GB2184711A - Carton and blanks therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton is erected from three blanks, a U-shaped blank providing a base 2, side walls 3 and 4 and outer top panels 5, 6, and two further blanks providing inner top panels 11, 12 and the remaining side walls 9 and 10, to exhibit an octagonal cross-section between base and top. Panels (3a, 3b, 4b) bridging between the adjacent side walls are of double thickness material with one thickness taken from one blank and one from the other. In use a flexible liquid-filled bag is located in the carton and is secured in place via the aperture 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved carton and blankstherefor This invention relates to an improved carton constructed from three blanks designed to be erected from a plurality of blanks on an automatic case- or carton-erecting machine. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a carton designed to contain a valved bag of liquid (e.g. wine, fortified wine, milk, vinegar our commercial chemicals).

A carton according to the invention has very good strength against crushing, by virtue of a unique construction of the corner regions of the carton.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a carton erected from three blanks, a first blank defining a Ushaped component providing a base, two opposite side walls, and a top ofthe carton and two further blanks providing two further side walls, each blank providing its respective side wall or each such side wall with edge flaps on each side thereof, whereby when the blanks are connected together, overlapped edge flaps are located between each pair of side walls, the four side walls extending between the base and top to provide a carton of constant eightsided cross-section, parallel to the base,throughout the height of the carton.

The four bridging panels formed between the side walls of the carton, by virtue of being constructed from the overlapped edge flaps of each adjacent side wall, give greatly enhanced strength to the corner re gions of the carton enabling filled cartons to be stacked base on top, one on the other with eight or more cartons high without risk of the lowermost carton collapsing.

When a valved bag is to be located within the carton the top of the carton can comprise top closure members drawn from each blank,the closure membersofthefurtherblanksforming innerclosureflaps to support the valved bag in the carton and at least one closure member ofthe first blank forming an outer closure flap to close over the innerflaps.

Suitably the bridging panels are waisted, so that the narrowest region of each bridging panel is disposed at least substantially mid-way between the base and top of the carton. This design gives rise to an attractive "barrel-like" appearance to the carton giving it good eye appeal particularly in the case of a "bag-in-box" construction.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a carton is made from three blanks of stiff folded mat serial and having a constant octagonal cross-section in a plane parallel to the base ofthe carton throughoutthe height of the carton, the octagonal crosssection being made up of four side walls with a double-wal. thickness bridging panel disposed between each adjacent pair of side walls, each said bridging panel, being constructed from a pair of overlapped adge flaps one from each of two different container blanks.

A preferred material from which the blanks are made is dou ble-faced corrugated board and the first blank maybe of a differentprade of corrugated board to that selected for the one or more further blanks.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures la, it and 7e showthree blanks from which one embodimentof carton according to the invention can be made, Figure2shows a perspective view of the carton madefromthe blanks of Figures la-l c and laid on one side for use, Figure 3 shows the base ofthe carton of Figure 2, Figures4and 5show adjacent side walls ofthe carton of Figure 2, Figure Gshows the carton of Figure 2 prepared for use, but without a bag in the carton, and Figure 7shows howthe blanks of Figures la, 1 b and iccan be modified to further strengthen corner regions ofthe erected carton.

The blank 1 shown in Figure la comprises a base panel 2, two edge flaps 2a, 2b of the base panel 2, two side wall panels 3,4 each with two edge flaps 3a, 3b; 4a, 4b and two end (or outer top) flaps 5 and 6. The blanks 7,8 shown in Figures 1 band ic each comprise a sidewall panel (9 and 10, respectively) with two edge flaps 9a, 9b;; 1 0a, lOb, and an end (or innertop) flap 11 and 12.The blanks 1,7 and8can bemade from double-faced corrugated board material and if this material is used the flutesforthe three blanks can run in the directions of the arrows shown in Fig ures 1a, 1 band 1c.The blanks7 and 8 can be madeof the same grade of double-faced corrugated board material as the blank 1. However, an even stronger carton can be formed if the blanks 7 and 8 are made of five-web laminated corrugated board (i.e. with two outer liners, two fluted webs and an intermediate web) while the blank 1 is ofthree-weblaminated board.

Figures 2 to 5 show how the carton is erected from the three blanks shown in Figures 1a, 1 band 1c.

This erection can be effected on a Bliss automatic carton-erecting machine (which gives a particular advantage to the design) the edge flaps 2a, 2b being attached (e.g. glued and/or stitched) to the lower edges ofthe side wall panels 9, 10 and the then adja cent edge flaps 3a, 1 0a; 4a, lob; 3b, 9a; 4b, 9b being attached one overthe other. This gives an octagonal cross-section to the carton, parallel to the base panel 2, and provides double thickness bridging panels 3a/ 1 0a; 4a/1 Ob; 3b/9a and 4b/9b between the side panels.

The carton is designed to accommodate a flexible bag of plastics material provided with a valve (not shown)fordispensing the liquidfilling the bag as required by a user. The valve is designed to be accommodated in the circular opening 13 shown in Figure 6, this opening being formed from the two arcuate recesses 13a, 13b shown in Figures 1 band 1c when the innertopflaps 11 and 12 arefolded back in on themselves. The apertures 14a, 1 4b in the inner top flaps are positioned to receive the outermost end regions 15a, 1 5b of the outer end flaps 5,6 when the latterarefolded overafterthe bag has been located in the erected container.

The perforated region 16 shown partly in the end flap and partly in the side wall 4 can be removed (as shown in Figure 6) to reveal the valve of the carton filling bag and allowthe contents to be dispensed as and when required.

The apertures 17 provide finger holds for lifting the container.

Tofurtherstrengthen the carton (particularly against explosive stress caused by dropping the carton) corner flaps can be provided on each corner ofthe base panel 2. The scrap view shown in Figure 7 is of one partofthe blank 1 shown in Figure la modified to providesuch cornerflaps. The corner flap is shown at 20. The edge 21 ofthe flap 2a is tapered outwardly somewhatto butt against edge 22 ofthe flap 20 in the erected carton (see Figure 8) and the end 23 offlap 3a is reshaped to provide material for the flap 20. The upper ends ofthe flaps 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 9a, 9b and 1 0a, 1 Ob can be lengthened asshown at 24 to provide additional supportforthe innerflaps 11, 12 when the carton is erected.

The arcuate shape of the bridging panels enhances the appearance ofthe carton. The waisted shape of the edgeflaps 3a, 3b; 4a,4b; 9a, 9b and 10a, 1 0b is not essential. These can be parallel sided (much like the flaps 2a, 2b).

Claims (13)

1. A carton erected from three blanks, a first blank defining a U-shaped component providing a base, two opposite side walls, and a top ofthe carton and two furtherblanks providing two further side walls, each blank providing its respective side wall or each such side wall with edge flaps an each side thereof,whereby when the blanks are connected together, overlapped edge flaps are located between each pairofside wallsthe four side walls extending between the base and top to provide a carton of con stanteight-sided cross-section, parallel to the base, throughout the heightofthecarton.

2. A carton according to claim 1, in which each blank includes a top-closure memberwhich,in the erected condition of the blanks, coactto provide an openable top of the carton.

3. A carton according to claim 2, in which a valved flexible bag for a liquid is located within the carton, the top ofthe carton comprising innerflapsto supportthe bag within the carton and at least one outerflapto close over the innerflaps.

4. A carton according to claim 3, in which an innerflap is formed on each further blank and the innerflaps are designed to supportthe valve of a bag and opposite ends of the first blank provide a pair of outer 'taps.

5. A carton according to any preceding claim, in which each blank is made from double-faced corrugated board.

6. A carton as claimed in claim 5, in which the firstblank is of a differentgrade of corrugated board to that selected forthefurtherblanks.

7. A carton according to any preceding claim, in which each edge flap iswaisted, so that the narrawest region of each edge flap is disposed at least substantially mid-way between the base and top of the capon in the erected state of the blanks.

8. Acarton madefrom three blanks of stifffolded material and having a constant octagonal crosssection in a plane parallel to the base of the carton throughout the height of the carton, the octagonal cross-section being made up of four side walls with a double-wall thickness bridging panel disposed between each adjacent pairofside walls, each said bridging panel, being constructed from a pair of overlapped edge flaps one from each of two different container blanks.

9. A carton substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures2 to 5 ofthe accompanying drawings.

10. A carton as claimed in claim 9 when modified as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

11. Three blanks of stiff butfoldable material adapted to be joined togetherto form a carton as claimed in claim 1, one of said blanks defining a base between opposite side walls and each of the other two blanks defining a side wall, each blank also providing an edge flap along the respective opposite outer edges of each side wall which edge flaps are adapted to be secured together in pairs as the blanks are connectedtogetherto form a carton with four side walls and four edge flaps and thereby provide, parallel to the base, a constant eight-sided crosssection to the carton throughoutthe heightofthe carton, each edge flap having a double thickness which is derived from the material of two different blanks.

12. Blanks for a carton, which blanks are substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures la, 1 band lcofthe accompanying drawings.

13. Blanks as claimed in claim 12when modified as shown in Figures 7 and 8.