US3116868A

US3116868A - Reducible carton structure

Info

Publication number: US3116868A
Application number: US116829A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank S Lazure
Original assignee: Aluminum Company of America
Current assignee: Howmet Aerospace Inc
Priority date: 1961-06-13
Filing date: 1961-06-13
Publication date: 1964-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-07

Description

Jan. 7, 1964 F. s. LAZURE' REDUC IBLE CARTON STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1961-" ATTORNEY wil United States Patent 3,116,868 REDUCBLE CARTON STRUCTURE Frank S. Lazure, New Kensington, Pa, assignor to Alu= rninurn Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 13, 1961, Ser. No. 116,829 2 Claims. (Cl. 22951) This invention relates to cartons or containers of the general classification commonly made from paper, cardboard, and similar pliable natural and synthetic fibrous materials, as well as from multi-ply laminates of such pliable sheet or board products including conventional corrugated paper stock. The cartons contemplated within the scope of the invention are relatively inexpensive and are satisfactory for packaging a wide variety of edible and non-edible materials, such as dairy products, ice cream, dry cereals, soap powders, and the like, although their end use as a package is not confined to the contents thereof.

In more specific terms, the cartons of the invention are constructed in a manner to permit reduction in their size and volumetric capacity to accommodate a reduction in the contents thereof, while at the same time providing a reclosable container of reduced capacity.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a container or carton fabricated from a sheet of pliable fibrous material folded along preconceived score or fold lines to provide an article of commerce for packaging materials, the container or carton being reducible in capacity in accordance with a reduction in its contents, without destroying its intended use as a reclosable carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton structure which can be fabricated by conventional machinery from conventional carton stock characterized in its structure by incorporating a removable panel and preformed cooperating score lines permitting preselected cubic reduction in the capacity of the initial carton.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will present themselves to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains on consideration of the following description and illustrations, in which:

FIG. 1 is illustrative of a carton blank in plan View found satisfactory for fabricating containers incorporating features of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 22 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate perspective views in the progressive folding and assembly of the blank of FIG. 1 to produce a finished full capacity closed carton of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a typical carton of the invention in perspective view with the upper end thereof in open condition for access to the contents thereof;

FIG. 7 illustrates Lhe carton of FIG. 6 undergoing reduction in its cubic capacity;

1 1G. 8 illustrates progressive relative reduction in the cubic capacity of the carton of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate progressive perspective views in obtaining the reduced and reclosed carton of the invention.

Referring to the drawings depicting a typical carton illustrative of the invention, the carton structure therein illustrated is preferably formed from a blank or fiat sheet 1%) of paper, or equivalent fibrous stock, provided with

parallel fold lines

12, 14, 16 and 17 extending vertically and dividing the blank into contiguously connected panels 18, 2t), 22, 24 and 25, serving on relative angular folded disposition to provide side walls and a corner seam flap, respectively, for a rectangular shaped container. A second series of preferably parallel transverse fold or

score lines

28 and 30 hingedly or foldably connect rec- 3,ll6,86 Patented Jan. 7, 1964

tangular end flaps

32 and 34, terminating in hook-

shaped configurations

52 and 56, respectively, with opposite ends of the side wall panel 18,

semicircular end flaps

36 and 38 with opposite ends of the side wall panel Ztl, rectangular end flaps tl and 42 with opposite ends of side wall panel 22, and

rectangular end flaps

44 and 46 with opposite ends of the side wall panel 24.

Thus far described, it will be observed that the blank if is foldable along corner-forming

lines

12, 14 and 16 to provide a tube of substantially uniform rectangular transverse cross-section enclosed by narrow equal width oppositely disposed

side wall panels

18 and 22 and oppositely disposed equal width

side wall panels

20 and 24 of preferably greater width than the first-mentioned side wall panels 1% and 22, with the side seam or corner flap 25 contiguous with the side wall panel 24 acting, on bending along the score line 17 and adhesive jointure with the exposed surface of its adjacent panel 18, as the fourth corner joint for restraining and maintaining the tubular carton body configuration (FIG. 3).

