Carton

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an improvement in a collapsible and erectable carton of the type having at opposite ends a depending end wall inboard and adjacent an upstanding end wall, and means between adjacent upstanding and depending end walls for automatically moving the upstanding end wall from a flat collapsed condition to its upstanding condition by moving the depending end walls from like generally flat collapsed conditions to the depending conditions thereof. The automatic means includes a hingeable panel joined between each adjacent pair of upstanding and depending end walls.

Description

A conventional carton of the type to which this invention is directed includes a bottom wall, a pair of upstanding spaced side walls joined to the bottom wall at opposite sides thereof, a top wall joined to the side walls in spaced relationship to the bottom wall, a pair of upstanding spaced end walls joined to the bottom wall at opposite ends thereof, and a pair of depending end walls joined to the top wall with each depending end wall being adjacent an upstanding end wall and inboard thereof. Through appropriate fold lines the carton is normally shipped in a generally flat collapsed condition with the upstanding end walls sandwiched between the bottom wall and the depending end walls. The depending end walls are normally joined by fold lines to the top wall in such a manner that upon applying inward folding force to the depending end walls the same are hinged toward the bottom wall of the carton and automatically cause the carton to achieve its set-up condition. By this same action the depending end walls are brought into adjacent relationship inboard of the now upstanding end walls.

In cartons of this general conventional construction several problems have been encountered, most notable among which is the failure of the upstanding end walls to automatically move to their upstanding condition from their collapsed condition during the setting-up process. When this occurs the depending end walls are undesirably overfolded.

In keeping with the present invention, the noted disadvantages of conventional cartons of the type described have been overcome by providing means between adjacent upstanding and depending end panels or walls for automatically moving the upstanding end walls to their upstanding condition from a collapsed condition upon the downward folding of the depending end walls, thus assuring proper carton set-up in the absence of undesired overfolding.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel carton of the type aforesaid wherein the means for assuring the automatic movement of the upstanding end walls to their upstanding condition is a hingeable connecting panel secured between the adjacent upstanding and depending end walls.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a novel carton blank constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates hingeable connecting panels joined by fold lines to end panels which are in turn joined by fold lines to a bottom panel which when folded in the manner indicated in phantom outline positions the hingeable connecting panels in alignment with depending end panels formed from the material of a top panel.

FIG. 2 is another view of the carton blank of FIG. 1, and illustrates the manner in which the depending end panels are brought into overlying relationship to the hingeable connecting panels.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the carton formed from the blank of FIGS. 1 and 2, and illustrates the set-up or erected condition of the carton with depending end walls inboard of upstanding end walls and joined thereto by the hingeable connecting panels.

FIG. 4 is a slightly enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 3, and illustrates the relationship of one of the hingeable connecting panels and its associated depending and upstanding end walls.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5--5 of FIG. 4, and more clearly illustrates the manner in which the hingeable connecting panel is adhesively secured to the depending end wall.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 6--6 of FIG. 5, and more clearly illustrates the relationship between the hingeable connecting panel and the adjacent depending and upstanding end walls.

A novel carton blank constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The carton blank 10 is preferably constructed from paper stock or equivalent material, such as plastic or the like, which may be appropriately folded between collapsed and erected or set-up positions.

The carton blank 10 is of a generally rectangular configuration set-off by longitudinal edge portions 11, 12 and transverse edge portions 13, 14. Portions of the longitudinal edge portions 11, 12, the transverse edge 13, and a fold line 15 set-off a closure panel or wall 16 provided with a cut-fold line 17, a fold line 18, a fold line 19, and a fold line 20. The lines 17 through 20 are provided to impart a generally rounded configuration to the closure panel 16, in a manner apparent from FIG. 3 of the drawings. A pair of longitudinally extending notches 21, 22 set-off with a portion of the transverse edge 13 a latching tab 23. At opposite sides of the latching tab 23 are latching ears 24, 25.

The cover or closure 16 is joined by the fold line 15 to a side panel 26 set-off by the fold line 15, a portion of a fold line 27, and portions of fold lines 28, 30. Another side panel 31 disposed opposite the side panel 26 is set-off by a fold line 32, a portion of a fold line 33, and portions of the fold lines 28, 30.

A generally rectangular bottom panel or wall 34 lies between the side panels 26, 31, and a first pair of end panels or walls 35, 36. The bottom panel 34 is set-off by portions of the fold lines 27, 28, 30 and 33.

The end panel 35 is set-off by the fold line 28, portions of the fold lines 27, 33, portions of the longitudinal edge 11, and a fold line 37.

Likewise, the end panel 36 is set-off by a portion of the fold line 30, portions of the fold lines 27, 33, portions of the longitudinal edge 12, and a fold line 38.

Adjacent the side panel 26 and the end panel 36 is a corner panel 40 defined by portions of the fold lines 27, 30, a portion of the longitudinal edge 12, and a portion of a notch. A diagonal fold line 42 facilitates the folding of the corner panel 40 in a manner to be described hereinafter. A suitable adhesive, indicated by the stippling on the upper portion of the corner panel 40 above the fold line 42, adhesively secures the corner panel 40 to the side panel 26 when the end panel 36 is overfolded upon the fold line 30 to the phantom outline position illustrated in this figure.

Another corner panel 43 is defined by portions of the fold lines 27, 28, and is disposed between the ends of the panels 26, 35. The corner panel 43 likewise includes a fold line 44 and additionally includes adhesive, as indicated by the stippling, to adhere the corner panel 43 to the side panel 26 when the end panel 35 is folded about the fold line 28 in the manner indicated in phantom outline.

Another corner panel 45 is set-off by portions of the fold lines 33, 30, and is disposed between the panels 31, 36. The corner panel 45 likewise includes a fold line 46 and a portion of the panel 45 is coated with an adhesive to adhere the corner panel 45 to the side panel 31 when the end panel 36 is overfolded in the phantom outline position.

Another corner panel 47 is disposed adjacent the ends of the panels 31, 35, and is set-off by portions of the fold lines 28, 33. The corner panel 47 includes a fold line 48 and an adhesive coating upon a portion thereof for likewise securing the corner panel 47 to the side panel 31 upon the overfolding of the end panel 35 in the manner indicated in phantom outline.

Joined by the fold line 37 to the end panel 35 is a connecting panel, generally designated by the reference numeral 50 which includes a pair of parallel fold lines 51, 52 setting-off three panel portions 53 through 55.

Likewise, another connecting panel 60 is joined by the fold line 38 to the end panel 36 and a pair of parallel fold lines 61, 62 set-off three panel portions 63 through 65.

A top panel, generally designated by the reference numeral 70 is defined by the fold line 32, portions of notches 71, 72, portions of the longitudinal edges 11, 12, and the transverse edge 14. A longitudinal cut line 73 and a pair of transverse spaced cut lines 74, 75 in part define a second pair of depending end panels or walls 76, 77. The end panel 76 is defined by portions of the transverse cut lines 74, 75, the cut line 73, fold lines 80, 81 having an opening 82 there-between generally inverted C-shaped cut lines 83, 84 having a fold line 85 therebetween, and a pair of fold lines 86, 87 having an opening 88 therebetween.

The depending end panel or wall 77 is likewise set-off by portions of the cut lines 74, 75, the cut line 73, a pair of fold lines 90, 91 having an opening 92 therebetween, a pair of generally C-shaped cut lines 93, 94 having a fold line 95 therebetween, and a pair of fold lines 96, 97 having an opening 98 therebetween.

Four additional transverse parallel fold lines 100 through 103 span the top panel 70 between the longitudinal edges 11, 12. When in the set-up and closed condition of the carton 10, the fold lines 100 through 103 underlie and are in alignment with the respective fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the closure panel 16.

The carton blank 10 is formed into the carton 10 of FIGS. 3 through 6 by first folding the end panels 35, 36 along the respective fold lines 28, 30 in the manner illustrated in phantom outline in FIG. 1. This adheres the corner panels 40, 43 to the side panel 26 and the corner panels 47, 45 to the side panel 31. Adhesive is thereafter applied to the panel portions 55, 65 of the respective connecting panels 50, 60, after which the top panel 70 is folded along the fold line 32 to the position shown in FIG. 2 bringing the panel 77 into overlying adhesive contact with the panel portion 65 and the panel 76 into overlying adhesive contact with the panel portion 55. Thereafter adhesive is applied to a portion of the top panel between the fold lines 32, 100, as indicated by stippling in FIG. 2 and the closure of the panel 16 adheres the portion thereof between the fold lines 15, 17 to the stippled portion of the top panel 70 of FIG. 2. In this condition the carton 10 is in its collapsed form with the panels 36, 60 sandwiched between the bottom panel 34 and the end panel 77 while at the same time the panels 35, 50 are sandwiched between the bottom panel 34 and the panel 76.

