US2643813A

US2643813A - Carton

Info

Publication number: US2643813A
Application number: US243435A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar L Vines
Original assignee: ALFORD CARTONS
Current assignee: ALFORD CARTONS
Priority date: 1951-08-24
Filing date: 1951-08-24
Publication date: 1953-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-30

Description

June 30, 1953 o. L. vlNl-:s 2,643,813

CARTON Filed Aug. 24, 1951 FIG.I

INVENTOR scar l. Knes ZM, M, Mh am ATTORNEYS Patented June 30, 1953 A CARTON Oscar L. Vines, New York, N. Y., assignor to Alford Cartons, Ridgefield Park,

ration of New Jersey N. J., a corpo- Application August 24, 1951, Serial No.`243,435

Claims. (Cl. 229-31) This invention relates to cartons and, more particularly, to folding cartons adapted to contain fruit and the like. the present invention is of the knockdown, set-up type such that the carton in its knocked-down condition can be setup by a bending motion applied to the end portions ofthe carton.

There has -been extensive development in recent years of folding cartons suitable for use in the packaging of fruit such as tomatoes and the like. These tomato trays,` as they are generally referred to, are commonly provided with an open top so thatthe filled tray can be subsequently wrapped with a transparent material which will leave the contents of the tray exposed to view. A particularly successful form of tomato tray has thus been developed in which the tray is composed of a blank having two side panels folded over and inwardly on top of a central panel about two fold lines extending longitudinally of the blank so as to form a substantially flat structure in the knocked-down condition. For erection of ithe folded tray, each end portion of the flat structure is folded upwardly about an inner transverse fold line so that a folding web, defined in each of the two side panels adjacent the `trans- Yverse fold line, causes the side walls to assume an upstanding position. In the'resulting structure, itis particularly important that the end walls of the erected tray stand' straight and provide strength for not only the ends of the carton but also for the adjoining portions of the side walls of the carton. An additional feature which is' generally required in such structures is a flap at each end of the carton adapted to project "inwardly a short distance from the upper edge Vof each end portion. The purpose of these inwardly projecting flaps is to provide a horizontal platform upon which :another filled tray can be supported when a plurality of the filled trays are stacked for shipment or display.

I have now devi-sedv a carton blank of the type `which forms a folding tomato tray of the afore- `mentioned type and which is further characterized by improved struction.

qualities in its end wallcon- The carton blank of the invention has a substantially rectangular shape and is provided with two parallel fold lines extending longitudinally the full length of the blank, each of v these longitudinal fold lines being disposed sub- -stantially the same distance from and parallel to the longitudinal sides of the blank. Theblank ris further provided with aflrst pair of parallel 'fold lines each of which extends transversely.

across a separate end portion of the blank at The folding carton of the same distance inwardly from the proximate fold line of the rst pair as the distance between said proximate fold line and the -proximate end of the blank. The blank is further provided with four separate fold lines extending diagonally outwardly to the two sides ofV the blank at an angle of about 45 thereto from each ofthe four intersections of the two longitudinal fold lines and the two transverse foldlines of said second pair thereof. The portion of each end of the blank dened by the two longitudinal fold lines, the end of the blank and the transverse fold line proximate thereto is provided with an arched cut line having its ends positioned adjacent the intersections of saidlongitudinal fold lines with the aforementioned proximate transverse fold line. Each end portion `of the blank is provided with lan end-locking 'arrangement advantageously composed of an outwardly projecting tongue portion on each end of the blank and a substantially centrally disposed transverse cut line in the body of the blank adjacent the inboard side of each of the transverse fold lines of said second pair thereof.

The carton blank of my'invention is capable of forming a carton comprising-two `side panels folded over and inwardly on top of a central panel about the two longitudinal fold lines extending longitudinally of the blank so as to form a'substantially flat structure. Each Vend portion of the at structure is capable of being folded upwardly about :an inner transverse fold line with resulting erection of the side panels `of the blank bythe folding of a web portion of each side panel about a diagonally disposed fold line therein. Each upwardly extending end portion is folded inwardly and downwardly into a locked position within the interior of the resulting carton about a transverse fold line positioned substantially centrally of said end portion of the flat structure. An

arched-shaped flap struck up from the end por-v verse fold lines I2 and by folding upwardly the end portions of the assembled carton;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 after the upper part of the upstanding end portion of the structure hasbeen folded inwardly and downwardly into a locked position within the interior of the carton;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along ,line 5--5 y y of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial plan view of another modication of a carton blank embodying the invention; and l Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the end portion of a folded carton in a further folded condition.

