Patent Application
20070074988
This invention relates to cartons, and more particularly to a carton for enclosing multiple articles having a dispenser at an upper end.
Cartons for encasing and dispensing multiple articles such as soft drink cans or bottles are useful for enabling consumers to transport, store, and access the articles for consumption. The consumer typically prefers the flexibility to easily access one or more articles at a time. To that end, some cartons have dispensers which allow one or more articles to be removed, while continuing to encase the remaining articles. A portion of the carton is removed to form an opening from which articles may be dispensed.
Many cartons encase multiple rows or tiers of articles, one above the other, carried within the carton. Particularly when the articles are round cylinders, it is desirable to overcome the tendency of the articles to fall out when the consumer opens the carton or removes one or more of the articles through the dispenser. To prevent this occurrence, the dimensions and position of the opening forming the dispenser portion of the carton are frequently engineered such that remaining articles are restrained after an article is dispensed. However, such dispensers generally dispense articles one at a time or otherwise allow access to a limited number of articles. In addition, many such dispensers are difficult to operate.
Therefore, there is a need for a carton having an improved dispenser that facilitates easy access to a greater number of articles while also sufficiently restraining the articles remaining in the carton.
The present invention advances the art with an improved carton with a dispenser at its upper end for dispensing articles such as beverage cans, while retaining the articles in the carton as desired. The dispenser includes an opening feature that incorporates a portion that is at least partially detachable from the body of the carton. The opening feature also includes a detachable connection such as a tear strip, the removal of which defines the upper edge of the remainder of the carton and the lower edge of the at least partially detachable portion.
Briefly described, the exemplary cartons are for enclosing articles that are arranged a plurality of tiers, each carton having an upper end from which the dispenser is formed. For ease of understanding, the upper end can be described as including the entire top wall and portions of a front wall, a rear wall, and opposing end walls, although the phrase is intended to encompass that end that is disposed upwardly when the carton is opened, which may be the bottom or side end, for example, when the carton is carried. The dispenser includes a detachable portion that can be partially or completely separated from the lower portion of the carton. This separation can be effected by operating a detachable connection. In the exemplary embodiments, the detachable connection extends at least partially across each of said end walls and across said front wall. However, the detachable connection may extend across or partially across any of the carton walls with the objective of liberating all or part of the detachable portion to define an opening for removing any of the uppermost tier of articles from the carton.
Advantageously, the opening has an edge and at least a portion of the edge retains the uppermost tier of said articles in said carton after the detachable portion is separated along the detachable connection. In embodiments where the detachable portion is to be partially detached, a fold line extends across the rear wall of the carton between the ends of the detachable connection, such that the detachable portion is hingedly connected to the carton after it is opened. If the detachable portion is to be fully removed from the carton, the detachable connection preferably extends across said rear wall.
In any event, the opening is bounded by an edge of the remaining lower portion of the carton. In the exemplary embodiments, the edge extends along the lower portion of each end wall, and along the lower portion of the front wall. The edge serves to retain the uppermost tier of articles in the carton. To that end, the shortest distance between the top wall and the end wall portions of the edge is less than the height of the articles in the uppermost tier, thereby preventing articles from rolling out of the carton even though the entire upper tier is revealed.
The carton is formed from a unitary blank that includes a front panel with opposing side edges and opposing end edges, a rear panel with opposing side edges and opposing end edges, and front and rear end flaps connected to the front and rear panel, respectively, along the opposing end edges thereof. In the illustrated embodiments, the detachable connection includes parallel severance lines that extend substantially continuously across one front end flap, onto and across the front panel, and onto and across the other front end flap that is connected to the opposite end edge of the front panel. In this fashion, the detachable connection approximates at least a portion of a tear strip.
The detachable connection may include tear initiation means, such as push tabs, to facilitate grasping an end of the tear strip to cross tear it from the carton. Indeed, any number of detachable connections and tear initiation means may be used to separate the detachable portion from the carton body as described herein.
The rear panel also has a pair of rear end flaps along its opposing end edges. Each rear end flap includes a complementary segment that cooperates with the portion of the detachable connection that spans the front panel and its associated front end flaps. Each complementary segment is positioned on the rear end flap to underlie the segment in the corresponding front end flap when the carton is erected. The corresponding front and rear end flaps are secured in a face contacting arrangement so that tearing the front panel and front end flap portions of the detachable connection will also tear away the rear end flap segments of the detachable connection. Thus, the rear end flap segments are also formed from a pair of severance lines extending from the distal edge of each rear end flap substantially to the adjacent end edge of the rear panel.
