Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Carton, Carton Blank and Method of Erecting and Filling a Carton
Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carton for holding and dispensing a
plurality
of items, to a blank for forming such a carton and to a method of erecting and
filling
such a carton.
Background to the Invention
Cartons made from cardboard, cartonboard or similar materials are widely
used for holding and dispensing multiple product items, particularly food
items such
as snack and confectionery products that are intended for sharing. The known
cartons
are typically formed by assembly of corresponding carton blanks through a
series of
folds to provide the required carton shape defining an interior void for the
containment of the items to be stored and dispensed.
Some known cartons have a top end closure though which the carton is filled
before it is closed. The top end opening can be reopened by an end user to
allow
access to the interior of the carton to dispense the contents of the carton.
Once
opened, the carton can be passed between a number of people in turn to allow
them to
each remove a selected item or items. It is a drawback of this arrangement
that the
contents can only be accessed through the open upper end, which can make it
difficult ,
to reach product items at the bottom of the carton as it empties or to select
a particular
item when the contents of the carton include a range of different product
items.
To address these issues, it is known to provide cartons having a so called
"bin
type" dispenser in one of the peripheral walls. A bin type dispenser usually
takes the
form of a hinged flap in a lower region of the wall which can be pivoted
outwardly to
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allow access to a bottom end region of the interior though an aperture in the
wall. The
hinged flap has side tabs which project into the carton to form a chute-like
arrangement to contain the items and prevent them spilling out.
It is an advantage of bin type dispensers that they allow direct access to the
bottom region of the container so that items can be more easily reached as the
carton
empties. Depending on the carton design, a bin type dispenser can also provide
a
wider opening than in the conventional top opening cartons making it easier to
select
a particular item from among a range of items in the carton.
Whilst cartons having a bin type dispenser arrangement have advantages over
conventional top opening cartons, they are more complex in design and
accordingly
more difficult to erect and fill. In some cases, it is necessary to use more
than one
blank of material to form the carton which adds a further manufacturing step
in
having to erect the various blanks and connect them together to form the
completed
carton. Due the complexity of design with bin type dispensers, it can be
necessary to
fill the carton through the open bin dispenser. This is less efficient that
top filling and
may require use of specially designed filling apparatus which adds to the
overall cost.
A drawback with both top opening cartons and bin type dispenser cartons is
that they only provide a single dispensing opening. This usually means that
only one
person at a time can remove items from the carton. When sharing, the carton
has to be
passed from person to person.
There is a need then to provide an improved or alternative carton which
overcomes, or at least mitigates, the drawbacks of the known cartons.
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There is also a need in particular for an improved or alternative carton from
which it is easier to dispense items to more than one person either
simultaneously or
sequentially.
There is a need then to provide an improved or alternative carton which
overcomes, or at least mitigates, the drawbacks of the known cartons but which
is
relatively easy to manufacture and fill.
There is also a need then to provide an improved or alternative blank for
forming a carton which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the drawbacks of the
known
cartons.
There is also a need in particular for an improved or alternative blank for
forming a carton from which it is easier to dispense items to more than one
person
either simultaneously or sequentially.
There is also a need to provide an improved or alternative blank for forming a
carton which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the drawbacks of the known
cartons but
which is relatively easy to erect into a carton and fill.
There is a further need for an improved method of erecting and filling a
carton
which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the drawbacks of the known methods
Summary of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a carton for
holding and dispensing a plurality of items, the carton having a main body
comprising
a base at a lower end of the carton, peripheral walls extending from the base
to define
a volume within which a plurality of items can be held, and a top end closure
for the
main body at an upper end of the carton opposite the base, the peripheral
walls
including opposed front and rear walls and opposed side walls extending
between the
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front and rear walls, each of the front and rear walls having a fixed upper
wall panel
and a bin type dispensing flap in a lower region, the bin type dispensing flap
being
pivotally movable between an open position in which an upper end of the flap
is
spaced from the fixed upper wall panel allowing access to the interior volume
for
dispensing of items in the carton and a closed position in which the upper end
of the
flap is located adjacent the fixed upper wall panel, wherein the carton is
erected from
a single unitary blank of material.
