CARTON WITH REINFORCED HANDLE

• US 20130214037A1
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Holley, John Murdick Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,187,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/117.17
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00265 extending from the upper or lower wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00302 consisting of an inward deformation of at least a wall, e.g. embossed, keels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00524 integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00882 Supporting members
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4608 Handgrip holes
• 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 plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. At least two end flaps are 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. The carton includes a handle in the closed end of the carton for grasping and carrying the carton. At least one end flap of the at least two end flaps comprises a main panel and a reinforcement flap foldably attached to the main panel. At least a portion of the reinforcement panel is positioned above the handle to reinforce the carton.

Claims

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

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel;

at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the at least two end flaps are overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton;

a handle in the closed end of the carton for grasping and carrying the carton;

at least one end flap of the at least two end flaps comprises a main panel for closing the closed end of the carton and a reinforcement flap foldably attached to the main panel, at least a portion of the reinforcement flap being positioned above the handle to reinforce the carton.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement flap comprises a notch that is generally aligned with at least a portion of the handle.

3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the main panel along at least one fold line, and the main panel comprises a free edge adjacent the at least one fold line.

4. The carton of claim 3, wherein the at least one fold line comprises a first fold line and a second fold line that is parallel to the first fold line, and the free edge of the main panel extends from a first end of the first fold line to a second end of the second fold line.

5. The carton of claim 4, wherein:

the at least one end flap is a first end flap, and the at least two end flaps comprise at least a second end flap; and

the second end flap comprises at least one protection feature; and

the main panel comprises at least one protection feature notch adjacent the free edge of the main panel, the at least one protection feature notch being generally aligned with the at least one protection feature in the second end flap.

6. The carton of claim 3, wherein the handle comprises a handle feature extending in the main panel, the handle feature being disposed between the notch of the reinforcement flap and the free edge of the main panel.

7. The carton of claim 6, wherein the handle feature comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the main panel along a handle fold line extending adjacent the notch of the reinforcement flap.

8. The carton of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the main panel.

9. The carton of claim 1, wherein the at least one end flap comprises a top end flap, and the main panel is foldably connected to top panel.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise at least one side end flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the at least one side end flap comprises a side notch that is generally aligned with a handle feature in the main panel.

11. The carton of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to main panel along at least one longitudinal fold line disposed below the handle in the closed end of the carton.

12. The carton of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the main panel, the handle comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the main panel along a handle fold line, and the reinforcement flap comprises a notch that is generally aligned with the handle flap, at least a portion of the handle fold line being adjacent a free edge of the notch.

13. The carton of claim 12, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise at least one side end flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the at least one side end flap comprising a side notch that is generally aligned with the handle flap in the main panel.

14. The carton of claim 13, wherein the at least one side end flap comprises an upper portion adjacent the side notch, the upper portion being at least partially in face-to-face contact with the reinforcement flap above the handle.

15. The carton of claim 14, wherein the handle flap is for being folded inwardly and upwardly along the handle fold line to position the handle flap at least partially in face-to-face contact with the upper portion of the at least one side end flap so that at least four layers of material comprising at least a portion of each of the handle flap, the upper portion, the reinforcement flap, and the main panel are disposed above the handle.

16. A blank for forming a carton for containing a plurality of articles, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels for at least partially forming an interior of the carton formed from the blank, the plurality of panels comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel;

at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the at least two end flaps are for being overlapped with respect to one another and thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton formed from the blank;

handle features for forming a handle in the closed end of the carton formed from the blank;

at least one end flap of the at least two end flaps comprises a main panel for closing the closed end of the carton formed from the blank and a reinforcement flap foldably attached to the main panel, at least a portion of the reinforcement flap for being positioned above the handle to reinforce the carton formed from the blank.

17. The blank of claim 16, wherein the reinforcement flap comprises a notch that is for being generally aligned with at least a portion of the handle when the carton is formed from the blank.

18. The blank of claim 17, wherein the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the main panel along at least one fold line, the reinforcement panel being at least partially separable from the main panel along at least one cut line adjacent the at least one fold line.

