EP1513737B1

EP1513737B1 - Basket carrier for bottles and blank therefor

Info

Publication number: EP1513737B1
Application number: EP03739163A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Michel Auclair
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Current assignee: WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date: 2002-06-14
Filing date: 2003-06-14
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-14
Also published as: GB0213709D0; WO2003106288A1; PT1513737E; CY1106028T1; DK1513737T3; AU2003245537A1; DE60309866D1; DE60309866T2; ES2278171T3; ATE345987T1; EP1513737A1

Abstract

A carton and blank for forming a carton having a handle structure (H) comprising a first upright panel (80) including at least three vertically arranged panel sections (81, 88, 90) hingedly connected in series so that at least two adjacent panel sections (88, 90) of the first upright panel (80) form a collapsible structure to allow the carrying handle (H) to become vertically extensible and retractable.

Description

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to an article carrier of the basket type formed from paperboard which carrier is adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, such as bottles, and to a blank for forming the carrier.
Normally a basket carrier for bottles includes a central (medial) partition structure which incorporates a handle structure by which the carrier can be lifted and carried and the bottles are arranged in rows on either side of the central partition structure. In general, the handle structure ends up being below the level of the tops of the bottles when the bottles are in the carrier. This can make it inconvenient or uncomfortable for a user's hand to use the handle structure, especially if the bottle tops are of the crown type having fairly sharp edges. Alternatively, the handle stands proud of the bottle tops, which makes it difficult to transport and stack such cartons during transit.
In US 2 354 528 and GB 918193, there is shown a collapsible handle. However, in each case the movement between extended and retracted positions is carried out in an uncontrolled manner, which can cause the carton to crease or, worse, to tear.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art, by providing a new handle structure is provided which, in use, is arranged above the level of the tops of bottles within the carrier, but which can be retracted so as to allow such a carton to be stacked in a stable construction.
One aspect of the invention provides a carton having a handle comprising a pair of first and second upright panels and a guide means, wherein the first and second upright panels each includes upper, intermediate and lower hingedly interconnected sections, wherein the intermediate sections of the first and second upright panels are arranged to provide a collapsible tubular structure to allow the handle to become vertically extensible and retractable, characterised in that the guide means comprises a third panel extending downwardly from the upper sections into sliding engagement with the lower sections to maintain the upper sections in vertical alignment with the lower sections during the extending and retracting movement of the handle.
Optionally the third panel wherein the third upright panel comprises a handle-reinforcing section secured to the handle sections of the first and second upright panels and a guiding section passing through the tubular structure and disposed between the lower sections of the first and second upright panels.
Optionally the third panel wherein the third upright panel is connected to the handle adjacent said at least two panel sections, the third upright panel being adapted to be held in a recess of the handle when the handle is in a retracted position, the third upright panel sliding in a vertical plane to be retained by said at least two panel sections when the handle is extended.
The two adjacent panel sections of the or each of the first and second panel may be formed with at least one aperture for receiving a mechanical element so are very carton forming machines so that the tubular structure may be pre-erected during the carton assembly process.
A second aspect of the invention provides a blank having a handle comprising a pair of first and second upright panels and a guide means, wherein the first and second upright panels each includes upper, intermediate and lower hingedly interconnected sections, wherein the intermediate sections of the first and second upright panels are arranged to provide a collapsible tubular structure to allow the handle to become vertically extensible and retractable, characterised in that the guide means comprises a third panel extending downwardly from the upper sections into sliding engagement with the lower sections to maintain the upper sections in vertical alignment with the lower sections during the extending and retracting movement of the handle.
There may further comprise a second upright panel connected to another one of said side or end wall panels, wherein the second upright panel includes at least three vertically arranged panel sections hingedly connected in series arranged so that at least two of the panel sections of the second upright panel correspond to said at least two adjacent panel sections of the said first upright panel.
Optionally, the or each of the first and second panels includes a handle section extending upwardly from the collapsible structure.
Preferably, the handle panel further comprises guide means for maintaining the handle section in vertical alignment during the extending and retracting movement of the handle.
According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the or each of the first and second panels further includes the lower section extending downwardly from the tubular structure and wherein the guide means comprises a panel extending downwardly from a handle reinforcing panel connected to the handle panel and adapted to pass through the collapsible structure intermediate the lower sections, for vertical sliding movement in a set up carton.

