US3446419A

US3446419A - Coil package

Info

Publication number: US3446419A
Application number: US677374A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Burk Mueller
Original assignee: ST Regis Paper Co
Current assignee: Georgia Pacific LLC
Priority date: 1967-10-23
Filing date: 1967-10-23
Publication date: 1969-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1986-05-27

Description

May 27, E969 .1.5. MUELLER v3,446,419

COIL PACKAGE Filed Oct. 23, 1967 l N VEN'/ UR.

3,446,419 COIL PACKAGE John Burk Mueller, Pittsburgh, Pa., assiguor to St. Regis Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 677,374 Int. Cl. B65h 55/00, 75/02; B6Sd 85/04 U.S. Cl. 229-40 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A carton suitable for packaging goods in annular or coiled form is formed from a one-piece blank having an equal sided polyhedral base; outwardly radially projecting but inwardly bendable outer flaps are provided on each of the equal peripheral sides of the base. The base is also cut to define an equal number of inwardly radially projecting but outwardly bendable inner flaps, each radially aligned with a corresponding outer ap. The outer aps are made of a sutlicient radial length to extend inwardly and partially overlap their corresponding radially aligned inner flaps.

This invention relates to cartons and more particularly to a one-piece carton and blank for making the same which is suitable for packaging goods in coiled or annular form such as coils of copper tubing, hose, and the like.

A one-piece carton has certain advantages over a multipiece lcarton for packaging and shipping such goods. The cost of manufacturing blanks for one-piece cartons is usually less expensive and the forming of these blanks into cartons often requires less time and labor.

Prior one-piece cartonsV have not, however, been entirely satisfactory. In some prior art one-piece cartons, the manufacture of the carton blank from a single piece of stock resulted in a large amount of stock lwastage. In others, a multiplicity of intricately shaped overlapping aps were used, usually fastened by the flap and ear method, and hence, a relatively inordinate amount of time and labor was often required in forming such cartons.

The present invention provides a one-piece carton blank suitable for packaging goods in circular or annular form which, in comparison to prior art arrangements, has relatively little waste in its manufacture, is relatively easy to form into the carton, and substantially reduces the time and labor necessary for forming. Specifically, the blank and fabricated icarton made in accordance with the present invention results in a 50% reduction in the labor of packing and a 40% increase in the rate of packing in comparison with sorne well known prior art one-piece carton blanks.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the blank is formed from a flat sheet of material, preferably corrugated cardboard, and has an equal sided |polyhedral shaped main section which is adaptable to form either the top or the bottom of the carton. In the preferred embodiment, this main section or base of the blank is hexagonally shaped; and outwardly radially projecting but inwardly bend-able outer aps are provided on earch of the equal peripheral sides of the base which is also cut to define an equal number of inwardly radially projecting but outwardly bendable inner flaps, each radially aligned with a corresponding outer flap. "In the preferred embodiment, both the outer and inner flaps are scored at their juncture with the base and at a p-redetermined distance therefrom in order to facilitate the desired bending. The outer aps are made of a sufficient radial length to extend inwardly and partially overlap their corresponding radially aligned inner flaps.

In forming the carton from this described blank, the goods to be packaged in circular or annular form are placed on the base of the flat blank and in the area bounded by the outer and inner flaps. lEarch of the inner flaps is then bent around and radially outwardly and each of the outer flaps is bent around in the same direction as the inner yflaps and radially inwardly. Each radially aligned outer and inner ap is then overlapped and secured together by any known fastening means. 'In the preferred embodiment, a pre-applied co-adhesive glue is utilized. Either the top or bottom of the carton is formed by the cooperation of overlapped inwardly bent outer -aps and outwardly bent inner flaps; the other of said top or bottom is formed by the base.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, most of the outer flaps are made of a sufficient width to underlie one side edge off at least one of their adjacent outer flaps when the carton is assembled. These underlying edges are lfastened to their adjacent outer aps by any known fastening means such as by a preapplied .Ico-adhesive.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, one outer flap may be perforated, preferably along its juncture with the main section and at a predetermined distance therefrom, to define a tear strip. The tear strip may be used to facilitate easy unreeling of the annularly packaged goods.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 'lhere are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. -It is important, therefore, that the claims 'be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment o-f the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form off the onedpiece carton blank of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton formed from the blank of FIG. 1, in partially set-up position around a coil of tubing;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fully formed carton fabricated from the blank of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the carton of FIG. 3 taken along line 3 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and more speciically to FIG. l, there is shown a one-piece cartion blank 10 which is die-cut or otherwise suitably formed out of a rectangular section of fiat container-board stock, such as corrugated board, ber board, or any other similar material. The blank y10 includes a hexagonally shaped main section or base 112 having equal length sides 14a-f. While in the preferred embodiment, the base 12 is hexagonally shaped, it should be understood that other equalsided polyhedral shaped main sections may be utilized. On each side of the base 12, specifically 14a-f, outwardly radially projecting outer flaps 16a-jc are provided. Additionally, as shown in FIG. l, the base 12 is also cut to dene an equal number of inwardly radially projecting inner aps 18a-f, each projecting from the juncture lines 20a-f toward the center of the base and in radial alignment with an outer liap. Thus, with reference to the center of the base 12, inner flap 18a is in radial alignment with outer flap 16a, inner flap 18b is in radial alignment with outer iiap 16b and so on.

