NZ276733A - Carton with top flap tab and slot latching: tab point engagement with slot edge 5mm or less - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No. International No. 276733 TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates: 19.11.1993; Complete Specification Filed: 18.11.1994 Classification:^) B65D5/10 Publication date: 19 December 1997 Journal No.: 1423 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention: Crate made of sheet material and provided with a lockable lid, and blank for producing same Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: PRATT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PTY LTD, Level 2, 553 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia New Zealand No. 276733 International No. PCT/FR94/01355 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention: °f Sheet ma,erial and PrOVided Wi,h « lockable M. ™d blank for producing Pro# Lei Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: OTOR, of 70, boulevard de Courcelles, F-75017 Paris, France 276733 CARTON OF SHEET MATERIAL WITH FASTENING OF THE COVER AND BLANK FOR MAKING SUCH A CARTON The present invention relates to a carton of corrugated paperboard sheet material or the like, of the type including 5 sides, a bottom and a lid comprising two opposing upper flaps and two opposing lower flaps situated underneath the; said upper flaps, the said flaps being connected respectively to the side by fold lines, the cover comprising: two slits formed in the upper flaps, on 'either side 10 respectively of the cover, parallel to and at a distance d from the fold lines of the lower flaps, and two tabs cut out respectively on one side from the lower flaps, and hinged respectively on the other side parallel to the fold lines of the said lower flaps, respectively 15 overlapping the said upper flaps and laid out so that their ends penetrate respectively into the corresponding slits in the cover.

It also relates to a blank for making such a carton. It finds a particularly important although not exclusive 20 application in the field of polygonal cartons with more than four sides, for example with eight sides including four cut corners, and which when they are not completely full, may exhibit deformations in the event of lateral loadings.

Fastening systems are already known which make it possible 25 to latch a carton lid, thereby subsequently avoiding these inopportune deformations. Fastening by adhesive tape is especially common. tnb:dmw«ZJ?l!nl 5 Junt 1997 27 6 733 . - 3 - However, such systems have drawbacks. Indeed, they require an additional constituent element of the carton, namely the adhesive tape,, and thus incur additional costs and operations during manufacture.

A carton of the type defined above is also known (US-A- 3,302,853), but this also has drawbacks. The fastening of the tabs is in fact carried out by hooking their widened end into the corresponding slits-, thus permitting effective latching of the cover in the closed position, but making it difficult to 10 reopen the carton, for example in order to label the contents or to add items to the contents of the carton previously closed a first time.

Fastening systems are also known (FR-A-1083621; US-A-2167917) having tabs which latch by lateral or transverse 15 protuberance under the facing edge of slits. Here again, such systems have the drawback of being difficult or even impossible to reopen once fastened.

The present invention provides a carton of corrugated paperboard sheet material or the like, having sides, a bottom 20 and a lid, said lid including two opposing upper flaps and two opposing lower flaps situated underneath the said upper flaps, said flaps being connected to the sides by fold lines, each upper flap being formed with a slot- extending parallel to and at a predetermined distance from each of the fold lines of the 25 lower flaps, said lower flaps being formed with tabs cut from the lower flaps, and hinged to the sides along the fold lines of said lower flaps, said tabs overlapping said upper flaps and each having an end portion which penetrates into the corresponding slots in the upper flaps of the lid, each tab N.Z. PATENT OFFICE tnb:dmw-.#ZJ 7ll.nl 5 June 1997 2 3 OCT 1997 276733 - 4 having a length between its end portion and the fold line of the lower flaps to which the tab is fixed which is greater than said predetermined distance by an amount less than of the order of 5mm.

