Paperboard carton with end wall handles

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6250542
  • Patent Number
    6,250,542
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, July 11, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, June 26, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
According to the present invention, there is provided a paperboard carton having end wall handles. In further detail, the paperboard carton has a base panel, a top panel, two oppositely disposed side panels and two oppositely disposed end walls, each end wall comprising a portion of multiple thickness in which portion there is a handle opening.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to paperboard cartons with end wall handles.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




According to the present invention, there is provided a paperboard carton having a base panel, a top panel, two oppositely disposed side panels and two oppositely disposed end walls, each end wall comprising a portion of multiple thickness in which portion there is a handle opening.




Preferably each end wall comprises an upper portion which is hingedly connected to the top panel and which comprises said multiple thickness portion, and a lower portion which is hingedly connected to the base panel, the upper portion being adhesively secured to the lower portion to fully enclose the ends of the carton. In a preferred arrangement the upper portion of each end wall comprises a first panel hingedly connected to the top panel, a second panel hingedly connected to the first panel and adhesively secured with respect to the first panel. Normally, the hinge connection between the first and second panels of each end wall is substantially parallel to the hinge connection between the first panel and the top panel.




In further embodiments each end wall further comprises a third panel. Conveniently said third panel is hingedly connected to said second panel, the hinge connection being substantially perpendicular to the hinge connection between the first and second panels. In one arrangement said third panel is hingedly secured between the first and second panels.




It is a preferred feature that a pair of side end panels is hingedly connected to respective side panels at each end of the carton, said side end panels being folded inwardly of the upper and lower end wall portions.




Preferably the top, one side panel, base and the other side panel are hingedly connected in series by means of substantially parallel fold lines and also an adhesive flap is hingedly connected to the top panel opposite said one side panel for attachment to the other side panel.




With preferred embodiments lines of weakening are provided in the top panel to facilitate access to the contents of the carton and conveniently said lines of weakening extend into the side panels.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1

shows a blank for producing a carton according to the present invention,





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the assembled carton,











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




In the figures there is shown a paperboard blank


10


for producing a carton


11


containing a number of articles such as bottles or cans which are not shown. In the arrangement shown there would be a rectangular 6×4 array of bottles but any array of products could be accommodated with simple alterations to the dimensions and proportions of the blank


10


.




The blank


10


has a rectangular base panel


12


having at each opposite lengthwise end a lower end wall


13


which is hingedly connected by a fold


14


to the base panel


12


. Opposite the fold


14


, each lower end wall


13


has an adhesive application area


15


and a parallel crease


16


slightly closer to the fold


14


. When the carton is assembled, the crease


16


allows the blank to follow more closely the shape of the necks of the bottles contained in the carton.




At opposite side edges


17


of the base


12


, first and second side panels


18


,


19


are hingedly connected. Each side panel


18


,


19


has a side end panel


20


hingedly connected at each end. The first side panel


18


terminates at its edge opposite the base


12


and has a small opening area


21


defined by lines of weakening


22


.




The second side panel


19


also has a small opening area


21


defined by lines of weakening


22


but also has a top panel


23


hingedly connected to it along fold


24


which is substantially parallel to the side edges


17


. Opposite the fold


24


is an adhesive panel


25


hingedly connected to the top panel. Substantially parallel lines of weakening


26


extend across the top panel


23


and the adhesive panel


25


from the ends of the lines of weakening


22


in the second side panel


19


, at locations situated towards the lengthwise end edges


27


of the top panel.




At the end edges


27


, first upper end wall panels


28


are hingedly connected to the top panel


23


. Second upper end wall panels


29


are then hingedly connected by folds


30


which are parallel to end edges


27


and then third upper end wall panels


31


are hingedly connected by folds


32


which are perpendicular to the folds


30


. Handle holes


33


are formed in each of the upper end wall panels


28


,


29


,


30


.




Assembly of the carton


11


is simple and can be done around the articles or can be preformed as a sleeve with open ends prior to the insertion of the articles and closure of the end walls. Only one way of assembly will be described below, other ways of assembly being readily apparent to the skilled person.




The articles are placed on the base panel and the side panels


18


,


19


are folded up with the side end panels


20


being folded inwardly so as to lie against the articles. The top panel


23


is folded over the tops of the articles and the adhesive panel


25


, to which adhesive has already been applied is secured to the inside surface of the first side panel


18


between the articles and the first side panel


18


.




The third upper end panels


31


are folded about folds


32


and adhered to the respective second upper end panels


29


. These combinations of panels


29


/


31


are then folded about folds


30


and adhered to the respective first upper end panels


28


. The lower end walls


13


are folded upwardly about the folds


14


, adhesive is applied to areas


15


and the upper panel combinations


28


,


29


,


31


are folded down on to the respective adhesive areas


15


thereby securing and enclosing the ends of the carton


11


.




The positioning of the holes


33


is such that the holes in each wall are aligned so that the carton can be carried in a similar manner as a crate. Also the lines of weakening


22


,


26


in the top and side panels enables much of the top of the carton


11


to be removed which again is a feature normally associated with a crate. The multi-ply handle area combines strength with comfort.




It will be appreciated that more upper end wall panels could be hingedly connected depending on the required strength of the carton, or indeed one could be omitted thereby making the handle area double ply for smaller cartons. Also the configuration, size and precise shape of the panels as illustrated could be varied. However, the illustrated arrangement utilises space well so as to reduce wastage during manufacture of the blank


10


. Also, although a generally rectangular type carton has been illustrated the invention could be applied to cartons of a variety of known shapes.




While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A paperboard carton having a base panel, a top panel, two oppositely disposed side panels and two oppositely disposed end walls, each end wall comprising a portion of multiple thickness in which portion there is a handle opening, each end wall comprising an upper portion having a first panel hingedly connected to the top panel and a second panel hingedly connected to the first panel and adhesively secured with respect to the first panel thereby to constitute said multiple thickness portion, and a lower portion which is hingedly connected to the base panel, the upper portion being adhesively secured to the lower portion to fully enclose the ends of the carton.
  • 2. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carton is formed from a paperboard blank.
  • 3. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein each end wall further comprises a third panel.
  • 4. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 3 wherein said third panel is hingedly connected to said second panel, the hinge connection being substantially perpendicular to the hinge connection between the first and second panels.
  • 5. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 4 wherein said third panel is adhesively secured between the first and second panels.
  • 6. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hinge connection between the first and second panels of each end wall is substantially parallel to the hinge connection between the first panel and the top panel.
  • 7. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 6 wherein a pair of side end panels is hingedly connected to respective side panels at each end of the carton, said side end panels being folded inwardly of the upper and lower end wall portions.
  • 8. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 7 wherein the top, one side panel, base and the other side panel are hingedly connected in series by means of substantially parallel fold lines and also an adhesive flap is hingedly connected to the top panel opposite said one side panel for attachment to the other side panel.
  • 9. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein lines of weakening are provided in the top panel to facilitate access to the contents of the carton.
  • 10. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 9 wherein said lines of weakening extend into the side panels.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
9725242 Nov 1997 GB
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind 102e Date 371c Date
PCT/GB98/03366 WO 00 7/11/2000 7/11/2000
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO99/28198 6/10/1999 WO A
US Referenced Citations (10)
Number Name Date Kind
2386905 Meitzen Oct 1945
3825170 Aust et al. Jul 1974
3881648 Hall May 1975
4029207 Gordon Jun 1977
4101052 Dove Jul 1978
4105152 Elward Aug 1978
4318474 Hasegawa Mar 1982
4621766 McClure Nov 1986
4981254 Depper Jan 1991
5072876 Wilson Dec 1991
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number Date Country
88 14 572 Feb 1989 DE
296 14 417 U 1 Oct 1996 DE
0 434 401 A1 Jun 1991 EP
2 456 039 Dec 1980 FR