The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding and dispensing containers or other types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cartons with a tray to separate at least two layers of articles and to support the top layer of the articles.
In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carton for containing a plurality of articles arranged in at least a first layer and a second layer above the first layer. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton and an opening feature for accessing the articles in the carton. The opening feature extends in at least one panel of the plurality of panels. A tray is disposed at least partially in the interior of the carton. At least a portion of the tray can be positioned between the first layer and the second layer. The tray can be for supporting the articles in the second layer to allow removal of the articles in the second layer after activation of the opening feature of the carton.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to, in combination, a carton blank and a tray blank for forming a carton for containing a plurality of articles arranged in at least a first layer and a second layer above the first layer. The carton blank comprises a plurality of panels for at least partially extending around an interior of the carton formed from the blank and an opening feature extending in at least one panel of the plurality of panels. The tray blank comprises at least a main panel for at least partially forming a tray disposed at least partially in the interior of the carton formed from the carton blank. At least a portion of the main panel is for being positioning between the first layer and the second layer. When the carton is formed, the tray is for supporting the articles in the second layer to allow removal of the articles in the second layer after activation of the opening feature of the carton formed from the carton blank.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a carton. The method comprises obtaining a carton blank and a tray blank. The carton blank comprises a plurality of panels and an opening feature extending in at least one panel of the plurality of panels, and the tray blank comprises at least a main panel. The method further comprises forming an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-ended sleeve. The method also can comprise forming a tray from the tray blank and arranging a plurality of containers in at least a first layer and a second layer so that at least a portion of the main panel of the tray is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The method further can comprise inserting the plurality of containers and the tray at least partially into the interior of the carton. The tray can support the articles in the second layer to allow removal of the articles in the second layer after activation of the opening feature of the carton.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of opening a carton. The method comprises obtaining a carton comprising a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, an opening feature extending in at least one panel of the plurality of panels, and a tray disposed at least partially in the interior of the carton. The carton contains a plurality of articles arranged in at least a first layer and a second layer above the first layer, and at least a portion of the tray is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The tray can at least partially contain the articles in the second layer. The method also can comprise at least partially opening the carton by actuating the opening feature to form an upper portion and a lower portion of the carton and at least partially removing the upper portion. The method further can comprise removing the tray and the second layer of articles from the lower portion of the carton.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a handle in a carton. The method comprises obtaining a carton comprising a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, an opening feature extending in at least one panel of the plurality of panels, and obtaining a tray disposed at least partially in the interior of the carton, the tray comprising a main panel and a handle foldably connected to the main panel. The carton can contain a plurality of articles arranged in at least a first layer and a second layer above the first layer, and at least a portion of the main panel can be disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The method further can comprise grasping the handle of the tray and folding the handle out from the interior of the carton.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a package comprising a carton containing a plurality of articles arranged in at least a first layer and a second layer above the first layer. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton and an opening feature for accessing the articles in the carton. The opening feature can extend in at least one panel of the plurality of panels. The package further comprises a tray at least partially disposed in the carton. At least a portion of the tray is positioned between the first layer and the second layer. The tray can support the articles in the second layer when removing the articles in the second layer after activation of the opening feature of the carton.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a tray for being at least partially positioned between at least a first layer of containers and a second layer of containers. The tray comprises a main panel and an end flap foldably connected to the main panel. The end flap comprises a first portion and a second portion foldably connected to the first portion. The tray can further comprise a handle comprising a first handle panel in the first portion of the end flap and a second handle panel in the second portion of the end flap. The first handle panel can be foldably connected to the second handle panel, and the second handle panel can at least partially overlap the first handle panel. The first handle panel is at least partially defined by a tear line extending in the first portion of the end flap.
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 including packages including a carton housing a plurality of articles and a divider positioned between layers of the articles. Cartons of the present disclosure can contain articles that can be, for example, beverage or food containers. The articles can also include soup cans or other food or beverage containers such as, for example, bottles, cans, PET containers, or other containers. 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, glass; aluminum and/or other metals; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; paperboard, composite paperboard and plastic; 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., aluminum cans or glass bottles) as disposed within the carton embodiments. In this specification, the terms “inner,” “outer,” “lower,” “bottom,” “upper,” and “top” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright cartons.