The carton may be configured such that the top end closure can be formed
after the main body has been erected to define an interior volume so as to
allow for
the carton to be filled through the open top end prior to forming the top end
closure.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a
carton
for holding and dispensing a plurality of items, the carton having a main body
comprising a base at a lower end of the carton, peripheral walls extending
from the
base to define a volume within in which a plurality of items can be held, and
a top end
closure for the main body at an upper end of the carton opposite the base, the
peripheral walls including opposed front and rear walls and opposed side walls
extending between the front and rear walls, each of the front and rear walls
having a
fixed upper wall panel and a bin type dispensing flap in a lower region, the
bin type
dispensing flap being pivotally movable between an open position in which an
upper
end of the flap is spaced from the fixed upper wall panel allowing access to
the
interior volume for dispensing of items in the carton and a closed position in
which
the upper end of the flap is located adjacent the fixed upper wall panel,
wherein the
carton is configured so that the main body can be erected and filled through
the open
top end before the top end closure is formed.
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In a carton in accordance with either of the first and second aspects, the top
end closure may comprise a plurality of end closure flaps and tabs hingedly
attached
to upper ends of panels defining the peripheral walls.
In a carton in accordance with either of the first and second aspects, the bin
5 type
dispensing flap in each of the front and rear walls may comprise a lower wall
panel hingedly attached along a lower edge for pivotal movement between open
and
closed positions and a pair of opposed side tabs extending inwardly from
opposite
side edges of the lower wall panel. The side tabs may each have a stop
projection for
engagement with an inner surface the Exed upper wall panel to limit movement
of the
lower wall panel on opening. The lower wall panels may each hingedly attached
along a lower edge to an edge of the base. An upper edge region of the lower
wall
panel may overlap a lower edge region of the fixed upper wall panel by a
distance
when in the closed position.
In a carton in accordance with either of the first and second aspects, a
locking
mechanism may be provided for each bin type dispensing flap to releasably hold
the
bin type dispensing flap in the closed position. In an embodiment, the locking
mechanism comprises a locking tab on the lower wall panel and a corresponding
slot
in the fixed upper wall panel, the locking tab being insertable in the slot to
retain the
bin type dispensing flap in the closed position.
In an embodiment of a carton in accordance with either of the first and second
aspects, a first one of the opposed side walls is wholly defined by a single
integral
panel and a second one of the side walls comprises an upper side wall panel
extending
between the fixed upper panels of the front and rear walls and a further
second side
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wall panel member extending from the base, an upper end region of the further
side
wall panel member extending parallel to and adjacent the inside surface of the
upper
side wall panel, a lower end region of the further second side wall panel
member
defining a lower portion of the second wall between the upper side wall panel
and the
base.
In a carton in accordance with either of the first and second aspects the top
end
closure may comprise a first and second major end closure flaps, each major
end
closure flap being pivotally connected to an upper end of a panel of a
respective one
of a first opposed pair of the peripheral walls, and a pair of minor end
closure tabs,
each minor end closure tab being pivotally connected to an upper end of a
panel of a
respective one of a second opposed pair of the peripheral walls. In an
embodiment,
the first and second major end closure flaps are each pivotally connected to
an upper
edge of a fixed upper panel of a respective one of the front and rear walls, a
first of
the minor end closure tabs being pivotally connected to an upper edge of the
panel
defining the first side wall and the other of the minor end closure tabs being
pivotally
connected to an upper end of the further second side wall panel member. In an
embodiment, the first major end closure flap is innermost in the top end
closure and
substantially fills the area defined between the peripheral walls at the top
of the main
body, the minor end closure tabs overlie the first major end closure flap, and
the
second major top end closure flap overlies the minor end closure tabs and
substantially covers the entire area of the top of the main body. A free edge
of the
second major end closure flap may have a locking tab which is insertable in a
locking
slot defined at the junction between the first major end closure flap and the
peripheral
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wall panel to which it is attached to hold the second major end closure flap
in a closed
position.
