MXPA06011633A

MXPA06011633A - Carton and carton blank with reinforced top.

Info

Publication number: MXPA06011633A
Application number: MXPA06011633A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Patrick Blin
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems
Priority date: 2004-04-08
Filing date: 2005-04-08
Publication date: 2007-01-23
Also published as: EP1737736B1; AU2005233161A1; PL1737736T3; GB0408053D0; ATE407883T1; NZ551054A; CN101027219A; EP1737736A1; WO2005100175A1; ES2314653T3; US20090173773A1; JP2007532421A; CA2564472A1; DE602005009688D1

Abstract

A carton includes an open top container (10) and a separate top closure (20). The upper periphery of the open top container is reinforced by reinforcing panels (76, 88, 96) and the top closure is releasable from the open top container.

Description

It is also desirable to have a cardboard box that after the contents of the articles have been consumed can be used to return the empty items to a rection point. The present invention seeks to provide means for displaying the articles or a portion of the articles in combination with access means for the removal of the articles wherein the access means leave the carton with sufficient integrity for the replacement of articles for the purpose of return to a point of recycling. GB 406, · 511 issued to Mardon reveals a packing box that has a diaphragm that. It comprises circular holes in register with items placed inside the box. CH 93304 issued to Perret discloses a one-piece container having openings in an upper panel for receiving articles. WO 2003/070580 issued to Blin discloses a "one piece" cardboard box having an integral series of interlocking top panels to secure the top closure panels in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cardboard box comprising two pieces, a first piece comprising a series of wall panels forming an open top container and a second piece forming an Separate upper closure, the upper periphery of the open top container is reinforced by a series of integral reinforced panels hinged around the upper periphery of the wall panels, wherein each reinforced panel is arranged in overlapping relationships with a separate wall panel of the wall panels of the open-topped container and wherein each reinforcing panel is hinged to at least one adjacent reinforcing panel. Preferably, the top closure is at an elevation below the top edge of the open top container when the carton is in use. Preferably, the top closure is at an elevation substantially equal to that of the lower end of the reinforcing panels when the carton is in use. · · · Preferably, the open top container comprises at least one reinforced handle opening formed from at least one of the reinforced panels and wherein the handle openings are located at an elevation above the top closure. Preferably, the top closure comprises openings for receiving articles or portions thereof and wherein each opening has a frangible connection with at least one other opening to facilitate the removal of the articles.

Preferably, in the removal of the articles, the cardboard box retains sufficient structural integrity, so that the cardboard box can be reused to return empty items. Preferably, the upper periphery of the reinforcing panels is hingedly attached to the finish container completely open along the upper edge of the open cap container. Preferably, at least one of the reinforcing panels is hingedly connected at opposite lateral edges thereof to adjacent reinforcing panels. Preferably, the top closure comprises at least one end flap hinged thereto, the at least one end flap being folded down to fall in the plane of the at least one reinforcing panel to avoid covering the handle opening. According to a second aspect of the invention, a two-part preform is provided to form a cardboard box comprising two pieces, a first piece comprising a series of wall panels forming an open top container and a second piece forming a separate upper closure, the upper periphery of the open top container is reinforced by a series of integral reinforcing panels, hinged around the upper periphery of the wall panels, wherein each reinforcing panel is arranged in overlapping relationship with a panel of wall separated from the wall panels of the open-ended container and wherein each reinforcing panel is hinged to at least one adjacent reinforcing panel. Preferably, the upper panel comprises openings for receiving articles or portions thereof, wherein each opening has a frangible connection with at least one other opening to facilitate the removal of the articles. Preferably, the first part comprises at least one reinforced handle opening formed from at least one of the reinforcing panels. Preferably, a hinged connection between a pair of reinforcing panels comprises a portion that partially separates the reinforcing panels to facilitate the folding of the reinforcing panels. Preferably, the separate top closure comprises a main panel and a plurality of fins hinged around the periphery, wherein a pair of opposingly disposed fins are folded upwardly of the main panel and a second portion of fins disposed oppositely adjacent to the first pair are folded down the main panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure 1A illustrates a first part of a preform to form a cardboard box in accordance with a | first embodiment of the invention; Figure IB illustrates a second part of a preform for forming a cardboard box according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from the front, side and top of a cardboard box that is constructed of the preforms of Figures 1A and IB; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the front, side and top of a cardboard box constructed from the preforms of Figures LA and IB.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figures 1A and IB show a first part and a second part of a two-part preform, respectively, to form a cardboard box 30, made of cardboard or similar foldable sheet material. It is contemplated that a unitary preform could be used instead, without departing from the scope of the invention. In the first embodiment of the invention, two preforms 10 and 20 of FIGS. 1A and IB are formed into a tubular cage and a cover respectively. The cover is inserted into the tubular cage to form the carton 30 of the first embodiment, which is shown in Figure 1C. In the modalities to be described, the cardboard box is of the type fully. closed, although it will be recognized that the invention could be applied to a crash-bottom cardboard box without deviating from the scope of the invention. The invention is designed to receive similar articles, such as bottles, but it is contemplated that the present invention could be used to contain other articles, without deviating from the scope of the invention. Returning to Figure 1A, the preform 10 comprises a first side wall 12, a front panel 14, a second side wall 16 and a rear panel 18, hinged to the next in series along the fold lines 42, 44, 46 and 48, respectively. Mango openings 54 are formed from the first and second side walls 12, 16. Finger grip tongues 58 protrude inward from the upper edges of the handle openings 54. The finger grip tongues allow the case The erected cardboard is easily held and lifted by the handle openings 54. The preform further comprises fins of the lower end 72 and 74 hingedly attached to each of the first and second side walls 12, 16 along fold lines 62 and each one of the front and rear panels 14, 18, along fold lines 64. The bottom end flaps 72, 47 provide means for closing the bottom end when the preform is erected to a carton. It is contemplated that other means of closing the lower end could be used without deviating from the scope of the invention. The fins of the upper end 76, 96 are also provided and are hingedly attached to each of the first and second side walls 12, 16 and the front and rear panels 14, 18 along fold lines 68 and 66 respectively. The fins of the upper end 76, 96 are hinged together and can provide reinforcement to the upper edges of the first and second side walls 12, 16 and the front and rear panels 14, 18 when the preform is erected to the carton 30. The fins of the upper end 76, 96 can also be secured to secure the cover-formed from the preform 20 within the carton without the need for adhesive. The preform 10 also comprises a gluing flap 88 which is hingedly attached to the back panel 18, along the fold line 48. Returning to the construction of the tubular cage of the preform 10, a series of sequential bending and gluing operations are required, which preferably can be carried out in a straight line machine, in such a way that the cage and / or preform 10 are not required to be rotated or inverted to complete the building. The folding process is not limited to that described below and may be altered in accordance with particular manufacturing requirements. The first step is to apply glue to the outer edge of the gluing flap 88 and then to fold it 180 ° around the fold line 48 such that it falls in flat face contact relationship with the inner face of the back panel 18. Then the panel front 14 is folded around the fold line 44 to fall flat on the inside of the second side panel 16. This causes the first side panel 12 to come in easy flat contact with the rear panel 18 and the outer edge glued of the gluing flap 88, in such a way that the first side panel 12 is stuck to the gluing flap 88, thus joining the first side panel 12 and back panel 18. Then the preform 10 can be erected to a tubular structure and using a similar series of folding and gluing steps, the lower end flaps 72, 74 can be secured to form lower end closure means. A second preform 20 is shown in Figure IB, which can be formed to a cover for the tubular cage formed from the preform 10 of Figure 1A. The preform 20 comprises a main panel '22, which is, either on one side or the other, hingedly attached to fins of the cover end 28a and 28b along fold lines 38a and 38b respectively. The fins of the cover end 28a and 28b can provide structural rigidity, too. as aesthetic appeal to the carton 30 when mounted. The main panel 22 further comprises openings 56 for receiving the similarly shaped articles and each opening is connected to at least one other opening by a frangible connection or notch 37. In this first embodiment, the openings 56 are arranged in four rows and each opening 56 is connected to at least one other opening 56 of the same row by a frangible connection or notch 37. In other embodiments of the invention, the arrangement of the frangible openings 56 or notches 37 may differ from that described in the first embodiment of the invention. the invention. It is contemplated that many provisions could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Once the tubular cage has been loaded with bottles or other similar articles, the preform 20 is folded to form a cover. To ensure . that the cover fins 28b do not obscure the handle openings 54 when the cover formed from the preform 20 is inserted into the tubular cage, the cover fins 28b are folded down away from the main panel panel 22 and are obscured from the view of the cardboard box 30 is fully erected. The cover flaps 28a may be folded either up or down away from the plane of the main panel 22 and may or may not be secured to the tubular cage by the use of glue. The folded preform 20 is then inserted into the loaded cardboard box, such that the openings 56 of the main panel 22 are brought in register with the bottle necks. If the cover flaps 28a are folded up out of the plane of the main panel 22, then the cover formed from the preform 20 can be locked inside the tubular carton by folding the upper end flaps 76 and handle panels adjacent internals 96 around fold lines 66 and 68. This action may block the cover within the tubular cage, such that the cover fins 28a are in flat face contact relationship between the fins of the upper end 76 and a portion thereof. adjacent top of the front and rear panels 14, 18. The cardboard box formed from the preforms 10 and 20 is shown in Figure 1C. It can be seen that the bottles are secured inside the cardboard box, once the cover manufactured from the preform 20 has been secured inside the tubular cage. The bottles are accessed by separating the frangible connections or notches 37. This can be obtained simply by pulling out a bottle contained within the carton 30. In this way, each bottle can be accessed individually, while the structural integrity of the cardboard box is maintained 30. The bottles are not removed. held in position by the openings 56 and the main panel 22. Accordingly, the carton provides an adaptable carrying container, the structural integrity of which is not destroyed, when the bottles are accessed. This allows the cardboard box to be reused for convenient return of empty bottles. In this embodiment of the invention, when all the bottles are separated, no material of the cover formed from the preform 20 is actually removed from the carton 30. In other embodiments of the invention, the openings formed inside the top panel they may not be circular and may also be provided with additional tabs protruding to the opening, "to" assist in the retention of bottle necks or other articles contained within the carton The present invention and its preferred embodiments are concerned with a provision for providing a top closure in an open-topped container, however, it is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and is not limited to those described herein and could be used for numerous applications, for example, a cardboard box with a bottom of shock, it will be recognized that, as used herein, direct references s such as "superior", "inferior", "frontal", "posterior",. "end", "lateral", "internal", "external", "upper" and "lower" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but serve only to distinguish these panels from each other. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line; of course, it is contemplated that hinged connection may be formed from one or more of the following, a ++++ slagging line, a frangible line or a crease line without deviating from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A cardboard box characterized in that it comprises two pieces, a first piece comprising a series of wall panels forming an open top container and a second piece forming a separate top closure, the upper periphery of the open top container is reinforced by a series of integral reinforcing panels hinged around the upper periphery of the wall panels, wherein each reinforcing panel is arranged in overlapping relationship with a wall panel separated from the wall panels of the open top container and in wherein each reinforcing panel is hinged to at least one adjacent reinforcing panel. The cardboard box according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper closure is at an elevation below the upper edge of the open top container when the cardboard box is in use. The cardboard box according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper closure is at an elevation substantially equal to that of a lower end of the reinforcing panels when the cardboard box is in use. The cardboard box according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the open top container comprises at least one reinforced handle opening formed from at least one of the reinforcing panels and wherein the openings of mango are located at an elevation above the top closure. The cardboard box according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the upper closure comprises openings for receiving articles or portions thereof and wherein each opening has a frangible connection with at least one other opening to facilitate the removal of articles. 6. The cardboard box according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that after the removal of the articles, the cardboard box retains sufficient structural integrity, in such a way that the cardboard box can be reused to return empty articles. The cardboard box according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper periphery of the reinforcing panels is hingedly joined to the finishing container which is completely open along the upper edge of the open finishing container. The cardboard box according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one of the reinforcing panels is hingedly joined at opposite lateral edges thereof to adjacent reinforcing panels. 9. The cardboard box according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper closure comprises at least one end flap hinged thereto, the at least one end flap is folded down to fall in the plane of the at least one reinforcing panel to avoid covering the handle opening. 10. A two-part preform for forming a cardboard box, characterized in that it comprises two parts, a first part comprising a series of wall panels forming an open top container and a second piece forming a separate top closure , the upper periphery of the open top container is reinforced by a series of integral reinforcing panels hinged around the upper periphery of the wall panels, wherein each reinforcing panel is disposed in overlapping relationship with a panel panel separated from the top panels. The open top container wall and wherein each reinforcing panel is hinged to at least one adjacent reinforcing panel. The preform according to claim 11, characterized in that the upper panel comprises openings for receiving articles or portions thereof, wherein each opening has a frangible connection with at least one other opening to facilitate the removal of the articles. The preform according to any of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the first part comprises at least one reinforced handle opening formed from at least one of the reinforcing panels. 13. The cardboard box according to claim 1, characterized in that a hinged connection between a pair of reinforcing panels comprises a portion that partially separates the reinforcing panels to facilitate the folding of the reinforcing panels. The cardboard box according to claim 1, characterized in that the separate upper closure comprises a main panel and a plurality of hinged fins around the periphery, wherein a pair of opposingly arranged fins are folded upwardly from the main panel and a second pair of fins arranged oppositely adjacent to the first pair are folded downwardly of the main panel. 15. A preform characterized to form a cardboard box according to any of claims 1 to 10 or 14 or 15.