Field of invention

The invention relates to a closing member for use in closing a package. The invention also relates to a packaging system comprising a package provided with a slot extending through a wall of the package and a closing member.

The invention is especially suitable for providing packaging for use in E-commerce. Within e-commerce there is often a need to have a high degree of flexibility, since the packages should be useful for all the different unique orders from the customers. E-commerce packages also have high

requirements on efficient logistics and packing, branding, and consumer experience. Technical Background

As mentioned above, within e-commerce there are high requirements on flexibility, efficient logistics and packing, branding, and consumer experience. This sets high demands on the design of the packaging.

There have been attempts by others to address such problems.

US 6,047,883 is e.g. said to provide a package which is easily formed, filled and sealed by the packager and easily opened and reclosed by the consumer. The package is provided with a tab which is provided with a snap button lock. The different parts of the tab are refolded over each other such that the counter parts of the snap button lock are aligned with each other. The tab is attached to the package in this refolded state. It is disclosed that a portion of the refolded tab is removed as a kind of tamper evidence in the initial opening of the packaging. However, this design requires a complex assembly of the tab and packaging. This renders it unsuitable for many applications, such as e-commerce, where there is a high demand for flexibility.

FR621033 discloses a closure for cartons or shipping boxes, that is to say for the cardboard envelopes used to enclose the goods during shipment, and whose role is completely finished after opening for the first time. This document discloses the use of a tab provided which is stapled to the side of the package using a metal staple. However, this package is not suitable for e- commerce since the use of metal staples introduces a risk that the consumer cuts him-/herself. Moreover, it is disclosed that the tab should be cut to open the packaging, which introduces an even greater risk that the consumer cuts him-/herself or accidentally damages the goods inside the packaging. Thus, this packaging is unsuitable for packaging and transporting goods to consumers, such as is typically the case in e-commerce.

US 551 ,477 discloses a packaging in which a tab is pushed through a first slot in a packaging side and then through a slot in a lid and then back through a second slot in the packaging side again. This is a tricky procedure and it does not provide sufficient locking effect to be used in transport of goods according today's standards.

JPS4852797U discloses a tab which is at one end provided with an insertion portion and at the other end provided with an attachment portion. The insertion portion has two foldable wings which should be folded to allow the insertion portion to be inserted into a slot. Thereafter the wings are folded back to prevent the insertion portion from being removed again. The attachment portion is provided with a dual layer, where a first half of the dual layer is to be folded back towards an opening in the attachment portion. This folding of a first half of one of the layers is performed such that the end of the folded portion partly overlaps the opening. Thereby the edge of the folded portion may be gripped at a later stage. However, this is a too complex installation procedure. It is too difficult and there is too great a risk that it is incorrectly done. Moreover, it is difficult for a consumer to get hold of the edge. Especially in case the installation of the tab was performed the slightest incorrectly.

Thus, there exist a need on the market to provide a new kind of packaging which addresses requirements related to flexibility, efficient logistics and packing, branding, and consumer experience. Summary of invention

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved packaging solution which addresses the above requirements.

This object has been achieved by a closing member for use in closing a package, the closing member having, along a longitudinal direction, a tongue portion configured to be inserted through a slot in a wall of the package by a movement along the longitudinal direction, and a base portion, wherein the base portion has a width across the longitudinal direction being greater than a maximum width of the tongue portion across the longitudinal direction,

wherein the tongue portion comprises an attachment portion being configured to be adhesively connected to an outside surface of the package, wherein the attachment portion is provided at a distance from the base portion, and

wherein the tongue portion further comprises a tear portion extending across the tongue portion, whereby the tear portion is configured to be torn to divide the tongue portion into a first part comprising the attachment portion and a second part connected to the base portion.

By designing the packaging solution such that it is possible to provide a separate closing member and by designing the separate closing member as specified above the issues of a high degree of flexibility, efficient logistics and packing, branding, and consumer experience has successfully been addressed. Since the closing member is a separate member it is possible to use it for branding purposes. This in turn makes it possible to use the same base package for different brands, which in turn makes it cost-effective and facilitates logistics. The number of comparably large base packages that need to be kept in stock and available at all times can be reduced. It is possible to provide the uniqueness or branding to the space efficient closing members.

The design of the closing members with a tongue portion and a wider base portion makes it easy to insert into a slot in a wall of the base package. The person packing the goods can simply push the tongue portion through the slot and then continue with this sliding of the tongue portion through the slot until the base portion prevents any such further sliding of the tongue portion. It is easy to learn, it is does not require any precision handling, and it does not require any tools.

The use of an adhesive reduces the risk of injuries for the person packaging the package and for the consumer.

