Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02340756 2001-02-16
wo oons6~ s PcTnrsoon 6sos
CARTON WITH REINFORCED HANDLE STRUCTURE
Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to cartons, and more particularly, to cartons having a
reinforced handle structure that enhances carton integrity and appearance.
Background of the Invention
Handles are useful in cartons as a means for transporting the cartons. A
problem in cartons of flexible material wherein a handle is formed in a panel
of the
carton is that the substantial stress forces are typically concentrated upon
the handle or
undesirable portions of the panel in which the handle resides. It can be
appreciated that
it ould be desirable to have a handle structure for a carton of flexible
material that does
not impart significant forces upon undesirable portions of the handle or the
panel in
which the handle resides.
It is often desirable to have a carton that presents walls that are as
aesthetically
appealing as possible to potential purchasers of the package formed by the
carton. Thus,
it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have a carton with a
handle structure
that functions within a carton wall or panel that is also aesthetically
appealing.
Summary of the Invention
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a handle structure for a
carton is formed within a panel having a opposing side edges and opposing end
edges
that intersect to form corners of the handle panel, the handle structure. A
strap member
is integrally conjoined with the handle panel and extends between the end
edges.
Opposing strap edges are substantially disjoined from the handle panel. The
strap
CA 02340756 2001-02-16
WO 00/78618 PCT/US00/16505
2
member includes a substantially centrally disposed region wherein opposing
central
strap edge segments of the opposing strap edges are substantially parallel to
and
mediate the opposing side edges. A severance line segment is disposed
proximate each
of the corners of the handle panel extending from a first end point proximate
an
associated one of the corners to a second end point proximate the centrally
disposed
region of the strap member such that when a force that is substantially normal
to a plane
in which the handle panels lies is exerted upon the centrally disposed region,
the strap
member is flexed substantially outwardly of the plane from a biased position
proximate
the plane.
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will be apparent from
the
following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is an isometric illustration of a carton having a handle structure in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2 is an isometric illustration of the carton of Fig. 1 with the handle
member
lifted upwardly.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank for forming the carton with the handle
structure
shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a view of a blank for forming a carton having a handle structure in
accordance with an alternate preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 5 is an isometric illustration of a carton having a handle structure in
accordance with an alternate preferred embodiment of the invention formed from
the
blank of Fig. 4.
CA 02340756 2001-02-16
WO 00/78618 PCT/US00/16505
3
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the
same or like features of the invention.
For convenience of understanding, reference may be made to Figs. 1, 2 and 3
simultaneously. Figs. l and 2 illustrate a carton 10 having a handle structure
in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 .illustrates
the blank 12
from which the carton of Figs. 1 and 2 is formed.
Fig. 2 illustrates the transverse alignment of cans C with respect to the
carton's
10 handle structure in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
invention. Fig. 2
also depicts the manner in which the top wall of the carton 10 including its
handle
structure bows upwardly when a force F is applied to lift the strap member 14.
The environment of the handle structure of the invention is a carton 10 that
forms an enclosure from a series of interconnected panels. In Fig. 3, the main
adjoining
panels 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 which form a tubular structure when the end-most
panels
20, 28 are joined are most clearly seen.
The end-most panels 20, 28 of the blank 12 form the top wall, or panel, of the
carton 12 that contains the handle structure. For convenience of explanation,
each
portion of the top panel 20, 28 is further described in segments. Each half
panel has a
strap member 46, 44 with a tapered region 30, 38 mediate the end regions. The
remaining portion 40, 42 of the top panel lies along a side edge of the top
panel. Flaps
80 adjoin the end edges of the top panel. Each flap forms at least a portion
of an end
wall in the erected carton.
CA 02340756 2001-02-16
WO 00/78618 PCT/US00/16505
4
In the erected carton 10, the strap members 46, 44 overlap, to a certain
extent,
and the tapered regions 30, 38 overlap fully to produce a substantially
reinforced
handle. At the end regions of the strap handle members 46, 44 a web extends
diagonally from the vertex of a side edge and an end edge of the panel.
The elongated webs 54 are defined by a spaced-apart pairing of a perforated
line
57 extending diagonally from the aforementioned vertex and a score line 56
lying
between the perforated line and the end edge of the panel 20, 28. The
intersection of the
score line 56 and perforated line 57 enhances the effectiveness of the
invention.
