US2872096A - Collapsible cellular carton - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1959 o. vlNEs coLLAPsIBLE CELLULAR CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed- April 7. 1954 llllllll Illl Ill Il M MTW.

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OSCAR L. I//A/Es @@mlwmm Feb. 3, 1959v Y I o. l.. vlNEs `2,872,096

coLLArasIBLE CELLULAR CARTON Filed April 7. 1954 s sheets-sheet z INVEN-ron 05E/u? L. t//A/Es Feb. 3, 1959 o. L. vlNEs coLL'APsIBLE CELLULAR CARTON 3 Sheets--Sheetl 3 I Filed April 7, 1954 .INVENTOR 'l y CAR L. l//A/Es y `B y l MMQM/Jg@ IATTORNEYS United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE 'CELLULAR 'CARTON Oscar L. Vines, 'New York, N. Y., assignor to Alfords Cartons, Ridgefield Park, N. I., a corporation of 'New Jersey Application April 7, 1954, Serial No. 421,625

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) The present invention relates to a collapsible cellular carton and carton blank. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved collapsible paperboard egg carton and carton blank.

Paperboard cellular cartons are preferably designed so that their major panels fold across the grain of the paperboard. This assures that foldable connections between the major panels are permanent and strong. It is the practice to provide compartmentati-on for such cellular cartons by incorporating partitions folding transverse to the major panels and, consequently, parallel to the grain of the paperboard. Since paperboard material i's more readily foldable along its grain, partitions transverse to t'ne major panels are weak and mustbe stiffened l to provide suitable compartmentation.

The aforementioned conditions are critical in the case of collapsible egg cartons for, unless suitable structural re-enforcement is provided for the cross partitions, the eggs are likely to shift and break. ln addition to prevention of longitudinal shifting, the cross partitions should also possess sufficient resiliency to accommodate, in a cellular manner, eggs of varying size. An egg carton having cross partitions of the aforementioned characteristics is particularly necessary where it is desired to sever a so-called 2 x 6 carton for sale of half of its contents. Transverse severance of the carton exposes intermediate cells and their cross partitions. It is therefore essential that such intermediate cross partitions have the strength of carton end walls. At the same time, the erected cartons should possess sulcient strength for handling and stacking. Here again, re-enforced cross partitions serve to support the major panels of the carton.

I have now devised a carton and carton blank of sufticient configuration as will allow mutuall support between the major panels and their cooperating partition panels, without increase either in the amount of paperboard used or in production costs for forming the blank and the carton. In fact, the carton blank of my invention uses no more paperboard than is normally used, and effects a substantial saving in that a minimum number of knock-out sections need be removed from the carton 2,872,096' aefenfed Feb. 3, 1959 side panel. A shelf panel is integrally connected at its inner edge to the upper edge of each inner side panel and is adhesively connected at its outer edge to the proximate outer side panel. The width of each shelf panel is preferably greater than the width of each bottom panel. A pair of oppositely extending primary crosspartitions is formed from the full width of each shelf panel, each primary cross partition being folded downwardly from the plane of its shelf panel about a transverse fold line. The primary cross partition panels in each pair thereof t preferably are resiliently medially displaceable in opposite directions at their foldable connections with theiry shelf panel to allow accommodation for articles of varying size. At least one pair of secondary partitions is also formed in each shelf panel intermediate each pair of primary cross partitions, and these secondary partitions are folded downwardly into the erected carton about transverse fold lines spaced from one another a distance equal to their respective distance from the proximate transverse fold line for the primary cross partitions. Lateral edge portions of the primary cross partitions and the secondary partitions are folded inwardly from the planes of the partitions as a result of the partitions being folded into the carton about their respective transverse fold lines. These lateral edge portions become wedged against the inner and outer side panels and serve to stiften the partitions against folding along the grain of the paperboard, which runs transverse to the integral connections for the major panels. Each bottom panel has transverse slits therein for receiving the lower end of each primary cross partition of each pair thereof. A pair of lugs cut from each bottom panel form continuous projections from the lower edge o-f each inner side panel. A primary cross partition-locking flap preferably foldably connected to the bottom panel along an oblique transverse fold line otfset'from each transverse slit and converging in the direction thereof toward each outer side panel, allows gradual entry of each primary cross partition into each transverse slit and retains each primary cross partition in registry with the bottom panel to provide a partition having substantially the rigidity of an end wall. At least one top cover panel provided with an integrally connected locking ap, having tongues interlocking with the shelf panel, is supported on the shelf panel to permit columnar loading of the cartons through intermediation of the inner side panels and the lugs, the stilfened partitions wedged frangibly connected along an interrupted longitudinal cut blank. Compared to cartons using equal amounts of l paperboard, my present carton possesses much greater over-all `stability in the major panels and their c0operating partition panels. n v

My paperboard collapsiblecarton is characterized by a pair of longitudinally connected abutting sections forming a pair of rows of cells, with each row composed of at least one group of three cells defined by one pair of primary cross partitions and an intermediate pair of secondary partitions. The carton comprises a pair of inner side panels adhesively secured together in side-by-side relation. A bottom panel is integrally connected to the lower edge of each inner side panel, and an outer side panel is integrally connectedv to the outer edge of eachagainst the side panels offering support to the maj-or carton panels.

The paperboard blank for the collapsible cellular carton of my invention has a pair of facsimile sections line. The major panels for each facsimile section of the blank comprises in integrally connected inbo-ard succession the youter glue flap, the shelf panel, the inner side panel, the bottom panel preferably having a width less than the width of the shelf panel, the outer side panel preferably wider than the inner side panel and adapted to receive the outer glue flap in juxtaposition, the top cover panel, and the tongue flap. The tongue aps yfor said facsimile sections are laterally adjacent along the interrupted longitudinal cut line.

-Each of the shelf panels are provided with at least one pair of the spaced oppositely extending primary cross partitions hinged to the shelf panel by the primary transverse fold lines. Each of the shelf panels are further provided within a pair of the secondary partitions positioned intermediate the pair of primary cross partitions and hinged to the shelf panel by secondary transverse fold lines. The bottom panels have transverse slits therein adapted to receive the lower end of each primary cross partition of each pair thereof. At least one pair of lugs are defined in the bottom panel by varched cut lines adjacent each of the short side panels. When the carton blank is glued and first folded about the short side panel and the bottom panel for each facsimile section, and when the major panels -are again folded about the frangible connections between adjacent tongue panels, any knock-out sections remaining between the tongue iiaps are readily removable from a lateral extremity of the folded carton blank.

These and other features of the carton of my invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a carton blank of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the blank of Fig. l after a 'first folding operation;

Fig. 3 Vis a view of the blank of Fig. 2 after a second foldingoper'ation in its assembly;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the resulting assembled carton;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a longitudinal portion of the carton formed from the blank of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is-a transverse sectional elevation of the erected carton taken along line A-A of Fig. 5;

Fig, 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the erected carton taken along line B-B of Fig. 5; and

Fig. S is a plan view of modified carton blank of my invention.

Referring to Figs 1 3, the carton blank comprises a pair of facsimile sections 1 and 2 frangibly connected along an interrupted longitudinal cut line 3, each blank section being in turn subdivided transversely by an interrupted cut line 4 extending transversely thereacross. The grain of the paperboard runs transversely across the facsimile sections, as indicated by the arrows. The major carton panels extend longitudinally of the blank and are integrally connected along longitudinal fold lines extending across the grain of the paperboard.

The major carton panels are arranged symmetrically about both sides of the interrupted longitudinal cut line 3 in each of `the facsimile sections 1 and 2, and are provided in inboard succession in the order of an outer glue liap 6, a shelf panel 7, a short side panel 8, a bottom panel 9 having a width less than the width of the shelf panel 7, a second side panel 16 wider than the side panel 8, a top c'over panel 11, and a tongue flap 12. The major panel portions at both sides ofthe transverse interrupted cut line 4 are likewise substantially identical in each facsimile section. f

Each portion of the shelf panel 7 at both sides of the transverse cut line 4, for each of the blank sections 1 and 2, is provided with a pair of oppositelyestending primary cross partitions 15 and 16. Each pair of the primary cross partitions is defined by a pair of primary arched cut lines 18 and 19 extending across the full width of the shelf panel and diverging longitudinally at their respective terminals 21, 22, 23 and 24 as pairs of parallel cut lines for each primary cross partition. The primary cross partitions 15 and 16 are foldable from the plane of the shelf panel 7 along primary transverse fold lines 26 and 27 which connect the terminals of the arched cut lines, respectively.

Each of the primary transverse fold lines 26 and 27 includes a transverse cut line 30 offset therefrom in a direction opposite the direction of the proximate arched cut line. rl'he short transverse cut line 3G vmay alternatively be olfset from its respective transverse fold line in the direction of its proximate arched cut line. In each case, a short transverse cut line, such as the cut line 30, renders the proximate primary cross partition panel medially unsupported, when folded about its respective primary fold line, so as to resiliently accommodate eggs of varying size.

At least one pair of secondary partitions 32 and`33 is also formed in each Shel-f panel so as to lie intermediate the primary cro'ss partitions 15 -and 16. Each pair of the secondary partitions is delined by a central cut line 3S extending transversely across the full width of the Shelf panel and bisecting a pair of parallel longitudinal cut lines 37 and 38 at the longitudinal edges of the shelf panel. The longitudinal cut lines 37 and 38 terminate in offset relation to the arched cut lines 18 and 19, and, at their longitudinal extremities, join secondary transverse fold lines 4l and 42 for the secondary partitions. Medial portions of the primary arched cut lines 18 and 19 preferably intersect the secondary transverse fold lines 41 and 42 such that secondary partitions 32 and 33 are medially unsupported, the secondary partitions being supported at their lateral sides by webs in the shelf panel delined by intersections of the transverse fold lines 41 and 42, and the arched cut lines 1S and 19.

At their lateral edges, each of the primary cross partitions 15 and 16 have a pair of oblique fold lines 43 extending convergently and longitudinally thereacross toward the intermediate secondary partitions to intersect the arched cut lines 17 and 1S. Oblique fold lines 43 de-v fine a pair of hingedly connected lateral edge portions 44 therein adapted to be wedged against the inner side panels 8 and the outer side panels 10 in the erected carton. Similarly, a pair of oblique fold lines 45 are provided in each of the secondary' partition panels 32 and 33 and are parallel to the oblique fold lines 43 in proximate respective primary cross partitions, the oblique fold lines 4S providing additional pairs of lateral edge portions 46 also adapted to be wedged against the side panels 8 and 1t).

The bottom panels 9 of each subsection for each facsimile section have a pair of lugs 47 for the adjacent short side panel 8, and a pair of locking iiaps 43 and 49 for the primary cross partitions 15 and 16. The lugs and locking flaps are defined by transverse cut lines or slits 51 and 52 in the bottom panel which are substantially in alignment with the primary transverse fold lines 26 and 27, the transverse slits 51 and 52 being yadapted to receive the lower ends of the primary cross partitions. Abbreviated longitudinal cut lines 55 and 56 intersect the transverse slits 51 and 52 medially of the extremities thereof, and extend, respectively, in directions opposite to those of the terminals of the proximate arched cut lines 18 and 19. A pair of third cut lines 57 and 58 are provided in each bottom panel between the respective abbreviated longitudinal cut lines 55 and 56, and the proximate edge of the short side panel 8. The locking flaps 48 and 49 are foldably connected to the bottom panel along a pair of oblique perforated fold lines 61 and 62 converging transversely toward the short side panel 8 and forming continuations of third cut lines 57 and 58, respectively, the fold lines 61 and 62 being offset in an inboard direction from the transverse slits 51 and 52. Thus, the lugs 47 are adapted to form even continuations of the inner side panels 8, while the locking aps 48 and 49 are hingedly connected to the bottom panel for wedging againstythe lower ends of the respective primary cross partitions to be inserted in the transverse slits 51 and 52. p

