Multi-sided package with easily openable lid

Abstract

An easily openable package defining an interior product storage region, includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth side panels forming an eight-sided body. Each side panel is separate from adjacent side panels by respective crease lines. The side panels define an octagonal upper periphery. A bottom wall is formed from a plurality of panels separated from the side panels by a horizontal crease line. The bottom wall has a four-sided foot print, defining four bottom wall corners. An eight-sided polymeric lid is affixed to the package at the upper periphery. The lid has an openable portion such that the interior product storage region is accessed by opening the openable portion of the lid. A method for forming the package is also disclosed.

1 . An easily openable package defining an interior product storage region, comprising: 
 first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth side panels forming an eight-sided body, each side panel being separate from adjacent side panels by respective crease lines, the side panels defining an octagonal upper periphery, a bottom wall formed from a plurality of panels separated from the side panels by a horizontal crease line, the bottom wall having a four-sided foot print, defining four bottom wall corners; and    an eight-sided lid affixed to the package at the upper periphery, the lid having an openable portion, wherein the interior product storage region is accessed by opening the openable portion of the lid.    
   
   
       2 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the lid is formed from a polymeric material and is sealed to the package body at the upper periphery.  
   
   
       3 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 1  including a membrane seal disposed between the lid and the upper periphery.  
   
   
       4 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the lid includes an openable portion hingedly mounted to the lid, wherein the openable portion overlies an access opening in the lid.  
   
   
       5 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the bottom wall is formed as a linear seal of facing bottom wall panels sealed to one another to form a fin and wherein the fin is folded over onto the bottom wall to form a pair of opposing triangular panels and wherein the triangular panels are folded in toward one another.  
   
   
       6 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of the side panels has a width and wherein the width of alternating side panel is equal and wherein the others of the alternating side panels each has a width and wherein the width of the others of the side panels is equal.  
   
   
       7 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the width of the alternating side panels is greater than the width of the other of the alternating side panels.  
   
   
       8 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the ratio of the width of the larger sides to the smaller sides is about 1.4:1.  
   
   
       9 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the width of the larger sides is about 41 mm and the width of the smaller sides is about 29 mm.  
   
   
       10 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the bottom wall has a square footprint and wherein each of the sides of the bottom wall has a length of about 70 mm.  
   
   
       11 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 1  wherein alternating side panels each include a transition portion aligning with and extending into a corner of the bottom wall.  
   
   
       12 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the others of the alternating side panels each include a diverging portion aligning with and extending into a side of the bottom wall.  
   
   
       13 . An easily openable package defining an interior product storage region, comprising: 
 first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth side panels forming an eight-sided body, each side panel being separate from adjacent side panels by respective crease lines, the side panels defining an octagonal upper periphery, a bottom wall formed from a plurality of panels separated from the side panels by a horizontal crease line, the bottom wall having a four-sided foot print, defining four bottom wall corners, the bottom wall being formed as a linear seal of facing bottom wall panels sealed to one another to form a fin, wherein the fin is folded over onto the bottom wall to form a pair of opposing triangular panels that are folded in toward one another; and    an eight-sided lid affixed to the package at the upper periphery, the lid being formed from a polymeric material and sealed to the package body at the upper periphery, the lid having an openable portion hingedly mounted to the lid and overlying an access opening in the lid, wherein the interior product storage region is accessed by opening the openable portion of the lid.    
   
   
       14 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 13  including a membrane seal disposed between the lid and the upper periphery.  
   
   
       15 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 13  wherein each of the side panels has a width and wherein the width of alternating side panel is equal and wherein the others of the alternating side panels each has a width and wherein the width of the others of the side panels is equal, the width of the alternating side panels being greater than the width of the other of the alternating side panels.  
   
   
       16 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the ratio of the width of the larger sides to the smaller sides is about 1.4:1.  
   
   
       17 . The readily openable package in accordance with  claim 13  wherein alternating side panels each include a transition portion aligning with and extending into a corner of the bottom wall and wherein the others of the alternating side panels each include a diverging portion aligning with and extending into a side of the bottom wall.  
   
   
       18 . A blank for forming a multi-sided, readily openable package comprising: 
 first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth side wall panels, the side wall panels being separated from one another by generally vertical crease lines, a seal panel adjacent the eighth wall panel and separated therefrom by a vertical crease line, wherein an upper end of the side wall panels and the seal panel are unadorned;    first, second, third and fourth bottom wall panels, the bottom wall panels separated from one another by vertical crease lines that correspond to alternating ones of the crease lines between the side wall panels, the bottom wall panels being separated from the side wall panels by a horizontal crease line; the vertical crease line separating the bottom wall panels from one another lying between vertical crease lines separating the wall panels from one another;    wherein a lower portion of the crease line separating the first side wall panel from the second side wall panel converges with a lower portion of the crease line separating the second side wall panel from the third side wall panel to meet at the horizontal crease line, and wherein a lower portion of the crease line separating the third side wall panel from the fourth side wall panel converges with a lower portion of the crease line separating the fourth side wall panel from the fifth side wall panel to meet at the horizontal crease line, and wherein a lower portion of the crease line separating the fifth side wall panel from the sixth side wall panel converges with a lower portion of the crease line separating the sixth side wall panel from the seventh side wall panel to meet at the horizontal crease line, and wherein a lower portion of the crease line separating the seventh side wall panel from the eighth side wall panel converges with a lower portion of the crease line separating the eight side wall panel from the seal panel to meet at the horizontal crease line, and    wherein the upper end of the side wall panels and the seal panel are configured for having a lid affixed thereto.    
   
   
       19 . The blank in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the first, third, fifth and seventh panels have a first width equal to one another and wherein the second, fourth, sixth and eighth panels have a second width equal to one another.  
   
   
       20 . The blank in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the first width is different from the second width.  
   
   
       21 . The blank in accordance with  claim 20  wherein the second width is greater than the first width.