Carton for articles

• US 9,963,262 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smalley, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pickett, J. Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ, RAFAEL ALFREDO
• Application Number:
  US14/923,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 206427, 206175, 206434, 206430, 206431, 22911709, 229199, 22911714, 22911712, 22911713, 22911716, 2291033, 2291223, 229166
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00271 extending from at least a side wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00438 Holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00475 and extending ion a substantially vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00524 integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00561 Lines of weakness B65D2571/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0079 U-shaped
• 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 5/2014 the central panel having a non rectangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2038 at least two opposed folded-up portions having a non-rectangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4208 Means facilitating suspending, lifting, handling, or the like of containers handles B65D5/46
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• 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 71/40 comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank or several blanks

Abstract

A carton for holding a plurality of containers. The carton includes a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels includes a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel. The carton includes a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton. The carton further includes a handle having a handle opening in at least one of the front panel and the back panel, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel.

Claims

1. A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel;

a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton; and

a handle comprising a handle opening in the back panel, a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line and adjacent the handle opening, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel and defined by a cut line in the at least one top panel, wherein the handle comprises two oblique fold lines in the back panel extending from the curved fold line to the fold line connecting the back panel and the at least one top panel.

2. A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel, wherein the front panel comprises a first edge margin and a second edge margin, a first plurality of fold lines extend across the first edge margin, and a second plurality of fold lines extend across the second edge margin, and wherein the at least one top panel comprises a first top curved edge and a second top curved edge and the bottom panel comprises a first bottom curved edge and a second bottom curved edge, the carton comprises a first curved corner comprising the first edge margin that is curved to confirm to the first top curved edge and the first bottom curved edge and a second curved corner comprising the second edge margin that is curved to conform to the second top curved edge and the second bottom curved edge;

a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton; and

a handle comprising a handle opening in at least one of the front panel and the back panel, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel.

3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the handle opening is in the back panel, the handle comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line and adjacent the handle opening, and the handle reinforcement flap is defined by a cut line in the at least one top panel.

4. The carton of claim 2, wherein the handle opening is in the back panel, the handle comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line and adjacent the handle opening, and the handle reinforcement flap is in face-to-face contact with the back panel above the handle flap.

5. The carton of claim 3, wherein the back panel is foldably connected to the at least one top panel at a fold line and the handle reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the at least one top panel at the fold line.

6. The carton of claim 3, wherein the at least one top panel is a second top panel and the plurality of panels comprises a first top panel that overlaps the second top panel to form the top of the carton.

7. The carton of claim 2, further comprising a dispenser comprising a dispenser panel comprising at least a portion of a panel of the plurality of panels.

8. The carton of claim 7, wherein the dispenser panel comprises at least a portion of the front panel and the at least one top panel.

9. The carton of claim 8, wherein the dispenser panel is defined by a plurality of tear lines in the at least one top panel and the front panel.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the at least one top panel comprises a first top panel foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line and a second top panel foldably connected to the back panel and the handle reinforcement flap.

11. The carton of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tear lines comprise a first tear line and a second tear line in the first top panel and a third tear line in the front panel, the dispenser panel comprises the second top panel adhered to the first top panel.

12. The carton of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of end flaps comprises an article support flap foldably connected to at least one end flap, the article support flap is defined by a lateral cut extending at least partially across the at least one end flap.

13. The carton of claim 12, wherein the article support flap comprises a longitudinal fold line dividing the article support flap into a base portion and a distal portion, the distal portion is folded relative to the first base portion to form the article support flap.

14. A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel;

a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton formed from the blank; and

handle features for forming a handle, the handle features comprising a handle opening in the back panel, a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line and adjacent the handle opening, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel and defined by a cut line in the at least one top panel, wherein the handle features comprises two oblique fold lines in the back panel extending from the curved fold line to the fold line connecting the back panel and the at least one top panel.

15. A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel, wherein the front panel comprises a first edge margin and a second edge margin, a first plurality of fold lines extend across the first edge margin, and a second plurality of fold lines extend across the second edge margin, and wherein the at least one top panel comprises a first top curved edge and a second top curved edge and the bottom panel comprises a first bottom curved edge and a second bottom curved edge;

a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing an end of the carton formed from the blank; and

handle features for forming a handle, the handle features comprising a handle opening in at least one of the front panel and the back panel and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel.

