Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PAPER-BASED OR PAPERBOARD-BASED CONTAINER AND RELATED
METHODS
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a container for holding a pourable food
product,
comprising a paper-based or paperboard-based laminate sheet material. In
particular, the
invention relates to such a container comprising an opening device or closure
for
dispensing and/or accessing the food product. The invention also relates to
methods for
producing such a container and to a container pre-cursors for such a
container.
Background
Within the art of paperboard-based packaging, it is known to produce a blank
and fold and
assemble the blank to produce a container. The container may then be utilised
to hold a
pourable food product, e.g. a liquid, e.g. dairy products, such as milk or
yoghurt, or juices.
The blank is typically produced from a laminate packaging material, which
typically
comprises a multi-ply paperboard sheet on which is laminated one or a
plurality of barrier
layers for holding the food product and/or prevent migration of air and
flavours through the
paperboard. A barrier layer may typically comprise a polyethylene or an
aluminium layer.
A method of producing the blank from the laminate packaging material typically
comprises
the steps of cutting the laminate packaging material to a predefined shape,
and a method of
producing the container from the blank typically comprises the step of folding
the blank
along predefined folding lines to produce the container.
The blank may be provided with crease lines in the laminate packaging material
to aid
folding of the blank along the folding lines. A crease line, or crease, may be
defined as an
embossed or impressed depression on one side of the laminate packaging
material with a
corresponding raised ridge or welt, also referred to as the bead, on the other
side forming a
line along which the laminate packaging material is structurally weakened and
along which
the laminate packaging material will bend or fold when pressure is applied.
Blanks may be produced in a converting process in which the blanks are cut
from a web
made from the laminate material having substantially parallel and rectilinear
lateral
boundary edges. The converting process typically comprises feeding the web of
laminate
material through one or a plurality of nips formed between a pair of cutting
and/or creasing
rollers to produce the blanks cut from the web and formed with creases lines
for subsequent
folding and/or with cuts and/or with holes, e.g. for fitting a closure to the
blank material
when a container is produced therefrom.
The layout of the blank patter on the web is known as a "nesting pattern". A
nesting pattern
is not a physical pattern that is visible on the web but a pattern that
illustrates how the blanks
are intended to be cut from the web and/or how the blanks are impressed. In
other words, the
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nesting pattern illustrates the layout of the blanks on the web and,
consequently, how the
available web material is utilised.
The container may be provided with an opening device or closure allowing a
consumer to
open the container to access the food product. The opening device may be
reclosable
allowing the consumer to reclose the container, sealingly or non-sealingly,
once the
container has been opened. Alternatively, the opening device may not be
reclosed once
opened. A commonly used opening devices comprise a patch defined by a small
sheet of
heat-seal plastic material which is heat sealed to the inside surface of a
packaging material
covering a hole in the packaging material; and a pull-off tab applied to the
opposite side of
the packaging material and heat sealed to the patch. The tab and patch adhere
to each other,
so that, when the tab is pulled off, the portion of the patch heat sealed to
it is also removed
to uncover the hole. This configuration is sometime referred to as a pre-
laminated hole
(PLH). Whereas this configuration may provide an acceptable opening device,
there is a
general need to improve upon known opening devices or closures, especially
with the aim
of providing a more enjoyable drinking experience when drinking directly from
the
container.
Within the art of paperboard-based containers, there is known to provide an
extended top
panel area of the container by folding down a top-fin onto the top panel at an
off-centre
position. The extended top panel area thus obtained can be used to provide the
container with
an enlarged opening device or closure. Such containers are known, for example,
from
EP2392517A1 and US20190106239A1. Although positioned of-centre, the folded-
down
top-fin extending across the top panel will still restrict usage of the top
panel.
US6182887B1 shows a container having an extended top panel produced by sealing
the top
panel and a rear wall of the container to one another at a sealing region that
is coextensive
with a top fin. Consequently, the top fin extends from the top panel in the
plane of the rear
wall, thus making essentially the whole top panel available for usage, e.g
positioning of an
opening device or closure. However, the extending top-fin may still restrict
access to the top
panel. For example, a top-fin extending from the top panel in the plane of the
rear wall may
make it difficult for a consumer to drink directly from the container.
Summary of the invention
With the abovementioned challenges and known solutions in mind, and according
to a first
example aspect, the present disclosure provides a paper-based or paperboard-
based container
for holding a pourable food product, comprising:
- a planar or substantially planar bottom portion;
- a top portion arranged opposite the bottom portion and comprising a top
panel and a top
sealing region forming a top seal of the container; and
- a wall portion extending between the bottom portion and the top portion
and comprising
a plurality of wall sections bordering the top panel and a longitudinal
sealing band
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extending between the bottom portion and the top portion over at least one of
the wall
sections,
the top sealing region being folded onto said at least one of the wall
sections comprising the
longitudinal sealing band and being attached thereto.
Consequently, instead of the top sealing region, or top-fin, being folded onto
and attached to
the top panel of the container, as is common in prior art containers, the top-
fin, or top sealing
region, is folded onto the wall portion comprising the longitudinal sealing
band, i.e. the
longitudinal seam running from the bottom to the top of the container. This
leaves the top
panel free or substantially free from sealing structures since the section of
the longitudinal
sealing band extending into the top sealing region will also be folded onto
the wall portion
and, consequently, will not extend onto the top panel. Such sealing structures
may comprise
permanently sealing structures such as welded, glued or otherwise permanently
joined seams
where panels of the laminate sheet material are permanently joined to each
other. This allows
the top panel to be utilised in an efficient manner. For example, an opening
device or a top
closure can be positioned anywhere on the top panel since there will be no
sealing structure
to consider. Also, folding the top sealing region down onto the side wall
portion comprising
the longitudinal sealing band and attaching the sealing region thereto will
give a consumer
unrestricted access to the opening device or closure for accessing or
dispensing the food
product in an easy manner.
The container may advantageously comprise gusset panels which are folded onto
each other
underneath the top panel when the container is formed, allowing the top
sealing region, in
its entirety, to be folded down onto and attached to the wall section(s)
comprising the
longitudinal sealing band. In other words, the entire top sealing region may
advantageously
be folded onto said at least one of the wall sections comprising the
longitudinal sealing band
and attached thereto The top sealing region may typically be formed by a top
sealing band,
and the whole top sealing band may be folded down onto and attached to the
wall section(s)
comprising the longitudinal sealing band.
The container may comprise an opening device or a closure being arranged in
the top panel
for dispensing and/or allowing access to the food product. The opening device
may be
reclosable, allowing the container to be reclosed after a first opening.
The container may be made from a paper-based or paperboard-based laminate
sheet material
comprising a multi-ply paperboard sheet on which is laminated one or a
plurality of barrier
layers for holding the food product and/or prevent migration of air and
flavours through the
paperboard sheet.
The top sealing region may be planar or substantially planar and arranged
parallel or
substantially parallel to said at least one of the wall sections comprising
the longitudinal
sealing band.
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The top panel and the top sealing region may share a common border forming a
top edge of
the container.
The top edge may be rectilinear or substantially rectilinear and arranged
parallel or
substantially parallel to the bottom portion.
An opening device or a closure may be arranged in the top panel for dispensing
and/or
accessing the food product. The opening device or closure, in contrast to the
above-
mentioned sealing structures, including the top sealing region and the
longitudinal sealing
band, is not arranged to permanently seal the container but may be opened by a
consumer to
allow the consumer to dispense or access the food product.
The opening device or closure may comprise an opening being arranged adjacent
said top
edge.
The opening may be arranged at an orthogonal distance of between 1 mm to 10 mm
from
the top edge.
The top panel may be planar or substantially planar. The wall section or wall
sections
comprising the longitudinal sealing band may also be planar or substantially
planar and the
top panel may form an angle to said wall section or wall sections that is of
any one of: within
the range of 10 degrees to 90 degrees; within the range of 30 degrees to 80
degrees, within
the range of 45 degrees to 75 degrees; and 60 degrees.
The top sealing region may comprise a plurality of sealed sealing band panels,
all of which
may be arranged parallel or substantially parallel and/or coplanar or
substantially coplanar
in the container.
The sealing band panels may comprise a central sealing band panel extending
over the wall
section or the wall sections comprising the longitudinal sealing band and
having a
longitudinal extent being any one of. at least 15 mm, at least 20 mm and at
least 30 mm.
According to a second example aspect, the present disclosure provides a paper-
based or
paperboard-based sleeve for producing the container according to the first
example aspect.
According to a third example aspect, the present disclosure provides a paper-
based or
paperboard-based blank for producing the sleeve according to the second
example aspect.
The blank may be mirror-symmetric about a longitudinal central axis of the
blank.
The blank may comprise first and second rectilinear or substantially
rectilinear and parallel
or substantially parallel boundary edges forming lateral or longitudinal
boundary edges of
the blank. The blank may also comprise a third rectilinear or substantially
rectilinear
boundary edge extending orthogonally or substantially orthogonally between the
lateral
boundary edges and forming a bottom boundary edge of the blank. Further, the
blank may
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comprise a fourth, non-rectilinear boundary edge extending between the lateral
boundary
edges and forming a top boundary edge of the blank.
