GB2085409A - Carton adapted to receive articles for disposal - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton for use as a waste disposal carton which includes an opening having formations 38 extending over said opening which are such that they allow an article to be introduced into the carton through the opening but which resists or prevents withdrawal of an article from the interior of the carton through said opening. The opening may be circular or regular polygonal and the formations 38 may be triangular. A top panel 31 overlying the formations 38 may have closure flaps 32, 33 which may be folded to an open position for access and an outer panel 21 may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Carton This invention relates to cartons and more particularly concerns cartons for use as waste disposal cartons.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a carton, preferably made from a unitary blank, for use as a waste disposal carton which includes an opening having one or more formations extending over said opening such that an article can be introduced into the carton through the opening but withdrawal of an article from the interior of the carton through said opening is resisted or prevented. Advantageously, the bottom of the carton is recessed with respect to the base thereof and/or is pierceresistant.

Advantageously, the opening is substantially circular or regular polygonal shaped and conveniently the formations are each substantially triangular. The formation are displaceable into and out of the carton relative to the plane of the opening, and conveniently the formations are more readily displaced inwardly with regard to the assembled carton.

This may be achieved by providing score lines on the inner surface of the assembled carton at the periphery of the opening.

In a preferred embodiment, a first of these foldable panels is such that, in the assembled state, it extends across the bottom of the carton and also forms two upstanding reinforcing internal walls which do not extend to the whole height of the carton and at the same time forms a reinforcing member which extends the space, on one side of the carton between the recessed bottom thereof and the corresponding end thereof. A second of these foldable panels, in the assembled carton lies over the aforementioned first foldable panel and, it too also forms a reinforcing member which extends the space, on one side of the carton between the recessed bottom thereof and the corresponding end thereof.

Finally, it is desirable to provide two further, smaller foldable panels which, in the assembled carton form reinforcing members on the two remaining sides of the carton between the recessed bottom thereof and the corresponding end thereof.

It is preferred to provide the opening in the top of the carton.

The bottom of the carton may be made pierce-resistant by providing a tray or sheet of foam to fit into the bottom of the carton and/or by reinforcing the bottom.

A reinforcing member is conveniently formed by a panel of the blank foldable underneath the bottom panel.

Alternatively, or in addition, a tray, for example of plastics material may be provided in the assembled carton with the additional advantage that leakage of liquids can be avoided. Similar advantages can be achieved by providing a sheet of foam, such as plastics foam, in the bottom of the carton. Advantageously the top of the carton is recessed in a similar manner to the bottom.

The cartons may be provided with handle means.

Conveniently, the cartons of the present invention are made of corrugated cardboard.

The present invention will be further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:~ Figure 1 is a plan view of a unitary cut and scored blank for making a carton according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the top of the carton made from the blank of Fig. 1 in a partially disassembled state; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of the carton made from the blank of Fig. 1 in a partially disassembled state.

Referring to Fig. 1, the cut and scored blank generally designated 1 has a central portion divided by scoring into four substantially equally sized foldable side wall forming panels 2, 3, 4 and 5. The side wall forming panel 5 carries a foldable tab 6, and the foldable side wall forming panels 2 and 4 respectively carry at one of their ends foldable reinforcing panels 7 and 8 which are formed by score lines. The foldable side wall panel 3 has a handle opening 9 and carries at one end a foldable panel which is subdivided by score lines into a foldable reinforcing panel 10, a foldable bottom forming panel 11 and two foldable internal side wall reinforcing panels 12 and 13. The foldable side wall forming panel 5 also has a handle opening 14 and, additionally, two slots 15 and 16.At one of its ends said panel 5 carries a foldable panel which is divided by score lines into a foldable reinforcing panel 17 and a foldable bottom forming panel 18. At its other end, the panel 2 carries a foldable panel which is subdivided by score lines into a foldable reinforcing panel 19, a foldable hinge panel 20, a foldable top forming panel 21 and a second foldable reinforcing panel 22.

The second foldable reinforcing panel 22 itself has a foldably hinged closure flap 23 having a finger hole 24. At its other end, the panel 3 carries a foldable panel with two slots 24, 25 which panel is subdivided by score lines into a foldable reinforcing panel 26 and a reinforcing foldable top forming panel 27 having an opening 28. The panel 27 carries two tabs 15' and 16' and the panel 26 has a handle opening 29. At its other end, the panel 4 carries a foldable panel subdivided by score lines into a foldable reinforcing panel 30 and a foldable top forming panel 31. The panel 31 has two foldably hinged closure flaps 32 and 33. Finally, at its other end, the panel 5 carries a foldable panel which is subdivided by score lines into a foldable reinforcing panel 34 and a foldable top forming panel 35.The panel 34 has a handle opening 36 whilst the panel 35 has an opening 37 having foldable triangular formations 38 (only one of which has been numbered for clarity), and two tabs 24' and 25'.

To assemble the carton, the blank 1 is firstly folded so that the edge 36 of the panel 5 meets the edge 37 of the panel 2, and the tab 6 is joined to the panel 2 (in such manner that the tab is on the inside of the assembled carton) by means of adhesive or more preferably by sewing with a metal band.

This step produces an elongate "tube" of square cross-section, the panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 forming the sides thereof, with the various other panels still loose. The top and bottom (in use) of the carton may then be assembled, the order in which top or bottom formation occurs being not particularly relevant although it is generally easier to assemble the bottom first. For convenience, referring to the top first, the panel 27 is folded down in such manner that the tabs 15' and 1 6' thereof engage the slots 15 and 16 respectively in the panel 5 so that the panel 27 extends across the end of the "tube" by this folding operation the handle openings 9 and 29 are aligned and the reinforcing panel 26 lies against the inside of the wall 3. The position shown in Fig. 2 is thus achieved.

The panel 35 is then folded over so that the tabs 24' and 25' thereof engage the slots 24 and 25 respectively in panel 26 and the panel 35 rests on the panel 27. This folding also brings the handle openings 14 and 36 into alignment and the reinforcing panel 34 to rest against the inside of wall 5. Thereafter, the panel 31 is folded down so that it lies over panel 35 and is force fitted in the top of the carton. This folding of panel 35 also results in reinforcing panel 30 resting aginst the inside of wall 4. Finally, panel 21 is folded down so that it rests on panel 31. This also causes hinging panel 20 to rest on panel 31, reinforcing panel 19 to rest on the inside of wall 2, and the reinforcing panel 22 to rest against the inside of wall 4.

To form the bottom of the carton shown in the drawings subsequent to the above sequence of folding operations, the panels 12 and 13 are lightly folded back on panel 11, and these three panels are folding inwardly into the aforementioned "tube" in such manner that the plane of the panel 11 is substantially at right angles to the longitudingal axis of the "tube" which at the same time thereas folds the panel 10 so that it is in contact with the inside of wall 2. Simultaneously, the panels 12 and 13 fold outwardly so that they are in contact with the insides of walls 4 and 2 respectively. The position of the bottom shown in Fig. 3 is thus achieved.

Thereafter panel 18 is folded down so that it lies on panel 11 and is force fitted in place.

This folding of panel 18 also results in reinforcing panel 17 resting against the inside of wall 5. Finally, reinforcing panels 7 and 8 are folded in so that their respective edges 7a and 7b rest on the panel 18 thereby holding the bottom assembly in place, and so that the panels themselves rest respectively on the inside of walls 2 and 4. Having thus assembled the carton it is ready for use.

The cartons of the present invention find particular application in the disposal of used objects from which there is a risk of infection such as application in the disposal of used syringes. The opening is such that objects may be easily inserted in the carton but they cannot easily be removed or ejected therefrom, for example, if the carton falls or even is turned upside down. The provision of a recessed and/or pierce resisting bottom prevents sharp objects, such as syringe needles, projecting beyond the base of the carton as the projecting portion is accommodated in the recess or the pierce resisting property reduces the tendency for such objects to pierce the bottom contact therewith is possible.

A further advantage of the cartons of the present invention when made of cardboard is that when objects such as syringes are placed therein for disposal, the used carton may simply be incinerated. Thus for example syringes from the moment they are used until they are incinerated need not come into physical contact with a disposal operative.

To place an object into an assembled carton illustrated in the drawings the panel 21 is lifted by means of the finger hole 23. The panel 21 hinges on panel 20 which itself remains resting on panel 31 whereby the flaps 32 and 33 are exposed. These flaps 32 and 33 are opened to expose the opening 37 and the inwardly biassed formations 38 (the formations 38 being inwardly biassed by means of score lines on the underside of panel 35), and the object may then be placed in the carton through the opening 38.

The embodiment described above includes a recessed bottom and is pierce resistant by the provision of a reinforcing panel 17 as well as bottom-forming panel 18. Alternatively, or in addition, the bottom can be rendered pierce-resistant by the provision of an insert such as a tray or sheet of foam. The tray or sheet of foam also have the advantage that they will retain liquid and thereby prevent the liquid from leaking through the openings in the folded carton. A tray having a depth of about 2 inches has been found convenient.

In an alternative arrangement according to the invention the flaps 32 and 33 may be omitted from top panel 31 and the top panel 31 hinged upwardly to expose the opening 37. In a further alternative the top panel 31 may be omitted but it is considered preferable to include a top panel for added safety.

The blanks for assembly into cartons may be made from cardboard, preferably a cardboard which includes at least one corrugated layer. A sandwich construction of a corrugated layer between two planar sheets is particularly suitable.

When it is desired to restrict the transmission of liquids through the walls of the container the cardboard can be waxed or plastics coated at least on its outer face.

Whilst the absorbency of the cardboard can be selected to suit the particular application envisaged it is often desirable for at least the inner layers of the cardboard to have a degree of liquid absorbency.

Claims (15)

1. A carton for use as a waste disposal carton which includes an opening having one or more formations extending over said opening such that an article can be introduced into the carton through the opening but withdrawal of an article from the interior of the carton through said opening is resisted or prevented.

2. A carton according to Claim 1, in which the bottom of the carton is recessed with respect to the base thereof.

3. A carton according to Claims 1 or 2 in which the bottom of the carton is pierceresistant.

4. A carton according to Claim 3 in which the bottom is reinforced.

5. A carton according to Claims 3 or 4 in which a tray is provided to rest on the bottom of the carton.

6. A carton according to any of Claims 3 to 5 in which a sheet of foam is provided to rest on the bottom of the carton.

7. A carton according to any of Claims 1 to 6 in which the opening is substantially circular or polygonal.

8. A carton according to Claim 7 in which the formations are each substantially triangular.

9. A carton according to any Claims 1 to 8 in which the formations are such that they are more readily displaced inwardly than outwardly of the assembled carton.

10. A carton according to any of Claims 1 to 9 in which the opening is provided in a top wall of the carton.

11. A carton according to any of Claims 1 to 10 which is made from cardboard.

12. A carton according to Claim 11 in which the cardboard comprises at least one corrugated layer.

13. A carton substantillly as herein described, with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. A unit blank for assembly into a carton as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 13.

15. A blank substantially as hereindescribed, with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.