Carton with handle

• US 8,348,142 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smalley, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/857,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20110036902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.14, 493/88, 206/163, 206/428
• US Class Current: 229/117.14
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00469 Straps made between two handholes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00524 integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00543 consisting of cut-outs, slits, or the like
• 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 carton for containing a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a first top panel, a second top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. A handle comprises a first handle and a second handle. The first handle comprises a first opening feature and a second opening feature. The first and second opening features of the first handle comprise a plurality of tear lines and at least one of the tear lines extends into the first side panel. The second handle comprises a first opening feature and a second opening feature. The first and second opening features of the second handle comprise a plurality of tear lines and at least one of the tear lines extends into the second side panel.

Claims

1. A carton for containing a plurality of articles, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a second top panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold line, and a bottom panel foldably connected to the first and second side panels, wherein the first top panel and the second top panel are at least partially overlapped to form a top wall of the carton;

a first handle feature in the first top panel;

a second handle feature in the second top panel; and

a first opening feature in the first handle feature, the first opening feature comprising at least a first tear line extending to the first fold line, a second tear line collinear to the first fold line intersecting the first tear line, and a third tear line extending from the second tear line into the first side panel, wherein the third tear line terminates in a hook portion;

wherein the first handle feature and the second handle feature are in an overlapping substantially registered relationship to form a carrying handle formation.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first handle feature further comprises a second opening feature, the second opening feature comprising at least a fourth tear line extending to the first fold line, a fifth tear line collinear to the first fold line intersecting the fourth tear line, and a sixth tear line extending from the fifth tear line into the first side panel, wherein the sixth tear line terminates in a hook portion.

3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first tear line and the fourth tear line are arcuate tear lines.

4. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first handle feature further comprises a first handle panel defined between the first opening feature and the second opening feature.

5. The carton of claim 1, wherein the second tear line of the first opening feature terminates in a hook portion.

6. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first top panel comprises a first panel centerline, wherein the second top panel comprises a second panel centerline, wherein the first handle feature further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the first panel centerline and wherein the second handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the second panel centerline.

7. The carton of claim 6, wherein the plurality of center tear lines of the first top panel are offset from the first panel centerline and the plurality of center tear lines of the second top panel are offset from the second panel centerline.

8. The carton of claim of 1, wherein the second handle feature comprises a first opening feature, the first opening feature comprising at least a first tear line extending to the second fold line, a second tear line collinear to the second fold line intersecting the first tear line, and a third tear line extending from the second tear line into the second side panel, wherein the third tear line terminates in a hook portion.

9. The carton of claim 8, wherein the second handle feature further comprises a second opening feature, the second opening feature comprising at least a fourth tear line extending to the second fold line, a fifth tear line collinear to the second fold line intersecting the fourth tear line, and a sixth tear line extending from the fifth tear line into the second side panel, wherein the sixth tear line terminates in a hook portion.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the first tear line and the fourth tear line of the second handle feature are arcuate tear lines.

11. The carton of claim 9, further comprising a notch extending into the second side panel at a first end of the first tear line of the second handle feature.

12. The carton of claim 1, further comprising a notch extending into the first side panel at a first end of the first tear line.

13. The carton of claim 1, wherein the first tear line is an oblique tear line relative to a panel centerline.

14. The carton of claim 1, further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton.

15. A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a second top panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold line, and a bottom panel foldably connected to the first and second side panels;

at least two end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels; and

handle features in the first top panel and the second top panel, wherein the handle features are for cooperating to at least partially define a handle in a carton erected from the blank, the handle features comprising;

a first opening feature and a second opening feature,

wherein the first and second opening features each comprise a first arcuate tear line at a first end of the opening feature, the first arcuate tear line terminating at the first fold line, a second tear line proximate the first arcuate tear line and collinear to the first fold line, and a third tear line extending from the second tear line into the first side panel and terminating in a hook portion.

16. The blank of claim 15, at least one of the end flaps comprises an intermediate panel arranged between the at least one end flap and respective panel.

17. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first top panel comprises a panel centerline and the second top panel comprises a panel centerline.

18. The blank of claim 17, wherein the first handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the panel centerline of the first top panel and wherein the second handle further comprises a plurality of center tear lines substantially parallel to the panel centerline of the second top panel.

19. The blank of claim 17, wherein the plurality of center tear lines of the first top panel are offset from the panel centerline of the first top panel and the plurality of center tear lines of the second top panel are offset from the panel centerline of the second top panel.

20. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first top panel and the second top panel are different widths with a width of the second top panel being less than a width of the first top panel.

21. The blank of claim 15, wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each comprise at least one angled corner to createa gap between the angled corner and an adjacent end flap.

22. A method of erecting a carton comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a second top panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold line, and a bottom panel foldably connected to the first and second side panels, the blank further comprising handle features in the first ton panel and the second top panel, the handle features comprising a first opening feature and a second opening feature, wherein the first and second opening features each comprise a first arcuate tear line at a first end of the opening feature, the first arcuate tear line terminating at the first fold line, a second tear line proximate the first arcuate tear line and collinear to the first fold line, and a third tear line extending from the second tear line into the first side panel and terminating in a hook portion;

forming a sleeve from the blank by folding the first top panel, the second top panel, the first side panel and the second side panel along respective fold lines; and

forming a top wall of the carton by at least partially overlapping the first top panel over the second top panel, wherein forming the top wall comprises forming a handle from the handle features.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising grasping the handle to at least partially separate the handle from the top wall and lift the handle above the top wall.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein as the handle is lifted above the top wall a shoulder portion of a first opening feature and a shoulder portion of a second opening feature in the first top and first side panels, and a shoulder portion of a first opening feature and a shoulder portion of a second opening feature in the second top and second side panels engage with the first top panel and second top panel respectively and allow the shoulders to slide along a plurality of arcuate tear lines.