The blank may comprise a top region having a top crease line pattern and being
configured
to form said top portion of the container. The top region may comprise a top
panel and gusset
5 panels configured to be folded onto each other underneath the top panel
when a container is
formed from the blank.
The top boundary edge may be mirror-symmetric about a longitudinal central
axis of the
blank.
The top boundary edge may comprise a plurality of individually rectilinear top
boundary
edge sections.
According to a fourth example aspect, the present disclosure provides a method
of producing
a paper-based or paperboard-based container for holding a pourable food
product comprising
the steps of:
- sealing a paper-based or paperboard-based laminate sheet material along a
longitudinal
sealing band forming a tubular proto-container;
- top-sealing the proto-container at a top sealing region; and
- folding the top sealing region onto at least one wall section of the
proto-container
comprising said longitudinal sealing band and attaching the top sealing region
to said at
least one wall section.
The method may comprise forming a top portion of the container by folding
gusset panels
of the laminate sheet material onto each other underneath a top panel of the
laminate sheet
material. The method may further comprises arranging an opening device or a
closure for
dispensing or accessing the food product in the top portion. The opening
device may be
reclosable, thus allowing the container to be reclosed after a first opening.
The method may comprise the steps of:
- bottom-sealing the laminate sheet material to form a bottom-sealed and
open-top proto-
container; and
- filling the bottom-sealed and open-top proto-container with the pourable
food product,
wherein said step of top-sealing the laminate sheet material is performed
after said step of
filling the bottom-sealed and open-top proto-container with the pourable food
product. In
other words, the method may comprise filling the proto-container from the top-
side.
Alternatively, the step of top-sealing the proto-container at a top sealing
region may produce
a top-sealed but open-bottom proto-container, and the method may comprise the
steps of:
- filling the top-sealed and open-bottom proto-container with the pourable
food product;
and
- bottom-sealing the laminate sheet material.
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Consequently, instead of filling the proto-container from the top-side, the
method may
comprise filling the proto-container from the bottom-side.
The method may comprise a step of providing the top panel of the container
free from sealing
structures. Such sealing structures may comprise permanently sealing
structures such as
welded, glued or otherwise permanently joined seams where panels of the
laminate sheet
material are permanently joined to each other.
The method may comprise arranging the top sealing region planar or
substantially planar
and parallel or substantially parallel to said at least one of the wall
sections comprising the
longitudinal sealing band.
The method may comprise arranging the top panel and the top sealing region
such that they
share a common border forming a top edge of the container.
The method may comprise a step of arranging the top edge rectilinear or
substantially
rectilinear and the step of arranging the top edge parallel or substantially
parallel to a planar
or substantially planar bottom portion of the container.
The method may comprise a step of arranging the opening device or a closure
for dispensing
or accessing the food product in the top panel of the container.
The method may comprise a step of arranging an opening of the opening device
or closure
adjacent said top edge forming a border between the top panel and the top
sealing region.
The method may comprise a step of arranging the opening at an orthogonal
distance of
between 1 mm to 10 mm from the top edge.
The method may comprise a step of arranging the top panel planar or
substantially planar.
The method may also comprise a step of arranging the wall section or wall
sections
comprising the longitudinal sealing band planar or substantially planar, and a
step of
arranging the top panel at an angle to said wall section or wall sections that
is of any one of:
within the range of 10 degrees to 90 degrees; within the range of 30 degrees
to 80 degrees,
within the range of 45 degrees to 75 degrees; and 60 degrees.
The step of top-sealing the proto-container at the top sealing region may
comprise a sub-step
of sealing a plurality of sealing band panels to each other. This sub-step may
comprise
arranging the sealed sealing band panels parallel or substantially parallel
and/or coplanar or
substantially coplanar in the container. This sub-step may comprise arranging
a central
sealing band panel of said sealing band panels such that it extends over the
wall section or
the wall sections comprising the longitudinal sealing band and has a
longitudinal extent
being any one of: at least 15 mm, at least 20 mm and at least 30 mm
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According to a fifth example aspect, the present disclosure provides a
container for holding
a pourable food product comprising a paper-based or paperboard-based laminate
sheet
material forming:
- a substantially planar bottom portion;
- a top portion arranged opposite the bottom portion and comprising a top
panel and a top
sealing region forming a top seal of the container; and
- a wall portion extending between the bottom portion and the top portion
and comprising
a plurality of wall sections bordering the top panel and a longitudinal
sealing band
extending between the bottom portion and the top portion over at least one of
the wall
sections.
The container may comprise a barrier arranged in the top panel for providing a
seal in an
opening in the top panel, and an opening device or closure being arranged for
breaking the
seal during a first opening of the container and dispensing and/or accessing
the food product.
The top sealing region is folded onto at least one of the wall sections and is
attached thereto.
The opening device or closure may comprise:
- a first sheet which extends over at least a part section of the top panel
and is attached
thereto, which first sheet comprises a through-opening that is aligned with
the barrier;
and;
- a second sheet which is releasably attached to at least a part section of
the first sheet at an
outside surface thereof, which second sheet is attached to the barrier via the
through-
opening prior to the first opening, and which second sheet is configured to
tear open the
barrier during the first opening.
The second sheet may be manually operable from a closed position, in which the
second
sheet covers the through-opening, to an open position, in which the second
sheet exposes the
through-opening and allows the pourable food product to be dispensed through
or accessed
via the through-opening.
Consequently, instead of top sealing region being folded onto the top panel of
the container,
or extending from the top panel forming a top-fin, as is the case in prior art
containers, the
present top sealing region is, in its entirety, folded down onto one or a
plurality of the wall
portion. This leaves the top panel free from top sealing structures and allows
for free
positioning of the dispenser seal structure and the opening device or closure.
Also, since the
section of the longitudinal sealing band extending into the top sealing region
will also be
folded onto the wall portion or portions, the longitudinal sealing band will
also not extend
onto the top panel.
After the first opening, the second sheet may be manually operable from the
open position
to the closed position to reclose the through-opening.
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The first sheet may extend over at least a part section of the top sealing
region and be attached
thereto.
The first sheet may comprise a drinking surface extending from the through-
opening to a
distance from the through-opening of any one of: at least at 20 mm; at least
25 mm; and at
least 30 mm. The drinking surface may into over the top sealing region.
The top panel and the top sealing region may share a common border which forms
an
uppermost border of the top panel and a top edge of the container, and the
first sheet may
extend over said top edge.
The through-opening may be positioned within 2-10 mm from said uppermost
border of the
top panel.
The first sheet and the second sheet may each comprise a first transversal
edge positioned at
or adjacent a lowermost border of the top panel.
The first sheet may comprise a second transversal edge which is positioned at
or adjacent a
lowermost border of the top sealing region.
An outside surface of the first sheet and/or an inside surface of the second
sheet may
comprise an adhesive. The inside surface of the second sheet may comprise, in
a region
facing the through-opening when the second sheet is in the closed position, a
region of
reduced adhesiveness.
The barrier may comprise any one of:
- a pre-laminated hole; and;
- a removable section of the laminate sheet material of the top panel being
delimited by a
cut made partially through the top panel from an outside surface thereof, the
cut leaving
one or a plurality of inner layers of the laminated sheet material intact to
provide said
prior to the first opening.
According to a sixth example aspect, the present disclosure provides a method
of producing
paper or paperboard-based blanks for producing a container for holding a
pourable food
product, each blank comprising:
- first and second substantially rectilinear boundary edges, each extending
substantially
parallel to a first, longitudinal direction of the blank between first and
second endpoints;
- a third boundary edge extending substantially parallel to a second,
transversal direction
of the blank between the first endpoint of the first boundary edge and the
first endpoint
of the second boundary edge;
- a fourth, non-rectilinear boundary edge extending between the second
endpoint of the
first boundary edge and the second endpoint of the second boundary edge_
wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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- laying out, on a web of laminate material, a first row and a second row
of blank patterns,
each row comprising a plurality of blank patterns arranged side by side with
the first
boundary edge of one blank pattern adjoining the second boundary edge of a
neighbouring
blank pattern, and the fourth boundary edge of the blank patterns of the first
row adjoining
the fourth boundary edge of the blank patterns of the second row; and
- cutting the web along the laid out first, second, third and fourth
boundary edges to form
said blanks.
According to a seventh example aspect, the present disclosure provides a
nesting pattern
for producing paper or paperboard-based blanks from a web of laminate
material, each
blank comprising:
- first and second substantially rectilinear boundary edges, each extending
substantially
parallel to a first, longitudinal direction of the blank between first and
second endpoints;
- a third boundary edge extending substantially parallel to a second,
transversal direction
of the blank between the first endpoint of the first boundary edge and the
first endpoint
of the second boundary edge;
- a fourth, non-rectilinear boundary edge extending between the second
endpoint of the
first boundary edge and the second endpoint of the second boundary edge.
The nesting pattern comprises a first row and a second row of blank patterns
arranged side
by side with the first boundary edge of one blank pattern adjoining the second
boundary
edge of a neighbouring blank pattern, and the fourth boundary edge of the
blank patterns of
the first row adjoining the fourth boundary edge of the blank patterns of the
second row.
The fourth boundary edges may form a non-rectilinear line displaying a two-
fold rotational
symmetry with respect to a centre located on said line.
Above-discussed preferred and/or optional features of each aspect of the
invention may be
used, alone or in appropriate combination, in the other aspects of the
invention.
