WO1999017996A1

WO1999017996A1 - Block carton

Info

Publication number: WO1999017996A1
Application number: PCT/DK1998/000404
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roar Bendtsen Schou
Original assignee: Peterson Beck A/S
Priority date: 1997-09-19
Filing date: 1998-09-18
Publication date: 1999-04-15
Also published as: AU9153798A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a block carton comprising a substantially planar body which is preferably coated with paraffin and forming, preferably at pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom face which is delimited between four side edges whereto, at each side edge on the bottom face, bottom faces are arranged that comprise two bottom side faces arranged at opposite side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is opposed to the bottom back; and wherein the back is further associated with a rectangular cover face which is opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps; and wherein one or more of the bottom sides is provided with corner flaps that extend substantially in extension of the bottom side on which they are mounted. The invention is characterised in that said corner flaps are so configured that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate, adjacent bottom side relative to that bottom side on which the corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending at a distance from the most proximate bottom side, and said distance increasing with the distance from the bottom face.

Description

Block Carton

The present invention relates to block cartons of the type used for freezing fresh products, such as fish. A block carton consists of a substantially planar carton body which is preferably coated with paraffin and comprises a number of elements in the form of a rectangular bottom face having at each side of said bottom face side elements comprising two bottom side faces; a bottom front and a bottom back; and wherein said back is further connected to a rectangular cover face which is provided with cover side flaps, and at least two of the side faces are provided with corner flaps, each of which extends in extension of the side face on which they are mounted. All of said faces are preferably connected to each other via pre-embossed folding lines that facilitate erection of the packaging.

Block cartons of this type are used for freezing shape- able, non-frozen material in blocks. Erection of the packaging most often involves a rectangular frame, a so- called freezing frame, having the same dimensions as the bottom face of the block carton and a height which corresponds to the height of the sides that are secured to the bottom face. Thus, the block carton is erected by the bottom face of the carton element being pressed downwards into the frame so as to effect folding of the side faces at the pre-embossed folding lines, and abut on the freezing frame on the inside thereof, and in such a manner that the cover of the carton body extends freely above the freezing frame. Fresh fish is subsequently dispensed into the frame lined with the carton body, and the cover of the carton body is closed. Finally, the frame is moved with the filled carton body into a so-called plate- freezer that consists of two freezing plates arranged opposite each other, said freezing plates being pressed against the frame and against the bottom face and cover face of the carton body.

Since it is important that said corner flaps and cover side flaps are not, following freezing, frozen into the frozen block in the block carton, visual inspection is most often carried out to verify whether the erection of the block carton is correct with said flaps and leafs on the outside of the packaging.

For this purpose, it is known eg from DK utility model No 9500215 to provide the carton element with conspicuous indicators that serve to facilitate the visual inspection in that incorrectly positioned flaps and leafs will re- suit in a conspicuous visual indicator becoming visible.

However, in particular in cases when a visual inspection is carried out manually, the effect of these indicators depends highly on the individual performance and discre- tion of the operator, and thus situations may occur eg in cases of peak work loads when the quality of the visual inspection is reduced.

In the light of this it is the object of the present in- vention to provide block cartons wherein the need for indicators of the above-mentioned type has been considerably reduced and optionally completely eliminated.

This is achieved by use of block cartons of the type de- scribed above and as featured in the claims.

In accordance with claim 1, such configuration of the corner flaps that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom element, relative to the bottom face on which the corner flap is positioned, said side edge extending at a distance from the most adjacent bottom element, and said distance being increased with the distance from the bottom face, causes the corner flaps, in case of erection in a conventional, known manner in a freezing frame as a consequence of their being folded after the bottom faces, to tend to be located on that side of the bottom elements that faces away from the interior of the erected carton. Thus, with a very high degree of certainty, the corner flaps will always be correctly positioned on the outside of the packaging following erection, and it should be noted that this is accomplished without the operator having to carry out a particular operation to that end.

