CONTAINER

The present invention relates to an improved opening device for a container, the container being particularly but not exclusively for packaging a particulate material.

It is known to store particulate material in paperboard cartons having a pair of hinged flaps which are glued to close the product. The flaps are normally torn apart by the consumer, on initial opening to open the pack and access the contents. The present invention provides an improved closure for packages of this kind.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a package containing a product, the package comprising closure members which are initially adhered to each other to close the package, the closure members including:

(i) a first closure member comprising a fluted layer enclosed between an inner sheet and an outer sheet and adhered at flute peaks to said sheets, and

(ii) a second closure member comprising at least one sheet, first and second closure members being superposed with adjacent respective sheets adhered to each other, wherein the first closure member incorporates one or more endless cuts which extend in depth through the outer sheet and the fluted layer whereby the package is openable by tearing the closure members apart so that the adherence between the flute peaks of the first closure member are torn from the sheet of the second closure member and shaped portions of

the second closure member remained in place adhered to the first closure member.

The advantage of the invention is that the two closure members can be separated in a highly controlled manner. The tearing takes place a precise points on the package closure i.e. at the join between the fluting and the second closure member sheet. This requires little manual force, and so the the structure of the members is not greatly damaged by opening the pack. In this way, the closure members can form effective re-closure means for repeated accessing and closing of the pack as is required for many products, e.g. laundry detergents.

The term "adhering" is intended to include any means of adhering suitable for paperboard and includes hot melt gluing systems.

Preferably, the cuts are endless in the sense that they provide a closed loop.

Although in the cutting process it may that the cutting tool could over run, or be imprecise etc., and an end may be visible. The closed loop is advantageous so that a discrete portion of the first closure member is defined by the cut, and this means that the shape so defined comes away from the first closure member cleanly. The shape may be any suitable shape e.g. square or rectangular. Alternatively the shaped portions may be curved e.g. circular, ellipsoid. The shaped portions could be shaped to form a pattern, logo, etc.

The second closure member may also include a fluted layer and an outer sheet as for the first closure member.

The fluting may be of any suitable shape in cross section, such as sinusoidal or more angular ^λ wave' shape.

The container may be provided as commercial package unopened and may contain a laundry or machine dishwashing particulate composition .

The container may comprise a "sift-resistant" (i.e. one which reduces or prevents the leakage of fines: powder and very small particles) container; which is particularly useful for packaging free flowing particulate product, such as powder, granules agglomerates and the like. In this way a closure device which is glued helps reduce egress of fines during transit and handling prior to opening.

"Sift-resistant" embodiments of the invention may comprise an inner layer which has three or more side walls each with a top edge protruding above a respective outer wall of the container, and (when the lid is closed) abutting the top wall of the lid. The outer walls may be initially connected to the lid via a continuous tear strip which may be generally horizontal. In this sort of arrangement, the one or more locking flaps extend from the top edge of the inner layer on front and/or side walls along at least a part of its/their length.

Whilst the invention is especially advantageous for particulate compositions, the product may be in any form

such as tablets which may or may not be in wrappers, or water soluble capsules containing the laundry composition.

The container is preferably formed from paperboard or cardboard, but may include layers of metal or plastic materials for barrier etc purposes.

Various non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the following figures in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaged product according to one embodiment of the present invention, following opening; and

Figures 2a - 2d are expanded side views of the closure members of figure 1.

Referring to figure 1 a packaged product 1 is shown. The packaged product 1 contains a product (not shown) , the package comprising closure members which in this embodiment are planar flaps 3 and 5. These flaps are initially adhered to each other to close the package.

The closure members: flaps 3 and 5 (shown in enlarged cross section in figure 2) are constructed as follows: (i) a first flap 3 comprises a fluted layer 7 enclosed between an inner sheet 9 and an outer sheet 11. The fluting 7 is adhered by glue spots 13 at flute peaks 15 to said sheets 9,11.

(ii) a second flap 5 having the same structure as described for the first flap 3.

The flaps 3 and 5 are, in the initial closed position (as seen e.g. in figure 2a) superposed with adjacent respective sheets adhered to each other by the holt melt glue method which is known to the skilled person in the art.

The first flap 3 (unlike the second) further incorporates one or more endless cuts 20 made by the cutting tool shown schematically in figure 2b. In this embodiment the cuts are endless in the sense that they are circular. The cuts extend in depth through the outer sheet 11 and the fluting 7 but not the inner layer 9, as seen in figure 2c. When the package is opened by tearing the flaps apart as shown in figure 2d. The circular cuts 20 mean that not all the glue spots 13 need to be broken to separate flaps 3 and 5.

A similar closure arrangement is found between flap 31 and the opposing end of flap 5.

As a result of the closure arrangement, the flaps 3,5 can be separated in a highly controlled manner. The tearing takes place at precise points on the package closure i.e. at fewer glue spots 13. This requires little manual force which is advantageous for the consumer. Also as the structure of the flaps 3,5 is not greatly damaged by opening the pack, the flaps can form effective re-closure means for repeated accessing and closing of the pack as is required for many products, e.g. laundry detergents. Further more, the cuts 20 do not interfere with the structural rigidity of the

pack, or the reliability of the closure during transit, handling etc.

The container is a commercial package provided closed and contains a laundry or machine dishwashing particulate composition .

Whilst the invention is especially advantageous for particulate compositions, due to the sealing aspect of glued closure members (which prevents or at least reduces the escape of fines) the product may be in any form such as tablets which may or may not be in wrappers, or water soluble capsules containing the laundry composition.

The container is preferably formed from paperboard or cardboard, but may include layers of metal or plastic materials for barrier etc purposes.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.