The carton blank in Fig. l is glued and folded into a collapsible cellular carton in the following manner: The iiaps 6 for each of the facsimile sections 1 and 2 are glued on one face. The glued ap 6, the shelf panel 7 and the side panel 8 are then folded inboard as one, in each facsimile section, to overlie the bottom panel 9 and the second side panel 10, as shown in Fig. 2. As a result of the iirst folding operation, the supporting lugs 47 break away from the planes of the bottom panels 8, and the glued aps 6 are adhesively secured to respective inboard portions ofthe second side panels 10. Thereafter, one or both of the shorter side panels 8 are glued on the face of the blank opposite the first glued face, and the blank ,sections are folded about the frangible cut line 3 to juxtapose the short side panels 8 and the shelf panels 7 of the facsimile sections 1 and 2 into face-to-face contact, as shown in Fig.v 3. A knife is inserted between the major panels during the second folding operation, and the frangible connections along the cut line 3 between the tongue flaps 12 are severed, as shown in Fig. 4. Any knockout sections, not already removed from the blank during formation of the major panels therein and lduring kning of the frangible connections between tongue flaps 12, are advantageously removed by punching the border of the blank in Fig. 3. v

The collapsed carton is erected into the condition shown in Figs. 5-7 by rst squeezing the longitudinal edges of the tongue aps 12 and the bottom panels 9. The major panels break away from each other, as shown in Fig. 4. The primary cross partitions 15 and 16 in the shelf panel 7 are folded downwardly along their primary transverse fold lines 26 and 27; a machine may be employed to open the primary cross partitions as well as thesecondary partitions, for each row of cells. In folding the primary cross partitions 15 and 16, their lower ends slide over the locking aps 48 and 49 therefor into the transverse slits 51 and 52. The locking flaps may then be wedged against the faces of the primary cross partitions to retain the same between the edges of the locking flaps and the transverse slits.

The eggs are inserted into the cells between the primary cross partitions and the downwardly folded pairs of secondary partitions 32 and 33. A number of the cross slits 65 are provided in the bottom panels 9 to accommodate the eggs, the bottom panels being slanted upwardly above the supporting plane for the carton by lugs 47. The top covers 11 are folded to interlock the tongue ilaps 12 with the webs defined in the shelf panels 7.

It will be noted that the lateral edge portions 44, in wedging resiliently against the side panels 8 and 10, lie normal to the planes of the primary cross partitions and resist the tendency thereof to fold along the grain of the paperboard. For this purpose, the relative panel widths for each facsimile section of the blank are such that each of the shelf panels 7 in the erected carton slopes downwardly from the vertical inner side panels 8 to the converging outer side panels 10, so that both the primary cross partitions and the secondary partitions fold downwardly at a slight inclination to the inner side panels. The inner oblique fold lines 43 and 45 for the primary cross partitions and the secondary partitions thereby ride over the vertical faces of the inner side panels 8, while providing a substantial area for each of the respective inner lateral edge portions 44 and 46 for resisting bending ofthe partitions. Likewise, the 'outer oblique fold lines 43 and 45 for the partitions ride over the faces of the converging outer side panels 10, and the respective outer lateral edge portions 44 and 46 fold from the planes of the partitions in contacting the outer side panels such that the lateral edge portions are of sufficient size to resist bending of the partitions. The locking flaps 48 and 49, wedged against the lower ends of these primary cross partitions, further serve to stilen by providing edge-toedge support between the transverse slits 51 and 52 and the locking aps. The pairs of lugs 47, forming even continuations for the shorter abutting inner side panels 8, provide even edges lying in the plane of the lower ends of the cross partitions as well as the supporting plane for the carton. Structural soundness of the primary cross partitions provides rigidity for stacking the cartons one above the other, thereby assisting the supporting lugs 47 in providing uniform contact between superposed cartons.

