CA1050944A - Shipping carton - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A shipping carton for storage and/or transport of produce under cold and/or humid conditions comprising an erected body wrap and end wall pieces positioned at opposite ends of the body wrap. The end wall pieces are impregnated with a moisture resistant agent and stacking tabs are provided on the top of the carton. Preferably, the tabs have a struc-ture corresponding to the structure of the bottom corners of a second similar carton stacked thereon, whereby they prevent the relative shifting of the cartons.

Description

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S~IIPPING CARTON

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIo~, ~

~ This invention relates to ventilated shipping cartons having a relatively high stacking strength and, more particularly, to such cartons for transporting produce such as frllits and---vegetables or the like which for any of a variety of reasons must ~, be cooled or maintained at a certain t~Pmperature durin~ transitO
Co-pending Canadian application S. N. 273,263 filed March 7, 1977 discloses stacking tabs similar t~ one embodiment of those disclosed herein but in a carbon of different construction.
It is known that many fruits and vegetables respire and generate heat at different rates even after they have been har-vested. It is also known that heat accelerates the deterioration of fruits and vegetables, which may create problems in the long periods of time and distancesthat often must be negotiated before such commodities reach the marketplace. This is usually combated by cooling the produce to a desire~ temperature and maintaining this temperature in storage and transit. This temperature is often well b'elow 50 F. and is maintained under highly humid con-ditions '(usually greater than 90~ relative humidity), so that theproduce does not become dehydrated. This c~oling t~ establish a desirable temperature is achieved and maintained by a variety of methods, which are known in the art, with the common denominator ~, of these methods beiny ~hat relatively cold, highly humid con-ditions must be maintained from the time of harvesting the produce until îts deliverance to the marke~place.' Thus, one re~uiremënt of ' a car~on utilized for,shipping such'commodities i~s that the cartonbe capable of maintaining the condnodities at a desired temperature.
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A sccond requirement of such a carton is tha~ the carton be capable of stacking for long periods of time under the above-described conditions of temperature and humidity.
At the present time, the ~Jood box lug and various derivatives S thereof, i.e. wood and veneer co~binations, are widely used in the construction of produce shipping boxes. These wood boxes are commonly ventilated and offer ample protection to the pro-duce packed therein due to the basic properties of wood, i.e.
structural strength that does not a?preciably aeteriorate under long periods of stacking, subjection to high weiyhts, and the above-described conditions o tempe~ature and hu~idity. Wood : boxes, although possessing structural qualities advantageous in storing and shipping produce, have se~eral shortcominss. For example, if shifting during the handling and ~ransit of these wood boxes is not restr~cted, misalignment of the boxes and the .
ventiiation apertures therein may restrict air passase in and out of the boxes which would prevent maintaining a desired tem-' perature of the commodities packed in ~he boxes. Further, the cost of wood boxes, ~he greater weisht of boxes constructed of wood rather than other materials, and the availability o~ woodas a raw material in light of the desirability of reducing the consumption of this natural resource, present further disad-vantages in constructing shipping cartons from wood. In addition, wood cartons present a greater hazard of injury due to wood splintersand the nails used to construct such ~oxes.
! I~ has been known to avoid such disadvantages by con-structing shipping cartons o corruated paperboard as an alter-native to woodO ~lthough corruyated paperboard cartons elim- -ina~e some of these disadvan~ages, they also possess certain dis-advantages, For example, corrugated paperboard cartons~ener~lly .
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lack the basic structural strength of wood boxes to support - great weights for long periods of time and long distances.
- ~econdly, under the above-discussed conditions of temperature and humidity, corrugated paperboard cart:ons more readily lose their structural integrity; and consequently, the capability of these cartons to be stacked is restricted. The abilitv to stack many cartons in a storage or transit vehicle for long periods of time, while maintaining a desired temperature of the commodities packed therein, is vital to a grower and/or packer.
L0 Heretofore a one-piece corrugated paPerboard caxton has not been found to be completely satisfactory in accomplishing these ob-jectives. Also, the longer these cartons are subjected to cold, humid conditions, the greater the reduction in their stacking strength and ability to protect and maintain at a desired tem-perature the commodities being stored and/or shipped.
With the aforementioned disadvantages in mind, it is a general objective of this invention to provide an inexpensive, but strong, shipping carton capahle of being stacked under ex-,~ treme requirements of temperature and humidity while in storage and/or transit, as will most wooden boxes, and capable of allow-ing adequate ventilation of the commodities being stored or trans-ported, without sacrificing any of the advantages corrugated paperboard cartons possess o~er their counterpart wooden boxes.
It is another object of this invention to provide a shipping carton having top to bottom stacking strength compar-able to that of a wooden box, which is maintained even under conditions of extreme temp~rature and humidity for long periods of time.

