Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CARRIER WITH RECEIVING AND RETENTION FEATURES
10001]
[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to carriers for holding and
dispensing beverage
containers or other types of articles.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0004] In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carrier
for at least partially holding
a plurality of articles. The carrier can comprise a plurality of panels that
extends at least partially
around an interior of the carrier. The plurality of panels can comprise at
least a top panel, a side
panel, and a bottom panel. A plurality of article receiver features can be
disposed in at least the
top panel in at least a first row and a second row. The first row can comprise
at least one more
article receiver feature than the second row. Each article receiver feature of
the plurality of
article receiver features can be for at least partially receiving a respective
article of the plurality
of articles. A retention feature can extend in at least one of the side panel
and the bottom panel.
The retention feature can be for at least partially retaining at least one
article that is at least
partially received in a respective one of the article receiving features in
the first row.
[0005] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank
for forming a carrier for
holding a plurality of articles. The blank can comprise A plurality of panels
comprising at least a
top panel, a side panel, and a bottom panel. A plurality of article receiver
features can be
disposed in at least the top panel in at least a first row and a second row.
The first row can
comprise at least one more article receiver feature than the second row, and
each article receiver
feature of the plurality of article receiver features can be for at least
partially receiving a
respective article of the plurality of articles when the carrier is formed
from the blank. A
retention feature can extend in at least one of the side panel and the bottom
panel. The retention
feature can be for at least partially retaining at least one article that is
at least partially received in
a respective one of the article receiving features in the first row when the
carrier is formed from
the blank.
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[0006] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a package
comprising a carrier
having substantially open ends. The carrier can comprise a plurality of panels
that extends at
least partially around an interior of the carrier. The package further can
comprise a plurality of
articles at least partially disposed in the interior of the carrier. The
articles of the plurality of
articles can be arranged in at least a first row and a second row, and the
first row can comprise at
least one more article than the second row.
[0007] In another aspect, the disclosure is directed to a method of forming
a package comprising
obtaining a plurality of articles and a blank comprising a plurality of
panels, and arranging the
articles of the plurality of articles in at least a first row and a second
row. The first row can
comprise at least one more article than the second row. The method also can
comprise forming a
carrier from the blank by wrapping the plurality of panels at least partially
around the plurality of
articles. The carrier can have substantially open ends.
[0008] 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.
[0009] 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.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Fig. 1 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank used to form
a carrier according to a
first embodiment of the disclosure.
[0011] Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the blank of Fig. 1 showing
retention features
according to the first embodiment of the disclosure.
[0012] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a package including the carrier
formed from the blank of
Fig. 1 and nested containers according to the first embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0013] Fig. 4 is an end view of the package of Fig. 3.
[0014] Figs. 5 and 6 are bottom views of the package of Fig. 3.
[0015] Fig. 7 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank used to form
a carrier according to a
second embodiment of the disclosure.
100161 Fig. 8 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank used to form
a carrier according to a
third embodiment of the disclosure.
[0017] Fig. 9 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank used to form
a carrier according to a
fourth embodiment of the disclosure.
[0018] Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference
numbers throughout the
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0019] The present disclosure generally relates to various features for
cartons or carriers that
contain articles such as containers, bottles, cans, etc. The articles can be
used for packaging food
and beverage products, for example. The articles can be made from materials
suitable in
composition for packaging the particular food or beverage item, and the
materials include, but are
not limited to, aluminum and/or other metals; glass; plastics such as PET,
LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE,
PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; and the like, or any combination thereof.
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[0020] Cartons or carriers 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., plastic
beverage bottles) as disposed within the carrier embodiments. In this
specification, the terms
"inner," "Mterior," "outer," "exterior," "lower," "bottom," "upper," and "top"
indicate
orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright cartons.
[0021] Fig. 1 is a plan view of an exterior surface 2 of a blank 3, used to
form a carrier 5 (Fig. 3)
according to a first embodiment of the disclosure. In the illustrated
embodiment, the carrier 5 is
a carrier having generally open ends 6, 8 that wraps around the containers C
(e.g., the carrier 5
may be referred to as a wrap-around carton or carrier). The carrier 5 could be
otherwise shaped
and arranged such that the ends 6, 8 are at least partially closed such as by
end flaps (not shown)
or other closing mechanisms. The carrier 5 can be used to house a plurality of
articles such as
containers C (Figs. 3-6) to form a package 7 (Fig. 3). In the illustrated
embodiment, the
containers C are beverage bottles having a wide bottom B and a narrow top or
neck N including a
cap CP. The carrier 5 can be sized to house eight containers in a single layer
in a "nested"
arrangement having two outer rows of three bottles per row and one inner row
of two bottles. In
one embodiment, the nesting of the containers C in the carrier 5 allows the
carrier to hold the
containers in more than two rows since the outer rows can help retain the
inner row that is nested
with the outer rows. In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier 5 can include
retention features
including article receiver features 9 for receiving the upper portions N of
the containers C and
bottom retention features 11 for engaging the bottom portions B of the
containers C that are
disposed adjacent the sides of the carrier 5. In addition, the carrier 5 can
include one or two
handles, generally indicated at 13, for grasping and carrying the carrier.
