewell, Virginia. Alternatively, the heat seal layer 10 could
be any suitable
thermoformable sealant or adhesive, any suitable heat or pressure activated
adhesive, or any other suitable
material. The container 5 is suitable for heating a food product (not shown)
in an oven (not shown) such as
a convection or conventional heating oven or microwave oven. In the
illustrated embodiment, the liner 9 is
at least partially attached to the base layer 7 and is in contact with the
food product during heating. After
heating the food product, the base layer 7 and the liner 9 can be separated to
allow both the base layer 7 and
the liner 9 to be recycled separately. See, for example, U.S. Patent
Publication No. 2011/0259784, published
October 27, 2011, and corresponding to U.S. Pat. Application No. Application
No. 12/992,131, filed
February 11, 2011, and PCT/GB/09/50506 filed May 13, 2009.
[00025] The blank 3 can be formed from a single ply of material, such as
but not limited to paperboard,
cardboard, paper, or a polymeric sheet, but alternatively, the blank can be
formed from a laminate that
includes more than one layer. In one embodiment, the blank 3 can include a
microwave interactive layer
(not shown) such as is common in MicroRite containers available from Graphic
Packaging International
of Atlanta, GA. The microwave interactive layer can be commonly referred to
as, or can have as one of its
components, a foil, a microwave shield, or any other term or
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component that refers to a layer of material suitable for shielding microwave
energy and/or causing
heating in a microwave oven.
[0026] As
shown in Fig. 1, the blank 3 has a longitudinal direction Li and a lateral
direction L2. In
the illustrated embodiment, the blank 3 has a bottom panel 11, a first end
panel 13 foldably connected
to the bottom panel at a lateral fold line 15, a second end panel 17 foldably
connected to the bottom
panel at a lateral fold line 19, a first side panel 21 foldably connected to
the bottom panel 11 at a
longitudinal fold line 23, and a second side panel 25 foldably connected to
the bottom panel at a
longitudinal fold line 27. In one embodiment, the blank 3 includes four panels
(the two end panels
13, 17 and the two side panels 21, 25) extending around a perimeter of the
bottom panel 11 so that
the four fold lines 15, 19, 23, 27, form a rectangular perimeter of the bottom
panel 11.
[0027] As
shown in Fig. 1, the first end panel 13 includes a lower portion 13a foldably
connected to
an upper portion 13b along a lateral fold line 29, the second end panel 17
includes a lower portion
17a foldably connected to an upper portion 17b along a lateral fold line 31,
the first side panel 21
includes a lower portion 21a foldably connected to an upper portion 21b along
a lateral fold line 33,
and the second side panel 25 includes a lower portion 25a foldably connected
to an upper portion 25b
along a lateral fold line 35. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower
portions 13a, 17a, 21a, 25a of
the respective panels 13, 17, 21, 25 are foldably connected to the bottom
panel 11 along the
respective fold lines 15, 19, 23, 27. In one embodiment, each of the lower
portions 13a, 17a of the
respective end panels 13, 17 has two lower oblique edges 37a, and each of the
upper portions 13b,
17b of the respective end panels 13, 17 has two upper oblique edges 37b.
Similarly, each of the
lower portions 21a, 25a of the respective side panels 21, 25 has two lower
oblique edges 39a, and
each of the upper portions 2 lb, 25b of the respective side panels 21, 25 has
two upper oblique edges
39b. In the illustrated embodiment, at each corner of the blank 3, the
adjacent lower oblique edges
37a, 39a of the respective end panels 13, 17 and side panels 21, 25 extend at
a first angle Al with
respect to one another and the adjacent upper oblique edges 37b, 39b of the
respective end panels 13,
17 and side panels 21, 25 extend at a second angle A2 with respect to one
another. The angle Al can
be smaller than the angle A2 in one embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment,
the first angle Al
can be approximately 25 degrees and the second angle A2 can be approximately
70 or 80 degrees.
Alternatively, the angles Al, A2 could be any suitable angle without departing
from the disclosure.
[0028] In the
illustrated embodiment, each of the end panels 13, 17 and side panels 21, 25
includes a
respective flange portion 45, 47, 49, 51 at least partially defined by
respective fold lines 61, 63, 65,
67 extending in the respective panels. In one embodiment, adjacent flange
portions 45, 47, 49, 51 are
configured to at least partially overlap when the blank 3 is formed into the
container 5. The blank 3
could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from
the disclosure. In
addition, any of the bottom panel 11, the end panels 13, 17, the side panels
21, 25, and/or the flange
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portions 45, 47, 49, 51 could be omitted or could be otherwise shaped,
arranged, positioned, andJor
configured without departing from the disclosure. For example, the blank 3
could have any suitable
number of panels and any suitable shape for the perimeter around the bottom
panel 11.
