Carton with handle

• US 7,748,603 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Gomes, Jean-Manuel, Ford, Colin P., Fogle, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins; Gary E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYRD, LATRICE CHENELL
• Application Number:
  US11/616,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 229/101, 229/117.12, 229/117.19, 229/186, 229/117.13, 229/117.14, 206/427, 206/428
• US Class Current: 229/101
• 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 2571/00512 movable or foldable between an extended and a retracted position
• 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 2571/00833 Other details of wrappers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A carton has a handle that allows a user to carry the carton when closed, and that extends to allow a user to carry the carton when the carton is in an open configuration. The carton includes gusseted end panels that create a partially closed bottom receptacle in the opened carton.

Claims

1. A carton, comprising:

a top panel comprising a first top panel and a second top panel;

a bottom panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel; and

an extendable handle for carrying the carton and being formed at least in the first and second top panels and the first and second end panels, the handle comprising a central section extending across the top panel, a first end section in the first end panel, and a second end section in the second end panel, wherein at least a portion of the first end section of the handle is detachably connected to the first end panel and at least a portion of the second end section of the handle is detachably connected to the second end panel, wherein the handle comprises a first handle section of the first top panel and a second handle section of the second top panel, wherein the first and second handle sections are overlapped and adhered together, wherein the first handle section is defined in part by tear lines in the first top panel and the second handle section is defined in part by tear lines in the second top panel, whereby separation of said handle sections from said top panels along said tear lines and detachment of said end sections of said handle from said end panels allows said top panels to move to an open position and said handle to be extended upwardly for use in carrying said carton.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first top panel includes first upper gusset panels adjacent to the first handle section, and the second handle section includes a distal section, the distal section being adhered to at least one of the first upper gusset panels.

3. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first end section of the handle is detachably connected to the first end panel at a first tear feature.

4. The carton of claim 3, wherein the first handle section includes a first distal section detachably connected to the tear feature, the first distal section being adhered to the first end panel.

5. The carton of claim 4, wherein the first end panel includes a pair of bottom gussets, each bottom gusset being foldably connected to the first end panel and one of the side panels.

6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the first top panel includes a plurality of upper gusset panels, at least one of the upper gusset panels being foldably connected to one of the bottom gussets.

7. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first end panel includes a pair of bottom gussets, each bottom gusset being foldably connected to the first end panel and one of the side panels.

8. The carton of claim 7, wherein the first top panel includes a plurality of upper gusset panels, at least one of the upper gusset panels being foldably connected to one of the bottom gussets.

9. The carton of claim 7, wherein a bottom receptacle of the carton is liquid-tight.

10. The carton of claim 7, wherein the first top panel overlaps the second top panel, the handle comprising at least two plies where the first top panel and the second top panel overlap.

16. The carton of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a handle flap in the first top panel and the handle is at least partially defined by a tear line extending from the handle flap at least partially across the first top panel and into the first end panel.

17. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first handle section is detachably connected to a first portion of the first end panel and the second handle section is adhered to a second portion of the first end panel.

18. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first upper gusset panels are detachably connected to the first handle section at a tear line.

19. The carton of claim 3, the first end panel comprising a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the bottom panel, the first end section of the handle being detachably connected to the first bottom end flap.

20. The carton of claim 3, the first tear feature being a tear strip.

11. A carton blank, comprising:

a first top panel, the first top panel including a first handle section defined therein, the first handle section comprising a central section extending across the top panel and a first end section forming at least a portion of a first end panel of a carton formed from the blank, the first handle section including a first distal section detachably connected to the first end section, the first handle section further comprising a second end section forming at least a portion of a second end panel of a carton formed from the blank and a second distal section detachably connected to the second end section, wherein the first distal section is detachably connected to the first end of the first handle section at a first tear feature, wherein the first handle section is defined in part by tear lines in the first top panel and the second handle section is defined in part by tear lines in the second top panel whereby in a carton formed from said blank, separation of said handle sections from said top panels along said tear lines and detachment of said end sections of said handle from said end panels allows said top panels to move to an open position and said handle to be extended upwardly for use in carrying said carton;

a second top panel, the second top panel including a second handle section defined therein;

a bottom panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

at least one first bottom end flap; and

at least one second bottom end flap.

12. The carton blank of claim 11, further comprising a pair of bottom gussets at a first marginal area of the blank, each bottom gusset being foldably connected to the first bottom end flap and one of the side panels.

13. The carton blank of claim 12, wherein the first top panel includes a plurality of upper gusset panels, at least one of the upper gusset panels being foldably connected to one of the bottom gussets.

14. The carton blank of claim 11, wherein first handle section is defined in part by tear lines in the first top panel and the second handle section is defined in part by tear lines in the second top panel.

15. The carton blank of claim 11, further comprising:

a pair of bottom gussets at a first marginal area of the blank, each bottom gusset being foldably connected to the first bottom end flap and one of the side panels, wherein the first top panel includes a plurality of upper gusset panels, at least one of the upper gusset panels being foldably connected to one of the bottom gussets.

21. The carton blank of claim 15, wherein the first upper gusset panels are detachably connected to the first handle section at a tear line.

22. The carton blank of claim 21, wherein the first handle section comprises a handle flap in the first top panel and the tear line extends from the first upper gusset panels to the handle flap.

23. The carton blank of claim 11, the first tear feature being a tear strip.