Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
R'O 96/06020 PCT/US95/08451
WRAP-AROUND CARRIER WITH PARTIAL END PANELS
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wrap-around article
carriers. More particularly, it relates to wrap-around
carriers which include partial end panels capable of
blocking the price code printed on the end articles.
Background of the Invention
Certain types of articles, such as food or beverage
containers, are commonly sold either as individual units
or in a multi-container carton. Each article is normally
marked with a pricing code to enable it to be scanned and
automatically totaled at a retail outlet when sold as an
individual item. When packaged in conventional open-ended
wrap-around carriers, pricing errors can occur if the
scanner sees the pricing code on one of the articles
instead of the code on the package itself. One way to
prevent this from happening is to package the articles in
a completely enclosed carton or carrier. An enclosed
carrier is quite expensive, however, compared to a ~wrap-
around carrier due to the greater amount of stock required.
It is preferred instead to provide wrap-around
carriers with partial end panels of a size sufficient to
cover the pricing code on the end articles in the package.
Such a design would require less stock than a fully
enclosed carrier and be would correspondingly more
economical to produce. Partial end panels designed to
cover pricing codes located near the bottom of the article
would require only a short panel extending up from the
bottom panel. A problem facing such a design, however,
arises in connection with wrap-around carriers whose bottom
panel is formed from connected bottom panel flaps. The
partial end panel must not interfere with the formation of
the bottom panel nor with the ability to wrap the blank
from which the carrier is formed tightly wrapped about the
articles being packaged. In addition, the partial end
panel should be capable of assisting in holding the end
articles in place to prevent them from falling out of the
carrier. This is especially difficult when the articles
are curved, such as cylindrical beverage cans.
WO 96/06020 PCT/US95/08451
-2-
Brief Summary of the Invention
In the wrap-around carrier of the invention an end
panel flap is foldably connected to each end of the bottom
panel and end closure flaps extending from opposite ends
of each side panel overlie portions of the associated end ,
panel flaps. Each end closure flap is connected to an
associated end panel flap by a gusset panel which lies
between the end closure flap and the associated end panel
flap. In a preferred arrangement the bottom panel is
comprised of two connected bottom panel flaps extending
from the side panels, and the end panel flaps are comprised
of separate flaps foldably connected to each of the bottom
panel flaps.
The end closure flaps extend around adjacent portions
of the end articles in the carrier and, in the case of a
carrier containing curved articles, such as cylindrical
cans, the flaps conform to the curvature of the articles,
holding the articles against outward movement. The
dimensions of the end closure flaps are such that the flaps
cover the pricing code on the individual end articles in
the carrier.
To provide additional protection against outward
movement of the articles the carrier may include corner
webs, each corner web extending from an end edge of the top
panel to an associated side panel.
Fabrication of the carrier is simplified by the gusset
panel arrangement which causes the end closure flaps to
automatically move into position upon the end panel flaps
being folded into place. Moreover, the carrier is
economical to produce since the carrier blank requires only
a minimum of material.
The features of the invention which enable it to
provide.the desired results are brought out in more detail
in the description of the preferred embodiment, wherein the
above and other aspects of the invention, as well as other
benefits, will readily become apparent.
Brief Description of the Drawing
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the carrier of the
WO 96/06020 217 2 ~ l 9 PCTIUS95/08451
-3-
invention, represented as being designed to hold six
beverage cans, one of which has been omitted in order to
view the interior of the end portion of the carrier;
FIG. 2 is an end view of the carrier, with all cans
in place;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank for forming the
carrier of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the carrier at an
interim stage of fabrication; and
FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of the carrier at a later
stage of fabrication.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wrap-around carrier 10
is comprised of opposite side panels 12 connected by fold
lines 14 to top panel 16. The top panel includes finger
holes 18 which may be covered by tabs 19 connected to the
top panel by fold lines 21. Short bevel panels 20 connect
the side panels to a bottom panel 22 formed from
overlapping bottom panel flaps 24 and 26. The bevel
panels, which generally follow the contour of the lower
portion of adj acent beverage cans C, may be considered part
of the side panels in connection with the description and
claiming of the invention.
Each end of the carrier includes end closure flaps 28
extending transversely from the lower portion of the side
panels 12. The height of the closure flaps is sufficient
to cover the pricing code on the adjacent end cans. The
bottom edge of the portion of the end closure flaps which
contact the cans terminates at the bottom of the
cylindrical portion of the cans, not extending down over
the inwardly tapered bottom portion of the cans. This
arrangement leaves a gap in this area between the end
closure flaps and the bottom panel substantially equal in
height to the height of the tapered bottom portion of the
cans. The closure flaps overlie, and are connected to, end
panel flaps 30 which extend up from the bottom panel.
Partial end panels are thus formed by the end closure flaps
28 and the end panel~flaps 30. These partial end panels
WO 96/06020
pca~s9sios4si
-4-
not only cover the pricing code on the cans but also snugly
fit around the adjacent curved surface of the end cans to
hold the cans in place.
Assisting to hold the end cans in place are upper
corner webs 32, which extend from the end of the top panel ,
16 to the inner surface of the side panels. As best shown
at the left end portion of the carrier in FIG. 1, the
corner webs are connected at one end to the top panel by
fold lines 34 and at the other end to a corner closure flap
36 by fold lines 38. The corner closure flap 36 is
connected to the side panels just above the end closure
flaps 28 along fold lines 40. Although the corner webs are
preferred as a means of additionally securing the package
against movement of the packaged cans or other articles out
the end of the carrier, the tightly wrapped carrier and the
partial end panels may be sufficient to adequately provide
this function. The corner webs, however, serve an
additional function. As the partially formed carrier blank
is traveling through the packaging machine the corner webs
prevent the closure flaps from flapping and interfering
with the operation of various elements of the packaging
machine.
A blank 42 for forming the carrier is shown in FIG.
3, wherein like reference numerals to those used in FIGS.
1 and 2 refer to like elements. It can be seen that the
blank is substantially rectangular in shape except for the
outwardly extending end flaps 28 and end panel flaps 30.
Centrally located in the blank is top panel section 16,
with side panel sections 12 connected at either side.
Bevel panel sections 20 are connected to the side panel
sections along fold lines 44 and to the bottom panel flaps
24 and 26, respectively, by fold lines 46 and 48. Cutouts
50 may be provided in the bevel panels to facilitate
folding of the bevel panels. The bottom panel flap 24
includes slits 52, which define primary locking tabs 54.
Secondary locking tabs 56 are connected to the bottom panel
flap 24 by fold line 58. The secondary tabs include fold
lines 60 which facilitate insertion of the tabs through
WO 96/06020 PCTIUS95/08451
-5
slits 62 in the bottom panel flap 26. The bottom panel
flap 26 also includes locking openings 64 for receiving the
primary locking tabs 54.
Still referring to FIG. 3, each end closure flap 28
is connected to the associated side panel section 12 by a
score line 66 and each corner closure flap 36 is connected
to the associated side panel section by the fold line 40.
The fold lines 40 allow the corner closure flaps 36 to
easily pivot into position, while the score lines 66 enable
the end closure flaps 28 to begin a smooth transition about
the curved surface of an adjacent can C. A series of
parallel score lines 68 permit the end closure flaps to
readily follow the contour of the adjacent cans. The fold
lines 34 and 14 intersect at a corner of a triangular
cutout 70, one edge of which is aligned with the fold line
40. The fold line 38 extends between the cutout 70 and the
interior end of a slit 72, the fold line 38 and slit 72
separating the corner webs 32 from the corner closure flaps
36.
A gusset panel 74 is connected at one end to each end
closure flap 28 by fold line 76 and at the other end to the
associated end panel flap 30 by fold line 78. Each end
panel flap 30 is also connected by fold line 80 to a bevel
panel 82, which in turn is connected by fold line 84 to the "
adjacent bottom panel flap 24 or 26. Cutouts 86, formed
by edges of the end closure flaps 28, the gusset panels 74,
the end panel flaps 30, the side panel sections 12, the
bottom panel flaps 24 and 26 and the bevel panels 20 and
82, are also provided at each corner area of the blank.
To form a carrier from the blank the articles to be
packaged are grouped together and the blank is positioned
so that the top panel section of the blank overlies the
tops of the articles. The side panel sections are then
folded down about the fold lines 14 while at the same time
folding the corner closure flaps in so that they contact
the inner face of the side panel sections. Movement of the
fold line 38 causes the corner webs 32 to pivot outwardly
about the fold lines 38, causing the inner face of the
WO 96/06020 PCT/US95/08451
- 6-
portions of the corner webs adjacent the fold lines 38 to
be inwardly directed toward the interior of the carrier and
the outer face to be outwardly directed against the corner
closure flaps. The force causing the corner webs 32 to
pivot down about the fold lines 34 as a result of the side
panel sections being folded down from the top panel section
is significantly greater than the force tending to return
the corner closure flap to its original condition, due in
large part to the arrangement of the fold lines connecting
these elements to the carrier. The corner web fold lines
34, which form an obtuse angle with the associated fold
line 14, lie in a different plane and at a different angle
than the corner web fold lines 38, which form an acute
angle with the associated corner closure flap fold line 40.
This relationship produces a biasing force after the corner
closure flaps and the corner webs have been folded into
place which tends to hold the corner webs in their operable
position. Once the corner closure flaps 36 are folded
inwardly, they thus remain inwardly folded even after the
original folding force is removed. Downward folding of the
side panel sections is continued until the side panel
sections contact the cans, with the lower portions of the
corner webs lying between the adjacent can and the
' connected corner closure flap. The cutout 70 shortens the
fold line 38, thus reducing resistance to the bias holding
the corner closure flap in closed position, and eliminates
material which would otherwise tend to bunch together and
interfere with the corner web folding operation.
The bottom panel is then formed by overlapping the
bottom panel flaps 24 and 26 and connecting them to each
other. This is carried out in the illustrated arrangement
by inserting the primary locking tabs 54 into the locking
openings 64 and the secondary locking tabs 56 into the
slits 62. It will be appreciated that for the purpose of
this invention the various locking tabs and openings could
be dispensed with and the bottom panel flaps could be
adhered together by glue, since the formation of the end
panels is not dependent upon the specific means for
WO 96/06020 ' PCTIUS95I08451
_7_
connecting the bottom panel flaps. After the bottom panel
has been formed the end closure flaps 28 extend out from
the side panels 12 and the end panel flaps 30, which will
have been overlapped as a result of the bottom panel flaps
being overlapped, extend out from the bottom panel. The
carrier at this stage of fabrication is shown in FIG. 4.
It can be seen that the folding of the bottom panel flaps
cause the gusset panels 74 to fold up out of the original
plane of the blank.
The final step in forming the carrier is initiated by
folding the end panel flaps 30 up about the bevel panel
fold lines 84 to their final vertical position. The
connected individual flaps at each end of the carrier
function as a single end panel flap and are readily folded
up into place. As the gusset panel fold lines 78 move up
with the end panel flaps 30, the gusset panels 74 are
pulled along, pivoting down about the fold lines 78 and up
about the fold lines 76 to the position illustrated in FIG.
5. Glue is then applied to the end panel flaps and the end
closure flaps are moved into place by bringing them around
the adj acent cans and adhering them to the end panel flaps .
This maneuver completes the folding of the gusset panels
74, bringing them to their final position between the end
panel flaps and the end closure flaps . The carrier at this
point is completely fabricated and appears as shown in FIG.
1.
By providing the cutouts 86, the gusset panel fold
lines 76 and 78 are shortened with respect to the height
that the end panel flaps and the end closure flaps extend,
which reduces resistance to the end panel folding action
described above. Also, as in the case of the cutouts 70,
provision of the cutouts 86 reduces the amount of blank
material at the corner areas, thereby eliminating material
which otherwise would bunch together into unsightly bulges
and wrinkles and interfere with the folding operation. The
cutouts also make it possible to view the rounded corner
edges of the bottom panel through the gap created by the
cutouts beneath the end closure flaps. This presents a
WO 96/06020 ' ~ ' PCT/US95/08451
_8_
neat, clean appearance when packaging rounded articles such
as beverage cans.
The invention provides partial end panels that are
very strong, yet only need to extend as high as necessary
in order to conceal the pricing code on individual packaged
articles. The construction of the end closure flaps
enables them to closely and snugly follow the contour of
the end articles. Further, the gusset panel arrangement
provides for an automatic initial closing movement of the
end closure flaps which is initiated simply by folding the
end panel flaps up into place. Although the use of corner
webs is desirable to furnish additional resistance to
outward movement of the upper portions of the articles,
particularly in carrier designs such as the design depicted
in the drawings where the end articles are put on display
by locating them beyond the ends of the side panels, their
use may not always be necessary, as in carrier designs
where longer side panels are employed.
Because the invention is not necessarily limited to
all the specific details described in connection with the
preferred embodiment, except as they may be within the
scope of the appended claims, changes to certain features
of the preferred embodiment which do not alter the overall
basic function and concept of the invention are
contemplated.
