WO2007005689A1

WO2007005689A1 - Improved top gripping carton

Info

Publication number: WO2007005689A1
Application number: PCT/US2006/025733
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabien Jego
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, Llc
Priority date: 2005-07-01
Filing date: 2006-06-29
Publication date: 2007-01-11
Also published as: EP1910187B1; EP1910187A1; GB0513666D0; PL1910187T3; DE602006005818D1; RU2008103824A; ES2325001T3; ATE425928T1

Abstract

A carton for accommodating a bottle (B), comprises a bottom panel (16) having an aperture for receiving the bottle and a retaining tab (40, 46) formed from material taken from the bottom panel to form the aperture. The retaining tab is folded out of the plane of the bottom panel and engaged with a bottle present in that aperture. A further retaining member (60) is hinged to a second panel (12) spaced from the bottom panel. The retaining tab and the further retaining member have complementary locking means (52, 62) which co-operate to hold the retaining tab in engagement with the container to enhance the rigidity of the carton.

Description

IMPROVED TOP GRIPPING CARTON

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cartons of the top gripping type, produced for packaging a plurality of articles, such as bottles and more particularly, but not exclusively, to improving the rigidity of such cartons.

Background of the Invention

Top gripping cartons which are attached to the upper portions of articles, such as bottles having flanged tops are known in the art. Such cartons are used for securing a number of articles such as bottles for containing yoghurt drinks in an array.

It is known, from WO98/49701 , to provide cartons of the top gripping type, for the accommodation of bottles. Such cartons comprise a number of apertures formed within the bottom panel, into which the upper portions of the articles are inserted. Retaining flaps are often struck from the material used to form the apertures and during the process of insertion of an article these tabs then serve to engage the underside of the upper portion of the inserted article.

Due to the manner in which the articles are supported, the stresses put upon the carton are large, and may easily lead to tearing of the material of the carton during storage or handling. A known method of mitigating against this problem is to increase the thickness of the material used in forming the carton. This course of action, however, results in higher materials costs.

An alternative solution to the problem of the stresses being placed upon the carton is that of providing specific depending portions hinged to the top panel of the carton that may be deployed internally of the carton to act as a brace against the bottom panel. Furthermore, such depending portions may further engage the articles themselves, so as to distribute the stress across both the top and bottom panels of the carton. However, the cartons of the sort disclosed in WO98/49071 do not provide a means by which the bracing structure may be locked rigidly in place, and as such there is a perceived limitation to the beneficial effects gained from the depending portions. Such a locking means to allow for greater stresses to be tolerated by the carton before tearing would occur and would also allow for heavier cartons to be inserted.

The present invention seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems associated with known designs by providing one or more depending portions hinged to the top panel of the carton and by providing complementary upstanding portions struck from the bottom panel, such that the depending portions and upstanding portions may lock together. The present invention thereby seeks to provide a more rigid carton than those known in the prior art, which is more resistant to bending and dislocation of the articles.

Other advantages and objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a carton for accommodating at least one container, the carton comprising a first panel having a container receiving aperture, a first retaining tab formed from material taken to form the aperture, the first retaining tab being folded out of the plane of the first panel and engaged with a container present in that aperture, a second panel spaced from the first panel and a further retaining member hinged to the second panel , characterised in that the first retaining tab and the further retaining member have complementary locking means which co-operate to hold the retaining tab in engagement with the container and to enhance the rigidity of the carton. Preferably wherein the first retaining tab is formed from a bottom wall of the carton and is upstanding therefrom and wherein the further retaining member is struck from an upper wall of the carton and is depending therefrom

Additionally the further retaining member and the co-operating first retaining tab are locked together by a complementary aperture and detent, the aperture being formed in the upstanding retaining tab and the detent protrudes from the depending retaining member.

Preferably the first retaining tab may engage an underside of an upper flanged portion of a container held within the carton.

Additionally the further retaining member may be shaped so as to engage an underside of an upper flanged portion of a container held within the carton.

Additionally the carton may comprise pairs of article receiving apertures arranged in rows and the further retaining member may be disposed between a pair of article receiving apertures such that it can be locked with a co-operating first retaining tab formed from material used to create each of the article receiving apertures of said pair.

Alternatively the further retaining member comprises one or more shoulder portions wherein each shoulder portion is disposed in face contacting relationship with a cooperating first retaining tab when the further retaining member and the first retaining tabs are locked together.

Preferably wherein the further retaining member is aligned between a pair of first retaining tabs tab such that each side of the further retaining member engages a different retaining tab.

Additionally wherein the insertion of one the containers serves to secure the locking of the first retaining tab with the corresponding further retaining member.

