US2358124A - Carton - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1944. J. A. zxNN, JR

CARTON 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 19, 1943 Attorney Sept. 12, 1944. J. A. zlNN, JR 2,358,124

CARTON Filed March 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Shea?l 2 In Ven for sept. 12, 1944. J, A ZINN, JR A2,558,124

CARTON Filed March 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 In men for q 24W' y.

fflftor'ny Patented Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Julius A. Zinn, Jr., Belmont, Mass.

original eppiinntinn January 15, 1942, sei-ini No. 426,795. Divided and this application March 19, 1943, serial No. 419,703

s (unimi.A (ci. 229-31) This invention relates to a carton and particularly to a liquid dispensing container.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved construction of carton adapted to be closed and sealed in a novel manner to effectively seal the contents of the container.

With this general object in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the carton hereinafter ydescribed and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention, Fig. 1 is e blank from which the present carton may be formed; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the formed carton with its top and bottom ends open; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating successive steps in the closing and sealing of the bottom of the carton; Fig. 5A is a cross sectional View through the completed bottom closure; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the carton showing the top or dispensing end thereof partially closed; Fig. 'l is a similarv view of the carton shown fully closed; Fig. `3 is a developed View of a blank from which a modied form of carton embodying the present invention may be made; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the modified form of carton shown with both ends open; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the modified carton completely closed and sealed.

In general, the present invention contemplates a carton particularly adapted for use as a liquid dispensing container whose construction is such as to provide an efcient and superior container which may be readily and economically produced by automatic machinery. The container is preferably produced from a moisture proofed and preferably paraiiin coated or impregnated cardboard.

The invention, as herein illustrated, is shown as embodied in a rectangular carton of the socalled "nesting type, being wider at the top than at the bottom. In practice the carton may be formed from a cut out blankof the carton forming material and is preferably wrapped about a forming block of the carton forming machine upon which the side seam and the bottom of the carton are rmly sealed to produce a carton open at the top. The. cartons in this condition may be nested together for convenience in shipping and storing, the top closure being made after the carton has been filled with the commodity being packaged. A convenient covered pouring opening may and preferably will be provided in the top closing portion of the container.

In accordance with the presen-t invention, the blank from which the carton is formed is cut in a manner such as to enable superior end closures to be formed in the assembled carton. In the illustrated embodiments of the invention, one of the end closures, herein shown as the bottom closure, includes side flaps comprising the first folded aps of the carton which are provided with connected wing portions formed from parts of the adjacent end flaps, said wing portions being arranged to be folded in with the side flaps and to be adhesively secured to the extended end flaps during the carton closing operation in order to effectively seal the bottom of the carton.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to '7 the end closures are characterized by arrangement of the overlapping and folded portions thereof in a manner such as to provide a substantially uniform thickness 'of such portions of the end closures in the assembled carton and to provide an eicient and tightly sealed package. Ordinarily, the interfolded wing portions of the side flaps would present an undue bulk in the bottom closure to prevent an eflicient seal of the subsequently folded end flaps. In order to eliminate such undue bulk and variable thickness of the underlying flaps upon subsequent, folding down of the end flaps with the attached wing portions provision is made for compressing the latter with portions of the underlying aps which are formed to substantially compensate for the thickness of the wing portions and to permit the extended portions of the end fie-ps to lie ilat against the underlying flaps and in eiiicient sealing engagement therewith. To this end, one of the underlying side aps is provided with a relatively wide side seam' tov form a double thickness over the majorportion thereof but being of a single thicknessiadjacent the marginal edges Where the interposed'wing portions will lie in the assembled carton. With this construction excessive bulk is eliminated and l possible leakage areas are reduced to a minimum.

The top closures in the illustrated embodiments of the invention preferably comprise a bellows fold type of closure in which theend walls of the mouth portion are tucked inwardly and then folded fiat to form an elongated closure with the side walls of the mouth portion.

or covered by a folding flap formed as anl exe tension of one of vthe side walls of the mouth portion. Such folding flap may be held in assembled relation in any usual or preferred manner such as by adhesive, by stapling, or, as here- The.- elongated closure thus formed is preferably closed closures due to liability of leakage through the space formed between the inner folded edges of the bellows folds. That is. when the usual closing tab was folded over the multiple thickness presented by the bellows fold, the space between the inner folded edges of the latter was difficult to seal due to the bulk presented by such multiple thickness. In accordance with the present invention provision is made` for' filling up such space to present a substantially uniform thickness of the elongated closure in the assembled carton. To this end, as illustrated in the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 7, the closing tab is formed of a double thickness at the area corresponding to such open space whereby upon closing of the folding tab and compression thereof, the double thickness of the tab will substantially compensate for and cause such space to be filled up, thus providing an emcient and substantially leakproof closure.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. l the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a so-called "nesting type of carton formed from a iblank III comprising a body portion I2, a bottom closing portion I4, and a top closing portion I6. The body portion I2 of the blank includes a side wall panel I8, anp wall panels 20, 22 and panel members 24, 25 arranged lto be adhesively joined to (form a side wall panel 26 having a relatively wide side seam as illustrated in Fig. 2. Panel member 24 may .be considered as a. glue panel adhered to the adjacent overlapped panel 25.

The` bottom closing portion I4 of the blank l0 comprises a side flap member 28, end ap members 30, 32 and side flap portions 34, 35 arranged to be adhesivelyjoined to form a side flap member 36. As vherein shown the side flap members 28, 36 are each provided with integral - wing portions 38, 40 and 42, 44 respectively,

Aare also preferably adhesively joined as illustrated. In practice, the wing portions are firmly pressed into engagement with their respective extended end flaps to set the adhesive and to provide a tight seal along the lower edges of the end walls of the carton. Thereafter, the end flap members 30, 32 are folded flat against the rbottom of the carton as shown in Fig. 5 to complete the bottom closure.

In the operation of folding down and adhesively securing the end flaps 30, 32 it will be seen that the bulk presented by such wing portions would ordinarily interfere with an emcient seal between the end flaps and the underlying surface of the side flap. However, provision is made for compensating for such multiple thickness and to present the end flaps in efficient sealing engagement with the underlying flaps :by forming the latter in a manner such as to permit the wing portions to be compressed into substantially flush relationship to the major portion of the underlying side aps. As hereinbefore described one of the side flaps, preferably the first folded flap 36, comprises the adhesively joined members 34, 35 which are arranged to overlap to present a double thickness for a maior portion of the width of the side flap 38 and to present but a single thickness of material along the marginal edges beyond the overlapping portions of the ap. Such single thickness areas, as best shown in Fig. 2, and indicated by the numerals 50, 52 correspond to the areas occupied :by the Wing portions 38, 40 and 42, 44 respec- 'tively in the assembled carton, whereby to present a substantially uniform thickness throughout the. underlying side flaps and to permit the end aps to be eillciently sealed thereagainst.

As above stated, the carton is preferably formed by wrapping the blank about a forming block in a carton forming machine. sealing the side seam, and. then folding in and adhesively securing the bottom flaps as described while the carton is supported upon the block. In practice.,the carton rblank is preferably provided with a coating of adhesive at the areas indicated prior to wrapping the blank about the form. The preferred sequence of closing the bottom flaps comprises first folding in the side ap 36, then folding in the opposing adhesively coated flap 28 to present the carton as illustrated in Fig. 4. 'Ihereafter, the end flaps 30, 32 are folded down as described whereupon substantial pressure is brought to bear 'against the aps and the :bottom of the forming block in order to compress and force the wing portions and the underlying flaps into the position indicated in Fig. 5A;

The top closing portion I6 of the blank I0, as herein shown, comprises a bellows fold type of top closure, formed -by folded extensions of the body portion I2, including a sidewall portion 54, connected end Wall portions 56, 58 provided with crease lines 60 for forming bellows folds, and side wall members 62, 63 arranged to be adhesively joined to form the connecting side wall portion 65 in the assembled carton as illustrated in Fig. 2. The side and end wall portions of the top closure are each provided with mouth closing panels 54', 56', 58', 62', and 63' arranged to be folded and brought together to form an upstanding and elongated mouth portion I2 as shown in Fig. 6. Extended tab portions 68, 69, extending from the panel members 62 and 63 respectively are likewise arranged to be adhesively joined to form a folding or covering ap 16 arranged to enclose the elongated mouth portion 12. As herein shown, the underlying side wall portion 63 ofthe top closingside seam is provided with a pouring opening 64 arranged to be covered by the adhesive free portion 66 of the overlying or exterior wall portion 62 in the assembled carton.

In the operation of closing the top of the carton the opposed end wall portions 56, 58 are tucked inwardly and at the same time 'the opposed side wall portions 54, 65 are brought together to form the elongated mouth portion 'I2 having a pleat in each end. As herein shown, the inner folded edges 14, 16 of the pleats do not meet in the middle of the mouth portion thereby leaving a relatively wide space I8 therebetween,

equal in thickness to the pleated portions of the bellows fold. It will thus be seen that when the usual single thickness covering flap is used. the bulk presented by the bellows fold makes it difflcult to form a tight closure at the spaced portions of the mouth of the carton.

In order to overcome this difficulty and to provide an emciently sealed closure in a bellow fold type of top closure, the present folding flap 10 is arranged to be of double thickness at the point where the space 18 occurs in the topclosure. This double thickness, indicated at 80, preferably comprises the overlapping portions of the ap members 68, 88. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the edges 82. 83 of the flap portions 88, 68 respectively, are preferably cut in the blank in the manner shown so that the overlapping or double thickness-portion 80 will be of such shape in the assembled carton as to conform to the shape of the space 18 in the mouth of the carton. Thus, upon folding over of the flap portion and sublecting the `closure to pressure, the underlying portions of the closure will be forced into the space 18 and as a result thereof an eiiicient closure of substantially uniform thickness throughout is provided. The closure thus formed may then be fastened in its closed position by stitching 85 arranged to pass through the folded over portions of the elongated closure as illustrated in Fig. 7.

From the description thus far it will be seen that in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 the longitudinal joining seam is disposed entirely in one side of the carton, rather than being joined at a corner` portion in the usual manner. As herein shown, the exterior overlapping edge 88 of the body portion of the side seam is disposed substantially centrally of the side wall panel 23. At the lower end of the edge 86, the blank is offset as shown to form the relatively wide flap member 34 arranged to make up the double'thickness in the major portion of the side ap 36. At the upper end of the edge 88 a slit 88 is provided and an offset 80 comprising the closing tab for the pouring opening 84 is formed in the side seam. It will be observed that the slit 88 in the assembled carton occurs adjacent the lower edge of the adhesive free portion 66 whereby, to facilitate uncovering of the pouring opening.

From the above description it will be observed that the present carton comprises a rectangular body portion I2 having downwardly tapering side wall panels |8, 20, 22, 26 and that two opposed panels I8, 28 are provided with rectangular shaped bottom flaps of a size such as to cover substantially the entire bottom area of the carton and that such bottom ilaps when folded and adhesively. secured in overlapping relation form a relatively rigid bottom closure for the carton. It will be further observed that the two remaining side wall panels 20, 22 are each provided with an intermediate flap 30, 32 each of which are provided with integral sealing tabs or side members 38, 48 and 42, 44 arranged to be folded upon and adhesively secured to the inner surface of their respective intermediate flaps 30, 32, prior to folding down and adhesively securing the latter to the bottom of the side flap 28, as above described, thereby forming a substantially liquid tight closure for the bottom of the carton.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, which illustrate a modified form of the present carton, the invention as therein disclosed is embodied in a similar carton in which the longitudinal joining seam 92 occurs adjacent one corner of the carton. As hereinshown, in the modified form of the invention, the pouring opening 86 is provided in an extended portion 88 of the Joining member 88 and is arranged to be covered by the adhesive free portion |00 of the side flap |02 in the assembled carton.' In the present construction, the adhesive free portion |00 extends out to the edge |04 of the side flap. as shown, thus facilitating uncovering the pouring opeiing.

The novel bottom closure in the modified embodiment of the invention includes the wing portions |08, |08 formed integrally with the side aps I I0, 'I I2 and which are arranged to be folded down and sealed in a, manner similar to that illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, the side fiap ||0 being of but a single thickness except at the marginal Joining edge H4. as shown.

The top closure shown in Figs. 8 to 10 comprises a bellows fold type of closure arranged to be closed in a manner similar to thatv shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the top covering flap H6 for vthe elongated mouth portion comprising but a single thickness of carton forming material.

The shape of the blank shown in Fig. 1 and the' application of the adhesive in the manner shown, contribute substantially to the rigidity of the entire carton and it particularly reduces to a minimum weaving of the carton.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and described it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 426,795, filed January 15,

1. A carton comprising a rectangular body 40 portion having a longitudinal side seam and a bellows fold end closure formed by folded extensions of the body portion including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in each end, the inner folded edges of the pleates terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space therebetween, a closing flap for said mouth portion formed by an extension of one wallof said closure, said closing flap being of increased thickness at said middle portion corresponding in shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton whereby to fill said space and to provide a substantially uniform thickness in cross section throughout the length of the closure, said increased thickness being formed by overlapping portions of the longitudinal side seam of the carton.

2. A carton comprising a rectangular body portion having a longitudinal side seam disposed substantially centrally of one side wall of the carton and a bellows fold end closure formedby folded extensions of the lbody portion including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in eachend, the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space therebetween, a closing flap for said mouth portion formed by an extension of one wall of said closure, said closing ilap being of. increased thickness at said middle portion corresponding in shape to the space betweenA said pleats in the4 assembled carton whereby to ll said space and to provide a substantially uniform thickness in cross section throughout the length of the clo sure, said increased thickness being formed by overlapping portions of said substantially centrally disposed longitudinal side seam of the carton.

3. A carton comprising a rectangular body portion formed by articulated walls, two of said walls being in adhered overlapped relation, said body portion having a bellows fold top closure formed by folded extensions of the body portion and including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in each end, the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space therebetween, a composite closing flap for said mouth portion formed by partially overlapped extensions of said overlapped walls, said closing flap being of increased thickness at the overlapped portions at said middle portion corresponding in shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton whereby to fill said space and to provide a multi-ply closure of substantially uniform thickness across the mouth and top to provide increased stiffness of said top closure.

4. A carton comprising Ia rectangular body portion formed by articulated walls, two of said walls being in adhered overlapped relation, said body portion having a bellows fold top closure formed by folded extensions of the body portion and including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in each end, the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space the overlapped portions at said middle portion :r

corresponding in shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton whereby to fill said space and to provide a multi-ply closure of substantially uniform thickness; across the mouth and top and to provide increased stiffness of said top closure.

5. A carton formed from a single blank suitably cut and scored to provide front, rear and side panels to form a rectangular body portion, a glue panel hingedly connected to one of said panels and adhered to an adjacent overlapped panel, extensions on each of said panels to provide a bellows fold top closure formed by folding said extensions and including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in each end, the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space therebetween, a closing flap for said mouth portion formed by the extensions of said overlapped glue panel and adjacent overlapped panel, the vertical edge portions of the extensions of said overlapped panels terminating inwardly of the free edges of said panels and being in overlapped relation to provide an increased thickness at said middle portion corresponding in shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton whereby to fill said space and to provide a multi-ply closure of substantially uniform thickness across the mouth and top and to provide increased stiffness of said top closure.

6. A carton formed from a single blank suitably cut and scored to provide front, rear and side panels to form a rectangular body portion, a glue panel hingedly connected to one'of said panels and adhered to an adjacent overlapped panel, extensions on each of said panels to provide a bellows fold top closure formed by folding said extensions and including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in each end, athe inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a quadrangular space therebetween, a composite closing flap for said mouth 'portion formed by the extensions of said overlapped glue panei and adjacent overlapped panel, the vertical edge portions of the extensions of said overlapped panels spaced inwardly of the free edges of said panels and being in overlapped relation to provide an increased thickness at said middle portion corresponding in quadrangular coinciding shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton whereby to fill said space and to provide a multi-ply closure of substantially uniform thickness across the mouth and top and to provide increased stiffness of said top closure.

7. A carton formed from a single blank suitably cut and scored to provide front, rear and side panels to form a rectangular body portion. a glue panel hingedly connected to one of said panels and adhered to an adjacent overlapped panel, extensions on each of said panels to provide a bellows fold top closure formed by folding said extensions and including an elongated mouth portion having a pleat in each end, the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space therebetween, a closing nap for said mouth portion formed by the extensions of said overlapped glue panel and adjacent overlapped panel, the vertical free edges of the extensions of said overlapped panels terminating inwardly of the free edges of said pan vGli els, the vertical marginal portions of said extensions being in overlapped relation to provide an increased thickness at said middle portion corv responding in shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton, the inner vertical free edge of one of said extension panels mating in abutting relation with one of the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of each other whereby to flll said space and to provide a multi-ply closure of substantially uniform thickness across the mouth and top and to provide increased stiffness of said top closure.

8. A carton comprising a rectangular body portion having side walls and end walls and a bellows fold end closure formed by folded extensions of the body portion including an elongated mouth portion formed by folding inwardly the side wall extensions and clamping therebetween the pleated end extensions, the inner folded edges of the pleats terminating short of the middle of said elongated mouth portion thus providing a space therebetween, a closing flap for said mouth portion formed `by an extension of one of said side walls of said closure, said closing nap in operative position being folded over the mouth portion and being of increased thickness at said middle portion, said thickened 'portion correspending in shape to the space between said pleats in the assembled carton whereby to illl said space and to provide a substantially uniform thickness in cross section throughout the length of the closure.

JULIUS A. ZINN, Jn.

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