Clamshell carton with locking tab

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278774-B2
Application number	US-201414295945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2014
Priority date	Jun 4, 2013
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A carton assembled from a foldable blank including a base having a bottom panel and a plurality of walls and a lid having a top panel and a plurality of walls. The carton may include a tab extending from one of the plurality of walls of the base. The lid may have a slit defined proximate a fold line, the fold line being where at least one of the plurality of walls of the lid meet the top panel, and the slit may be adapted for receiving all or part of the tab therethrough. The lid may also have a slot disposed on the top panel and inward of the slit. After being received through the slit, the tab can be folded about the fold line to lie substantially parallel to the top panel of the lid and a distal end of the tab may be inserted into the slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable blank to be used for forming a carton, said blank comprising:
a base having a bottom panel and a plurality of walls extending therefrom, one of said plurality of walls comprising a rear panel and one of said plurality of walls comprising a front panel having an upper edge;
a lid operably connected to said base, said lid having a top panel and a plurality of walls extending therefrom, one of said plurality of walls comprising a rear panel and one of said plurality of walls comprising a front panel, said lid further including a fold line disposed between said front panel and said top panel;
a tab extending from said front panel of said base and foldable about a score line that is proximate to said upper edge of said front panel of said base;
a slit defined proximate said fold line of said lid, said slit adapted for receiving said tab therethrough to retain said lid in a closed position when said blank is assembled to form said carton; and
a slot defined in said top panel, said slot being adapted for receiving a terminal end of said tab therethrough;
wherein a height of said front panel of said base is substantially similar to a sum of a height of said rear panel of said base and a height of said rear panel of said lid.

2. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein said slot is substantially parallel to and spaced inward from said slit.

3. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein a length of said tab is greater than a distance between said slit and said slot.

4. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein a length of said tab is greater than a distance from a trailing edge of said front panel of said lid normal to said fold line.

5. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein a length of said tab is less than a distance from a trailing edge of said front panel of said lid normal to said fold line.

6. The foldable blank of claim 5 wherein said front panel of said lid includes a window area defined therein, said window area corresponding in shape with said tab.

7. The foldable blank of claim 1 further comprising a window area corresponding in shape with a distal portion of said tab.

8. A carton assembled from a foldable blank, said carton comprising:
a base having a bottom panel and a plurality of walls extending upwardly therefrom, one of said plurality of walls comprising a rear panel and one of said plurality of walls comprising a front panel having a upper edge;
a lid operably connected to said base, said lid having a top panel and a plurality of walls extending downwardly therefrom, one of said plurality of walls comprising a rear panel and one of said plurality of walls comprising a front panel, said lid further including a fold line disposed between said front panel and said top panel;
a tab extending from said front panel of said base and foldable about a score line that is proximate to said upper edge of said front panel of said base;
a slit defined proximate said fold line, said slit adapted for receiving said tab therethrough to retain said lid in a closed position; and
a slot defined in said top panel, said slot spaced from said slit and adapted for receiving a terminal end of said tab therethrough;
wherein a height of said front panel of said base is substantially similar to a sum of a height of said rear panel of said base and a height of said rear panel of said lid.

9. The carton of claim 8 wherein a length of said tab is greater than a distance from a trailing edge of said front panel of said lid normal to said fold line.

10. The carton of claim 8 wherein a length of said tab is less than a distance from a trailing edge of said front panel of said lid normal to said fold line.

11. The carton of claim 10 wherein said front panel of said lid includes a window area defined therein, said window area corresponding in shape with said tab.

12. The carton of claim 8 wherein said tab has a length greater than a distance between said slit and said slot.

13. The carton of claim 12 wherein said carton further comprises a locked position, said locked position comprising said tab received into said slit, said tab folded substantially parallel to said top panel of said lid, and said terminal end of said tab received into said slot.

14. A carton assembled from a foldable blank, said carton comprising:
a base having a bottom panel and a plurality of walls extending upwardly therefrom;
a lid operably connected to said base, said lid having a top panel and a plurality of walls extending downwardly therefrom, said lid further including a fold line at a location at which one of said plurality of walls of said lid meets said top panel;
a tab extending from one of said plurality of walls of said base;
a slit defined proximate said fold line, said slit adapted for receiving sad tab therethrough to retain said lid in a closed position;
a slot defined in said top panel, said slot spaced from said slit and adapted for revceiving a terminal end of said tab therethrough; and
a window area corresponding in shape with a distal portion of said tab.

Assignees

• Huhtamaki Inc

Inventors

• Fairchild Jr Robert L

Classifications

• B65D5/28

  with extensions of sides permanently secured to adjacent sides, with sides permanently secured together by adhesive strips, or with sides held in place solely by rigidity of material · CPC title

• B65D5/66

  Hinged lids ({B65D5/325} takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/2047

  trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls (B65D5/2033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/6608 Primary

  the lid being held in closed position by self-locking integral flaps · CPC title

• B65D5/667

  Lids in the form of an inverted tray · CPC title