Snack Food Container

Abstract

A snack food container having a square base, side walls substantially consisting of four right triangular panels and two isosceles triangular panels, and a flat, two dimensional end seal. The container is opened by use of a tear feature just below the end seal. The container is of paperboard construction with a barrier lining.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A snack container having a base, side walls, and a top edge, said top edge having a left side and a right side, wherein said container comprising:
 a substantially square base, said base having left, right, front, and back corners;   a first fold starting at the left corner of said base and terminating at the left side of the top edge of the container;   a second fold starting at the right corner of said base and terminating at the right side of the top edge of the container;   a first “V” shaped crease starting at the front corner of said base and terminating at the first and second folds at points in the same vertical plane below the top edge of the container;   a second “V” shaped crease starting at the back corner of said base and terminating at the first and second folds at points in the same vertical plane as the top of the first “V” shaped crease;   a flat portion defined by the top edge of the container and extending to a horizontal crease located above the termination points of the “V” shaped creases;   wherein below the termination points of the top of the “V” shaped creases the folds and “V” shaped creases define four right-triangle shaped side walls and two isosceles triangle shaped side walls;   wherein further above the termination points of the top of the “V” shaped creases the container consists of two side walls which are in planar contact with each other above the horizontal crease, thus forming a top seal.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal tear feature along at least one side wall, said tear feature located below the top seal and above the termination points of the top of the “V” shaped creases. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said horizontal tear feature extends through both side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening through the top seal. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said container comprises paperboard with an interior barrier layer. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein said interior barrier layer comprises low density polyethylene and aluminum foil. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said square base is less than 3 inches by 3 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein said square base is about 2 inches by 2 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the two folds are less than 10 inches long each and greater than 6 inches long each. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the two folds are less than 9 inches long each and greater than 7 inches long each. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical distance from the top edge to the termination points of the top of the “V” shaped creases is between 1 inch and 1.75 inches. 
     
     
         12 . A method for constructing a snack container having a square base, side walls, and a two-dimensional top seal, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
 a) cutting a paperboard blank having a graphics layer on one side and a barrier layer on the other side, wherein said cutting results in a flat blank having a side flap along one edge and four base flaps;   b) folding said blank lengthwise down the middle and affixing the two lengthwise edges of the blank together using the side flap;   c) affixing a top section of the blank together thus forming an end seal and a partially constructed container with an opening in its base;   d) filling the partially constructed container from the opening in the base with a snack product;   e) forming a square base on the container using four base folds, thus sealing the container.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising at step a) scoring a tear feature near the top of the blank. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising at step a) cutting an opening in two locations near the top of the blank such that said openings align upon formation of the end seal at step c). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the folding of step b) further comprises creasing the blank to form two “V” shaped creases. 
     
     
         16 . The snack container formed by the method of  claim 12 .