Brief Description of the Drawing

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an unfolded single blank of paperboard from which a bottle carrier according to one embodiment of the invention can be formed;
FIGURES 2 to 6 show sequential steps in forming the carrier from the blank of FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 7 shows a completed and (partly) loaded carrier with the handle structure in an upper extended position;
FIGURE 8 shows the carrier of Figure 7 with the handle structure in a lower retracted position; and
FIGURES 9 and 10 show an enlarged cut-away view of part of the handle structure and guide means in FIGURES 8 and 7 respectively.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, an article carrier is formed from a single blank 10 of paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material and is adapted to accommodate six bottles "B" (FIGURE 7) arranged in two rows of three bottles each. Of course, in other embodiments, the carrier can be adapted to provide article-receiving cells for more (or less) than six bottles. This would be achieved by increasing (or decreasing) the length of the blank and adding further medial and transverse partition structures.
The blank 10 comprises a plurality of outer panels for forming the sides, the ends and the base of the article carrier: so in Figure 1 there is illustrated an inner first end wall panel 12, first side wall panel 14, second end wall panel 16, second side wall panel 18 and outer first side wall panel 20 hingedly connected together in series along fold lines 22, 24, 26 and 28 respectively.
The base comprises a pair of base panels 30 and 32 hingedly connected to the first and second side wall panels 14 and 18 respectively along fold lines 34 and 36.
In one class of embodiments, there further comprises an internal partition structure 38 which is hingedly connected to one end of the blank 10. In Figure 1, the internal partition structure 38 is hingedly connected to inner first end wall panel 12 along fold line 42. In some embodiments, the internal partition structure is provided by a known partition structure, although in the embodiment of Figure 1 there is provided a partition structure comprising a first medial partition panel 40, extending from fold line 42. Preferably, there comprises a second medial partition panel 44 hingedly connected to the first medial panel 40 along fold line 46. Fold line 46 is preferably positioned along a lower edge of the first medial partition panel 40. There further comprises a securing flap 48 hingedly connected to the edge of medial partition panel 40, opposing fold line 42. Securing flap 48 is hingedly connected to medial panel 40 along fold line 50.
In order to form a plurality of discreet article receiving cells (shown in Figure 7), there further comprises a series of transverse partition panels formed from the respective first and (optionally) second medial partition panels 40 and 44. Thus, there comprises a first transverse partition panel 52 struck from medial panel 40 and hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 56. A second transverse partition panel 60 is similarly struck from medial panel 40 and hingedly connected thereto along fold line 64. Transverse partition panels 52 and 60 are connected together by means of an intermediate panel 58 which is hingedly connected to first transverse panel 52 along an extension of fold line 54 and to second transverse panel 60 along fold line 62. There may optionally further comprise a securing flap 55 hingedly connected to the second transverse panel 52 along fold line 54.
In those embodiments with a second medial panel 44, there is provided a second set of transverse partition panels struck from medial panel 44; whereby transverse partition panels 70 and 76 are hingedly connected to second medial panel along fold lines 71 and 78 respectively. An intermediate panel 72 hingedly interconnects first and second transverse panels 70 and 76 and is hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 68 and 74. A securing flap 66 is shown in the embodiment of Figure 1 connected to first transverse partition panel 70 along fold line 68.
The handle structure H (Figures 7 and 8) is provided and comprises a first handle panel (or first upright panel) 80 hingedly connected to the opposed end wall panels 16 and 20 along fold lines 82 and 84. A cut line 83 extends between fold lines 82 and 84 to separate the first handle panel 80 from the adjacent side wall panel 18 and part of the end wall panel 16. Handle panel 80 comprises an upper panel part (or handle section) 81 having a hand aperture 94 and, optionally, a cushioning panel 98 hingedly connected to handle panel 80 along fold line 96. There further comprises adjacent collapsing panel sections 88 and 90 hingedly connected together along fold line 89. Collapsing panel section 90 is hingedly connected to upper panel section 81 along fold line 91. In use, the adjacent panel sections 88 and 90 are collapsible to allow the carrying handle to become vertically extensible and retractable.
In some embodiments, the handle panel 80 further comprises a lower handle panel section 86 hingedly connected to the lower of the adjacent panel sections 88 along fold line 87.
There may further comprise a handle reinforcing panel (or third upright panel) 92 hingedly connected to first handle panel 80 along fold line 101. In this embodiment, the handle reinforcing panel 92 further comprises a hand aperture 100 which is adapted to be placed in alignment with hand aperture 94 in a set up condition.
There may further comprise guide means for guiding the handle during the vertical sliding movement. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the guide means comprises a panel 102 extending downwardly from the handle reinforcing panel 92, although other forms of guide means known in the art are envisaged without departing from the scope of invention. For example, the guide means may be oriented upwardly from an intermediate lower handle panel.
Preferably, there further comprises a second handle panel (or second upright panel) 106 which is hingedly connected to medial partition panel 40 and first end wall panel 16 but is otherwise separated from the blank by cut line 85 to separate the handle structure from the adjacent side wall panel 14 and inner end wall panel 12.
Handle panel 106 comprises an upper panel part 107 having a hand aperture 94 and, optionally, a cushioning panel 98 hingedly connected to handle panel 106 along fold line 96. Similarly, there further comprises adjacent collapsible panel sections 112 and 116 hingedly connected together along fold line 114. Upper panel section 116 is hingedly connected to upper panel 107 along fold line 118. In use, the adjacent panel sections 112 and 116 are collapsible to allow the carrying handle to become vertically extensible and retractable. There may further comprise a lower panel section 108 hingedly connected to the lower of the adjacent panel sections 112 along fold line 110.
