Patent Application
20200277098
The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/811,594, filed on Feb. 28, 2019, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding and dispensing food products.
According to one aspect of the disclosure a carton for holding at least one food product comprises a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, and a back panel. The carton further comprises at least one side end flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel, the front panel, the back panel, and the at least one side end flap cooperate to form an open top of the carton for accessing the interior of the carton. The at least one side end flap has a first locking feature and the other of the front panel and the back panel has a second locking feature, engagement of the first locking feature and the second locking feature secures the at least one side end flap to the other of the front panel and the back panel.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a blank for forming a carton for holding at least one food product comprises a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the carton formed from the blank, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, and a back panel. The blank further comprises at least one side end flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel, the front panel, and the back panel, and the at least one side end flap are for cooperating to form an open top of the carton formed from the blank for accessing the interior of the carton formed from the blank. The at least one side end flap has a first locking feature and the other of the front panel and the back panel has a second locking feature, engagement of the first locking feature and the second locking feature secures the at least one side end flap to the other of the front panel and the back panel when the carton is formed from the blank.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of forming a carton for holding at least one food product comprises obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, and a back panel, at least one side end flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel, the at least one side end flap has a first locking feature and the other of the front panel and the back panel has a second locking feature. The method further comprises folding the plurality of panels at least partially around the interior of the carton, folding the at least one side end flap such that the front panel, the back panel, and the at least one side end flap cooperate to form an open top of the carton for accessing the interior of the carton, and engaging the first locking feature and the second locking feature to secure the at least one side end flap to the other of the front panel and the back panel.
Other aspects, features, and details of the present disclosure can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above-stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures.
According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure.
Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.
The present disclosure generally relates to cartons (e.g., carriers) with features for containing and facilitating dispensing articles such as food products, cooked food products, fried food products, hot and/or moist articles, etc. The articles can include, but are not limited to, fast food products, take-out products, meal leftovers, and the like, or any combination thereof. Examples of such products include, but are not limited to, fish, chicken (such as chicken nuggets, chicken strips, chicken fingers, etc.), popcorn, peanuts, candy, French fries (such as waffle fries, steak fries, shoestring fries, curly fries, etc.), French toast sticks, sandwich, pizza, calzone, turnover, burrito, or any other food product that may be packaged for consumption by a consumer. In this specification, the terms “inner,” “interior,” “outer,” “exterior,” “lower,” “bottom,” “upper,” and “top” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright cartons.
As described herein, cartons may be formed by multiple overlapping panels, end flaps, and/or other portions of blanks. Such panels, end flaps, and/or other portions of the blanks can be designated in relative terms to one another, e.g., “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in sequential or non-sequential reference, without departing from the disclosure.
In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 7 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. The blank 7 includes a bottom panel 10 foldably connected to a back panel 12 at a fold line 14 and a front panel 16 foldably connected to the bottom panel 10 at a fold line 18. As shown in
As also shown, the back panel 12 has a free edge 13 that is curved and generally convex relative to a generally central axis or centerline C of the blank 7 that is collinear with a lateral fold line 48 that extends through the bottom panel 10 such that the curved free edge 13 of the back panel 12 extends from its respective endpoints away from the axis C. Further, the front panel 16 has a free edge 15 that is curved and generally concave relative to the generally central axis C such that the curved free edge 15 of the front panel 16 extends from its respective endpoints toward the axis C. The bottom panel 10 has free edges 17, 19 that extend between the respective endpoints of the fold lines 14, 18.
Still referring to
As shown, the front side end flap 32 includes a base portion 41 foldably connected to the front panel 16 at the fold line 36, and a distal portion 44 foldably connected to the base portion 41 at an oblique fold line 40. Similarly, the front side end flap 34 includes a base portion 43 foldably connected to the front panel 16 at the fold line 38, and a distal portion 46 foldably connected to the base portion 43 at an oblique fold line 42. In this regard, the side end flaps 32, 34 are generally bisected at the respective fold lines 40, 42.
As also shown, a pair of male locking features or locking tabs 58 (broadly, “first locking feature” or “second locking feature” or “first male locking feature”) is formed on a distal edge of the distal portion 44 of the end flap 32. Further, a pair of spaced cuts 56 (broadly, “first locking feature” or “second locking feature” or “second female locking feature”) is collinear with the fold line 40 to form a pair of female locking features between the distal portion 44 and the base portion 41 of the end flap 32.
Similarly, a pair of the locking tabs 58 is formed on a distal edge of the distal portion 46 of the end flap 34, and a pair of the cuts 56 are collinear with the fold line 42 to form a pair of female locking features between the distal portion 46 and the base portion 43 of the end flap 34. In this regard, the front panel 16 is provided with female locking features due to the placement of the cuts 56.
The blank 7 also has a first back side end flap 24 (broadly, “second side end flap” or “fourth side end flap”) foldably connected to the back panel 12 at a longitudinal fold line 28 (broadly, “second fold line”). Similarly, a second back side end flap 26 (broadly, “second side end flap” or “fourth side end flap”) is foldably connected to the back panel 12 at a longitudinal fold line 30 (broadly, “second fold line”). The back side end flaps 24, 26 define respective upper free edges 25, 27.
The front side end flap 24, as shown, includes a pair of male locking features or locking tabs 54 (broadly, “first locking feature” or “second locking feature” or “second male locking feature”) defined along a free edge of the front side end flap 24.
Similarly, a pair of the locking tabs 54 are defined along a free edge of the front side end flap 26. Further, the back panel 12 has a pair of spaced cuts 60 (broadly, “first locking feature” or “second locking feature” or “first female locking feature”) that is collinear with the fold line 28 to form a pair of female locking features adjacent the side end flap 24, and a pair of the cuts 60 is collinear with the fold line 30 to form a pair of female locking features adjacent the side end flap 26.
One or more of the locking tabs 54, 58 can be configured with features for enhanced engagement with the respective cuts 56, 60, for example, hooks, barbs, notches, slits, etc. While the cuts 56, 60 are shown as having curved and/or angled portions, one or more of the cuts 56, 58 could have a different configuration without departing from the disclosure.
As also shown, the bottom panel 10 includes a first portion 50 foldably connected to the front panel 16 at the fold line 18, and a second portion 52 that is foldably connected to the back panel 12 at the fold line 14. The first portion 50 of the bottom panel 10 is foldably connected to the second portion 52 at the lateral fold line 48 such that the bottom panel 10 is generally bisected at the fold line 48.
As described herein, the respective locking tabs 58 are configured for at least partial insertion through the respective cuts 60 such that the locking tabs 58 and cuts 60 can be considered as a set of first locking features of the carton 9. Similarly, the respective locking tabs 54 are configured for at least partial insertion through the respective cuts 56 such that the locking tabs 54 and cuts 56 can be considered a set of second locking features of the carton 9.
It will be understood that one or more of the bottom panel 10, the front panel 16, the back panel 12, and the side end flaps 24, 26, 32, 34 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, positioned, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
Referring additionally to
As shown in
As shown in
Simultaneously or thereafter, the respective distal portions 44, 46 of the respective side end flaps 32, 34 can be folded upwardly at the respective fold lines 40, 42 in the direction of the respective arrows A4, A5 into at least partial face-to-face contact with the respective side end flaps 24, 26 such that the side end flap 24 is disposed between and in at least partial face-to-face contact with each of the base portion 41 and the distal portion 44 of the side end flap 32, and the side end flap 26 is disposed between and in at least partial face-to-face contact with each of the base portion 43 and the distal portion 46 of the side end flap 34.
This configuration also positions the respective locking tabs 54 to at least partially extend through the respective cuts 56. In this regard, the cuts 56 at least partially receive the respective locking tabs 54 in a locking engagement that secures the end flaps 24, 26 to the front panel 16.
Referring additionally to
As shown in
Such expansion of the carton 9 also at least partially unfolds the arrangement of the side end flaps 24, 26, 32, 34, e.g., such that the side end flap 24 is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the distal portion 44 of the side end flap 32, and the side end flap 24 and the distal portion 44 of the side end flap 32 are together obliquely disposed relative to the base portion 41 of the side end flap 32. Similarly, the side end flap 26 is positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the distal portion 46 of the side end flap 34, and the side end flap 26 and the distal portion 46 of the side end flap 34 are together obliquely disposed relative to the base portion 43 of the side end flap 34.
Expansion of the carton 9 can also cause the front panel 12 and/or the back panel 16 to bow/flex/curve between the respective fold lines 28, 30 and fold lines 36, 39. In this regard, the front panel 16, the back panel 12, and the side end flaps 32, 34, 24, 26 cooperate to form the open top 22 of the carton 9 through which the interior 21 of the carton 9 can be accessed. In particular, the free edge 15 of the front panel 16, the free edge 13 of the back panel 12, the free edge 29 of the front side end flap 32, the free edge 31 of the front side end flap 34, the free edge 25 of the back side end flap 25 and the free edge 27 of the back side end flap 26 define the open top 22 of the carton 9.
Such an arrangement provides a first side panel 64 (broadly, “first closed end of the carton” or “second closed end of the carton”) and a second side panel 66 (broadly, “first closed end of the carton” or “second closed end of the carton”) that each include an at least partial multi-ply, e.g., two-ply, configuration. The first side panel 64 includes the side end flap 24 in at least partial face-to-face contact with distal portion 44 of the side end flap 32, and with the base portion 41 of the side end flap 32 extending obliquely therefrom. Similarly, the side panel 66 includes the side end flap 26 in at least partial face-to-face contact with the distal portion 46 of the side end flap 34, and with the base portion 43 of the side end flap 34 extending obliquely therefrom.
Furthermore, the oblique arrangement of the respective portions of the side panels 64, 66 present respective angled surfaces that extend between the respective front and back panels 16, 12, for example, to provide a comfortable/ergonomic gripping surface for a customer that is convenient, comfortable, and secure.
In addition, bottom free edges 33, 35 of the respective side end flaps 32, 34 protrude below the bottom panel 10 and the respective front and back panels 16, 12 to define respective angled supports or angled legs 68, 70 upon which the carton 9 can rest in an upright configuration. The legs 68, 70 can provide a stable surface that inhibits or prevents tipping or tilting of the carton 9 in the upright configuration, e.g., so that a customer can retrieve food products from the interior 21 of the carton 9 without the need to manually position or maintain the carton 9 in an upright position.
In this regard, the disclosed carton 9 includes side panels 64, 66 to provide a robust structure for holding one or more food products at least partially in the interior 21 thereof. In addition, the set of first locking features provided by the respective tabs 58 and respective cuts 60 and the set of second locking features provided by the respective tabs 54 and the respective cuts 56 provides a secure engagement among the panels 10, 12, 16, 24, 26, 64, 66 to maintain the carton 9 in an erected configuration through the arrangement of interlocking structures. Such an arrangement can obviate the need for additional materials to maintain the carton 9 in the erected configuration, for example, adhesives such as glue. In this regard, the carton 9 can be formed from a unitary piece of material that is devoid of adhesives such as glue, and without the need to incorporate additional securing materials such that material can be selected for the blank 7/carton 9 with desired properties, e.g., recyclability and/or biodegradability. In one embodiment, such unitary material can be paperboard.
The blanks according to the present disclosure can be, for example, formed from coated paperboard and similar materials. For example, the interior and/or exterior sides of the blanks can be coated with a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, price coding, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blank. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. In accordance with the above-described embodiments, the blank may be constructed of paperboard of a caliper such that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blanks can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, hard paper, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the cartons, to function at least generally as described above. The blanks can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.
In accordance with the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present disclosure, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features.
As an example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various combinations of these features. As a more specific example, one type tear line is in the form of a series of spaced apart slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being spaced apart slightly so that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined between the adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The nicks are broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small percentage of the tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that the tear line is a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for each of the spaced apart slits to be replaced with a continuous slit, a continuous score, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a continuous slit or could be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure. Also, a tear line can be a series of cut scores passing completely, or partially, through the material, that are separated by nicks.
The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place.
The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various exemplary embodiments. Various additions, modifications, changes, etc., could be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments of the disclosure, but the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and characteristics of each embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/811,594, filed on Feb. 28, 2019.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62811594 | Feb 2019 | US |
