Formed Paperboard Package

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/663,909, filed 25 Jun. 2024, the disclosure of which is now expressly incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to improved packaging. Specifically, the present disclosure comprises formed paperboard packaging. Methods of making the same are further provided.

The vast majority of product packaging is made using one-time use plastic due to abundance, relatively inexpensive cost, ease of use, resilience, printability, and versatility. Indeed, for example, one-time use plastics may easily be made to be opaque, transparent and/or translucent, which may be useful for displaying products within product packaging made therefrom.

While one-time use plastic has advantages making it appealing, there are several serious disadvantages. Specifically, plastic is difficult to decompose and therefore much of it ends up in landfills, waterways, and, generally, as a pollutant in the environment. While recycling of one-time use plastics may be done, it is estimated that a very small percentage of plastic packaging is, actually, recycled. Moreover, recycling plastic requires energy and chemical usage which itself may be harmful to the environment. Moreover, most food products are not recycled because they tend to be mixed with residual food products.

Paperboard packaging decomposes much more quickly and is easier to recycle that one-time use plastics. Moreover, paperboard packaging may be easily printed and cut into particular flat shapes. Paperboard packaging may also has certain disadvantages. Paperboard packaging can be difficult to make into desired shapes when forming. Likewise, paperboard packaging can suffer from effects of moisture and other environmental conditions. Moreover, paperboard packaging is difficult to make transparent or translucent, rendering products contained therein difficult to view by consumers.

The present disclosure relates to packaging. Specifically, the present disclosure provides formed paperboard packaging. Methods of making the same are further provided.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a package may comprise a tray and a tray cover that couples to the tray. The tray may include a base and a planar lip that extends from and around an edge of the base. The base may define a pocket configured to receive one or more products therein. The tray cover may couple to the planar lip of the tray over the one or more products in the pocket to close an opening to the pocket.

In some embodiments, the base and the lip of the tray may cooperate to provide support means for supporting the package on a planar surface in an upright orientation. In the upright orientation, the tray cover may extend substantially perpendicular to the planar surface so that the package is free-standing in the upright orientation.

In some embodiments, the tray is a formed paperboard tray. The tray may be a formed paperboard tray formed from a paperboard blank having one or more creases. The creases may be configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank into the formed paperboard tray without tearing or destroying the paperboard blank when pressed in a press.

In some embodiments, the base of the tray may include a bottom wall, a top wall spaced apart from the bottom wall, and interconnecting side walls that extend between and interconnect the bottom wall and the top wall. In some embodiments, the bottom wall, the top wall, and interconnecting side walls may cooperate to define the pocket. The bottom wall of the base and the lip may cooperate to provide the support means.

In some embodiments, the bottom wall may extends at an angle relative to the planar surface. In some embodiments, the tray cover may include a printed label attributed to the one or more products in the pocket.

In some embodiments, the tray cover may be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein. In some embodiments, the base of the tray may be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein.

In some embodiments, the one or more windows in the base of the tray may be formed in one of the top surface and one of the interconnecting side walls. In some embodiments, the lip may be formed to include at least one hanger opening.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a paperboard package comprises a formed paperboard tray including a base and a planar lip that extends from the base. The base may define a pocket configured to receive one or more products. The base and the lip of the tray may cooperate to provide support means for supporting the package on a planar surface in an upright orientation in which the planar lip extends substantially perpendicular to the planar surface so that the package is free-standing in the upright orientation.

In some embodiments, the package may further comprise a tray cover. The tray cover may couple to the planar lip of the formed paperboard tray over the one or more products in the pocket to close an opening to the pocket.

In some embodiments, the formed paperboard tray may be formed from a paperboard blank. The paperboard blank may have one or more creases configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank into the formed paperboard tray when pressed in a press. The creases may be configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank into the formed paperboard tray without tearing or destroying the paperboard blank.

In some embodiments, the base of the tray may include a bottom wall, a top wall spaced apart from the bottom wall, and interconnecting side walls that extend between and interconnect the bottom wall and the top wall. The bottom wall, the top wall, and interconnecting side walls may cooperate to define the pocket. The bottom wall of the base and the lip may cooperate to provide the support means.

In some embodiments, the bottom wall may extend at an angle relative to the planar surface. In some embodiments, the tray cover may include a printed label attributed to the one or more products in the pocket.

In some embodiments, the tray cover may be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein. In some embodiments, the base of the tray may be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein.

In some embodiments, the one or more windows in the base of the tray may be formed in one of the top surface and one of the interconnecting side walls. In some embodiments, the lip may be formed to include at least one hanger opening.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a package may comprise a formed paperboard tray and a tray cover. The formed paperboard tray may include at least one base and a planar lip that extends from the base and defines an outer boundary of the at least one base. The at least one base may define a first pocket configured to receive one or more products. The tray cover may couple to the planar lip of the tray over at least a portion of the one or more products in the pocket. The at least one base and the lip of the tray may cooperate to provide support means for supporting the package on a planar surface in an upright orientation, in which the tray cover extends substantially perpendicular to the planar surface so that the package is free-standing in the upright orientation.

In some embodiments, the formed paperboard tray may include a first base and a second base. The second base may be spaced apart from the first base. The first base may form or define the first pocket and the second base may form or define a second pocket.

In some embodiments, each of the first base and the second base of the tray may include a bottom wall, a top wall spaced apart from the bottom wall, and interconnecting side walls that extend between and interconnect the bottom wall and the top wall. The bottom wall, the top wall, and interconnecting side walls may cooperate to define the respective pocket. The bottom wall of the first and second bases and the lip may cooperate to provide the support means.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a paperboard package may comprise a formed paperboard tray formed from a paperboard blank having one or more creases configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank into the formed paperboard tray without tearing or destroying the paperboard blank when the paperboard blank is pressed in a press and a paperboard tray cover. The formed paperboard tray may include a tray base that defines a tray pocket configured to receive one or more products and a planar tray lip that extends from and around the tray base to define a boundary of the formed paperboard tray. The paperboard tray cover may couple to the tray lip of the tray over at least a portion of the one or more products in the tray pocket to close an opening to the tray pocket. In some embodiments, the paperboard tray cover may be heat sealed directly to the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray to couple the tray cover to the formed paperboard tray.

In some embodiments, the tray cover may be a formed paperboard tray cover formed from another paperboard blank having one or more creases configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank into the formed paperboard tray cover without tearing or destroying the paperboard blank when pressed in a press. The paperboard tray cover may include a cover base that defines a cover pocket configured to receive the one or more products and a planar cover lip that extends from and around the cover base to define a boundary of the formed paperboard tray cover. The tray lip may be coupled to the cover lip so that the tray pocket and the cover pocket to trap the one or more products therebetweeen.

In some embodiments, at least one of the tray base and the cover base may be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein. In some embodiments, the tray base and the cover base may both be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein. In some embodiments, the tray cover may be formed to include at least one window for viewing one or more products contained therein.

In some embodiments, a portion of the one or more products may extend out through the at least one window. A portion of the one or more products may extend out through the at least one window such that the portion of the one or more products extends past the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray.

In some embodiments, at least one of the formed paperboard tray and the tray cover may include a printed label attributed to the one or more products in the tray pocket of the formed paperboard tray. In some embodiments, the formed paperboard tray and the tray cover may both include a printed label attributed to the one or more products in the tray pocket of the formed paperboard tray.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a paperboard package may comprise a formed paperboard tray and a paperboard tray cover. The formed paperboard tray may be formed from a paperboard blank having one or more creases configured to form the tray when the paperboard blank is pressed in a press. The tray cover may be coupled to the tray.

In some embodiments, the formed paperboard may include at least one tray base and a tray lip. The tray base may define a first tray pocket configured to receive one or more products. The tray lip may extend from and around the at least one tray base to define a boundary of the formed paperboard tray.

In some embodiments, the paperboard tray cover may couple to the tray lip of the tray over at least a portion of the one or more products in the first tray pocket to close an opening to the first tray pocket. In some embodiments, the paperboard tray cover may be heat sealed directly to the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray to couple the tray cover to the formed paperboard tray.

