CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage application (under 35 USC 371) of PCT/EP2006/008309, filed Aug. 24, 2006, which claims benefit of German application 10 2005 056 159.4, filed Nov. 23, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a container made of cardboard or paperboard, which may be produced from at least one folding blank and serves to accommodate a product which gives off a fragrance, such as for example detergent or the like.

Conventionally, detergents in pulverulent or tablet form are offered for sale in folding boxes made of cardboard or paperboard. Larger quantities of detergent are offered for sale in carrier packs. To protect the product, detergent containers or packages are constructed and manufactured in such a way that as little water vapor as possible can penetrate inside the container from outside and reach the product. To ensure this, as a rule a cardboard material provided with a barrier layer is used to produce the containers and the containers are glued together in as leakproof a manner as possible.

Because of the cardboard material provided with the barrier layer and the leakproof gluing of the containers or packages, no or virtually no fragrance escapes from inside the container to the outside. It is therefore impossible for consumers to smell the particular fragrance of the detergent packaged in the containers at the shelf in the shop or the like (point of purchase).

However, various studies have shown that the fragrance of a detergent is an essential factor when it comes to purchase and repurchase of a product. Thus, containers are known from the prior art for fragranced products, to which fragrance samples are attached. DE 197 26 179 A1, for example, discloses a container for a product to which a fragrance has been added. A chamber is incorporated into a wall of the container which accommodates a substance as a smell sample which contains the same fragrance as the product contained in the container. One of the walls of the chamber is fragrance-permeable, so that the fragrance of the substance can pass through the chamber wall to the outside.

However, matching the fragrance of the substance located in the chamber with the product is generally time-consuming and cost-intensive. Furthermore, incorporation of a chamber in the wall of the container is associated with additional production costs.

It is also known to accommodate a fragrance sample not directly on the container but rather on the shelf on which the containers are offered for sale. Although having one common fragrance sample for a plurality of containers on the shelf keeps the production costs per container low, the complex process of matching the fragrance of the fragrance sample to the product offered for sale remains the same. In addition, fragrance samples or fragrance devices attached to the shelf have to be regularly checked and maintained.

The object of the invention is therefore to enable the consumer to smell the fragrance of a product located in a container sealed in a fragrance-tight manner at the shop shelf or (more generally) at the â€œpoint of purchaseâ€ .

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A container made of cardboard or paperboard comprises a passage through which the fragrance may pass and a cover by means of which the passage may be opened and closed repeatedly, the product not being able to pass through the passage. The passage makes it possible for the fragrance of the product to pass from the inside of the container to the outside. The cover of the passage is so designed that it can be repeatedly opened and closed without impairing the appearance of the container, in particular without tearing it open or damaging it. Thus, the container remains saleable to a consumer even if other consumers have previously sampled the fragrance.

The solution according to the invention does not incur any additional costs for the provision of an additional substance on the container as fragrance sample. The fragrance which passes through the passage to the outside when the cover is opened originates directly from the product located in the container. The fragrance is thus the original fragrance of the product, such that a consumer who opens the container at home to take out the product smells exactly the same fragrance as when he/she sampled the fragrance at the shop shelf.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment the aperture comprises at least one fragrance hole, which is provided in a side wall of the container. In the case of a cuboid container, the passage may thus be provided in one of the six side walls (front wall, rear wall, first and second end wall, base wall and lid wall). A plurality of passages distributed over a side wall or over a plurality of side walls is also feasible.

The at least one fragrance hole may have a diameter of 0.2 to 2 mm. The fragrance hole should be dimensioned in such a way that the product cannot escape from the inside of the container to the outside through the fragrance hole, so as to exclude the possibility of the â€œpoint of purchaseâ€ being soiled by product which has escaped from or trickled out of the container. Consequently, the container with its at least one fragrance hole needs to be designed to suit the product. Container and product may thus form a unit which has features corresponding to claim 1 and the subclaims.

Preferably, the passage comprises a plurality of fragrance holes arranged next to one another. If a plurality of fragrance holes are provided, a large amount of fragrance can exit from the inside of the container to the outside in a comparatively short time, such that the fragrance may be smelt intensely by the consumer within a short time. The fragrance holes may be arranged in certain patterns. They may for instance be arranged in a uniform matrix. The arrangement of the fragrance holes may also reproduce a logo, a figure or the like.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the passage is provided in a double-layered area of the container, in which it comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. In such a case, the inner layer comprises the passage or the fragrance holes. The outer layer comprises a punched-out portion, which fully exposes the passage in a preferred exemplary embodiment.

Conventionally, a folding blank from which the container according to the invention may be produced comprises a plurality of side wall segments arranged next to one another, which may be glued together to form a closed tube. The upper end of the side wall segments is adjoined by lid flaps, which are folded and glued over one another when the receptacle is folded and thus form a double-layered area of a side wall of the container, namely the lid side wall. The same applies mutatis mutandis to a base of a container producible from a folding blank, which is formed by a plurality of base flaps lying over one another. Furthermore, the container may also be double-layered if it comprises an inner liner, which may be inserted into an outer container carton.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, a punched-out element defined by a punched-out portion of the outer layer forms part of the cover, the punched-out element covering the passage when closed. The punched-out portion corresponds directly with the punched-out element arising as a result of the punched-out portion. The punched-out element constitutes a lid for the passage, which may be moved relative to the inner layer and also to the outer layer, which is as a rule connected firmly to the inner layer.