There may further comprise one or more apertures 104 struck from the or each handle panel 80, 106. In use, the apertures are adapted to receive a mechanical element of the carton forming machines so that the collapsible structure may be pre-erected during carton assembly.
In order to form the completed carrier in flat collapsed condition from the blank, a series of sequential folding and gluing operations are required and will be described further with reference to Figures 2 to 7 of the drawings. The folding and gluing operations can be performed in one or more straight line machines, so that the tray is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be altered according to particular manufacturing requirements.
The first step in the construction process shown in Figure 2 is for the handle reinforcing panel 92 to be secured to the first handle panel 80 by folding handle reinforcing panel 92 into face contacting relationship with first handle panel 80 along fold line 101. Preferably, handle reinforcing panel 92 is secured to first handle panel 80 by glue G, illustrated in Figure 2 by cross-hatching, or other suitable securing means known in the art. At the same time, and shortly thereafter, second medial panel 44 is folded into face contacting arrangement with first medial panel 40 along fold line 46 and, is preferably, secured thereto by glue or other suitable means known in the art. Thus, the blank is at the stage of construction illustrated in Figure 3.
The next stage is for the internal partition structure 38 to be formed whereby the first and second medial partition panels 40 and 44 are folded inwardly along fold line 42 and into face contacting arrangement with side wall panel 14. In this embodiment, intermediate panel 72 and securing flap 66 are secured to side wall panel 14 and, in those embodiments with lower handle panel section 108, the medial partition panels 44 and 40 are secured to panel 108 so that the blank is at the stage shown in Figure 4.
The next stage is to form the handle structure and to secure the opposing side of the internal partition structure to second side wall panel 18. Thus, end wall panel 16, side wall panel 18 and second end wall panel 20 are folded inwardly along fold line 24 so that the medial partition panel 40 comes into face contacting arrangement with side wall panel 18 and the intermediate panel 58 and securing flap 55 are secured thereto. Securing flap 48 is secured to end wall panel 16 and medial partition panel 40 is secured to lower panel section 86 in those embodiments with such an arrangement. The handle support panel 92 is secured to second handle panel 106 by glue or other suitable means known in the art and the blank is at the stage of construction shown in Figure 5.
In order to complete construction, outer end wall panel 20 is secured to inner end wall panel 12, by glue or other suitable means known in the art, so that the carton is in a flat collapsed condition as best shown in Figure 6, for which it can be supplied to the end user to be erected for loading.
In order to erect the carrier, side walls 14 and 18 are moved sideways with respect to the medial partition structure so that the end walls 20 and 16 pivot about their respective fold lines 22, 24, 26 and 28, while transverse partition panels 52 and 60 and 70 and 76 pivot about their respective fold lines 56,64,71 and 78.
Loading is accomplished by relative vertical movement between the bottles and the carrier during common continuous form of movement, well known in the art, by which the bottles enter their respective cells through the open bottom (or top) of the carrier. Thereafter, base panels 30 and 32 are folded upwardly to close the lower ends of the bottle cells and can be glued together or otherwise fastened by various known locking means. Thus the carton is in a set up and loaded condition shown in Figure 7.
As shown in Figure 7, during the loading operation the handle structure is in an extended position.
In order to move the handle H from an extended position to a retracted position in Figure 8, the upper edge E is pushed in a downward direction X which causes the adjacent panel sections 88 and 90 to be folded out of vertical alignment along fold lines 87, 89 and 91 so as to cause the handle to collapse downwardly so the upper edge is aligned with or below the upper portions of the bottles. In those embodiments with a second handle panel 106, the panel sections 112 and 116 are similarly caused to be folded out of vertical alignment so as to form a collapsible tubular structure with the panel sections 88 and 90 thereby to allow the carrier handle to become vertically retracted as shown in Figure 8.
To improve the vertical sliding movement, there is provided guide means, described in more detail above. The guide means is positioned intermediate the lower sections 86 and 108 of respective handle panels 80 and 106 and slide upwardly or downwardly according to whether the handle is being extended or retracted. In a retracted position, the panel 120 is held in a recess R (Figure 1) formed by medial partition panel 40 and between the lower panel sections 86 and 108 as shown in Figure 9. When the handle H is in the extended position as shown in Figure 10, then the panel 120 slides in a vertical motion to be retained by the adjacent panel sections 88, 90, thereby to improve the sliding action, whilst reducing the possibility of carton creasing, or tearing.
This arrangement provides the strength for the handle structure to carry the rest of the carrier, whilst the lower panels 86 and 108 serve to hold the slidable guide means within the medial partition structure.
It will be recognized that as used herein, directional references such as "top", "base", "end", "side", "inner", "outer", "upper" and "lower" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of invention.
It should be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the present invention, for example, the size and shape of the panels and apertures may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing size or shape, alternative top and base closure structures may be used. The carton may accommodate more than one article in different arrays.
Whilst only one particular embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be appreciated that a person skilled in the art can make modifications and improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the glue areas could clearly be varied and replaced by other areas, so long as the appropriate panels were attached to each other, as desired. It is also possible to perform some of the gluing and folding operations in a different order. Furthermore, the configuration of the main panels can also be varied, for example by having only one base panel, rather than two, as described above.

