This application generally relates to cartons for containing items, and, in particular, to cartons for containing items where an end of the carton has two flaps configured to permit one or both of the two flaps to be opened for removal of an item from an interior of the carton.
One type of carton for containing items, and in particular a plurality of individually packaged food items, is generally rectangular. The carton has a top, bottom and four sides, as illustrated in
A carton is provided having a top, bottom and sidewall, where the sidewall has eight sides. The sidewall can comprise a pair of longitudinal segments and a pair of transverse or end segments, where the end segments can each further comprise a pair of panels. Each panel can have an outer segment, relatively perpendicular to the longitudinal segment, and an intermediate segment that extends at an angle between the outer segment and the adjacent longitudinal segment. Each panel can be movable from a closed position to an open position, providing an access opening to an interior of the carton when in the open position for extracting an item, such as a food product, from therein.
The access opening provided in the eight-sided carton is greater than if the end panels were provided entirely perpendicular relative to the longitudinal panels. For example, a length of the access opening provided is larger than a length of an access opening in a four-sided, or rectangular, carton. Additionally, the length of the access opening in the eight-sided carton is larger than about half a width of the carton. This larger access opening allows for easier removal through the opening of the food product stored therein, especially when one must insert their hand or partially insert their hand in order to retrieve the product therein.
Furthermore, the shape of the carton, i.e., having angled end segments that can form an eight-sided or octagonal sidewall, can also provide for an increased strength of the carton. This increased strength can further decrease crushing of the carton and protect the products packaged therein, and can permit use of lower strength materials, such as lower strength corrugated cardboard.
Yet another advantage of the eight-sided carton is that improved ventilation can be achieved when multiple such cartons are stacked together. For prior cartons of the type illustrated in
A carton with an increased width access opening is illustrated in
Turning to
The sidewall 16 can further comprise a pair of longitudinal segments 18 and 20 extending between the longitudinal edge portions 34a and 34b and 36a and 36b of the top and bottom panels 12 and 14 and a pair of end segments extending between the transverse edge portions 38a and 38b and 40a and 40b of the top and bottom panels 12 and 14. Each end segment can comprise a pair of panels 22 and 24 or 26 and 28, where each panel can have an edge attached to an edge portion of one of the sidewall longitudinal segments 18 or 20. For instance, a first end segment can comprise a pair of panels 22 and 24. In the aspect shown in
Each panel 22, 24, 26, and 28 can further comprise an outer segment generally perpendicular to the longitudinal segments when cooperating with the other of the pair of end panels to enclose the interior and an intermediate segment extending at an angle between the edge portion of the adjacent longitudinal segment and the adjacent outer segment.
The panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 can be located at transverse ends of the carton 10, each transverse end containing a pair of end panels 22 and 24 or 26 and 28. Each pair of end panels 22 and 24 or 26 and 28 can have the intermediate segment angled and connected to the adjacent longitudinal panel along one edge and connected to the outer segment along the opposite edge of the intermediate segment. For example, in the aspect shown in
Similarly, the second panel 24 can have an outer segment 24b and an intermediate segment 24a, each also having respective fold lines 24c and 24d. When both the first panel 22 and the second panel 24 are in a closed and sealed position, the panels 22 and 24 can extend past the edges of the longitudinal segments 18 and 20. The intermediate segments 22a and 24a can be angled from the carton 10 while the outer segments 22b and 24b can be positioned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal segments 18 and 20. The free ends of the outer segments 22b and 24b can further be positioned adjacent one another. Likewise, the third panel 26 and the fourth panel 28 on the opposite transverse end of the carton 10 can be similarly arranged. The third panel 26 also can have an intermediate segment 26a with fold line 26d and an outer segment 26b with a fold line 26c. Likewise, the fourth panel 28 can have an intermediate segment 28a with adjacent fold line 28d and an outer segment 28b with adjacent fold line 28c. When all of the panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 have been sealed and are all in the closed position, the sidewall 16 can have a generally octagonal shape. In other words, each end segment or transverse end can have three sides, that can protrude out from the edge of the longitudinal segments 18 and 20.
Turning to
Additionally, as the first end panel 22 is opened and its respective tabs 12e and 14f exposed, the second end panel 24 can remain in the closed position, held in place by its respective tabs 30c and 14g. The tabs 30c and 14g can remain sealed against the back surface of the second end panel 24 to keep the second end panel 24 in the closed position. The lower tab 14g can be an extension of the bottom panel 14 and the upper tab 30c can be an extension of the top panel 12, or as in the aspect shown in
Turning to
The access opening of the carton 10 can be greater than an access opening of a prior carton 100, as shown in
On the other hand, the access opening of the carton 10 is greater than the access opening of the prior carton 100, when the two cartons 10 and 100 have equivalent widths (i.e., W=W′), because the arrangement of the end panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 provides for a larger opening to the interior of the carton. Therefore, l can be greater than l′ (when W is approximately equal to W′) and the design of the carton 10 provides for a larger access opening that results in an easier removal area when withdrawing the products 5 from the interior of the carton 10. Additionally, the food products 5 can each have a width that is less than the length of the access opening that allows for easier extraction of the product than if it were to be removed through the opening in the prior carton 100.
Turning to
Furthermore, the top panel 12 can have a pair of tabs 12c and 12e that can be folded down from the top panel 12 at relatively perpendicular positions along respective fold lines 12d and 12f to seal against the back surface of adjacent end panels. For instance, top panel tab 12c can seal against the back surface of end panel 26 and top panel tab 12e can seal against the back surface of end panel 22. Likewise, the secondary top panel 30 can also have tabs 30a and 30c, which can be folded at relatively perpendicular angles to the secondary top panel 30 and can seal against adjacent end panels 28 and 24, respectively.
Similarly, the bottom panel 14 also can have two pairs of tabs, one set on each end that can be folded upward at a relatively perpendicular angle to the bottom panel 14 and can be sealed to the back surface of adjacent end panel portions. In one aspect, a first side of the bottom panel 14 can have two tabs 14f and 14g with respective fold lines 14e and 14h. These two tabs 14f and 14g can be folded upward at a relatively perpendicular position to the bottom panel 14. These tabs 14f and 14g can then be sealed to an adjacent end panel; tab 14f can seal to a back surface of first panel 22 and tab 14g can seal to a back surface of the second panel 24. Similarly, a second side of the bottom panel 14 can have two tabs 14a and 14c with respective fold lines 14b and 14d. These two tabs 14a and 14c can also be folded upward at relatively a perpendicular angle to the bottom panel 14 and sealed to adjacent end panels. Tab 14a can be sealed to a back surface of the third panel 26 and tab 14d can be sealed to a back surface of the fourth panel 28. Preferably, each tab 14a, 14d, 14f and 14g can be sealed to the back surface of the outer segment of its adjacent panel.
The carton 10 can also contain optional features, such as a handhold or fingerhold feature 12a and 12b along the top panel 12 of the carton 10 for easier transporting of the carton 10. These handholds 12a and 12b can be any suitable shape and size and can comprise a completely cut out section, a partially perforated section that can be partially freed or punched out to create a small opening for someone's fingers, or variations thereof. In the aspect shown in
The carton 10 can be made of typical carton materials known in the art, such as corrugated board and the like. The carton 10 can be used to store and transport various types of food products 5. The food products 5 can typically be packaged before packing into the carton 10, such as packaging the food product in a rounded and/or flexible package. Some food products 5 may comprise cheese, meats, other snack foods, any packaged food product in rounded bottles or cans, packaged beverages (such as hot-packed, foil pouches) and the like.
The dimensions of the carton 10 can vary depending upon the size of the food product 5 therein, and can be sized at least large enough to allow the food product 5 to be easily extracted through the access opening. Regardless of the carton 10 dimensions, the length of the access opening should be at least greater than half the width of the carton 10, i.e., l>½W. In one aspect, the width, W, of the carton can be about 3.5 inches, with a height of about 5.8 inches. A length of the longitudinal segments 18 and 20 can be about 9⅜ inches with the access opening about 2 inches, however, any other dimensions can be used that provide l>½W.