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~5~9~4 It is a further object of this invention to provide a ~hipping carton having means for maintainin9 a p~rticular stack-ing arrangement to insure that air may be circulated through the car~on to maintain the c~mmodities packed therein at a desired ~e~erature.
~ hese and other objects o~ this invention will be ap-~axent to one s~illed in the art from a consideration of this ~ntire disclosure including the accompanying drawings.

~QSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The abo~e objectives are accomplished, in accordance with this invention, by providing a shipping carton having a body wrap and separate end wall pieces. Prior to erection OL
this carton, the body wrap lies flat for economy of stora~Q of ~any of these wraps. Upon erection of the carton, ~he body wrap is bent along crease lines between its portions to fo~m a shell having openings at its ends. The end wall pieces are positioned ;
. ~n the openings and secured to the body wrap, whereby the carton is ormed.
~0m e body wrap has a bottom panel, side panels joined W~th- the bottom panel, one or more top panels joined with the ~ide panels, and an opening formed in each of its ends between ~he panels upon its erection. Rec~anyular flaps, adapted to be ~lded inwardly into the openings, extend from and are intesral

2~ ~ith 'the bottom and side pane~s. The end wall pieces positioned in the openings at the opposite ends of the body wrap are con- -~t~cted o~ a multi-wall, corrugated board having at least i~s ffiediums and in~erior facing~ impregnated with a mois~ure resistant ~ent, such as a blend of a polymeric h~at curable resin, a par-affinic wax, an ~mount of catalyst suficien~ to efec~uate . .

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curing of the resin, water, and an organic liquid carrier. The carton is erected b~ folding the b~dy wrap along crease lines joining the panels together and by then folding the inwardly - extending flaps into the openings and securing these flaps to the end wall pieces. Preferably, apertures are provided in the side panels of the body wrap.
The apertures are preferably elliptical in shape and are positioned in the side panels between the top and bottom panels, the apertures in opposite side panels being aligned.
Stacking tabs extend upwardly above the top of the carton.
Preferably, the tabs extend upwardly from diagonally opPosite top corners of the carton and have a structure corresponding to the structure of the bottom corners of a second similar carton stacked thereon, whereby the tabs prevent the relative shifting of the cartons.
The flaps integral with and extending from the bottom and side panels are folded inwardly and secured to the end pieces, preferably with glue. It has been found that the stack-ing strength of this carton may be enhanced, even under humid and cold conditions, by pxoviding flaps which extend from the side panels the full height oE these side panels from the top to the bottom panels, which permits a longer glue line that in turn develops a better bond with the end wall pieces.

