Fully enclosed carton

• US 7,832,621 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smalley, Brian Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/250,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 229/240, 229/109
• US Class Current: 229/103.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00524 integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00567 defining a narrow removable strip
• 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 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A fully enclosed paperboard carton having a top, a base, a pair of oppositely disposed sides and a pair of oppositely disposed end panels. Each end panel being substantially planar and perpendicular to the base and top. Each side having a lower portion that is substantially planar and perpendicular to the base and an upper portion that is substantially planar and tapers inwardly towards its edge connection with the top.

Claims

1. A fully enclosed paperboard carton comprising:

a top, a base, a first side panel, a second side panel, a first side end panel, and a second side end panel;

a first base end panel and a second base end panel hingedly connected;

the first base end panel and the second base end panel each including an upper base end panel portion and a lower base end panel portion;

the first side end panel and the second side end panel disposed at a first end of the carton;

the first side end panel and the second side end panel being substantially planar and perpendicular to the base and the top;

a first top end panel having a handle flap;

the handle flap being rotatable inwardly through 180°

;

the first side end panel having a first handle hole adjacent a first side panel push through flap and the second side end panel having a second handle hole adjacent a second side panel push through flap;

the first side panel push through flap and the second push through flap being rotatable inwardly through 180°

; and

the first side panel and the second side panel each having a lower side panel portion that is substantially planar and perpendicular to the base, and an upper side panel portion that is substantially planar and tapers inwardly towards an edge connection with the top;

wherein the first side panel push through flap and the second side panel push through flap are disposed behind the handle flap when moved into a carrying position;

wherein a first gusset panel is hingedly connected to the first side end panel and to the lower base end panel portion of the first base end panel, and wherein a second gusset panel is hingedly connected to the second side end panel and to the lower base end panel portion of the second base end panel.

2. The carton as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second top end panel, wherein the first top end panel and the second top end panel are hingedly connected and adhesively secured to the top.

3. The carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the first base end panel at a first lateral fold and the base is foldably connected to the first base end panel at a first longitudinal fold and the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the first side end panel at a first oblique fold that is 45°

relative to the first lateral fold and wherein the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the second base end panel at a second lateral fold and the base, is foldably connected to the second base end panel at a second longitudinal fold, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the second side end panel at a second oblique fold that is 45°

relative to the second lateral fold.

4. The carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the first base end panel at a first lateral fold, the base is foldably connected to the first base end panel at a first longitudinal fold, and the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the first side end panel at a first oblique fold, the first gusset panel comprising a second oblique fold between the first oblique fold and the first lateral fold, a cut extends between the end of the first and second oblique fold adjacent an edge of the first side end panel.

5. The carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first top end panel handle flap defines a top end panel handle hole.

6. The carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first side panel push through flap remains hingedly connected to the first top end panel along a substantially straight primary fold line.

7. The carton as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first side panel primary fold line comprises a pair of folds, spaced vertically a small distance to define a support panel therebetween.

8. The carton as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first side panel push through flap remains hingedly connected to the first side end panel along substantially straight secondary fold lines adjacent the primary fold line.

9. The carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein at each end of the first side panel and the second side panel, a corner formation each defines a pair of creases, one crease of the pair extending from an apex at a junction between the top, and respective first and second side panels to a horizontal crease joining respective upper and lower side panel portions of the first and second side panels, and the other crease of the pair extending from an apex at a junction between the base, and respective first and second side panels to the horizontal crease joining respective upper and lower side panel portions of the first and second side panels.

10. The carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein lines of weakening are provided to facilitate access to the carton.

11. A carton comprising:

a top,

a base,

a first side panel and a second side panel respectively connected to the top and the base, each of the first side panel and the second side panel having a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion is generally perpendicular to the base, and the upper portion angles towards an interior of the carton,

a first side end panel connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side end panel, a first top end panel having a handle flap, the handle flap being rotatable inwardly through 180°

,

the first side end panel having a first handle hole adjacent a first side panel push through flap and the second side end panel having a second handle hole adjacent a second side panel push through flap, the first side panel push through flap and the second push through flap being rotatable inwardly through 180°

,

wherein the first side panel push through flap and the second side panel push through flap are disposed behind the handle flap when moved into a carrying position,

a base end panel connected to a side of the base and overlapping the first and the second side end panels to at least partially form a closed end of the carton,

a gusset panel foldably connected to the base end panel and one of the first side end panel and the second side end panel, the gusset panel is upwardly folded relative to the base and has a free edge that is elevated from the base, and

a tray comprising the base, the gusset panel, a portion of the first side panel, a portion of the second side panel, a portion of the first side end panel and a portion of the second side end panel, the tray being free from fluid permeable openings and having a top edge corresponding to the free edge of the gusset.