Claim 2 features an alternative embodiment wherein the corner flaps and those bottom sides that are most proximate to those corner bottom sides that have corner flaps have adjacent side edges that are so configured that the adjacent side edges on the corner flaps and the adjacent bottom sides will, upon erection of the bottom sides sub- stantially perpendicular to the bottom face, substantially abut on each other without said corner flaps and the adjacent bottom sides overlapping each other. Since, thus, said corner flaps do not overlap the bottom sides following erection of the packaging, it is ensured that it is very unlikely that a corner flap will be frozen in, as mentioned above. Moreover, it is accomplished with this configuration that the erected carton has fewer overlapping faces which is significant to the appearance of the frozen block which does hence not receive any im- pressions from these overlapping faces.

By configuring the bottom front on the side which is opposite the bottom face, in accordance with the features of claim 4, with a further cover flap, and said cover flap to the sides being provided with sideways extending cover locking flaps, and wherein said cover flap and cover locking flaps are configured such that upon erection of the bottom sides substantially perpendicular to said bottom face, it is obtained that the cover flap can be folded such that it extends across the bottom face, and the cover locking faces will extend on the outside of those bottom side faces that abut upon erection; it will be accomplished that the cover flap can eg be folded above the bottom face with its side flaps arranged on the outside of the bottom sides of the packaging prior to the cover on the carton element being closed. It is hereby ensured by the cover flap with said side flaps that cover flaps, if any, cannot be positioned incorrectly in the packaging interior following closure of the carton body cover .

According to claim 6, the bottom side faces on the side edge that faces away from the bottom face can be provided with a protruding leaf, said leaf being arranged at a distance from that corner of the bottom side face which is most proximate to the cover face, said distance being equal to or smaller than said height of the cover faces. Thereby said leaf will, following erection of the carton body in a freezing frame, extend beyond the upper edge of the freezing frame so as to provide a guide projection for correct introduction of the cover flaps of the cover on the carton element exterior, seen in relation to the interior of the erected packaging.

According to a particular configuration, the carton body can also have corner flaps configured as featured in claims 7 and 8 that are, in the same manner, provided with a leaf that extends beyond the upper edge of the freezing frame upon erection of the carton body. This leaf will thus, in practice, have the same function as the one featured in claim 6, thereby ensuring that the cover flaps can readily be correctly positioned on the packaging exterior.

Embodiments of the invention will now be subject to more detailed description with reference to the drawings, wherein

Figures 1 through 5 show alternative embodiments of the present invention wherein the block cartons are shown in their unfolded state in a plan where the lines that extend within the outer contour of the carton body indicate folding lines embossed in the plane carton body.

Now, Figure 1 illustrates a block carton in its unfolded state, said block carton having a bottom face 1, a cover face 2, a bottom front 3, a bottom back 4, two bottom sides 5, 6, and a cover front 7 as well as two cover side faces 8,9. On the bottom front 3 and the bottom back 4, at the two bottom sides 5,6, corner flaps 10,11,12,13 are arranged that are each configured with a side edge 14,15,16,17 which are cut off obliquely relative to the folding lines of the carton body.

When this element is to be erected in a usual manner in a freezing frame, the obliquely cut-off side edges

14,15,16,17 will serve to ensure that, with a high degree of certainty, the corner flaps 10,11,12,13 will aim to occupy its position on outside of the erected packaging.

Obviously, the cut-off corners can be cut off in a manner that differs from the shown oblique cutting-off. Thus, the effect of the invention will be effective with other configurations, such as gradually decreasing side edges

14,15,16,17 on the corner flaps 10,11,12,13 or some other shape that creates a distance between the side edges 14,15,16,17 on the corner flaps 10,11,12,13 and the bot- torn sides 5, 6 that is increased with the distance from the bottom face 1.

