GB2030111A - Display cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton blank comprises a substantially rectangular, main body portion (1) and four pairs of opposed flaps (2-5) hinged thereto, a third panel 1E being narrower than a first panel 1C, so that the erected carton produces the effect of a "false" base. The carton is preferably supported by the lower edges of the flaps 2, 3 which depend from the base 1F so that the carton can stand on a plane surface, with the base spaced above the surface and aligned with the bottom edge of a window 14. A backing card 15 may be glued to the back of the carton. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to carton blanks and cartons made therefrom A carton blank is known from which a carton can be produced for containing, for example, toys such as model vehicles. The carton formed from this blank includes a real base and a false base inside the carton so that the vehicle in the carton can stand in the carton higher than the real base of the carton. This is of advantage particularly when the carton is provided with a display window which extends down as far as the false base but no further. Accordingly, the complete vehicle, including its wheels can be viewed through the window, the position of the vehicle on the false base above the real base being aesthetically pleasing.

The known blank, of necessity, has to have flaps to provide both the false base and the real base.

It is an object of the present invention to effect a considerable saving in the amount of material used for making the blank whilst still producing the effect of a false base but without requiring a real base underneath it, the body of the carton formed from the blank still extending below the "false" base to produce the aesthetic effect mentioned above.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carton blank comprising a substantially rectangular, main body portion and, proceeding along two opposed sides of said main body portion from one end to the other, first, second, third and fourth pairs of opposed flaps, there being first hinge lines each extending across said main body portion from between each adjacent flap to between the respective opposed adjacent flaps, and there being second hinge lines extending along said main body portion where the flaps join said main body portion, a securing tab being provided with an associated hinge line along one end of said main body portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carton formed from the blank essentially as defined in the preceding paragraph, the carton having a base from which carton supporting edges depend so that the carton can stand on a plane surface with said base spaced above said surface.

With the present blank, possibly as much as a third of the material can be saved as com pared with the known blank whilst still producing the effect of a real base and a false base.

Preferably, a window is provided in said main body portion. The window can be flexi ble and extend across the hinge line which extends across said main body portion between the first and second pairs of opposed flaps and, in this case, the window in the completed carton will be in two planes so that the top of an article in the carton can also be viewed.

Preferably, said securing tab is provided at said other end of said main body portion.

A backing card can be attached to the rear of the assembled carton to provide a further edge depending from the base of the carton to provide further support for the carton, preferably, the backing card can extend upwardly from the top of the carton to display advertising material and can be provided with an aperture so that the complete assembly can be hung on a display rail, for example.

V-slots are preferably provided between each adjacent flap to facilitate machine production of the carton from the blank.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a carton blank, and Figure 2 is an underneath perspective view of a carton formed from the blank shown in Fig. 1 and including a backing card.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the carton blank shown has a substantially rectangular, main body portion 1. Proceeding along two opposed sides of the portion 1, from one end 1 A to the other end 1 B, four pairs of opposed flaps 2, 2; 3, 3; 4, 4; and 5, 5 are provided.

Hinge lines 6, 7 and 8 extend across the portion 1 from between each adjacent flap to between the respective opposed adjacent flaps. Hinge lines 9, 10, 11 and 12 extend along the portion 1 where the flaps 2-5 join the portion 1.

A securing tab 1 3 is provided with an associated hinge line 1 3A along the end 1 B of the portion 1.

A window 14 formed of flexible transparent plastics material is provided in the portion 1 in the region of the flaps 2 and 3, the window 14 extending across the hinge line 6 so that, when the blank is formed into a carton, the window 14 lies in two planes, curving about the axis of the hinge line 6.

To facilitate machine production of the carton from the blank, V-shaped slots can be provided between adjacent flaps as indicated by the chain dot lines at the top of Fig. 1. In this way, the flaps will not foul each other when folded by machine.

It can be seen that the part 1 C of the blank is intended to form the front face of the carton shown in Fig. 2, the part 1D is intended to form the top of the carton, the part 1 E is intended to form the back of the carton and the part 1 F is intended to form the base of the carton. The flaps 2 and 3 and the part 1 C are so dimensioned that the part 1 F has the effect of a false base to the carton, the part 1 F being on substantially the same level as the bottom of the window 14. The free edge of the part 1 C, the co-linear side edges of the flaps 2 and the outer edges of the flaps 3 form supporting base edges of the assembled carton, all of these edges extending below the level of the base 1 F.

To assemble the carton from the blank, the blank is bent around the hinge lines 6, 7 and 8 to form a tube and the securing tab 1 3 is bent about the hinge line 1 3A so that its outer edge aligns with the end 1A of the portion 1. The securing tab 1 3 is then glued to the part 1 C.

The flaps 5 are then folded inwardly to form inner end walls of the carton and then the flaps 3 are folded inwardly and glued to the flaps 5. It will be seen at this stage the flaps 3 take the positions shown in Fig. 2 where they taper inwardly slightly towards one another. The flaps 4 are then folded inwardly and then the flaps 2 are folded inwardly and glued to the flaps 4. The flaps 3 and 4 are not glued together.

The glue application can be made by means of a conventional hot-melt glue applicator.

It will be appreciated that the relative sizes of the flaps and the main portion 1 can be varied to suit the various desired sizes or cartons to be made.

As shown in Fig. 2, a backing card 1 5 is glued to the back of the carton. The lower edge of the backing card 1 5 extends down to the level of the lower edges of the flaps 2 and 3 and the part 1 C. Accordingly, the backing card 1 5 forms a rear base edge for the carton.

The backing plate 1 5 may be provided with an aperture 1 6 to enable the carton to be suspended from a display rail, for example.

It will be appreciated that several cartons of the type shown in Fig. 2 can be stacked one upon the other quite stably without requiring the provision of a "real" base as weli as the "false" base.

CLAI MS 1. A carton blank comprising a substantially rectangular, main body portion and, proceeding along two opposed sides of said main body portion from one end to the other, first, second, third and fourth pairs of opposed flaps, there being first hinge lines each extending across said main body portion from between each adjacent flap to between the respective opposed adjacent flaps, and there being second hinge lines extending along said main body portion where the flaps join said main body portion, and the dimensions of the blank being such that the part of said main body portion that lies between said third pair of opposed flaps is shorter, proceeding along the main body portion as aforesaid, than the part of said main body portion that lies between said first pair of opposed flaps.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein a window is provided in said main body portion.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2, wherein said window is flexible and extends across the hinge line which extends across said main body portion between said first and second pairs of opposed flaps.

4. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said securing tab is provided at said other end of said main body portion.

5. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second pair of opposed flaps is longer than said first pair of opposed flaps and/or said third pair of opposed flaps.

6. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein V-slots are provided between each adjacent flap.

7. A carton blank, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A carton formed from the blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the carton having a base from which carton supporting edges depend so that the carton can stand on a plane surface with said base spaced above said surface.

9. A carton as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising a backing card attached to the rear of the carton to provide a further edge depending from the base of the carton to provide further support for the carton.

10. A carton as claimed in claim 9, wherein said backing card extends upwardly from the top of the carton for display of advertising material.

11. A carton as claimed in claim 10, wherein said backing card is provided with an aperture to enable the carton to be suspended.

12. A carton formed from the blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of a false base to the carton, the part 1 F being on substantially the same level as the bottom of the window 14. The free edge of the part 1 C, the co-linear side edges of the flaps 2 and the outer edges of the flaps 3 form supporting base edges of the assembled carton, all of these edges extending below the level of the base 1 F. To assemble the carton from the blank, the blank is bent around the hinge lines 6, 7 and 8 to form a tube and the securing tab 1 3 is bent about the hinge line 1 3A so that its outer edge aligns with the end 1A of the portion 1. The securing tab 1 3 is then glued to the part 1 C. The flaps 5 are then folded inwardly to form inner end walls of the carton and then the flaps 3 are folded inwardly and glued to the flaps 5. It will be seen at this stage the flaps 3 take the positions shown in Fig. 2 where they taper inwardly slightly towards one another. The flaps 4 are then folded inwardly and then the flaps 2 are folded inwardly and glued to the flaps 4. The flaps 3 and 4 are not glued together. The glue application can be made by means of a conventional hot-melt glue applicator. It will be appreciated that the relative sizes of the flaps and the main portion 1 can be varied to suit the various desired sizes or cartons to be made. As shown in Fig. 2, a backing card 1 5 is glued to the back of the carton. The lower edge of the backing card 1 5 extends down to the level of the lower edges of the flaps 2 and 3 and the part 1 C. Accordingly, the backing card 1 5 forms a rear base edge for the carton. The backing plate 1 5 may be provided with an aperture 1 6 to enable the carton to be suspended from a display rail, for example. It will be appreciated that several cartons of the type shown in Fig. 2 can be stacked one upon the other quite stably without requiring the provision of a "real" base as weli as the "false" base. CLAI MS

1. A carton blank comprising a substantially rectangular, main body portion and, proceeding along two opposed sides of said main body portion from one end to the other, first, second, third and fourth pairs of opposed flaps, there being first hinge lines each extending across said main body portion from between each adjacent flap to between the respective opposed adjacent flaps, and there being second hinge lines extending along said main body portion where the flaps join said main body portion, and the dimensions of the blank being such that the part of said main body portion that lies between said third pair of opposed flaps is shorter, proceeding along the main body portion as aforesaid, than the part of said main body portion that lies between said first pair of opposed flaps.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein a window is provided in said main body portion.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2, wherein said window is flexible and extends across the hinge line which extends across said main body portion between said first and second pairs of opposed flaps.

4. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said securing tab is provided at said other end of said main body portion.

5. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second pair of opposed flaps is longer than said first pair of opposed flaps and/or said third pair of opposed flaps.

6. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein V-slots are provided between each adjacent flap.

7. A carton blank, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A carton formed from the blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the carton having a base from which carton supporting edges depend so that the carton can stand on a plane surface with said base spaced above said surface.

9. A carton as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising a backing card attached to the rear of the carton to provide a further edge depending from the base of the carton to provide further support for the carton.

10. A carton as claimed in claim 9, wherein said backing card extends upwardly from the top of the carton for display of advertising material.

11. A carton as claimed in claim 10, wherein said backing card is provided with an aperture to enable the carton to be suspended.

12. A carton formed from the blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.