[00221 Various other nested bottle arrangements could be used with the
first embodiment, or
other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.
Alternative nested pack
arrangements can include an arrangement with eleven bottles with two outer
rows of four bottles
per row and one inner row of three bottles, an arrangement with ten bottles
with two outer rows
of three bottles per row and two inner rows of two bottles per row, etc. In
one embodiment, such
nesting arrangements can be considered "internal nesting arrangements" since
the interior row(s)
of containers are generally shorter than the outer rows of containers (e.g.,
the outer rows have one
more container each than the inner row(s)). Other nested or non-nested
arrangements of the
containers could be provided without departing from the disclosure. For
example, the inner
row(s) could be longer than the outer rows in an alternative embodiment. In
another
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embodiment, an arrangement with thirteen containers can have two outer rows
with three bottles
per row, two iimer rows with two bottles per row, and a central row with three
bottles disposed
between the two inner rows, for example. In the different arrangements, the
containers can be
nested in an at least partially staggered arrangement so that the containers
in the inner row(s) are
generally offset from the containers in the outer rows, as generally shown in
Figs. 3 and 4. The
containers C could he otherwise arranged without departing from the
disclosure.
[0023] The blank 3 has a longitudinal axis 1,1 and a lateral axis L2. In
the illustrated
embodiment, the blank 3 comprises a top panel 20 foldably connected to a first
side panel 22 at a
first lateral fold line 24, a first bottom panel 26 foldably connected to the
first side panel 22 at a
second lateral fold line 28, a second side panel 30 foldably connected to the
top panel 20 at a
third lateral fold line 32, and a second bottom panel 34 foldably connected to
the second side
panel 30 at a fourth lateral fold line 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the
first bottom panel 26
includes a first bottom bevel panel 38 defined by lateral fold lines 28 and 40
and having an
intermediate fold line 41. The second bottom panel 34 includes a second bottom
bevel panel 42
defined by lateral fold lines 36 and 44 and having an intermediate fold line
45. The lateral fold
lines 40, 44 can include multiple segments each, wherein a longitudinal cut is
disposed at each
end of each segment. In the illustrated embodiment, the first side panel 22
can include a first top
bevel panel 46 defined by lateral fold lines 24 and 47 and having an
intermediate fold line 48,
and the second side panel 30 can include a second top bevel panel 49 defiled
by lateral fold lines
32 and 50 and having an intermediate fold line 51. The blank 3 could be
otherwise shaped,
arranged, positioned, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
For example, any
of the bevel panels 38, 42, 46, 49 could be omitted or otherwise shaped,
arranged, positioned,
and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
[00241 The first bottom panel 26, which is the inner bottom panel in the
assembled carrier 5,
includes cutouts forming primary female locking edges 52 that are shaped and
positioned to
engage primary male locking tab projections 54 on the second bottom panel 34.
The first bottom
panel 26 also includes slits 56 shaped and positioned to receive outer
secondary locking tab
projections 58 of the second bottom panel 34. As shown in Fig. 1, the slits 56
can define tabs
that are foldably connected to the first bottom panel 26. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
second bottom panel 34, which is the outer bottom panel in the completed
carrier 5, includes a
lateral fold line 60, which can be interrupted by the slits that define the
primary male locking tab
projections 54. In addition, each of the secondary locking tab projections 58
can include a lateral
fold line 62. Although the locking elements of the blank 3 are illustrated to
demonstrate a
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particular bottom panel locking arrangement suitable for use with the carrier
5, it is understood
that any alternative form of bottom panel locking structure may be employed
without departing
from the disclosure. Additionally, or alternatively, the bottom panels 26, 34
could be glued
together.
