U.S. patent number 3,623,650 [Application Number 04/873,021] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-30 for carton and blank for making same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Reynolds Metals Company. Invention is credited to Richard M. Watts.
United States Patent |
3,623,650 |
Watts |
November 30, 1971 |
CARTON AND BLANK FOR MAKING SAME
Abstract
A carton having a bottom wall, a plurality of vertical
sidewalls, and a top wall foldably connected to one of the
sidewalls. The top wall has extension flaps foldably connected
thereto which are held against the exterior top portions of
associated sidewalls by a plurality of tabs extending from the top
edges of the sidewalls and cooperating fastening tongues defined by
nonrectilinear cuts in the top wall. The exteriorly arranged
extension flaps prevent outward bulging of their associated
sidewalls and the tabs and fastening tongues also cooperate to
enable easy vertical stacking of a plurality of cartons by
restraining an adjoining carton against lateral movement.
Inventors: |
Watts; Richard M. (Henrico
County, VA) |
Assignee: |
Reynolds Metals Company
(Richmond, VA)
|
Family
ID: |
25360833 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/873,021 |
Filed: |
October 31, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/509; 229/112;
229/149; 229/148; 229/186 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
5/241 (20130101); B65D 77/042 (20130101); B65D
5/2028 (20130101); B65D 5/0015 (20130101); B65D
5/2042 (20130101); B65D 2577/043 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
5/00 (20060101); B65D 5/24 (20060101); B65D
5/20 (20060101); B65D 77/04 (20060101); B65d
005/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;229/31,22,DIG.11,6A,45
;206/65K |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,160,784 |
|
Jan 1964 |
|
DT |
|
1,456,917 |
|
Sep 1966 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Leclair; Joseph R.
Assistant Examiner: Lipman; Steven E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A carton comprising, a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls
extending upwardly from said bottom wall, a plurality of tabs each
extending outwardly from and being arranged coplanar with an
associated sidewall, a top wall foldably connected to one of said
plurality of sidewalls, a plurality of extension flaps each
foldably connected to said top wall along an associated fold line,
each of said extension flaps being arranged against the exterior
top portion of an associated sidewall to prevent outward bulging
thereof, and a plurality of nonrectilinear cuts in said top wall
corresponding in number to said plurality of tabs, each of said
cuts defining an opening in said top wall upon folding its
associated extension flap in position which receives an associated
tab therethrough while simultaneously defining a fastening tongue
in its associated extension flap which extends in a direction
opposite from the outward extension of the associated extension
flap from its fold line, each of said fastening tongues having an
inside surface arranged coplanar with and frictionally engaging an
outside surface of an associated tab to hold the top wall closed
and the associated extension flap firmly against the exterior of
its sidewall to prevent said outward bulging, said tabs and tongues
also cooperating to enable easy vertical stacking of a plurality of
cartons by restraining an adjoining carton against lateral
movement.
2. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which said plurality of
extension flaps correspond in number to the others of said
plurality of sidewalls and further comprising means for locking one
of said extension flaps against an associated sidewall.
3. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said sidewalls
has a rectangular configuration and is foldably connected to said
bottom wall and further comprising means for locking a portion of
said top wall to a cooperating sidewall to lock said top wall
closed.
4. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said sidewalls
is foldably connected to said bottom wall and further comprising a
plurality of gussets each connecting associated ends of a pair of
sidewalls.
5. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said tabs
comprises a substantially rectangular tab, each of said
nonrectilinear cuts comprises a substantially U-shaped cut having
its terminal ends adjoining an associated fold line, each U-shaped
cut defining a fastening tongue which corresponds in configuration
and area to an associated rectangular tab, and each opening in said
top wall comprising a rectangular opening defined by the area
previously occupied by an associated tongue with the openings in
said top wall serving as vents to prevent steaming of a hot product
carried within said carton.
6. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said
nonrectilinear cuts comprises a substantially M-shaped cut having
its terminal ends adjoining an associated fold line, each M-shaped
cut defining a fastening tongue having a maximum width and a
comparatively small opening in said top wall.
7. A carton as set forth in claim 6 in which each M-shaped cut has
its central portion extending beyond its associated fold line a
distance which is slightly less than the thickness of its
associated tab to thereby define an associated arcuate edge portion
in said top wall which firmly engages the associated tab.
