BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to packaging, and more particularly to packaging with features that facilitate opening the packaging.

2. Description of Related Art

Packaging for product such as beverage cans can enclose the product in a sleeve-like arrangement, wherein a sleeve is formed of a plurality of paperboard panels folded around an interior space, and the opposed ends of the sleeve are enclosed by end flaps foldably connected to respective ones of the panels. Opening such a package to access the product is typically done by opening the end flaps, or in some cases tearing the package along tear lines or other lines of weakness that are formed in the paperboard panels and/or end flaps to guide tearing a predefined opening. Traditional tear lines or other lines of weakness can require considerable force to tear, and can fail to tear as intended.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved packaging. This disclosure provides a solution for this need. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A blank for forming a package includes a plurality of panels connected together at fold lines configured for extending at least partially around an interior space, including a first side panel, a top panel, a second side panel and a bottom panel. A starter feature is defined in the first side panel. The starter feature includes a section of the first side panel defined between a nicked cut line and a fold line. A line of weakness for opening the package extends from two opposed ends of the starter feature. A first L-shaped cut is contiguous with a first end of the fold line of the starter feature, and a second L-shaped cut is contiguous with a second end of the fold line of the starter feature opposite the first L-shaped cut. The first and second L-shaped cuts are oriented in opposite directions from one another.

The line of weakness can include a first series of L-shaped cuts extending away from and oriented in a common direction with the first L-shaped cut, wherein the line of weakness includes a second series of L-shaped cuts extending away from and oriented in a common direction with the second L-shaped cut, so the first and second series of L-shaped cuts are oriented in opposite directions from one another. The first and second series of L-shaped cuts can be oriented so the L-shaped cuts all open away from the starter feature.

The blank can include a first pair of opposed side flaps foldably connected to opposed edges of the first side panel, a pair of opposed bottom flaps foldably connected to opposed edges of the bottom panel, a second pair of opposed side flaps foldably connected to opposed edges of the second side panel, a pair of opposed top flaps foldably connected to opposed edges of the top panel. A first one of the first pair of side flaps, a first one of the top flaps, a first one of the second pair of side flaps, and a first one of the bottom flaps can be configured to form a first end panel. A second one of the first pair of side flaps, a second one of the top flaps, a second one of the second pair of side flaps, and a second one of the bottom flaps can be configured to form a second end panel that is opposite the first end panel. The line of weakness can extend across the first side panel, through each of the top and bottom panels, into the first one of the top flaps, and into the first one of the bottom flaps.

The starter feature can include a middle fold line extending between the nicked cut line and the fold line of the starter feature to facilitate gripping the starter feature to tear the line of weakness to open the package. A respective nick can be included between each of the first and second L-shaped cuts and the nicked cut line of the starter feature, wherein the respective nick is substantially in line with the respective one of the first and second L- shaped cuts and with the line of weakness. It is also contemplated that the respective nick can be offset from the respective one of the first and second L-shaped cuts and from the line of weakness the plurality of panels can include a paper board material.

A package includes a plurality of panels with a starter feature as described above.

For example, an adhesive flap extending from the top panel can be adhered to the second side panel to enclose an interior space within the plurality of panels.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a package constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the package prior to opening;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the a blank for forming the package of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. 1, showing the starter feature; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. 1, showing another embodiment of the nicks at either end of the starter feature. PET ATT /FT) DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a package in accordance with the disclosure is shown in Fig. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of packages in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in Figs. 2-4, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to provide a package, e.g., for containing canned beverages, with facilitated opening.

The package 100 in Fig. 1 is formed from a blank 101 as shown in Fig. 2. The blank

101 includes plurality of panels 102, 104, 106, and 108 connected together at fold lines 110,

112, and 114 configured for extending at least partially around an interior space, i.e., the interior space within the package of Fig. 1 which can contain any suitable product such as beverage cans. The blank 101 with its plurality of panels 102, 104, 106, and 108 can be of a paper board material.

The plurality of panels includes a first side panel 102, a top panel 104, a second side panel 106, and a bottom panel 108. The first side panel 102 is connected to the top panel 104 along the fold line 110. The first side panel 102 is connected to the bottom panel 108 along the fold line 112. The bottom panel is connected to the second side panel 106 along the fold line 114. An adhesive flap 116 extending from the top panel 104 along fold line 118 can be adhered to the second side panel 106 along the edge 120 to enclose the interior space within the plurality of panels.

The blank 101 includes a first pair of opposed side flaps 122 and 124 foldably connected to opposed edges, .i.e. fold lines 126 and 128, of the first side panel 102. A pair of opposed bottom flaps 130 and 132 are foldably connected to opposed edges, i.e., along fold lines 134 and 136, of the bottom panel 108. A second pair of opposed side flaps 138 and 140 are foldably connected to opposed edges, i.e. along fold lines 142 and 144 of the second side panel 106. A pair of opposed top flaps 146 and 148 are foldably connected to opposed edges, i.e., along fold lines 150 and 152, of the top panel 104. A side flap 122, a top flap 146, side flap 138, and bottom flap 130 can be overlapped and adhered to form a first end panel 154, which is labeled in Fig. 1. Similarly, at the opposite end of the package 100, a second end panel 156, identified in Fig. 2, is formed by overlapping and adhering side flap 124, a top flap 148, side flap 140, and bottom flap 132.

With reference now to Figs. 2 and 3, a starter feature 158 is defined in the first side panel 102. The starter feature 158 includes a section 160 of the first side panel defined between a nicked cut line 162 and a fold line 164. A line of weakness 166 for opening the package 100 extends from two opposed ends 168 and 170 of the starter feature 158. A first L-shaped cut 172 is contiguous with a first end of the fold line 164 and a second L-shaped cut 174 is contiguous with a second end of the fold line 164 opposite the first L-shaped cut 172. The x’s in Fig. 3 are references for sake of clarity, indicating where the fold line 164 ends and the L-shaped cuts 172 and 174 begin. The first and second L-shaped cuts 172 and 174 are oriented in opposite directions from one another, i.e., the first L-shaped cut 172 opens leftward as oriented in Fig. 3, and the second L-shaped cut 174 opens right ward as oriented in Fig. 3. The starter featurel58 includes a middle fold line 176 extending between the nicked cut line 162 and the fold line 164 to facilitate gripping the starter feature 158 to tear the line of weakness 166 to open the package 100.

The line of weakness 166 extends across the first side panel 102 from fold line 110 to fold line 112, through each of the top and bottom panels 104 and 108, into the top flap 146, and into the bottom flap 130. The line of weakness 166 includes a first series of L-shaped cuts 176 extending away from and oriented in a common direction with the first L-shaped cut 172. The line of weakness also includes a second series of L-shaped cuts 178 extending away from and oriented in a common direction with the second L-shaped cut 174. The first and second series of L-shaped cutsl76 and 178 are oriented in opposite directions from one another, so that the first and second series of L-shaped cuts 176 and 178 are al oriented so the L-shaped cuts 176 and 178 all open away from the starter feature 158. There are five L- shaped cuts in each of the first and second series of L-shaped cuts 176 and 178, however those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that any other suitable number of L-shaped cuts can be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This arrangement eases the force required to tear out the opening feature 158 to open the package 100 to access the product within. The line of weakness 166 also includes nicked cut lines 178 and additional L-shaped cuts 180 oriented as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A nick 182 is included between the first L-shaped cut 172 and the nicked cut line 162 of the starter feature 158, and a nick 184 is included between the second L-shaped cut 174 and the nicked cut line 162. Each of the nicks 182 and 184 is substantially in line with the respective one of the first and second L-shaped cuts 172 and 174 and with the line of weakness 166 as shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 4, it is also contemplated that the respective nicks 186 and 188 can instead be offset from, e.g., above as oriented in Fig. 4, the respective first and second L-shaped cuts 172 and 174 and from the line of weakness 166.

The L-shaped cuts 172 and 174 create an angled perforation line going away from the starter feature 158 towards the creases of fold lines 110 and 112. The angled perforation line of the line of weakness 166 in conjunction with the L-shaped cuts 172 and 174 makes for an easier opening experience relative to traditional packaging configurations.

There is a handle feature 190 in the same panel, i.e., the first side panel 102, with the starter feature 158, which can be broken out along its own nicked cut line to form a hand hold opening for carrying the package 100. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that references to top, bottom, and sides herein are for sake of clarity in explaining, and that any other suitable orientations can be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for packaging with superior properties including facilitated opening. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.