Expandable beverage container carton adapted to receive ice therein
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A blank for forming into a carton to hold a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
- a bottom panel;
a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel;
a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge;
a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints;
a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel;
wherein the blank is foldable into the carton to contain the containers, the carton being expandable from a first configuration with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration with the first and second side panels each being pivoted outwardly about the respective first edge to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A carton for holding containers can be converted from a first configuration for storing and shipping the containers therein to a second configuration in which the carton forms an open-top cooler for chilling and serving the containers. A beverage container cooling carton is dimensioned for increased ice surface contact with the outer surfaces of a number of the beverage containers such that heat transfer between the ice and beverage containers occurs efficiently.
32 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A blank for forming into a carton to hold a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
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a bottom panel; a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the blank is foldable into the carton to contain the containers, the carton being expandable from a first configuration with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration with the first and second side panels each being pivoted outwardly about the respective first edge to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A blank for forming into a carton to hold a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
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a bottom panel; a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the blank is foldable into the carton to contain the containers, the carton being expandable from a first configuration with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling; wherein each expansion joint further comprises a pair of expansion panels foldably joined to the associated side panel. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A package comprising:
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a carton; a plurality of containers within the carton; wherein the carton further comprises; (a) a bottom panel; (b) a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; (c) a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; (d) a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; (e) a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the carton is expandable from a first configuration with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration with the first and second side panels each being pivoted outwardly about the respective first edge to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling.
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10. A package comprising:
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a carton; a plurality of containers within the carton; wherein the carton further comprises; (a) a bottom panel; (b) a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; (c) a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; (d) a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; (e) a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the carton is expandable from a first configuration with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling; wherein each of the containers has a longitudinal axis which is generally perpendicular to the top and bottom panels when the carton is in the first configuration and the longitudinal axes of the containers adjacent to one of the side panels are non-orthogonal to the bottom panel when the carton is in the second configuration.
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11. A package comprising:
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a carton; a plurality of containers within the carton; wherein the carton further comprises; (a) a bottom panel; (b) a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; (c) a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; (d) a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; (e) a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the carton is expandable from a first configuration with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling; wherein each expansion joint further comprises a pair of expansion panels foldably joined to the associated side panel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A carton adapted to hold a plurality of containers comprising:
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a bottom panel; a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the carton is expandable from a first configuration in which it is a parallelepiped with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration with the first and second side panels each being pivoted outwardly about the respective first edge to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling.
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19. A carton adapted to hold a plurality of containers comprising:
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a bottom panel; a first and a second side panel, each side panel being joined along a first edge thereof to the bottom panel; a first and a second expansion joint joined to the first and the second side panels, respectively, along a second edge spaced from the first edge; a top panel joined to at least one of the first and second expansion joints; a plurality of end flaps joined to selected ones of the bottom, first side panel, second side panel and top panel; wherein the carton is expandable from a first configuration in which it is a parallelepiped with the expansion joints in a collapsed configuration into a second configuration with the expansion joints in an expanded configuration to thereby allow for a cooling medium to be added to the carton and interposed between the containers for cooling; wherein each expansion joint further comprises a pair of expansion panels foldably joined to the associated side panel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification