Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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CARTON AND CARTON BLANK THEREFOR
Background of the Invention
The invention relates to a carton and to a blank for forming a carton for
carrying a plurality of
articles, for example flexible pouches or bottles, and one or more beam
structures for
improving the rigidity of the carton. It may further comprise a tear-open flap
that can be
reclosed.
The use of beam structures is known; for example, in US 5 673 840 there is
shown a corner
post structure for improving the rigidity of the carton. The invention is
particularly useful
where it is desirable for cartons containing articles to be enclosed to
protect each article, for
example information discs or foodstuffs.
One example of reclosable sleeves formed from one or more blanks of cardboard
is found in
US 3,078,030 which illustrates a carton having an integral hinged top that it
reclosable. The
top is provided by a front cover panel and a spacer panel secured to one side
of the front cover
panel to interfit with a mating upper portion of the front panel of a box.
Fastening means is
formed from a detached double layer portion of the front panel. However, the
detached
2o portion is attached to the inside surface of the cover flap, resulting in a
stepped non-flat front
surface.
In US 3,894,680 there is provided a dispensing spout in a carton box adapted
to accommodate
powdery materials, for example detergents, which spout is adapted to keep
closed after it has
been cut out. The fastening means is formed from a detached triple layer
portion of the front
panel but it does not define a pocket to retain the spout.
Further, supporting the weak parts of a carton, such as corners and the like,
is well known.
For example, US 5 673 840 illustrates a corner post structure. However, in
automated
3o packaging, it is necessary to load articles into the carton at high speeds;
therefore, it is
undesirable to have a complicated arrangement for forming a corner post
structure.
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The present invention seeks to overcome ox at least mitigate the problems of
the prior art.
One aspect of the invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of
articles, fox example
bottles, comprising a collapsible tubular Garner post, formed from a series of
interconnected
panels extending fmm a carton side wall, characterised in that the comer post
is adapted by
provision of a supplementary longitudinally-extending fold line to mane from a
flat collapsed
conditiozt when extending outwardly of the carton to be automatically erected
by folding the
comer post inwardly, said corner post further comprising a substantially
triangular cross
section to form a rigid structure in use, and in that one of said
interconnected panels being
secured to said carton watt.
One advantage of this arrangement is that the blank and corner post can be
supplied to the
end user in a flat collapsed condition, it can tlxen be automatically deployed
by automatic
packaging machinery by a simple folding process. Beneficially, the amount of
board for the
corner post can be reduced and standard equipment to secure the er~d panels
can be used.
Preferably, the comer post nrtay have a triangular cross-section to serve as a
rigid structure
wherein the comer post has a longitudinally extending fold line to allow the
comer post to be
folded flat only outwardly of the carton. More preferably, the corner post may
comprise an
end panel, a bzacing panel and a securing panel hingedly connected together in
series, and the
securing panel is secured to the carton side wall. Uptivnally, the
longitudinally extending
fold line z~nay be farmed in the end panel.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention the end panel
may be adapted
to secure an end flap of the carton to close the carton.
A second aspect of the invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of
articles, for
example bottles, which carton comprises a rectosable tear open flap formed
from a first
carton wall and a wall end-reinforcing member hinged to the $rst carton
wall.The reinforcing
:30 meraaber is affixed at least iz~ part to the inside surface ofthe first
carton wall so that the
reinforcing member underlies the first carton wall along at least a part of
the tear Line.
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Optionally the reinforcing member extends above the tear line to provide upon
breaking of
the tear line an engaging element for retaining the flap in a reclosed
position.
A third aspect of the invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of
articles, for
example bottles, which carton comprises a reclosable tear open flap including
a first panel
formed from a first carton wall and an engaging panel affixed at least in part
to the inside
surface of the first carton wall. The engaging panel extends above the tear
line to provide
upon breaking of the tear line an engaging element for retaining the flap in a
reclosed
position.
According to an optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the
engaging panel is
provided by a reinforcing member hinged to one of the panels adjacent the
first carton wall
panel. Preferably, the reinforcing member underlies the first carton wall at
the corner with a
second carton wall, thereby to reinforce the corner.
According to another optional feature of the second or third aspect of the
invention, the tear
open flap comprises a second panel hingedly connected to the first panel.
Preferably, the tear open flap further comprises a pull tab.
More preferably, the first carton wall is provided with a securing tab
hingedly connected
thereto, and a portion of the tear open flap or, as the case may be, the pull
tab, is adapted to be
placed intermediate the first carton wall and the securing tab to be retained
therewith.