Thus, in accordance with the invention there is provided a shipping carton adapted for storage and transport of produce under cold and humid conditions co~prising a body wrap and a pair of separate substantially rigid end panels, said body wrap comprising: a rectangular bottom panel, a pair of side panels each comprising a wall integrally connected with one of the oppo~ite sides of the bottom panel by a iEold line . . .
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along which said wall is folded to extend vertically upward from said bottom panel, a pair of top closure panels each integrally connected with one of said side pa,nels by a fold line . defining the upper margin of said side panel and along which : said top panel is folded when said carton is closed, said substantially rigid end panels each comprising: a rectangular .: multi-wall adhesively laminated corrugat~ed board made up of at least two corrugated mediums enclosed by facing boards, ~- each end panel having top, bottom and end edges, and at least said mediums and the interior facing boards being imp:regnated with a moisture resistant rigidifying agent, a pair of bottom ~:
panel 1aps integral with said body wrap and each integxally connected with one end margin of said.bottom panel by a fold line along which said flap is folded upwardly to lie upon the ; outer surface of one of said separate end panels thus to secure said bottom panel to both of said end panels with said end panels extending vertically upwardly from said bottom panel with , the bottom edges thereo resting on said bottom panel, four side panel flaps each integrally connected with one ~ertically extending side margin of each of said side panels of said body wrap by a fold line along which said flap is folded to lie upon the outer surface of one of said separate end panels with the inner surface of the adjacent side panel extending..firmly in contact.with.the adjacent end edge of said end.panel, each :
of said four side panel flaps extending vertically in secured contact with said outer surface of the ad~acent end of one of said end panels from substantially the level of said bottom panel t~ the top margin of said end panel, stacking tabs ex-te~ding upwardly from the top margins at least o~ ea~h of said side panels and th,rough openings formed in salid ltop panels, each of said stacking tabs being bolstered for rigidity as a ~ - 5a -,~i,''.',-~

~- ~61 5~4 result of said contact of said inner walls of said side panels with the opposite end edges of said separate end panels, and the walls of each of said side panels haviny cut-out areas corresponding with said stacking tabs and positioned at the bottom corners of said body wrap whereby the stacking tabs of said carton will mate with similar cut-out areas in a second similar carton to be stacked thereupon to essentially prevent said second carton from shifting relative to the body wrap cf ; said carton.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a body wrap used in part to construct one embodiment of the shipping carton of this invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the body wrap illustrated in Fig. 1 in an erected condition and end wall :
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pieces positioned within the body wrap, togethe~ forming the carton o~ this invention.
Fig. 3 i~ a sectional view of the carton illustrated in Figc 2 taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the carton illustrated in Eig. 2 taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.
~ig. 5 is a partial sectional view of the carton illustrated in Fig. 2 taken along line 5 5 of Eig. 2.
Eig. 6 is a partial sectional view of the carton illustrated in Fig. 2, similar to Fig. 3, showing a portion of the top of the carton opened upwardly.
Fig. 7 is a view o~ an a~ternative structure of .he shipping carton o~ this invention shot~n in Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 is a plan viçw of another body wrap use~ in part ~o construct another embodiment of the shipping car~on of this invention.
F~g. 9 is a perspective view showing the body wrap strated in Fig. 8 in an erec~ed condition and end wall . pieces posi~ioned within the body wrap, together formi~ .he ` - . .
c~rton of this invention.
~,. Fig. 10 is a sectional ~iew of the carton illustrated , in Fig. 9 taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

,1 DESCRIPT:~ON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
One preferred embodiment o~ a shipping carton o~ the -present invention is shown in Figs. 1-6. The carton is erected ' from a body wrap, generally designated 1 as shoi~rn in ~ig. 1, and separate end wall ~ieces, generally designated 2 as shown in Fig. 2. Body wrap 1 is construc~ed o~ corrugated paperboard~
, althou~h i desired~ o her materials known in.the art may be .. . .