Conventional inward folding of the semicircular end flap 38 in overlying relationship on the previously inwardly folded rectangular end flap 46, followed in timed sequence by inward and marginal overlying folding of the end flap 34 on the rectangular end flap 42, with the hook element 56 of the flap 34 entered within an arcuate slot 54 in the end flap 42, provides a four-ply interlocked bottom end closure for the carton, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The end flap 42 may be transversely scored beyond the marginal extremities of the arcuate slot 54- therein to hingedly serve in entering the hook portion 56 within its complementary arcuate slot 54.

The upper

foldable end flaps

32, 36, 4t) and 44, contiguous with the opposite ends of the side wall panels 18, 2t), 22 and 24-, respectively, are similarly conventionally inwardly foldable as described for the

bottom end flaps

34, 38, 42 and 46, to provide a top closure for the container with the exposed top end flap 32 marginally overlying the rectangular end fiap 4% with the hook element 52 entered within an arcuate slot 58 in the underlying end flap 4t Transverse scoring marginally beyond the extremities of the arcuate slot 58 may be provided, as described for slot 54.

Returning to the blank if) of FIG. 1, it will be observed that an additional fold or score line 6% is provided in a transverse direction across the three contiguously associated side wall panels 18, 2t) and 22, the fold line 60 being parallel to and located below the hinge line 28 of the top end closure flaps a distance at least equal to the transverse width of each of the oppositely disposed

side Wall panels

18 and 22. It is to be further observed that an extension of the fold line 6% is provided in the form of a discontinuous line of slots or perforations 62 extending across the Width of the fourth panel 24 and the width of its contiguous foldable side seam flap or corner tab 25. A similar discontinuous line of perforations or slots 64 is also preferably provided in the fold line 16 over that portion of its length above the fold line 60, the upper portion of the panel 2d being severable along the lines of perforations 62 and '64 (FIG. 7) to thereby permit its removal together with its attached rectangular end flap 44 and upper portion of the corner tab 25 disposed above the severance line 62. The slots 64 preferably terminate below the upper hinge line 28 as an aid to reinforcing this corner of the full capacity container or carton. In addition, the blank 10 is also initially provided with diagonal fold or

score lines

68 and 70 above the intermediate fold line 60, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, it will be observed that a completed full capacity carton of the invention (FIG. 6) is reducible from its oniginal size and capacity by removing the upper portion of the side wall panel 24-, and its attached end flap 4 through digital severance along the lines of

slots

62 and 64 and separation of the upper portion of the adhesively secured corner tab 25. Thereafter the upper portions of the oppositely disposed

side wall panels

18 and 22 are outwardly and downwardly collapsed along the

diagonal fold lines

68 and 70, while translating the so collapsed panel portions downwardly along the fold line 6t} against the exposed surfaces of the lower, portions of the

aforesaid side panels

18 and 22. This manipulation and collapsing of the original carton draws and places the upper half of the wider intermediate contiguous panel 29 over the otherwise open top entrance to a modified or reduced capacity carton (FIG. 8), with its attached semicircular end flap 36 in overlying contact with the exposed surface of the lower portion of side wall panel 24. It also results in disposing the

narrower end flaps

32 and 46 in position overlying the semicircular end flap 36 for interlocking disposition of the hook element 52 within the retaining slot 58 to provide a completely closed and locked carton (FIG. 11) reduced in size in respect to the original carton (FIGS. and 6).

It will be observed that reduction of the full capacity carton has entailed removal of the rectangular end flap 44 which is conventionally in direct contact with the contents of the full capacity carton. It is also to be observed that outward and downward collapsing of the upper portions of panels 13 and 22 places the surface areas thereof in initial contact with the contents of a full capacity carton in overlying contact with each other. Because of this structure, and retention of the semicircular end flap 36 which has never been in contact with the contents of the full capacity carton,,relatively clean and. uncontaminated surface contact is maintained between adjacent contacting surfaces in the reduced carton of the invention, thus avoiding any transfer of the contents of a full capacity carton to the exposed surfaces of the reduced carton structure.

The carton or container of the invention has been illustrated in terms of substantially a one-half reduction from the initial carton of FIGS. 5 and 6 to that of FIG. ll. In such half reduction the transverse score line 6%) is located midway between the parallel

hinge score lines

28 and 30.

-It will be apparent that the controlling factor in the practice of the invention lies in the 45 angular disposition of the diagonal fold or score lines 63 and 70, which establishes the outward overlying collapse of the diagonally scored upper portions of the narrower side wall panels 18 .and 22 from substantially initially square areas to double ply overlying triangulm areas. Transformation of the aforesaid upper portions of the

side wall panels

18 and 22 to triangilar areas thereof automatically draws the upper portion of side wall panel 2% contiguous therewith into the plane of the transverse score line 60, where it serves to cover an otherwise open entrance to a reduced carton (FIG. 8). The triangular areas of the

side wall panels

18 and 22 are now capable of downward folding translation against the exposed surfaces of their respective lower portions about the transverse score line 60 as a base for each of the double ply triangular areas, with the contiguous and now laterally extending

end closure flaps

32 and 40 disposed in condition for foldable overlying and interlocking relationship on the exposed surface of the underlying semicircular end closure flap 36.

Conventional paper and/or cardboard stock has been successfully employed in the fabrication of cartons falling within the scope of the invention. However, if desired, the original blank 19 may be a laminated product, a commercial example of which is fibrous paper board of approximately 0:022. inch thickness provided with a sheet of 0.00035 inch aluminum or similar metallic foil 74 (FIG. 2) adhesively bonded to one or both major surface areas thereof. If desired, the discontinuous slots or perforations 62 and 64-, serving as lines of severance for the upper poition of the panel 24, may be confined to the paper element of the carton, in which case the iniperforate foil layer 74 on one or both major surfaces thereof would serve as a seal over the openings in the paper portion of the carton. The metallic foil '74 may also be replaced by conventional synthetic film materials, such as cellophane, or similar conventional non-metallic products. Wax, lacquer and other forms of plastic coatings may also be applied on one or both major surface areas of the fibrous stock from which the cartons of the invention are fabricated.

The restraining corner tab 25 has been illustrated as having an adhesive coating '76 for its adhesive attachment to the exterior surface of the side wall panel 13. Preferably the adhesive coating 76 is confined in width to less than the width of the corner tab 25 and is disposed inwardly of the free edge thereof to provide a marginal flap for ready digital grasping to permit severance and removal of the upper portion of the side wall panel 24. The corner tab 25? may also be scored at 23, preferably above the horizontal score line 60, to aid in digital manipulation thereof. Conventional thermoplastic, thermosetting and water base adhesives, the latter being preferred, have been successfully employed for the adhesive 76.

It isto be observed that the carton structure selected for purposes of describing the invention has incorporated identical bottom and top end closing flaps. It will be manifest that other conventional end flap construction can be employed, even to include dissimilar top and bottom end closure flap structures, the significance of the carton structure of the invention lying in the aforedescribed severable and removable upper portion of one side wall panel and the directionally foldable and translatable remaining upper side wall panels to provide a reclosable reduced carton.

Cartons constructed as above-described are of particular value in packaging ice cream and similar dairy products, where initial purchase of large cartons of such commodities is economical and subsequent refrigeration space becomes an important consideration benefiting from the reducible cartons of the invention. In this connection, the metallic foil laminated carton structure, hereinabove mentioned, provides a thermally insulated package. As earlier stated, however, the contents packaged in cartons made in accordance with the invention are not a controlling factor in their end use.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art of packaging and carton manufacture that the flat blank of FIG. 1 can .be folded in half, flat on itself, along the vertical fold line 14, and the corner tab 25 adhesively connected to the adjacent exterior surface of the adjacent panel 18 in its initial fabrication for ready shipping and storage of the same in flattened condition.

