GB2131771A - Partitioned carton - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton has a transverse divider 28 extending between walls 10, 12 and two panels 22, 24 which are folded so that the panels and divider are transverse to each other. The divider and panels are formed with slits 28a, 28b and 15b, 16b respectively which enable the divider and panels to intercalate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A carton This invention relates to a carton and is particularly but not exclusively concerned with a carton for holding a number of bottles side by side.

Various types of packaging have been proposed hitherto for bottles. One particular type includes a basic box or case in which there is an inner fitment comprising a number of independent card dividers arranged in cross-halving joint fashion to define a grid-like array of compartments. Such cartons are useful in that the bottles in the compartments are prevented from touching each other but assembly of the carton is labour intensive. For example, the dividers have to be placed by hand in the box and, therefore, it is not possible with such a carton to achieve high speed assembly which is possible only with machinery. An object of the present invention is to provide a carton which is easier to assemble than the type described above.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a carton having a transverse divider extending between walls thereof and a panel which is folded so that said panel and divider are transverse to each other and one lies within a slit in the other to form a plurality of compartments for receiving articles.

Preferably the divider and the panel are each formed with a slit so that the slit in the panel receives the divider and the slit in the divider receives the panel.

A further panel may be provided for cooperation with the divider, the further panel being parallel with the first said panel to define article receiving compartments therebetween. The further panel may be formed with a slit so that the slit in the panel receives the divider and a further slit in the divider receives the panel.

The compartments may be divided by means of an auxiliary divider which preferably locates in slits in the said panels. The divider is preferably of inverted channel shape having walls formed with locations which locate on said panels with the base of the auxiliary divider.

We prefer to make the divider integral with a flap adhered to a wall of the carton so that it extends from said wall parallel with further walls to an opposite wall of the carton.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a carton blank comprising a plurality of wall panels arranged side by side and connected to each other by parallel fold lines so as to form walls of a carton, one of said wall panels being connected by a further fold line parallel with the first said fold lines to a divider and another of said wall panels being connected by a further fold line transverse to the first said fold lines to a further panel, said divider and further panel being so disposed that in the erected carton the divider extends between two opposite walls of the carton and the further panel lies transverse to the divider so as to form a plurality of compartments for receiving articles, one of said divider and further panel being formed with a slit which receives the i other.

A carton in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 illustrates part of a blank for forming the carton, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled blank shown partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the assembled blank in Fig. 2 generally on the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 2 and showing an auxiliary divider in position, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the auxiliary divider, and Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of the compartments defined in the carton with the auxiliary divider in position.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a blank of cardboard or other suitable material comprises side panels 10, 12 connected through fold lines 1,2 and 3 to end panels 13,14. The panels 10, are connected through fold lines 5, 6 to flaps 1 5, 1 6 respectively each formed with three slits (which term includes slots or recesses) 15a,15b,15c and 16a, 16b, 16c. The flaps 1 5 and 1 6 are divided by means of fold lines 18 and 19 into panels 20, 22 and 23, 24 respectively. The end panels 1 3, 1 4 carry plain flaps 25, 26 respectively. Panel 14 is connected through fold line 7 to a securing panel 27 which is itself connected through a fold line 8 to a divider panel 28.The panel 28 carries a securing flap 29.

The panel 10 carries a lid member 31 of known kind and the panel 12 is cut-away at 30 and is formed with a tear-off strip 32 which co-operates with the lid.

The blank is assembled into the form shown in Fig. 2 by folding the panels 10, 13, 12, 14, 27 and 28 about lines 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, gluing the securing panel 27 to the inside surface of panel 10 and securing flap 29 to the inside surface of panel 12 so that the divider panel 28 is parallel with end panels 13, 14. The assembly can then be folded flat about lines 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 and stored for subsequent erection and final assembly by machine. The next stage in assembly comprises folding the flap 1 5 upwardly inside the semi assembled blank about lines 5, 1 8 so that the panel 22 and divider panel 28 intercalate by virtue of slits 1 5b and 28a.Similarly, flap 1 6 is folded inwardly and upwardly about lines 6, 19 so that the panel 24 and the divider panel 28 intercalate by virtue of slits 1 6b and 28b. The panels 20, 23 of flaps 1 5, 1 6 then lie at right angles to the side panels 10,12. The flaps 25 and 26 are then folded to lie beneath panels 20, 23 and are glued in position to form a strong underside for the carton. As shown in Fig. 2, the carton formed from the blank then defines six compartments A-F for articles such as bottles.The compartments may be divided by introducing an auxiliary divider 33 (Fig. 4). The latter is of inverted channel shape with walls 34, 35 spaced for location in slits 1 Sa, 1 Sc and 16a, 16c. The walls 34 and 35 have inverted V-shaped recesses 36, 37 and 36a respectively or other suitable locations spaced by the distance between panels 22, 24. The divider is placed in position by locating the recesses 36, 37 and 36a, 37a at the bottom of slits 1 Sa, 1 6a and 1 5c, 16e respectively with the top of the auxiliary divider 33 bridging the divider panel 28. The auxiliary divider 33 is placed in position after twelve articles 40, e.g. bottles, ahve been inserted in the carton (Fig.

5). The lid 31 is then folded down and glued to strip 32 in known manner.

The assembly of the one-piece blank, insertion of articles, location of the auxiliary divider and fastening of the lid can be effected by machinery thereby enabling high speed packaging to be achieved.

Claims (18)

1. A carton having a transverse divider extending between walls thereof and a panel which is folded so that said panel and divider are transverse to each other and one lies within a slit in the other to form a plurality of compartments for receiving articles.

2. A carton according to claim 1 in which the divider and the panel are each formed with a slit so that the slit in the panel receives the divider and the slit in the divider receives the panel.

3. A carton according to claim 1 or 2 in which a further panel is provided for co-operation with the divider, the further panel being parallel with the first said panel to define article receiving compartments therebetween.

4. A carton according to claim 3 when appendant to claim 2 in which the further panel is formed with a slit so that the slit in the panel receives the divider and a further slit in the divider receives the panel.

5. A carton according to any preceding claim in which an auxiliary divider member is provided for location in the carton so as to divide said article receiving compartments.

6. A carton according to claim 5 when appendant to claim 3 or 4 in which the auxiliary divider locates in slits in said panels.

7. A carton according to claim 5 or 6 in which the auxiliary divider is of inverted channel shape having walls formed with locations which locate on said panels with the base of the auxiliary divider bridging said divider.

8. A carton according to any preceding claim in which the divider is integral with a flap adhered to a wall of the carton and extends from said wall parallel with further walls to an opposite wall.

9. A carton according to claim 8 in which said flap extends from an edge of a said further wall.

10. A carton according to claim 1 in which said panel is integral with a wall of the carton.

11. A carton according to claim 2 in which said further panel is integral with a wall of the carton.

1 2. A carton according to any preceding claim in which a flap is provided which is folded so as to lie beneath the compartments.

1 3. A carton blank comprising a plurality of wall panels arranged side by side and connected to each other by parallel fold lines so as to form walls of a carton, one of said wall panels being connected by a further fold line parallel with the first said fold lines to a divider and another of said wall panels being connected by a further fold line transverse to the first said fold lines to a further panel, said divider and further panel being so disposed that in the erected carton the divider extends between two opposite walls of the carton and the further panel lies transverse to the divider so as to form a plurality of compartments for receiving articles, one of said divider and further panel being formed with a slit which receives the other.

14. A carton according to claim 13 in which four wall panels are provided alternate ones of which form opposite walls of the carton, one alternate pair of wall panels carrying respective said further panels for co-operation with said divider.

15. A carton according to claim 14 in which the other alternate pair of wall panels are provided with flaps for folding beneath the compartments.

16. A carton according to any of claims 13 to 15 in which the blank includes a member which forms a lid for the carton.

1 7. A carton constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A carton blank constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.