Description of the drawings
Following drawings are appended to facilitate the understanding of the
invention:
Fig. 1 show an embodiment of a blank.
Figs. 2 and 3 show the blank according to Fig. 1 folded and sealed to form a
sleeve.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sleeve according to Figs. 2 and 3 after
having been erected
to tubular form.
Fig. 5 shows a bottom-view of the sleeve according to Fig. 4 after having been
bottom-
sealed.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sleeve according to Fig. 4 after having
been bottom-sealed.
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Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate top-sealing of the sleeve according to Fig. 4.
Figs. 9 is a front view of a container produced from the blank according to
Fig. I.
Figs. 10 is a perspective view of the container produced from the blank
according to Fig. 1.
Figs. 11 and 12 are side views of the container produced from the blank
according to Fig. 1.
5 Fig. 13 is a front view of the container produced from the blank
according to Fig. 1 in an
open position.
Figs. 14a and 14b illustrate cross-sections of the container produced from the
blank
according to Fig. 1.
Fig. 15 is an alternative embodiment of a blank.
10 Figs. 16 and 17 show the blank according to Fig. 15 folded and sealed to
form a sleeve.
Figs. 18-21 are front, side and rear views of a container produced from the
blank according
to Fig. 15.
Fig. 22 shows an embodiment of a blank.
Figs. 23-25 show a container formed from the blank according to Fig. 22.
Figs. 26 and 27 show the container according to Figs. 23-25 in an open
position.
Fig. 28 and 29 illustrate an opening device or closure of the container
according to Figs. 23-
27.
Fig. 30 shows an embodiment of a nesting pattern of the blank according to
Fig. 1.
Fig. 31 is a detailed view of the nesting pattern according to Fig. 30.
Fig. 32 shows a second embodiment of a nesting pattern of the blank according
to Fig. 1.
Fig. 33 shows a blank produced from the nesting pattern of any one of Figs. 30
and 31.
Fig. 34 shows an embodiment of a nesting pattern of a blank.
Fig. 35 shows a blank produced from the nesting pattern of Fig. 34.
Fig. 36 shows a container produced from the blank according to Fig. 35.
It should be understood that the drawings are not intended to limit the
invention to the
subject-matter depicted in the drawings.
In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used to indicate common
parts, elements
or features unless otherwise explicitly stated or implicitly understood by the
context.
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Detailed description
In the following, specific embodiments of a blank and a container produced
therefrom will
be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. However, it is
specifically
intended that the invention as defined in the following claims is not limited
to the
embodiments and illustrations contained herein but includes modified forms of
the
embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements
of
different embodiments as come within the scope of the claims.
Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a blank 10 for producing a sleeve and,
subsequently, a
container for holding a pourable food product.
The blank 10 can comprise several layers of different materials, for example
paper,
paperboard, plastic or metal, in particular aluminium. Typically, the blank 10
may be made
from a paper-based or paperboard-based laminate sheet material comprising a
multi-ply
paperboard sheet on which is laminated one or a plurality of barrier layers
for holding the
food product and/or prevent migration of air and flavours through the
paperboard sheet.
The blank 10 has several crease or fold lines which are intended to facilitate
the folding of
the blank 10 when produced to form a container and which divide the blank 10
into several
regions and sub-regions.
The blank 10 comprises rectilinear or substantially rectilinear first 12 and
second 14
boundary edges which are parallel or substantially parallel to a longitudinal
direction L of
the blank 10. The boundary edges 12 and 14 are parallel or substantially
parallel, of equal or
substantially equal length and form lateral boundary edges of the blank 10.
A central axis Ca of the blank 10 extends parallel to the longitudinal
direction L equidistant
from the lateral boundary edges 12 and 14.
The blank 10 also comprises a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear third
boundary edge 16
which is parallel or substantially parallel to a transversal direction T of
the blank 10
extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. The boundary edge 16
extends
between first, bottom endpoints 18, 20 of the lateral boundary edges 12, 14
and forms a
bottom boundary edge of the blank 10.
The blank 10 further comprises a fourth boundary edge 22 extending between
second, top
endpoints 24, 26 of the lateral boundary edges 12, 14 and forming a top
boundary edge of
the blank 10.
The bottom endpoints 18 and 20 form bottom corner points of the blank 10 and
the top
endpoints 24 and 26 form top corner points. Since the lateral boundary edges
12 and 14 are
parallel or substantially parallel, and since the bottom boundary edge 16 is
perpendicular or
substantially perpendicular to the lateral boundary edges 12, 14, the corner
points 18, 20, 24,
26 define a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape. In contrast to the
bottom boundary
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edge 16, however, the top boundary edge 22 is non-rectilinear and extend
beyond the
rectangular shape defined by the corner points 18, 20, 24, 26.
The top boundary edge 22 comprises a plurality of individually rectilinear or
substantially
rectilinear sections 22a-22i.
The top boundary edge sections 22a and 22i are colinear or substantially
colinear and extend,
starting from the top corner points 24 and 26, respectively, parallel or
substantially parallel
to the transversal direction T, i.e. parallel or substantially parallel to the
bottom boundary
edge 16. The edge sections 22a and 22i are of equal or substantially equal
length. The edge
sections 22b and 22h extend from edges sections 22a and 22i, respectively, and
angle away
from the bottom boundary edge 16. The edge sections 22b and 22h form an angle
of
approximately 45 degrees to the transversal direction T. The edge sections 22c
and 22g
extend from edges sections 22b and 22i, respectively, and form an angle of
approximately
degrees to the transversal direction T. The edge sections 22d and 22f extend
from edges
sections 22c and 22g, respectively, and form an angle of approximately 45
degrees to the
15 transversal direction T. The edge section 22e, finally, extends between
edge sections 22d
and 22f parallel or substantially parallel to the transversal direction T,
i.e. parallel or
substantially parallel to the bottom boundary edge 16. However, due to the
inclined
orientations of edge sections 22b-22d and 22f-22h, edge section 22e is
arranged further from
the bottom boundary edge 16 than are the edge sections 22a and 22i.
20 The top boundary edge 22 is reflection-symmetric about the central axis
Ca. In other words,
using the central axis Ca as an axis of symmetry, the sections of the top
boundary edge 22
located on one side of the central axis Ca is mirrored by the corresponding
sections located
on the other side. Consequently, edge sections 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d are
mirrored by edge
sections 22i, 22h, 22g and 22f, respectively, and the central axis Ca run
centrally through the
edge section 22e.
The blank 10 comprises first 28 and second 30 crease lines, each extending
across the blank
10, i.e. between the lateral boundary edges 12, 14. The crease lines 28 and 30
divide the
blank 10 into:
- a bottom region 32 having a bottom crease line pattern and being
configured to form a
bottom portion of the container formed from the blank 10;
- a top region 34 having a top crease line pattern and being configured to
form a top portion
of the container; and
- an intermediate region 36 contained between said first 28 and second 30
crease lines,
interposed between the bottom region 32 and the top region 34 and being
configured to
form an intermediate, wall portion of the container.
The crease line 28 is rectilinear or substantially rectilinear and extends
parallel or
substantially parallel to the transversal direction T across the panel 10.
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Partitioned from the intermediate region 36 by crease line 28, the bottom
region 32
comprises a plurality of rectangular or substantially rectangular bottom
panels 40a, 40f and
40k and a plurality of triangular or substantially triangular gusset panels
40b-40e and 40g-
40j. The gusset panels 40b-40e and 40g-40j are arranged in two rectangular or
substantially
rectangular sub-regions arranged in file with the bottom panels 40a, 40f and
40k. When a
container is produced from the blank 10, the bottom and gusset panels 40a-40k
are
configured to be folded to form a substantially planar bottom of the container
in a manner
which is, as such, known in the art.
The bottom region 32 also comprises a plurality of rectangular or
substantially rectangular
bottom sealing band panels 38a-38g extending between the lateral boundary
edges 12, 14.
The sealing band panels 38a-38g are partitioned, in the transversal direction
T, by
longitudinal or substantially longitudinal crease lines. The sealing band
panels 38a-38g form
a bottom sealing band 38 that extends along the bottom boundary edge 16 and is
partitioned
from the bottom and gusset panels 40a-40k by a rectilinear or substantially
rectilinear crease
line 42 extending across the blank 10 parallel or substantially parallel to
the transversal
direction T. When a container is produced from the blank 10, the sealing band
panels 38a-
38g are configured to be sealed to each other to form a bottom seal of the
container in a
manner which is, as such, known in the art.
Turning now to the top region 34 of the blank 10, the crease line 30 comprises
a plurality of
crease line sections 30a-30e, of which crease line sections 30a, 30b, 20d and
30e are
individually rectilinear or substantially rectilinear and crease line section
30c is curvilinear.
The crease line sections 30a and 30e are colinear or substantially colinear
and extend,
starting from lateral boundary edges 12 and 14, respectively, parallel or
substantially parallel
to the transversal direction T, i.e. parallel or substantially parallel to the
edge sections 22a
and 22i. The crease line sections 30a and 30e are of equal or substantially
equal length. The
crease line sections 30b and 30d extend from crease line sections 30a and 30e,
respectively,
and angle towards the bottom boundary edge 16. The crease line sections 30b
and 30d form
an angle of approximately 30 degrees to the transversal direction T. Crease
line sections 30b
and 30d are of equal or substantially equal length. Finally, crease line
section 30c extends
between crease line sections 30b and 30d and has a convex side facing the
intermediate
region 36.
