WO2011137044A1

WO2011137044A1 - Carton

Info

Publication number: WO2011137044A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/033691
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tamio Ikeda
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Current assignee: WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date: 2010-04-30
Filing date: 2011-04-22
Publication date: 2011-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-30
Also published as: JP3160972U; TW201144179A

Abstract

A carton includes an open ended tubular structure. The structure includes a top wall panel (14) defined by a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges, a pair of opposed side wall panels (13) hingedly connected respectively to the opposed side edges of the top wall panel and extending downward to respective lower end edges thereof, and a bottom wall panel (12) extending between the side wall panels and hingedly interconnected to the lower end edges of the side wall panels. The structure further includes a handle area (30) by which the carton may be lifted, the handle area being formed in the top wall panel, and at least one tear strip (40) formed form part of the top wall panel. The at least one tear strip has inner and outer opposite ends. The outer end is located on one of the opposed end edges of the top wall panel. The inner end is disposed between the handle area and one of the side wall panels and spaced from the other end edge of the top wall panel.

Description

CARTON

F ield of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a carton for containing a plurality of articles such as cans, and in particular, to a zipper or tear open feature with which force applied to the carton upon lifting thereof can be prevented from affecting the zipper or tear open feature directly.

Background of the invention

[0002] Heretofore, carriers and cartons by which a plurality of articles such as bottles and cans for beverages are contained are provided for distribution and use by consumers. For example, US Patent No. 4,318,478 discloses a carrier having a triangular tubular structure that is used for carrying a plurality of bottles. The carrier has a structure in which the bottle necks are inserted through the bottom wall of the carrier and the lower edges of the bottle caps are engaged by openings in a top portion of the carrier. The bottles may be removed from the carton such that a zipper consecutively formed near the openings are torn away, and the bottles are removed therefrom one at a time. [0003] Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-343469, discloses a carton having a rectangular tubular structure in which four or six cans are contained in two rows. Two finger holes are provided in the top wall panel of the tubular structure. A zipper is formed around the finger holes. The zipper is extended from one of the opposed end openings of the tubular structure to the other opening so that the carton can be opened by tearing off the zipper.

[0004] In Fig. 4 of the present application, a conventional carton having one finger hole is illustrated. The carton of Fig. 4 has a rectangular tubular structure composed of bottom wall panels 1 , side wall panels 2, and a top wall panel 3. The finger hole 4 is defined proximate the center of the top wall panel 3. A pair of tear lines 5 is formed around the finger hole 4 to define a zipper or tear open panel between the tear lines 5. Four cans are contained in the carton which may be carried while the finger hole 4 is engaged, for example, by a thumb, and an edge of the top wall panel 3 or the side wall panel 2 is engaged by other fingers. The tear lines 5 may be torn by holding and pulling a finger engaging tab 5a of the zipper. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In the carton shown in Fig. 4, when the carton is lifted by the finger hole 4 and the finger engaging tab 5a, the zipper may undergo the gripping force and may start separating from the carton. [0006] The present invention has been made to prevent or at least to mitigate the above problem. What is needed, therefore, is a carton in which force applied to the carton can be prevented from affecting a zipper directly.

[0007] According to the present invention, the carton is adapted to hold a plurality of articles such as cans arranged such that the side walls of the articles are in contact with each other. The carton has an open ended tubular structure including a pair of bottom wall panels for supporting the articles, opposed side wall panels extending from the respective side edges of the bottom wall panels and a top wall panel connecting between the upper edges of the side wall panels. A handle area for carrying the tubular structure is formed at the top wall panel. A tear panel or zipper is connected to the top wall panel so that it can be detached at least in part from the top wall panel. The tear strip is defined by a pair of tear lines which may be broken to open the carton. The tear panel emanates from an off-centered position along an end edge of the top wall panel and extends toward an adjacent one of the side wall panels, to a position spaced from that side wall panel.

[0008] When the carton having the above structure is lifted, the handle portion and the end edge of the top wall panel are held. It is an ordinary operation to hold a mid position of the end edge of the top wall panel such that the position apart from the tear panel is engaged. As a result, the force for lifting the carton does not directly affect the tear panel. [0009] In a preferred embodiment, an inwardly extending recessed portion is formed at a mid position along the end edge of the top wall panel. Users can recognize the recessed portion as a finger engaging position and would carry the carton holding the recessed portion so that the tear panel is prevented from being carelessly engaged by the users' fingers.