8. A carton as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising at least
another nonrectilinear cut provided in said top wall and having its
terminal ends adjoining the fold line between said top wall and
said one sidewall, said other nonrectilinear cut defining another
vent in said top wall and another fastening tongue to help restrain
an adjoining carton against said lateral movement during said
vertical stacking of cartons.
9. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which said bottom wall and
said top wall have identical roughly triangular configurations.
10. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in which said bottom wall and
said top wall have identical trapezoidal configurations with the
shorter ones of the parallel sides of said top wall and bottom wall
having a width which is only a small fractional part of the width
of the longer ones of the parallel sides so that said top and
bottom walls are roughly triangular, said one sidewall comprising
the rear wall of said carton and having the longer one of said
parallel sides of said top wall foldably connected thereto, said
trapezoidal bottom wall having said one sidewall extending upwardly
from the longer of its parallel sides and defining a rear wall of
said carton with said top wall having the longer one of its
parallel sides foldably connected to said rear wall, said
trapezoidal bottom wall having a small width sidewall extending
upwardly from the shorter of its parallel sides and defining a
front wall for said carton, and said carton further comprising a
plurality of gussets each connecting associated ends of a pair of
sidewalls, said front wall with its associated pair of gussets
along opposite ends thereof assuring the provision of a gusseted
carton having said roughly triangular configuration with said
associated gussets straddling an associated product instead of
interfering therewith.
11. A carton as set forth in claim 10 and further comprising a
closure flap foldably connected to the shorter one of the parallel
sides of said top wall, said closure flap being arranged against
the exterior of the top portion of said front wall, a locking tab
in said closure flap, a cooperating opening in said front wall
receiving said locking tab therethrough, and a pull tab at the
terminal end of said closure flap enabling easy opening of said
carton.
12. A carton as set forth in claim 10 in which each of said gussets
has a weakening line bisecting its area.
13. A carton as set forth in claim 12 in which each weakening line
comprises a cut-score line.
14. A blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to
define a resulting carton upon assembly thereof, said blank
comprising, a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls extending
outwardly from said bottom wall, a plurality of tabs each extending
outwardly from and being arranged coplanar with an associated
sidewall, a top wall foldably connected to one of said plurality of
sidewalls, a plurality of extension flaps each foldably connected
to said top wall along an associated fold line, each of said
extension flaps being arranged against the exterior top portion of
an associated sidewall in said resulting carton to prevent outward
bulging thereof, a plurality of nonrectilinear cuts in said top
wall corresponding in number to said plurality of tabs, each of
said cuts defining an opening in said top wall upon folding its
associated extension flap in position which receives an associated
tab therethrough in said resulting carton while simultaneously
defining a fastening tongue in its associated extension flap which
extends in a direction opposite from the outward extension of the
associated extension flap from its fold line, each of said
fastening tongues having in inside surface arranged coplanar with
and frictionally engaging an outside surface of an associated tab
in said resulting carton to hold the top wall closed and the
associated extension flap firmly against the exterior of its
sidewall to prevent said outward bulging, said tabs and tongues
also cooperating in said resulting carton to enable easy vertical
stacking of a plurality of cartons by restraining an adjoining
carton against lateral movement.
15. A blank as set forth in claim 14 in which said plurality of
extension flaps correspond in number to the others of said
plurality of sidewalls and further comprising means for locking one
of said extension flaps against an associated sidewall in said
resulting carton.
16. A blank as set forth in claim 14 in which each of said
sidewalls is foldably connected to said bottom wall and further
comprising a plurality of gussets each connecting associated ends
of a pair of sidewalls.
17. A blank as set forth in claim 14 in which each of said
nonrectilinear cuts comprises a substantially M-shaped cut having
its terminal ends adjoining an associated fold line, each M-shaped
cut defining a fastening tongue having a maximum width and a
comparatively small opening in the top wall of said resulting
carton.
18. A blank as set forth in claim 17 in which each M-shaped cut has
its central portion extending beyond its associated fold line a
distance which is slightly less than the thickness of a tab
associating therewith in said resulting carton to thereby define an
associated arcuate edge portion in the top wall of said resulting
carton which firmly engages the associated tab.
19. A blank as set forth in claim 14 and further comprising at
least another nonrectilinear cut provided in said top wall and
having its terminal ends adjoining the fold line between said top
wall and said one sidewall, said other nonrectilinear cut defining
another vent in the top wall of said resulting carton and another
fastening tongue to help restrain an adjoining carton against said
lateral movement during said vertical stacking of cartons.
20. A blank as set forth in claim 14 in which said bottom wall and
said top wall have identical roughly triangular configurations.
21. A blank as set forth in claim 14 in which said bottom wall and
said top wall have identical trapezoidal configurations with the
shorter ones of the parallel sides of said top wall and bottom wall
having a width which is only a small fractional part of the width
of the longer ones of the parallel sides so that said top and
bottom walls are roughly triangular, said one sidewalls comprising
the rear wall of said resulting carton and having the longer one of
said parallel sides of said top wall foldably connected thereto,
said trapezoidal bottom wall having said one sidewall extending
upwardly from the longer of its parallel sides and defining a rear
wall of said resulting carton with said top wall having the longer
one of its parallel sides foldably connected to said rear wall,
said trapezoidal bottom wall having a small width sidewall
extending upwardly from the shorter of its parallel sides and
defining a front wall for said resulting carton, and said blank
further comprising a plurality of gussets each connecting
associated ends of a pair of sidewalls, said front wall with its
associated pair of gussets along opposite ends thereof assuring the
provision of a gusseted resulting carton having said roughly
triangular configuration with said associated gussets straddling an
associated product instead of interfering therewith.
22. A blank as set forth in claim 21 and further comprising a
closure flap foldably connected to the shorter one of the parallel
sides of said top wall, said closure flap being arranged against
the exterior of the top portion of said front wall in said
resulting carton, a locking tab in said closure flap, a cooperating
opening in said front wall for receiving said locking tab
therethrough, and a pull tab at the terminal end of said closure
flap enabling easy opening of said resulting carton.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many food products such as frozen custards and puddings, pies, and
ice cream are sold in cartons wherein it is preferred that the
flaps usually extending from the top wall thereof be kept away from
the food product. In addition, the above-mentioned products, for
example, are often sold in roughly triangular cartons.
It is preferable that these cartons be made from flat blanks which
are easily assembled without requiring separate fasteners or
adhesive means and it is desirable that the assembled cartons be
constructed so that a plurality of such cartons may be stacked
vertically in a stable manner.
SUMMARY
This invention provides an improved carton, including a roughly
triangular carton, and blank for making same, wherein such carton
has a bottom wall, a plurality of vertical sidewalls, and a top
wall foldably connected to one of the sidewalls. The top wall has
extension flaps foldably connected thereto which are held against
the exterior top portions of associated sidewalls by a plurality of
tabs extending from the top edges of the sidewalls and cooperating
fastening tongues defined by nonrectilinear cuts in the top wall.
The tabs and fastening tongues cooperate to hold the extension
flaps against their associated sidewalls to prevent outward bulging
thereof and also cooperate to enable easy vertical stacking of a
plurality of cartons by restraining an adjoining carton against
lateral movement.
Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will become
apparent as the following description of the embodiments thereof
presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings show present exemplary embodiments of
this invention, in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one exemplary embodiment
of a carton of this invention which is in the form of a roughly
triangular carton and illustrating by dotted lines the manner in
which another identical carton may be vertically stacked thereon
and restrained against lateral movement by cooperating tabs and
fastening tongues provided on the lower carton;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 1, with such
carton partially unfolded to illustrate the component portions
thereof;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank used to make the carton of FIG.
1;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a carton which is
substantially identical to the carton of FIG. 1, with the exception
that the carton of FIG. 4 is provided with means for locking its
top wall closed;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front portion of
another embodiment of a carton which is similar to the carton of
FIG. 1 with the exception that fastening tabs extending from its
vertical sidewalls and cooperating fastening tongues are each of a
substantially rectangular configuration;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which a
plurality of cartons similar to the carton of FIG. 1 may be
packaged in side-by-side relation in an associated container;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view particularly illustrating the
manner of providing a nonrectilinear substantially M-shaped cut in
the top wall of the carton of FIG. 1 to define a fastening
tongue;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view similar to the presentation of
FIG. 7 illustrating a modification of the M-shaped cut which may be
used to provide an associated arcuate edge in the top wall which in
the assembled carton is urged against an associated tab to assure
the top wall is held firmly closed and the associated extension
flap held vertically in position; and
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a slight
bulging which is provided in an associated tab when utilizing the
fastening tongue formed in the manner shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates
one exemplary embodiment of the carton of this invention designated
generally by the reference numeral 20. The carton 20 is
particularly adapted to contain food products such as frozen
custards and puddings, pies, and ice cream and the construction of
the carton is such that its component portions will not damage the
product contained therein.