Similar to the top boundary edge 22, the crease line 30 is reflection-
symmetric about the
central axis Ca. In other words, using the central axis Ca as an axis of
symmetry, the sections
of the crease line 30 located on one side of the central axis Ca is mirrored
by the
corresponding sections located on the other side. Consequently, crease line
sections 30a and
30b are mirrored by crease line sections 30e and 30d, respectively, and the
central axis Ca
run centrally through the crease line section 30c.
Partitioned from the intermediate region 36 by crease line 30, the top region
34 comprises
triangular or substantially triangular gusset panels 44a and 44b arranged on
one side of the
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central axis Ca and corresponding triangular or substantially triangular
gusset panels 44c and
44d, partitioned by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line 48,
arranged on the
other side. The gusset panels 44a and 44b are partitioned by a rectilinear or
substantially
rectilinear crease line 46. The gusset panels 44c and 44d are partitioned by a
rectilinear or
substantially rectilinear crease line 48. Crease line 46 connects to crease
line 30 at the
intersection of crease line sections 30b and 30c, and crease line 48 connects
to crease line
30 at the intersection of crease line sections 30d and 30e. Gusset panels 44a
and 44b are
equilateral and configured to be folded onto each other when the blank 10 is
folded to form
the container. Consequently, gusset panels 44a and 44b are reflection-
symmetric with
respect to crease line 46, i.e. using crease line 46 as an axis of symmetry.
Likewise, gusset
panels 44c and 44d are equilateral and reflection-symmetric with respect to
crease line 48,
thus allowing gusset panels 44c and 44d to be folded onto each other when the
container is
formed.
Gusset panels 44a and 44c are partitioned from the intermediate region 36 by
crease line
sections 30b and 30e, respectively.
The top region 34 also comprises a top panel 50 arranged between gusset panels
44b and
44d. Top panel 50 is partitioned from gusset panel 44b by a rectilinear or
substantially
rectilinear crease line 52 and from gusset panel 44d by a rectilinear or
substantially
rectilinear crease line 54. Crease line 52 connects to crease line 30 at the
intersection of
crease line sections 30b and 30c, and crease line 54 connects to crease line
30 at the
intersection of crease line sections 30d and 30e. Crease lines 52 and 54 are
not perfectly
parallel to the central axis Ca but converge slightly when moving along the
crease lines 52
and 54 towards the intermediate region 36. Crease lines 52 and 54 form an
angle to the
central axis Ca of approximately 3 degrees.
The top panel 50 is partitioned from the intermediate region 36 by crease line
30c.
Consequently, the bottom boundary of the top panel 50, i.e. the boundary of
the top panel 50
facing the intermediate region 36, is convex.
The gusset panels 44a-44d and the top panel 50 are arranged reflection-
symmetric or
substantially reflection-symmetric about the central axis Ca. In other words,
using the central
axis Ca as an axis of symmetry, gusset panels 44a and 44b are mirrored by
gusset panels 44c
and 44d, respectively, and the central axis Ca runs centrally through the top
panel 50.
The top region 34 further comprises top sealing band panels 56a-56g forming a
top sealing
band 56 extending along the top boundary edge 22 of the blank 10. When a
container is
formed from the blank 10, the top sealing band panels 56a-56g are configured
to be sealed
to each other to form a top seal of the container, as will be discussed in
more detail later in
the disclosure.
Sealing band panel 56a extends from lateral boundary edge 12 and runs between
crease line
section 30a and boundary edge section 22a. In a corresponding manner, sealing
band panel
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56g extends from lateral boundary edge 14 and runs between crease line section
30e and
boundary edge section 22i.
Sealing band panel 56b extends from sealing band panel 56a and runs between
gusset panel
44a and boundary edge section 22b. In a corresponding manner, sealing band
panel 56f
5 extends from sealing band panel 56g and runs between gusset panel 44c and
boundary edge
section 22h. Sealing band panel 56b is partitioned from gusset panel 44a by a
rectilinear or
substantially rectilinear crease line section 58a and from the neighbouring
sealing band panel
56a by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line 60. Crease line
60 extends between
the intersection of boundary edge sections 22a and 22b and the intersection of
crease line
10 sections 30a and 30b. Crease line 60 forms an angle of approximately 15
degrees to the
longitudinal direction L. Crease line section 58a forms an angle of
approximately 30 degrees
to the longitudinal direction L. Sealing band panel 56f is partitioned from
gusset panel 44c
by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line section 58e and from
the neighbouring
sealing band panel 56g by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease
line 70. Crease line
15 70 extends between the intersection of boundary edge sections 22i and
22h and the
intersection of crease line sections 30e and 30d. As crease line 60, crease
line 70 forms an
angle of approximately 15 degrees to the longitudinal direction L but angled
in the opposite
direction as compared to crease line 60. Crease line section 58e forms an
angle of
approximately 30 degrees to the longitudinal direction L but angled in the
opposite direction
as compared to crease line section 58a.
Sealing band panel 56c extends from sealing band panel 56b and runs between
gusset panel
44b and the combined extent of boundary edge sections 22c and 22d. In a
corresponding
manner, sealing band panel 56e extends from sealing band panel 56f and runs
between gusset
panel 44d and the combined extent of boundary edge sections 22g and 22f.
Sealing band
panel 56c is partitioned from gusset panel 44h by a rectilinear or
substantially rectilinear
crease line section 58b and from the neighbouring sealing band panel 56b by a
rectilinear or
substantially rectilinear crease line 62. Crease line 62 extends between the
intersection of
boundary edge sections 22b and 22c and the intersection of crease line
sections 58a and 58b.
Crease lines 62 and 46 are collinear or substantially collinear and form an
angle of
approximately 25 degrees to the longitudinal direction L. Crease line section
58b forms an
angle of approximately 85 degrees to the longitudinal direction L. Sealing
band panel 56e is
partitioned from gusset panel 44d by a rectilinear or substantially
rectilinear crease line
section 58d and from the neighbouring sealing band panel 56f by a rectilinear
or substantially
rectilinear crease line 68. Crease line 68 extends between the intersection of
boundary edge
sections 22h and 22g and the intersection of crease line sections 58e and 58d.
Crease lines
68 and 48 are collinear or substantially collinear and form an angle of
approximately 25
degrees to the longitudinal direction L but angled in the opposite direction
as compared to
crease lines 62 and 46. Crease line section 58d forms an angle of
approximately 85 degrees
to the longitudinal direction L but angled in the opposite direction as
compared to crease line
section 58b.
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Finally, sealing band panel 56d extends between sealing band panels 56e and
56e and runs
between top panel 50 and boundary edge section 22e. Sealing band panel 56d is
partitioned
from top panel 50 by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line
section 58c and from
the neighbouring sealing band panels 56c and 56e by rectilinear or
substantially rectilinear
crease lines 64 and 66, respectively. Crease line 64 is parallel or
substantially parallel to the
longitudinal direction L and extends between the intersection of boundary edge
sections 22d
and 22e and the intersection of crease line sections 58b and 58c. Crease line
66 is also parallel
or substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L but extends between
the intersection
of boundary edge sections 22f and 22e and the intersection of crease line
sections 58d and
58c. Crease line section 58c and boundary edge section 22e are parallel or
substantially
parallel.
The sealing band 56 is reflection-symmetric about the central axis Ca. In
other words, using
the central axis Ca as an axis of symmetry, sealing band panels 56a, 56b, 56c
are mirrored
by sealing band panels 56g, 56f, 56e, respectively, and the central axis Ca
runs centrally
through sealing band panel 56d.
The top panel 50 comprises a removable section 72 delimited by a loop of
weakness 74
allowing section 72 to be removed from the container formed from the blank 10
when the
container is initially opened. This opening action will be discussed in more
detail later in the
disclosure. The loop of weakness 74 may, for example, be a so-called "half-
cut", i.e. a cut
made partially through the laminated substrate of the blank 10 from the
outside surface
thereof leaving one or a plurality of inner layers of the laminated substrate
intact to provide,
prior to a first opening of the container produced from the blank 10, an
uninterrupted barrier
against a food product to be contained in the container.
Turning now to the intermediate region 36 of the blank 10, this region
comprises panels 76a-
76e partitioned by crease lines 82a-82d.
Panel 76c is configured to form a front wall panel of a container produced
from the blank
10. Neighbouring panel 76c, the intermediate region 36 comprises panels 76b
and 76d which
are configured to form side wall panels of the produced container. The panel
76c is
partitioned from the panel 76d by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear
crease line 82c and
from panel 76b by a rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line 82b.
The intermediate region 36 further comprises panel 76a neighbouring panel 76b
and a fifth
panel 76e neighbouring panel 76d. Panels 76a and 76e are configured to form
rear wall panel
sections of the produced container. Panel 76a is partitioned from panel 76b by
a rectilinear
or substantially rectilinear crease line 82a and panel 76e is partitioned from
panel 76d by a
rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line 82d.