The carton blank 8 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the carton blank 8 comprises a top panel 10 foldably connected to a first side panel 20 at a first transverse fold line 21, a first side panel 30 foldably connected to the top panel 10 at a second transverse fold line 31, and a bottom panel 40 foldably connected to the second side panel 30 at a third transverse fold line 41. An adhesive flap 50 can be foldably connected to the bottom panel 40 at a fourth transverse fold line 51.
The top panel 10 is foldably connected to a first top end flap 12 and a second top end flap 14. The first side panel 20 is foldably connected to a first side end flap 22 and a second side end flap 24. The second side panel 30 is foldably connected to a first side end flap 32 and a second side end flap 34. The bottom panel 40 is foldably connected to a first bottom end flap 42 and a second bottom end flap 44. When the carton 150 is erected, the end flaps 12, 22, 32, and 42 close a first end 53 of the carton 150, and the end flaps 14, 24, 34, and 44 close a second end 55 of the carton 150. In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, different flap arrangements can be used for closing the ends of the carton.
The end flaps 12, 22, 32, and 42 may extend along a first marginal area of the carton blank 8, and may be foldably connected at a first longitudinal fold line 62 that extends along the length of the carton blank 8. The end flaps 14, 24, 34, and 44 may extend along a second marginal area of the carton blank 8, and may be foldably connected at a second longitudinal fold line 64 that also extends along the length of the carton blank 8. The longitudinal fold lines 62, 64 may be, for example, substantially straight, or offset at one or more locations to account for blank thickness or for other factors.
The carton blank 8 has opening features that include a first tear strip 72 extending in the lateral direction L2 from an edge of the blank at the side end flap 22, across the first side panel 20, and across the second side end flap 24 to an edge of the blank. The opening features of the carton blank 8 include a second tear strip 74 extending in the lateral direction L2 from an edge of the blank at the side end flap 32, across the second side panel 30, and across the second side end flap 34 to an edge of the blank. In one embodiment, each of the tear strips 72, 74 is at least partially defined by two spaced, generally parallel tear lines 75 extending generally in the lateral direction L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the side end flaps 22, 24, 32, 34 have a respective notch 76 at a corresponding edge of the blank where the tear strip 72, 74 is located. The tear strips 72, 74 can include one or more opening tabs 78 extending adjacent one or more of the notches 76. As shown in
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the tray blank 11 includes a first end flap 112 and a second end flap 114. As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the tray 90 is formed from the tray blank 11 by upwardly folding the side panels 96, 102 and the first portions 116 of the end flaps 112, 114 relative to the main panel 92. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcing end flaps 104, 106, 108, 110 are folded relative to the side panels 96, 102 and adhered to the first portions 116 of the respective end flaps 112, 114. In one embodiment, the reinforcing end flaps 104, 106, 108, 110 are glued to the portions of the first portions 116 that are outside the tear lines 130 and are not glued to the handle panels 124, 128. Additionally, the reinforcing end flaps 104, 108 can at least partially overlap the respective reinforcing end flaps 106, 110 (
In one embodiment, the carton 150 may be erected from the carton blank 8 by first gluing or otherwise adhering the adhesive flap 50 to the inner side of the side panel 20 so that the top panel 10, the first side panel 20, the second side panel 30, and the bottom panel 40 may be opened or set up to form a generally tubular, open-ended sleeve 148 having an interior 149 (
As shown in
The containers C arranged in the two layers C1, C2 with the tray 90 therebetween can be loaded into the interior 149 of the partially erected carton or sleeve 148 (
As shown in
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the carton 150 has three components for holding and carrying the containers C in the form of the upper portion 154, the lower portion 156 that is removably attached to the upper portion 154 by the tear features 72, 74, and the tray 90. The carton 150 could have other features or the features shown could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure. For example, while the containers C are depicted in the figures as cans, the carton 150 and the tray 90 can be configured to contain any suitable beverage container or other article.
The present disclosure can be used in cartons that include various features, including additional opening features that provide easy access to the articles, and tilt features that position the articles at the front or rear end of the carton.
In general, the blanks of the present disclosure 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 there along. 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. 61/686,046, filed Mar. 29, 2012. The disclosures of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/686,046, which was filed on Mar. 29, 2012, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,321, which was issued May 18, 2010, are incorporated by reference as if presented herein in their entirety, for all purposes.
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