Additionally the carton further comprises an a second retaining tab struck from material used to create said container receiving aperture, said second retaining tab being disposed oppositely to the first retaining tab and disposed for engagement with an opposed upper portion of the container held within that aperture.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a blank for forming a carton for accommodating a container, the blank comprising first and second panels, the first panel having a container receiving aperture struck therefrom and a first retaining tab struck therefrom and hinged to an edge of said container receiving aperture, the second panel having a further retaining member struck therefrom, characterised by said first retaining tab and said further retaining member being formed with complementary locking means, such that when the blank is set-up into a carton, the rigidity of the carton is enhanced and a container is held in said container receiving aperture by the complimentary locking means of the first retaining tab in engagement with the container.

Preferably wherein the further retaining member comprises a protruding portion and the retaining tab comprises a complementary locking aperture so that the retaining member and retaining tab can be locked together.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an unfolded single paperboard blank from which a carton according to the first embodiment of the invention is formed;

FIGURE 2 illustrates an isometric view of the blank of figure 1 being loaded with bottles arranged in an array;

FIGURE 3 illustrates an isometric view of partially erected carton, being formed around the array of bottles; FIGURE 4 illustrates an isometric view of the top side and end of a partially formed carton;

FIGURE 4A illustrates an enlarged view of a portion of a support tab depending from the top of the carton and engaging with a support dab upstanding from the bottom wall;

FIGURE 5 illustrates a fully formed and loaded carton;

FIGURE 6 illustrates the carton of Figure 5 being gripped between finger and thumb, using two finger apertures; and

FIGURE 7 illustrates the end view of the carton of Figure 5.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to Figure 1 , there is shown a carton blank 10 for forming a carton 80 of the top gripping type for retaining articles, such as bottles (B) as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The carton 80 comprises one or more retaining tabs 42, 44 struck from a first panel or bottom panel 16 and depending from a second panel or inner top panel 12, one or more further retaining members 60 for co-operation therewith. The further retaining members 60 are struck from a second panel or bottom panel 16 and depend therefrom. The first retaining tabs 40, 42 and further retaining member 60 are provided with complementary locking means which cooperate to hold a bottle within the carton and provide an arrangement with an improved rigidity and strength as to be described herein.

In the example shown, the blank 10 is sized to accommodate 6 bottles (B) held in a 2 x 3 array. The blank 10 is made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material and comprises an inner top panel 12, a first side panel 14, a base panel 16, a second side panel 18, an outer top panel 20 and a facia panel 22 each hinged one to the next along corresponding fold lines 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32. The inner top panel 12 comprises three further retaining members or depending portions 60. Each depending portion 60 is hinged to the inner top panel 12 by a respective one of fold lines 68. The length of the depending portions 60 is approximately equal to the height of the side walls 14, 18, so that when the blank 10 is set up into a carton 80 the depending portions act as a brace between the composite top panel 12 and bottom panel 16.

Referring now to the bottom panel 16 of the blank 10, two rows of three article receiving apertures are formed within the bottom panel. The article receiving apertures are arranged each to receive an upper portion of a bottle (B). Associated with each article receiving aperture is an upstanding portion or first retaining tab 42,

44. Each upstanding portion 42, 44 is formed from material used to create the article receiving aperture and is hinged to the bottom panel 16 by respective ones of fold lines 34, 36.

Additionally, associated with each article receiving aperture a second retaining tab 40, 46 which is formed from and hinged to the bottom panel 16. Additionally, the second retaining tabs are hinged to a respective one of the side walls 14, 18 by a corresponding fold line 26, 28. It is envisaged that in other embodiments the article receiving apertures may be arranged in more or fewer rows or indeed may not be arranged in rows and that the configuration of the apertures may differ significantly. The shape and size of the upstanding portions 42, 44 may therefore also differ from that shown in the figures, although it is a benefit of the example described herein that a retaining tab 40, 46 and corresponding upstanding portion 42, 44 associated with an aperture together utilise all material taken to create that article receiving aperture.

Outer top panel 20 comprises two optional finger receiving apertures 70 which are provided so that a user can easily grasp the carton 80, as shown in Figure 6. Each finger receiving aperture 70 is designed to receive a finger of the user so that the carton 80 is readily transportable. Each finger receiving aperture 70 is formed from a finger receiving flap 70 hinged to the outer top panel 20 by a fold line 72. Whilst the illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises an outer top panel 20, it is strictly an unessential feature of the design, and may conceivably be omitted, in such embodiments glue flap or other means known in the art may be used to secure an upper edge of the second side wall panel 18 to the corresponding edge of the inner top panel 20. Likewise, although the illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises facia panel 22, it is strictly an unessential feature of the design, and may conceivably be omitted or repositioned such as to be, for example, hinged to the inner top panel 12.

