GB2442224A

GB2442224A - Attaching a promotional item to a gable-top carton

Info

Publication number: GB2442224A
Application number: GB0619116A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Sutton; Gary Smith
Original assignee: CHARPAK Ltd
Current assignee: CHARPAK Ltd
Priority date: 2006-09-28
Filing date: 2006-09-28
Publication date: 2008-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-28
Also published as: GB2442224B; GB0619116D0

Abstract

An attachment for removably attaching to a gable-end carton 18 having a top seal 22 and indentations 20 at opposed ends of the top seal, comprises a body 10 and two hinged portions 16 extending therefrom. Each hinged portion 16 is rotatable relative to the body 10 and has a protrusion which is adapted to engage in a corresponding indentation 20 of the carton 18 to removably retain the item thereon. Each protrusion may be generally triangular. The body and protrusions may be thermoformed from a single sheet of plastics material and comprise a container for a promotional item.

Description

TITLE: PACKAGING ATTACHMENT

S DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an attachment for :.::: packaging, e.g. food or drink cartons. *...

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION S..

: Promotional items are occasionally attached to or included inside standard packaging for products such as food or drink. These promotional items add value to the product. It is desirable to provide a simple, low cost attachment for securing promotional items to food or drink cartons, particularly traditional easy opening cartons known as gable end cartons, e.g. cartons sold under the Tetra Rex brand by Tetra Pak. Such cartons may have a top seal which is split and folded back to provide a spout through which the food or drink is poured or a dedicated plastic spout adjacent the top seal. The carton may be aseptic, i.e. manufactured from sterilised material under sterile conditions.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided an attachment for attaching to a gable-end carton having a top seal and indentations either side of the top seal, the attachment comprising a body and two hinged portions extending therefrom with each hinged portion being rotatable relative to the body and having a protrusion which is adapted to engage in a corresponding indentation in a carton whereby the attachment is removably attachable to a carton.

The attachment is preferably formed from a single sheet of material. The attachment may be made from plastics material and may be manufactured by :.:: thermoforming. Such an attachment may be relatively cheap *..

to produce. The protrusions may be moulded as part of the .. : thermoforming process on the hinged portions.

The hinged portions are rotatable relative to the body of the attachment and may be rotated from a first position defined by the manufacturing process and a second position defined by attachment process. By using hinged portions, it is possible to mould protrusions having sufficient height to engage with indentations in a carton to prevent the attachment being easily removed from the carton. If such protrusions were moulded direct into the side walls of the body of the attachment, it may not be possible to remove the attachment from the mould.

The design of the protrusions is preferably such that the attachment is easily fitted to the carton but is relatively difficult to remove therefrom. Rotational movement of a carton relative to the attachment may be required to detach the attachment. For example, this may be achieved by designing the protrusions so that the protrusions have a tapering height with height increasing in the opposite direction to the direction in which the attachment is placed on a carton. The attachment is thus unlikely to become separated from a carton during packing, transport and point-of-sale. Nevertheless, it is relatively easy for a consumer to remove the attachment to gain access to a carton top.

The protrusions may be generally triangular to engage in correspondingly shaped indentations in a carton.

: .. The attachment may be in the form of a container for *... * * ****

housing a promotional item. The attachment is preferably designed so that it may be filled quickly on an assembly line. The shape of attachment may be selected, within the ** limitations of the manufacturing process, according to the promotional item to be housed. The attachment may comprise a separate compartment into which the promotional item is sealed. In this way, when the attachment is removed from a carton, the promotional item may not be inadvertently dropped or lost. For fragile promotional items, the material of the attachment may be selected to be sturdy enough to protect such items.

A sleeve may be provided over the attachment, e.g. on which graphics or other information may be printed.

Additional fixings may also be provided e.g. for tamper-proof ing purposes.

In addition to the advantages detailed above, there are several other advantages to the proposed attachment.

For example, the attachment may be attached to a carton on a production line. Furthermore, by attaching the attachment to the top of a carton, the footprint of the product on the shelf is not altered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying * figures, in which: Figures la, lb and ic are plan, side and perspective :. views of an attachment according to the present invention, :::::: respectively; Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are plan, side and perspective S...

.. views of the attachment of Figure la ready to attach to a carton, respectively; *. Figures 3a and 3b are perspective views of an attachment and a carton before and after the attachment is placed on the carton, respectively, and Figure 4 is a schematic side view of an attachment being placed on a carton.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures la, lb and ic show an attachment 10 in the form of a cup-shaped container or enclosure which has been thermoformed from a single sheet of plastics material. The attachment 10 comprises an open generally box-shaped body or housing 12 for enclosing a promotional item (not shown).

The open face of the housing 12 is generally rectangular and the opposed face is generally circular. Alternative shapes (e.g. triangles, stars etc.) may be used depending on the promotional item to be housed. For manufacturing purposes, the open face needs to be larger than the open face to allow the attachment to be removed from the mould.

The open face is defined by four side walls, two of which have hinged portions 14 in the form of tabs extending therefrom. There is a protrusion 16 having a generally triangular cross-section extending from a face of each * hinged portion 14.

The hinged portions 14 are rotatable about hinges (marked as dotted lines) inwards in the direction of arrows A. The hinged portions 14 rotate from a first position shown in Figures la to ic in which they are generally perpendicular to the side walls of the housing 12 to a second position shown in Figures 2a to 2c. This first position results from the thermoforming process. In the second position, the hinged portions 14 contact the inner O walls of the housing 14 with the protrusions 16 extending into the volume enclosed by the housing 14.

As shown in Figures 3a to 4, once the hinged portions 14 are in the second position, the attachment may be pushed onto a carton 18 in the direction of arrow B. The carton 18 is of the type known as a gable-end carton. Once the carton 18 is filled, the top faces are folded and sealed to form a top seal 22 with triangular shaped indentations 20 at opposed ends of the top seal 22. When the attachment is placed on the carton, the protrusions 16 engage in these correspondingly shaped indentations 20.

The attachment is a snap-fit on the carton 18 with each protrusion 16 being a snug-fit in the corresponding indentation 20. The height of the protrusions 16 tapers in the same direction to that in which the attachment is attached to the carton. In this way, the attachment is easily fitted to the carton but is relatively difficult to remove therefrom. For example, rotational movement of the carton relative to the attachment may be required to detach the attachment. * *** *.,. * * I * S. S S. * * IS

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Claims

CLM MS

1. An attachment for attaching to a gable-end carton having a top seal and indentations at opposed ends of the top seal, the attachment comprising a body and two hinged portions extending therefrom with each hinged portion being rotatable relative to the body and having a protrusion which is adapted to engage in a corresponding indentation in a carton whereby the attachment is removably attachable to a carton.

2. An attachment according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are adapted so that rotational movement of a :..::: carton relative to the attachment is required to detach the attachment.

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3. An attachment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the protrusions are generally triangular.

*..: 4. An attachment according to any one of the preceding * * claims, wherein the height of the protrusions is tapered.

4. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, formed from a single sheet of plastics material.

5. An attachment according to claim 4, which is manufactured by thermoforming.

6. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, in the form of a container for housing a promotional item.

7. An attachment according to claim 6, comprising a separate compartment in which the promotional item is enclosed.

8. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a sleeve over the attachment. I. * * * *** I... * S S... I... * . S I* * *. S * .. * S*

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