In a carton in accordance with either of the first and second aspects an
integral
handle may project upwardly from the top end closure. In an embodiment, the
handle
comprises a first handle tab hingedly connected to one of the minor end
closure tabs
and a second handle tab hingedly connected to the other one of the minor end
closure
tabs, the handle tabs extending substantially perpendicular to the minor end
closure
tabs in adjacent overlapping relation, the second major end closure flap
having a slot
through which the handle tabs project.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank
of
foldable material for forming a carton in accordance with either of the first
and second
aspects, the blank comprising: a generally rectangular base, a first side wall
panel
connected to a first side edge of the base by a fold line, a fixed upper front
wall panel
connected by a fold line to a front edge of an upper end region of the first
side wall
panel, a fixed upper rear wall panel connected to a rear edge of the upper end
region
of the first side wall panel by a fold line, a fixed upper second side wall
panel
connected by a fold line to a side edge of the fixed upper front wall panel on
the side
opposite from the first side wall panel, a glue tab connected by a fold line
to one of a
side edge the fixed upper rear wall panel on the side opposite the first side
wall panel
or a side edge of the fixed upper second side wall panel on the side opposite
the fixed
upper front wall panel; a further second side wall panel member connected by a
fold
line to a second side edge of the base panel opposite the first side edge, the
further
second side wall panel being substantially the same length as the first side
wall panel;
a pivotal lower front wall panel connected along a lower edge by a fold line
to a front
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edge of the base panel, a first front side tab connected to a first side edge
of the
pivotal lower front wall panel by a fold line and a corresponding second side
tab
connected to the other side edge of the pivotal lower front wall panel by a
further fold
line; a pivotal lower rear wall panel connected along a lower edge by a fold
line to a
rear edge of the base panel, a first rear side tab connected to a first side
edge of the
pivotal lower rear wall panel by a fold line and a corresponding second rear
side tab
connected to the other side edge of the pivotal lower rear wall panel by a
further fold
line; a first major top end closure flap connected by a fold line to an upper
edge of the
fixed upper rear wall panel, a second major top end closure flap connected by
a fold
line to an upper edge of the fixed upper front wall panel, a first minor top
end closure
tab connected by a fold line an upper edge of the first side wall panel and a
second
minor top end closure tab connected by a fold line to an upper edge of the
further
second wall panel member.
The blank may further comprise a first reinforcing panel connected to an upper
edge of the pivotal lower front wall panel and a second reinforcing panel
connected to
an upper edge of the pivotal lower rear wall panel. A locking tab may be
defined in a
portion of each of the reinforcing panels adjacent their respective fold lines
by means
of a slot.
A handle tab may be connected by a fold line to an edge of each of the minor
end closure tabs. In an embodiment, each of the minor end closure tabs is
generally L
shaped, a respective handle tab being connected by means of a fold line to an
edge of
the upstand portion of the L.
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In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a
method
of erecting and filling a carton in accordance with either of the first and
second
aspects using a blank in accordance with the third aspect of the invention,
the method
comprising partially erecting the blank to define the main body of the carton
with an
open top end closure, introducing product into the carton through the open top
end
closure and closing the carton by forming the top end closure.
The carton may be held in any suitable orientation whilst being filled through
the top end closure.
Detailed Description of the Invention
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment
thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a carton in accordance
with the invention in a closed configuration;
Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the
carton fully open;
Figure 3 is a view of a blank for forming the carton of Figures 1 and 2; and
Figures 4 to 10 are a series of perspective views illustrating various stages
in
erecting the blank of Figure 3 into the carton of Figures 1 and 2.
A carton 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is formed
from a single, unitary blank 12 of foldable material such as cardboard, carton
board or
the like. The material of the blank may be a laminate and at least the outside
may be
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printed on. Whilst cardboard and cartonboard or the like are particularly
suitable
materials, it should be appreciated that other suitable, generally rigid but
foldable
materials could be used. By generally rigid is meant materials which after
folding and
creasing are capable of holding their shape.
5 The
carton 10 has a main body 14 comprising a base 16 and peripheral walls
18, 20, 22, 24 extending upwardly frcm the base 16 to define a generally
cuboid box
defining an interior void in which items can be held. The carton has an upper
or top
end closure, designated generally at 26 at the opposite end from the base. The
top end
closure 26 closes the top end of the main body 14 so as to retain product
items in the
10 interior
void. As will be described in more detail later, the top end closure 26 is
formed from a number of flaps and tabs connected with panels that make up the
peripheral walls of the main body 14 and the arrangement is such that the
blank can
be partially erected to define the main body 14, product introduced into the
main body
14 through the open top of the carton and the carton closed by forming the top
end
closure 26. This is advantageous as it allows top filling of the partially
erected carton
using conventional filling apparatus.