Turning specifically to the details of the depending portions 60; each such depending portion is hinged, upon opposing sides, to shoulder portions 66 about a respective one of fold lines 64. The shoulder portions 66 are shaped such that, in the set up carton 80, an upper edge of each shoulder portion 66 is in alignment with an upper edge of an adjacent upstanding portion 42, 44 of the bottom panel so as to allow the upper edge of the shoulder portion to engage the underside of the upper portion of a bottle (B) held within the adjacent article receiving aperture. Additionally, the shoulder portions 66 are shaped such that they may be aligned in substantially face contacting relationship with the upstanding portions of the bottom panel 16. It is envisaged that the exact size and shape of the shoulder portion is a function of the nature of the underside of the article in question and it is therefore completely within the scope of this invention to provide for different shapes of shoulder portions. Optionally, the depending portions 60 may mirror the shape of a spade: displaying a step change in width at some point along their length. The step change in width would be positioned to correspond to the distance between the top panel 12 of the set up carton 80 and the underside of the articles (B). Thus the step change in width of the depending portion provides for a physical lip that may be used to engage the underside of an article (B).

Turning to the construction of the carton 80 from the blank 10, Figures 2 - 4 illustrate the steps taken to erect the blank 10 around an array of 6 bottles (B). Figure 2 illustrates the way in which the first retaining tabs or upstanding portions 42, 44 of the bottom panel 16 are struck from the article receiving apertures and engage the undersides of the upper portions of the articles (B). The upstanding portions 42, 44 and second retaining tabs 40, 46 are each pushed out of the plane of the bottom panel 16 by the insertion of a bottle (B). As the second retaining tabs 40, 46 and upstanding portions 42, 44 are displaced, the article receiving apertures are formed and a bottle (B) is received in each one.

Figure 2 also illustrates the position of the second retaining tabs 40, 46 which are disposed oppositely the upstanding portions 42, 44. The second retaining tabs 40, 46 also engage the undersides of the upper portions of the bottles (B) and in combination with the upstanding portions 42, 44 prevent the bottles from being pulled downwardly out of the bottom panel 16 and being undesirably released from the carton 80.

Figure 3 illustrates the carton in a partially set up state whereby, following insertion of the articles (B), the side wall panel 14 has been folded, upwardly toward the upper portions of the articles (B), about fold line 26 and the inner top panel 12 has been subsequently folded over upper portions of the articles (B) about fold line 24. Figure 3 illustrates the alignment of the further retaining members or depending portions 60, which are comprised within the inner top panel 12, above and between the upstanding portions 42, 44 of the bottom panel 16.

Figure 4 illustrates the partially set up carton of Figure 3 whereby the depending portions 60 comprised within the inner top panel have been displaced out of the plane of the inner top panel 12 and folded internally of the carton 80, about corresponding ones of fold lines 68.

Figures 4 and 4A together illustrate one specific means of achieving a locking arrangement between the depending portions 60 and the upstanding portions 44, 46.

In the illustrated embodiment, shoulder portions 66 have been folded about fold lines

64 such that detents 62 are prominent from the corner of the shoulder portions 66. The detents 62 are structured and arranged such that each one can be located within a complementary aperture 52 formed in a co-operating upstanding portion 42, 44. Also illustrated is the nature by which the shoulder portion 66 may be aligned substantially in face contacting relationship with the upstanding portion 42, 44. Furthermore, the nature in which the shoulder portions 66 may engage the undersides of the upper portions of the articles (B) is illustrated.

As discussed above, the specific embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the figures provide for the depending portions 60 to be aligned with the upstanding portions 42, 44 such that each depending portion may lock with a pair of upstanding portions. This arrangement may be altered within the scope of the present invention such that each depending portion may lock with any number of upstanding portions 42, 44.

Figure 5 illustrates the set up carton 80 whereby the second side panel 18 of the carton 80 of Figure 4 has been folded, toward the upper portions of the articles (B), about fold line 28. An optional outer top panel 20 has been folded, toward the upper portions of the articles (B), about fold line 30. Furthermore, the facia panel 22 has been folded, toward the base of the articles (B), about fold line 32. Gluing of the facia panel 22 to the first side wall 14 and/or gluing of the outer top panel 20 to the inner top panel 12, secures the carton in a set-up and loaded condition with the articles (B) secured therein. Other known securing means other than glue could be used to secure the carton panels together.

