Changing Contour Carton

Abstract

A tubular carton having a rectangular bottom wall, a round top, and a continuously curved sidewall with a gradually changing configuration from the rectangular contour of the carton bottom wall to the round configuration of the carton top without any sharp corners being visible on the outside surface thereof.

Description

This invention relates to a paperboard carton having a unique configuration and further to improved constructions of such a carton. The carton has a continuous curvelinear, preferably round, upper end portion and an irregular, interrupted, polygonal, preferably rectangular, lower end, and a continuous side wall between the opposite ends gradually changing in contour throughout their major sections or areas between the opposite end contours. The carton has a bottom end closure integral with the side wall structure at the polygonal end configuration of the carton, and preferably includes a separate end closure to be used at the curvelinear top end configuration of the carton. The carton may be of two basic constructions, either a tube style wherein a continuous tube is formed with the side walls and wherein integral flaps hinged at one end of the walls can be overlapped on one another to define the end closure at the polygonal end, or a tray style wherein a single ply, integral, polygonal end closure wall is hinged to the upstanding side wall structure which in turn is secured together or seamed in two opposed longitudinal or vertical seams. One advantage of the tube style construction is that, after it has been erected, it can be filled, closed, and sealed on conventional equipment used for end sealed style cartons. The tray style construction, on the other hand, is of more economical blank design and is therefore suitable for larger volume operations. The tray style can be set up economically on a mandrel-type machine in the plant of the packer or box user.

One product which lends itself to being packaged, displayed and otherwise merchandised in this carton is ice cream. Ice cream has generally been packaged in sealed-end cartons for pint, quart, and one-half gallon sizes of most brands. Premium ice cream has often been packaged in cylindrical containers. This carton has a curvelinear or round end, so that it has the appearance of a cylindrical carton; while the conventional end seal construction at the polygonal end permits conventional filling, closing and sealing equipment to be used with uniform slight modification on the carton. This carton has the advantage of occupying less space than the cylindrical package but still permitting partially spacing from adjacent packages in a cooler to increase the through-ventilation and thus the cooling capacity of a complete display of many like cartons stacked or nested on one another. The irregular configuration additionally offers improved stacking since the polygonal end can be received within and held in place by the cylindrical end of the adjacent lower carton and like style.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved carton having an irregularly shaped characterized by continuous preferably smooth side walls blending between a curvelinear or circular one end and a polygonal or rectangular opposite end.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved closures for such a carton as mentioned in the initial object, particularly directed to means for removably securing a separate end closure and further to means for permitting the secondary resecuring of said end closure to the carton.

These and other objects will be understood and more fully appreciated after reviewing the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the carton illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton illustrated in FIG. 1, with the carton being shown in a partially erected condition;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton of the previous views may be formed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical sections taken on line 6--6 and 7--7, respectively, of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton of FIGS. 5-7 may be formed;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the polygonal end closure of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the blank from which the carton of FIG. 9 may be formed;

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are perspective views of a curvelinear end closures or caps which can be used with the subject carton; and,

FIGS 14, 15 and 16 are perspective views of the curvelinear end section of the subject carton having various specific reclosure lock means formed thereon which are particularly suitable for use in the subject irregularly shaped carton.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are illustrated to better advantage in other views.

It will be seen that in FIGS. 1 through 4 there is illustrated an open ended, generally tubular carton, indicated generally at C, which may be formed from a unitary blank B of foldable paperboard, as shown in FIG. 4.

Although the carton is shown as being open at the top, it is contemplated that the top of the carton can be closed with a generally cylindrical cover, indicated generally at T, and illustrated in FIGS. 11 through 13 of the drawings.

Carton C includes a rectangular bottom wall 10, which consists of a single flat, preferably rectangular, bottom wall panel 22 and a vertical curvelinear sidewall 14 which, as best seen in FIG. 1, has a generally rectangular lower end configuration conforming to the peripheral configuration of the bottom wall panel 22 and which has at its upper end a round configuration. A novel feature of the carton resides in the provision of a means for forming a carton blank which can be set up so that when the carton is erected the sidewall will have a gradually changing contour from the rectangular configuration of the bottom end to the round configuration of the top end without any sharp corners or creases being visible in the outer surface of the sidewall.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, which is a tray style construction, the carton sidewall is formed from a pair of similar sidewall panels 14 which are hingedly attached at their corresponding lower edges to opposite sides of bottom wall panel 22. At their opposite edges sidewall panels 13 are each secured to an elongated transversely extending reinforcing strip 16 which, when folded back over onto the sidewall panel, along a fold line 17, serves to form a reinforcing section or rim 18 of the carton adapted to offer additional strength for the carton and to cooperate with the cover T in closing the carton.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, corresponding marginal edges of sidewall panels 14 are adhesively secured to each other in overlapped relationship to provide a pair of vertical seams 20 extending the entire height of the carton from the bottom wall to the upper edge of the sidewall.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, there are hingedly attached to and upstanding from opposite side edges of bottom wall panel 22 a pair of securing flaps 24 which are adhesively secured to the inside surfaces of sidewall panels 14 to provide an additional connection between the sidewall and bottom wall of the carton.

In order to provide the smooth transformation or changing of the contour of the sidewall from the bottom to the top of the carton there are provided in the lower portions of the sidewall panels adjacent each corner of the bottom wall 10 at least one, and preferably two, upwardly extending preferably curved score lines. As best seen in FIG. 1 the score lines permit the side walls panels to be bent gradually to avoid any sharp corners or creases in the outer surface of the carton sidewall.