A connecting member 70 conjoins the strap member 46, 44 and a portion of the
region 42, 40 of the top panel adjacent the strap member 46, 44. Stress upon
the end
region of the handle structure is more evenly directed toward the ends of the
handle
structure and carton through the coincidence of an edge 72 (appearing as a cut
line in
the blank 12) of the strap member 46, 44 with the score line 56 of the
elongated web.
Further enhancement of the operation of the handle structure is achieved by
termination
of the edge 72 at the connecting tab 70.
Optionally, the end regions of the top panel, which coincide with the end
regions of the handle structure, may have an intermediate web panel 50 defined
by a
curved., or arcuate, score line 58, which, in the blank 12, coincides with the
perforated
lines 57 of the elongated webs of the handle structure. Another pair of
intermediate
web panels 60 may also be formed at the opposing side of the carton.
The strap member 44, 46 provides a handle that directs stress toward the ends
of
the carton. The features of the handle structure which are described above
cause the
strap member 30, 38 and other elements upon the top panel of the carton to
flex, or
bow, in an outwardly-projecting predetermined manner when the carton 10 is
lifted F.
The structure of the elongated webs 54 cause the top panel 20, 28 to concavely
bow in a
CA 02340756 2004-08-09
stepped configuration, ascending inwaxdly, when the carton is lifted by a
force, as
illustrated in Fig. 2. The tapered strap member 30, 38 provides a convenient,
reliable
handle. The connecting tabs 70 interconnect the strap member 46, 44 and
adjacent top
panel regions 42, 40. This interconnection causes the top panel 20, 28 to
maintain a
5 more contiguous configuration when the carton is lifted. The side regions
42, 40 of the
top panel have a tendency to flex away from the strap member. The connecting
tabs
inhibit such movement and promote a more pleasing appearance and greater
integrity of
the top panel of the carton.
The intermediate web panels 50, 60 enable the corners of the carton 10 to be
drawn tighter when cans C or similar articles are transversely aligned in the
carton with
respect to the lengthwise dimension of the carton and top panel, as shown in
Fig. 2.
The structure of the invention provides a handle that is reinforced and that
directs stress away from the handle itself to the ends of the carton while
helping the
carton to maintain an aesthetically pleasing appearance and greater integrity
when
lifted.
Referring now simultaneously to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, therein is shown a carton
having an alternate preferred embodiment ofhandle structure in accordance with
the
teachings of the invention. In Figs. 4 and 5, features corresponding to like
features of
the preferred embodiment of the invention discussed above and illustrated in
Figs. 1-3
hare denoted by the same reference numerals but in a "100" series. For
example, panel
24 in the first embodiment is denoted as 124 in the alternate preferred
embodiment.
In the alternate embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5, a first corner web 200 is formed
in
each corner of the top wall in which the handle structure is formed by a
perforated line
190 ("perforated" in that it consists of alternating cut segments and scored
segmemts)
and a first comer score line 191 convergingly extending from the corner of the
top wall
CA 02340756 2001-02-16
WO 00/78618 PCT/US00/16505
6
or panel toward the end edge of the strap member 144. The various "webs" in
this
alternate embodiment are also for convenience of explanation sometimes
hereinafter
alternately referred to as "gussets" and "pleats." The perforated line 190
intersects the
proximate vertex of the top wall where a side edge and an end edge of the top
wall
intersect. The first corner score line 191 is disposed intermediate the
perforated line
190 and the side edge of the top wall. A second corner score line 192 is
disposed
adjacent the first corner score line forming another web or gusset. A diagonal
cut line
193 is disposed at each corner of the side wall 122, 126 adjacent. the top
wall in
coincident alignment with the first corner score line 191.
The cut line 172 that defines each edge of the ends of the strap member may
have many orientations but in the preferred alternate embodiment illustrated
is
optimally disposed in substantially parallel longitudinal alignment with the
strap
member and the side edges of the top wall.
Tabs 170 that serve as handle gussets (webs/pleats) are formed by tab score
lines 194, 195. Although the tab score lines may have many different
alignments with
respect to one another, in the preferred alternate embodiment illustrated they
are
nonparallel. One of the tab score lines 195 is directed toward the handhole
aperture.
Each tab 170 is further defined by the cut lines 172 and 196 that define the
edges of the
strap member.
Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, the particular arrangement of elements
of
the handle structure of the alternate preferred embodiment described above and
illustrated in Fig. 5 causes the top wall of the carton to deform in a
controlled manner
and direct stress in a predetermined manner. Referring momentarily
particularly to Fig.
4, each cut line 172, 196 that separates the strap member structure from the
remainder
of the top wall and tabs 170, respectively, is interrupted by a nick member
that provides
joinder between these elements. As the snap member is lifted F, the nick
members
CA 02340756 2001-02-16
WO 00/78618 PCT/US00/16505
7
cause the strap member 144 and tabs 170 to become separated from one another
and
from the top wall in a predetermined manner such that the strap member is
bowed
outwardly and gussets 200, 202 and 204 become angularly displaced with respect
to one
another. Optimally, the first gusset 200 is displaced into condition inwardly
of the
outwardly-bowed strap member. The lifting force exerted upon the carton causes
deformation which produces joinder between the diagonal cut lines and the
first score
lines. This deformation in turn causes the first gusset 200 to extend over the
edge of the
side wall of the carton. The arrangement of elements described directs stress
to the
corners of the carton. Further, when articles such as cans C are aligned in
the carton,
the enclosed cans at the corners of the carton adjacent the first gussets acts
as a "beam"
or bracing element.
In one optimum mode, as the strap member is lifted, the set of nicks
connecting
the strap member 144 and the tabs 170 before the set of nicks connecting the
strap
member proximate the tabs 170 and the remainder of the top wall.
The primary elements of the handle structure of the subject invention are the
strap member 30/38 & 130/138, disjoined from the handle panel 44/46 & 144/146,
and
what are referred to in this portion of the description as severance line
segments 72 &
172. Each severance line segment extends between one point that is close to a
corner of
the handle panel and a second point that is close to the centrally disposed
region of the
strap member. This arrangement produces a spring like relationship between the
strap
member and the handle panel such that when a force F is exerted upon a
centrally
disposed region of the strap handle in a direction substantially perpendicular
to a plane
(or notional plane) in which the handle panel lies, the strap member flexes
outwardly of
the plane from a biased position proximate the plane, as illustrated in Figs.
2 and 5.
The arrangement of elements just described essentially creates a web inclusive
of the
pleat 70 & 170 which conjoins end regions of the strap member with the
remainder of
the handle panel. Stress due to the weight of the carton (and the offsetting
force F use
CA 02340756 2004-08-09
to lift and suspend the carton) is focused from the ends of the strap member
toward the
corners and end walls and adjacent side wall regions of the carton instead at
undesirable
regions of the handle panel and centrally disposed region of the strap member
that are
likely to tear and fail. The substantial separation of the centrally disposed
region of the
strap member from the plane of the handle panel helps facilitate dissipation
of stress in
the manner described above.
The severance line segments can be disposed in several optimal arrangements
such as parallel to the side edges of the handle panel and diverging from the
side panels
as the severance line segment extends toward the end edges of the handle
panel. In a
carton in which cylindrical articles such as cans C are packaged, the end
paint of the
severance line segment that is closest the corner optimally terminates at or
near a
tangent line T where the end can of the array of packaged cans is tangent to
the handle
panel.
Frangible members, or nick members, 74, 76 & 174, 176 are optimally disposed
bridging the web that includes the pleats 70 & 170 and the strap member and
bridging
severance line segments 72 & 172, respectivley, such that as a force that is
substantially
perpendicular to a notional plane of the handle panel is exerted upon the
centrally
disposed region of the strap member, the strap member flexes outwardly of the
handle
panel in a coordinated sequence beginning closest the centrally disposed
region and
progressing toward respective ones of the opposing edges.
The gussets 54 & 200 previusly described above serve the same function as
previously described. The gussets extend between the end point closest the
corner to
the corner itself. The gussets can be formed from a pair of score lines, a
pair of
perforated lines or a combination of a non-coincident pair of a score line and
a
perforated line.Modifications may be made in the foregoing without departing
from the
scope and spirit of the claimed invention.
