GB2365849A - Cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

A flip top carton has a hinged extension flap (11) on the front wall (1) of the carton body, which covers the front wall (9) of the flip top when closed. As a result the whole of the front of the closed carton is formed from a single piece of board, which facilitates printing.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> "Cartons" The invention relates to cartons made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material. So-called "flip top" cartons are well known, being ones in which a top closure is hinged along its back edge to the rear wall of the carton and has a front wall which, in the closed position, forms the top part of the front of the carton. With such an arrangement the front of the carton is in two parts, the lower part forming part of the main body of the carton and the upper part f orming part of the f 1 ip top as j ust mentioned. This makes it difficult to cover the whole of the front of the carton with printed material of a singular nature without misalignment of parts of the printing at the division between such parts.

According to the present invention there is provided a flip top carton, namely one in which a top closure is hinged along its rear edge to a rear wall of the carton and has a front wall which, in the closed position, forms an upper part of the front of the carton, the lower part of which is formed by a front wall panel of the carton body, wherein the said front wall panel is provided with an upward continuation in the form of a hinged flap which overlies the said front wall of the top closure in the closed condition of the carton.

The provision of such a flap as an upward continuation of the front wall panel of the carton body means that substantially the whole of the front face of the carton, in its closed condition, is formed from a single sheet of board, sub-divided into the said front wall panel and the said flap, which may be printed with material of a singular nature without any problems of alignment of different parts of the printing. When the carton is to be opened the flap is simply hinged out of

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the way to enable the flip top to be opened in the normal manner.

Preferably the said continuation flap substantially covers the whole of the said front wall of the top closure in the closed condition of the carton.

Preferably the carton includes means, such a suitable locking tab on the flap, for releasably securing it in its position overlying the front wall of the top closure.

In a preferred form of the invention a top wall panel of the top closure is hinged directly to the rear wall of the carton so as to be capable of being coplanar with the said rear wall in an open position of the closure. This enables the top closure to form an open continuation of the body of the carton when in its said open position, into which contents of the carton may be shifted for display and selection by users.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making a carton according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the fully erected carton in its closed condition; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the aforementioned flap moved out of the way to enable the carton to be opened; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carton in an open condition; and Figure 5 shows how the carton may be folded flat for storage and transportation, prior to filling. Referring first to Figure 1, the blank comprises a row of hingedly interconnected panels for forming a tubular body of the carton, namely a front wall panel 1, a rear wall panel 2, and side wall panels 3 and 4, together with a gluing strip 5. Flaps 6 for making a conventional crash lock base are hinged to the

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respective wall panels. An array of panels and flaps for forming a flip top for the carton includes a top wall panel 7 hinged to the rear wall panel 2, two side wall flaps 8, and a front wall panel 9 carrying tabs 10 for gluing to the flaps 8. Finally, the front wall panel 1 of the carton body carries a hinged extension flap 11 provided with a locking tab 12.

The manner in which the carton is erected and glued from the blank of Figure 1 will he clear to a skilled reader, and Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the erected carton. From these Figures it will be understood that, when the carton is fully closed as shown in Figure 2, the extension flap 11 on the front wall panel IL is positionable to overlie and substantially cover the front wall 9 of the top closure, and is releasably securable in this position by engaging its locking tab 12 in a slot 13 suitably formed in the closure. When the top is to be opened the flap 11 is released and hinged out of the way as shown in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the carton in an open condition, with some of its contents, in this case wrapped sweets, shifted into the open top closure for display and selection. The direct connection of the top wall 7 of the closure to the rear wall 2 of the carton body, without the top closure having an intervening rear wall of its own, means that the top wall 7 can be placed substantially in the same plane as the rear wall 2, as in Figure 4, to form a convenient subsidiary container into which some of the container contents may be shifted, as shown.

Finally, Figure 5 shows how the glued carton may be folded flat for transportation and storage, prior to filling, by virtue of the provision of suitable fold lines 14 (Figure 1) in the front wall 9 of the top closure.

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Claims (7)

1. Claims: 1 . A fliD top carton, namely one in which a top closure is hinged along its rear edge to a rear wall of the carton and has a front wall which, in the closed position, forms an upper part of the front of the carton, the lower part of which is formed by a front wall panel of the carton body, wherein the said front wall panel is provided with an upward continuation in the form of a hinged flap which overlies the said front wall of the top closure in the closed condition of the carton.
2. 2. A carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said continuation flap substantially covers the whole of the said front wall of the top closure in the closed condition of the carton.
3. 3. A carton as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including means for releasably securing the said continuation flap in its position overlying the front wall of the top closure.
4. 4. A carton as claimed in claim 3, wherein said securing means comprises a locking tab on the flap engageable in a slot in the top closure.
5. 5. A carton as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a top wall panel of the top closure is hinged directly to the rear wall of the carton so as to be capable of being coplanar with the said rear wall in an open position of the closure.
6. 6. A cart-on as claimed in c-Laim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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7. 7. A blank of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, for making a carton as claimed in any of claims I to 6.