EP0123358B1 - Combined lock structure for article carrier - Google Patents

Combined lock structure for article carrier Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0123358B1
EP0123358B1 EP84200548A EP84200548A EP0123358B1 EP 0123358 B1 EP0123358 B1 EP 0123358B1 EP 84200548 A EP84200548 A EP 84200548A EP 84200548 A EP84200548 A EP 84200548A EP 0123358 B1 EP0123358 B1 EP 0123358B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
slits
relief
slit
closure panel
openings
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP84200548A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0123358A1 (en
Inventor
Peter Charles Collura
Richard Lyle Humphries
John Keith Lever
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CERTIPAK CORP
Original Assignee
CERTIPAK CORP
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by CERTIPAK CORP filed Critical CERTIPAK CORP
Publication of EP0123358A1 publication Critical patent/EP0123358A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0123358B1 publication Critical patent/EP0123358B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D71/06—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers
    • B65D71/12—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank
    • B65D71/14—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having the shape of a tube, without, or not being characterised by, end walls
    • B65D71/16—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having the shape of a tube, without, or not being characterised by, end walls with article-locating elements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00129—Wrapper locking means
    • B65D2571/00135—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper
    • B65D2571/00154—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper interlocked
    • B65D2571/0016—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper interlocked by tabs protruding from one end and co-operating with openings at the other end
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00129—Wrapper locking means
    • B65D2571/00135—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper
    • B65D2571/00154—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper interlocked
    • B65D2571/00172—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper interlocked by tabs cut within one end and facing towards the other end when blank is unfolded, and co-operting with openings at the other end
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00246—Locating elements for the contents
    • B65D2571/00253—Locating elements for the contents integral with the wrapper
    • B65D2571/00277—Slits or openings formed along a fold line
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00246—Locating elements for the contents
    • B65D2571/00253—Locating elements for the contents integral with the wrapper
    • B65D2571/0029—Openings in top or bottom walls
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00648—Elements used to form the wrapper
    • B65D2571/00654—Blanks
    • B65D2571/0066—Blanks formed from one single sheet
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
    • B65D2571/00709—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element
    • B65D2571/00716—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element tubular without end walls

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an article carrier of the wraparound type and, more particularly, to a carrier for packaging a plurality of articles in at least one row having an improved thread-and- punch type lock for interlocking overlapping panels of the carrier.
  • U.S. Patent 4 200 220 to Ganz is directed to an article carrier of the wraparound type in which the bottom panels of an elongated blank are secured in overlapping relation. Tongues on one of the bottom panels are threaded into corresponding transversely elongated slits in the other of the bottom panels, but this is done only after doubling over each bottom panel with a fold of 180°.
  • Each of the tongues has a tab longitudinally aligned therewith for disposition in a cooperating elongated slit on the opposite bottom panel. However, when locked in place, there is no edge-to-edge engagement for the best locking performance. Instead the tab lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the tongue lies.
  • This carton requires complicated machinery to perform the doubling over folds and threading of the tongue and tab. Also, the tab which extends vertically into the interior of the carton is susceptible to damage by the articles within the carrier and, in a damaged state, likely to slip back through the receiving slit. The doubling feature greatly increases the cost of the carrier due to the increase in paperboard required.
  • U.S. Patents 2 990 997 and 3 223 308 to Weiss are both also directed to an article carrier of the wraparound type of sheet material for packaging of a plurality articles in at least one row including:
  • said second closure panel includes closure panel material between said first and second openings, said material forming a protector strap, one protector strap being in longitudinal alignment with each locking unit; each of said second openings having one of said tongues threadable therein so that said tongue overlies said second closure panel when said first and second closure panels are in overlapping relation, each of said first openings having one of said locking tabs punchable therein so that said tab overlies said second closure panel and provides edge-to-edge engagement with said first opening.
  • said first and second openings are elongated slits such that the protector strap extends the full width between both slits and overlies the locking tab along the interior of said article carrier to retain said locking tab in edge-to-edge engagement and provide extra strength.
  • the carrier of the present invention is an improvement over the prior art disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,990,997 in that it insures the required relief for ease of engaging the lock units by providing relief slits extending at different angles from said first and second slits.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a wraparound carrier which minimizes paperboard requirement and thus costs less to manufacture.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a lock structure in a wraparound carrier including spaced locking slits to receive and retain a locking unit with protection against inadvertent release.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a lock in a carrier having specially formed slits for the purpose indicated to provide improved lock performance and additional security.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a wraparound carrier with an improved lock as described that is easy to erect on existing highspeed equipment.
  • an article carrier of the wraparound type disclosed in US-A-2 990 997 is characterised by the features specified in the characterising portion of claim 1.
  • the tongue and locking tab extending in opposing directions and engaging the locating edge and the locking edge of the two slits, respectively, are within the same plane and thus provide the carrier with secure edge-to-edge engagement between the closure panels. Since the tab does not extend vertically up into the carrier but instead is positively held down by the protector strap, it is protected from being inadvertently damaged and dislodged by articles therein. Also, the positive edge-to-edge engagement prevents either the threaded tongue or the punched-in-tab from slipping through its slit. Improved locking retention that in turn improves carton reliability is the favorable result obtained.
  • the invention employs two, substantially parallel, transversely elongated slits, and a protector strap in between, the need to strip the trim from a hole or aperture, as often required in the prior art is avoided.
  • This feature coupled with reduced paperboard required with respect to some designs, substantially reduces the cost incurred by the manufacturer.
  • the present invention provides convenient mechanical threading and punching for easy adaptation to high speed, state of the art automation techniques and machines.
  • the protector strap which overlies the tab along the interior of the carrier to hold the tab in locked engagement also increases the strength of the panel in the lock area, whereas before, a relatively wide aperture (absence of material) existed, the protector strap connected by bridges at each end spans the lock area.
  • This strap provides an article carrier of increased strength over those in the prior art even after exposure to refrigerated conditions wherein the paper absorbs moisture and loses stiffness.
  • the bottles 11 are arranged in two rows, but there can be only a single row or more than two rows.
  • the article carrier 10 is formed from an elongated blank 12 (see Figure 1) of a suitable foldable sheet material such as paperboard, for example.
  • the elongated blank 12 has a single top panel 14 with circular apertures 13 cut therein to accommodate the necks of the bottles 11.
  • Side panels 16 are articulated or hingedly joined to opposite sides of the top panel 14 along a pair of top fold lines 15.
  • the side panels 16 are designed to be substantially vertical in the completed article carrier 10, as shown in Figure 2.
  • a bottom closure panel 21 is articulated or hingedly joined to one of the side panels 16 along a fold line 22 (see top of Figure 2).
  • Another bottom or closure panel 23 is articulated or hingedly joined to the other of the side panels 16 by fold line 24.
  • the bottom panel 21 has a plurality of transversely spaced lock units each including a tongue 25 (three shown in Figure 1) with the number of tongues 25 preferably being equal to the number of bottles 11 (see Figure 2) in each of the rows.
  • the tongues 25 are spaced from each other by recessed edge portions 26 between the tongues.
  • the outer ends of the edge along the panel 21 adjacent the end tongues 25 are formed by an edge extension 30 and connect to longitudinal side edges 31 and 32 of the elongated blank 12.
  • the bottom panel 21 thus has its terminal edge defined by the edges of the tongues 25, the recessed edge portions 26 and the connecting edge extensions 30.
  • the bottom panel 23 has a plurality of pairs of adjacent, substantially parallel, transversely elongated slits for receiving the corresponding locking units when the closure panels are in proper overlapping relation.
  • First transversely elongated slits 33 are formed adjacent the terminal edge 34 of the bottom panel 23, between the terminal edge 34 and second transversely elongated slits 35.
  • the bottom panel material disposed between the first slits 33 and second slits 35 forms a protector strap 38.
  • the first slit 33 includes relief extensions 33a at each end thereof, and these extensions 33a extend toward said adjacent second slit35 at an angle ofsubstantially 135° from the slit 33.
  • the second slit 35 includes relief slits 35a at each end thereof, and these relief slits 35a extend toward said adjacent first slit 33 at an angle of substantially 90° from said second slit 35; the corner is rounded to minimize the tendency to tear the paperboard.
  • the relief extensions 33a and relief slits 35a further define the bridges at the ends of the protector strap 38.
  • the bridges (see Figures 1 and 4) have a length substantially equal to the combined length of relief extensions 33a and slits 35a to insure maximum strength while at the same time providing the required relief for ease of engaging the lock units.
  • Each of the tongues 25 is threadable into one of the transversely elongated slits 35 when the bottom or closure 21 and 23 are in overlapping relation.
  • Each tongue 25 overlies the inner transverse edge of the corresponding slit 35 so as to have a relatively large area of overlapping contact ( Figure 4A). As can be seen, the edge of the slit 35 forms a locating edge for the locking unit.
  • the bottom panel 21 has a set of locking tabs, designated by the reference numeral 39; a single locking tab being longitudinally aligned with each of the tongues 25.
  • the locking tabs 39 are formed through slitting the bottom panel 21 and may be bifurcated, as shown in the preferred embodiment.
  • the locking tabs 39 and the tongues 25 together form the locking unit, generally designated by the reference numeral 40 ( Figures 1 and 3).
  • the locking tab 39 is then punched (from below) through the transversely elongated slit 33 so that the locking tab 39 directly overlies closure panel 23 thereby providing edge to edge engagement with the transverse edge (see Figure 4B). Further, the protector strap 38 overlies the tab 39 to hold the tab in locked engagement while providing additional strength and support to the carrier 10.
  • Figure 4C A fragmentary view of the fully threaded article carrier 10 from below is shown in Figure 4C.
  • the elongated blank 12 is first placed over the necks of the bottles 11.
  • the side panels 16 are folded down the sides.
  • the bottom panels 21 and 23 are folded under the bottoms of the botles 11.
  • the tongues 25 are threaded into the transversely elongated slits 35 and the locking tabs 39 are punched into the longitudinally aligned transversely elongated slits33 by forcing with punching wheels (not shown) past the transverse edge of the slits 33.
  • the locking arrangement of the present invention enables a relatively large edge to edge locating and locking engagement in a transverse direction.
  • a firm, secure and protected locking engagement safe against inadvertent release is provided.
  • the improved performance is obtained without any increase in paperboard in the blank over that used in the original Pierce carrier shown in the previous Certipak patent cited above, and considerably less than that used in later patents seeking to improve the strength.
  • the lock structure of the present invention also provides convenient mechanical threading and punching for adaptation with state of the art machines and improved automation techniques.
  • the blank could be provided with slits having different shapes and configurations.
  • the edges of the blank may not necessarily be as shown but could include other shapes and separate angled portions.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
EP84200548A 1983-04-26 1984-04-18 Combined lock structure for article carrier Expired EP0123358B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US48867383A 1983-04-26 1983-04-26
US488673 1983-04-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0123358A1 EP0123358A1 (en) 1984-10-31
EP0123358B1 true EP0123358B1 (en) 1987-12-02

Family

ID=23940662

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84200548A Expired EP0123358B1 (en) 1983-04-26 1984-04-18 Combined lock structure for article carrier

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0123358B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS59225116A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU560403B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA1236804A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE3467882D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8700777D0 (en) * 1987-01-14 1987-02-18 Mead Corp Panel interlocking arrangement
DE9206092U1 (de) * 1992-05-06 1992-08-27 Europa Carton Ag, 2000 Hamburg Mehrstückpackung
JP6163873B2 (ja) * 2013-05-21 2017-07-19 凸版印刷株式会社 カートン

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2990997A (en) * 1958-07-15 1961-07-04 Continental Can Co Paperboard carrier

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3223308A (en) * 1962-09-27 1965-12-14 Continental Can Co Can carrier with reinforcing means
US3374938A (en) * 1967-05-05 1968-03-26 Certipak Corp Construction of interlocking bottom panels for wraparound type bottle or can carriers
US4164286A (en) * 1978-02-10 1979-08-14 Federal Paper Board Company, Inc. Tapered cup package
US4200220A (en) * 1978-10-27 1980-04-29 Federal Paper Board Co., Inc. Wrap-around paperboard carrier with latching and locking panels
JPS5691263U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1979-12-17 1981-07-21

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2990997A (en) * 1958-07-15 1961-07-04 Continental Can Co Paperboard carrier

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0123358A1 (en) 1984-10-31
CA1236804A (en) 1988-05-17
DE3467882D1 (en) 1988-01-14
AU560403B2 (en) 1987-04-02
JPH0246467B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1990-10-16
AU2728884A (en) 1984-11-01
JPS59225116A (ja) 1984-12-18

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