A method of removing the food products 5, or a plurality of individual items, can be provided. To remove the food product 5, first at least one of the end panels of the end segment must be opened to gain access to the interior of the carton 10. The end panel can be opened by moving the end panel from a closed position to an open position, to provide an access opening that permits access to the interior of the carton 10. As stated above, the access opening can have a length greater than half a width of the carton 10. Once the at least one end panel is opened, then at least one of the plurality of food products 5 therein can be removed from the interior of the carton 10 through the access opening.
Where only one end panel 22 is opened, the adjacent end panel 24 can remain in the closed position. The closed end panel 24 can remain in the closed position by maintaining its sealed configuration with its respective tabs 30c and 14g, one tab 30c depending from the (secondary) top panel 30 of the carton 10 and one tab 14g upstanding from the bottom panel 14 of the carton 10. Prior to opening the one pair of end panels 22, the end panel 22 can also be sealed against a back surface of its respective tabs 12e and 14f, which tabs are the other pairs of the adjacent end panel 24. To open the one pair of the end panels 22, the end panel 22 can be separated from its respective tabs 12e and 14f, where one of the pairs of tabs 12e can be depending from the top panel 12 and one of the pair of tabs 14f can be upstanding from the bottom panel 14, to provide the access opening.
The compression strength of a control, rectangular carton, i.e., having four planar sidewalls, and the compression strength of an octagonal carton as disclosed herein, i.e., having an eight-sided sidewall, were measured and compared to one another. The compression strength of the cartons was measured using a standard compression test of fiberboard shipping containers, which is designated as test method TAPPI T804 (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry). This method is used for measuring the ability of corrugated or solid fiber shipping containers to resist external compressive forces. The method may be applied in a number of ways. For quality studies, it is usually desirable to test the empty container, as was tested in the following examples herein. The compression strength was determined by the value at which the carton or corrugated board failed, i.e., was compressible, and two samples of each was tested. The cartons tested both had the same width and relative height of the carton. The test results indicated that the rectangular carton had a lower compression strength than the octagonal carton. The rectangular carton had a compression strength value of about 332 pounds and about 401 pounds compared to the compression strength of the octagonal carton, which was about 512 pounds and about 611 pounds.
Thus, the rectangular carton had an average compression strength value of about 367 pounds and the octagonal carton had an average compression strength value of about 562 pounds, or about a 53% increase in strength over the rectangular carton. Therefore, the octagonal carton was shown to have an increased strength as compared to the prior rectangular carton.
The same test method as described in Example 1 (TAPPI T804) was utilized to test another batch of multiple control cartons and octagonal cartons. The cartons were all tested at about 70° F. and at a relative humidity of about 50%. Fifteen control cartons were tested and those compression strength results are shown in Table 1, as well as the average compression strength of all fifteen control cartons.
Six octagonal cartons were tested and those compression strength results are shown in Table 2, as well as the average compression strength of all six cartons.
The average compression strength value of the control carton was about 376.8 pounds and the average compression strength value of the octagonal carton was about 530.17 pounds. The octagonal carton had about a 40% increase in strength over the control carton. Therefore, the octagonal carton was shown to have an increased strength as compared to the prior rectangular cartons used as control samples.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated a carton with increased width access opening, and method of removing an item therefrom, is provided such that numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the carton and method set forth in the claims. Therefore, the disclosure is not limited to the aspects and embodiments described hereinabove, or to any particular embodiments. Various modifications to the carton and the method of removal could be made which can result in substantially the same carton and method of removal.
This application is a divisional of prior application Ser. No. 12/347,331, filed Dec. 31, 2008, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20140042214 A1 | Feb 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12347331 | Dec 2008 | US |
Child | 14057439 | US |