The carton blank shown in Fig. 1V is ofV substantially rectangular shape and is provided with two parallel fold lines I0 and II extending longitudinally the full length of the blank. Each of the longitudinal fold lines IG and II is parallel tothe longitudinal sides of the blank and each is disposed substantially the same distance inwardly from the longitudinal sides of the blank. The blank is further provided with a rst pair. of parallel fold lines I2 and I3 each of which extends transversely across a separate end portion of the blank. V`Each of the trans- I3k is positioned at substantially the same spaced distance inwardly from the respective ends I4 and IEof the blank. If desired, the transverse fold lines I2 and I3 may be positioned at a distance from the ends of the blank greater thanV the distance from the longitudinal fold lines I3 and II tothe sides of the blank so that the end wall section of the erected carton will be higher than the side walls thereof as in a conventional vtomato tray. ofcourse. these dimensions maybe changed at will to provide any desired relative height te the end walls and side walls of the assembled carton embodying my invention. The blank is also provided with a second pair of parallel fold lines I6 and I'I extending transversely across separate end portions 0f theblank- The distance between the ends I4 and I5 of theublank and the proximate transverse fold lines i2 and I3 of the rst pair thereof is substantially the same as the distance between the transverseY fold lines I2 and I3 and the transverse fold lines I6 and II, respectively, of the second pair'thereof.

. The aforernentmned longitudinal and transverse fold lines denne in the blank the side Wall 4 smaller, respectively, than 45. The portions of the ends of the blank defined by the two longitudinal fold lines I0 and Il, the ends I4 and i5- of the blank and the transverse fold lines l2 and I3 approximate thereto are each provided with an

arched cut line

22 and 23, respectively, the ends of the

arched cut lines

22 and 23 be- Aing positioned adjacent the intersections of the longitudinal fold lines I0 and I I with said proximate transverse fold lines I2 and I3. The 0pposite ends of the blank are provided with outwardly projecting

tongue portions

24 and 25, and the body of the blank is provided with substantially centrally disposed transverse cut lines 2B and 21 vadjacent the inboard side of each of the transverse fold lines I6 and I'I of said second pair thereof. The blank is advantageously,

"although not necessarily, provided with glue panels and end wall portions of the assembled carton. In order to providea folding web portion between each side panel and the adjacent end wall structure, the blank is Yfurther provided with four separate fold lines I8, I9, 20 and 2| extending diagonally outwardly to the two sides of the blank at an angle of about45 thereto from each of the four intersections of the two longitudinal fold lines ID andII With the two transverse vfold linesIG and I 'I of the second pair thereof. If the fold lines I8, AI9, 2 6 and 2I` are not disposed at 45 to the sides oflthe blank, the side walls. 3D and 3I willfnot stand vertically but will slopeinwardly oroutwardly depending upon whether the aiorementioned ,angle` is larger or

tabs

28 and 29 projecting outwardly from a side of the blank near each end thereof and adapted to join together the extremities of the two side portions of the blank when the blank is folded along the two longitudinal fold lines I0 and II.

The resulting carton blank is adapted to be assembled into a form ready for erection simply by bending the two side Wall panels 30 and 3| about the longitudinal fold lines I0 and Il, respectively. If, as shown in Fig. l, in contradistinction to the form of blank shown in Fig. 6, the blank is provided with

glue tabs

28 and 29 along one side Wall panel, these tabs will subsequently be'secured to the surface of the 0D- posite side Wall panel so as to secure the two panels in a position in which they are folded liet `against the central panel 32 as shown in Fig. 2.

Erection of the assembled carton is effected, as shown in Fig. 3, by rst raising the end portion of the carton upwardly about the secondmentioned pair of transverse fold lines I6 and I'I. As this is done, the diagonal fold lines I8, I9, 20 and 2 I, remaining close to the body of the end portions, causes the

Webs

33, 34, 35 and 316 to fold outwardly and upwardly with resulting setting-up of the side wall panels 30 and 3I. The uppermost section `of the resulting upstanding end portion ofV the carton structure is then folded inwardly and downwardly about the lirstmentioned pair of transverse fold lines I2 and I3 until, as shown in Fig. 4, the tongue at'the extreme end of the blank snaps into the transverse cut line in the bottom panel of the blank, these parts being the tongue 25 and the cut line 2l in the partial views shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

By referring to Fig, 5 it will be seen that the end wall of the erected carton stands upright with no tendency to slope outwardly or bulge in any other way. This result is achieved largely by virtue of the fact that both sections of the end portion of the assembled carton are provided along its edges with a folded section as indicated at 31 and 38 in Figs. 3 and 4. The rigidity offered by these

fold sections

31 and 38 securelyy holds the two folded sections of the end portion in Vengagement with the end wall portion dened by lthewebs 35 and 3G. By thus holding the end superposed thereupon with the result that the kweight of the overlying loaded cartons is capable of deforming the horizontally disposed end flaps and thus damage the contents of the loaded carton. But as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the

Vend portion of the erected carton of the present invention retains its desired vertical position and, by virtue of the fold sections 3'I and 38 along the two halves of each end portion positioned on opposite sides of the

webs

35 and 36, affords maximum end strength for a carton of this general type.