The invention also provides a blank of corrugated paperboard sheet material or the like intended to form a carton including: panels connected together by way of first parallel fold lines, a first set of flaps connected to one side of the said lateral panels by second foldlines, suitable for forming the bottom of the carton, a second set of flaps connected to the other side of the said panels by third fold lines, suitable for forming a lid of 15 the carton, and defining two upper flaps and two lower flaps, said lower flaps each including a tab cut out on one side from the said flap, and connected on the other side to the adjacent panel by a fold line substantially coinciding with the third fold line of the said flap, said upper flaps including peripheral edges formed with a slit at a predetermined distance from the fold lines of the lower flaps, each having a length between its end portion and the fold line of the lower flaps to which the tabs are fixed which is greater than said predetermined distance being an 25 amount less than of the order of 5mm.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments given by way of non-limiting example. It refers to the accompanying drawings in which: 71?ATENT JUM 1997 BSCBVSO tnb:dniwt#Z37St.rsI | .1 111 4007 I J Juno IW7 Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank according to one embodiment of the invention; Figures 2 to 5 show the steps of forming and fastening the cover of a carton made up from a blank of the type of that 5 described with reference to Figure 1; Figure 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of a blank according to the invention; Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 shows two partial perspective views of the tab for fastening the cover obtained with the blank of Figure 7, in the fastened position, and when 276 it is freed elasticaliy by simple pressure on the cover.

Figure 1 shows a blank 1 comprising a string of eight lateral panels, namely four main panels including 5 two large panels 2 and 3 intercalated with two small panels 4 and 5, and four intermediate panels 6 suitable for forming the cut corners of the carton, the said intermediate panels being respectively between a large panel and a small panel when the carton is formed. 10 The string of panels terminates on one side, in the embodiment more particularly described here, in a tab 7 suitable for being fixed to the intermediate panel 6 adjoining the main panel 2 situated on the other side of the string of panels with respect to the 15 said tab. The panels are connected together by first parallel fold lines 8.

The blank comprises a first set of flaps 9 situated on one side of the panels and intended to form t the bottom of the carton, and a second set 10 of flaps 20 situated on the other side of the panels and intended to form the cover of the carton.

More precisely, the first set 9 comprises four susbtantially rectangular flaps connected to the . - - 4. • i ^ j' *»- , . \ m lateral sides of the four main panels-^by fold lines 11, . , - 7 - - V perpendicular to the first fold lines, namely two large flaps 12 and 13, connected to the large panels 2 and 3, and two small flaps 14 and 15, connected to the small panels 4 and 5.

The intermediate panels 6 are themselves devoid of flaps. ; In the embodiment more particularly described here, the two large flaps 12 and 13 have a width, in the transverse direction, equal or substantially equal 10 to half the width of the formed carton.

The large flaps 12 and 13 are identical. Each large flap comprises, three sides 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3, (13.1, 13.2 and 13.3) namely two lateral sides 12.1 and 12.3 (13.1 and 13.3) situated astride the said flap and 15 a side 12.2 (13.2) parallel to and away from the second fold line 11 of the flap relating to the corresponding panel.

Each lateral side of a large flap comprises a first part slanting at 45° toward' the exterior of the 20 flap from the second fold lines, and laid out so as to cover the adjacent intermediate panel when the carton is formed, the said first part being prolonged by a second part perpendicular to the said second fold lines, the saidJLiI,wral ^Jrt^fcir^jbHminating at the angle 733 2 7 -8 - / with the peripheral edge in a notch 16 having a first set-back 17, toward the interior of the flap, for example rounded, and a second set-back 18, also directed toward the interior of the flap, for example 5 at right-angles, the length of the peripheral edge 12.2; 13.2 of the parallel side between upper ends 16' of the notches being L- The small flaps 14 and 15 are themselves identical and rectangular, in the embodiment more 10 particularly described here. Their lateral sides are moreover situated some distance from the lateral.sides of the corresponding large panels, for example a few millimeters away.

The second set 10 of flaps is connected to the 15 four main panels by third fold lines 19, 20 and 21 perpendicular to the first fold lines 8. More precisely, the second set. includes two large flaps 22 and 23 connected respectively to the large panels by I the fold lines 19, and two small flaps 24 and. 25 20 connected respectively to the small panels by the fold lines 20 and 21, as will be described more precisely below.

The large flaps 22 and 23 each comprise three sides respectivel^--^^^f^^^fraTl4 f2-3 anc* 23 -1, 23 •2 JUN 1997 27 6 733 and 23.3, namely two lateral sides [22.1 and 22.3; 23.1 and 23.3] and a parallel side away from the third fold lines [22.2 and 23.2].

Each lateral side comprises a first part 5 slanting at 45° toward the exterior from the third fold lines and laid out so as to cover the corresponding intermediate panels when the carton is formed, a second part perpendicular to the third lines and an end part 2 6 bevelled toward the interior of the flap. 10 The peripheral edges of the sides 22.2 and 23.2 moreover comprise respectively . two rectangular or substantially rectangular identical slots 27 and. 28, perpendicular to the said edges, and situated on either side of the flap at a specified distance ' d from the 15 lateral edges 22.1 and 22.3 on the one hand, 23.1 and 23.3 on the other hand, of length x/2 and of width e, for example of 3 to 5 mm.

The width JL of the flaps 22 and 23, between the fold lines 19 and the peripheral edges 22.2 and 23.2, 20 is equal to half the width of the cover of the carton, so that, when the latter is formed, the said edges are united, the slots 27 and 28 of the flap 22 coming opposite the corresponding slots 27 and 2 8 of the flap N.Z. PATENT OFFICE 2 3 OCT 1997 t'-'.LCE!'-rFQ - 10 276 733 23, to form two identical parallel slits straddling the junction between flaps.

The small flaps 24 and 25 are themselves rectangular, for example of the same width 1 as the 5 large flaps 22 and 23. They each include a tab 29 cut out on one side from the flap and connected on the other side to the panel 4 or 5 by a fold line 21 slightly offset toward the interior of the flap, for example by 1 or 2 mm with respect to the fold line 20, 10 which spreads out on either side of the said, tab centered with respect to the flap.

The tab includes an end 30 shaped into a point, for example forming an obtuse vertex angle of the order of 160 or 170°, the distance between the fold line 21 15 and the end of the point 3 0 being sLL, with dL being a little greater than d for example two to three millimeters greater than d- The tab furthermore exhibits a T shape complementary to that of .two symmetrically adjoining 20 notches 16.

Figures 2 to 5 show the formation of a carton 31 with cut corners 32, and constructed with a blank of the type represented in Figure 1 N.Z. PA* F-.NT OFFICE 2 5 J UN 1997 iiu; 27 6 73 3 The carton 31 includes main lateral faces 33, a bottom 34 and a cover or lid 35, comprising two identical opposing upper flaps 36 and two identical opposing lower flaps 37, connected respectively to the lateral faces by fold lines 38 and 39.

Figures 4 and 5 show more precisely the cover of the carton which comprises two slots 40 formed in the upper flaps parallel to, and at the distance d from, the fold lines 39 of the lower flaps 37, relating to the faces to which they are connected.

The cover also comprises two tabs 41 cut out on one side from the said lower flaps 37 and hinged on the other side respectively with respect to the lateral face corresponding to the said flap 37, about parallel fold lines 42 and slightly above the fold lines 39 of the lower flaps 37. 15 The tabs overlap the upper flaps, which themselves overlap the cutout part of the tabs in a lower flap, the ends 43 of the said tabs in use entering the slots 40 as shown in Figure 5.

The bottom of the carton itself includes two small interior flaps 44 and two large exterior flaps 45 connected 20 respectively to the corresponding lateral faces by fold lines 46 and 47.

The bottom comprises two slottings 48, of complementary shape to that of the tabs, so that when the cartons are stacked on top of one another, the tabs fit into the slottings of an 25 upper carton, thus allowing lateral latching of the cartons with respect to one another.

Represented in Figure 6 is another embodiment of a blank 50 according to the invention. | iv.- 1 tnb dmwriH2378I.nl 3 OCT fob'/ 9 l-J w WW I I.J. if I s June 1997 27 6 / 3 3 The blank 50 here includes just four panels 51, and an end gluing tab 52, to form a carton of typical configuration.

The flaps 53 forming the cover are here of the same width; two of the said flaps comprise tabs 54, of substantially 5 rectangular shape, the end of which is suitable for cooperating with the slots 55 which, once aligned, form s'ots in the cover as described above.

