Carton For Cylindrical Article

Abstract

A carton for packaging a cylindrical article such as an automotive air filter. The carton comprises an open-ended container of thin material such as cardboard having inwardly folding tab portions to retain the cylindrical article in the carton. The open ends of the carton provide a view of the contents of the carton. The carton and open ends may be covered with a transparent film.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an attractive, sturdy and readily assembled carton for the protection, support and display of a cylindrical article such as an automotive air filter element.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a carton having a rectangular cross section and open ends to permit visual examination of the contents. After the cylindrical article is inserted, folding tab member, adjacent the sides of the open ends, fold inwardly to partially close the open ends and hold the article within the carton by engagement with the peripheral surfaces of the article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a packaged article in a carton embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plain view of the carton shown in FIG. 1 before said carton is folded into its assembled form; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating the construction of one corner of the carton shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a package containing a doughnut-shaped air filter element 2 in a cardboard carton 3. The generally cylindrical peripheral surface of filter 2 is visible through two similar open windows 4 on opposite sides of carton 3. Air filter 2 may be of any of a variety of conventional types. The filter element shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,855, issued May 17, 1960, to L. G. Allen et al., exemplifies the general type of air filter element represented herein as air filter element 2.

In the form illustrated air filter element 2 comprises pleated filter paper 5 (FIG. 4) extending between and embedded in a pair of elastomeric sealing members 6. However, the exact details of construction of filter element 2 are not important to the construction and functions of the present invention.

Carton 3 is formed from a single sheet 7 of stiff but flexible material such as cardboard which is cut to the form shown in FIG. 3. Sheet 7 is then folded along four lines 8a through 8d and overlapping edges 9 and 10 are glued together at juncture 11 to form an open-ended tubular carton 3 having a rectangular cross section. Carton 3 comprises two large sides 14 and 15 and two smaller sides 16 and 17. Side 14 comprises two halves 14a and 14b joined together by the overlapping glued juncture 11 of edges 9 and 10.

The sides 16 and 17 are spaced apart sufficiently to slidingly accommodate the outer diameter of filter element 2 as shown in FIG. 2. The curved edges 20 of sides 14 and 15 are curved to conform to the circular circumferative edges of filter element 2.

Sides 14 and 15 of carton 3 are spaced apart sufficiently to loosely accommodate the axial dimension or thickness of filter element 2.

At each of the four corners of carton 3 there are formed identical tab means 25. Since each of tab means 25 is identical to the others in construction and function, the same reference numerals are used for similar elements of tab means 25 and associated structure.

It would be possible to utilize tab means 25 at only one end of carton 3 with the opposite end closed by some other means.

Each of tab means 25 includes a tab 27 which is an extension of either side 16 or side 17 and is pivotally attached thereto along a crease line 28. Each of tabs 27 is connected to sides 14 and 15 by a pair of gussets 29. Each of gussets 29 comprises halves 29a and 29b. Gusset half 29a is foldingly connected to tab 27 along line 30 and to half 29b along line 31. End half 29b is foldingly attached to either side 14 or 15 along a crease line 33.

After filter element 2 is inserted into carton 3 from either of its open ends, each of tab means 25 is folded inwardly as shown in the direction indicated by the arrow 35 in FIG. 4 until the extreme edge of tab 27 is positioned adjacent the periphery of filter element 2. During this folding process gussets 29 are tucked inwardly in a reentrant fashion in the directions shown by arrows 36 in FIG. 4 so that halves 29b are positioned flat against the inside surfaces of sides 14 and 15 and halves 29a are positioned flat against the inner sides of halves 29b. In the inwardly folded or tucked position of tab 27 the edges of tab 27 along lines 30 bear against the inner sides of halves 29b to hold the folded gussets 29 resiliently in place against the sides 14 and 15. In their folded positions gussets 29 serve to hold tabs 27 against outward movement so that the entire tab means 25 serves to hold filter element 2 within the carton 3.

After all of tab means 25 are tucked, the entire package may be enclosed in a transparent shrink-film wrap in a conventional manner to further secure the contents of carton 3 and increase the attractiveness of the package.

Claims

We claim:

1. A carton for a cylindrical article comprising:

a. a tubular element made of stiff but flexible sheet material and having two large opposite sides and two smaller opposite sides, at least one open end and a rectangular cross section; said tubular element being adapted to contain said cylindrical article so that the major interior dimension of said rectangular cross section is large enough to accommodate the outer diameter of said cylindrical article, the minor dimension of said rectangular cross section is large enough to accommodate the axial thickness of said cylindrical article, and the ends of said tubular member are spaced apart a distance approximately the same as the diameter of said cylindrical article to thereby substantially contain said cylindrical article;

b. tab means including a tab adjacent at least one end of at least one of said smaller sides, said tab being arranged to be folded inwardly to partially close said open end to hold said cylindrical article within said tubular member; and

c. said tab means comprising at least one gusset member between said tab and at least one of said large sides, said gusset member being arranged to fold inwardly upon itself into said tubular member in a reentrant manner to hold said tab in its inwardly folded position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said gusset member is foldingly attached to said tab and one of said large sides and has a crease line dividing said gusset into two portions to provide for the folding of said gusset upon itself.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which said tab when in its inwardly folded position bears against the inner side of one of said portions of said gusset when said gusset is folded upon itself and holds said gusset in a folded position against the inner surface of said large side to thereby resiliently hold said tab means in its inwardly folded position.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which an edge of said tab bears against the periphery of said cylindrical article when said tab is in its inwardly folded position.