Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BASKET CARRIER WITH SQUARING TABS
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to basket-style carriers for
carrying articles such as beverage bottles. More
particularly, it relates to a basket-style carrier capable
of being more readily and efficiently squared up prior to
forming the bottom panel.
Background of the Invention
Basket-style carriers are commonly employed to package
l0 beverage bottles. A conventional arrangement includes a
separate cell for each bottle and a center handle
partition. Normally, the carriers are fabricated from a
blank which is folded and glued into collapsed carrier
form, after which the collapsed carrier is erected. In one
design the bottom panel is integrally formed so that when
the collapsed carrier is erected bottles may be inserted
down onto the bottom panel through the open cells. In
another design the bottom panel is formed by connecting the
bottom panel forming flaps after the bottles have been
inserted into the cells. The bottles are commonly inserted
in this latter design by moving an opened carrier down over
a group of stationary bottles, although the bottles may
also be inserted by moving them down into the opened
carrier.
In either case, the carrier must be squared prior to
forming the bottom panel, and the subsequently formed
bottom panel must be maintained in squared condition. This
can be a difficult task inasmuch as the loading of an
opened carrier can leave the bottom panel forming flaps in
a position which, if maintained, will result in an out-of-
square bottom. Even though an out-of-square bottom can be
made structurally sound, the carrier does not present as
attractive an appearance as a carrier which has been first
squared up and the various carrier elements connected so
as to maintain the squared condition.
Attempts have been made to provide bottom panel
structures which overcome these problems. For example,
U.S. Patent No. 4,989,799 discloses basket-style carriers
incorporating center keel tabs which extend through slots
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in the bottom panel flaps and are then folded back into the
interior of the carrier through another slot in the outer
bottom panel flap. This arrangement is intended to provide
a square bottom panel by maintaining both bottom panel
flaps in the desired relationship with each other and with
the center handle panel. However, it requires the bottom
panel flaps to be precisely aligned in order to receive the
keel tabs. In addition, the tab folding operation requires
relatively complicated machinery which can also slow the
speed of the packaging line.
Another problem with basket-style carriers is the lack
of rigidity encountered in a typical design in which the
center handle panel is connected only to the end panels and
is spaced from the bottom panel. Attempts have been made
to strengthen such a structure by providing center keel
tabs which are adhered to the bottom panel. Examples of
such a design are found in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,915,218 and
4,919,261 which disclose keel tabs that are folded and
glued to the inner face of one of the bottom panel forming
flaps. Such an arrangement does not assist in squaring the
bottom panel, but only strengthens it after the bottom
panel has been formed.
It would be highly desirable to be able to square the
bottom panel of a basket-style carrier in a simple but
reliable manner, while at the same time strengthening the
bottom panel.
Brief Summary of the Invention
The invention relates to basket-style carriers of the
type comprised of opposite side panels connected to a
bottom panel, opposite end panels connected to the side
panels, a centrally located handle panel, an outer bottom
panel flap foldably connected to one of the side panels and
an inner bottom panel flap foldably connected to the
opposite side panel. The outer bottom panel flap at least
partially overlaps the inner bottom panel flap and is
connected to it to form the bottom panel. In accordance
with the invention, slots in the outer bottom panel flap
adjacent each end panel are substantially aligned with the
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handle panel and receive squaring tabs connected to tab
support means. The squaring tabs are folded back and are
adhered to the outer face of the outer bottom panel flap.
The squaring tabs cause the bottom panel to be squared
by guiding the-outer bottom panel flap into place as the
slots in the bottom panel flap slide over the tabs. After
the outer bottom flap is adhered or otherwise connected to
the inner bottom panel flap, the squaring tabs are folded
over and glued to the outer bottom panel flap to further
strengthen the bottom panel.
The slots are formed so that the edge over which the
squaring tabs are folded is a straight edge parallel to the
handle panel. The spacing between this edge and an
opposite tapered edge facilitates entry of the tabs into
the slots. In a preferred design, the squaring tab support
means are riser panels connected to both the end panels and
the handle panel.
The carrier is readily formed from a compact integral
blank.
These and other features and aspects of the invention
will be readily ascertained from the detailed description
of the preferred embodiments described below.
