NZ209156A - Article carrier wrapper:panels secured by locking tabs - Google Patents

Description

2091 5i Priority Date(a): Complete Specification Filed: Class: &(F.P.s/&?r ^.. #0 ?sM • •••••»«•»••»••«*•*•«• « | •••••••••■•••« Publication Date: P.O. Journal, No: . <.

No.: Date: NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PANEL INTERLOCKING MEANS N.Z. PATENT C'Fr ire -9 AUG 1984 IX/Wt, THE MEAD CORPORATION, a corporation organised under the laws of the State of Ohio, U.S.A., with its head offices at Courthouse Plaza Northeast, Dayton, Ohio 45463, U.S.A., hereby declare the invention for whichxix/ we pray that a patent may be granted to jigg/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- j (followed by page la) 209156 t n i *7 f — (A— u PANEL INTERLOCKING MEANS This invention relates to panel interlocking means for securing a pair of panels, usually base panels, of a package in overlapping face contacting relationship. Locking tabs which are struck from one panel of a carton 5 wrapper and which are arranged to be driven through corresponding locking apertures defined by retaining tabs struck from another panel are well known e.g., from US Patent No. 4,093,116.

However, in the packaging of containers, e.g., 10 bottles or cans, in a wrap-around package in ~which the containers are arranged in a single row, the space available in the base panels of the wrapper for positioning of the locking tabs and apertures is severely limited. In one known construction the locking apertures are positioned 15 to the fold line between that base panel and an adjacent side wall of the wrapper. The retaining tab which defines that locking aperture has its base hinged along a line which is in coincidence with the base panel/ side wall fold line. In such an arrangement there is 20 a tendency for the retaining tab to 'spring' open outwardly of the base panel when the base panel is folded with respect to the side wall panel. This makes locking between the locking tab and cooperating locking aperture difficult and unreliable since the retaining tab is 25 displaced outwardly which is in a direction apposed to that required for correct locking. In one attempt to overcome this premature and incorrect displacement of the retaining tab, the free end edtge of the tab has been held arrested to an adjacent peripheral edge of the locking JO aperture by a thin 'bridge' of material. However, it has been found that the 'bridge' not only prevents the premature displacement of the retaining tab but also prevents the necessary displacement requisite for locking, that is to say it prevevents the locking tab being 2091 in the locking aperture. The present Invention seeks to overcome this disadvantage and in one aspect provides an arrangement for securing a pair of panels in overlapping relationship, said arrangement comprising a locking tab base, a retaining tab struck from the other of said panels and hinged thereto at its base and defining a locking aperture in said other panel for receiving said locking tab and being orientated so that the base of 10 said retaining tab is remote from the base of said locking tab when the panels are disposed in said overlapping relationship characterised in that the base of said retaining tab includes a pair of cut lines each of which extends outwardly in opposed directions from respective 15 side edges of said locking aperture to provide portions of a hinge about which said retaining tabs pivots during locking, said cut lines being located adjacent to a hinged connection by which said other panel is folded to bring it into said overlapping relationship with said 20 one panel.

Another aspect of the Invention provides, in an article carrier wrapper having a first base panel, a first side wall panel, a top panel, a second side wall panel and a second base panel Ringed one to the next, an 25 arrangement for securing said base panels in overlapping relationship, said arrangement comprising a locking tab struck from said first base panel and hinged thereto at its base, a retaining tab struck from the second base panel and hinged thereto at its base and defining a loc-30 king aperture in said second base panel for receiving said locking tab when the base panels are in overlapping relationship, characterised in that the base of said retaining tab comprises a deformable area defined between a cut line formed in the hinged connection 35 between said second side wall and said second base panel and cut lines extending outwardly from opposed side edges of said locking aperture and located adjacent the first mentioned cut line, struck from one of said panels and hinged thereto at its 209156 - J - said deformable area providing a hinge about which said retaining tab pivots when the locking tab displaces the retaining tab to be received in said locking aperture.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, 5 by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whlch:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrapper blank incorporating a panel locking arrangement according to the invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a locking aperture in one of the base panels of the wrapper shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a package formed from the wrapper blank shown in Figure 1. 15 Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a wrapper blank 10 fabricated from paper-board or like foldable material from which the package 'p' illustrated in Figure 3 is formed. The package 'p' accommodates a single row of containers 'c' i.e., three 20 cans or bottles, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular number of containers.

The blank comprises a central panel 12 which normally constitutes the top panel of the carrier.

Side walls 14 apd 16 are hinged to the central panel 12 25 along interrupted fold lines 18 and 20, respectively, and container receiving apertures 22,24 and 26 are formed along fold line 18 and similar apertures 28,30 and 32 are formed along fold line 20. To allow the carrier better to conform to the shape of the packaged contaners 50 further transverse fold lines 34 and 36 are formed in side walls 14 and 16 adjacent the interrupted fold lines 18 and 20, respectively. Thus, sloping upper side wall panels 38 and 40 respectively are provided in which the various cut lines defining the container receiving apertures 35 are disposed.

It is envisaged that in a modified version, a so called 'neck-through' carrier, these container 2 0915 6 - A - receiving apertures may be omitted and substituted by spaced apertures struck from the central panel 12. The central panel apertures are each positioned to receive a neck portion of a bottle, as is well known.

Lap (or bottom) panels 42 and 44 are hinged to the edges of the side wall panels 14 and 16, remote from the central panel along interrupted fold lines 46 and 48, respectively. Further transverse fold lines 50 and 52 are formed in side walls 14 and 16 adjacent the interrupted 10 fold lines 46 and 48, respectively, so that lower sloping side wall panels 54 and 56, similar to upper sloping panels 38 and 40, are provided. Container receiving apertures 58,60 and 62 are disposed in panel 54 and are aligned with the container receiving apertures 22,24 and 26, 15 respectively. Similarly, container receiving apertures 64, 66 and 68 are disposed in panel 56 and are aligned with the container receiving apertures 28, 30 and 32, respectively.

In order to provide for tightening the wrapper blank 20 w about a row of containers 'cf prior to interlocking the panels 42 and 44, a deltoid tightening aperture 70 is formed centrally of the lap panel 42 and a pair of similar apertures 72 and 74 is formed in lap panel 44. As is well known, a machine element enters 25 tightening aperture 70 and moves inwardly in opposition to the movement of corresponding machine elements which enter tightening apertures 72 and 74 and function in known manner to tighten the wrapper blank about the container 'c'. ^ For the purpose of securing lap panels TG^and together n overlapping face contacting relationship, a pair of locking tabs 76,78 is struck from lap panel 42 each of which is hinged thereto along a short transverse fold line 80 and 82, respectively, located at the base 35 of that locking tab. The opposite free ends of the locking tabs are disposed in cut-out areas 84 and 86, respectively, struck from the transverse free marginal edge of lap panel 42. 2091 These locking tabs 76 and 78 cooperate with locking apertures 88 and 90, respectively, which are struck from lap panel 44. In packages of the single-row type described herein, the free space available in the lap 5 panels for location of the locking tabs and apertures is limited to small zones of those panels between the bases of adjacent containers. Hence, the positioning and configuration of these elements is important. In general terms the location Is limited to having the locking 10 tabs 76 and 78 close to, or interrupting, the free marginal edge of lap panel 42 whereas the cooperating locking apertures are positioned close to the hinged connection between the lap panel 44 and sloping panel 56, i.e close to Interrupted fold line 48. As mentioned 15 hereinbefore difficulty has arisen with regard to the 1"~v positioning of the locking apertures in prior constuc- ~" tions. This is because the tabs defining those apertures had a tendency to 'spring' open outwardly of their associated lap panel with respect to the adjacent 20 side wall panel, thus making secure locking difficult.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the locking aperture 88 is shown as an enlarged view. The locking aperture 88 Is defined by a tab 88£. The base 'b' of the tab which Is remote from the free edge there-25 of is positioned close to interrupted fold line 48 and is defined by that area of lap panel 44 which lies between a short cut line and short 'nicks' 'x' and 'y' extending outwardly away from one another from the side edges 88b and 88c of the locking aperture and parallel 'w, to the cut line 48a^. The base area 'b' is shown In stippling in FIGURE 2.

In prior constructions the side edges, as at 88b and 88c of the locking aperture terminated close to the line of cut 48a and nicks 'x' and 'y' were not present. ^ Thus, the effective hinge line of the tab 88a was at the short cut line 48aThe effect of this arrangment was that when the lap panel 44 *as folded about interrupted fold line 48, the compression in the board at the fold 40 line 48 tended to cause tab 88a^ to 'spring' open 209156 in opposition to the direction in which it is required to be displaced during locking. The present construction which incorporates the short 'nicks' 'x' and 'y'# relieves the compressive force generated during folding by giving 5 a broader effective base to the tab 86£. Hence, when the lap panel 44 is folded about interrupted fold line 48, the tendency of the tab 88a^ to spring outwardly is minimized so that the tab remains in the plane of the lap panel 44; its correct position for locking.

As is well known, when the wrapper blank is properly tightened about the containers 'c', the locking tabs 76 and 78 are engaged by locking plungers (not shown) and are driven through the locking apertures 88 and 90 defined by retaining tabs 88a^ and 90a, respectively. This action pivots the retaining tabs about their base areas 'b' causing deformation at the base area 'b' and subsequently causes the free ends of the retaining tabs to engage the respective locking tabs to hold the latter in angularly disposed braced relationship. 20 Whilst the specific construction of locking aperture 88 and retaining tab 88a^ has been described, it is to be understood that locking aperture 90 defined by retaining tab 90a Is of like construction. / 20915

Claims (4)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Jn-en-article carrier wrapper having a first base panel, a first side wall panel, a top panel, a second side wall panel and a second base panel hinged one to the next, an arrangement for securing said base panels in overlapping relationship, said arrangement comprising a locking tab struck from said first base panel and hinged thereto at its base, a retaining tab struck from the second base panel and hinged thereto at its base and defining a locking aperture in said second base panel for receiving said locking tab and being orientated so that the base of said retaining tab is remote from the base of said locking tab when t/ie base panels are in overlapping relationship, characterized in that the* buse of vsaid retaining tab comprises a deformable area defined between a cut line formed in the hinged connection between said second side wall and said second base panel and cut lines extending jaupwardlyfrorn opposed side edges of said locking aperture and located adjacent the first mentioned cut line, said deformable area providing a hinge about which said retaining tab pivots when the locking tab displaces the retaining tab to be received in said locking aperture.

2. An article carrier wrapper according to claim 1, further characterized in that said cut lines extend parallel to said hinged connection.

3. An article carrier wrapper according to any one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said locking tab has its free end located at, and interrupting, a free marginal edge of said first base panel.

4. A wrapper as claimed in any one of the preceding claims substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the foregoing claims and accompanying drawings. dated thi53t^ my 0flvtowe.«b^is«° A ■! PARK & SON PEii agents for the applicants