EP1456090B1

EP1456090B1 - Carton and carton blank

Info

Publication number: EP1456090B1
Application number: EP02795986A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Michel Auclair
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Current assignee: WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date: 2001-12-19
Filing date: 2002-12-19
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-19
Also published as: ATE305416T1; ES2250735T3; DE60206414D1; EP1456090A2; DE60206414T2; WO2003053798A3; GB0130424D0; WO2003053798A2; AU2002360705A1

Abstract

An article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier, for accommodating one or more articles comprising a carton (O) having opposed side (42, 46) and end (44, 48) walls and a tubular collar (C) that is slidable along the exterior of the carton (O) to reveal an opening to gain access to the article. The carton (O) has a limit stop (104, 108) struck from one of the walls to limit upward movement of the collar and the collar is provided with a stopper means (26, 30) capable of moving to an operative position to prevent downward movement of the collar. D-7955- 1 -

Description

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to a carton for accommodating one or more articles, for example high value items such as perfume or the like; which carton is provided with an access structure for the introduction to or removal of the articles from the carton. The invention also provides an article feeder to assist in the removal of articles.

When seeking to protect items of high value, it is common to protect the items by paperboard packaging. Such packaging usually requires an outer carton with advertising indicia and may sometimes include an inner support structure to reduce the likelihood of the item being damaged in transit. The article is usually engaged by the support structure which makes it difficult to remove the article from the package.

Thus a problem associated with the prior art is how to provide a positive feed to improve the removal of the article without damaging the integrity of the carton.

The present invention and its preferred embodiments seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.

US-A-3317112 discloses a dispensing container comprising an inner compartment and a slidable outer sleeve. Relative movement of the compartment and the sleeve provides access to the contents of the compartment.

Summary of the Invention

One aspect of the invention provides an article carrier for accommodating one or more articles comprising a carton having opposed side and end walls and a tubular collar that is slidable along the exterior of the carton to reveal an access structure, the access structure allowing access to the carton contents, wherein the access structure comprises upper portions of the side and end walls which flex inwardly and outwardly along a hinged connection to lower portions of the respective side and end walls, characterised in that the carton has a limit stop struck from at least one of the walls to limit upward movement of the collar when the collar is moved over the upper portions of the side and end walls to align them around the carton contents.

Preferably, the collar is provided with a stopper means capable of moving to an operative position to prevent downward movement of the collar.

Preferably, the stopper means comprises cover structure hinged to a panel of the collar and adapted to engage an upper part of a wall of the carton in an operative position.

Preferably, the cover structure comprises a top panel hinged to a side wall of the collar and a front flap hinged to the top panel, the front flap is adapted to be tucked within the opposing side wall panel of the collar.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the limit stop is provided by a tab struck from said one of the walls.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the carton further comprises opposed side and end wall panels hingedly connected to respective walls of the carton, which side and end panels engage the collar in face contacting arrangement to close the opening and to form a multiply structure.

Preferably, the opposed side and end walls move outwardly when the collar is slid downwardly to reveal the opening.

A second aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton for accommodating one or more articles comprising a first side wall panel, first end wall panel, second side wall panel and second end wall panel hingedly connected together in series and a second blank for forming a tubular collar having opposed side and end walls that are sized to allow the collar to be slidable along the exterior of the set up carton to reveal an opening to gain access to the article, characterised in that the carton having a tab struck from one of the wall panels of the carton to limit upward movement of the collar.

Preferably, the collar is provided with a cover structure hinged to a panel of the collar and adapted to engage an upper part of a wall panel of the set up carton to prevent downward movement of the collar.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming an outer collar according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a blank forming a carton according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the blank for forming an inner support structure according to an optional feature of the first embodiment;

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views of the article carrier formed from the blanks of Figures 1 to 3, shown during construction;

FIGURE 7 shows the article carrier in a set up condition; and

FIGURE 8 illustrates the carrier of Figure 7 in an open position ready to reveal an article (shown in dotted line).