A fourth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton for
holding a plurality
of articles, for example bottles, which carton comprises a reclosable tear
open flap formed
from a first carton wall and a wall end-reinforcing member hinged to the first
carton wall,
wherein the reinforcing member is affixed at least in part to the inside
surface of the first
carton wall so that the reinforcing member underlies the first carton wall
along at least a part
3o of the tear line.
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Preferably, the corner post may have a longitudinally extending fold line to
allow the corner
post to be folded flat only outwardly of the carton. More preferably, the
longitudinally
extending fold line may be formed in the end panel.
A fifth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton for
holding a plurality of
articles, for example bottles, comprising a collapsible tubular corner post
formed from an
extension of a carton side wall, wherein the corner post comprises an end
panel, a bracing
panel and a securing panel hingedly connected together in series, wherein said
securing panel
is adapted to be secured to said carton side wall.
to
Optionally, the corner post has a longitudinally extending fold line to allow
the corner post to
be folded flat only outwardly of the carton. Preferably, the longitudinally
extending fold line
is formed in said end panel.
15 A sixth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton for
holding a plurality of
articles, for example bottles, which carton comprises a reclosable tear open
flap including a
first panel formed from a first carton wall and an engaging panel affixed at
least in part to the
inside surface of the first carton wall wherein the reinforcing member extends
above the tear
line to provide upon breaking of the tear line an engaging element for
retaining the flap in a
2o reclosed position, when the carton is in a set up condition. Optionally,
the tear open flap
further comprises a pull tab.
Brief Description of the Drawings
25 Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 illustrates the blank for forming the carton according to a first
embodiment of the
invention;
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FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate the construction of the corner support structure
from the blank
shown in Figure l;
FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate the construction of the carton from the blank shown
in Figure 1;
FIGURE 6 shows the carton from the blank shown in Figure 1 in an erected
condition;
FIGURES 7 and 8 show the carton of Figure 7 with the reclosable tear open flap
in open and
closed positions;
to
FIGURE 9 illustrates a cross-section through B 1-B2 of the carton in Figure 6;
FIGURE 10 illustrates the blank for forming a carton according to a second
embodiment of
the invention;
FIGURE 11 shows the carton formed from the blank of Figure 10 in an erected
condition with
the reclosable tear open flap in closed position; and
FIGURE 12 illustrates a cross-section through B3-B4 of the carton in Figure
11.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to the drawings and in particular, Figure 1, there is shown an
embodiment of a
blank for forming a carton made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet
material. In the
embodiment described below, the carton is a "fully-enclosed" type, although it
will be
recognised that the invention could be applied to a "wraparound" type carton
or "basket-type"
carton or other carton where it is required to provide a support structure at
the corners of the
carton.
3o The blank 10 comprises a plurality of panels for forming an enclosed
carton. Turning to the
embodiment shown in Figure 1, there comprises first side wall panel 12, a top
panel 14, a
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second side wall panel 16 and bottom panel 18 hingedly connected one to the
next along fold
lines 20, 22 and 24 respectively.
The ends of the carton are constructed by one or more end flaps or panels. In
this
embodiment, end panels 30 and 42 are hingedly connected to the opposing ends
of top wall
panel 14 along fold lines 32 and 44 respectively. A second pair of end panels
34, 38 is
provided along opposing end edges of bottom panel 18 and hingedly connected
thereto along
fold lines 36 and 40 respectively.
to Securing means are provided for securing together the first side wall panel
12 and bottom
panel 18. In this embodiment, securing means are provided by a securing flap
26 hingedly
connected to first side wall panel 12 along fold line 28.
There may further comprise an access structure to provide access to the
interior of the carton.
15 The access structure comprises a reclosable tear open flap 50 formed from
one of the carton
wall panels. In this embodiment the flap comprises an upper access panel 53
struck from the
top panel 14 and frangibly connected thereto along frangible lines 52 and 54
respectively.
Upper access panel 53 is hingedly connected to the second side wall panel
along fold line 22.
Preferably, there further comprises a side access panel 51 from the first side
wall panel 12
2o and frangibly connected thereto along frangible fold lines 55 and 56
respectively. It will be
seen from Figure 1 that frangible lines 55 and 56 converge to a pull tab 58.
Optionally, there
further comprises a securing tab 60 hingedly connected to the first side wall
panel along fold
line 61. The opening of the access structure 50 will be described in more
detail below.
25 According to one aspect of the invention there comprise one or more beam
structures formed
internally of the carton. The beam structures are positioned intermediate the
top and bottom
panels of the carton to improve the rigidity of the carton when it is
subjected to vertical
compression. In this embodiment there are four corner posts 70a, 70b, 70c and
70d. Each
corner post is substantially the same and therefore only the first beam
structure 70a is
3o described in any further detail.
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In the embodiment shown in Figure l, the corner post 70a comprises securing
panel 74a and
bracing panel 76a and an inner end panel 80a hingedly connected one to the
next along fold
lines 82a, 84a. The corner post 70a is hingedly connected to the first side
wall panel along
fold line 72a. In one class of embodiments, the fold line 82a is a shallow
arcuate shape to
assist in flexing the panels in the vertical plane, although in other
embodiments it is linear or
can be dispensed with. There may further comprise a flexing panel 78a
intermediate bracing
panel 76a and inner end panel 80a along fold lines 84a and 86a respectively.
In use, fold line
86a is used to place the corner post in a flat collapsed condition.
to It is envisaged that the panels for forming the corner post are not limited
to the shape
illustrated in Figure 1 and indeed could be replaced by other means to allow a
beam to
juxtapose the top and bottom panels. For example, bracing panel 76 could be
arcuate in
cross-section to better receive and retain the adjacent article.
15 Turning to the construction of the carton from the carton blank as
illustrated in Figure l, each
blank requires a series of sequential folding and gluing operations which are
preferably
performed in a straight line machine, so that the carton and blank are not
required to be
rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not
limited to that
described below and can be altered according to particular manufacturing
requirements.
Turning to the construction of the corner structures from the blank 10,
reference is made to
Figures 2 and 3. The panels for forming each corner post structure 70a, 70b,
70c, 70d are
folded inwardly in directions Wl, W, X1 and X along fold lines 86a, 86b, 86c,
86d to be
secured to the respective one of the first or second side wall panels 12, 16.
In this
embodiment, securing panel 74 is glued to the respective adjacent side wall
panel by a strip of
glue G (Figure 2).
Thereafter, the first side wall panel 12 and bottom wall panel 18 are secured
together,
whereby, in this embodiment, securing flap 26 is secured to bottom panel 18 by
glue or other
3o suitable means known in the art. Thus, the carton is in a flat collapsed
position ready to be
supplied to an end user for loading with articles.
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In order to erect the carton it is constructed by folding top panel 14, first
side wall panel 12,
bottom panel 18 and second side wall panel 16 out of alignment with each other
along fold
lines 28, 20, 22 and 24 respectively so as to form a tubular structure as
shown in Figure 4.
The carton is at an intermediate stage of construction whereby the articles
are inserted into the
carton C from one of the ends. It will be seen from Figure 4, that end panels
30 and 34 are
preferably folded outwardly along fold lines 32 and 36 respectively to guide
the articles into
the carton. Preferably, the opposing end wall is ~fonned prior to receiving
the articles,
l0 whereby corner post structures 70b and 70d are formed in the manner
described below and
end wall panels 38 and 42 are folded inwardly along the respective fold lines
40 and 44, to be
secured together by glue or other suitable means known in the art.
Once the articles have been loaded into the carton, the corner post structures
70a and 70c are
15 then formed.
In order to form the corner post structure 70a, inner end panel 80a is folded
inwardly in
direction Y along fold line 72a. This action causes bracing panel 76a and
intermediate panels
78a to be folded out of alignment with respect to securing panel 74a along
fold lines 82a, 84a
2o and 86a respectively to automatically deploy the corner post within the
carton. In this
embodiment the corner post has a substantially triangular cross-section viewed
in more detail
in Figure 9. In one class of embodiments, the purpose of intermediate panel
78a is to provide
a degree of resilience for the bracing panel 76a where for example it comes
into abutment
with the outermost article. However, in this embodiment, it is adapted to be
placed in a co-
25 linear arrangement with inner end panel 80a.
The opposing corner post structure 70c and the other structures 70b, 70d are
formed in
substantially the same manner as beam structure 70a and they are therefore not
described in
any greater detail hereinafter. Thus the carton is at the stage illustrated in
Figure 4.
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In order to complete construction of the carton C, the end wall panels are
secured together.
To this end, glue G is applied to the inner faces of end wall panels 30 and 34
and then folded
inwardly along fold lines 32 and 36 respectively and into abutment to be
secured together.
Preferably, the end wall panels 30 and 34 are also secured to the inner end
panels 80a and 80c
of their respective corner post structures 70a and 70c to provide additional
securing points.
In alternative embodiments glue may be applied to different areas of the blank
such as where
corner support structure are used. Thus the carton is in a set up condition
and fully loaded
with articles ready to be supplied to the user, as shown in Figure 6.
In order to gain access to the interior of the carton, the access structure
can be opened
whereby securing tab 60 is pushed inwardly to reveal the pull tab 58.
Thereafter, the pull tab
58 is pulled in an outward direction which causes the side access panel 51 to
be separated
from the first side wall panel 12 along frangible lines 55 and 56. By
continued pulling on pull
tab 58 in an upward direction, the upper access panel 53 is separated from top
wall panel 14
along fold lines 52 and 54 respectively. The access structure is folded
backwards along fold
line 22 to reveal the contents of the carton, as shown in Figure 7.
To reclose the access structure, there are provided opposing tabs 75a and 75b,
which are
2o secured to the inner face of one of the top or side wall panels. Tn this
embodiment, tabs 75a
and 75b are provided by the securing panels 74a and 74b. It is envisaged,
however, that these
tabs could be applied independently of the beam structure and, in fact, could
be applied to
cartons where no beam structures are provided. The tabs 75a and 75b are
adapted so that the
side access panel 51 can be placed within the carton such that the outer face
of access panel
51 abuts the inner surface of insert 75a and 75b shown in Figure 8. In order
to engage the
side access panel 51, pull tab 58 or - as the case may be - paxt of access
panel 51, is placed
securing tab 60 and side wall panel 12, thereby providing a pincer arrangement
to secure the
pull tab 58 (or access panel 51) thereto and to provide a reclosable access
structure shown in
Figure 8.
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Turning to a second embodiment of the present invention in Figures 10 to 12,
there is shown
a blank 110 .comprising a plurality of panels for forming an enclosed carton.
With reference
to the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the blank comprises first side wall
panel 112, a top
panel 114, a second side wall panel 116 and bottom panel 118 hingedly
connected one to the
next along fold lines 120, 122 and 124 respectively.
The ends of the carton are constructed by one or more end flaps or panels. In
this
embodiment, end panels 130 and 142 are hingedly connected to the opposing ends
of top wall
panel 114 along fold lines 132 and 144 respectively. A second pair of end
panels 134, 138 is
to provided along opposing end edges of bottom panel 118 and hingedly
connected thereto along
fold lines 136 and 140 respectively.
Securing means are provided for securing together the first side wall panel
112 and bottom
panel 118. In this embodiment it is provided by a securing flap 126 hingedly
connected to
15 first side wall panel 112 along fold line 128.
There further comprises an access structure that provides access to the
interior of the carton.
The access structure is similar to the first embodiment and comprises a
reclosable tear open
flap 150 formed from one of the carton wall panels. In this embodiment the
flap comprises
2o an upper access panel 153 struck from top panel 114 and frangibly connected
thereto along
frangible lines 152 and 154 respectively. Upper access panel 153 is hingedly
connected to
end wall panel 130 along fold line 132.
Preferably, there further comprises a side access panel 151 struck from the
first end wall
25 panel 142 and frangibly connected thereto along frangible fold lines 155
and 156 respectively.
It will be seen from Figure 10 that frangible lines 155 and 156 converge to a
pull tab 158.
Optionally, there further comprises a securing tab 160 hingedly connected to
the end wall
panel 142 along fold line 161. The opening of the access structure 150 will be
described in
more detail below.
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There further comprises one or more corner support structures formed
internally of the carton.
In the first embodiment, the support structures are positioned intermediate
the top and
bottom panels of the carton to improve the rigidity of the carton at the
weaker parts, for
example the corners of the carton.
In the second embodiment there are four corner support structures 170a, 170b,
170c and
170d. Each corner support is substantially the same and therefore only the
first corner
support structure 170a is described in any further detail. In the embodiment
shown in Figure
10, the corner support 170a comprises securing panel 174a and inner support
panel 176a and
to an outer support panel 180a hingedly connected one to the next along fold
lines 184a, 186a.
The corner support 170a is hingedly connected to first side wall panel 112
along fold line
172a.
It is envisaged that the panels for forming the corner structure are not
limited to the shape
15 illustrated in Figure 10, and could indeed be replaced by other means to
allow the structure to
juxtapose the top and bottom panels.
Turning to the construction of the carton from the carton blank as illustrated
in Figure 10,
again each blank requires a series of sequential folding and gluing operations
which are
20 preferably performed in a straight line machine, so that the carton and/or
blank are not
required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding
process is not
limited to that described below and can be altered according to particular
manufacturing
requirements.