[0025] As shown in Fig. 1, the article receiver features 9 are top openings
9 that can be formed
in the top panel 20 in three rows RE R2, R3, in one embodiment. In other
embodiments, the top
openings 9 can be formed in different arrangements to accommodate the
different container
arrangements described above. The outer rows RE R3 can include three top
openings 9 each,
and the inner row R2 can include two top openings 9 that are offset from the
top openings 9 in
the outer rows R1, R3. In the illustrated embodiment. the top openings 9 in
the inner row R2 are
offset from the remaining openings so that each of the top openings 9 in the
inner row R2 has a
center A that is disposed generally halfway between two of the top openings 9
in the outer rows
RE R3. Accordingly, the top openings 9 in the inner row R2 are positioned with
respect to the
top openings 9 in the outer rows R1, R3 so that the openings are in a
staggered arrangement and
the containers C that are received in the top openings 9 in the inner row R2
are nested with the
containers C that are received in the top openings 9 in the outer rows R1, R3
(Figs. 3 and 4). In
one embodiment, the top openings 9 in the outer rows R1, R3 can partially
interrupt the
respective lateral fold lines 24, 32, and cuts 63 can extend in the top bevel
panels 46. 49 adjacent
the outer openings. Any of the article receiver features or top openings 9
and/or the rows RE R2,
R3 could be omitted or could be otherwise positioned, shaped, configured,
and/or arranged
without departing from the disclosure. For example, the article receiver
features could comprise
tabs, flaps, and/or other features in addition to or instead of the top
openings 9.
[00261 In one embodiment, the bottom retention features 11 in the first
side panel 22 and the first
bottom panel 26 are shown in detail in Fig. 1A; however, the bottom retention
features 11 in the
second side panel 30 and the second bottom panel 34 are similar or
substantially identical to the
bottom retention features 11 in the first side panel 22 and the first bottom
panel 26 as shown in
Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 1A, the bottom retention features 11 can
include two retention
tabs 64 adjacent a respective bottom or corner opening 66 for each of the
containers C in the
outer row Rl. Each of the retention tabs 64 can be foklably connected to the
bottom bevel panel
38 alone a respective fold line 68 and can include V-shaped folds 70. A hook-
shaped cut 72 can
extend from each of the retention tabs 64 into the first side panel 22 for
allowing additional
folding and/or flexing of the tabs 64 and/or the side panel 22 to accommodate
the respective
container C.
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[0027] As shown in Figs. 1 and 1A, the bottom retention features 11 can
include a corner
retainer 74 at each end of the bottom panels 26, 34. As shown in Fig. 1A, each
of the corner
retainers 74 can include a retention panel 76 foldably connected to the bottom
bevel panel 38
along a longitudinal fold line 78, a first gusset panel 80 foldably connected
to the retention panel
76 along a lateral fold line 82, and a second gusset panel 84 foldably
connected to the first gusset
panel along a longitudinal fold line 86. Each of the second gusset panels 84
can be foldably
connected to the first bottom panel 26 along a respective oblique fold line 88
and can be
separable from the first bottom panel 26 along a respective cut line 90. Each
of the corner
retainers '74 can at least partially define a cutout 92 in one embodiment. Any
of the bottom
retention features 11, including the retention tabs 64, the corner openings
66, and/or the corner
retainers 74 could be omitted or could be otherwise shaped, arranged,
positioned, and/or
configured without departing from the disclosure.
[00281 As shown in Figs. 1 and 1A, each of the handles 13 includes two
finger flaps 94, each
respectively formed by a respective curved cut line 96 and foldably attached
to the respective
side panel 22, 30 at a respective longitudinal fold line 98. The handles 13
could include other
features for carrying the carrier 5, any of the finger flaps 94 could be
omitted or could be
otherwise positioned, shaped, configured, and/or arranged, or one or both of
the handles 13 could
be omitted from the carrier without departing from the disclosure.
[0029] As shown in Fig. 3, the carrier 5 can be erected by wrapping the
blank 3 around the
containers C and interlocking the first and second bottom panels 26, 34 to
form the package 7.
Particularly, the containers C can be arranged into the staggered, nested
arrangement of the two
outer rows RI, R3 of three containers C each and one inner row R2 of two
containers C. The
blank 3 can be positioned in relation to the arranged containers C so that
each of the top openings
9 is generally aligned with a respective one of the containers C. The blank 3
and/or the
containers C can be moved so that the blank 3 and the containers C are moved
together and at
least the upper portions N of the containers C are received in the respective
top openings 9. The
side panels 22. 30 can be downwardly folded along the fold lines 24, 32, and
the top bevel panels
46, 49 can fold along the respective fold lines 47, 48 and 50, 51 to at least
partially accommodate
the shoulders of the containers C in the outer rows R1, R3.