[0029] As
shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, the container 5 can be formed from the blank 3 by
folding the
end panels 13, 17 and the side panels 21, 23 upwardly along the respective
fold lines 15, 19, 23, 27 to
form a sidewall 77 extending around the perimeter of the bottom panel 11. In
one embodiment, the
sidewall 77 extends obliquely upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel 11
around the
perimeter of the container 5. As shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, the lower portions
13a, 17a, 21a, 25a of
the respective panels 13, 17, 21, 25 form a lower portion 77a of the sidewall
77 and the upper
portions 13b, 17b, 21b, 25b of the respective panels 13, 17, 21, 25 form an
upper portion 77b of the
sidewall 77, wherein the fold lines 29, 31, 33, 35 can cooperate to at least
partially form an
intermediate fold line 99 extending around the sidewall 77. In the illustrated
embodiment, as the end
panels 13, 17 and side panels 21, 23 are folded upwardly to form the sidewall
77, the adjacent lower
oblique edges 37a, 39a and upper oblique edges 37b, 39b are brought together
(e.g., to be in
engagement, to abut, to be at least partially in contact, and/or to be
slightly spaced apart) at each
comer 90 of the container 5. As shown in Figs. 1, 2A, and 2B, since the angle
Al is different (e.g.,
smaller) than the angle A2, the lower portion77a and the upper portion 77b of
the sidewall 77 extend
at different angles with respect to the bottom panel 11 (Fig. 3A). For
example, as shown in Fig. 3A,
the lower portion 77a can extend outwardly and upwardly from the bottom panel
11 at an angle A3
that is obtuse (e.g., greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees), and
the upper portion 77b
extends upwardly at an obtuse angle A4 from the lower portion 77a (e.g.,
closer to the vertical
direction than the lower portion 77a or in the vertical direction). In an
exemplary embodiment, the
transitions from the bottom panel 11 to the lower portion 77a and from the
lower portion 77a to the
upper portion 77b can be at angles of greater than 90 degrees, which can help
increase the contact
between the liner 9 and the base 7 (e.g., increase the surface area of the
liner 9 that engages the base
7).
[0030] In the
illustrated embodiment, the flange portions 45, 47, 49, 51 are folded along
respective
fold lines 61, 63, 65, 67 to extend outwardly from the respective end panels
13, 17 and side panels
21, 25 and are generally parallel to the bottom panel 11. As shown in Figs. 2A
and 2B, the flange
portions 45, 47, 49, 51 form a flange 8 that extends outwardly from the
sidewall 77 around the
perimeter of the container 5. In one embodiment, the sidewall 77 can extend
along substantially the
entire perimeter of the bottom panel 11, and the flange 8 can extend along
substantially the entire
perimeter of the sidewall 77. As shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, the sidewall 77 and
the bottom panel 11
define an interior 79 of the container 5 and have an inner surface 92
extending along the interior 79.
The flange 8, the sidewall 77, and/or the bottom panel 11 could be omitted or
could be otherwise
shaped, arranged, positioned, and/or configured without departing from the
disclosure. Also, the
6
container 5 can have one or more injection-molded features that can reinforce
the flange 8 and/or other
portions of the container without departing from the disclosure.
[00031] In the illustrated embodiment, the container 5 further includes the
liner 9 attached to the inner
surface 81 of the base layer 7 formed from the blank 3. As shown in Figs. 3A
and 3B, the liner 9 can be
attached to the base layer 7 by the heat seal layer 10 (e.g., for a PET
liner). Alternatively, the heat seal
layer 10 could be applied to the base layer 7, without departing from the
disclosure. Alternatively, the heat
seal layer 10 could be omitted (e.g., for a polyethylene liner). The liner 9
can extend over the bottom panel
11, the sidewall 77, and the flange 8. In one embodiment, as shown in Figs.
2A, 2B, and 3A, the liner 9 can
extend beyond the flange 8 (e.g., so that an edge 84 of the liner 9 is
outwardly spaced from an edge 86 of
the flange 8). As shown in Figs. 2A, 2B, and 3A, the edge 84 of the liner 9
can extend around an outer
perimeter of the container 5. Alternatively, the edge 84 of the liner 9 could
be aligned with the edge 86 of
the flange 8 and/or could be spaced inwardly from the edge 86 (e.g., so that
the edge 86 of the flange 8
extends around a perimeter of the container 5). In the illustrated embodiment,
the liner 9 can be attached to
at least a portion of each of the bottom panel 11, the end panels 13, 17, the
side panels 21, 25, and the flange
portions 45, 47, 49, 51. In one embodiment, the liner 9 can at least partially
retain the base layer 7 in the
shape of the sidewall 77 and the container 5 in general (e.g., can help
prevent the end panels 13, 17 and the
side panels 21, 25 from separating from one another). As shown in Figs. 3A and
3B, the thicknesses of the
liner 9 and the heat seal layer 10 are exaggerated in order to illustrate the
configuration of the liner 9 and
the heat seal layer 10 in the container 5. The container 5, including the
liner 9, the heat seal layer 10, and/or
the base layer 7, could be otherwise shaped, arranged, positioned, and/or
configured without departing from
the disclosure.
[00032] Fig. 4 shows one embodiment of a system 101 and method for forming
the container 5 that has the
base layer 7 formed from the blank 3 and the inner layer 9 attached to the
base layer 7. As shown in Fig. 4,
the system includes a stack 110 of blanks 3 that are conveyed by a conveyor
103 to a container forming
mechanism 120. In one embodiment, the container forming mechanism 120 can be
any suitable mechanism
or forming tool that can fold and/or press-form the blank 3 into the container
5, which can be similar to and
have similar features and/or components as conventional forming tools such as
are disclosed in U.S. Patent
No. 8,534,460, issued September 17,2013. Also, the forming tool can have
similar features and components
such as the forming tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,801,995, issued August
12, 2014, or any other suitable
forming tool assembly. The mechanism 120 folds the end panels 13, 17 and side
panels 21, 25 relative to
the bottom panel 11 to form an unlined initial construct 130 that comprises
the base layer 7 only. The initial
construct 130 can be fed to a lower die 140 by a conveyor 105 and a PET
plastic film sheet 150 can be fed
from a supply roller 151 above the initial construct 130, the film
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sheet 150 having a thickness between approximately 30 and 150 microns in one
exemplary
embodiment. In one exemplary embodiment, the film sheet 150 can be a PET film
having a thickness
of approximately 50 microns. Alternatively, the film sheet 150 could have any
suitable thickness. In
the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of liners 9 can be formed from (e.g.,
cut from) the film sheet
150.
