Patent Application
20160114933
The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding beverage containers or other types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cartons having a handle.
In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carton for holding a plurality of containers. The carton includes a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels includes a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel. The carton includes a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton. The carton further includes a handle having a handle opening in at least one of the front panel and the back panel, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers. The blank includes a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel. The blank includes a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton formed from the blank. The blank further includes handle features for forming a handle. The handle features include a handle opening in at least one of the front panel and the back panel, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming the carton. The method includes obtaining a blank having a plurality of panels including a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel. The blank includes a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels. The blank further includes handle features comprising a handle opening in the back panel and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel. The method includes forming an interior of the carton by positioning the plurality of panels and inserting a plurality of containers into the interior of the carton. The method includes overlapping the plurality of end flaps to at least partially form a closed end of the carton. The method further includes forming a handle in the back panel from the handle features by folding the handle reinforcement flap into face-to-face contact with the back panel above the handle flap to reinforce and strengthen the handle to prevent tearing of the carton when force is applied to the handle.
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. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the above-discussed aspects be provided both individually and in various combinations.
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 that contain articles such as containers, bottles, cans, etc. The articles can be used for packaging food and beverage products, for example. The articles can be made from materials suitable in composition for packaging the particular food or beverage item, and the materials include, but are not limited to, aluminum and/or other metals; glass; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; and the like, or any combination thereof.
Cartons according to the present disclosure can accommodate articles of any shape. For the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure, the following detailed description describes beverage containers (e.g., glass beverage bottles) as disposed within the carton embodiments. 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.
The carton blank 3 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 3 comprises a front panel 15 foldably connected to a first top panel 17 at a first lateral fold line 19. A bottom panel 21 is foldably connected to the front panel 15 at a second lateral fold line 23. A back panel 25 is foldably connected to the bottom panel 21 at a third lateral fold line 27. A second top panel 29 if foldably connected to the back panel 25 at a fourth lateral fold line 31. Any of the panels 15, 17, 21, 25, 29 can be otherwise shaped, arranged, or configured, without departing from the disclosure.
In one embodiment, the front panel 15 includes a plurality of longitudinal fold lines 33 at each edge margin of the front panel. The first top panel 17 includes curved edges 35, the bottom panel 21 includes curved edges 37, and the second top panel 29 includes curved edges 39. When the carton 5 is formed, the fold lines 33 allow the edge margins of the front panel 15 to curve and conform to the shape of curved edges 35, 37, 39 of the first top panel 17, bottom panel 21, and second top panel 29 to form respective curved corners 41, 43 (
In the illustrated embodiment, end flaps 51, 53 are foldably connected to the front panel 15 at the outermost fold line 33 at each edge margin of the front panel, end flaps 55, 57 are foldably connected to the first top panel 17, end flaps 59, 61 are foldably connected to the bottom panel 21 at respective longitudinal fold lines 63, 65, and end flaps 67, 69 are foldably connected to the back panel 25 are respective longitudinal fold lines 71, 73. The end flaps 51, 55, 59, and 67 close a first end or side 91 of the carton 5 and the end flaps 53, 57, 61, 69 close a second end or side 93 of the carton. The blank 3 could have other end flap configurations without departing from the disclosure.
In the illustrated embodiment, the end flaps 67, 69 include article support flaps or corner flaps 75, 77 foldably connected to a respective end flap 67, 69 at a longitudinal fold line 79, 81. The article support flaps help secure the containers C in the carton 5, help cushion the containers C, and/or help reinforce the respective back corners 118, 120 (
In one embodiment, the blank 3 includes features for forming the dispenser 10. The dispenser features include a first longitudinal tear line 101 and second longitudinal tear line 103 in the first top panel 17. In one embodiment, the end flaps 55, 57 are foldably connected to the first top panel 17 by the respective tear lines 101, 103. The dispenser features include a tear line 105 in the front panel 15 that comprises two oblique portions 107 extending from the ends of fold line 19 and a lateral portion 109 connecting the oblique portions. The tear lines 101, 103, 105 define a dispenser panel 111 that includes the first top panel 17, a portion 113 of the front panel 15 defined by the tear line 105, and the second top panel 29 that is adhered to the first top panel 17 in the carton 5 formed from the blank 3. The blank 3 and/or carton 5 could have dispenser features that are otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
As shown in
In one exemplary embodiment, the carton 5 is formed from the blank 3 by positioning the panels 15, 17, 21, 25, 29 relative to each other and by folding along respective fold lines 19, 23, 27, 31 to form a bottom, front, back, and top of the carton. The second top panel 29 is folded inwardly so that the first top panel 17 overlaps and is adhered to the second top panel 29. The sides 91, 93 are closed by overlapping and adhering the end flaps 51, 55, 59, 67 at the first side 91 and the end flaps 53, 57, 61, 69 at the second side 93. At each side 91, 93, the end flaps 67, 69 connected to the back panel 25 are folded inwardly first and are overlapped by the end flaps 51, 53 connected to the front panel 15 and the end flaps 55, 57 connected to the first top panel 17 in succession. Prior to closing one or both sides 91, 93 of the carton, the article support flaps 75, 77 are formed in the interior 141 by folding the article support flaps along fold lines 79, 81 and positioning the support flaps generally face-to-face contact or approximate the end flaps 67, 69. The rounded corners 41, 43 are formed by positioning the edge margins of the front panel 15 that include the fold lines 33 in a curved configuration so that each of the edge margins of the front panel conforms to the shape of the curved edges 35, 37, 39 of the first top panel 17, bottom panel 21, and second top panel 29. Prior to closing the top of the carton 5, containers C are placed in the carton with at least a portion of the two front containers (i.e., the containers adjacent the front panel 15) being in secure supporting contact with the rounded corners 41, 43 and at least a portion of the two back containers (i.e., the containers adjacent the back panel 25) being in secure supporting contact with the article support flaps 75, 77. The carton 5 can be formed and/or loaded with containers in alternative methods that can include different or alternative steps without departing from the disclosure.
In one embodiment, the handle 11 can be formed prior to closing one or both sides 91, 93 by downwardly folding the handle reinforcement flap 131 and adhering the handle reinforcement flap to the back panel 25 just above the handle flap 129. The handle reinforcement flap 131 may be secured to the back panel 25 prior to the second top panel 29 being secured to the first top panel 17. The handle reinforcement flap 131 has a curved edge 151 that overlaps and conforms to the curved fold line 127 in the back panel 25. When the handle 11 is grasped, the handle flap 129 can be upwardly folded along fold line 127 and can be positioned in face-to-face contact with the handle reinforcement flap 131 in the interior 141 of the carton 5 so that the carton 5 includes three layers of material above the handle opening 121 (e.g., the upwardly folded handle flap 129, the handle reinforcement flap 131, and the portion of the back panel 25 above the handle opening 121). In this way, the handle 11 is reinforced and strengthened to prevent tearing of the carton 5 upon grasping and lifting at the handle. The handle 11 could be formed by other methods or forming steps without departing from the disclosure.
The dispenser 10 can be activated to access the containers C by tearing along tear lines 101, 103, 105 to at least partially separate the dispenser panel 111 from the remainder of the carton 5. As shown in
The carton 5 is configured to provide secured packaging of the four containers C in the interior 141 by the configuration of the rounded corners 41, 43 and the article support flaps 75, 77 in the interior 141 of the carton. In this way, all four containers C are held in a tight engagement to reduce movement of the containers and possible breakage. The carton 5 could have other features to prevent breakage of the containers without departing from the disclosure. Further, the handle 11 is reinforced and located in the back panel 25 to allow the carton 5 to be easily carried without tearing during lifting of the carton. The dispenser 10 is configured to allow quick and convenient access to the containers C through the top of the carton 5 without compromising the integrity of the handle 11. Also, the opened carton 5 can continue to be carried at the handle 11 after removing one or more of the containers though the dispenser 10.
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 blank. In accordance with the above-described embodiments, the blanks 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 carton to function at least generally as described herein. The blanks can also be laminated 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 tear lines to be replaced with a continuous slit, 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.
The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by glue during erection of the carton embodiments. 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 embodiments. As various changes could be made in the above construction without departing from the 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. Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure covers various modifications, combinations, alterations, etc., of the above-described embodiments that are within the scope of the claims. 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. 62/122,696, filed Oct. 27, 2014. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/122,696, which was filed on Oct. 27, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62122696 | Oct 2014 | US |