Now turning to FIGS. 5 through 8 of the drawings, it will be seen that a slightly modified form of the invention is shown. Although in this embodiment the final form of the erected carton is substantially similar to that of the previously described embodiment, this carton is of a tube style construction and formed from a blank B' of different shape than the blank B of the first embodiment. In this arrangement side wall 112 is formed from a pair of generally similar side wall panels 114 which are hingedly attached along fold line 115 to each other.

Panels 114 are also provided with reinforcing sections 116 hinged to their upper ends along score lines 117, and which, when folded back into face-to-face relation with the sidewall panels 114, provide a reinforcing rim 118 in the same manner as that of the previous embodiment.

Attached to the side edge of one of the sidewall panels 114 is an elongated glue strip 119 which, when the carton is in erected condition, is adhesively secured in overlapping relation with the opposite marginal edge portion of the other sidewall panel 114 to form a vertical seam 120.

The bottom wall of this carton construction includes a plurality of bottom wall flaps hinged to the lower edges of side wall panels 114 and folded into overlapping relationship and adhesively secured to each other. These bottom walls panels include inner flaps 122, an intermediate flap 124, and an outer flap 126 which are folded at right angles to the side wall panels and adhesively secured to each other in overlapping relationship.

It is contemplated that in this type of arrangement the manufacturer of the carton would normally fold over the reinforcing strips 116 and glue them to the upper marginal portions of the sidewall panels and would also secure the panels to each other by means of the glue strip 119, so that when the carton is shipped to the packer it would be in a collapsed condition as a sleeve. The packer prior to filling the carton would erect the carton by separating the sidewall panels to form a generally cylindrical shape and close and seal the bottom end of the carton in the same manner as conventional seal end cartons are closed. At this point the carton would be filled and the cover inserted over the upper edge of the carton sidewalls.

The sidewall 112 of this carton also is provided with curve score lines 130 which accomplish the same objectives as that of the previous embodiment, namely to provide a smooth exterior surface for the carton sidewall.

Now referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 of the drawing, it will be seen that yet a third embodiment of the invention is disclosed. This embodiment is similar in construction and arrangement to that of the previously described embodiment in that it is formed in the manner of tubes, as distinguished from trays.

The sidewall construction of this embodiment is also similar to that of the previously described embodiment, but the basic difference resides in the construction of the bottom wall, which is of the automatic or self-locking type. This construction is designed to permit the carton to be completely formed by the manufacturer and shipped to the packer in a collapsed condition, so that the packer need only erect the carton with the bottom wall automatically taking shape. After the carton has been erected it is filled and closed in the same manner as the other embodiments of the invention.

The bottom wall of this embodiment includes a pair of complementary interlocking inner flaps 222a and 222b hingedly attached to the lower edges of sidewall panels 214 and a pair of outer flaps 226 which are also hinged to the lower edges of sidewall panels 214.

In order to provide the self-locking automatic bottom construction outer panels 226 are each divided into a pair of sections by a vertical score line 227 which is merely an extension of the hinge lines connecting the sidewall panels 214 to each other and to the glue strip 219. Also, to accommodate the lock bottom feature, there are provided in the lower portions of the sidewall panels gusset sections 228 which cooperate with the outer flaps 226 to permit the complete collapsing of the carton for shipment.

Turning now to FIGS. 11 through 13 of the drawing it will be seen that the sidewall or skirt 232 depending from the central panel 234 of the cover T is provided with a series of roughened or raised portions 240, 250, or 260 as shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, respectively, which can be accomplished by embossing, debossing, or by adding drops of hot melt glue. The purpose of these raised portions is to cooperate with related carton portions 245, 255, or 265 as shown in FIGS. 14 through 16, respectively, to afford a tighter connection between the cover and the body of the carton.

Thus, it will be apparent that in all three embodiments of the invention, there is provided a novel carton with a polygonal, preferably rectangular, bottom end contour and a round top end contour with a slide wall having a gradually changing contour from the bottom to the top end which is smooth and continuous without any visible sharp corners or creases on the outside surface thereof.

Thus, this carton construction provides all of the advantages of a round carton and at the same time provides most of the economic advantages of a conventional rectilinear seal end carton from the standpoint of forming the carton, shipping the carton, erecting the carton, and filling the carton.

Claims

We claim:

1. A tubular carton, formed from a unitary rectangular blank of paperboard, having a closed bottom end and an open top end adapted to be closed by a separate cover, comprising:

a. a flat, rectangular bottom wall formed from a plurality of flaps folded into overlapping relationship:

b. said flaps including:

i. four substantially identical rectangular inner flaps;

ii. a rectangular intermediate flap located in its unfolded condition between two of said inner flaps;

iii. a rectangular outer flap having substantially the same dimensions as said intermediate flap and being located in its unfolded condition between the other of said inner flaps;

c. a continuous sidewall formed from a pair of identical contiguous panels having their corresponding side edges hingedly interconnected along parallel fold lines, said sidewall having a round upper free edge and a rectangular lower edge hingedly attached to the side edges of said flaps forming said bottom wall;

d. said sidewall having a gradually changing configuration from the rectangular contour of said carton bottom end to the round contour of said carton top end;

e. separate pairs of score lines in the side wall extending upwardly from the four corners of the carton and curving away from each other and terminating at points of said sidewall located between upper and lower extremities thereof to provide said sidewall with a gradually changing configuration free from sharp corners visible on the outside surface of said sidewall.