GB2050307A - Carton - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton, e.g. for cream doughnuts (36), has a bottom (10), side walls and a top (12). At least one side wall comprises a panel having a greater depth than that of the carton, so that when its upper edge is engaged by the top (12) the upper part (20b) of the panel flexes inwardly providing a surface to bear upon an upper end part of the doughnut and thereby restrain it, and particularly any projecting portion of cream (38), from contact with the top (12) of the carton. Two such flexing panels (20) may be provided on opposite sides of the carton, and may be overlapped by outer side wall panels (30). Internal cuts may be provided in the flexing panels to define upstanding tongues which do not flex and thereby provide support for the carton top (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Carton This inventin relates to cartons, and more particularly to cartons which are provided with means for restraining movement of the contents.

The present invention provides a carton comprising a bottom, two pairs of opposite side walls and a top, a side wall panel having a height greater than the distance between the top and bottom of the carton so that the top of the carton bears upon the upper edge portion of the side wall panel causing it to flex inwardly from a position spaced downwardly from the top and thereby provide an inclined surface to bear upon the contents of the carton and restrain same against contact with the top. Said side wall panel may be provided with a fold line parallel to the top but spaced downwardly therefrom, about which fold line the side wall panel flexes. Preferably a pair of opposite side walls have said flexing panels, whereby the contents are restrained by mutually inwardly flexed portions of the panels on opposite sides of the carton.

In a preferred form, the carton comprises a tray-like component including the bottom, one pair of opposite side walls, and flexing inner panels of the other pair of opposite side walls, and a lid component comprising the top and the outer side wall panels of said other pair of side walls, the top being hinged to one of said one pair of side walls of the bottom. The lid may also include an outer panel to lie outside the other of said one pair of side walls of the bottom. The top or said outer panel thereof may be provided with lines of weakening whereby part of the top or said outer panel can be torn away to give access to the interior.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, two embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a blank for a first embodiment of carton, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the carton partially erected, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the closed carton, Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional transverse view through the closed and filled carton, Figure 5 shows a blank for a second embodiment of carton, and Figure 6shows a perspective, partly cut-away, view of the carton made from the blank of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figure 1; the carton is made from a blank of foldable board material, and comprises a rectangular bottom 10 and top 12 hingeablyjoined buy a backwall 14. Opposite the back wall 14the bottom 10 has an inner front wall panel 16, and on the two other sides it has hinged inner side wall panels which are divided by a longitudinal fold line 18 into panel portions 20a adjacent the bottom 10 and 20b remote from the bottom. The inner front wall panel 16 and the back panel 14 have cornerflaps 22 hinged thereto, these being provided with hook shaped portions 24 to interlock with corresponding generally C-shaped slots 26 in the panel portions 20a in known manner, to form a tray-like body to the carton.The top 12 has an outer front wall panel 28 hinged to its edge opposite the back wall 14, and on its other two sides the top has outer side wall panels 30 hinged thereto.

Two parallel lines of weakening 34 extend from front to backoverthetop 12, and in converging fashion down the outer front wall panel 28.

The first stage of erection comprises forming the tray-like body. This can be effected automatically on an erection machine, and produces a partially erected carton as shown in Figure 2. Then, the contents are placed within the tray, and the top 12 is folded over and the outer side wall panels 30 and outer front wall panel 28 are ploughed down and adhered to the outside surfaces of the inner side wall panel portion 20a and the inner front wall panel 16, producing a closed carton as shown in Figure 3. However, as can be seen from Figure 2, the inner side wall panel portions 20b project above the level of the inner front wall panel 16 and the back wall 14.Thus, when the top is folded down, it bears upon the side wall portions 20b and flexes them mutually inwardly about the fold lines 18, so that in the closed condition the panel portions 20b extend diagonally across the corners between the top and side walls of the carton. This can be clearly shown in Figure 4, from which it will be seen also that the panel portions 20b thereby provide inclined surfaces which bear upon the contents so as to keep them in contact with the bottom 10 of the tray.

As for example illustrated in Figure 4, the contents comprise a number of cream-filled doughnuts 36 extending transversely across the tray, the cream being inserted into slits in the doughnuts and upstanding decoratively therefrom. It is important that the cream should retain its attractive and appetizing appearance, and not become smeared unctiously over the underside of the lid of the carton.

As can be seen from Figure 4, the inclined surfaces 20a bear upon the upper end portions of the doughnut, substantially clear of the cream, the upstanding portions of which are generally confined to a more central region.

The embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 is in many respects similar to that of Figures 1 to 4, and like parts will be given the same reference numerals and will not be described further. In this embodiment however, the fold line 18 is interrupted by C-shaped cuts 40 extending into the panel portions 20b. As can be seen from Figure 6, these cuts provide extension tongues 42 integral with the panel portions 20a which extend the height of the panel portion 20a to be the same as that of the panels 14, 16, and thus support the top 12 when the carton is closed. Also in this embodiment, instead of lines of weakening 34 in both the top 12 and outer front wall panel 28, the latter panel is provided with a transverse tear strip 44; only the outer portion of the panel (remote from the top 12) being adhered to the panel 16.

It will be appreciated that, depending upon the nature of the contents, in some cases an inclined inner surface may be required only in one corner. It will also be appreciated that the expressions top, bottom, front, back and sides of the carton are employed for the sake of convenience, but since the carton can be placed in a number of different attitudes, these terms are not intended to import any restriction in the scope of the invention beyond merely indicating the reiative positions of the various components of the carton.

Claims (9)

1. A carton comprising a bottom, two pairs of opposite side walls and a top, a side wall panel having a height greater than the distance between the top and bottom of the carton so that the top of the carton bears upon the upper edge portion of the side wall panel causing it to flex inwardly from a position spaced downwardly from the top and thereby provide an inclined surface to bear upon the contents of the carton and restrain same against contact with the top.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the sidle wall panel is an inner wall panel upstanding from the bottom and is overlapped by an outer wall panel.

3. A carton according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said side wall panel has internal cuts defining tongues which do not flex with the upper part of the panel but extend upwardly to supportthe top ofthe carton.

4. A carton according to any one of claims 1,2 and 3 wherein said side wall panel is provided with a fold line parallel to the top but spaced downwardly therefrom, about which fold line the side wall panel flexes.

5. A carton according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein a pair of opposite side walls have said flexing panels, whereby the contents are restrained by mutually inwardly flexed portions of the panels on opposite sides of the carton.

6. A carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the carton comprises a tray-like component including the bottom, one pair of opposite side walls, and flexing inner panels of the other pair of opposite side walls, and a lid component comprising the top and outer side wall panels of said other pair of side walls, the top being hinged to one of said one pair of side walls of the bottom.

7. A carton according to claim 6 wherein the lid also includes an outer panel to lie outside the other of said one pair of side walls of the bottom.

8. A carton according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the top of said outer panel thereof is provided with lines of weakening whereby part of the top or said outer panel can be torn away to give access to the interior.

9. A carton substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.