In some embodiments, the tray cover may be a formed paperboard tray cover formed from another paperboard blank having one or more creases configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank into the formed paperboard tray cover without tearing or destroying the paperboard blank when pressed in a press. The paperboard tray cover may include at least one cover base and a cover lip. The cover base may define a first cover pocket configured to receive the one or more products. The cover lip may extend from and around the at least one cover base to define a boundary of the formed paperboard tray cover. The tray lip may be coupled to the cover lip so that the first tray pocket and the first cover pocket to trap the one or more products therebetweeen.

In some embodiments, the at least one tray base and/or the at least one cover base may be formed to include one or more windows for viewing one or more products contained therein. In some embodiments, the tray cover may be formed to include at least one window for viewing one or more products contained therein.

In some embodiments, a portion of the one or more products may extend out through the at least one window such that the portion of the one or more products extends past the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray. In some embodiments, at least one of the formed paperboard tray and the tray cover may include a printed label attributed to the one or more products in the first tray pocket of the formed paperboard tray.

In some embodiments, the formed paperboard tray may include a first tray base and a second tray base spaced apart from the first tray base. The first tray base may form the first tray pocket and the second tray base may form a second tray pocket. The tray lip may extend between and interconnect the first tray base and the second tray base.

According to another aspect of the present application, a method of assembling a package with one or more products therein may include providing a paperboard blank with predetermined dimensions based on the one or more products to be packaged, applying one or more creases to the paperboard blank at predetermined locations to aid in forming a formed paperboard tray from the paperboard blank, arranging the paperboard blank with the one or more creases applied thereto in a press, pressing the paperboard blank in the press while applying heat to the paperboard blank to provide the formed paperboard tray including a tray base that defines a tray pocket and a tray lip that extends from and around the tray base to define a boundary of the formed paperboard tray, arranging the one or more products in the tray pocket of the formed paperboard tray, providing a tray cover with predetermined dimensions based on the formed paperboard tray, and coupling the tray cover to the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray after arranging the one or more products in the tray pocket to trap the one or more products therebetween.

In some embodiments, the method may further include applying a printed label to the paperboard blank. In some embodiments, the method may further include cutting out one or more windows from the paperboard blank. In some embodiments, coupling the tray cover to the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray may include heat sealing the tray cover to the tray lip of the formed paperboard tray.

Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.

A packageaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in. The packageincludes a trayand a tray coveras shown in. The trayis formed to define at least one pocketconfigured to receive one or more products. The tray covercouples to the trayover at least a portion of the productarranged in the pocketto close an opening to the pocketand block removal of the productfrom the tray. The tray covermay include at least one windowdisposed therein for viewing productin the package, as illustrated in.

The trayof the packageis a formed paperboard trayformed from a flat paperboard blank or sheet′ via a pressas shown in. The flat paperboard blank′ has predetermined dimensions (e.g., size and shape) based on a product type or productto be held or stored within the package(e.g., health/beauty products (razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, vitamins, cosmetics, sunscreen), electronics (phone, tablet), cleaning products, drink products (coffee grounds, powdered drink mix), medication (pills, tablets, or other like pharmaceuticals), laundry detergent, batteries, medical devices, food items, eyeglasses, and food products). The flat paperboard blank′ is pressed between mold tools,of the presswhile applying heat to the paperboard blank′ to provide the formed paperboard tray.

The resulting formed paperboard trayincludes a baseand a planar lipthat extends from and around an edge of the baseas shown in. The basedefines the pocketconfigured to receive one or more productstherein. The pocket, and thus the base, is formed by pressing the flat paperboard blank′ in the press. The flat paperboard blank′ has one or more creases′ configured to aid in forming the paperboard blank′ into the formed paperboard traywithout tearing or destroying the paperboard blank when pressed in the press.

Additionally, the baseand the planar lipof the formed paperboard traycooperate to provide support means for supporting the packageon a planar surfacein an upright orientation so that the packageis free-standing in the upright orientation. The support means or product self-support structureholds the packagein the upright orientation without any external supports so that the packageis free-standing or self-supported.

The vast majority of product packaging is made using one-time use plastic due to abundance, relatively inexpensive cost, ease of use, resilience, printability, and versatility. Indeed, for example, one-time use plastics may easily be made to be opaque, transparent and/or translucent, which may be useful for displaying products within product packaging made therefrom. However, plastic is difficult to decompose and therefore much of it ends up in landfills, waterways, and, generally, as a pollutant in the environment. While recycling of one-time use plastics may be done, it is estimated that a very small percentage of plastic packaging is, actually, recycled. Moreover, recycling plastic requires energy and chemical usage which itself may be harmful to the environment. Moreover, most food products are not recycled because they tend to be mixed with residual food products.

Unlike plastic packaging, paperboard packaging decomposes more quickly and is easier to recycle that one-time use plastics. Moreover, paperboard packaging may be easily printed and cut into particular flat shapes. Even still, the paperboard material may not be as easy to formed into desired shapes. Thus, the paperboard trayhas creasesthat aid in the formation of the tray. The creases′ in the paperboard blank′ aid in forming the paperboard blank′ into a three-dimensional traywith the pocketwithout tearing or destroying the paperboard blank′, or otherwise forming uncontrolled creases in the traythat may be unsightly and induce locations of weakness in the paperboard that may lead to tearing of the same when in use.

Additionally, paperboard packaging may make it difficult for consumers to view the products therein because the paperboard is not transparent or translucent like plastic materials. The paperboard packageof the present disclosure includes the support means or product self-support structurethat holds the packagein the upright orientation without any external supports so that the packageis free-standing or self-supported in the upright orientation. The paperboard trayis formed with the baseand the planar lip. The tray covermay be directly coupled to the planar lipto trap the productbetween the trayand the tray coverfor easy assembly with minimal material used. The baseand the planar lipthen cooperate to provide the product self-support structureto hold the packagein the upright orientation.

The tray coveralso includes at least one windowfor the productarranged in the pocketof the packageto be visible to the consumer as shown in. The windowis sized to allow a portion of the productto extend therethrough, while blocking assess to the productlocated in the pocketsuch that the productmay not be removed from the package. As a result, the productextends past or over the lipas shown in. The shape and orientation of the basemaintains the product's center of mass at the equilibrium, making the packagemore stable in the upright orientation and more difficult to knock over.

In the upright orientation, the graphics or logo on the packageand/or the productmay be more visible to the consumer when the packageis arranged on the planar surface, such as a shelf or display. The product self-support structureenables the graphics or logo on the packageand/or the productto face out towards the consumer when arranged on the shelf or display. Additionally, the product self-support structureholds the packagein the upright orientation without the need for additional supports, which minimizes the amount of packaging material and thus costs.

With the packageof the present disclosure initially described above, the packageand a methodof forming the packageis now described in more detail. The packageincludes a tray, a tray cover, and support means for supporting the packageon a planar surfacein an upright orientation so that the packageis free-standing in the upright orientation as shown in. The trayis a formed/pressed paperboard traymade from paperboard material. Similarly, the tray coveris a paperboard panel from paperboard material. Preferably, the paperboard material is a dry paperboard. The dry paperboard material may have a moisture content between about 5% to 10%. In some embodiments, the paperboard material may have a moisture content between about 8% to 10%.

The formed/pressed paperboard trayincludes a baseand a planar lipas shown in. The basemay also be referred to as a bodyof the tray. The planar lip, also referred to as an outer rim, extends from and around a perimeter edge of the baseto define a boundary of the tray. The basedefines the pocket, also referred to as a cavity, configured to receive one or more products. An opening to the pocketis defined by the planar lipas shown in. The pocket, or cavity, extends from the opening in the planar lip.

The baseand the planar lipof the formed paperboard traycooperate to provide the support meansor self-support structurefor supporting the packageon the planar surfacein the upright orientation. In the upright orientation, the tray coverextends at an angle relative to the planar surfaceas shown in. In the upright orientation, the tray coverextends substantially perpendicular to the planar surfaceas shown in. Substantially perpendicular may mean extending at an angle A of about 90 degrees relative to the planar surface.