Brief Description of the Drawing
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a basket-style carrier
incorporating the squaring features of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank for fabricating the
carrier;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial plan view of the area
within the circle 3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the carrier blank after an
initial folding and gluing step;
' FIG. 5 is a plan view of the carrier blank after
further folding and gluing steps;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a collapsed carrier resulting
from final folding and gluing steps;
FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of an erected carrier in
the process of being moved down over a group of bottles;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial pictorial view of the
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bottom panel of a carrier at an interim stage of
fabrication; and
FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial plan view of the bottom
panel of a carrier, showing the squaring tabs of the
invention in place.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment '
Referring to FIG. 1, the basket-style carrier 10 of
the invention includes a central handle panel 12 connected
to riser panels 13 and 14 which in turn are connected to
end panels 16. The end panels are connected to side panels
18, and the side panels are connected to bottom panel 19.
Individual cells for receiving bottles or other articles
are formed by straps 20 which extend from the side panels
18 to the handle panel 12. The handle panel includes a
handle opening 22 and the carrier further includes corner
cutouts 24 which extend into the adjacent side and end
panels. This construction allows substantial portions of
the end bottles in the carrier to be viewed, which is
advantageous where the shape of the bottles contributes to
brand identification.
Each end panel 16 is formed from two end panel
sections which are connected by fold lines to the adjacent
riser panel l3 or 14. In the end panel facing away from
the viewer, end panel sections 26 are connected to the
riser panel 14 by fold lines 28. In the end panel facing
the viewer, end panel sections 30 are connected to the
riser panel 13 by fold lines 32. The bottom panel 19 is
formed from two overlapping and interconnected flaps 33 and
34. The features of the invention which produce the
desirable squaring effect and which contribute to the
strength of the bottom panel are hidden in this view but
are described in detail below.
Referring to FIG. 2, wherein like reference numerals
to those used in FIG. 1 denote like elements, a blank 35 ,
for forming the carrier is shown as being of generally
rectangular shape except far outwardly extending bottom
panel flaps. Preferably, the blank is formed from
paperboard of the type conventionally used in the carrier
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industry. Centrally locat~c~ at the right side of the blank
are two similar outer handle panel sections 12 connected
together by a central fold line 36. Immediately to the
left of the panel sections 12 are two similar inner handle
panel sections 38, which are connected to each other by
central fold line 40 and are connected to the panel
sections 12 by fold line 42. Cutouts 44 in the inner
handle panel sections are aligned with the handle cutouts
22 in a carrier formed from the blank, and the fold line
40 is an extension of the fold line 36. Cutout 46 between
the fold lines 36 and 40 facilitates folding and determines
the shape of the handle panel corners. Cutout 47, which
interrupts the fold line 40, also facilitates the folding
process.
The outer ends of the straps 20 at the right of the
blank are connected to the outer handle panel sections 12
by fold lines 48 while the outer ends of the straps at the
left of the blank are connected to the inner handle panel
sections 38 by fold lines 50. The inner ends of the straps
are connected to the side panel sections 18 by fold lines
52. One of the side panel sections 18 is connected along
fold line 54 to bottom panel flap 33, which is the outer
or maj or f lap in the bottom panel of a carrier, and the
other side panel section is connected along fold line 56
to bottom panel flap 34, which is the inner or minor flap
in a bottom panel. The side panel sections 18 are
connected by fold lines 58 to end panel sections 26, which
in turn are connected along fold lines 28 to riser panel
flaps 14. Similarly, the side panel sections are connected
at their opposite ends by fold lines 60 to end panel
sections 30, which in turn are connected along fold lines
' 32 to riser panel flaps 13. Other than the edges of the
handle panel sections formed by the cutout 46 and by fold
lines 36, 40, 42 and 28, the edges of the handle panel
sections are formed by slits separating the handle panel
sections from the cell divider straps and from the side and
end panel sections, producing tree edges when the blank is
formed into a carrier.
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The carrier blank described thus far is typical of one
form of blank for forming a basket-style carrier whose
cells are separated by straps. In accordance with the
invention, bottom panel squaring tabs 62 are connected
by fold lines 64 at the ends of the riser panel flaps 13
and 14 corresponding to their lower ends in a carrier
formed from the blank. The squaring tabs are generally
triangular in shape with a rounded apex. In addition, the
outer bottom panel flap 33 includes slots 66 extending in
from the side edges of the flap. As shown in greater
detail in FIG. 3, each slot 66 is formed by a cutout having
an edge 68 which is parallel to the fold lines 58 and 36.
The opposite edge 70 forms an acute angle with the edge 68
and is rounded.at its juncture with the outer edge of the
flap 33 as indicated at 72. A short transverse edge 74
connects the inner ends of the slot edges 68 and 70.
