US3361332A

US3361332A - Easy open device for a carton

Info

Publication number: US3361332A
Application number: US646545A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas A Mason
Original assignee: Container Corp
Current assignee: Container Corp; Smurfit Kappa Packaging Corp
Priority date: 1967-06-16
Filing date: 1967-06-16
Publication date: 1968-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-02
Also published as: DE1985965U

Description

Jan. 2, 1968 T. A. MASON 3,351,332

EASY OPEN DEVICE FOR A CARTON Filed June 16, 1967 I NVENTO R 71/0/1145 A .MSO/V 33 sY l-liggr, Czmpmiw J 34 5e ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,361,332 EASY OPEN DEVICE FOR A CARTON Thomas A. Mason, Woburn, Mass., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 16, 1967, Ser. No. 646,545 Claims. (Cl. 22951) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Shaping a corner edge of a carton by bowed score lines located beneath an overlapping flap or tab adapted to be lifted to open the carton to expose the free end of the flap or tab for easy gripping thereof.

Opening devices for cartons commonly involved the use of a pull tab or tear strip which, in the close condition of the carton, is in flush overlying relationship to one of the carton walls. It has been problemsome in the past to provide initial gripping of this tab or tear strip, since it generally is desirable for maintaining a neat carton appearance to secure the tab or tear strip flush against the one carton wall almost up to the corner edge of the carton.

This invention relates to a means by which the end edge of the opening tab is exposed to facilitate initially gripping thereof to initially open the carton. The means envisioned by this invention include shaping or depressing the normal corner of the carton by bowed score lines formed along what would be the corner of the carton in the area beneath the tab. By appropriately sizing and locating the depression relative to the overlying free edge of the tab, the free edge of said tab can be exposed on both sides to permit easy gripping thereof without projecting beyond the normal edges of the carton.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved opening device for a carton having an opening tab or tear strip terminating at the corner edge of the carton, by providing along said corner edge a depression or dimple underlying the free edge of the pull tab or tear strip.

Another object of this invention is to provide the depression or dimple in the corner edge of a carton, according to the previous object, by means of bowed score lines instead of the normal line of corner fold, and locating this dimple in underlying relationship to the free edge of the opening tab.

These and other objects will be more fully appreciated after reviewing the following specification, including the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical carton having a first embodiment of the subject improved opening means;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as seen generally from line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a blank suitably cut and scored to provide the carton construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views, respectively, of alternate carton styles using the subject improved opening means.

FIGS. 1 through 3 show a typical carton construction incorporating the improved opening feature disclosed herein. The carton is a full end overlap tray style having a bottom wall 12, opposed front and

rear walls

14 and 16 hinged along forward and rearward

score lines

13 and 15, respectively, to the bottom wall, a top wall 18 hinged along score line 17 to rearwall 16, and an outer front closure flap hinged along score line 19 to top wall 18. In the assembled set-up condition the outer front wall flap 20 overlaps and is secured by means of 3,361,332 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 ice the adhesive 22 to the inner front wall 14. End wall flaps are hinged to the end edges of the various panels and are overlapped and adhesively secured to one another for closing the ends of the carton. The end wall flaps include inner end wall flaps 22 hinged along score lines 23 to the bottom wall 12, outer end wall flaps 28 hinged along score lines 29 to the top wall 18 and

tuck flaps

24 and 26 hinged, respectively, along

score lines

25 and 27 to the front inner panel 14 and the rear panel 16. The

end wall panels

24 and 26 are typically secured by adhesive portion 31 in flush relation to the inner end wall flaps 22 to form an open top tray.

The disclosed carton 10 is typically opened by lifting the outer front wall flap 2i and breaking the adhesive bond with the underlying inner front wall panel 14. Thereafter, the top wall 18 and outer end wall flaps 28 can be elevated and rotated about the score 17. The front flap 2i typically has an intermediate score 35 to define a small flap 34 which can be folded relative to the main section of flap 20. The flap 34- additionally is contoured to provide a projection or tab 35 which extends substantially to the corner of the carton along score 13.

Normally, the various corners of the carton would be straight and the adjacent carton walls on opposite sides of each corner would be planar. Consequently, it would be, and in fact has been, quite difiicult to grip the free end edge of the opening tab 36 for opening a carton. This invention provides an improvement in this area by forming and locating a concave depression or dimple in the normal corner of the carton immediately beneath the free end of the opening tab.

It can thus be seen in FIG. 1 that the corner edge of the carton along score 13 is interrupted, and the score 13 is discontinued in the area beneath the tab 35. In place of the score 13 in this area, there are bowed

scores

41 and 43 which meet at their ends with the score 13 and which define therebetween a concave depression or dimple panel 42. By bowing the

scores

41 and 43 in a concave manner toward one another the interconnecting dimple panel 42 assumes a generally concave shape in a direction outwardly away from the carton. Additionally, the

adjacent walls

12 and 14 of the carton assume slight outward bulge, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