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5~4 utilized. Body ~rap l has a bottom panel 3~ two side panels 4, and two top panels 5. To erect the carton, body wrap 1 is folded or bent along crease lines 6, 7, 8, and 9 which are, respectively, between top, side~ and bottom panels 3, 4, a.nd 5, as illustrated 5 in ~ig. ~ It is apparent from Fig. 2 that the two top panels a~e separated fr.on! each other so that th`e carton may be packed and closed, after which top panels S are secured.to end ~all ~; pieces 2. The amount of separation between top panels 5 is .
dependent upon the particular needs of the carton and can be . ~aried. Further, it is contemplated th~t a single top panel 5 may be employed in the carton of this invention, where such a.
.panel is either part of body wrap 1 and attached to side panel 4 or not part of body wrap 1 and secured to the carton after its ~ :
e~ection by the flap means described below or by other means. . :
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15: Upon erection of the carton, by folding or bending of body wrap l.along the cxease lines 6-~, an opening is formed in ~he opposite ends of the body wrap be~ween panels ~, 4, and ~..
. ~o complete assem~ly oE the carton, end wall pieces 2 are in-. - serted in these openings and secured to panels 3, 4, and 6 by . .
i 20 flaps 10, 11, and 11. As shown in FigsO 1 and 2, flaps 10, 11, and 12 are integrally connected to panels 3, 4, and 5 by fold ... ... .
; . iines 13. It is contemplated that the top panel or panels ~ emplo~ed in the cartons of this invention may be secured to the .` side panels and end wall pieces by means other than flaps 12 .
and that flaps 12 ma~.be eliminated to accomplish any particular d~sixed objectiveO In the carton of the present invention, i.t is preerred to glue flaps 10, 11, and 12 to end wall pieces 2.
~t is believed that, in part, superior stackin~ stren~th . .of thes.e cartons is achievcd over prior art cartons because

3~ ~laps 11 are rec~nyula~ and the height o~ ~hese 1aps is sub-.~ , , . -'.

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stantially equal to the height of the carton. In other ~ords flaps 11 extending ~rom side panels 4 extend the full height of side panels 4 from top panels 5 to bottom panel 3.
Thi~ invention additionally pxovicles means ~or in-suring the correct stacking of one carton upon another to prevent the relative shifting of the cartons and means for allo.wing ventilation of the carton to maintain a desired tem-perature of the contents packed ~ithin.
Stacking tabs 15 are prc)vided on crease lines 6 and 9 be~7een side panels 4 and top panels 5, ~hlch upon the placing of one carton ~pon another, align the top carton with the lo~er : ~arton to prevent shifting and misalignment of the cartons. As illus~rated in Fig. 5, each s~acking tab 15 extends upwardly ~rom side panel 4. Although the embodiment of the shippins carton of thls invention shown in Figs. 1-6 utilizes stacking : tabs 15 that protrude upwardly from the.top o~ side panels 4, it is contemplated that the stacking tabs can be provided gener-a~ly on the creases between the side and top panels or ~n the outer surface of side panels 4. It has been found that stacking ~0 :tabs which are shorter in height.and longer in base are less .
8us~eptible to damage during stac~i.ng and less bendable, pro-viding better alignment of the cartons and more dependable stacking.
As s~o~;n in Fig. 1, stacking tabs lS are cut from .
-top panels 5 in body wrap 1. A space 16 is provided between the top of each.of the stacking tabs 15 and the adjoining portions of ~op panels S~ so that delamina~ion of the stacking ` tabs upon erection of the carton is prevented.
`. Althou~h stacking t~bs 15 could be construc~ed ~o rest ::.
upon the out~r suraces of side panels ~ of on~ carton placcd .
' , "... .... .. :' 5~4 a~ovc another to secure the top carton, it has been found that by providing cut-out areas 17, corresponding to the structure of the stacking tabs, generally in each of side panels 4 adjacent cxeases 7 and 8 between bottom panel 3 and side panels 4, more secure stackin~ o~ one carton to another can be achieved. Upon stacking of the cartons, stacking tabs 15 oE the lower carton mate with cut-out areas 17 in the carton above to secure the cartons to each other.
An additionaI feature of body wrap 1 is the provision of elliptically shaped apertures 18 in side panels 4. Although apertures in the side panels of shipping cartons have been utilized in the past, it has been found that elliptically shaped apertures are preferred because they provide the great-est amount of ventilation and the small~st reduction in stacking ~: 15 strength, i.e., elliptical apertures minimize the extent to which the cross sectionai area of the side panels is reduced.
Apertures of this particular sha~e are also preferred because i~ is common to pack produce in one or more layers in a shipping carton. Thus, by providing elliptically s~aped apertu~es in . . . . .
side panels 4 of the carton, visibiiity of more than one layer of pxoduce is provided as compared to having either circular or some other shaped aperture which may prevent the viewing of produce packed within the cartonO
As ill~strated ~n Figs. 1 and 2, apertures 18 are positioned substantially centraily in side panels 4 between creases 6 and 9 joining the side and top panels and creases 7 and 8 joining ~he side and bottom panels. As one alterna-tive, apertures 18 may ~e positioned in side panels 4 hetween the top and bottom panels, adjacent to or~in creases 6-9.
Further, th~ apertur~s in ~he-side panels 4 are ali~n~d~ It ', '` , ' :
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has been ound th~ by placing apertures 18 in each of the side panels'4 at approximately the same position, that ven-tilation and cooling, if desir~d, of the contents within the carton is enhanced because of the straight through ~low of air from apertures 18 on one side panel 4 to apertures 18 on the other side panel 4. Although the shipping cartons of the present invention have been illustrated as having four apertures 18 on ~' each side panel 4, it is within the scope of this invention - that the nu~ber o~ apertures 18 be increased or decreased to fulfill the particular requirements of ventilation and/or , ' cooling of the contents packed ~ithin the,carton. Also, al , though alignment of the aper~ures 18 on one side panel with ~' .' the apertures 18 on the other side panel has been found to be' preferxed, any other particul,ar arrangement of the apertures , 15 may be utilized to accomplish a particular desired objec~ive without departing from the spirit of this invention. , .
` , To further increase ventilation through the carton, ,', , ventilation apertures may be made in top panels 5; especially if a single top panel is employed.
An additional fea~ure o~,'body wrap 1, is the perfora-tion lines 19 on top panels 5 o`body wrap 1. Once the carton . ' has been erected and the 1aps 12,extending from top panels 5 ' . have been secured.to end wall pieces'2, the contents packed ,' wi~hin the cartQn may still be inspected or remo~ed by lift- , ' 25 ing upwardly on top panels 5 bett~een perforation lines 19. In .'- ' Fig. 2, the carton is shown intact before the portions of top ' panels S surxounding perforation lines 19 have been separated.
Fi~. 6 illustrates a portion of top panel 5 which has been separated ~rom panel 5 by liftin~ upwaxdly on this panel approxima~e perforation lines 19. As illustra~d isl]~ig. 6, ~0~ .
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peroration lines 19 have a xough edg~, so that after opening, top panels 5 can be closed and substantially reunited by join-~ng the rough edyes of perforation lines 19 with the remaining p~rtions of the panel. Al~hough the embodiment of the shipping caxton of this invention illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6 perfora-tion lines 19 extend from the innermost edge of top panels 5 to creases 6 and 9 joining top panels 5 and side panels 4, per- -foration lines 19 may be shortened so as not to exiend to these creases. Thus, only a portion of each panel 5 between the perforation lines 19 may be openable.
~ n addition to body wrap 1, separate end wall pieces 2 are ~nserted in ~he openings at opposite ends or body wrap 1 for~ed be-tween bottom, si~e, and top panels 3, 4, and 5 upon erection of these cartons. End wall pieces 2 are constructed of multi-~Gll, corrugate~ board, ~7hich pro~ides a primary source of stackinc ~trength of ~hese cartons. It is pre~erred that end wall pieces 2 be of a triplewall construction. It is further preferred that these ; triplewall end wall pieces 2 be manufactured from corrugate~ paper-board having three mediums 20 enclosed by four ~acings 21. As ~0 discussed abbve, under the conditions of humidity and cold tem pexatures in ~hich produce is stored and/or transported, the . cartons utilized ~or storing and!or transporting of the produce . I must not only ~e cap~ble of maintaining the produce pac~ed in these cartons at a desired temperature, but also must be capable o~ maintaining their stac~ing strength or top to bottom compression stren~th under such conditions for long periods of ~ime. It has been found that the stac~ing strength of the cartons of the pxesent invention can be maintained and is enhanced by impre~
nation o~ the ~nd ~all pieces 2 wi~h one or more moisture resist~
30. ant agents. Several moisture resistant aqents may be uti1ized ' ~ 050~
~n the imprcgnation of the end wall pieces 2 in the cartons of the present invention. Thus, in addition to the stac~ing strength : c~ntributed to the shipping cartons of this invention by the basic ; structure of these cartons, impregnation of the end wall pieces 2 : 5 with moisture resistant a~ents further increases the stacking strength of these cartons.
In another preferred e~bodiment o:E a shipping carton ~; of ~his invention illustrated in Fig. 7, body wrap 1 and end wall pieces 2 are formed into the carton as described above, 10. ho~7ever, the flaps 11 extending from and integral ~7ith the si~e panels 4 do not extend from these side panels the entire height . bet~1een top panels 5 and bottom panel 3. Rather, side panels 11 extend from top panels S only partially the height of side panels

4 and the flap 10 extending from and integral with bottom panel 3 extends the full width of bottom panel 3, from one to the other .
.15. of side panels 4. Other modifications which ray be made to the shippin~ cartons of this invention.include imprecnation of the body wrap with moisture resistant asents, substi.ution of stock combinations of whic~ the carton is constructed, and stxuctural modifications to increase ventilation through the carton. For 20 example, the body wrap may be wax or resin impregnated and may be made of corrugated paperboard composed of various combinations . of mediums and facin~s. The end panel pieces may have beveled corners allowing greater channel air flow ~hrough the carton.
; Thus, depending upon the requiremen~s of use of ~he cartons of the present invention and the minimum quantity of stackin~
' stren~th necessar.y, ~he `structure of these cartons may ~e varied without departin~ from the spirit of this inv~ntion.
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~5~9~4 A shipping carton of the pr~sent invention which has been found to provide eY.cellent stacking strength has the fol-lowlng structure:
Stock Combination ~lbs./1000 sq. ft.) Body Panels - 42 (F) - 42 (F) - 33 (M ~ 90 (~) ...
End.Panels - 62 ~ 33 (M) - 38 ~F) - 33 (M~ - 38 (F) -. 62 (~) -where the body panels have a "C" fluting, the end panels have a nCAA" fluting, and ~o~h .the body and end panels are treated with 21 lbs./1,000 sq. ft. and 85 lbs./1,000 sq. ft., respectively, of a water resistant resin.
~o further increase the stacking strength of the shipping car~ons of this invention, end wall pieces 2 a~e impregnated with one or more moistuxe resistant agents. It has been found that by impregnating at least the mediums and interior facings of the corrugated paperboard used in forming these end wall pieces with ; .
aD agent comprising a blend of a polymeric heat curable impreg-nated, a paraffinic.wax, an amount o a catalyst sufficient to effectuate curing o the impregnate, water, and an organic liquid carrier, that the wet strength o these cartons is increased. The .
.. impregnated board typicall.y contains from about.4 to about 50%, by . weight, and preferably from about 8 to a~out 20, by weight, of . agent. Several known apparatus and methods useful in improving the wet strength of corrugated paperboard cartons can be used to .25 impregnate, as described above, ~he end wall pieces. Further, several impregnates may be u~ilized ~hich impart wet rigidity to the shipping cartons of this invention. One particularly useful impregnate includes a urea-formaldehyde resin,.a paraffinic wax, a minimum amoun~ of a catalyst to e~ec~uate curing of the urea~
3C ormaldehyde resin, with the remainder of the composition being , , ~ 13 , :. . ~ ...... .

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- ~ ~iY,ture. o~ ~ater and an alcohol, If preerred, body wrap 1 en~ W~ll pieces 2 may also be impregnated with, for example, Another embodiment of the shipping carton of this i~ye~t~on is sho~m in Fi~s. 8-10.
ig.,8, a body wrap which in part forms this ~h~lng carton is shorm. The wrap is simi:Lar in structure to ody wrap sho~m in Fig. 1 and has a bottom panel 30, t~lO
~i~e panels 40, and two top panels 50, integrally connectec by '~Q ~r~ase lines 60, 70, 80,.and 90. Extending from panels 30, 40, ~nd 50 are ~laps 100, 110, and 120, which are integrall~ con- , nected to the panels by crease lines 130. As discussed in de-tail above, apertures are provided in.the cartons of t~is in-vention for insuring proper ventilatlon throu~h the cartons and in this emboaiment, apertures 180 are provided in panels 40.
, .'', ' Re~erring ~o Fis. 9, the exected shipping car'on is :
illustrated. The body ~rap of Fig. 8 has been folded to pro-. ' ~ide openings at its ends in which end wall.pieces 200 have ,~
- been inserted,to complete format~on of the carton.
Plaps 100, 110, and 120,are preferably glued to end wall pieces 200 and as evident from Fig. 9, in this embo~irent 1aps 110 do not extend the full heisht of side panels 40 ~rom ~ttom panels 30 to top pznels 50. Rather, cut-out areas 170 hre pro~ided at each b~ttom corner of the carton. These cut-out ~5 ~r~as serve tt~o functions. First, when several of these cartons :
~ in a stac~ed arrangement, ~entila~ion around the perimeter ,~ .O~ and throuqh the'carton is effected through the cut-out areas.
~h~s type of ~entilation prevents ~Ihot spots" in the mos~ diffi- '~
~u~ ~r~as o~ the carton to ven~ila~e, the corners. However, ~0 ~' d~sir~d, cu~-ou~ arcas 170 may be eliminated, s~ ~ha~ ~he 1aps ext~nd t~e f ul l heigh~ o~ ~he side,panels. ~, .

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Th~ sccor.d ~unction of cut-out areas 170 is for ease in stacking one carton upon arother. In this regaxd, cut-out areas 170 and stacking tabs, identified as 150, accomplish a ~tacking function in the cartons of the pres`ent invention.
Stacking tabs 150 extend upwardly above the top o~
the ~arton and have a structure corresponding to the structure ~f the bottom corners of a second similar carton to be stac~ed thereon, ~Ihereby the tabs prevent the relative shifting of the ca~tons. In this case, tabs 150 will mate with cut-out areas 10. 170 at the bottom corners of a second carton. It has been found ~hat tabs having essentially a V-shaped structure ~ai~.tain ~he corners of the stacked carton in a fixed position. Th~s, relative movement of one carton stacked on another n any dix~ction is prevented. It is to be understood .hat if cu_-ou 15 areas 170 wer~ eli~inated, then tabs 150 could be appro~ Ply ~tructured to abut the bottom corners. of such a carton.~
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Preferably, the tabs extend upwardly a~ove the ca-ton rom at least two diagonally opposite top corners Or the ca _on I' ' ' ' ' . :
and each tab extencs upwardly from a side panel and its ir.~s~r211y connected flap. Also, spaces, identified as 160, are pro~-ce~
in top panels 50 adjacent the stackins tabs for additional ~en-tila~ion of the carton.
~ hese and other embodiments of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this dis-~5 closure.

