Patent Application
20060065555
This application claims convention priority from British patent application no. 0415581.8, with a filing date of Jul. 13, 2004. The specification and drawing of the British patent application are specifically hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to paperboard cartons for carrying a plurality of bottles.
According to the present invention there is provided a paperboard carton for carrying a plurality of bottles arranged in two or more rows and each having a neck portion topped with a closure, said carton comprising: oppositely disposed side panels; base panel means hingedly connected to the side panels and extending below the bottles; oppositely disposed top panels connected to the respective side panels, each top panel incorporating one or more openings for receiving said neck portions; handle panels extending from the respective top panels and being hingedly connected to each other at the top of the carton remote from the base along a top fold; the handle panels having aligned handle openings, each defined by first and second elongate handle sub-panels which are cut and folded out of the respective handle panel, each first handle sub-panel being hingedly connected to the handle panel along a first handle fold which is parallel to said top fold and each second handle sub-panel being hingedly connected to its associated first handle sub-panel along a second handle fold which is parallel to the first handle fold, the handle sub-panels being folded such that the two second handle sub-panels are folded inwardly to lie next to each other in face-to-face relationship.
Preferably the two second handle sub-panels are adhesively secured together and also the free edges of the second handle sub-panels remote from the second handle folds engage in the inside apex of the top fold between the two handle panels to form a first, carrying configuration having a generally triangular section handle.
Ideally the distances between the top fold and the first and second handle folds correspond on each handle panel so that the two handle panels can fold generally flat in a second folded configuration with said free edges of the second handle panels spaced from the inside of the top fold. In preferred arrangements portions are cut and folded from the handle and/or top panels and glued to the inside of the handle panels and in addition two of said portions are provided on each handle panel and overlie the respective areas adjacent cuts which produced the end edges of the first handle sub-panels. Normally said portions also overlie inside areas of the respective handle panels adjacent both ends of the first handle folds.
With one arrangement each of said portions is hingedly connected to its handle panel along a fold which is aligned and adjacent to the second handle fold and each of said portions is generally L-shaped.
With another arrangement said portions also overlie further inside areas of the respective handle panels at both ends below the spaces vacated by the folding of the second handle sub-panel, each of said portions is hingedly connected to its handle panel along a fold which is aligned and adjacent but reversed relative to an upper fold between the handle panel and the top panel and each of said portions is generally C-shaped.
Usually said portions are cut from paperboard from the openings for receiving the neck portions of the bottles and also upper extremities of the portions, when folded and glued lie adjacent the inside of the top fold which connects the handle panels.
In preferred embodiments one or more securing tabs extend between the two side panels and between adjacent necks of bottles in a row. Conveniently the securing tabs have contoured edges to compliment the shapes of bottle necks. Preferably the securing tabs are formed from paperboard from between the openings and are hingedly connected to the respective side panels.
Normally the base panel means comprises a pair of base panels hingedly connected to respective side panels and adapted to be secured to each other below the bottles, the junctions between the side panels and the base panel means comprises apertures/formations for retaining heel portions of the bottles and the side panels have an upper sub-panel adjacent the associated top panel so as to follow better the contours of the bottles.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 8 to 13 are views of a second embodiment, which views are similar to FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7 in respect of the first embodiment.
In FIGS. 1 to 7 there is shown a paperboard blank 10 for producing a carton 11 for retaining a plurality of bottles 12, each bottle 12 having a neck portion 13 topped with a closure 14. In this particular embodiment, the carton 11 is adapted to retain two rows of two bottles 12 but other arrangements will be apparent to the skilled person.
The blank 10 has a pair of base panels 15, 16 which in use are adhesively secured to each other below the bottles 12 although in other arrangements interlocking formations could be provided to enable the two base panels 15, 16 to be secured together. The base panels 15, 16 are connected by folds to respective lower side panels 17, 18 which in turn are connected by folds to respective side panels 19, 20 which in turn are connected by folds to respective top panels 21, 22. The top panels 21, 22 are also connected by upper fold 23 to respective handle panels 24, 25 which in turn are hingedly connected to each other about a central, top fold 26.