The tab 36 thus is maintained slightly spaced from the normal planar contour of the inner front wall 14 because of the convex bulge therein adjacent the dimple 42, and the dimple 42 itself provides that the free end of the tab 36 is unsupported although still confined within the dimension of the front wall. Thus, a user of the carton can grip the free end of the tab on both sides rather easily to open the carton, but the tab does not project in any direction beyond the normal corner ofthe carton to permit it to be damaged or accidentally snagged on some adjacent object.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show alternate constructions of cartons embodying the improved opening feature. FIG. 4 shows carton walls 50 and 52 secured together in a conventional manner by means of a manufacturers fiap 54 hinged to wall 52 and underlying and being adhesively secured to wall 50. A tear strip 56 defined by spaced parallel rows of weakened lines 57 is formed in the wall 50 and presents a free edge 58 in line with the corner 59 of the carton between walls 50 and 52. The dimple panel 60 is formed to underlie the free edge 58 of the tear strip 55 by means of bowed score line 62 formed in wall 52 and bowed score line 64 formed in lap panel 54. The depression or dimple formed across the interconnecting panel 60 thereby exposes both sides of the free edge 58 of the tear strip 56 for providing positive gripping thereof to open the carton.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show carton styles that differ only in the manner of forming the removable tear strip. Both cartons are of the conventional end opening type where a tubular body is formed having endssthat are closed by means of overlapping flaps. Thus, the end closure includes an inner tuck panel 7% hinged across the dimple panel 72 to carton wall 74, inner end closure panel 76 hinged to carton wall 78, and outer closure fiap it hinged to carton wall 82 (only a part of which is shown). The depression or dimple panel 72 is defined by means of the

bowed score lines

71 and 73 formed, respectively, within the panels '76 and 74. The ends of the bowed score lines meet one another at the corner junction of the carton.

In FIG. 5, tear strip 84 is defined across the outer panel 80 of the carton by means of spaced parallel weakened lines 86, and the free edge of the tear strip 84 overlies the depression or dimple panel '72. Thus, the tear strip can be easily gripped to open the carton. In FIG. '6, the weakened lines 96 for the tear strip 94 are formed along the corner edges of the end closure, so that the entire end closure will'be removed to open the carton. Generally, the particular overlapping panels 7%, 76 and 89 are adhesively secured to one another to maintain them in the closed position shown.

In all of these embodiments, it will be noted that the exposed lift tab is integral with some device for opening the carton. The dimple panel preferably is formed to underlie the free edge of the lift tab, but can extend beyond the lateral edges of the lift tab (such as in FIG. or can extend at most to the lateral edges of the lift tab and be otherwise under the lift tab (such as in FIGS. 1, 4 or 6). Moreover, the bowed score lines preferably meet one another at locations along the normal corner of the carton, and these meeting points should be spaced from one another by at least approximately /2, but generally not more than approximately 3". The separation of the score lines extend at most to the lateral edges of the lift bowed score lines from one another should be at their I greatest at least approximately A3, but generally not more than approximately 4". It Will be understood that the dimple or depression panel should generally be long enough along the normal corner of the carton to permit a persons fingers to fit within the defined depression, but should not be longer than necessary since the added length materially reduces the structural rigidity of the carton.

The caliber of board used for forming the carton similarly affects the dimensions, with generally a heavier caliber board requiring larger minimum dimensions.

What is claimed is:

1. An easy open device for a carton formed of paperboard and having first and second interconnected walls lying inplanes that intersect one another along a line-generally at a corner of the carton, comprising;

(a) said first wall having an inner panel integral with the second wall and having an outer panel lapped over and generally secured to the first wall inner panel;

(b) a pair of bowed score lines extending generally within the first wall inner panel and the second wall and defining therebetween an intermediate interconnecting panel spaced from and underlying said line of intersection between the first and second wall planes;

(c) the first wall outer panel extending beyond the first wall inner panel bowed score line and thereby presenting a free edge over the intermediate interconnecting panel serving as a lift tab; and

(d) means integral with the lift tab for opening the carton.

2. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the means integral with the lift tab includes a tear strip formed across said first wall separable from the carton.

3. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the means integral with the lift tab includes that the first wall outer panel can be separated'andtlifted away from the first wall inner panel, and thereby open a wall to the interior of the carton.

4. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the bowed score lines extend beyond the lateral edges of the lift tab.

5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the bowed tab and are otherwise entirely under said lift tab.

6. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the bowed score lines meet at spaced locations along the line of inter section between the first and second wall planes.

7. A carton according to claim 6, wherein the meeting locations of the bowed score lines are separated from one another by at least approximately /2", but no more than approximately 3". V

8. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the bowed score lines are separated from one another at their greatest separation by at least approximately /s, but no more than approximately A".

9. An easy open device for a carton formed of paperboard and having first and second interconnected walls lying in planes that intersect one another along a line generally at a corner of the carton, comprising:

(b) a pair of bowed score lines extending generally within the first wall inner panel and the second wall and defining therebetween an intermediate interconnecting panel;

(c) said intermediate panel being from and underlying said line of intersection between the first and second wall planes and lying at an angle relative to said planes;

(d) said bowed score lines meeting one another along the line of intersection between the first andsecond wall planes at locations spaced apart a minimum distance of approximately /2"; I

(e) the first wall outer panel extending beyond the first wall inner panel bowed score line and thereby presenting a free edge over the intermediate panel serving as a lift tab; and

(f) means integral with the lift tab for opening the carton.

10. A carton according to claim 9, wherein said first wall inner panel and said second wall are hinged together by said bowed score lines by a corner score line that is parallel to and coextensive with the line of intersection of said first and second wall planes, and wherein said bowed score lines interrupt said corner score line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,162,556 6/1939 Laggard 229-51 X 3,071,304 1/ 1963 Brastad 229 -51 X 3,167,238 1/1965 Smith 229 -51 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner,