MXPA97005184A - Carton case wrapped around completely closed - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a preform made to measure to form a cardboard box to pack a plurality of articles, characterized in that it comprises: a first panel having a side edge, a first edge and a corner between said side and first edges; panel for disposition along said lateral and first edges of the first panel to conform to a shape of the first panel when the cardboard box is formed, said second panel is foldably connected to the first panel along said lateral edge, the second panel has a second edge in alignment with the lateral edge, said second edge and a notional extension of said first edge are arranged to converge in said corner, and a joining or extending bracket extending between said first and second edges is connected from foldable manner to said first and second panels along the first and second edges respectively, said splice comprises a pair of panels of splices interconnected along a splice bending line, one of said splice panels has an adjacent opening in said corner, said openings extend in said first panel to facilitate folding of said second panel in order to allow said second panel positioned along the side and first edges of said first panel, said splice fold line extending from the opening to a first free edge of said a splice panel having a tongue projecting towards the interior of the opening so that said opening is closed by the tongue when forming the carton

Description

CARTON BOX WRAPPED AROUND COMPLETELY CLOSED The invention relates to cartons for packaging a plurality of items such as cans or beverage bottles for example, particularly cardboard boxes for packaging multiple rows or layers of items in a completely closed carton , for example and also cardboard boxes to pack items in a non-rectangular arrangement. A known cardboard box having an octagonal base and a top panel is disclosed by Chaussadas in U.S. Patent No. 4,747,485. The carton comprises a large number of separate panels for closing the sides and ends of the carton. A separate panel is hingedly connected to each of the eight edges of the upper and base panels. Most of these panels depend only substantially on the middle part between the top or bottom panel and the opposite or upper bottom panel and therefore superimpose an associated panel depending on the opposite upper part or the lower panel. A relatively complex method of folding several panels is therefore required in order to close the cardboard box shown in US Patent No. 4,747,485. The invention aims to avoid or at least mitigate various problems with the cardboard boxes of the prior art. According to one aspect of the invention, a preform is provided to form a cardboard box for packing a plurality of articles, comprising a series of upper, first side, bottom and second side panels, hingedly interconnected to form a shirt open end to receive said articles, the upper and bottom panels are similarly shaped non-rectangular substantially to correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the arrangement of articles in a plane parallel to the upper and bottom panels, where a gusset comprising two escutcheon panels connects the first side panel and the top or bottom panel whose escutcheon is adapted to facilitate movement of the side panel to correspond to the associated form of an arrangement of articles stored during the formation of the carton. The carton preferably comprises two gussets between the first side panel and the top or bottom panel, which gussets cooperate with the associated end portions of the first top panel to cause movement thereof during the formation of the board. Two scutes can connect both side panels with the top panel and two scutes connect both side panels with the top panel. Each of the fold regions may comprise a series of hingedly connected portions, and the hingedly connected portions may be separated by curved portions which provide rounded corners in the finished carton. One of the gusset panels may comprise a tab projecting therefrom to facilitate the embedding of the gusset in the carton during the formation of the gusset. Also one of the gusset panels may comprise means such as an edge that abuts or functionally splices with one end of the cardboard to help maintain the associated top panel in its position formed within the carton. Preferably said projection tongue comprises a stop edge. Another aspect of the invention provides a preform for forming a carton to pack a plurality of articles comprising a series of interconnected main panels hingedly to form an open-end sleeve or sleeve capable of receiving said articles, two opposite side panels are similarly non-rectangular shape substantially to correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the arrangement of articles in a plane parallel to the two opposite main panels, wherein the two additional main panels comprise folding or bending regions adapted to be bent into at least three different planes for adapt with the shape of the associated opposite main panels, wherein a gusset comprising two gusset panels hingedly connected, connects a first main panel between the adjacent bending regions and one of the two opposite main panels. The escutcheon may comprise an associated opening, which facilitates the folding of the escutcheon, and the escutcheon may comprise means that close the opening when the carton is formed. Other aspects of the invention relate to a cardboard box and the formation of a cardboard box. Brief description of the drawings The 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 cardboard preform to form a box of cardboard according to one embodiment of the invention; Figures 2 to 6 provide different views of the preform shown in Figure 1 during the process of forming the cardboard box shown in Figures 7 and 8; Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of a cardboard box according to the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a plan view of a preform for forming a cardboard box according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figures 10 to 14 are perspective views of a cardboard box according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 15 is a plan view of a preform for forming a cardboard box according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figures 16 to 21 are several perspective views of a cardboard box according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 22 is a plan view of a preform to form a fourth embodiment of a cardboard box according to the invention; Figures 23 to 28 provide views of different stages during the process of forming a cardboard box from the preform shown in Figure 22; Figure 29 is a perspective view of a carton formed of the preform shown in Figure 22; and Figure 30 is a schematic representation of the method of loading and closing the carton shown in. Figure 29. The first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 8, wherein a cardboard preform 11 for forming the carton 10 is shown in Figures 7 and 8. The carton is designed to maintain a non-rectangular array of articles such as an array comprising rows of two, three and two items, which has a substantially hexagonal cross section in the horizontal plane. However, because such articles such as cans or bottles are generally cylindrical or at least have curved sides, in the case of bottles, a hexagonal arrangement of such articles has curved corners. In order to tightly pack such an arrangement, the carton 10 has side panel portions capable of bending. The carton 10 can hold a single row of elongated articles or a double row of articles. Of course, multiple rows can be accommodated by simply adapting the length of their side panels to have the height of the proposed number of rows. The preform 11 comprises a base panel 11 which is hingedly connected to the end tabs 22 and 20 and to the side panels 14 and 16 via bending lines 56a and 56b, and gussets 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d, as shown in Figure 1. The side panels 14 and 16 each comprise a series of side panel portions 42a and 42b, 46a and 46b, 50a and 50b, and 54a and 54b. The side panel portions are separated from the adjacent side panel portion by the curveable panel portions 44a and 44b, 48a and 48b, 52a and 52b. The curved panel portions comprise a series of fold lines that allow a certain amount of folding of each of the curved panel portions, so that the panels 14 and 16 are folded around the packaged articles of the panel. arched way to completely enclose the sides of the cardboard. The cardboard therefore has a cross section in the horizontal plane which is polygonal, in this case hexagonal, with curved or rounded corners. The side panels 14 and 16 are hingedly joined to the first and second top panels 18 and 20, respectively. The upper panels 18 and 20 are hingedly joined to the respective side panels 14 and 16 by the gussets 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d and the fold lines 64a and 64b. The top panels are flap type and can be joined together using glue or cooperative insurance means such as tabs and openings, for example. The upper panel 18 comprises end tabs 26b and 28b hingedly connected thereto along the fold lines 25c and 25d, respectively. Slit features 33c and 33d are positioned in the fold line between the first top panel 18 and each of the end tabs 26b and 28b, but in other embodiments only one or none of such features should be provided. These slit features 33c and 33d allow bending of the fold line between the side tabs and the first top panel when the handle 30 is in use as described below. The handle 30 is provided in the second top panel 20 and comprises a band having finger tabs 32 foldably attached thereto. The second top panel 20 is foldably attached to the end tabs 26a and 28a along the fold lines 25a and 25b respectively, and in this example the ends of the grip band extend into the end tabs 26a and 28a a along side cuts 33a and 33b. The second upper panel 20 also comprises a handle reinforcement panel 36, which in this example, is hingedly attached to the band of the handle 30 along the fold lines 34. Each of the gussets 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d can as shown in Figure 2, comprise an outermost panel 58 hingedly connected to an innermost panel 60. A cut 62 can be used to separate part of the panel 58 from the panel 60 and the associated upper panel 18 or 20 Thus the cut 62 can usefully define a protrusion 59 from the outermost escutcheon panel 58 whose protuberance 59 or fold element can be used to embed the escutcheon inside the carton and from here assist in the folding of the sides of the cardboard. The inner gussets 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d could be formed similar to the gussets 38, but here each comprises two symmetrical panels which are connected hinged together along a fold line 41. A method for folding a preform 11 to form a finished cardboard 10 as shown in Figures 7 and 8, can be seen in Figures 2 to 6. A first top panel 18 can first be folded around a fold line 64b in such a way that it is superimposed on the panel lateral 14. The reinforcing panel 36 can then be folded around the fold line 64 under the grip band 30 to thereby provide a two-layer grip and thus reinforce the latter. The side panels 16 and the top panel 20 can then be folded around the hinge line 56a in the configuration shown in Figure 3. The first and second top panels can then be joined together eg by glue on the overlapped portions or using a cooperative insurance element (not shown) such as lock tabs and openings. Of course other panels, such as overlap panels, can be used to allow a tubular sleeve or liner to be formed. The handle edges at the edges or slits 33a and 33b thus remain substantially aligned with the slit features 33c and 33d in the first top panel 18 to allow the hinge parts or fold lines 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d between the upper panels and the end tabs 26a and 28a and 26b and 28b move. This allows upward flexing of the grip band 30 in use by allowing inward movement in the portion of the grip band adjacent the ends of the carton.

To assist in this movement, a pair of creases or fold lines 35c and 35d may be provided for example in the first top panel 18 as shown in Figure 2. In this example, both fold lines 35c and 35d and the parts associated with the fold line 25c and 25d extending through the flexable portion extending between the end tab and the top panel assist in the deflection of the latter when the handle 30 is in use. The folded preform can then be opened to form a jacket-like structure as shown in Figure 4. In this configuration, articles such as cans can be loaded into a partially formed cardboard box 10 through their open ends. After loading the articles, the end tabs 22 and 24 can be folded upwards while the end tabs 26a, 26b, 28a and 28b can be folded downward. The side panel 14 and 16 can then be folded around the articles to close the cardboard ends, for example, the escutcheons 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d can be folded into the position under the associated upper panel 18 or 20 when pressing towards the inside the panel 58 and / or the panel 60 of one or more of the escutcheons 38. By folding the escutcheons 38a and 38b inwardly, the ends of the side panels 14 and 16 are caused to close around the ends of the cardboard 10. Similarly to folding the gussets 40a to 40d into the interior of the carton 10, the lower part of the side panels 14 and 16 can be urged to rotate to close the cardboard ends. The most extreme associated portions of the side panels 14 and 16 are thus brought in an overlapping relationship with respect to each other, as shown in Figure 7, to keep the carton in its closed configuration the most extreme portions. 54a and 54b may be joined together, for example by glue or by means of cooperative insurance elements such as latch tabs and openings. Also, one or both of the more extreme portions 54a and 54b can be joined together or both of the tabs 26a and / or 26b or the end tab 22. In this way several overlapping portions can be joined together. Similarly, the opposite end of the carton can be kept in a closed position so as to form the completely closed carton 10, shown in Figures 7 and 8. It can be seen that the carton 10 is designed to enclose complete and tightly arranged articles having curved side panels, which wrap tightly around the articles. The cardboard is made aesthetically pleasing by having appropriately formed bottom top panels which reflect the non-rectangular shape of the arrangement of stored items. Of course, other non-rectangular arrangements such as triangular, rhombic, rhombic, and octagonal arrangements, for example, can be used. A second embodiment of a cardboard box 110 according to the invention is shown in Figures 9 to 14. In this embodiment, characteristics substantially similar to those shown in the first embodiment are labeled using the same two-digit reference number, No. 1. Thus, a first top panel 118 is hingedly connected to an upper panel 114 which in turn is hingedly connected to a panel 112. The base panel 112 is hinged to a second side panel 116, which in turn, it is hingedly connected to a second base panel 120. In this example, the handle slots 133 are substantially similar to those in the previous embodiment, however, fold lines 135 can be provided to define a movable portion 131c adjacent to the other. the fold lines 125c and 125d between the top panel 118 and the end panels 126b and 128b, respectively. Alternatively, those labeled lines 135c may be cut lines thereby providing an opening 131c in the fold lines between the first top panel 118 and the end panels 126b and 128b. On the side panels 114 and 116, the bendable center portions of the first embodiment are replaced by a central panel portion 148a and 148b and the other side panel portions may simply be hingedly connected by a single fold line. In this embodiment, the side panels are also adapted to wrap around the sides of an array of articles to completely enclose their side panels. However, the base panel 112 and the top panel of the carton, formed of the panels 118 and 120, do not comprise overlapping rounded corners, but each is an irregular octagon. In this example, an array of items with rows 1, 2, 2 and 1 items is intended to be placed in the row or in each row. The preform 111 shown is adapted to maintain two rows of such can arrangements, for example. The side panels are hingedly connected to the associated upper panel by gussets 138 which may comprise an upper panel 158 for example, hingedly connected to the associated side panel 114 or 116 and the smaller panel 160 is abbreviatedly