GB2162818A

GB2162818A - Variable sized carton

Info

Publication number: GB2162818A
Application number: GB08420125A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chuan Shiang Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-08-08
Filing date: 1984-08-08
Publication date: 1986-02-12
Also published as: GB8420125D0

Abstract

A size reducible carton is formed from a single blank of double faced corrugated paper board or the like and comprises a bottom closure made up of two inner flaps 1 and two outer flaps 2, wall-forming portions 7, 8 connected to said flaps and plurality of equi-spaced score lines a - g. Slots may be formed along corner crease lines 6 of the erected carton to a predetermined depth defined by said score lines a - g to form flaps for the top closure of the carton structure at a chosen level. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Carton structure This invention relates to carton structures and in particular relates to a slotted type carton which, by reason of its novel features of construction, permits reduction of its size corresponding to the contents to be packaged.

The carton to which the present invention relates are generally formed from a sheet of relatively stiff, sheet-like material such as corrugated board.

solid fiberboard or cardboard. The corrugated board, of course, is formed of two facing or liner sheets having adhesively secured therebetween a convoluted corrugating medium. Solid fiberboard is in some applications interchangeable with corrugated board. The invention will be described in connection with a double faced corrugated board construction, although it should be appreciated that-a variety of relatively stiff, sheet-like candidate material may be used.

As is well known, cartons available in market are formed in a specific size and the size of which is not changeable. There have been requirement for a carton which can be reduced to an appropriate size corresponding to the objects to be packaged for shipment of a small amount of article, such as sample product, books and the like.

Primary object of the present invention is to generally provide a novel A-type carton having plural ity of parallel spaced score lines on the inner wall of a carton, which permit user to fold along predetermined score lines by means of cutting or slitting the carton along the crease lines to such an extent where said predetermined score line locate to thereby decrease the height of the carton and con sequently reduce the volume thereof to a most ap propriate size for packaging purpose.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a basic A-type carton which can be changed or reformed into other types of carton, such a A-l type, A-2 type and C. type the like.

The above and other objects, features and and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and appended claims, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference characters or numerals refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

According to the present invention there is pro vided a size reducible carton structure formed from 'a single blank sheet material, comprising a bot tom closure including at least one flap, a body por tion connected to the flap or flaps and a plurality of spaced score lines formed on the body portion whereby, in use, a slot may be formed from the apex of each corner of the body portion along to a predetermined position defined by any said score line to form flaps constituting a top closure of the carton structure.

Conveniently, the score lines are substantially parallel to at least one of the top and bottom clo sures and extend about the inner wall of the body portion.

The invention also includes a size reducible carton structure formed from a single blank of double faced corrugated paper board and the like, comprising a bottom closure made up of two inner flaps and two outer flaps, a rectangle body portion connected to said flaps and plurality of equispaced score lines formed on the inner wall of said body portion and when in use a slot may be formed from the apex of each corner of the body portion along the crease line to a predetermined depth defined by said score lines to form flaps for the top closure of the carton structure.

The carton according to this invention may be of any cross-structural shape, e.g., square, rectangular, polygonal, triangular or cylindrical, although specific reference will be made to a rectangular carton.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the novel basic carton structure is produced; Figure 2 is a perspective biew of a basic structure of the instant invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2;; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2, showing the inner structure thereof in a comprehensive state; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sixth embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the seventh embodiment of the carton formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2 and the plan view of the blanks from which the said carton (i.e., C-type carton) is produced.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, it is believed that an understanding of the construction is more easily obtained by first having reference to the blank from which the instant carton is formed.

The blank which is shown in Fig. 1 being in plan view is preferably of a double faced corrugated board. It is seen that the blank is composed principally of foldably connected end panels 7 and side panels 8 separated respectively by principal intersection crease lines 6. A joint flap 4 is fold ably connected to a terminal panel. The bottom closure flaps 1 and 2 are respectively separated by slots 3.

Each of the bottom closure flaps 1 and 2 are provided with in-line foldline or score line 5. From the apex of the blank, there are provided with plurality of predetermined spaced score lines a. b. c... ex tending parallel to the aforesaid- score line 5. These score lines a,b,c.... constitute the key features of the present carton structure and will be served as fold lines when reduction of the size of the carton is required.

Fig. 2 is the basic carton structure erected from the blank shown in Fig. 1 and shown ready for reception of the article to be packaged therein.

The carton shown in Fig. 3 is formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2. To complete the carton of this type, slots are formed from the apex of each crease line 6, by means of a knife or the like, along said each crease line 6 to a depth defined by horizontally disposed score line b and thereby form the top closure flaps 7A and 8A respectively.

The space defined by each score line a.b.c.... in this case is designed to be one fourth of the width of the end panel 7, thus when the flaps 7A and 8A have been folded in closed position, the lateral free edges of the outer flaps 8A and 8A will be positioned in abutting or mating contact and an A-l type carton will thus be formed.

When the size of the carton is required to be further reduced, slots are formed by the same manner as indicated above to a depth defined by score line d. In this case, the flaps 8A, 8A spearated by slots have a longitudinal edge of a length identical to the width of the end panel 7, thus when place the flaps in a closed position, the two outer flaps 8A, 8A will be fully superpositioned. However, the structure as shown in Fig. 4 will be completed, when the outer flaps 8A, 8A are folded inwardly along the score line b. Since in this case, the lateral free edges of the outer flaps 8A and 8A will be disposed in abutting contact,-and consequently, another A-l type carton will be formed.

Fig. 5 depicts a carton having its outer flaps 8A and 8A partially superpositioned when the flaps have been folded in a closed position. This'embodiment is completed by forming slots to a depth defined by score line c.

A further embodiment as shown in Fig. 6 can also be formed from the structure shown in Fig. 2 by forming slots to a depth such as defined by score line e or further to a depth defined by score lines f or g. The carton shown in Fig. 6 represents one on which the slots are formed to a depth defined by score line e. In this case, when a carton having a structure identical to the one shown in Fig. 4 is required, the extra flap portion located above the score line a may be cut off.Further, in addition to the above, when each of the inner flaps 7A, 7A have been designed or cut off to have lon- gitudinal edge of a length equal to one-half of the lateral length of the side panel 8, the lateral free edges of the inner flaps 7A, 7A will then be disposed in abutting contact and thus a center special slotted carton, namely A-3 type carton will be formed.

Fig. 7 depicts a modified embodiment derived from the structure shown in Fig. 2. This carton is completed by forming slots from the apex of each crease line 6 to a depth defined by score line, for example, line e to form flaps and thereafter forming a slot in the same manner as indicated above, from the apex of the center of each segment 7 and 7 to a depth defined by score line e. The flaps so formed are first folded inwardly along the common score line e and then foled each flap along the mating contact line, which for example may correspond to a score line d and/or other score line, to allow the opposed extra portions to assume a perpendicular position in a superpositioned manner and thereby, in combination, form a cross partition 9. In this case, the bottom closure serves as a top closure as can be seen from Fig. 7.

Further, the end flaps of the above structure may be rolled up inwardly to form a pair of opposed pillow 10 positioned under the structure. The carton thus formed is good for storage of articles such as electric fan and the like in a high humidity area.

Fig. 9 depicts a further embodiment of a carton, namely C-type carton, formed from two sheets of the blank as shown. In this embodiment two structure 9A and 9B are nested together to form a single carton container. The height of the carton may be adjusted by cutting off extra portion along the score line.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the carton in accordance with this invention can have varying sizes as desired, so that it is convenient for shipping articles of different size, furthermore, the carton can be produced on standard carton making equipment from standard paperboard. Additionally, the carton may be formed into a desired size and type by simple procedure ready for filling.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent that various changes, omissions and additions may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A size reducible carton structure formed from a single blank of sheet material, comprising a bottom closure including at least one flap, a body portion connected to the flap or flaps and a plurality of spaced score lines formed on the body portion whereby, in use, a slot may be formed from the apex of each corner of the body portion along to a predetermined position defined by any said score line to form flaps constituting a top closure of the carton structure.

2. A carton structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the score lines are substantially parallel to at- least one of the top and bottom closures and extend about the inner wall of the body portion.

3. A carton structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body portion is made up of two side panels and two end panels.

4. A size reducible carton structure formed from a single blank of double faced corrugated paper board and the like, comprising a bottom closure made up of two inner flaps and two outer flaps, a rectangle body portion connected to said flaps and plurality of equi-spaced score lines formed on the inner wall of said body portion and when in use a slot may be formed from the apex of each corner of the body portion along the crease line to a predetermined depth defined by said score lines to form flaps for the top closure of the carton structure.

5. A carton structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the score lines are horizontally extended about the inner wall of the body portion.

6. A carton structure as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the body portion is made up of two side panels and two end panels.

7. A carton structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the space defined by the score lines is equal to one fourth of the width of the end panel.

8. A size reducible carton structure substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A single blank of paperboard for a size reducible carton structure, comprising a plurality of side by side panels separated by parallel "crease" intersection line (6); a joint flap (4) foldably connected to one of said panels; bottom closure flaps (1,2) respectively separated by slots (3) and connected to said panels through a score line (5); and a plurality of predetermined spaced score lines (a.b.c..) provided from the apex of said panel parallel to said score line (5).

10. A single blank of paperboard for a size reducible carton substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.