For convenience, the peripheral walls will be designated as a front wall 18, a
rear wall 20, a first side wall 22, and a second side wall 24. It should be
understood
however that use of the terms "front", "rear", and "side" in the description
and claims
in relation to the walls or other parts of the carton is not intended to have
any limiting
effect on the claimed invention and that any of the peripheral walls could be
designated as a front, rear or side wall. In the present embodiment, the front
and rear
walls 18, 20 are wider than the side walls 22, 24 but this need not be the
case and the
side walls 22, 24 could be the same width as the front and rear walls 18, 20
or they
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could be wider. Furthermore, relative directional terms such as "top", "upper"
and
"lower" as used in the description and the claims in relation to the carton
refer to the
carton 10 when positioned generally upright on its base as shown in Figure 1
of the
drawings. It will be appreciated, however, that the carton 10 can be used or
held in
other orientations, particularly during manufacture and filling, and such
relative
directional terms should be construed accordingly. Similarly, such relative
directional
terms when used in relation to parts of the carton or to parts of the blank
from which
the carton is formed refer to the orientation of the parts in the completed
carton when
the carton is positioned generally upright on its base and should be construed
accordingly.
Each of the front and rear walls 18, 20 has a bin type dispensing arrangement,
designated generally 28a and 28b respectively. Each dispensing arrangement
28a, 28b
includes a dispensing flap 30a, 30b pivotally attached along a lower edge to
an edge
of the base 16 and is movable between a closed position as shown in Figure 1
and an
open position as shown in Figure 2. When open, the dispensing arrangements
28a,
28b allow access to a lower region of the interior of the carton 10 for
dispensing of
items in the carton. The two dispensing arrangements 28a, 28b are
independently
movable between open and closed positions so that any one of them can be
opened on
its own or both can be opened at the same time. The provision of two
dispensing
arrangements 28a, 28b in opposing walls is advantageous as it allows items to
be
dispensed simultaneously or sequentially from either side. This is
particularly
advantageous when the contents are being shared as it makes it easier for more
than
one person to dispense items. For example, the carton 10 can be placed on a
table
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between two people who can each independently remove items from the carton
without the need to move the carton or pass it from person to person.
The detailed construction of the carton will now be described with reference
in
particular to Figure 3 which illustrates a blank 12 from which the carton is
erected and
Figures 4 to 10 which illustrate various stages in erecting the blank 12 into
the carton
10.
The base 16 of the carton is a generally rectangular panel section 32. The
term
rectangular should be understood as including a square. The first side wall 22
comprises a single continuous side wall panel 42 which is connected to a first
side
edge of the base by a fold line 44 and extends to the top of the main body 14.
The
front wall 18 comprises a fixed upper front wall panel 46 which is connected
by a fold
line 48 to an upper end region of the front edge of the first side wall panel
42. The
rear wall 20 comprises a corresponding fixed upper rear wall panel 50 which is
connected to an upper end region of the rear edge of the first side wall panel
42 by a
fold line 52. The second side wall 22 comprises a fixed upper side wall panel
54
which is connected by a fold line 56 to a side edge of the fixed upper front
wall panel
46 on the side opposite from the first side wall panel 42. A glue tab 58 is
connected
by a fold line 60 to a side edge of the fixed upper rear wall panel 50 on the
side
opposite the first side wall panel 22.
The fixed upper front 46, rear 50 and side 54 wall panels and the upper end
region of the first side wall panel 22 to which they are attached collectively
define an
upper housing portion 62 of the main body 14 in the erected carton. The upper
housing portion 62 is formed by folding the fixed upper front 46, rear 50 and
side 54
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wall panels and the glue tab 58 in a constant direction about the fold lines
48, 52, 56,
60 so that the panels define generally rectangular box shape and bonding the
glue tab
58 to the inner surface of the fixed upper side wall panel 54 of the second
side wall.
This stage is illustrated in Figure 4.
It will be appreciated that the glue tab 58 could alternatively be located on
the
side edge of the fixed upper side wall panel 54 for attachment to the fixed
upper rear
wall panel 50 and/or that the positions of the fixed upper side wall panel 54
and the
glue tab 58 could be reversed.
The second side wall 22 also comprises a further second side wall panel
member 64 which is substantially identical in size and shape to the first side
wall
panel 42. The further second side wall panel member 64 is connected by a fold
line 66
to a second side edge of the base panel 32. As illustrated in Figure 5, the
upper end of
the further second side wall panel member 64 is inserted inside the fixed
upper side
wall panel 54 and in the fully erected carton 10 an upper end region of the
inserted
further second side wall panel member 64 lies substantially parallel to and
adjacent
the inner surface of the fixed upper side wall panel 54. A lower end region
64a of the
further second side wall panel member 64 forms a lower part of the second side
wall
24 closing the area defined between the base 16, a lower edge 65 of the fixed
upper
side wall panel 54 and the front and rear walls 18, 20 as shown in Figure 6.
The dispensing arrangements 28a and 28b in the front and rear walls are
substantially identical and so only the front dispensing arrangement 28a will
be
described in detail. The parts of the two dispensing arrangements 28a, 28b
will be
designated using the same reference numbers but assigned the identifiers "a"
for the
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front wall dispensing arrangement 28a and "b" for the rear wall dispensing
arrangement 28b.
The dispensing arrangement 28a in the front wall 18 includes a dispensing flap
30a having a pivotal lower front wall panel 31a which is connected along a
lower
edge by a fold line 68a to the front edge 34 of the base panel 16. The fold
line 68a
acts as a live hinge to allow the lower front wall panel 31a to pivot about
the axis of
the fold line 68a between open and closed positions. In the closed position,
the pivotal
lower front wall panel 31a substantially co-planar with the fixed upper front
wall
panel 46 and is shaped and dimensioned to completely cover an aperture defined
between a lower edge 70 of the fixed upper front wall panel 46, the base 16
and the
side walls 22, 24. To this end, the pivotal lower front wall panel 31a extends
substantially over the full width of the front wall and its upper end 72
overlaps a
lower end region of fixed upper front wall panel 46 by a distance such that
when the
lower wall panel 31a is in the closed position, the front wall 18 is a fully
closed
structure.
In the present embodiment, a reinforcing panel 74a is connected by a fold line
76a to the upper edge of the pivotal lower front wall panel 31a. During
erection of the
blank, the reinforcing flap 74a is folded over about the fold line 76a and is
bonded to
the inner surface of the lower front wall panel 31a. A locking tab 78a is
defined in a
central lower end portion of the reinforcing panel 74a adjacent the fold line
76a by a
generally U shaped slot 80a. When the reinforcing panel 74a is folded over,
the
locking tab 78a is left unfolded so that it projects from the upper edge of
the lower
front wall panel 31a. A corresponding locking slot 82a is defined in a lower
edge
region of the fixed upper front wall panel 46. When the dispensing flap 30a is
in the
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closed position, the locking tab 78a is insertable in the locking slot 82a to
hold the
dispensing flap 30a in the closed position.
The dispensing flap 30a also comprises a pair of side tabs 84a 86a which
project from opposite side edges of the pivotal lower front wall panel 31a
into the
5 carton.
A first side tab 84a is connected to a first side edge of the lower front wall
panel 31a by a fold line 86a and a corresponding second side tab 88a is
connected to
the other side edge by a further fold line 89a. The two side tabs 84a, 86a are
substantially identical mirror images of each other. The side tabs 84a, 88a
project
perpendicularly to the plane of the lower front wall panel 31a into the
interior of the
10 carton
adjacent the inner surface of a respective side wall 22, 24, so that the lower
front wall panel 31a and the side tabs 84a, 86a together define a chute-like
structure
through which product items in the carton can be dispensed and which prevents
the
contents of the carton from unintentionally spilling when the dispensing
arrangement
is open.
15 The side
tabs 84a, 86a do not extend over the full height of the lower front
wall panel 31a and their upper edges 90 are curved, the curve being centred
about the
axis of rotation of the lower wall panel 31a. The lower edge 70 of the fixed
upper
front wall panel has projections 92 on either side which project below the
upper edges
of the side tabs 84a, 86b when the carton is erected. A slot 94 is defined
between each
projection 96 and the adjacent side wall 22, 24 in which the upper edge region
90 of
the respective side tab 84a, 86a is received. This retains the side tabs 84a,
86a in
position adjacent the side walls 22, 24. Towards their inner ends, each side
tab 84a,
86a is profiled to define a stop 96 which projects upwardly and is dimensioned
so as
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to contact the inner surface of the fixed upper front wall panel 46 to limit
opening
movement of the dispensing flap 30a.
The top end closure 26 comprises first and second major end closure flaps and
first, second and third minor end closure tabs.
The first major end closure flap 100 is connected by a fold line 102 to an
upper edge of the fixed upper rear wall panel 50. The first major flap forms
the
innermost part of the top end closure and is folded over to lie just within
the upper
ends of the peripheral walls 18, 20, 22, 24 as illustrated in Figure 9. The
first major
flap 100 is dimensioned to substantially fill the entire area defined between
the upper
edges of the peripheral walls 18, 20, 22, 24 and prevents the upper end of the
inserted
second wall panel 64 from falling inwardly away from the inner surface of the
fixed
upper side wall panel 54. The first major flap 100 is profiled on the side
adjacent the
first side wall to define a notch 104 which allows a user to insert a finger
to open the
first major flap 100 should they wish to open the upper end closure 26.
A first minor end closure tab 106 is connected by a fold line 108 to an upper
edge of the first side wall panel 42. The first minor tab is generally L
shaped with a
base region 112 lying adjacent the fold line 108 and an "upstand" portion 114
of the L
shape projecting across the width of the carton towards the second side wall
but offset
towards the front wall 18 of the carton. A first handle tab 116 is connected
to a rear
facing edge of the upstand portion of the L shaped minor tab 106 by a fold
line 118.
A second minor end closure tab 120 is connected by a fold line 122 to an
upper edge of the insertable second wall panel 64. The second minor tab 120 is
substantially a mirror image of the first 106 also being L shaped with a base
124 and
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having an upstand 126 which projects across the width of the carton towards
the first
side wall 22 but this time is offset towards the rear wall 20. A second handle
tab 128
is connected by a fold line 130 to a front facing edge of the upstand portion
128 and
aligns with the first handle tab 116 in the erected carton to form a handle
131 located
substantially centrally in the top end closure 26 of the carton.
The first and second minor tabs 106, 120 are each folded about their
respective
fold lines 108, 122 to overly the first major flap 100 with the upstand
portion 114 on
the first minor tab 106 extending across the upper end of the carton adjacent
the front
wall 18 and the upstand portion 126 on the second minor tab 120 extending
across the
upper end of the carton adjacent the rear wall 18 as shown in Figure 10. The
first and
second handle tabs 116, 128 are each folded about their respective fold lines
118, 130
so as to project upwardly, substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the
first and
second minor tabs 106, 120 in abutting relation so as to collectively define
the handle
131. The handle tabs 106, 120 in this embodiment have an upturned "U" shape
but
this is not essential.
A third minor end closure tab 132 is connected by a fold line 134 to an upper
edge of the fixed upper side wall panel 54. The third minor tab 132 is folded
about
fold line 134 to overly at least part of the base region 124 of the second
minor tab 120
and serves to cover any gap present between the inserted second wall panel 64
and
fixed upper second wall panel 54.
The top end closure 26 is completed by a second major end closure flap 136
which is connected by a fold line 138 to an upper edge of the fixed upper
front wall
panel 46. The second major flap 136 is dimensioned and shaped so as to
substantially
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18
cover the entire area of the top of the carton as can be seen in Figures 1 and
2. An
upper end closure locking tab 140 is connected with the free, rear edge of the
second
major flap by a fold line 142. The tab 140 is insertable in a corresponding
slot 144
formed at the junction between the first major end closure flap 100 and the
fixed
upper rear wall panel 50 to secure the second major flap 136 in the closed
position. A
handle slot 146 is defined in a central region of the second major flap 136
through
which the handle tabs 116, 128 project to form the handle 131 in the completed
carton. Once the first, second and third minor tabs 106, 120, 132 have been
folded
into position and the handle tabs 116, 128 folded upwardly, the second major
flap 136
is folded down about the fold line 138, the handle tabs 116, 128 inserted
through the
handle slot 146 and the locking tab 140 inserted in the locking slot 144 to
releasably
secure the second major flap 136 in the closed position.
A method of erecting and filling the carton 10 will now be described briefly.
Starting with the blank 12, as a preliminary stage, the reinforcing flaps 74a,
74b are folded over and bonded to the inner surfaces of their respective
dispensing
lower wall panels 31a, 31b. The upper housing portion 62 of the main body is
formed
as previously described by folding the fixed upper front 46, rear 50 and side
54 wall
panels and the glue tab 58 in a constant direction about the fold lines 48,
52, 56, 60 so
that the panels define generally rectangular box shape and bonding the glue
tab 58 to
the inner surface of the fixed upper side wall panel 54 of the second side
wall. This is
the stage illustrated in Figure 4.
The upper end of the second further side wall panel 64 is then inserted into
the
erected upper housing portion and positioned adjacent the inner surface of the
fixed
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19
upper side wall panel 54. At this stage the side walls 22, 24 are completed as
is the
upper housing portion 62 as shown in Figure 6. To complete the front and rear
walls
18, 22, the two dispensing arrangements 28a, 28b are formed and closed as
illustrated
in Figures 7 and 8 This is achieved by folding the respective side tabs 84a,
84b, 86a,
86b upwardly and inwardly and inserting them into the interior of the main
body
adjacent respective side walls 22, 24. The upper edges 90 of the side tabs 90
are
engaged in their respective slots 94 with the stops 96 on the inside.
When positioning the side tabs 84a, 84b, 86a, 86b, the side tabs on a first
lower wall panel 31a, 3 lb may both be located outwardly adjacent the
respective side
wall panels and the side tabs on the other lower wall panel 31a, 31b located
inside the
side tabs of the first dispensing flap. Alternatively, the side tabs on the
two lower wall
panels 31a, 31b may be interleaved with one tab on each panel 31a, 31b being
outermost on one side of the carton and the other being innermost on the other
side of
the carton.
Once the side tabs have been inserted 84a, 84b, 86a, 86b, the dispensing flaps
30a, 30b are moved to the closed position and the locking tabs 78a, 78b
inserted in
their respective locking slots 82a, 82b to hold the flaps in the closed
position.
The carton is now partially erected with the main body 14 formed so as to
define an interior volume between the base 16 and the peripheral walls 18, 20,
22, 24
which is open at the top as shown in Figure 8. The carton can now be filed by
introducing products items into the interior volume through the open upper or
top end.
It will be appreciated that whilst reference is made to the carton being
filled through
the open top end, the term "top" as used herein serves to identify the
location of the
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open end when the carton is oriented generally upright on its base 16 and that
the
carton need not necessarily be held in this orientation when being filled so
that the
open end need not necessarily be uppermost during filling.
Once the carton has been filled, the top end closure 26 is formed as described
5 above and as illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 to close the carton 10 and
retain the
products. The filled carton 10 may be further sealed in a removable outer
film.
It will be appreciated that not all the steps described above need be carried
out
in the precise sequence set out. For example the dispensing arrangements 28a,
28b
could be erected at the same time as inserting the second wall panel 64.
However, it is
10 a key feature that the carton 10 can be closed after the main body 14
has been erected
and filled.
In order to dispense product items from the filled carton 10, a user can open
one or both of the dispensing arrangements 28a, 28b by pulling the respective
dispensing flap 30a, 30b downwardly and outwardly causing the locking tab 78a,
78b
15 to disengage from the locking slot 82a, 82b. To reclose the dispensing
arrangements,
the dispensing flaps 30a, 30b are pushed back up and in and the locking tab
78a, 78b
re-inserted in the locking slot 82a, 82b.
The carton 10 in accordance with the invention provides a sophisticated
dispensing arrangement allowing access to the contents from either or both of
two
20 sides and yet is relatively easy to manufacture and fill as it is
constructed from a
single unitary blank of material and can be top filled using convention
filling
apparatus.
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The above embodiment is described by way of example only. Many variations
are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in
the
appended claims. For example, the carton 10 need not be provided with an
integral
handle 131 and the carton need not have a third minor end closure flap 132 or
reinforcing flaps 74a, 74b. Furthermore, the shape of the carton can be varied
in a
number of ways.