It will also be noted that erection of the primary cross partitions 15 and 16 is facilitated by the gradual entry provided therefor by the lock aps 48 and 49 as they fold along their hinged connections at 61 and 62. These latter connections, being oblique to the forward edge of the primary 'cross partitions, and being offset from the transverse slits 51 and 52, allow substantial clearance for passage of the cross partitions through the bottom pail-els.

Preferably, the major panels are integrally connected by series of cut-score lines, although the connections between the bottom'panels 9 and the inner short side panels 8 are neither cut nor scored to provide resiliency between the panels. This contributes to ease of erection of the carton. By reason of the rigid character of the primary cross partitions 15 and 16, severance of the erected carton transversely along the cut line 4 of the blank sections does not impair compartmentation for intermediate cells. The transversecut line 4 includes a series of perforated portions in the external major panels, and cut lines for the in-v ternal major panels (the bottom panels 9, the shelf panels 7, andthe glue flaps 6), the corners of the external major panels at cut line 4 being cut to facilitate halving of the erected carton. Prior to severance, the eggs are maintained spaced in each row of `cells both by the secondary partitions between each pair of the primary cross partitions 15 and 16, and the double wall between proximate pairs of primary cross partitions. The arrangement of partitions in the shelf panels of the blank eliminates waste of paperboard normally experienced where the primary cross partitions extend throughout in the same direction, and, consequently, require a projecting end wall panel beyond the balance of the rectangular outline yof the carton Iblank.

Instead of the arrangement of primary cross partitions and secondary partitions of the blank in Fig. l, the blank may be designed to erect into a carton for carrying a full dozen eggs, for example, without severance of the 2 x 6 carton. Fig. 8 illustrates such an arrangement for the blank wherein a plurality of pairs of primary cross partitions are advantageously arranged at both sides of an intermediate pair of transverse partitions. The reference characters used for the blank in Fig. 8 are identical with those in Fig. l, the only departure from the first modification being the number and the arrangement of partitions in each shelf panel. In this latter modification the number of locking iiaps 48 and 49 may also be correspondingly increased to provide rigidity for the increased number of primary cross partitions. The essential arrangement for the'carton blank of Fig. 8 therefore, remains substantially the equivalent of the partition arrangement in Fig. l. Thus, as shown in Fig. 7, the shelf panels 7 of the erected carton each includes at least a pair of oppositely and inwardly extending primary cross partitions with at least a pair of secondary partitions being formed in the shelf' panel intermediate the primary cross partitions.

y Each' of the top cover panels 12 may have its transverse edges indented at 68 adjacent the foldable connection thereof with the side panel 10. A carton is opened by r gripping the indented section of the cover panel, with the proximate edge of a side wall 10 as support, and pulling upwardly. The leverage gained thereby unlocks the tongue flap 12 from the shelf panel 7 in each row of cells.

Thus, I have provided an egg carton having a blank wherein the major panels are defined with a minimum of paperboard material. Any waste cutouts and knockout sections remaining attached to the blank, and not removed incidental to folding of the major panels, are advantageously removed from the border of the folded blank rather than from less accessible inner portions of the blank. The partitions folded downwardly into the erected carton are stiifened against bending along the grain of the paperboard, both by the lateral edge portions of the partitions, and by the transverse slits and locking aps in the bottom panels. At the same time, the hinged connections of the primary and secondary partitions to the shelf panels are flexible enough to resiliently accommodate eggs of varying size. The partition arrangement in each carton section is such that the carton sections can be halved leaving intermediate primary cross partitions having substantially the strength of carton end walls.