While FIG. l shows outer liaps 16n-f projecting outwardly, they are desirably made inwardly bendable. To facilitate this bending, each of the outer aps 16a-f is scored or otherwise creased along the line defined by its juncture to the base '12. As shown in FIG. l, this occurs along each of the lines defined by the sides 14a-f of the equal-sided base 12. Additionally, each of the outer flaps 16a-1c is scored or otherwise creased along a line parallel to the first-mentioned scored line but at a predetermined distance therefrom. These second-mentioned score lines are identified by reference numerals 22a-f. As will become more apparent hereinafter, the predetermined distance between score lines 14a-f and 22a-f, respectively, corresponds to the desired height of the carton.

As may also be seen in FIG. l, outer ilaps 16a-f each consist of at least two main sections, designated generally at 24a-f and 26a-f. Each of the sections 24a-f is bounded by both its corresponding score lines 14 and 22, and is, thus, rectangularly shaped. Each of the sections 26a-f is bounded by its corresponding score line 22 and the remaining peripheral sides of the outer iiap. Thus, it will be seen that each of the sections 26a-f is essentially trapezoidal in shape, as clearly shown in the outline of section 26f. Sections 26a-e are not, however, strictly trapezoidally shaped, since each has at least one small projecting tab 28 on one side thereof. Section 26a, moreover, includes projecting tab 28 on both sides thereof, while` section 26j has none. The significance of the tab structure 28 will be-l come more apparent hereinafter. Sections 26a-f are each preferably partially shaped to correspond to a mirror image of the 'trapezoidally-shaped area delined by imag inary lines joining each of the parallel junctures 14aand 20a-f of the base 12. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when outer flaps 16a-f are each bent inwardly, they collectively cover the area enclosed by the lines 14a-j and 22a-f.

While inner flaps 18a-f project inwardly, they are desrably made outwardly bendable. To facilitae such bending, each of the inner flaps 18a-f is scored along the line defined by its juncture to the base 12. In the illustrative embodiment this occurs along the lines 20a-f. Additionally, each of the inner tiaps 18a-f is scored along a line parallel to the first score line but at a predetermined distance therefrom; these last-mentioned score lines are identified by reference numerals 30ain FIG. l. In the preferred embodiment this last-mentioned predetermined distance is made equal to the predetermined distance between the score lines 14 and 22 of the outer aps. While each of the inner iiaps 18a-f is essentially isosceles trapezoidally-shaped, it should be apparent that other shapes may be utilized.

As illustrated by the cross-hatching in FIG. l, preapplied co-adhesive glue is applied on one side of the carton blank defining outer iiaps 26af and a portion of each of the inner flaps 18a-f but on the opposite side of blank 10 to that to which the pre-applied glue on the outer flaps 26ais applied.

In forming the carton from the above-described onepiece blank 10, the goods to be packaged in coiled or annular form are placed on the base 12 of the iiat carton blank 10 and in the area bounded by the outer flaps 16a-f and the inner flaps 18a-. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the inner flaps 18a-j is then bent around and radially outwardly. As also shown in FIG. 2, this is accomplished by bending each of the inner iiaps 18a-jc 90 along its score line at and then bending each of the inner flaps an additional 90 along its score line at 30. Likewise, each of the outer iiaps 16a-f is bent around and radially inwardly. As also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this is accomplished by first bending each of the outer iiaps 90 along its score line at 14 and then bending each of the outer iiaps an additional along its score line at 22.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outwardly extending inner flaps k18a-f are then sequentially overlapped by their corresponding radially aligned inwardly extending outer flap. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, outwardly extending inner flap 18a is first overlapped by the inwardly extending outer iiap 16a, then outwardly extending inner flap 18b is overlapped with inwardly extending outer flap 1611 and so on until outwardly extending inner liap 18f is overlapped by inwardly extending outer flap 161. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, all of the overlapping outer and inner tlaps cooperate to form either the top or bottom of the carton. A cross-sectional View of the completed carton showing the overlapping feature of the outer and inner flaps is clearly illustrated in FIG. 4.

A portion of the overlapping area of each of the radially aligned outer and inner flaps may be secured by any known fastening means. As pointed out above, in the preferred embodiment, a pre-applied co-adhesive glue is utilized in order to further increase the rate of packing.

Returning to FIG. 2, it will be noted that tab portion 28 of outer flaps 16a-e each underlie the side edge of the adjacent outer ap. Thus, when viewed counterclockwise around the carton, tab portion 28 of outer liap 16b underlies the side edge of outer liap 16C, and so on. It will be noted, however, that outer iiap 16a, having tabs 28 on both sides, underlies both the side edge of outer flap 16b and the side edge of outer flap 161, the last outer ap to be closed.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the one-piece carton blank 10 forms a substantially closed carton, rigid in form and eiciently protecting the material housed within. The fabricated carton has a hexagonally shaped top or bottom member 32 formed by the cooperation of the overlapping outer and inner iiaps, and has a correspondingly hexagonally shaped top or bottom member 34 defined by the base 12. A centrally located hexagonally shaped aperture 36 is formed by the overlapping outer and inner liaps of the carton blank 10. The sidewalls of the outer periphery of the formed carton are defined by sections 24a-f of the outer aps 16 while the inner sidewalls along the periphery defining the noted aperture are formed by the area enclosed between the score lines 20 and 30 of each of the inner iiaps.

A tear strip may be provided along one of the outer peripheral sidewalls of the formed carton in order to facilitate easy unreeling of the packaged goods. This may be carried out by perforating the score lines of one of the outer liaps 16a-f. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, score lines along 14a and 22a have been perforated. This is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. l by the crosshatch lines along score lines 14a and 22a. Accordingly, the goods packaged in the carton formed from blank 10 can be unreeled by opening only one sidewall and without ever removing the coiled goods from the carton in coiled form, thereby permitting the carton to serve as a protective cover for the remainder of the coiled material.

Although in the preferred embodiment herein described, reference has been made to the use of corrugated cardboard as the material of construction, it is, of course, obvious that other similar types of material can be used with facility. It should also be apparent that the containers of the present invention can beI varied in size and shapes to accommodate various different sizes and types of coiled objects.

It may thus be seen from the above that the present invention provides a one-piece carton blank suitable for packaging goods in circular or annular form which, in comparison to prior art arrangements, has relatively little waste in its manufacture and is relatively easy to assemble. Moreover, the one-piece carton built in accordance with the present invention substantially reduces the time and labor necessary for its fabrication.

What I claim as new and novel is:

1. A one-piece carton blank suitable for packaging goods in coiled or annular form comprising a at sheet of material having an equal sided polyhedral shaped base adaptable to form either the top or the bottom of the carton, said base having outwardly radially projecting inwardly bendable outer aps on each of its peripheral sides and having its central section cut to dene a corresponding number of inwardly radially projecting outwardly bendable inner flaps, each radially aligned with a corresponding outer ap, said outer flaps being of a suiiicient length to extend inwardly and partially overlap the corresponding radially aligned inner aps, said outer and inner aps being cooperable to form the other of said top or bottom of said carton.

2. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 1 wherein said polyhedral shaped base has six lateral sides.

3. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 1 wherein most of said outer flaps are of a width suicient to underlie one side edge of at least one of the adjacent outer flaps when said outer flaps overlap the corresponding inner aps.

4. A one-piece carton blank suitable for packaging goods in coiled or annular form comprising a at sheet of material having a hexagonal shaped base adaptable to form either the top or the bottom of the carton, said base having outwardly radially projecting outer iiaps on each of its peripheral sides which are scored both at their juncture with said base and at a predetermined distance therefrom whereby said outer iiaps are successively sideways and inwardly bendable; said base further having its central section cut to dene a corresponding number of inwardly radially projecting inner liaps, each radially aligned with a corresponding outer Hap and scored at their juncture with said base and at a predetermined distance therefrom whereby said inner aps are successively sideways and outwardly bendable; each of the outer lian being of a sufficient length to extend inwardly and partially overlap the corresponding radially aligned inner flap, the overlapping outer and inner flaps being cooperable to form the other of said top or bottom of said carton.

5. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 4 wherein most of said outer flaps are of a width sufficient to underlie at least one side edge of one of the adjacent outer ilaps when said outer flaps overlap the corresponding inner ilaps.

6. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 5 wherein one of said outer flaps is of a width sufcient to underlie both side edges of the adjacent outer aps and wherein an outer ap adjacent said one outer flap does not underlie either side edges of the adjacent outer flaps when said outer aps overlap said inner flaps.

7. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 4 wherein each of said outer and inner aps has co-adhesive glue deposited on at least part of the overlapping surfaces of each.

8. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 5 wherein each of said outer and inner flaps has co-adhesive glue deposited on at least part of both the overlapping and the underlying surfaces of each.

9. The one-piece carton blank as in claim 4 wherein one of said outer ilaps is perforated along its score lines whereby a tear strip is provided to allow feed out of the enclosed goods.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,372 4/ 1954 Schweich 206-59 2,832,466 4/ 1958 Sheard 206-52 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. 206-52, 59