Carton

• US 6,019,276 A
• Filed: 09/11/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MEAD Corporation (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Auclair, Jean-Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Tri M.
• Application Number:
  US08/860,811
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 229/103.2, 229/110, 229/182, 229/129.1, 229/182.1, 229/117.13, 229/117.14, 229/186, 229/122, 229/160.2, 206/427
• US Class Current: 229/103.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00462 Straps made by two slits in a wall
• 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 2571/00549 consisting of fold lines
• 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 2571/0087 Special features for machine processing, e.g. gripper apertures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/18 by folding a single blank to U-shape to form the base of the container and opposite sides of the body portion, the remaining sides being formed primarily by extensions of one or more of these opposite sides, e.g. flaps hinged thereto B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/46192 formed by incisions in the container or blank forming straps used as handles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A blank for forming a carton for packaging a plurality of articles comprising a series of hingeably interconnected top, first side, bottom and second side panels (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) for forming an open-ended sleeve capable of receiving said articles, the top and bottom panels (12, 18, 20) being similarly non-rectangularly shaped substantially to correlate with the cross-sectional shape of the array of articles in a plan parallel to said top and bottom panels (12, 18, 20), wherein a gusset (38) comprising two hingeably connected gusset panels (58, 60) connects the first side panel (14) and top or bottom panel (12, 18, 20) which gusset (38) is adapted to facilitate movement of the first side panel (14) to correlate with the associated shape of a stowed array of articles during the formation of the carton (10).

Claims

1. A blank for forming a carton for packaging a plurality of articles comprising:

a first panel having a side edge, a first edge and a corner between said side and first edges;

a second panel for disposition along said side and first edges of the first panel to conform with a shape of said first panel upon formation of said carton, said second panel being foldably connected to said first panel along said side edge, said second panel having a second edge in alignment with said side edge, said second edge and a notional extension of said first edge being disposed to converge on said corner; and

a gusset extending between said first and second edges and foldably connected to said first and second panels along said first and second edges respectively, said gusset comprising a pair of gusset panels interconnected along a gusset fold line, one of said gusset panels having an aperture adjacent to said corner, said aperture extending into said first panel to facilitate folding of said second panel to allow said second panel to be disposed along said side and first edges of said first panel, said gusset fold line extending from said aperture to a free edge of said one gusset panel, the other gusset panel having a tab protruding into said aperture so that said aperture is closed by said tab upon formation of said carton.

2. The blank according to claim 1, wherein said one gusset panel is foldably connected to said first panel, and said other gusset panel is foldably connected to said second panel.

3. A carton for packaging a plurality of articles comprising:

a non-rectangularly shaped top wall having a side edge, a first edge and a corner between said side and first edge;

a side wall having a second edge and foldably connected to said top wall along said side edge, said first and second edges being disposed generally coincidentally with each other, said side wall being disposed in a folded position where said side wall extends along said side and first edges of said top wall to conform with a shape of said to wall; and

a gusset foldably connecting between said first and second edges, said gusset comprising a first gusset panel foldably connected to said top wall and a second gusset panel foldably interconnecting said first gusset panel and said side wall, said gusset being folded and tucked inside said carton such that said first and second gusset panels are in face-contacting relationship with each other and said first gusset panel is in face-contacting relationship with an inside surface of said top wall panel,

wherein said first gusset panel has an aperture adjacent to said corner, said aperture extending into said top wall to facilitate folding of said side wall into said folded position, and

wherein said second gusset panel has a tab underlying said aperture and disposed such that said aperture is closed by said tab.

4. The carton according to claim 3, wherein said side wall comprises a pair of panel portions foldably interconnected by a fold region, said side wall being folded along said fold region to take said folded position.

5. The carton according to claim 4, wherein said fold region is a curvable portion which provides a rounded corner in said carton.