Container blanks and containers

Abstract

A carton blank ( 10 ) for forming a container, and comprising a row of body portion forming panels (P 1 -P 5 ) arranged side-by-side, the boundaries between said panels (P 1 -P 5 ) being defined by respective, substantially straight boundary lines of weakness (S 1 -S 4 ) extending from top to bottom of said panels (P 1 -P 5 ) substantially perpendicularly to said row, two adjacent boundary lines of weakness (S-S 4 ) each having disposed at one side thereof a supplemental line of weakness (S 11, S 12, S 21, S 22, S 31, S 32, S 31 ′, S 32 ′, S 41, S 42 ), each supplemental line of weakness (S 11, S 12, S 21, S 22, S 31, S 32, S 41, S 42 ) being substantially the length of a panel (P 1 -P 5 ).

1 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . A carton blank for forming a container, and comprising a row of body portion forming panels arranged side-by-side, the boundaries between said panels being defined by respective, substantially straight boundary lines of weakness extending from top to bottom of said panels substantially perpendicularly to said row, two adjacent boundary lines of weakness each having disposed at one side thereof a supplemental line of weakness, each supplemental line of weakness being substantially the length of a panel. 
     
     
         75 . A carton blank for forming a container, and comprising a row of body portion forming panels arranged side-by-side, the boundaries between said panels being defined by substantially straight boundary lines of weakness extending from top to bottom of said panels, two adjacent boundary lines of weakness each having disposed at respective opposite sides thereof supplemental lines of weakness, each supplemental line of weakness being at least half the length of a panel. 
     
     
         76 . A blank according to  claim 74 , wherein each of each supplemental line of weakness is located on one of said row of panels. 
     
     
         77 . A blank according to  claim 74 , and further comprising an additional supplemental line of weakness, wherein said adjacent boundary lines of weakness have disposed at respective opposite sides thereof a pair of supplemental lines of weakness. 
     
     
         78 . A blank according to  claim 74 , wherein each supplemental line of weakness does not contact a respective boundary line of weakness. 
     
     
         79 . A blank according to  claim 74 , and further comprising transverse lines of weakness beginning at or near to a boundary line of weakness and extending towards a respective supplemental line of weakness. 
     
     
         80 . A blank according to  claim 75 , wherein each supplemental line of weakness is substantially the length of a panel. 
     
     
         81 . A blank according to  claim 74 , and further comprising a transverse line of weakness beginning at or near to a boundary line of weakness and extending across a second boundary line of weakness towards a supplemental line of weakness. 
     
     
         82 . A container comprising a loop of body portions, the boundaries between said portions being defined by respective, substantially straight boundary lines of weakness extending from top to bottom of said portions substantially perpendicularly to said loop, two adjacent boundary lines of weakness each having disposed at one side thereof a supplemental line of weakness, each supplemental line of weakness being substantially the length of a portion. 
     
     
         83 . A container comprising a loop of body portions, the boundaries between said portions being defined by substantially straight boundary lines of weakness extending from top to bottom of said portions, two adjacent boundary lines of weakness each having disposed at respective opposite sides thereof a supplemental line of weakness, each supplemental line of weakness being at least half the length of a portion. 
     
     
         84 . A container according to  claim 82 , wherein each supplemental line of weakness is located on one of said loop of body portions. 
     
     
         85 . A container according to  claim 82 , and further comprising an additional supplemental line of weakness, wherein said adjacent boundary lines of weakness have disposed at respective opposite sides thereof a pair of supplemental lines of weakness. 
     
     
         86 . A container according to  claim 82 , wherein each supplemental line of weakness does not contact a respective boundary line of weakness. 
     
     
         87 . A container according to  claim 82 , and further comprising transverse lines of weakness beginning at or near to a boundary line of weakness and extending towards a respective supplemental line of weakness. 
     
     
         88 . A container according to  claim 83 , wherein each supplemental line of weakness is substantially the height of the container, in length. 
     
     
         89 . A container according to  claim 82 , and further comprising a transverse line of weakness beginning at or near to a boundary line of weakness and extending across a second boundary line of weakness towards a supplemental line of weakness. 
     
     
         90 . A container according to  claim 82 , and further comprising a plastics insert attached to a boundary line of weakness. 
     
     
         91 . A container according to  claim 90 , wherein the plastics insert is substantially the same shape as a body sub-portion to which said plastics insert is attached. 
     
     
         92 . Apparatus for handling partially formed containers comprising
 a conveying device including a plurality of receiving portions for receiving partially formed containers having a mid portion of predetermined cross-section,   a filling device arranged to fill said partially formed containers, and   a pressing device arranged to press on said mid portion so as to make said mid portion of rounder cross-section.   
     
     
         93 . Apparatus according to  claim 92 , wherein each partially formed container comprising a loop of body portions, the boundaries between said portions being defined by boundary lines of weakness, two adjacent boundary lines of weakness having disposed at one side thereof a supplemental line of weakness, each supplemental line of weakness being at least half the height of the container, having upper and lower regions proximal to a respective boundary line of weakness and having a central region further from the respective boundary line of weakness than either the upper or lower region, and said pressing device is further arranged to activate the supplemental lines of weakness. 
     
     
         94 . Apparatus according to  claim 93 , wherein said pressing device is arranged to activate the supplemental lines of weakness, prior to said filling station being arranged to fill said partially formed containers. 
     
     
         95 . Apparatus according to  claim 93 , wherein said pressing device is arranged to activate the supplemental lines of weakness, during said filling station being arranged to fill said partially formed containers. 
     
