Cartons with liquid-tight receptacles

• US 8,196,805 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Brand, Kirsten Laura, Gomes, Jean-Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/750,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.32, 229/225, 229/117.27, 229/164.2, 229/122.31, 229/117.28
• US Class Current: 229/117.32
• 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 2571/00592 with means for reclosing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00666 formed from two or more sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00753 the end walls being closed by interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00839 Integral reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0005 of variable capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0227 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by heat-sealing, by applying adhesive to the flaps or by staples
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0281 the tubular body presenting double or multiple walls for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3853
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/061 Rectangular containers having a body with gusset-flaps folded inwardly beneath the closure flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/106 the opening being a slot
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/445 Reinforcements formed separately from the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4608 Handgrip holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5425 and defining after rupture a lid hinged to the upper edge of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5445 for dividing a tubular body into separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/606 Bags or bag-like tubes loosely glued to the wall of a "tubular" container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/68 : Telescope flanged lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 : having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/18 : providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient with thermal insulation B65D81/38; ice-boxes with cooling means F25D

Abstract

Cartons include liquid-tight vessels that line the interior volumes of the cartons. The cartons may have selected sections reinforced by one or more reinforcing blanks.

Claims

1. An enclosed carton having an interior surface;

the carton being constructed from a major blank and at least one minor blank adhered to the major blank, and the at least one minor blank overlapping less than an entirety of the major blank, the major blank including top end flaps along a first marginal area and bottom end flaps along a second marginal area;

the carton comprising;

a top closure formed by the top end flaps of the major blank at the first marginal area;

a bottom closure formed by the bottom end flaps of the major blank at the second marginal area;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel, wherein the side and end panels, the top closure, and the bottom closure enclose and define in part an interior volume of the carton; and

a liquid-tight vessel attached to at least a portion of the interior surface and lining at least a portion of the interior volume of the carton;

wherein the at least one minor blank comprises an upper minor blank adhered to the major blank adjacent to the top closure and a lower minor blank adhered to the major blank at the bottom closure, the upper minor blank has top end flaps that overlap the top end flaps of the major blank, and the lower minor blank has bottom end flaps that overlap the bottom end flaps of the major blank.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the vessel is adhered to the at least one minor blank.

3. The carton of claim 1, wherein the at least one minor blank is adhered to at least two of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, and the second end panel.

4. The carton of claim 1, wherein the at least one minor blank is adhered to the major blank between the bottom and top closures.

5. The carton of claim 1, wherein the vessel is adhered to the interior surface adjacent to the top closure.

6. The carton of claim 1, further comprising a tear strip, the tear strip at least partially defining a lid in the carton.

7. The carton of claim 6, wherein the tear strip extends around a periphery of the carton so that the lid is removable.

8. The carton of claim 6, wherein the tear strip extends around a part of the periphery of the carton so that the lid is pivotable.

9. The carton of claim 1, wherein the carton is parallelepipedal.

10. The carton of claim 1, further comprising at least one handle comprising a first handle feature extending in the major blank and a second handle feature extending in the minor blank, the second handle feature being generally aligned with the first handle feature.

11. The carton of claim 1 wherein each of the top end flaps of the upper minor blank and bottom end flaps of the lower minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective top or bottom end flap.

12. The carton of claim 1 wherein each of the top end flaps of the upper minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective top end flap of the major blank.

13. The carton of claim 12 wherein each of the bottom end flaps of the lower minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective bottom end flap of the major blank.

14. An enclosed multi-ply carton constructed from a major blank and at least one minor blank and having an interior surface, the major blank including a first marginal area and a second marginal area;

comprising;

a top closure formed by top end flaps of the major blank along the first marginal area;

a bottom closure formed by bottom end flaps of the major blank along the second marginal area;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel, wherein the side and end panels, the top closure, and the bottom closure enclose and define in part an interior volume of the carton; and

a liquid-tight vessel attached to at least a portion of the interior surface and lining at least a portion of the interior volume of the carton, wherein

the at least one minor blank is adhered to at least two of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, and the second end panel;

the at least one minor blank overlapping less than the entirety of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, and the second end panel, and the at least one minor blank comprises an upper minor blank adhered to the major blank adjacent to the top closure and a lower minor blank adhered to the major blank at the bottom closure, the upper minor blank has top end flaps that overlap the top end flaps of the major blank, and the lower minor blank has bottom end flaps that overlap the bottom end flaps of the major blank.

