JP2006515255A - Fully enclosed carton and its blank - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton for holding a plurality of articles (A) which carton comprises a top wall (53, 54), a base wall (58, 60, 72, 76), opposed side walls (12, 16) and opposed end walls (14, 18). A divider structure for separating adjacent articles is formed from at least one of the end walls (14, 18). The divider structure includes first and second inwardly folded divider panels (30, 32) hinged to one another and to the opposed side walls (12, 16) and an inwardly folded support panel (36) hinged to and extending between the respective lower portions of the first and second divider panels (30, 32).

Description

  The present invention relates to a wrap-around carton and its blank. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wrapping carton and its blank for containing a flexible sachet of articles, for example semi-fluid foodstuffs (eg fruit juice) having protruding sachets.

  Generally, a wrapping type portable device is provided with an opening for holding one or more articles. Patent Document 1 discloses an example thereof.

When packaging flexible items such as sachets containing semi-fluid foodstuffs, sachets can potentially be problematic. This is because such articles tend to deform and / or overlap one another.
U.S. Pat.No. 4,836,375 (Shuster)

  The present invention provides a conventional support structure by providing an appropriate support structure in order to make it difficult for internal movement of an article in a carton and to reduce the risk that the external carton is deformed, looks worse, or is torn. The aim is to overcome or at least mitigate technical problems.

  A first aspect of the present invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of articles, the carton comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, an opposing side wall, and an opposing end wall. A separation structure for separating adjacent articles is formed from at least one of the end walls. The separation structure is foldable with respect to the first and second inner separation panels that are foldably connected to each other and the opposite side wall, and to the lower portions of the first and second separation panels. An inwardly folded support panel connected and extending between the lower portions of the first and second spacing panels.

  In one embodiment, the side wall converges toward its upper edge.

  The upper surface wall may include a pair of upper surface wall panels and a lock mechanism for fixing the upper surface wall panels to each other.

  The second aspect of the present invention provides a blank for forming the carton referred to in the previous paragraph.

  Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  With reference to the drawings, and in particular with reference to FIG. 1, a blank 10 formed from cardboard or similar foldable sheet material to form an all-enclosed carton that is used to wrap articles in a side-by-side fashion. It is shown. This blank comprises a plurality of panels for forming a top surface, opposing side surfaces and opposing end surfaces, and a bottom surface of the carton.

  In this embodiment, the first side wall panel 12, the end wall panel 14, the second side wall panel 16, the second end wall panel 18, and the fixed flap 20 are provided. One is foldably connected to the next in a row along fold lines 22, 24, 26 and 28, respectively.

  The carton further comprises a top wall structure and a bottom wall structure for forming a top wall and a bottom wall, respectively. The top wall structure is foldably connected to the first side wall panel 53 along the fold line 56 and the first top wall panel 53 foldably connected to the side wall panel 16 along the fold line 55. A second top wall panel 54.

  The bottom wall structure is foldably connected to the first side wall panel 58 along the fold line 62 and foldably connected to the side wall panel 16 along the fold line 64. And a second bottom wall panel 60. The outer edges of the bottom wall panels 58 and 60 include portions P1 and P2, respectively, configured to engage with each other.

  The carton further comprises engagement flaps 67 and 68 foldably connected to the first and second bottom wall panels 58 and 60, respectively, along fold lines 66 and 70, respectively. A first support flap 72 foldably connected to the end wall panel 14 along a fold line 74 and a second support flap foldably connected to the second end wall panel 18 along a fold line 78. By 76, a support flap is provided.

  The locking mechanism for a carton according to the present invention is provided by a locking tab and an opening structure. The locking tab comprises one or more tabs 80 extending from the top wall panel 53. The tab 80 includes an opposing recess 82 that forms a shoulder for engaging a corresponding edge of an opening partially formed by the cut 84. In the present invention, the female portion of the locking mechanism is provided by an opening formed when the second top wall panel 54 is folded along the folding line 56.

  The carton further comprises a spacing structure used to separate adjacent articles held in the carton. This separation structure is provided by the arrangement of the end wall structure. Each end wall 14, 18 is provided by an inwardly arranged panel located in the middle of adjacent articles. Thus, end walls 14 are foldably connected to one another along fold line 34 and individually foldably connected to first and second sidewall panels 12 and 16 along fold lines 22 and 24, respectively. One separation panel 30 and a second separation panel 32 are provided. Certain embodiments further comprise a support panel 36 foldably connected to the first and second spacing panels 30 and 32 along fold lines 38 and 40.

  Similarly, end walls 18 are foldably connected to each other along fold line 46 and individually foldably connected to second side wall panel 16 and securing flap 20 along fold lines 26 and 28, respectively. One separation panel 42 and a second separation panel 44 are provided. The carton further comprises a support panel 48 foldably connected to the first and second spacing panels 42 and 44 along fold lines 50 and 52.

  The support panels 36 and 48 are formed to maintain the separation panel in a desired shape (web shape in this embodiment). Of course, the support panel can be formed in different shapes according to the desired shape of the spacer (eg, arcuate or strophoid).

  The carton may further include one or more display windows 94 on one or each of the side wall panels 12,16. In order to form a display window, the transverse partition panel 90 may be stamped from the side wall panel 16 and foldably connected to the side wall panel 16 along a fold line 92. This transverse partition panel 90 is used to separate rows of adjacent articles.

  In order to form a complete carry device in a flat folded state from a blank, a sequential series of folding and bonding operations are required, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. . This folding and gluing operation can be performed with one or more linear machines so that the tray does not need to be rotated or flipped to accomplish its assembly. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be modified according to specific manufacturing conditions.