Figure 6 illustrates the insertion of a users fingers (H) into the finger receiving apertures of the inner and outer top panel (20 and 12 respectively). The insertion of the fingers causes the finger aperture flaps 70 to be struck from the outer top panel 20 and folded internally of the carton 80 about respective ones of fold lines 72. The finger receiving apertures of the outer top panel 20 are substantially aligned with the finger receiving apertures of the inner top panel 12 such that the struck finger aperture flaps 70 may pass through the finger receiving apertures of the inner top panel 12 whilst being folded about respective ones of fold lines 72. The resulting insertion of the fingers allows the user to grip the composite top panel of the carton 80 formed from the inner top panel 12 and the outer top panel 20. The provision of finger receiving apertures is optional and in other embodiments it is envisaged that other carrying means could be provided, such as a strap handle.

Figure 7 illustrates the alignment of the depending portions 60 of the inner top panel 12 between two corresponding upstanding portions 42, 44 of the bottom panel 16 such that each depending portion 60 is locked with a complementary upstanding portion 42, 44 associated with two opposed article receiving apertures. Figure 7 further illustrates the passing of the detents 66 through the complementary apertures 52, and in so doing affecting the locking mechanism that is the subject of the present invention. In this way the depending 60 and opposed upstanding portions 42, 44 provided a rigid bracing structure which limits and restricts the movement of bottles held within those apertures and provides a support between the top 12 and bottom panels 16.

It can be appreciated that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, for example, the size and shape of the panels may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing size or shape. The bottom panel may be provided with more or less article receiving apertures to accommodate a different number of bottles and indeed the apertures may be arranged in a greater number of rows. Other variations may also be made within the scope of the invention. For example depending tabs 60 may be provided only between every other opposed pair of apertures and the depending tabs 60 may be arranged to each face in the same direction.

In another embodiment it is envisaged that the complementary locking mechanism would be provided by a detent on the upstanding portion making with an aperture formed on the depending portion.

Additionally in yet another embodiment the complementary locking of the upstanding and depending forms would be achieved by other co-operating locking mechanisms. - l i ¬

lt will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "end", "side", "inner", "outer", "upper" and "lower" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only; indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A carton for accommodating at least one container, the carton comprising a first panel having a container receiving aperture, a first retaining tab formed from material taken to form the aperture and the first retaining tab folded out of the plane of the first panel and engaged with a container present in that aperture, a second panel spaced from the first panel and a further retaining member hinged to the second panel characterised in that the first retaining tab and the further retaining member have complementary locking means which co-operate to hold the retaining tab in engagement with the container and to enhance the rigidity of the carton.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the first retaining tab is formed from a bottom wall of the carton and is upstanding therefrom and wherein the further retaining member is struck from an upper wall of the carton and is depending therefrom

3. A carton according to either claim 1 or 2 wherein the further retaining member and the co-operating retaining tab are locked together by a complementary aperture and detent, the aperture being formed in the retaining tab and the detent protruding from the further retaining member.

4. A carton according to any one of claims 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the first retaining tab engages an underside of an upper flanged portion of a container held within the carton.

5. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the further retaining member is shaped so as to engage an underside of an upper flanged portion of a container held within the carton.

6. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the carton comprises pairs of article receiving apertures arranged in rows and the further retaining member is disposed between a pair of article receiving apertures such that it can be locked with a co-operating first retaining tab formed from material used to create each of the article receiving apertures of said pair.

7. A carton according to claim 3 wherein the further retaining member comprises one or more shoulder portions wherein each shoulder portion is disposed in face contacting relationship with a co-operating first retaining tab when the further retaining member and the first retaining tabs are locked together.

8. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the further retaining member is aligned between a pair of first retaining tabs tab such that each side of the further retaining member engages a different retaining tab.

9. A carton according to any one claims 1 to 8 wherein the insertion of one the containers serves to secure the locking of the first retaining tab with the corresponding further retaining member.

10. A carton according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the carton further comprises a second retaining tab struck from material used to create said container receiving aperture, said second retaining tab being disposed oppositely to the first retaining tab and disposed for engagement with an opposed upper portion of the container held within that aperture.

11. A blank for forming a carton for accommodating a container, the blank comprising first and second spaced panels, the first panel having a container receiving aperture struck therefrom and a first retaining tab struck therefrom and hinged to an edge of said container receiving aperture, the second panel having a further retaining member struck therefrom, characterised by said first retaining tab and said further retaining member being formed with complementary locking means, such that when the blank is set-up into a carton, the rigidity of the carton is enhanced and a container is held in said container receiving aperture by the complementary locking means of the first retaining tab and further retaining member co-operating to lock the first retaining tab in engagement with the container.

12. A blank according of claim 11 wherein the further retaining member comprises a protruding portion and the retaining tab comprises a complementary locking aperture so that the retaining member and retaining tab can be locked together.