Having selected a specific carton or container structure for purposes of describing the present invention, it will be apparent that other forms of containers incorporating the removable panel and outwardly flexed and collapsed oppositely disposed side wall panel portions are capable of fabrication without departing from the intended scope of the invention, defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A reducible carton fabricated from a blank of sheet material divided by three parallel spaced score lines defining three edge corners along which the blank is foldable to provide a rectangular tubular body of substantially uniform transverse cross-section enclosed by four side wall panels, said terminal end walls being adhesiveiy flap secured to provide the fourth corner and retain the rectangular body configuration, the said side wall panels being of equal transverse width in oppositely disposed pairs of the same, a top end flap contiguous with the upper terminal end of each side wall panel foldable inwardly and downwardly in overlying oppositely disposed pairs of the same to provide a top end closure for the tubular body, a bottom end closure for the tubular body parallel to the top end closure, a score line traversing three contiguously and consecutively associated side wall panels in a plane parallel to the end closures and disposed a distance below the top end closure at least substantially equal to the transverse width of each side wall panel in an oppositely disposed equal width pair of the same, said transverse score line being also minimally spaced above the plane of the bottom end closure a distance equal to substantially half the depth of the tubular body, the fourth contiguous side wall panel being transversely and discontinuously severed across its width along a line in parallel contiguous extension of the aforesaid score line traversing the three contiguously and consecutively associated side wall panels, a diagonal score line extending from the plane of the top end closure downwardly to the point of intersection of the line of scoring traversing the three contiguously and consecutively associated side wall panels and the score line forming an edge corner of the tubular body of each of the side wall panels on either side of the intermediate side wall panel contiguous therewith, said carton on removal of that portion of the fourth side wall panel and its extending end flap above the transverse discontinuous line of severance permitting outward and downward folding collapse of the diagonally scored portions of the side panels flanking their intermediate contiguous side wall panel in double ply triangular shaped areas into overlying superimposed disposition against the exterior surface respectively of each of the same side wall panels below the line of scoring traversing their width, with simultaneous downward and inward translation of the portion of the intermediate side wall panel contiguous therewith and above its transverse score line across the tubular body to create a top cover for the so produced carton reduced in depth from that of the initial carton an amount equal to the distance of the transverse score line below the plane of the initial top end closure, said top end flap on the intermediate side wall panel overlying the exterior surface of the remaining portion of the fourth side wall panel of the reduced carton, and said top end flaps extending laterally from the double ply collapsed side wall portions overlying the aforesaid top end flap of the reduced carton.

2. A reducible carton fabricated from a single sheet of fibrous material divided vertically by three parallel score lines to provide four side wall panels, the side wall panels being foldable along the score lines as three corners of a substantially uniform rectangular tubular body with oppositely disposed side wall panels being of equal width, the fourth corner of the tubular body comprising a hinged corner flap on one side wall panel in adhesive attachment to its adjacent side wall panel, an end flap in contiguous foldable attachment to opposite ends of each side wall panel, said end flaps being foldable in oppositely disposed relationship to provide top and bottom parallel end closures for the tubular body normal to its vertical depth, the vertical depth of the tubular body being substantially double the transverse width of each side wall panel in an oppositely disposed pair of the same, a score line traversing three consecutive side Wall panels other than the side wall panel provided with the hinged corner flap, said score line being located midway between the top and bottom end closures and parallel thereto, the fourth side wall panel and its hinged corner flap being discontinuously severed across their contiguous transverse widths in the plane of the score line traversing the remaining three side wall panels, said vertical score line defining the corner of the fourth side wall panel opposite its hinged corner flap being discontinuously severed above its line of transverse discontinuous severance, the portion of the fourth side wall above its transverse line of discontinuous severance and between its vertical corners, together with its end flap and hinged corner flap, being detachably removable, a 45 diagonal score line extending from the upper corner of each side wall panel adjacent to and on either side of the detachably removable portion of the fourth side wall panel and terminating in the plane of the transverse score line, said carton on removal of the detachable portion of the fourth side wall panel permitting outward and downward folding collapse of each of the diagonally scored oppositely disposed side wall portions into overlying relationship on the exposed surfaces of the lower portions of the same side wall panels below the scored line traversing the same, with the side wall portion coextensive and intermediate thereto folding inwardly and downwardly across the transverse cross-section of the tubular body to provide a top cover for a container of half the depth of the original tubular body with the end flap of the so created top cover overlying the exposed surface of the remaining portion of the reduced fourth side wall panel, and the end flaps contiguous with the diagonally folded and collapsed side wall panel portions overlying the end flap of the created top cover in interengaging locking relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,772,625 Caulfield Aug. 12, 1930 2,002,005 Gottlieb May 21, 1935 2,124,699 Harrington July 26, 1938 2,355,665 Mabee Aug. 15, 1944 2,396,310 Yungblut Mar. 12, 1946 2,808,192 Raisin Oct. 1, 1957