The assembled carton 20 is pie shaped or roughly triangular as
viewed in plan view and comprises a roughly triangular bottom wall
21, a plurality of sidewalls 22, 23, 24, and 25 foldably connected
to and extending upwardly from the bottom wall 21. The carton 20
has a plurality of tabs 26 extending outwardly, i.e., upwardly, and
each tab is arranged coplanar with an associated sidewall and for a
purpose which will be described in detail subsequently.
The carton 20 also has a top wall 30 foldably connected to one of
its sidewalls and in this example of the invention the top wall 30
is foldably connected to wall 23, which for convenience will also
be referred to and described as rear wall 23, along a fold line 31.
The top wall 30 has a pair of extension flaps 32 foldably connected
to its opposite side edges along fold lines 33.
As will be apparent from FIG. 1 of the drawings each extension flap
32 is arranged vertically against the exterior top portion of its
associated sidewall 22 or 24 and prevents outward bulging thereof.
The extension flaps 32 are held in their vertical positions by the
tabs 26 and a plurality of cooperating fastening tongues 37
provided in the flaps 32 and each tongue 37 is defined, in essence,
as an integral portion of an associated flap 32 and in a manner
which will now be described in detail.
As will be apparent from FIGS. 2, 3, and 7 of the drawings a
plurality of nonrectilinear cuts, shown in this example as M-shaped
cuts 35, are provided in the top wall 30 and the cuts 35 correspond
in number to and with the top wall closed are arranged in aligned
or registered relation with the tabs 26 extending upwardly from the
sidewalls 22 and 24. Each M-shaped cut 35 has its terminal ends
adjoining an associated fold line 33; and, each cut defines a
corresponding opening 36 in the top wall 30 having an M-shaped
outline and also simultaneously defines a fastening tongue having
an M-shaped top edge upon folding the associated extension flap 32
about its fold line 33. With the top wall 30 in its closed position
the opening 36 receives an associated tab 26 therethrough while the
fastening tongue 37 extends in the direction opposite from the
outward extension of the associated extension flap from its fold
line 33 whereby in the closed carton 20 each extension flap 32
extends downwardly and its fastening tongues extend upwardly and
are provided in a uninterrupted manner essentially as a part of the
extension flap although all the material comprising each tongue is
taken from the top wall 30.
As will be apparent from FIG. 2 of the drawings each of the
fastening tongues 37 has an inside surface 40 which in closed
carton 20 is arranged coplanar with and frictionally engages a
cooperating outside surface 41 of an associated tab 26 to hold the
associated extension flap 32 firmly against the exterior of its
side wall and simultaneously hold the top wall 30 closed. In
addition, it will be apparent from FIG. 1 of the drawings that the
tabs 26 and tongues 37 cooperate to enable easy vertical stacking
of a plurality of cartons by restraining an adjoining carton having
its bottom wall supported against the top wall 30 of carton 20
against lateral movement.
The carton 20 has its sidewalls 22, 23, 24, and 25 foldably
connected to the bottom wall 21 along associated fold lines 42, 43,
44, and 45 respectively and in addition it will be seen that the
carton 20 also has a plurality of four gussets each foldably
connected to associated ends of each adjoining pair of sidewalls.
The gussets adjoining the rear wall 23 are identical and will each
be designated by the same reference numeral 46 and the gussets
adjoining sidewall 25, which will also be referred to as front wall
25, are also identical and will each be designated by the same
reference numeral 47.
Each gusset 46 has its oppositely arranged inner end edges defined
by and foldably connected to its associated sidewalls along a pair
of fold lines 50 and an outer edge 51 of each gusset 46 is of
roughly U-shaped configuration. Each gusset 47 is triangular in
peripheral outline and has its inner edges defined by and foldably
connected to its associated sidewalls along a pair of fold lines
52.
Each gusset 46 is described as having an outer edge 51 of
substantially U-shaped configuration; however, it will be
appreciated that each gusset 46 may have its outer edge 51 as a
straight or rectilinear edge when viewing the gusset in plan view
whereby each gusset 46 would also have a substantially triangular
configuration.
Each gusset 46 and 47 has a weakening line which in each instance
will be designated by the same reference numeral 53 bisecting its
area and enabling easy vertical folding of the walls 22-25. The
weakening line may be in the form of a reverse score line, a
cut-score line, a plurality of elongated spaced cuts arranged in
end-to-end relation in a rectilinear path, or other suitable
weakening means and in this example is shown in the form of a cut
score line.
As will be apparent from FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings and as
previously mentioned the bottom wall 21 and top wall 30 have
roughly triangular configurations. Technically walls 21 and 30 have
substantially identical trapezoidal configurations with the shorter
ones of the parallel sides of the top wall and bottom wall having a
width which is only a small fractional part of the width of the
longer ones of the parallel sides whereby these walls may be
justifiably considered "roughly triangular."
In particular, it will be seen that the top wall 30 has its longer
parallel side defined by fold line 31 and its shorter parallel side
defined by an edge indicated at 54. In a similar manner the bottom
wall 21 has its long parallel side defined by fold line 43 and its
short parallel side defined by fold line 45. The actual dimensions
of the parallel sides may vary depending upon the intended use for
the carton 20; however, for a roughly triangular carton as viewed
in plan view the dimensions of sides 31 and 54 may be considered
typical.
As previously explained the extension flaps 32 engage the top
outside surfaces of the sidewalls 22 and 24 and once a product is
placed within the carton 20 there will be substantially no bulging
of its vertical walls due to such product whereby the carton 20 has
optimum strength and stability. It will also be appreciated that
because the front wall 25 is of small width as indicated at 55
there will be little tendency for such wall to bulge outwardly.
As previously indicated the carton 20 is particularly adapted for
containing products such as a pie wedge or a wedge-shaped portion
of ice cream. The provision of a pair of gussets along opposite
edges of the narrow front wall assures that a gusseted carton may
be provided which is substantially leak proof and which has a
roughly triangular configuration as described above with the front
gussets 47 being arranged so that they straddle an associated
product instead of interfering with or damaging such a product,
such as breaking the front of a wedge-shaped portion of a pie. It
will be appreciated that if the walls 22 and 24 were to converge to
a point and a single gusset were to provided therebetween such
gusset would of necessity have to be of excessive length and extend
substantially centrally toward the center of the carton 20
effectively along a line bisecting the angle between the sidewalls
22 and 24. In utilizing a carton of this latter type as a pie
container, for example, the extended length of the gusset would
mutilate an associated pie in an undesirable manner.
The carton 20 may be formed in any suitable manner and may be made
using any suitable foldable material. It is preferably formed from
the carton blank illustrated in FIG. 3 and designated generally by
the reference numeral 56. The blank 56 is made of paperboard, or
the like, and may have a surface thereof laminated with metallic
foil, such as aluminum-containing metallic foil, which may be
suitably colored, embossed, imprinted, or remain plain, as desired.
Blank 56 is suitably cut and scored so as to define the resulting
carton 20 upon assembly thereof and inasmuch as the various fold
lines, cut score lines, cut lines, and the like, were previously
described in connection with the carton 20 a detailed description
and manner of forming these components will not be presented again
but reference may be made to the previous description for an
understanding thereof.
Reference is now made to FIG. 4 of the drawings which illustrates a
modification of the carton 20 which is identical to the carton
illustrated in FIG. 1 with the exception that the carton of FIG. 4
has a closure flap 60 foldably connected to the shorter one of the
parallel sides of its trapezoidal top wall 30 along a fold line 61.
The closure flap 60 is arranged against the exterior of the top
portion of the front wall 25 and has a locking tab 62 defined
therein by a U-shaped cut 63 and a pair of spaced score lines 64
extending from the terminal end of the U-shaped cut 63 to the outer
edges of the closure flap 60. The terminal end of the closure flap
60 has a substantially semicircular pull tab 65 formed as an
integral part thereof.
The locking tab 62 is particularly adapted to cooperate with a
substantially U-shaped slit 66 provided in the front wall 25 and
once the top 30 of the modified carton 20 is fastened in position
with its extension flaps 32 fastened against associated sidewalls
22 and 24 the locking tab 62 is inserted within slit 66 to lock the
top wall in position. The top wall is easily unfastened by pulling
outwardly on the pull tab 65 and lifting the top wall 30 about its
fold line 31.
Another modification of the carton 20 is illustrated in FIG. 5 of
the drawings and the carton illustrated in FIG. 5 is identical to
the carton 20 with the exception that the nonrectilinear cuts
provided in the top wall 30 are in the form of substantially
U-shaped cuts 70 which have terminal ends 71 adjoining an
associated fold line 33 and each U-shaped cut 70 defines a
fastening tongue 72 which may be made to correspond in
configuration and area to an associated rectangular tab 26.