  The first stage of assembly is to apply an adhesive to the fixed flap 20 illustrated by hatching and indicated by the letter G. As shown in FIG. 3, the end wall 18 and the fixed flap 20 are bent along a fold line 26 to be in a surface contact state with the side wall panel 16. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, the side wall panel 12 is bent along the fold line 22 so as to be in a surface contact state with the end wall 14, and is fixed to the fixed flap 20. The bottom wall is partially assembled by folding the support flaps 72, 76 inward to provide a surface contact relationship with the end walls 14,18. The bottom wall panels 58, 60 are folded inwardly along fold lines 62, 64, thereby bringing the engagement flaps 67, 68 into surface contact with each of the support flaps 72, 76 and securing them together. The carton is then folded flat, ready to be provided to the end user for final assembly and loading.

  To accomplish the assembly of the carton, the opposing side wall panels and the opposite end wall panels of the carton are folded from the surface contact mode along the fold lines 22, 24, 26 and 28 to form a tubular structure.

  This folding action automatically forms the bottom wall structure, which causes the support flaps 72, 76 and the engagement panels 67, 68 to fold downward, which in turn turns the first and second bottom wall panels outward. Bend it. The protrusions P1 and P2 are adjacent to each other and subsequently engaged with each other in an overlapping manner.

  In the above embodiment with the transverse partition panel 90, the panel is folded inward along the fold line 92 prior to the introduction of the article into the carton.

  As is well known, the article is loaded by relative vertical movement between the carton and the article and forms the top wall. The inner top wall panel 54 is folded inward along the fold line 56 to expose an opening partially formed by the cut 84. The outer top wall panel 53 is folded inward along the fold line 55 and the locking tab 80 is folded and engaged with it as it is inserted into the opening. By this method, the inner upper surface wall panel 54 and the outer upper surface wall panel 53 are fixed to each other in a surface contact relationship.

  By the locking operation of inserting the tab 80 into the opening, the opposing side wall panels 12 and 16 are pushed toward the mating direction, thereby forming a separating body. In the present embodiment, the separation body is formed by bending the separation panels 30 and 32 and the separation panels 42 and 44 inward along the folding lines 34 and 46, respectively. In this embodiment with a support panel, the separation panel is further folded along fold lines 38, 40 and 50, 52 to form an angle with respect to the support panels 36 and 48, as shown in FIG. Make it folded.

  The edge of the separator formed by the fold lines 34 and 46 is located at the inner point of the separator and separates adjacent articles. This improves stability and suppresses unwanted movement in the carry.

  The present invention and its preferred embodiments relate to a device for providing a resealable access structure in an all-enclosed carton. However, it is clear that the present invention can be applied to various portable devices and is not limited to the all-enclosed type described so far, and can be used for many applications such as wrapping cartons.

  As used herein, reference to orientation, for example, “top”, “bottom”, “end face”, “side”, “inside”, “outside”, “upper” and “lower” It should be understood that the individual panels are not limited to such orientations, but are merely distinguishing these panels from one another. Reference to a foldable connection should not necessarily be construed as meaning only a single fold line. Indeed, it is clear that the foldable connection can be formed from one or more of a score, a breakable line or a fold line without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  It should be understood that various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, the size and shape of the panels and openings can be adjusted to accommodate different sized or shaped articles, and alternative top and bottom closure structures may be used. The carton may contain one or more items in different arrangements.

It is a top view of the blank for forming the carton by one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a view of the blank of FIG. 1 during successive stages of carton assembly and loading process. FIG. 2 is a view of the blank of FIG. 1 during successive stages of carton assembly and loading process. FIG. 2 is a view of the blank of FIG. 1 during successive stages of carton assembly and loading process. It is a side view of the completed carton. It is a perspective view of the carton formed from the blank of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Blank 12 1st side wall panel 14 1st end wall panel 16 2nd side wall panel 18 2nd end wall panel 20 Fixed flap 22,24,26,28 Folding line 30 1st separation panel 32 2nd Separation panel 34 Folding line 36 Support panel 38,40 Folding line 42 First separation panel 44 Second separation panel 46 Folding line 48 Support panel 50,52 Folding line 53 First top wall panel 54 Second top wall panel 55, 56 Fold line 58 First bottom wall panel 60 Second bottom wall panel 62, 64, 66, 70 Fold line 67, 68 Engagement flap 72 First support flap 74 Fold line 76 Second support flap 78 Folding line 80 Tab 82 Recess 84 Cut 90 Crossing panel 92 Folding line 94 D Play window P1, P2 interengaging portions (projecting portions)

Claims (7)

A carton for holding a plurality of articles, comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, an opposing side wall, and an opposing end wall,
A separation structure for separating adjacent articles is formed from at least one of the end walls,
The separation structure is
First and second inwardly spaced apart panels that are foldably connected to each other and to the opposing sidewalls, respectively.
An inwardly folded support panel that is foldably connected to an individual lower portion of the first and second spacing panels and extends between the lower portions of the first and second spacing panels. And a carton characterized by comprising:   The carton according to claim 1, wherein the support panel is foldably connected to the bottom wall.   The carton according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support panel has a triangular shape, and forms a separating body having a vertex and an open / closed partition wall.   The carton according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the side wall converges toward an upper edge portion thereof.   The carton according to claim 4, wherein the upper wall includes a pair of upper wall panels and a lock mechanism for fixing the upper wall panels to each other.   A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of articles according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A package comprising the carton according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and one or more articles suitable for being held in an internal partition structure.

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