AU2010100634A4

AU2010100634A4 - A carton and blank

Info

Publication number: AU2010100634A4
Application number: AU2010100634A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kym Artis; Graeme Hawke; Mark Moore; George Wiraszka
Original assignee: Orora Packaging Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Orora Packaging Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-06-18
Filing date: 2010-06-18
Publication date: 2010-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-18

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant(s): AMCOR LIMITED Invention Title: A CARTON AND BLANK The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: -2 A CARTON AND BLANK FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention relates to a carton and a blank that 5 can be used for making the carton. The carton can be used for carrying items including, but by no means limited to, bottles and cans. BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 10 A type of carton sometimes used for carrying items such as bottles and cans has handle holes in its top wall. A problem with this type of carton is that the handle holes are often a weak point and, in response, there have been various designs proposed for strengthening the region of 15 the handle holes. For example, one design has been to form the top wall from overlapping flaps to provide multiple thickness of material around the handle region. In another example the top wall of the carton has been formed from a single layer of material, and separate 20 reinforcing panels have been adhered to the area of the handle openings prior to assembly of the carton. However, this later design has the disadvantage of requiring the additional separate steps of cutting the reinforcing panel, and fixing the reinforcing panel to the handle 25 region during manufacture of the carton. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an alternative carton and a blank for making the carton. 30 SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention relates to a carton for carrying items, the carton including: 35 a base wall, a top wall, a handle formation attached to, or formed in part, by 22968951 (GHMatters) 17M6/10 -3 the top wall for carrying the carton, a side wall interconnecting the base wall and the top wall, two end flaps, one of each extending from opposite 5 ends of the top wall, and a reinforcing portion that is integrally connected to, and spans between, each of the end flaps and is attached to the top wall at a location adjacent to the handle formation, and wherein the reinforcing portion has 10 a non-overlapping single layer structure over at least part of the top wall of the carton. In other words, the reinforcing portion includes a single layer that does not overlap itself over at least part of 1 the top wall of the carton. In one example, the reinforcing portion may not overlap itself at any point that co-insides with the top wall. In another example, the reinforcing portion may overlap itself to some extent over the top wall, but the reinforcing portion will not 20 overlap itself over the entire length of the reinforcing portion that underlies the top wall. In an embodiment, the reinforcing portion is arranged in a single layer without the reinforcing portion overlapping 25 itself at any point that co-insides with the top wall. Suitably, the reinforcing portion is located in an inner face of the top wall and is arranged as a single layer without the reinforcing portion overlapping itself at any 30 point under the top wall. In an embodiment, the handle formation includes two handle openings in the top wall for carrying the carton and the reinforcing portion extends between the handle openings. 35 In an embodiment, the reinforcing portion includes: a) two locating portions and each locating portion is 22968951 (GHMatters) 17/06110 - 4 connected to one of the respective end flaps by a fold line and when folded about the fold line into an operative position, the locating portions extend in a widthwise direction of the top wall, and 5 b) a strip portion that interconnects the locating portions and extends in a lengthwise direction of the top wall panel, and the strip portion includes a unitary layer of material that underlies the top wall of the carton and is configured as a single layer without overlapping. 10 In an embodiment, the locating portions have a length that is less than the width of the top wall panel. In an embodiment, the locating portions are configured as 15 a single layer of the material without overlapping sections (i.e., non-self overlapping). In other words, the locating portions extend continuously from the fold line at which it is joined to the end flaps to the strip portion without the locating portion having sections that 20 overlap each other i.e., the locating portions having a non-overlapping single layer structure. In an embodiment, the locating portions have a length that is equal to or less than half the width of the carton. 25 In an embodiment, the side wall includes a front wall panel and a back wall panel that each have end flaps at ends thereof, and an outer face of the ends flaps of the top wall are overlapped by the ends flaps of the front 30 wall panel and the back wall panel. In an embodiment, the top wall panel is attached to either the front wall panel or the back wall panel by an attachment flap. 35 The present invention also relates to a blank that can be folded to make a carton for carrying items, the blank 22968951 (GHMatters) 1706/10 -5 including a line of four panels interconnected successively by fold lines, in which the panel at one end of the line of panels is a top wall panel and a non consecutive panel to the top panel is a bottom wall panel, 5 and two other non-consecutive panels form at least in part a side wall of the carton made from the blank, and the blank has: a) a handle formation included in the top wall panel for carrying the carton made from the blank, 10 b) end flaps located at ends of the top wall panel, and c) a reinforcing portion that is integrally connected to, and spans between, each of the end flaps located at ends of the top wall panel and when the blank is made into 15 the carton, i) the reinforcing portion is located adjacent to the handle formation, and ii) the reinforcing portion is arranged so as to include a single non-overlapping layer over at least part of the top wall of the carton. 20 The blank of the present invention may also include any one or a combination of the features of the carton, and vice versa. The carton and blank described herein, or any parts 25 thereof such as the top wall, the side wall and, in particular, the reinforcing portion may have a single layered structure comprising integrally formed paper, cardboard, corrugated board having internal and external laminated faces, and polymeric materials. 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 35 Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making a carton having a top wall panel with end flaps and a reinforcing portion for reinforcing handle openings in the 22968951 (GHMatters) 17/06/10 - 6 top wall according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a photograph of a blank having a number of the features of the embodiment of the blank shown in Figure 1 including a reinforcing portion that is folded 5 into an operative position for reinforcing the top wall panel in the region of handle openings; Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a carton made from a blank such as those shown in Figures 1 or 2 in which front wall and rear wall panels have been omitted so 10 as to show the internal configuration of the carton including the reinforcing portion that is shown partly in solid lines and partly in dotted lines; Figure 4 is a schematic front view of the carton shown in the Figure 3 in which the arrangement of the 15 layers of the carton have been emphasised for clarity; and Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a section of the carton encircled by block A shown in Figure 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION 20 Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a blank that can be used for making a carton such as that shown in the Figures 3 to 5. The blank and the carton have a number of similarities and as a matter of convenience, the same reference numerals 25 have been used to identify the same or similar features on the blank and the carton throughout the Figures. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a blank for making a carton includes four panels interconnected successively in 30 a line by fold lines 30. The panel located at the upper end of the line of panels shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a top wall panel 10. The panels connected to the top wall panel 10 and at the lower end of the line of the panels, labelled by reference numerals 11 and 13 respectively, 35 form front and rear side walls of the carton made from the blank. The panel intermediate of the front and rear wall panels 11 and 13, is a bottom wall panel 12. 22968951 (GHMetters) 17106/10 -7 As can be seen, the top wall panel 10 includes a handle formation 14 in the form of two spaced handle openings 14a. Two end flaps 15 also extend from opposite ends of 5 the top wall panel 10 at fold lines 16 across the width of the top wall panel 10, and a reinforcing portion 17 is integrally connected to, and spans between, both of the end flaps 15 and joined thereto by fold lines 20. The reinforcing portion 17 includes two locating portions 18 10 that extend from each of the end flaps 15 and a strip portion 19 that interconnects the locating portions 18. Figure 2 illustrates the reinforcing portion 17 folded about fold line 20 onto an inner face of the blank in is which the locating portions 18 overlay the inner face of the end flaps 15, and the strip portion 19 is located between the handle openings 14a. The reinforcing portion 17 may be secured to the inner face of the end flaps 15 and the top wall panel 10 using any suitable means 20 including hot and cold adhesives, masking tape, double sided tape, and fasteners such as staples. Although it is not necessary for the strip portion 19 to be secured to the inner face of the blank shown in Figure 2, securing the strip portion 19 provides some assurance that the 25 strip portion 19 is in an operative position to assist in distributing and transferring the weight of a carton from the handle openings 14a to the side wall panels when used for carrying items. 30 Extending from an upper edge of the top wall panel 10 is an attachment flap 21 that extends along the length of the top wall panel 10. The attachment flap 21 is used for connecting the top wall panel 10 to the side wall panel 13. 35 Although the blanks of Figures 1 and 2 show the length of the carton and top wall panel 10 being greater then the 22968951 (GHMatters) 17/06110 -8 width of the carton and top wall panel 10, it will be appreciated that this need not be the case and the length and width of the carton and top wall panel 10 may be the same dimension. Conversely, the length of the top wall 5 panel 10 may be smaller than the width of the top wall panel 10. The blank shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same as the blank shown in Figure 1, save from the width of the 10 side wall panels forming the front and rear side walls 11 and 13 being greater than the width of the corresponding panels 11 and 13 of the blank shown in Figure 1. The front and rear side wall panels and the bottom wall 15 also have end flaps 11a, 12a and 13a that are similar to end closure flaps of a conventional carton. As can best be seen in Figure 3, the locating portions 18 of the reinforcing portion have a length that is 20 approximately half the width of the top wall panel 10 of the carton such that the strip portion 19 extends longitudinally of the carton and between the handle openings 14a. The required length of the locating portion 18 is in part determined by the location of the fold line 25 20 which defines the junction between the locating portions 18 and the end flaps 15, and in part by the location of the handle openings 14a. On account that the length of the locating portions 18 are 30 sized as described above, it is a relatively straightforward procedure to the cut the blank from a single sheet of the material with the attachment flap 21 extending along the length of the top wall panel 10 and the reinforcing portion 17 extending from the end flaps of 35 the top wall panel 10 and, simultaneously form fold lines 20 in the blank. 22968951 (GHMatlers) 17/06/10 -9 The procedure for assembly of a carton from the blank initially involves folding the reinforcing portion 17 directly onto the inner face of the top wall panel 10, as shown in Figure 2, which can be readily implemented using 5 automated carton assembly lines. The fact that the reinforcing portion 17 is folded over and adhered to the inner face of the end flaps 15 and adhered to the top wall panel 10 enables the carton to be assembled using relatively simple folding operations. Moreover, the 10 reinforcing portion 17, namely the location portion 18 and strip portion 19 are provided by unitary layers of material that do not fold over or overlap themselves. In other words, the reinforcing portion does not include sections that concertina together in two or more 15 overlapping sections. These and other aspects of the reinforcing portion are important from the perspective of assembly of the blank into the carton in an efficient automated assembly line while minimising the risk of the reinforcing portion malfunctioning during assembly. 20 Assembly of the blank as shown in Figure 2 into a fully assembled carton can then be completed using standard steps of the assembly line. 25 Figures 3 to 5 illustrate the carton assembled from a blank such as those shown in Figures 1 and 2. On account of the reinforcing portion 17 extends from the end flaps 15 of the top wall panel 10, the end flaps 15 of the top wall panel are folded inwardly to form the innermost layer 30 of the upper portion of the side walls, and suitably the upper half of the end side walls of the carton. The end flaps 12a of the bottom wall 12 are folded inwardly to form the inner lower portion of the end side walls, and suitably the lower half of the end side walls. The end 35 flaps 11a and 13a of the front and rear side wall panels 11 and 13 are folded and form the outer face of the end side walls of the carton. 22968951 (GHMatters) 17/06/10 - 10 As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, the locating portion 18 and the strip portion 19 comprise single layers of material that are integrally connected to the end flaps 15 5 of the top wall panel 10 along the fold line 20. Preformed creases 25 may also be formed between the locating portion 18 and the strip portion 19 which aligns approximately with the fold line 20 between the top wall 10 and the end flaps 15. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of 10 section A shown in Figure 4. One of the benefits of the carton shown in Figures 4 and 5 is that the locating portion and strip portion, while providing the require reinforcement for carrying the carton, also have a low profile so as not to inhibit items being loaded into the 15 carton. In addition, the low profile of the reinforcing also reduces the likelihood of the material from being damaged during loading. It will be understood by persons skilled in the art of the 20 present invention that many modifications may be made to the embodiments of the blank and carton shown in the Figures without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 25 For example, the blank and carton may be made from a single integrally formed sheet of the material including a paper, cardboard, corrugated board, polymeric materials, plastic, metallic and any other suitable sheet material includes laminates of any one or a combination of the 30 above materials. 22968951 (GHMatters) 17W06/10

