GB2159498A - Partitioned cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton has a divider 23 which comprises two panels 44,45 connected by a fold line 46 and capable of snapping in an overcentre manner from positions adjacent respective walls 14,10 of the carton to positions (broken lines in Fig. 3) substantially perpendicular to said walls 14,10. The panels 44,45 may be divided into subpanels by fold lines to allow the configuration of the divider to be varied. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A carton The invention relates to a carton to be erected from a flat folded condition and is particularly but not exclusively concerned with a carton to be erected manually.

According to the invention there is provided a carton to be erected from a flat folded condition, said carton including a divider which on initial erection of the carton lies alongside a pair of adjacent walls of the carton and which is thereafter movable with an overcentre or snap action away from the adjacent walls so as to divide the interior of the carton into compartments.

The overcentre or snap action (hereafter called a "snap action") provides a particularly positive form of location for the divider and provides a division in the carton quickly and easily.

Preferably the divider lies flat against the two adjacent walls prior to the snap action movement.

Such an arrangement conveniently gives the user the option of using the carton with the divider in its inoperative position against said adjacent walls or with the divider in its carton dividing position.

This obviously enhances the versatility of the carton.

The divider may comprise an extension of one of said adjacent walls of the carton and may have a free edge adhered to the other of said adjacent walls.

The divider preferably comprises two main panels interconnected by a fold line and the main panels hinge relative to each other about said fold line as a result of the snap action movement.

When the divider lies along said adjacent walls, said fold line preferably lies along or adjacent a juncture between said adjacent walls.

The said main panels may each be divided into sub-panels by further fold lines which are preferably parallel with the first said fold line. The further fold lines enable the sub-panels to hinge relative to each other during the snap action movement.

The carton preferably has a base comprising cooperable flaps which may interlock during erection of the carton. One of the panels of the divider is preferably shaped so that an edge thereof is of substantially complementary shape to the edge of a base flap to enable the two edges to clear each other in the flat folded condition of the carton.

The divider preferably includes a lower edge which overlies closely or engages the interlocked base flaps when in the dividing condition to inhibit movement of the base flaps towards the interior of the carton.

The carton is preferably rectangular and has side and end walls.

Preferably in the dividing condition, one said main panel of the divider lies across the carton to effect division of the interior and the other main panel lies alongside a further wall of the carton. In such a case, and where the carton is rectangular, the one main panel may initially lie alongside a side wall of the carton with the other main panel alongside an end wall and in the dividing condition the said one main panel may extend between the said side wall and an opposite side wall of the carton and the other main panel may lie alongside said opposite side wall.

The invention also includes a blank for constructing a carton as set out in any of the ten immediately preceding paragraphs.

A carton in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view of a blank for use in constructing a carton in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the folded blank in a semi-flat condition with the base flaps omitted, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the erected carton shown partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the erected carton, with the divider in a position corresponding to that of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a partial plan view of the erected carton, with the divider in the position immediately after erection of the carton.

Figure 6 is a partial plan view of the erected carton, with the divider in an alternative position.

Figure 7 is a partial plan view of the erected carton, with the divider in a further position.

Figure 8 is a partial plan view of the erected carton, with the divider in yet a further position.

Figure 9 is a partial plan view of an erected carton, with an alternative divider.

Figure 10 is a partial plan view of an erected carton, with a further alternative divider.

In Fig. 1 the blank comprises front and rear side walls 10, 12 end walls 13, 14 base side flaps 15, 16 base end flaps 17, 18 a lid main flap 19. Lid end flaps 20, 22 an inner end wall 21 and a divider indicated generally at 23.

The side and end walls 10-14, are interconnected through fold lines 24-26, the base side flaps 15, 16, are connected to the side walls 10, 12 through fold lines 27, 28 respectively and the base end flaps 17, 18, are connected to the end walls 13, 14 through fold lines 29, 30 respectively. The lid main flap 19 is connected to side wall 10 through a fold line 32 and the lid end flaps 20, 22, are connected to the end walls 13, 14 through fold lines 33, 34 respectively. The inner end wall 21 is connected to side wall 10 through a fold line 42.

Each base side flap 15, 16 has an ear 35 hingeable about an oblique fold line 37. Each ear 35 is adhered to its adjacent base end flap 17, 18 beneath hatched areas 31 when the blank is assembled. The left hand margin 38 of the end wall 14 is adhered behind a hatched area 39 on the inner end wall 21 to form an outer end wall.

The divider 23 effectively forms an extension of the inner end wall 21 and is connected thereto by a fold line 43. The divider 23 comprises a first main panel 44 and a second main panel 45 which are interconnected by a fold line 46. The main panel 44 is divided into two sub-panels 47, 48 interconnected by a fold line 49 and the panel 45 is divided into two sub-panels 50 52 interconnected by a fold line 53. The sub-panels are of equal width. It will be noted that the inner end wall 21 and the main panel 44 have a cut out 54 therein formed so that the inner end wall 21 and main panel 44 are substantially mirror images of each other about fold line 43. A base flap clearance scallop 55 is formed centrally in the main flap 45.The sub-panel 52, is connected to a flap 56 through a fold line 58, the flap is adhered when the blank is assembled, to the inside of side wall 10 over a hatched area 57 with fold line 58 positioned where indicated at the mid point of the side wall. It will be noted that the dimension marked x between fold lines are equal and are also substantially equal to (in practice slightly smaller than) dimension xl.

With reference next to Fig. 2, the blank is assembled so that it can be folded flat about fold lines 24, 25, 26, 42, 43, 46 and 58. In that condition, the base flaps 15 to 18 are folded inwardly so as to lie between the walls of the carton, the cut out 54 clearing the adjacent edge of base end flap 18 which is folded against the inside of outer wall 14.

When the folded carton is erected into the Fig. 3 condition, the base flaps 15 to 18 automatically fold downwardly by virtue of the interconnection between flaps 15, 17 and flaps 16, 18 and undercuts 60 on the base side flaps 15, 16 interengage to lock the base flaps in position. During such erection of the carton, the divider 23 remains in the full line position of Fig.3 simply hinging about fold lines 43, 46 and 58 so that the main panels 44 and 45 lie alongside the inner end wall 21 and side wall 10 respectively.

To move the divider 23 into the Fig. 3 broken line position, an operator inserts a finger behind main panel 45 and hinges it about fold line 58 through a right angle towards the broken line position. The two main panels together have a total width of 2 x which is obviously greater than the length Z of a notional line, L extending between the fold lines 58 and 43 in the erected carton.

Therefore, on hinging the main panel 45 as described, the sub-panels 47, 48, 50 and 52 also hinge thereby allowing the divider to concertina as indicated in chain dotted lines and move overcentre past line L producing a form of snap action which is particularly effective in retaining the divider in its broken line position. In the latter position, the main panel 45 extends between side walls 10, 12 and main panel 44 lies alongside the wall 12. The divider thereby creates two compartments 62, 63 in the carton. The scallop 55 ensures that the lower edge of the main panel 45 will clear the interengaging areas of the base side flaps formed with the undercuts 60. Also the lower edge of the main panel 45 engages or lies closely adjacent the base and prevents the base flaps from being pushed upwardly thereby enhancing the lock-down of the base flaps.

The lid flaps 19, 20, 22 can be folded down in the usual way.

Instead of inserting a finger behind main panel 45 to move the divider the operator can manipulate panel main 44 or insert two fingers of one hand behind both main panels respectively.

Whilst the carton is primarily intended for erection by hand, it could be erected by machine.

Figs. 4 to 8 show the divider in various configurations. Thus Fig. 4 corresponds to the Fig. 3 showing, with the divider in the broken-line position of Fig. 3 dividing the carton interior into two equal-sized compartments. Fig. 5 shows the main panels in the initial position immediately following erection, with the main panels lying alongside side wall 10 and end wall 14. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 show an unequal division of the carton about fold lines 49 and 53 in both cases. Fig. 8 shows a corner division,about fold lines 49/46/53.