The provision of a tear portion facilitates opening of the package having a positive impact on the consumer experience. The positioning of the tear portion between the attachment portion and the base portion provides a distinct opening function and also contributes to making it possible to design the closing member as specified in this application. The tear portion may be one or more perforations extending across the width of the tongue. The tear portion may be a tear string extending across the width of the tongue. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide an additional closing member to be used by the consumer in case he/she desires to return the goods. Once again the simple installation procedure provided by the design of the closing member has a further positive impact on the consumer

experience. Moreover, both the primary and the additional closing member may be installed without any need for specific tools or complicated handling of the closing member.

Other advantages with providing the closing member as a separate member are e.g. that it is possible to use a different material, such as a stronger material, a more exclusive material, a more printer friendly material, than is desirable to be used for the base package. The base package material may be chosen due to other technical requirements or due to cost-efficiency.

It may be noted that the outside of the package need not be the outside of the package once it is transported. Outside is in this context intended to refer to the state the package has when the closing member is attached to the package. This outside may at a later stage be more or less covered by an additional flap, by an outer package such as another box, or by a film, such as a plastic film fully or partly covering the package.

Preferred embodiments appear in the dependent claims and in the description.

The attachment portion may be provided with a pre-applied adhesive. One advantage with this is that there is no need to provide a glue dispenser at the location where the goods is packaged. This reduces the risk of glue spillage on packages, goods, or the person packing the goods. It is especially also beneficial in case the consumer desires to make use of the additional closing member to reclose the package.

The attachment portion may comprise a removable cover layer at least partly, preferably completely, covering the pre-applied adhesive. This reduces the risk of the closing members unintentionally sticking to each other or to the package during insertion of the tongue portion through the slot. The cover layer is preferably designed such that it may be kept on the adhesive when the tongue portion is inserted through the slot and then removed once the person packing the goods is finished and ready to close the package.

The tear portion may comprise a grip portion whereby the tear portion may be torn by the user holding the grip portion. The grip portion may e.g. be a free end of a tear string or a part of the tongue portion, such as part at a side edge of the tongue portion, being easily accessible allowing the consumer to grip it using a pinching grip.

The grip portion is preferably configured to be foldable to an orientation away from the outside surface of the package. This makes it easier for the consumer to get a good grip on the grip portion.

The removable cover layer may comprise a grip portion, whereby the cover layer may be removed from the adhesive by the user holding the grip portion of the cover layer. The grip portion may e.g. be a short extra length of the cover layer allowing the person packing the goods or the consumer reclosing the package to grip it using a pinching grip.

The grip portion of the cover layer is preferably configured to be foldable to an orientation away from the adhesive. This makes it easier for the person packing the goods or for the consumer to get a good grip on the grip portion.

The tear portion may comprise two perforations extending across the tongue portion. The two perforations extend preferably at a distance from each other thereby forming a tear band extending across the tongue portion. This is an efficient manner of providing a tear band extending across the tongue portion. The material between the two perforations is removed when the tear portion or tear band is torn. Two perforations may also be used to form a grip portion at one or both side edges of the tongue portion. By making the perforations more or less fully severing the material along a short distance extending inwardly from the side edge of the tongue portion it is easy for the consumer to peel free a small flap or grip portion formed between the two perforations. Alternatively, the grip portion may be formed at a more central point as seen along the width. A small amount of material may be removed in a central part of the tear portion such that two tear bands are formed extending in opposite directions outwardly from the central part. The perforations may close to the central part be such that it is easy for the consumer to peel free a small flap or grip portion of each other two tear bands. One advantage with a central grip portion is that it reduces the risk of objects catching the grip portion accidentally during transport and handling. One advantage with a grip portion at a side edge of the tongue portion is that it is easy for the consumer to get hold of it and it can be torn in a single movement.

The tongue portion may be provided with an insertion portion at an end, as seen along the longitudinal direction, opposite the base portion, wherein the insertion portion may have a width tapering along the longitudinal direction. By providing a tapering width it becomes easier for the person packing goods or for the consumer to insert the closing member into the slot. It also reduces the risk of damages to the closing member and to the base package.

The base portion may have abutment edges facing in the longitudinal direction and formed by portions of the base portion outside the width of the tongue portion. This provides a distinct end position for the insertion of the closing member into the slot. The abutment edges are preferably extending right-angled to the longitudinal direction. This further strengthens the distinct end position.

The closing member is paper based, such as formed of paper, paper board, card board, or well-paper, or polymer based. This is suitable materials since they e.g. are cost-effective, are suitable to be adhesively connected to other surfaces or materials, are suitable for printing (branding) and may be folded in case the closing member extends across folds in the base package.

The closing member is a flat member, preferably having a thickness being less than 25%, more preferably less than 10%, of the maximum width of the tongue portion. This way the closing member may provide great strength and stability compared to the material consumption. It is also facilitates making foldable in case the closing member extends across folds in the base package.

The above object has also been achieved by a packaging system comprising a package provided with a slot extending through a wall of the package and a closing member of a kind which has been discussed above and which will be discussed in detail below. The advantages with such a packaging system has been discussed above in relation the closing member and reference is made to that discussion.

The slot may have a width on one hand allowing the tongue portion to be inserted through the slot and on the other hand preventing the base portion from passing through the slot. This provides an easy and secure installation of the closing member in the slot. Preferably the slot has a width being only marginally larger than the width of the tongue portion. Thereby the lateral position of the closing member becomes well-defined, which will improve the stability of the package.

The slot may extend along a fold line of the package, about which fold line the package is adapted to be folded to form a first and second wall portions being angled relative to each other. It may be noted that along may but need not necessarily mean that the slot is arranged in the vicinity of the fold line. Along may refer to the orientation. With this orientation of the slot it is possible to fold the closing member over a fold of the base package by folding the closing member along a line extending transverse to the

longitudinal direction. Folding of a band shaped member transverse the length will make the band extend in the same manner on both sides of the fold which makes it strong and makes it easy to predict in which direction to pull the band thereby making it easier for the person packing the goods to get a tight fit of the closing member onto the package.

The slot is preferably formed in the vicinity of a fold line, about which fold line the package is adapted to be folded to form a first and second wall portions being angled relative to each other, such that the base portion may be flat-laid along the first wall portion and abut the second wall portion with abutment edges facing in the longitudinal direction and formed by portions of the base portion outside the width of the tongue portion. This way the abutment edges will abut a strong portion of the base package.

The packaging system may further comprise an additional closing member, wherein the additional closing member is configured to inserted into the slot for reclosing the package after the first closing member has been torn and removed from the slot. This additional closing member may e.g. be included among the goods inside the package. Alternatively, it may be provided in a pocket on the package. Brief description of the drawings

The invention will by way of example be described in more detail with reference to the appended schematic drawings, which shows a presently preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 discloses a package adapted to be closed using a closing member, e.g. of the kind disclosed in figures 2a-c.

Figures 2a-c discloses a closing member in which figure 2a is a first plan view, figure 2b is a side view and figure 2c is a second plan view opposite the plan view of figure 2a.

Figures 3a-f discloses various steps in closing a package using a closing member.

Figures 4a-b discloses a package in which figure 4a shows it as received by a recipient and figure 4b shows initial opening procedure. Figures 5a-c discloses a package adapted to be closed using a closing member.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

As shown in figure 1 , a package 10 to be closed by a closing member

20 (shown in figures 2a-c) typically comprises a plurality of side walls 1 1 a-d, a bottom wall 12 and a top wall 13.

The design and interconnections between the sidewalls 1 1 a-d and the bottom 12 may be of any kind. It may e.g. be designed by the side walls being formed from a blank with four panels alongside each other with a flap formed as a small fifth panel being glued to an inside of the first panel. The bottom wall 12 may of a self-erecting kind formed by diagonally folded bottom wall portions. The bottom 12 may be formed by a panel being provided with flaps along the side edges of the panel, the flaps being adapted to be glued to associated insides of the side walls. Other kinds of bottom wall designs are well-known to a person skilled in the art and no further description thereof is necessary. Moreover, the actual design of the bottom wall 12 and the interaction with the sidewalls 1 1 a-d may be chosen without any direct impact on the possibilities to design the closing member 20 as desired.

The package 10 is provided with a slot 14. The slot 14 is a through- going slot 14 extending through a wall 13 of the package 10. The slot 14 has a width Wi ₄ and a height Hi ₄ . These dimensions are chosen in relation to the closing member 20 and will be discussed in more detail below.

Before elaborating on the details of the slot 14, some basic component of the closing member 20 should be introduced. The closing member 20 has, with reference to figures 2a-c, along a longitudinal direction L, a tongue portion 21 and a base portion 22. It may be said that the closing member 20 has in succession along a longitudinal extension of the closing member 20, a tongue portion 21 and a base portion 22.

The tongue portion 21 is configured to be inserted through the slot 14 in the front wall 1 1 b of the package by a movement along the longitudinal direction L. The closing member 20 is basically planar and has, as shown in figure 2b, a material thickness t. The base portion 22 has a width W22 in a transverse direction T, across the longitudinal direction L, being greater than a maximum width W21 of the tongue portion 21 in the transverse direction T. It may be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, the width W21 is, except for an insertion portion 21 b, constant along the longitudinal direction L. One advantage with this is that the tongue portion 21 is easy to insert into the slot 14.

The base portion 22 has abutment edges 22a-b facing in the

longitudinal direction L. The abutment edges 22a-b are formed by portions of the base portion 22 outside the width W21 of the tongue portion 21 . The abutment edges extend right-angled to the longitudinal direction L.

The tongue portion 21 comprises an attachment portion 23 being configured to be adhesively connected to an outside surface of the package 10. As shown in figure 2c, the attachment portion 23 is provided at a distance D23 from the base portion 22. The attachment portion 23 is provided with a pre-applied adhesive. The attachment portion 23 further comprise a

removable cover layer 25 at least partly, preferably completely, covering the pre-applied adhesive. The cover layer 25 is designed such that it may be kept on the adhesive when the tongue portion 21 is inserted through the slot 14 and then removed once the person packing the goods is finished and ready to close the package 10.

The tongue portion 21 further comprises a tear portion 24 extending across the tongue portion 21 . The tear portion 24 is configured to be torn to divide the tongue portion 21 into a first part comprising the attachment portion 23 and a second part connected to the base portion 22 (this is indicated in figure 4b).

Further details of the closing member 20 will be explained below.

Returning to the package 10, the slot 14 may, as shown in figure 1 , extend along a fold line FL of the package 10. The package is adapted to be folded about the fold line FL to form a first wall portion (in this case the top wall 13) and a second wall portion (in this case the front wall 1 1 b). The two wall portions 13, 1 1 b are angled relative to each other. In the embodiment of figure 1 , the front wall 1 1 b is angled an angle of 90 ^Q relative to the top wall 13. However, other angles are conceivable. The front wall 1 1 b may e.g. be formed of an upper portion and a lower portion inclined relative to each other and pointing as an arrow away from the inside of the package. In such a case the angle between the top wall 13 and the upper portion of the front wall 1 1 b would be a blunter angle than 90 ^Q . It may be noted that the slot 14 is formed in a wall portion 13' which is on one hand intended to extend along the second wall portion 1 1 b and on the other hand is integrally formed with the first wall portion 13. The slot 14 is preferably formed in the vicinity of the fold line FL. In the embodiment of figure 1 , the slot 14 is positioned such that one of its edges extend in the fold line FL. As shown in figure 3a-b, the base portion 22 may thereby be flat-laid along the first wall portion (the inside of the top wall portion 13) and abut the second wall portion (the inside of the front wall portion 1 1 b in this case formed by the inside of the flap 13'). When the package 10 is folded, the slot 14 will extend with one edge in flush with the inside of the top wall portion 13 and one edge a distance Hi ₄ down along the front wall 1 1 b. The front wall panel 1 1 b is also provided with a recess 15 having a width W15 and a height H15 corresponding to the width Wi ₄ and height Hi ₄ of the slot 14.

The widths Wi ₄ , W15 of the slot 14 and recess 15 are chosen such that is allows the tongue portion 21 to be inserted through the slot 14 (and reside in recess 15) and on the other hand preventing the base portion from passing through the slot 14 (and recess 15). Preferably the slot 14 (and preferably also the recess 15) has a width Wi ₄ , W15 being only marginally larger than the width W21 of the tongue portion 21 . Preferably the slot 14 (and optionally also the recess 15) has a height Ηι ₄ , H15 being only marginally larger than the material thickness t of the tongue portion 21 . It may be noted that there is material on all four sides of the slot 14, thereby allowing the slot 14 to form a guide guiding the tongue portion 21 any direction in the plane of the wall 1 1 b. It may also be noted that the recess 15 could also be designed as a slot.

With reference to figures 3a-f the closing of the package 10 will be disclosed.

As shown in figure 3a, the closing member 20 is inserted into the slot

14. The tongue portion 21 and the base portion 22 may be flat-laid along the first wall portion (inside of the top wall 13).

As shown in figure 3b, the closing member 20 is inserted into the slot until the abutment edges 22a-b abut the second wall portion (the inside of the front wall 1 1 b formed by the flap 13'). The lid is then closed as indicated by the arrow in figure 3b and as shown in figure 3c. Alternatively, the person packing the goods may close the lid first and thereafter pull the closing member 20 until the abutment edges 22a-b abut the second wall portion. It may be noted that the adhesive 23 and the cover layer 25 is positioned on the surface of the tongue portion 21 that faces in an upward direction in figure 3b, i.e. on the surface of the tongue portion 21 that will abut the outside of the front wall 1 1 b when the closing member 20 is folded down (as indicated in figure 3e) along the front wall 1 1 b.