16. The blank of claim 15, wherein the handle opening is in the back panel, the handle comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line and adjacent the handle opening, and the handle reinforcement flap is defined by a cut line in the at least one top panel.

17. The blank of claim 15, wherein the handle opening is in the back panel, the handle comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line and adjacent the handle opening, and the handle reinforcement flap is configured to be in face-to-face contact with the back panel above the handle flap when the carton is formed from the blank.

18. The blank of claim 16, wherein the back panel is foldably connected to the at least one top panel at a fold line and the handle reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the at least one top panel at the fold line.

19. The blank of claim 16, wherein the at least one top panel is a second top panel and the plurality of panels comprises a first top panel that overlaps the second top panel to form the top of the carton formed from the blank.

20. The blank of claim 15, further comprising dispenser features comprising a dispenser panel comprising at least a portion of a panel of the plurality of panels.

21. The blank of claim 20, wherein the dispenser panel comprises at least a portion of the front panel and the at least one top panel.

22. The blank of claim 21, wherein the dispenser panel is defined by a plurality of tear lines in the at least one top panel and the front panel.

23. The blank of claim 22, wherein the at least one top panel comprises a first top panel foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line and a second top panel foldably connected to the back panel and the handle reinforcement flap.

24. The blank of claim 23, wherein the plurality of tear lines comprise a first tear line and a second tear line in the first top panel and a third tear line in the front panel, the dispenser panel comprises the second top panel adhered to the first top panel.

25. The blank of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of end flaps comprises an article support flap foldably connected to at least one end flap, the article support flap is defined by a lateral cut extending at least partially across the at least one end flap.

26. The blank of claim 25, wherein the article support flap comprises a longitudinal fold line dividing the article support flap into a base portion and a distal portion, the distal portion is folded relative to the first base portion to form the article support flap.

27. A method of forming the carton comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel, a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and handle features comprising a handle opening in the back panel, a handle flap foldably connected to the back panel at a curved fold line, and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel and defined by a cut line in the at least one top panel;

forming an interior of the carton by positioning the plurality of panels;

inserting a plurality of containers into the interior of the carton;

at least partially overlapping the plurality of end flaps to at least partially form a closed end of the carton; and

forming a handle in the back panel from the handle features by folding the handle reinforcement flap into face-to-face contact with the back panel above the handle flap to reinforce and strengthen the handle to prevent tearing of the carton when force is applied to the handle, wherein the handle comprises two oblique fold lines in the back panel extending from the curved fold line to the fold line connecting the back panel and the at least one top panel.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the handle reinforcement flap has a curved edge that conforms to the shape of the curved fold line.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the back panel is foldably connected to the at least one top panel at a fold line and the handle reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the at least one top panel at the fold line.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one top panel is a second top panel and the plurality of panels comprises a first top panel, the method further comprises overlapping the first top panel with the second top panel to form the top of the carton.

31. A method of forming the carton comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, and at least one top panel, a plurality of end flaps each respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and handle features comprising a handle opening in the back panel and a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel, wherein the front panel comprises a first edge margin and a second edge margin, a first plurality of fold lines extend across the first edge margin, and a second plurality of fold lines extending across the second edge margin, the at least one top panel comprises a first top curved edge and a second top curved edge, the bottom panel comprises a first bottom curved edge and a second bottom curved edge;

forming an interior of the carton by positioning the plurality of panels;

inserting a plurality of containers into the interior of the carton;

at least partially overlapping the plurality of end flaps to at least partially form a closed end of the carton;

forming a handle in the back panel from the handle features by folding the handle reinforcement flap into face-to-face contact with the back panel above the handle flap to reinforce and strengthen the handle to prevent tearing of the carton when force is applied to the handle;

forming a first curved corner of the carton by positioning the first edge margin to confirm to the first top curved edge and the first bottom curved edge, and

forming a second curved corner of the carton by positioning the second edge margin to conform to the second top curved edge and the second bottom curved edge.