Carton with handle

• US 20110036902A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smalley, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/117.14
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00469 Straps made between two handholes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00524 integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00543 consisting of cut-outs, slits, or the like
• 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 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 first top panel, a second top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. A handle comprises a first handle and a second handle. The first handle comprises a first opening feature and a second opening feature. The first and second opening features of the first handle comprise a plurality of tear lines and at least one of the tear lines extends into the first side panel. The second handle comprises a first opening feature and a second opening feature. The first and second opening features of the second handle comprise a plurality of tear lines and at least one of the tear lines extends into the second side panel.

Claims

1. A carton for containing a plurality of articles, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a second top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, the first top panel and the second top panel being at least partially overlapped to form a top wall of the carton;

a handle in the top wall of the carton, the handle comprising a first handle portion in the first top panel and a second handle portion in the second top panel;

a first opening feature in the first handle, the first opening feature comprising at least a first tear line extending into the first side panel, wherein the first tear line terminates in a hook portion therein; and

a second opening feature in the first handle portion, the second opening feature comprising at least a first tear line extending into the first side panel, wherein the first tear line terminates in a hook portion therein,

the first handle portion and the second handle portion being in an overlapping substantially registered relationship to form the handle.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the second handle portion further comprises a first opening feature, the first opening feature comprising at least a first tear line extending into the second side panel, wherein the first tear line terminates in hook portion therein, and a second opening feature in the second handle, the second opening feature comprising at least a first tear line extending into the second side panel, wherein the first tear line terminates in hook portion therein.

3. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first top panel comprises a panel centerline and the second top panel comprises a panel centerline.

4. The carton of claim 3, wherein the first handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the panel centerline of the first top panel and wherein the second handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the panel centerline of the second top panel.

5. The carton of claim 4, wherein the plurality of center tear lines of the first top panel are offset from the panel centerline of the first top panel and the plurality of center tear lines of the second top panel are offset from the panel centerline of the second top panel.

6. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first opening feature and the second opening feature of the first handle each further comprise a first arcuate tear line extending from a periphery of the first top panel to respective first and second opening features.

7. The carton of claim of 2, wherein the first opening feature and the second opening feature of the second handle each further comprise a first arcuate tear line extending from a periphery of the first top panel to respective first and second opening features.

8. The carton of claim 6, wherein the first opening feature and the second opening feature of the first handle each further comprise a second arcuate tear line extending from a respective first fold line cut in a fold line connecting the first top panel and the first side panel to respective first and second opening features.

9. The carton of claim 7, wherein the first opening feature and the second opening feature of the second handle each further comprise a second arcuate tear line extending from a respective second fold line cut in a fold line connecting the second top panel and the second side panel to respective first and second opening features.

10. The carton of claim 8, wherein each first fold line cut comprises a notch extending into the first side panel and a first end of each first tear line.

11. The carton of claim 8, wherein each second fold line cut comprises a notch extending into the second side panel and a first end of each first tear line.

12. The carton of claim 2, wherein each first tear line is an oblique first tear line relative to the panel centerline.

13. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first handle comprises a first handle panel defined between the first opening feature of the first handle and the second opening feature of the first handle and the second handle comprises a second handle panel defined between the first opening feature of the second handle and the second opening feature of the second handle.

14. The carton of claim 1, further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton.

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

a first top panel, a second top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, the first top panel and the second top panel for being at least partially overlapped to form a top wall of the carton formed from the blank;

at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton, the at least two end flaps comprise a first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel and a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel; and

handle features in the first top panel, the second top panel, the first side panel and the second side panel, wherein the handle features are for cooperating to at least partially define a handle in a carton erected from the blank, the handle features comprising;

a first handle portion in the first top panel, the first handle portion comprising a first opening feature and a second opening feature,

wherein the first and second opening features each comprise a first arcuate tear line at a first end of the opening feature, a second arcuate tear line at a second end of the opening feature, the second arcuate tear line terminating at a fold line connecting the first top panel and the first side panel, a fold line cut proximate the second arcuate tear line and extending along the fold line, and a tear line extending from the fold line cut into the first side panel and having a hook shaped portion;

a second handle portion in the second top panel, the second handle portion comprising a first opening feature and a second opening feature,

wherein the first and second opening features each comprise a first arcuate tear line at a first end of the opening feature, a second arcuate tear line at a second end of the opening feature, the second arcuate tear line terminating at a fold line connecting the second top panel and the second side panel, a fold line cut proximate the second arcuate tear line and extending along the fold line, and a tear line extending from the fold line cut into the second side panel and having a hook shaped portion,

the first handle section and the second handle section for being in overlapping relationship to form the handle of the carton formed from the blank.

16. The blank of claim 15, comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton, at least one of the end flaps, comprises an intermediate panel arranged between the at least one end flap and respective panel.

17. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first top panel comprises a panel centerline and the second top panel comprises a panel centerline.

18. The blank of claim 17, wherein the first handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the panel centerline of the first top panel and wherein the second handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the panel centerline of the second top panel.

19. The blank of claim 17, wherein the plurality of center tear lines of the first top panel are offset from the panel centerline of the first top panel and the plurality of center tear lines of the second top panel are offset from the panel centerline of the second top panel.

20. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first top panel and the second top panel are different widths with a width of the second top panel being less than a width of the first top panel.

21. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each comprise at least one angled corner to created a gap between the angled corner and an adjacent end flap.

22. A method of erecting a carton comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a second top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, a first handle and a second handle, wherein the first handle comprises a first handle panel in the first top panel and the second handle comprises a second handle panel in the second top panel;

forming a sleeve from the blank by folding the first top panel, the second top panel, the first side panel and the second side panel along respective fold lines;

forming a top wall of the carton by at least partially overlapping the first top panel over the second top panel, wherein forming the top wall comprises forming a handle; and

attaching the first handle panel of the first handle to the second handle panel of the second handle panel while aligning a plurality of center tear lines of the first handle with a plurality of center tear lines of the second handle to form the handle.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of grasping the handle to at least partially separate the handle from the top wall and lift the handle above the top wall.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when the handle is lifted above the top wall a shoulder portion of a first opening feature and a shoulder portion of a second opening feature in the first top and first side panels, and a shoulder portion of a first opening feature and a shoulder portion of a second opening feature in the second top and second side panels engage with the first top panel and second top panel respectively and allow the shoulders will slide along a plurality of arcuate tear lines.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first and second opening features of the first top panel and the first and second opening features of the second top panel each further comprise a tear line terminating in a hook portion in the first side panel or the second side panel, respectively.

26. A carton comprising:

bottom, top, and side panels connected together along edges to surround an interior of the carton;

a deployable handle defined at least partially by tear lines in the carton, the handle having a top portion extending across the top panel and side portions extending partially into the side panels and defined between side tear lines in the side panels;

the side tear lines in the side panels intersecting top edges of the side panels where the side panels are connected to the top panel; and

edge tear lines formed in each of the top edges of the side panels where the side tear lines intersect the top edges of the side panels, each edge tear line extending on either side of the corresponding intersection.