US3493107A

US3493107A - Stacking package

Info

Publication number: US3493107A
Application number: US704039A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter Markey
Original assignee: WILLCOX AND GIBBS Inc
Current assignee: WILLCOX AND GIBBS Inc
Priority date: 1968-02-08
Filing date: 1968-02-08
Publication date: 1970-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-03

Description

Feb. 3, 1970 v w. MARKEY 3,493,107 I STACKING PACKAGE Filed Feb. '3, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

, Waltz/ Nah/(45v 19 T TOE/V573 United States Patent York Filed Feb. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 704,039 Int. Cl. B65d 71/04 U.S. Cl. 206-65 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package including a carton formed from a blank having the side edges folded to provide a hollow articlereceiving compartment at each edge running the length of the carton. The top panels of each compartment are positioned in spaced relationship to the article therein, and form a broad stacking surface whereby a plurality of packages can be stacked in superposed relation without danger of damage to the articles carried thereby. The space between the compartments can be filled with additional articles and the completed carton can be wrapped to provide a simple package that can be economically made and readily handled, stored, or shipped without damage to the articles contained therein.

The present invention provides a package which is of simple construction and economically manufactured, and which is sturdy in use to provide for ease in handling, storing, and stacking with a minimum of damage to the articles included therein. This is accomplished by forming a carton from a single blank of stiff material, which is folded to provide relatively broad stacking panels at each side thereof for substantially the full length of the package. These stacking panels enablea plurality of packages made from the cartons to be stacked and shipped while permitting normal shifting of the packages without damage to the articles contained therein. The stacking panel and the supporting side panels connected thereto form compartments into which articles are placed. The stacking panels are disposed in spaced relation above the top of the articles carried by the carton to prevent any pressures to be transmitted to the articles to cause them damage.

Preferably, the articles have a transverse dimension, as it will cause them to fill the compartments and any space between the compartments. This will prevent the articles from shifting in the carton, and will also hold supporting side panels against displacement, thus insuring adequate support for the stacking panels, whereby a plurality of packages can be stacked with ease. The cartons can be provided with an enclosing wrap so as to produce the finished package, which wrap can be of a shrinkable thermoplastic material to tightly enclose the carton and secure the articles in place therein.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of the blank.

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 show the blank being formed into the carton.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the carton showing the articles in position therein.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carton showing thetransparent wrap thereon forming the package.

FIG. 7 shows an end view of a plurality of packages in stacked relation.

As shown in FIG. 1, a carton-forming blank 10 of corrugated board or other suitable stiff material is provided with a plurality of spaced fold lines or lines of weakness at each side of the blank to form a plurality of panels. While four or more panels can be provided at each end "Ice as required by the desired rigidity of the carton, in the illustrated form of the invention the blank is provided with three

fold lines

11, 12, 13 at each

side forming panels

14, 15, 16 on each side of a base 17. By folding the sides of the blank in the directions of the arrows in FIGS. 2 to 4,

compartments

18, 19 are formed on each side of the base 17 into which articles 20 are disposed. While these articles may take any form, they are herein illustrated as substantially rectangular cardboard containers for milk or juice.

As shown in FIG. 4, the

side panels

14, 16 form supporting sides for holding panel 15, which is the stacking panel having a relatively broad supporting surface 15a and preferably extending for the full length of the carton, in a horizontal position. It will be noted that the supporting sides preferably are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the base. Also, they have a height greater than the article, so that they will locate the stacking panel above the article to protect the article and prevent any load on the stacking panel 15 from being transmitted thereto, as might be present in a stacking operation to cause damage to the article. The space 21 between the compartments is adapted to have additional articles 20 positioned therein and, as shown in FIG. 5, the stacking panels located at a greater height than the articles will support superposed cartons or packages and prevent them from contacting the additional articles, as shown in FIG. 7.

Preferably, the articles 20 have a transverse dimension substantially equal to the inner transverse dimensions of the compartment, as shown in FIG. 4, so that they contact the adjacent surfaces of the

panels

14 and 16. This prevents lateral shifting of the articles in the compartment and also aids in holding the panels 14 from lateral shifting out of supporting relation with the stacking panels. Further, the articles in the center space 17 have a transverse dimension equal to said space. As illustrated in FIG. 4, there are two articles spanning the space, and their total transverse dimension is equal to the transverse dimension of the space between the panels 14 on each side, so that the articles engage the adjacent surfaces of the panels and are prevented from shifting laterally. By the engagement of the articles with the adjacent surfaces of the panels, the panels are held against lateral movement, so that the supporting sides are securely held in supporting position to locate and support the stacking panel 15 in position to carry any load as may be applied thereto incident to the stacking of a plurality of packages in storage or shipping.

After the carton is filled with articles, as shown in FIGS. 5 and '6, a wrap is placed around the carton to form a package capable of handling, shipping and/or storing the articles. While various materials may be used to wrap the carton, in the illustrated form of the invention it is illustrated as a transparent wrap 22 of a wellknown shrinkable thermoplastic material, such as shrinkable polyethylene which covers the carton as required.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a package including a carton for holding a plurality of articles for easy handling, storing, or

stacking, and which package is economical, easy to make,

and assemble. The carton in the package provides a broad stacking surface on each side of the package to enable the packages to be readily stacked in transportation and storage and protect the articles from undesired pressure and damage during the transporting and stacking operation.

I claim:

1. A package including a plurality of articles and a carton therefor, said carton comprising a carton-forming blank having an article-supporting base, said blank having at least three spaced parallel fold lines at each side of said base producing three connected panels at each side, said panels being folded about the innermost fold lines with the edge of the blank forming the innermost panel resting on and supported by the base and forming a compartment receiving articles therein at each side of the package with the two panels forming the supporting sides of the compartments having heights greater than the article and the intermediate panel forming stacking panels connecting and being disposed between said two side panels and forming a broad stacking surface for receiving and supporting thereon a superposed package, said articles having a transverse width to engage said supporting sides and forming the means to maintain said sides in supporting position, said sides also preventing lateral shifting of the articles in the compartments, and a wrap enclosing the carton and articles disposed therein.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the stacking panels extend for the length of the package.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the supporting side panels of each compartment are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the base and hold the broad stacking panel in a horizontal position spaced above the articles.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the blank between said compartments forms an article-receiving space adapted to receive articles.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein the articles disposed in the space between the compartments have a transverse dimension substantially equal to the articlereceiving space between said compartments so that said articles engage the adjacent side panels in said compartments, whereby lateral movement of said articles and displacement of said side panels is prevented.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/ 1925 Dietsche 21172 XR 8/1967 Becker et al.

US. Cl. X.R.