In the region of the junction between the base, lower side and side panels (15-20) there are provided heel receiving formations 27 in the form of apertures/cuts. These heel receiving formations 27 receive and retain the heels of the bottles 12 and there are a number of known variations for ensuring that the heels of the bottles 12 do not move out of wrap-type cartons. Openings 28 are also provided in the top panels 21, 22 for receiving the neck portions 13 of the bottles 12 when the carton 11 is assembled about the bottles, as is shown more clearly in
First and second elongate handle sub-panels 29, 30 are provided in each handle panel 24, 25. The first handle sub-panel 29 is hingedly connected to the handle panel 24, 25 by means of a first handle fold 31 which is parallel to the top fold 26 and the second handle sub-panel 30 is hingedly connected to the first handle sub-panel 29 by means of a second handle fold 32 which is parallel to the first handle fold 31.
Reinforcing portions 33 are provided at each end of the second handle sub-panels 30. Each reinforcing portion 33 is generally L-shaped and is hingedly connected to the handle panel 24, 25 by means of a fold 35 which is aligned and adjacent the second handle fold 32.
Between the openings 28 on each side of the carton is provided a securing tab 36 which in the blank 10 extends to but is separate from the second handle sub-panel 30. The tabs 36 have contoured edges 37 and are secured to each other so that in use they tend to follow the contours of the bottles 12 retained in the carton 111 and assist in preventing the bottles 12 engaging each other, thus tending to reduce noise and breakages. The tabs 36 are connected by means of a fold 38 between the top panels and the side panels, or more precisely in this arrangement an upper side panel 39 which is angled, in use, so as to follow the shape of the bottles 12.
The blank 10 can be partly pre-assembled prior to use by an end user such that the end user can run a packing line by placing the part assembled blank over the bottles folding the sides and base panels and securing the base panels beneath the bottles. Alternatively, full assembly can take place on the packing line.
Starting from the flat blank 10, firstly the L-shaped reinforcing portions 33 are folded about the folds 35 and adhesively secured to the inside of the handle panels 24, 25. The shape and size of each reinforcing portion 33 is such that the edge remote from the fold 35 now lies adjacent the top fold and the L-shaped edge lies adjacent the end cuts defining the first handle sub-panel 29 and the end parts of the first handle fold 31. Next, the second handle sub-panels 30 are folded inside so as to lie against the inside of the respective first handle sub-panels 29. This position is more clearly shown in
In this part assembled state the blank 10 can be folded flat with the two handle panels 24, 25 lying against each other and folded down about the upper folds 23 so as to lie against one of the top panels 21, 22.
To form the finished carton the part assembled blank 10 is placed over the necks 13 of the bottles, the necks passing through the openings 28 in the top panels 21, 22 with the necks of the two bottles in each row being separated by the securing tabs 36. The securing tabs 36 also assist in determining the tightness of the finished pack as they prevent the side panels from moving beyond a certain distance apart.
The side panels 17, 18 are then folded down and the base panels 15, 16 are folded under the bottles 12 and, after pack tightening, secured to each other using adhesive in this embodiment. The folding of these panels also ensures that the heels of the bottles 12 are retained in the heel receiving formations 27.
When the loaded carton 11 is lifted using the handle, the handle panels 24, 25 hinge apart slightly about the top fold 26 and, with the first handle sub-panels 29 form a comfortable and strong handle of generally triangular section which is best shown in
The reinforcing panels 33 provide additional strength in the handle region and in particular provide good resistance to twisting of the pack about a vertical axis. Such twisting of the pack can cause unwanted handle failure which in turn can result in the carton shedding its load. As one particular use of this carton is for carrying bottles of wine, handle failure could be an expensive problem for the consumer. From the manufacturer's point of view the reinforcing portions 33 are cut from material which would have otherwise been wasted, e.g. from the openings 28.
The arrangement shown in FIGS. 8 to 13 is very similar in many respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, certainly in general construction and advantages. Because of this like parts have been given like reference numerals and no detailed description is necessary. The differences are, however, described and discussed below.
The reinforcing panels 33 are generally C-shaped and, when folded and glued to the inside of the respective handle panels 24, 25 provide reinforcement at the top, ends and bottom of the handle slot created when the first and second handle sub-panels 29, 39 are folded and glued. The C-shaped reinforcing panels are hingedly connected on reverse fold lines 50 which are aligned with and adjacent the folds 23 between the top panels 21, 22 and the handle panels 24, 25. The C-shaped reinforcing panels 33 provide further twist resistance and general strength and again are cut from parts of the blank 10 which would otherwise be waste.
It will be readily appreciated that further rows of bottles could be envisaged and further bottles in each row. Further securing tabs could then be provided to increase stability and to ensure correct separation of bottles. Other modifications can also be made without departing from the scope of the attached claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0415581.8 | Jul 2004 | GB | national |
