Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~LEEVE~TYPE CARRIER HA~DLE
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sleeve-type article carrier,
and more particula~ly to a sleeve-type article carrier having an
improved handle.
Back~round of the Invention
Sleeve-type carriers used to package beverage cans are
typically formed from paperboard blanks which are opened into sleeve
form in order to receive the cans, after which the end paneis of the
blanks are folded and glued together. The resulting packa~e
completely encloses the cans and has a handle incorporated in the
top panel to allow a user to more readily lift and carry the package.
~any different handle designs have been used in sleeve-
;~ type carriers over the years, the most common probably being the
suitcase type of handle. This comprises two handle openings in the
top panel extending Iengthwise of the carrier and being spaced from
each other so that the top panel portion between them forms a strap.
The carrier is lifted by inserting the fingers in one of the
openings and liftin~ up on the strap portion. One problem with this
desi~l is that the edges of the strap are often uncomfortable to the
hand,, particularly if the package is carried for any length of
time. Another problem is that the concentration of lifting stresses
; at the ends of the strap has necessitated the use of relatively
thick paperboard to prevent tearin~ at these locations.
To overcome these problems it has been suggested to employ
a transversely extending handle instead. Such a handle comprises a
- transverse opening in the top panel of the carrier through which the
fingers are inserted. The user then lifts up against the underside
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of the top panel to lift and carry the package. Althou~h this
arrangement makes the lifting and carryin~ process more comfortable,
packa~es still need some provision to distribute the liftin~
stresses in order to prevent tearin~. If no provision is made, such
as in the handle arrangement disclosed in U.S. Patent ~umber
2,718,301, issued to F. D. Palmer, the packa~e is susceptible to
tearing at the ends of the handle opening. Since the only way to
prevent tearin~ in a design such as Palmer's is to use relatively
thick paperboard, the production costs increase as a result.
To combat the tendency to tear, the carrier disclosed in
U.S. Patent ~umber 4,558,816, issued to P.J. Wood, incorporates a
centrally located slit that exkends into the side panels of the
carrier and also contains a series of fold lines connected to the
slit. This arrangement is for the purpose of distributin~ the
liftin~ stresses generated when the pacXage is lifted by its
handle. Even this design, however, permits more concentration of
lifting stresses adjacent the ends of the transverse slit than
desired, forcin~ relatively ri~id design parameters to be followed
and causing the top panel to be pulled up too abruptly when lifted.
It would be desirable to provide a carrier havin~ a
transverse handle design which resists the tendency to tear at the
ends of the handle and which permits a reduction in the caliper of
the paperboard without resultin~ in an excessively flexible handle
structure .
Brief Summary of the Invention
This invention provides an improved handle design which
overcomes the problems discussed above. The top panel contains a
handle openin~ comprising two spaced edges extending transversely of
the folds connecting the side panels to the kop panel. Each spaced
edge of the handle opening is foldably connected to a flap or tab
covering a portlon of the handle opening, and one of the spaced
edges is located ~etween the midpoint of the top panel and one of
~`~ the end panels. The top panel further contains slits extending from
the ends of the latter mentioned spaced edge, throu~h the folds
connecting the side panels to the top panel, and terminating in the
~ upper portions of the side panels.
;~ By this arrangement the slits are offset from the midpoint
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of the top panel but are still close enough to the midpoint
so that the handle opening is generally centrally located~
When the carrier is lifted the weight is thus substantiall~
evenly distributed on either side of the handle opening, but
the offset slit arrangement acts to decrease the lifting
skresses, thus reducing the tendency to tear and permitting
the use of thinner paperboard.
Accordingly the invention provides a sleeve-type
article carrier, comprising: a top panel; a bottom panel; two
side panels connected to the top and bottom panels along fold
lines; and two end panels between the top, bottom and side
panels. The top panel containing a handle opening comprising
two spaced substantially parallel edges extending
transversely of the fold lines connecting the side panels to
the top panel, the spaced edges having ends located in the
top panel; each ~paced edge of the handle opening being
foldably connected to a tab covering a portion of the handle
opening, the tahs terminating adjacent each other between the
spaced edges of the handle opening so that the tabs cover
substantially the entire handle opening; one of the spaced
edges of th~ handle opening being located between a point
equidistant from the end panels and one of the end panels;
the top panel containing a slit extending from each end of
said one spaced edge, each slit being substantially aligned
with said one spaced edge and extending transversely of and
through the nearest of the fold lines connecting the side
panels to the top panel, each slit terminating in the upper
portion of the nearest side panel; and the side panels being
devoid of stress relief lines.
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These design features can readily be implemented in tile
standard type of sleeve-type carrier production blank, requiring
only minor changes to the blank forming die to provide for ne~ sLit
and fold lines.
Other features and aspects of the invention will be made
clear, as well as the various benefits of the invention, in the more
detailed description of the invention which follows.
Br~ 5~E~tion of the ~rawin~.s
FIG. l is a plan view of a production blan~ used to form
the carrier of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation of a carrier ~oL-med
from the blank of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial plan view of the handle
. portion of the top panel of the carrier of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlar~ed partial sectional view taken along
tha length of the carrier through the handle portion, along line 4-4
of FIG. 2, showing ths fingers of a user pushing down the tabs
covering the handle opening;
FIG. 5 is a vie~ similar to that of FIG. 4, but showing the
fingers lifting up on the package after the tab adjacent the fingeLs
has been folded back;
FIG. 6 is a pictorial representation of the ~pper portion
of the carrier of the present invention, showing the distortion of
the handle portion and the upper portions of the side pallels when
the carrier is lifted along one of the edges of the handle openillg;
and
FIG. 7 is a pictorial representation similar to that of
FIG. 6, but shoLYing the carrier being lifted along the other edge of
the handle opening.
De cription of the Invention
Referriny7 to FIG. 17 a production blank 10 has a central
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section 12 connected to intermediate sections 14 by score lines 16.
End sections 18 are connected to the intermediate sections 14 by
score lines 20. When the blank is folded about the score lines 1~,
the central section 12 becomes the top panel of the carrier and the
intermediate sections 14 become the side panels of the carrier The
end sections are dimensioned so that upon being folded about the
score lines 20, they overlap each other. Upon bein~ ~lued in the
overlappin~ region, the attached end sections become the bottom
panel of the carrier.
Dust flaps 2Z are connected to the central section 12 by
score lines 24, and dust flaps 26 are connected to the end sections
18 by score lines 28. End flaps 30 are connected to the
întermediate sections 14 by score lines 32 which are ali~ned with
and form a continuation of the score lines 24 and 28. In formin~
the carrier, the dust flaps 22 and 26 are folded toward each other
after the blank has been folded about score lines 16 and 20. Then
the end flaps 30 are folded toward each other and adhered by ~lue to
the dust flaps to form the end panels of the carrier.
The resultin~ carrier 34 is shown in FIG. 2, wherein the
top panel 12 corresponds to the central section 12 of the blank 10,
the side panels 14 correspond to the intermediate sections 14, and
the end panel is formed from end flaps 30. The folds 16, 20, 24 and
32 correspond to score lines 16, 20, 2b and 32 of the blank 10. The
bottom panel correspondin~ to the end sections 18 is not visible in
this view.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the top panel is provided
with a handle openin~ 36. Prior to the carrier bein~ lifted by the
handle, the openin~ is covered by flaps or tabs 38 and 40 which are
joined to the top panel by fold lines 42 and 44, respectively. As
shown best in FIG. 3, the adjacent ed~es of the tabs 38 and 40 are
connected by spaced narrow se~ments of paperboard 46 which are
adapted to be readily broken by downward pressure of the fingers of
` a user so as to fold the tabs downwardly into the interior of the` carrier about their fold lines 42 and 44. The handle openin~ is
thus preferably covered by the combined tabs to prevent entry of
dust and dirt into the carrier.
Still referrin~ to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and particularly to
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YIG. 3, the ends of the fold lines 42 and 44 are connected by slits
48 extending transversely of the handle opening 36. The handle
opening is thus defined by the fold lines 42 and 44 and the slits
48. Extending from the ends of the fold line 42 and connected to the
adjacent ends of the slits 48 are slits 50. The slits 50 extend
through the folds 16 and terminate in the upper portions of the side
panels 14. If desired, the ends of the slits 50 may terminate in a
small arcuate portion, as indicated at 52 in FIGS. 1 and 2, to
resist any tendency of the side panels to tear at the ends of the
slits 50 upon lifting and carrying the carrier.
As shown in FIG. 1, the adjacent edges of the flaps or tabs
38 and 40 are substantially aligned with the transverse centerline
of the carrier. In other words, the adjacent edges of the tabs pass
throu~h the midpoint of the top panel 12. Thus the edge 42 of the
handle opening and the slits 50 extending therefrom are offset from
the midpoint of the top panel, as is the edge 44 of the handle
opening.
Referrin8 to FIG. 4, the interior of the carrier 34 is
shown as containing beverage cans C. Since the handle opening 36 is
located centrally of the carrier, it can be understood that the
carrier should be designed so that the row of cans immediately
beneath the top panel 12 contains an even number of cans. In this
way the handle opening is assured of being located between cans to
permit the fingers of a user to penetrate into the space between
adjacent cans. For example, the carrier of FIG. 4 could be designed
to hold twelve cans arranged in three rows of four cans each, or
twenty-four cans arranged in four rows of six cans each. The two
cans shown immediately subjacent the handle opening 36 would thus be
the two innermost cans in the top row immediately beneath the top
panel 12.
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Still referring to FIG. 4, the fingers of a user have
pressed down against the tabs 38 and 4Q sufficiently to breaX the
weaX connection between them, resultin~ in the tab 38 being folded
- down about its fold line 42 by the tips of the fingers. At the same
time the backs of the fingers have folded the tab 4~ down about its
fold line 44. As can be seen, because of the offset location of the
fold line 42 the tab 38 would striXe the nearest can C as the tab is
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bein~ pivo~ed about its fold line. At about this point, ho~ever,
the user lifts upward while at the same time csntinuing the tab ~
folding action. This produces the result shown in FIG. 5, wherein
the top panel adjacent the fold line 42 has been raised and the tab
38, in ths space created by the raised panel, has been folded bacX
under the ~anel 12. The fingers are cushioned by the d~uble
thickness of paperboard created by the top panel 12 and the tab 38.
The tab 40 simply remains bent down out of the plane of the top
panel.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the carrier is lifted in the
manner shown in FIG. 5, the lifting stresses cause the folds 16 in
the portion of the top panel being upwardly bowed to move inwardly
toward each other. This inward movement is made possible by the
sli.ts 50 in the side panels 14. Stresses caused by lifting are thus
uniformly distributed into the side panels 14 and the folds 16 as
evidenced by the upper panel 12 being bowed upwardly in a smooth and
uniform manner between the slits 50 and the end panel nearest to the
edge 42.
Although it is easier to lift the carrier from the edge. 42
than from the edge 44, because the distance from the slits 50 to the
nearest end panel is less than the distance from the slits 50 to the
opposite end panel, it is of course possible to lift the carrier
from the edge 44 as well. In such case, as shown in FIG. 7, the
fingers of the user would engage the edge 44, and the folds 16
between the slits 50 and the end panel nearest the edge 44 would be
drawn toward each other by the stresses of lifting. In a manner
similar to the bowing of the top panel in the example described
above, the top panel 12 between the slits 50 and the end panel
nearest to the edge 44 would be bowed upwardly, and the stresses of
lifting would be distributed throughout the side panels 14 and the
; folds 16. In the event the carrier is lifted at the edge 44, theaction of the fingers of the user in first depressing the tabs or
flaps 40 and 38, then foldin~ tab 40 back up a~ainst the underside
; of the top paneL 12 is the same as explained in connection with
FIGS. 4 and 5, except that tab 40 is the main tab involved instead
i of tab 38. In either c~se, the smooth uniform upward bowing of the
top panel indicates a unifoL~ distribution of the lifting strasses,
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avoiding a concentration of stresses in any one area or point and
thus avoiding tearing of the paperboard.
~ ote that score lines such as those disclosed in the Wood
patent need not be included. The slits extending from the offset
edge of the handle opening into the upper portions of the side
panels permit the uniform distribution of stresses to a degree which
makes the ~se of stress distribution score lines unnecessary.
Although in the preferred embodiment of the invention the
adjacent edges of the handle flaps are centrally located in the top
2anel, it is possible to incorporate the handle arrangement of the
present invention in carriers designed to hold an odd number of
containers immediately beneath the top panel. In such a case the
; adjacent flap edges would be located above the space betwzen the
cylindrical~side walls of adjacent containers and would therefore be
offset from the centerline of the top panel. The normal way of
lifting the carrier would thus be by the edge which is closest to
the end panel nearest the handle opening.
It should now be obvious, after reading the foregoing
description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, that
changes ta certain specific features of the preferred embodiment can
be made without departin~ from the spirit and scope o~ the invention.
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