Slide Opening Box with Integral Liner

Abstract

A box with a sliding opening has an integral liner to keep pourable contents fresh and dry. The box has a slide that is moveable by a user's thumb across the opening to open and close the box and the liner during the same operation. The user in one motion can either open the box and the liner to pour out the contents or close the box and the liner so the contents do not spill out. Advantageously, the box is formed from a single blank piece of paper or cardboard stock, and a single planar sheet of moisture impervious material liner is placed onto the blank and folded in a particular sequence such that the slide ends up inside the box for easy assembly with a resulting sealed liner bag inside.

1 . A method of packaging and dispensing pourable product comprising the steps of:
 forming a box blank having a plurality of sides coupled together, a first side having a side opening and coupled to a slide covering the side opening;   attaching moisture impervious material to substantially cover the box blank, the moisture impervious material having an opening overlying the side opening;   forming the box blank into a box with the attached moisture impervious material forming a bag inside the box;   introducing the product into the bag;   selectively moving the slide uncovering the side opening and the opening in the moisture impervious material, thereby opening the box and the bag with one movement; and   dispensing the pourable product through the side opening and the opening in the moisture impervious material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of selectively moving the slide covering the side opening and the opening in the bag, thereby closing the box and the bag with one movement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of removing a removable portion of the moisture impervious material to form the opening in the bag. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of engaging a tab on the slide with a user's thumb. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of moving the slide against at least one stop member limiting sliding movement of the slide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising the step of perforating the bag to create the removable portion. 
     
     
         7 . A method of packaging and dispensing pourable product comprising the steps of:
 forming a box blank having a plurality of sides coupled together, a first side having a side opening and coupled to a slide covering the side opening;   folding a sheet of moisture impervious material;   sealing opposing edges of the sheet together forming a bag;   attaching the bag to the box blank, the bag having an opening overlying the side opening;   forming the box blank into a box;   introducing the product into the bag;   selectively moving the slide uncovering the side opening and the opening in the bag, thereby opening the box and the bag in one movement; and   dispensing the pourable product through the side opening arid the opening in the bag.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of removing a removable portion of the moisture impervious material to form an opening in the bag. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of engaging a tab on the slide with a user's thumb. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of moving the slide against at least one stop member limiting sliding movement of the slide. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of perforating the bag to create a removable portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to predetermined portions of the box blank for attaching the bag. 
     
     
         13 . A package for dispensing pourable product comprising:
 a box blank having a plurality of sides foldably coupled together, and a first side having a side opening coupled to a slide for covering the side opening;   a sheet of moisture impervious material adapted to cover a substantial portion of the box blank, the moisture impervious material having a perforated portion of the moisture impervious material overlying the side opening;   an adhesive for securing a portion of the moisture impervious material to the box blank;   wherein the moisture impervious material is adhered to the box blank, and forms a bag when the blank is folded into the package.   
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13  wherein the slide is foldably coupled to a tab configured to be engaged by a user's thumb for ease in selectively moving the slide. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 13  wherein the slide has at least one stop member to limit movement of the slide so the slide remains proximate the side opening.