US3358827A

US3358827A - Can unitizing packages

Info

Publication number: US3358827A
Application number: US332351A
Authority: US
Inventors: John G Hughes
Original assignee: Waldorf Paper Products Co
Current assignee: Waldorf Paper Products Co
Priority date: 1963-12-23
Filing date: 1963-12-23
Publication date: 1967-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-19

Description

J. G. HUGHES CAN UNITIZING PACKAGES Dec. 19, 1967 Filed Dec. 2'6 1963 v F/a'j United States Patent 3,358,827 'CAN UNITIZING PACKAGES John G. Hughes, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, tion of Minnesota Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,351 7 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to an improvement in can unitizing packages and deals particularly with a simple folder which may be used to connect a series of similar cans so that they may be sold as a package.

In recent years, the use of pressurized cans to contain a wide variety of products has become very popular. While these cans vary to some extent, many comprise tubular can bodies having a disc-like bottom closure which is often domed inwardly to resist pressure, and a domed upper closure which terminates in acylindrical portion from which the dispensing valve and nozzle projects. A cup-shaped cap is frictionally engaged upon the cylindrical portion to overlie and protect the dispensing valve and nozzle.

In view of the fact that these containers are vertically elongated, they do not lend themselves particularly well to a unitizing sleeve of the type often used for unitizing cans of other proportions. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a simple folder which may serve as a connector for a series of cans and which will provide a pair of opposed advertising panels capable of describing the product and the uses thereof.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a unitizer of the type described which in preferred form comprises a U-shaped folded provided with means for anchoring opposite sides of the U-shaped enclosure to the tops of the cans. As a result, the unitizer may be easily attached to the cans, and lends itself very readily to automatic packaging where such is desired.

These and other objects and novel features of the pres ent invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a can package in completed form.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view through the carrier, the position of the section being indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the erected unitizer with the cansre'moved therefrom.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the unitizer is formed.

The unitizer is indicated in general by the letter A, and is particularly useful in containing a series of cans such as B. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the cans B include a cylindrical wall provided with a lower closure 11 which is preferably inwardly domed as shown in FIGURE 2, and which is provided with a channelshaped beaded edge 12 which engages the lower edge of the cylindrical wall 10 and is secured thereto. The upper end of the sleeve 10 is closed by an upper closure 13 having an upwardly domed central portion 14 which is provided at its periphery with an upwardly extending flange 15 terminating in a beaded channel-shaped rim 16 which encloses the upper end of the sleeve 10. This arrangement provides a circular groove 17 encircling the dome-shaped portion 14.

The dome portion 14 is shown as terminating in a short cylindrical portion 19 having a flat upper surface 20 through which the nozzle and valve operating mechanism 21 extends. As this construction is Well known in the art, it is not shown in detail. When not in use, the dispensing valve is enclosed Within a generally cylindrical cap 22 having a flat upper end 23 and a roller or flanged lower St. Paul, Minn., a corporaend 24 which frictionally encircles the cylindrical portion 19 of the can top.

The unitizer A is constructed as is best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The blank illustrated includes a bottom panel 25 which is hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 26 and 27 to side wall panels 29 and 30 respectively. The fold lines 26 and 27 are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of the lower beads 12 of the cans, and opposed generally U- shaped cut lines 31 and 32 extend into the side walls 29 and 30 and provide apertures through which the beads 12 may extend when the unitizer is in use. A pair of fold lines 33 and 34 extend across the panels 29 and 30 near the upper edges thereof, to hingedly connect the side walls 29 and 30 to a pair of flanges 35 and 36. The spacing between the fold lines 26 and 33 and between the fold lines 27 and 34 is approximately equal the height of the cans B. Generally U-shaped

cut lines

37 and 39 are provided in the side Walls 29 and 30 with the ends of these lines terminating substantially on the fold lines 33 and 34. These

cut lines

37 and 39 are spaced substantially equal to the diameter of the cans, and the U-shaped cut lines define projecting

tabs

40 and 41 designed to extend into the grooves 17 between the chimes 16 and the domed portion 14 of the top closure of the cans. When in place, the tabs hold the side walls 29 and 30 in substantially parallel relation and hold the various cans against the bottom 25, thus holding the cans unitized.

The unitizer thus formed serves effectively to contain the cans in position. However, if an additional lock is desired, this can be accomplished by cutting strips of paperboard from the side wall and locking the strips together usually between a pair of adjacent cans as illustrated. A pair of similar straps 42 are provided in the side wall defined by parallel cut lines 43 connected by a transverse cut line 44. The ends of the cut lines 43 terminate in equally spaced relation from the upper edge 45 of the flange 35, and fold lines 46 connect these ends of the cut lines 43. Fold lines 47 extend across the straps 42 at points spaced from the fold lines 46 a distance substantially equal to the distance between the

fold lines

46 and 45 so that the anchored portions of the straps 42 may be folded outwardly of the upper portion of the side wall 29 and flange 35, and may be folded down into generally parallel relation to the bottom panel 25. Locking tongues 49 are foldably connected to the strips 42 along fold lines 50.

