Carton with asymmetrical corners

• US 10,202,228 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Boersma, Harmen, Gonzalez, Ana, Porta, Esteve Rovira, Smalley, Brian, Thompson, Jon, Zix, Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Demeree, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/286,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20170101240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 2291821, 2291641
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00296 consisting of at least a part of a wall conforming to the contents shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00302 consisting of an inward deformation of at least a wall, e.g. embossed, keels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00462 Straps made by two slits in a wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00543 consisting of cut-outs, slits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00561 Lines of weakness B65D2571/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00574 whereby contents can still be carried after the line has been torn
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0209 the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A carton for containing a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. The carton comprises a first corner and a second corner at a closed end. The first corner has a first configuration and the second corner has a second configuration, the first configuration being different than the second configuration so that the first corner and second corner are asymmetrical.

Claims

1. A carton for holding a plurality of containers, comprising:

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a top panel;

a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps comprises a first plurality of end flaps that is at least partially overlapped to form a first closed end of the carton and the plurality of end flaps comprises a second plurality of end flaps that is at least partially overlapped to form a second closed end of the carton opposite the first closed end of the carton, the first plurality of end flaps comprises a first side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, the second plurality of end flaps comprises a third side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a fourth side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel;

the first closed end comprises a first corner adjacent the first side panel and a second corner adjacent the second side panel, the first corner having a first shape and the second corner having a second shape, the first shape is different than the second shape, such that the first corner and the second corner are asymmetrical, the second closed end comprises a third corner adjacent the first side panel and a fourth corner adjacent the second side panel, the third corner having a third shape and the fourth corner having a fourth shape, the third shape is different than the fourth shape such that the third corner and the fourth corner are asymmetrical, the first shape and the fourth shape are the same.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first shape is selected from the group consisting of curved, beveled, rounded, diamond, partially rounded and partially beveled, and orthogonal.

3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the second shape is selected from the group consisting of curved, beveled, rounded, diamond, partially rounded and partially beveled, and orthogonal.

4. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first side end flap forms the first corner and the second side end flap forms the second corner.

5. The carton of claim 4, wherein the top panel comprises a first edge and the bottom panel comprises a second edge, the first side end flap is folded to conform to the first edge and the second edge to form the first corner.

6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the first edge and the second edge are curved and the first corner is curved and extends from the first edge to the second edge.

7. The carton of claim 5, wherein the first edge and the second edge are straight and the first corner is beveled and extends from the first edge to the second edge.

8. The carton of claim 5, wherein the first edge and the second edge each comprise a fold line and a curved edge adjacent the fold line.

9. The carton of claim 8, wherein the carton comprises a first gusset at the first corner and extending between the top panel and the first side panel and a second gusset at the first corner and extending between the bottom panel and the first side panel.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprises a first gusset panel and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel, the second gusset panel of the first gusset being foldably connected to the top panel at the fold line of the first edge and the second gusset panel of the second gusset being foldably connected to the bottom panel at the fold line of the second edge.

11. The carton of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panels comprises a diamond corner panel foldably connected to the first side panel and the first side end flap, the first corner comprises the diamond corner panel, the second corner comprises the second side end flap that is folded orthogonally relative to the second side panel to form the second corner.

12. The carton of claim 1, wherein the second shape and the third shape are the same.

13. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first corner and the fourth corner are on diagonally opposite portions of the carton.

14. The carton of claim 13, wherein the second corner and the third corner are on diagonally opposite portions of the carton.

15. A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a top panel;

a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps comprises a first plurality of end flaps for being at least partially overlapped to form a first closed end of the carton formed from the blank and the plurality of end flaps comprises a second plurality of end flaps for being at least partially overlapped to form a second closed end opposite the first closed end of the carton formed from the blank, the first plurality of end flaps comprises a first side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, the second plurality of end flaps comprises a third side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a fourth side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel;

first corner features for forming a first corner adjacent first side panel at the first closed end and second corner features for forming a second corner adjacent the second side panel at the first closed end, the first corner having a first shape and the second corner having a second shape, the first shape is different than the second shape such that the first corner and the second corner are asymmetrical, third corner features for forming a third corner adjacent the first side panel at the second closed end and fourth corner features for forming a fourth corner adjacent the second side panel at the second closed end, the third corner having a third shape and the fourth corner having a fourth shape, the third shape is different than the fourth shape such that the third corner and the fourth corner are asymmetrical, the first shape and the fourth shape are the same.

16. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first shape is selected from the group consisting of curved, beveled, rounded, diamond, partially rounded and partially beveled, and orthogonal.

17. The blank of claim 16, wherein the second shape is selected from the group consisting of curved, beveled, rounded, diamond, partially rounded and partially beveled, and orthogonal.

18. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first corner features comprise the first side end flap that is for forming the first corner and the second corner features comprise the second side end flap that is for forming the second corner.

19. The blank of claim 18, wherein the top panel comprises a first edge and the bottom panel comprises a second edge, the first side end flap is folded to conform to the first edge and the second edge to form the first corner of the carton formed from the blank.

20. The blank of claim 19, wherein the first edge and the second edge are curved and the first corner is curved and extends from the first edge to the second edge in the carton formed from the blank.

21. The blank of claim 19, wherein the first edge and the second edge are straight and the first corner is beveled and extends from the first edge to the second edge in the carton formed from the blank.

22. The blank of claim 19, wherein the first edge and the second edge each comprise a fold line and a curved edge adjacent the fold line.

23. The blank of claim 22, wherein the first corner features comprise a first gusset extending between the top panel and the first side panel and a second gusset extending between the bottom panel and the first side panel.

24. The blank of claim 23, wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprises a first gusset panel and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel, the second gusset panel of the first gusset being foldably connected to the top panel at the fold line of the first edge and the second gusset panel of the second gusset being foldably connected to the bottom panel at the fold line of the second edge.

25. The blank of claim 15, wherein the plurality of panels comprises a diamond corner panel foldably connected to the first side panel and the first side end flap, the first corner features comprise the diamond corner panel, the second corner features comprise the second side end flap that is folded orthogonally relative to the second side panel to form the second corner.

26. The blank of claim 15, wherein the second shape and the third shape are the same.

27. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first corner and the fourth corner are on diagonally opposite portions of the carton formed from the blank.

28. The blank of claim 27, wherein the second corner and the third corner are on diagonally opposite portions of the carton formed from the blank.

29. A method of forming a carton for holding a plurality of articles, the method comprising:

obtaining a blank having a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a top panel, a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps comprises a first plurality of end flaps comprising a first side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, the plurality of end flaps comprises a second plurality of end flaps comprising a third side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a fourth side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, first corner features, second corner features, third corner features, and fourth corner features;

closing a first end of the carton by at least partially overlapping the first plurality of end flaps to form the first closed end of the carton, the closing the first end comprises forming the first corner by positioning the first corner features of the blank, the first corner being adjacent the first side panel at the first closed end, and forming the second corner by positioning the second corner features of the blank, the second corner features being adjacent the second side panel at the first closed end,

closing a second end of the carton by at least partially overlapping the second plurality of end flaps to form the second closed end of the carton opposite the first closed end of the carton, the closing the second end comprises forming the third corner by positioning the third corner features of the blank, the third corner being adjacent the first side panel at the second closed end, and forming the fourth corner by positioning the fourth corner features of the blank, the fourth corner being adjacent the second side panel at the second closed end,

the first corner having a first shape and the second corner having a second shape, the first shape is different than the second shape such that the first corner and the second corner are asymmetrical, the third corner having a third shape and the fourth corner having a fourth shape, the third shape is different than the fourth shape such that the third corner and the fourth corner are asymmetrical, the first shape and the fourth shape are the same.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first shape is selected from the group consisting of curved, beveled, rounded, diamond, partially rounded and partially beveled, and orthogonal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the second shape is selected from the group consisting of curved, beveled, rounded, diamond, partially rounded and partially beveled, and orthogonal.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the forming the first corner comprises positioning the first side end flap and the forming the second corner comprises positioning the second side end flap.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the top panel comprises a first edge and the bottom panel comprises a second edge, the forming the first corner comprises folding the first side end flap to conform to the first edge and the second edge to form the first corner.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first edge and the second edge are curved and at least a portion of the first side end flap is curved to form the first corner that extends from the first edge to the second edge.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first edge and the second edge are straight and at least a portion of the first side end flap is beveled to from the first corner that extends from the first edge to the second edge.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the first edge and the second edge each comprise a fold line and a curved edge adjacent the fold line.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the blank comprises a first gusset extending between the top panel and the first side panel and a second gusset extending between the bottom panel and the first side panel, the forming the first corner comprises positioning the first gusset and the second gusset.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprises a first gusset panel and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel, the second gusset panel of the first gusset being foldably connected to the top panel at the fold line of the first edge and the second gusset panel of the second gusset being foldably connected to the bottom panel at the fold line of the second edge.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of panels comprises a diamond corner panel foldably connected to the first side panel and the first side end flap, the first corner features comprise the diamond corner panel, the second corner features comprise the second side end flap, the forming the first corner comprises positioning the diamond corner panel relative to the first side panel and the first side end flap and the forming the second corner comprises folding the second side end flap orthogonally relative to the second side panel.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the second shape and the third shape are the same.

41. The method of claim 29, wherein the first corner and the fourth corner are on diagonally opposite portions of the carton.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the second corner and the third corner are on diagonally opposite portions of the carton.