15. The carton of claim 14, wherein the at least one minor blank is adhered to the major blank between the bottom and top closures.

16. The carton of claim 14, wherein the vessel is adhered to the interior surface adjacent to the top closure.

17. The carton of claim 14, wherein the plurality of bottom flaps comprises:

a first side bottom flap; and

a second side bottom flap.

18. The carton of claim 14, further comprising a tear strip.

19. The carton of claim 14, wherein the carton is parallelepipedal.

20. An article, comprising:

multi-ply blank comprising at least a major blank and at least one minor blank adhered to the major blank, a first side panel, a second side panel, a first end panel, and a second end panel comprising sections of the major blank;

the major blank including top end flaps at a first marginal area and bottom end flaps at a second marginal area;

the minor blank is adhered to at least two of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, and the second end panel;

the minor blank overlapping less than the entirety of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, or the second end panel;

a bottom closure formed by at least partially overlapping the bottom end flaps at the second marginal area;

a top closure formed by at least partially overlapping the top end flaps at the first marginal area;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel; and

a liquid-tight vessel adhered to at least a portion of an interior surface of the blank;

wherein the side and end panels, the top closure, and the bottom closure enclose and define at least in part an interior volume of the article;

wherein the at least one minor blank comprises an upper minor blank adhered to the major blank adjacent to the ton closure and a lower minor blank adhered to the major blank at the bottom closure, the upper minor blank has top end flaps that overlap the top end flaps of the major blank, and the lower minor blank has bottom end flaps that overlap the bottom end flaps of the major blank.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the article is folded substantially flat.

22. The article of claim 20, wherein the article has a flat tubular form with the vessel located in an interior of the flat tubular form.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein one of the end panels is glued adjacent to one of the side panels.

24. The article of claim 20, wherein the side panels are substantially rectangular.

25. The article of claim 20, wherein at least one minor blank is adhered to the major blank between the bottom end flaps and the top end flaps.

26. The article of claim 20 wherein each of the top end flaps of the upper minor blank and the bottom end flaps of the lower minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective top or bottom end flap.

27. The article of claim 20 wherein each of the top end flaps of the upper minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective top end flap of the major blank.

28. The article of claim 27 wherein each of the bottom end flaps of the lower minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective bottom end flap of the major blank.

29. A method of utilizing a multi-ply carton constructed from a major blank and at least one minor blank and having an interior surface, the major blank including top end flaps at a first marginal area and bottom end flaps at a second marginal area;

the method comprising;

providing a carton, comprising;

a bottom closure formed by the bottom end flaps of the major blank along the second marginal area;

a top closure formed by the top end flaps of the major blank along the first marginal area;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel, wherein the side and end panels, the top closure, and the bottom closure enclose and define in part an interior volume of the carton; and

a liquid-tight vessel attached to at least a portion of the interior surface and lining at least a portion of the interior volume of the carton;

the at least one minor blank is adhered to at least two of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, and the second end panel;

the minor blank overlapping less than the entirety of the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel, or the second end panel, and the at least one minor blank comprises an upper minor blank adhered to the major blank adjacent to the top closure and a lower minor blank adhered to the major blank at the bottom closure, the upper minor blank has top end flaps that overlap the top end flaps of the major blank, and the lower minor blank has bottom end flaps that overlap the bottom end flaps of the major blank;

closing the top closure of the carton by inwardly folding the top end flaps that are overlapped by a respective top end flap of the upper minor blank;

opening the top closure of the carton; and

expanding the interior volume of the carton by at least partially unfolding the at least one minor blank to define an upper portion of the at least one minor blank.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein opening a top portion of the carton comprises tearing at least one tear feature in the carton.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the carton is substantially parallelepipedal.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein each of the top end flaps of the upper minor blank and bottom end flaps of the lower minor blank overlap substantially the entirety of a respective top or bottom end flap.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising closing the bottom closure of the carton by inwardly folding the bottom end flaps of the major blank that are overlapped by a respective bottom end flap of the minor blank.