[0033] In the
illustrated embodiment, the roll of the sheet 150 can be supplied with the
heat seal
layer 10 previously applied, and the sheet 150 can be unrolled from the supply
roller 151 so that the
heat seal layer 10 is on the underside of the sheet 150, facing the initial
construct 130. In another
embodiment, the heat seal layer 10 can be applied to the sheet 150 after it is
unrolled from the supply
roller 151 (e.g., by a spray applicator or a roller, not shown).
Alternatively, the heat seal layer 10
could be omitted (e.g., for a sheet 150 of polyethylene or other suitable
material) or the heat seal layer
could be pre-applied as a coating to the blanks 3.
[0034] In one
embodiment, the film sheet 150 could have perforations or other features (not
shown)
to help separate the liner 9 from the remainder of the sheet 150 when forming
the container 5. An
upper die 160 has a heater plate surface 164 having a PTFE coating, for
example a Teflon coating.
Alternatively, the heater plate surface 164 could have a coating of any
suitable material or the coating
could be omitted. As schematically shown in Fig. 4, the upper die 160 can
include a plurality of
holes or ducts 162 in the heater plate surface 164 for applying a vacuum
and/or air pressure on the
sheet 150. The ducts 162 can each have a cross-sectional dimension (e.g., a
diameter) of
approximately 0.2 millimeter and can be grouped in clusters on the heater
plate surface 164 (e.g.,
clusters of three ducts 164) that can be spaced on the heater plate. In
another embodiment, the ducts
162 can be evenly spaced from one another and/or can have a cross-sectional
dimension of
approximately 1 millimeter. These exemplary configurations of the ducts 162
can help appropriately
(e.g., evenly) apply heat and air pressure/vacuum to the sheet 150 and the
heat seal layer 10 for
forming the sheet 150 and heat seal layer 10 to the initial construct 140 and
adhering the same to the
initial construct 140. The lower die 140 and/or the upper die 160, including
the ducts 162 and/or the
heater plate 164, could be otherwise shaped, arranged, positioned, and/or
configured without
departing from the disclosure. For example, the heater plate 164 could be
omitted and the heat could
be alternatively applied to the sheet 150 (e.g., with a flow of hot air).
[0035] In the
illustrated embodiment, the lower die 140 can hold the construct 130 in its
erected
shape (schematically shown in Figs. 4 and 5) as the liner 9 is applied to the
base layer and can be
raised in the direction of arrow B toward the upper die 160 by means of a
pneumatic ram 142, and an
initial vacuum is applied to ducts 162 to draw the film sheet 150 with the
heat seal layer 10 toward
the upper die 160. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper die 160 is heated
to a suitable
temperature (e.g., approximately 110 to 200 degrees Celsius or any other
suitable temperature) so that
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the film sheet 150 and the heat seal layer 10 soften and form a domed shape
(not shown) under the
influence of the initial vacuum. In one embodiment, the film can at least
partially conform to the
concave heater plate surface 164 to form the domed shape. Instead of, or in
addition to, the initial
vacuum, air pressure under the film sheet 150 can be employed with similar or
equal effect.
[0036] In the
illustrated embodiment, as the film sheet 150 and the heat seal layer 10 are
domed, the
heat seal layer 10 is activated for attaching or bonding or adhering the sheet
150 to the initial
construct 130 (e.g., its temperature increases such that it becomes tacky).
Subsequently, film sheet
150 can be forced against the inner surface 81 of the recess 79 of the initial
construct 130 with the
tacky heat seal layer 10 therebetween. In one embodiment, the sheet 150 can be
forced downwardly
by means of air pressure either now applied to the ducts 162 and/or by means
of a further vacuum
applied from the bottom side of the film sheet 150. For example, a vacuum can
be applied via the
lower die 140 and through the initial construct 130, which can help hold the
initial construct 130 in
the cavity of the lower die 140 during application of the sheet 150 and the
heat seal layer 10. In one
embodiment, at least some of the fold lines 15, 19, 23, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35 can
be at least partially
formed by spaced cuts in the blank 3 (e.g., cut-crease style fold lines), and
the vacuum can be applied
to the sheet 150 through the cuts of the fold lines 15, 19, 23, 27, 29, 31,
33, 35. Alternatively, other
apertures (not shown) can be provided in the initial construct 130 for
allowing vacuum pressure to
pass through the initial construct 130.