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a three part blank for forming a carton, which blanks are formed from paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material that has thin cut and fold lines added. The carton is used to hold one or more articles, for example high value items such as perfume, and to dispense the article.

In the illustrated embodiment, a multi- part blank has been used, although it is envisaged that a unitary blank could be used by combining those features in Figures 1 and 3 without departing from the scope of the invention.

Turning to the construction of the collar C (Figure 5) there comprises a blank 10 having a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure. In this embodiment, the tubular structure is provided by a first side wall panel 12, a first end wall panel 14, a second side wall panel 16 and a second side end panel 18 hingedly connected together in series along

fold lines

20, 22 and 24. In order to secure the panels in a tubular arrangement, there further comprises securing means, which in this embodiment is provided by a securing flap 34 hingedly connected to one of the outermost panels, for example first side wall panel 12 along fold line 36.

The collar C (Figure 5) further comprises a cover structure, which in this embodiment is provided by top panel 26 hingedly connected to first side wall panel 12 along fold line 28 and a securing flap 30 hingedly connected to top panel 26 along fold line 32.

The outer carton O (Figure 4) is provided by the blank 40 shown in Figure 2 and comprises a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure. In this embodiment there comprises a first outer side wall panel 42, first outer end wall panel 44, second outer side wall panel 46 and a second end wall panel 48 hingedly connected together in series along

fold lines

50, 52 and 54 respectively. In order to secure the opposing ends of the blank together, a securing flap 43 is hingedly connected to first outer side wall panel 42 along fold line 45.

There further comprises a base structure which, in this embodiment, is provided by a base panel 72 hingedly connected to first outer side wall panel 42 along fold line 74 and a securing flap 76 hingedly connected to base panel 72 along fold line 78. There may further comprise

opposed end flaps

80, 84 hingedly connected to the first and second

end wall panels

44 and 48 respectively along

lines

82 and 86.

The access structure is provided by panels that constitute the respective upper portions of the side and

end wall panels

42, 44, 46, 48 of the outer carton. In this embodiment, the access structure-forming

panels

58, 60, 62, 64 are hingedly connected respectively to the

wall panels

42, 44, 46, 48 along fold line 56. The forming

panels

58, 60, 62, 64 are separated one from the next by

cut lines

66, 68 and 70. In use, the

side panels

58, 62 and the

end panels

60, 64 flex inwardly and outwardly along fold line 56.

Preferably, the access structure further comprises one or more closure flaps for closing the top of the carton. In Figure 2 there is shown four

flaps

88,92, 94 and 100 hingedly connected a respective one of the side and

end panels

58, 60, 62, 64 along

fold lines

90, 94, 98, 102 respectively.

The access structure includes limit stops for limiting upward movement of the collar, described in more detail below. In the illustrated embodiment, the limit stops are formed by

tabs

104, 108 struck from one or more of panels forming the access structure and/or closure flaps. Preferably, the

tabs

104, 108 are extensions of the

closure flaps

92, 102 and are separated from the adjacent

end wall panels

60 and 64 by

cut lines

106, 110.

In one class of embodiments, an inner article support structure is provided, which is formed from blank 120 shown in Figure 3. The article support structure comprises a plurality of panels for protecting the side, bottom, front and rear of the article contained in the carton: so there comprises a first end wall panel 132, first side wall panel 122 and a second end wall panel 136 hingedly connected together in series along

fold lines

134 and 138.

There further comprises a base panel 124 hingedly connected to the first side wall panel 122 along fold line 128. In this embodiment, there further comprises a second side wall panel 126 which is hingedly connected to the base wall panel 124 along fold line 130.

Turning now to the construction of the carton as illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, the blanks require a series of sequential folding and gluing operations which are preferably performed in a straight line machine so that the carton 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 particular manufacturing requirements.

