Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DIVISIBLE MULTI-CARTON PACKAGE
The present invention relates to a multi-carton package
especially useful for shipping bottles. The package may be
readily divided into separate packs or cartons. The packs
include easy opening tabs. A blank for the package and a
method of folding the blank into a package is also provided.
In most of the packages used in the shipping industry today,
six bottles are packed into a paperboard wrap or a carton.
Two such cartons are put into each shipping package. The
use of so many packages and cartons increases shipping
costs. Thus, it would be desirable to use a single shipping
package which holds twelve bottles and which splits easily
to form two six-pack cartons.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide multi-carton packages wherein each carton may be
varied in size. For example, the size of the carton may be
varied, so that more or less than six bottles, or other
containers can be included in each carton. In addition the
package may be made so that it can be split into more than
two cartons.
Numerous types of multi-carton packages are known in the
prior art.
U.S. Patent No. 3,135,457 (Risucci) describes a carton
having multiple compartments which are made from separable
units.
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U.S. Patent No. 2,998,179 (Zilles) describes a multi-
compartment carton having a rib separating the compartments.
A flange extends from the rib and is adhered to one inside
panel of the carton. An end of a second panel is adhered to
the outside of a third panel.
U.S. Patent No. 1,898,231 (Weiss) illustrates a multi-
compartment carton having a partition with an attaching flap
and attaching wall which is continuous with a side wall of
the carton.
U.S. Patent No. 2,697,544 (Morand) discloses a plural
compartment box formed from a single blank of sheet
material.
Patents disclosing weakened portions defined by scores or
cuts include U.S. Patent No. 2,828,060 (Brown), U.S. Patent
No. 3,015,432 (Tyrseck); U.S. Patent Nos. 3,491,937 and
3,719,317 (Brastad) and U.S. Patent No. 2,259,822
(Kienlen). Other cartons are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos.
2,852,180; 2,881,968; 2,884,180; 2,936,104; and 2,992,767.
GB 2,322,349 and EP 860,371.
U.S. Patent No. 3,261,536 (Bixler) discloses a carton having
a delamination portion on a flap. U.S. Patent No. 2,936,104
(De Blaere) discloses a slit which extends only partially
through the carton structure forming the front wall and
provides a weakened outer surface area to aid opening of the
carton and to prevent peeling of the front wall when the
carton is opened.
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U.S. Patent No. 3,182,887 (Larson) discloses a carton having
a delaminating portion.
U.S. Patent No. 3,113,713 (Green) discloses a carton having
unprinted triangular areas.
U.S. Patent No. 5,505,370 (Brown et al) discloses a multi-
carton package which may be readily divided into separate
cartons by the consumer.
The present invention relates to a package comprising at
least two detachable cartons. The package of the invention
is preferably formed from a single integral blank and the
two detachable cartons share a top panel having a line of
weakness through which the cartons may be separated. Each
of the two cartons includes a lateral side panel, a bottom
panel, a medial side panel and a glue flap extending from
the medial side panel. Each of the glue flaps is adhered to
a respective portion of the top panel. The cartons include
front and rear opening flaps. Preferably the front opening
flaps include lift tabs.
By providing a package which splits into two cartons, less
tape is used than when individual cartons are placed in a
larger shipping package as described above, thereby
conserving tape and improving the printing of graphics on
the package. The package of the invention utilises the
materials of the blank very efficiently. The package also
allows ready separation of the cartons and facile opening of
the carton flaps for access to product.
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For a more complete understanding of the above and other
features and advantages of the invention, reference should
be made to the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments which is provided by way of example
only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank used to construct the
package of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an erected package of
the invention wherein the front and lateral closing flaps
are partially opened;
FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of an erected package of
the invention wherein the bottom and lateral closing flaps
are partially opened;
FIG. 4 is a side view of an erected package of the invention
wherein all the closing flaps are partially opened, and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fully erected package of
the invention which shows a lateral side panel, two bottom
panels, and bottom and top closing flaps.
As used herein, "top" refers to the side of the package to
which the first and second glue flap described below are
adhered by glue. As used herein a glue flap refers to a
glue flap as described below, which is adhered to another
surface of the package by glue or other adhesive.
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The package 10 (see Figs.2 and 3) comprises a first carton
12 and a second carton 14. A first carton 12 comprises top
panel 16 (see Figure 1) which includes adjacent top sub-
panels, 18 and 20, first proximal lateral side panel 23,
first bottom panel 26, and first medial lateral side panel
28. First glue flap 30 extends from panel 28 and is adhered
to the underside of the first top sub-panel 18.
A second carton 14 comprises a second top sub-panel 20, a
second proximal lateral side panel 34, a second bottom panel
36, and second medial lateral side panel 38. A Second glue
flap 40 extends from the second medial lateral side panel 38
and is adhered to the bottom of second top sub-panel 20. A
perforated cut line 42 separates the first top sub-panel 18
from the second top sub-panel 20.
A first front closing flap 46 is connected by a folding line
to top sub-panels 18 and 20 and said first front closing
flap is divided by a line of weakness 42 which is continuous
with the line of weakness 42 dividing top sub-panels 18 and
20.
A second front closing flap 96 is connected by a folding
line to the opposite end of top sub-panels 18 and 20 and
said second front closing flap 96 is divided by a line of
weakness 42 which is continuous with the line of weakness 42
dividing top sub-panels 18 and 20.
Side lateral closing flaps 48 and 50 are attached by folding
lines to opposite ends of first proximal lateral side panel
23.
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Side lateral closing flaps 52 and 54 are attached by folding
lines to opposite ends of second proximal lateral side panel
34.
Side lateral closing flaps 60 and 64 are attached via
folding lines to opposite ends of bottom panel 26. Side
lateral closing sub-flaps 62 and 66 are attached via lines
of weakness 80 to side lateral closing flaps 60 and 64
respectively.
Side lateral closing flaps 68 and 70 are attached via
folding lines to opposite ends of bottom panel 36.
The package is assembled by folding the blank as shown in
figure 1 and as described below. The package is assembled
by folding bottom panels 26 and 36 so that they are facing
and parallel to top sub-panels 18 and 20, folding distal
side flap 28 and distal side flap 38 perpendicular to
bottom panels 26 and 36 and top sub-panels 18 and 20. Glue
flaps 30 and 40 are adhered to top sub-panels 18 and 20,
respectively. Bottom sub-flap 62 overlaps and adheres to
bottom closing flap 68 and bottom sub-flap 66 overlaps and
adheres to bottom closing flap 70.
The closing flaps 60, 48, 46, 52, 68, 70, 54, 96, 50, 64 and
are then closed. Preferably the bottom closing flaps 96
and 46 are closed after side lateral closing flaps 48, 50,
52, and 54 are closed.
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Two cartons can be broken out from the thus formed package
by breaking the lines of weakness 42 and 80. Since the
lines of weakness 42 runs parallel with the line where
medial side panels 28 and 38 contact top sub-panels 18 and
20 respectively, breaking this line of weakness reveals the
top ends of the two contained cartons. Since the lines of
weakness 80 run parallel to the line where the two medial
side panels rest against each other, or come close to each
other, breaking this line of weakness exposes the back ends
of the two contained cartons.
Lines of weakness 90 and 100 are for opening each carton
after it has been detached from the original package.
In a blank according to the present invention, each fold
line between said glue flap and each medial lateral side
panel may contain a large perforation such that when the
package is assembled a portion of said respective large
perforations overlap. The resulting opening can be used to
carry the package when just that portion of the line of
weakness over it and between the two top sub-panels has been
opened.
If desired, the major and/or minor flaps may be shied. That
is, their length in the direction facing the opposing flap
is shortened to conserve paperboard.
The carton may be made of paperboard, coated paperboard, or
any other appropriate material. Hot melt or chemical
adhesive such as glue may be used to adhere portions of the
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carton together. An appropriate coating would be a low
density polyethylene extrusion coating.
The blank may be made by methods known in the art, or by
methods analogous to those known in the art, out of
materials that are known in the art or are analogous to
those known in the art.
Certain changes may be made in the package of the invention
without departing from the clear teachings of the
disclosure. For example, instead of having the lines of
weakness dividing the top panel, the lines of weakness could
divide both lateral side panels, running parallel to the
folding lines attaching the lateral and top panel, and the
medial side panels could be rearranged so that the lines of
weakness on each lateral side panel ran parallel to the line
where the two medial side panels rested against each other
or came close to each other. The medial side panels would
be attached to each of the lateral side panels in this case.
In this case, of course, the carton would be broken in a
different direction into two cartons.
It should be understood, of course, that the specific forms
of the invention herein illustrated and described are
intended to be representative only, as certain changes may
be made therein without departing from the clear teachings
of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to
the following appended claims in determining the full scope
of the invention.