It will be seen from FIG. 2 and the foregoing
description that the blank is basically comprised of two
identical half-blank sections differing only by the
presence of the squaring tabs on one of the sections and
the different size bottom panel flaps connected to each
section.
Still referring to FIG. 2, to form a carrier from the
blank the inner handle panel sections 38 are coated with
25' adhesive, as shown in stipple, and are then pivoted about
fold line 42 onto the outer handle panel sections 12. This
results in the interim form of blank illustrated in FIG.
4, in which the handle panel sections are adhered together.
The next step is to apply adhesive to the areas of the
riser panel flaps 13 and 14 shown in stipple in FIG. 4, and
then to fold the end panel sections 30 about the fold lines
60. At this time the riser panel flaps 14 are also folded ,
in about the fold lines 28. These steps adhere the riser
panel flaps 13 and 14 to the handle panel sections 38 and
12 to produce the interim form of blank shown in FIG. 5.
The final sequence of the forming operation is to
apply adhesive to the stippled areas of the folded riser
panel flaps 13 and 14 and to the stippled areas of the
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inner and outer handle panel sections 38 and 12, as shown
in FIG. 5, and ~ to then fold the blank about the central
fold lines 36 and 40. This produces the collapsed carrier
illustrated in FIG. 6, in which the end panels formed from
the end panel sections 26 extend out from the side panels
J
18 in folded condition and the end panels formed from the
end panel sections 30 are inwardly folded between the side
panels. The squaring tabs 62 and the bottom panel flaps
are still in unfolded condition at this point.
To form a loaded carrier from the collapsed carrier
of FIG. 6, the collapsed carrier is squared up by pressing
the outer ends of the outwardly extending end panel
sections toward the opposite end, as is well known in the
industry. The opened carrier is then aligned with a group
of bottles B to be packaged and lowered down over them, as
depicted in FIG. 7. Of course the carrier could be opened
as described and bottles loaded into it by lowering them
down into the carrier instead of lowering the carrier down
over the bottles. During the bottle loading step the
bottom panel flaps 33 and 34 and the squaring tabs 62
remain unfolded. After the carrier reaches it final
position relative to the bottles, the bottom panel is
formed by first folding in the inner bottom panel flap 34,
then folding the outer bottom panel flap 33 to overlap the
inner flap. As the outer bottom panel flap 33 moves into
place the rounded corners 72 and tapered edges 70 of the
slots 66 initially contact the squaring tabs 62 and, in
conjunction with the transverse edges 74, guide the bottom
panel flap 33 to a position engaging the straight edge 68.
This procedure places the bottom panel flaps in a position
which forms a square bottom panel. The bottom panel flaps
and the squaring tabs are illustrated in FIG. 8 after the
bottom panel flaps have been folded into place but before
~ the squaring tabs have been folded, and are shown in FIG.
9 at their final position after being folded into place and
glued to the outer bottom panel flap. This fixes the
bottom panel in its squared condition and adds additional
strength to the bottom panel. It further strengthens the
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entire carrier since the handle panel, through the riser
panels and squaring tabs, are rigidly connected to the
bottom panel.
It is not necessary that the squaring tabs be '
connected to the blank on the same side as the outer bottom
panel flap. The tabs can just as well be connected on the
same side as the inner bottom panel flap. In either case,
however, the slots 66 in the major bottom panel flap are
arranged so that their straight edges 68 are the inner
edges of the slots and the tapered edges 70 are the outer
edges of the slots. Although the dimensions of the
squaring tabs and the slots may vary according to the
design of the carrier, the length of the slots should be
such that the transverse edges 74 are spaced apart a
distance substantially equal to the distance between the
bases of the tabs 62 at the fold lines 64. The edges 74
thus prevent the tabs 62 from moving to an out-of-square
position, assuring that the bottom panel is properly
formed .
Although the bottom panel flaps have been described
as being attached to each other by adhesive, bottom panel
f laps which are interconnected by mechanical locks could
be employed instead. It will be understood, however, that
even in such an arrangement the squaring tabs are glued to
the outer face of the outer bottom panel flap.
It will be apparent that although the invention has
been described in connection with a carrier designed for
holding bottles, it applies equally to carriers designed
to hold other types of articles instead. It is
contemplated that the invention need not necessarily be
limited to all the specific details described in connection
with the preferred embodiments, but that changes to certain
features of the preferred embodiment which do not alter the
overall basic function and concept of the invention may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention defined in the appended claims.
