Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WRAPAROUND CARTON WITH A BEAM STRUCTURE AND BLANK THEREFOR
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carton and a blank for forming the same.
More particularly,
the present invention relates to a carton incorporating a beam structure
adapted to fit in the
recess between interconnected cups or pots of so-called brick packages, for
example.
Such groupings may constitute a single pair or any other desired arrangement
such as two
to rows of two packages each, two rows of three, four or five packages each or
greater number
of rows desired number of containers. Ordinarily, such containers are
relatively small and in
order to provide for efficient handling during shipment and displays in retail
outlets, it is
desirable to stack the articles in tiers one above the other.
i5 For the purposes of this application, each cup or pot is considered to
represent a separate
article. Some cups or pots are subdivided into separate sections (e.g. yoghurt
pots in which
the flavouring is in a separate section from the yoghurt).
This invention relates particularly to a beam structure which interconnects a
carton side or top
2o wall with its base wall such that the longitudinal axis of the beam is
inclined relative to the
plane of the carton's top wall and engages with a recess between adjacent
pots. Previous
beams have required the carrier to be applied to an upright article grouping
from below.
Examples of such carriers are disclosed in EP 0 972 7I8 AI to Goossens
Beauvais and FR 2
423 399 to Calvert.
One problem of such carriers is that they are incompatible with conventional
wraparound
packaging machinery in which the carrier is applied to the article grouping
from above or
below and is wrapped around the article grouping.
Summary of the Invention
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The present invention seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of
the prior art.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a wraparound
carton for
packaging two or more articles with a recess defined between adjacent
articles, the carton
comprising a top wall, a side wall, a base wall and a beam structure arranged
to form a tubular
structure so as to encircle the article wherein the beam structure is arranged
to be placed in
the recess and is hingedly interconnected at one end thereof to the base wall.
Preferably the carton is provided with a second side wall and wherein the
second end of the
to beam stnzcture is hingedly connected to the second side wall. More
preferably the second end
is hingedly connected to the second side wall intermediate the upper edge and
the base of the
article.
Alternatively, the second end of the beam structure is hingedly connected to
the top wall of
I5 the carton.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the beam
structure comprises
a pair of support panels hingedly connected along a common longitudinal edge.
2o The support panels may define therebetween an acute angle to facilitate
formation of the
beam.
According to another optional feature of this aspect of the present invention
there further
comprises a medial panel intermediate and hingedly interconnecting the support
panels along
25 their common longitudinal edge.
According to yet another optional feature of this aspect of the present
invention the support
panels are hingedly connected to the adjacent wall panel by one or more
bracket panels. The
bracket panels may be trapezoidal in shape.
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In some embodiments, there may further comprise a pair of gusset panels
hingedly connected
to said bracket panel and folded out of alignment therewith, wherein said pair
of gusset panels
hingedly connect said support panels to said bracket panel. The gusset panels
are preferably,
folded out of alignment with respect to each said support panel so as to abut
a wall of the
adjacent articles.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the present invention part
of said support
panels rnay each abut a wall of adjacent articles.
1o According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided blank for
wraparound carrier
comprising a plurality of wall panels hingedly interconnected in series,
wherein the wall
panels include a pair of base panels at the opposite end to the blank, and
wherein one of the
base panels is connected to an adjacent wall panel through a beam forming
portion that
includes a bracket panel hingedly connected to the base panel and a pair of
support panels
both connected to the bracket panel and extending to said adjacent wall panel.
Preferably an opposing end of the beam forming structure is hingedly connected
to a side wall
panel. More preferably, the distance between the fold lines hingedly
interconnecting the side
wall panel and the beam forming structure and top wall respectively in less
than the distance
2o between the top and base of the article to be packaged.
Alternatively, the first end of the beam structure is hingedly interconnected
to the top wall
panel of the carton.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the pair of
support panels
may be separated by a medial panel.
According to another optional feature of this aspect of the present invention
the bracket
panels are trapezoidal in shape. Alternatively the bracket panels are
triangular in shape.
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According to another optional feature of this aspect of the present invention
there further
comprises a pair of gusset panels hingedly connected to said bracket panel
wherein said pairs
of gusset panels hingedly connect said support panels to said bracket panel.
A third aspect of the invention provides a method of forming a carton from the
blank
comprising the steps of :-
(i) introducing an array of articles having a recess defined between adjacent
articles, to
the blank; (ii) inserting the beam forming portion into the recess to cause
the support panels
to be folded out of alignment and to engage the walls of the adjacent
articles; and (iii) fold
the top base panels into overlapping arrangement to be secured together.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
FIGURE 1 shows a blank for forming a wraparound carton incorporating a beam
structure
according to one embodiment of the invention;
FIGURE 2 shows an inverted perspective view of the blank of Figure 1 shown
having an
article introduced thereto;
FIGURES 3 and 4 show inverted perspective views of successive stages of the
carton erection
process;
FIGURES 5 and 6 show perspective views a fully erected and loaded carton
formed from the
blank shown in Figure 1;
FIGURE 7 shows a blank for forming a wraparound carton incorporating a beam
structure
according to a second embodiment of the invention; and
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FIGURES 8 and 9 show perspective views a fully erected and loaded carton
formed from the
blank shown in Figure 1.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to the drawings, and in particular Figure 1, there is shown one
example of a blank
made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material for forming a
wraparound carton
according to the invention having a plurality of panels for forming a beam
structure 14
provided therewith, for packaging one or more articles. The blank comprises in
series a
i0 plurality of panels for forming a carton having a top, a base and opposed
side walls. In this
embodiment, there comprises a first base wall panel 12, the beam structure 14,
a first side
wall panel 16, a top wall panel 18, a second side wall panel 20 and a second
base wall panel
12 hingedly interconnected in series along fold lines 30, 32, 24, 26, 28
respectively.
The beam structure 14 extends between, and is hingedly connected to the first
base wall panel
12 and first side wall panel 16 via a pair of bracket arrangements. Thus, the
beam structure
14 can be interposed between portions of the articles) to support it.
Preferably the beam
structure 14 is struck from at least in part the first base panel 12 and first
side wall panel 16,
so that those parts of the aforesaid panels not forming the beam structure,
form part of the
external walls.
In this embodiment, each bracket arrangement comprises a bracket panel 34, 36
hingedly
connected along one edge to the first base wall panel 12 along fold line 30
and first side wall
panel along fold line 32 respectively. Preferably, the bracket panels 34, 36
are substantially
trapezoidal in shape and fold lines 30, 32 are provided along their longest
edges. Each
bracket panel 34, 36 is hinged along each of its opposing oblique side edges
to a pair of
gusset panels 42a, 42b and 42c, 42d along fold lines 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d
respectively. The
gusset panels 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d are substantially triangular in shape, in the
preferred
embodiment of Figure 1. Of course the shape of the bracket panel and/or gusset
panels are
not limited to the shapes described above and it is envisaged that other
shapes could be used
to provide a beam of a substantially inverted "V" shaped cross-section, for
example.
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Gusset panels 42a and 42b are hingedly connected along fold line 46a to first
and second end
article support panels 38 and 40 respectively. Likewise, gusset panels 42c and
42d are
hingedly connected along fold line 46b to opposite ends of the first and
second article support
panels 38 and 40 respectively.
In this embodiment, a medial panel 48 separates the article support panels 38,
40 and is
hingedly connected thereto along its side edges by fold lines 50, 52. The
medial panel 48 is,
in the preferred embodiment, hingedly connected to the shortest edge of
bracket panels 34 and
to 36 by fold lines 46a and 46b.
Turning to the construction of the carton illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4,
it is envisaged that
the carton of the present invention can be formed by a series of sequential
folding and,
optionally, gluing operations which can be performed in a known straight line
machine so that
the carton is riot required to be rotated or inverted to complete its
construction. The folding
process is not limited to that described below and can be altered according to
particular
manufacturing requirements. The articles are shown inverted for clarity only.
Referring first to Figure 2, the top wall panel 18 of carton blank 10 is
brought into contact
with the upper planar face of the articles A by relative vertical motion
therebetween. Turning
to Figure 3, the blank 10 is then part erected to provide a pair of oppositely
disposed side
walls by folding side wall panels 16, 20 inwaxdly about fold lines 24 and 26.
The bracket
panels 34, 36 are folded out of alignment with first base wall panel 12 and
first side wall
panel 16, such that first base wall panel 12 overlies the base of the articles
A.
Meanwhile, or contemporaneously, the beam structure 14 is constructed by
folding first and
second support panels 38, 40 along common fold lines 50, 52 into an angular
relationship
with each other and with medial panel 48 (Figure 4), such that medial panel 48
is uppermost.
The folding of the first and second support panels 38, 40 simultaneously
causes gusset panels
42a, 42b and 42c, 42d to be folded out of alignment with bracket panels 34,
36.
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Beneficially, the first and second support panels are automatically folded by
virtue of the
introduction of the beam structure into the gap between adjacent articles A.
For this to be
achieved, the width of the medial panel 48 is equal to or less than the
spacing between
adjacent pots but the overall unfolded width of the beam structure 14 is wider
than the
spacing between pots. The intrinsic resilience of the folded paperboard
ensures that a snug fit
is maintained between the support panels 38, 40 and the articles.
Second base wall panel 22 is then folded over the base of articles A and is
secured to first
base wall panel 13 using glue, or other suitable means known in the art, such
as mechanical
to interlocking means, for example thereby, forming a composite base wall. The
carton is now
fully erected, as shown in Figures 4, S and 6 with a beam of a substantially
inverted "LT"
shaped cross section.
It is envisaged that the angular relationship between support panels 38 and 40
can be altered
by moving fold lines 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d andlor fold lines 46a, 46b according
to particular
requirements of the beam structure 14. The bracket panels 34, 36 are not
limited to being of
trapezoidal shape. In other classes of embodiment, it is envisaged that the
support panels may
be folded upwardly to form a beam of inverted structure. In some embodiments,
second base
wall panel may be extended to cover the entire base, and may potentially be
provided with a
2o flap to be secured to first side wall panel 16.
Tn some embodiments, the beam support panels may flex, shown in Figure 5, so
as to engage
the articles to improve rigidity of the carton. In these embodiments the
support panels
function as engaging strips. Preferably the panels 38, 40 flex along the fold
lines 44a, 50,
44d; and 44b, 52, 44c and these fold lines may be oriented so as to better
confirm to the shape
of the adjacent article.
Turning to a second embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 7, 8
and 9, like
parts have, where possible, been represented by like numerals with the
addition of the pre-fix
"1". The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, so only the
differences are
described in any greater detail.
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Referring in particular to the blank 110 as illustrated in Figure 7, this
embodiment differs
from the first embodiment in that the first side wall panel has been omitted
and the beam
structure 114 is thus hingedly interconnected directly to top wall panel 118
along fold line
132. Additionally, the beam structure has been extended in length to
compensate for the
omission of the first side wall panel.
Turning to the beam structure 114 in more detail, it can be seen that in this
embodiment
support panels 138 and 140 are mutually hingedly connected along a common fold
line 143
l0 and further, that the gusset panels have been omitted such that support
panels 138 and 140 are
trapezoidal in shape and are directly hingedly interconnected to bracket
panels 134 and 136
along fold lines 135, 139 and 137, 141 respectively.
Turning to the construction of the carton to form a fully set up carton as
illustrated in Figures
8 and 9, it is again envisaged that the carton of the second embodiment can be
formed by a
series of sequential folding and gluing operations which can be performed in a
straight line
machine so that the carton is not required to be rotated or inverted to
complete its
construction.
2o The folding operation is substantially as described in the first embodiment
and results in the
blank forming a tubular carton encircling the articles A. Thereafter, first
and second base
wall panels 112 and 122 being secured together using glue or other suitable
means known in
the art to form a composite base wall as shown in Figure 8.
The beam structure 114 is constructed by folding first and second support
panels 138 and 140
along their common fold line 143 into an angular relationship with each other
such that the
fold line 143 is uppermost, in this embodiment.
Beneficially, the first and second support panels are automatically folded by
virtue of the
3o introduction of the beam structure 114 into the gap between adjacent
articles A. For this to be
achieved, the width of the support panels 138, 140 when in a co-planar state
are wider than
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the space inbetween pots. Again, the intrinsic resilience of the folded
paperboard ensures that
a snug fit is maintained between the support panels 138, 140 and the articles.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the combination of a
wraparound
arrangement with a inclined beam interposed between articles substantially
prevents the
relative movement of the articles A and carton which may otherwise compromise
the
automated handling of the cartons and the stacking thereof. Thus, the beam
arrangement may
be used to replace end retention means which have hitherto been used to
prevent relative
horizontal movement between articles and carton, but which generally require
an additional
to folding step to be carried out as part of the erection process.
It will be recognised that as used herein, the terms "top", "base", "side",
"upper" and "lower"
with respect to the panels of the carton are relative terms, and that the
carton may be re-
oriented as necessary or as desired. Any reference to hinged connections
should not be
construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only; indeed it is
envisaged that a
hinged connection can be formed from a score line, a frangible line or one,
two or more fold
lines without departing from the scope of invention.
The present invention and its preferred embodiment relates to a beam structure
in a
2o wraparound carton which is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold
at least one article
securely but with a degree of flexibility so that the load transferred to the
beam structure is
absorbed by the carton. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of
paperboard required.
The carton can be applied to an array of articles by hand or automatic
machinery.
