U.S. patent number 3,661,297 [Application Number 05/099,731] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-09 for article carrier.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Mead Corporation. Invention is credited to Prentice J. Wood.
United States Patent |
3,661,297 |
Wood |
May 9, 1972 |
ARTICLE CARRIER
Abstract
A basket style article carrier is disclosed having a bottom
wall, side walls joined to opposite side edges of the bottom wall,
end wall panels joined to the end edges of the side walls and
extending inwardly therefrom, riser panels foldably joined to the
inner edges of the end wall panels and extending inwardly of the
carrier, a handle secured to the riser panels at one end along
vertical fold lines and at the other end by a pair of positioning
flaps foldably joined to the other end of the handle and disposed
in inwardly enveloping relation relative to the adjacent riser
panels which are interconnected with each other, and partition
structure secured to each side wall and to the riser panels on each
side of the handle, the partition structures being formed by
supplemental separate blanks.
Inventors: |
Wood; Prentice J. (Jonesboro,
GA) |
Assignee: |
The Mead Corporation
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22276352 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/099,731 |
Filed: |
December 21, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/187;
206/178 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/0077 (20130101); B65D 2571/00487 (20130101); B65D
2571/00141 (20130101); B65D 2571/0066 (20130101); B65D
2571/00802 (20130101); B65D 2571/00419 (20130101); B65D
2571/00956 (20130101); B65D 2571/00524 (20130101); B65D
2571/00388 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/00 (20060101); B65D 71/68 (20060101); B65d
075/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/111,113,114,115 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moorhead; Davis T.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. An article carrier comprising a bottom wall, opposed side walls
joined to said bottom wall along opposite side edges thereof, end
wall panels joined to the ends of said side walls and extending
transversely inward therefrom, riser panels joined at the inwardly
extending edges of said end wall panels and extending inwardly of
the carrier medially thereof, a pair of face contacting handle
panels foldably joined to each other along their top edges and
foldably joined respectively to the riser panels at one end thereof
along fold lines which are alined respectively with the fold lines
between such riser panels and the associated end wall panels, the
riser panels at the other end of the carrier being interconnected
with each other along their top edges along a medial fold line and
being disposed in flat face contacting relation with the inner
surfaces of said handle panels, and a positioning flap foldably
joined to the end edge of one of said handle panels adjacent the
interconnected riser panels and folded into flat face contacting
relation with the inner surfaces of the associated handle and riser
panels so as to envelope such riser panel between said flap and
handle panel and so that a positioning edge of said flap engages
said interconnected riser panels substantially at said medial fold
line therebetween thereby to secure said handle panels in parallel
relation to the top edges of said side walls.
2. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein a second
positioning flap is foldably joined to the end edge of the other of
said handle panels adjacent the interconnected riser panels and
folded into flat face contacting relation with the inner surfaces
of the associated handle and riser panel so as to envelop such
riser panel between said second positioning flap and the associated
handle panel.
3. An article carrier according to claim 2 wherein said second
positioning flap is cut away in the region thereof adjacent said
positioning edge of the positioning flap which is adjoined to said
one handle panel.
4. An article carrier according to claim 3 wherein said positioning
flaps are foldably joined to each other along their top edges and
in the region thereof which is disposed longitudinally inward of
the carrier relative to said positioning edge and to said cutaway
portion of said flaps.
5. An article carrier according to claim 4 wherein a weakened fold
line is formed in each of said positioning flaps and disposed in
spaced relation from the edges thereof remote from the top edges
thereof.
Description
Bottle carriers of the type in which the handle is foldably joined
integrally at one end of the carrier with upstanding riser panels
and at the other end of the carrier is glued to the riser panels
are difficult to manufacture due to the fact that the handle tends
to collide with machine elements and to be brushed away from the
side and end walls of the carton at the end of the handle which is
not integral with the riser panels. In order to overcome this
difficulty it has been the practice in some instances to construct
the cutting dies in such manner as to retain a plurality of
interconnections between the handle panel on each side of the
carrier handle and the adjacent side wall. Such interconnections
are commonly referred to as nicks. While the nicks may function
satisfactorily, it is possible that they may prove to be variable
in strength and reliability during manufacture of the carton and
when the carrier is complete and is ready to be set-up in the
user's plant ready for loading, such nicks may interfere unduly
with such setting-up operations.
According to this invention the aforementioned difficulty is
eliminated by the expedient of providing retaining flaps at the end
of the handle along the end edges thereof which flaps are folded
into enveloping relationship with the riser panels at that end of
the carton and the riser panels are interconnected at their upper
edges along a medial fold line. By this means the handle is
effectively secured relative to the riser panels and side walls and
the aforementioned difficulties are eliminated.
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 set-up carrier constructed
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 separate supplemental blank which is
manipulated to form transverse partitioning structure on either
side of the handle of the carrier;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but which shows the supplemental
blanks of FIG. 3 secured in position with respect to the main
blank;
FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are plan views of a main blank and its
associated separate partition structures and which views depict
four different folding and gluing operations through which the
blanks of FIG. 4 are manipulated in order to form the complete
collapsed carrier as depicted in FIG. 8 and in which FIG. 9 is a
fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a set-up carrier and
which depicts the positions of the parts of the supplemental blank
of FIG. 3 when the carrier is set up.
