Seal End Side Dispensing Cereal-Type Box

This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/638,756, titled “Seal End Side Dispensing Cereal-Type Box,” filed Apr. 25, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

Many users consume snack foods, and a current problem faced by users is how to portion control, share, and dispense the snack foods from the packaging without touching the remaining food contents in the packaging. It can be hard to control the speed and amount of food being dispensed from boxes and bags with open tops.

Moreover, it can be difficult to re-seal the box and/or bag when the user is done snacking. Known box designs have perforated openings that are not re-closable, or cannot be opened and closed in repetition.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved seal end side dispensing cereal-type box.

The present invention addresses this need. The present invention is directed to a blank for folding into a box. The blank can have a first panel that forms an exterior side of the box; a second panel that forms an exterior front panel of the box; a third panel that forms a side panel of the box; a fourth panel that forms a rear panel of the box; a fifth panel that forms an interior side panel of the box; a sixth panel that forms an interior front panel of the box; wherein the first panel is foldably connected to the second panel, the second panel is foldably connected to the third panel, the third panel is foldably connected to the fourth panel, the fourth panel is foldably connected to the fifth panel, and the fifth panel is foldably connected to the sixth panel; wherein the fourth panel, the fifth panel and the sixth panel can be folded to interface the fifth panel to the third panel; and wherein the first panel and the second panel can be folded to interface the first panel to the fifth panel.

The first panel can have a foldable first top major flap; a foldable first bottom major flap; and an adhesive area.

The second panel can have foldable first bottom minor flap; and a dispensing opening.

The third panel can have a foldable second top major flap; and a foldable second bottom major flap.

The fourth panel can have a foldable second top minor flap; and a foldable second bottom minor flap.

The fifth panel can be configured to couple to the adhesive area of the first panel.

The sixth panel can have a removable folding dispensing flap configured to interact with the foldable first top major flap; and a second minor top panel section foldably connected to the removable folding dispensing flap.

The present invention is also directed to a method of forming a box. The method can comprise providing a blank having a foldable first panel, a foldable second panel, a foldable third panel, a foldable fourth panel, a foldable fifth panel, and a foldable sixth panel; interfacing an inside surface of the fifth panel to an inside surface of the third panel; interfacing an inside surface of the first panel to an outside surface of the fifth panel; and interfacing an inside surface of the second panel to an outside surface of the sixth panel.

As used herein, the following terms and variations thereof have the meanings given below, unless a different meaning is clearly intended by the context in which such term is used.

The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” and similar referents used herein are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural unless their usage in context indicates otherwise.

As used in this disclosure, the term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers ingredients or steps.

All dimensions specified in this disclosure are by way of example only and are not intended to be limiting. Further, the proportions shown in these Figures are not necessarily to scale. As will be understood by those with skill in the art with reference to this disclosure, the actual dimensions and proportions of any system, any device or part of a device disclosed in this disclosure will be determined by its intended use.

Referring now to, there is shown a top plan view of a blankused to form a seal end side dispensing cereal-type box, wherein an inside surface of the blank, and its foldably connected, longitudinal panels, are shown.

In an embodiment, the blankcomprises at least six foldably connected panels: a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, a fourth panel, a fifth panel, and a sixth panel.

The first panelis a side panel that is configured to form an exterior side of the boxwhen folded. The first panelis foldably connected, at a first fold lineA, to one side of the second panel. The first panelincludes a first main body, a first top major flapand a first bottom major flap, both of which flaps are foldably coupled, at second- and third-fold linesB,C, to the first main body. The first top major flapcan be folded, at a fourth fold lineD, to form two sub-flapsA,B.

shows the blankwith an optional flapfoldably coupled, at a fifth fold lineE, to flap. Flapcould be utilized to form a boxwith a tuck top if so desired. If flapis not present, flapis adhesively coupled to a portion of flapof the third panelwhen the boxis formed.

The second panelis configured to form an exterior front panel when the blankis folded into the box. The second panelis foldably connected, at the first fold lineA, along one side to the first panel, and foldably connected, at fold lineF, along an opposite side to the third panel. The second panelhas a second main body and a first bottom minor flapfoldably coupled thereto, at a sixth fold lineG, and there is at least one dispensing openingpositioned in the second main body of the second panel.

The third panelis another side panel and has a second top major flapand a second bottom major flap, both of which are foldably coupled to a third main body of the third panel. The third panelis foldably connected, at fold lineF, along one side to the second panel, and foldably connected, at a seventh fold lineH, along an opposite side to the fourth panel. Second top major flapcomprises two portions: a base portionand a hinged portionfoldably coupled to base portionalong fold line. Hinged portionhas tabextending therefrom. Base portionis foldably coupled, at an eighth fold lineI, to the third main body of the third panel. The second bottom major flapis foldably coupled, at a ninth fold lineJ, to the third main body of the third panel.

The fourth panelforms a rear panel of the boxwhen the blankis folded. The fourth panel has a second top minor flapand a second bottom minor flap, both of which are foldably coupled, at tenth- and eleventh-fold linesK,L, to a fourth main body of the fourth panel.

The fifth panelforms an interior side panel when the blankis folded into the box. The interior surface of the first panelis configured to adhesively couple to an exterior surface of the fifth panelvia adhesive patchA. The fifth panelis foldably coupled, at twelfth fold lineM, to the fourth panel.

The sixth panelforms an interior front panel when the blankis folded into the box. The sixth panelhas at least one folding dispensing flapremovably coupled to a sixth main body thereof. The flaphas a flap sectionthat is foldably connected, at a thirteenth fold lineN, to a second minor top panel section. The flap sectionhas a convex shaped lower edgethat is coupled via perforation or nick tabs to the sixth main body such that after the boxhas been formed, the user can pull on tabto release the flapfrom the sixth panel, exposing openingin panel, and gain access to the contents of the box (). Additionally, flap sectioncomprises two projectionsA,B that are configured to interact with catchesA,B on the first top major flapand prevent flapfrom being easily withdrawn from the boxwhen the user is attempting to open the flapand dispense the box'scontents. The sixth panelis foldably connected, at a fifteenth fold lineO, along one side to the fifth panel.

An optional order of folding the panels will now be discussed. This order of folding is not limiting and the blankcan be folded in a different order.

The blankis oriented as shown in, with its inside surface facing up. First, as shown in, the fourth through sixth panels,,are lifted and folded inwards, towards the inside surface of the third panel; and the sixth panelis bent along its fifteenth fold lineO with the fifth panelso that an outside edgeof the sixth paneltouches the fold lineF between the second and third panels,.

Next, as shown in, the first and second panels,are folded in the opposite direction, towards the fifth and sixth panels,until the inside surface of the second panelis proximate the outside surface of the sixth panel, and the inside surface of the first panelis proximate the outside surface of the fifth panel, where the inside surface of the first panelis adhesively coupledA to the outside surface of the fifth panel. This forms a preliminary structure of the box.

Referring now to, the first and second bottom minor panels,are folded inward, and then the first and second bottom major panels,are folded over the folded minor panels,; and the bottom major panels,are adhesively coupled to each other, forming the closed bottom of the box.

Referring now to, the boxis half formed, with an open top and a closed bottom. In this configuration, the boxcan now be filled with its contents.

Referring now to, once filled, the first minor top panelis folded inward, then the first major top panelis folded inward, on top of the first minor top paneland optionally, adhesively coupled to first minor top panel. Then, the second minor top panelis folded inward, on top of the first major top paneland adhesively coupled to top panelvia adhesiveB; and then the second major top panelis folded inward, on top of the second minor top panel. In doing so, base portionof second major top panelis adhesively coupled to first major top panelvia adhesiveC, and second minor top panelis adhesively coupled to hinged portionof the second major top panelvia adhesiveD. Additionally, tabaligns with tab, creating an easy lifting point for the consumer to utilize.

shows the boxin its sealed position/configuration that a user receives from the manufacturer. In order for the consumer to gain access to the contents of the box, the user must break the perforation that couples the insertion flapto the sixth panel, and lift the flapusing tabs,. This is shown in.

The “hinged” function of the hinged portionof the second major top panelis best seen inas base portionis adhesively coupled to first major top flapand cannot move. That means that when a user lifts flapusing tabs,, hinged portionhinges along fold lineand lifts, pulling flapwith it.

When the consumer has finished dispensing, the flapcan be slid downwards and into the closed position, closing off dispensing openingso that the contents of the boxcannot leave the box.

Boxis unique because it allows a user to easily open and close it, and conveniently control and dispense contents from the box.

The blankand therefore boxcan be made from any standard material used for making boxes, such as paperboard, cardboard, corrugated materials, etc. The blankand therefore boxcan be any dimensions necessary to accommodate different sized products therein.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments are possible. The steps disclosed for the present methods, for example, are not intended to be limiting nor are they intended to indicate that each step is necessarily essential to the method, but instead are exemplary steps only. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of preferred embodiments contained in this disclosure. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference.