CARTON FOR FLOWABLE MATERIAL

• US 20100127057A1
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International LLC (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Burke, Bradley J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,276,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/117.130
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/062 Flexible containers disposed within polygonal containers formed by folding a carton blank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 including aperture

Abstract

A carton for dispensing flowable material. The carton has a plurality of panels and end flaps for closing respective ends of the carton. An access opening in one of the panels is for providing access to the interior of the carton. The carton further can include a flexible bag that is positioned in the interior of the carton, and a spigot that is operatively connected to the bag for selectively dispensing the flowable material from the interior of the bag by way of the spigot. The carton is shaped to enhance flow of the flowable material through the spigot.

Claims

1. A carton for holding and dispensing a flowable material, the carton comprises:

a plurality of panels for at least partially enclosing an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a front panel having an access opening for accessing the interior, a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel at a second fold line, and at least one back panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a third fold line;

a fluid dispensing mechanism that is positioned relative to the access opening for dispensing the flowable material

wherein the third fold line is a lateral fold line and at least a portion of the first fold line is curved and at least a portion of the second fold line is curved.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the at least one back panel has at least one retention flap for holding a complimentary product adjacent an exterior surface of the carton.

3. The carton of claim 2 wherein the at least one back panel comprises a first back panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second back panel foldably connected to the second side panel, the at least one retention flap being located in the second back panel.

4. The carton of claim 3 wherein the at least one retention flap comprises a first retention flap and a second retention flap.

5. The carton of claim 3 wherein the second back panel overlaps the first back panel and is adhesively secured to the first back panel.

6. The carton of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the end flaps are for closing an end of the carton.

7. The carton of claim 6 wherein the end is a top end and the end flaps are top end flaps comprising a first top end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second top end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, a third top end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, and a fourth top end flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel.

8. The carton of claim 7 wherein the carton comprises a handle formed from the fourth top end flap, the fourth top end flap comprising a first handle portion foldably connected to the first back panel and a second handle portion foldably connected to the first handle portion.

10. The carton of claim 8 wherein the first handle portion and the second handle portion are in face-to-face contact to form the handle extending generally upward from the back panel.

11. The carton of claim 7 wherein the carton comprises a handle formed from the first top end flap and at least one of the second top end flap and the third top end flap, the first top end flap comprising at least one handle flap foldably connected to the first top end flap, the at least one of the second top end flap and the third top end flap comprises a handle opening for receiving the handle flap.

12. The carton of claim 6 wherein the end is a bottom end and the end flaps comprise a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second bottom end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, and a third bottom end flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

14. The carton of claim 12 further comprising a male locking flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel, and at least one of the end flaps comprises a female locking opening, the end flaps being at least partially overlapped to close the bottom end and the male locking flap being interlockingly engage with the female locking opening.

15. The carton of claim 1 comprising a fourth fold line in the first side panel, and a fifth fold line in the second side panel, each of the fourth fold line and the fifth fold line is parallel to the third fold line.

16. The carton of claim 1 further comprising a funnel attached to the front panel.

17. The carton of claim 16 wherein the funnel comprises an intermediate panel that is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the front panel and fingers that are foldably connected to the intermediate panel, the fingers extend inward from the intermediate panel to the interior of the carton.

18. The carton of claim 17 wherein the intermediate panel comprises a central portion with the fingers being foldably connected to the central portion at a curved fold line.

19. The carton of claim 18 wherein the intermediate panel comprises a first side flap foldably connected to the central portion, a second side flap foldably connected to the central portion, and a bottom flap foldably connected to the central portion.

20. The carton of claim 19 wherein the first side flap is in face-to-face contact with the first side panel and the second side flap is in face-to-face contact with the second side panel.

21. The carton of claim 1 wherein the fluid dispensing mechanism is a spigot that is operatively connected to a bag holding the flowable material.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein the blank further comprises a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the method further comprising positioning the end flaps to close an end of the carton.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the end is a top end and the end flaps are top end flaps comprising a first top end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second top end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, a third top end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, and a fourth top end flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising forming a handle from the fourth top end flap, the fourth top end flap comprising a first handle portion foldably connected to the first back panel and a second handle portion foldably connected to the first handle portion, one of the first handle portion and the second handle portion comprises a handle flap and the other of the first handle portion and the second handle portion comprises a handle opening for receiving the handle flap, the forming the handle comprises placing the first handle portion and the second handle portion in face-to-face contact.

45. The method of claim 43 further comprising forming a handle from the first top end flap and at least one of the second top end flap and the third top end flap, the first top end flap comprising at least one handle flap foldably connected to the first top end flap, the at least one of the second top end flap and the third top end flap comprises a handle opening for receiving the handle flap.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the end is a bottom end and the end flaps comprise a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second bottom end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, and a third bottom end flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the end flaps comprise a fourth bottom end flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel, at least one of the end flaps comprises a male locking flap and at least one of the end flaps comprises a female locking opening, the method further comprising at least partially overlapping the end flaps to close the bottom end and placing the male locking flap in interlocking engagement with the female locking opening.

48. The method of claim 46 further comprising a male locking flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel, and at least one of the end flaps comprises a female locking opening, the method further comprising at least partially overlapping the end flaps to close the bottom end and placing the male locking flap in interlocking engagement with the female locking opening.

9. The carton of 8 wherein one of the first handle portion and the second handle portion comprises a handle flap and the other of the first handle portion and the second handle portion comprises a handle opening for receiving the handle flap.

13. The carton of 12 wherein the end flaps comprise a fourth bottom end flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel, at least one of the end flaps comprises a male locking flap and at least one of the end flaps comprises a female locking opening, the end flaps being at least partially overlapped to close the bottom end and the male locking flap being interlockingly engaged with the female locking opening.

22. A blank for forming a carton for holding and dispensing a flowable material through a fluid dispensing mechanism, the blank comprises:

a plurality of panels comprising a front panel having an access opening, a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel at a second fold line, and at least one back panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a third fold line;

the access opening is for positioning of the fluid dispensing mechanism in the carton formed from the blank;

wherein the third fold line is a lateral fold line and at least a portion of the first fold line is curved and at least a portion of the second fold line is curved.

23. The blank of claim 22 wherein the at least one back panel comprises a first back panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second back panel foldably connected to the second side panel, the second back panel has at least one retention flap foldably connected to the second back panel for holding a complimentary product adjacent to the carton formed from the blank.

24. The blank of claim 23 wherein the at least one retention flap comprises a first retention flap and a second retention flap.

25. The blank of claim 22 further comprising a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the end flaps are at a marginal end of the blank and are for closing an end of the carton formed from the blank.

26. The blank of claim 25 wherein the marginal end is a top end and the end flaps are top end flaps comprising a first top end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second top end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, a third top end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, and a fourth top end flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel.

27. The blank of claim 26 wherein the blank comprises handle features in the fourth top end flap, the fourth top end flap comprising a first handle portion foldably connected to the first back panel and a second handle portion foldably connected to the first handle portion.

28. The blank of claim 27 wherein one of the first handle portion and the second handle portion comprises a handle flap and the other of the first handle portion and the second handle portion comprises a handle opening for receiving the handle flap.

29. The blank of claim 26 wherein the blank comprises handle features formed in the first top end flap and at least one of the second top end flap and the third top end flap, the first top end flap comprising at least one handle flap foldably connected to the first top end flap, the at least one of the second top end flap and the third top end flap comprises a handle opening for receiving the handle flap.

30. The blank of claim 25 wherein the marginal end is a bottom end and the end flaps comprise a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second bottom end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, and a third bottom end flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

31. The blank of claim 30 wherein the end flaps comprise a fourth bottom end flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel, at least one of the end flaps comprises a male locking flap and at least one of the end flaps comprises a female locking opening, the male locking flap being for interlocking engagement with the female locking opening when the carton is formed from the blank.

32. The blank of claim 30 further comprising a male locking flap foldably connected to the at least one back panel, and at least one of the end flaps comprises a female locking opening, the male locking flap being for interlocking engagement with the female locking opening.

33. The blank of claim 22 comprising a fourth fold line in the first side panel, and a fifth fold line in the second side panel, each of the fourth fold line and the fifth fold line is parallel to the third fold line.

34. The blank of claim 22 further comprising a funnel attached to the front panel.

35. The blank of claim 34 wherein the funnel comprises an intermediate panel that is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the front panel and fingers that are foldably connected to the intermediate panel, the fingers are for being extended inward from the intermediate panel to an interior of the carton formed form the blank.

36. The blank of claim 35 wherein the intermediate panel comprises a central portion with the fingers being foldably connected to the central portion at a curved fold line, a first side flap foldably connected to the central portion, a second side flap foldably connected to the central portion, and a bottom flap foldably connected to the central portion.

37. The blank of claim 36 wherein the first side flap is in face-to-face contact with the first side panel and the second side flap is in face-to-face contact with the second side panel.

38. A method of forming a carton for holding and dispensing a flowable material, the method comprises:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a front panel having an access opening, a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel at a second fold line, and at least one back panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a third fold line, wherein the third fold line is a lateral fold line and at least a portion of the first fold line is curved and at least a portion of the second fold line is curved;

positioning the plurality of panels to form an interior space of the carton; and

positioning a fluid dispensing mechanism relative to the access opening so that the dispensing mechanism is in fluid communication with interior space of the carton.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the at least one back panel has at least one retention flap for holding a complimentary product adjacent an exterior surface of the carton, the method further comprises positioning the retention flap to hold the complimentary product.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the at least one back panel comprises a first back panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second back panel foldably connected to the second side panel, the at least one retention flap comprising a first retention flap and a second retention flap foldably connected to the second back panel.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the positioning the plurality of panels comprises placing the second back panel in an overlapping relationship with the first back panel and adhesively securing the second back panel to the first back panel.

49. The method of claim 38 further comprising attaching a funnel to the front panel, the funnel comprises an intermediate panel that is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the front panel and fingers that are foldably connected to the intermediate panel, the method further comprising positioning the fingers to extend inward from the intermediate panel to the interior of the carton.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the intermediate panel comprises a central portion with the fingers being foldably connected to the central portion at a curved fold line, a first side flap foldably connected to the central portion, a second side flap foldably connected to the central portion, and a bottom flap foldably connected to the central portion.

51. The method of claim 50 further comprising placing the first side flap in face-to-face contact with the first side panel and placing the second side flap in face-to-face contact with the second side panel.

52. The method of claim 38 wherein the fluid dispensing mechanism is a spigot that is operatively connected to a bag holding the flowable material, the method comprises placing the bag in the interior space of the carton.