Claims

A carton having a handle (H) comprising a pair of first (80) and second (106) upright panels and a guide means (92) wherein the first and second upright panels each include upper (81, 107) intermediate (88, 90, 112, 116) and lower (86, 108) hingedly interconnected sections, wherein the intermediate sections of the first and second upright panels are arranged to provide a collapsible tubular structure to allow the handle to become vertically extensible and retractable, characterised in that the guide means comprises a third panel (102) extending downwardly from the upper sections into sliding engagement with the lower sections to maintain the upper sections in vertical alignment with the lower sections during the extending and retracting movement of the handle.
A carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third panel comprises a handle-reinforcing section (92) secured to the handle sections of the first and second upright panels and a guiding section (102) passing through the tubular structure and disposed between the lower sections of the first and second upright panels.
A carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third upright panel is connected to the handle adjacent said at least two panel sections, the third upright panel being adapted to be held in a recess (R) of the handle when the handle is in a retracted position, the third upright panel sliding in a vertical plane (X) to be retained by said at least two panel sections when the handle is extended.
The carton as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the two adjacent panel sections of each of the first and second panel area formed with at least one aperture (104) for receiving a mechanical element of a carton-forming machine so that the tubular structure may be pre-erected during the carton assembly process.
A blank (10) for forming a carton, having a handle comprising a pair of first (80) and second (106) upright panels and a guide means (92), wherein the first and second upright panels each includes upper (81, 107), intermediate (88, 90, 112, 116) and lower (86, 108) hingedly interconnected sections, wherein the intermediate sections of the first and second upright panels are arranged to provide a collapsible tubular structure to allow the handle to become vertically extensible and retractable, characterised in that the guide means comprises a third panel (102) extending downwardly from the upper sections into sliding engagement with the lower sections to maintain the upper sections in vertical alignment with the lower sections during the extending and retracting movement of the handle.
The blank as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second upright panel is connected to a panel for forming a side or end wall, wherein the second upright panel includes at least three panel sections hingedly connected in series so that at least two of the panel sections of the second upright panel correspond to said least two adjacent panel sections of the said first upright panel to form said collapsible structure.
The blank as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the first and second upright panels includes a handle section (81, 107) extending upwardly from said at least two panel section of a respective one of the first and second upright panels.
The blank as claimed in claim 7, wherein the handle-forming further comprises a third upright panel (92) hingedly connected to one of the first and second upright panels for providing guide means for maintaining the handle sections in vertical alignment in the set up carton.
The blank as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of the first and second upright panels further includes the lower section extending downwardly from said at least two panel sections of said respective upright panel and wherein the third upright panel comprises a handle-reinforcing section (92) hingedly connected to said one upright panel and a guiding section (102) extending downwardly from the handle-reinforcing section.
The blank as claimed in claims 6-9 wherein said two adjacent panel sections of each of the first and second upright panels are formed with at least one aperture (104) for receiving a mechanical element of a carton forming machine during the carton assembly process.
A method of forming a carton from the blank claimed in claim 10 comprising the steps of inserting a mechanical element of a carton-forming machine into the aperture (104) so that the tubular structure may be pre-erected during the carton assembly process.