Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Background of Invention
This invention relates to paperboard cartons, and
more particularly to paperboard cartons used for the packag-
ing and transportation of small numbers of bottles, such as
bottles of beer or soft drinks.
Cartons which will hold small numbers, for example,
12 bottles o~ beverage have certain re~uirements to fulfil.
They should be strong enough to allow them to be carried
without risk of breaking. For the convenience of the
purchaser, they should be provided with a handle so that
they can be carried with one hand. Any such handle arrange-
ment must, however, be provided not only in a convenient
but also in an economical manner' and should be arranged
so that it does not interfere with the compact arrangement
and storage of large numbers of such cartons for shipping
in bulk. Some conventional beer 12 packs are provided with
a retractable handle which, whilst generally satisfactory,
is somewhat uneconomical to provide.
The present invention provides a paperboard carton,
for example a beer 12 pack, in which the handle is provided
with hand holes formed by the person carrying the carton, in
the top wall of the carton. The carton is formed with
score lines or associated lines of relative weakness, e.g.
perforations, which allow deformation or tear of the carton
on lifting so that the carton deforms slightly
to provide adequate clearance between the underside of the
top wall in the vicinity of the hand holes and the top of
the bottles for insertion of the carrier's hand.
Details of Invention
Thus,according to one embodiment of the present
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invention, there is pro~ided a carton having a top closure
comprising a pair of opposed top flaps with marginal end portions
adapted to overlap and be secured to each other, each flap having ;
a line of relative weakness therein adapted to define an
elongated hand receiving aperture and form a depending flap
attached to the respective top flap on breaking the top flap
along said line, the line of weakness being located so that the
potential hand apertures are adjacent leaving therebetween a web
of board which constitutes a handle member, the attachment of
the respective depending flap to the respective top flap after
breaking the top ~lap along the line of relative weakness being
located on the side of the hand aperture away from the handle
member, the closure ormed by the top flaps being scored or
perforated such that the centre port.~on is displaceable awa~
from the carton body thereby creatin~ a clearance between the
underneath of the closure and the contents in the carton whereby
the user's fingers may extend between said hand apertures and
grasp said handle member.
Preferably, cartons according to the invention are
rectangular in plan, and the lines of relative weakness comprise i
perforations formed in the top wall. The lines of relative
weakness or perforations, are torn by the carrier to form hand
holes, flaps of paperboard being thus formed which remain attached
to the respective side flaps, at a position away from the centre
of the top wall. On forming the hand holes, these flaps are pushed
inside the carton and serve to protect the carrier's hand from
contacting the tops of the bottles contained therein. In the
case of beer, the bottles are normally provided with crown caps,
and these flaps serve to protect the user's hand from being cut
by the sharp edges of the crown caps.
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The flaps formed on breaking the perforations to
form the hand holes may each be provided with a pair of score
lines extending transversely across the flaps. Thus, when the
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flaps are pushed downwardly into the carton, the outside por- ;
tions of the flaps tend to bend along the score lines, and
provide further protection from the crown caps.
There may also be second lines of relative weakness
comprising perforations extending transversely across the
entire width o the top wall, and continuing a short distance
down the side walls at the appropriate locations. By this
means, when the carton is lifted by the hand holes, these
perforations tear not only across the entire width of the top
wall but also a short distance down the side walls, thereby
allowing greater 1exing of the cen~er part o the side walls
so that the center part of the top wall, containing the handle,
can raise up above the top of the bottles to a larger extent.
This provides added clearance for the user's hand.
In an alternative embodiment, the carton top wall
is provided only with said irst line of relative weakness
deining said hand receiving apertures and associated score
lines extending longitudinall~ along the length of the top
wall adjacent the overlapping region of the side flaps, the
latter not being secured to any underlying end wall flaps.
Additionally, the portions of the overlapping top
flaps in the center region are also left unsecured, this
allowing ad~antageous additional de1ection o~ the central
regions of the top wall rom the carton contents for ease of
hand insertion when being carried as well as allowing the
carton to be easily opened.
To ensure that the handle ormed in the top wall o
the paperboard carton has suficient strength, it is preerred
to provide some reinorcement in the top wall o one or both
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of the top flaps, at the vicinity of their overlapping margins.
For this purpose, reinforcing fibrous tape may be built into
the paperboard at the desired location. Such tape need not,
of course, extend to the area of the perforations if present,
but if it does it is perforated simultaneously with its
associated flap.
Cartons according to the present invention are ;
simple and economical to manufacture, from standard materials.
They are convenient and generally aesthetically pleasing to
use.
A specific preferred embodiment of the invention is
illustrated in the accompanying drawingsj in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view o a carton according
to the invention, in a sealed condition~
; Figure 2 is a similar view of the carton of ;
Figure 1 in a hand carrying condition.
~; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper part of
another carton according to the present invention, the carton
being in a hand carrying condition.
In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate ~ -
like parts.
With reference to Figure 1, the carton of the
invention has end walls 10 and side walls 11 of generally
rectangular configuration. The top wall is comprised of a
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pair of opposed elongated rectangular top flaps 12, 13 with
marginal portions adapted to overlap longitudinally at 14,
and glued together at their overlap to complete the carton.
`; Near the mid-point of each top flap 12, 13 are
provided respective first lines of relative weakness,
namely, perforations 15, 16, each set of which perforations
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- formsan uncompleted ellipse defining the hand aperture, the
uncompleted parts 17, 18, being towards the side walls 11.
Between the respective perforations 15, 16, and end walls
10, there are provided secona lines of relative weakness,
namely, transverse perforations 19; 20, one to each side of
the pair of perforations 15, 16. These extend all the way
across the top wall, and a short way down each side wall 11,
as at 21, and are substantially parallel to the top edge
of the end walls 10. The top wall is also provided with
third lines of relative weakness, namely, perforations 22,
23, 24 and 25 extending outwardly from perforations 19 and
20 along the top edge of side walls 11 to end walls 10.
In Figure 2, the carton i5 shown in its hand carry-
ing condi~ion. To convert the carton from its storage condi-
tion shown in Figure 1 to its carrying condition shown in
Figure 2, the perforations 15, 16 are broken so as to provide
elongated hand receiving apertures. The flaps of paperboard
26, 27 which are pushed downwardly on breaking perforations
15, 16 remain attached to the respective flaps 12, 13 at
, 20 the non-perforated parts 17 and 18 of the ellipse. The
flaps 26, 27 remain inside the carton, overlying the top of
~: the bottles contained therein. The user can then insert his
-~ hand through one aperture to the other, and grip the part 28
between these apertures as a carrying handle. The flaps 26,
27 inside the carton act as shields, protecting the user's
hand from damage by contact with the contents, e.g. crown
capped bottles. The flaps 26, 27 are each scored with two
lines, 32, 33 respectively, extending transversely across
the flaps from the formerly unperforated parts of the ellipse.
Thus when the flaps 26, 27 are pressed downwardly into the
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carton, they tend to bend along the lines 32, 33 so that the
outside portions of the flaps provide further protection
for the user's hand from damage by contact with the crown
capped bottles inside. The carrying handle 28 i5 strengthened
by the provision of reinforcing tape throughout the length
; of the overlap 14 in both top flaps, as previously described.
Either as the carton is lifted by handle 28, or as
a separate operation if desired, the transverse perforations
19, 20 tear across the flaps 12 and 13, and down side walls
11 at 21. This allows the centre portion 29 of the top wall,
between perforations 19, 20 to become raised, partly on
account of the flexing now permitted of the centre p~rt of
the side walls 11. Thus the user's hand is provided with
added clearance between the under side of handle 2~ and the
top of the contents, to allow comfortable carrying of the
carton.
To open the carton to provide access to the contents,
the flaps 12, 13 are torn along perforations 22, 23, 24 and
25 so that end portion 30, 31 of the top wall can be folded
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- 20 back at the junction with the top of end walls 10. Complete
- access to the centre portion of the carton is achieved by
detaching flap 12 from flap 13 at the glued overlap part 14.
; If ! as is customary in connection with cartons of
bottles of beer, it is desired to return the empty bottles in
; the original carton, the carton according to the present
invention can be used for this purpose. The empty bottles
can be assembled in the open carton, the centre portion 29
; of the flap 12, 13 brought into their closed positions
generally as shown in Figure 2, and the carton gripped by
means of handles 28. Whilst the flaps 12, 13 at the centre
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portion are no longer glued together, carrying handle 28 ;
retains sufficient strength in this position for the .
transportation of the carton full of empty bottles.
Turning to the alternative embodiment illustrated
in Figure 3, this carton comprises end walls lO and side
walls 11, again of generally rectangular shape. The top
wall is comprised of a pair of opposed rectangular top
flaps 12 and 13 with marginal portions adapted to overlap
over their longitudinal length at 14. In the preferred
embodiment shown, the flaps 12 and 13 are glued together
only at the end portions 40 and 41, the centre overlapping
portions 42 remaining unsecured.
Near the mid-point of each top flap 12 and 13 are
provided respective Eirst lines o~ re~ative weakness, ~ .
namely, perforations 15 and 16, each set of perforations
forming an uncompleted ellipse defining a hand aperture, .
. the uncompleted parts 17 and 18 being located toward their
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.~ respective side walls ll.
Each of the top flaps 12 and 13 are provided with a
score line 43 and 44 respectively, extending longitudinally
;~ along the length of each flap parallel to the carton
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longitudinal axis and just internal of the inner boundary
of the hand aperture formed by the line of perforations.
The carton as shown is in the hand carrying ~
condition as indicated by the broken perforations 15 and ,
: 16 and the depressed condition of 1aps 26 and 27. More-
over, the centre portion 14 oE the top wall formed by flaps
.. 12 and 13 is shown raised (exaggerated for the clarification)
from its normal (closed) location lying on end flaps 45 and
46 which are affixed to each end wall 10.
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.
An important feature of this embodiment is that
the top flaps 12 and 13 are not secured to the end flaps 45
and 46.
As in the carton shown in Figures 1 and 2, this
carton is converted into its carrying condition by breaking
with the hand, perforations 15 and 16 to form the two hand
receiving apertures. Again, flaps 26 and 27 when pushed ~ -
downward into the carton remain attached via hinge portions
17 and 18 to their associated flaps. The flaps therefore
overlie the tops of the bottles located in the carton.
The user can then insert his hand through one aperture to
the other, the central section of the marginal portion 14
serving as the carrying handle. The clearance beitween the
bottle tops and the top is created by the ability of the
top wall to bow due to its not being affixed to the end
flaps 45 and 46. Also, as in the previous embodiment,
some displacement of walls 11 towards each other assists in
providing the necessary clearance.
Moreover~ in this preferred embodiment
the unsecured condition of the overlapping centre marginal
portion of flaps 12 and 13 allows some relative lateral
movement of flaps 12 and 13 ~s the carton is lifted, this
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~ again contributing to the amount of clearance achieved.
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However, this extra clearance is not considered essential
; and if desired, the overlapping portions of flaps 12 and 13
may be secured together along their complete length.
' ~he function of the score lines 43 and 44 is to
;~ ~ provide a "bridge" to the centre portion 42, ~ which
~ 30 constitutes the hand carrying member. The provision of
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the score lines 43 and 44 is an important practical considera-
tion since it prevents buckling or other undesirable distor-
tions of the top wall on the carton t S conversion from simple
storage condition to the carrying condition. Moreover,
when in the latter condition, the carton is more rigid
and convenient to carry.
A urther advantage of the preferred embodiment
wherein the overlapping portion of flaps 12 and 13 at 42
are not secured together, resides in the fact that the user
has increased ease of access into the carton to remove the
` contents. Moreover, there is a much reduced risk of
ripping the top flap as the carton is opened. This is an
important feature when one considers that the carton is
used to return the empty bottles to the xetail store and
a ripped carton i~ not as rigid or convenient to carry,
especially if the damaged area is in the vicinity of the
hand apertures.
The carton illustrated is made from conventional
materials, normally paperboard having inner and outer
facing sheets and a centre of ccrrugated linerboard.
The portions of the flaps 12 and 13 which overlap at 14
have a reinforcing tape, e.y. a tape of the sesame type,
built in between the inner or outer facing sheet and the
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corrugated medium to provide added strength. However, the
reinforcing tape need not be included in both top flaps:
inclusion in one top flap may suffice depending, inter alia,
on the materials used.
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