Now, Figure 2 illustrates a carton body substantially corresponding to the body shown in Figure 1, but wherein the bottom sides 5, 6 are punched out to form edges 18,19,20,21 which will, upon erection of said packaging, be in an edge-to-edge position relative to the edges 14,15,16,17,22,23,24,25 on the corner flaps 10,11,12,13. Thus, the corner flaps 10,11,12,13 will not, upon erection of the packaging in a freezing frame, overlap the bottom sides 5, 6 and consequently there is a very small risk of the corner flaps 10,11,12,13 extending into the fish substance following filling of the erected packaging with eg fish.

Now, Figure 3 illustrates a configuration that corresponds, in essence, to the one shown in Figure 1 but wherein the corner flaps 10,11 that are situated on the bottom back 4 are provided with leafs 26,27 of a size that enables the leafs 26,27 to extend a distance above the top edge of the freezing frame, following erection of the carton body in a freezing frame, whereby they form guide projections for correct introduction of the cover side flaps 8,9 on the outside of the erected packaging.

Now, in this context Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment wherein the bottom sides 5, 6 are provided with leafs 28,29 that are also configured to extend above the upper edge on a freezing frame following erection on the carton body in such. Thus, such leafs 28,29 will, like the leafs 26,27 shown in Figure 3, form guide projections for correct positioning of the cover side flaps 8,9 on the outside of the erected packaging. As shown, said leafs are particularly suitable for use with packagings that do not feature corner flaps, but they can also (not shown) be used on the bottom sides 5, 6 as shown in Figure 3 whereby they can, jointly with the leafs 26,27 on the corner flaps 10,11, co-operate for further ensuring that the carton body is erected correctly with the cover side flaps 8,9 on the outside of the erected packaging.

Now, Figure 5 illustrates a further configuration which substantially corresponds to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, but with the difference that this configuration lacks a cover front 7 which has been replaced by a cover flap 30 that extends throughout the entire length of the bottom front 3, and to the sides it is provided with cover locking flaps 31,32 that are, in a preferred method of erecting the carton element, to be positioned on the outside of the erected packaging.

When erecting the carton element shown in Figure 5 in a freezing frame, the cover flap 30 can be folded over the bottom 1 before the cover 2 is closed. This means that it is practically impossible to position the cover side flaps 8,9 on the inside of the erected packaging, the cover flap with its cover locking flaps 31,32 barring this .

Alternatively the cover flap 30 can be folded over the cover 2 following folding of this over the carton body. Thereby it will be impossible to insert the cover locking flaps incorrectly into the packaging interior.

Obviously, the block carton shown in Figure 5 does not necessarily have to be provided with a cover front, but it may readily be provided with such anyway; and in that case the bottom front 3 will also ensure that the cover front cannot be positioned incorrectly on the inside of the erected packaging.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A block carton comprising a substantially planar body which is preferably coated with paraffin, and which preferably forms, along pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom surface which is delimited between four side edges, each of said side edges on the bottom surface having associated bottom sides co - prising two bottom side faces arranged at opposed side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is arranged opposite the bottom back; and wherein the back is further connected to a rectangular cover face which is arranged opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps; and wherein one or several of said bottom sides are provided with corner flaps that extend substantially in extension of the bottom side on which they are mounted, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said corner flaps are so configured that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side relative to the bottom side on which said corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending at a distance from the most proximate bottom side, and said distance being increased with the distance from the bot- tom surface.

2. A block carton comprising a substantially planar body which is preferably coated with paraffin, and which preferably forms, along pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom surface which is delimited between four side edges, each of said side edges on the bottom surface having associated bottom sides comprising two bottom side faces arranged at opposed side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is arranged opposite the bottom back; and wherein the back is further connected to a rectangular cover face which is arranged opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps, and wherein one or several of said bottom sides are provided with corner flaps that extend substantially in extension of the bottom side on which they are mounted, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said corner flaps and those bottom sides that are most proximate relative to the bottom sides provided with corner flaps, have adjacent side edges that are so config- ured that the adjacent side edges on the corner flaps and the adjacent bottom sides will, upon erection of the bottom sides substantially perpendicular to the bottom face, substantially abut on each other without the corner flaps and the adjacent bottom sides overlapping each other.

3. A block carton according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the corner flaps are so configured that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side rela- tive to the bottom side on which the corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending in the plane, unfolded state of the block carton at a distance from the most proximate bottom side, and which distance is increased with the distance from the bottom face.

4. A block carton comprising a substantially planar body, preferably coated with paraffin, and preferably forming, at pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom face delimited between four side edges whereto, at each side edge on the bottom face, bottom sides are arranged that comprise two bottom side faces located at opposite side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is opposite the bottom back; and wherein the back is further associated with a rectangular cover face which is opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps; and wherein one or more of the bottom sides is provided with corner flaps that extend substantially in extension of the bottom side on which they are mounted, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom front on the side which is opposite the bottom face has a further cover flap; and said cover flap to the sides being provided with sideways protruding cover locking flaps; and wherein the cover flap and the cover locking flaps are configured such that, upon erec- tion of the bottom sides substantially perpendicular to the bottom face, the cover flap can be folded such that it extends over the bottom face; and the cover locking faces extend on the outside of those bottom side faces that abut upon erection.

5. A block carton according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the corner flaps are so configured as to each comprise a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side rela- tive to the bottom side on which the corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending in the plane, unfolded state of the block carton at a distance from the most proximate bottom side; and said distance increasing with the distance from the bottom face.

6. A block carton comprising a substantially planar element which is preferably coated with paraffin and comprising, preferably at pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom face which is delimited between four side edges whereto, at each side edge of the bottom face, bottom faces are arranged that comprise two bottom side faces arranged at opposite side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is opposite the bottom front; said bottom sides having substantially the same height measured perpendicular to the side edge to which the bottom side is associated; and wherein the back is further connected to a rectangular cover face which is opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps that have a height measured perpendicular to the side edge on which it is arranged, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom side flaps on the side edge that faces away from the bottom face is provided with a projecting leaf, said flap being arranged at a distance from that corner of the bottom side face which is most proximate to the cover face, said distance being equal to or smaller that the above-mentioned height of the cover faces.

7. A block carton according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom back is provided with corner flaps, which corner flaps have a side edge that faces towards the cover side flaps in the plane, unfolded state of the block carton, and is in substantially the same plane as the upper edge of the bottom sides when the bottom side faces have been erected substantially perpendicular to the bottom face; and wherein said corner flaps on the above-mentioned side edge are provided with a projecting leaf.

8. A block carton comprising a substantially planar body which is preferably coated with paraffin and forming, preferably at pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom face delimited between four side edges whereto, at each side edge on the bottom face, bottom sides are arranged that comprise two bottom side faces arranged at opposed side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is opposite the bottom back, said bottom sides having substantially the same height measured perpendicular to the side edge whereto the bottom side is associated; and wherein the back is further associated with a rectangular cover face which is opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps that have a height measured perpendicular to the side edge_ on which it is arranged; and wherein the bottom back is provided with corner flaps, said corner flaps having a side edge that faces towards the cover side flaps in the plane, unfolded state of the block carton, and is in substantially the same plane as the upper edge of the bottom sides when the bottom side faces have been erected substantially perpendicular to the bottom face, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the said corner flaps are, at the above-mentioned side edge, provided with a projecting leaf which will, upon erection of the bottom side faces substantially perpendicular to the bot- tom face, extend above the plane of the upper edge of the bottom sides.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 16 February 1999 (16.02.99); original claims 1-8 replaced by new claims 1-10 (4 pages)]

1. A block carton comprising a substantially planar body which is preferably coated with paraffin, ana which preferably forms, along pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom surface which is delimited between four side edges, each cf said side edges on the bottom surface having associated bottom sides comprising two bottom side faces arranged at opposed side edges or. the bottom face; a bottor. front and a oack wh cn s arranged opposite the hott r, sack; and wr.ereir. the Dack is further connected to rectangular cover face which is arranged opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps; and wherein one or several of said bottom sides are provided with corner flaps that extend substantially in extension of the bottom side on which they are mounted, c h a r a c t e r i z e d m that said corner flaps are so configured that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side relative o the bottom side on which said corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending at a distance from the most proximate bottom side, and said distance being increased with the distance from the bottom surface.