In order to set-up the carton the cover 16 is opened by folding along the fold line 17 thus exposing the end panels 76, 77. The latter two panels are then pushed downwardly toward the bottom panel 34 resulting in a hinging action along the fold lines 80, 81, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 95, 96 and 97. As the hinging motion continues and the end panels 76, 77 move inwardly and downwardly, the movement thereof is translated into outward movement of the end panels 35, 36, respectively, through the connecting panels 50, 60, respectively, which eventually fold to their fully folded state, as is shown in FIGS. 3 through 6. Thus, due to this construction, the panels 50, 60 serve as means to automatically move the end panels 35, 36 to an upstanding condition, as is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, and when so positioned prevent further outward movement of the now depending end panels 76, 77 due to the attachment of the end walls 35, 36 to the side walls 26, 31 through the corner panels 40, 43, 45 and 47.

In order to collapse the carton 10 from the position thereof shown in FIGS. 3 through 6, it is merely necessary to again apply inward pressure to the panels 76, 77, in the manner indicated by the unnumbered headed arrow in FIG. 5. During this inward pivoting movement of the panels 76, 77, the connecting panels 50, 60 function to automatically draw the end panels 35, 36 inwardly and downwardly toward the bottom panel 34 as the latter panel and the top panel 70 collapse toward each other until the carton has once again reached its collapsed condition (FIG. 2).

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

I claim:

1. A carton comprising a body defined by a bottom wall, a pair of upstanding spaced side walls joined to said bottom wall at opposite sides thereof, a top wall joined to said side walls in spaced relationship to said bottom wall, a pair of upstanding spaced end walls joined to said bottom wall at opposite ends thereof, a pair of depending end walls joined to said top wall with each depending end wall being adjacent an upstanding end wall and inboard thereof, means for effecting the folding of said body to a collapsed condition with said first-mentioned end walls sandwiched between said second-mentioned end walls and said bottom wall, and means between adjacent upstanding and depending end walls for automatically moving said first-mentioned end walls from their collapsed condition to their upstanding condition upon downward movement of said second-mentioned end walls toward their depending condition.

2. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said depending end walls are joined to said top wall by spaced fold lines inboard of end edges of said top wall.

3. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means additionally secures said adjacent upstanding and depending end walls to each other.

4. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means defines a hingeable connection between said adjacent upstanding and depending end walls.

5. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means is defined by a hingeable panel between said adjacent upstanding and depending end walls.

6. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means is defined by a hingeable panel between and joined to said adjacent upstanding and depending end walls.

7. The carton as defined in claim 6 wherein each upstanding end panel includes an upper terminal edge, and each hingeable panel includes a fold line disposed above the upper terminal edge of its adjacent upstanding end panel.

8. The carton as defined in claim 6 wherein each upstanding end panel includes an upper terminal edge interrupted by a fold line joining an associated one of said hingeable panels thereto.

9. The carton as defined in claim 6 wherein each upstanding end panel includes an upper terminal edge interrupted by a fold line joining an associated one of said hingeable panels thereto, and said hingeable panels each include another fold line spaced outboard of and above said upper terminal edges.

10. A carton blank comprising a bottom panel, a pair of side panels joined to said bottom panel by fold lines at opposite sides thereof, a first pair of end panels joined to said bottom panel by fold lines at opposite ends thereof, a top panel joined by a fold line to one of said side panels and being adapted to fold therealong into generally overlying relationship to said bottom wall, a second pair of end panels joined to said top panel by fold lines inboard of end edges of said top panel, said second pair of end panels being directed toward each other and a centerline of the blank, said first pair of end panels each carry a connecting panel, and said connecting panels are directed away from each other and the blank centerline whereby each of said second pair of end panels will be disposed in overlying relationship to an adjacent one of said connecting panels upon the folding of said first pair of end panels upon said bottom panel followed by the folding of said top panel into overlying relationship to said bottom panel.

11. The carton blank as defined in claim 10 wherein each connecting panel includes a terminal edge, and at least one fold line between each connecting panel terminal edge and an adjacent one of said first pair of end panels.

12. The carton blank as defined in claim 10 including adhesive means joining adjacent ones of said pairs of end panels to each other.