The outer carton O is constructed by folding the

side wall panels

42 and 46 and

end wall panels

44 and 48 out of alignment along

fold lines

50, 52 and 54 and into a tubular arrangement, whereby end wall panel 48 is secured to side wall panel 42 by securing the securing flap 43 to end wall panel 48 by glue, or other suitable means known in the art.

Once the outer carton O is a tubular structure shown in Figure 4 it is ready to receive an article or the inner article support structure A.

The article support structure A (Figure 4) is constructed by folding the base wall panel 124 and side wall panel 126 inwardly towards the first side wall panel 122 along

fold lines

128 and 130, so that base panel 124 is substantially perpendicular to first side wall 122 and second side wall panel 126 is substantially parallel and spaced from side wall panel 122, in a set up condition. Similarly

end wall panels

132 and 136 are folded inwardly along

fold lines

134 and 136 so that the article support structure is in a set up condition, shown in Figure 4. The article support structure is then inserted into the tubular structure of the outer carton by relative movement between the outer carton O and article support structure A. The support structure may be secured to the outer carton in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the article is loaded into the article support structure so that the article and support structure are loaded together into the outer carton. In other embodiments, the carton and article support structure are constructed first to be supplied to the end user, with the article loaded through the base or top later.

To construct the base structure of the outer carton, the

end flaps

80 and 84 are folded inwardly along

fold lines

82, 86 and base wall panel 72 and securing flap 76 are folded inwardly along fold line 74 and out of alignment with each other along fold line 74, so that flap 76 is tucked within the carton such that the outer face of flap 76 is in face contacting arrangement with the inner face of second side wall panel 46.

The access structure B (Figure 8) is constructed at the time the tubular structure of the outer carton is formed, so the access structure B corresponds to the embodiment shown in Figure 4 or 5, whereby the

panels

58, 60, 62 and 64 are formed into a tubular structure in like manner to the side and end walls of the outer carton O. In order to set up the limit stops the

panels

88, 92, 94, 100 forming the upper closure structure are folded inwardly along

fold lines

90, 92, 94, 102. The

tabs

106 and 108 are caused to be folded outwards to set up the limit stops, as shown in Figure 5.

The collar C is formed by folding the

side wall panels

12 and 16 and

end wall panels

14 and 18 out of alignment along

fold lines

20, 22 and 24 and into a tubular arrangement, whereby end wall panel 18 is secured to side wall panel 12 by securing the securing flap 34 to end wall panel 18 by glue, or other suitable means known in the art.

The collar is then placed around the exterior of the carton by sliding the carton through the tubular collar until the upper edges of the collar abut the

tabs

108, 106 to prevent any further upward movement, as shown in Figure 6.

The stopper means is provided, in this embodiment, by a cover structure, which is constructed by folding top wall panel 26 inwardly along fold line 28 and folding securing flap 30 inwardly along fold line 32 so as to tuck the securing flap within the tubular structure of the collar C. Thus the article carrier is in a set up condition, as shown in Figure 7.

The collar is prevented from unwanted downward movement by the provision of the cover structure and cannot be moved upwardly beyond the limit stops 106, 108.

It is envisaged that the construction of the carton from the blanks of Figure 1 and 2 are not limited to the method described above. For example, the article support structure blank 120 could be placed on the blank 10 forming the outer carton and secured together prior to folding or constructing the article structure A or outer carton O. If this approach is adopted then the support structure A is constructed at the time of forming the tubular structure; the base panel and second side wall panel are folded inwardly into a set up condition. Thereafter the tubular structure is formed in like manner to that described above which causes the end wall panels and of the article support structure A to be automatically folded inwardly. The base structure and cover flap structures are formed in the same manner as described above.