Crease line 82c extends between crease line 28 and the intersection of crease
line sections
30c and 30d. Crease line 82b extends between crease line 28 and the
intersection of crease
line sections 30b and 30c. Starting from the top region 34 and moving towards
the bottom
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region 32, crease lines 82b and 83c converge. Consequently, the width of panel
76c, i.e. the
distance between the crease lines 76c and 76d in the traversal direction T,
continuously
decreases when moving from the top region 34 to the bottom region 32. Using
the central
axis Ca as an axis of symmetry, crease line 82b is mirrored by crease line 82c
and both crease
lines 82b and 82c form an angle to the central axis Ca of approximately 2
degrees, although
diverging from the central axis Ca in opposite directions.
Crease line 82a extends between crease line 28 and the intersection of crease
line sections
30a and 30b. Starting from the top region 34 and moving towards the bottom
region 32,
crease lines 82a and 82b diverge. Consequently, the width of panel 76b
increases
continuously when moving from the top region 34 to the bottom region 32.
Crease line 82d
extends between crease line 28 and the intersection of crease line sections
30d and 30e.
Starting from the top region 34 and moving towards the bottom region 32,
crease lines 82d
and 82c diverge. Consequently, similar to panel 76b, the width of panel 76d
increases
continuously when moving from the top region 34 to the bottom region 32.
Crease lines 82a
and 82d both form an angle to the central axis Ca of approximately 3 degrees,
although
diverging from the central axis Ca in opposite directions. Consequently, using
the central
axis Ca as an axis of symmetry, panel 76b is mirrored by panel 76d.
The blank 10 also comprises two rectilinear or substantially rectilinear
crease lines 92 and
94 extending over the whole length of the blank 10, i.e. between the bottom
boundary edge
16 and the top boundary edge 22, parallel or substantially parallel to the
central axis Ca.
Crease lines 92 and 94 extend centrally or substantially centrally in panels
76b and 76d,
respectively, and, consequently, divide panels 76b and 76d into two panel
sections 76b-I,
76b-II and 76d-I, 76d-II, respectively. Also, in the bottom region 32, the
crease lines 92 and
94 extend centrally or substantially centrally in the gusset panel sub-regions
formed by
gusset panels 40b-40e and 40g-40j, respectively.
Fig. 2 shows a sleeve 96 produced from the blank 10 of Fig. 1 in a rear view
and Fig. 3 shows
the sleeve 96 in a front view. Features of the sleeve already described with
reference to Fig. 1
are provided with corresponding reference numbers in Figs. 2 and 3.
The sleeve 63 is created from the blank 10 by folding the blank 10 along the
two crease lines
92 and 94, bringing panel 76e to overlap panel 76a. In the overlapping region,
panels 76a
and 76e are then sealed to one another, e.g. welded together, to form a
longitudinal sealing
band 14 forming a planar or substantially planar rear wall section. The sleeve
96 thus obtains
a circumferential structure, closed in the circumferential direction, with an
opening in the
region of the bottom boundary edge 16 and with an opening in the region of the
top boundary
edge 22. The lateral boundary edge ending up inside the sleeve, i.e. boundary
edge 12 in this
case, is covered, either prior to folding the blank 10 along the crease lines
92 and 94 or after
the overlapping regions of panels 76a and 76e have been connected to one
another. The
covering of the open cut edge of the composite material has the purpose of
preventing any
contact between the contents of the container and this layer, in particular
the paper or
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paperboard layer contained therein. As is known in the art, the covering of
the cut edge can
be achieved by stripping composite layers from the edge and folding a
remaining,
impermeable layer over the edge. Alternatively, as is also known in the art, a
strip of sealing
material (not shown) can be applied over the lateral boundary edge ending up
inside the
sleeve.
In the front view (Fig. 3), panel 76c is visible as are panel sections 76b-II
and 76d-I. The
loop of weakness 74 encircling the removable section 72 of the top panel 50 is
also visible
in the front view. However, the loop of weakness is not visible in the rear
view (Fig. 2) since
the inside layer of the laminated material of the top panel 50 is unbroken,
providing said
uninterrupted barrier. In the rear view (Fig. 2), panels 76a and 76e are
visible as are panel
sections 76b-I and 76d-II.
Fig. 4 shows the sleeve 96 from Figs. 2 and 3 in an erected state. The erected
state is arrived
at by reversing the previous folding along the crease lines 92 and 94 and
folding the sleeve
96 back along the crease lines 92 and 94 by approximately 180 degrees. The
folding back
1 5 along the crease line 92 has the consequence that the two panel
sections 76b-I and 76b-1I no
longer lie on top of one another but become arranged in the same or
substantially the same
plane. In a corresponding manner, the folding back along the crease line 94
has the
consequence that the two panel sections 76d-I and 76d-II no longer lie on top
of one another
but become arranged in the same or substantially the same plane. The folding
back action
also involves folding the sleeve 96 along crease lines 82a, 82b, 82c and 82d
by
approximately 90 degrees, thus forming side edges of the container-to-be.
Next, the bottom region of the erected sleeve is folded and sealed. This
involves bringing
the bottom sealing band panels 38f and 38b into sealing engagement with
sealing band panels
38e and 38c, respectively, and bringing bottom sealing band panels 38g and 38s
into sealing
engagement with sealing band panel 38d. The sealing engagement may be
effectuated by
welding in a manner which is, as such, known in the art. Folding and sealing
the bottom
region also involves folding gusset panels 40j and 40g inwards onto gusset
panels 40i and
40h, respectively, and folding corresponding gusset panels 40b and 40e inwards
onto gusset
panels 40d and 40c, respectively. It further involves folding down the now
sealed sealing
band onto bottom panel 40f and gusset panels 40e and 40g and connecting the
sealing band
thereto, e.g. by welding, and, finally, folding in lugs formed by the
previously folded gusset
panels, thus arriving at the sealed and substantially planar configuration
illustrated in Fig. 5.
It is to be understood, however, that other configurations of a sealed and
planar bottom
region are known in the art and may be used instead of the one described
above.
Erecting and bottom sealing the sleeve may be effectuated in a packaging
machine (not
shown), where the sleeve 96 may be supplied from a magazine and erected on a
mandrel.
The bottom region may be formed and sealed on the mandrel and the proto-
container, i.e.
the partially-formed container as shown in Fig. 6, may then be discharged from
the mandrel
to a conveyor. The conveyor may transport the partially-formed container to a
sterilization
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station and then to a filling station. In the filling station, a food product
may be dispensed
into the partially-formed container through the open top.
The filled and partially-formed container may then be conveyed to a top-
folding and sealing
station for folding and sealing the top region.
When folding the top region, the slanted top panels 44c and 44d are pushed
inward at crease
line 48 to fold panel 44d over panel 44c and to fold panel 56e over 56f (see
Fig. 6). A similar
operation is carried out on panels 44a, 44b and 56c, 56b (see also Fig. 1). At
the end of this
folding operation, the top panel 50 will have assumed a slanted orientation,
as shown in
Fig. 7. In this position, the gusset panels 44a-44d are folded onto each other
underneath the
top panel 50 and the panels of the sealing band 56 may be sealed to each
other, e.g. in a
welding operation, thereby sealing the top region. The folded and sealed
sealing band 56 is
then folded down onto and attached to the rear wall panels 76a and 76e, as is
shown in Fig. 8.
Since the top sealing band panels 56b, 56c, 56e and 56f are pushed inwards
when the top
seal is formed, the top sealing band panels 56b, 56c, 56e and 56f will be
contained between
top sealing band panel 56d and the joined top sealing band panel 56g and 56a.
Consequently,
the folded and sealed sealing band 56 will have a lateral extent corresponding
to the lateral
extent of the top sealing band panel 56d, thus allowing the whole sealing band
56 to be
folded down onto and attached to the rear wall panels 76a and 76e.
Consequently, the folded and sealed sealing band 56 forms a top sealing region
that is folded
onto and is attached to a rear wall section of the container formed from the
rear wall panels
76a and 76e, i.e. the wall section containing the longitudinal sealing band
14. The
consequence of this arrangement, as will be discussed in more detail later, is
that a top panel
of the container 124 (see Fig. 13), formed from panel 50 (see Fig. 3), will be
free from
sealing structures, such as welded, glued or otherwise permanently joined
seams where
panels of the laminate sheet material are permanently joined to each other.
This allows the
top panel to be utilised in an efficient manner.
A tear-flap may be arranged over and attached to the removable section 72 of
the top panel
50 (see Fig. 3) to allow easy removal of the removable section 72.
Figs. 9-12 show a container 100 produced from the blank 10 disclosed above.
The container
100 comprises a substantially planar bottom portion 102, atop portion 104 and
a wall portion
106. The wall portion 106 comprises a front wall section 108a formed from
panel 76c and a
rear wall section 108c formed from panels 76a and 76e. Further, the wall
portion 106
comprises side wall sections 108b and 108d formed from panels 76d and 76b,
respectively.
An edge 116, formed by crease line 82b, defines an intersection of the front
wall section
108a and the side wall section 108d, and an edge 118, formed by crease line
82c, defines an
intersection of the front wall section 108a and the side wall section 108b.
Further, an edge
120, formed by crease line 82a, defines an intersection of the rear wall
section 108c and the
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side wall section 108d, and an edge 122, formed by crease line 82d, defines an
intersection
of the rear wall section 108c and the side wall section 108b.
The top portion 104 comprises a top panel 124, formed from panel 50, and a
sealing region
126, formed from the sealed sealing band 56, i.e. the folded and sealed top
sealing band
5 panels 56a-56g, forming a top seal of the container 100. A slanted side
edge 128, formed by
crease line 52, defines an intersection of the top panel 124 and the side wall
section 108d,
and a slanted side edge 130, formed by crease line 54, defines an intersection
of the top panel
124 and the side wall section 108b. A front edge 132, formed by crease line
section 30c,
defines an intersection of the top panel 124 and the front wall section 108a.
The container
10 100 also comprises a rear edge 134, formed by crease line section 58c,
corresponding to the
intersection of the top panel 124 and the sealing region 126. Consequently,
the top panel 124
extends between the top edges 128, 130, 132 and 134.
As previously discussed, the sealing region 126 is folded down onto and
attached to the rear
wall section 108c, i.e. the wall section formed by the panels 76a and 76e and
containing the
15 longitudinal sealing band 14.
The panel 76c has a length LF along the central axis Ca (see Fig. 1). The
panels 76a and 76e
have a length LB in the direction of the central axis Ca that is less than LF.
Consequently, the
front wall section 108a has a length that is less than the length of the rear
wall section 108c
(when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the carton 100). This difference
in the lengths,
20 i.e., LF < LB, creates an extended configuration of the top panel 124.
Thus, the front edge
132 is lower than the rear edge 134 when the container 100 is in an upright
position as shown.
The top panel 124 is at a predetermined angle a to the rear wall section 108c
(see Figs. 11
and 12). The angle a can be about 10 degrees to about 90 degrees, and
preferably, about 30
degrees to about 80 degrees. Most preferably, the angle a is about 45 degrees
to about 75
degrees. In the present embodiment, the angle is approximately 60 degrees, as
is dictated by
the angle between the crease line sections 30b and 30d and crease lines 82a
and 82d,
respectively (see Fig. 1).
Referring now to Figs. 14a and 14b, the planar bottom portion 102 is
substantially square-
shaped, i.e. it has a width and a breadth of substantially equal length, as is
illustrated in
Fig. Ma (see also Fig. 5). At the top portion 104, however, the cross-section
of the container
100, when viewed in a plan parallel to the plane of the bottom portion 102, is
rectangular. In
other words, above the bottom portion 102 the width of the container 100 is
larger than the
breadth of the container 100, as is illustrated in Fig. 14b. This asymmetry
increases when
moving from the bottom portion 102 towards the top portion 104.
Referring now to Figs. 9, 10 and 13, the container 100 comprises an opening
device or
closure 136 having a tear-flap 138 that covers and is attached to the
removable section 72 of
the top panel 50 (see also Fig. 1). As previously discussed, the removable
section 72 is
delimited by a line of weakness 74 allowing the section 72 to be removed from
the container
100 together with the tear-flap 138 when the container is initially opened.
Until this first
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opening, however, section 72 forms, together with the rest of the top panel
124, an
uninterrupted barrier for the food product contained in the package. The line
of weakness 74
may, for example, be a so-called "half-cut", i.e. a cut made partially through
the laminated
substrate of the blank from the outside surface thereof leaving one or a
plurality of inner
layers of the laminated substrate intact to provide an uninterrupted barrier
against the
contained food product. When the tear-flap and the attached section 72 is
removed from the
container 100, an opening 140 (see Fig. 13) will be revealed in the top panel
124 through
which the food product in the container 100 can be dispensed or accessed. The
tear-flap 138
may extend down onto the rear wall section 108c crossing the sealing region
126. The tear-
flap 138 may be attached to the container 100 after the container 100 has been
filled and top-
sealed. Alternatively, the tear-flap 138 may be attached to the proto-
container upstream of
the filling station.
It is to be understood, however, that the container, in principle, can be
fitted with any type
of opening device or closure known in the art, e.g. an opening device or
closure comprising
a pour spout and a cap resealably arranged on the pour spout. Alternatively,
the opening
device or closure may be implemented using so called pre-laminated hole (PLH)
technology
to provide the uninterrupted barrier. As is known in the art, such technology
involves making
a through-hole in the blank, i.e. in the paper-based or paperboard-based
laminate sheet
material of the container, and covering the hole, preferably from the inside
surface of the
container, with a suitable barrier layer, e.g. a polymer film, which barrier
layer is attached
to a tear-flap to be removed from the hole together with the tear-flap at a
first opening.
The opening 140 is positioned close to the rear edge 134 substantially
equidistant from
slanted edges 128 and 130. The opening 140 may be arranged at an orthogonal
distance D
of between 1 mm to 10 mm from the fourth top edge 134. In other words, with
reference to
Fig. 1, the removable section 72 may be arranged at an orthogonal distance D
of between
1 mm to 10 mm from the crease line section 58c. Since the sealing region 126
is folded down
onto the rear wall containing the longitudinal sealing band 14 and is attached
thereto, the top
panel 124 will be free from sealing structures and there will be no
obstructions extending
above the surface of the top panel 124. In particular, the longitudinal
sealing band 14 and
the top sealing region 126 will be confined to the rear wall section 108c of
the container.
'therefore, when tear-flap 138 and section 72 are removed, the then revealed
opening 140
will become easily accessible, in particular from the rear wall section 108c
side of the
container 100, allowing a consumer to position his or her lower lips on the
sealing region
126 and the upper lips over the opening 140. The longitudinal extent of the
sealing band
panel 56d, i.e. the distance A between the crease line section 58c and the top
boarder section
22e (see Fig. 1), defining the length of the sealing region 126 in the
longitudinal direction of
the container 100, may be at least 15 mm, or more preferably at least 20 mm,
or even more
preferably at least 30 mm, to comfortably accommodate the lower lips of a
consumer and
thereby cater for an enjoyable drinking experience. By having the tear-flap
138 extending
down onto the rear wall section 108c crossing the sealing region 126, the
outer surface of
the sealing region 126 intended to come into contact with the mouth of a
consumer will be
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protected until the container 100 is opened. The slanted top panel 124 and the
position of the
opening 140 close to the rear edge 134 allow for an ergonomically advantageous
drinking
position, thus making it easy for a consumer to drink directly from the
container 100.
Consequently, the disclosed container 100 may be suitable to be used as a so-
called portion
pack, i.e. a type of container configured to hold a liquid intended to be
consumed on the go,
without the container necessarily having to be reclosed after once having been
opened.
Because to the gusset panels 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d are folded inwards during the
top sealing of
the container (see Fig. 6), the gusset panels 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d will end up
underneath the
top panel 50 (e.g. see Fig. 3) in the filled and sealed container.
Consequently, when designing
the opening, due account of the gusset panels 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d must be
taken. In the present
embodiment, the opening 140 is positioned such that the gusset panels 44a,
44b, 44c, 44d do
not interfere with drinking or dispensing from the container.
Fig. 15 shows another embodiment of a blank 10' according to the invention.
Figs. 16 and
17 show a sleeve 96' produced from the blank 10' and Figs. 18-21 illustrates a
container 100'
produced from the sleeves 96'.
The blank 10' differs from the previously disclosed blank 10 in that the blank
10 comprises
two rectilinear or substantially rectilinear crease line sections 30c'-I and
30c'-II instead of
the curvilinear crease line 30c of blank 10.
Furthermore, the blank 10' comprises a semi-circular line of weakness 74'
instead of the loop
of weakness 74 of blank 10, which semi-circular line of weakness 74' defines a
panel section
72' arranged to be folded out from the plane of panel 50' during the first
opening. Also, the
line of weakness 74' is positioned further from the crease line section 58c'
than the loop of
weakness 74 from crease line section 58c. Similar to the loop of weakness 74
of blank 10,
the semi-circular line of weakness 74' may be a so-called "half-cut", i.e. a
cut made partially
through the laminated substrate of the blank from the outside surface thereof
leaving one or
a plurality of inner layers of the laminated substrate intact to provide an
uninterrupted barrier
against the contained food product.
The blank 10' differs from blank 10 also in that the intermediate region of
the blank 10'
comprises slanted crease lines 82a'-82g' instead of the substantially
longitudinally extending
crease lines 82a-82d of blank 10. The slanted crease lines 82a'-82h' partition
slanted panels
76a'-76i'.
The blank 10' is otherwise identical to blank 10 and the sleeve 96' (see Figs.
16 and 17) is
produced in substantially the same manner as sleeve 96. The container IOU' is
produced from
sleeve 96' in substantially the same manner as container 100 from sleeve 96.
However, when
the sleeve 96' is erected and folded, the slanted panels 76a'-76i' will form a
pattern of slanted
and slightly warped wall sections 108a-108h' in the wall portion 106' of the
container 100'.
Wall sections 108a', 108g', 108e' and 108c' extend diagonally across the front
wall, the first
side wall, the rear wall and the second side wall, respectively, of the
container 100. When
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the carton 100 is produced, the sealing region 126' is folded down onto wall
section 108d'
and wall section 108e' (i.e. the wall section containing the longitudinal
sealing band 14') and
is attached to the same. Consequently, as the previously discussed container
100, the
container 100' comprises a top panel 124' that is free from sealing
structures.