The flaps 56 forming the bottom of the carton are, for example, here divested of notches, and are of conventional 10 type, for an American carton. tnb:dmw:023781 ,re 1 N.Z. i"-A(v.\;r Or-FiCE 2 3 OCT 1937 June 1997 Rrc'jvEo 276 733 "he formation of the bottom and of the cover of a carton according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5.

The lateral walls of the carton are formed by S wrapping around a mandrel, the interior flaps of' the bottom firstly being folded down. Then the exterior flaps are in turn folded down on the interior flaps, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2.

The carton is then filled through the top. The lower flaps of the cover are next folded down. Owing to the offset between fold lines 20 and 21, ' ie lines 20 also being, for example, more pronounced than the fold lines 21, the tabs remain upright or vertical (see Figure 3).

Next, the upper flaps of the cover are folded down, the peripheral edges of the said flaps becoming united (see Figure 4).

Finally, the tabs whose end snaps into the slits are folded down.

Figure 7 shows a for example very thick (thicker than 5 mm) double-faced corrugated paperboard blank 60 according to another embodiment of the invention, including four rectangular lateral panels 276755 61, 62, 63' and 64 connected in pairs by mutually parallel fold lines 65.

The blank terminates laterally, on one side, in a gluing tab 6 6 and comprises, in the transverse 5 direction, on one side, a first set 67 of four flaps connected respectively to one side of each lateral panel by second fold lines 68 perpendicular to the first ones and intended to form the bottom of the carton and, on the other side, a second set 69 of four 10 flaps connected to the opposite side of the said panels by.third fold lines 70, and intended to form the cover of the carton.

The set 69 consists of two rectangular lateral flaps 71 and 72, termed upper flaps, intercalated with 15 two lateral flaps 73 and 74, termed lower flaps.

The lower flaps are, for example, isosceles and trapezoidal, with a base angle a lying between of the order of 88° and of the order of 70°.

They are for example the same height as .the 20 upper flaps and each include a tab 75 cut out from the flap and connected to the corresponding panel (62 or 64) , for example as was seen with reference to Figure 1. r i' IN Till 27 6 7 3 3 Each tab comprises a lower part in the shape of an isosceles trapezium advantageously of height and of base angle £ (large side of the trapezium), the said base being coincident or substantially coincident with the fold line 70. The angle £ is for example between of the order of 85° and of the order of 60°, for example to 80°.

The tab terminates in a triangular end portion 76, v/ith obtuse vertex angle for example equal to of the order of 160° and of small height i for example equal to 2 mm.

The height of the tab (distance dl = + L) is for example equal to half the width H of the flap.

The upper flaps -71 and 72 themselves comprise, on either side and starting from their peripheral edge 77 away from the fold lines 70, a rectangular half-slot 78 perpendicular to the said peripheral edge 77 and whose internal edge 79 (directed toward the center of the flap) is situated at a ' distance equal or substantially equal to from the closest adjacent lateral edge 79 of the flap, perpendicular to the peripheral edge 77 of the said flap.

Each half-;slot 78 terminates in a sectile or cut line 80 slanted toward the adjacent edge 79 and'the 276733 fold line 70, over a specified length 1 for example equal to of the order of l to 2 cm.

The set 67 intended to form the bottom of the carton itself comprises two substantially rectangular flaps 81 and 82 intercalated in pairs with two isosceles trapezoidal flaps 83 and 84.

The flaps 81 and 82 each include an exterior peripheral edge 85 made in two, for example equal, parts parallel to the second fold lines 68, the said edge being provided with a set-back between its. two parts.

Each end of the 'flaps 81 and 82 moreover comprises a slotted part 87 or 88 of complementary shape to that of a half-tab, as was seen earlier.

The operation of the fastening/unfastening of the cover is now specified while making reference to Figure 8.

For this purpose, the presence of the cut lines 80 facilitates the successive openings and closings of the carton 89.

The unfastening of the tab 75 is done by pressing on the upper flaps 71 and 72 adjacent to the tab, or else by depressing the middle of the cover of the carton, thus enabling the tab whose end is 276 733 sparingly engaged under the upper panels beyond the slot 90 made up of the two half-, slots 78 to free itself automatically with good elasticity, the internal part 91 of the upper flaps, the part delimited by the line 5 80, acting as a restoring spring.

N.Z. o ■: i ■ :sn 2 3 OCT 1997 R^CFIViO

Claims (14)

27 6 733 - 18 - The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A carton of corrugated paperboard sheet material or the like, having sides, a bottom and a lid, said lid including two opposing upper flaps and two opposing lower flaps situated 5 underneath the said upper flaps, said flaps being connected to the sides by fold lines, each upper flap beiing formed with a slot extending parallel to and at a predetermined distance from each of the fold lines of the lower flaps, said lower flaps being formed with tabs cut from the lower flaps, and hinged to 10 the sides along the fold lines of said lower flaps, said tabs overlapping said upper flaps and each having an end portion which penetrates into the corresponding slots in the upper flaps of the lid, each tab having a length between its end portion and the fold line of the lower flaps to which the tab 15 is fixed which is greater than said predetermined distance by an amount less than of the order of 5mm.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein said amount is less than or equal to of the order of 2mm.

3. The carton of claim 1 or 2 wherein each of said slits are 20 formed in peripheral edges of the upper flaps, said tabs being centered with respect to the corresponding lower flaps.

4. The carton of any preceding claim wherein each slit is extended by a cut line in each upper flap, said cut line being directed towards the fold line of the lower flap and closely 25 following the corresponding edge line of the corresponding tab to facilitate flexing of portions of the upper flaps underlying the tabs.

5. The carton of any preceding claim wherein each tab comprises a generally rectangular portion each extending from tnb:dmw: #23781.nl 5 June 1997 2 3 GCi bij/ 27 6 73 3 - 19 - the fold line of the lower flaps and a narrower shaped portion extending from the rectangular portion terminating in a point.

6. The carton of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each tab has a substantially rectangular or isosceles trapezoidal shape 5 terminating in a triangular part with an obtuse vertex angle.

7. The carton according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom includes flaps connected respectively to the sides by fold lines, namely two opposing interior flaps and two opposing exterior flaps having two parts of complementary shape 10 to that of the tabs slotted therefrom.

8. A blank of corrugated paperboard sheet material or the like intended to form a carton including: panels connected together by way of first parallel fold lines, 15 a first set of flaps connected to one side of the said lateral panels by second foldlines, suitable for forming the bottom of the carton, a second set of flaps connected to the other side of the said panels by third fold lines, suitable for forming a lid of 20 the carton, and defining two upper flaps and two lower flaps, said lower flaps each including a tab cut out on one side from the said flap, and connected on the other side to the adjacent panel by a fold line substantially coinciding with the third fold line of the said flap, 25 said upper flaps including peripheral edges formed with a slot at a predetermined distance from the fold lines of the lower flaps, each having a length between its end portion and the fold line of the lower flaps to which the tabs are fixed — tnb:dmw:l237ll.nl 5 June 1997 l'i C "*• t 27 6 733 | - 20 - which is greater than said predetermined distance being an amount less than of the order of 5mm.

9. The blank of claim 8, wherein each slot is extended by a cut line in each upper flap, said cut line being directed 5 towards the fold line of the lower flap and closely following the corresponding edge line of the corresponding tab to facilitate flexing of portions of the upper flaps .underlying the tabs.

10. The blank according to claim 8 or 9, wherein each tab 10 comprises a generally rectangular portion each extending from the fold line of the lower flaps and a narrower shaped portion extending from the rectangular portion terminating in a point.

11. The blank according to claim 8 or 9, wherein each tab has a substantially rectangular or isosceles trapezoidal shape 15 terminating in a triangular part with an obtuse vertex angle.

12. The blank according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the bottom flaps are connected respectively to the sides by fold lines, namely two opposing interior flaps and two opposing exterior flaps having two parts of complementary shape to that 2 0 of the tabs slotted therefrom.

13. A carton substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or 6 or 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A blank substantially as hereinbefore described with 25 reference to Figures 1 or 6 or 7 of the accompanying drawings. 6ND OF CLAIMS tnbtdmw: iV2378l.nl 2 3 OCT 19Si/ RECEIVED 5 June 1997