12. The carton of claim 11 wherein the base end panel is foldably connected to the base at a longitudinal fold line, and the gusset panel is foldably connected to the base end panel at a lateral fold line perpendicular to the longitudinal fold line.

13. The carton of claim 12 wherein the gusset panel is foldably attached to the one of the first and second side end panels at an oblique fold line, wherein the longitudinal fold line, the lateral fold line and the oblique fold line intersect at a junction between the base and one of the first and second side panels.

14. The carton of claim 13 wherein the oblique fold line is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal fold line connecting the base end panel to the base.

15. The carton of claim 12 wherein the lateral fold line extends across an entire width of the gusset from an intersection with the longitudinal fold line to the free edge of the gusset.

16. The carton of claim 11 wherein the gusset panel comprises a two-piece web having a first portion foldably attached to the base end panel at a longitudinal fold line and a second portion foldably attached to the side end panel at an oblique fold line.

17. The carton of claim 16 wherein the first portion and the second portion are foldably attached at an oblique fold line, the oblique fold line being at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal fold line connecting the base end panel to the base.

18. The carton of claim 11 further comprising:

a top end panel foldably connected to the top; and

a handle panel foldably connected to the top end panel and defining a handle opening in the carton.

19. The carton of claim 11 wherein the base end panel has a first portion hingedly attached to the side of the base, and a second portion hingedly attached to the first portion, the first portion being attached to the base at a longitudinal fold line and being attached to the gusset panel at a lateral fold line.

20. A blank for forming a carton comprising:

a top panel;

a first top end panel connected to the top panel;

the first top end panel including a handle flap that is rotatable inwardly through 180°

;

a base panel;

side panels each having a lower portion and an upper portion hingedly attached to the lower portion;

a first side end panel connected to one of the side panels and a second side end panel connected to the one of the side panels;

the first side end panel having a first handle hole adjacent a first side panel push through flap and the second side end panel having a second handle hole adjacent a second side panel push through flap;

the first side panel push through flap and the second push through flap being rotatable inwardly through 180°

;

wherein the first side panel push through flap and the second side panel push through flap are disposed behind the handle flap when moved into a carrying position when the blank is formed into the carton;

a base end panel foldably connected to a side of the base panel at a longitudinal fold line for overlapping the side end panels when the blank is formed into the carton; and

a gusset panel foldably connected to the base end panel and one of the first and second side end panels, the gusset panel is foldably connected to the base end panel at a lateral fold line perpendicular to the longitudinal fold line, the gusset panel is foldably connected to the one of the first and second side end panels at an oblique fold line,

wherein the longitudinal fold line, the lateral fold line and the oblique fold line intersect at a junction between the base and the one of the first and second side panels;

wherein the gusset panel has a free edge that is elevated from the base panel upon forming the blank into the carton, and the blank forms a tray comprising the base panel, the gusset panel, a portion of the first side panel, a portion of the second side panel, a portion of the first side end panel, and a portion of the second side end panel, the tray being free from fluid permeable openings and having a top edge corresponding to a free edge of the gusset.

21. The blank of claim 20 wherein the oblique fold line is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal fold line connecting the base end panel to the base panel.

22. The blank of claim 20 wherein the gusset panel is a two-piece web having a first portion foldably attached to the base end panel at the longitudinal fold line and a second portion foldably attached to the side end panel at the oblique fold line.

23. The blank of claim 22 wherein the first portion is foldably attached to the second portion at an oblique fold line, the oblique fold line being positioned at an angle with respect to the longitudinal fold line of approximately 45 degrees.

24. The blank of claim 20 wherein the handle flap defines a handle opening.

25. The blank of claim 20 wherein the at least one base end panel has a first portion hingedly attached to the side of the base panel, and a second portion hingedly attached to the first portion, the first portion being attached to the base panel at a longitudinal fold line and being attached to the gusset panel at a lateral fold line.

26. The blank of claim 20 wherein the lateral fold line extends across an entire width of the gusset from an intersection with the longitudinal fold line to a free edge of the gusset.