US3124915A

US3124915A - Method of forming a lined carton

Info

Publication number: US3124915A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-17

Description

March 17, 1964 E. L.. ARNESON METHOD oF FORMING A LINED CARTON 2 sheds-sheet 1 Ailecl Jan. 25, 1961 March 17, 1964 E. L. ARNESON METHOD 0F FORMING A LINED CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. Ida/fz l. @72690 72,

Filed Jan. 23, 1961 United States Patent C 3,124,915 METHD F FRMING A LINED CARTGN Edwin Il. Arneson, Morris, lill., assignor to Federal Paper Board Company, Inc., Bogota, NJ., a corporation of New York Filed lian'. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,141 Claims. (Cl. 53-27) This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a carton of the type which is provided with a liner of plastic lm or similar material and a method of fabricating the carton and liner and thereafter filling and closing the same.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a carton formed of paperboard of similar material and having a bag-like liner formed of a flexible iilm which is associated with the blank when the carton is fabricated and subsequently forced into the interiod of the carton so as to take the shape of the latter and assume a position closely adjacent to the interior Wall surfaces.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a carton and a method of forming the same wherein a paperboard blank is cut and scored so as to divide the same into a series of connected wall forming panels, with one of the panels having an opening therein with an area somewhat less than the panel area, and a sheet of transparent film material is secured over the opening, the film material being of a type which may be stretched when softened by heat and wherein the cut and scored blank is folded and the wall forming panels are connected so as to form a collapsedcarton which may be set up when required for use and the lm material heated and stretched through the opening into the interior of the carton to `form a liner therefor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of forming a lined carton which comprises cutting and creasing a paperboard blank to divide the same into a plurality of connected wall forming panels, with one of the wall forming panels having an aperture therein, applying a sheet of plastic iilm material over the aperture with its margins secured to the outside surface of the panel around the periphery of the aperture, folding the cut and creased blank and connecting the wall panels so as to bring the wall panels into collapsed carton forming relation, and subsequently heating and stretching the film materialthrough the aperture into the interior of the carton, after the carton is erected, so as to form therefor a continuous bag-like liner which hugs the interior wall surfaces thereof and which has its mouth forming margins anchored to the outside carton Wall surfaces adjacent the aperture,

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of forming a package wherein a lined carton is initially formed from a paperboard blank in a collapsed and flattened condition with one ofthe wall forming panels thereof apertured and having a sheet of plastic film secured over the aperture and wherein the carton is subsequently set up and the portion of the film covering the aperture is heated and drawn by iiuid pressure or vacuum through the aperture and into the interior of the carton to form therein a liner and linally the carton is filled through the aperture and the aperture is sealed by covering thesame with aclosure forming member.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a condsideration of the carton and the method of forming, filling and closing the same which are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a paperboard carton which is constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, the carton being shown in erected and closed condition without contents;

3,124,915 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 ICC FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, to an enlarged scale, and with portions broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross section, as in FIGURE 2, but illustrating the use or a plug-type cap as a closure for the liner opening;

FIGURE 4 is a plan View, on a reduced scale, 0f a blank which is cut and creased preparatory to forming the carton illustrated in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a plan View of the blank of FIGURE 4 folded and secured in collapsed position ready for erecting into the carton of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation, largely schematic, illustrating a method and apparatus for applying the liner forming sheets to the carton blanks;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation, largely schematic, illustrating a method and apparatus for setting up the cartons, heating and stretching the liner sheet, iilling through the liner aperture, and closing the same; and

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is iliustrated in erected and closed condition a carton l0 which is fabricated in accordance with the principles of the invention and which is particularly adapted for use in packaging products, such, as, for example, frozen foods of various kinds. The carton iti, as shown, is provided with a liner 11 which is formed of a iilm material stretched through an aperture l2 in the one wall of the carton and a closure member in the form of a flat sheet 13 which is secured over the aperture after the carton is filled. Alternately, the closure member may be a plug-type cap 14 as shown in FIGURE 3.

