U.S. patent application number 10/659810 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-17 for ten pack carton separable into multiple pack retail units.
Invention is credited to Evans, James D., Fath, Scott A., Moore, Pam.
Application Number | 20050056554 10/659810 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34273530 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050056554 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fath, Scott A. ; et
al. |
March 17, 2005 |
Ten pack carton separable into multiple pack retail units
Abstract
A ten pack carton blank is used to package ten packs in two rows
with five packs in each row in side-to-side abutting relationship
with one another. Perforated score lines are provided for
separating an assembled ten pack carton into smaller multi-pack
retail units. Each smaller multi-pack retail unit has at least one
open end exposing the packs therein. By way of example, the
perforated score lines may be arranged for separating an assembled
ten pack carton into five, two pack retail units.
Inventors: |
Fath, Scott A.; (Richmond,
VA) ; Moore, Pam; (Chesterfield, VA) ; Evans,
James D.; (Chesterfield, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CONNOLLY BOVE LODGE & HUTZ, LLP
P O BOX 2207
WILMINGTON
DE
19899
US
|
Family ID: |
34273530 |
Appl. No.: |
10/659810 |
Filed: |
September 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/271 ;
206/242 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/1072 20130101;
B65D 5/5445 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/271 ;
206/242 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/10 |
Claims
1: A ten pack carton blank for packaging ten packs in two rows with
five packs in each row in side-to-side abutting relationship with
one another, perforated score lines for separating an assembled ten
pack carton into smaller multi-pack retail units, and each smaller
multi-pack retail unit having at least one open end exposing the
packs therein.
2: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 1 wherein the perforated
score lines are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack
carton into five, two pack retail units.
3: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 1 wherein the perforated
score lines are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack
carton into two, five pack retail units.
4: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 1 wherein the perforated
score lines are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack
carton into three, three pack retail units and one single pack.
5: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 1 wherein the perforated
score lines are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack
carton into two, four pack retail units and one, two pack retail
unit.
6: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 1 wherein the perforated
score lines are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack
carton into two, three pack retail units and two, two pack retail
units.
7: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 1 including a plurality of
glue dots inside the blank for releasably securing packs to be
packaged in the carton.
8: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 2 including a plurality of
glue dots inside the blank, one glue dot for each of ten packs to
be packaged in the carton.
9: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 3 including a plurality of
glue dots inside the blank, one glue dot for each of four packs to
be adjacent the perforated score lines.
10: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 4 including a plurality of
glue dots inside the blank, one glue dot for each of eight packs to
be adjacent the perforated score lines.
11: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 5 including a plurality of
glue dots inside the blank, one glue dot for each of eight packs to
be adjacent the score lines.
12: A ten pack carton blank as in claim 6 including a plurality of
glue dots inside the blank, one glue dot for each of nine packs to
be adjacent the score lines.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a ten pack carton, and more
particularly to a ten pack carton separable for retail purposes
into multiple pack units of less than ten packs.
[0002] In the manufacture and packaging of cigarette packs,
individual packs of cigarettes are often packaged in cigarette
cartons that hold two rows of five packs each for a total of ten
packs per carton. Packaging machinery has long been available for
producing ten pack cartons, and other machinery is in place for
applying revenue stamps to cigarette packs in such cartons.
However, with the rising cost of a cigarette pack, primary due to
the even increasing taxes applied by government agencies, multiple
pack sale of less than the traditional ten pack carton is becoming
rapidly popular.
[0003] Additionally, cigarette pack sales are often sold under
promotional marketing programs where the sale of several packs is
accompanied by a free pack of cigarettes. Buy one, get one free and
buy two, get one free are common promotional programs. Under such
programs, two and three pack retail units are individually sold.
Similarly in buy three, get two free promotions, five packs of
cigarettes are packaged as a single retail unit.
[0004] It is common practice to ship and store cigarette packs in
cartons. Conventional or standard cigarette cartons ordinarily hold
ten packs, each pack containing about twenty cigarettes. Such
standard cartons completely encase the cigarette packs and are
provided with glued flaps. Examples of cartons for ten packs of
cigarettes are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,308 to Begemann;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,359 to Phillips, Jr., and U.S. Pat. No.
4,903,844 to Oglesby.
[0005] Individual jurisdictions require the application of a tax
stamp to each pack of cigarettes sold in the respective
jurisdiction. Typically, the distributor or jobber in the
jurisdiction receives the cartons from the manufacturer, unseals
the flap of carton which is sealed with a fugitive adhesive,
applies the tax stamp to each pack of cigarettes, and then recloses
and reseals the carton. In order to minimize the time, labor and
expense associated with tax stamping of the packs within the
carton, various automated tax marking or stamping machines have
been developed. Such tax marking machines automatically print or
otherwise affix tax stamps to packs within the carton. Accordingly,
the dimensions and construction of the standard cigarette carton
have been established by the tax stamping machinery customarily
employed by the distributors, wholesalers and jobbers who tax mark
the cigarette packs prior to retail sale.
[0006] A manufacturer desiring to provide cigarette packs in
non-standard size or shape cartons is forced to pay to have the
individual packs hand tax stamped. Alternatively, the manufacturer
can package cigarette packs in standard cartons for tax stamping
and handling, and then manually load the tax stamped packs into
non-standard size or shape cartons. However, a manual method for
providing non-standard size or shape cartons of packaged cigarettes
is time consuming, laborious and expensive.
[0007] Occasionally, manufacturers desire to market cartons
containing five packs of cigarettes. Such cartons are similar in
design to the standard cartons, but only contain one row of five
packs. In particular, five pack cartons having a configuration
comparable to standard cigarette cartons have had a top flap
configuration. The top flap has required that the packs of such
cartons be tax stamped by hand or that the tax stamped packs be
manually loaded in the carton.
[0008] It would be desirable to provide a procedure for efficiently
and effectively packaging cigarettes in separable and divisible
cartons which in turn are provided from standard size cartons of
conventional shape or configuration. In particular, it would be
desirable for the cigarette manufacturer to efficiently and
effectively provide cigarette packs contained within standard
cartons for tax stamping using conventional automatic or
semi-automatic tax stamping machinery, which standard cartons have
the capability of being separated into multi-pack retail units of
less than ten cigarette packs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is
a traditional ten pack carton, but with predetermined lines of
separation whereby the carton is separable into multi-pack units
for retail sales of two, three, four and five cigarette packs.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is a ten pack carton
which is handled in a traditional manner during filling of the
carton with packs of cigarettes and applying revenue stamps to the
packs while in the carton, but which is separable into multi-pack
units of less than ten packs for retail sale.
[0011] In accordance with the present invention, a ten pack carton
blank is constructed and arranged for packaging ten packs in two
rows with five packs in each row in side-to-side abutting
relationship with one another. The carton includes perforated score
lines for separating an assembled ten pack carton into smaller
multi-pack retail units. Each multi-pack retail unit has at least
one open end exposing the packs therein.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention the perforated
score lines are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack
carton into five, two pack retail units. In another embodiment of
the invention the perforated score lines are arranged for
separating an assembled ten pack carton into two, five pack retail
units. In an alternate embodiment the perforated score lines are
arranged for separating an assembled ten pack carton into three,
three pack retail units and one single pack. In still another
embodiment of the present invention, the perforated score lines are
arranged for separating an assembled ten pack carton into two, four
pack retail units and one, two pack retail unit.
[0013] The perforated score lines of still another ten pack carton
blank are arranged for separating an assembled ten pack carton into
two three pack retail units and two, two pack retail units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Novel features and advantages of the present invention in
addition to those noted above will be become apparent to persons of
ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed
description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein
similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in
which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a ten pack carton blank with
score lines that enable the ten pack carton to be separated into
five, two pack retail units, according to the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the ten pack
carton produced from the carton blank of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an end two pack retail unit
separated from the carton of FIG. 2;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another ten pack carton blank
with score lines that enable the ten pack carton to be separated
into two, five pack retail units, according to the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ten pack carton produced
from the carton blank of FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of two five pack retail
units produced from the carton of FIG. 5;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of anther ten pack carton blank
with score lines that enable the ten pack carton to be separated
into three, three pack retail units and one single pack, according
to the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the ten pack
carton produced from the carton blank of FIG. 7;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one of three, three pack
retail units produced from the carton of FIG. 8;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of still another ten pack carton
blank with score lines that enable the ten pack carton to be
separated into multiple pack retail units such as the illustrated
two, four pack retail units and one two pack retail unit, according
to the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the ten pack
carton produced from the carton blank of FIG. 10;
[0026] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one of two, four pack
retail units separated from the carton of FIG. 11;
[0027] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the two pack retail unit
separated from the carton of FIG. 11;
[0028] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a ten pack carton blank
with score lines that enable the ten pack carton to be separated
into two, three pack retail units and two, two pack retail units
according to the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating the ten pack
carton produced from the carton block of FIG. 14; and
[0030] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of one of two, two pack retail
units separated from the carton of FIG. 15 with one of the two,
three pack retail units the same as shown in FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] Referring in more particularity to the drawings, FIG. 1
illustrates a carton blank 10 fabricated from paperboard or similar
material. Blank 10 includes a bottom wall 12 together with an
upstanding front wall 14 and an upstanding rear wall 16 generally
parallel to front wall 14 in the assembled condition of the carton
blank. A top wall 18 extends from the rear wall 16 and a top
closure flap 20 extends from the front wall 14. The front wall 14
includes end walls 22, 24 at the sides thereof while the rear wall
16 includes end closure flaps 26, 28. Bottom flaps 30, 32 extend
from the sides of the bottom wall 12.
[0032] In assembling the carton blank 10 the walls and flaps are
folded along fold lines between the respective walls and flaps of
the carton blank. Initially the bottom flaps 30, 32 are folded
inwardly and the front and rear walls 14, 16 are upwardly folded.
End walls 22, 24 are folded and secured in place by the end closure
flaps 26, 28. A glue strip 34 on each of the end closure flaps is
used to secure these flaps to the end walls 26, 28. After the top
wall 18 is folded over to close the carton blank, the top closure
flap 20 is secured to the top wall 18. Adhesive 36 may be used to
secure the top closure flap 20 to the top wall 18.
[0033] A carton blank assembled in this manner is shown in FIG. 2.
The carton blank 10 includes perforated score lines 40 for
separating an assembled ten pack carton into smaller multi-pack
retail units. Fundamentally, the carton blank 10 is used for
packaging ten packs 42 into two rows with five packs in each row in
side-to-side abutting relationship with one anther. The perforated
score lines 40 are basically arranged for separating an assembled
ten pack carton blank 10 into five, two pack retail units 44. Each
of the retail units 44 has at least one open end exposing the packs
42 therein. The end units of the carton have a single open end,
while the three interior retail units 44 are open at opposite ends.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the score lines 40 comprise four
parallel lines that extend across the bottom, front, rear and top
walls of the carton blank 10 as well as the top closure flap 20.
Adhesive dots 38 are placed inside the carton to releasably secure
the packs in place and thereby prevent the packs from falling out
of each two pack retail unit.
[0034] In actual use, cartons are assembled from blank 10 and packs
42 are loaded into the assembled carton after which revenue stamps
may be applied and the carton then closed. At the retail location,
the operator simply separates the carton along the score lines 40
to thereby produce five, two pack retail units 44.
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates another carton blank 10A having the same
layout as blank 10 and similar portions are identified by similar
reference characters. The major difference, however, is the
arrangement of score lines 40A which enable separation of the
assembled ten pack carton shown in FIG. 5 into two, five pack
retail units 44.
[0036] In actual use, cartons are assembled from blank 10A and
packs 42 are loaded into the assembled carton after which revenue
stamps may be applied and the carton then closed. At the retail
location, the operator simply separates the carton along the score
lines 40A to produce two, five pack retail units 46. Adhesive dots
38 prevent the exposed packs of each five pack retail unit from
falling out.
[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates another carton blank 10B having the same
layout as blank 10 and similar portions are identified by similar
reference characters. The major difference, however, is the
arrangement of score lines 40B which enable separation of the
assembled ten pack carton shown in FIG. 8 into three, three pack
retail units 48 and one single pack 42.
[0038] In actual use, cartons are assembled from blank 10B and
packs 42 are loaded into the assembled carton after which revenue
stamps may be applied and the carton then closed. At the retail
location, the operator simply separates the carton along the score
lines 40B to produce three, three pack retail units 48 and one
single pack 42.
[0039] FIG. 10 illustrates another carton blank 10C having the same
layout as blank 10 and similar portions are identified by similar
reference characters. The major difference, however, is the
arrangement of score lines 40C which enable separation of the
assembled ten pack carton shown in FIG. 11 into two, four pack
retail units 52 and one, two pack retail units 44.
[0040] In actual use, cartons are assembled from blank 10C as
described above, and at the retail location, the operator simply
separates the carton along the score lines 40C to thereby product
two, four pack retail units 52 and one, two pack retail unit
44.
[0041] FIG. 14 illustrates still another carton blank 10D having
the same layout as blank 10 and similar portions are identified by
similar reference characters. The major difference, however, is the
arrangement of score lines 40D which enable separation of the
assembled ten pack carton shown in FIG. 15 into two, three pack
retail units 48 and two, two pack retail units 44.
[0042] In actual use, cartons are assembled from blank 10D as
described above, and at the retail location, the operator simply
separates the carton along the score lines 40D to thereby product
two, three pack retail units 48 and two, two pack retail unit
44.
* * * * *