Clamshell style carton

• US 4,955,527 A
• Filed: 02/15/1989
• Issued: 09/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Riverwood International USA Inc (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Federal Paper Board Company Incorporated (International Paper Company)
• Inventors: Neale, Douglas L., Blackman, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US07/310,666
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 229/112-114, 229/145, 229/146, 229/150, 229/153, 229/902, 229/906
• US Class Current: 229/114
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/667 Lids in the form of an inverted tray
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods

Abstract

A clamshell type carton bottom having integrally connected thereto a domed top with upper portions of side and front panels of the carton bottom defining seats on which there are seated seat members carried by side and front panels of the top and reversely turned so as to slope upwardly and outwardly while the side and front panels slope downwardly and outwardly. Each side panel of the bottom adjacent the front panel of the bottom is provided with a cut line which defines stop means so as to limit the movement of the top into the bottom when the carton is being closed. Further, the bottom front panel is provided with a locking flap which carries a locking tab which engages over the front seat member of the top to lock the top in place relative to the bottom.

Claims

1. A carton blank comprising first and second units including bottom and top units each including a base and front, rear and side panels connected to said base along fold lines, said units being hingedly joined together along a fold line joining together said rear panels, said first unit side panels being of a greater width than said first unit rear panel to form seats, and said second unit side panels carrying along fold lines disposed remote from said first unit base reversible seat members for seating on said seats, stop means being formed in each first unit side panel seat adjacent a front end portion of said seat.

2. A carton blank comprising first and second units including bottom and top units each including a base and front, rear and side panels connected to said base along fold lines, said units being hingedly joined together along a fold line joining together said rear panels, said first unit side panels being of a greater width than said first unit rear panel to form seats, and said second unit side panels carrying along fold lines disposed remote from said first unit base reversible seat members for seating on said seats, each of said seats and each of said seat members increases in width from rear to front.

3. A carton blank according to claim 2 wherein stop means are formed in each first unit side panel seat adjacent a front end portion of said seat.

4. A carton blank according to claim 3 wherein said stop means includes a cut line extending along a dividing line between each first unit side panel and a respective seat.

5. A carton blank comprising first and second units including bottom and top units each including a base and front, rear and side panels connected to said base along fold lines, said units being hingedly joined together along a fold line adjoining together said rear panels, said first unit side panels being of a greater width than said first unit rear panel to from seats, and said second unit side panels carrying along fold lines disposed remote from said first unit base reversible seat members for seating on said seats, said first unit front panel being of a greater width than said first unit rear panel to form a front seat, and said second unit front panel carrying remote from said second unit base a hinged front seat member for seating on said front seat.

6. A carton blank according to claim 5 wherein there is a corner forming tab at a forward edge of each of said seat members for joining to said front seat member.

7. A carton blank according to claim 5 wherein there is a notch in an edge of said front seat member remote from said first unit base, and said front seat member has an open notch therein for receiving a hinged locking tab carried by said front seat for locking engagement in said notch overlying said front seat member.

8. A carton comprising a clamshell first unit and a second unit, said first unit including a base and outwardly sloping first rear, front and side panels, said second unit including a base and outwardly sloping second front, rear and side panels, said first and second rear panels being connected along a fold line, said side first panels having free portions defining side seats, and said second side panels having outwardly sloping side seat members for seating on said side seats in generally sealed relation.

9. A carton according to claim 8 wherein said side seats are defined by portions of a width greater than the width of said first side panels.

10. A carton according to claim 8 wherein said side seats have stop means in end portions thereof adjacent said first front panel.

11. A carton according to claim 10 wherein said stop means is in the form of a cut line having a portion extending along the intersection of each of said side seats with a respective first side panel.

12. A carton according to claim 8 wherein said first front panel is also of a width greater than the width of said first rear panel with a portion of said first front panel defining a front seat, and said second front panel has a reversely folded outwardly sloping front seat member for seating on said front seat.

13. A carton according to claim 12 wherein a notch is formed in an edge of said front seat member, and a latch is hingedly carried by part of said front seat for engagement in said notch.

14. A carton according to claim 12 wherein a notch is formed in an edge of said front seat member, and a latch is hingedly carried by part of said front seat for engagement in said notch in overlying relation to said front seat member adjacent said notch.

15. A carton according to claim 12 wherein said second side seat members are joined to said second front seat member by corner tabs separate and apart from corner tabs joining said second front panel to said second side panels.

16. A carton according to claim 8 said first unit is a carton bottom and said second unit is a carton top.

17. A carton according to claim 8 wherein said first unit is a carton top and said second unit is a carton bottom.