Cooler carton with zipper opening feature

• US 8,136,717 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: De Paula, Andrea Coltri, Gomes, Jean-Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): ELKINS, GARY E
• Application Number:
  US12/437,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20090277954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 229/101, 229/227, 229/240, 229/241, 229/242, 229/924, 229/925, 229/926, 206/427
• US Class Current: 229/101
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• 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 2571/00635 Means for unlocking, e.g. for grasping and tearing the glued overlapping edge
• 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 5/0263 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps, three of them being formed of a continuous strip, the fourth being a separate flap
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/40 specially constructed to contain liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5415 the lines of weakness being provided in one or more closure flaps and in the container body so as to form after rupture a lid hinged to a side edge of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A paperboard carton doubles as a shipping container for articles such as beverage cans and a cooler for containing ice to cool the articles when the carton is opened. The top portion of the carton is breached by removing an opening strip defined by zipper rules. Once breached, the tops and side panels of the carton are opened up to form an upwardly open chimney or skirt into which ice can be placed to cool the contents of the carton. Gussets formed in the lower corners of the cartons insure that water from melting ice does not leak prematurely from the carton.

Claims

1. A carton comprising:

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a top panel;

a bottom panel;

a first end panel, the first end panel comprising a top panel end flap, wherein

the top panel end flap comprises a first flap portion, a second flap portion and an oblique fold line between the first flap portion and the second flap portion, and

the top panel end flap is folded along the oblique fold line so that there is an overlapping relationship between the first flap portion and the second flap portion;

a second end panel;

a carton opening feature comprising at least one tear strip, wherein

the at least one tear strip is defined between a first tear line and a second tear line,

the first tear line and the second tear line extend in the first end panel, in the top panel, and in the second end panel, and

the at least one tear strip is connected along the first tear line to the first flap portion of the top panel end flap.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the top panel end flap is a first top panel end flap that is connected to the top panel along a first fold line, and wherein the first end panel includes a first bottom panel end flap that is connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line.

3. The carton of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the first top panel end flap is disposed over at least a portion of the first bottom panel end flap in the first end panel.

4. The carton of claim 3 wherein the at least one tear strip includes a first tear strip that extends in the first top panel end flap and not into the first bottom panel end flap.

5. The carton of claim 2 wherein the second end panel comprises:

a second top panel end flap that is connected to the top panel along a third fold line and

a second bottom panel end flap that is connected to the bottom panel along a fourth fold line.

6. The carton of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the second top panel end flap is disposed over at least a portion of the second bottom panel end flap in the second end panel.

7. The carton of claim 6 wherein the at least one tear strip includes:

a first tear strip that extends in the first top panel end flap and not into the first bottom panel end flap, and

a second tear strip that extends in the second top panel end flap and not into the second bottom panel end flap.

8. The carton of claim 1 wherein the at least one tear strip is divided by at least one finger flap.

9. The carton of claim 8 wherein the at least one finger flap divides the at least one tear strip into a first tear strip and a second tear strip.

10. The carton of claim 1 wherein the first tear line connects the first portion of the top panel end flap to the at least one tear strip.

11. The carton of claim 1 wherein:

the top panel end flap further comprises

a third flap portion, and

a fold line positioned between the second flap portion and the third flap portion, and

the top panel end flap is folded along the fold line between the second flap portion and the third flap portion.

12. The carton of claim 11 wherein:

the top panel end flap is connected to the top panel along a fold line;

the first end panel includes a bottom panel end flap that is connected to the bottom panel along a fold line; and

the bottom panel end flap is positioned between

the second flap portion of the top panel end flap and

the third flap portion of the top panel end flap.

13. A carton blank, comprising:

a first side panel;

a bottom panel;

a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel at a first transverse fold line;

a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel at a second transverse fold line;

a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel;

a first bottom end panel at a first end of the bottom panel;

a second bottom end panel at a second end of the bottom panel;

at least one first top flap foldably connected to a first end of the first top panel at a first longitudinal fold line;

the at least one first top flap comprises a pair of first top flap portions connected to one another at a first oblique fold line;

at least one second top flap foldably connected to a second end of the first top panel at a second longitudinal fold line;

the at least one second top flap comprises a pair of second top flap portions connected to one another at a second oblique fold line;

at least one third top flap foldably connected to a first end of the second top panel at a third longitudinal fold line;

the at least one third top flap comprises a pair of third top flap portions connected to one another at a third oblique fold line; and

at least one fourth top flap foldably connected to a second end of the second top panel at a fourth longitudinal fold line;

the at least one fourth top flap comprises a pair of fourth top flap portions connected to one another at a fourth oblique fold line;

at least one first side panel flap foldably connected to a first end of the first side panel at a fifth longitudinal fold line;

at least one second side panel flap foldably connected to a second end of the first side panel at a sixth longitudinal fold line;

at least one third side panel flap foldably connected to a first end of the second side panel at a seventh longitudinal fold line; and

at least one fourth side panel flap foldably connected to a second end of the second side panel,

wherein the at least one first side panel flap comprises a pair of first side panel flaps connected to one another at a fifth oblique fold line, and

wherein the at least one third side panel flap comprises a pair of third side panel flaps connected to one another at a sixth oblique fold line.

14. A carton comprising:

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a top panel;

a bottom panel;

an end panel at least partially closing an end of the carton, the end panel comprising a bottom panel end flap connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom panel, and a top panel end flap connected to and extending downwardly from the top panel, and

the top panel end flap being folded so that the bottom panel end flap is positioned between portions of the top panel end flap; and

at least one tear strip extending in each of the top panel and the top panel end flap.

15. The carton of claim 14, wherein:

the portions of the top panel end flap comprise a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion;

the top panel end flap comprises

an oblique fold line between the first portion and the second portion, and the top panel end flap is folded along the oblique fold line so that there is an overlapping relationship between the first portion and the second portion,

a fold line positioned between the second portion and the third portion, and the top panel end flap is folded along the fold line between the second portion and the third portion; and

the bottom panel end flap is positioned between

the second portion of the top panel end flap and

the third portion of the top panel end flap.

16. The carton of claim 15, wherein the tear strip is connected to the first portion by a tear line, and the first portion is positioned between the tear line and the oblique fold line.

17. A carton blank comprising:

a bottom panel having opposite first and second edges;

a first side panel foldably connected to the first edge of the bottom panel by a transverse fold line;

a second side panel foldably connected to the second edge of the bottom panel by a transverse fold line;

a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel by a transverse fold line;

a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel by a transverse fold line;

a first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel by a longitudinal fold line;

a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel by a longitudinal fold line, wherein the transverse fold lines extend crosswise to the longitudinal fold lines; and

at least one tear strip extending in each of the first top panel and the first top end flap,

wherein for each top end flap of the first and second top end flaps, the top end flap comprises a first portion, a second portion and an oblique fold line between the first portion and the second portion, and the oblique fold line extends obliquely to the transverse and longitudinal fold lines,

wherein for each top end flap of the first and second top end flaps, the top end flap further comprises a third portion foldably connected to the second portion by a transverse fold line.

18. The carton blank of claim 17, wherein:

the tear strip is connected to the first portion of the first top end flap by a tear line; and

the first portion of the first top end flap is positioned between the tear line and the oblique fold line of the first top end flap.

19. The carton blank of claim 17, wherein:

the tear strip is connected to the first portion of the first top end flap by a tear line; and

the first portion of the first top end flap is positioned between the tear line and the oblique fold line of the first top end flap.