Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REINFORCED END AND SIDE PANEL CONTAINER
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reinforced bag-in-box containers formed from
corrugated board or similar packaging materials which are suitable for
containing fluid filled bags, such as bags of mixer syrups for making
beverages,
and other products requiring extra packaging support or stacking strength.
Backaround of the Invention
Syrups used for the production of soft drinks are packaged in flexible
plastics bags which are in turn supported by a protective box for
transportation
and storage. Such syrups are heavy and the protective box must therefore be
sufficiently strong to contain the bag during storage, handling and dispensing
of
the syrup through a closure attached to the bag and supported by one end of
the
box. Boxes suitable for such syrup bags must have a predetermined stacking
strength and burst resistance, otherwise the sides of the box can bulge and
rupture thereby risking loss or contamination of the contents.
In the past,,boxes which have been used for the above purpose, and for
other products requiring extra packaging support or stacking strength, have
been
formed from high strength, heavy weight corrugated board, such as Duo Arch
board, which is therefore expensive.
The patent literature discloses numerous corner reinforced containers of
standard top-filling configuration (see for example US Patent 5000377 and
5289970 McLure, 405223 Williams, 5673848 Garza and 5002224 Muise), but
such containers are not suitable for use for end-filled bag-in-box containers
and
are not side reinforced in a manner which suits such containers.
Summary of the Invention and Object
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reinforced corrugated
bag-in-box board container having the necessary strength characteristics which
can be made from a lower grade board than previously.
The invention therefore provides a bag-in-box container formed from
corrugated board or similar packaging materials, including a base panel, a top
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panel, side panels and end panels which together form a container which is
closed
by one of the end panels, said side panels having end flaps and extension
portions at
least one end which are folded over and secured to form double thickness end
flaps
which are foldable inside the end panels, the extension portions at least one
end of
the side panels having a further elongate portion which is folded over and
secured
to the side panels to reinforce substantially the entire length of each side
panel.
A container of the above defmed configuration has increased stacking
strength and burst resistance using standard grade board thereby resulting in
significant cost savings.
In a still further form of the invention, the extension portions -at one end
of the side panels include portions defining double thickness end flaps for
one
end of the container, side panel reinforcing portions and a portion forming
double thickness end flaps with the extension portions at the other end of the
side panels.
In each of the above embodiments, the corners and sides of the container
are substantially reinforced by the folded and secured extension portions
thereby
creating a container having superior stacking strength and burst resistance
than
the prior art container using a lower grade less expensive board.
The invention further provides a blank for forming a reinforced bag-in-
box container, including a central panel porrtion defining a base panel, a top
panel and end panels, one such end panel being adapted to close the container
when
filled, side panel portions extending from said central panel portion defining
side
panels having end flaps and reinforcing extension portions which are foldable
and
securable to form double thickness end flaps, one extension portion having a
further elongate portion which is securable to reinforce substantially the
entire
length of each side panel.
Typical embodiments of the blank are illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4, 5 and
6 of the accompanying drawings, as described further below.
PCT/AU00/01215
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Brief Description of the Drawing
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, the
embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
In the following drawings the following conventions are adapted in
relation to fold or crease lines. Where the fold or crease is represented by a
broken line or a "dot dash" line, a standard fold or crease is intended but
where
a solid line is present, this represents a cut crease line.
Figure 1 illustrates a blank for forming a container embodying the
invention;
Figure 2 illustrates some of the steps involved in converting the blanket
Figure 1 to a container;
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate modified blanks for forming containers
embodying the invention;
Description of Preferred Embodiments
Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the blank from which
the box or container embodying the invention is formed includes a base panel
1,
a top panel 2, side panels 3 and 4, and end panels 5 and 6 which together form
a
closed container for a fluid-filled bag (not shown).
The side panels 3 and 4 are each formed with extension portions 7 and 8,
which are adapted to be folded along lines 9 and 10 and glued to form double
thickness end flaps 11 and 12 (Figure 2), said extension portions 7 and 8
having
side wall reinforcing portions 13 and 14 extending therefrom and adapted to be
adhesively secured to the side wall panels 3 and 4 as illustrated in Figure 2.
The top panel 2 include narrow securing flaps 15, 16 and 17 which are
adapted to be folded against the side panels 3 and 4 and end panel 5 and
adhesively secured thereto to square and close the container. It will be
appreciated that the securing flap 17 is folded and glued to the end panel 5
only
after the bag has been inserted into the box. It will also be noted that the
end
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panel 5 is formed with a push out portion 18 adapted to receive a known
dispensing valve attached to the fluid-filled bag.
It will of course be appreciated that the end panels 5 and 6 are also
adhesively secured to the double thickness end flaps 11 and 12 for further
structural rigidity. The double thickness end flaps 11 and 12 and the side
panel-
reinforcing portions 13 and 14 formed by folding and gluing the extension
portions 7 and 8 provide substantial reinforcement of the closed box,
particularly at the corners, to provide a significant improvement in stacking
strength and bulge resistance. The blank illustrated in Figure 1 can be cut
from
standard grade corrugated board and the resulting box has strength
characteristics which are superior to the prior art boxes for a lower overall
cost.
In the embodiment of Figure 3 of the drawings, the same reference
numerals identify similar parts, and it will be noted that extension portion 7
does not include portion 13, while extension portion 8 is dimensioned to
extend
from one end of side panels 3 and 4 to the other. When the box is assembled,
the double thickness end flaps 11 tightly engage the free edge of the portion
14
to effectively eliminate any point of weakness at the respective corners of
the
box whereby the performance characteristics of this embodiment are similar to
those of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.
In the embodiment of Figure 4, the same reference numerals identify
similar parts, and it will be seen that the extension portion 7 defines only a
single end flap 18 while the extension portion 8 includes an additional end
flap
19 which overlies and is glued to the end flap 18 when the extension portion 7
is
folded as defined above. It has been found that this blank is more easily
machine erected since only one extension portion needs to be folded.
The embodiment of Figure 5 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 4
with the exception that the securing flaps 15 and 16 are centrally
interrupted, as
illustrated at 20, to increase the stacking strength provided by the side wall
reinforcing portions 13 and 14. It will be appreciated that the embodiments of
Figures 1 and 3 may be similarly modified.
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In the embodiment of Figure 6, the additional end flap 19 overlies the
end flap 18 and is glued thereto. The additional end flap 19 is shorter than
the
end flap 18 to allow for push in portion 18B which overlies push in portion
18A
in the end panel 5 to facilitate access to the dispensing valve of the bag
within
the box. Otherwise, this embodiment is similar to the embodiment of Figure 4.
In the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8, the top panel 2 of the previous
embodiments is centrally divided and securing flaps 15 and 16 are cut from the
further flaps 14 as illustrated, and the side panels 3 and 4 have hand hold 22
cut
therefrom. In this arrangement, the further panels 14 are secured to the side
walls 3 and 4 with the intermediate panels 23 folded along the lines 10 to
form
double thickness end reinforcing portions as illustrated in Figure 8 of the
drawings. It will be appreciated from Figure 8 that this embodiment of the
invention has the advantage of being capable of being top filled rather
than.end
filled in the case of the earlier embodiments.
While each of the above embodiments is designed to contain a fluid-
filled bag, it will be appreciated that any one of the above described
containers
is equally useable for other flowable substances, such as powdered substances.
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