Easy-open folding carton and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

An easy-open folding carton having a manufacturer's joint in which two panels are joined by an adhesive. One of the two panels includes a plurality of punch scores. The other panel is coated with a coating and includes a plurality of uncoated “knock-outs” that are aligned with the punch scores. The adhesive is disposed between the two panels in alignment with the knock-outs and punch scores. The panel that includes the punch scores is preferably coated, except for an uncoated stripe that extends through the approximate center of the punch scores. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a carton including the steps of (a) forming a carton blank having an adhesive panel and a first panel, (b) forming punch scores in one of the adhesive panel and the first panel, (c) coating the other of the first panel and the adhesive panel leaving a pattern of uncoated knock outs positioned to align with the punch scores in the assembled carton, (d) folding the blank into a carton, and (e) securing the adhesive panel to the first panel by an adhesive disposed between the punch scores and knock outs.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A folding carton comprising: 
 a first panel having a thickness and a surface, said first panel including a plurality of punch scores in said surface of said first panel, said punch scores extending only partially through said thickness;    a second panel disposed adjacent to said first panel, said second panel including a surface facing said surface of said first panel, said surface of said second panel being at least partially coated and defining a plurality of uncoated knock-outs, said knock outs being aligned with said punch scores; and    an adhesive disposed between said first panel and said second panel adhesively joining said first panel and said second panel, said adhesive disposed in alignment with said punch scores and said knock outs.    
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1  further defining an uncoated stripe running through said knockouts on said second panel.  
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 1  further including a coating on said surface of said first panel.  
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3  further defining an uncoated stripe running through said punch scores on said first panel.  
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4  wherein said adhesive is a water-based adhesive.  
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 4  wherein said first panel is an adhesive panel and said second panel is a right panel.  
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6  further including a front panel hingedly attached to said right panel, a left panel hingedly attached to said front panel and a back panel hingedly attached to said left panel and said adhesive panel.  
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7  further including a first closure flap hingedly attached to said front panel and a second closure flap hingedly attached to said back panel, each of said closure flaps hingedly attached to a locking tab.  
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8  further including a plurality of dust flaps hingedly attached to each of said right panel and said left panel.  
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 9  further including an interior surface and an exterior surface and a coating on said interior surface and said exterior surface.  
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 10  wherein said coating is a UV varnish.  
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 4  wherein each of said punch scores penetrates approximately ½ said thickness of said adhesive panel.  
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 12  wherein the coating is a UV varnish.  
     
     
         14 . A carton blank comprising: 
 a first panel having a surface, said surface of said first panel being at least partially coated and defining a plurality of knock outs; and    a second panel having a thickness and a surface, said second panel including a plurality of punch scores in said surface of said second panel, said punch scores extending only partially through said thickness, said punch scores being configured to align with said knockouts when said blank is folded to form a carton.    
     
     
         15 . The carton blank of  claim 14  further defining an uncoated stripe running through said knock outs on said first panel.  
     
     
         16 . The carton blank of  claim 14  wherein said surface of said second panel includes a coating.  
     
     
         17 . The carton blank of  claim 16  further defining an uncoated stripe running through said punch scores on said second panel.  
     
     
         18 . The carton blank of  claim 14  wherein said punch scores penetrate approximately ½ said thickness of said second panel.  
     
     
         19 . The carton blank of  claim 18 , wherein said first panel is a right panel and said second panel is an adhesive panel.  
     
     
         20 . The carton blank of  claim 19  further including a front panel hingedly attached to said right panel, a left panel hingedly attached to said front panel and a back panel hingedly attached to said left panel and said adhesive panel.  
     
     
         21 . The carton blank of  claim 20  further including a first closure flap hingedly attached to said front panel, a second closure flap hingedly attached to said back panel, a first locking tab hingedly attached to said first closure flap, and a second locking tab hingedly attached to said second closure flap.  
     
     
         22 . The carton blank of  claim 21  further including a plurality of dust flaps hingedly attached to each of said right panel and said left panel.  
     
     
         23 . A method of making a carton, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) producing a carton blank having a first panel and a second panel, the first panel having a surface, the second panel having a surface, and the first panel having a thickness;    (b) forming punch scores on the surface of the first panel;    (c) forming knock outs on the surface of the second panel; and    (d) folding the blank into a carton with the surface of the first panel engaging the surface of the second panel, whereby the punch scores are aligned with the knock outs.    
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23  further including the step of applying an adhesive to at least one of the surface of the first panel and the surface of the second panel.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24  further including the step of applying an adhesive to the surface of the first panel in a line through the punch scores.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 23  further including the step of applying an adhesive to the surface of the second panel in a line through the knock outs.  
     
     
         27 . The process as in  claim 26  wherein said step of forming knock outs is carried out with a printing press, the printing plate of the printing press defining the knock outs when applying a coating.  
     
     
         28 . The process as in  claim 27  wherein said step of forming punch scores is carried out with a punch.  
     
     
         29 . The process as in  claim 27  wherein said step of forming punch scores is performed by a punch that penetrates approximately ½ the thickness of the first panel.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the first panel is an adhesive panel and the second panel is a right panel.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30  further including the step of producing a front panel, a left panel, and a back panel on the carton blank.  
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 31  wherein said step of folding the carton includes the steps of: 
 (i) placing the blank with the surface of the right panel facing up;  
 (ii) folding the right panel and left panel upward;  
 (iii) folding the back panel downward until it contacts the right panel;  
 (iv) folding the adhesive panel downward so the surface of the adhesive panel contacts the surface of the right panel and each knockout on the right panel is coincident with one punch score on the adhesive panel;  
 (v) attaching the surface of the adhesive panel to the surface of the right panel.  
 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 32 , further including the step of producing two dust flaps on each of the right panel and left panel and one closure flap on each of the front panel and back panel of the carton blank, each closure flap being produced with one locking tab.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein said step of folding the carton further includes the steps of: 
 (vi) folding the dust flaps on the right panel toward the left panel;    (vii) folding the dust flaps on the left panel toward the right panel;    (viii) folding the closure flap on the front panel toward the back panel until it contacts the back panel;    (ix) folding the closure flap on the back panel toward the front panel until it contacts the front panel;    (x) folding the locking tab of the closure flap on the front panel under the back panel; and    (xi) folding the locking tab of the closure flap on the back panel under the front panel.