Claims

1. A REDUCIBLE CARTON FABRICATED FROM A BLANK OF SHEET MATERIAL DIVIDED BY THREE PARALLEL SPACED SCORE LINES DEFINING THREE EDGE CORNERS ALONG WHICH THE BLANK IS FOLDABLE TO PROVIDE A RECTANGULAR TUBULAR BODY OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM TRANSVERSE CROSS-SECTION ENCLOSED BY FOUR SIDE WALL PANELS, SAID TERMINAL END WALLS BEING ADHESIVELY FLAP SECURED TO PROVIDE THE FOURTH CORNER AND RETAIN THE RECTANGULAR BODY CONFIGURATION, THE SAID SIDE WALL PANELS BEING OF EQUAL TRANSVERSE WIDTH IN OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PAIRS OF THE SAME, A TOP END FLAP CONTIGUOUS WITH THE UPPER TERMINAL END OF EACH SIDE WALL PANEL FOLDABLE INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY IN OVERLYING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PAIRS OF THE SAME TO PROVIDE A TOP END CLOSURE FOR THE TUBULAR BODY, A BOTTOM END CLOSURE FOR THE TUBULAR BODY PARALLEL TO THE TOP END CLOSURE, A SCORE LINE TRAVERSING THREE CONTIGUOUSLY AND CONSECUTIVELY ASSOCIATED SIDE WALL PANELS IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE END CLOSURES AND DISPOSED A DISTANCE BELOW THE TOP END CLOSURE AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE TRANSVERSE WIDTH OF EACH SIDE WALL PANEL IN AN OPPOSITELY DISPOSED EQUAL WIDTH PAIR OF THE SAME, SAID TRANSVERSE SCORE LINE BEING ALSO MINIMALLY SPACED ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM END CLOSURE A DISTANCE EQUAL TO SUBSTANTIALLY HALF THE DEPTH OF THE TUBULAR BODY, THE FOURTH CONTIGUOUS SIDE WALL PANEL BEING TRANSVERSELY AND DISCONTINUOUSLY SEVERED ACROSS ITS WIDTH ALONG A LINE IN PARALLEL CONTIGUOUS EXTENSION OF THE AFORESAID SCORE LINE TRAVERSING THE THREE CONTIGUOUSLY AND CONSECUTIVELY ASSOCIATED SIDE WALL PANELS, A DIAGONAL SCORE LINE EXTENDING FROM THE PLANE OF THE TOP END CLOSURE DOWNWARDLY TO THE POINT OF INTERSECTION OF THE LINE OF SCORING TRAVERSING THE THREE CONTIGUOUSLY AND CONSECUTIVELY ASSOCIATED SIDE WALL PANELS AND THE SCORE LINE FORMING AN EDGE CORNER OF THE TUBULAR BODY OF EACH OF THE SIDE WALL PANELS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE INTERMEDIATE SIDE WALL PANEL CONTIGUOUS THEREWITH, SAID CARTON ON REMOVAL OF THAT PORTION OF THE FOURTH SIDE WALL PANEL AND ITS EXTENDING END FLAP ABOVE THE TRANSVERSE DISCONTINUOUS LINE OF SEVERANCE PERMITTING OUTWARD AND DOWNWARD FOLDING COLLAPSE OF THE DIAGONALLY SCORED PORTIONS OF THE SIDE PANELS FLANKING THEIR INTERMEDIATE CONTIGUOUS SIDE WALL PANEL IN DOUBLE PLY TRIANGLE SHAPED AREAS INTO OVERLYING SUPERIMPOSED DISPOSITION AGAINST THE EXTERIOR SURFACE RESPECTIVELY OF EACH OF THE SAME SIDE WALL PANELS BELOW THE LINE OF SCORING TRAVERSING THEIR WIDTH, WITH SIMULTANEOUS DOWNWARD AND INWARD TRANSLATION OF THE PORTION OF THE INTERMEDIATE SIDE WALL PANEL CONTIGUOUS THEREWITH AND ABOVE ITS TRANSVERSE SCORE LINE ACROSS THE TUBULAR BODY TO CREATE A TOP COVER FOR THE SO PRODUCED CARTON REDUCED IN DEPTH FROM THAT OF THE INITIAL CARTON AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE OF THE TRANSVERSE SCORE LINE BELOW THE PLANE OF THE INITIAL TOP END CLOSURE, SAID TOP END FLAP ON THE INTERMEDIATE SIDE WALL PANEL OVERLYING THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE FOURTH SIDE WALL PANEL OF THE REDUCED CARTON, AND SAID TOP END FLAPS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM THE DOUBLE PLY COLLAPSED SIDE WALL PORTIONS OVERLYING THE AFORESAID TOP END FLAP OF THE REDUCED CARTON.