Article Carrier

Abstract

An article carrier having a bottom wall, spaced side and end walls and a handle structure interconnected with each sidewall by partition panels is provided with reinforcing means affixed to the bottom wall and to the adjacent portions of the sidewalls as well as to the handle and partition structure and the upper portions of the side and end walls so that each article receiving cell is reinforced at its bottom to take the weight of the article and is reinforced entirely about its upper portions so as to secure the article therein against any inadvertent rupture of the upper portion of the cell. The reinforcing strips are applied to the main blank by simply affixing a common center strip to the web of material from which the main blanks are formed, the bottom panels of the blanks being disposed in aligned relationship along the reinforced common reinforcing strip. Additional strips are arranged on either side of the common center strip and coincide with other portions of the blanks which are aligned with each other and which correspond to the handle, partition structure and the upper portions of the side and end walls.

Description

The invention in its broader aspects as applied to an article carrier comprises a bottom wall, spaced sidewalls foldably joined along their bottom edges to the side edges of the bottom wall, end wall panels foldably joined to the end edges of the sidewalls and secured together along their inner edges medially of the carrier, handle structure secured to the end walls medially thereof, partition panels interconnected between the handle structure and each sidewall, and initially separate reinforcing means affixed to the upper portions of the end and sidewalls, to the lower portion of the handle structure and to said partition panels so as to strengthen the upper portions of the article receiving cells on all sides thereof.

The method according to this invention utilizes the steps of affixing a common reinforcing strip to the center portion of a web from which the main blanks are die cut. The blanks are arranged with the bottom panels disposed at one end thereof and are cut from the web and reinforcing strips in such manner that the bottom panels of staggered blanks on either side of the web are arranged in alignment so that the common reinforcing strip is arranged in overlying relationship to all of the bottom panels of all of the blanks together with the adjacent parts of the lower portions of the associated sidewalls. The other portions of the carrier are reinforced by supplementary reinforcing strips spaced in parallel relationship from the main common reinforcing strip.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier formed according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main blank utilized in forming the carrier of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a fragment of the web from which main blanks are die cut and with respect to which the main blanks are arranged in reversed staggered relationship, the common and supplementary reinforcing strips being indicated in FIG. 3 by dotted lines; FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the center portion of the main blank depicted in FIG. 2 but showing the reinforcing strips which are added to the mid portion of the blank; FIG. 5 is a view depicting an intermediate stage of folding during which the blank such as is depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4 is manipulated; FIG. 6 is a plan view of a collapsed carrier after the folding operations are completed; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a different type of carrier to which the invention is applicable and which is constructed in accordance therewith; FIG. 8 is a plan view of a main blank from which the carrier of FIG. 7 is formed and to which the common and supplementary reinforcing strips are shown as being affixed; FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of the center portion of the blank depicted in FIG. 8; FIG. 10 is a view of the blank such as is shown in FIG. 8 during an intermediate stage of folding; and in which FIG. 11 is a view of a collapsed completed carrier which corresponds to the setup carrier depicted in FIG. 7.

With reference to FIG. 2 the numeral 1 depicts a sidewall of the carrier to which end wall panels 2 and 3 are foldably joined along fold lines 4 and 5 respectively. A glue flap 6 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of sidewall 1 along fold line 7. Riser panel 8 is foldably joined to end wall panel 2 along fold line 9 while riser panel 10 is foldably joined to end wall panel 3 along fold line 11. Handle panel 12 is foldably joined to riser panel 8 along fold line 9 and to partition strap 13 along fold line 14. Partition strap 13 is foldably joined to sidewall 1 along fold line 15. Handle panel 16 is foldably joined to riser panel 10 along fold line 11 and to partition strap 17 along fold line 18. Partition strap 17 is foldably joined to sidewall 1 along fold line 19. A hand gripping aperture 20 is formed in handle panel 12 and a hand gripping flap 21 is foldably joined to handle panel 12 along fold line 22. In similar fashion hand gripping aperture 23 is formed in handle panel 16 and hand gripping flap 24 is foldably joined to handle panel 16 along fold line 25. The inner end edge of handle panel 12 is separated from the inner end edge of handle panel 16 by a cut line 26.

The other side of the carrier is of similar construction and comprises a pair of handle panels 27 and 28 which are foldably joined along medial fold lines 29 to handle panels 12 and 16 respectively. A hand gripping aperture is defined in handle panel 27 by an auxiliary panel 30 which is struck from handle panel 27 and foldably joined thereto along fold line 31. Hand gripping aperture 32 is struck from handle panel 28 and a hand gripping flap 33 is foldably joined to handle panel 28 along fold line 34. Handle panel 27 is separated at its inner edge from the inner edge of handle panel 28 by cut line 26.

Riser panels 35 and 36 are foldably joined to handle panels 27 and 28 along fold lines 37 and 38 respectively and end wall panels 39 and 40 are foldably joined respectively to riser panels 35 and 36 along the fold lines 37 and 38. Sidewall 41 is foldably joined to end wall panel 39 along fold line 42 and to end wall panel 40 along fold line 43. Partition strap 44 is foldably joined to sidewall 41 along fold line 45 and to handle panel 27 along fold line 46. In like fashion partition strap 47 is foldably joined to sidewall 41 along fold line 48 and to handle panel 28 along fold line 49.

The bottom wall of the carrier comprises a bottom panel 50 foldably joined to sidewall 41 along fold line 51 and which panel incorporates a medial fold line 52. As will be explained glue flap 6 is adjoined to an edge of bottom panel 50 which is opposite from the fold line 51 and in this manner the bottom of the carrier is formed.

A locking notch 53 is formed at one end of fold line 52 and cooperates with a locking notch comprising notches 54 and 55 formed at the bottom portion of riser panels 8 and 35 respectively as is well known in the art. In like fashion, the notch 56 formed at the right hand end of fold line 52, is arranged to cooperate with a locking notch defined by notches 57 and 58 formed respectively in riser panels 10 and 36.

The carrier, as described thus far, is of conventional construction. According to this invention the main blank as shown for example in FIG. 2 is significantly reinforced by the addition of reinforcing strips as indicated in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, a blank such as B1 is arranged with its bottom panel 50 in aligned relation to the bottom panel of blank B2. Of course these blanks are arranged in staggered and reversed orientation in the web of material from which they are struck and which constitutes a large strip extending from left to right or vice versa.

In order to reinforce the blanks of FIG. 2 according to this invention, a common reinforcing strip 59 is applied to the main web "W" along the center portion thereof and overlies the bottom panel 50 of each of the blanks B1 and B2. As is apparent from FIG. 3 the side edges of common reinforcing strip 59 extend over the bottom portions of the sidewalls 41, the end walls 39 and 40 and the riser panels 35 and 36 of both blanks B1 and B2. Since the common reinforcing strip 59 is adhered to the web W it is apparent that the entire bottom portion of the carrier is thus provided with reinforcing means.

In order to reinforce the glue flap 6 of each of the blanks, a supplementary or additional strip 60 is adhered to the web W so as to reinforce the glue flap 6 and the bottom edges of sidewall 1 end wall panels 2 and 3 and riser panels 8 and 10. Similarly additional reinforcing strip 61 is applied to the web W so as to reinforce the glue flap 6 and the bottom edges of the side and end walls and of the riser panels of blank B2 as is obvious from FIG. 3.

In order to provide reinforcement for the upper portions of the side and end walls and the lower portion of the handle structure as well as for the transverse partition straps 44 and 47 of each blank additional reinforcing strips 62 and 63 are affixed to web W and across the entire width of each blank such as B1 and B2 as clearly shown in FIG. 3.

The other side of the blank near the region of the upper edges of the side and end walls and the lower portions of the handle structure as well as of the partition straps 13 and 17 are reinforced by supplementary or additional reinforcing strips 64 and 65 which are adhered to the web W across the entire width of each blank as shown for example in FIG. 3.

After the blanks such as B1 and B2 are die cut from the web W their outer margins appear as indicated in FIG. 2 and the center portions thereof appear with the reinforcing strips applied thereto as indicated in FIG. 4. In order to form the completed collapsed carrier as depicted in FIG. 6 from the blank such as is depicted for example in FIGS. 2 and 4, it is simply necessary to swing the end wall panels 2 and 39 upwardly and toward the right along the fold lines 4 and 42. This operation elevates the handle panels 12 and 27 and causes the partition straps 13 and 44 to swing upwardly and toward the right along the fold lines 15 and 45 respectively. Upon completion of this folding operation the handle panels 12 and 27 lie in flat face contacting relationship with the straps 15 and 44 and the riser panels 8 and 35 are disposed in flat face contacting relation to the adjacent portions of handle panels 12 and 27. Riser panels 8 and 35 are adhered to handle panels 12 and 27 by glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 4. Following this folding operation, riser panels 10 and 36 are folded upwardly and toward the left along fold lines 11 and 38 to occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 5 and the riser panels are adhered to the handle panels 16 and 28 by glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 4. The bottom panel 50 is collapsed along its medial fold line 52 as depicted in FIG. 5. Following completion of the folding operations which result in the appearance of the carrier as depicted in FIG. 5, the sidewall 1, end wall panels 2 and 3, riser panels 8 and 10 together with handle panels 12 and 16 are elevated and folded forwardly and downwardly along the fold line 29 to occupy the completed position depicted in FIG. 6. During this operation, glue flap 6 is adhered to one edge of bottom panel 50 by the glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 5 and the handle panels 12 and 27 are secured together by the glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 5. In like fashion the riser panels 8 and 35 are adhered to each other in flat face contacting relation and the riser panels 10 and 36 are adhered to each other by the glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 5.

From the description thus far it is apparent that the bottom wall of the carrier is reinforced completely by means of the common reinforcing strip 59 and by the supplementary reinforcing strips such as 60 or 61. In addition it is apparent that the lower portion of the handle together with the upper portion of the side and end walls, riser panels and the entire areas of the partition straps 44 and 47 are reinforced by the supplementary reinforcing strip 62 on one side of the carrier. In like fashion the corresponding structure on the other side of the carrier is reinforced by the reinforcing strip 64 or 63 as the case may be. The reinforcing strips such as 64 and 65 are wider than the supplemental reinforcing strips 62 and 63 so that the upper edge of strips 64 and 65 extends into close proximity with the medial fold line 29. This of course affords substantial reinforcement throughout almost the entire area of the handle panels 12 and 16. Since the reinforcing strips 62 and 63 do not extend up into close proximity with the medial fold line 29, the upper portions of the handle panels 27 and 28 are not reinforced since such reinforcement is not necessary due to the fact that the overall handle structure is adequately strong without such additional layer of reinforcement.

The carrier depicted in FIGS. 7--11 is generally similar to that described above particularly insofar as the reinforcing strips are concerned. For example and as will be understood from FIG. 8, the bottom panels are reinforced by a common reinforcing strip generally designated by the numeral 66 which extends in overlying relationship with the bottom edge of the carton sidewalls. At the other end of the blank a supplementary reinforcing strip is generally designated by the numeral 67 and extends into the lower edges of the side and end wall panels. Supplementary reinforcing strips are designated generally by the numerals 68 and 69 and serve to reinforce the upper edges of the side and end walls the lower edges of the handle panels and the partition strips.

The carrier of FIG. 7 and subsequent FIGS. comprises a sidewall 70 to which end wall panels 71 and 72 are foldably joined along fold lines 73 and 74. A glue flap 75 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of sidewall 70 along fold line 76. Riser panels 77 and 78 are foldably joined to the edges of end wall panels 71 and 72 along fold lines 79 and 80 respectively. Handle panel 81 is foldably joined to riser panel 78 along fold line 80 and reinforcing panel 82 severed from panels 81 and 81a along cut line 82A and is foldably joined along fold lines 83 and 84 to the handle panels 81 and 81a. Suitable hand gripping apertures are formed in both the supplementary reinforcing panel 82 and in the handle panels 81 and 81a. Straps 85 and 86 are foldably joined to handle panel 81 along fold lines 87 and 88 and to sidewall 70 along fold lines 89 and 90.

At the other side of the carrier riser panel 91 is foldably joined to riser panel 77 along medial fold line 92 and handle panels 81 and 81a are foldably joined to each other along medial fold line 93. Auxiliary handle panel 82 is collapsible along medial fold line 94. Riser panel 95 is foldably joined to handle panel 81a along fold line 96. End wall panel 97 is foldably joined to riser panel 91 along fold line 98 while riser panel 95 is foldably joined to end wall 99 along fold line 96. Sidewall 100 is foldably joined to end wall panel 97 along fold line 101 and to end wall panel 99 along fold line 102. Bottom wall panel 103 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of sidewall 100 along fold line 104.

Formation of the carrier depicted in FIGS. 7--11 is similar to the formation of the carrier depicted in FIGS. 1-- 6 and a detailed description of all the folding operations is not deemed necessary. Suffice it to point out that reinforcing handle panel 82 is first folded upwardly and toward the right along fold lines 83 and 84 to occupy the position depicted in FIG. 9. Thereafter folding operations as depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11 are identical to the folding operations of the carrier described in connection with FIGS. 1--6 and a repetition thereof is not deemed necessary.

Upon completion of the carrier into collapsed form as depicted in FIG. 11, the carrier may be setup by simply pressing inwardly on panels 72 and 99 toward the left while holding the sidewalls stationery. This operation sets the carrier up into the condition depicted in FIG. 7 and the carrier as is well known is held in that condition by the locking notch 105 formed at the end of fold line 106 in bottom wall 103 which notch cooperates with the notches 107 and 108 formed in the riser panels 77 and 91 respectively.

As in the case of the carrier shown in FIGS. 1--6 inclusive, the upper edges of the side and end walls of the carrier of FIGS. 7--11 and the lower edges of the handle structure as well as the partition straps are all reinforced by the supplementary reinforcing strips 68 and 69. Furthermore, the bottom wall is reinforced by the reinforcing strips 66 and 67 as will be obvious.

Under high moisture conditions, there is a tendency to weaken the fibers of paperboard from which these carriers ordinarily are formed. In order to protect against this tendency, hot melt adhesive is employed so that moisture is prevented from entering the board through the adhesive layer. Suitable adhesives are micro crystaline wax with additions of ethylene vinyl acetate and/or low molecular weight polyolefin or polyolefins along.

Claims

We claim:

1. An article carrier formed in part from a main blank comprising a bottom wall, spaced sidewalls foldably joined along their bottom edges to the side edges of said bottom wall, end wall panels foldably joined to the end edges of said sidewalls and extending transversely inwardly therefrom, the inner edges of said end wall panels being secured together medially of the carrier to form spaced end walls, handle structure including exterior and interior plys secured in face contacting relation to each other and secured at its ends to the end walls medially thereof, partition panels secured to exterior and interior plys of said handle structure and to said sidewalls respectively and defining a plurality of article receiving cells on each side of said handle structure, and initially separate reinforcing means extending the entire width of the main blank and affixed to the inner surfaces of the upper portions of said end and sidewalls, to the inner surfaces of the lower portions of said exterior and interior plys of said handle structure and to one surface of said partition panels so as to strengthen the upper portions of the article receiving cells on all sides thereof.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein said reinforcing means comprises a pair of strips, each strip being associated with one row of article receiving cells.

3. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein initially separate reinforcing means is affixed to said bottom wall and disposed astride the fold lines between said bottom wall and each of said sidewalls.

4. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein said reinforcing means comprises a pair of strips one of which overlies said bottom wall and the fold line between said bottom wall and one of said sidewalls and the other of which overlies the junction between said bottom wall and the other of said sidewalls.