In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a side wall to which the
bottom wall 2 is foldably joined along fold line 3. A medial fold
line 4 is formed in bottom wall 2 and notches 5 and 6 are formed at
the ends of fold line 4. End wall panels 7 and 8 are foldably
joined to the end edges of side wall 1 along fold lines 9 and 10
respectively. Riser panels 11 and 12 are foldably joined to end
wall panels 7 and 8 along fold lines 13 and 14 respectively. A
locking notch 15 is formed in riser panel 11 and a similar locking
notch 16 is formed in riser panel 12. These notches cooperate with
one or the other of the notches 5 and 6 to hold the carrier in
set-up condition as is well known. Handle panel 17 is foldably
joined to riser panel 12 along fold line 14 and to handle panel 18
along fold line 19. A flap 20 is struck from panel 17 and foldably
joined thereto along fold line 21. A supplemental fold line 22 is
formed in flap 20.
Positioning flaps 23 and 24 are foldably joined to handle panels 17
and 18 along fold lines 25 and 26 and to each other along fold line
27 and serve according to the invention to enclose and position the
handle relative to the adjacent interconnected riser panels. A
cutaway portion 24A is formed in flap 24 and such portion extends
into flap 23 as indicated at 23A. Positioning edge 23C defines an
edge of the cutaway area. Fold line 24B and a similar fold line 23B
are formed in flaps 24 and 23. A flap 28 is struck from handle
panel 18 and foldably joined thereto along fold line 29. An
additional fold line 30 is formed in handle panel 18. Riser panel
31 is foldably joined to riser panel 11 along medial fold line 31A
and riser panel 32 is foldably joined to handle panel 18 along fold
line 34. Notches 35 and 36 are formed in riser panels 31 and 32
respectively. End wall panels 37 and 38 are foldably joined to
riser panels 31 and 32 along fold lines 33 and 34 respectively.
Side wall 39 is foldably joined to end wall panels 37 and 38 at its
end edges identified by the numerals 40 and 41 and a glue flap 42
is foldably joined to the bottom edge of side wall 39 along a fold
line 43.
Transverse partition structure may constitute a pair of
supplemental separate blanks such as that depicted in FIG. 3. The
blank of FIG. 3 comprises a medial panel 44 which is generally of
T-shaped configuration and when assembled in the finished carrier
the medial panel 44 is arranged with its horizontal part defined by
projections 44A and 44B secured to the riser panels and with its
vertical part extending downwardly. As is apparent from FIG. 3,
medial panel 44 is downwardly tapered for economy. Foldably joined
to the medial panel 44 along the sides thereof are transverse
panels 45 and 46. These panels 45 and 46 are foldably joined along
fold lines 47 and 48 to the side edges of medial panel 44. A pair
of flaps 49 and 50 are foldably joined respectively along fold
lines 51 and 52 to the edges of transverse panels 45 and 46
respectively which are remote from medial panel 44. These flaps 49
and 50 are manipulated and secured as by glue to a side wall of the
carrier to form support for the end of the partition structure.
Projections 44A and 44B and flaps 49 and 50 constitute flap
portions for securing the partition structure to the riser panels
and side walls.
Interposed between the adjacent edges of transverse panel 46 and
flap 50 is a web panel 53 which is in general alinement with the
fold line 52 and which is foldably joined to transverse panel 46
along fold line 54 and to flap 50 along fold line 55. A short
transverse cut 56 defines the bottom most extremity of web 53. At
the other end of the supplemental blank, a web panel 57 is foldably
joined to transverse panel 45 along fold line 58 and to flap 49
along fold line 59. A short slit 60 defines the bottom edge of web
panel 57.
In order to manipulate the supplemental blank of FIG. 3 into the
condition necessary for its application to the main blank, the
transverse panel 46 is folded downwardly along fold line 48 into a
position of flat face contacting relation underneath the medial
panel 44. During this folding operation web panel 53 and flap 50
remain in the plane of transverse panel 46. An application of glue
is made to the underneath surface of flap 50 as represented by
stippling in FIG. 3 and an application of glue is made to the
underneath surface of flap 49 so that these flaps are adhered to
side wall 1 with parts occupying the positions indicated in FIG.
4.
For use on the other side of the carrier, the transverse panel 45
of a blank of FIG. 3 is folded downwardly along fold line 47 to
occupy a position of flat face contacting relationship to the
medial panel 44 and an application of glue is made to the flaps 49
and 50 so as to cause the supplemental blank to adhere to side wall
39 as depicted in FIG. 4. The blanks of FIG. 4 are ready for
folding and gluing operations to complete the carrier. Of course
the glue application could be made to the side walls 1 and 39 in
appropriate areas rather than to the flaps of the supplemental
blank if so desired.
