# US 12,767,385 B2 · Packaging box > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,767,385 B2 - Document ID: US12767385B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/065,662 - Filed: 2022-12-14 - Published: 2023-04-13 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-14 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Yuen Sin Cheong; Dongpo Huang; Gautam Bhattacharjee; Zenghui Wang; Astrid Annette Sheehan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12767385B2 ## CPC - B65D 5/542: {the lines of weakness being provided in the container body} - B65D 5/0236: {with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by adhesive tapes, labels or the like; for decoration purposes (B65D5/4245, B65D5/4262 take precedence)} - B65D 5/106: {the opening being a slot} - B65D 5/4212: {Information or decoration elements, e.g. content indicators, or for mailing (B65D5/522 takes precedence)} - B65D 5/4608: {Handgrip holes} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract The present invention relates to a box of one or more absorbent articles, the box comprising pairs of opposed side walls, pairs of opposed top flaps foldably connected to corresponding side walls, pairs of opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to corresponding side walls, and a weakened area defined by an external weakened line at one of first opposed side walls. The weakened area comprises a first section and a second section divided by an internal weakened line, and an adhesive tape having a tape width and a tape end, and covering adjacent edges of the second opposed top flaps to seal top of the box. The adhesive tape extends along a portion of the one of first opposed side walls in such a way that the adhesive tape covers part of the second section so as not to cover the internal weakened line. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A box of one or more absorbent articles, the box having a top, a bottom, a plurality of side walls, a longitudinal direction extending from the top to the bottom and a transversal direction that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and comprising: a pair of first opposed side walls of the plurality of side walls; a pair of second opposed side walls of the plurality of sidewalls; a pair of first opposed top flaps foldably connected to the pair of first opposed side walls; a pair of second opposed top flaps foldably connected to the pair of second opposed side walls; a pair of first opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to the pair of first opposed side walls; a pair of second opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to the pair of second opposed side walls; a weakened area defined by an external weakened line at one of the first opposed side walls; the weakened area comprising a first section and a second section divided by an internal weakened line, wherein the first section comprises a first section outboard edge, and wherein the second section comprises a second section inboard edge; and an adhesive tape having a tape width and a tape end, and covering adjacent edges of the second opposed top flaps to seal the top of the box; wherein the adhesive tape extends along a portion of the one of the first opposed side walls so that the adhesive tape covers part of the second section so as not to cover the internal weakened line; wherein the internal weakened line is no shorter than a width of the first section; wherein the internal weakened line is longer than the second section inboard edge; wherein the internal weakened line is a straight line that is angled relative to an imaginary line parallel to the transversal direction by an angle of about 90°; and wherein the weakened area does not extend fully across the adhesive tape in the width direction of the adhesive tape; wherein the first section outboard edge and the second section inboard edge each define a respective straight line; and wherein the respective straight lines are oriented parallel to each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, comprising one corner panel between two adjacent side walls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the external weakened line comprises perforations, and wherein the internal weakened line comprises a perforation having a length different than the length of perforations of the external weakened line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The box of claim 3, wherein the external weakened line comprises perforations, and wherein the internal weakened line comprises a perforation having a length longer than the length of perforations of the external weakened line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein a length of the adhesive tape overlapping the weakened area is shorter than a length of the internal weakened line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein a length from a bottommost point of the weakened area to the end of the adhesive tape is no longer than about 50 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the first section comprises a non-linear external weakened line. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, comprising at least one handle provided in at least one of the side walls and top flaps. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The box of claim 8, wherein the handle is a cut-out section configured to enable sliding one or more fingers of a hand through the cut-out section to grip the package. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, comprising one or more indicia indicating the presence of the weakened area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the weakened area comprises an indicia to guide how to use the weakened area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the first section and the second section have different components from each other of one or more of colors, text, icons and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, comprising a protrusion on a side edge of one of the first opposed top flaps, and a slot at a line joining one of the second opposed top flaps and one side wall, wherein the protrusion engages with the slot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The box of claim 13, wherein the protrusion comprises a hook-shaped end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The box of claim 13, wherein the protrusion has a protrusion length and the slot has a slot length in the range of about 90% to about 110% of the protrusion length. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The box of claim 15, wherein the slot has a width of about 140% to about 180% of a thickness of the protrusion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the internal weakened line is shorter than the first section outboard edge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the internal weakened line is not aligned parallel to the transversal direction and is aligned parallel to the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the internal weakened line does not pass a longitudinal centerline of the one of the first opposed side walls. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the adhesive tape extends along the one of the first opposed side walls so to partly traverse the second section of the weakened area in the transversal direction along the one of the first opposed side walls. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein an end of the tape is in a position lower than the weakened area along the longitudinal direction such that the end of the tape is more proximate to the bottom of the box than the weakened area. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The box of claim 1, wherein the internal weakened line defines a straight line; and wherein the internal weakened line is oriented parallel to the respective straight lines defined by the first section outboard edge and the second section inboard edge. ### Claim 23 A box of one or more absorbent articles, the box having a top, a bottom, a plurality of side walls, a longitudinal direction extending from the top to the bottom and a transversal direction that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and comprising: a pair of first opposed side walls of the plurality of side walls; a pair of second opposed side walls of the plurality of sidewalls; a pair of first opposed top flaps foldably connected to the pair of first opposed side walls; a pair of second opposed top flaps foldably connected to the pair of second opposed side walls; a pair of first opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to the pair of first opposed side walls; a pair of second opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to the pair of second opposed side walls; a weakened area defined by an external weakened line at one of the first opposed side walls; the weakened area comprising a first section and a second section divided by an internal weakened line, wherein the first section comprises a first section outboard edge, and wherein the second section comprises a second section inboard edge; and an adhesive tape having a tape width and a tape end, and covering adjacent edges of the second opposed top flaps to seal the top of the box; wherein the adhesive tape extends along a portion of the one of the first opposed side walls so that the adhesive tape covers part of the second section so as not to cover the internal weakened line; wherein the internal weakened line is no shorter than a width of the first section; wherein the internal weakened line is longer than the second section inboard edge; wherein the internal weakened line is a straight line that is angled relative to an imaginary line parallel to the transversal direction by an angle of about 90°; and wherein the weakened area does not extend fully across the adhesive tape in the width direction of the adhesive tape wherein a shape of a perimeter of the first section of the weakened area comprises a first corner at a first end of the first section outboard edge and a second corner at a second end of the first section outboard edge; and wherein the first corner and the second corner both protrude inward toward a middle of the first section of the weakened area. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The box of claim 23, wherein the first corner and the second corner are each formed by an intersection of two respective straight sections of the external weakened line. ### Claim 25 A box of one or more absorbent articles, the box having a top, a bottom, a plurality of side walls, a longitudinal direction extending from the top to the bottom and a transversal direction that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and comprising: a pair of first opposed side walls of the plurality of side walls; a pair of second opposed side walls of the plurality of sidewalls; a pair of first opposed top flaps foldably connected to the pair of first opposed side walls; a pair of second opposed top flaps foldably connected to the pair of second opposed side walls; a pair of first opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to the pair of first opposed side walls; a pair of second opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to the pair of second opposed side walls; a weakened area defined by an external weakened line at one of the first opposed side walls; the weakened area comprising a first section and a second section divided by an internal weakened line, wherein the first section comprises a first section outboard edge, and wherein the second section comprises a second section inboard edge; and an adhesive tape having a tape width and a tape end, and covering adjacent edges of the second opposed top flaps to seal the top of the box; wherein the adhesive tape extends along a portion of the one of the first opposed side walls so that the adhesive tape covers part of the second section so as not to cover the internal weakened line; wherein the internal weakened line is no shorter than a width of the first section; wherein the internal weakened line is longer than the second section inboard edge; wherein the internal weakened line is a straight line that is angled relative to an imaginary line parallel to the transversal direction by an angle of about 90°; and wherein the weakened area does not extend fully across the adhesive tape in the width direction of the adhesive tape wherein the end of the adhesive tape is positioned within the weakened area.