The goods are loaded at any point before the lid is closed.

When the package is in the position shown in figure 3c or 3d, the person packing the goods will remove the removable cover layer 25 and thereby expose the pre-applied adhesive. The removable cover layer 25 may comprise a grip portion 25b, whereby the cover layer 25 may be removed from the adhesive by the user holding the grip portion 25b of the cover layer. The grip portion 25b may e.g. be a short extra length of the cover layer 25 allowing the person packing the goods or the consumer reclosing the package to grip it using a pinching grip. The grip portion 25b of the cover layer is preferably configured to be foldable to an orientation away from the adhesive 23.

Thereafter the person packing the goods will attach the attachment portion 23 to the outside of the package 10 as shown in figure 3e.

A package 10 being closed with the closing member 20 and ready for shipping is shown in figure 3f.

The consumer which has bought the goods in the package 10 will receive a package 10 as shown in figure 4a.

The consumer can simply tear the tear portion 24 as shown in figure

4b. The tear portion may comprise a grip portion 24b, whereby the tear portion 24 may be torn by the user holding the grip portion 24. The grip portion may e.g. be a free end of a tear string or a part of the tongue portion, such as part at a side edge of the tongue portion, being easily accessible allowing the consumer to grip it using a pinching grip. Such a grip portion 24b is formed by allowing the perforations to extend across the side edges of the tongue portion 21 . The grip portion 24b is preferably configured to be foldable to an orientation away from the outside surface of the package 10 (this is indicated by the arrow in figure 4b). This makes it easier for the consumer to get a good grip on the grip portion 24b.

As shown in figures 2a-c, the tear portion 24 may comprise two perforations 24', 24" extending across the tongue portion 21 . The two perforations 24', 24" extend at a distance D24 from each other thereby forming a tear band extending across the tongue portion 21 . As shown in figure 4b, the material between the two perforations 24', 24" is removed when the tear portion 24 or tear band is torn. Two perforations 24', 24" may also be used to form a grip portion 24b at one or both side edges of the tongue portion 21 . By making the perforations more or less fully severing the material along a short distance extending inwardly from the side edge of the tongue portion 21 it is easy for the consumer to peel free a small flap or grip portion 24b formed between the two perforations 24', 24". Alternatively, the grip portion may (as indicated by the dashed lines 24b') be formed at a more central point as seen along the width W21. A small amount of material may be removed in a central part of the tear portion such that two tear bands are formed extending in opposite directions outwardly from the central part. The perforations may close to the central part be such that it is easy for the consumer to peel free a small flap or grip portion 24b' of each other two tear bands.

As shown in figure 2a-c, the tongue portion 21 may be provided with an insertion portion 21 b at an end, as seen along the longitudinal direction L, opposite the base portion 22. The insertion portion 21 b may have a width W2ib tapering along the longitudinal direction L.

The closing member 20 may be paper based, such as formed of paper, paper board, card board, or well-paper, or polymer based.

The closing member 20 is a flat member, preferably having a thickness t being less than 25%, more preferably less than 10%, of the maximum width W21 of the tongue portion 21 .

The packaging system may further comprise an additional closing member 30. The additional closing member 30 is of the same basic kind as the first closing member 20. The additional closing member 30 is configured to inserted into the slot 14 for reclosing the package 10 after the first closing member 20 has been torn and removed from the slot 14. This additional closing member may e.g. be included among the goods inside the package (as indicated in figure 3a). Alternatively, it may be provided in a pocket on the package.

In figures 5a-c, there is disclosed a second kind of package 10. In this design, the slot 14 is formed in the vicinity of a fold line FL formed between a front wall 1 1 b and a bottom wall 12. It may be noted that this bottom wall 12 may be the final bottom wall 12 or may actually be intended to form a top wall 13 in the finally folded package. The latter may be the case in a so-called flip box or flip package. This latter is indicated in figures 5b and 5c. Once the goods have been placed in the package shown in figure 5a, the lid 13 is folded down as indicated by arrow A in figure 5b and thereafter the package 10 is turned up-side-down as indicated by arrow B. Thereafter, the panel 13" is folded to abutment with the front wall 1 1 b and finally the attachment portion 23 is attached to the outside of the panel 13".

It is contemplated that there are numerous modifications of the embodiments described herein, which are still within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

It may e.g. be noted that the closing member 20 may extend over more than one wall of the package. It may e.g. extend from one fold line between a first and a second wall, over the whole height of a the second wall and over the opposing fold line between the second wall and a third wall and then be attached to the third wall.