Also, instead of being provided with a tear-flap, the carton 100' is provided
with an opening
device or closure 136' comprising a cap 142' and a pour spout having a flange
144' attached
to the top panel 124' above the line of weakness 74'. The opening device or
closure 136' is
configured to break the line of weakness 74' during a first opening of the
container 100' in a
manner that is, as such, known in the art. For example, the opening device or
closure 136'
may comprise a seal-breaking member (not shown) arranged inside the pour spout
which is
activated during the first opening to push down onto panel section 72' and
force the panel
section 72' into the container so that an opening in the top panel substrate
is created.
However, the section 72' will not separate from the rest of the top panel
substrate but will
remain attached to the same via the uncut substrate region located between the
endpoints of
the line of weakness 74'.
Fig. 22 shows a blank 10" which is substantially identical to the blank 10
shown in Fig. 1
except that the top boundary edge sections 22a", 22e" and 22i" are curvilinear
and the top
panel 50" is provided with a circular, pre-cut opening 140" in the paper-based
or paperboard-
based laminate sheet material of the blank 10". The opening 140" is positioned
adjacent the
crease line section 58c" and may, similarly to the removable section 72 in
Fig. 1, be arranged
at an orthogonal distance D of between 1 mm to 10 mm from the crease line
section 58c".
Also, as compared to the blank 10 shown in Fig. 1, the panel 76a" is somewhat
wider than
the panel 76e" allowing the boundary edge 14" to become positioned
substantially
equidistant from the edges 120" and 122" in a container 100" produced from the
blank 10"
(see Figs. 23-27).
In the region of the opening 140", the inside surface of the blank 10' is
provided with a sheet
membrane (not shown) covering the opening 140", thus providing a pre-laminated
hole
(PLH) configuration forming a barrier separating the opening 140" from the
food product
prior to a first opening of the container. It is understood, however, that the
barrier, instead of
being formed by a pre-laminated hole (PLH) configuration, may comprise, as in
the
embodiment disclosed in Figs. 1-13, a removable section delimited by a half-
cut, i.e. a cut
made partially through the top panel from an outside surface thereof leaving
one or a
plurality of inner layers of the laminated substrate or sheet material intact
to provide said
barrier.
Figs. 23-27 show the container 100" produced from the blank 10". The container
100" is
produced substantially in the same way as has been described above with
reference to
Figs. 2-8. Due to the curvilinear nature of the top boundary edge sections
22a", 22e" and
22i", the sealing region 126" displays a curvilinear edge 127" in this
embodiment of the
container.
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The container 100" comprises an opening device or closure 136" arranged over
the opening
140" allowing a consumer to break the PLH barrier, open the container and
dispense or
access the food product.
The opening device or closure 136" comprises a first sheet 150 and a second
sheet 160. The
first sheet 150 is attached to the outside surface of the paper-based or
paperboard-based
laminate sheet material of the container 100". The second sheet 160 is
releasably attached to
the outside surface of the first sheet 150, allowing the second sheet 160 to
be brought from
a first position, in which the opening device or closure 136" is closed (see
Figs. 23-25) to a
second position, in which the opening device or closure 136" is open (see
Figs. 26 and 27).
The first sheet 150 is generally rectangular and extends between longitudinal
edges 151, 152
and transversal edges 153, 154 (see Fig. 28, which shows the first sheet 150
prior to having
been mounted to the laminate sheet material). The first sheet 150 displays a
through-opening
155 having substantially the same size and shape as the opening 140" (see Fig.
22). In other
words, the opening 140" and the through-opening 152 are congruent. The first
sheet 150 is
attached to the outside surface of the laminate sheet material of the
container 100" so that
the through opening 155 is aligned with the opening 140". Consequently, in the
present
embodiment, in which the opening 140" and the through-opening 155 are
circular, the
opening 140" and the through-opening 155 are coaxially arranged.
The first sheet 150 comprises a first sheet section 150a that extends over the
top panel 124"
between the top edge 134" of the container 100" and a region close to the edge
132" (see
Fig. 26). In the disclosed embodiment, the first sheet 150 also comprises a
second sheet
section 150b that extends from the top edge 134" down onto the sealing region
126" to a
region close to the edge 127" (see Fig. 27). Consequently, due to the
transversal edge 153 of
first sheet 150 being arranged adjacent the edge 132" and the transversal edge
154 being
arranged adjacent the edge 127", the first sheet 150 extends over the
uppermost edge 134"
of the container 100" and over substantially the whole length of the top panel
124" and the
sealing region 126, respectively.
In the present embodiment, the width of the first sheet 150 is somewhat
smaller than the
width of the top panel 124". In other words, the sheet 150 does not extend all
the way to the
edges 128" and 130" (see Fig. 26). In alternative embodiments, the first sheet
150 may have
a width that is substantially equal to the width of the top panel 124". The
extent of the first
sheet 150 should, however, be sufficient to encircle the opening 140".
The second sheet 160 is also generally rectangular and extends between
longitudinal edges
161, 162 and transversal edges 163, 164 (see Fig. 29, which shows the second
sheet 160
prior to having been mounted to from the opening device or closure 136"). The
second sheet
160 has substantially the same width as the first sheet 150. The length of the
second sheet
160, however, is substantially twice the length of the first sheet 150.
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The second sheet 160 comprises a first sheet section 160a which, prior to a
first opening of
the container 100, extends over the first sheet 150 between the top edge 134"
of the
container 100" and a region close to the edge 132" (see Figs. 24 and 29). The
transversal
edge 163 of the second sheet 160 is substantially aligned with the transversal
edge 153 of
5 the first sheet 150. The second sheet 160 also comprises a second sheet
section 160b which,
prior to the first opening of the container 100", extends from the top edge
134" down onto
the second sheet section 150b of the first sheet 150, over the edge 127" of
the sealing region
126" and down onto the wall section 108c" of the container 100" (see Fig. 25).
The outside surface of the first sheet 150 may comprise an adhesive (indicated
by a dotted
10 pattern in Fig. 28). The inside surface of the second sheet 160, i.e.
the surface which is
configured to contact the first sheet 150 and the laminate sheet material of
the container 100"
at the side wall section 108c" prior to the first opening, may also comprise
an adhesive.
However, in one embodiment the inside surface of the sheet 160 may comprise a
region 165,
arranged to cover the through-opening 155 of the first sheet 150, in which the
adhesiveness
15 is reduced as compared to surrounding sections 166 and 167 (see Fig.
29).
Prior to the first opening of the container 100", the second sheet 160 is
attached to the outside
surface of the first sheet 150. Also, to ensure that the second sheet 160 is
kept flush to the
container 100" prior to the first opening, the second sheet 160 may be
attached to the side
wall section 108c". As stated above, the inside surface of the blank 10' is
provided with a
20 sheet membrane (not shown) covering the opening 140" and forming a
barrier prior to the
first opening. The outside surface of the sheet membrane, which is exposed via
the opening
140" and the through-opening 155, is attached to the inside surface of the
second sheet 160.
However, if the barrier comprises a removable section delimited by a half-cut
instead of
being formed by a PLH configuration, the inside surface of the second sheet
material 160
25 would instead be attached to the outside surface of the removable
section, which is exposed
via the through-opening 155 in a similar manner as the PLH membrane.
In order to perform the first opening, a consumer manually grips the
transversal edge 164 of
the second sheet 160 and pulls the second sheet 160 upward over the top edge
134" and then
downwards towards the edge 132, thereby bringing the second sheet 160 to the
position
shown in Fig. 26. The downward pulling action will reveal the through-opening
155 and
break the sheet membrane covering the opening 140. If the barrier comprises a
removable
section delimited by a half-cut, as is discussed above, the downward pulling
action will break
the half-cut, lift the removable section and reveal an opening similar to the
opening 140".
When the second sheet 160 has been brought to the position showed in Fig. 26,
the consumer
will be able to dispense or access the food product through the opening 140"
and the through-
opening 155.
Due to the first sheet 150 extending from the through-opening 155, over the
top edge 134"
and down onto the sealing region 126" to the region close to the edge 127"
(see Fig. 27), a
drinking surface, which prior to the first opening was covered by the second
sheet 160, will
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be available to the consumer should he or she chose to drink from the
container 100" from
the side of the wall section 108c". In order to prevent the mouth of the
consumer from coming
into contact with the outside surface of the container laminate sheet material
during such a
drinking operation, and thereby provide an enjoyable drinking experience, the
first sheet 150
should preferably extend from the through-opening 155 to a distance A from the
through-
opening 155 of at least at 20 mm and more preferably at least 25 mm, and even
more
preferably at least 30 mm (see Fig. 28).
According to one embodiment, the second sheet 160 may be configured to allow
the
consumer to reclose the opening device or closure 136" after the first
opening. This may be
effectuated by the consumer bringing the second sheet 160 back to its
original, first position,
and allowing the second sheet 160 to adhere to the first sheet region 150a of
the first sheet
150 in the sealing region 126". While this may not necessarily be sufficient
to provide a
liquid tight seal, it may be sufficient to prevent foreign object from
entering the through-
opening 155.
At the region of the edges 153 and 163, the first and second sheets 150, 160
may be
permanently joined, e.g. heat sealed to each other, thereby ensuring that the
second sheet
160 remains attached to the first sheet 150 also after the first opening.
