EP1935803A2

EP1935803A2 - Carton for packaging articles and carton blank

Info

Publication number: EP1935803A2
Application number: EP07122637A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Philippe Le Bras
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Corp
Current assignee: WestRock MWV LLC
Priority date: 2006-12-22
Filing date: 2007-12-07
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Also published as: GB0625785D0; EP1935803A3

Abstract

A carton for packaging one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion. The carton comprises opposed top and bottom wall panels connected by opposed side wall panels and an upper retention arrangement provided within at least one of the side wall panels for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article. The carton also comprises an aperture formed in the bottom wall panel through which a lower portion of that same article is receivable and a tab formed at least in part from material taken from the bottom wall panel to form that aperture. The tab provides an extension of a side wall and extends between the bottom wall and a plane containing the base of said article. The tab separates the bottom wall panel from the plane containing the base of said article, preferably by a distance generally equal to the length of said tab.

Description

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a carton for packaging articles, for example yogurt pots, preferably having upper protruding portions that are received by the carton. More particularly, though not exclusively, this invention relates to a carton incorporating a structure for retaining the protruding upper portion, and further lower apertures that retain lower portions of the articles.

Background of the Invention

It is common, in the field of packaging articles, to seek to retain those articles within a carton, and to retain those articles as securely as possible so as to prevent unintentional egress. This is especially so when such cartons are placed in humid and/or cold environments which can cause weakening of the paperboard material from which the cartons can be manufactured. Various carton designs are known for containing articles, including cartons that engage only the tops of the articles, and cartons that wrap substantially around the articles.
It is advantageous that the articles be retained at more than one point, for example top and bottom. It is further advantageous that the retention of the articles be accomplished through provision of numerous apertures and arrangements, through which portions of respective articles may protrude. When this is coupled with placement of the articles within the carton in such a way that the aforementioned protruding upper portions cannot be withdrawn from those apertures, then the articles will be securely retained within the carton until the carton is damaged or torn open in some way be the user.
Cartons that are presently known in the art do not offer such secure retention means for both the top and bottom portions of the articles they contain and therefore can suffer from unintentional egress of the articles from the carton. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a carton that provides secure retention and protection of the articles yet allows sufficient circulation of cool air around the articles to maintain the articles and their contents at a required temperature. Known cartons that fully enclose articles, whilst providing secure retention do not facilitate the circulation of cool air. It is also desirable to produce a carton that is materially efficient because of both environmental and cost requirements,
The present invention serves to overcome or at least mitigate these and other problems associated with the prior art

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a carton for packaging one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion, the carton comprising opposed top and bottom wall panels connected by opposed side wall panels, an upper retention arrangement provided within at least one of the side wall panels for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article, an aperture formed in the bottom wall panel through which a lower portion of that same article is receivable and a tab formed at least in part from material taken from the bottom wall panel to at least partially define said aperture, said tab providing an extension of said at least one of the side wall panels of the carton such that the tab extends between the bottom wall panels and a plane containing the base of said article thereby separating the bottom wall panel from the plane containing the base of said article by a distance generally equal to the length of said tab.
Preferably the carton comprises at least two apertures from which two juxtaposed tabs are struck.
Optionally the upper retention arrangement comprises an engaging aperture, a lower edge of which is engageable by the laterally protruding upper portion of an article. Preferably, the upper retention arrangement comprises a retaining tab defined beneath a lower edge of the upper retention arrangement, the retaining tab for engaging with an underside of the laterally protruding upper portion of said article.
Optionally, said retaining tab is hinged to said one of the side wall panels about two fold lines that commence at spaced points on said one of the side wall panels. Preferably, the two fold lines divergently extend toward the top wall panel such that the two fold lines cause the retaining tab to bow outwardly of the carton when the retaining tab engages the underside of the laterally protruding upper portion of said article.
Preferably, the two fold lines divergently extend toward the top wall panel such that the two fold lines cause a portion of said at least one of the side panels to bow inwardly of the carton when the retaining tab engages the underside of the laterally protruding upper portion of said article.
Optionally the retaining tab further comprises one or more further fold lines generally perpendicular to the lower edge of the upper retention arrangement, which further fold lines encourage the outward bowing of the retaining tab.
Preferably the upper retention arrangement and the aperture cooperate to securely retain said article at each of its ends, and thereby mitigate unintentional egress of that article from the carton.
According to a second aspect, the invention provides a blank for forming a carton for packaging one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion, the blank comprising panels for forming the top and bottom and opposed side walls of the carton, an upper retention arrangement formed within at least one of the panels for forming one of the side walls, the upper retention arrangement for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article when the carton is set up, an aperture defined in a panel for forming the bottom wall, said aperture for receiving a lower portion of that same article, and a tab formed at least in part from material of said panel for forming the bottom wall used to at least partially define said aperture, the tab arranged such that the tab is formable into an extension of said one of the side walls of the carton for spacing the bottom wall from a plane containing a base of an article by distance generally equal to the length of said tab, when the carton is set-up.
Preferably the panel for forming the bottom wall comprises at least two apertures and comprisies juxtaposed tabs formed from material used to at least partially define said apertures.
Additionally or alternatively, the blank is formed from two-parts, a first part of which provides said panels for forming the top and opposed side walls of the set up carton, and a second part of which provides the panel for forming the bottom wall panel of the set up carton.
Optionally, the first part of the blank and the second part of the blank are securable to one another by means of a panel provided by one part of the blank overlaying a panel provided by another part of the blank.
According to a third aspect, the invention provides a package comprising a carton and one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion, the carton comprising top, bottom and opposed side wall panels, an upper retention arrangement provided within at least one of the side wall panels for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article and an aperture formed in the bottom wall panel through which a base of that same article is exTendable, the package comprising a tab formed at least in part from material taken from the bottom wall panel to at least partially form said aperture, the tab providing an extension of said at least one of the side wall panels of the carton such that the tab extends between the bottom wall panel and a plane containing a base of said article, thereby separating the bottom wall panel from the plane containing the base of said article by a distance generally equal to the length of said tab.
According to a fifth aspect the invention provides a carton comprising opposed top and bottom walls interconnected by opposed side walls, a first retention element formed in a side wall juxtaposed said top wall, a second retention element formed in the bottom wall and vertically spaced from the first retention element and a spacing tab, the first retention element comprising an aperture for receiving a portion of an article and for restricting movement of that article in a vertical direction in line with a side wall, the second retention element comprising an aperture formed wholly within the bottom wall, the aperture arranged to receive an article engaged by the first retention element for restricting movement of that article in the plane of the bottom wall such that the second retention element in cooperation with said first retention element facilitates the secure retention of an article within the carton, the spacing tab structured to extend from a side wall thereby providing a support, disposed below the bottom wall, upon which the carton stands.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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

Figure 1A illustrates a first blank, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 1B illustrates a second blank of the first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a set up carton according to the first embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 3 illustrates a more detailed view of the underside of the set up carton of Figure 2;
Figure 4 illustrates a first blank according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 illustrate a set up carton according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 6 illustrates an end view of the set up carton of figure 5.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring first to Figures 1 to 6 there is shown a first embodiment of the invention in which a two part wrap-around carton 2 (best shown in Figure 2) is formed from a first blank 4 and a second blank 6 (best shown in figures 1A and 1B respectively). Each of the first and second blanks 4, 6 preferably are formed of paperboard or similar, suitable foldable sheet material.
First blank 4 comprises a central panel 10 which forms the top wall panel of the carton 2. First and second side wall panels 12 and 14 are hinged to the side edges of top panel 10 along interrupted fold lines 20 and 22 respectively.
In this embodiment, fold lines 20 and 22 are interrupted by a series of apertures which form upper retention arrangements 16 defined, in part, within respective first and second side wall panels 12 and 14, and in part within the top panel 10.
Each upper retention arrangement 16 is defined by an upper edge and a lower edge. The lower edge is defined by cut line 17. The upper edge defines a tab 19, and the lower edge defined by the path of each cut line 17 defines a tab or a deformable portion of the adjacent side wall panel 13, 14. In this way a portion of the or each article retention arrangement protrudes into a respective side wall panel 12, 14.
The lower edge of each upper retention arrangement 16 is substantially parallel with corresponding fold line 20 or 22. An optional, cut line 18 extends perpendicularly to a midpoint of the lower edge of cut line 17 part way into the corresponding side wall panel 12 or 14. Cut line 18 facilitates the adjacent portion of the first side wall panel and/or second side wall panel being deformable.
Figure 1B illustrates the second blank 6. Blank 6 comprises a central panel 24 for forming a bottom wall panel 24 of the carton 2. Lower article receiving apertures 34 are formed in the bottom wall panel 24 defined by cut lines 38. Hinged to either side of the bottom wall panel, along interrupted fold lines 30 and 32, are side securing panels 26 and 28. Fold lines 30 and 32 are interrupted by legs 36 that preferably are formed from material taken to form lower article receiving apertures 34. The legs 36 protrude from an edge of the respective side securing panel 26 and 28, into an adjacent lower article receiving aperture 34. Side securing panels 26 and 28 are, in the exemplary illustrated embodiment, tapered inwardly as they extend away from the bottom wall panel 24. This shaping is optional, though provided in the present embodiment to complement the formation of leg tab 36.
Turning to the construction of the carton 2, of Figure 2; it is envisaged that the carton 2 of the present invention can preferably be formed by a series of sequential folding operations 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 the sequence described below and may be altered or reordered according to particular manufacturing requirements. Cartons according to the present invention are particularly, though not exclusively, suited to retaining articles that comprise upper protruding portions (P), which portions preferably, though not exclusively, extend laterally.
Side securing panels 26 and 28 are folded upwardly, relative to bottom wall panel 24, thus bringing legs 36, protruding from the edges of the side securing tabs 26 and 28, out of coplanar alignment with the bottom wall panel 24 and into a partially set up condition. The bottom wall panel 24 is thus spaced from a supporting surface, upon which it is disposed, by a distance substantially equal to the height of the legs 36. Articles are then loaded into the lower article retaining apertures 34. In an alternative folding sequence, side securing panels 26, 28 automatically are erected into an upright position, relative to the bottom wall panel 24 by virtue of loading articles into the lower article receiving apertures 34 which push the leg tabs 36 downwardly relative to the bottom wall 24.
First blank 4 is placed onto articles (A) being packaged such that top wall panel 10 overlies the tops of the articles (A). The top wall panel 10 is dimensioned such that protruding upper portions (P) of articles (A) extend outwardly beyond fold lines 20 and 22 respectively (as shown in Figure 2). The tabs 19 formed as extensions to the top wall 10 protrude outwardly beyond fold lines 20 and 22 and are shaped similarly to the tops of the packages articles (A). In this way the tops of all articles (A) packaged within the carrier are covered and protected by the top panel 10 and tabs 19. In some embodiments the articles (A) have lids or tops made of rupturable material such as foil and the top panel 10 and tabs 19 protect these lids from being damaged. It is preferable that top panel 10 is a solid panel for the purpose of protecting the article (A) tops.
Side wall panels 12 and 14 are then folded downwardly about fold lines 20 and 22 causing the lower edge of the upper retention arrangements 16 to become disposed below a lowermost edge of the protruding upper portions (P) of each article (A). Cut line 18 allows deformation of the side wall panels 12 and 14, immediately proximate the lower edge of the upper retention arrangements 16, to accommodate the path of that lower edge past the protruding upper portions of the articles (A) as the side wall panels 12 and 14 are hinged downwardly.
Once side wall panels 14 and 16 are brought into a substantially perpendicular relationship with top panel 12, a protruding upper portion (P) of each article (A) protrudes through each upper retention arrangement 16, thereby retaining the upper portion of each article (A) in position within the carton 2. The side wall panels 12 and 14 are dimensioned so as to extend at least far enough down the length of the articles (A) so as to overlie a portion of side securing tabs 26 and 28 of second blank 6, thus allowing the two blanks 4 and 6 to be secured to one another by some means known in the art, for example, adhesive or mechanical fastening means.
The articles (A) are thus securely retained within the carton 2, by the combination of upper retention arrangements 16 and lower article retaining apertures 34. The legs 36 extend downwardly and are substantially parallel to and continuations of the side wall panels 12 and 14 (best shown in Figure 3). The legs or extension tabs 36 contact a supporting surface upon which the carton 2 is disposed, and thereby separate the bottom wall panel 24 of the carton 2 from that surface (best shown in Figure 2). In other words the extension tabs 36 are disposed in the same plane as the bases of articles (A), which plane is vertically spaced from the plane containing bottom wall panel 24. In this way the package of carton 2 and articles (A) can be disposed in a refrigerating unit and the circulation of cool air around the articles (A) is not restricted by the carton 2. Additionally, in the humid environment of a refrigerator unit where water can condense on supporting shelves, the bottom wall panel 24 is far less susceptible to being weakened (by moisture absorption in combination with low temperature) because it is vertically spaced above the plane of supporting shelf by means of leg extensions 36.
