GB2357278A

GB2357278A - Cartons

Info

Publication number: GB2357278A
Application number: GB9929782A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher John Clough; Geoffrey Jones
Original assignee: Field Group PLC
Current assignee: Field Group PLC
Priority date: 1999-12-16
Filing date: 1999-12-16
Publication date: 2001-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-16
Also published as: GB9929782D0; GB2357278B

Abstract

A carton having base flaps (7-10) for forming a collapsible crash lock base is instead formed with a non-collapsible base by suitably gluing the crash lock base flaps together, thereby providing a choice between a collapsible base and a non-collapsible base using the same blank.

Description

2357278 "Cartons" This invention relates to cartons made of cardboard,

paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material.

A box-like carton with a flat base can be supplied by a carton manufacturer to his customer (the filler) in either of two different configurations. One such configuration is employed when the customer intends to erect the carton by hand (rather than by machinery) prior to filling it, and in this case the manufacturer forms the carton blank with base forming flaps, hinged to the side walls, arranged to form a so-called crash lock base, which forms itself automatically when the customer opens the carton body from the tubular but collapsed flat condition in which it is supplied. This involves the manufacturer gluing the side seam of the tubular body, and gluing together the crash lock base flaps in well known fashion to form a collapsible base.

The other configuration is employed when the customer intends to form up a non-collapsible carton on his own gluing and erecting machinery. The base flaps used in this configuration are plain panels, usually four-sided, without the special outlines and internal fold lines which are necessary when a crash lock base is to be formed. The manufacturer may supply the customer with just a flat blank if the machinery is capable of carrying out the whole gluing and erecting operation including the formation of the side seam. Alternatively the manufacturer may glue the side seam and supply the.

customer with a flat tube ready for erection. In either case the customer's machine glues together the base flaps to form a non-collapsible base.

However, some customers who have the aforementioned machinery available would like to be able to switch 2 between the two systems described above, as circumstances dictate. Up to now this has made it necessary for the manufacturer to make two kinds of carton blank for such a customer, one with crash lock base flaps and one with plain base flaps as described above, bearing in mind that the blanks are sized and printed differently for each customer. We have now recognised that this problem can be avoided, at least in some cases, by such a customer using a blank formed with crash lock base flaps to form, by means of the aforementioned.'machinery, a carton with a non collapsible base.

According to the present invention there is provided a carton made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, having an array of base flaps hingedly connected to its side walls adapted to make up a crash lock base, wherein the said base flaps are secured together to form a non collapsible base.

Thus a manufacturer may make flat blanks sized and printed for a particular customer, with an array of base flaps adapted to make up a crash lock base. Then, in one instance, the manufacturer may as usual make up such blanks with the base panels secured together to form a crash lock base and supply such a product to the customer in collapsed form, ready for final erection by hand in the usual way. In addition, however, and in accordance with the present invention, the manufacturer may supply partly formed cartons to the customer, with the side wall panels already formed as a tube but the base flaps still free, for the customer to make up cartons on his machinery with a noncollapsible base.

Such a partly formed carton will usually be supplied to the customer in collapsed flat condition, folded about the hinge lines between the side wall panels, and with the base flaps extending outwardly in the same planes as their associated side wall panels.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a known blank for making a crash lock base carton; Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of a partly formed carton made from the blank of Figure 1, seen from above and below respectively; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a fully erected carton according to the invention, seen from below.

Referring first to Figure 1, a known blank for making a crash lock base carton comprises a row of four side wall forming panels 1 to 4 with a gluing strip 5 at one end for forming a side seam, an array of top closure flaps 6, and an array of base forming flaps 7 to 10 of suitable outline shape and with suitable fold lines 11 for forming a conventional crash lock base. The side wall panel 3, which will form the front of the erected carton, is formed for its upper part 12 to be recessed inwardly when erected, with a decorative aperture 13 between the upper and lower parts of the front wall.

Figures 2 and 3 show the partly formed carton, in which the side seam has been glued so as to connect the side wall panels together to form the tubular body of the carton. The base flaps 7 to 10 are still free, however, and extend outwardly (downwardly) in the same planes as their associated wall panels. It is in this condition, but collapsed substantially flat about the hinge lines 14 between the pairs of wall panels 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 respectively, that the partly formed carton may be supplied to a customer for erection on his machinery.

Referring now to Figure.4, the customer's machinery squares up the flat tube, folds in the base flaps 8 and 10, and finally folds in the base flaps 7 and 9 and glues them to the flaps 8 and 10 to form a solid, non collapsible base as illustrated. It will be noted that this procedure results in an aperture 15 being left in the middle of the base, but this is acceptable in many circumstances of intended use of the carton.

Claims

Claims:

1. A carton made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, having an array of base flaps hingedly connected to its side walls adapted to make up a crash lock base, wherein the said base flaps are secured together to form a non-collapsible base.

2. A partly formed carton for making a carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said side wall panels have been secured in tubular form but the said base flaps have not been secured together.

3. A partly formed carton as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said base flaps are in outwardly extending positions coplanar with their associated side wall panels.

4. A partly formed carton as claimed in claim 3, which is in the form of a substantially flat tube, collapsed about the hinge lines between the side wall panels, for transportation and storage.

5. A carton as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A partly formed carton as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.