connected to both the gusset panel 158 and to associated upper panel 118 or 120. An interrupted cut 162 may be used to separate part of panel 158 from panel 160 and associated upper panel 118 or 120. This cut 162 may usefully define a protrusion 159 which may be used for embedding the escutcheon 138 within the position between the associated upper panel 118 or 120 and the articles within the carton 110. In other words, the shape of the escutcheon panels is designed to assist in the folding of the side panels during the Close the cardboard box after loading it. Also, an edge 157, here provided on each of the gusset panels 158, cooperates in the formed carton with a panel 126 or 128 to maintain the achieved shape of the side panels. Side panels 114 and 116 here, each comprise removable portions 170a and 170b. These portions may be attached to the cardboard preform in part at least along a tear line 174 and through the fold lines 153 or 164 as shown in Figure 9. The removable portions 170 comprise means to aid in the removal of the portion of the carton such as a finger opening 172. The finger opening can be closed by a tongue portion until it is used. The cardboard box 110 can be formed by folding the preform 111 in a manner substantially similar to that described with reference to the first embodiment. Thus, the top panel 118 can be folded around the fold line 164b, the side panel 116 and the top panel 120 can be folded around the fold line 156a and the side panels interconnected in the overlapping portions. of these . A cardboard sleeve can then be formed and loaded before folding or folding the side panels 122, 124, 126a, 128a, 126, 128b around their associated fold lines.

Beneficially, the openable portions 170 allow an A article to be removed from the unopened carton 110 by tearing the entire carton. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the openable and lockable portion 170b can be opened by breaking the tear-off line 174 and opening the panel 170b about the fold line 153b. Additionally, tear line 161c may be provided in gusset 138 between gusset panels 158c and 160c (see FIG. 9) to allow panel 170b to open fully. As can be seen in figure 12, the cardboard box 110 can pack two rows of items, which can be separated by a portion of panel 176, for example. In order to have access to the lower row of articles, a second openable or removable portion 170a may be provided. In order to open the openable portion 170a it is folded around the hinge line 143a while the tear-off feature 174 and the tear-off fold line 141b are broken between the gusset panels 140b (see Figure 9). Of course, the gussets can be designed to allow the openable panels to be completely open without the need for a second tear-off feature such as the lines 161c and 14Ib that have just been described. Additionally, in this example, the gusset panels 138 are bent below the top panel associated with folding the gusset panels 158 and 160 one with respect to the other around the fold line 161, such that both portions are superimposed below each other. of the top panel. The main gusset panel 158 may thus lie adjacent to the fold line 125 between the end panels 126a, 126b, 128a or 128b at the edge 157 thereof to thereby provide rigidity in this fold line between the side panels and to the edge of the grip band as well as to act to retain the shape of the side panels. A third embodiment of a cardboard box according to the invention will now be described in relation to the preform and the cardboard shown in Figures 15 to 20. In this example of the invention, characteristics similar to those of the first two embodiments are tagged using the last two two-digit reference numbers with the prefix 2. Thus, a first top panel 218 is hingedly attached to a side panel 214, which in turn is hingedly connected to a base panel 212. A second side panel 216 is hingedly connected to both the base panel 212 and a second top panel 220. The side panels 214 and 216 are substantially similar to those described in Figure 9 described above, except that the openable (and / or removable) portions 270 have a different configuration. In this example, a tear-off line 274 extends substantially around three sides of the rectangular panel that form the removable portion 270. The openable portion 270a and 270b are hingedly connected on a fourth side through the fold lines 239b and 237c, respectively. Each of these fold lines connects the openable portions 270a and 270b with an associated escutcheon panel, i.e., 204b and 238c, respectively in this example. A finger opening 272 can be provided and this can be covered by a folding tab 271. The openable portion 270b is foldable about line 237c in the finished carton as shown in Figure 17. Portion 270b can be removed at rip along the fold line 261c as shown in Figure 18 to thereby leave a cardboard box in which the articles A in a top row can be removed as shown in Figure 19. Similarly, the openable portion 270 a is openable by bending around fold line 239b. Also, portion 270a can be completely removed by tearing along line 24lb, for example. In this example, the cardboard box 210 is adapted to maintain two rows of articles, where each row comprises an array of 1, 2, 2 and 1 rows of items. Of course, different numbers of rows of different number of articles can be packed and in reality different numbers of rows can be stored by properly adapting the preform described herein. A fourth embodiment of a preform 311 and a carton 310 formed therefrom as shown in Figs. 22 to 30. The formed carton 31 shown in Fig. 29 has a generally octagonal cross section in the plane horizontal and is designed to accommodate a single row of items such as bottles in an arrangement of 3, 4, 5 and items per row. The preform 311 comprises an upper panel 320 which hingedly connects to the side panel 316 along the fold line 364a. In turn, the side panel 316 is hingedly connected to the base panel 312 having an octagonal shape. The base panel 312 is connected to a second side panel 314 along a fold line 356b. In this embodiment, instead of providing overlapping top panels to form the preform into a tubular, sleeve-like or liner-like structure, a tongue 315 is provided. In this tongue mode 315, which is hingedly connected to the top panel 320 throughout of a fold line 364b may be attached to an upper portion of side panel 314, for example by glue or by using cooperative insurance means such as latch tabs and openings. The preform 311 comprises a handle 330 having finger tabs 332 on the upper panel 320 and a reinforcing handle band 336, which here is hingedly connected to the end panels 326 and 328, which are hingedly connected to the upper panel 320. Additionally, divergent bending lines may be formed in the upper panel 320 to provide a strain relief feature 380 for when the handle is used. In this embodiment, the openable features 370 are provided in the upper panel 320. The openable features 370 encounter the opening defined by the finger tabs 332 which is part of the handle 330 and have tear-away sidelines similar to lines 274 and 174 shown in the second and third modes described herein. Four gussets 338 are provided between the upper panel 320 and effectively the side panels of the carton when the tongue 315 and the side panel 314 are joined. The gussets 338 are equivalent in this example and with respect to the gussets 338a it can be seen that they comprise a main panel 358a which is hingedly connected to the side panel 216 '. The main panel 358a comprises a protruding tongue 359a which can be used to close the carton and maintain the associated side wall in a curved formation due to cooperation between the edge 357a of the tongue 359a and the panel 328, for example. This cooperation is more evident with reference to the latest drawings. Also the escutcheon panel 358 can be placed between, for example, the uppermost part of the most angular article, such as a bottle cap and the upper panel 320. This can help to avoid the breaking of the opening in the upper part of the box of cardboard when formed in spite of the opening 363 formed adjacent to the escutcheon. The side walls 316 and 314 are symmetrical and comprise a central panel having an average fold line 385a and 385b, respectively which allows both side panels to be substantially folded in half. This is beneficial in enabling the partially formed carton in Figure 25 to be packed in erection plane in the liner-like structure shown in Figure 26 which is ready for loading. The middle fold lines 385a and 385b extend within the portions 346a, 350a, 346b and 350b of the side panel. Additionally, a gusset 386 adjacent to each fold line 385 is provided in the side portions of the side panels. These gussets 386 facilitate better wrapping of the sides and ends of the loaded articles and the formation of a sloping upper portion of the side panels which can be seen with reference to FIGS. 27 to 29. In this end there are also provided lines fold 323a and 323b in the lower end panel 324 and 322, respectively. In order to form the upper portion with slope it is evident that the upper panel 320 must be an octagon smaller than the base panel 312.

Additionally, in common with the other embodiments, the gussets 340 can be provided between the side panels 312 and the side panel. In order to form the carton 310, the reinforcing band 336 is folded around the fold line 334 in its place shown in Figure 23. In this way the openings 382 in the band 336 are aligned with the fold lines 325a and 325b to thereby minimize any restriction in the bending of the upper end panels 328 and 326 around the fold line 325a and 325b when the ends of a loaded cardboard box are closed. Then, the upper panel 320 and the upper portion of the side panel 316 are folded around the fold line 385a in place shown in Figure 24. The upper portion of the side panel 314 is then folded around the fold line 385b such that it abuts or abuts tongue 315 and can be attached to it for example, with glue, to form the flat structure shown in Figure 25. Conveniently, preforms 311 can be stored in this flat array and transported towards the packing machinery ready to be loaded into the appropriate hoppers such as the hopper H shown schematically in Figure 30. To load a cardboard box structure shown in Figure 25, it is first expanded into the liner-like structure as shown in FIG. Figure 26. This is also shown in the upstream part of the packing process shown in Figure 30, where it is evident that the carton is moved downstream or along the direction of flow indicated by the arrow F. In this schematic drawing it can be seen that in step A, the rows of articles that are separated in the desired formation of two rows at each of the open ends of the Cardboard box comprises an innermost row of four items and an outer row of three items. The outermost row is shifted slightly with respect to the innermost row such that the rows of articles are nested to thereby form a tightly packed configuration. That is, an article in the outer row meets or borders two items in the inner row. This is not true of the two rows of internal abutment after they can be loaded into the cardboard box during the phase indicated by section B of figure 30. The adjacent, innermost rows of four articles bump into each other in such a way that a single article hits the innermost row. However, for different sizes or shapes of cardboard boxes it will of course be possible to provide a different top structure of the items within the carton. After loading a cardboard box 320, the escutcheons 338 and 340 are pushed inward into zone C of the flow path shown in Figure 30. As shown in bubble G of figure 30, the main gusset panel 358c is pushed inward to a position below the top panel 320. Also, as shown in bubble H of FIG. 30, the gussets 340 are embedded upwardly. This embedding action of the gussets causes a folding of the side panels towards the partially enclosed structure shown in FIG. 27. The more extreme portions of the side panels 350a and 350b can be further rounded towards the ends of the carton as shown in FIG. shows in the area D of Figure 30. This causes additional curvature of the side panels 314 and 316 which thus contour the sides of the adjacent articles and reflect the shape of the three sides of the octagonal base panel and the top panel 320. , the upper portions of the side panels 314 and 316 are biased in or inclined to thereby contour the recesses of the bottles held within a cardboard box. The upper and lower end panels 322, 324, 328 and 326 can be folded about the fold line associated with the top or bottom panel as shown in Figure 28. The associated upper and lower end panels such as panels 328 and 322 can then be linked together, for example, by glue. Alternatively, cooperative insurance means such as tabs and openings could also be provided. Also, the end panels can be attached to the end panels 346a, 346b, 350a and 350b. For example, if an adhesive such as glue is used then the cardboard box shown in Fig. 29 can be pressed in zone E. of Fig. 30 to ensure that the panels remain closed.

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS 1. A preform for forming a carton to pack a plurality of articles, comprising a series of top panels, first side panels, bottom panels, and second side panels to form an open ended sleeve capable of receiving said articles, the top and bottom panels are similarly substantially non-rectangular in shape to correlate with the cross-sectional shape of the article arrangement in a parallel plane, to the top and bottom panels, wherein each of the side panels comprises a plurality of separate bending regions and is adapted to be bent in order to put those areas of the side panel disposed between the bending regions in at least three different planes to conform to the shape of the associated top and / or bottom panel and wherein a gusset comprising two escutcheon panels connects said areas of the side panels with the top or bottom panels, res pectively. The preform according to claim 1, comprising two scutes connected between the areas of the side panels and the top and bottom panels, respectively whose gussets cooperate with the associated end portions of the first side panel to cause the movement of these during the formation of the cardboard box. 3. The preform according to claim 1, wherein two scutes connect both side panels to the top panel and two scutes connect both side panels to the bottom panel. The preform according to claim 1, wherein said fold regions comprise a series of hingedly connected portions. The preform according to claim 4, wherein the hingedly connected portions are separated by curved portions which provide rounded corners in the finished carton. 6. The preform according to any preceding claim wherein each of the escutcheon panels comprises a tongue projecting therefrom to facilitate insertion into the carton during its formation. The preform according to any preceding claim wherein the escutcheon panels comprise means such as an edge that functionally bump one end of the cardboard to help maintain the associated side panel in its position formed in the carton. The preform according to claims 6 and 7, wherein the protruding tongue comprises a stop edge. 9. The preform according to any of the preceding claims wherein the escutcheon has an associated opening that facilitates bending of the escutcheon. The preform according to claim 9, wherein the escutcheon comprises means for closing the opening when the carton is formed.