A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. The second embodiment comprises a carton 102 having substantially the same features as carton 2, yet formed using only a single piece blank 104. Since the two embodiments are similar, only the differences between the two embodiments will be described in detail; like features have been given like reference numerals prefixed with '1'.
Blank 104 comprises a top wall panel 110, side wall panel 112, bottom wall panel 124, side wall panel 114 and glue flap 111 hinged to one another in linear series by fold lines 122a, 130a, 130b and 122b respectively.
Optionally, upper retention arrangements 116 may have the following arrangement: Two parallel score or fold lines 118 extend perpendicular to, and away from, points either side of a midpoint of the lower edge of cut line 117. Parallel score lines 118 terminate at respective points on a curved cut line 115. Curved cut line 115 is orientated such that each of its terminal points are substantially equidistant from the respective fold line 130 or 132 hinging that side wall panel 112 or 114 to the top wall panel 110. The curve of the cut line 115 extends away from the respective fold line 130 or 132, into the respective side wall panel 112 or 114. Fold lines 113a and 113b commence at the terminal points of the curved cut line 115, and extend part way toward the aforementioned fold line 130 or 132, diverging from one another. In other embodiments, additional cut lines (not shown) extend from the distal ends of fold lines 113a and 113b toward corresponding distal ends of the lower edge of cut line 117.
The lower edge of the cut line 117, the curved cut line 115, fold lines 113a and 113b and, optionally, the aforementioned additional cut lines therefore define, between them, a retaining tab 109 that hinges about fold lines 113a and 113b and, as a result, bends concavely with respect to the contents of the carton 102. As a further result, a localised portion of the respective wall panel 112 or 114, in which the upper article retaining structure is defined, is caused to bend convexly with respect to the contents of the carton 102. In other words tab 109 bends away from the contents of carton 102 thus causing a localised portion of the respective wall panel 112, 114 to bend inwardly towards the contents of the carton 102 and in some embodiments so far inwardly that the localised portion of the side wall panel 112, 114, contacts an article held within the carton 102. The carton 102 so bent is in a tensioned state which causes the articles (A) to be clamped within the carton 102. The afore described upper retention arrangement 116 is applicable to a carton 2, formed of two separate blanks, of the first embodiment.
Setting up the carton 102 according to this second embodiment (as shown in Figures 5 and 6) is achieved by wrapping the one piece blank 104 around the articles (A) and securing glue panel 111 to top wall panel 110 through, for example, adhesive or mechanical fastening means. As the blank 104 is wrapped around the articles (A), the protruding upper portions (P) of those articles (A) come to protrude through upper retention arrangements 116 and cause the hinged retaining tab 109 to hinge about fold lines 113a and 113b as described above. The hinged retaining tab 109 thus acts as a strut that braces between an underside of the protruding upper portion (P) and the side wall panel 112 or 114 and resists any outward movement of the side wall panels 112 or 114 about respective fold lines 120 or 122 that would result in the protruding upper portion (P) being less securely engaged in the upper article retaining aperture 116. Further, the localised area the side walls 112 or 114 that are convexly bent, resist the natural tendency of the material of the carton to return to a substantially coplanar form.
Lower portions of the articles (A) pass through respective lower article retaining apertures 134 and are thereby retained within the carton 102 at their lower ends, with some portion of the lower end of each article (A) protruding below the bottom wall panel 124 of the carton 102. Thus each article (A) contained in carton 102 is securely retained within the carton at both ends and unintentional egress of the articles (A) is thereby minimized. In this way the articles (A) are securely retained by means of lower article receiving apertures 134 working in combination with the upper retention arrangement 116. The upper retention arrangement 116 limits movement of an article in a vertical direction i.e. toward and away from the top wall panel 110. At the same time, the lower article receiving aperture limits movement of that article in a horizontal direction, i.e. by the base of an article being disposed within the plane of the bottom wall panel 24. The bottom wall panel 124 itself, limits movement of the base of an article relative to each side wall panel 112, 114 (either toward or away from each side wall panel 112, 114 and/or alongside each side wall panel 112, 114). The spacing of the bottom wall panel 124 relative to the top wall panel 110 secures each article within the carton 102 at two spaced locations. This serves to mitigate each article from inadvertently or accidentally being released from the carton 102.
It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that it is advantageous to use a carton of the above invention with articles that are, at least in part, tapered at their lower ends, such that loading of the articles into the lower article retaining apertures 34/134 is facilitated and requirement decreased precision. By partially setting up the carton 2/102 prior to loading, a "well" is created in which a tapered article may be inserted.
It will be recognized that as used herein, directional references such as "top", "base", "end", "side", "upper", "lower", "inner" and "outer" 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 any of the following: a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of invention. Any reference to means of fastening parts of the carton together, such as adhesive, glue or mechanical fastening is not limiting and it is readily contemplated that any securing means or methods known in the art could be used.
It should be recognized that numerous other changes may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In particular, it should be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the retention arrangements described above may be adapted to suit to specific requirements of the articles to be packaged. The position of the retention structure may be adjusted to accommodate articles having protruding upper portions at locations other than at the ends of the carton.

