GB2433251A

GB2433251A - Collapsible multi-blank packaging carton

Info

Publication number: GB2433251A
Application number: GB0625003A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Joseph Wonnacott
Original assignee: DS Smith Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: DS Smith Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-15
Filing date: 2006-12-14
Publication date: 2007-06-20
Also published as: GB0525558D0; GB0625003D0

Abstract

A packaging carton is formed from four blanks of stiff but foldable planar material. A base blank has a base panel (1) connected at parallel fold lines to first and second side panels (3), and end panels (5) formed from end portions of the side panels defined by oblique fold lines (6) extending to corners thereof. First and second end blanks each comprise outer end panels (8) connected a parallel fold lines to first and second end side panels (10), the end side panels (10) being attached to the end panels (5) of the base blank. A bridge blank is detachably connected to the side panels (3) of the base blank and/or the end side panels (10) of the end blanks, such that on detaching the bridge panel from the carton, the carton can be collapsed by folding the end blanks towards each other, the end panels (5) of the base blank folding along the oblique fold lines (6). Preferably the carton is for housing a car bumper, or other curved object. Preferably the blanks are provided with through holes for receiving expandable clips (fig 7, 8) by which the blanks are held together.

Description

MULTI-PART PACKAGING CARTON

(0001]This invention relates to a packaging carton for packaging a curved object such as a car bumper.

[0002] It is an aim of the invention to provide a collapsible container, which will take up little space when transported empty.

[0003] The invention provides a packaging carton formed from four blanks of stiff but foldable planar material, namely a base blank having a base panel connected at parallel fold lines to first and second side panels, and end panels formed from end portions of the side panels defined by oblique fold lines extending to corners thereof; first and second end blanks each comprising outer end panels connected a parallel fold lines to first and second end side panels, the end side panels being attached to the end panels of the base blank, and a bridge blank detachably connected to the side panels of the base blank arid/or the end side panels of the end blanks, such that on detaching the bridge panel from the carton, the carton can be collapsed by folding the end blanks towards each other, the end panels of the base blank folding along the oblique fold lines.

[0004] The bridge blank may comprise a top panel connected at parallel fold lines to side bridge panels. Said side bridge panels may be detachably connected to the side panels of the base blank. The bridge blank may be detachably connected to the side panels of the base blank and! or the end side panels of the end blanks by means of expandable clips extending through holes in the bridge blank and in the blank to which the bridge blank is connected. In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the blanks is provided with at least two sets of such holes to vary the cross-sectional size of the erected carton. In a collapsed condition of the carton and the bridge blank, the bridge blank may be detachably connectable to the outer end panels. I,

(0005]In an embodiment of the invention, the end blanks are detachably connected to the base blank by means of expandable clips extending through coinciding holes in these blanks. At least two sets of such holes may be provided to vary the length of the erected carton and/or the angle between the end blanks and the base blanks.

[0006]The end blanks may be open at their inwardly facing sides and may have top portions folded over and adhered onto the outer end panels and/or the end side panels.

[0007]The invention also provides a packaging carton formed from at least two blanks of stiff but foldable planar material, said blanks being secured together by means of clips passing through holes in each of said blanks, the size and/or shape of said carton being adjustable by passing said clips through different ones of said holes.

(0008] From a final aspect, the invention provides a set of blanks for forming the carton defined above.

[0009] A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [OOlO3Figure 1 is a plan of a base blank; (0011] Figure 2 is a plan of an end blank; [0012] Figure 3 is a plan of a bridge blank; [0013] Figure 4 shows a carton erected from the blanks of Figures 1, 2 and 3; [0014] Figure 5 shows the carton of Figure 4 in a partly collapsed condition; [0015] Figure 6 shows the carton of Figure 4 in a fully collapsed condition; and [0016]Figures 7 and 8 show a clip for the carton in an open and a closed condition respectively.

(0017] Figure 1 shows a rectangular base blank comprising a base panel 1 joined at side fold lines 2 to side panels 3. The side panels each have two substantially rectangular base side holes 4. At the end of the side panels are outwardly extending end panels 5 each connected to the side panels 3 at two differently angled oblique fold lines 6 extending to the end of the fold line 2. Two base end holes 7 are arranged in each end panel 5 at different angular orientations.

[0018] Figure 2 shows an end blank, two of which are provided. The end blank comprises a rectangular outer end panel 8 connected at parallel end fold lines 9 to end side panels 10 each having a curved lower end. An end flap 11 is connected at a lower end of the outer end panel 8 and has two strips of adhesive tape 12 adhered thereto. Top flaps 13 are provided at the upper end of each of the outer end panel 8 and end side panels 10 and each top flap is provided with a strip of adhesive tape 14. The outer end panel is provided with two outer end holes 15 about halfway up its height. The end side panels are each provided with a total of three holes, two end side holes 16 at different angular orientations near the lower end of the end side panels and a further end collapse hole 17 a the same height as the outer end holes 15.

[0019]Figure 3 shows a bridge blank for the carton. It comprises a top panel 18 joined at parallel fold lines 19 to side bridge panels 20. A handle is formed by two holes 21 on either side of a reinforcing strip 22. Each side bridge panel has four holes, namely two upper bridge holes 23 and two lower bridge holes 24.

The top panel 18 has four bridge collapse holes 25 at the same longitudinal position as the upper and lower bridge holes 23, 24.

[0020] Figure 4 shows the erected carton. The side panels 3 of the base blank are folded upwardly. The end flaps 11 are adhered to the ends of the underside of the base panel 1 by means of the adhesive strips 12. The end side panels 10 are folded inwardly and secured by means of clips 26 extending through one of each end side hole 16 and one of each base end hole 7. The top flaps 13 are folded over and secured to the respective outer end panels 8 and end side panels 10 by means of the adhesive strips 14. After inserting an object, such as a car bumper, into the carton in this condition, the folded bridge blank is secured to the carton by passing further clips 26 through the lower bridge holes 23 and the base side holes 4.

(0021]The size and shape of the carton are adjustable. The cross-sectional size of the carton can be reduced by clipping the upper bridge holes 24 instead of the lower bridge holes 23 to the base side holes 4. The angle between the base panel and the end panels can be increased by using different ones of the end side holes 16 and base end holes 7 to secure the end panels to the base panel.

[0022] On reaching its destination, the bridge panel is removed by releasing the respective clips and the end panels are folded inwardly as shown in Figure 5, with the base panel folding at the oblique fold lines 6.

(0023] As shown in Figure 7, once the end panels are lying flat on top of the base panel, the collapsed bridge panel can then be secured to the collapsed carton by passing one clip through each of four sets of a bridge collapse hole 25, an upper bridge hole 24, an outer end hole 15, an end collapse hole 17 and a base side hole 4. This secures the carton in its collapsed condition in which it takes up very little space when being transported for re-use.

(0024] Figures 8 and 9 show one embodiment of an expandable clip 26. The clip has a hollow body 27 with wings 28 opening outwardly at living hinges 29. An insert 30, secured at one end by a further living hinge 31 to the body 27, has a downwardly-extending camniing projection 32. In the open condition shown in Figure 8, the wings 28 can be retracted and the body 27 can be inserted through narrow holes. When the insert 30 is pushed into the body, the projection 32 forces the wings 28 outwards. The insert snap-fits in the body 27, locking the clip 26 in place.

[0025] An alternative embodiment of the invention is formed from two blanks, one of which is a long blank replacing the base blank and end blanks described above.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A packaging carton formed from four blanks of stiff but foldable planar material, namely a base blank having a base panel connected at parallel fold lines to first and second side panels, and end panels formed from end portions of the side panels defined by oblique fold lines extending to corners thereof; first and second end blanks each comprising outer end panels connected a parallel fold lines to first and second end side panels, the end side panels being attached to the end panels of the base blank; and a bridge blank detachably connected to the side panels of the base blank and! or the end side panels of the end blanks, such that on detaching the bridge panel from the carton, the carton can be collapsed by folding the end blanks towards each other, the end panels of the base blank folding along the oblique fold lines.

2. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the bridge blank comprises a top panel connected at parallel fold lines to side bridge panels.

3. A carton according to claim 2, wherein said side bridge panels are detachably connected to the side panels of the base blank.

4. A carton according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bridge blank is detachably connected to the side panels of the base blank and/or the end side panels of the end blanks by means of expandable clips extending through holes in the bridge blank and in the blank to which the bridge blank is connected.

5. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the blanks is provided with at least two sets of such holes to vary the cross-sectional size of the erected carton.

6. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein in a collapsed condition of the carton and the bridge blank, the bridge blank is detachably connectable to the outer end panels.

7. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein the end blanks are detachably connected to the base blank by means of expandable clips extending through coinciding holes in these blanks.

8. A carton according to claim 7, wherein at least two sets of such holes are provided to vary the length of the erected carton and/or the angle between the end blanks and the base blanks.

9. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein the end blanks are open at their inwardly facing sides.

10. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein the end blanks have top portions folded over and adhered onto the outer end panels and/or the end side panels.

11. A packaging carton formed from at least two blanks of stiff but foldable planar material, said blanks being secured together by means of clips passing through holes in each of said blanks, the size and/or shape of said carton being adjustable by passing said clips through different ones of said holes.

12. A packaging carton according to claim 11, comprising at least three such blanks and suitable for packaging a curved object.

13. A packaging carton according to claim 11 or 12, comprising four such blanks.

14. A packaging carton, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A set of blanks for forming a carton according to arty preceding claim.