Canister style package with opening feature
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorRichard F. House
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cylindrical tubular canister package has a body and ends. A tear-away strip is formed in the body by a pair of spaced partial cuts on the outside of the body. A thin strip of tear tape is secured to the inside of the body underlying and extending along the tear-away strip. A tab is formed at one end of the tear away strip. The canister package is opened by grasping the tab and pulling away from the canister body, which causes the tear-away strip to be severed from the body to open up the canister. The strip may extend axially, circumferentially, spirally, or otherwise along the canister body.
Claims33
A canister package having:
- a canister body and ends, the body being selectively severable along a defined path to open the package;
- a tear-away strip defined in the canister body extending along the defined path;
- partial cuts defined in the canister body that extend transversely across the canister body from the tear-away strip to a fold line;
- and
- at least one flap defined in the canister body by the partial cuts and the fold line prior to the tear-away strip being at least partially separated from canister body, the at least one flap limited in size by the fold line, the at least one flap is foldably connected to the canister body along the fold line and severable along the partial cuts when the tear-away strip is at least partially separated from the canister body, the at least one flap being positionable between a closed position wherein the at least one flap is adjacent the tear-away strip and an open position allowing access to the interior of the canister package upon tearing of tear-away strip.
A canister package comprising:
- a substantially tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface;
- a bottom end cap closing a bottom end of the substantially tubular body;
- a top end cap closing a top end of the substantially tubular body;
- a tear-away strip defined in the tubular body and extending in a predetermined direction along the tubular body;
- partial cuts defined in the tubular body that extend transversely across the tubular body from the tear-away strip to a fold line;
- at least one flap being positionable between a closed position wherein the at least one flap is adjacent the tear-away strip and an open position allowing access to the interior of the canister package upon tearing of tear-away strip, the at least one flap is defined in the tubular body of the canister by the partial cuts and the fold line prior to the tear-away strip being at least partially separated from the tubular body, the at least one flap limited in size by the fold line, the at least one flap is foldably connected to the tubular body along the fold line and severable along the partial cuts when the tear-away strip is at least partially separate from the tubular body;
- removal of the tear-away strip at least partially opening the canister package to provide access to contents therein.
A method of fabricating a canister package comprising the steps of:
- (a) fabricating a blank having top and bottom edges and side edges and having a tear-away strip extending at least partially across the blank in a predetermined direction and at least one flap being positionable between a closed position wherein the at least one flap is adjacent the tear-away strip and an open position allowing access to the interior of the canister package upon tearing of tear-away strip, the blank further having partial cuts defined in the blank that extend transversely across the blank from the tear-away strip to a fold line, the least one flap being defined in the blank by the partial cuts and the fold line and being severable along the partial cuts when the tear-away strip is at least partially separated from the blank, the at least one flap limited in size by the fold line;
- (b) forming the blank into a tubular body with the tear away strip accessible;
- (c) closing one end of the tubular body with an end cap;
- and
- (d) closing the other end of the tubular body with an end cap.
The canister package as claimed in 31 and wherein the one or more fold lines and the partial cuts form a generally orthogonal shape in the outer surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.