[0037] In one
embodiment, the air pressure and/or vacuum causes the dome shape of the film
sheet
150 to invert, and the now tacky and stretched heat seal layer 10 can adhere
smoothly to the inner
surface 81 of the initial construct 130 supported on the lower die 140. In one
embodiment, the
tackiness of the heat seal layer 10 can cause the portion of the film sheet
150 that forms the liner 9 to
adhere to the base layer 7. The PTFE coated surface 164 can aid in the release
of the liner material
portion (e.g., the liner 9) of the film sheet 150 should the film sheet 150
make contact with the
surface 164. In an embodiment where the heat seal layer 10 is omitted (e.g.,
for a polyethylene liner
material), the liner material itself can become tacky due to the heating by
the upper die 160 and the
tackiness of the liner material can adhere the liner material to the interior
surface 81 of the initial
construct 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the excess or waste portion of
the film sheet 150 is cut
from the edges of the container 5 (which now includes the base layer 7 formed
from the construct 130
and the liner 9 formed from the film sheet 150 with the heat seal layer 10
therebetween as shown in
Fig. 3B) (e.g., by a cutting apparatus, not shown) to leave an unused film
portion 152 with tray sized
apertures. In one embodiment, the unused film portion 152 has marginal
portions that remain intact
around the apertures formed by the removal of the inner layer 9 from the film
150 so that the unused
film portion 152 can continue to the take-up reel 153. Alternatively, or in
addition, the film sheet 150
can have a sacrificial carrier layer (not shown) wherein the liner material
separates from the carrier
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sheet when it is attached to the base layer 7. In another alternative, the
unused film portion 152 can
be in the form of scraps that are removed by air pressure and/or vacuum
pressure, for example.
[0038] In the
illustrated embodiment, the lower die 140 is lowered by reversing the
direction of the
ram 142, and a product support plate 144 can force the lined container 5 from
the supporting lower
die 140 as the ram 142 is lowered in order to eject the container 5 from the
lower die 140. In one
embodiment, the product support plate 144 can include upward extensions 146
that extend through
the lower die 140 and engage the bottom of the container 5 due to the relative
motion of the product
support plate 144 and the lower die 140 toward one another. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
upward extensions 146 can position the container 5 relative to the lower die
140 so that a pusher rod,
a puff of air, or other suitable mechanism can urge the container 5 onto a
downstream conveyor 107.
The lined container 5 then can be conveyed for packaging and/or further
processing by the conveyor
107.
[0039] In one
embodiment, the above mentioned process can be repeated to allow substantially
continuous production of the lined containers 5. Since the above mentioned
process can be employed
in a variety of products and using different materials, it may be necessary to
repeat the steps of
heating the film and it may be necessary to then further force the film
against the tray with air
pressure, a vacuum, and/or another suitable mechanism. In particular, where
thicker sheets of lining
film are used for the inner layer 9 and various thicknesses of paperboard or
other materials are used
for the base layer 7, one or more repeats of the heating and forcing steps may
be required in order for
the film 9 to adhere to the base layer 7 tray effectively.
[0040] The
system 101 and method described herein can include other features, steps,
and/or the
features and steps described herein can be omitted or modified without
departing from the scope of
the disclosure. For example, instead of or in addition to the heater plate
164, heat can be applied to
the film sheet 150 in any suitable manner (e.g., by a flow of hot air). In
another example, the film
sheet 150 can be heated to activate (e.g., soften) the heat seal layer 10
without softening and/or
deforming the remainder of the film sheet 150.
[0041] In the
illustrated embodiment, the shape of the initial construct 130 can help
increase the
contact between the liner 9 and the heat seal layer 10 with the base layer 7.
For example, since the
angles between the bottom panel 11 and the lower portion 77a of the sidewall
77 and between the
lower portion 77a and the upper portion 77b of the sidewall 77 can be greater
than 90 degrees, the
initial construct 130 can have fewer tight corners. In an exemplary
embodiment, it can be difficult to
force the sheet 150 into tighter corners (e.g., corners that are about 90
degrees or less). Accordingly,
the shape of the sidewall 77 can help the entire liner 9 or substantially the
entire liner 9 contact and
be adhered to the base layer 7 including in all or substantially all of the
corners of the initial construct
130.
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[0042] The
manufacturing process described above produces a readily sealable tray which
is made
mainly from readily recyclable materials (e.g. paperboard or cardboard and
thermoplastic materials).
If required, the paperboard base layer is readily removable from the
thermoplastic film liner (e.g.,
after use of the container to hold a food product during heating in a
microwave oven and/or in a
conventional oven) because the degree of adherence between the base layer 7
and the liner 9 is
controllable to give sufficient adherence so that the liner and the base layer
remain attached before,
during, and/or after heating of an item held in the container while allowing
selective separation of the
base layer and the liner after use. Using the parameters mentioned above, it
has been found that the
base layer 7 and the liner 9 of the container 5 are separable following
heating of food in the container,
such that the two peel apart, leaving no more than 5% of the thickness of the
material of the base
layer 7 stuck to the film of the inner layer 9 in one exemplary embodiment.
The separated
paperboard of the base layer 7 and the thermoplastic film of the inner layer 9
can be more easily
recycled in separate waste streams (e.g., one for paper products and one for
polymers) while
minimizing the contamination of the material of the inner layer 9 with
paperboard.
[0043]
Advantageously, the use of the heater plate 164 to heat the film sheet 150 and
the heat seal
layer 10 prior to its application onto the initial construct 130 provides
control of the temperature of
the film sheet 150 and the heat seal layer 10 and thus the strength of its
adherence to the initial
construct 130. The use of the heater plate 164 also allows differential
heating, so, for example, the
film sheet 150 and the heat seal layer 10 could be heated to a higher
temperature in the flange area 8
of the container 5, which in turn causes the liner 9 formed from the film
sheet 150 to adhere more
strongly to the flange 8 than to the remainder of the container 5 so that a
further tray-sealing film
applied to the liner 9 in the area of the flange has a more secure anchor to
the container 5. In one
embodiment, no injection molding features are used for the container 5 and a
thinner plastic film can
be employed, which can reduce the non-recyclable material content of the tray.
[0044] A PET
plastics film 150 has been described above, although it will be understood
that other
plastics films could be used, for example other polyester based polymers could
be used. Also a
polyethylene film could be used and is favored for food packaging that is not
heated (e.g., sandwich
packs). It can be seen that the disclosure provides in one embodiment food
packaging having a
composite construction of a plastics inner food-contacting layer 9, bonded to
an outer recyclable layer
7, the inner and outer layers being separable after use, such that no more
than 5% of the thickness of
the outer layer is disposed on the inner layer after separation.
[0045] In one
embodiment, a lid (not shown) can comprise packaging film that is a thin
plastic layer
used to preserve and protect a food item contained in the tray and can be
removably attached to the
flange 8 of the container 5. Any plastic film, such as polyethylene,
polypropylene, polyethylene
terephthalate, polyvinylchloride, polyamide, and ethylene vinyl alcohol, or
other suitable material,
11
=
can be used for forming the lid that is sealed against the sealing surface of
the flange 8. Further, adhesives
can be used between the lid and the sealing surface of the flange 8 without
departing from the disclosure.
[00046] Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank 203 for forming a container 205
(Fig. 7) of a second embodiment
of the disclosure. The second embodiment is generally similar to the first
embodiment, except for variations
noted and variations that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the
art. Accordingly, similar or identical
features of the embodiments have been given like or similar reference numbers.
As shown in Fig. 6, the
blank 203 is similar to the blank 3 of the first embodiment except that the
blank 203 includes corner panels
251,253,255, 257 respective foldably connected to the bottom panel 11 at
respective oblique fold lines 252,
254, 256, 258. As shown in Fig. 6, the comer panels 251, 253,255,257 are
disposed between respective
adjacent end panels 13, 17 and side panels 21 25. In one embodiment, the blank
203 includes eight panels
(the two end panels 13, 17, the two side panels 21, 25, and the four corner
panels 251,253,255,257)
extending around a perimeter of the bottom panel 11 so that the eight fold
lines 15, 17, 23, 27, 252, 254,
256, 258 form an octagonal perimeter of the bottom panel 11. As shown in Fig.
6, each of the fold lines 15,
17, 23, 27, 252, 254, 256, 258 can be oblique with respect to its respectively
adjacent fold lines and can
form an obtuse angle with each of its respectively adjacent fold lines.
[00047] As shown in Fig. 6, each of the comer panels 251, 253, 255, 257 can
include a respective
intermediate fold line 269, 270, 271, 272 so that each of the corner panels
includes a lower portion 251a,
253a, 255a, 257a foldably connected to a respective upper portion 25 lb, 253b,
255b, 257b along the
respective fold line 269, 270, 271, 272. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the
lower portions 251a, 253a,
255a, 257a of the corner panels 251,253,255,257 can cooperate with the lower
portions 13a, 17a of the end
panels 13, 17 and the lower portions 21a, 25a of the side panels 21, 25 to
form the lower portion 277a of
the sidewall 277, and the upper portions 251b, 253b, 255b, 257b of the corner
panels 251, 253, 255, 257
can cooperate with the upper portions 13b, 17b of the end panels 13, 15 and
the upper portions 21b, 25b of
the side panels 21, 25 to form the upper portion 277b of the sidewall 277
(Fig. 7). In the illustrated
embodiment, flange portions 273, 274, 275, 276 can be foldably connected to
the respective corner panels
251,253,255,257 along respective fold lines 278, 280, 282, 283 and can
cooperate with the flange portions
45, 47, 49, 51 to form the flange 208. In one embodiment, the blank 203 can be
similar to the blank of the
second embodiment as shown and described in U.S. Patent Application No.
15/654,814, filed July 20, 2017.
The blank 203 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without
departing from the
disclosure.
12
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[0048] In the
illustrated embodiment, the container 205 can be formed from the blank 203 and
the
liner material (e.g., of the film sheet 150) in a similar or identical manner
as described above with
respect to the first embodiment. Accordingly, the container 205 can include
the base layer 207
formed from the blank 203 and the liner 209 formed from the film sheet 150. In
one embodiment, the
liner 209 can be attached to the base layer 207 with a heat seal layer 210
(Fig. 8) similarly to the first
embodiment described above. As shown in Fig. 7, each of the corner flange
portions 273, 274, 275,
276 can overlap a portion of the respectively adjacent flange portions of the
end panels and side
panels to form the flange 208.
[0049] As
shown in Fig. 7, the lateral fold lines 229, 231, the longitudinal fold lines
233, 235, and
the oblique fold lines 269, 270, 271, 272 can cooperate to form an
intermediate fold line 299
extending around the sidewall 277. In addition, the lower portion 277a and the
upper portion 277b of
the sidewall 277 each can extend from the intermediate fold line 299, wherein
the portions of the
sidewall 277 are oblique with respect to one another. In one embodiment, the
upper and lower
portions of the sidewall 277 can cooperate to form an obtuse angle, and the
lower portion 277a of the
sidewall 277 can form an obtuse angle with the bottom panel 11. The obtuse
angles in the sidewall
277 can allow the base layer 207 to conform with the liner 209 more
completely, which can increase
the contact between the surfaces of the base layer 207 and the liner 209
(e.g., at the transitions
between the panels of the container 205).