Claims

A carton for packaging one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion, the carton comprising opposed top and bottom wall panels connected by opposed side wall panels, an upper retention arrangement provided within at least one of the side wall panels for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article, an aperture formed in the bottom wall panel through which a lower portion of that same article is receivable and a tab formed at least in part from material taken from the bottom wall panel to at least partially define said aperture, said tab providing an extension of said at least one of the side wall panels of the carton such that the tab extends between the bottom wall panels and a plane containing the base of said article thereby separating the bottom wall panel from the plane containing the base of said article by a distance generally equal to the length of said tab.
A carton according to claim 1 comprising at least two apertures from which two juxtaposed tabs are struck.
A carton according to any of the preceding claims wherein the upper retention arrangement comprises an engaging aperture, a lower edge of which is engageable by the laterally protruding upper portion of an article.
A carton according to claim 3 wherein the upper retention arrangement comprises a retaining tab defined beneath a lower edge of the upper retention arrangement, the retaining tab for engaging with an underside of the laterally protruding upper portion of said article.
A carton according to claim 4, wherein said retaining tab is hinged to said one of the side wall panels about two fold lines that commence at spaced points on said one of the side wall panels.
A carton according to claim 5 wherein the two fold lines divergently extend toward the top wall panel such that the two fold lines cause the retaining tab to bow outwardly of the carton when the retaining tab engages the underside of the laterally protruding upper portion of said article.
A carton according to claim 6 wherein the two fold lines divergently extend toward the top wall panel such that the two fold lines cause a portion of said at least one of the side panels to bow inwardly of the carton when the retaining tab engages the underside of the laterally protruding upper portion of said article.
The carton of claim 7, wherein the retaining tab further comprises one or more further fold lines generally perpendicular to the lower edge of the upper retention arrangement, which further fold lines encourage the outward bowing of the retaining tab.
A carton according to any of the preceding claims wherein the upper retention arrangement and the aperture cooperate to securely retain said article at each of its ends, and thereby mitigate unintentional egress of that article from the carton.
A blank for forming a carton for packaging one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion, the blank comprising panels for forming the top and bottom and opposed side walls of the carton, an upper retention arrangement formed within at least one of the panels for forming one of the side walls, the upper retention arrangement for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article when the carton is set up, an aperture defined in a panel for forming the bottom wall, said aperture for receiving a lower portion of that same article, and a tab formed at least in part from material of said panel for forming the bottom wall used to at least partially define said aperture, the tab arranged such that the tab is formable into an extension of said one of the side walls of the carton for spacing the bottom wall from a plane containing a base of an article by distance generally equal to the length of said tab, when the carton is set-up.
The blank of claim 10 wherein said panel for forming the bottom wall comprises at least two apertures and comprisies juxtaposed tabs formed from material used to at least partially define said apertures.
A blank according to either claim 10 or 11 wherein the blank is formed from two-parts, a first part of which provides said panels for forming the top and opposed side walls of the set up carton, and a second part of which provides the panel for forming the bottom wall panel of the set up carton.
A blank according to claim 12 wherein the first part of the blank and the second part of the blank are securable to one another by means of a panel provided by one part of the blank overlaying a panel provided by another part of the blank.
A package comprising a carton and one or more articles each having a laterally protruding upper portion, the carton comprising top, bottom and opposed side wall panels, an upper retention arrangement provided within at least one of the side wall panels for engaging the laterally protruding upper portion of an article and an aperture formed in the bottom wall panel through which a base of that same article is exTendable, the package comprising a tab formed at least in part from material taken from the bottom wall panel to at least partially form said aperture, the tab providing an extension of said at least one of the side wall panels of the carton such that the tab extends between the bottom wall panel and a plane containing a base of said article, thereby separating the bottom wall panel from the plane containing the base of said article by a distance generally equal to the length of said tab.
A carton comprising opposed top and bottom walls interconnected by opposed side walls, a first retention element formed in a side wall juxtaposed said top wall, a second retention element formed in the bottom wall and vertically spaced from the first retention element and a spacing tab, the first retention element comprising an aperture for receiving a portion of an article and for restricting movement of that article in a vertical direction in line with a side wall, the second retention element comprising an aperture formed wholly within the bottom wall, the aperture arranged to receive an article engaged by the first retention element for restricting movement of that article in the plane of the bottom wall such that the second retention element in cooperation with said first retention element facilitates the secure retention of an article within the carton, the spacing tab structured to extend from a side wall thereby providing a support, disposed below the bottom wall, upon which the carton stands.