GB2360999A

GB2360999A - Carton

Info

Publication number: GB2360999A
Application number: GB0104812A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Mackcracken
Original assignee: Boxfoldia Ltd
Current assignee: Boxfoldia Ltd
Priority date: 2000-02-29
Filing date: 2001-02-27
Publication date: 2001-10-10
Also published as: GB0104812D0; GB0004650D0

Abstract

A carton eg for sandwiches, formed from a blank, comprises a body portion including two generally triangular side wall panels (11,12), a base wall panel (13) and a front wall panel (30), and a closure portion comprising a back wall panel (15). The front wall panel (30) includes an aperture (31) sealed by a sheet of clear, flexible material (36) which may be peelable for access to the carton and the closure portion may be retained in a closed position by tabs (17) and slits (29). Fold lines (41,42) preferably facilitate flattening of the carton.

Description

2360999 1

Title: Carton Description of Invention

This invention relates to cartons particularly but not exclusively for sandwiches and the like.

It is known to provide cartonboard cartons for sandwiches and the like. Conventionally, such cartons coinprise a plurality of wall panels, including a pair of spaced parallel, generally triangular side wall panels interconnected by a front panel, a base wall panel aild a back wall panel. Conventional cartons may be unsightly when on display. and complex to make up, fill with sandwiches and close.

An aim of the invention is to provide a new or improved carton.

According to a first aspect of the present invention we provide a carton comprising a body portion foldably connected to a closure portion, the carton being formed from a flat blaiik of a sheet inaterial, for example carton board, which sheet material is scored and folded to provide a plurality of wall panels including a pair of side wall panels of generally triangular configuration, a base wall panel and a front wall panel to defirte the body portion, wherein the closure portion comprises a back wall paiiel.

The ftont wall paiiel iiiay be coiniected betweeii a first edge of each of said wall panels and the base wall panel inay be conilected between a second edge of each of said side wall paiiels.

The front wall pariel inay coinprise a releasable part which may be wholly or partly released to access the contents of the carton.

Said releasable part inay be defiried by perforated lines along which the carton material may be toni. or by tear strips, or by any other suitable means.

The front wall panel inay coinprise an opening.

The opening may be closed by, clear flexible material.

1 2 In a first embodiment, the clear flexible material may be adhesively bonded to an exterior surface of said carton to facilitate removal of said clear flexible material.

Where the front wall panel comprises a releasable pail, said releasable part may be wholly or partly releasable to increase the size of said opening.

In the first embodiment, the clear flexible material may thus be removed and the perforated lines torn to permit sandwiches to be removed from the carton through the front of the carton.

In a second embodinient, the clear flexible material may be adhesively bonded to an interior surface of said cai-ton, and the sandwiches removed by, for example, opening the back wall panel.

In either alternative, the clostire portion may be movable from an open position to a closed position, and inay be held in said closed position by means of engagement of at least one tab with a slot.

The tab may be provided oil the closure portion and said slot may be provided on one of said side wall panels.

The carton may be adapted to assume a generally flat folded configuration and be movable to an erect configuration.

To permit the carton to asstinie said generally flat configuration, a fold line may be formed oil each of said side wall panels extending fl-om a vertex of each side wall panel defined by said first edge and said second edge in such a direction that said fold line generally bisects the angle defined by said vertex.

The carton may be maintained in its erect position by movement of the closure portion to its closed position.

The closure portion when lin its closed position may be provided with tamper evident means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention we provide a flat blank for forming into a carton according to the first aspect of the invention.

C) The clear flexible material may be adliesively bonded to said blank prior to forming the cation.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure la shows a flat blank from which a cation according to a first embodiment of the invention may be formed.

Figure lb shows a flat blank fl-oni which a cation according to a second embodiment of the invention may be forined, Figure 2a shows a cation according to the first embodiment of die present invention when folded into generally flat configuration, Figure 2b shows a cation according to the second embodiment of the present invention when folded into a generally flat configuration, Figure 3a shows a carton according to a first embodiment of the invention in an erect configuration, and Figure 3b shows a cation according to the second embodiment of the present in a generally erect configuration.

In this specification, the terms 'fi-ont', 'base', 'back' and 'side' are used for convenient notation and are not intended to imply any particular limitation.

Referring now to the F1gin-es. the same reference numeral is used to described a corresponding feature in each embodiment. In Figures la and lb. a flat blank 10 is shown comprising a flat slicet of a suitable material, in the present example cation board. The flat blank defines a pair of side wall forming panels 11, 12 of generally, triangtilar configuration, in the present, preferred example of riglit-angle triangle coiffiguration having a right-angled corner A. A base wall forming panel 13 is foldably connected at one edge of the side wall forming panel 11 by fold line 14. A closure panel 15 which provides a back wall fonning panel is connected to the edge of the side wall forming panel 11 adjacent that to which the base wall fonning panel 13 is connected by fold line 16 which meets the fold line 14 at corner A. The 4 closure panel 15 is provided witli tabs 17 at a free edge thereof, the tabs 17 being connected thereto by fold lines 18 adjacent each end of the tab 17, with a slit 19 extending between the fold lines 18 of each tab 17 to permit ease of folding. An end flap 20 is foldably connected by fold line 21 to the base wall panel 13 at the end thereof adjacent to the right-angled corner A of the side wall forming panel 11. A gusset-fonning flap 22 is connected by fold line 23 to end flap 20, and by fold line 24 to the closure panel 15.

A glue flap 25 is attached to one edge of the side wall forming panel 12 by fold line 26, whilst a flap 27 is attaclied to the adjacent edge of the side wall forming panel 12 by fold line 28. The fold line 28 comprises slit 29 adapted to receive the tabs 17.

The side wall forining panels 11, 12 are connected by a front panel 30 as hereinafter described. Connected between a first edge comprising the hypotenuse of the wall forming panel 11 and a first edge comprising the h otenuse of the wall forining panel 12 is the fl-ont panel 30. The front panel Yp C comprises a lower end portion 30a forining one end of said front panel 30 connected between the wall forming panels 11, 12, and an upper end portion 30b defining the other end of said fi.ont panel 30 and connected between wall forming panels 11, 12. In the present example, the lower end portion 30a and upper end position 30b define an apertitre -3) 1 extending over a greater part of the front panel 30 and extending betxveen the wall forming panels 11, 12. A glue flap 32 is connected by fold Iline 335 to lower end portion 30a, whilst a top rear flap 34 is connected by fold llile 35 to tipper end portion 30b. The opening 31 is closed by a sheet of clear flexible material 36, in the present example cellophane(CM).

In a first embodiment of tile invention, where it is intended that the sandwiches be removed froni the carton froin the front of the carton, the sheet of clear flexible material 36 is adliesively bonded to the side of the blank 10 which will form an exterior surface of the carton. The lower end portion 30a is joined to the side wall forining paiiels 11, 12 by perforated fold lines 37. The upper end portion 30b is coiineeted to the side wall forming panels 11, 12 by perforated fold lines 38. The sheet of clear flexible material 36 is preferably bonded to the blank 10 by a so-called "peelable" glue to permit removal of the clear flexible material 36 froin the carton.

In a second embodiment as shown in Figure 3b it is intended that the sandwiches be removed from the carton by opening the closure portion. In this example, the sheet of clear flexible inaterial 36 'Is bonded to the other side of the blank as shown in Figure I b, i.e. to the side of the blank that will form the interior of the carton. The lower end portion 30a is joined to the side wall forming panels 11, 12 by unperforated fold lines '39, whilst the upper end portion 30b is cotmected to the wall forining panels 11, 12 by unperforated fold lines 40.

In either alternative, to penint the carton to adapt a generally flat configuration, fold lines 41, 42 are provided oil side wall forming panels 11, 12 respectively, extending from a vertex V of the side wall forming panels 11, 12 defined by the intersection of fold line 14 and fold lines 37, 3)9 in a generally rearwardly direction. The fold lines 4 1, 42 are disposed such that they bisect the angle defined by fold litie 14 wid fold lines 37, 39 oil side wall forming panel 11 and by fold IMe 26 and folcl 1Mes 37. 39 oil side wall forming panel 12. The fold line 41 exteMs across closure panel 15 whilst fold line 42 extends across rear flap 27.

To form the carton iii its folded flat coiffiguration ill either alternative as shown in Figures 2a and 2b, the blaiik 10 is folded along fold lines 41, 42 and fold line 33 such that glue 25 is adhesively bonded to the underside of base wall forming panel 13) as seeii iii Figures]a, lb wherein fold line 26 is in register with edge 1.3a of the base wall forniing panel 1,3). The glue flap 30a is adhesively bonded to the base wall forming panel 13). Tile carton then assumes the flat configuration shown in Figures 2a, 2b. It will be apparent that only 6 three folding operations and two bonding operations are necessary to form the blank 10 into the flat configuration of Figures 2a, 2b.

The folded flat configuration as shown in Figures 2a, 2b is particularly advantageous in that the front panel 30 and in particular the clear flexible material 36 are maintained flat and unfolded, i.e. there is no fold line on the front panel 30 or clear flexible material 3)6, and hence the carton has a desirable uncreased front panel when in an erect condition. The clear flexible material 36 is also substantially unobstructed> presenting a clear view of the contents of the carton.

To move the carton fi-oni its flat configuration of Figures 2a. 2b to an erect configuration, it is necessary to iiio\,e the edges defined by folds 41, 42 towards each other, liffing the fi-ont panel -10 away fi.orn the base wall forming panel 13 until the side wall fonning panels 11, 12 are generally flat. The sandwiches may then be placed into the carton through the open rear of the carton and may then be closed by folding the closure panel 15 about fold line 16 such that the tabs 17 are received in slots 29. The end flap 20, gusset forming flap 22 and top rear flap 34 are folded such that they are located inwardly of the closure panel 15, as shown in Figures '3a, 3)b, It will then be apparent that sandwliclies disposed in the carton 50 will be suitable for display and purchase. In the first enibodiment shown in Figure 3a, when it is desired to reniove the sandwiclies froin the carton, the clear flexible sheet material 36 may be peeled froni the carton as shown. Tile upper end portion 30a and lower end portion 30b be partly released by tearing the material of the carton along perforated fold lines 37, 38 to enlarge the opening 3 1 to permit removal of the sandwiches.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3b, the sandwiches inay be removed from the carton siniply by disengaging the tabs 17 from the slots 29 and opening the closure panel 15, without reinoving the clear plastic material 36 from the front pailel 30. In this alternative, the clear plastic material 36 is 7 preferably still removable from the carton to separate the components of the carton when it is desired to recycle the carton.

It will be apparent that It is advantageous to supply the cartons in their glued flat configuration as shown in Figures 2a, 2b. Since the carton is loaded from the rear, the front panel 30 remains clean and clear and loading is simplified. To close the cartons after filling, it is simply required to fold four flaps and engage two tabs in corresponding slots, giving a relatively quick and easy closure mechanism. If desired. tamper evident means such as a sticker or other seal or indicator may be placed extending across, for example, the wall forming panel 12 and the closure panel 15. Other taniper evident means may be used as desired.

It will be apparent that other panels of the carton other than the front panel may be perforated to permit access to the contents of the carton. Openings closed by a clear material may be provided in, for example, the side wall forming panels, or omitted altogether. The pail of the carton to which the clear flexible material is attached M. the first embodiment may be scored or perforated to assist in the removal of the clear flexible material. The clear flexible material may also be scored or perforated to assist in removing the material to access the contents of the carton.

Further, other suitable means to release a panel of the carton may be used in place of perforations, for exaiiii)le tear strips.

Although a pair of tabs 17 to engage slot 29 are shown to hold the closure panel 15 in a closed position, the closure could comprise a single tab received in a corresponding slot, or <a tuck-in closure, or an outside lock, or any other suitable means as desired.

Although the side wall forinim, panels of the carton shown in the drawings are generally right-angled triangles in shape, it will be apparent that the side wall forming panels may be any suitable shape, for example, on 8 equilateral triangle or a truncated triatigle, to accommodate such contents as may be desired.

It will be apparent that food stuff other than sandwiches may be placed and sold in a carton as described herciii.

In the present specification "coinpi-ise" means "includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "Incltidiil,, or coilsisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings. expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for perfot-iniiig the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

9

Claims

1. A carton comprising a body portion foldably connected to a closure portion, the carton being formed fi-oni a flat blank of a sheet of material, which c sheet material is scored and folded to provide a plurality of wall panels including a pair of side wall panels of generally triangular configuration, a base wall panel and a front wall panel to define the body portion, wherein the closure portion comprises a back wall panel.

2. A carton according to claini 1 wliereln the fi-ont wall panel is connected C between a first edge of eacb of sald wall 1)anels and the base wall panel is connected between a second ed-e of eacli ofsaid side wall panels.

c

3. A carton according to clairn 1 or claim 2 wherein the front wall panel comprises a part which is wholly or partly releasable to access the contents of the carton.

4. A carton according to clainn 3 wherein said part is defined by perforated lines along which the rnaterial rnay be torn. or by tear strips.

5. A carton according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the front wall panel comprises an opening.

6. A carton accordinu to claini 5 wherein the opening is closed by clear flexible material.

7. A carton according to claini 6 wherein the clear flexible material is adhesively bonded to an exterior sLirface of said carton to facilitate removal of said clear flexible material.

8. A carton according to clairri 7 where dependant directly or indirectly on claim 3 wherein the releasable pail may be wholly or partly released to increase the size of said opening.

9. A carton according to clairn 5 wherein the clear flexible material is adhesively bonded to an interior surface of said carton.

10. A carton according to ally one of the preceding claims wherein the closure portion is movable from an opened position to a closed position and is held in said closed position by ineans of eii,,ageilient of at least one tab with a slot.

11. A carton according to claini 10 wherein the tab is provided on the closure portion and the slot is provided oil one of said side wall panels.

12. A carton according to ally, one of the preceding claims wherein the carton is adapted to assume a geiiet.all, flat folded configuration and is movable to an erect configuration.

13. A carton according to claini 12 wherein a fold line is formed on each of said side wall panels extending fi-om a vertex of each side wall panel defined by said first edge and said second edge in such a direction that said fold line c generally bisects the angle defined b\, said vertex.

14. A carton according to claini 12 or claini 1 -3) where dependant directly or indirectly oil claim 10 whereiii sald carton is maintainable ill its erect position by movement of the closure portiori to its closed position.

11

15. A carton according to any one of tile preceding claims wherein the closure portion is provided with taniper evident means when in its closed position.

16. A carton as substantially as described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.

17. A flat blank for fonning into a carton according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. A flat blank according to claini 17 where dependant directly or indirectly on claim 6 wherein the clear inatenal is adliesively bonded to said blank prior to forming the carton.

19. A flat blank substantially as described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

20. Any novel feature or iiovel conibMation of features described herein and/or in the accompanying 0