I claim:

1. A paperboard collapsible carton having a pair of longitudinally connected abutting sections forming a pair of rows of cells with each row composed of at least one 7 group of 'three cells dened by one pair of primary cross partitions and an vintermediate pair of secondary 'partitions, `said carton comprising a pair of inner' panels adhesive'ly secured together 'in side-by-side' relation, a bottom panel integrally connected tol the lower edge of each inner side panel, an outer side panel Vintegrally connected to the outer edge of each bottom panel and extending upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel, the height of each of the inner side panels beingi'less than the height of each outer side panel, ra shelt panel-integrally connected at its inner edge to the upper edge of-each inner side panel and adhesively connected at lits outer edge to the proximate outer side panel, the width of each shelt` panel being greater than 'the width of eachbott'om'ipanel, at least one pair of oppositely extending primary cross partitions formed from Vthe full Width-of each shelf panel,

each primary cross partition being folded downwardly fromthc plane of its shelf panel about a transverse Afold line, at least one pair of secondary partitions being formed ine'ach shelf panel intermediate the pair of primary cross partitions and being folded downwardly `into the erected carton about transverse fold lines spacedtrom 'one 'another a distance equal to their respective distance from the proximate transverse fold line for said primary cross partitions, the two primary cross partitions and the two secondary cross partitions being formed from the portion of the shelf panel between the two transverse fold lines for said primary cross partitions, a pair of oblique fold lines in each of the primary cross partitions and the secondary partitions converging vfrom the lateral extremities of the transverse fold lines for their respectivezpartitions along the inner and outer side panels toward the bottom panels, lateral edge portions of the primary cross partitions and the secondary partitions being folded inwardly from the planes thereof as a result of the partitions being folded about their respective transverse fold lines, said lateral edge portions being wedged against the inner and outer side panels along said oblique fold lines, each bottom panel having transverse slits therein for receiving the lower end of each primary cross partition lof 'each pair thereof, and a pair of lugs cut yfrom each bottom panel and forming continuous projections from the lower edge of and coplanar with each inner side panel.

2. A paperboard blank for a collapsible cellular carton 'having a pair of facsimile sections frangibly connected along an interrupted longitudinal cut line, each facsimile section of the blank comprising in integrally connected inboard succession an Vouter glue flap, a shelf panel, an inner side panel, a bottom panel having a width less than the width of the shelf panel, an outer side panel wider than the 'inner side panel and adapted to' receive said outer glue ilap in 'jnxtapositiom 'a top cover panel, and a tongue llap, the tongue 'flaps for said facsimile sections being laterally adjacent alongfsaid interrupted longitudinal cut line, each shelf panel being provided with at least one pair of Vspaced oppositely extending primary cross partitions hinged to' the shelf panel by a pair of primary transverse fold lines and formed from the full width of the `shelf panel, each shelf panel being further provided with at least one pair of secondary partitions positioned intermediate the pair of primary cross pa'rtitions and also formed from the full width of the shelf panel, the secondary partitions of each pair thereof being hinged to the shelf panel along secondary transverse fold lines spaced longitudinally from one another a distance equal to the distance between proximate primary and secondary transverse fold lines, the two primary cross partitions and the two secondary cross partions being formed from the' portion of the shelf panel between the two transverse fold lines for said primary cross partitions, a pair -of oblique fold lines in each of the primary cross partitions and the secondary partitions converging from the lateral extremities of their respective primary and secondary transverse fold lines across the partitions and adapted to bear evenly against said inner and outer side panels when said partitions are folded downwardly into the carton, each of said bottom panels having transverse slits -therein adapted to receive thelower end ofeach primary cross partition of each pair thereof, and at least one pair of lugs dened in each bottom panel by arched cut lines adjacent each of said inner side'panels, a primary cross partition-locking flap foldably connected to the bottom panel along an oblique transverse fold line olset from but converging toward the inboard end of each transverse slit.

References Cited in the le of this patent Buttery AJuly 14, 1953

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