The carton 1t) may be of several different forms, only one of which is illustrated in the drawings and will be hereinafter described in detail. In the form illustrated it is fabricated from a blank l5 (FIGURE 4) which is cut from a generally rectangular sheet of paperboard or similar bendable and foldable material. The blank 15 is divided by longitudinally spaced, parallel, transverse crease lines 16, i7, 1S and 19 and transversely spaced, parallel, longitudinal crease lines 2i) and 20 into aplurality of connected wall forming panels comprising a side wall panel 2l, a top wall panel 22, another side wall panel 23, a bottom wall panel 24 and the glue tlap 25, these panels and the glue flap being connected in hinged relation in the order named. The two

side wall panels

21 and 23 are each provided at their opposite ends with a pair of

corner connecting flaps

26, 26 and 27, 27 which are adapted to be folded about the longitudinal score lines The top wall panel 22 is provided with lateral extensions which are adapted to hinge about the score lines 2t?, 2d and which are divided into end wall forming panels 28 and 2S with each of these end wall panels having a closure flap 3@ and 36 extending along the outer edge thereof and separated therefrom by the crease lines 31 and 3l', the latter having slits 32, 32 at the ends thereof which are slightly offset outwardly thereof. The

corner connecting flaps

26, 26 and 27, 27 are each cut away along one transverse edge at 33, 33 and 34, 34 to provide

small locking tabs

35, 35 and 36, 36.

An aperture 12 of substantial size is cut in the top wall forming panel 22 and a transparent plastic sheet 37 is secured to the margins 3S of the wall panel 22 around the apertureV l2. The sheet 37 is a plastic lm of a type which is stretchable when heated to the proper temperature so that it may be readily formed or shaped while in heat softened condition, for example, Pliofilm, polyethylene, or the like, The plastic sheet 37 may be applied over the opening l2 and secured to the outside face of the margins 38 of the top wall panel 22 by a suitable adhesive either during the process of cutting and scoring the blank 15 or subsequent thereto.

The blank 1S, when cut and scored as shown, with the liner forming sheet 37 secured on the panel 22, is formed into a collapsed carton by folding the end section occupied by the panel 24 and the glue ap 25 about the score line 18 after a suitable adhesive is applied to the glue flap 25 so as to bring the bottom Wall forming panel 24 into superimposed relation with the adjoining side wall panel 23 and portions of the top Wall panel 22. The side wall panel 21 at the end of the blank is then folded about the score line 16 into engagement with the glue flap 25 which brings the panels into the the position shown in FIGURE and completes the carton in the collapsed form in which it is supplied to the user.

A suitable apparatus for applying the liner forming lm sheet 37 to a carton blank 15 is illustrated in FIG- URE 6. A supply of the carton blanks 15 are placed in an inclined magazine 40 and transferred in single le relation, by a feed wheel 41 to the top run of a horizontally disposed endless conveyor 42 which is carried on a pair of rotatably mounted, spaced end supports 43 and 44, either of which may be driven by a suitable power source (not shown). Successive blanks 15 are picked up from the feed wheel 41 by pusher ngers 45 on the conveyor 42 and carried in a horizontal plane beneath the adhesive applying roller 46 which has stencil pads on its peripheral surface, as indicated at 47, for applying adhesive to the margins 38 of the top wall panel 22, the adhesive being received on the pads 47 from a fountain supply apparatus 48. The adhesive coated blank then advances beneath a drum 49 which applies a liner sheet 37. The drum 49 receives the liner sheet 37 from a supply roll 50, successive sheets being cut from the supply web by a cut-off device indicated at 51. The drum 49 holds the sheet 37 on the surface by suction and operates in timed relation to advance of the conveyor 42 so as to apply successive sheets 37 to the oncoming blanks 15 on the conveyor 42 after which the blanks are passed between a pair of pressure rollers 52 and delivered into a stacking conveyor 53 in a conventional manner.

The cartons with the liner sheets 37 attached are supplied to the user in flattened and collapsed condition and equipment is provided for setting up the carton, completing the formation of the liner, and lling and closing the lined carton With the desired product. Equipment suitable for this purpose is illustrated schematically in FIGURES 7 and 8. It comprises a vertically disposed magazine 60 for receiving a stack of the collapsed cartons which is positioned at one end of a horizontally disposed endless traveling belt conveyor 61. The conveyor 61 is supported on spaced end rollers or sprockets 62 and 63 and provided with spaced pairs of carton gripping fingers 64. A suction feed device 65 is supported in vertically reciprocating relation at the bottom of the magazine 60 for gripping the lowermost wall of the bottom carton in the stack and withdrawing the same downwardly so as to open up the carton into tubular form between a pair of grippers 64 which are moved by the conveyor 61 beneath the magazine 60 where they are supported in carton receiving position on guide bars 66 extending along the upper run of the conveyor. The opened up carton is advanced between a pair of rotating flap closures 67 and 67 which are laterally spaced at opposite sides of the conveyor 61 and which are rotated on vertical axes in timed relation to the movement of the carton so as to close the

trailing end flaps

27, 27. The leading end flaps 26, 26' engage with the ends of vertically disposed folding ploughs 68 and 68' positioned at the sides of the path of the conveyor 61. The end

wall forming panels

28, 28 and their associated closure flaps 30, 30' are folded downwardly and tucked into the carton by engagement With ploughs 70 and 70' which are also arranged on opposite sides of the conveyor 61. The tucked end aps are releasably retained in tucked position by engagement of the

small locking tabs

35, 35' and 36, 36 in the slits 32, 32' provided at the ends of the

hinge lines

31, 31. A heating unit 71 extends above the conveyor 61 from the folding station to a point beyond the end of the conveyor 61 where the set up and closed carton is delivered to a platform 72 in front of a pusher 73, the platform being arranged at one side of a forming chamber 74. The chamber 74 comprises a bottom or base supporting member 75 and a vertically reciprocable closure member 76. The base 75 is provided with a guide member indicated at 77 for properly positioning the carton thereon as it is delivered from the platform 72. The base 75 has a conduit 78 connecting the same with a vacuum pump 8) While the reciprocating top chamber forming member 76 has a conduit 81 for connecting the same to an air pressure pump or supply line (not shown). A reciprocating pusher 82 is arranged at the one side of the base member 75 for removing the cartons after the forming of the liner is completed. The lined cartons are delivered from the vacuum chamber in horizontally disposed, single file relation between a pair of

side guide members

83, 83 and advanced by the pusher 82 or by a conveyor (not shown) to a filling spout 84 which delivers the product to the interior of the carton through the aperture 12. The lled cartons are then advanced to the closure applying station where the closure sheet 13 is applied to complete the package.

As indicated in FIGURES 7 and 8, the stretching or forming of the liner sheet 37 may be accomplished in the vacuum chamber 74 by applying air pressure to the outside face of the sheet so as to blow it into the interior of the carton or Vacuum may be applied to the interior of the carton to suck the sheet 37 into the same. Ordinarily, the carton interior may be evacuated by withdrawing air through the openings between the interfolded wall panels. The wall panels may be provided with small holes or perforations, as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, to facilitate the Withdrawal of the air, particularly, when the carton is of a type which is completely glued up. The invention is, of course, not limited to the particular carton structure shown but is applicable to other similar carton constructions.

While specific materials and particular details of construction have been referred to in describing the illustrated forms of the invention, it Will be understood that equivalent materials and Variations in the details of the construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A method of forming a lined carton which comprises forming a carton which has, when set up, top, bottom and side walls with an aperture of substantial size in one of the walls providing an opening of lesser size than the apertured Wall into the interior of the carton and with certain of the other Walls being perforated, securing over said aperture a sheet of plastic lm which is stretchable Without rupture when heated by sealing the marginal portions thereof to the outside face of the apertured Wall around the entire periphery of the aperture, heating the llm until the portion thereof extending over said aperture is softened so that it will stretch and applying a vacuum through the perforated walls of the carton to stretch the softened lm and pull the same into contact with the interior surfaces of the walls of the carton so as to conform substantially to said wall surfaces and form a seamless liner therefor.

2. A method of forming a package Which is characterized by an outer carton member having an opening of substantial size in a wall thereof and an inner bag member of lm material forming a liner therefor with the bag member having the mouth forming marginal portions thereof sealed to the outside surface of the wall of the carton around the periphery of said opening, which method comprises cutting and scoring a blank forming sheet of paperboard material to divide the same into carton Wall forming panels with one of the panels having an opening of substantial size, securing on the outside face of said one panel a sheet of plastic film material which is stretchable without rupture when softened by heat with the film material being secured by sealing the marginal portions of the sheet to the outer face of the panel around the periphery of the opening, folding the cut and scored blank and securing the panels in connected relation so as to provide a carton, heating the film until it is softened, stretching unsecured portions of the softened film into the carton through the wall opening by application of fluid pressure to form a liner, inserting a product in the lined carton through the wall opening and the mouth of the liner thus formed, and closing the wall opening and the liner mouth by providing a sealing member and securing the same over said opening and mouth to form the final package.

3. A method of forming a package which is characterized by an outer carton member having an aperture of substantial size in a wall thereof and an inner liner forming bag member of film material with the bag member having a mouth forming portion thereof sealed to the outside surface of the carton around the periphery of the aperture, which method comprises cutting and scoring a paperboard blank to divide the same into carton forming wall panels with one of the panels having an aperture of substantial size, securing over the aperture in said one panel a sheet of film material which is stretchable without rupture when softened, folding the cut and scored blank and securing the panels in connected relation so as to provide a carton, treating the film so that the portion covering the aperture is softened, forcing the softened portion of the film by differential ailpressure through the aperture and into engagement with the inside Walls of the carton, filling the lined carton through the aperture, and closing the aperture to form the final package.

4. A method of forming a container which is characterized by an outer carton member having an opening of substantial size in a wall thereof and an inner liner forming bag member of film material with the bag member having mouth forming margins thereof sealed to the outside surface of the carton wall around the periphery of said opening, which method comprises cutting and scoring a paperboard blank to divide it into wall forming panels with one of said wall forming panels having an opening of substantial size therein, said opening having its edge spaced inwardly of the edges of the panel, covering the opening with a flat sheet of plastic film which is stretchable without rupture when softened by heat, sealing the film margins to the outer surface of the panel around the periphery of the opening so that the film is disposed in the plane of said panel, connecting certain of the panels so as to form a carton in collapsed and flattened condition, squaring up the collapsed carton and folding the panels to close all sides of the carton, heating the portion of the film covering the opening until it is softened sufficiently to be stretched and creating a pressure differential between the inside of the carton and the outside surface of the film sufficient to stretch the softened portions of the film over the opening into the carton through said opening and into engagement with the inside walls of the carton whereby the bag forming member provides a seamless liner in the carton with its mouth forming margins sealed to the outer surface of the Wall of the carton surrounding the opening.

5. A method of forming a container which is characterized by an outer paperboard carton and a seamless inner liner of plastic film material with the mouth forming margin of the liner sealed to the outside surface of the carton around the periphery of an opening in a wall of the carton, said method comprising cutting and creasing a paperboard blank to divide the same into wall forming panels which are adapted to be folded and joined to form a collapsed and flattened carton, one of said wall forming panels having an opening therein which is of substantial size and which is of lesser area than said one panel, certain of said panels having relatively small perforations in portions thereof, covering the opening in said one wall forming panel with a sheet of plastic film which will stretch when softened by heat, sealing the margins of the film to the outside face of said one wall forming panel around the edges of the opening so that the film is disposed in the plane of said one Wall forming panel when the carton is in collapsed condition, setting up the collapsed carton, heating the plastic film until it is softened sufficiently to stretch and stretching the film into liner forming relation within the carton by applying a vacuum through the perforations in the panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 564,340 Reed July 21, 1896 1,692,986 Hardy Nov. 27, 1928 2,328,798 Gardner Sept. 7, 1943 2,364,012 Walton Nov. 28, 1944 2,365,159 Walton Dec. 19, 1944 2,409,736 Caimi Oct. 22, 1946 2,712,382 Clarke July 5, 1955 2,736,065 Wilcox Feb. 28, 1956 2,872,760 Meissner Feb. 10, 1959

Claims

1. A METHOD OF FORMING A LINED CARTON WHICH COMPRISES FORING A CARTON WHICH HAS, WHEN SET UP, TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS WITH AN APERTURE OF SUBSTANTIAL SIZE IN ONE F THE WALLS PROVIDING AN OPENING OF LESSER SIZE THAN THE APERTURED WALL INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CARTON AND WITH CERTAIN OF THE OTHER WALLS BEING PERFORATED, SECURING OVER SAID APERTURE A SHEET OF PLASTIC FILM WHICH IS STRETCHABLE WITHOUT RUPTURE WHEN HEATED BY SEALING THE MARGINAL PORTIONS THEREOF TO THE OUTSIDE FACE OF THE APERTURED WALL AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY OF THE APERTURE, HEATING THE FILM UNTIL THE PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING OVER SAID APERTURE IS SOFTENED SO THAT IT WILL STRETCH AND APPLYING A VACUUM THROUGH THE PERFORATED WALLS OF THE CARTON TO STRETCH THE SOFTENED FILM AND PULL THE SAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE WALLS OF THE CARTON SO AS TO CONFORM SUBSTANTIALLY TO SAID WALL SURFACES AND FORM A SEAMLESS LINER THEREFOR.