Paper container

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a gable roof-form paper container in which a top seal part is inclined toward one of a pair of gable roof formation panels. In order to obtain a paper container with which it is possible to easily peel mutually opposing surfaces of outer top seal panels and inner top seal panels, a top seal part 32 formed of sealed outer top seal panels 25, 26 and inner top seal panels 29, 30 is inclined toward one of a pair of gable roof formation panels 16, 17, and a finger hook part 33 protruding in a height direction is provided on an upper side of the top seal part 32.

Description

Paper containers

[0001] The present invention relates to a paper container for containing liquid contents.

[0002] Conventionally, as a paper container for storing liquid contents such as milk or juice, a gable roof-shaped paper container has been widely used, which is made of a paperboard material with a thermoplastic resin laminated on the front and back surfaces, has four body panels, and has edges joined by vertical seal panels to form a rectangular tubular body. Connected to the upper ends of the body panels are a pair of gable roof-forming panels that face each other via a top horizontal fold line, and a pair of gable wall-forming panels that face each other and one of which serves as a spout to be opened. An outer top seal panel is connected to the top of the pair of gable roof-forming panels via an outer top seal panel horizontal fold line, and an inner top seal panel is connected to the top of the pair of gable wall-forming panels via an inner top seal panel horizontal fold line. The pair of gable wall-forming panels are folded between the pair of gable roof-forming panels, and the outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel are heated and sealed at predetermined positions to form a hermetic seal, thereby forming a gable roof-shaped paper container (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] A paper container with a top formed in this way has a sloped top surface that forms the top, and the top seal formed by the outer top seal panel and the inner top seal panel stands vertically from the apex of the top. Therefore, when attempting to stack a large number of paper containers and store them in a box, for example during transportation, the bottom of the upper paper container will rest on the top seal that stands vertically from the apex of the top of the lower paper container, so even if they are stacked, a large space will be created between the upper and lower paper containers, and the volume of the storage box that stores the paper containers will be unnecessarily large.

[0004] One possible solution to this problem is to reduce the distance between the upper end of the cylindrical body and the upper end of the apex, i.e., the upper end of the top seal. As a paper container with a reduced distance between the upper end of the cylindrical body and the upper end of the top seal, a paper container has been disclosed in which the top seal is inclined toward one of a pair of gable roof forming panels (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-123540 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 4-112003

[0006] However, when a paper container is opened by inserting fingers into the space between a pair of gable roof forming panels, the body panel, and the gable wall forming panel that serves as the pouring outlet, placing the fingers on the gable wall forming panel and spreading it left and right to peel and push apart the heat-sealed opposing surfaces of the outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel in the top seal portion on the opening side, and then pulling out the gable wall forming panel that is folded between the pair of gable roof forming panels to open the outlet, if the top seal portion is inclined, the direction in which the opposing surfaces of the outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel are peeled apart does not match the direction of the force spreading the opposing surfaces of the outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel apart, so a much stronger force is required than when the top seal portion is upright.

[0007] Therefore, when opening the container, it is necessary to perform the time-consuming task of folding the inclined top seal portion in the opposite direction to create a crease and then raise it vertically. In particular, in recent years, small gable-roof paper containers have become popular as paper containers for holding beverages in school lunches and as paper containers for holding beverages that are convenient to carry when traveling. However, the height of the top seal portion of small paper containers is relatively low. Small paper containers with square dimensions of 40 mm or 45 mm are known, and the height of the top seal portion is approximately 10 mm. When the height of the top seal portion is low, it is difficult to place one's fingers on the inclined top seal portion when opening the container, and a large force is required to raise it vertically.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a paper container that is a gable roof type, in which the top seal portion is inclined toward one of a pair of gable roof forming panels, and that can be easily opened by making it easy to peel the opposing bonded surfaces of the outer top seal panel and the inner top seal panel from each other.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 provides a container made of a paperboard material, having four body panels, the edges of which are joined by vertical seal panels to form a rectangular tubular body, and a pair of gable roof forming panels facing each other via a top horizontal fold line and a pair of gable wall forming panels facing each other, one of which serves as a pouring outlet and can be opened, connected to the upper ends of the body panels, and an outer top seal panel is connected to the upper parts of the pair of gable roof forming panels via an outer top seal panel horizontal fold line, and an inner top seal panel is connected to the upper parts of the pair of gable wall forming panels via an inner top seal panel horizontal fold line. In a gable roof-shaped paper container in which top seal panels are connected together, a pair of gable wall forming panels are folded between a pair of gable roof forming panels, and the outer top seal panel and the inner top seal panel are heated and sealed at predetermined positions to form a top, the top seal portion formed by the sealed outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel is inclined toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels, and a finger grip portion protruding in the height direction is provided on the upper edge of the top seal portion.

[0010] According to the invention described in claim 1, the top seal portion formed by the sealed outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel is inclined toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels, so that the position of the upper end of the top seal portion is lower due to the inclination, and the space between the stacked upper and lower paper containers is smaller, thereby saving space in the storage area.

[0011] Furthermore, the finger hook portion that protrudes in the height direction is provided on the upper edge of the top seal portion, so that when opening, even in the case of a small paper container in which the height of the top seal portion is low, the finger can be hooked and grasped on the finger hook portion, and the tilted top seal portion can be easily raised and stood upright.

[0012] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that the finger hook portion is connected to the top seal portion on the side of the spout.

[0013] According to the invention described in claim 2, the finger hook portion is provided on the spout side of the top seal portion, so that the force of placing a finger on the finger hook portion and bending the inclined top seal portion in the opposite direction is transmitted more strongly to the part on the opening side, and the inclined top seal portion can be bent vertically with little force.

[0014] Furthermore, the opening direction and folding position can be confirmed at a glance from the position of the finger hook provided on the top seal portion.

[0015] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that the horizontal fold line of the inner top seal panel interposed between the pair of gable wall forming panels and the inner top seal panel described in claim 1 or 2 is separated from its midpoint, the heights of the separated left and right half-line portions are different, and the half-line portion connecting to the outer top seal panel located above the inclined top seal portion is located slightly higher than the half-line portion connecting to the outer top seal panel located below the inclined top seal portion.

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 3, when the top seal portion formed by the sealed outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel is tilted toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels, the half-line portion of the horizontal fold line of the inner top seal panel connected to the outer top seal panel located below the tilting top seal portion bends so as to escape under the half-line portion of the horizontal fold line of the inner top seal panel connected to the outer top seal panel located above the top seal portion, making it easy to perform the bending process of the top seal portion.

[0017] As described above, with the paper container according to the present invention, the top seal portion formed by the sealed outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel is inclined toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels, thereby reducing the space between stacked upper and lower paper containers and achieving space saving for storage. Furthermore, when opening the container, the inclined top seal portion can be easily bent in the opposite direction with little force to create a crease and stand it up vertically, making the opening operation easy.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a carton blank of the paper container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view of a portion of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a top seal portion has been beveled in a paper container forming process. Fig. 6 is a front view of the paper container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the paper container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a left side view of the paper container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a right side view of the paper container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a back view of the paper container shown in Fig. 1.

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 3 show an example of an embodiment of a paper container according to the present invention, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the paper container of this example, Figure 2 is a plan view of a carton blank of the paper container shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an enlarged explanatory view of a portion of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a top seal portion has been beveled in a paper container forming process, Figure 5 is a front view of the paper container shown in Figure 1, Figure 6 is a plan view of the paper container shown in Figure 1, Figure 7 is a left side view of the paper container shown in Figure 1, Figure 8 is a right side view of the paper container shown in Figure 1, and Figure 9 is a back view of the paper container shown in Figure 1.

[0020] The paper container 1 of this example is formed from a carton blank 2, which is a paperboard material with a thermoplastic resin laminated on the front and back surfaces as shown in Figure 2. The carton blank 2 has four body panels 6, 7, 8, and 9 connected via body vertical fold lines 3, 4, and 5. When the paper container 1 is formed, the four body panels 6, 7, 8, and 9 are joined at the edge 12 of the body panel 6 to a vertical seal panel 11 connected to the body panel 9 via the body vertical fold line 10, thereby forming a square tubular body 13 of the paper container 1.

[0021] A pair of gable roof forming panels 16, 17 facing each other are connected to the upper ends of the body panels 6, 8 via top horizontal fold lines 14, 15, and a pair of gable wall forming panels 21, 22 facing each other are connected to the upper ends of the body panels 7, 9 via top horizontal fold lines 18, 19, one of which becomes a pouring outlet 20 that can be opened. Outer top seal panels 25, 26 are connected to the top of the pair of gable roof forming panels 16, 17 via outer top seal panel horizontal fold lines 23, 24, and inner top seal panels 29, 30 are connected to the top of the pair of gable wall forming panels 21, 22 via inner top seal panel horizontal fold lines 27, 28.

[0022] The outer top seal panels 25, 26 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 are sealed to form a top seal portion 32 when a top portion 31 of the paper container 1 is formed, as will be described later.

[0023] On a portion of the upper edge of the outer top seal panels 25, 26, finger hook pieces 34, 35 are formed in opposing positions to form a finger hook portion 33 that protrudes in the vertical direction from the upper edge of the top seal portion 32 of the paper container 1, which will be described later.

[0024] In this example, the finger hooks 34, 35 formed on part of the upper edge of the outer top seal panels 25, 26 are located on the spout 20 side of the outer top seal panels 25, 26. The horizontal dimension L1 of the finger hooks 34, 35 is preferably 1 / 3 to 1 / 4 of the horizontal dimension L2 of the outer top seal panels 25, 26.

[0025] In this example, the inner top seal panel horizontal fold lines 27, 28 interposed between the pair of gable wall forming panels 21, 22 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 are separated at their midpoint C, and the separated left and right half lines 27a, 27b and half lines 28a, 28b are of different heights, so that the half lines 27a, 28a connecting to the outer top seal panel 26 located above the inclined top seal portion 32 (described later) are positioned slightly higher than the half lines 27b, 28b connecting to the outer top seal panel 25 located below the inclined top seal portion 32 (see Figures 2 and 3). The vertical distance L3 between the half lines 27a, 28a and the half lines 27b, 28b is preferably 1 / 2 to 1 / 1 of the thickness of the paperboard material.

[0026] In forming the top 31 of the paper container 1, a pair of gable wall forming panels 21, 22 are folded between a pair of gable roof forming panels 16, 17, the outer top seal panels 25, 26 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 are heated and sealed at predetermined positions, and the top seal portion 32 formed by the outer top seal panels 25, 26 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 is tilted toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels 16, 17, the gable roof forming panel 16.

[0027] The top seal portion 32 may be inclined after the outer top seal panels 25, 26 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 are sealed, or may be sealed after the outer top seal panels 25, 26 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 are inclined.

[0028] The top 31 of the gable roof shape formed in this manner has an opening between the gable roof forming panels 16, 17, the opening side body panel 7 and the opening side gable wall forming panel 21, and a space 36 is formed for inserting fingers to hook on the opening side gable wall forming panel 21 when opening the paper container 1.

[0029] In addition, in this example, guide fold lines 37, 41 are formed on the gable roof forming panels 16, 17 on the side of the gable wall forming panel 21, which is the opening side, to guide the folding of the gable roof forming panels 16, 17 when opening.

[0030] The gable wall forming panels 21, 22 are formed with folding lines 39, 40, 41, 42 for folding the gable wall forming panels 21, 22. In addition, approximately triangular surface portions 43, 44 are formed by the folding lines 39, 40, 41, 42 and the top horizontal fold lines 18, 19.

[0031] Furthermore, the body panel 7, which is connected to the gable wall forming panel 21 on the opening side via the top horizontal fold line 18, has a downwardly curved first auxiliary fold line 47 with ends 45, 46 located on the body vertical fold lines 3, 4. Furthermore, the approximately triangular surface portion 43 and the body panel 7 of the gable wall forming panel 21 on the opening side have a second auxiliary fold line 48 that runs from the apex of the approximately triangular surface portion 43, passes through the top horizontal fold line 18, and connects to the first auxiliary fold line 47 formed on the body panel 7.

[0032] In this example, bottom panels 49, 50 are connected to the lower ends of the body panels 6, 8, and inner panels 51, 52 are connected to the lower ends of the body-forming panels 7, 9. The inner panels 51, 52 are folded inside the bottom panels 49, 50 and their abutting surfaces are bonded together to seal the bottom of the tubular body 13, forming the bottom 53 of the paper container 1. Note that the configuration of the bottom 53 is not limited to this, and other known bottom configurations in the paper container field can be used as long as they can seal the bottom of the tubular body 13.

[0033] According to the paper container 1 of this example configured as described above, the top seal portion 32 formed by the sealed outer top seal panels 25, 26 and inner top seal panels 29, 30 formed on the top 31 is inclined toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels 16, 17, the position of the upper end of the top seal portion 32 is lower due to the inclination, and the space between the stacked upper and lower paper containers 1 is smaller, thereby making it possible to reduce the storage space.

[0034] Furthermore, a finger hook 33 that protrudes in the height direction is provided on the upper edge of the top seal portion 32. Therefore, when opening the paper container 1, particularly in the case of a small paper container 1 in which the height of the top seal portion 32 is low, such as around 10 mm, the inclined top seal portion 33 can be easily raised and stood upright by hooking or pinching the finger on the finger hook 33. This allows the heat-sealed opposing surfaces of the outer top seal panels 25, 26 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 in the top seal portion 32 on the opening side to be easily peeled apart and spread apart with little force, making the paper container 1 easy to open.

[0035] Furthermore, the finger hook portion 33 that protrudes in the height direction from the top seal portion 32 is connected to the spout 20 side of the top seal portion 32, so that the force that is applied by hooking a finger on the finger hook portion 33 to bend the inclined top seal portion 32 in the opposite direction is transmitted more strongly to the part on the opening side due to the principle of leverage, and the inclined top seal portion 32 can be bent vertically with little force.

[0036] Furthermore, the opening direction and folding portion can be confirmed at a glance from the position of the finger hook 33 provided on the top seal portion 32.

[0037] Furthermore, the horizontal fold lines 27, 28 of the inner top seal panel interposed between the gable wall forming panels 21, 22 and the inner top seal panels 29, 30 are separated from each other at their midpoint C, and the left and right sides are at different heights. The half line portions 27a, 28a connected to the outer top seal panel 26 located above the inclined top seal portion 32 are located slightly higher than the half line portions 27b, 28b connected to the outer top seal panel 25 located below the inclined top seal portion 32. Therefore, in the process of forming the top 31 of the paper container 1, the top seal When the top seal portion 32 is tilted toward the gable roof forming panel 16, the half-line portions 27b, 28b of the horizontal fold lines 27, 28 of the inner top seal panel that connect to the outer top seal panel 25 located below the tilting top seal portion 32 are bent so as to escape under the half-line portions 27a, 28a of the horizontal fold lines 27, 28 of the inner top seal panel that connect to the outer top seal panel 26 located above the top seal portion 32 (see Figure 4), making it easy to fold the top seal portion 32.

[0038] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Paper container 2 Carton blank 3, 4, 5 Body longitudinal fold line 6, 7, 8, 9 Body panel 10 Body longitudinal fold line 11 Longitudinal seal panel 12 Edge 13 Cylindrical body 14, 15 Top horizontal fold line 16, 17 Gable roof forming panel 18, 19 Top horizontal fold line 20 Spout 21, 22 Gable wall forming panel 23, 24 Outer top seal panel horizontal fold line 25, 26 Outer top seal panel 27, 28 Inner top seal panel horizontal fold line 27a, 27b, 28a, 28b Half line portion 29, 30 Inner and outer top seal panels 31 Top 32 Top seal portion 33 Finger hook portion 34, 35 Finger hook piece 36 Space 37, 38 Guide fold line 39, 40, 41, 42 Folding fold line 43, 44 Triangular surface portion 45, 46 End portion 47 First auxiliary fold line 48 Second auxiliary fold line 49, 50 Bottom panel 51, 52 Inner panel 53 Bottom part

Claims

1. A gable roof-shaped paper container made of paperboard material and equipped with four body panels, the edges of which are joined by vertical seal panels to form a rectangular tubular body, and connected to the upper ends of the body panels are a pair of gable roof-forming panels facing each other via a top horizontal fold line, and a pair of gable wall-forming panels facing each other, one of which serves as a pouring outlet and can be opened; an outer top seal panel is connected to the top of the pair of gable roof-forming panels via an outer top seal panel horizontal fold line, and an inner top seal panel is connected to the top of the pair of gable wall-forming panels via an inner top seal panel horizontal fold line; the pair of gable wall-forming panels are folded between the pair of gable roof-forming panels, and the outer and inner top seal panels are heated and sealed at predetermined positions to form a hermetic top. A paper container characterized in that a top seal portion formed by the sealed outer top seal panel and inner top seal panel is inclined toward one of the pair of gable roof forming panels, and a finger hook portion protruding in the height direction is provided on the upper edge of the top seal portion.

2. The paper container according to claim 1, wherein the finger grip portion is connected to the top seal portion on the side of the spout.

3. A paper container as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the horizontal fold line of the inner top seal panel interposed between the pair of gable wall forming panels and the inner top seal panel is separated from its midpoint, the heights of the separated left and right half-line portions are different, and the half-line portion connecting to the outer top seal panel located above the inclined top seal portion is located slightly higher than the half-line portion connecting to the outer top seal panel located below the inclined top seal portion.

Images