[0050] In one
embodiment, the container 205, with the corner panels 251, 253, 255, 257 that
extend
obliquely between adjacent end panels 13, 17 and side panels 21, 25, generally
includes only obtuse
angles between the panels and lacks orthogonal angles. This can help enable
the liner material that
forms the liner 9 to come into contact with more of the surface area of the
base layer (e.g., relative to
a base layer with right or acute angles, wherein it can be more difficult for
the liner material to extend
into such corners). Accordingly, the octagonal shape of the sidewall 277 can
help the liner 9 to
adhere to the entire surface or to substantially the entire surface of the
base layer of the container. In
one embodiment, the octagonal shape of the sidewall 277 can more closely
approximate a rounded or
circular sidewall than a container with four orthogonal sides. The container
205 could be otherwise
shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
[0051] Fig. 9
is a plan view of a blank 303 for forming a container 305 (Fig. 10) of a third
embodiment of the disclosure. The third embodiment is generally similar to the
prior embodiments,
except for variations noted and variations that will be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art.
Accordingly, similar or identical features of the embodiments have been given
like or similar
reference numbers. As shown in Fig. 9, the blank 303 is similar to the blank 3
of Fig. 1 of the first
embodiment except that the blank 303 includes two sections 304a, 304b for
forming two respective
compartments 306a, 306b in the container 305 (Fig. 10). In one embodiment,
each of the sections
13
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304a, 304b is similar to the blank 3 of the first embodiment. The first
section 304a includes a bottom
panel 311 foldably connected to end panels 313, 317 along respective fold
lines 315, 319 and to side
panels 321, 325 along respective fold lines 323, 327. Each of the end panels
313, 317 can have a
lower portion 313a, 317a foldably connected to a respective upper portion
313b, 317b along
respective fold lines 329, 331, and each of the side panels 321, 325 can
include a lower portion 321a,
325a foldably connected to respective upper portions 321b, 325b along
respective fold lines 333, 335.
Flange portions 345, 347, 351 are foldably connected to the respective panels
313, 317, 325 along
respective fold lines 361, 363, 367 in the first section 304a. The first
section could be otherwise
shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
[0052] As
shown in Fig. 9, the second section 304b can be similarly configured to the
first section
304a with a bottom panel 312 foldably connected to end panels 314, 318 along
respective fold lines
316, 320 and to side panels 322, 326 along respective fold lines 324, 328.
Each of the end panels
314, 318 can have a lower portion 314a, 318a foldably connected to a
respective upper portion 314b,
318b along respective fold lines 330, 332, and each of the side panels 322,
326 can include a lower
portion 322a, 326a foldably connected to respective upper portions 322b, 326h
along respective fold
lines 334, 336. Flange portions 346, 348, 352 are foldably connected to the
respective panels 314,
318, 326 along respective fold lines 362, 364, 368 in the second section 304b.
The second section
could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from
the disclosure.
[0053] In the
illustrated embodiment, the first section 304a and the second section 304b can
be
connected by a shared central flange portion 349 foldably connected to the
side panel 321 of the first
section 304a and the side panel 322 of the second section 304b along
respective fold lines 365, 366.
As shown in Fig. 9, the flange portions 345, 346, 347, 348 can have inner
square ends where the
flange portions 345, 346 and 347, 348 overlap when the flange 308 is formed
(Fig. 10). In one
embodiment, the adjacent lower edges 37a, 39a at each of the eight corners of
the blank 303 can
extend at an angle Al with respect to one another and each of the upper edges
37b, 39b can extend at
an angle A5 with respect to the respective fold line 361, 362, 363, 364, 365,
366, 367, 368. In one
example, the angle Al can be approximately 25 degrees and the angle A5 can be
approximately 80
degrees (and the adjacent upper edges 37b, 39b can extend at an angle of
approximately 70 degrees
with respect to one another). The blank 303 could be otherwise shaped,
arranged, and/or configured
without departing from the disclosure. For example, the sections 304a, 304b
could be connected at
different panels (e.g., at end panels) and/or the central flange portion 349
could be omitted so that the
connected panels are connected along a fold line.
14
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[0054] In the
illustrated embodiment, the container 305 (e.g., dual-compartment container)
can be
formed from the blank 303 and the liner material (e.g., of the film sheet 150)
in a similar or identical
manner as described above with respect to the first embodiment. Accordingly,
the container 305 can
include the base layer 307 formed from the blank 303 and the liner 309 formed
from the film sheet
150. In one embodiment, the liner 309 can be attached to the base layer 307
with a heat seal layer
310 (Fig. 11) as described above. As shown in Fig. 10, each section 304a, 304b
of the blank 303 is
formed into a respective compartment 306a, 306b of the container 305, wherein
the end panels 313,
317 and the side panels 321, 325 of the first section 304a are folded with
respect to the bottom panel
311 to form a first sidewall 377 of the first compartment 306a and the end
panels 314, 318 and the
side panels 322, 326 of the second section 304b are folded with respect to the
bottom panel 312 to
form a second sidewall 378 of the second compartment 306b. As shown in Fig.
10, the sidewalls
377, 378 can include the respective side panels 321, 322 extending between the
compartments 306a,
306b, connected at the central flange portion 349, which cooperates with the
flange portions 345,
346, 347, 348, 352, 352 to form the flange 308 of the container 305. In one
embodiment, the side
panels 321, 322 and the central flange portion 349 can form a divider wall 398
that at least partially
divides the container 305 into the compartments 306a, 306b. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
sidewall 377 can extend along a perimeter of the bottom panel 311, and the
sidewall 377 and the
bottom panel 311 can extend along an interior 379 of the first compartment
306a. Similarly, the
sidewall 378 can extend along a perimeter of the bottom panel 312, and the
sidewall 378 and the
bottom panel 312 can extend along an interior 380 of the second compartment
306b. As shown in
Fig. 10, the liner 309 can extend beyond the edge 386 of the base material 307
so that the edge 384 of
the liner 309 is spaced apart from the edge 386 of the base material 307.
[0055] As
shown in Fig. 10, the fold lines 329, 331, 333, 335 and the fold lines 330,
332, 334, 336
can cooperate to form respective intermediate fold lines 399 extending around
the respective
sidewalls 377, 378. Accordingly, the lower portion 377a and the upper portion
377b of the first
sidewall 377 each can extend from the intermediate fold line 399 in the first
compartment 306a,
wherein the portions of the sidewall 377 are oblique with respect to one
another. In one embodiment,
the upper and lower portions of the sidewall 377 can cooperate to form an
obtuse angle, and the lower
portion 377a of the sidewall 377 can form an obtuse angle with the bottom
panel 311 in the first
compartment 306a. Similarly, the lower portion 378a and the upper portion 378b
of the second
sidewall 378 each can extend from the intermediate fold line 399 in the second
compartment 306b,
wherein the portions of the sidewall 378 are oblique with respect to one
another. In one embodiment,
the upper and lower portions of the sidewall 378 can cooperate to form an
obtuse angle, and the lower
portion 378a of the sidewall 378 can form an obtuse angle with the bottom
panel 312 in the second
compartment 306b. The obtuse angles in the sidewalls 377, 378 can allow the
base layer 307 to
conform with the liner 309 more completely, which can increase the contact
between the surfaces of
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the base layer 307 and the liner 309 (e.g., at the transitions between the
panels of the container 305)
in both compartments 306a, 306b.
[0056] The
container 305 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without
departing
from the disclosure. For example, one or both of the compartments 306a, 306b
could include one or
more corner panels similar or identical to the corner panels shown and
described in the second
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0057] Any of
the features of the various embodiments of the disclosure can be combined
with,
replaced by, or otherwise configured with other features of other embodiments
of the disclosure
without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
[0058]
Optionally, one or more portions of the blank or other constructs described
herein or
contemplated hereby may be coated with varnish, clay, or other materials,
either alone or in
combination. The coating may then be printed over with product advertising or
other information or
images. The blanks or other constructs also may be selectively coated and/or
printed so that less than
the entire surface area of the blank or substantially the entire surface area
of the blank may be coated
and/or printed.
[0059] Any of
the blanks, containers, or other constructs of this disclosure may optionally
include
one or more features that alter the effect of microwave energy during the
heating or cooking of a food
item that is associated with the tray or other construct. For example, the
blank, tray, container, or
other construct may be formed at least partially from one or more microwave
energy interactive
elements (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "microwave interactive
elements") that promote
heating, browning and/or crisping of a particular area of the food item,
shield a particular area of the
food item from microwave energy to prevent overcooking thereof, or transmit
microwave energy
towards or away from a particular area of the food item. Each microwave
interactive element
comprises one or more microwave energy interactive materials or segments
arranged in a particular
configuration to absorb microwave energy, transmit microwave energy, reflect
microwave energy, or
direct microwave energy, as needed or desired for a particular construct and
food item.
[0060] In the
case of a susceptor or shield, the microwave energy interactive material may
comprise
an electroconductive or semiconductive material, for example, a vacuum
deposited metal or metal
alloy, or a metallic ink, an organic ink, an inorganic ink, a metallic paste,
an organic paste, an
inorganic paste, or any combination thereof. Examples of metals and metal
alloys that may be
suitable include, but are not limited to, aluminum, chromium, copper, inconel
alloys (nickel-
chromium-molybdenum alloy with niobium), iron, magnesium, nickel, stainless
steel, tin, titanium,
tungsten, and any combination or alloy thereof.
16
[00061] Alternatively, the microwave energy interactive material may
comprise a metal oxide, for example,
oxides of aluminum, iron, and tin, optionally used in conjunction with an
electrically conductive material.
Another metal oxide that may be suitable is indium tin oxide (ITO). ITO has a
more uniform crystal
structure and, therefore, is clear at most coating thicknesses.
[00062] Alternatively still, the microwave energy interactive material may
comprise a suitable
electroconductive, semiconductive, or non-conductive artificial dielectric or
ferroelectric. Artificial
dielectrics comprise conductive, subdivided material in a polymeric or other
suitable matrix or binder, and
may include flakes of an electroconductive metal, for example, aluminum.
[00063] In other embodiments, the microwave energy interactive material may
be carbon-based, for
example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,943,456, 5,002,826, 5,118,747, and
5,410,135.
[00064] In still other embodiments, the microwave energy interactive
material may interact with the
magnetic portion of the electromagnetic energy in the microwave oven.
Correctly chosen materials of this
type can self-limit based on the loss of interaction when the Curie
temperature of the material is reached.
An example of such an interactive coating is described in U.S. Patent No.
4,283,427.
[00065] The use of other microwave energy interactive elements is also
contemplated. In one example, the
microwave energy interactive element may comprise a foil or high optical
density evaporated material
having a thickness sufficient to reflect a substantial portion of impinging
microwave energy. Such elements
typically are formed from a conductive, reflective metal or metal alloy, for
example, aluminum, copper, or
stainless steel, in the form of a solid "patch" generally having a thickness
of from about 0.000285 inches to
about 0.005 inches, for example, from about 0.0003 inches to about 0.003
inches. Other such elements may
have a thickness of from about 0.00035 inches to about 0.002 inches, for
example, 0.0016 inches.
[00066] In some cases, microwave energy reflecting (or reflective) elements
may be used as shielding
elements where the food item is prone to scorching or drying out during
heating. In other cases, smaller
microwave energy reflecting elements may be used to diffuse or lessen the
intensity of microwave energy.
One example of a material utilizing such microwave energy reflecting elements
is commercially available
from Graphic Packaging International, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) under the trade name
MicroRite packaging
material. In other examples, a plurality of microwave energy reflecting
elements may be arranged to form
a microwave energy distributing element to direct microwave energy to specific
areas of the food item. If
desired, the loops may be of a length that causes microwave energy to
resonate, thereby enhancing the
distribution effect. Microwave energy distributing elements are described in
U.S. Patent Nos. 6,204,492,
6,433,322, 6,552,315, and 6,677,563.
17
CA 3090867 2022-01-18
[00067] If desired, any of the numerous microwave energy interactive
elements described herein or
contemplated hereby may be substantially continuous, that is, without
substantial breaks or interruptions,
or may be discontinuous, for example, by including one or more breaks or
apertures that transmit microwave
energy. The breaks or apertures may extend through the entire structure, or
only through one or more layers.
The number, shape, size, and positioning of such breaks or apertures may vary
for a particular application
depending on the type of construct being formed, the food item to be heated
therein or thereon, the desired
degree of heating, browning, and/or crisping, whether direct exposure to
microwave energy is needed or
desired to attain uniform heating of the food item, the need for regulating
the change in temperature of the
food item through direct heating, and whether and to what extent there is a
need for venting.
[00068] By way of illustration, a microwave energy interactive element may
include one or more
transparent areas to effect dielectric heating of the food item. However,
where the microwave energy
interactive element comprises a susceptor, such apertures decrease the total
microwave energy interactive
area, and therefore, decrease the amount of microwave energy interactive
material available for heating,
browning, and/or crisping the surface of the food item. Thus, the relative
amounts of microwave energy
interactive areas and microwave energy transparent areas may be balanced to
attain the desired overall
heating characteristics for the particular food item.
[00069] As another example, one or more portions of a susceptor may be
designed to be microwave energy
inactive to ensure that the microwave energy is focused efficiently on the
areas to be heated, browned,
and/or crisped, rather than being lost to portions of the food item not
intended to be browned and/or crisped
or to the heating environment. Additionally or alternatively, it may be
beneficial to create one or more
discontinuities or inactive regions to prevent overheating or charring of the
food item and/or the construct
including the susceptor.
[000701 As still another example, a susceptor may incorporate one or more
"fuse" elements that limit the
propagation of cracks in the susceptor, and thereby control overheating, in
areas of the susceptor where heat
transfer to the food is low and the susceptor might tend to become too hot.
The size and shape of the fuses
may be varied as needed. Examples of susceptors including such fuses are
provided, for example, in U.S.
Patent No. 5,412,187, U.S. Patent No. 5,530,231, U.S. Patent Application
Publication No. US
2008/0035634A1, published February 14, 2008, and PCT Application Publication
No. WO 2007/127371,
published November 8, 2007.
[00071] All dimensional information presented herein is intended to be
illustrative of certain aspects,
features, etc., of various embodiments of the disclosure, and is not intended
to limit the scope of the
disclosure. The dimensions of the blanks, containers, forming tools, features,
or any other dimension, can
18
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be more or less than what is shown and described in this disclosure without
departing from the scope of this
disclosure and can be within the listed ranges of dimensions for each feature
or outside the listed ranges of
dimensions for each feature without departing from the scope of this
disclosure.
[00072] The blanks according to the present invention can be, for example,
formed from coated paperboard
and similar materials. For example, the interior and/or exterior sides of the
blanks can be coated with a clay
coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising,
price coding, and other
information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect
any information printed on
the blanks. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture
barrier layer, on either or both
sides of the blanks.
[00073] In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, the blanks may be
constructed of paperboard of a
caliper such that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blanks
can also be constructed of
other materials, such as cardboard, hard paper, or any other material having
properties suitable for enabling
the carton package to function at least generally as described above.
[00074] The foregoing description illustrates and describes various
embodiments of the present disclosure.
As various changes could be made in the above construction without departing
from the scope of the
disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description
or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Furthermore, the scope of the present
disclosure covers various modifications, combinations, and alterations, etc.,
of the above-described
embodiments. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected
embodiments, but various
other combinations, modifications, and environments are contemplated and are
within the scope of the
inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings,
and/or within the skill or
knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and
characteristics of each embodiment may
be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-
illustrated embodiments without
departing from the scope of the disclosure.
19
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