US3738544A

US3738544A - Dispensing carton

Info

Publication number: US3738544A
Application number: US00166199A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Brown
Original assignee: COLEMAN O ASS Inc
Current assignee: COLEMAN O ASS Inc
Priority date: 1971-07-26
Filing date: 1971-07-26
Publication date: 1973-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-12

Abstract

A carton provided with a plurality of chambers for dispensing predetermined measured quantities, which carton includes a member providing both structural support and separation for the chambers.

Description

O r I United States Patent 1 [111 3,738,544 Brown 1 June 12, 1973 [54] DISPENSING CARTON 2,803,385 8/195 7 Silver et al 222/456 X 1 mm Randolph Brown, Hammad, 33552153? 211322 2$$5T.ij.iiiii .11.??5552? N.Y. [73] Assignee: Owen W. Coleman Associates, Inc.,

New York, Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love Flledl Ju y 26,1971 Att0rneyGeorge B. Finnegan, .lr., Granville M. [21] Applv No: 166,199 Pine, Thomas R. MacDonald et al.

[52] US. Cl. 222/454, 222/457 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. G0lf 11/26 [58] Field of Search 2 5 A carton provided with a plurality of chambers for dis- 222/457 pensing predetermined measured quantities, which carton includes a member providing both structural sup- [56] References Cited port and separation for the chambers. UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,235,144 2/1966 Pitkin et a]. 222/456 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures n 22 42 ZI| Vl 1 L m r Z5 (20 11./

ll 22 g 3 9 32'- we. HL "l kkjk 1 k k \AL k 4b Cl g l IIJ,

& l k s, L k E e t 7 S \S7,-;.\ p \lt p Q c g 45 *1 2 44 2%: l2 l5 2 (lb a:

DISPENSING CARTON BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION dry and of a generally uniform particulate consistency.

Illustrative of such merchandise are sugar, cereal, de-

monly packaged in cardboard containers. Many of these products are repetitively used in uniform quantities. For example, detergents are usually dispensed at each use in quantities in cups or quarter cups, cereals are dispensed in repetitivebowl size portions; sugar is dispensed in spoonful size portions, etc. As a result, many packages containing these dry, granular or flaked goods are sold with measuring cups packaged in the carton.

At present, dispensing containers exist which contain plural chamber structures for measuring a predetermined volume and providing for dispension of such predetermined volume upon inverting the container. One such container is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,393,262. However, the prior art carton and carton blanks which contain the pluralchamber assemblies for measuring predetermined amounts of ingredients are clumsy and require a large quantity of extra cardboard material to provide the special measuring chambers. In addition, extra glueing surfaces and structural pieces are needed to maintain the measuring chambers in the proper orientation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a carton for affording the dispensing of a predetermined amount of the contents thereof. The invention is directed in particular to both the carton and the blank from which the carton is formed. The design of the blank of the present invention affords a minimum of additional material to form the measuring and dispensing chambers and also provides structural reinforcement from the same members used to perform the measuring and dispensing function.

The blank of the present invention includes the four conventional container box sides with their associated flap and tab members. In addition, the blank is formed with four adjacent baffle sections which fold into two chambers to form the measuring and dispensing chambers in the assembled container.

One baffle member, referred to as the fourth baffle, is on the end' of the blank and is sized to extend diagonally across the container and through the measuring and dispensing chambers. The third baffle member is immediately adjacent to the fourth baffle and is diagonally configured. It is adapted to be glued to one side of the carton. The next or second baffle member is adapted to extend the width of the carton parallel to the front and back of the carton. The first baffle memher is adapted to be glued to the side wall of the container directly opposite the third baffle member.

Thus, in the assembled container the fourth baffle member is diagonally arranged within the box and. provides a common wall for each of the two dispensing chambers. In addition, the diagonally disposed fourth baffle forms astructural support to maintain the box in its upright position when the box is in its assembled form. As a result, no additional glueing surface is needed to maintain the fourth baffle in its particular orientation. Furthermore, the fourth baffle member is diagonally arranged and therefore adapted to facilitate folding of the entire box into a flattened state for storage when the box is in its unassembled form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is described in detail with reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the carton blank made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton of the present invention in its assembled state;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the carton of FIG. 2 through line 33;

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the carton of FIG. 2 through line 44;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled carton of the present invention with a partial section exposed; and

FIG. 6 is .a sectional elevational view of the assembled carton in its inverted orientation to show the dispensing function thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention is a carton blank and the carton or container formed from the carton blank. The container of the present invention is particularly suitable for providing dispensing of a predetermined measured quantity when it is inverted.

FIG. 1 shows the blank 1 of the present invention.

Baffle members

3, 4, 5 and 6 are integrally formed with the blank 1 to provide the structure for the measuring and dispensing chambers of the assembled carton 2.

Panels

7, 8, 9 and 10 are conventional box panels which, with conventional associated flaps and tabs, form the exterior of the carton 2.

