JP2004525835A - Cartons that can be transformed into segmented containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The carton (12) has a tubular structure separable along a circumferential part of the carton (12) into adjacent compartments (14, 16) connected by hinge members (52) having spaced left and right edges. Is provided. In one embodiment, hinge member (52) is substantially elliptical. In another embodiment, the hinge member (52) is formed with an opening (54) for lifting the carton (12).

Description

【Technical field】
[0001]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to cartons, and more particularly to cartons for articles that can be transformed into partitioned containers.
[Background Art]
[0002]
Consumers often need to retrieve articles from article storage. For example, an article such as a beverage container is typically removed from an area where many articles are stored. Typical storage areas for such articles are food closets and pantry, refrigeration / refrigeration equipment and packages containing numerous articles. Articles such as beverages in containers are usually purchased and transported in packages that contain a large number of them. Thus, it would be useful to facilitate the removal of articles from packages used to transport and / or store multiple articles.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0003]
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carton comprises a tubular wall structure separable along a circumferential portion of the carton in a compartment connected by a hinge member having spaced left and right edges.
[0004]
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the hinge member is substantially elliptical.
[0005]
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the hinge member is provided with an opening therethrough to facilitate lifting.
[0006]
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a partitioned container includes compartments connected by hinge members having spaced left and right edges.
[0007]
According to a still further aspect of the invention, the hinge member is substantially elliptical.
[0008]
According to a still further aspect of the invention, the hinge member is formed with an opening therethrough to facilitate lifting.
[0009]
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0010]
Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for designating the same or similar features of the present invention.
[0011]
Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 shows a material 10 for forming a carton according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, while FIG. A formed carton 12 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. A review of the features of the material 10 shown in FIG. The carton 12 has a cylindrical structure. In the preferred embodiment shown, the tubular structure is formed from opposing top and bottom walls and opposing side walls 24, 26a / 26b. For convenience of description, the top wall and the bottom wall are referred to as a first wall 20 and a second wall 22, respectively. In the embodiment shown, a handle 40 is formed on one of the side walls. End walls 30/34, 32/36 generally surround the ends of the structure.
[0012]
The tubular structure having open ends is generally formed by first bonding the side wall panels 26a and 26b to each other. An article A, such as a beverage container, is usually loaded into an open-ended tubular structure by a continuously operating packaging device. Upon completion of the loading of the carton 12, the various end panels and flaps 30, 32, 34, 36, 42, 44, 46a, 46b, 48a, 48b are folded to close the ends of the carton.
[0013]
The carton 12 is provided with a portion along which the carton can be separated. In the preferred embodiment shown, the sites along which the carton 12 can be separated include tear bands 50 and breakable lines 56, 58, such as perforation lines. The separable portion extends to partially surround the periphery of the tubular structure. This is referred to as the vertical direction as a convenient evaluation criterion. The direction that is formed when the side flaps 26a and 26b are connected and that is related to the orientation of the imaginary axis of the open tubular structure is called vertical. Similarly, the orientation of the handle can be considered "lateral" with respect to the open ended tubular structure. The terms portrait and landscape can be interchanged as a measure without affecting the scope or teaching of the present invention.
[0014]
The separable site can be composed of any structure that allows the carton to be separated. For example, the separable portion may be constituted by only one of the opening band and the line which is easily broken. However, the use of the tear band 50 and the breakable lines 56/58 in combination not only prevents the carton from opening prematurely, but also allows the tear band 50 to be removed once so that separation can begin. Having a suitable opening facilitates easy separation of the carton compartment. As another alternative, and without limitation, the separable portion may be formed from a cut line with an adhesive band applied thereto to keep the carton together until intentionally pulled apart. Good.
[0015]
FIG. 3 shows the carton after the tear band has been removed. By removing the tear strip 50, an opening is provided along the separable portion where the carton can be separated into one side and the other side. It should be noted that the opening obtained by removal of the tear strip essentially provides a starting point for separating the carton into compartments.
[0016]
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a carton separated and divided into compartments 14,16. The compartments 14, 16 are connected by a hinge member 52. Hinge member 52 has transverse edges spaced apart from each other. This helps to form a strong hinge to support the compartment. The compartments 14, 16 can be lifted using a hinge structure by grasping the inside of the bottom (or second) wall 22 near the hinge member 52. However, a simple, and perhaps more convenient, lifting mechanism is provided by the opening 54 formed in the hinge member 52. Each person can lift the compartment by inserting a finger into the opening and lifting up as shown in FIG.
[0017]
In use, as described above, a carton 12 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, formed from material 10 or otherwise, is generally initially assembled into an open ended tubular structure. Thereafter, the can is loaded internally from the end, and the carton 12 is placed in a sealed state. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, once the tear strip 50 is removed, the carton 12 can be separated into the compartments 14, 16 shown in FIG. . Hinge member 52 includes spaced left and right edges that provide both a rigid hinge structure and a bridge between the two compartments 14,16. The opened carton 12 can therefore be lifted by the hinge member. A simple way to lift is to capture the inner surface of the U-shaped structure formed by the hinge member 52. A more convenient and easier means of lifting is obtained by providing an opening 54 in the hinge member 52. With the opening 54, the user can easily lift the carton 12 by inserting a finger into the opening 54.
[0018]
Thus, according to the above approach, a package containing multiple articles, such as beverage containers, can be transformed into a segmented container from which the articles can be individually removed. The package is easily carried around after it has been transformed into partitioned containers, so that it is carried around by hand and used as a sorting unit for goods. In addition, the completed segmented container can be easily placed in a storage area such as a food cabinet or pantry or refrigeration unit where the goods are held as a collection of easily movable individual units. it can.
[0019]
The use of the terms top, bottom, sides, edges, vertical and horizontal is for convenience and provides a basis for the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. There is no intention to limit. Changes may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. For example, the hinge members have spaced left and right edges and are substantially elliptical in the preferred embodiment described above. The substantially elliptical tapered edge assists in the transition from the carton end and bottom walls to the hinge member. However, the hinge members may have other shapes, such as substantially rectangular.
[Brief description of the drawings]
[0020]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a material for forming a deformable carton into a segmented container in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a carton that can be formed into a segmented container that can be assembled from the material of FIG. 1, in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the tear strip partially removed. .
FIG. 3 is a view of the carton shown in FIG. 2 from the opposite side of the carton with the tear strip completely removed.
FIG. 4 is a view of the carton shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the carton walls separated to form compartments connected by hinge members.
5 is a view of the carton of FIGS. 2 and 3 in the open state shown in FIG. 4 when the carton is lifted using features taught by the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
[0021]
10 Materials for forming carton 12 Carton 14, 16 Compartment 20 First wall (top wall)
22 Second wall (bottom wall)
24, 26a / 26b Side wall 26a, 26b Side wall panel 30/34, 32/36 End wall 30, 32, 34, 36 End panel 40 Handle 42, 44, 46a, 46b, 48a, 48b Flap 50 Opening band 52 Hinge member 54 Openings 56, 58 Line A that is easily broken

Claims (20)

A carton, characterized in that adjacent cartons connected by hinge members having spaced left and right edges are provided with a tubular wall structure separable along a substantially vertical circumferential portion. The tubular wall structure comprises opposing first and second walls connected by opposing side walls;
The substantially vertical circumferential portion extends across the first wall and opposing end walls connecting the first, second, and side walls;
The carton according to claim 1, wherein the hinge member is formed so as to form a part of the second wall. The carton of claim 1, wherein the substantially vertical circumferential portion comprises, at least in part, a line that is easily broken. The carton of claim 1, wherein the substantially vertical circumferential portion comprises, at least in part, a frangible line and tear band. The carton of claim 1, wherein the hinge member facilitates lifting. The carton of claim 1, wherein the hinge member is substantially elliptical. The carton of claim 1, wherein the hinge member has an opening formed therethrough to facilitate lifting. The carton of claim 1, wherein the hinge member is substantially elliptical and has an opening formed therethrough to facilitate lifting. Separable along a substantially vertical circumferential portion into adjacent compartments connected by substantially elliptical hinge members having spaced left and right edges and having openings therethrough A carton comprising a tubular wall structure. Comprising a series of adjacent panels to form the assembled carton tubular wall structure;
The panel is
A separable portion extending along and across a portion of the panel formed to form a portion thereof;
A hinge forming portion having left and right edges separated from each other,
The assembled tubular wall structure is separable along the separable portion into compartments connected by hinge members having spaced left and right edges, for forming a carton. material. The material of claim 10, wherein the hinge formation and the hinge member are substantially elliptical. The material of claim 10, wherein the hinged site is defined by a weakened boundary line. Said panels form opposing first and second walls, opposing side walls and opposing end walls in the assembled carton;
The separable portion is arranged such that it extends across the first wall and the opposing end wall of the assembled carton, and the hinged portion is formed in the second wall The material according to claim 10, characterized in that: The material of claim 10, wherein the separable portion comprises, at least in part, a breakable line. The material of claim 10, wherein the separable portion comprises, at least in part, a line that is fragile and a tear band. The material of claim 10, wherein the hinged portion includes an opening formed therethrough to facilitate lifting in the hinged member. A segmented container comprising compartments connected by hinge members having spaced left and right edges. The segmented container of claim 17, wherein the hinge member is substantially elliptical. 18. The segmented container of claim 17, wherein the hinge member has an opening formed therethrough to facilitate lifting. 18. The segmented container of claim 17, wherein said hinge member is substantially elliptical and has an opening formed therethrough to facilitate lifting.