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Claims (2)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A shipping carton adapted for storage and transport of produce under cold and humid conditions comprising a body wrap and a pair of separate substantially rigid end panels, said body wrap comprising:
a rectangular bottom panel, a pair of side panels each comprising a wall integrally connected with one of the opposite sides of the bottom panel by a fold line along which said wall is folded to extend vertically upward from said bottom panel, a pair of top closure panels each integrally connected with one of said side panels by a fold line defining the upper margin of said side panel and along which said top panel is folded when said carton is closed, said substantially rigid end panels each comprising:

a rectangular multi-wall adhesively laminated corrugated board made up of at least two corrugated mediums enclosed by facing boards, each end panel having top, bottom and end edges, and at least said mediums and the interior facing boards being impregnated with a moisture resistant rigidifying agent, a pair of bottom panel flaps integral with said body wrap and each integrally connected with one end margin of said bottom panel by a fold line along which said flap is folded upwardly to lie upon the outer surface o one of said separate end panels thus to secure said bottom panel to both of said end panels with said end panels extending vertically upwardly from said bottom panel with the bottom edges thereof resting on said bottom panel, four side panel flaps each integrally connected with one vertically extending side margin of each of said side panels of said body wrap by a fold line along which said flap is folded to lie upon the outer surface of one of said separate end panels with the inner surface of the adjacent side panel extending firmly in contact with the adjacent end edge of said end panel, each of said four side panel flaps extending vertically in secured contact with said outer surface of the adjacent end of one of said end panels from substantially the level of said bottom panel to the top margin of said end panel, stacking tabs extending upwardly from the top margins at least of each of said side panels and through openings formed in said top panels, each of said stacking tabs being bolstered for rigidity as a result of said contact of said inner walls of said side panels with the opposite end edges of said separate end panels, and the walls of each of said side panels having cut-out areas corresponding with said stacking tabs and positioned at the bottom corners of said body wrap whereby the stacking tabs of said carton will mate with similar cut-out areas in a second similar carton to be stacked thereupon to essentially prevent said second carton from shifting relative to the body wrap of said carton.

2. A shipping carton adapted for storage and transport of produce under cold and humid conditions comprising a body wrap and a pair of separate substantially rigid end panels, said body wrap comprising:

a rectangular bottom panel, a pair of side panels each comprising a wall integrally connected with one of the opposite sides of the bottom panel by a fold line along which said wall is folded to extend vertically upward from said bottom panel, a pair of top closure panels each integrally connected with one of said side panels by a fold line defining the upper margin of said side panel and along which said top panel is folded when said carton is closed, said substantially rigid end panels each comprising:
a rectangular multi-wall adhesively laminated corrugated board made up of at least two corrugated mediums enclosed by facing boards, each end panel having top, bottom and end edges, and at least said mediums and the interior facing boards being impregnated with a moisture resistant rigidifying agent, a pair of bottom panel flaps integral with said body wrap and each integrally connected with one end margin of said bottom panel by a fold line along which said flap is folded upwardly to lie upon the outer surface of one of said separate end panels thus to secure said bottom panel to both of said end panels with said end panels extending vertically upwardly from said bottom panel with the bottom edges thereof resting on said bottom panel, four side panel flaps each integrally connected with one vertically extending side margin of each of said side panels of said body wrap by a fold line along which said flap is folded to lie upon the outer surface of one of said separate end panels with the inner surface of the adjacent side panel extending firmly in contact with the adjacent end edge of said end panel, each of said four side panel flaps extending vertically in secured contact with said outer surface of the adjacent end of one of said end panels from substantially the level of said bottom panel to the top margin of said end panel, stacking tabs extending upwardly from at least two di-agonally opposite top corners of said body wrap each of said stacking tabs being formed integrally with and extending jointly upwardly from a side panel flap and the adjacent side panel, each of said stacking tabs being V-shaped and being bol-stered for rigidity by the walls of said side panels and by the opposite end edges of said separate end panels, and the walls of each of said side panels having cut-out areas corresponding with said stacking tabs and positioned at .
the bottom corners of said body wrap whereby the stacking tabs of said carton will mate with similar cut-out areas in a second similar carton to be stacked thereupon to essentially prevent said second carton from shifting relative to the body wrap of said carton.