Panel 7 is adapted to form the front panel of the assembled carton 2. Tabs 13 and 17 are associated with panel 7 and are formed into bottom and top carton members by folding along

fold lines

26 and 25, respectively. Flap 17 is provided with a slot 42 which is designed to cooperate with a closure flap to provide a closeable opening for the assembled carton 2. Panel 8 forms a carton side panel and has connected directly thereto, bottom and top flaps l4 and 19 respectively.

Fold lines

27 and 28 are provided to allow the flaps l4 and 19 to fold properly with respect to the panel 8. Section 18 is separated from flap 19 by a perforated score line 48. Panel 9 is adapted to form a rear panel of carton 2 and has attached to it tab members 15 and 20 respectively. .Fold lines 33 and 29 are provided to allow the tabs 15 and 20 to properly fold with respect to the panel 9. Panel 10 is adapted to form a carton side panel and has

flaps

16 and 21 connected directly to it. Fold

lines

32 and 30, respectively, allow the

flaps

16 and 21 to properly fold.

In addition, a flap 22 is directly attached to panel 10 adjacent to flap 21. Fold line 31 is provided to afford proper folding of flap 22. Flap 22 is provided with a contoured surface 34 which is adapted to cooperate with the slot 42 in tab 17 to provide the closeable opening for the carton 2 when in its assembled form. The carton 2 is shown in FIG. 2 in its assembled form and depicts the flap 22 with its contoured surface 34 in the slot 42 of tab 17. The score line 47 initially connects

flaps

21 and 22 but after the initial use of the carton 2, the score line 47 is torn to permanently

separate flaps

21 and 22.

As shown in FIG. 1, the

baffle members

3, 4, 5 and 6 are integrally formed with the blank 1. First baffle member 6 connects directly to panel member 7 at fold line 38; second baffle member 5 connectsdirectly to baffle member 6 at fold line 37; third baffle member 4 connects directly to baffle member 5 at line 36; and fourth baffle member 3 connects directly to baffle member 4 at line 35. Baffle members 3 and 5 are provided with tab members 11 and 12 respectively at fold lines 23 and 24 respectively.

Baffle member 3 is sized with a height dimension to extend from the top of the carton to an intermediate position. The width of the baffle member 3 is chosen to enable the baffle member 3 to extend diagonally across the carton 2 and thereby provide a common wall for the

measuring dispensing chambers

45 and 46. Baffle member 4 is integrally formed with baffle member 3 at fold line 35 and is configured with

diagonal edges

43 and 44 to enable the baffle 5 which is connected directly to baffle 4 at line 36 to extend from the bottom of the carton. Practice has taught that the stock used in configuring baffle member 4 with diagonal edges provides additional structural reinforcement for the carton and dispenser measuring structure when the carton is assembled. Baffle 5 is sized with a height dimension to extend from the bottom of the carton 2 to a predetermined intermediate position. Baffle member 6 extends from baffle member 5 at fold line 37 and connects directly to panel 7 at fold line 38.

The structure of the baffles 3-6 in the assembled carton is best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. In the assembled state the baffle members 4 and 6 are glued directly to the side walls 8 and of the carton 2 respectively. Baffle 5, which is connected to baffles 4 and 6, extends directly across the carton 2 parallel to the front and rear panels 7 and 9. Baffle 3 extends diagonally across the box'from the front of the box at baffle 4 to the fold line 37 connecting baffles 5 and 6.

Baffles

3, 4 and 5 define a chamber 45 for measuring a predetermined quantity of the contents of the carton 2. Baffles 3 and 6 and front panel 7 define a chamber 46 for dispensing the measured quantity from the carton 2.

Thus, as best seen in FIG. 3, panel 5 extends upwardly from the bottom of the carton to an intermediate position and the diagonally arranged panel 3 extends from the top of the carton downwardly to an intermediate position which is a predetermined distance below the top of panel 5.

The triangularly shaped tab 11 is folded along line 23 to prevent communication between the top of chamber 46 and the interior of the carton 2. This tab is not necessary when the contents of the carton are sufficiently large and inadvertent passage of material from the carton interior to the chamber 46 is unlikely.

Functionally, it can be seen in FIG. 6 that the contents of the carton 2 in the area directly below the baffle 3 and in the chamber 46 will empty entirely from the carton when the carton is inverted as shown in FIG. 6. However, baffle 5 prevents any additional contents of the container from passing to the area of chamber 46, but allows a quantity of the contents to pass into chamber 45. Upon returning the box to its upright position, the contents of chamber 45 drops to the area below chamber 46.

It is clear that the depth of panel 3 determines the amount of the contents dispensed on each inversion of the carton 2. Therefore, depending on the quantity desired to be dispensed upon each use, the baffle 3 can be sized to afford the desired quantity. The criticality in the size of the baffle is dependent on the volume defined by the surface area of chamber 46 and the height dimension from the bottom of carton 2 to the bottom of baffle 3. For example, in such volume is one cupful, one cupful will be dispensed each time the box is opened. Baffle 5 must be large enough to prevent passage of the contents from the carton interior to passage 46 while the box is inverted, but small enough to allow at least the predetermined volume to pass into chamber 45 when the carton 2 is returned to the upright position. If more than the predetermined measured amount is allowed to pass into the chamber 45, baffle 3 will pre-' vent the excess over the predetermined amount from entering the chamber 46 when the carton 2 is inverted.

I claim:

1. In a carton for materials of dry, substantially uniform particulate consistency having a first side, a second side, a front, a back, a top with a closeable opening, a bottom and an internally disposed structure for dispensing a predetermined quantity of said material, the improvement comprising:

a first baffle secured to a first side wall and extending from the front of the carton to a medial location on the first side wall;

a second baffle extending transversely parallel to the 'front and back of said carton from the first side wall to the second side wall and extending upwardly from the bottom of the container to a medial position;

a third baffle secured to the second side wall and extending from the second baffle to the front of the carton; and v a fourth baffle extending diagonally from the front of the container to the juncture of the first and second baffle and extending downwardly from the top of the container to a medial location below the top of the second baffle section; whereby the first baffle, the fourth baffle and the carton front define a first vertical chamber below the closeable opening in the carton top from which a predetermined measured quantity flows upon inversion of the carton; the second baffle, the third baffle and the fourth baffle define a second vertical chamber in communication with the bottom of the first vertical chamber and into which at least a quantity of carton material equal to the predetermined measured quantity flows upon uprighting the carton after dispensing a predetermined measured quantity of material by opening the carton opening and inverting the carton.

2. A carton as recited in claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth baffles are integrally formed and separated by fold lines.

3. A carton as recited in claim 2 wherein the first baffle is integrally formed with the front of the carton and separated by a fold line.

4. A carton as in claim 3 further comprising a triangularly shaped tap-integrally formed with the fourth baffle and folded over the area defined by the second vertical chamber to prevent the inadvertent passage of material between the fourth baffle and the top of the carton.

5. A carton as in claim 3 wherein the unattached edges of the third baffle extend diagonally from the second baffle to thefourth baffle.

6. In a blank for forming a carton for dispensing dry, substantially uniformly sized particles of material in predetermined measured quantities having side members, a front section, a back section, associated tabs and flaps for forming top and bottom carton sections,

' of the squares of the width of the second baffle section and the third baffle section and a height dimension extending from the top of the carton downwardly to a medial location below the top of the second baffle section, and a substantially triangular tab extending from the top of the fourth baffle section and a substantially square tab extending from the bottom of the second baffle section.

Claims

1. In a carton for materials of dry, substantially uniform particulate consistency having a first side, a second side, a front, a back, a top with a closeable opening, a bottom and an internally disposed structure for dispensing a predetermined quantity of said material, the improvement comprising: a first baffle secured to a first side wall and extending from the front of the carton to a medial location on the first side wall; a second baffle extending transversely parallel to the front and back of said carton from the first side wall to the second side wall and extending upwardly from the bottom of the container to a medial position; a third baffle secured to the second side wall and extending from the second baffle to the front of the carton; and a fourth baffle extending diagonally from the front of the container to the juncture of the first and second baffle and extending downwardly from the top of the container to a medial location below the top of the second baffle section; whereby the first baffle, the fourth baffle and the carton front define a first vertical chamber below the closeable opening in the carton top from which a predetermined measured quantity flows upon inversion of the carton; the second baffle, the third baffle and the fourth baffle define a second vertical chamber in communication with the bottom of the first vertical chamber and into which at least a quantity of carton material equal to the predetermined measured quantity flows upon uprighting the carton after dispensing a predetermined measured quantity of material by opening the carton opening and inverting the carton.

4. A carton as in claim 3 further comprising a triangularly shaped tap integrally formed with the fourth baffle and folded over the area defined by the second vertical chamber to prevent the inadvertent passage of material between the fourth baffle and the top of the carton.

5. A carton as in claim 3 wherein the unattached edges of the third baffle extend diagonally from the second baffle to the fourth baffle.

6. In a blank for forming a carton for dispensing dry, substantially uniformly sized particles of material in predetermined measured quantities having side members, a front section, a back section, associated tabs and flaps for forming top and bottom carton sections, the improvement comprising a first baffle section extending from the front section and separated therefrom by a fold line, a second baffle section extending from the first baffle section having a width equivalent to the width of the front and back section and a height extending from the bottom of the carton section to a medial location between the bottom and top of the carton section, a third baffle section extending from the second baffle section; a fourth baffle section having a width substantially equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the width of the second baffle section and the third baffle section and a height dimension extending from the top of the carton downwardly to a medial location below the top of the second baffle section, and a substantially triangular tab extending from the top of the fourth baffle section and a substantially square tab extending from the bottom of the second baffle section.