The present disclosure generally relates to cartons or carriers for holding beverage containers or other types of articles.
In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carton for carrying a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprise at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel. The first top panel and the second top panel are at least partially overlapped. At least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprise a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion. The main portion has a first handle portion and the distal portion has a second handle portion. The distal portion has an exterior surface at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion. The carton further comprises a handle comprising at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a carton for carrying a plurality of articles. The blank comprises a plurality of panels comprising at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel, the first top panel and the second top panel are configured to be at least partially overlapped. At least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprises a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion. The main portion has a first handle portion and the distal portion has a second handle portion. The distal portion has an exterior surface configured to be at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion. Features for forming a handle comprise at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a carton for carrying a plurality of articles. The method comprises obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel. The first top panel and the second top panel are configured to be at least partially overlapped. At least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprises a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion. The main portion has a first handle portion and the distal portion has a second handle portion. The distal portion has an exterior surface configured to be at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion. Features for forming a handle comprise at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion. The method comprises forming at least a portion of an interior of the carton by folding the plurality of panels about the plurality of articles, and forming the handle by positioning the distal portion so that the exterior surface of the distal portion is in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion. The positioning the distal portion comprises positioning the first handle portion relative to the second handle portion to form the handle.
Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.
The present disclosure generally relates to various features for cartons, cartons, packages, containers, etc., that contain articles such as containers, bottles, cans, boxes, 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, paperboard, composite paperboard and plastic, 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 or carriers 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., brick-shaped containers) as disposed within the carton embodiments. In this specification, the terms “lower,” “bottom,” “upper” and “top” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright cartons.
In one embodiment, the blank 3 is sized to form a carton 5 that contains twelve containers C or packages in a single layer in a 3×4 arrangement. But, it is understood that the blank 3 and/or carton 5 may be sized and shaped to hold containers C of a different or same quantity in more than one layer and/or in different row/column arrangements (e.g., 1×6, 2×3, 2×6, 2×4, 2×2, 2×6×2, 2×4×2, 2×9, etc.). In the illustrated embodiment, the carton 5 has at least partially open ends 6, 8 and generally wraps around the containers C contacting the top and bottom of the group of containers. In one embodiment, the carton 5 may be referred to as a “wrap-around carton or carrier”. Alternatively, the carton 5 could be a carton with ends that are closed by one or more end flaps with the containers being loaded into the partially formed carton prior to closing one or more ends of the carton without departing from the disclosure.
The carton 5 has a reinforced handle 7 that is used for grasping and carrying the carton. The handle 7 is formed by multiple layers of material of the blank 3 so that the handle is strengthened to reduce handle failure. For example, according to one embodiment, the handle 7 comprises two or more layers of material. According to another embodiment, the handle 7 comprises three layers of material.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the second side panel 17 includes an opening or window 31. The first top panel 21 includes a main portion 33 foldably connected to the first side panel 13 at the fold line 23 and a distal portion 35 foldably connected to the main portion by a lateral fold line 37. The main portion 33 has a first handle portion 41 foldably connected to the main portion at lateral fold lines 43, 45 and at least partially defined by tear lines 47, 49. An elongate handle opening 51 is adjacent the first handle portion 41 in the main portion 33 of the first top panel 21. The main portion 33 of the first top panel 21 has a first plurality of openings 53 that are generally aligned in the longitudinal direction L1 and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction L1, and a second plurality of openings 55 that are generally aligned in the longitudinal direction and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. As will be discussed later below, the openings 53, 55 allow glue to pass through the main portion 33 of the first top panel 21 to a panel located below the main portion to facilitate forming of strengthening features of the handle 7.
In the first embodiment, the distal portion 35 includes a second handle portion 61 foldably connected to the first handle portion 41 at the lateral fold line 37. The second handle portion 61 is foldably connected to the distal portion 35 are lateral fold lines 63, 65 and is at least partially defined by arcuate cuts 67, 69 extending from a respective tear line 47, 49 to a respective fold line 63, 65. Also, the second handle portion 61 is defined by a curved cut 71 extending between a central portion of the second handle portion and defining a comfort flap 73 adjacent to the second handle portion.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the panels 11, 13, 17, 21, 25 have respective first end flaps 81, 83, 85, 87, 89 at a first marginal portion of the blank 3 such that the first end flaps are foldably connected to respective panels by a longitudinal fold line 90. The panels 11, 13, 17, 21, 25 have respective second end flaps 91, 93, 95, 97, 99 at a second marginal portion of the blank 3 such that the second end flaps are foldably connected to respective panels by a longitudinal fold line 100. The first end flaps 81, 83, 85, 87, 89 are for closing the first end 6 of the carton 5 and the second end flaps 91, 93, 95, 97, 99 are for closing the second end 8 of the carton. One or more of the first end flaps 81, 83, 85, 87, 89 and second end flaps 91, 93, 95, 97, 99 can be foldably connected to each other at respective fold lines, or one or more of the end flaps can have respective gussets or webs foldably connecting adjacent first or second end flaps or one or more of the end flaps can be tuck-in panels or flaps without departing from the disclosure. The end flaps could be otherwise shaped, arranged, configured, and/or omitted without departing from the disclosure.
In one embodiment, the leading edge portion 109 of the distal portion 35, or other features of the handle 7, can have engaging or locking features that engage one or more features or portions of the main portion 33 or other feature to allow the handle 7 to be formed without the need for glue or tape. In one embodiment, the folding of the distal portion 35 relative to the main portion 33 of the first top panel 21 from the position of
As shown in
The handle 7 of the carton 5 includes a reinforced handle portion 121 that is formed by the three handle portions 41, 61, 75 that are overlapped and adhered in the manner described above or an alternative method of forming. The reinforced handle portion 121 can be grasped at the opening 80 and lifted in the direction of arrow A3 by tearing along tear lines 47, 49, and 78, 79 to separate the reinforced handle portion from the first top panel 21 and second top panel 25, as shown in
The first end 6 of the carton can be at least partially closed by positioning the first end flaps 81, 83, 85, 87, 89 and the second end 8 of the carton can be at least partially closed by positioning the second end flaps 91, 93, 95, 97, 99. In alternative embodiments, the ends 6, 8 can be fully open or fully closed without departing from the disclosure.
In general, the blank may be constructed from paperboard having a caliper so that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blank can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the carton to function at least generally as described above. The blank can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect information printed on the blanks. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blanks can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.
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.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, 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 or depressed 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. In situations where cutting is used to create a fold line, typically the cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable user to incorrectly consider the fold line to be a tear line.
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. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments, but various other combinations, modifications, and environments are within the scope of the disclosure 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. 61/634,305 filed Feb. 27, 2012. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/634,305, which was filed on Feb. 27, 2012, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61634305 | Feb 2012 | US |