CARTON BOX AND TEMPLATE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a cardboard box of the type in which one or more articles are held in the complementary article receiving apertures provided in a main panel normally arranged perpendicular to the main axes of the articles. . The invention is particularly suitable for use with frusto-conical cups, and other articles such as trays that are tapering along their vertical axes and / or having elongated flange portions. In the present invention, the panels for flanking body portions of the packaged articles include placing tabs that extend into the interior of the opening (s) receiving the article so that during loading and forming of the package, the article (s) they are urged against the locating tabs which consequently automatically cause their associated flanking panels to pivot within the flanking position of the required article. US 4 706 814 to The Mead Corporation discloses a multipack carton in which a plurality of articles are held in a complementary set of apertures provided in a main panel wherein the panels flanking the articles are pivoted automatically during loading due to the provision of integral tongues with the flanking panels extending into the openings. The present invention and its preferred embodiments are intended to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art. According to a first aspect of the invention, a cardboard box is provided in which a plurality of articles are held in a complementary opening or set of apertures provided in a main panel of the carton so that portions of the Each item is exposed to view, while other portions are protected by the outer panels of the carton, an opposite pair of end panels provided by portions of the flanking body or each packed item includes placing tabs that extend into the inside of or in each opening that receives the article so that during the loading and forming of the package the articles are urged against the positioning tabs which automatically cause the flanking panels to pivot inward and to remain in the flanking position of the article. According to the second aspect of the invention there is provided a cardboard box for at least one article comprising a main panel having an opening for receiving and retaining this or each item, side wall panels bently joined to the side edges opposite the main panel, means retaining the end panel attached to the main wall panel and folding in overlapping relationship, each of the means retained by the end panel has at least one integral locating tab extending into and interrupting the area defined by the opening that receives the adjacent article, the positioning tab which is effective to induce the pivoting of its means retaining the associated end panel around the articulated connection thereof with the main panel when an article is inserted into the opening receiving the adjacent article. Preferably, the positioning tab is sorted and arranged so that when the article is inserted into the opening receiving the article, the force is exerted by the article against the positioning tab so that it pushes the means retaining the associated end panel against a body portion of the article. According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, each of the side panels has at least one flanging tab extending in and interrupting the area defined by an opening that receives the adjacent article. A cover panel that is hingedly connected to the first of the side wall panels and an intermediate panel articulated to the second of the side wall panels can be further comprised., the intermediate panel has a plurality of openings aligned with the openings receiving the article wherein the cover panel is disposed over the articles to prevent the movement of upward evacuation of the articles. According to yet another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the positioning tabs include portions that are in the fastening engagement with the or each more remote article in the carton. The end panels may include a top end for coupling with an article in the receiving opening. According to a further optional feature of the second aspect of the invention there further comprises a second wall panel having an upper end that couples the article and a coupling tongue extending into the opening when the carton is in the form of template, wherein the first and second wall panels are hingedly connected to a pair of opposite ends of the main panel respectively. In some embodiments, the opposite ends are the final ends of the main panel and where the ends of the opposite side of the main panel are available to connect other structures to the carton or its template.
Preferably, the or each end panel is connected to the main panel along a curved bend line. Alternatively, the or each end panel is connected to the main panel by a pair of diverging fold lines. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a template for forming a cardboard box comprising a main panel having at least one opening that receives the article, a pair of flanking panels hinged to two opposite ends of the main panel, each pair of flanking panels that is disposed adjacent to or each of the openings that the article receives and that has an integral locating tongue extending within and interrupting the area defined by the opening that receives the adjacent article. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a template for use in forming a cardboard box according to one embodiment of the invention. FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of a partially finished cardboard box formed from the template of Figure 1 during loading; FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a partially finished carton formed from the jig of Figure 1 during loading; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the finished and loaded carton formed from the template of Figure 1; FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a template for use in forming a cardboard box according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a partially finished carton formed from the template of Figure 5 prior to loading; FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a partially finished carton formed from the template of Figure 5 during loading; FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the finished and loaded carton formed from the template of Figure 5; FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of another angle of the finished and loaded carton of Figure 8; FIGURE 10 is a plan view of a template for forming a cardboard box according to a third embodiment; and FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a finished and loaded carton formed from a template shown in Figure 10. Referring first to Figure 1, an elongate template 10 is provided, which is formed of cartonboard or sheet material. foldable leaf similar. This comprises a plurality of panels for forming a cardboard box, for example a type of upper fastener, so that it comprises an upper part, a base and opposite sides that are hingedly connected together. In this embodiment, it comprises an upper wall panel 12, a first side wall panel 14, a base wall panel 16, a pair of flanking structures 18a, 18b, a second base wall panel 20, a second panel 22 of side wall interconnected hinged in series along the lines 30, 32, 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b, 38. In some embodiments, it comprises a fastening fin 24, hingedly connected to the second side wall 22 together with the line 40 fold. The arc flanking structures 18a, 18b are in this embodiment subdivided into integral positioning tabs 48a, 48b protruding from a central opening 49, defined by base wall panels 16, 20 and the structures 18a, 18b, and the panels Flange 46a, 46b extending outward from the insole 10. They may further comprise damper tabs 26 and 28, which are preferably hingedly connected to the first and second base wall panels 16, 18 along the lines 42, 44 respectively and also protrude into the opening 49. Returning to the construction of the cardboard box as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, it is conceived that the carton of the present invention can be formed by a series of sequential bending operations in a straight line machine so that the carton is not required to be rotated or inverted to finish its construction. The bending process is not limited to what is described below and can be altered according to the particular manufacturing requirements. Turning in particular to Figure 2, there is shown a schematic perspective view of the partially reinforced cardboard box and article A, which in this embodiment is a tray of the type that can be used for "prepared meals", pre-prepared salads. packed and similar. The carton is loaded by vertical relative movement between the article A, and the template 10 while the base of the article is aligned with the opening 49. The base of article A is lowered and begins to enter the openings and peripheral portions of the article. base article strike against the locating tabs 46a, 46b. When the application of the template 10 in relation to the article continues, the flanking panels 46a, 46b originate to pivot upwards, relative to the base panels 16, 20, around the fold lines 34a, 36a, 34b, 36b respectively , by virtue of the downward displacement of the tabs 48a, 48b placed by the article?. The cushion tabs 26, 28 are caused to fold downwardly downwardly around the fold lines 42, 44 respectively. The position of the tabs and panels after this operation are shown more clearly in the exploded view of Figure 2. The folding process continues so that the article progressively inserts more fully into the opening 49 and panels 46a, Flange 46b is bent upward to introduce the side flank panels relative to the vertical flange with respect to the side wall of the tray so that the flank panels 46a, 36b coupled in this embodiment, in a recess defined by the side wall of the article? and the edge portion extending downwardly of the cover of the article L, as shown in Figure 3. The bending process is then terminated by causing the side wall panels 14, 22 to bend inwardly and upwardly around each other. the bending lines 32 and 38 respectively and the upper wall panel 12 and the holding flap 24 to fold in and down to coat the upper part of the article A. The upper wall panel 12 and the holding flap 24 are preferably secure them together using glue or other suitable means known in the art to form the finished article as shown in Figure 4. Turning now to the second embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figures 5 to 9, similar numbers have state where it was possible to use to indicate similar parts with the addition of the prefix "1". Referring first to Figure 5, an elongate template 110 formed of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material comprises a plurality of panels forming an upper part, a base and opposite sides. Thus, this comprises in series, a top wall panel 112, a first side wall panel 114, a base comprising a first base wall panel 116 and a second base wall panel 120, a second side wall panel 122 and a clamping fin 125 interconnected to the bending lines 130, 132, 141, 138 and 140 respectively, a pair of flanging structures 118a, 118b are hingedly connected to the longitudinal opposite edges of the base wall panels along the the lines 134a, 136a; 134b, 136b of interrupted bends. In this embodiment, a plurality of opening 149 receiving the article is traversed from the base wall panels 116, 120 and arranged in two rows of three openings each, although other arrangements, for example 2x2, are conceptualized. A pair of locating tabs 148a and 148c which together with the flanking panel 146a integrally form the flanking structure 118a and extend from the interrupted lines 134a and 136a in the space defined by the adjacent openings 149a. so that each opening is partially obscured by a respective one of the locating tabs. The fold lines 134a, 136a and 134b, 136b are preferably mutually divergent from the fold line 144 and intersect where the fold lines 132 and 138 respectively end. A similar arrangement is provided with respect to the flanking structure 118b. In some embodiments, this further comprises opposing pairs of the article retention structures 150a-150f, which are preferably provided along the fold lines 130 and 140, the structures being arranged to interrupt the bending lines cited above. Each retaining structure is substantially identical, and therefore only structure 150a is described in further detail. It will be seen from Figure 5 that the structure 150a comprises a protruding portion of the upper wall panel 112 arranged to interrupt the fold line 130 and is defined by a curved cutting line 152.
The structure further comprises a pair of spaced parallel cut lines 154 and 156 which are disposed in this embodiment substantially perpendicular to the fold line 130, and extend from the curved cut line 52 and terminate the lower part of the wall panel 14. side. The cutting lines 54 and 56 therefore define a tongue. As illustrated in Figures 6 to 8, the template 110 is applied to a group of articles A, which in this embodiment are frusto-conical plastic articles for holding the yogurt and the like so that the jig is not required to be turned or invest to finish its construction, as in the first modality. The template 110 and the articles? they are inserted together by relative vertical movement between them so that the articles A are in register with the openings 149 as shown in Figure 6 as the first embodiment. After this, the bottoms of the articles A begin to enter with respect to the openings 149 and peripheral portions of the bases thereof strike against the positioning tongues 148a-148d. When the application of the template with respect to the articles continues, the flanking panels 146a and 146b originate pivoting upwards, in relation to the base wall panels 116, 120 around the interrupted fold lines 134a, 136a and 134b, 136b respectively, by virtue of the downward displacement of the positioning tongues by the articles. This partially loaded condition of the package is shown in Figure 7. The folding process continues so that the articles are progressively more fully inserted into the openings 149 and the flanking panels are folded upwards, relative to the panels 116, 120 of base wall around the lines 134a, 136a; 134b, 136b for incorporating the flanking panels in a substantially vertical flanking relationship with respect to the side walls of the articles. The pivoting action of the flanking panels 118a, 118b simultaneously causes an inward tilting action thereof, as well as causes the base wall panels 116, 120 to bend upwardly out of their coplanar relation to each other around the line 144 fold. An advantage of this provision is that the items? they can be held more closely within the openings 149. The bending process is then terminated by causing the side wall panels 114, 122 to be bent upwardly around the fold lines 132 and 138, and the upper wall panel 112 and the flap 124 with glue to bend in and down around the fold lines 130 and 140 respectively, shown in Figures 7 and 8. The top wall panel 112 and the clamping tab 124 are consequently incorporated in an overlapping relationship with the same. which are secured together by glue or other means known in the art. This causes the upper folds of the articles to be secured by the retaining structures 150a-150f as is known in the art. The carton is now fully set and loaded as shown in Figures 8 and 9, where a carton with complementary openings 149 provided in a main panel 116/120 is shown. It further comprises an opposite pair of end panels 118a, 118b for flanking the end articles, which have placing tongues 148 extending into the openings. During the formation, each article is urged against the placement tongue 148 to cause the final panels to pivot. A third embodiment is shown in Figures 10 and 11 where a template similar to the second embodiment is provided. Therefore, they have been used as references, but replacing the prefix? 1 'with the prefix? 2' and only differences in some major detail will be described. In this third embodiment, a template for forming a top loading carton including a pair of panels 223 is shown in Figure 10., 216, 220 of upper and lower opening support and a cover panel 227 disposed on the articles to prevent upward movement of the articles. The cover panel 227 is hingedly connected to the side wall panel 214 along the fold line 230. This further comprises an outer side wall panel 229 hingedly connected to the cover panel 227 along the fold line 225. In use, the outer side wall panel 229 is secured to the inner side wall panel 222 in front of the contacting arrangement. Preferably, the cover panel 227 is provided with opposite pre-cut lines to form a release strip so that in use, the release strip is removed to reveal the articles. It may further comprise an intermediate panel 223 hingedly connected to the inner side wall panel 222 along the fold line 240. A plurality of openings 257 are traversed from the intermediate panel 223 in the position corresponding to the openings 249, so that the openings 249 and 257 in use are vertically aligned. The openings 257 can be formed to conform to the shape of the article. A second inner side wall panel 224 is hingedly connected to the intermediate panel 223 along the fold line 241. In use, the inner side wall panel is placed in front of the arrangement in contact with the outer side wall panel 214. In this embodiment, this further comprises a plurality of cushion tabs 251a, 251b which extend into the openings 249 and are hingedly connected to the base panels 216, 222. The carton is formed from the template of Figure 10 in the manner similar to the second embodiment, and the cover and the intermediate panels 227, 223 are constructed at the same time; whereby the intermediate panel 223 is bent out of alignment with the side wall panel 222 along the fold line 240 and the inner side wall is folded along the fold line 241 to be incorporated opposite the ratio in contact with the side wall panel 214. The articles are loaded into the formed part of the carton so that they are inserted into the openings in the intermediate panels 223, 216/222 and base. The final panel structure is formed in the manner similar to the second embodiment. The cushion tongue 251 is also forced out of alignment to engage an article contained in the opening 249. After this, the cover panel 227 is formed by bending inwardly along the fold line 230 and the wall panel 229. outer side is folded along the 225 fold line. The outer side wall panel 229 is placed in front of the contact arrangement with the inner side wall panel panel 222 to be secured thereto by glue or other means known in the art. Thus, the carton is in an established and loaded condition as shown in Figure 11. It will be recognized that as used herein, the directional references such as "top", "base", "end", " "lateral", "upper", "lower", "internal", "external" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but only serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference for articulated connection should not be constructed as it necessarily refers to a single fold line only; it is certainly conceptualized that the articulated connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or fold line, without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be understood that numerous changes can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the size and shape of the panel can be altered according to the specific requirements of the items to be packed, such as the number and arrangement of the receiving openings.