Wrap-around Carton For Bottles Or The Like

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a wraparound carrier blank which includes means for accurately aligning the carrier blank prior to the carrier being wrapped around a plurality of articles, and means for drawing the blank into tight embracing relationship with the articles during a package-forming operation. The repositioning means are a pair of edges disposed generally transverse to a transverse center line of the blank in each of a pair of closure panels for engagement by repositioning fingers of a packaging machine. The means for drawing the blank into embracing relationship with the articles are edge portions formed in each of the closure panels which are disposed generally normal to a longitudinal centerline of the blank and adapted for contact by tightening members of the packaging machine.

Description

It is relatively well known to form wraparound type packages from a plurality of articles, such as bottles or cans, by conveying the articles along a predetermined path and progressively war wrapping a wraparound carrier blank about selected ones of the articles. The carrier blanks are normally individually removed from a hopper and advanced above and in times relationship to the conveyed articles. Conventional folders, such as rotating blades or discs, progressively fold the individual carrier blanks about the selected articles toward a generally tubular configuration after which, depending upon the carrier blank, the carrier blanks are fixed in the generally tubular configuration thereof by, for example, interengageable latching tabs or tongues and openings formed in closure panels of the blanks.

Conventional carrier blanks are, for the most part, quite acceptable for packaging articles in the manner just described. However, during the feeding and wrapping of conventional carrier blanks by known package forming machines two disadvantages have been noted. The first of these disadvantages is the tendency of the conventional carrier blank to cock or cant in the direction of article and blank travel. That is, the carrier blank must be fed with its longitudinal centerline positioned m normal to the direction of article and blank movement in order that the blank can be accurately and tightly wrapped about the selected articles. This is particularly desirable when the carrier blank is of the type which includes latching tabs and openings which must be presented to conventional latching mechanisms of the packaging machine in precise relationship to achieve a properly and completely latched on or interlocked package. If, for example, a carrier blank is canted as it approaches the conventional latching mechanism of the package forming machine one or more of the latching tabs may be improperly or only partially received in an associated latching opening which results in the formation of an undesirable package.

The second disadvantage of conventional wraparound carriers is the difficulty in forming therefrom a relatively tightly wrapped package which is highly desirable particularly when frangible articles, such as glass bottles, are packaged within the carrier. If a carrier blank is loosely wrapped about the articles there is a tendency of the axially endmost ones of the articles to be readily dislodged from the package.

In keeping with the foregoing it is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a novel wraparound type carrier blank which avoids the noted and other disadvantages by including means for repositioning canted blanks during the formation thereof into packages, and means for effecting the tight wrapping of the blanks about selected articles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel wraparound carrier blank which includes a top, a pair of sides and a pair of closure panels, and the repositioning means are edges disposed in the closure panels in generally parallel relationship to a longitudinal center line of the carrier blank whereby repositioning fingers of a packaging machine can contact the edges of a canted blank to reposition the same with the longitudinal centerline normal to the direction of blank travel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel around carrier blank of the type aforesaid wherein the tightening means are similarly defined by edges in each of the closure panels disposed generally transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the carrier blank whereupon the edges can be contacted by tightening fingers to draw the blank into tightly embracing relationship to the articles being packaged therein.

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 general views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. l is a top perspective view of a wraparound carrier blank constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a plurality of openings bridging adjacent side and closure panels, with each of the openings include including means for repositioning improperly positioned blanks during the formation thereof into packages, and means to facilitate the wrapping of the carrier blank into tight embracing relationship with an associated group articles.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the carrier blank of FIG. l after the latter has been partially folded about a plurality of articles, and illustrates repositioning and tightening fingers of a packaging machine for cooperating with the repositioning and tightening means of the carrier blank.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and more clearly illustrates the passage of an aligning or repositioning finger through an associated opening of the carrier blank.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sections sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and additionally illustrates the position of the repositioning finger during the movement thereof through the opening of the carrier blank.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates the closure panels of the carrier blank being urged toward each other by transversely movable tightening means for tightly wrapping the carrier blank about the articles.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 5, and illustrates one of the tightening members bearing against edges of the opening to urge the associated closure panel to the left as viewed in this FIG.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, and more clearly illustrates the manner in which the illustrated closure panel is urged toward the opposite closure panel.

A novel wraparound carrier blank constructed in accordance with this invention is best illustrated in FIG. l of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral 20. The carrier blank 20 is constructed of paperstock, plastic or similar foldable material, and includes a pair of transverse terminal edges 21, 22 and longitudinal terminal edges 23, 24 which together impart a generally rectangular configuration to the blank 20.

A top panel 25 having neck-receiving openings 26 is disposed generally medially of the transverse edges 21, 22 and is defined by portions of the longitudinal edges 23, 24 and a pair of transverse fold lines 27, 28. The openings 26 in the top panel 25 are adapted to receive necks N (FIG. 2) of articles A, such as bottles or similar containers.

A side panel 30 is joined to the top panel 25 along the fold line 27, and is set off by the fold line 27, portions of the longitudinal edges 23, 24 and a fold line 31 which is generally parallel to the fold line 27.

A substantially identical side panel 32 is similarly joined to the top panel 25 along the transverse fold line 28, and is defined by the transverse fold line 28, portions of the longitudinal edges 23, 24 and a transverse fold line 33 which is generally parallel to the transverse fold line 28.

An inner closure panel 34 is joined to the side panel 30 along the fold line 31, and is set off by the fold line 31, portions of the longitudinal edges 23, 24 and the transverse edge 21. The inner closure panel 34 is provided with three identical latch-receiving openings 35.

