Easy open container

Abstract

There is provided a shipping container and methods of manufacturing a shipping container that may be opened using a tear strip to sever a cover portion of the container from a tray portion of the container. The container is preferably formed from corrugated cardboard that includes an outer layer, an inner liner, and a corrugated medium disposed between the outer layer and the inner liner. The tear strip is preferably located on the inside of the inner liner, beginning at the glue flap. The outer layer, but not the corrugated medium or the inner liner, has a division to facilitate pulling the tear strip through the container to separate the cover from the tray portion. During manufacture, the inner liner and the corrugated medium are adhered to one another, and the outer layer is provided in two separate pieces that are adhered to the corrugated material, leaving a slit or a space between the two separate portions. The tear strip is then adhered to the inside area of the inner liner adjacent to or above the area where the slit is provided.

1 . A container having a tray portion and a cover portion, comprising: 
 a body comprising an inner liner and an outer layer with a corrugated material disposed between the inner liner and the outer layer;    the outer layer provided in separate upper and lower portions, the upper and lower portions separately applied to the corrugated material to provide a division between the upper and lower portions and to prevent the corrugated material from being deformed from pressure of cutting of the outer layer once applied, the division of the outer layer extending around the body to define the tray portion and the cover portion; and    a tear strip adhered to the inner liner such that the tear strip is substantially parallel to the division of the outer layer.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a glue flap and a series of wall panels, the glue flap forming a pull tab attached to the tear strip.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein one of the wall panels forms a cover flap that is adapted to cover the pull tab of the glue flap, wherein pulling back the cover flap reveals the pull tab, and wherein pulling the pull tab separates the tray portion from the cover portion.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the tear strip has an end that originates at the pull tab.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the tear strip has a bottom edge that is in line or slightly above the severed lower portion of the outer layer.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein when the tear strip is pulled, it tears through the inner liner and the corrugated material, but avoids tearing the outer layer because the severed outer layer is already completely separated from itself along the tear strip line.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the division is angled on one or more portions of the body.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower portions of the outer layer are provided from different types of material.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the division is provided at an upper area of the container and further comprising a removable section at a front portion of the container to provide a container with high walls and a low front.  
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing an easy open container, comprising: 
 (a) providing an inner liner, an outer layer, a corrugated material, and a tear strip;    (b) cutting the inner liner, the outer layer, and the corrugated material in the form of a box-shaped blank having wall panels and end flaps, with the outer layer divided into an upper and a lower portion;    (c) adhering the inner liner and the corrugated material to one another;    (d) adhering the upper portion and the lower portion of the outer layer to the corrugated material such that a slit is left between the upper and lower portions; and    (e) adhering the tear strip to the inner liner, the tear strip aligned with the slit of the outer layer.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 (f) cutting a glue flap at the end of box-shaped blank;    (g) cutting a pull tab shaped member in the glue flap; and    (h) aligning the tear strip so that it is attached to the pull tab.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising cutting a cover flap in a wall panel at an end of the blank opposite the glue flap, such that the cover flap covers the glue flap upon assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising assembling the wall panels and end flaps to form a box-shaped container having a tray and a cover that are connected to one another but separated at their outermost portions by the division in the outer layer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the outer layer is provided from two different types of material.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the container is provided with a series of wall panels and cutting at least one of the wall panels to provide a removable section.