To form the carrier from the blanks of FIG. 4, an application of
glue is made to the left hand end of handle panels 17 and 18 and to
the inner ends of riser panels 11 and 31. Similarly an application
of glue is made to the horizontally disposed projecting part 44B of
the medial panel 44 of the supplemental blank secured to side wall
39 and the projection 44A of the other supplemental blank as
indicated by stippling in FIG. 4. Following this application of
glue, the end wall panels 7 and 37 are swung upwardly along with
riser panels 31 and 11 and toward the right along fold lines 9 and
40 so that riser panels 11 and 31 adhere to handle panels 17 and
18. Wide riser panel 31 adds reinforcement to the handle and by
connecting with panel 44 adds the equivalent of a strut under the
handle. Then riser panel 31 in the region indicated at 31B becomes
affixed to horizontal end portion 44B of medial panel 44 associated
with side wall 39 and the blanks then appear as shown in FIG.
5.
For the purpose of enveloping the riser panels 31 and 11, the
positioning flaps 23 and 24 are folded upwardly and toward the
right along fold lines 25 and 26 and into contact with the handle
panels 17 and 18 and with the riser panels 31 and 11 after glue is
applied as indicated by stippling in FIG. 5. The weakened fold
lines 23B and 24B allow for a measure of flexibility in positioning
flaps 23 and 24 and facilitate folding of these flaps should their
edges tend to hang up on the upper edges of end wall panels 7 and
37 and of the side walls 1 and 39. The riser panels 12 and 32 are
also swung upwardly and toward the left along the fold lines 14 and
34 and the parts then occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 6. This
operation causes the part 12A of riser panel 12 to become adhered
to the projecting part 44B of the horizontal portion of medial
panel 44 to provide added strength under the handle medially of the
carrier and to reinforce the handle by the wide riser panel 12. The
blank then appears as shown in FIG. 6. In this condition the
positioning edge 23C is in substantial coincidence with fold line
31A between riser panels 31 and 11. When the carrier is completed,
the handle structure is held in secure parallel relation to the
upper edges of the side walls 1 and 39 because the riser panels are
effectively enveloped between the handle and positioning flaps and
more specifically the handle is held by edge 23C which is trapped
inside the interconnected riser panels.
The bottom panel 2 is folded along fold line 4 and the carton
appears as in FIG. 7.
In order to complete the carrier, an application of glue is made to
the blank as indicated by stippled areas in FIG. 7 and the side
wall 39 riser panels 32, 31 and the end wall panels 37 and 38
together with the supplemental blank associated with side wall 39
are elevated and folded forwardly along the medial fold lines 19
and 27 so that the parts then occupy the positions indicated in
FIG. 8 which constitutes a complete and collapsed carrier.
During this latter folding operation, the right hand end 44A of the
supplemental blank which is secured to side wall 39 becomes secured
to riser panel 12 in the area thereof designated 12A so that riser
panel 12 is affixed to the horizontal part of the medial panel 44
of the supplemental blanks on both sides of the carrier. In like
fashion at the other end of blank 44, the projection 44A of the
supplemental blank which is secured to side wall 1 becomes adhered
to the area 31A of riser panel 31 and the area 31A is thus secured
to the medial parts of both supplemental blanks. Of course glue
flap 42 is secured to an edge of bottom wall 2 and the inner
surfaces of the handle panels are secured together as well as the
face contacting portions of the associated riser panels as is well
known in the art. The lower portions of riser panels 12 and 32 are
in flat face contacting relation and together are as thick as the
blank of FIG. 3 to meet governmental requirements. This double
thickness of riser panels extends up above the shoulders of the
packaged bottles to provide adequate bottle protection and
separation while the wide upper parts of riser panels 12 and 31
reinforce the handle and connect with parts 44A and 44B of the
supplemental blanks.
As is apparent from FIG. 9, the transverse panels 45 and 46 extend
from the medial panel 44 transversely of the carrier and constitute
partitioning structure which is secured to the side wall 1 by flaps
49 and 50. Should the article disposed between the transverse
panels 45 and 46 be tilted toward the left as viewed in FIG. 9, the
web panels 57 and 53 simply tend to aline themselves with the
transverse panels 45 and 46 so that the effect of this arrangement
is to render the transverse panels 45 and 46 extensible thereby to
accommodate tilting of the article disposed therebetween. As
explained this tilting action provides hand gripping room adjacent
to the medial panel 44.
From the description thus far it is apparent that the downwardly
extending parts of medial panel 44 and of transverse panels 45 and
46 are tapered in a downward direction. From FIG. 3 it is apparent
that the pair of supplemental blanks may be struck from a single
blank in nested relation with the downwardly tapered portions of
one blank interposed between and alongside the downwardly tapered
portions of the other blank. In this manner economy in the use of
material is effected. Furthermore an extremely low handle is
provided according to this invention which also effects significant
economy in the use of material. Strength is not jepordized due to
the fact that riser panels 31 and 12 are secured to the ends of the
horizontal projection of each medial panel so that substantial
strength is provided in the region immediately below the handle by
virtue of securement of projections 44A and 44B to the riser
panels.
* * * * *