Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CARTON WITH REINFORCING CLIP PANEL
The invention relates to a Carton which acconunodates a
plurality of articles such as bottles and which comprises
a paperboard part and clip panel which secures the
articles together in a group.
It is known to package a plurality of articles such as
bottles or cans in, for example a wraparound carton made
of paperboard or like foldable material. Such cartons
generally comprise a .blank having a number of foldably
interconnected panels which wrap around an array of
articles to form a sleeve which retains the articles, US
3 167 347 (Hewlings) discloses a carrying device which is
attached to an array of articles to provide a handle part
of the packaging in addition to a wraparound blank.
Hewlings specifically discloses a carrying device which
has a panel comprising a number of apertures through
which the top of a necked bottle passes, the riu; of the
apertures engaging the underside of the bottle top or
cap. The carrying device also has an upright handle
attached to the aperture panel. The overall device is
made of a relatively rigid material which nds Che
necessary structural strength but where distortion of trw
aperture panel can occur thereby ensuring that the
articles are gripped by the aperture rims. This known
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device requires that the articles are packaged in a
wraparound carton which provides full packaging per se
and where the known gripping device is utilized as an
optional element to engage, say, only four of a greater
number of bottle necks which protrude from the top panel
of the carton to facilitate carrying the package.
'This particular disclosure in the known art thus provides
a carton having an upper relatively rigid panel which
engages a number of articles and ensures a sturdy handle
is provided f.or the overall package. However, all
articles are in any event wrapped and retained by a
wraparound blank. The blank ~.tself provides complete
packaging material for the articles.
One aspect of the present invention provides a package
accommodating a group of articles, such as bottles,
comprises a sleeve-like part of paperboard material
having a plurality of foldabl~r interconnected panels
which envelope at least a major portion of said group and
a relatively rigid panel which secures said articles
together in said group, a top portion of the package
being formed at least in part by at least o:ne of the
:>leeve panels and by said relatively rigid panel, and
means for maintaining said one panel in engagement with
~~aid articles .
According to a feature of this aspect of the invention
raid one panel of the sleeve may be attached to the
articles.
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According to another feature of this aspect of the
invention said one panel of the sleeve may be attached to
the relatively rigid panel. Preferably, said relatively
rigid panel comprises article engaging means.
According to yet another feature of this aspect of the
invention said carton, in at least one orientation, may
provide an endless sleeve-like wrapper about said group
of articles. Preferably, opposite ends of the wraparound
blank are adapted to secure the blank to said relatively
rigid panel. It is also preferable for opposite ends of
the .blank to be adapted to secure the blank to said
articles.
In some constructions where the carton is a wraparound
sleeve, one end of the blank may be adapted to secure the
blank to the articles and the other end of said blank is
adapted to secure the blank to said relatively rigid
panel. In other constructions where the carton is a
wraparound sleeve the blank may be adapted to be attached
to both articles and said relatively rigid panel at said
opposite ends of said blank.
Another aspect of the invention provides the combination
of a carton for packaging a group of articles, such as
bottles which carton comprises foldable sheet material in
which said article group is to be accommodated and a
panel which is stiff relative to the wrapper material
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which is secured to the article group and which provides,
together with at least one of the sleeve panels, a top of
the carton.
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be
described by way of example only with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment
of a wraparound type carton according to the invention;
FIGURE 2 shows a plan elevation of a carton blank
utilized in the carton shown in Figure 1;
FIGURE 3 shows a perspective view of the relatively rigid
panel part of the carton shown in Figure 1;
FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment
of a wraparound type carton according to the invention;
FIGURE 5 shows a perspective view of the relatively zigid
panel part of the carton shown in Figure 4;
FIGURE 6 shows a side elevation of the.carton shown in
Figure 9;
FIGURE 7 shows a plan elevation of the rei~tmely _ tic
panel shown in Figure 5;
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FIGURE 8 shows a plan elevation of a carton blank
according to the second embodiment of the invention;
FIGURE 9 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment
of a wraparound type carton according to the invention;
FIGURE 10 shows the relatively rigid panel part of the
carton shown in Figure 9;
FIGURE 11 shows a side elevation of the carton sr~uwn in
Figure 9;
FIGURE 12 shows a plan elevation of the relatively rigid
panel shown in Figure 10;
FIGURE 13 shows a plan elevation of the carton Glank
shown in Figure 9;
FIGURE 14 shows a perspective elevation of a fourth
embodiment of a wraparound type carton according to the
invention;
FIGURE 15 shows the relatively rigid panel part of the
carton shown in Figure 14;
FIGURE 16 shows a sectional side elevation of a
relatively rigid panel part of a fifth embodi;ra:;; :,f
carton according to the invention;
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FIGURE 17 shows a plan view of a sixth embodiment of a
relatively rigid panel according to the invention;
FIGURE 18 shows a schematic representation of a method of
packaging a carton according to the sixth embodiment of
the invention through various stages;
FIGURE 19 shows a perspective view of a seventh
embodiment of the carton according to the invention;
FIGURE 20 shows a perspective view of the carton shown in
Figure 19 during the article loading process; and
FIGURE 21 shows a plan view of an unformed carton blank
used to form the carton shown in Figures 19 and 20.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a first
embodiment of a carton 10 according to the invention.
The carton comprises blank 12 and a discrete structural
reinforcing panel 14 in the form of a flat clip. Carton
blank 12 is of a foldable wraparound type and comprises
a plurality of paperboard panels hingably interconnected
in series by means of fold lines. There is shown a
bottom panel 20 hingably connected to side panel 22 by
means of hinge line 32. Side panel 22 is hinged to
inclined side panel 24 by means of fold line 34, whilst
panel 24 is hinged to top panel 26 by means of hinge line
36. Top panel 26 is foldably connected to top flap 28 by.
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means of fold line 38. To
p panel 26 comprises three top
tabs 40a, b and c which are cut from top flap 28 along
cut line 41a, b and c .respectively. Top panel 28
comprises article engaging rim 42a, b and c which can be
effective once top flap 28 is displaced about hinga tine
38. Top tab 40a, for example, abuts the top of the
bottle B in the completed package whilst rim 42a engages
the underside of part of the bottle cap as shown. Thus
the end of blank 12 is secure to the packaged articles
which in this case are bottles.
Similarly, base panel 20 is foldably connected to side
panel 21 by means of hinge line 31, whilst side panel 21
is foldably connected to inclined side panel 23 by means
of fold line 33. Inclined side panel 23 is foldably
connected to top panel 25 by means of hinge line 35. Top
panel 25 is foldably connected to top flap 2? by means ur
fold line 37. Top panel 25 further comprises top tabs
40d, a and f which are cut from top flap 27 along cut
lines 41d, a and f respectively. There are thus created
article engaging rims 42d, a and f in top flap 27.
The discrete structural reinforcing panel 14 i5 formed
from a plastics material and is attached to six bottles
B. The structural panel 14, sometimes herein referred tc
as a clip panel, comprises six article engaging means
which in this case are apertures 18 and two handle
apertures 16. It is envisaged that the clip pa"el could
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be secured in some manner to the paperboard so that the
clip and paperboard blank are supplied together as a unit
to a bottler.
The completed carton 10 is shown in Figure I m a
perspective view where carton blank 12 is wrapped around
an array of six articles in two rows of three. Top flaps
27 and 28 have been folded downwardly out of coplanar
alignment with flaps 25 and 26 respectively. The bottle
caps BC have been engaged by top flap article rims 42 and
thus the opposite ends 27 and 28 of the wraparound blank
12 are engaged with all six bottles. The use of discrete
structural panel 14 and blank 12 together provides a
completed carton which has sufficient rigidity to allow
carrying of the filled articles,- for example, by use of
handle apertures 16 but yet may utilize a lower calliper
of paperboard than otherwise would be reduii~d im the
absence of the clip panel.
One of the advantages of carton 10 can be seen in Figure
3 where an array of two rows of three empty bottles is
shown attached to structural clip panel 16. However, in
this drawing the bottles are empty and structural panel
14 can be used simply to return the empty bottles.
Apertures 18 in panel 19 are circular and of a suitable
diameter to allow easy engagement of the panel with a
bottle neck and similarly easy disengagement thereof. In
this particular embodiment clip panel 14 is made of a
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semi-rigid material such as corrugated plastic for
example.
The second embodiment of the invention is shown in
Figures 4 to 8. Complete package carton 110 is shown in
perspective view in figure 4 comprising blank 112 and
clip panel 114. In this embodiment the carton is again
showed containing an array of articles arranged in twe
rows of three. In this embodiment like features which
are present in the first embodiment shown in figures 1,
2 and 3 are labelled with the same last two digits
prefixed with the number 1.
Figure 8 shows a plan view of the blank 112 which has
almost identical structure to blank 12 shown in figure 2.
However, blank 112 incorporates additional features 150a
to f which are panel flaps used to engage clip panel 114.
Clip panel 114 is shown in plan elevation in figure i
where in addition to article apertures 118 there cao ~t
seen an additional feature, blank flap engaging apertures
119. Thus as shown in side elevation in figure 9 whet:
blank 112 is wrapped around the articles and top flaps
127 and 128 folded downwardly, in additiom to artic:~
engaging rims 142 engaging the bottle caps aC, panel
flaps 150 engage apertures 119 thus securing the olsnk
112 to clip panel 114 as well as to the articles.
Structural clip panel 114 is again designed ~o enable
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bottles to be readily engaged and disengaged thereby
facilitating its use to return empty bottles, as shown in
figure 5.
In this particular embodiment additional structural
rigidity is provided to the completed carton simply by
engaging the blank with the discrete structural or clip
panel 114. Thus, as can be seen, opposite ends of
wraparound blank 112 are provided with both structural
panel engaging means and article engaging means.
A third embodiment of the invention is shown in figure 9
to 13. Features of this embodiment which are similar tc
those shown in previous embodiments are labelled with the
same last two numerals prefixed with the number 2. In
this embodiment opposite ends of carton blank 212
comprise structural panel engaging means but the blank
itself does not engage articles individually. Figure 9
shows a completed carton 210 comprising carton blank 212
and structural panel 214, again packaging an array of six
bottles.
Figure 13 shows a plan elevation of carton blank 212
where panel flaps 250a to f are shown to tie of a taG
variety. One of which is shown enlarged i« iigui-e i'sa.
similarly blank flap engaging apertures 219 are a
different shape to those shown in the pervious
embodiment. Figure 12 shows a plan elevation of the
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discrete structural panel 214 comprising six blank flap
engaging apertures 219 where one of these is shown
enlarged in figure 12a. Aperture 219 is differently
contoured from 119 to allow interlocking of tab flaps 251
which are incorporated in panel flaps 250 to securely
attach the carton blank to carton structural panel 214.
Figures 12a and 13a show an enlarged flap 250 and
aperture 219 where two dimensions of each are labelled A
and B, and C and D respectively. Dimension D of aperture
219 is relatively large to allow insertion of tab flaps
251, which have a maximum dimension B, to pass through
them. Dimension A of flap 250 is less than dimension B
thereof and dimension C of aperture 212 in order that mi-
flap can be retained in the aperture in the engaged
formation as shown on the right hand side of figure 11.
The tab flaps 251 form flanges which securely anchor the
carton blank by engaging the underside of panel 214. It
is found that an effective way of doing this is to have
dimension B less than dimension D so that the safety tabs
250 can pass through the clip panel aperture 219 and to
have dimension B greater than dimension C in order that
the flanges 251 effectively secure the blank in position.
A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in figure
14 and 15 where components are represented by trm ~onuum.
last two digits prefixed with the number 3. In this
embodiment the completed carton 310 shown in figure 19
carries an array of bottles B in three rows of four.
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Carton 310 comprises a single blank 312 and two
structural panels 314a and 314b. Opposite ends of carton
blank 312 engage the bottle tops alone and are not
secured to the clip panels 316. However, end panels 327
and 328 could be provided with clip panel engaging means
whilst panel 314a and 314b would require a reciprocal
engaging means. In previous embodiments the clip panel
comprises an aperture (19) which is an extension or
article receiving apertures (18) but it is envisaged tnat
blank receiving apertures (19) may be discrete from
article apertures (18). It is possible also to have one
end of the blank (12) attach to only the articles and the
other end to attach only to the clip panel. It is
envisaged that a variety of combination of article
arrays, such as 2 x 2, 4 x 2 and 3 x 3, for example, can
be used with any one clip panel (14). Also it is
possible to have a number of such clip panels aald article
arrays wrapped and joined by one wraparound blank 312,
for example, one blank may be used with three clip panels
which each hold a 2 x 2 array of articles. Each clip,
panel 314a and b comprises a handle aperture 316a and b
respectively. This embodiment has the advantage that a
greater number of filled articles can be packaged by a
single blank whereas the empty articles can be returned
in groups of six using only one of the structural panels
314a or b.
Figure 16 shows a side elevation of a fifth embodime.~.t o:
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a structural panel 414 which, in common with all
embodiments of the clip panel shown here, is specifically
designed to be readily engageable and disengagable from
articles. Article apertures 418 have a diameter just
less than the maximum outer diameter of the bottle flange
BF. Hy making structural panel 414 of a semi-rigid
material so that it can offer structural rigidity to the
carton they can also allow slight expansion of apertures
418 whilst they are passed on to and off the bottles B.
A sixth embodiment of a clip panel 514 according to the
invention is shown in Figure 17. A schematic
representation of a method of forming a completed carton
510 is shown in Figure 18. Clip panel 514 comprises
central panel 563 hingably attached to marginal panels
562 and 564 by folds 561 and 560 respectively. In this
embodiment adjacent article engaging apertures 518 are
joined by article receiving aperture 517 which spar.
central panel 563.
Referring to part A of Figure 18 there is shown an end
section of clip panel 514 where dimensions X and Y are
indicated as the width of aperture 517 and diameter of
aperture 518 respectively. Part B of Figure 18 shows
that side panels 562 and 564 have been raised upwardly
about folds 561 and 560, and are configured tv receivr
bottles B which are placed top-to-top in a horizontal
position. Referring to part G there is shown. two
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~'~'' important dimensions of the bottle necks; diameter V is
the outer diameter of the neck at bottle flange BF, and
dimension W is the narrower diameter of the bottle neck
below the bottle flange. Referring to part C of the
Figure 18 clip panel 514 and bottles B are brought
together and the bottle necks engage bottle apertures
518. It can be seen therefore that dimension X of the
clip panel 514 must be greater than dimension V of the
bottles in order to allow the bottles to pass upwardly
into engagement with apertures 518. Dimension Y,
however, must be less than dimension V in order that the
bottles are retained by the clip panel, whilst dimension
W must be less than dimension Y to allow the bottles to
abut the rim of aperture 518.
Bottles B are then rotated until panels 562, 563 and 564
are again coplanar as shown in part D. Thus an array of
bottles can be attached to panel clip 514 without using
force to push the bottle tops through a resilient but
narrow aperture (18). A mechanically easier operation is
effected by simply rotating the panels 562 and 569 and
engaging the bottles without the need for additional
force against the clip panel. The array of bottles and
clip panel can then be wrapped using blank 512. In this
embodiment the ends of blank 512 engage the bottle tops
thus securing the whole carton 510 together. However, as
in the previously described embodiments it is possible
for the blank to attach to the clip panel 514 as well as
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t4->;~:~-y. or instead of the bottles. Part F of Figure 18 shows how
the bottles are kept firmly in place by the action of the
end panels of blank 512.
Referring now to Figures 19 to 21 of the drawings a
carton 610 is shown which comprises a carton blank 612
and a relatively rigid reinforcing panel 614 in the form
of a flat clip. Blank 612 is made of paperboard or
similar foldable material and forms a sleeve which is
loaded by a known loading technique. Blank 612 shown in
Figure 21, comprises two side panels 622, 623, and two
end panels 624 and 625 where panel 622 and 624 are
opposite one another in the formed carton and all four
panels form an enclosed casing Which contains an array of
articles in combination with top and bottom closures.
The side panels are hingably interconnected along fold
lines. Side panel 622 is foldably connected to end panel
623 along fold line 652 whilst it is connected to end
panel 625 along fold line 653. Side panel 629 is
foldably connected to end panel 625 along hinge line 6~4.
Base panel portion 626 and 627 are foldably connected to
side panels 624 and 622 respectively along fold lines 655
and 656 respectively. The blank is formed into a fully
enclosed type carton by joining end panel 623 to side
panel 624 which in this particular embodiment is effected
by gluing tab 641 to side panel 624 thereby creati:~g a
rectangular sleeve-like structure representing the carton
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in the part-formed state shown in Figure 20.
The formation process shown schematically in FIGURE 20
shows the carton sleeve being drop loaded by lowering
blank 612 onto a group of sax bottles arranged in two
parallel rows. In this case six bottles B are arranged
in two rows of three bottles each, the whole group having
been secured by the relatively rigid panel 614 which, in
effect, is a reinforcing clip panel. It is possible to
engage the tops of the bottles with the article engaging
means 670 in top panel portions 633 and 635 prior to
closing the carton by folding base panels 626 and 627
inwardly and attaching these panels together to form a
secure base. For example. panels 626 ar,~ ~~~ ~a., ~,o
glued together or they may comprise cooperating locking
means such as tabs and apertures for example.
Alternatively, base panels 626 and 627 may be attached
together to close one end of the sleeve prior to loading
the carton with the bottles and attaching the clip panel.
The group of bottles would therefore be lowered from
above the part formed carton as opposed to the drop-
loading method shown in Figure 20. The clip panel 614 is
made of a semi-rigid material such as corrugated
plastics, for example which is relatively rigid as
compared to the carton blank material such as paperboard.
The clip panel is a discrete structural panel which helps
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,. to secure the bottles in an array by means of a plurality
of article engaging means 606 which in this case are
apertures. The clip panel 614 acts as a structural
reinforcing element in the completed carton and it is
found that lower calliper paperboard can be used in a
carton of this design compared with a similar carton
without such a reinforcing clip panel 614. The clip
panel comprises a handle means 616 which in this case is
formed by two apertures. Clip panel 614 can be used to
carry an array of empty bottles without the need for a
blank which is useful in returning empty bottles to a
point of sale.
Carton blank 612 comprises inclined side panels 628 and
630 and upper end panels 629 and 631. These panels are
foldably connected to the side and end panels previously
described, as follows; inclined upper panel 628 is
foldably connected to side panel 622 along Binge line
657; upper end panel 629 is foldably connected to end
panel 623 along fold line 658; end panel 631 is foldably
connected to end panel 625 along fold line 650; upper
side panel 630 is foldably connected to side panel 629
along fold line 659. The upper .end panels 6~5 and 631
are foldably connected to inclined side panel 628 and
630, respectively, by means of web connectors 636, 637,
638 and 639.
The webs comprise two panel portions ' a ' and ' b' t~:::ic:!:
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are hingably connected together by a generally central
fold line 666. Web 638 comprises panels 'a' and 'b' and
fold line 666; it is foldably connected to upper end
panel 629 along fold line 667 and to inclined side panel
628 along fold line 665. Similarly, the other web
connectors comprise two fold panels and hinge lines so
that in the completed carton as shown in Figure 19 the
upper end panels 629 and 631 lie flush with the ends of
upper side panel 628 and 630. This is due to the fact
that the webs are folded inwardly of the carton ama
thereby help retain upper end panels 629 and 630 in
position in the completed carton. Inclined side panels
628 and 630 further comprise article engaging means 670
a to f which are cut into marginal panel 633 and 635.
Marginal panels 633 and 635 are foldably connected to
panels 632 and 634 along fold line 6ti2 and tib4
respectively. Panels 632 and 634 are foldably connected
to inclined side panel 630 and 628 along hinge lines 661
and 663 respectively. Cut lines 670 which engage the
bottle tops in the embodiment shown creates bottle top
tabs 640 'a' to 'f' as shown in Figure 19.