The or each article P can be inserted into the carton after formation of the carton or prior to its construction, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In order to open the article carrier, the cover structure is opened by folding the flap 30 and top panel 26 upwardly about fold line 28 by the user, so as to release the collar. Then the collar is slid down to reveal an opening and the article P as shown in Figure 8. In order to reclose the access structure B, the collar is slid in an upward direction to engage the

access panels

58, 60, 62, and 64 and continues to be slid in an upward direction until the collar abuts the limit stops. Then, the cover structure is reclosed in the same manner as described above to hold the collar in position.

In some embodiments, the

panels

58, 60, 62, 64 forming the access structure are pre-folded in an outward direction so as to provide a degree of tension against the collar. One advantage of this approach is that the

panels

58, 60, 62, 64 will tend to spring in an outward direction when the collar is lowered to reveal the article P (Figure 8).

The use of a three part blank may, in some instances, simplify the mechanisation of the carton construction process, as well as permitting differing materials (e.g., differing grades of paperboard) to be used for the tray and the cover, thereby minimising the cost of producing each carton.

It will be appreciated that a carton is formed which is fully enclosed to protect its contents whilst improving access to the article contained in the carton.

It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as "inner", "outer", "upper", "lower", "top", "base", "end" and "side" 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.

The present invention and its preferred embodiment relates to an article carrier that is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold articles securely, but with a degree of flexibility so that during transit the articles are retained within the carrier. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required and the carrier can be applied to one or more articles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and is not limited to those of the fully enclosed type hereinabove described. Further or alternatively, the carton may be adapted to carry a greater number of articles without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

An article carrier for accommodating one or more articles comprising a carton (0) having opposed side and end walls and a tubular collar (C) that is slidable along the exterior of the carton (O) to reveal an access structure, the access structure allowing access to the carton contents, wherein the access structure comprises upper portions (58, 60; 62, 64) of the side and end walls (42, 46; 44, 48) which flex inwardly and outwardly along a hinged connection (56) to lower portions of the respective side and end walls, characterised in that the carton has a limit stop (104, 108) struck from at least one of the walls (60, 64) to limit upward movement of the collar (C) when the collar (C) is moved over the upper portions of the side and end walls (58, 60; 62, 64) to align them around the carton contents
An article carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the collar (C) is provided with a stopper means (26, 30) capable of moving to an operative position to prevent downward movement of the collar.
An article carrier as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stopper means comprises a cover structure (26, 30) hinged to a panel (12) of the collar (C) and adapted to engage an upper part of a wall of the carton in an operative position.
An article carrier as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cover structure comprises a top panel (26) hinged to a side wall (12) of the collar (C) and a front flap (30) hinged to the top panel (26), the front flap (30) being adapted to be tucked within the opposing side wall panel (16) of the collar (C).
An article carrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the limit stop is provided by a tab (104, 108) struck from said one of the walls (60, 64).
An article carrier as claimed in any preceding claim when the carton further comprises opposed side and end wall panels (88, 94; 92, 100) hingedly connected to respective walls (58, 62; 60, 64) of the carton, which side and end panels engage the collar (C) in face contacting arrangement to close the opening and to form a multiply structure.
An article carrier as claimed in claim 6 wherein the opposed side and end walls (88, 94; 92, 100) move outwardly when the collar (C) is slid downwardly to reveal the opening.
A blank for forming a carton for accommodating one or more articles comprising a first side wall panel (42, 58), a first end wall panel (44,60), a second side wall panel (46, 62) and a second end wall panel (48, 64) hingedly connected together in series and a second blank for forming a tubular collar (C) having opposed side and end walls (12, 16; 14, 18) that are sized to allow the collar to be slidable along the exterior of the set up carton to reveal an opening to gain access to the article, characterised by a tab (104, 108) struck from one of the wall panels (60, 64) of the carton to limit upward movement of the collar (C).
A blank according to claim 8 wherein the collar (C) is provided with a cover structure (26, 30) hinged to a panel (12) of the collar (C) and adapted to engage an upper part of a wall panel of the set up carton to prevent downward movement of the collar.
A package comprising an article and a carton and collar arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.