2. A block carton according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said corner flaps and those bottom sides that are most proximate relative to the bottom sides provided with corner flaps, have adjacent side edges that are so configured that the adjacent side edges on the corner flaps and the adjacent bottom sides will, upon erection of the bottom sides substantially perpendicular to the bottom face, substantially abut on each other without the corner flaps and the adjacent bottom sides overlapping each other.

3. A block carton according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the corner flaps are so configured that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side relative to the bottom side on which the corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending in the plane, unfolded state of the block carton at a distance from the most proximate bottom side, and which distance is increased with the distance from the bottom face.

4. A block carton according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom front on the side which is opposite the bottom face has a further cover flap; and said cover flap to the sides being provided with sideways protruding cover locking flaps; and wherein the cover flap and the cover locking flaps are configured such that, upon erection of the bottom sides substantially perpendicular to the bottom face, the cover flap can be folded such that it extends over the bottom face; and the cover locking faces extend on the outside of those bottom side faces that abut upon erection.

5. A block carton according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the corner flaps are so configured as to each comprise a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side relative to the bottom side on which the corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending in the plane, unfolded state of the block carton at a distance from the most proximate bottom side; and said distance increasing with the distance from the bottom face.

6. A block carton according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the bottom side flaps on the side edge that faces away from the bottom face is provided with a projecting leaf, said flap being arranged at a distance from that corner of the bottom side face which is most proximate to the cover face, said distance being equal to or smaller that the above-mentioned height of the cover faces.

8. A block carton according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the said corner flaps are, at the above-mentioned side edge, provided with a projecting leaf which will, upon erection of the bottom side faces substantially perpendicular to the bottom face, extend above the plane of the upper edge of the bottom sides.

9. Method of erecting a block carton in a freezing frame, the freezing frame comprising a frame having the same dimensions as the bottom face of the block carton, and a height corresponding to the height of the sides of the block carton, and wherein the bottom face of the block carton is pressed downwardly into the freezing frame and thereby affect the side faces to fold along the preembossed folding lines, characterized by using a block carton according to one or more of the preceding claims.

10. Method of erecting a block carton in a freezing frame the block carton . comprising a substantially planar body which is preferably coated with paraffin, and which preferably forms, along pre-embossed folding lines, a number of substantially rectangular sectional faces in the form of a rectangular bottom surface which is delimited between four side edges, each of said side edges on^" the bottom surface having associated bottom sides comprising two bottom side faces arranged at opposed side edges on the bottom face; a bottom front and a back which is arranged opposite the bottom back; and wherein the back is further connected to a rectangular cover face which is arranged opposite the bottom face and provided with cover side flaps; and wherein one or several of said bottom sides are provided with corner flaps that extend substantially in extension of the bottom side on which they are mounted, and wherein the freezing frame comprises af frame having the same dimensions as the bottom face of the block carton, and a height corresponding to the height of the sides of the block carton, and wherein the bottom face of the block carton is pressed downwardly into the freezing frame and thereby affect the side faces to fold along the preembossed folding lines and about on on the freezing frame on the inside thereof, characterized by using a block carton having corner flaps being c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said corner flaps are so configured that they each have a side edge which is most proximate to the most proximate bottom side relative to the bottom side on which said corner flap is arranged, said side edge extending at a distance from the most proximate bottom side, and said distance being increased with the distance from the bottom surface.