US3794239A

US3794239A - Convenience handle means for carton

Info

Publication number: US3794239A
Application number: US00247350A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Bonczyk
Original assignee: Alton Box Board Co
Current assignee: Alton Box Board Co; Alton Packaging Corp; Jefferson Smurfit Corp
Priority date: 1972-04-24
Filing date: 1972-04-24
Publication date: 1974-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-26

Abstract

A handle is provided in the upper portion of a carton that incorporates features which facilitate the grasping of the handle means as when the carton is to be lifted and carried away. A series of score lines are arranged across the overlying flaps of the upper end closure of the carton, in addition to the disposition of prearranged score lines proximate the upper edges of select walls of the carton so that as one desires to grasp the aforesaid handle means, his fingers may slightly depress the underlying flap and bulge the carton walls to provide convenient clearance for further insertion of the hand and ease of grasping of said handle; and, reinforcing tape is provided at particular locations in this upper portion of the carton to strengthen it against tearing and for carrying as the foregoing manipulative procedures are being performed.

Description

United StatesPatent 1 91 Bonczyk Feb. 26, 1974 [5 CONVENIENCE HANDLE MEANS FOR 3,076,591 2/1963 Nute et al. 229/52 B CARTON 3,216,645 11/1965 l-lemann 229/52 B [75] Inventor. Bruno C. Bonczyk, East Alton, Ill. Primary Examiner Davis T. Modrhead 1 Assignee: Pinon Box Board p y Alton, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Paul M. Denk [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1972 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 247350 A handle is provided in the upper portion of a carton that incorporates features which facilitate the grasping [52] US. Cl. 229/52 B of'the handle means as when the rto is to be fted [51] Int. Cl...... 365d 25/28, B65d 5/46 and rri ay- A series of score lin s are arranged [5 8] Field of Search .229/52 B, 52 BC, 52 AC, across the overlying flaps of the upper end closure of 229/52 AL 52 AM the carton, in addition to the disposition of prear- W ranged score lines proximate the upper edges of select '[56] Ref enc Cit d walls of the carton so that as one desires to grasp the UNITED STATES PATENTS aforesaid handle means, his fingers may slightly de- 2 681 143 6/1954 GU er 229752 B X press the underlying flap and bulge the carton walls to 31971 16 7/1965 Zaire Q12: 229/52 B convemem clearan. flmher msemm 2,723,027 11/1955 Guyer 229/52 B x the hand and ease graspmg of Sald handle; 3,094,268 6/1963 Swanson et al. 229/52 B infofciflg p is Provided at particular locations in 3,315,876 4/1967 Vanderjagt 229/52 AL this pp Portion Of the carton to Strengthen it 2,785,847 3/1957 Forrer...., 229/52B .against tearing and for carrying as the foregoing ma- 2,868,433 1/1959 Anderson, Jr 229/52 B nipulative procedures are being performed. 2,598,051 5/1952 Guyer et al. 229/52 B 2,986,324 5/1961 Anderson, Jr 229/52 B 16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention principally is concerned with a carton incorporating handle means that may be easily grasped, with the upper portion of said carton simultaneously providing the necessary clearance to provide for wielding of its handle means.

Various prior art carton boxes have been provided wherein handles have been formed from their upper flap, but to acquire any clearance for the grasping of the handle as when the product laden carton is to be carried, such handles usually are designed having their side edges extending downwardly and partially formed of the side walls of the carton. Usually this type ofa designed carton handle will suffice where the product being carried has been prepackaged in additional containers that are packed in said carton, such as, for example, six packs of a beverage, or other product, and wherein any openings caused in the side walls of the carton due to this handle edge extensions are insufficient to allow any spillage. But, where-bulk material,-

upward parts of said walls, usually provides a sufficientopening that will allow for spillage of the bulk material therefrom. Hence, the type'of receptacles such as disclosed in the US. Pat. Nos. 2,723,027 and 2,986,324, are believed to be deficient for use in holding any'such bulk material for the reason previously analyzed.

For the foregoing reasons, the principle object of this invention is to provide a carton having a handle means formed entirely from its upper end closureand yet provides a means for furnishing sufficient clearance for insertion of the hand as when the carton is being carried.

A further object of this invention is to provide a design for formation of a handle entirely from 'the upper flaps of a carton and which flaps are cooperative in providing sufficient clearance to facilatate grasping of the carton handle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carton having weakened areas proximate its upper portion which areas can be conveniently manipulated to provide clearance for grasping of an integrally designed handle, but yet not significantly weaken the carton structurally.

Another object of this invention is to provide a convenience handle for a carton which can be formed in the carton blank as it is being cut and processed in a machining operation. I

Other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the contents of the summary of the invention, and the description of its preferred embodiment in view of the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings,

FIG. 1 presents a perspective view of a carton showing the handle means of the invention provided in its upward portion;

FIG. 2 shows the same carton of FIG. 1 with its end closure flaps being opened to expose their undersides;

FIG. 3 depicts a view of theupper portion of the carton as the hand is being inserted to grasp the handle means of this invention;'

FIG. 4 provides a sectional view of the upward portion of the carton taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 provides an underside view of the top flap of the upper end closure showing a modification in the handle means of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic concept of the invention can becomprehended by observing that the usual form of carton or container 1, regardless whether. it be of the type for holding multiple items or bulk material, is provided with a handle means 2 formed in its upward porseries of overlapping flaps, as at 9 through 12, but more specifically, overlying flaps l1 and 12, are each articularly joined with one of the aforesaid walls of the car- The overlying flaps 12 is shown provided with a pair of cutout portions, as at 13 and 14, which have been disposed in such a manner so as to provide a length of said flap, or the strip 15, intermediate said cut outs and which is disposed to provide a handle that may be conveniently grasped by the hand of the party desiring to convey the carton.

When cartons of the foregoing design are formed from a blank, and then either manually folded, or folded through a machine operation, there is a tendency for the various overlapping or overlying flaps 9 through 12 to become 'so snugly continuous that it would be very difficult for one to conveniently grasp the handle 15 provided in the upper flap 12. Hence, a series of score lines are conveniently formed in and arranged around this upper portion of the container, and which -score lines cooperate to provide a series of mildly weakened areas in the carton walls and flaps so that as any pressure is exerted by the hand by one desiring to convey .the carton, sufficient clearance will be provided surrounding the location of the handle 15 so the fingers may be easily slid under said handle to provide for its grasping and to facilitate the carrying of the bulk ladened carton.

As shown in FIG. 3, usually the index finger and thumb are customerily used in grasping a handle of this nature, and they insert into the two cutout portions, or

hand holes, as'shown, and are closed against the edges of the handle length 15. But, as previously described,

the disposition of score lines at locations that can be in- 3 disposed approximately centrally of said flap and extending from its leading edge at a location where the flap joins with the wall 4. in addition, another score line 17 is provided across the overlying flap l2, approximately centrally thereof, and from one side edge to the other, so that as the hand grasps the handle 15, said handle will bend slightly upward, at the location where this score line crosses the same. To provide for this cooperative bending of the flaps and handle, preferably at least a portion of the overlying flap 12, except along its handle 15, will also be adhered, as by an adhesive or the like, to the underlying flap 11. Then, as the hand presses down as at the cut out portions 13 and 14, both of these flaps will bend downwardly while the handle 15 bends upwardly, thereby providing this clearance for its grasping by the hand. It is the location of the two aforesaid score lines 16 and 17 which, as the hand is being pressed against the flaps and inserted as shown in FIG. 3, causes the handle 15 to bend slightly upwardly, as aforesaid, while at the same time the fingers will slightly depress and bend the overlying and underlying flaps 11 and 12 downwardly along the location of said scorelines to further add to the clearance needed for insertion of the hand. To further increase the slight bulging of this carton, there are provided an additional pair of score lines 18 and 19 formed just proximate the upper edges of the walls of the carton, and in this particular instance, these score lines are slightly arcuate in design, and each is located proximate the upward edge of its respective wall where it joins with a side wall of the container, but the score line is disposed slightly below said upward edge at the center of the wall. in addition, short lengths of score lines, as at 20 and 21, are

formed approximately vertically, at a central location of the

walls

3 and 4, and extend from the location where the flaps join with said walls, to a downward location where each line intersects its respective arcuate score line 18 and 19. Hence, and through the disposition of the score lines as previously described, as the hand, or more specifically its fingers, are being pressed against the flaps and inserted around the handle means, such as shown in FIG. 4, said score lines induce a slight bulging in their respective front and

back walls

3 and 4, which increases the clearance around the upwardly bending handle means. It can also be seen that the flaps are slightly depressed downwardly through the arrangment of their weakened areas formed along their score lines, and as shown, as the fingers grasp the handle means 15, and are inserted betwen said means and said flap 11, said handle will also have its tendency to buckle upwardly along its score line 17 as previously described. Hence, a handle has now been provided with sufficient space to provide for firm retention of the handle means, and the carton, which might be laden with a bulky material of'some weight, allowing easy carriage.

it should be remarked that any reference to and use of the word score line at the various locations in the walls and flaps of this carton is meant to be construed rather generically, and that the score line may also comprehend the use of any form of crease line in the carton paperboard, perforatedline, scratched, etched, or indentation marks, or any other related paperboard formation, that may desirably provide a mildly weakened area in the carton at those locations where clearance is needed.

it would also be noted. that various forms of reinforcing tape, or the like, as at 22, is adhered to the various flaps and walls of the'container to provide for their reinforcement against fracture and fatigue particularly at those locations where bending is caused to provide handle mean clearance. And, it is to be further noted that the reinforcing tape is desirably provided along the under surface of the overlying flap l2 and particularly along the length of said flap that is formed into the handle means 15. This reinforcing tape may be of any variety of such tapes as are readily available upon the market, and which are usually nylon or other fiber reinforced to resist their tearing A modification in the formation of the handle means of this invention is shown in FIG. 5. This figure which provides an underside view of the overlying flap 12 of the upper end closure of the carton is provided having a hand aperature 23 cut therethrough, and, as distinct from the handle means 15 previously described, as formed from said flap, this handle means 24 comprises a length of reinforcing tape or other fabric that is adhered to the side portions of said flap, and is arranged for spanning the distance across the aperture 23. Hence, the length of tape 24 that spans this aperature provides a handle that may be grasped by the fingers when one desires to carry off the carton. As previously described in the other embodiment of this upper flap, a score line 15 is arranged centrally across the flap and can provide some bending and clearance as the hand is inserted under the tape 24. All other aspects of this modified carton are similar to the previous description of the other flaps and walls of the preferred carton.

It should be obvious that a further attribute in the formation of a carton'of this style is that the handle means can be formed during the processing of the carton as its blank is being cut and then folded into an enclosure. Other forms of handle type cartons as shown in the prior art usually incorporate some type of wire or plastic handle, or the like, that must be separately attached to the upper flaps of the carton after it has already been cut as a blank and then folded into its tubular form.

Other variations in the construction of the handled carton ofthis invention, within the scope of the appended claims, will appear, to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosureThe description of this preferred embodiment is merely meant to be illustrative of the principles of this invention, and any equivilent or similar designs in a handled carton which embraces the principle of this invention are intended to be a protected by said claims. Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a handled-carton for holding bulk material and of the type havingupper and lower end panels intervened by spaced walls to provide an enclosure to prevent spillage of said material as the carton is being conveyed, the upper panel comprising a series of overlying flaps each connecting with one of said walls, the upper flap having a handle means provided therein, the underlying flap having a score line arranged perpendicularly with respect to said handle means which induces its bending to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the wall to which the underlying flap connects also hasa score line formed proximate the location of said connection, and said score line forms a weakened area in the wall that line forms a weakened area in said wall rendering it sus-.

ceptible to bulging thereby increasing the clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

4. In a paperboard carton of the type for use in holding granulated material and having a handle means provided in its top portion to facilitate its carriage, and including front, back and side walls with 'end closures, the upper end closure comprising a series of overlying flaps with each flap being articular with one of said walls, said handle means being formed in the upper one of said overlying flaps, the underlying flap having a score line formed thereacross and arranged perpendicularly with respect to said handle means, the front and back walls each having a score line formed proximate their top edges and being arranged approximately side to side, the cooperation between said score lines providing for a slight depression in the underlying flap and outward bulging in said walls to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped, without any spillage of the contained material.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the score line in the underlying flap is arranged centrally of said flap and disposed from its front edge to the back edge thereof.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the score lines in the front and back walls are of arcuate design extending from their upper edges proximate each said wall to a distance below said edges at the center of said walls.

7. The invention of claim 4 wherein said upper flap includes a score line formed thereacross and arranged perpendicular with respect to said handle means and which facilitates an upward bending of the handle means providing clearance as it is being grasped.

8. The invention of claim 5 wherein said handle means comprises a strip of said upper flap having hand holes formed through said flap and disposed to either side of said strip. 7

9. The invention of claim 8 and further including a reinforcing tape adhering to said strip and flap to strenghthen them against tearing.

10. The invention of claim 5 and wherein said upper flap includes an aperature provided therethrough, said grasped.

11. The invention of claim 4 wherein reinforcing tape is applied to each said flap tostrengthen them during grasping of the handle means and as the underlying flap is being pressed to provide clearance for said means.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein reinforcing tape is applied around the upper marginal edge of each includes a score line formed thereacross, at least a porhandle means comprising a length of reinforcing tape N'iding for clearance as the handle means is being tion of said upper flap being adhered to the underlying flap and capable of being slightly depressed therewith to enhance the clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

15. The invention of claim 10 wherein said upper flap is capable of being depressed with said underlying flap to thereby enhance the clearance for the length of tape as it is being grasped, a

16. In a paperboard carton of the type having a handle means provided in its top portion to facilitate its carriage, and including front, back and side walls with end closures, the upper end closure comprising a series of overlying flaps with each flap being articular with one of said walls, said handle means being formed in the upper one of said overlying flaps, the underlying flap having a score line formed thereacross, the front and back walls each having a score line formed proximate theirtop edges and being arranged approximately side to side, the score line in the underlying flap being arranged centrally of said flap and disposed from its front edge to the back edge thereof, the score lines in the front and back walls being ofarcuate design extending from their upper edges proximate each side wall to a distance below said edges at the center of said walls, an additional score line formed in each of the front and back wall, each said score line disposed approximately centrally of its respective wall and extend ing from its upper edge downwardly to the intersection with the arcuate score line. the cooperation between said score lines providing for a slight depression in the underlying flap and bulging in said walls to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped. l l l =l l

Claims

1. In a handled carton for holding bulk material and of the type having upper and lower end panels intervened by spaced walls to provide an enclosure to prevent spillage of said material as the carton is being conveyed, the upper panel comprising a series of overlying flaps each connecting with one of said walls, the upper flap having a handle means provided therein, the underlying flap having a score line arranged perpendicularly with respect to said handle means which induces its bending to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the wall to which the underlying flap connects also has a score line formed proximate the location of said connection, and said score line forms a weakened area in the wall that induces its outward bulging to increase the clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the wall to which the upper flap connects has a score line formed proximate the location of said connection, and said score line forms a weakened area in said wall rendering it susceptible to bulging thereby increasing the clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

4. In a paperboard carton of the type for use in holding granulated material and having a handle means provided in its top portion to facilitate its carriage, and including front, back and side walls with end closures, the upper end closure comprising a series of overlying flaps with each flap being articular with one oF said walls, said handle means being formed in the upper one of said overlying flaps, the underlying flap having a score line formed thereacross and arranged perpendicularly with respect to said handle means, the front and back walls each having a score line formed proximate their top edges and being arranged approximately side to side, the cooperation between said score lines providing for a slight depression in the underlying flap and outward bulging in said walls to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped, without any spillage of the contained material.

8. The invention of claim 5 wherein said handle means comprises a strip of said upper flap having hand holes formed through said flap and disposed to either side of said strip.

10. The invention of claim 5 and wherein said upper flap includes an aperature provided therethrough, said handle means comprising a length of reinforcing tape adhering to said flap and spanning the aperture, the underlying flap capable of being depressed thereby providing for clearance as the handle means is being grasped.

11. The invention of claim 4 wherein reinforcing tape is applied to each said flap to strengthen them during grasping of the handle means and as the underlying flap is being pressed to provide clearance for said means.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein reinforcing tape is applied around the upper marginal edge of each front, back and side wall to provide for their strengthening as when they are being bulged to provide clearance during grasping of the handle means.

13. The invention of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said upper flap is adhered to said underlying flap and capable of simultaneously bending with said underlying flap to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

14. The invention of claim 4 wherein said upper flap includes a score line formed thereacross, at least a portion of said upper flap being adhered to the underlying flap and capable of being slightly depressed therewith to enhance the clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.

15. The invention of claim 10 wherein said upper flap is capable of being depressed with said underlying flap to thereby enhance the clearance for the length of tape as it is being grasped.

16. In a paperboard carton of the type having a handle means provided in its top portion to facilitate its carriage, and including front, back and side walls with end closures, the upper end closure comprising a series of overlying flaps with each flap being articular with one of said walls, said handle means being formed in the upper one of said overlying flaps, the underlying flap having a score line formed thereacross, the front and back walls each having a score line formed proximate their top edges and being arranged approximately side to side, the score line in the underlying flap being arranged centrally of said flap and disposed from its front edge to the back edge thereof, the score lines in the front and back walls being of arcuate design extending from their upper edges proximate each side wall to a distance below said edges at the center of said walls, an additional score line formed in each of the front and back wall, eaCh said score line disposed approximately centrally of its respective wall and extending from its upper edge downwardly to the intersection with the arcuate score line, the cooperation between said score lines providing for a slight depression in the underlying flap and bulging in said walls to provide clearance for the handle means as it is being grasped.