Further, by utilizing a substantially U-shaped cut 70 each
associated opening, also designated by the reference numeral 36,
defined in the top wall 30 is in the form of a rectangular opening
of large area which is defined by the area previously occupied by
an associated tongue 72. The rectangular openings 36 serve as
comparatively large area vents and in those applications where a
hot food product such as fried chicken, fish and chips, or the like
is contained within the modified carton of FIG. 5, the larger vents
prevent steaming.
It will also be appreciated that in those applications of this
invention where the carton 20 is utilized for hot foods, for
example, it may be desired to provide additional vents in the top
wall thereof. These vents may be defined by additional
nonrectilinear cuts in the top wall 30 such as the optional
U-shaped cuts 73 in the top wall portion of blank 56 used to make
the carton 20. Each cut 73 is preferably provided with its terminal
ends adjoining the fold line 31 between the top wall 30 and the
rear wall 23. Each cut 73 would define another tongue, upon folding
the top wall of the assembled carton closed and such tongue would
also help restrain an adjoining carton against lateral movement
during vertical stacking of cartons.
The unique configurations of carton 20 enables three of such
cartons to be easily packaged in a container 75 of substantially
trapezoidal outline, as viewed in plan view, with minimum
likelihood of damage to the edges thereof and as illustrated by
solid lines in FIG. 6. In addition, it will be appreciated that the
configuration of cartons 20 lends itself to packing six of such
cartons in a roughly hexagonal container, see the dotted line
presentation in FIG. 6, to thereby provide a package construction
which has optimum aesthetic appeal and is easily stored,
transported, and handled.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings which
illustrate a modification of each M-shaped cut which may be
provided in the top wall 30 of carton 20 whereby a carton having
cuts provided in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 would have
the identical appearance of the carton 20 with the exception that
there would be a slight bulging or outward bowing of each adjoining
fastening tongue 37 and tab 26 as illustrated at 80 in FIG. 9.
In particular, it will be seen that each M-shaped cut 35 of FIGS. 8
and 9 has its central portion 81 extending beyond its associated
fold line 33 by a distance indicated at 82 which is slightly less
than thickness of its associated tab 26. Thus, it will be seen that
an associated arcuate edge portion 83 is defined in the top wall 30
which firmly engages an associated tab 26 and causes the outward
bowing thereof and of an associated fastening tongue 37 in a manner
illustrated at 80 and as previously mentioned. It will also be
appreciated that this bowing caused by each arcuate edge portion 83
will result in the associated extension flap 32 being held more
firmly against its sidewall.
In this example of the invention the carton 20 with its unique
fastening tongues 37 and cooperating tabs 26 are shown as having
top and bottom walls of roughly triangular outline; however, it is
to be understood that a carton similar to carton 20 may be defined
in accordance with the teachings of this invention in which the
bottom wall and top wall thereof would each have an exact
triangular configuration. Further, the carton may be defined in
accordance with the teachings of this invention having top and
bottom walls which have rectangular or polygonal
configurations.
In each instance the top wall, irrespective of its shape, would
have extension flaps foldably connected thereto and fastening
tongues would be provided so that with the top wall closed each
tongue extends in an opposite direction from the direction of its
associated extension flap, i.e., each flap extends downwardly and
each tongue extends upwardly. The fastening tongues would cooperate
with associated tabs provided in the sidewalls of the associated
carton to provide a tight frictional engagement and hold the top
wall closed and the associated extension flap against the outside
of the upper portion of an associated sidewall to prevent outward
bulging of the sidewall. In addition the cooperating fastening
tongues and tabs would allow easy vertical stacking of identical
cartons by preventing lateral movement of adjoining cartons.
In this example of the invention the nonrectilinear cuts provided
in each top wall have been presented as being substantially
M-shaped cuts and U-shaped cuts. However, it will be appreciated
that each nonrectilinear cut utilized may have any suitable
configuration such as semicircular, wedge-shaped, or trapezoidal,
for example, provided that the terminal ends of the cut adjoin an
associated fold line whereby the entire tongue is defined from
material which would normally be in the carton top wall. In
addition, each fastening tab 26 may have any desired shape which
may be either similar to or different from the shape of its
associated fastening tongue.
While present exemplary embodiments of this invention, and methods
of practicing the same, have been illustrated and described, it
will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously
embodied and practiced by those skilled in the art.
* * * * *