When the carton is erected and loaded with articles, which in the exemplary embodiments are substantially cylindrical, the resultant package is arranged such that the dispenser can reveal and retain the upper most tier of articles when the carton is opened, particularly when the articles in the uppermost tier have the same diameter or cross sectional area along the length of the article. The articles are arranged on their sides in at least one tier, with each tier extending along the bottom of the carton such that the ends of the articles are positioned along the side walls of the carton. The at least partially detachable portion of the carton that is integral to the article dispenser is formed at least from the top wall, and is connected at least to the front wall and the end walls by the detachable connection. Thereby, the detachable connection forms a severable line of joinder that, when severed, defines a front edge and end edges of the resultant opening. The minimum distance between the top wall and each of the end edges of the opening is less than the diameter of the endmost articles in the uppermost tier, so that the end edges of the opening form stopper walls to prevent the endmost articles in the uppermost tier from rolling out of the carton. The front edge may similarly be less than a diameter from the top wall, or may arch or angle downward to reveal at least part of the ends of articles in lower tiers.
In certain embodiments, the detachable connection includes two tear strips that are aligned to extend continuously across the end walls and the front wall. The tear initiation arrangement that facilitating a user's cross-tearing motion for detaching the detachable connection includes to push tabs, each being formed from an end of one of the tear strips. The push tabs can be located at the abutting ends of the tear strips, or the ends of the tear strips that extend onto the end walls.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It must be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms, and combinations thereof. As used herein, the word “exemplary” is used expansively to refer to embodiments that serve as illustrations, specimens, models, or patterns. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. In other instances, well-known components, systems, materials, or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, the drawings illustrate certain of the various aspects of exemplary embodiments of a carton including a dispenser at its upper end, according to the teachings of the present invention. As used herein, the phrase “upper end” refers to a portion of the carton that is intended to be uppermost when the carton is opened so that articles can be dispensed, and is not limited to any particular end of the carton. In other words, an end that is uppermost when the sealed carton is carried may not be the upper end when the carton is positioned for opening.
Referring to
End flaps are hingedly connected to opposite ends of each primary panel along fold lines that are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank 10. A first rear end flap 30 and a second rear end flap 32 are hingedly connected to opposite ends of the rear panel 12 along fold lines 34, 36, respectively. First front end flap 38 and a second front end flap 40 are hingedly connected along respective fold lines 42, 44 to opposite ends of the front panel 16. The blank 10 also includes minor end flaps that are hingedly connected to the panels 14, 22, 24. Bottom end flaps 46, 48 are hingedly connected to the bottom panel 14 along fold lines 50, 52, respectively. First top end flaps 54, 56 are hingedly connected to first top panel 22 along fold lines 58, 60, respectively, and second top end flaps 62, 64 are hingedly connected to second top panel 24 along fold lines 66, 68 respectively.
Severance lines extend at least partially across the front panel 16 and at least partially across end flaps 30, 32, 38, 40 so as to align when the carton 100 is erected, thereby forming an opening feature of a dispenser N for the carton 100, as described in further detail below. In the exemplary embodiment, tear strips 76, 78 provide an opening feature of the dispenser N. The tear strips are partially defined by a pair of substantially parallel severance lines 70a, 70b that extends laterally across the front panel 16 and across end flaps 38, 40 to define a fully detachable connection 84 that extends between edges of the blank 10. In addition, severance lines 72a, 72b extend from the outer edge 73 of rear end flap 30 toward fold line 34, and meet or otherwise intersect one another at some point along or near the fold line 34, to define a fully detachable segment of rear end flap 30 and a distal end of the tear strip 76. Similarly, severance lines 74a, 74b extend from the outer edge 75 of rear end flap 32 toward fold line 36 and intersect one another at some point along or near the fold line 36, to define a fully detachable segment of rear end flap 32 and a distal end of the tear strip 78. In the exemplary embodiment, a fold line 132 is disposed in the rear panel 12 and extends between the detachable segments of the rear end flaps 30, 32 or otherwise between the distal ends of the tear strips 76, 78. The fold line 132 can extend between a point where the severance lines 72a, 72b intersect and a point where the severance lines 74a, 74b intersect. It should be noted that, in alternative embodiments, severance lines may extend onto the rear panel 12 to define a detachable segment of the rear panel 12. For example, the severance lines 72a, 72b may meet severance lines 74a, 74b, respectively, to define a detachable segment (not shown) that extends across the rear panel 12. In such an embodiment, the detachable segment would replace the fold line 132 of the embodiment shown.
When the carton is erected, the severance lines combine to form a detachable connection C including two tear strips 76, 78. Specifically, the tear strip 76 is defined by at least a segment of severance lines 70a, 70b, 72a, 72b and the tear strip 78 is defined by at least a segment of severance lines 70a, 70b, 74a, 74b. A severance line 82 extends between severance lines 70a, 70b, separates proximal ends of the tear strips 76, 78, and at least partially defines push tabs 80a, 80b. The push tabs 80a, 80b form a tear initiation arrangement 82 as each can be gripped to facilitate tear initiation along the respective severance lines which define each tear strip 76, 78, as described in further detail below. The push tabs 80a, 80b are but one example of suitable elements for the tear initiation arrangement 82, such that as but not limited to pull tabs, finger apertures, and the like.
