FR2681838A1 - CARDBOARD HAVING A SOLIDARITY HANDLE ON ITS STRAPPING STRAP. - Google Patents

Abstract

Carton (C) adapted to enclose a group of identical articles, such as bottles or boxes which are arranged in several rows and arranged so that a recess is formed in the walls (84) of the opposite ends of this carton. The latter is circled or encircled by a closed strip (B), located in its intermediate part between its top (22) and its base, This strip (B) spans the recess of the end walls (84) and also a part (90) of the cardboard spans this recess. This part (90) and the part of the strip (B) spanning the recess together provide a handle by means of which the carton (C) can be carried.

Description

26818: 38

  The invention relates to a carton adapted to contain a group of articles, such as bottles or boxes, in which the arrangement or the configuration of these articles in rows is such that a recess is formed in each of the ends of the cardboard in the intermediate part of the outer rows of articles This cardboard incorporates a carrying handle in the form of a strapping band, preferably made of plastic material, which band has a part which spans the recess at each end of the cardboard box and , thus, provides a length of strip which constitutes a handle which can be grasped

or easily grabbed.

  Patent EP-A-0 244 047 describes a carton comprising recesses at each end of a group of articles situated inside this carton. The recesses are formed by the storage of the articles in the interior row, or in each inner row, to have fewer items than in the more outer rows and so that each of the items in the inner row, or in each inner row, is placed between two items in adjacent position in the adjacent outer row This box contains a group of identical articles such as bottles, or cans, arranged in at least three parallel rows and which comprises at least one central row and at least two adjacent outer rows of articles arranged in mutual abutment with respect to each other Le fewer items in the center row than in the adjacent outer rows, so a recess is formed at each end of the group in the intermediate part between the two outer rows of articles The cardboard box includes a top and a base joined together by spaced apart side walls, in order to form a tubular structure and closed closure panels at each end of the tubular structure The end closure panels, at each end of the carton, comprise a top end closure panel hingedly connected to the top and having a central part displaced in the adjacent recess, as well as a end closure panel at the bottom, hingedly connected to the base, which is provided with an end flap or flap fixed to the closure panel

  end at the top inside the recess.

  The present invention provides a carton suitable for enclosing a group of articles such as bottles or cans arranged in several rows and arranged or configured so that a recess is formed in at least one side of the carton, which is encircled or surrounded by a closed band located in the intermediate part between the base and the top of this cardboard, which band spans the recess, this cardboard being characterized by the fact that one of its parts spans the recess and that this last part of the cardboard, as well as the part of the strapping band spanning the recess together provide a

  handle by means of which this carton can be carried.

  According to a characteristic of the invention, part of the carton may include a strip of

  handle which is reinforced by the part of the strapping band spanning the recess.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the cardboard box can have a top and a base interconnected by means of spaced side walls, in order to form a tubular structure, and end closure panels, closing each of the two opposite ends. of this tubular structure, each closure panel at each end comprising an end closure panel in the upper part hingedly connected to the top of the carton and an end closure panel in the lower part hingedly connected to the base of the carton, the end closure panel at the top

  being formed to provide the handle portion of the carton which spans the adjacent recess.

  An embodiment of a carton according to the invention, given by way of example, is described below in relation to the attached drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a cardboard blank adapted to form a cardboard of the end loading type, according to the invention; Figure la is a schematic plan view of a carton according to the invention, showing a typical arrangement of the articles inside this carton; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carton which shows one end of the carton after its end closure panels have been closed; Figure 2a is a perspective view similar to Figure 2 but in which the end closure panels at the top have been folded into a closed position and in which the handle panel is arranged in a vertical position; Figure 2b is a figure similar to Figure 2a, but in which the bottom corner closure panels have also been folded into the closed position; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the carton which shows one end of the latter completely closed by means of the end closure panels and in which end the handle panel of the carton is in the flattening position; and FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 3, but in which the strapping or encircling strip has been applied to the cardboard and is

  is attached to the handle panel of the latter.

  As can be seen in the first place, FIG. 1 shows a cardboard blank 10 in the developed position, adapted to form a cardboard or loading box with polygonal ends and made using a foldable sheet material such as cardboard or the like. This blank comprises , arranged in series, a base panel 12; a first side wall 14 constituted by lower panels 16, intermediate 18 and upper 20; a top panel 22; a second side wall 24 formed in part by upper 26 and intermediate 28 panels; each panel being connected longitudinally in an articulated manner to the next panel by means of fold lines 34 to 44 A lower panel 30 of side wall, belonging to the second side wall 24, is connected longitudinally of

  hinged to the free edge of the base panel 12 by means of the fold line 32.

  A central end closure panel 46 at the bottom is hingedly connected to the central portion of each of the side edges of the base panel 12, along a transverse fold line 48 Two closure panels 50 and 52 the ends of the corners at the bottom are also hingedly connected to the same end edge of the base panel 12 along, respectively, oblique fold lines 54 and 56, located on either side of the central panel 46 of end closure This central end closure panel 46 at the bottom consists of a central panel 58 of conical exterior shape and of legs 60 and 62 in the form of wings, respectively connected in an articulated manner to the opposite lateral edges of the central panel 58, along lines of

convergent folding 64 and 66.

  This central end closure panel 46 at the bottom ends in an end tab 68 hingedly connected to the central panel 58 along a line of

  folding 70 parallel to folding line 48.

  The bottom end closing panel 50 of a corner is provided with a fixing lug 51 hingedly connected to the intermediate corner panel 53, along the fold line 55, the latter being located adjacent to the fixing lug 60 but being separated from the latter This intermediate corner panel 53 is hingedly connected to the panel, along a fold line 57 parallel to the fold line 55, and is provided with a

  opening 53 a which, when using the box, receives part of the strapping band.

  Similarly, the panel 52 for closing the end of a corner in the lower part is provided with a fixing lug 59 hingedly connected to the intermediate corner panel 61, along a fold line 63, this fastening tab 59 being located adjacent to the closing tab 62, but being separated from the latter This intermediate corner panel 61 is hingedly connected to the panel 52, along a fold line 65, parallel to the fold line 63 and is provided with an opening 61 a which, when using the box,

  will also receive part of the strapping band.

  A central end closure panel 84 at the top is hingedly connected to each of the end edges of the top panel 22 along a transverse fold line 86 This top closure panel 84 includes a main part 88 of panel hingedly connected to the top panel 22 and a central handle panel 90, hingedly connected, to the free end edge of the main part 88, along an interrupted transverse fold line 92 This fold line 92 is interrupted by a handle opening 94 which is actually defined by an end fixing panel 96 at the top, hingedly connected to the part

  main panel 88, along a fold line 98 located at one edge of the opening.

  The fixing panel 96 is framed, on each of its sides, by one of the legs of a pair of lateral legs 100, 102 connected, in an articulated manner, to this panel 96, respectively along fold lines 104, 106 which converge towards

the end of this panel 96.

  Two panels 116 and 118 for closing the corners at the top are disposed respectively between the end edge of the top panel 22 and the central panel 84 for closing the top, the main part 88 of this panel. central 84 being provided, at each of its lateral edges, with one of the two panels 116, 118 The panel 116 for closing the end of a corner in the upper part comprises an outer panel 120 hingedly connected to a lateral edge of the main part 88 of the central panel 84, along a fold line 122, and an intermediate panel 124, hingedly connected to the top panel 22, along an oblique fold line 126 The outer panel 120 and the intermediate panel 124 are connected, in an articulated manner to each other by means of a gusset panel 128, respectively along fold lines 130, 132 The exterior panel 120 is provided, at its free end edge with a fastening strip 134 hingedly connected thereto, along a fold line 136 and which has an end notch 138 Similarly, the end closure panel 118 of the other corner in part upper comprises an outer panel 140, hingedly connected to a lateral edge of the main part 88 of the central panel 84, along a fold line 142, and an intermediate panel 144, hingedly connected to the top panel 22 , along an oblique fold line 146 The outer panel 140 and the intermediate panel 144 are connected together, in an articulated manner by means of a gusset panel 148, respectively along the fold lines 150, 152 The outer panel 140 is provided, at its free end edge, with a fastening strip 154 connected to the latter, in an articulated manner, along a fold line 156, and which comprises a

end notch 158.

  The side, upper, intermediate and lower wall panels of the first side wall 14 comprise a lateral end closure structure comprising closure panels 160, 162 and 164 hingedly connected, respectively to the side wall panels, upper, intermediate and lower 16, 18 and 20, along fold lines 161, 163 and 165. The end closure panel 160 is hingedly connected to the end closure panel 162, along an extension of the fold line 36 which is interrupted by a slot 166 formed partially in the side wall panels, intermediate 18 and bottom 16, and partially in the end closure panels and 162 The end closure panels 162, 164 are hingedly interconnected by a bridging piece 168 The panel 164 is, moreover, hingedly connected to the intermediate panel 124 by a gusset panel 170, along

  of a fold line 172 and by an extension of the fold line 40.

  Similarly, the side wall panels, upper 26, intermediate 28 and lower 30 of the second side wall 24 also have a lateral end closure structure comprising the closure panels 178, 180 and 182 connected, respectively, so hinged to the side wall panels 26, 28, 30, along the

fold lines 179, 181 and 183.

  The end closure panel 178 is hingedly connected to the intermediate panel 144 by a gusset panel 184, along a fold line 186, and by an extension of the fold line 42 The closure panels end 178 and 180 are connected to each other, in an articulated manner, by a bridging piece 188 The panels and 182 are connected to each other, by means of bonding, when the blank is preformed in

  a flat fold position described briefly below.

  A slot 190 is made partially in the end panel 180 and partially in the intermediate side wall panel 28, this slot receiving, during use

  of the box, part of the strapping band.

  The opposite end of the blank is of similar construction and is not described below.

  The blank is preformed in a flat fold position from which it can be erected as a tubular structure, then loaded with products and then the ends of this tubular structure will be closed as described above. below In order to preform the blank in the flat fold position, the side wall intermediate panel 28 is folded around the transverse fold line 40, so that it covers the top side wall panel 26 after a glue has been applied to the exposed marginal edge of the panel 28 and of the panel 180 After which, the blank is folded around the transverse fold line 36 so that the top panel 22 is brought into position superimposed on the base panel 12 and that the glued edge of the intermediate panel 28 and its extreme dependent panels are fixed to the free edge of the lower side wall panel 30 and its dependent panels extremes The blank, thus preformed, can then be supplied, to contain bottles or boxes,

  and erected then loaded and finally closed to form the complete carton.

  When this carton has been erected in its tubular form, it can be filled with bottles or boxes and have the configuration shown in Figure la, that is to say in which the bottles are arranged in rows o, in the central rows RC 1 and RC 2, each bottle is housed in the hollow formed between two adjacent bottles of each of the adjacent outer rows RL and RR, in order to create a central recess CR in each of the sides of the carton Each end is then closed by the following way. The upper end closure panel 84 is folded down relative to the top panel 22, around the fold line 86, the initial folding action of this panel being caused by the movement towards the inside the tubular structure,

  each of the gusset panels 128, 148, 170 and 184.

  This folding action is accompanied by the inward folding of the end side panels 160, 162 and 164 and, also, the end side panels 178, 180 and 182, across the open end of the structure tubular with respect to their associated side wall panels During this folding action, the two bridging pieces 168 and 188 are moved inward At the end of this folding step, the fixing strip 134 partially covers the two side panels 160, 162 of end closure and, similarly, the fixing strip 154 covers the two side panels 180,

182 end closure.

  The central handle panel 90 is then moved upwards in a vertical position so that its legs protrude from the end closure panel in the upper part, as shown in FIG. 2 a An application of glue is then made to the parts ends 80 of the ends of the panels 50, 53, 51, 52, 61 and 59, as well as on the two fixing lugs 60 and 62 The two end closure panels at the bottom 50 and 52 are then folded upwards until that they adhere to the

fixing lugs 154 and 134.

  The end closure panel 46 at the bottom, comprising the wing-shaped panels 60, 62, is then folded upwards around the transverse fold line 48 and the central panel 58, of conical shape, is moved inwards, in the central recess CR, while the panels 60 and 62 are flared towards the outside of this recess and fixed, respectively, to the panels 51 and 59 The end tab 68 of the central panel 58 is fixed in overlap on panel 96 of the end closure panel at the top

(figure 3).

  When the end closure panels are thus secured, the openings 190, 53 a, 61 a and 16 b are aligned with the end of the carton and the strapping or encircling tape is then applied around the carton in the position corresponding to the openings and undergoes

hot shrinkage.

  Of course, the opposite end of the carton had been closed in the same way. The open parts of the end closure panels provide locations intended to receive parts of the tightening band or encirclement band B, applied posteriorly to the cardboard around its middle part At the ends of the cardboard, the handle panels 90 are folded down so that they extend over the recessed part of the corresponding end and the strapping band is fixed to each panel. handle 90 so that together they provide a handle (figure 4) which will facilitate the carrying of the packaging The recessed construction of each end allows the handle part of the strapping band to be taken or grasped more easily than it is there was no such end recess In addition, the handle panel 90 of the carton is connected, in an articulated manner, in the vertical position of following use. t the fold lines 92 while the strapping band is "housed" in the openings 190, 53 a, 61 a and 16 b Therefore, the combination of the handle panel 90 and the strapping band provides a handle which is significantly more suited to user comfort than a handle simply provided by the strapping band as was, until now, the case

  in previous constructions.

  In this cardboard construction, the end closure panels at the top and the end closure side panels are interconnected by fold lines and gusset panels to facilitate their closure. Thus, the central closure panel end in the lower part and the closure panels of the end corners in the lower part are not interconnected This latter arrangement causes the end closure panels in the lower part to be folded down and away from the base so that they are disengaged from the end opening of the tubular structure during loading through this opening, in order to prevent "hanging" of the bottles or

  boxes on these bottom end closure panels.

Claims (4)

  1. Carton adapted to contain a group of identical articles, such as bottles or boxes arranged in several rows (RL, RC 1, RC 2, RR) and arranged or configured so that a recess (CR) is formed in at least one side of the carton (C), which is encircled or surrounded by a closed band (B) located in the intermediate part between the base (12) and the top (22) of this carton, which band (B) spans the recess (CR), this carton being characterized by the fact that one (90) of its parts spans the recess (CR) and that this last part (90) of the carton (C), as well as the part of the strapping band (B) spanning the recess (CR) together provide a handle (90)   by means of which this carton (C) can be carried.   2. Cardboard according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the cardboard spanning the recess (CR) comprises a handle strip (90) which is reinforced by the part of   strapping band (B) which spans this recess.   3. Cardboard according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at   at least two panels of opposite walls are provided each provided with one of the recesses   (CR) comprising a handle (90) as defined in claims 1 and 2.   4. Cardboard according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it   comprises a top (22) and a base (12) interconnected by means of side walls (14, 24) spaced apart, in order to form a tubular structure, and end closure panels, closing each of the two opposite ends of this tubular structure, each closure panel at each end comprising an upper closure panel (84) at the top connected in an articulated manner to the top (22) of the carton and a bottom closure panel (46) at the bottom hingedly connected to the base (12) of the carton (C), the top end closure panel (84) being formed to provide the handle portion (90) of the carton which spans the recess (CR) adjacent.