Alternatively or in addition, the cover may comprise an adhesive label. If the cover also comprises the punched-out element, the adhesive label is connected both to the punched-out element and to the side wall or to the outer layer of the side wall, the punched-out element being peeled off from the container with the adhesive label, so exposing the passage. The adhesive label thus serves to fix the punched-out element in its closed position. The adhesive label may additionally be so designed that part of the adhesive label cannot be peeled off the side wall or the outer layer of the side wall or can be peeled off therefrom only with very great difficulty. Thus, the adhesive label serves to link the punched-out element to the container. The adhesive label in this case fulfils the function of a hinge, about whose swivel axis the punched-out element may be swiveled.

The cover may also be constructed without a punched-out element. In this case, the peelable adhesive label alone seals the passage or the individual fragrance holes. The adhesive label then needs to be arranged over the passage, which may be opened by peeling off the adhesive label and closed by setting the adhesive label back in place.

In one preferred exemplary embodiment, the adhesive label is of double-layered construction, a lower layer being arranged fixed to the side wall and an upper layer being arranged on the lower layer in at least partially peelable manner. Thus, the upper layer of the adhesive label does not come into direct contact with the side wall. Instead, a detachable connection is formed only between the lower layer and the upper layer of the adhesive label. In this way, it may be reliably ensured that the side wall or the printing thereon is not damaged when the upper layer of the adhesive label is peeled off, since said side wall or printing is protected by the lower layer of the adhesive label connected firmly thereto.

The adhesive label may comprise an opening tab. The opening tab is not provided with any adhesive, such that it may be easily gripped by the consumer. The opening tab allows the adhesive label to be peeled off.

The lower layer of the adhesive label may comprise a punched-out portion, which is arranged over the punched-out portion in the outer layer of the side wall. If the upper layer of the adhesive label is peeled off the lower layer of the adhesive label, the fragrance may escape from inside the container through the passage, through the punched-out portion arranged thereover in the outer layer of the side wall and finally through the punched-out portion of the lower layer of the adhesive label to the outside.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the punched-out portion in the lower layer of the adhesive label is smaller than the punched-out portion in the outer layer of the side wall and is completely encircled thereby. This ensures that the upper layer of the adhesive label cannot come directly into contact with the side wall or with the outer layer of the side wall. Consequently, it is impossible for the side wall or the outer layer of the side wall to be damaged by the upper layer of the adhesive label, since the side wall is always protected by the lower layer located therebetween of the adhesive label.

It should be noted that the container may remain in a closed state throughout opening and closing of the passage. In order actually to open the container, i.e. for the purpose of removing product, an openable flap element may be provided, which, in an original unopened state, is connected to the rest of the container via a tear strip element. An untorn strip element reveals to the consumer that a container is in the original, unopened state. The consumer may thus be certain that no one else has previously taken out any of the product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a folding blank for a container;

FIG. 2 shows a cover for the container in a closed position (FIG. 2a) and in an open position (FIG. 2b); and

FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a folding blank made of paperboard and cardboard, which is designated overall as 1. The folding blank 1 allows a cuboid container to be produced, which serves to accommodate washing powder or contains washing powder.

The folding blank 1 comprises a plurality of segments 2, 3, 4, 5 arranged next to one another, which are connected to their immediate neighbors by score lines 6. Segment 5 is adjoined by an adhesive flap 7, by which segment 5 may be connected to segment 2 once the folding blank 1 has been folded into a tube.

The end faces of each segment 2, 3, 4, 5 are adjoined respectively by a lid flap and a base flap, which are labeled for example in the case of segment 2 with the reference numerals 2a for the lid flap and 2b for the base flap. The lid and base flaps of the other segments 3, 4, 5 are designated accordingly. A score line 8 separates the lid flaps 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a from the segments 2, 3, 4, 5. A score line 9 extending parallel to the score line 8 separates the base flaps 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b from the segments 2, 3, 4, 5.

When the folding blank 1 has been folded and glued, it forms a cuboid container. Segment 3 of the folding blank 1 then constitutes a front wall of the folded container, while segment 5 accordingly constitutes a rear wall of the container, which extends parallel to the front wall of the container. Between the front wall and the rear wall there extend two end walls of the container, which are formed of segments 2, 4 of the folding blank 1.

The container base is composed of the base flaps 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, the base comprising double-layered and in places triple-layered areas. The lid flaps 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a also lie on top of one another when the folding blank 1 has been folded, in places in two or even three layers.

The lid flap 3a comprises a plurality of fragrance holes 10. When the folding blank 1 has been folded, these holes 10 are covered by a strip-form adhesive label 11, which is connected peelably to the lid flap 5a by means of a film of adhesive or glue. The adhesive film is applied to an underside of the adhesive label 11 facing the lid flap 5a.

FIG. 2a shows a portion of the lid flap 5a with the adhesive label 11 arranged thereon. The adhesive label 11 here covers a circular punched-out portion 12 in the lid flap 5a. The circular punched-out portion 12 here forms a disc-shaped punched-out element 13. At one end 14 the adhesive label 11 comprises an opening tab 15 by means of which the adhesive label 11 may be lifted at the end 14 and then peeled off towards the opposite end 16 of the lid flap 5a.

FIG. 2b shows the adhesive label 11 in an open state. The adhesive label 11 has been peeled off the lid flap 5a to an edge 17 and folded by 180 degrees about this edge 17, such that the underside of the adhesive label 11 faces the observer in FIG. 2b. By peeling off and folding back the adhesive label 11, the punched-out element 13 has been swiveled out of the circular punched-out portion 12, such that in FIG. 2b, with the folding blank 1 in the folded state, the lid flap 3a arranged under the lid flap 5a and containing the fragrance holes 10 is revealed. The fragrance holes 10 then allow the fragrance of the product contained in the container to escape to the outside and to be smelled by a consumer. The fragrance holes 10 are dimensioned in such a way that their diameter is smaller than the grain size of the pulverulent product in the container, in order reliably to prevent the product from trickling out.

By folding the adhesive label 11 back out of the position shown in FIG. 2 into the closed position according to FIG. 1a, the fragrance holes may be closed again. The process of opening and closing the fragrance holes 10 by means of the adhesive label 11 and the punched-out element 13 may be performed several times or, if the adhesive label is designed appropriately therefor, as often as desired.

The closable fragrance holes 10 ideally make it possible to sample the fragrance as often as desired. As a result of the possibility of closing the fragrance holes 10 with the adhesive element 11 and the punched-out element 13, such that no or substantially no fragrance is subsequently able to escape from inside the container, it is ensured that no undesired, constant fragrancing is caused by the fragrance from inside the container. At the same time, however, it is possible for a consumer simply to sample the fragrance of the product contained in the container without tearing open the container.

As is clear from FIG. 1, a container produced from the folding blank 1 may be torn open by a tear strip element 18 which extends over segments 2, 3, 4. Once the strip element 18 has been torn off, the container may be opened by folding open a lid element about the score line 8, said lid element being composed of the lid flaps 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a and the portions of the segments 2, 3, 4 which are arranged between the strip element 18 and the score line 8. The lid element is here swiveled about the score line 8 in the area of segment 5 or in the area of the corresponding rear wall of the container.

Once the lid element has been folded open, it is easy to take the product out of the container. Although the fragrance holes 10 and the adhesive label 11 arranged thereover are arranged on the lid flap 5a and thus on the lid element of the receptacle, it should be emphasized at this point that the fragrance holes are completely independent of the lid element of the container.

FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a possible cover for the passage holes 10 in a lower layer, which on the basis of the first exemplary embodiment is likewise designated 3a. An upper layer is arranged over the lower layer 3a, said upper layer being designated 5a again on the basis of the first exemplary embodiment. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the adhesive label 11 of FIG. 3 has two layers, namely a lower layer 19 and an upper layer 20. For clarity's sake, the individual layers of the adhesive label 11 or of the container are arranged spaced from one another, but when in use they lie directly on one another.

As also in the first exemplary embodiment, the upper layer 5a of the side wall of the box comprises a punched-out portion 12, which here, however, is of oval or elongate hole-shaped construction. The lower layer 19 of the adhesive label 11 is connected firmly to the outer layer 5a by an adhesive film on its underside. The lower layer 19 also comprises an opening 21, which is located immediately over the opening 12. The opening 21 is smaller in size than the opening 12, such that the upper layer 20 of the adhesive label 11 cannot come directly into contact with the outer layer 5a.

Only the upper layer 20 of the adhesive label 11 is designed to cover the fragrance holes 10. Unlike in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a corresponding punched-out element, which corresponds to the punched-out portion 12, has been removed on production of the container.

By peeling off the upper layer 20 with the assistance of the opening tab 15, which is here of triangular shape and is located at a corner of the rectangular adhesive label 11, the upper layer 20 may be peeled off the lower layer 19. In this way, the fragrance holes 10 are exposed, such that fragrance may escape to the outside through the fragrance holes 10, the opening 12 and the opening 19.

Nothing in this specification should be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. The above described embodiments of the invention are non-limiting and may be modified or varied, and elements added or omitted, without departing from the invention, as appreciated by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is to be measured by the scope of the claims, and may be practiced in alternative manners to those which have been specifically described in the specification.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 Folding blank
2 Segment
3 Segment
4 Segment
5 Segment
6 Score line
7 Adhesive flap
8 Score line
9 Score line
10 Fragrance hole
11 Adhesive label
12 Punched-out portion
13 Punched-out element
14 End
15 Opening tab
16 End
17 Edge
18 Strip element
19 Lower layer
20 Upper layer
21 Punched-out portion