Enclosed container carton convertible into a tray
First Claim
1. An enclosed carton for containing a plurality of containers that is easily convertible into a tray with a hinged lid for dispensing the containers, said carton comprising:
- (a) a top panel attached to two side panels, a bottom flap attached to each side panel by a fold line, each bottom flap having an edge which is at least substantially parallel to said fold line, one bottom flap overlapping the other bottom flap with means to secure said bottom flaps together to form a bottom panel;
(b) the carton having two ends, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to said top panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to each bottom flap forming said bottom panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, with said side end flaps being secured to said adjacent top end and adjacent bottom end flaps by securing means when said end is closed, with no more than a small overlap of one side end flap over the other side end flap;
(c) said carton having a co-extensive tear strip in said bottom panel comprising an edge portion of said bottom and between a tear line in each bottom flap, said tear strip extending from one bottom end flap to the other bottom end flap, said tear lines being at least substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other to form a tear strip in each bottom flap that is co-extensive with the tear strip in the other bottom flap;
(d) said top panel having a fold line that extends from one top end flap to the other top end flap, with a tear line extending through each top end flap, with said side end flaps on each end of the carton meeting in an area that is at least in the proximity of a plane that extends through the co-extensive tear strip in said bottom panel, and said fold line in said top panel, and (e) said carton being capable of being converted into a tray for holding said containers on one side panel, said tray having a hinged lid, said tray being formed by tearing said co-extensive tear strip which results in one bottom flap, and the bottom end flaps foldably attached to said one bottom flap and the one side panel foldably attached to said one bottom end flap and the side end flaps foldably attached to said one side panel and the portion of the top panel between said one side panel and said fold line in the top panel, with said lid being formed by the remaining flaps and panels of said carton, said lid being hinged by said fold line in said top panel.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An enclosed carton for carrying a number of containers, such as cans, which is easily convertible into a tray with a lid, from which the cans can be easily removed. The tray is formed by a zipper with two tear lines that are formed in the adjoining bottom flaps of the carton. The carton may have a carrying handle for carrying the carton loaded with containers. This carton is especially designed to be easily convertible into a tray for holding cans between two closely spaced shelves in a refrigerator. Provision is made for the easy removal of the lid. Another embodiment of this invention discloses an enclosed carton with diamond shaped corners so that the carton can be tightly packed and which is also convertible into a tray.
84 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An enclosed carton for containing a plurality of containers that is easily convertible into a tray with a hinged lid for dispensing the containers, said carton comprising:
-
(a) a top panel attached to two side panels, a bottom flap attached to each side panel by a fold line, each bottom flap having an edge which is at least substantially parallel to said fold line, one bottom flap overlapping the other bottom flap with means to secure said bottom flaps together to form a bottom panel;
(b) the carton having two ends, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to said top panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to each bottom flap forming said bottom panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, with said side end flaps being secured to said adjacent top end and adjacent bottom end flaps by securing means when said end is closed, with no more than a small overlap of one side end flap over the other side end flap;
(c) said carton having a co-extensive tear strip in said bottom panel comprising an edge portion of said bottom and between a tear line in each bottom flap, said tear strip extending from one bottom end flap to the other bottom end flap, said tear lines being at least substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other to form a tear strip in each bottom flap that is co-extensive with the tear strip in the other bottom flap;
(d) said top panel having a fold line that extends from one top end flap to the other top end flap, with a tear line extending through each top end flap, with said side end flaps on each end of the carton meeting in an area that is at least in the proximity of a plane that extends through the co-extensive tear strip in said bottom panel, and said fold line in said top panel, and (e) said carton being capable of being converted into a tray for holding said containers on one side panel, said tray having a hinged lid, said tray being formed by tearing said co-extensive tear strip which results in one bottom flap, and the bottom end flaps foldably attached to said one bottom flap and the one side panel foldably attached to said one bottom end flap and the side end flaps foldably attached to said one side panel and the portion of the top panel between said one side panel and said fold line in the top panel, with said lid being formed by the remaining flaps and panels of said carton, said lid being hinged by said fold line in said top panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
(a) each top end flap is foldably attached to said top panel via a pair of triangular panels that are at least of substantially the same size and configuration with each triangular panel diverging away from a corner formed by the intersection of said top panel, adjacent top end flap and an adjacent side panel, with said pair of triangular panels meeting each other at a location that is at least near the location of greatest divergence of each triangular panel, with said fold line in said top panel extending through at least one of each pair of triangular panels at a location that is at least near the location of the greatest divergence of each triangular panel; and
(b) with each bottom end flap foldably attached to said bottom panel via a pair of triangular panels that are at least of substantially the same size and configuration with each triangular panel diverging away from a corner formed by the intersection of said bottom panel, adjacent bottom end flap and adjacent side panel with said pair of triangular panels meeting each other at a location that is at least near the location of the greatest divergence of each triangular panel, with said tear strips in said bottom panel extending through at least one of each pair of triangular panels adjoining a bottom end flap.
-
-
18. The carton of claim 17, in which each pair of triangular panels is of the same size and configuration and the fold line in said top panel extends through each pair of triangular panels at the location of the greatest divergence of each triangular panel from said adjacent corner.
-
19. The carton of claim 17, in which the means for securing said bottom flaps together and said side end flaps to said bottom and top end flaps together is glue.
-
20. The carton of claim 17, in which a tear strip is provided in each bottom end flap that is an extension of the tear strip in the adjoining triangular panel.
-
21. The carton of claim 17, in which a line with cuts extends from said fold line in said top panel in through each pair of adjoining triangular panels and adjoining top end flap to facilitate opening or tearing the lid off the carton in forming a tray.
-
22. The carton of claim 21, in which said fold line in said top panel, pair of triangular panels and top end flaps is interspersed with cuts so the lid may be torn off the carton.
-
23. The carton of claim 17, which further has a carrying handle in the top panel.
-
24. The carton of claim 23, in which said carrying handle has a length at least substantially perpendicular to each side panel and is formed by a tear line separating two cushioning flaps attached to the top panel by fold lines.
-
25. The carton of claim 24, in which said tear line separating the two foldable flaps for forming the carrying handle extends a short distance into each side panel to dissipate the stress imposed on the carton in carrying the carton loaded with containers by the handle.
-
26. The carton of claim 17, which further has at least one aperture which is between the lines extending through said tear lines for forming said tear strips to facilitate the commencement of tearing the tear strip.
-
27. The carton of claim 17, which further has a tear line that extends from one end of the carton through one top end flap and adjoining pair of triangular panels and extends at an angle towards the interior of the carton to a fold line between said top panel and adjoining side panel, said fold line being interspersed with cuts in its extension towards the other end of the carton, said tear line turning and extending at an angle towards the other end of the carton and extending through the adjoining pair of triangular panels and adjoining top end flap so that when said tear line is torn open, at least a portion of said adjoining side panel and top panel form a lid that can be opened and torn from the carton.
-
28. The carton of claim 17, which further has at least one aperture which is formed between the lines extending through said tear lines forming said co-extensive tear strip to facilitate the commencing of the tearing of the co-extensive tear strip.
-
29. The carton of claim 17, in which said tear strip in said bottom panel extends through at least one of said pair of triangular panels and adjoining bottom end flap and into a side end flap in which a aperture is located between said tear lines to facilitate opening said co-extensive tear strip.
-
30. The carton of claim 29, in which said tear strip in said bottom panel also extends through at least one of said pair of triangular panels on the other side of the carton and adjoining bottom end flap and for a distance into said adjoining side end flap that is approximately equal to the distance said tear strip extends through said adjoining bottom end flap.
Specification