     
         96 . A method for handling partially formed containers, comprising
 advancing a plurality of partially formed containers through a pressing device and a filling device, said partially formed containers having a mid portion of predetermined cross-section,   pressing on said mid portion so as to make said mid portion of rounder cross-section, and   filling said plurality of partially formed containers at the filling station.   
     
     
         97 . A method according to  claim 96 , wherein each partially formed container comprising a loop of body portions, the boundaries between said portions being defined by boundary lines of weakness, two adjacent of said boundary lines of weakness having disposed at one side thereof a supplemental line of weakness, the supplemental line of weakness being at least half the height of the container, having upper and lower regions proximal to a respective boundary line of weakness and having a central region further from the respective boundary line of weakness than either the upper or lower region, and activating the supplemental lines of weakness at the pressing device. 
     
     
         98 . A method according to  claim 97 , wherein said activating of the supplemental lines of weakness, occurs prior to the filling of said partially formed containers. 
     
     
         99 . A method according to  claim 97 , wherein said activating of the supplemental lines of weakness, occurs during the filling of said partially formed containers. 
     
     
         100 . A carton blank for a container including a quadrangular top obturating sub-panel, and disposed outwardly thereof, a top sealing sub-panel, a line of weakness separating said obturating sub-panel and said sealing sub-panel and bulging into said sealing sub-panel. 
     
     
         101 . A blank according to  claim 100 , wherein said line of weakness separating said obturating sub-panel and said sealing sub-panel is arcuate. 
     
     
         102 . A blank according to  claim 100 , wherein said line of weakness separating said obturating sub-panel and said sealing sub-panel is continuous along the boundary between said obturating sub-panel and said sealing sub-panel. 
     
     
         103 . A blank according to  claim 100 , and further comprising a second line of weakness separating said obturating sub-panel from a body sub-panel and bulging into said body sub-panel. 
     
     
         104 . A blank according to  claim 100 , and further comprising a second quadrangular top obturating sub-panel and disposed outwardly thereof, a second top sealing sub-panel, a third line of weakness separating said obturating sub-panel and said sealing sub-panel and bulging into said obturating sub-panel. 
     
     
         105 . A blank according to  claim 104 , wherein said third line of weakness is substantially equal and opposite to the first line of weakness. 
     
     
         106 . A container including a top closure including a roof sub-panel and a top sealing sub-panel, said roof sub-panel bulging into said sealing sub-panel. 
     
     
         107 . A container according to  claim 106 , wherein said roof sub-panel bulging into said sealing sub-panel defines an arcuate line of weakness. 
     
     
         108 . A container according to  claim 107 , wherein said line of weakness is continuous along the boundary between said roof sub-panel and said top sealing sub-panel. 
     
     
         109 . A container according to  claim 106 , and further comprising, adjacent said roof sub-panel, a body portion, said roof sub-panel, bulging into said body portion. 
     
     
         110 . A container according to  claim 106 , and further comprising a second roof sub-panel and a second top sealing sub-panel, a third line of weakness separating said second roof sub-panel and said second top sealing sub-panel and bulging into said roof sub-panel. 
     
     
         111 . A container according to  claim 110 , wherein said third line of weakness is substantially equal and opposite to the first line of weakness. 
     
     
         112 . A blank for forming a container comprising a row of panels comprising first, second, third and fourth panels and a row of substantially rectangular end closure panels extending substantially parallely to said row of panels and comprised of first, second, third and fourth end closure panels, each of the first and third end closure panels have disposed outwardly thereof a respective end sealing panel extending across the width of the adjacent end closure panel, and each of the second and fourth end closure panels have disposed outwardly thereof a respective pair of tabs, each tab extending across less than half the width of the adjacent end closure panel. 
     
     
         113 . A blank according to  claim 112 , and further comprising a fifth panel having disposed outwardly thereof a fifth end closure panel, said fifth end closure panel having disposed outwardly thereof an end sealing panel extending across the width of the fifth end closure panel. 
     
     
         114 . A blank according to  claim 113 , wherein each tab is connected to an adjacent end sealing panel. 
     
     
         115 . A blank according to  claim 112 , wherein the width of each tab is substantially equal. 
     
     
         116 . A blank according to  claim 112 , wherein each tab of a pair of tabs are substantially equal and opposite in shape. 
     
     
         117 . A blank according to  claim 112 , wherein the depth of each tab is substantially equal to the depth of each sealing panel. 
     
     
         118 . A container comprising a loop of body portions comprising first, second, third and fourth body portions and an end enclosure comprising
 folded-in end closure portions and comprised of first, second, third and fourth end closure portions, each connected to a respective body portion, each of the first and third end closure portions being connected, at an opposite edge to the connection to a body portion, to a respective end sealing portion extending across the width of the adjacent end closure portion, and each of the second and fourth end closure portions being connected, at an opposite edge to the connection to a body portion, to a respective pair of tabs, each tab extending across less than half the width of the adjacent end closure portion, and   a sealing fin comprised of the end sealing portions and the pairs of tabs.   
     
     
         119 . A container according to  claim 118 , and further comprising a fifth body portion being connected to a fifth end closure portion, said fifth end closure portion being connected, at an opposite edge to the connection to the body portion, to an end sealing portion extending across the width of the fifth end closure portion. 
     
     
         120 . A container according to  claim 119 , wherein each tab is connected to an adjacent end sealing portion. 
     
     
         121 . A container according to  claim 118 , wherein the width of each tab is substantially equal. 
     
     
         122 . A container according to  claim 118 , wherein each tab of a pair of tabs are substantially equal and opposite in shape. 
     
     
         123 . A container according to  claim 118 , wherein the depth of each tab is substantially equal to the depth of each sealing portion.