GB2081680A - Cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton has four side walls 1, 2, 3, 4, a bottom closure formed by panels 7, 8, 9, 10 and a top closure 23 formed by panels 24, 25, 26 and having an access opening 33. Preferably both closures have a first panel 8, 25 hinged to one side wall, 2, 3, respectively and a second panel 10, 38 hinged to a second side wall 4, 1, respectively and adapted to overlie the respective first panel. Each first panel 8, 25 has adjacent its hinge a slit 22, 30a which receives a flap 17, 39 extending from the free edge of the second panel 10, 38 and arranged to enter the slit 22, 30a. A tongue 19, 30 extends from the side wall 2, 3 enters a slot 18, 40 in the flap to prevent the flap leaving the slit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cartons This invention relates to a carton and a onepiece blank from which the carton can be formed.

The invention is particularly but not exclusively concerned with providing a carton for sharp or otherwise potentially hazardous objects or materials which have to be transported for disposal by, for example, burning. One particular application for cartons in accordance with the present invention is for the safe disposal of disposable medical hypodermic syringes.

Since the cartons are intended to be used only once before disposal it is desirable that they should be as cheap as possible and the present invention seeks to provide a carton which is cheap to manufacture and yet is adequately strong for its intended purpose.

According to the present invention there is provided a carton having four side walls, a top opening and a bottom opening closed by respective closures, at least one of the closures comprising a first panel hinged to one side wall and extending across the opening to a second side wall parallel to the first side wall, and a second panel hinged to the second side wall and adapted to overlie the first panel, the first panel having adjacent and parallel to its hinge a slit adapted to receive a flap extending from the free edge of the second panel and hinged thereto so as to enter the slit and lie abutting the inner surface of the first wall, a tongue narrower than the slit extending from the first side wall and being adapted to enter a slot in said flap to prevent the flap leaving the slit.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention both the top and bottom closures comprise a first panel hinged to one side wall and extending across the opening to a second side wall parallel to the first side wall, and a second panel hinged to the second side wall and adapted to overlie the first panel, the first panel having adjacent and parallel to its hinge a slit adapted to receive a flap extending from the free edge of the second panel and hinged thereto so as to enter the slit and lie abutting the inner surface of the first wall, a tongue narrower than the slit extending from the first side wall and being adapted to enter a slot in said flap to prevent the flap leaving the slit.

Additionally, the bottom closure may include a further panel forming a floor to the carton spaced inwardly from the first and second panels of the bottom closure. In this case, the further panel may comprise three panel sections, a first section hinged to a third side wall and abutting the inner surface of said third side wall, a second section extending from the first section across the carton to adjacent the fourth side wall to form the floor of the carton, and a third section extending from the second section towards the first and second panels and adapted to abut the inner surface of the fourth side wall. In this way, the first and third sections define the spacing between the floor and the outer panels.

The invention also provides a one-piece blank, preferably of cardboard, from which a carton according to the invention can be formed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a one-piece cardboard blank.

The blank has four panels which are divided by crease lines 5 to form four side walls 1 , 2, 3, 4 of a carton which is substantially rectangular when assembled. A fastening tab 6 extends from the side of side wall 1 and this tab is secured to the free edge of side wall 4 by gluing or stapling in a known manner to form a box-like structure having top and bottom openings of square section.

The bottom opening is closed by a closure formed by three panels 8, 9 and 10 and a further panel 7 which forms a floor spaced from the panels 8, 9, 10. The panel 7 has three sections 7a, 7b, 7c arranged sequentially and a side tab 7d extending from a side edge of the section 7b. The section 7a is hinged to the side wall 1 by means of two closely spaced parallel crease lines 11 and is folded over to lie abutting the inner surface of the side wall 1. The section 7b extends from the section 7a across the opening to abut the inner surface of the side wall 3 and from there, the third section 7c lies against the inner surface of the side wall 3 extending towards the outside cf the carton. The tab 7dis bent up in the same direction as the sections 7a, 7c and lies against the inner surface of the fourth side wall 4.In this way the section 7b forms a floor spaced from the end of the carton so that any sharp articles in the carton which might penetrate the floor do not injure a person carrying the carton.

The panels 8, 9, 10 form the closure for the bottom opening. Firstly, the panel 9 which contains a cut out portion arranged to accommodate a closure flap (to be described hereinafter), is hinged by a crease line 13 to the side wall 3 so as to be adapted to lie over and substantially close the bottom opening. Then the panel 8 which is hinged to the side wall 2 by a crease line 14 is folded onto the panel 9, and, finally, the panel 10 which is hinged in the side wall 4 by means of a crease line 15, is folded to overlie the panel 8. The panels 7, 8, 9, 10 are separated from each other by cuts 1 6.

A closure flap 1 7 extends from the free edge of the panel 10. The flap 17 is hinged to the panel 10 by means of a crease line 1 7a so that it can be folded at right angles to the panel 10. Adjacent the centre region of the flap hinge a slot 18 is cut, the cut being slightly offset relative to the crease line 1 7a so that when the flap 1 7 is folded, the slot 18 opens to receive a tongue 1 9 formed partly in the panel 8.

The root 20 of the tongue 19 is in the side wall 2 and the free end 21 of the tongue is formed in the panel 8. A crease line 22 aligned with the crease line 14 is provided in the tongue to enable the free end to lie parallel to the panel 9 but the remainder to lie in the plane of the side wall 2. To each side of the tongue 19, there are aligned parts of a slit 22 which, when the tongue 1 9 is moved out of the way, form a slit 22 for receiving the flap 17.

The flap 17 thus extends into the carton, through the slit 22 and the cut out 12 in panel 9, to lie against the inner surface of the side wall 2.

The tongue 19 is then inserted in the slot 18 adjacent the flap hinge to thereby prevent the flap 1 7 from withdrawing from the slit 22.

Thus, the bottom opening is securely closed and has three thicknesses of material in addition to the floor 7b spaced from the closure panels.

The upper opening of the carton is closed and locked in a somewhat similar fashion.

Extending from the top edges of the side walls 2, 3 and 4 is a closure element 23 consisting of three connected panels 24, 25 and 26 which are hinged by a crease line 27 to the side walls 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The panels 24 and 26 are hingedly connected to respective opposite sides of the panel 25 by crease lines 28, 29.

A tongue 30, identical to the tongue 1 9 in form and purpose extends from the side wall 3 into the panel 25, the free end 31 of the tongue being in the panel 25. Slits 30a similar to slots 22 are formed on each side of the tongue 30. On the opposite side of panel 25 to the tongue there is a hinged flap 32 which, in the closed position of the closure element lies against the inner surface of the side wall 1. The panel 25 has a circular orifice 33 through which articles to be disposed of are inserted.

The two panels 24 and 25 also have orifices 34, 35 respectively which align with the orifice 33 when the element 23 is closed. Each of the panels 24,26 has a perforated crease line 24c, 26c extending at an angle of 450 from the junction between the crease line 27 and the respective crease lines 28 and 29 to thereby divide the panels into two parts 24a and 24b and 26a and 26b respectively. The quarter of each of the panels 24, 26 remote from the perforated crease lines is removed.

When the closure element 23 is closed, the panels 24, 26 fold inwardly about the perforated crease lines so that the two halves of each panel lie in face to face relationship. The two edges 36 of the cut out portions abut each other, as do the two edges 37 so that the two panels 24, 26 each form half of a double thickness closure wall having an orifice 34, 35. The centre panel 25 overlies the panels 24, 26 to form a triple thickness closure with an orifice 33, 34, 35, the flap 32 tucking into the carton to lie against the inner surface of the side wall 1.

In this condition the carton is ready for use, articles for disposal being placed in the carton through the orifice 33, 34, 35.

The carton has a further closure panel 38 which closes the orifice when the carton is to be disposed of. The further panel 38 has a closure flap 39 extending from its free edge, this flap being similar to the flap 1 7 described earlier. A crease line 39a enables the flap to be bent at right angles to the panel. Adjacent the centre region of the flap hinge a slot 40 is cut the cut being slightly offset relative to the crease line 39a so that the slot opens when the flap is folded to receive the free end 31 of the tongue 30. Thus, when the panel 38 is folded onto the panel 25, the flap 39 can enter the slot formed by slits 30a and the tongue 30, 31 enters the slot 40 to prevent the flap 39 inadvertently leaving the closed position.

By means of the multipie thickness end closures and the positive closing thereof by the flaps and tongues 17,20,21 and 39,30,31, the carton can be closed securely with little risk that sharp articles therein would penetrate the closures to injure a person carrying the carton. Since the carton is formed of cardboard it is relatively inexpensive and easily disposed of by burning. As can be seen from the accompanying informal drawing the carton is formed from a one-piece blank. The blank is of relatively regular shape with no large cut-outs or extending webs so that a plurality of blanks can be cut from large sheets or webs of material with very little wastage, which leads to further economy.

Although described as of cardboard construction it will be appreciated that other materials such as plastics, pressed fibre board or waxed paper may be used.

Claims (10)

1. A carton having four side walls, a top opening and a bottom opening closed by respective closures, at least one of the closures including a first panel hinged to one side wall and extending across the opening to a second side wall parallel to the first side wall, and a second panel hinged to said second side wall and adapted to overlie the first panel, the first panel having adjacent and parallel to its hinge a slit adapted to receive a flap extending from the free edge of the second panel and hinged thereto so as to enter the slit and the lie abutting the inner surface of the first side wall, a tongue, narrower than the slit, extending from the first side wall and being adapted to enter a slot in said flap to prevent the flap leaving the slit.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein both of said closures include a first panel hinged to one side wall and extending across the opening to a second side wall parallel to the first side wall, and a second panel hinged to said second side wall and adapted to overlie the first panel, the first panel having adjacent and parallel to its hinge a slit adapted to receive a flap extending from the free edge of the second panel and hinged thereto so as to enter the slit and lie abutting the inner surface of the first side wall, a tongue, narrower than the slit, extending from the first side wall and being adapted to enter a slot in said flap to prevent the flap leaving the slit.

3. A carton according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the bottom closure includes a further panel forming a floor to the carton spaced inwardly from the part of the closure providing the exterior surface of the closure.

4. A carton according to claim 3 wherein the bottom closure is said at least one of the closures and the further panel comprises three panel sections, a first section hinged to a third side wall and abutting the inner surface of said third side wall, a second section extending from the first section across the carton to adjacent the fourth side wall to form the floor of the carton, and a third section extending from the second section towards the first and second panels and adapted to abut the inner surface of the fourth side wall.

5. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the top closure is said at least one of the closures the first panel having an access opening therein to enable articles to be placed in the carton, the access opening being closed by the second panel when this overlies the first panel.

6. A carton according to claim 5 wherein the top closure includes two further panels each hinged to a respective one of the third and fourth side walls and of opposed sides of the first panel the further panels each having a shaped opening therein and a crease line extending diagonally from the junction of their hinges with the respective side walls and opposed sides of the first panel so that the further panels fold inwardly to lie abutting the inner face of the first panel, in which position the shaped openings are aligned with said access opening in the first panel.

7. A carton according to any one of the preceding claims, formed of cardboard, a synthetic plastics material, pressed fibre board or waxed paper.

8. A carton substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

9. A one-piece blank for forming a carton as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A one-piece blank for forming a carton substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.