US3198379A

US3198379A - Convertible article carrier and storage unit

Info

Publication number: US3198379A
Application number: US290896A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edmund W Creelman
Original assignee: CW Zumbiel Co
Current assignee: CW Zumbiel Co
Priority date: 1963-06-25
Filing date: 1963-06-25
Publication date: 1965-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-03

Description

Aug. 3, 1965 E. w. CREELMAN CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE CARRIER AND STORAGE UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1963 V NTOR. BY M AT TUBA/E Y5.

E. w. CREELMAN 3,198,379

CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE CARRIER AND STORAGE UNIT Filed June 25, 1963 3 Sheets$heet 2 g- 3, 1965 E. w. CREELMAN 3,198,379

CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE CARRIER AND STORAGE UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1963 INV NTOR.

ATT02A/E75,

United States Patent 3,198,379 CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE CAR AND STORAGE UNIT Edmund W. Creelman, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to C. W. Zumhiel Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 25, 1963, Ser. No. 290,896 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-413) This invention relates to portable containers or carriers formed of paperboard material for packaging bottles and other articles in group formation.

One of the primary objectives of the invention has been to provide a carrier of this type which includes a handle projecting upwardly above the upper ends of the bottles for convenient gripping of the carrier, and in which the handle may be shifted downwardly to an inactive position below the upper ends of the bottles to permit the loaded carriers to be stacked one upon another for display punposes in a retail store, for warehouse storage or during shipment.

According to this aspect of the invention, the carrier is of composite design, comprising an external carton or container and an internal holder having partitions arranged to provide individual compartments which separate the bottles or other articles from one another. The internal holder is telescopically interfitted within the external carton and is shiftable vertically with respect to the external carton. The shiftable holder includes a main wall which extends longitudinally along the mid-portion of the carrier and which includes a handle portion; the handle portion includes an opening or hand hole, adapting the carrier to be gripped in a convenient manner when it is carried.

The arrangement is such that the bottle holder may be shifted downwardly within the external carton to a position in which the upper edge of the handle portion resides in a horizontal plane parallel with or below the upper ends of the bottles or articles, for stacking and storage of the loaded carriers. Thus, the loaded carriers may be stacked one upon another upon the shelf of the retail store, or during shipment, or storage, without any interference by the handle portion. In stack formation, the weight load of the tiers of carriers is imposed upon the bottles themselves, rather than upon the paperboard carriers, thereby to simplify the storage problem and to protect the carriers from dam-age.

On the other hand, when the carrier is removed from the shelf, the bottle holder is shifted upwardly with respect to the external carton and the bottles contained therein, such that the hand hole (which forms a part of handle portion of the holder, as noted above) is located above the upper ends of the bottles for convenience in grasping the carrier in the hand.

It will be understood that the carrier is designed for packaging'bottles, cans or other articles in group formation. In order to simplify the description, the shift-able internal holder, which is telescopically interfitted within the external carton, is referred to in the specification primarily as a bottle holder. For the same reason, the articles confined in the carrier are referred to as bottles, although it will be understood that the carrier may be designed for packaging various other articles, as noted above.

A further objective of the invention has been to provide a composite carrier formed of paperboard material in which the external carton and the internal bottle holder may be assembled in a rapid convenient manner, with the two parts locked in assembly in a positive manner by the bottles which are packed therein.

Described briefly, the external carton'may be of square or rectangular configuration and of conventional design,

ice

comprising a bottom, respective side walls and an open top. However, as distinguished from a conventional oarton, the side walls further include a plurality of turn-down flaps projecting upwardly above the upper edge of the carton and delineated by score lines. The bottle holder (which telescopically interfits the external carton), in general, comprises side walls corresponding in configuration to the side walls of the external carton and arranged to fit loosely therein. The holder includes a main wall (including the handle portion noted above) which extends longitudinally along the mid-portion of the holder, with the handle portion of the main wall projecting well above the upper edge of the holder and including the hand hole, by which the carrier is gripped.

Theheight of the holder side walls is substantially less than the height of the external carton walls to permit the holder (and its handle) to be shifted vertically. The upper and lower ends of the holder are open, suchthat the lower ends of the bottles rest upon the bottom of the carton, permitting the holder to be shifted vertically relative to the external carton and the bottles contained therein. As explained above, this permits the holder to be shifted vertically with respect to the external carton and bottles, such that the carrier may be converted from a storage unit for stacking to a portable carrier.

In order to lock the bottle holder in a positive manner within the external carton, the upper edge of the external carton includes the turn-down flaps, as noted above. In assembling the carrier, the bottle holder is inserted into the external carton, the turn-down flaps are folded inwardly so :as to overlie the upper portion of the bottle holder Walls, then the bottles are placed in the holder and in engagement with the turn-down flaps. 'Ihe bottles thus lock the turn-down flaps positively in their locking position and also serve to cushion the bottles. Accordingly, when the bottle holder is lifted by its handle portion, the weight load of the bottles is imposed upon the bottom of the external carton and is transmitted to the holder and its handle portion by operation of the turndown flaps which, as noted above, arelocked in place by the bottles.

A further objective of the invention has been to provide a simplified carrier in which the parts may be collapsed to a flat condition to conserve space during shipment and storage, and in which the carrier may be erected rapidly and conveniently by the user for insertion into the external carton. Y

In general, the bottle holder is fabricated from a single sheet of paperboard material, blanked out to the required shape, and provided with score lines for folding, and including tear lines or lines of severance. The single sheet blank is folded along its score lines to the form of a wraparound tube, which includes an intermediate partition, with the wall panels of the holder adhesively secured together to form the tube. The holders are furnished to the user in fiat collapsed condition, along with the external cartons, which are also collapsible. When the carrieris to be placed in use, the carton (which is of conventional design) is erected from its collapsed condition, then the carrier is erected and severed along its tear lines. Upon being severed, the holder is folded over upon itself to form the intermediate main wall and the partitions which delineate the bottle compartments. The

folded holder is then inserted into the external carton,

retracted but free to be shifted to the elevated position to provide a convenient hand grip when the storage unit I is converted to a carrier.

The various advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a convertible storage unit and bottle carrier constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the external carton or case in its erected condition before receiving the internal bottle holder.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the bottle holder as it is inserted into the external carton during as sembly of the bottle carrier.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view generally similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the bottle holder seated in the external carton with one of the bottles being placed in the assembled storage unit and carrier.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the bottle holder in its flat collapsed condition, as furnished to the user.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the holder partially erected prior to insertion into the external carton.

FIGURE 7 is an end view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6, further detailing the construction of the bottle holder.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the bottle holder shown in FIGURE 6, showing the two sections of the holder separated along the tear line and partially doubled upon itself to permit insertion into the external carton.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 1, further detailing the structural arrangement of the composite carrier after assembly and loading.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 9, showing the elevated position assumed by the bottle holder when the storage unit is converted into a carrier, with the handle elevated to the carrying position.

GENERAL ARRANGEMENT As best shown in FIGURES 1-4, the convertible storage unit and carrier, indicated generally at 1, is of composite, two-piece construction, comprising the external carton, indicated generally at 2, and the internal bottle holder, indicated generally at 3. The carton 2 and the internal bottle holder 3 are furnished to the user preferably in fiat collapsed condition to conserve space during shipment and storage. Both the external carton 2 and the internal holder 3 are capable of being erected ina rapid convenient manner and assembled by theuser. Upon loading of the bottles or other articles into the holder 3, the holder is locked in a positive manner within the carton 2 by the action of the bottles.

The bottle holder 3 comprises a divider or partition which forms individual compartments for the bottles or other articles; the holder also provides a handle, generally indicated at 4 (FIGURE 1), arranged to provide a convenient grip for the carrier. As explained earlier, the bottle holder 3 telescopically interfits and is slidable vertically within the carton 2 to permit the loaded carriers to be stacked upon one another in the form of storage units and to permit the handle 4 (with the holder 3) to be shifted upwardly above the tops of the bottles as a hand grip when the carrier is removed from the shelf and converted into a carrier. In the lowered position of the holder 3 (FIGURE 9), the upper edge 5 of the handle 4 is disposed in a horizontal plane flush with or below the upper ends 6 of the bottles 7. Thus, as indicated by the broken lines at 8 (FIGURE 9), a similar loaded carrier may be stacked with its bottom resting directly upon the upper ends 6 of the bottles 7.

It will be understood at this point that, if the carrier is designed for other types of bottles, cans, or other'articles, then the proportions of the holder 3 are varied so as to locate the upper edge 5 of the handle flush with or below the upper edge of the articles in the same manner. Briefly therefore, the telescopically arranged holder 3 permits several rows of carriers (as storage units) to be stacked one upon the other on a shelf for storage and display, for example in a retail store, without requiring individual supports for the several rows.

When the storage unit is removed from the shelf and converted into a carrier, then the bottle holder 3 is shifted upwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 10, thus bringing the hand hole 9 of handle 4 to a plane well above the upper edges 6 of the bottles 7 for convenience in gripping the carrier. It will be noted in FIGURE 10, that the holder 3 is positively locked within the external carton 2 by the turn-down flaps 10 of carton 2, which engage the upper edge 11 of the holder 3. The turn-down flaps 10 are firmly held in their folded position by engagement with the sides of the bottles 7. Thus, as shown in FIG- URE 10, the bottles 7 rest uponthe bottom 12 of the external carton 2, while the weight load is transferred from the carton to the holder 3 by the turn-down flaps 10.

In the form which has been selected to illustrate the invention, the holder 3 is constructed to confine a group of four of the bottles 7 or other articles. For this purpose, the holder 4 includes an intermediate partition in the form of two sections 13-13 (FIGURES 1 and 3) which project outwardly from opposite sides of the main wall 14 of the holder 3. The main wall 14 includes end partitions, indicated generally at 15-15 which also project in the form of sections from opposite sides of the main wall 14. The

partitions

13 and 15,. combined with the external carton, thus delineate the four article compartments, which are indicated generally at 16.

As viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2, the external carton 2 is provided with a set of four turn-down flaps 10 which are located to interfit the respective compartments 16 upon assembly of the carrier. The

partitions

13 and 15, combined with the turn-down flaps 10 separate the bottles to prevent them from striking one another, with possible breakage.

It will be understood at this point, that carriers, following the principles of this invention, may be constructed in sizes suitable for confining larger or smaller groups of bottles or articles. Thus, by increasing the length dimension of the external carton 2 and holder 3 and providing additional partitions, the carrier may be made sufiiciently large to package a greater number of bottles, for example, groups of six or eight-bottles. In this case, the external carton preferably is provided with one turn-down flap 10 for each compartment. However, in the larger capacity carriers, one turn-down flap for each compartment is not absolutely necessary.

EXTERNAL CARTON In the present disclosure, the external carton 2, as best shown in FIGURE 2, is square in configuration, comprising the bottom 12, with vertical wall panels 17 rising upwardly from the bottom. As noted earlier, the carton 2 is formed from paperboard material and is of the collapsible type to conserve space during shipment and storage. For this purpose, the bottom 12 is of sectional construction, comprising a plurality of collapsible interlocking bottom panels which are hinged along the score lines 18 at the base of the respective wall panels 17. The arrangement is such that the vertical walls, in the collapsed condition of the carton, fold along the score lines 2%), with the wall panels 17 in flat, face-to-face relationship with one another, and with the bottom panels (not shown) folded upwardly between the wall panels. The arrangement of the bottom panels forms no part of the present invention; therefore the structural details have been omitted from this disclosure.

In the flat collapsed condition of the external carton 2, the turn-down flaps 10 project outwardly from the opposed side wall panels 17 in plane with the panels. The turndown flaps 10 are joined to the upper edge of the opposed side walls along the score lines 21 (FIGURE 2). The

flaps remain in'this position (projecting upwardly above the upper edges of the side wall panels 17) upon erection of the carton, as shown in FIGURE 2.

In assembling the carrier, preferably by hand, the external carton 2 is first erected from its collapsed condition (FIGURE 2), then the holder 3, as explained later, is

erected and inserted into the carton 2 as shown in FIG.

URE 3. It will be noted at this point, that the turn-down flaps remain in the vertical position to facilitate the insertion of the holder 3. After the bottle holder 3 is slipped into the open upper end of the carton 2, the turndown flaps 10 arefolded downwardly (FIGURE 4) to engage the upper edge 11 of the holder 3, then the bottles '7 are inserted into the compartments 16 (FIGURE 9) to lock the flaps 10 positively in their folded position with respect to the upper edge 11 of the holder 3. In order to facilitate the operation of folding the flaps 10 downwardly, and to prevent interference with the

partitions

13 and 15, the corner portions of each flap 10 is chamfered or cut diagonally as indicated at 22 (FIGURE 2).

BOTTLE HOLDER As pointed out above, the insert or holder 3 is furnished to the user in a collapsed condition, as shown in FIGURE 5, and is conveniently erected, as shown in FIGURES 6-8. The holder 3 is fabricated from a single sheet of paperboard material which is scored and provided with lines of severance, adapting it to be doubled upon itself and inserted into the external carton, as explained below.

As viewed in FIGURE 7, the one-piece sheet blank, after being properly scored and perforated for severance, is bent along the respective score lines 19 to form a main panel 23, which constitutes the main wall 14 of the holder 3 when the holder is doubled upon itself (FIGURE 8) for insertion into the external carton 2. A pair of

side wall panels

24 and 25 are joined to the edges of the main panel 23; the

side wall panels

24 and 25 form the end partitions -15 (FIGURE 3) when the holder is erected. A panel section 26 extends from the side panel 24 along the score line 19 and includes at its inner edge a score line 27 which delineates the intermediate partition 13. The end of the partition 13 includes a flap 28 which is adhesively joined to the main panel 23.

The bottle holder blank is completed by a panel 30 which is joined along the score line 19 to the side wall panel 25. The panel 30 is adhesively secured to the panel section 26. Thus, when the holder 3 is erected from the blank condition of FIGURE 5 to the condition shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the holder is in the form of an open ended tube divided centrally by the intermediate partition 13.

As best seen in FIGURE 5, the side walls 24 and and the panel include a continuous line of severance or tear line, indicated at 31 comprising a series of interrupted slits, permitting the panel 30 and the

side wall panels

24 and 25 to be separated. The main panel 23 (FIGURE 5) is provided with a score line 32 parallel with the severance line 31, permitting the panel 23 to be doubled upon itself. Thus, in assembling the carrier, the blank is first erected as shown in FIGURE 6, then it is torn across the severance line 31. After being severed, the two halves of the main panel 23 are folded along the score line 32 (FIGURE 8), thereby to form the main wall 14 of the holder. The double ply construction thus provided imparts additional strength to the main wall 14 to withstand the strain imparted to the carrier when it is gripped by the hand hole 9.

In its erected condition, the

outer walls

24, 25 and 3%) of the holder 3 telescopically interfit the external carton 2, permitting the holder to be inserted as shown in FIG- URE 3. After being inserted, the turn-down flaps 10 are folded downwardly over the upper edge 11 of the holder (FIGURES 9 and 10), into the compartments 16, then the bottles 7 are packed into the compartments to lock the flaps downwardly. The holder is then free to be shifted to'its downward position (FIGURE 9)"for stacking, or to be elevated to the carrying position shown in FIGURE 10.

Having described my invention I claim: 1. A convertible article carrier and :storage unit formed of paperboard material comprising; an external carton having a bottom, generally vertical side walls, and an open upper end; a plurality of turn-down flaps joined to the upper edges of the side walls of the external carton; an article holder slidably interfitting the external carton; said article holder being formed from a single sheet of paperboard material having a main wall panel and a plurality of side wall panels; said sheet being wrapped upon itself to form an open ended wrap-around tube having a rectangular cross section, the side wall panels of the sheet forming the side walls, and the main wall panel forming the main wall of the holder; the side wall panels having a tear line and said main wall panel having a score line located mid-way along the length thereof; whereby the side wall panels are separated along said tear line and the main wall panel is folded along said score line and doubled upon itself to form a two-ply main wall;

said holder thereby having generally vertical side walls and open upper and lower ends, the side walls of the article holder being substantially less in height than the side walls of the external carton;

the turn-down flaps of the external carton being doubled over and bent downwardly over the upper edge portion of the walls of the article holder; said main wall extending across the midportion of the article holder; said main wall including a handle portion projecting above the open upper end of the article holder; said article holder adapted to confine a group of articles within the side walls thereof, with the lower ends of the articles resting upon the bottom of the external carton, said articles engaging and holding the turn-down flaps in locking position with respect to the walls of the article holder; the distance from the lower open end of the article holder and the upper edge of the handle portion of the holder being equal to or less than the length of the articles, whereby the article holder is adapted to be shifted downwardly relative to the articles to a position wherein the upper edge of said handle portion is flush with or below the upper ends of the articles resting upon the bottom of the external carton, adapting a plurality of article carriers to be stacked one upon another in the form of storage units with the weight load thereof supported by the articles;

said article holder adapted to be shifted upwardly into engagement with the said turn-down flaps with the handle portion of said main wall projecting above the upper ends of the articles therein to con vert the storage unit into an article carrier.

2. A convertible article carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the side wall panels of the article holder are joined to one another in series relationship along respective score lines, and the sheet includes a partition panel joined by a score line to the edge of one of the side wall panels, the partition panel having a tear line in alignment with the tear line of the side wall panels, the partition panel being bent along saidscore line and extending transversely across the mid-portion of the said wraparound tube from the side wall panel with its outer edge portion joined to the main wall panel, thereby to divide the Wrap-around tube into respective longitudinal c0m partments, the number of said compartments being doubled when the side wall panels and partition panel are separated along the tear lines with the main wall panel a doubled upon itself to form the two-ply main Wall, with the said compartments disposed on opposite sides of the two-ply main Wall.

3. A convertible article carrier as set forth in claim 2, in which the Wrap-around tube is adapted to be folded to a fiat collapsed condition for storage and is adapted to be erected to form the Wrap-around tube, the side Wall panels and partition panel being separated along the tear line after erection for folding and doubling the main wall panel to form the two-ply main wall, with the compart- 10 ments disposed on opposite sides of the erected two-ply main wall.

Bergstein 22951 Cunningham 22928 Marshall 22952 Finkbone 220105 George 220-104 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

Claims

1. A CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE CARRIER AND STORAGE UNIT FORMED OF PAPERBOARD MATERIAL COMPRISING; AN EXTERNAL CARTON HAVING A BOTTOM, GENERALLY VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, AND AN OPEN UPPER END; A PLURALITY OF TURN-DOWN FLAPS JOINED TO THE UPPER EDGES OF THE SIDE WALLS OF THE EXTERNAL CARTON; AN ARTICLE HOLDER SLIDABLY INTERFITTING THE EXTERNAL CARTON; SAID ARTICLE HOLDER BEING FORMED FROM A SINGLE SHEET OF PAPERBOARD MATERIAL HAVING A MAIN WALL PANEL AND A PLURALITY OF SIDE WALL PANELS; SAID SHEET BEING WRAPPED UPON ITSELF TO FORM AN OPEN ENDED WRAP-AROUND TUBE HAVING A RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION, THE SIDE WALL PANELS OF THE SHEET FORMING THE SIDE WALLS, AND THE MAIN WALL PANEL FORMING THE MAIN WALL OF THE HOLDER; THE SIDE WALL PANELS HAVING A TEAR LINE AND SAID MAIN WALL PANEL HAVING A SCORE LINE LOCATED MID-WAY ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF; WHEREBY THE SIDE WALL PANELS ARE SEPARATED ALONG SAID TEAR LINE AND THE MAIN WALL PANEL IS FOLDED ALONG SAID SCORE LINE AND DOUBLED UPON ITSLEF TO FORM A TWO-PLY MAIN WALL; SAID HOLDER THEREBY HAVING GENERALLY VERTICAL SIDE WALLS AND OPEN UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, THE SIDE WALL OF THE ARTICLE HOLDER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS IN HEIGHT THAN THE SIDE WALLS OF THE EXTERNAL CARTON; THE TURN-DOWN FLAPS OF THE EXTERNAL CARTON BEING DOUBLED OVER AND BENT DOWNWARDLY OVER THE UPPER EDGE PORTION OF THE WALLS OF THE ARTICLES HOLDER; SAID MAIN WALL EXTENDING ACROSS THE MIDPORTION OF THE ARTICLE HOLDER;