25 The panels for forming each corner support structure 170a, 170b, 170c, 170d
are first folded
inwardly along fold line 186a, 186b, 186c, 186d to be secured to the
respective one of the first
or second side wall panels 112, 116. In this embodiment, securing panel 174 is
glued to the
respective adjacent side wall panel.
30 Thereafter, the first side wall panel 112 and bottom wall panel 118 are
secured together
whereby, in this embodiment, securing flap 126 is secured to bottom panel 118
by glue or
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other suitable means known in the art. Thus, the carton is in a flat collapsed
position ready to
be supplied to an end user for loading with articles.
In order to erect the carton it is constructed by folding top panel 114, first
side wall panel 112,
bottom panel 118 and second side wall panel 116 out of alignment with each
other along fold
lines 128, 120, 122 and 124 respectively, so as to form a tubular structure.
The carton is at an intermediate stage of construction whereby the axticles
are inserted into the
carton C' from one of the ends. End panels 138 and 142 are preferably folded
outwardly
to along fold lines 140 and 144 respectively to guide the articles into the
caxton C'. More
preferably, the opposing end wall is formed prior to receiving the articles,
whereby end wall
panels 130 and 134 are folded inwardly along fold lines 132 and 136
respectively to be
secured together by glue or other suitable means known in the art.
15 In order to complete construction of the carton C', the end wall panels are
secured together.
To this end, glue is applied to the inner faces of end wall panels 138 and
142, and then folded
inwardly along fold lines 132 and 136 respectively and into abutment to be
secured together.
Preferably, the end wall panels 130 and 134 are also secured to part of the
outer support
panels 180a and 180c of the corner support structures 170a and 170c
respectively to provide
2o additional securing points.
In further embodiments, glue may be applied to different areas of the blank
such as where
corner support structures are used. Thus the carton is in a set up condition
and fully loaded
with articles ready to be supplied to the user, as shown in Figures 11 and 12.
It will be seen from Figure 12 that the support structures 170a, 170b, 170c,
170d are located
in the corners of the outer carton to provide additional support for the
weaker parts of the
caxton.
3o In order to gain access to the interior of the carton, the access structure
can be opened
whereby securing tab 160 is pushed inwardly to reveal the pull tab 158.
Thereafter, the pull
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tab 158 is pulled in an outward direction which causes the side access panel
151 to be
separated from the first side wall panel 112 along frangible lines 155 and
156. By continuing
to pull on pull tab 158 in an upward direction the upper access panel 153 is
separated from
top wall panel 114 along fold lines 152 and 154 respectively. The access
structure is folded
backwards along fold line 122 to reveal the contents of the carton.
In order to reclose the access structure, there are provided opposing tabs
175a and 175b that
are secured to the inner face of one of the top or side wall panels. In this
embodiment, tabs
175a and 175b are provided by the securing panels 174a and 174b. It will be
seen from
to Figure 11 that the corner structure 170a provides a tab to assist with the
re-engagement of the
end closure flap. Indeed, it is envisaged that the corner support structure
could be replaced by
a panel hingedly connected to side wall 112 to provide such a tab. It is
envisaged that these
tabs could be applied independently of the corner structure and, in fact,
could be applied to
cartons where no corner structures are provided.
The tabs 175a and 175b are adapted so that the side access panel 151 can be
placed within the
carton such that the outer face of access panel 151 abuts the inner surface of
tab 175a and
175b, shown in Figure 11. In order to engage the side access panel 151, pull
tab 158 or - as
the case may be - part of access panel 151, may be placed securing tab 160 and
side wall
panel 112 thereby providing a pincer arrangement to secure the pull tab 158
(or access panel
151 ) thereto and to provide a reclosable access structure.
The present invention and its preferred embodiments relate to an arrangement
for providing a
corner post structure in a fully enclosed carton, and for providing a tear-
open flap. However,
it is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers
and is not limited to
those of the fully enclosed type hereinbefore described and could be used for
numerous
applications where it is desired to provide a carrier with improved rigidity.
It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as
"top", "bottom", "end",
"side", "inner" and "outer" do not limit the respective panels to such
orientation, but merely
serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged
connection should
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not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed
it is envisaged that
hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following: a
score line, a
frangible line or a fold line; without departing from the scope of invention.
It should be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of
the present
invention; for example, the size and shape of the panels and apertures may be
adjusted to
accommodate articles of differing size or shape, or alternative top and bottom
closure
structures may be used, without departing from the scope of the invention. A
single glue
aperture may be provided in some embodiments. The carton may accommodate more
than
to one article in different arrays.
