FI92678B - Article wrapping carrying case with end panel lock - Google Patents

Description

5 92678

Article wrapping carrying case with end panel lock

The present invention relates to article wrapping carrying cases provided with end panels which are not attached to the bottom panel. More specifically, the present invention relates to an article-10 wrap-around carrying case of this type, which includes an improved locking mechanism for holding the end panels in place. In particular, the invention relates to an article wrapping carrying case comprising a top panel with side edges and end edges, side panels connected to the side edges of the foldable top panel, and a bottom panel connecting the side panels, wherein the carrying case is adapted to contain articles at least near the ends. in the carrying case, the end panels at least partially cover the ends of the carrying case; and the pleat flap mechanism is foldably connected to the end edges and end panels of the top panel; wherein each pleat flap mechanism comprises a generally triangular center pleat flap foldably connected to a respective edge of the top panel and two generally triangular end pleat flaps foldably connected to the center pleat flap.

25 Wrapping carrying cases are available in a variety of styles and designs .. some of which include end panels. The end panels contain more surface area for the printed material and protect the labels on the bottles from abrasion and other damage as the bottles pass through the packaging machine and during subsequent handling. 30 In order to carry out these functions at minimal cost, end panels have been used which do not completely cover the ends of the carrying cases and ·; which are not connected at their bottom edges to the bottom panel of the carrier, which reduces the amount of cardboard required for each carrier model. End panels of this type are usually folded or folded into pleated panels which are themselves foldably connected to the top and side panels of the carrying case. This arrangement requires that the carrying case be designed to prevent the end panels from opening and popping out of their generally vertical position.

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Several different arrangements have been proposed to implement this function. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,398,856, issued August 27, 1968 to Graser, discloses an end panel arrangement comprising three foldably foldable pleat flaps with central 5 pleat flaps having edges designed to frictionally engage the necks of beverage bottles to hold the flaps and end panels. Although such a structure works well with beverage bottles provided with necks to attach the central pleat flap, it could not be used effectively with neckless bottles. Bottles of this type have long openings and are shaped more like cans, leaving little or no space for the pleat flap to attach.

It would be desirable to use wrapper carrying cases of the type which are not intended for packaging neckless beverage containers but which, however, would include a locking mechanism for holding the end panels of the carrying cases in place.

The wrapping carrier according to the invention is mainly characterized in that the folds connecting the end pleat flaps to the respective central pleat flap are provided with cuts defining the edge portions, the edge portions of the central flap flap the top and top panel by locking the pleat flap mechanism and the end panels in place.

The present invention relates to end panels which at least partially cover the ends of the carrying case and which are foldably connected to a pleated flap mechanism. The pleat flap mechanism is foldably connected to the top panel along their end edge, and a portion of the pleat flap mechanism extends between the adjacent article in the carrying case and the top panel of the carrying case to lock the pleat flap mechanism and associated end panels in place.

35 3 92678 This arrangement can be implemented by means of a generally triangular central glass flap and two generally triangular end pleat flaps connected to the central pleat flap along a fold line. The cuts in the fold lines produce edges on the central pleat flap which are adapted to be on the adjacent portions between the article cover and the top panel. The cuts also provide edges to the end glass flaps, which are adapted to adhere to the sides of adjacent articles a short distance below the article cover to further support the pleat flaps.

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Other features and aspects of the invention, as well as various advantages thereof, will be explained in more detail in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment set forth below.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a production blank used to form a carrying case according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a pictorial representation of a carrying case according to the present invention in the intermediate stage formed by it, as a result of which the template of Fig. 1 is wrapped around four bottles and the bottom panels secured together;

Fig. 3 is a pictorial representation according to Fig. 2, but showing the end panels in the final stage of folding; Fig. 4A is an enlarged partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 4A-4A of Fig. 3 showing the pleated flaps as folded into their final positions;

Fig. 4B is an enlarged partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 4B-4B of Fig. 6 showing the pleat flaps and end panel in their final bent positions;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a fully formed carrying case with a portion of the top panel removed to show the pleat flap arrangement 35 relative to an adjacent bottle; 4 92678

Fig. 6 is a pictorial representation of a fully folded carrying case according to the blank of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a partial end view of the carrying case of Fig. 6; and 5

Fig. 8 is a partial view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

In Figure 1, the carrying case blank 10 consists of a top panel portion 12 foldably connected to the side panel portions 14 along groove lines 16. The top panel portion may be provided with a suitable handle, illustrated as a finger hole 18. The side panel portions are also provided with cuts 20 adjacent the groove lines 16 to receive the top portions or bottle caps of containers packed in a carrying case. Although the blank is shown in this case to form a carrying case for receiving cans, the invention is not limited to the use of a four-pack carrying case.

Both side panel portions are connected by grooved lines 22 to short oblique side panel portions 24, one of which is connected by a groove line 26 to the inner bottom panel portion 28 and the other connected to the outer bottom panel portion 32 by a groove line 30. The cuts 34 through it so that this could help the cans stay in place. The outer bottom panel portion 32 '25 is illustrated by being provided with interchangeable main locking tabs 36, a secondary locking aperture 38a and tertiary locking tabs 40. The inner bottom panel portion 28 is illustrated by having interchangeable end locking tabs or secondary inner edges 42, secondary inner locks the locking components do not form part of the present invention, but are used to lock the base panel portions together to form the base panel of the carrying case as understood in the art. A more complete description of the relevant locking components and their functions can be found in U.S. Patent No. 4,437,606, issued March 20, 1984 to Graser.

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Still referring to Figure 1, the end edges of the top panel portion 12 are connected to the pleat portions 48 along fold lines 50. Each pleat portion consists of a generally triangularly shaped center pleat flap 52 connected to the top panel portion along a fold line 50 and two generally triangularly shaped end pleat flaps 54 connected to the center pleat flap along fold lines 56. It can be seen that the fold lines 56 are interrupted by cuts 58 bound by central pleat flaps 60 and end pleat flap edges 62. Each cut edge is curved to conform to the shape of the bottles or other containers carried in the carrying cases. The end panel portions or flaps 64 are connected to the end pleat flaps 54 along fold lines 66 and to the side panel portions 14 along fold lines 68. The fold lines 66 represent the edges of the end pleat flaps 54 and are shown to extend at a slight angle to the groove lines 16. The fold lines 68 are extensions of the edges of the side panel portions 14.

In practice, the blanks 10 are fed to an automatic packaging machine which wraps the blanks around the beverage containers and secures the bottom panel portions together to form the intermediate shape of the carrying case shown in Figure 2. As illustrated, the pleat flaps 52 and 54 extend outwardly from the top panel 12, and the end panel portions or flaps 64 extend outwardly at an angle to the pleat flaps and side panels 14. The bottles B are held tightly in the carrying case by a combination of pressures which fit well between the side panels 14 and propagate partially through the base cuts 34. The bottle caps C partially advance through the cap cuts 20 so that they can further assist in holding the bottles in place.

The pressure generated by the packaging machine element (not shown) against the outer part of the central pleat flap 52 causes the pleat flap 52 to fold inwardly along the groove line 50 carrying the end pleat flaps 54. In this case, the end flaps 64 also fold inwardly along the fold lines 68. Fold lines 66 allow relative folding movement between end panel flaps 64 and end pleat flaps 54, and fold lines 56 allow relative folding movement between center pleat flaps 52 and end pleat flaps 54 such that relative movements occur as a result of movement 35 of the central pleat flap 52.

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The final intermediate step in folding the flap is shown in Figures 3 and 4A. When the central pleat flap is folded inward, the cut edges 60 and 62 separating the central pleat flap 52 and the end pleat flaps 54 pivot through an arc that carries them toward the bottles and up toward the top panel of the carrying case 5. Finally, the cutting edges 60 of the central pleat flap 52 adhere to the sides of the caps C, as can best be seen in Figure 4A. At this point, the cutting edges 62 of the end pleat flaps 54 have not yet reached the bottles B. The continuous folding movement of the pleat flaps finally immediately causes portions of the central pleat flap 52 adjacent the edges 60 to fold past the top edges of the caps 10C and the edges 62 to a position opposite or immediately adjacent to the caps. This final position is best shown in Figures 4B and 5. Folding of the central pleat flap past the bottle cap is possible because the edge 60 extends only a short distance over the edge of the cap and because the carrying case material, preferably cardboard, allows such bending.

The carrying case in its final shape, which is due to the continuous folding movement of the pleat flaps and end panel flaps, is shown in Figures 4B, 5, 6, 7 and 8. The end panel flaps 64 are substantially vertical and the cutting edges 62 are located adjacent the bottom of the caps C. The cutting edges 62 may be in actual end contact with the caps C or slightly separate from them. In either case, when lifting the carrying case from the finger hole 18 or other handle mechanism provided in the top panel, the lifting tensions tend to pull the top panel flaps 54 and cutting edges 62 toward the caps C. As a result, at least portions of the cutting edges 62 end up with the end bottle caps C to ensure secure support for the end pleat flaps and end panels and to provide additional stabilization support to hold the bottles in place. The parts of the central pleat flap which are on top of the bottle caps C are constricted in the small space between the top panel 12 and the bottle caps and are thus locked in place. Because they cannot move from this position, the pleated panels and associated end panels cannot be moved from their final positions, and the carrying case retains its desired shape until the consumer removes the bottles from the carrying case.

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If desired, several modifications can be made to the carrying case of the present invention. For example, tear strips may be provided to facilitate removal of the bottles. In addition, the side panels can be provided with grooves, making it easier for the side panels to conform to the inclined shape of the bottles 5 between the caps and the body of the bottles, although the side panels normally conform to the bottle contours without such fold lines if properly dimensioned. In addition, the length of the end panels can be varied as desired because the locking mechanism of the invention operates to hold any length of the end panel in place at substantially right angles to the top and bottom panels of the carrying case.

Although the invention has been described with reference to bottles and cans with minor or non-existent neck portions, it should be understood that the invention 15 can be used with any container or article that extends substantially completely from the bottom panel to the top panel and does not extend upwardly through the top panel support opening.

It should now be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, changes may be made to certain details of the embodiment which include, but are not limited to, the foregoing, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

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Claims (5)

1. A cover carrier case for articles comprising an upper panel (12) with side edges and end edges, side panels (IA) foldably joined to the upper panel side edges, and a bottom panel (28,32) joining the side panels and wherein the carrier case is provided containing articles whose ends are located at least very close to the lower side of the upper panel (12), in which the carrier case 10 the end panels (64) at least partially cover the ends of the carrier case; and a folding tab mechanism (48) is foldably joined to the end edges of the upper panel and to the end panels; each folding flap mechanism (48) including a generally triangular mid-fold flap (52) foldably joined to the edge of said upper panel (12), and generally triangular end-fold flaps (54) foldably joined to mid-fold tab (52), characterized in that cuts (58) are arranged along the fold lines (56) which connect the end fold tabs (54) to the respective mid fold tabs (52), which cuts (58) define 20 edge portions, wherein the edge portions (60) of the central folding tabs (52) are arranged to extend the middle and copy the upper part of a nearby article in the carrier case and the upper panel (12) to lock the folding tab mechanism (48) and the end panels (64) in place. · 25 2. Cover case for articles according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge portions (62) of the generally triangular end fold tabs (54) are arranged to be located below the edges (60) of the middle fold tab (52) so that the sides of the adjacent sides the articles should be able to contact a short distance below the 30 ends of the articles. 3. Cover carrier case for articles according to claim 2, characterized in that the end panels (64) are foldably joined to the generally triangular end fold flaps (54) and to the side panels (14) of the carrier case 35. ♦ 92678 Production fabrication (10) to form a cover carrier case adapted to carry the two adjacent rows of articles, the production fabric comprising: an upper panel portion (12) with end edges and screen edges; side panel portions (14) foldably joined to the side edges of the upper panel portion and to the bottom panel portions (28, 32); Generally triangular mid-fold flaps (52) foldably joined to the end edges of the upper panel portion (12); generally triangular end fold tabs (54) foldably joined to the middle fold tabs (52); End panel portions (64) foldably joined to the end fold tabs (54) and to the side panels (14) in the vicinity of the upper panel portion (12), said end panel portions (64) being arranged to at least partially cover the ends of the carrier case formed by the make; characterized in that the foldable joints (56) between the middle fold tabs (52) and the end fold tabs (54) contain cutting portions (58) which define the opposite edges (60,62), one of the opposite edges of the cutting (58) comprising a edge (50) of the middle fold tab (52) and the other opposite edge includes an edge (62) of the foldably joined end fold tab (54); The cutting edges (60) of the middle fold tab (52) are arranged to extend between the upper panel of a carrier formed from the make and the ends of the adjacent articles supported by the carrier case; and 92678 that the cutting edges (62) of the end fold flaps (54) are arranged to close adjacent the sides of the adjacent articles in the carrying case. 5. Manufacturing product according to claim 7, characterized in that the opposite edges (60, 62) of the cut (58) contain curved parts for use in connection with articles with curved side parts and where at least part of the curved edge parts (60) of the middle fold flaps ( 52) are arranged to be in contact with and slide upright along the curved side portions of the adjacent articles, since the center and end folding tabs are folded in to form a carrier case around the adjacent rows of articles.