US3037682A

US3037682A - Carton

Info

Publication number: US3037682A
Application number: US81585A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles D Daubert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-01-09
Filing date: 1961-01-09
Publication date: 1962-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1979-06-05

Description

June 5, 1962 c. D. DAUBERT 3, 7, 82

CARTON Filed Jan. 9, 1961 CHARLES D. DAUBERT BY 7% ATTORNEY 3,037,682 Patented June 5, 1962 3,037,682 CARTON Charles D. Daubert, 1800 El Vereno Way, Belmont, Calif. Filed Jan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,585 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-40) This invention rel-ates generally to the field of packaging and is more particularly directed to a novel service feature adapted to be integrally associated with a carton or package for carrying beverages.

There are numerous prior art cartons for carrying canned or bottled fluids, these cartons or packages usually being made of more or less heavy paper or cardboard. These cartons are most often used under circumstances where the beverages are consumed after being chilled, and, especially in a humid atmosphere, the chilling causes condensation of moisture which runs down the outside of the fluid container resulting in marring, disfigurement or irreparable discoloration of the table or surface upon which the container is placed. In many situations suitable coasters or protective cups are not available which would provide protection from the maleffects noted.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a utilitarian coaster for placement beneath containers of chilled beverages while they are being consumed.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a coaster which is conveniently and integrally formed within the structure of a container carrying carton.

Additionally, an object is to provide a coaster which is specially formed to prevent a container placed thereon from sticking thereto due to the effects of surface tension.

Other objects are to provide a coaster arrangement which is adapted to be easily incorporated within the structure of existing paperboard or similar cartons, which is inexpensive in manufacture, facile in operation and highly efiicient in nature.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in this particular art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the description hereinbelow wherein like numerals are employed to designate like elements of the invention throughout the figures and in which FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of a fluid carrying carton constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a specific coaster shown removed from the carton of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 it will be seen that a carton constructed in accordance with the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 1 said carton being comprised of a top 2, sides 3 and 4 and a bottom 5. A central dividing wall 6 is also shown which serves to keep separate the fluid beverage containers 7. It should be pointed out that the structure thus far described is more or less conventional and may be adapted to contain glass bottles, metal cans or other containers all in a manner known in the art. It is contemplated that carton configurations other than that shown may be utilized, e.g. cartons having a raised or built-in handle or carrying means.

According to the instant invention at least one, and preferably a number equal to the number of containers carried, of knockout coasters generally designated by the numeral 10 are provided in carton 1. These coasters are so formed as to be easily removable from carton 1. This feature is accomplished by weakening FIGURE 2 shows a coaster 10 as removed from carton 1 and which, in this instance, is circular in shape. A plurality of raised embossments or ribs 12 are formed, preferably integrally, within coaster 10. Ribs 12 may be easily formed or stamped into the carton as such carton is to be constructed of deformable material. Ribs 12 radiate generally inwardly from points 13 preferably equidistantly located about the perimeter of coaster 10. As ribs 12 are of equal length, their points of inner termination 14 describe a generally circular appearance.

Preferably ribs 12 approach the center of coaster 10 at an angle and do not extend perfectly radially inwardly from the perimeter of the coaster to the center thereof thus leaving an open central area 15 which acts as a reservoir for moisture which may accumulate therein. It is noted that ribs 12 serve to alleviate the otherwise flat surface of coaster 10 and break or lessen surface tension of the condensed moisture which would otherwise cause coaster 10 to adhere to the bottom of a container 16 placed thereon. Additionally, the remaining areas between ribs 12 thus also serve as reservoirs for moisture.

It will also be seen that coaster 10 is provided with an upwardly turned flange constituting a raised rim 17 about the perimeter thereof which serves to contain moisture within the confines of coaster 10. This rim 17 is preferably stamped or pressed into coaster 10 in the same manner as ribs 12 are formed therein, both said ribs and said rim serving the additional function of materially strengthening the coaster. Rim 17 may be formed as the peripheral edge of coaster 10 or slightly inwardly therefrom as desired.

In operation, as a coaster is desired for use it is a simple matter to depress the same from the carton, after which it is ready for immediate use. Of course the coaster may be left within the carton structure without detracting from its strength, appearance or utility. It is noted that it may be desirable in certain instances to impregnate, or coat either the whole carton, or just the area surrounding said coasters, with a moisture resistant compound such as wax or the like, such compounds being well known in the art.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that various modifications thereof may suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art and the invention is to be construed as including such modifications or additions as they may fall within the terms of the claims, wherein I claim as my invention:

1. A carton for packaging fluid containers comprising at least three generally planar, interconnecting side members, at least one of said side members being provided with at least one removable coaster means, said coaster means comprising a knockout portion integrally formed within the planar surface of said side member and defined therein by a weakened linear perimeter, and a moisture-withholding rim adjacent said linear perimeter connected to and raised from the planar surface of said coaster means.

2. A carton as claimed in claim 1 in which said coaster means includes a plurality of ribs connected to and raised from the surface thereof, said ribs radiating from points approximately equidistantly disposed about said perimeter generally inwardly toward the center of said coaster.

3. A carton as claimed in claim 2 in which said ribs and said rim are integral deformations and upstand from the surface of said coaster and in which the areas between each of said ribs and said rim are connected one to the other.

4. A coaster as claimed in claim 1 in which said weakened perimeter is a linear perforation.

5. A coaster as claimed in claim 1 in which said weakened perimeter is a linear scoring extending substantially into the surface of said side member.

6. In a carton for packaging fluid containers comprising at least three generally planar interconnecting side members, the improvement which comprises a knockout coaster integrally formed within at least one of said side members, said coaster being defined within said side member by a weakened linear perimeter, a moisturewithholding rim adjacent said perimeter, said rim constituting an integral deformation upstanding from the surface of said coaster, and a plurality of integral deformations constituting ribs extending from points adjacent said rim generally inwardly toward and tangent to an imaginary circle concentric with the center of said coaster.

7. A carton for packaging fluid containers comprising a bottom, a top and two interconnecting side walls, a plurality of knockout portions constituting circular coasters removably formed within at least one of said Walls and defined therein by a weakened circular perforation, an integral deformation constituting a rim adjacent said perforation and upstanding from the surface of said coaster, a plurality of integral deformations constituting ribs upstanding from the surface of said coaster and extending from points equidistantly spaced adjacent said rim generally inwardly toward the central area of said coaster, said ribs and said rim extending from a common surface of said coaster, and at least the area in each of said walls constituting said coaster being rendered water impervious.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,865,742 Chapman July 5, 1932 2,015,294 Stein Sept. 24, 1935 2,116,411 Philipson May 3, 1938 2,963,198 Foster Dec. 6, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 532,485 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1941 1,047,592 France July 22, 1953