Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CARTON WITH ARTICLE PROTECTION FEATURE
[0001]
[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding
beverage containers or other
types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to
cartons having an article
protection feature and/or article protection flap that protects the containers
or articles from breakage.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0004] In one aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a carton for
containing at least one
article. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least
partially around an interior of
the carton. At least two end flaps are respectively foldably connected to
respective panels of the
plurality of panels. The at least two end flaps are at least partially
overlapped with respect to one
another to thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton. At
least one end flap of the at
least two end flaps is connected to a respective panel of the plurality of
panels by a connecting panel.
The carton further comprises an article protection feature for protecting the
at least one article. The
article protection feature can be positioned on the connecting panel.
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[0005] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a
carton for
containing at least one article. The blank comprises a plurality of panels for
at least partially
extending around an interior of the carton formed from the blank and at least
two end flaps
respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of
panels. The at least two end
flaps are for being at least partially overlapped with respect to one another
to at least partially form a
closed end of the carton formed from the blank. At least one end flap of the
at least two end flaps is
connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels by a connecting
panel. The blank further
comprises an article protection feature for protecting the at least one
article when the carton is
formed from the blank. The article protection feature is positioned on the
connecting panel.
[0006] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a
carton for
containing at least one article. The method comprises obtaining a carton blank
comprising a plurality
of panels, at least two end flaps respectively foldably connected to
respective panels of the plurality
of panels, and an article protection feature for protecting the at least one
article. At least one end flap
of the at least two end flaps is connected to a respective panel of the
plurality of panels by a
connecting panel, and the article protection feature is positioned on the
connecting panel. The
method further comprises forming an interior of the carton at least partially
defined by the plurality
of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-
ended sleeve. The
method can also comprise at least partially forming a closed end of the carton
by at least partially
overlapping the at least two end flaps with respect to one another.
[0007] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a carton for
containing at least one
article. The carton can comprise a plurality of panels that extends at least
partially around an interior
of the carton. The plurality of panels can comprise at least a side panel
foldably connected to a
bottom panel. At least two end flaps are respectively foldably connected to
respective panels of the
plurality of panels. The at least two end flaps are at least partially
overlapped with respect to one
another to thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton. The at
least two end flaps can
comprise at least a side end flap foldably connected to the side panel along a
first fold line. The
carton also can comprise a suspended corner panel at least partially defined
by the first fold line and
a second fold line extending in the side panel. The suspended corner panel can
be spaced apart from
the bottom panel.
[0008] In
another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a
carton for
containing at least one article. The blank comprises a plurality of panels for
at least partially
extending around an interior of the carton formed from the blank. The
plurality of panels can
comprise at least a side panel foldably connected to a bottom panel. At least
two end flaps are
respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of
panels. The at least two end
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flaps are for being at least partially overlapped with respect to one another
to at least partially form a
closed end of the carton formed from the blank. The at least two end flaps
comprising at least a side
end flap foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line. The
blank also can comprise a
suspended corner panel at least partially defined by the first fold line and a
second fold line
extending in the second panel. The suspended corner panel can be spaced apart
from the bottom
panel.
[0009] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method
of forming a carton for
containing at least one article. The method comprises obtaining a carton blank
comprising a plurality
of panels, at least two end flaps respectively foldably connected to
respective panels of the plurality
of panels, and a suspended corner panel. The plurality of panels comprises at
least a side panel
foldably connected to a bottom panel, and the at least two end flaps comprise
a side end flap foldably
connected to the side panel along a first fold line. The suspended corner
panel is at least partially
defined by the first fold line and a second fold line extending in the second
panel. The suspended
comer panel can be spaced apart from the bottom panel. The method further can
comprise forming
an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of
panels. The forming the interior
of the carton can comprise forming an open-ended sleeve. The method also can
comprise at least
partially forming a closed end of the carton by at least partially overlapping
the at least two end flaps
with respect to one another.
[0010] Other aspects, features, and details of the present disclosure can
be more completely
understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary
embodiments taken in
conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
[0011] Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages
and other advantages and
benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed
description of the
embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures. Further, the
various features of the
drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of
various features and
elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate
the embodiments of
the disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Fig. 1 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank for forming
a carton according to one
exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
[0013] Fig. 2 is an enlarged portion of Fig. I.
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[0014] Fig. 3 is an end view of a partially assembled carton showing
articles loaded in the partially
assembled carton according to the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
[0015] Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the carton further
assembled according to the
exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
[0016] Fig. 5 is an end view showing the carton closed.
[0017] Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along the plane 6-6 of Fig. 5.
[0018] Fig. 7 is an end view of a carton according to an alternative
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0019] Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference
numbers throughout the
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The present disclosure generally relates to cartons that contain a
single article or a plurality of
articles such as containers, bottles, cans, etc., and protection features of
such cartons that protect the
article or articles or containers from breakage, damage, or deformation. The
article(s) can be used
for packaging food and beverage products, for example, or any other item. The
article(s) can be
made from materials suitable in composition for packaging the particular food
or beverage item, or
other item, and the materials can include, but are not limited to, glass or
other breakable material;
aluminum and/or other metals; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS,
PVC, EVOH,
and Nylon; paperboard; and the like, or any combination thereof, or any other
suitable material.
[0021] Cartons according to the present disclosure can accommodate articles
of any shape. For the
purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the
disclosure, the following
detailed description describes beverage containers (e.g., glass beverage
bottles) as disposed within
the carton embodiments. In this specification, the terms "inner," "outer,"
"lower," "bottom,"
"upper," and "top" indicate orientations determined in relation to fully
erected and upright cartons.
[0022] Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exterior side 1 of a blank, generally
indicated at 3, used to form a
carton 5 (Fig. 5) according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The
carton 5 can be
used to house a plurality of articles such as containers C (Fig. 3). In the
illustrated embodiment, the
containers C are bottles having a wide bottom B and a narrow top T including a
cap CP. In the
illustrated embodiment, the carton 5 is sized to house eighteen containers C
in a single layer in a 3x6
arrangement, but it is understood that the carton 5 may be sized and shaped to
hold containers of a
4
different or same quantity in more than one layer and/or in different
row/column arrangements (e.g.,
1x6, 2x6, 4x6, 3x8, 2x6x2, 3x4x2, 2x9, 3x4, etc.), or just a single article.
[0023] The blank 3 and carton 5 can be similar to any of the embodiments
disclosed in the above
noted patent applications, including U.S. Patent Application No. 13/419,740,
and all related
applications. Accordingly, features in the present application that are
similar or identical to features
shown in the above noted patent application, U.S. Patent Application No.
13/419,740, are identified
with the same or similar reference numbers between the two applications.
[0024] In one embodiment, the carton 5 has a first end 7 and a second end
(not shown) each having
article protection features 11A, 11B, 11C, 12 (Fig. 5) for protecting at least
one article C of the
plurality of articles. Alternatively, only a single article C could be
provided in the carton 5. Also, the
carton 5 may have article protection flaps 13 for protecting the at least one
article. The article
protection features 11 A, 11B, 11C can be formed in one or more end flaps
forming the ends of the
carton and the article protection feature 12 can be adjacent the respective
end flaps. The article
protection features 11A, 11B, 11C, 12 cushion a respective article C and
prevent or reduce the
likelihood of breakage of the articles C. As noted in the above noted
applications, the article
protection flaps 13 are moveable between a first position and a second
position placed between
adjacent containers C in the carton to reduce movement of the containers in
the carton and prevent
breakage of the containers. The carton 5 can have other features (e.g.,
handle, dispenser, etc.) without
departing from the disclosure.
[0025] The blank 3 has a longitudinal axis Ll and a lateral axis L2. In the
embodiment of Fig. 1, the
blank includes a bottom panel 15 foldably connected to a first side panel 17
at a lateral fold line 19.
A second side panel 21 is foldably connected to the bottom panel 15 at a
lateral fold line 23. A top
panel 25 is foldably connected to the first side panel 17 at a lateral fold
line 27, and foldably
connected to an adhesive panel 29 at a lateral fold line 31. Alternatively,
the adhesive panel 29 could
be foldably connected to the second side panel 21 for being adhered to the top
panel 25 to form the
carton. In another alternative, the blank 3 could include a second top panel
(not shown) foldably
connected to the second side panel 21 for being overlapped by the first top
panel 25 to form the
carton.
[0026] The bottom panel 15 is foldably connected to a first bottom end flap
33 and a second bottom
end flap 35. The first side panel 17 is foldably connected to a first side end
flap 37 and a second side
end flap 39. The second side panel 21 is foldably connected to a first side
end flap 43 and a second
side end flap 45. The top panel 25 is foldably connected to a first top end
flap 47 and a second top
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end flap 49. In one embodiment, when the carton 5 is erected, the end flaps
33, 37, 43, 47, close the
first end 7 of the carton, and the end flaps 35, 39, 45, 49 close the second
end (not shown) of the
carton. In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present
disclosure, different flap
arrangements can be used for closing the ends of the carton 5.
[0027] The end
flaps 33, 37, 43, 47 extend along a first marginal area of the blank 3, and
are
foldably connected at a first longitudinal fold line 61 that extends along the
length of the blank. The
end flaps 35, 39, 45, 49 extend along a second marginal area of the blank 3,
and are foldably
connected at a second longitudinal fold line 63 that also extends along the
length of the blank. The
longitudinal fold lines 61, 63 may be, for example, substantially straight, or
offset at one or more
locations to account for blank thickness or for other factors.
[0028] In one
embodiment, the side panels 17, 21 have respective connecting panels 65, 66
that are
formed by a respective fold line 67, 68 that is spaced inwardly from the
respective longitudinal fold
line 61, 63. The connecting panels 65, 66 allow the side end flaps 37, 39, 43,
45 to angle inwardly at
each respective end so that the top of the carton 5 at each end (the portion
of the fold line 61, 63
connecting the top end flap 47, 49) is closer to the center of the carton than
the bottom of the carton
at each end (the portion of the fold line 61, 63 connecting the bottom end
flap 33, 35). In this way,
the ends of the carton, including the first end 7, are tapered ends, but it is
understood that the ends of
the carton 5 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured (e.g.,
straight or non-tapered)
without departing from the disclosure. The tapered ends allow a tight fit of
the containers C in the
carton.
[0029] As
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of the longitudinal fold lines 61,63 can include
an upper
(first) portion 69 and a lower (second) portion 70 in each of the side end
flaps 37, 43. In one
embodiment, the lower portions 70 can be nearly vertical in the erected carton
(e.g., Fig. 5A). As
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper portions 69 are generally oblique with
respect to the lower portions
70 and the remainders of the longitudinal fold lines 61, 63 so that the ends
of the carton slope
inwardly in the erected carton (Fig. 5). In the illustrated embodiment, the
fold lines 67, 68 are angled
and cooperate with the upper portions 69 and lower portions 70 so that the
connecting panels 65, 66
generally are in the form of diamond corner panels. The top ends of the fold
lines 67 of the
connecting panels 65 can intersect or end adjacent the upper portions 69 at or
adjacent a respective
end of the lateral fold line 27 adjacent the top panel 25 and the top ends of
the fold lines 68 of the
connecting panels 66 can intersect or end adjacent the upper portions 69 at or
adjacent a free edge 76
of the second side panel 21 adjacent the top panel 25 to form a respective
upper (first) vertex 72 of
each of the connecting panels 65, 66. Additionally, the fold lines 67, 68 can
intersect or end adjacent
the respective lower portion 70 at a location that is spaced apart from the
bottom panel 15 and the
6
lateral fold lines 19, 23 to form a respective lower (second) vertex 74 of
each of the connecting
panels 65, 66. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, the connecting panels
65, 66 are spaced
apart from the bottom panel to form suspended diamond corner panels in the
erected carton. In one
embodiment, the lower vertices 74 of the connecting panels 65, 66 are spaced
apart from the bottom
panel a distance D1 (Fig. 2). The connecting panels 65, 66 could be otherwise
shaped, arranged,
configured andJor omitted without departing from the disclosure. For example,
the fold lines 67, 68
could intersect the respective lower portions 70 of the longitudinal fold
lines 61, 63 at or adjacent the
bottom panel 17.
[0030] In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the blank 3 has handle features for
forming a handle 71 (Fig. 5)
in the closed ends of the carton that are similar to the handle features shown
and described in the
above-noted patent application, U.S. Patent Application No. 13/419,740, so
like or similar reference
numbers are used herein to illustrate the same or similar features shown in
the '740 application.
Accordingly, each of the handles 71 can comprise a handle flap 73 foldably
connected to the
respective top end flap 47, 49 along a respective fold line 75. The handle
flaps 73 can be separable
from the respective top end flap 47, 49 along respective cut or fold lines.
The handles 71 can also
include a cutout 77 in each of the side end flaps 37, 43 and 39, 45 that are
overlapped by the respective
handle flaps 73 in the handles 71. Accordingly, the cutouts 77 can provide
clearance in the side end
flaps for folding the handle flaps 73 inwardly in the carton. The handle
features could be otherwise
shaped, arranged, configured and/or omitted without departing from the
disclosure.
[0031] In one embodiment, the blank 3 has features for forming the article
protection features 11A,
11B, 11C, 12 of the carton 5. As shown in Fig. 1, the side end flaps 37, 39,
43, 45 have
deformations in the form of indentations 81 on the exterior surface 1 of the
blank 3 such that the
indentations from a protrusion on the interior surface of the blank. In the
illustrated embodiment,
each of the connecting panels 65, 66 of the respective side panels 17, 21 has
a deformation in the
form of an indentation 82 on the exterior surface 1 of the blank 3 such that
the indentations form a
protrusion on the interior surface of the blank. In one embodiment, the bottom
end flap 33, 35 each
have two rows of deformations in the form of indentations 83 on the interior
surface of the blank 3
such that the indentations on the interior surface form a protrusion on the
exterior surface 1 of the
blank 3. As shown in Fig. 1, the top end flaps 47, 49 each have a respective
distal edge 87, 89,
having corner notches 91 and a center notch 93. The side end flaps 43, 45 each
have respective
notches 141. The indentations 81, 82, 83 can be any deformation on a surface
of a respective side
end flaps 37, 39, 43, 45, connecting panels 65, 66, or bottom end flap 33, 35
such that the
deformation can be any suitable shape (e.g., a concave depression or
protrusion, convex depression
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or protrusion, flat depression or protrusion, embossed area, debossed area,
etc., or any other suitable
shape). Furthermore, the indentations 81, 82, 83 could be formed on the
interior or exterior surface
of one or more of the first side panel 17, second side panel 21 , top panel
25, bottom panel 15, or top
end flaps 47, 49 without departing from the disclosure, or the indentations
could be otherwise
shaped, arranged, configured, and/or positioned on the end flaps 37, 39, 43,
45, 33, 35, 47, 49
without departing from the disclosure. Further, one or more of the
indentations 81, 82, 83 could be
omitted without departing from the disclosure.
[0032] In one embodiment, the blank 3 includes nine article protection
flaps 13 arranged in a 3x3
arrangement, but the blank could have more or less than nine article
protection flaps, and the flaps
could be otherwise arranged in other suitable row/column arrangements or in a
random configuration
on the bottom panel 15, including a single row or single column configuration,
or any other suitable
configuration. The article protection flaps 13 could be similar or different
than the article protection
flaps shown and described in the above-noted patent application, U.S. Patent
Application No.
13/419,740, so like or similar reference numbers are used herein to illustrate
the same or similar
features shown in the '740 application. The article protection flaps 13 could
be omitted without
departing from the scope of this disclosure.
[0033] In one embodiment, the blank 3 has features for forming a dispenser
8 in the carton 5. In one
embodiment, the dispenser 8 comprises a dispenser panel 122 in the top panel
25 that is defined by a
tear line 124. In one embodiment, the dispenser panel 122 has a first portion
122a and a second
portion 122b that are foldably connected to the top panel at respective fold
lines 126a, 126b. The
tear line 124 extends between the fold lines 126a, 126b and is configured to
allow separation of the
first portion 122a from the second portion 122b. The dispenser 8 could be
otherwise shaped,
arranged, configured, positioned, and/or omitted without departing from the
disclosure.
[0034] Figs. 3-5 show one exemplary method of forming the carton 5 and the
article protection
features 11A, 11B, 1 1C, 12. As shown in Fig. 3, the blank 3 can be formed
into a sleeve 131 having
an open first end 7 or second end (not shown) by folding the bottom panel 15,
side panels 17, 21,
and top panel 25 along respective fold lines 19, 23, 27, 31. The adhesive
panel 29 can be adhesively
secured to the second side panel 21 by glue or other suitable adhesive. As
shown in Fig. 3,
containers C can be placed into an interior space 133 of the sleeve 131. One
of the first end 7 and
second end (not shown) can be closed prior to loading the containers C or both
of the ends can be
closed after loading the containers into the interior space 133. The closing
of the first end 7 is
described below, but it is understood that the second end (not shown) can be
closed in a similar
manner, with the article protection features 11A, 11 B, 11C, 12 in the second
end being formed in a
similar manner as the article protection features in the first end.
Alternatively, the second end could
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have different flap closing sequence or arrangement and the article protection
features 11A, 11B,
I 1C, 12 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, configured, and/or omitted
without departing from the
disclosure.
[0035] As
shown in Figs. 3-5, the first end 7 is closed by first inwardly folding the
side end flaps 37,
43 and then folding the top end flap 47 and the bottom end flap 33 over the
end to overlap the side
end flaps. As shown in Fig. 4, when the side end flaps 37, 43 are overlapped
at the first end 7, the
notch 141 in the side end flap 43 is generally aligned with one of the
indentations 81 in side end flap
37, and the cutouts 77 in the side end flaps 37, 43 are generally aligned to
form a handle opening. In
the illustrated embodiment, the connecting panels 65, 66 are folded to extend
at an angle with respect
to the respective side panels 17, 21 and the respective side end flaps 37, 43.
Accordingly, the
connecting panels 65, 66 can be positioned at the corners of the carton 5 so
that they are pulled
tightly against the respectively adjacent containers C at the corners of the
carton. As shown in Figs.
4, 5, and 5A, the lower vertices 74 of the connecting panels 65, 66 at the
first end 7 are spaced apart
from the bottom panel 15 when the side end flaps 37, 43 are folded over the
end. Additionally, the
lower portions 70 of the longitudinal fold line 61 extend nearly vertically
(e.g., at a small angle with
respect to the vertical direction) when viewed from the side of the carton 5
(Fig. 5A). The
connecting panels 65, 66, the fold lines 67, 68, and/or the portions 69, 70 of
the longitudinal fold
lines 61, 63 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, configured, and/or omitted
without departing from
the disclosure. For example, the lower portions 70 could extend at any
suitable angle.
[0036] As
shown in Fig. 5, the top end flap 47 is downwardly folded and the bottom end
flap 33 is
upwardly folded to close the end 7 of the carton 5. The article protection
features 11A, 11B, 11C in
the first end of the carton 5 are formed during the closing of the end flaps
33, 37, 43, 47. The
indentations 81 on the exterior surface of the side end flaps 37, 43 are
aligned with the indentations
83 on the interior surface of the bottom end flap 33 to form a respective
article protection feature.
The outermost article protection features are identified by reference number
11A and are formed by
an indentation 81 on each of the side end flaps 37, 43 and respective
indentations 83 on the bottom
end flap 33 that cooperate to form respective pockets in the overlapped end
flaps. The middle article
protection feature 11B is formed by an indentation 81 on the side end flap 43
and an indentation 83
on the bottom end flap 33. The edge 87 of the top end flap 47 is shown in
phantom in Fig. 5 to show
that the corner notches 91 are aligned with the respective outermost article
protection features 11A
and the center notch 92 is aligned with the middle article protection feature
11B. The lower article
protection features 11C are formed by the indentations 83 on the bottom end
flap 33 adjacent the
longitudinal fold line 81. The article protection features 11A, 11B, 11C could
be otherwise shaped,
arranged, positioned, configured, and/or omitted without departing from the
disclosure.
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[0037] The
article protection features 12 are formed by positioning the indentation 82 on
each of the
connecting panels 65, 66 during closing of the end flaps 33, 37, 43, 47. As
shown in Figs. 5 and 5A,
the article protection features 12 are formed by a respective indentation 82
when the connecting
panels 65, 66 are positioned adjacent to a respective corner container C in
the carton 5. When the
end flaps 33, 37, 43, 47 are closed, the indentations 82 in the connecting
panels 65, 66 are positioned
to be in contact with the respective corner containers C that are adjacent a
respective connecting
panel to provide a tight fit and provide cushioning to the corner containers.
As schematically shown
in Fig. 6, the article protection feature 12 in the connecting panels 65, 66
is spaced apart from the
bottom panel 15 by a distance D2 so that the article protection feature 12
contacts the container C
near the shoulder S of the container. In one embodiment, for each of the
connecting panels 65, 66,
the nearly vertical portion 70 of the fold line 61 or 63 (Fig. 5A) and the
spacing of the respective
lower vertices 74 from the bottom panel 15 (Figs. 5 and 5A) can further help
secure the containers C
in the carton 5. For example, since the connecting panels 65, 66 are suspended
(e.g., spaced apart
from the bottom panel 15) and the lower portions 70 are nearly vertical, there
is a shorter distance
than the full height of the carton for the connecting panels 65, 66 to slope
inwardly from the larger
bottom panel 15 to the smaller top panel 25. Accordingly, the connecting
panels 65, 66 can extend at
a steeper angle and can be pushed tighter against the shoulders S of the
respective containers C in the
corners of the carton 5. Accordingly, the containers C can be compacted in the
interior of the carton
to help reduce movement of the containers relative to one another.