[0010] The tear panel preferably emanates from the intermediate position between the recessed portion and the adjacent side wall panel and extends to a position between the handle area and the side wall panel. For example, the tear panel can extend from the intermediate position between the recessed portion and an upper edge of the side wall panel while inclining toward the side wall panel. In such an embodiment, a substantia! distance between the handle area and the tear panel is maintained so that the strength of the handle area can be maintained. [0011] The structure of the handle area is not limited to one or more holes for inserting fingers but includes a belt-like or a box-like structure that may be

engageable with fingers. The number of the handle area may be one or more than one. When the number of the handle area is one, such a single handle area may be disposed at the center of the top wall panel. When the number of the handle area is two, such handle areas may be disposed at the opposite sides of the center of the top wall panel. The number N of the articles contained in the carton may be represented by any positive integer as long as the materia! of the carton or carrier can tolerates the load of the articles of such a number. Furthermore, the articles can be arranged in any configuration such as 1 -by, 2-by or 3-by configuration or that having a triangular, rectangular or any other polygonal horizontal cross section.

[0012] According to the carton of the present invention, the tear strip or zipper has a lesser chance of being affected by the carton lifting action than convention cartons. Brief Description of the Draw ings

[0013] Fig. 1 is a plane view of a blank for forming a carton in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. [0014] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of Fig. 1 , in which articles are contained. [0015] Fig. 3 is a plane view of a blank for forming a carton in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional carton.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0017] Referring to Figs 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the present invention is described hereinafter. In the description below, although a carton shown in Fig. 1 contains four articles as an example, the present invention is not limited to such a number of the articles. Instead, the carton of the present invention may be designed to contain, for example, one or more than one article without failing out of the scope of the present invention.

[0018] Fig. 1 illustrates a blank 10 which is made of foldable sheet material such as paperboard, cardboard, corrugated board, plastic sheet, paper-plastic composite sheet or a similar material. The blank 10 is provided with a first bottom wall panel 11 , a second bottom wall panel 12, side wall panels 13 and a top wall panel 14 These panels 11 , 12, 13, 14 are connected together in series by fold lines 15 to 18. By folding these panels 11 to 14, the blank 10 is erected into a carton shown in Fig. 2. One or more articles such as cans, bottles or bricks C may be held in the carton.

[0019] A plurality of locking tabs 19 are struck from the first bottom wall panel 11 and are hingedly connected to the first bottom wall panel 11 by folding lines 19a. A plurality of retaining tabs 20 are struck from the second bottom wall panel 12. The retaining tabs 20 define locking apertures in the second bottom wall panel 12. The locking apertures are designed for receiving the locking tabs 19 so that so received locking tabs 19 are retained in the locking apertures engaged by the retaining tabs 20 and thereby the first and second bottom wall panels 11 and 12 are secured together.

[0020] An anchoring flap 21 is hingedly connected to the opposite end edges of each side wall panel 13 by the fold lines 22. Web panels 23 are hingedly connected to the opposite beveled end edges of each of the panels 11 , 12 and 14 along fold lines 24. Each of theses web panels 13 is also hingedly connected to the adjacent anchoring flap 21 by a fold line 24. The web panels 13, when the carton is erected, retain the end articles C while engaging with the upper and lower ends of the end articles C , whereby the articles C are prevented from exiting the carton. The anchoring flaps 21 , when folded inward, are held between the adjacent articles C and the adjacent side wall panels 13 and thereby trapped in that folded position so that the web panels 23 are prevented from moving outwardly once the anchoring flaps 21 are trapped in the folded position. [0021] A handle opening 30 (in the handle area) is formed proximate the center of the top wall panel 14. A pair of opposed finger tabs 31 are hingedly connected to the perimeter of the handle opening 30 along fold lines 32. The finger tabs 31 are inwardly folded and provide cushions for users' fingers so that soft hand-feel would be available when the carton is lifted by the handle opening 30. Recesses 33 each defined by a smooth arched edge are formed along the opposite end edges of the top wall panel 14. Each recess 33 extends from the respective end edge toward the handle opening 30. A tear strip or zipper 40 defined by two substantially parallel tear lines 41 is formed next to one of the recesses 33. [0022] Each tear line 41 may be a perforation, a severance line, a series of slits or cut lines or other wise a weakened line. Each tear line 41 is composed of a series of V-shaped slits. The end slits are straight. The second end slits 41 b may also be V- shaped; however, it is angled in the reverse direction with respect to the third slits 41 a and up. The second slits 41 b prevent tearing from developing in an undesired direction outward of the tear strip 40 and facilitate tearing development in the right direction toward the next adjacent slits 41 a. The tear strip 40 is disposed at an angle with respect to the adjacent side edge of the top wall panel 14 defined by the fold line 17 and extends substantially toward the fold line 17. By this means, the distance or space between the tear strip 40 and the handle opening 30 is be maintained. A tear initiation tab 42 is attached to the outer end of the tear strip 40 to facilitate removal (or otherwise partial severance) of the tear strip 40 from the top wall panel 14.

[0023] To erect the blank 10 into a carton, the blank 10 is folded along the

aforementioned fold lines and the bottom wall panels are secured together. Such folding and securing processes are consecutively taken without reversing and/or rotating the blank 10 on a straight line packaging machine.

[0024] How to erect carton is described hereinafter. However, the process of erecting the carton of the present invention is not limited to the way described below. [0025] First, articles such as cans C are arranged in a group of an appropriate configuration, e.g., a 2 x 2 configuration. The blank 10 in its flat form is lowered onto the group of cans C such that a top wall panel 14 is placed on top of the upper ends of the cans C. Next, the anchoring flaps 21 are folded 180 degrees along fold lines 22 into flat face contact with the inside surface of the respective side wall panels 13. At almost the same time, the side wall panels 13 are folded toward the group of cans C to take substantially vertical positions in which the side wall panels 13 are in substantial contact with the side surfaces of the cans C. The first and second bottom wall panels 11 , 12 are also folded 90 degrees along the fold lines 15, 18 with respect to the side wall panels 13 at almost the same time as the side wall panels 13 are folded. When folded, the bottom wall panels 11 , 12 are brought into abutment on the bottoms of the cans C. However, the first bottom wall panel 11 overlaps in part with the second bottom wall panel 12. In the overlapping area, the first bottom wall panel 11 is in face contacting arrangement with the outside surface of the second bottom wall panel 12. An open ended rectangular tubular structure is thus formed out of the blank 10 as shown in Fig. 2. The locking tabs 19 are folded inwardly through the locking apertures of the second bottom wail panel 12 by, for example, a machine element and thereby the first and second bottom wall panels 11 , 12 are secured together to keep carton in the tubular form. A complete package in which the group of cans C is loaded is shown in Fig. 2. it should be readily understood that in an alternative embodiment, the locking and retaining tabs 19, 20 may be replaced by a simple glue flap with adhesive applied on it.

[0026] To lift and carry the package, finger or fingers are inserted into the handle opening 30, by which finger tabs 31 are thrust aside into inwardly folded positions. Then, the package is lifted by the handle opening 30 while one of the recesses 33 is engaged by another or other fingers. The other fingers may engage one of the side wall panels 13 instead of engaging with the recess 33.

[0027] To remove the cans C from the carton, the tear initiation tab 42 is held and pulled upward. By this means, tearing of the tear strip 40 is initiated. The tear starts from both the sides of the tear initiation tab 42 and develops to the second end slit 41 b and then to the other slits 41 a continuously till the tear strip 40 is detached or severed substantially, if not completely, from the top wall panel 14. The severance of the tear strip 40 loosens the carton which allows the cans to be removed at least through its open end from where the tear strip 40 has been severed. [0028] According to the carton of the invention, the recess 33 is at the position spaced apart from the tear strip 40 so that the force applied to the carton when the carton is lifted is prevented from directly affecting the tear strip 40. Therefore, undesired tear of along the tear strip 40 can be avoided. In the above embodiment in particular, the recesses 33 are formed on the opposite sides of the handle opening 30. As such, the chance in which the tear strip 40 is carelessly engaged by finger or fingers can be effectively avoided. Furthermore, the tear strip 40 is disposed at an angle with respect to the side edges of the top wall panel 14 and thereby maintains a substantial distance from the handle opening 30. As a result, the portion around the handle opening 30 is not weakened.

[0029] Fig. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention in which two tear strips 40 are provided in the top wall panel 14. Each tear strip 14 emanates from a position offset from the mid point along the respective end edge of the top wall panel 14 and extends at an angle toward the adjacent side edge of the top wall panel along a pathway substantially spaced from the handle opening 30. It should be readily understood that the present invention is not limited to cartons provided with one or two tear strips but include cartons having more than two tear strips 40 along an end edge of any one of the primary wall panels of a tubular carton, such as a top wall panel, a side wall panel or a bottom wall panel.

[0030] The directional wording used in the above description, for example, top, bottom, side, end, rear, upper lower, inside and outside is not used for restricting the direction of each panel indicated by those words, but is merely used for

distinguishing the panels from each other. The term "fold line" does not necessary meaning a fold line having a unitary structure within the limitation of the present invention. A fold line may be a line formed, for example, of a perforation, a score line causing decreased thickness due to press embossing or a combination thereof. The present invention can be applied to a carton having various arrangements of articles within the limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1 . A carton for holding a plurality of articles, the carton comprising an open ended tubular structure which comprises:

a top wall panel defined by a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges, a pair of opposed side wall panels hingedly connected respectively to the opposed side edges of the top wall panel and extending downward to respective lower end edges thereof, and a bottom wall panel extending between the side wall panels and hingedly interconnected to the lower end edges of the side wall panels;

a handle area by which the carton may be lifted, the handle area being formed in the top wall panel; and

at least one tear strip formed form part of the top wall panel, wherein the at least one tear has inner and outer opposite ends, the outer end being located on one of the opposed end edges of the top wall panel, the inner end being disposed between the handle area and one of the side wall panels and spaced from the other end edge of the top wall panel.

2. The carton according to claim 1 , wherein a recess is formed at a mid position along the one of the opposed end edges of the top wall panel such that the outer end of the at least one tear strip is disposed between the recess and the one of the side wall panels.

3. The carton according to claim 2, wherein the outer end of the at least one tear strip is spaced from either one of the recess and the one of the side wall panels.

4. The carton according to claim 3, wherein the tear strip extends from the one of the end edges of the top wall panel substantially toward the one of the side wall panels.

5. The carton according to claim 4, wherein the handle area includes at least one handle opening, and the inner end of the at least one tear strip is spaced from either one of the at least one handle opening and the one of the side wall panels.

6. The carton according to claim 5, wherein the at least one tear strip is spaced, entirely along the length thereof, from either one of the at least one handle opening and the one of the side wall panels.

7. The carton according to claim 1 , wherein the other of the end edges of the top wall panel is free of the at least one tear strip.

8. The carton according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tear strip is defined by a pair of juxtaposed tear lines which emanate from the one of the end edges of the top wall panel, both the tear lines of the at least one tear strip extend

substantially toward the one of the side wall panels,

9. The carton according to claim 8, wherein both the tear lines of the at least one tear strip terminate at positions spaced from the one of the side wall panels.

10. The carton according to claim 8, wherein both the tear lines of the at least one tear strip is angled with respect to one of the side end edges of the top wall panel to which the one of the side wall panels is hingedly connected.

1 1 . The carton according to claim 2, wherein the at least one tear strip comprises first and second tear strips, the outer end of the first tear strip being disposed between the recess and the one of the side wall panels, the second tear strip being disposed between the recess and the other of the side wall panels.

12. The carton according to claim 11 , wherein the first tear strip extends from the one of the end edges of the top wall panel substantially toward the one of the side wall panels, and the second tear strip extends from the one of the end edges of the top wall panel substantially toward the other of the side wall panels.

13. The carton according to claim 12, wherein the handle area includes at least one handle opening, the inner end of the first tear strip is spaced from either one of the at least one handle opening and the one of the side wall panels, and the inner end of the second tear strip is spaced from either one of the at least one handle opening and the other of the side wall panels.

14. The carton according to claim 13, wherein the first tear strip is spaced, entirely along the length thereof, from either one of the at least one handle opening and the one of the side wall panels, and the second tear strip is spaced, entirely along the length thereof, from either one of the at least one handle opening and the other of the side wall panels.