In alternative embodiments, a single tear strip can be used to form the detachable connection C or the tear strips can be replaced with any suitable detachable connection C, such as a rip cord, an adhesive strip, and the like. In other alternative embodiments, the opening feature is any suitable means for creating a substantially continuous separation of one section of sheet material from another, such as, but not limited, to a zipper, a frangible line, or the like. In certain embodiments, the severance lines or opening feature may be curved or otherwise contoured, as described in further detail below, rather than substantially straight as shown with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in
As used herein, the phrase “frangible line” or “severance line” includes, but is not limited to, perforations, a line of perforations, a line of short slits, a line of half cuts, a single half cut, any combination of perforations, slits, and half cuts, short score lines, and the like.
The blank 10 further includes a suitable known handle H to allow the user to carry the carton 100. In the exemplary embodiment, the handle H is disposed in the bottom panel 14 such that, when the blank 10 is folded and secured to form the carton 100 as shown in
It is envisaged that, in any embodiment of the present invention, the carton can be formed from a blank by a series of sequential folding and gluing operations, which can be performed by a straight-line automatic packaging machine so that the carton is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. It is also envisaged that the series of sequential folding and gluing operations can be manually performed. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be altered according to particular manufacturing or user requirements.
According to an exemplary method, the carton 100 can be partially constructed and preglued or otherwise secured as a tubular structure which may be collapsed for shipping or for loading into an automatic packaging machine. To form the collapsed tubular structure, the first top panel 22 is folded such that the inside surface of the first top panel 22 is in flat face contact with the inside surface of the rear panel 12. Glue is applied to the outside surface of the first top panel 22 and to the outside surface of each of the first top end flaps 54, 56 such that, as the blank 10 is folded along the fold line 20, the inside surface of the second top panel 24 at least partially overlaps, is in flat face contact with, and is thereby secured to the outside surface of the first top panel 22 to form a composite top panel 22/24. Similarly, the second top end flaps 62, 64 are secured to the first top end flaps 54, 56 to form composite end flaps 54/62, 56/64, respectively. When the collapsed tubular structure is formed as described above, the inside surface of the front panel 16 is in flat face contact with or otherwise overlaps at least a portion of the inside surface of the bottom panel 14 and at least a portion of the inside surface of the rear panel 12. The sheet material of the blank 10 can be secured together by any other known or yet to be developed means for securing sheet material, including glue or other adhesives, staples, mechanical fasteners, Velcro®, and the like.
The walls of the collapsed tubular structure are pulled apart to erect the tubular structure and articles are loaded through one or both of the open ends of the tubular structure. When arranged as a tubular structure, the rear panel 12, the bottom panel 14, the front panel 16, and the composite top panel 22/24 form a rear wall 112, a bottom wall 114, a front wall 116, and a top wall 118, respectively.
Once articles have been loaded, the end flaps are folded to form end closure structures at each open end of the tubular structure and thereby define end walls of the carton 100. Specifically, one of the end closure structures is formed as the end flaps 46, 54/62 are folded inwardly along fold lines 50, 58/66, respectively. Further, the end flaps 30, 38 are folded inwardly along fold lines 34, 42, respectively, and the end flaps are secured together in an at least partially overlapping arrangement to form a composite first end wall 120. Likewise, end flaps 48, 56/64, 32, 40 are folded inwardly along fold lines and secured together in an at least partially overlapping arrangement to form a second composite end wall 122. The end flaps are secured to one another by glue or other means for securing, as described above.
The carton 100 is then fully erected and loaded as shown in
The articles B are arranged in the carton 100 in a matrix formation with sides thereof substantially parallel to the end walls 120, 122 and opposite ends thereof substantially adjacent to the rear and front walls 112,116. The matrix consists of several layers of articles B, each layer being disposed atop a previous layer to form tiers T of articles B. The first, or endmost, article B in each tier T is a member of a first column of articles, the second article B in each tier T is a member of a second column, and so on. It should be noted that the severance line defined by severance lines 70a, 72a, 74a is located relative to the uppermost tier T of articles B, as described in further detail below.
The tear strips 76, 78 are positioned such that the distance S (shown in
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the carton described represents only one example of the various types and configurations of cartons that will be suitable for implementation of the various embodiments of the hinged top dispenser of the present invention. In addition, although the articles shown in the exemplary embodiments are cylindrical with circular cross-sections, the teachings of the present invention are applicable to cylindrical articles with different or irregular cross-sections.
The present invention has been illustrated in relation to a particular embodiment which is intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is capable of many modifications and variations without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, as used herein, directional references such as “top”, “base”, “bottom”, “end”, “side”, “inner”, “outer”, “upper”, “middle”, “lower”, “front” and “rear” do not limit the respective walls of the carton to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these walls from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a junction including a single hinge only; indeed, it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more potentially disparate means for hingedly connecting materials.
The above-described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Variations, modifications, and combinations may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. All such variations, modifications, and combinations are included herein by the scope of this disclosure and the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/714,174, filed Sep. 2, 2005, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60714174 | Sep 2005 | US |