Claims

1. A carton for carrying items, the carton including: a base wall, 5 a top wall, a handle formation attached to, or formed in part by, the top wall for carrying the carton, a side wall interconnecting the base wall and the top wall, 10 two end flaps, one of each extending from opposite ends of the top wall, and a reinforcing portion that is integrally connected to, and spans between, each of the end flaps and is attached to the top wall at a location adjacent to the 15 handle formation, and wherein the reinforcing portion has a non-overlapping single layer structure over at least part of the top wall of the carton.

2. The carton according to claim 1, wherein the 20 reinforcing portion is arranged in a single layer without the reinforcing portion overlapping itself at any point that co-insides with the top wall.

3. A blank that can be folded to make a carton for 25 carrying items, the blank including a line of four panels interconnected successively by fold lines, in which the panel at one end of the line of panels is a top wall panel and a non-consecutive panel to the top panel is a bottom wall panel, and two other non-consecutive panels form at 30 least in part a side wall of the carton made from the blank, and the blank has: a) a handle formation included in the top wall panel for carrying the carton made from the blank, b) end flaps located at ends of the top wall panel, 35 and c) a reinforcing portion that is integrally connected to, and spans between, each of the end flaps located at 22968951 (GHMatters) 17/06/10 - 12 ends of the top wall panel and when the blank is made into the carton, i) the reinforcing portion is located adjacent to the handle formation, and ii) the reinforcing portion is arranged so as to include a single non-overlapping 5 structure over at least part of the top wall of the carton.

4. The carton according to any one claims 1 to 3, or the blank according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing 10 portion includes: a) two locating portions and each locating portion is connected to one of the respective end flaps by a fold line and when folded about the fold line into an operative position, the locating portions extend in a widthwise 15 direction of the top wall, and b) a strip portion that interconnects the locating portions and extends in a lengthwise direction of the top wall panel, and the strip portion includes a unitary layer of material that underlies the top wall of the carton and 20 is configured as a single layer without overlapping itself.

5. The blank according to claim 4 or the carton according to claim 4, wherein the locating portions are 25 configured as a single layer of the material without overlapping sections. 22968951 (GHMatters) 1716/10