Additionally, the article
protection feature 12 at each connecting panel 65, 66 can further help compact
the containers C by
pushing against the corner containers adjacent the connecting panels. The
article protection feature
12 and/or the connecting panels 65, 66 could be otherwise shaped, arranged,
configured, and/or
located without departing from the disclosure. The carton 5 could be formed by
other forming steps
without departing from the disclosure.
[0038] Fig. 7
is an end view of a carton according to an alternative embodiment of the
disclosure.
The alternative embodiment is generally similar to the embodiment of Figs. 1-
6, except for variations
noted and variations that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the
art. Accordingly, similar or
identical features of the embodiments have been given like or similar
reference numbers. As shown
in Fig. 7, the closed end 207 of the carton 205 includes the top end flap 47
overlapping the bottom
end flap 33, and the end flaps 47, 33 overlap the side end flaps 37, 43 (not
shown). The connecting
panels 265, 266 at the closed end 207 form diamond corner panels extending
from the bottom panel
(not shown) to the top panel (not shown). In another embodiment, the
connecting panels are omitted.
As shown in Fig. 7, the article protection features 11A, 11B, 11 C are omitted
in the closed end 207.
Further, in the embodiment of Fig. 7, the article protection flaps 13 can be
omitted without departing
from the disclosure. Alternatively, the article protection flaps 13 can be
included in the embodiment
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of Fig. 7 without departing from the disclosure. As shown in Fig. 7, the
indentations 82 are included
in the connecting panels 265, 266 to form the article protection features 12
at the corners of the
carton 205. The carton 205, the connecting panels 265, 266, and/or the article
protection features
could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from
the disclosure.
[0039] The
cartons of any of the illustrated or non-illustrated embodiments of the
disclosure could
have other features (e.g., dispenser features, handle features, reinforcement
features, etc.) without
departing from the disclosure. Also, the cartons could be otherwise shaped,
arranged, or configured
and the cartons could be configured to hold articles other than beverage
containers C without
departing from the disclosure.
[0040] Any of
the features of the various embodiments of the disclosure can be combined
with,
replaced by, or otherwise configured with other features of other embodiments
of the disclosure
without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Further, it is noted that
the connecting panels
(e.g., suspended diamond corner panels) and/or the article protection features
of the various
embodiments can be incorporated into a carton having any carton style or panel
configuration. The
carton styles and panel configurations described above are included by way of
example.
[0041] In
general, the blanks of any of the illustrated or non-illustrated embodiments
may be
constructed from paperboard having a caliper so that it is heavier and more
rigid than ordinary paper.
The blank can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or
any other material having
properties suitable for enabling the carton to function at least generally as
described above. The
blank can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may
then be printed over
with product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may
then be coated with a
varnish to protect information printed on the blanks. The blanks may also be
coated with, for
example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The
blanks can also be
laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected
panels or panel sections.
[0042] As an
example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the
material along the
desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend
partially into and/or
completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various
combinations of these
features. As a more specific example, one type of tear line is in the form of
a series of spaced apart
slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being
spaced apart slightly so
that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is
defined between the
adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the
tear line. The nicks are
broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a
relatively small percentage of the
tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear
line such that the tear line is
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PCMJS2013/031288
a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present
disclosure for each of the tear lines
to be replaced with a continuous slit, or the like. For example, a cut line
can be a continuous slit or
could be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure.
100431 In
accordance with the exemplary embodiments, a fold line can be any
substantially linear,
although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding
there along. More
specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present
disclosure, fold lines
include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the
like, which creates a
crushed or depressed portion in the material along the desired line of
weakness; a cut that extends
partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series
of cuts that extend
partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line
of weakness; and various
combinations of these features. In situations where cutting is used to create
a fold line, typically the
cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable
user to incorrectly
consider the fold line to be a tear line.
[0044] The
above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered
together by
glue during erection of the carton embodiments. The term "glue" is intended to
encompass all
manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place.
[0045] The
foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various
embodiments.
As various changes could be made in the above construction without departing
from the scope of the
disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description
or shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a
limiting sense. Furthermore,
the scope of the present disclosure covers various modifications,
combinations, alterations, etc., of
the above-described embodiments. Additionally, the disclosure shows and
describes only selected
embodiments, but various other combinations, modifications, and environments
are within the scope
of the disclosure as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings,
and/or within the skill
or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and
characteristics of each
embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated
and non-illustrated
embodiments of the disclosure.
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