In the embodiments of Fig. 4-8, the inner end wall 21 lies alongside end wall 14, giving a double thickness; as stated above end wall 14 is adhered behind a hatched area 39 on the inner end wall 21.

To avoid this double thickness, in the embodiment of Fig. 9, the divider is adhered to an inner section of rear side wall 12; whilst in the embodiment of Fig. 10, the divider is adhered to an inner section of end wall 14.

Claims (27)

1. A carton adapted to be erected from a flat folded condition which includes a divider which in initial erection of the carton lies alongside a pair of adjacent walls of the carton and which is thereafter with an overcentre or snap action positioned away from the adjacent walls so as to divide the interior of the carton into compartments.

2. A carton as claimed in claim 1, in which the divider on initial erection of the carton lies flat against the said two adjacent walls.

3. A carton as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the divider is an extension of one of said adjacent walls.

4. A carton as claimed in claim 3 in which the divider has a free edge adhered to the other of said adjacent walls.

5. A carton as claimed in any previous claim in which the divider comprises two main panels interconnected by a fold line, the main panels being hingable relative one to the other about said fold, line as a result of said snap action.

6. A carton as claimed in claim 5 in which upon initial erection of the carton the fold line lies adjacent the juncture between said adjacent walls.

7. A carton as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 in which each of the main panels is divided into subpanels by further fold lines.

8. A carton as claimed in claim 7 in which the further fold lines are parallel with the said fold line interconnecting the two main panels, whereby the sub- panels can hinge relative to each other during the snap action movement.

9. A carton as claim in any previous claim which includes a base having co-operable flaps which interlock during erection of the carton.

10. A carton as claimed in claim 9 in which one of the panels of the divider is shaped so that an edge thereof is of sbubstantially complementary shape to the edge of a base flap to enable these edges to clear each other in the flat folded condition of the carton.

11. A carton as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 in which the divider has a lower edge which subsequent to the said snap action overlies the interlocked flaps to inhibit movement of the base flaps towards the interior of the carton.

12. A carton as claimed in any preceding claim which has side and end walls, and when erected is rectangular in plan view.

13. A carton as claimed in any of claims 5 to 12 in which one main panel lies across the carton to effect the division of the carton.

14. A carton having side and end walls, and a divider secured at its ends respectively to a side and an end wall, the divider comprising two main panels, the panels being of the same length, said length being not greater than the length of the shorter of said walls.

15. A blank for constructing a carton as claimed in any preceding claim.

16. A carton constructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1-8 or Fig 9 or Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A blank for a carton comprising a front side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall, the front side wall being joined to the first end wall and the second end wall and the rear side wall being joined to the first end wall and to a carton divider, the divider comprising a first main panel and a second main panel, the first main panel having an area adjacent to first end wall providing engagement surface for the second end wall, the front side wall having an area spaced from both the first end wall and the second end wall providing an engagement surface for a part of the second main panel remote from the first main panel, whereby the blank can be erected to form the carton with said engagement surfaces securing the respective panels and walls.

18. A blank as claimed in claim 17 having adhesive applied to said engagement surfaces prior to erection into a carton.

19. A blank as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18 in which side flaps and end flaps project transversely from corresponding edges of the side walls and end walls, the side flaps and end flaps being sized and shaped to form a closed carton base upon carton erection.

20. A blank as claimed in claim 19 in which each side flap has an ear hingable about an oblique fold line, and each end flap has a flap engagement area.

21. A blank as claimed in claim 20 having adhesive applied to each said flap engagement area prior to carton erection and closure of the carton base.

22. A blank as claimed in any of claims 17 to 21 in which the rear side wall has a lid main flap extending from the edge thereof opposed to the edge having a base side flap.

23. A blank as claimed in any of claims 17 to 22 in which each end wall has an end flap joined to the edge opposed to the edge having the base end flap.

24. A blank as claimed in any of claims 17 to 23 in which the first and second main panels of the divider are each divided into two equal-width subpanels.

25. A blank as claimed in any preceding claim in which the side walls, end walls, divider and panels are separated by fold lines.

26. A blank constructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1-8 or Fig.

9 or Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A carton made from a blank as claimed in any of claims 17 to 26.