19. The blank of claim 18, wherein the at least one fold line comprises a first fold line and a second fold line that is parallel to the first fold line, and the at least one cut line comprising a first cut line extending from an end of the first fold line and a second cut line extending from an end of the second fold line.

20. The blank of claim 19, wherein the main panel comprises a free edge extending from a first end of the first cut line to a second end of the second cut line, the free edge being adjacent the notch of the reinforcement flap.

21. The blank of claim 20, wherein:

the at least one end flap is a first end flap, and the at least two end flaps comprise at least a second end flap; and

the second end flap comprises at least one protection feature; and

the main panel comprises at least one protection feature notch adjacent the free edge of the main panel, the at least one protection feature notch for being generally aligned with the at least one protection feature in the second end flap when the carton is formed from the blank.

22. The blank of claim 18, wherein the handle features comprise a handle flap foldably connected to the main panel along a handle fold line, and the reinforcement flap is for being positioned so that the handle feature is disposed between the notch of the reinforcement flap and the free edge of the main panel and the handle fold line extends adjacent the notch of the reinforcement flap when the carton is formed from the blank.

23. The blank of claim 16, wherein the at least one end flap comprises a top end flap, and the main panel is foldably connected to top panel.

24. The blank of claim 23, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise at least one side end flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the handle features comprise a handle flap in the main panel, and the at least one side end flap comprises a side notch that is for being generally aligned with the handle flap in the main panel.

25. The blank of claim 16, wherein the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to main panel along at least one longitudinal fold line that is for being disposed below the handle in the closed end of the carton formed from the blank.

26. The blank of claim 16, wherein the handle features comprise a handle flap foldably connected to the main panel along a handle fold line, the reinforcement flap is for being disposed at least partially in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the main panel when the carton is formed from the blank, and the reinforcement flap comprises a notch that is for being generally aligned with the handle flap with at least a portion of the handle fold line adjacent a free edge of the notch when the carton is formed from the blank.

27. The blank of claim 26, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise at least one side end flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the at least one side end flap comprising a side notch that is for being generally aligned with the handle flap in the main panel when the carton is formed from the blank.

28. The blank of claim 27, wherein the at least one side end flap comprises an upper portion adjacent the side notch, the upper portion being for positioning at least partially in face-to-face contact with the reinforcement flap above the handle when the carton is formed from the blank.

29. The blank of claim 28, wherein the handle flap is for being folded inwardly and upwardly along the handle fold line so that at least four layers of material comprising at least a portion of each of the handle flap, the upper portion, the reinforcement flap, and the main panel are disposed above the handle when the carton is formed from the blank.

30. A method of forming a carton for containing a plurality of articles, the method comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, and handle features, wherein at least one end flap of the at least two end flaps comprises a main panel and a reinforcement flap foldably attached to the main panel;

positioning the reinforcement flap so that the main panel at least partially overlaps the reinforcement flap;

at least partially forming an interior of the carton by positioning the plurality of panels to form a generally open-ended sleeve;

at least partially overlapping the at least two end flaps with respect to one another to at least partially form a closed end of the carton; and

forming a handle from the handle features in the closed end of the carton, wherein at least a portion of the reinforcement flap is disposed above the handle to reinforce the carton.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the main panel along at least one fold line, and the positioning the reinforcement flap comprises folding the reinforcement flap into at least partially face-to-face contact with the main panel.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the handle comprises a handle flap foldably connected to the main panel along a handle fold line, the reinforcement flap comprises a notch, and the positioning the reinforcement flap comprises generally aligning the notch with the handle flap so that at least a portion of the handle fold line is adjacent the notch.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise at least one side end flap foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel, the at least one side end flap comprises a side notch, and the forming the handle further comprises at least partially aligning the side notch with the handle flap in the main panel.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one side end flap comprises an upper portion adjacent the side notch, and the forming the handle further comprises positioning the upper portion at least partially in face-to-face contact with the reinforcement flap above the handle.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising forming a handle opening by folding the handle flap along the handle fold line and positioning the handle flap at least partially in face-to-face contact with the upper portion of the at least one side end flap so that at least four layers of material comprising at least a portion of each of the handle flap, the upper portion, the reinforcement flap, and the main panel are disposed above the handle.