Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D71/06—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers
  • B65D71/12—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank
  • B65D71/36—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
  • B65D5/54—Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing
  • B65D5/5405—Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing for opening containers formed by erecting a blank in tubular form
  • B65D5/542—Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing for opening containers formed by erecting a blank in tubular form the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00129—Wrapper locking means
  • B65D2571/00135—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper
  • B65D2571/00141—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper glued
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00432—Handles or suspending means
  • B65D2571/00438—Holes
  • B65D2571/00444—Holes for fingers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00555—Wrapper opening devices
  • B65D2571/00561—Lines of weakness
  • B65D2571/00567—Lines of weakness defining a narrow removable strip
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00648—Elements used to form the wrapper
  • B65D2571/00654—Blanks
  • B65D2571/0066—Blanks formed from one single sheet
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00709—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element
  • B65D2571/00722—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element tubular with end walls, e.g. walls not extending on the whole end surface

Definitions

• the invention relates to cartons, and more specifically to cartons for articles which cartons are convertible to compartmented containers.
• an article such as a beverage container is typically retrieved from an area where multiples of the articles are stored.
• Typical storage areas for such articles are food cabinets and pantries, refrigeration/cooling devices and packages containing multiples of the articles.
• Articles such as beverages in containers are typically purchased and transported in a package containing multiples of the articles.
• a carton has a tubular structure that is separable along a circumferential region of the carton into compartments joined by a hinge member having spaced apart lateral edges.
• the hinge member is substantially elliptical.
• an aperture is formed through said hinge member to facilitate lifting.
• a compartmented container has compartments joined by a hinge member having spaced-apart lateral edges.
• the hinge member is substantially elliptical.
• an aperture is formed through said hinge member to facilitate lifting.
• Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a carton convertible into a compartmented container, in accordance with the teachings of a preferred embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 2 is an isometric illustration of a carton convertible into a compartmented container formable firom the blank of Fig. 1 , in accordance with the teachings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein of a tear strip has been partially removed;
• FIG. 3 is an illustration of the carton depicted in Fig. 2 as viewed from the opposite side of the carton and wherein the tear strip has been fully removed;
• Fig. 4 is an illustration of the carton shown in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein walls of the carton have been separated to form compartments joined by a hinge member; and
• Fig. 5 is an illustration of the carton of Figs. 2 and 3 in the opened condition illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein the carton is lifted through use of features taught by the invention.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a blank 10 for forming a carton in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention while Fig. 2 illustrates a carton 12 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention formed from the blank of Fig. 1.
• the carton 12 has a tubular structure.
• the tubular structure is formed by opposing top and bottom walls, which for convenience of discussion may be referred to as first and second walls 20, 22, respectively, and opposing side walls 24, 26a/26b.
• a handle 40 is formed in one of the side walls. Ends walls 30/34, 32/36 generally enclose the ends of the structure.
• An open-ended tubular structure is first generally formed by adhering the side wall panels 26a and 26b to one another.
• Articles A such as beverage containers are typically loaded into the open-ended tubular structure by a continuous-motion packaging machine.
• the various end panels and flaps 30, 32, 34, 36, 42, 4446a, 46b, 48a, 48b are folded over to provide end closures for the carton.
• the carton 12 has a region along which the carton is separable.
• a region along which the carton 12 is separable includes a tear strip 50 and a frangible line 56, 58 such as a perforated line. The separable region extends partially around a circumference of the tubular structure.
• longitudinal direction As a convenient point of reference, this will be referred as a longitudinal direction.
• the direction has been described as longitudinal in relation to the orientation of an imaginary axis for the open tubular structure that is formed when the side flaps 26a and 26b are joined.
• the orientation of the handle may be considered to be "transverse" with respect to the open- ended tubular structure.
• longitudinal and transverse maybe interchanged as points of reference without affecting the scope or teachings of the invention.
• the separable region may consist of any structure that allows the carton to be separated.
• the separable region may consist of either a tear strip or a frangible line alone.
• use of a tear strip 50 and a frangible line 56/58 in combination helps prevent the carton from opening prematurely while facilitating easy separation of the carton compartments once the tear strip 50 has been removed thus providing an opening through which separation can be initiated.
• the separable region may also be defined by a cut line having an adhesive strip applied thereto to hold the carton together until intentionally pulled apart.
• Fig. 3 depicts the carton after removal of the tear strip 50. Removal of the tear strip 50 provides an opening through which the carton can be manipulated to separate one side from the other along the separable region. In addition, the opening provided by removal of the tear strip in essence provides a starter area for the separation of the carton into compartments.
• FIG. 4 therein is illustrated the carton as separated and divided into compartments 14, 16.
• the compartments 14, 16 are joined by a hinge member 52.
• the hinge member 52 has transverse edges that are spaced apart from one another. This helps produce a strong hinge for supporting the compartments.
• the compartments 14, 16 may be lifted by the hinge structure by grasping the inside of the bottom (or second) wall 22 about the hinge member 52.
• a simple, perhaps more convenient lifting mechanism is provided by an aperture 54 formed in the hinge member 52. An individual may lift the compartments by inserting a finger through the aperture and lifting upward as illustrated in Fig. 5.
• a carton 12 in use, is formed from the blank 10 or otherwise is generally first formed into an open-ended tubular structure. Then, cans are loaded in from the ends and the carton 12 is placed in enclosed condition. Once the tear strip 50 is removed as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the carton 12 can be separated along the frangible line 56/58 into the compartments 14, 16 illustrated in Fig. 4.
• the hinge member 52 has spaced-apart lateral edges that provide both a strong hinge structure and a bridge between the two compartments 14, 16. The opened carton 12 can then be lifted through the hinge member.
• a simple manner of lifting is to grasp the inside surfaces of the U-shaped structure formed by the hinge member 52.
• a more convenient yet simple lifting mechanism is provided through placement of an aperture 54 in the hinge member 52. With the aperture 54, the carton 12 is simply lifted by insertion of the finger of a user through the aperture 54.
• a package containing multiples of articles such as beverage containers is convertible into a compartmented container from which individual ones of the articles can be retrieved. Because the package is easily transported after it has been converted into a compartmented container, it may be carried around by hand and used as a serving unit for the articles.
• the compartmented container formed can be easily placed in a storage area such as a food cabinet or pantry or a refrigeration unit where the articles may be maintained as an aggregation from which individual units may be easily removed.
• the hinge member has spaced-apart lateral edges and in a preferred embodiment described above is substantially elliptical.
• the tapered ends of the substantially elliptical configuration help provide a transition from the carton end walls and bottom wall to the hinge member.
• the hinge member may have other configurations, such as substantially rectangular.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
• Vacuum Packaging (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25334153

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Families Citing this family (33)

Citations (3)

• 2001
  • 2001-05-18 US US09/860,843 patent/US20020170845A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2002
  • 2002-05-16 WO PCT/US2002/015557 patent/WO2002094677A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-05-16 CA CA002447664A patent/CA2447664C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-05-16 EP EP02729229A patent/EP1390273B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-05-16 DE DE60207551T patent/DE60207551T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-05-16 AT AT02729229T patent/ATE310682T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-05-16 ES ES02729229T patent/ES2251590T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-05-16 MX MXPA03010546A patent/MXPA03010546A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-05-16 JP JP2002591360A patent/JP2004525835A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 2002-05-16 DK DK02729229T patent/DK1390273T3/da active

Patent Citations (3)

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