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[0030] In one embodiment, as the bottom panels 26, 34 are folded inwardly
toward one another,
the bottoms B of the containers C in the outer rows Rl. R3 can be at least
partially received in
the respective corner openings 66 to engage the respective retention tabs 64.
Also, while the
bottom panels 26, 34 are folded along lateral fold lines 28, 36, the bottom
bevel panels 38, 42 can
fold along the respective fold lines 40, 41 and 44, 45 to extend obliquely
between the side panels
22, 30 and the remainder of the bottom panels 26, 34. As shown in Figs. 3-6,
the corner retainers
74 can be folded inwardly to position the gusset panels 80, 84 in face-to-face
contact with one
another and to tuck in the gusset panels 80, 84 between the respective bottom
panel 26, 34 and
the bottom B of a respectively adjacent container C (Figs. 5 and 6) so that
the respective retention
panel 76 extends over a portion of an end of the carrier 5 (Figs. 4 and 5).
Accordingly, the
retention tabs 64 and the corner openings 66 can help retain the respective
containers C in the
outer rows R1, R3 in place adjacent the respective side panels 22, 30, and the
corner retainers 74
can help retain the containers C at the ends of the outer rows R1, R3 adjacent
the open ends 6, 8
of the carrier 5.
[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the second
bottom panel 34 is
secured to the first bottom panel 26 by first folding the second bottom panel
34 along the lateral
fold line 60 to at least partially separate the primary male locking tabs 54
from the second bottom
panel 34 and respectively engaging the primary male locking tabs 54 with the
primary female
locking edges 52 (Figs. 4 and 5). The secondary male locking flaps 58 are
respectively inserted
through, and cooperatively interact with, the slits 56 to further secure the
second bottom panel 34
to the first bottom panel 26. The interlocked bottom panels 26, 34 cooperate
to form a bottom
panel 99 of the carrier 5. The carrier 5 could be erected and/or the package 7
could be formed by
alternative steps without departing from the disclosure.
100321 In one embodiment, one or both of the handles 13 can be actuated by
folding the finger
flaps 94 inwardly along the respective fold lines 98 for grasping the
respective side panel 22, 30
at the respective openings formed therein. The package 7 could be otherwise
carried without
departing from the disclosure.
[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the nested arrangement of the
containers can help the
wrap-style carrier 5 to hold the containers in the three rows R1, R2, R3. For
example, the nested
configuration can allow the containers in the outer rows R1, R3 to retain the
containers in the
inner row R2 in the interior of the carrier. The containers C adjacent the
ends of the carrier 5 in
the outer rows R 1. R3 interfere with the containers in the inner row R2 so
that containers in the
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inner row would have to push past the outer, end containers to be forced out
of the carrier prior to
intended removal. The containers in the outer rows are further retained by
retention tabs 64, the
corner openings 66, and the corner retainers 74. Accordingly, while the
containers C in the inner
row R2 are spaced from the side panels 22, 30 and the retention features 11,
they are at least
partially retained by the respective top openings 9 in the top panel 20 and
the respectively nested
containers C in the outer rows R1, R3. In one embodiment, a non-nested inner
row in an
alternative carrier with more than two rows will generally fail. For example,
it can be more
difficult to retain the containers in the inner row if they are not nested
with and retained by the
containers in the outer row. If one or more containers is unintendedly removed
from (e.g., falls
out of) the alternative carrier, the alternative carrier could collapse, some
or all of the containers
could fall out of the alternative carrier, and/or the alternative carrier
could otherwise fail.
Additionally, the nested arrangement of the containers C can be generally
narrower than an
arrangement with aligned rows that are not nested, and the amount of material
added to the blank
3 to include the third row (e.g., the inner row) is less than would be
required if the containers
were arranged in three non-nested rows. Further, the carrier 5 can be more
noticeable on a shelf
by having a different look than other cartons and carriers, in one embodiment.
[0034] Fig. 7 is a plan view of an exterior surface 202 of a blank 203 for
forming a carrier (not
shown) according to a second embodiment of the disclosure. The second
embodiment is
generally similar to the first embodiment, 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 blank
203 includes alternative bottom retention features 211 wherein the corner
retainers 74 of the first
embodiment are omitted. and the retention tabs 264 are generally larger so
that the openings are
substantially closed prior to the formation of the package (not shown).
Accordingly, the retention
tabs 264 are separable from one another along respective longitudinal cut
lines 267 and from the
respective side panels 222, 230 and the respective bottom panels 226, 234
along respective lateral
cut lines 269. Each of the retention tabs 264 can be connected to the
respective side panels 222,
230 and the respective bottom panels 226, 234 along two oblique fold lines 268
in one
embodiment. Additionally, each of the retention tabs 264 can include a V-
shaped fold 270. As
shown in Fig. 7, the lateral fold lines 228, 236 can be interrupted by the
bottom retention features
211, and the fold lines 40, 41, 44, 46 of the first embodiment can be omitted
so that the bottom
bevel panels 38, 42 of the first embodiment are not included in the blank 203.
The side panels
222, 230 of the second embodiment can include cutouts 215 at each end for at
least partially
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accommodating the shape of the containers C. Alternatively, the edges of the
side panels 222,
230 could have a different shape to correspond to a different container shape
or to reflect a
particular logo, or the edges could be straight. The blank 203 could be
otherwise shaped,
arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
[0035] Fig. 8 is a plan view of an exterior surface 402 of a blank 403 for
forming a carrier (not
shown) according to a third embodiment of the disclosure. The third embodiment
is generally
similar to the second embodiment, except for variations noted and variations
that will he 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. 8, the
blank 403 has
different locking features for interlocking the bottom panels 426, 434. The
second bottom panel
434 can include three secondary locking tabs 458 that are generally aligned
with the respective
primary locking tabs 454. The first bottom panel 426 can include an inner
primary female
locking edge 452a and an inner slit 456a for receiving the respective inner
primary male locking
tab 454 and inner secondary male locking tab 458. Additionally, the first
bottom panel 426 can
include outer primary female locking edges 452b and outer secondary female
locking edges 456b
adjacent a respective opening 455. An outer retention tab 457 can be foldably
connected to the
first bottom panel 426 along a respective longitudinal fold line 459 and can
include respective
curved folds 461. Accordingly, when the outer primary male locking tabs 454
engage the
respective outer primary female locking edges 452b and the outer secondary
male locking tabs
458 engage the respective outer secondary female locking edges 456b, the
respective outer
retention tabs 457 are folded inwardly into the interior of the carrier (not
shown) to engage and/or
to help retain a respectively adjacent container C. Any of the locking
features of the bottom
panels 426, 434 could be omitted or could be otherwise shaped, arranged,
positioned, and/or
configured without departing from the disclosure. Additionally, the blank 403
could be
otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the
disclosure.
[0036] Fig. 9 is a plan view of an exterior surface 602 of a blank 603 for
forming a carrier (not
shown) according to a fourth embodiment of the disclosure. The fourth
embodiment is generally
similar to the third embodiment, 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. 9, the
blank 603 includes
side panels 22, 30 with generally straight free edges similar or identical to
the first embodiment
(Fig. 1), retention features 211 in the first side panel 22 and the first
bottom panel 426 that are
similar to the second embodiment (Fig. 7), and locking features for
interlocking the bottom
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panels 426, 434 similar or identical to the third embodiment (Fig. 8).
Additionally, the blank 603
can include bottom retention features 611 in the second side panel 30 and the
second bottom
panel 434. The bottom retention features 611 can include retention tabs 264
similar to those in
the second embodiment (Fig. 7) and corner retainers 74 similar to those in the
first embodiment
(Figs. 1 and 2). As shown in Fig. 9, the retention flaps 264 of the retention
features 211, 611 are
generally the same as the retention flaps 264 of the blanks 203, 403 of the
second and third
embodiments except that the retention flaps in the blank 603 are relatively
smaller than the
retention flaps 264 of the blanks 203, 403. The blank 603 could be otherwise
shaped, arranged,
and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
[0037] 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 retention features
and/or the container configurations of the various embodiments can be
incorporated into a carton
or carrier having any carton style or panel configuration. The carrier styles
and panel
configurations described above arc included by way of example. Additionally,
the shapes of the
retention features can be substantially any shape. The shapes described above
and included in
the figures are included by way of example.
[0038] In general, the blanks according to the present disclosure can be
constructed from
paperboard having a caliper so that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary
paper. The blanks
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
blanks 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.
[0039] In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, a fold line can be any
substantially
linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates
folding therealong.
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
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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.
[0040] 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.
[0041] The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and
describes various exemplary
embodiments. Various additions, modifications, changes, etc., could be made to
the exemplary
embodiments without departing from the spirit and 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. Additionally, the
disclosure shows and
describes only selected embodiments of the disclosure, but the disclosure is
capable of use in
various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of
changes or
modifications within the scope of the inventive concept 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.
-1/-
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
