Packaging

Abstract

Packaging for moisture-sensitive material or material containing volatile contents comprises an inner water-impermeable means for enclosing such material, and an outer container ( 1 ) comprising a base panel ( 2 ) from which a front panel ( 3 ), rear and side panels ( 4, 5 ) extend upwardly and a lid ( 6 ) hingedly fixed to the top of the rear panel ( 4 ) and giving a firm closure. The container has side vents ( 11 ) or other means giving provision for expansion.

1 . Packaging for moisture-sensitive material or material containing volatile ingredients, the packaging comprising an inner water-impermeable means for enclosing said material and an outer container comprising a base panel from which a front panel and rear and side panels extend upwardly and a lid hingedly carried at the top of the rear panel, wherein the front panel is provided at its upper edge with one of a flexible flap or a lip and the front of the lid is provided with the other of an upstanding flexible flap or a lip and wherein said flap is arranged to engage with said lip to hold the lid in a closed position, wherein the front panel bulges forwardly. 
   
   
       2 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , and which is expandable on insertion of said materials. 
   
   
       3 . Packaging according to  claim 2 , wherein the front panel is displaceable on insertion of ingredients, to bulge, or bulge more, forwardly. 
   
   
       4 . Packaging according to any preceding claim, wherein the front panel has inwardly curved edges, between the base panel and its upper edge. 
   
   
       5 . Packaging according to  claim 4 , wherein the side panel is bevelled adjacent to the inwardly curved edges of front panel. 
   
   
       6 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the front panel in its closed position, in which it is held by the lid, is closer to the rear panel than it is in the open position, in which the lid is displaced. 
   
   
       7 . Packaging according to any preceding claim, wherein the front panel is provided at its upper edge with the flap and the lid is provided with the lip. 
   
   
       8 . Packaging according to  claim 7 , wherein the lid has a downwardly depending rim or skirt in which the lip is formed. 
   
   
       9 . Packaging according to  claim 8 , wherein the lip is formed by one or more flaps which are extensions of one or more portions forming the rim of the lid which are folded into a position in which they form the lip. 
   
   
       10 . Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flap has a curved configuration, arranged so that, upon opening of the lid, the curved flap is pulled by the lip into a more planar configuration before further movement of the lid causes its disengagement from the lip. 
   
   
       11 . Packaging according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer container is arranged such that the front panel can be squeezed towards the rear panel to cause its upper edge to move toward the rear panel such that the flap and lip can be brought out of engagement with one another to cause the lid to open, or allow the lid to be opened. 
   
   
       12 . Packaging according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer container is arranged such that the side panels can be squeezed towards each other such that the flap and lip can be brought out of engagement with one another to cause the lid to open, or allow the lid to be opened. 
   
   
       13 . Packaging for moisture-sensitive material or material containing volatile ingredients, the packaging comprising an inner water-impermeable means for enclosing said material and an outer container comprising a base panel from which a front panel and rear and side panels extend upwardly and a lid at the top of the rear panel, wherein the front panel has inwardly curved edges, between the base panel and its upper edge, wherein the front panel bulges forwardly at least when the outer container contains said materials. 
   
   
       14 . A packaged product comprising packaging according to any preceding claim, and moisture-sensitive material or material containing volatile ingredients housed therein. 
   
   
       15 . Use of packaging according to any of  claims 1  to  14  for packaging moisture-sensitive material or material containing volatile ingredients. 
   
   
       16 . Use of packaging according to any of  claims 1  to  13  for packaging sachets containing water softening ingredients. 
   
   
       17 . A method of protecting moisture-sensitive material or material containing volatile ingredients, comprising storing the moisture-sensitive material or material comprising volatile ingredients in packaging according to any of  claims 1  to  13 .