Somewhat slmiiar straps 51 are provided in the side wall 30 and are defined by spaced parallel cut lines 52 connected by a terminal out line 53. The straps 51 are hinged to the panel 30 along fold lines 54 which are in parallel spaced relation to the fold lines 34. Fold lines 55 extend across the straps 51 at points spaced from the fold lines 54 a distance substantially equal to the space between the fold lines 54 and the upper edge 56 of the flange 36. Thus, the lower portions of the strips 51 may be pivoted through to lie outwardly of the upper portion of the side wall 30 and flange 36 and may be folded down into generally parallel relation to the bottom panel 25. The end portions of the strips 51 are provided with locking slots or apertures 57 designed to accommodate the locking tongues 49 of the straps 42. As a result, the ends of the two straps 42 and 51 may be anchored in face contact by engagement of the locking tongues 49 into the slots or apertures 57. This arrangement not only holds the side walls 29 and 30 from swinging outwardly but also holds the flanges 35 and 36 in alignment with the side walls to hold the locking tabs 39 engaged in the grooves 17 of the can.

The manner in which the structure is assembled is believed obvious from the foregoing description. The cans are placed on the bottom panel 25 and the side walls 29 and 30 are folded upwardly, the lower chimed ends 12 of the cans extending through the apertures formed by the cut lines 31. As the side walls near parallel relation, the flanges 3 5 and 36 are hinged outwardly so that the locking tongues 39 will extend inwardly from the side walls. Accordingly, the locking tongues may be swung over the chimed upper ends 16 of the can B and into the grooves 17 between the chimed ends and the dome shaped portion 14 of the top can closure. While the structure thus described holds the cans quite effectively, the cans may be positively prevented from swinging outwardly by engagement of the locks of the locking strips 42 and 51.

In accordance with the patent statutes, 1 have described the principles of construction and operation of my can unitizer; and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A can containing carton in combination with a series of similar cans having at least one chimed end, the carton including a folder including a bottom panel and a pair of upright side wall panels hinged to opposite sides of said bottom panel,

said bottom panel being substantially of a width equal to the can diameter,

said side walls being of a height extending substantially above the side walls of the cans,

flanges connected to the upper edges of the side walls along fold lines,

a pair of tabs holding the side walls in substantially parallel relationship, said tabs being defined by generally U-shaped cut lines in said side walls adjoining said fold lines and connected to said flanges to be substantially coplanar therewith, and

said tabs being coextensive with the side walls spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the cans and being downwardly dependable to engage into the chimes at said chimed end when the other ends of the cans rest upon said bottom panel.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which the other ends of the cans are also chimed and in which said side walls include apertures adjoining the lines of binge connecting said bottom panel to said side walls through which portions of the chimes of said other can ends may extend.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including means for holding said flanges generally coplanar with the side walls to which they are connected.

4. The structure of claim 1 and including engageable and disengageable means for connecting the upper edges of said flanges.

5. A can containing carton in combination with a series of similar cans having a domed end extending above the sides of the can and at least one chimed end, the carton including a folder including a bottom panel and a pair of upright side wall panels hinged to opposite sides of said bottom panel,

said bottom panel being substantially of a width equal to the can diameter,

said side walls being of substantially equal height to the height of the cans at the dome extremity,

flanges connected to the upper edges of the side walls along fold lines,

a pair of tabs holding the side walls in substantially parallel relationship, said tabs being defined by generally U-shaped cut lines in said side walls terminating adjacent said fold lines to provide downward extensions of said flanges,

said tabs being coextensive with the side walls spaced similarly to the spacing between cans of a row resting upon said bottom panel and extending into the chimed ends to hold the same against said bottom panel.

6. The structure of claim 5 and including detachable means for holding saidflanges in generally parallel rela tion.

7. A can containing carton in combination with a series of similar cans having at least one chimed end, the carton including a folder including a bottom panel and a pair of side wall panels hinged to opposite sides of said bottom panel,

said bottom panel being substantially of a width equal to the can diameter,

said side walls being of substantially equal height to the side walls of the cans,

flanges connected to the upper edges of the side walls along fold lines,

tabs defined by generally U-shaped cut lines in said side walls terminating adjacent said fold lines to provide downward extensions of said flanges,

said tabs being spaced similarly to the spacing between cans of a row resting upon said bottom panel and extending into engagement with the chimed ends of said cans to hold the same against said bottom panel,

a pair of straps defined by generally U-shaped cut lines in opposite portions of said side walls,

said straps being hinged to said side walls at their upper ends and foldable upwardly outwardly of said flanges, and including interlocking end portions of said straps foldable generally parallel to said bottom panel and interchanged to hold said flanges from separation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,359,297 10/1944 Brogden 206 2,663,413 12/1953 Foster 206-65 2,681,143 6/1954 Guyer 20665 2,805,033 9/1957 Rous 20665 X 2,851,210 9/1958 Kramer et a1. 20665 3,151,802 10/1964 Spery 206-65 X FOREIGN PATENTS 556,864 8/1957 Belgium.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner.

Claims

1. A CAN CONTAINING CARTON IN COMBINATION WITH A SERIES OF SIMILAR CANS HAVING AT LEAST ONE CHIMED END, THE CARTON INCLUDING A FOLDER INCLUDING A BOTTOM PANEL AND A PAIR OF UPRIGHT SIDE WALL PANELS HINGED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID BOTTOM PANEL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY OF A WIDTH EQUAL TO THE CAM DIAMETER, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING OF A HEIGHT EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE SIDE WALLS OF THE CANS, FLANGES CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGES OF THE SIDE WALLS ALONG FOLD LINES, A PAIR OF TABS HOLDING THE SIDE WALLS IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, SAID TABS BEING DEFINED BY GENERALLY U-SHAPED CUT LINES IN SAID SIDE WALLS ADJOINING SAID FOLD LINES AND CONNECTED TO SAID FLANGES TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR THEREWITH, AND