It will be observed in Figs. 4. and 5 that the innermost surface of the end structure is part of the central panel of the carton which also forms the outermost surface of the end wall structure. Inasmuch as the outermost and innermost surfaces of the end structure are composed of the same panel section, these two surfaces lock securely between them all other intermediate portions of the end structure so as to insure the desired rigidity and strength of the lentire end structure. The arched contour of the

cut lines

22 and 23 which dene the

end flaps

39 and 40 has a desirable function in that it provides a rounded cut-out contour along the innermost surface of the end sections of the jerected carton, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. This rounded contour eliminates any sharp edges which might otherwise injure or mark the fruit 'or other perishable objects loaded thereinto.

If, for greater simplicity in erecting the folded `cartonyit is desired to supply the users of the carton with a folded carton in which the ex- Ytreme end sections of the end portions of the Acarton'have been folded over as shown in Fig.

7, I have found it advisable to form the fold lines I2 and I3, the latter being shown in Fig. 6, as a relatively wide score band so as to permit the end rflaps 39and40 to lie flat against the folded carton.

In order to facilitate erection of the assembled carton, I have found it advantageous, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 6, to form the innermost portion of the diagonal fold lines I8, I9, 20 and 2| by a cut line 4I. Moreover. as further shown inthe modification illustrated in Fig. 6, I have found that the erection of the assembled carton is further facilitated by providing notch-shaped cutouts 42 adjacent the outermost ends of the fold- -

ing webs

33, 34, 35 and 36.

Carton blanks inf corporating these features are characterized by extreme simplicity of erection such that the cartons can be set up in automatic loading machines.

I claim:

1. A carton blank of substantially rectangular shape provided with two parallel fold lines extending longitudinally the full length of the blank, each of said longitudinal fold lines being disposed substantiallythe same distance from and parallel to the longitudinal sides of the blank, the blank being further provided with a first pair of parallel fold lines each of which extends transversely across a separate end portion of the blank at substantially the same spaced distance inwardly therefrom and with a second pair of parallel fold lines each of which extends transversely across a separate end portion of the blank at substantially the same distance inwardly from the proximate fold line of the first pair as the distance between said proximate fold line and the proximate end of the blank, the blank further having four separate fold lines extending diagonally outwardly to the -of the transverse fold lines of two sides of the blank at an angle of about fortyflve degrees thereto from each of the four intersections of the two longitudinal fold lines and the two transverse fold lines of said second pair thereof, the portion of each end of the blank defined by the two longitudinal fold lines, the end of the blank and the transverse fold line proximate thereto being provided with an outwardly arched cut line having its ends positioned adjacent the intersections of said longitudinal fold lines with said proximate transverse fold line, the ends of the blank being provided with an outwardly projecting tongue portion, and the body of the blank being provided with a, substantially centrally disposed transverse cut line adjacent the inboard side of each said second pair thereof.

2. A carton blank of substantially rectangular shape provided with two parallel fold lines extending longitudinally the full length of the blank, each of said longitudinal fold lines being disposed substantially the same distance from and parallel to the longitudinal sides of the blank, the blank being further provided with a pair of parallel fold lines each of which extends transversely across a, separate end portion of the blank at substantially the same spaced distance inwardly therefrom and with a second pair of parallel fold lines each of which extends transversely across'a separate end portionv of the blank at substantially the same distance inwardly from the proximate fold line of the other pair as the distance between said proximate fold line and the proximate end of the blank, the blank further having four separate fold lines extending diagonally outwardly to the two sides of the blank at an angle of' about forty-five degrees thereto from each of the four intersections of the two longitudinal fold lines and the two transverse fold lines of said second pair thereof, the inboard portion of each of said diagonal fold' lines comprising a cut line, the portion of each end of the blank defined by the two longitudinal fold lines, the end of the blank and the transverse fold line proximate thereto being provided with an outwardly arched cut line having its ends positioned adjacent the intersections of said longitudinal fold lines with said proximate transverse fold line, the ends of the blank being provided with an outwardly projecting tongue portion, and the body of the blankbeing provided with a substantially centrally disposed transverse cut line adjacent the inboard side of each of the transverse fold-lines of said second pair thereof.

3. A carton blank of substantially rectangular shape provided with two parallel fold lines extending longitudinally the full length of the blank, each of said longitudinal fold lines being disposed substantially the same distance from and parallel to the longitudinal sides of the blank, the blank being further provided with a pair of parallel fold lines each of which extends transversely across a separatev end portion of the blank at substantially the same spaced distance inwardly therefrom and with a second pair of parallel fold lines each of which extends 7 or the blank at an angle ofabout forty-five degrees thereto from each of the four intersections of the two longitudinal fold lines and the two transverse fold lines of said second pair thereof, the portion of' each end of the blank dened by the two longitudinal fold lines, the end of the blank and the transverse fold line proximate thereto beingprovided with an outwardly arched cut line having its ends positioned adjacent the intersections of said longitudinal Vfold lines with said proximate transverse fold line, the ends of the blank being provided with an outwardly projecting tongue portion, the body of the blank beingprovided with a substantially centrally disposed transverse cut line adjacent the inboard side of each of the transversefold lines of said second pair thereof, and a glue tab projecting outwardly from a side of the blank near each end thereof and adapted to join together the extremities of the vtwo side portions of the blank when the blank is folded along said two longitudinal fold lines.

4. A carton blank of substantially rectangular shape provided with two parallel fold lines extending longitudinally the full length of the blank, each of said longitudinal fold lines being disposed substantially the same distance from and parallel to thelongitudinal sides of the blank, the blank being further provided with a pair oiparallel fold lines each of which ex tends transversely across a separate end por- Ltionof-the blank at substantially the saine spaced -distance inwardly therefrom and with a second .pair oi parallel fold lilies` each of which extends transversely across va separate end portion of the blank at substantially the same distance inwardly romthe proximate score line Vof the other pair as the distance between said proximate fold lines and the proximate end 0i the blank, the distance between each of the transverse fold lines of the rst pair and the proximate end of the blank being greater than the distance between veach of the longitudinal fold lines and the proximate side of the blank.

the'lblank further having four separate fold lines extending diagonally outwardly to the two sides of the blank at an angle of about forty-five degrees thereto from each of the iour intersections of the two longitudinal fold lines and the two transverse fold lines yof said second pair thereof,A the portion of eachend of the blank denned by the two longitudinal fold lines, `the Vend of the blank and thertransverse fold line proximate thereto being provided with an outwardly arched cut line having its ends positioned adjacentV the intersections [ofsaid longitudinal fold lines with g saidproximate transverse fold line, the ends of the blank beingsprovided with an outwardly projecting tongue portion, and the bodyof theblank being provided Witha substantially centrally disposed transverse cut line adjacent the inboard side or each of the transverse foldlines ot said second pair thereof.

5.v A carton comprising a bottom panel, .two upright side wall panels -,joining the bottom panel adjacent the longitudinal edges thereof, two upright cuter end wall panels joining the bottom lpanel adjacent the transverse edges thereof, each outer end wall panel having an integrally formed reinforcing panel folded inwardly along each of the vertical sideedges of said outer end wall panel, each reinforcing panel being provided with a web integrally joined to the end of the proximate side wall panel, an upright inner end wall panel integrally joined-to the .top of each outer end wall panel along a transverse fold line and extending downwardly into the interior of the carton in locked position on the inboard side vof saidWeb. each inner end wall panel having an integrally formed reinforcing panel folded inwardly along each of the vertical side edges of saidinner endwall panel and integrallyljoi'ned `to Vthe first-mentioned proximate Vreinforcing panel, and an arch-shaped nap struck up Vfrom. each Ainner end walllpanel and'foldableabout the aforesaid vtransverse fold line adjacent the top of both said inner and outer end wall panels, whereby each end oftheca'rton is provid'edwith two end wall sections held erect bysaid webwith each section being vertically vreinforced by the fold adjacent its vertical vside edges.

K OSGAR'jn-'vmas References Cited in the fuenf this patent UNITED sTATEsPATENTs :Number .Y Name jDate V991,052 Draper May 2, 1911 1,471,478` eigelmanv vi Oct. 23,' 1923 2,136,797 Lee v Nov. 15; 1938 2,274,714 Levkoi i Mar. 3, 1942 f 2,342,551 Levkoi .r Feb. 22,1944 V2,395,363y Williams Feb. 19, 1946 2,532,808 GrinnellA i Dec. 5, 1950 vv,2,555,655 Painter 1 -1 June 5, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS