Patent Application
20120285854
The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding and dispensing beverage containers, cans, or other types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cartons that clip onto at least a portion of one or more containers.
In general, one aspect of the disclosure is generally directed to a package comprising a carrier at least partially holding at least one container. The at least one container can comprise a top portion and a body portion. The carrier comprises a top panel, a first outer side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a first inner side panel foldably connected to the first outer side panel, a second outer side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a second inner side panel foldably connected to the second outer side panel, a first bottom panel foldably connected to the first inner side panel, and a second bottom panel foldably connected to the second inner side panel. At least one container-receiving portion can comprise a first retaining feature extending in at least one of the first inner side panel and the first outer side panel and an opposing second retaining feature extending in at least one of the second inner side panel and the second outer side panel. The top portion of the at least one container can be at least partially retained by at least one of the first retaining feature and the second retaining feature. Each of the first bottom panel and the second bottom panel is at least partially disposed between the top panel and the top portion of the at least one container.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a carrier for at least partially holding at least one container. The at least one container can comprise a top portion and a body portion. The blank comprises a top panel, a first outer side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a first inner side panel foldably connected to the first outer side panel, a second outer side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a second inner side panel foldably connected to the second outer side panel, a first bottom panel foldably connected to the first inner side panel, and a second bottom panel foldably connected to the second inner side panel. The blank can further comprise receiving features for forming at least one container-receiving portion in the carrier formed from the blank. The receiving features comprise a first retaining feature extending in at least one of the first inner side panel and the first outer side panel and an opposing second retaining feature extending in at least one of the second inner side panel and the second outer side panel. At least one of the first retaining feature and the second retaining feature can be for at least partially retaining the top portion of the at least one container in the carrier formed from the blank. At least a portion of each of the first bottom panel and the second bottom panel is for being at least partially disposed between the top panel and the top portion of the at least one container when the carrier is formed from the blank.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a package. The method comprises obtaining a blank comprising a top panel, a first outer side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a first inner side panel foldably connected to the first outer side panel, a second outer side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a second inner side panel foldably connected to the second outer side panel, a first bottom panel foldably connected to the first inner side panel, a second bottom panel foldably connected to the second inner side panel, and receiving features comprising a first retaining feature extending in at least one of the first inner side panel and the first outer side panel and an opposing second retaining feature extending in at least one of the second inner side panel and the second outer side panel. The method can further comprise forming a carrier having an interior and at least one container-receiving portion by folding the blank so that the first bottom panel and the second bottom panel are at least partially overlapped opposite to the top panel. The at least one container-receiving portion can comprise the first retaining feature and the second retaining feature. The method can further comprise positioning at least one container to be respectfully received in the at least one container-receiving portion with at least a portion of the first bottom panel and the second bottom panel being disposed between the top panel and a top portion of the at least one container.
Other aspects, features, and details of the present disclosure can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
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. Further, 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 ore 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 carriers, constructs, sleeves, cartons, or the like, and packages for holding and displaying containers such as cups, jars, bottles, cans, etc. The containers can be used for packaging food and beverage products, for example. The containers 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 and the like; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; aluminum and/or other metals; or any combination thereof.
Carriers according to the present disclosure can accommodate containers of numerous different shapes. For the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure, the following detailed description describes food product containers (e.g., glass jars, plastic containers, or aluminum cans) at least partially disposed within the carrier embodiments. In this specification, the terms “lower,” “bottom,” “upper,” “top,” “outer,” and “inner” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected carriers or packages.
Referring to
One or more cuts may be included in one or more of the transverse fold lines 114, 118, 122, 126, 130, 134 to facilitate folding along the fold lines. Any number of cuts may be formed in any of the fold lines, and the number and length of the cuts may be selected according to, for example, the gauge and/or the stiffness of the material used to form the blank 103. The fold lines 114, 118, 122, 126, 130, 134 may be formed by other methods (e.g., crease lines without cuts) without departing from the disclosure.
In the illustrated embodiment, the two container-receiving portions 107, 109 are arranged in a single row. Each container-receiving portion 107, 109 is shaped and sized to receive at least the lid L of one of the containers C that is to be held within the erected carrier 105. In the exemplary embodiment, two containers C are accommodated in the erected carrier 105, forming the 1×2 package 106. Other package configurations, such as 1×3, 1×4, or 2×2, etc. are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Each container-receiving portion 107, 109 includes a first outer retaining feature 136 extending in the first outer side panel 112, a first inner retaining feature 138 extending in the first inner side panel 116, a second outer retaining feature 140 extending in the second outer side panel 124, and a second inner retaining feature 142 extending in the second inner side panel 128. In one embodiment, the first outer retaining feature 136 and the first inner retaining feature 138 of each container-receiving portion 107, 109 can, collectively, comprise a first retaining feature, and the second outer retaining feature 140 and the second inner retaining feature 142 of each container-receiving portion 107, 109 can, collectively, comprise a second retaining feature.
As shown in
As shown in
According to the illustrated embodiment, the blank 103 can include locking features for interlocking the bottom panels 120, 132 in the carrier 105 (
An exemplary method of erection of the carrier 105 to form the package 106 is discussed below with reference to
In the illustrated embodiment, a container C can be aligned with each of the container-receiving portions 107, 109 with the top surfaces of the lids L in contact with the interlocked bottom panels 120, 130 so that the lids L are generally aligned with the inner retaining features 138, 142. The containers C can be pushed toward the interior 192 of the carrier 105 until the interlocked bottom panels 120, 132 are forced against the top panel 110. As the interlocked bottom panels 120, 132 move towards the top panel 110, the inner side panels 116, 128 and the outer side panels 112, 124 are drawn inwardly against the sides of the containers C, as shown in
Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the containers C can be retained in the carrier 105 without requiring adhesives or other fasteners. Instead, the containers C are supported at the rims R by the inner retention flaps 156, 158, 166, 164 of the inner retention features 138, 142 and the outer retention tabs 148, 150 of the outer retention features 136, 140. Any force tending to pull one or more of the containers C away from the carrier 105 is resisted by the inner retention flaps 156, 158, 166, 164 and the outer retention tabs 148, 150 engaging the rims R. Any force tending to pull one or all of the inner side panels 116, 128 and outer side panels 112, 124 away from the containers C is resisted by the respective bottom panels 120, 132, which are retained between the rims R and the top panel 110. The engagement of the primary locking tabs 180 with the respective locking apertures 182 and secondary locking tabs 186 prevents the bottom panels 120, 132 from moving away from one another. Accordingly, the locking tabs further resist movement of the side panels 112, 116, 124, 128 away from the containers C to further resist opening of the carrier 105. Alternatively, the package 106 can be erected by other forming steps and features without departing from the disclosure. For example, one or more of the panels can be glued together to further help secure the carrier 105 and the containers C in the package 106.
The erected package 106 is shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the package 506 can be assembled in a similar manner as described above with regard to the package 106 of the first embodiment.
Any of the features of the various embodiments of the disclosure can be combined with, replaced by, or otherwise configured with other features of other embodiments of the disclosure without departing from the scope of this 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 blank may then be coated with a varnish to protect information printed on the blanks. The blank may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blank 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 exemplary embodiments. Various additions, modifications, changes, etc., could be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and 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. 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. 61/518,885, filed May 13, 2011. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/518,885, which was filed on May 13, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61518885 | May 2011 | US |