The first sheet 150 may be heat-sealed to the outside surface of the container
100".
Alternatively, the first sheet 150 may be permanently attached to the outside
surface of the
container 100" by other means, e.g. using a suitable adhesive.
The first and second sheets 150, 160 may comprise a polymer sheet, e.g. a
sheet comprising
a polyethylene layer or a polypropylene layer or both. At least the second
sheet 160 may be
a laminate sheet, e.g. comprising a plurality of polymer layers and/or a layer
comprising
cellulose fibres, e.g. a paper layer. In one embodiment, the second sheet 160
may comprise
an aluminium layer.
During production of the container 100", the first and second sheets 150 and
160 may be
attached to each other to form a sheet aggregate. The sheet aggregate may
subsequently be
attached to the outside surface of the container laminate sheet material.
Alternatively, the
first sheet 150 may attached to the outside surface of the container laminate
sheet material
in a first step and the second sheet 160 may be attached to the first sheet
150 in a second,
subsequent step. The sheet aggregate, or the first sheet 150 and subsequently
the second
sheet 160, may be attached to the container laminate sheet material after the
container has
been folded, filled and top-sealed. In an alternative embodiment of producing
the container
100", the first sheet 150 may be attached to the blank 10" prior to the blank
10" is folded to
form the sleeve.
As previously stated, blanks are produced in a converting process in which the
blanks are
cut from a web of laminate material having substantially parallel and
rectilinear lateral
boundary edges. The converting process typically comprises feeding the web of
laminate
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material through one or a plurality of nips formed between a pair of cutting
and/or creasing
rollers to produce blanks cut from the web and formed with creases lines for
subsequent
folding and/or with cuts and/or with holes, e.g. for fitting a closure to the
blank material
when a carton is produced therefrom.
Fig. 30 shows an embodiment of a nesting pattern of blanks laid out on a web
204 of laminate
material. Such a pattern is sometimes referred to as a nesting pattern. The
blanks are identical
to the one previously discussed with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 31 is a
detailed view of the
nesting pattern of Fig. 30 showing some of the crease lines and the loop of
weakness
previously discussed with reference to Fig 1.
As is known in the art, a nesting pattern is not a physical pattern that is
visible on the web
but a pattern that illustrates how the blanks are intended to be cut from the
web and/or how
the blanks are impressed. In other words, the nesting pattern illustrates the
layout of the
blanks on the web and, consequently, how the available web material is
utilised.
The nesting pattern 200 shown in Fig. 30 comprises two rows 202a, 202b of
congruent
blanks 10a, 10b, each row comprising blanks arranged side by side with the
first lateral
boundary edge 12 adjoining the second lateral boundary edge 14 of a
neighbouring blank
and vice-versa. Consequently, in the nip of the cutting rollers (not shown)
adjoining lateral
boundary edges 12 and 14 in each row can be produced simultaneously using the
same
cutting tool utilising a single cutting edge.
The blanks 10a of the first row 202a are arranged facing the blanks 10b of the
second row
202b so that the top boundary edge 22 of the blanks of the first row 202a
adjoins the top
boundary edge 22 of the blanks of the second row 202b. In the longitudinal
direction Lw of
the web of laminate material 204, the rows 202a, 202b are offset so that the
top boundary
edge section 22e of the blanks of the first row 202a adjoins the top boundary
edge sections
22a and 22i of the blanks of the second row 202b and vice-versa (see Fig. 31).
Consequently,
in the nip of the cutting rollers (not shown) the adjoining top boundary edges
22 of oppositely
arranged blanks can also be produced simultaneously using the same cutting
tool utilising a
single cutting edge.
In each row 202a, 202b, the bottom boundary edges 16 are arranged
substantially parallel to
the lateral boundary edges 204a, 204b of the web 204, either substantially
colinear the lateral
boundary edges of the web 204 or within a small distance from the lateral
boundary edges
of the web 204, e.g. within 1 mm to 5 mm from the lateral boundary edges 204a,
204b. This
will provide a nesting pattern allowing substantially the whole area of web
204 to be covered
with no or very little web material being wasted. Consequently, the disclosed
nesting pattern
is very effective in that substantially all available web material is utilised
to form blanks.
In the nesting pattern 200, the fourth boundary edges 22 form a non-
rectilinear line 222
extending substantially centrally in the longitudinal direction Lw of the web
204. The line
22 display a two-fold rotational symmetry with respect to a plurality of
centres 220 located
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on the line 222. In other words, the line 222, when rotated 180 degrees about
any one of the
centres 220, will assume the same orientation as before the rotation. This
symmetry allows
the rows 202a and 202b to be arranged adjacent each other without any
intermediate gaps,
thus providing the efficient nesting.
An efficient nesting can also be achieved by arranging a plurality of such row-
pairs adjacent
to each other, e.g. as is disclosed in Fig. 32, which shows two row-pairs in
such a
configuration.
Fig. 33 illustrates the geometry of the blank allowing the above-discussed
efficient nesting
pattern. The blank 10 is the same blank as previously shown in Fig. 1. The top
boundary
edge 22 is reflection symmetric with respect to the central axis Ca. In other
words, using the
central axis Ca as an axis of symmetry, the top boundary edge 22 on one side
of the axis Ca
is mirrored by the top boundary edge 22 on the other side of the axis Ca.
The top boundary edge 22 is inscribed in a right rectangle 206. In other
words, the top
boundary edge 22 is enclosed by and "fits snugly" inside the rectangle 206.
The rectangle
206 has a first pair of sides 208, 210 being parallel to the longitudinal
direction L of the
blank and a second pair of sides 212, 214 being parallel to the transversal
direction T. The
central axis Ca divides the rectangle 206 into two congruent right sub-
rectangles 216 and
218. In other words, the sub-rectangles 216 and 218 are identical in size and
shape.
The sub-rectangle 216 has a centre 220, i.e. a position where diagonals of the
sub-rectangle
216 intersect. Within the sub-rectangle 216, the top boundary edge 22 displays
a two-fold
rotational symmetry with respect to an axis running through the centre 220 and
being
orthogonal to the plane of the blank 10. In other words, the part of the top
boundary edge 22
inscribed in the sub-rectangle 216 assumes the same orientation after a
rotation of 180
degrees (360/2 degrees) about the centre 220.
The above is equally true for the part of the top boundary edge 22 that is
inscribed in the
sub-rectangle 218 - within the sub-rectangle 218 the top boundary edge 22
displays a two-
fold rotational symmetry with respect to an orthogonal axis running through
the centre 222
of the sub-rectangle 218. This follows directly from the fact that the top
boundary edge 22
is reflection-symmetric with respect to the central axis Ca - such reflection
symmetry implies
equal rotational symmetry about the respective centre in the sub-rectangles
216 and 218. In
other words, if the top boundary edge 22 is reflection-symmetric with respect
to the central
axis Ca, and if the part of the top boundary edge 22 inscribed in one of the
sub-rectangles
displays a two-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the centre of that sub-
rectangle, the
part of the top boundary edge 22 inscribed in the other sub-rectangle will
also display a two-
fold rotational symmetry with respect to the centre of that other sub-
rectangle.
Arranging the top boundary edge 22 of the blank 10 reflection symmetric with
respect to the
central axis Ca and, for the part of the top boundary edge 22 being inscribed
in respective
sub-rectangle, two-fold rotational symmetric with respect to the centre of the
sub-rectangle,
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as described above, will allow the effective nesting pattern disclosed in Fig.
30. In particular,
it will allow laying out the pattern of the blanks on the web 204 such that
the top boundary
edge 22 of the row of blanks 202a coincides with the top boundary edge 22 of
the row of
blanks 202b, thus resulting in that there will be no non-used web material
between the rows
202a and 202b.
In Fig. 31, the top boundary edge sections 22a and 22i are equally long and
top boundary
edge section 22e is twice as long as any one of edge sections 22a and 22i.
However, it is
understood that an efficient nesting pattern can be achieved also with other
geometries.
Fig. 34 shows a further embodiment of a nesting pattern of blanks laid out on
a web of a
laminate material and Fig. 35 shows a blank 10" cut and embossed according to
the nesting
pattern shown in Fig. 34. In this embodiment, the top boundary edge 22"
comprises
curvilinear edge sections 22a" and 22e" and 22i" having an extend and a
curvature allowing
the nesting patter to be laid out with the top boundary edges of the blanks
adjoining each
other without an intermediate gap, as is illustrated in Fig. 34. Once cut out
from the laminate
material web, the blank 10" can be folded, filled and sealed in a manner
similar to the blank
10 disclosed in Fig. 1. Fig. 36 shows a container 100" produced from the blank
10" according
to Fig. 35.
It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which, for clarity,
have been described
above in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in
combination in a
single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which, for
brevity, have
been described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided
separately or in
any suitable sub-combination.
In the preceding description, various aspects of the blank and container
according to the
invention have been described with reference to the illustrative embodiment
For purposes
of explanation, specific numbers, systems and configurations were set forth in
order to
provide a thorough understanding of the apparatus and its workings. However,
this
description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various
modifications and
variations of the illustrative embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the
apparatus,
which are apparent to person skilled in the art to which the disclosed subject-
matter
pertains, may lie within the scope of the present invention as defined by the
following
claims.
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