GUSSETED CARTON

• US 20090255983A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Gomes, Jean-Manuel, Cooper, Leonard M., De Paula, Andrea Coltri
• Granted Patent: US 8,109,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/237
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• 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 5/541 the lines of weakness being provided in one or more closure flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5435 and defining after rupture a lid hinged to the side edge of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/34 characterised by weakened lines or other opening devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A carton is formed from a blank having gusseted corners that in part form an interior carton volume. The interior volume of the carton can be varied by placing the carton in an expanded configuration. The carton can include a bottom receptacle portion that may be liquid-tight.

Claims

1. A carton comprising:

a bottom panel;

a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

a top wall foldably connected to the first side panel and the second side panel, a top wall breachable line of disruption extending at least partially across the top wall; and

at least one end wall comprising

a bottom end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

at least one lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and one of the first side panel and the second side panel; and

at least one upper gusset foldably connected to the at least one lower gusset and the top wall.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the at least one lower gusset comprises a first lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and the first side panel and a second lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and the second side panel, and the at least one upper gusset comprises a first upper gusset foldably connected to the first lower gusset and the top wall and a second lower gusset foldably connected to the second lower gusset and the top wall.

3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the top wall breachable line of disruption comprises a curved portion terminating at each end in a generally straight portion.

4. The carton of claim 2, wherein the top wall breachable line of disruption comprises a generally straight tear line.

5. The carton of claim 2, wherein each of the first lower gusset and the second lower gusset comprises a first gusset panel foldably connected to a second gusset panel at a first oblique fold line, wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the bottom end panel at a lateral fold line and the second gusset panel is connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a longitudinal fold line.

6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the first gusset panel has a width in a lateral direction that is substantially equal to a width of the bottom end panel in the lateral direction, and the second gusset panel has a length in a longitudinal direction that is substantially equal to a length of one of the first and second side panels in the longitudinal direction.

7. The carton of claim 5, wherein each of the first upper gusset and the second upper gusset comprises a third gusset panel foldably connected to a fourth gusset panel at a second oblique fold line, wherein the third gusset panel is foldably connected to the second gusset panel at a lateral fold line and the fourth gusset panel is foldably connected to the top wall at the longitudinal fold line.

8. The carton of claim 7, wherein the third gusset panel has a width in the lateral direction that is substantially equal to the width of the second gusset panel in the lateral direction.

9. The carton of claim 2, wherein the at least one end wall further comprises a closure flap foldably connected to the bottom end panel and an at least one breachable line of disruption in the closure flap.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the at least one breachable line of disruption comprises a first oblique tear line and a second oblique tear line forming adhesive flap portions of the closure flap, wherein the adhesive flap portions are adhered to the top wall and at least a portion of the first and second upper gussets are adhered to the closure flap.

11. The carton of claim 2, wherein the top wall comprises a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and wherein the top wall breachable line of disruption extends across the second top panel.

12. The carton of claim 11, further comprising a first top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel and a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel, wherein a tear strip extends at least partially across each of the first and second top end flaps.

13. The carton of claim 12, wherein the top wall breachable line of disruption extends partially across each of the first and second top end flaps from the second top panel to the respective tear strip.

14. The carton of claim 12, wherein the first top end flap is foldably connected to the second top panel at a first longitudinal fold line and the second top end flap is foldably connected to the second top panel at a second longitudinal fold line, wherein each of the tear strips extends generally parallel to the first and second longitudinal fold lines.

15. A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising:

a bottom panel;

a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

at least one top panel foldably connected to the first side panel and having a breachable line of disruption extending across the at least one top panel;

a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

at least one bottom end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

at least one lower gusset foldably connected to the at least one bottom end panel and one of the first side panel and the second side panel; and

at least one first upper gusset foldably connected to the at least one first lower gusset and the at least one top panel.

16. The blank of claim 15 wherein the at least one lower gusset comprises a first lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and the first side panel and a second lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and the second side panel,

the at least one top panel comprises a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and

the at least one upper gusset comprises a first upper gusset foldably connected to the first lower gusset and the first top panel and a second lower gusset foldably connected to the second lower gusset and the second top panel.

17. The blank of claim 16, wherein each of the first lower gusset and the second lower gusset comprises a first gusset panel foldably connected to a second gusset panel at a first oblique fold line, wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the bottom end panel at a lateral fold line and the second gusset panel is connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a longitudinal fold line.

18. The blank of claim 17, wherein the first gusset panel has a width in a lateral direction that is substantially equal to a width of the bottom end panel in the lateral direction, and the second gusset panel has a length in a longitudinal direction that is substantially equal to a length of one of the first and second side panels in the longitudinal direction.

19. The blank of claim 17, wherein each of the first upper gusset and the second upper gusset comprises a third gusset panel foldably connected to a fourth gusset panel at a second oblique fold line, wherein the third guest panel is foldably connected to the second gusset panel at a lateral fold line and the fourth gusset panel is foldably connected to one of the first top panel and the second top panel at the longitudinal fold line.

20. The blank of claim 19, wherein the third gusset panel has a width in the lateral direction that is substantially equal to the width of the second gusset panel in the lateral direction.

21. The blank of claim 16, further comprising a closure flap foldably connected to the bottom end panel and comprising at least one breachable line of disruption in the closure flap.

22. The blank of claim 21, wherein the at least one breachable line of disruption comprises a first oblique tear line and a second oblique tear line forming adhesive flap portions of the closure flap, wherein the adhesive flap portions are adhered to the top wall and at least a portion of the first and second upper gussets are adhered to the closure flap.

23. The blank of claim 16, wherein the breachable line of disruption extends across the second top panel.

24. The blank of claim 23, further comprising a first top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel and a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel, wherein a tear strip extends at least partially across each of the first and second top end flaps.

25. The blank of claim 24, wherein the breachable line of disruption extends partially across each of the first and second top end flaps from the second top panel to the respective tear strip in each of the first and second top end flaps.

26. A method of forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the method comprising:

providing a blank comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, at least one top panel foldably connected to the first side panel and having a breachable line of disruption extending across the at least one top panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, at least one bottom end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, at least one lower gusset foldably connected to the at least one bottom end panel and one of the first side panel and the second side panel, and at least one first upper gusset foldably connected to the at least one first lower gusset and the at least one top panel;

folding the first side panel and the second side panel relative to the bottom panel and the at least one top panel to form a sleeve; and

folding the bottom end panel so that the least one first lower gusset is folded to form a liquid-tight bottom receptacle and the at least one first lower gusset is folded.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one lower gusset comprises a first lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and the first side panel and a second lower gusset foldably connected to the bottom end panel and the second side panel,

the at least one top panel comprises a first top panel and a second top panel, and

the at least one upper gusset comprises a first upper gusset foldably connected to the first lower gusset and the first top panel and a second lower gusset foldably connected to the second lower gusset and the second top panel,

each of the first lower gusset and the second lower gusset comprises a first gusset panel foldably connected to a second gusset panel at a first oblique fold line, wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the bottom end panel at a lateral fold line and the second gusset panel is connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a longitudinal fold line, and

the folding the bottom end panel upwards comprises folding the first gusset panel to be in face-to-face contact with the second gusset panel.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein each of the first upper gusset and the second upper gusset comprises a third gusset panel foldably connected to a fourth gusset panel at a second oblique fold line, wherein the third gusset panel is foldably connected to the second gusset panel at a lateral fold line and the fourth gusset panel is foldably connected to one of the first top panel and the second top panel at the longitudinal fold line,

the at least one end wall further comprises a closure flap foldably connected to the bottom end panel and an at least one breachable line of disruption in the closure flap, and

the folding of the bottom end panel comprises folding the third gusset panel relative to the fourth gusset panel.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprises folding the closure flap relative to the bottom end panel and securing the closure flap to the at least one top panel, the folding the closure flap comprising folding the third gusset panel to be in face-to-face contact with the fourth gusset panel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one breachable line of disruption comprises a first oblique tear line and a second oblique tear line forming adhesive flap portions of the closure flap, and the securing the closure flap comprises adhesively connecting the flap portions to the at least one top panel.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one top panel comprises a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and wherein the top wall breachable line of disruption extends across the second top panel, the method further comprises opening the carton by tearing the second top panel at the breachable line of disruption and expanding the at least one upper gusset.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the blank further comprises a first top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel and a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel, and a tear strip that extends at least partially across each of the first and second top end flaps, the method further comprises opening the carton by tearing the tear strip prior to the tearing of the breachable line of disruption.