An outer closure panel 36 is joined to the side panel 32 along the transverse fold line 33, and is set off by the transverse fold line 33, portions of the longitudinal edges 23, 24 and the transverse edge 22 which is of an undulating configuration for a plurality of identical secondary latching tabs or tongues 37 which are in alignment with primary latching tabs 38 and with an associated one of each of the openings 35. The function of the latching tongues 37 and the latching tabs 38 is to retain the blank 20 in a tubular configuration in a conventional manner.

The side panes panels 30, 32 and the closure panes panels 34, 36 include a plurality of longitudinally aligned openings each of which is designated by the reference numeral 40. The openings 40 are formed by removing material from both the side and closure panels, it being noted that the openings bridge the fold lines 31, 33 separating the panels 30, 34 and 32, 36. Reference is now made to FIG. 3 of the drawings in which one of the six identical openings 40 is fully illustrated, and is defined by two opposed concave edges 41, 42, a convex edge 43 bridging the edges 41, 42. a pair of generally transversely aligned edges 44, 45, and an edge 46 disposed generally parallel to the edges 44, 45 and a pair of edges 47, 48 joining the respective edges 44, 46, and 45, 46, edges 44, 45 are disposed in generally normal relationship to the longitudinal centerline of the blank 20 and parallel to the transverse centerline thereof, while the edges 47, 48 are disposed generally transverse to the transverse centerline of the carrier blank, it being noted that the edge 48 is precisely normal to the transverse centerline while the edge 47 is inclined thereto at an angle of approximately 45.degree. .

The edge 47,48 when considered singly or in pairs of each of the openings 40 of the carrier blank 20 define for cooperating with repositioning fingers 50 (FIG. 2) for repositioning the blank 20 when its longitudinal centerline is not normal to a predetermined path of travel of the articles A and the blank itself, with the predetermined path of travel being indicated by the unnumbered headed arrow in FIG. l. That is, the blank as shown in FIG. l moves in the direction of the unnumbered headed arrow in timed relationship with the articles A during the formation of a package therefrom by a packaging machine forming no part of this invention. The edges 44, 45 of each of the openings 40 likewise individually and in combination define means which cooperate with tightening elements or fingers 51 (FIG. 2) for drawing the blank 20 into tightly embracing relationship with the articles A prior to the latching of the tongues and tabs 37, 38 respectively, with the latching openings 35 in a manner to be described immediately hereinafter.

Assuming that the blank 20 of FIG. l is moving in the direction of the unnumbered headed arrow and that the articles A are similarly moving in the same direction in a packaging machine, the necks N of the articles A are first positioned within the neck-receiving openings 26 of the top panel 25. As the blank 20 and the articles A are conveyed simultaneously through the packaging machine the side panels 30, 32 are folded into generally parallel relationship (FIG. 2) about the respective fold lines 27, 28 by conventional folding blades or discs (not shown). After the side panels 30, 32 have been positioned as shown in FIG. 2 means (not shown) are rendered operative to simultaneously move the repositioning fingers 50 and the tightening fingers 51 toward each other in the direction of the unnumbered headed arrows in FIG. 2. If the carrier blank 20 is cocked or canted i.e., positioned otherwise than with its longitudinal center line normal to the direction of blank and article travel, a rounded nose 52 of each repositioning finger 50 engages either edge 47, 48 of each opening 40 and shifts the misaligned carrier blank 20 to a position of alignment at which the openings 40 in the side panels 30, 32 are in transverse alignment. This assures assures that the tongues 37 and the latching tabs 38 are similarly in alignment with the latching openings 35 to facilitate the eventual interlocking engagement therebetween.

During the continued simultaneous movement of the articles A and the blank 20 the closure panels 34, 36 contact folding blades 53, 54, respectively, (FIG. 2). The folding blades 53, 54 are of a conventional construction and progressively first fold the inner closure panel 34 upwardly toward the articles A as viewed in FIG. 2 followed by the upward folding of the outer closure panel 36. During the folding of the closure panels 34, 36 by the folding blades 53, 54 the edges 44, 45 of each of the openings 40 are brought into transverse opposed relationship to flat faces 55 of each of the tightening fingers 51 which continually move in the direction of the unnumbered headed arrows in FIGS. 2 and 5. During this continuous movement the flat faces 55 of the tightening fingers 51 contact the edges 44, 45 of associated openings 40 as shown best in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings to urge or draw the closure panels 34, 36 toward each other, thereby tightly embracing the articles A by the blank 20 prior to the final latching of the tongues 37, tabs 38 and openings 35 by conventional means (not shown). Thus, each group of articles A is tightly wrapped in an associated blank 20 and at the same time lowermost or bottom end portions (unnumbered) of the articles A are interlocked with the openings 40, as shown best in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

While preferred forms and arrangement 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 the invention as defined in the appended claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. A wraparound carrier blank comprising a top, a pair of side and a pair of closure panels adapted to be wrapped about a plurality of articles during the normal movement of the blank with a longitudinal centerline thereof disposed generally normal to a predetermined path of travel of the articles during which movement opposite side and closure panels are folded into generally parallel relationship, and means formed as an integral portion of at least one of said last-mentioned panels operable upon by positioning means for repositioning the blank, when its longitudinal centerline is not normal to the predetermined path, to the normal position

2. A wraparound carrier blank comprising a top, a pair of side and a pair of closure panels adapted to be wrapped about a plurality of articles during the normal movement of the blank with a longitudinal centerline thereof disposed generally normal to a predetermined path of travel of the articles during which movement opposite side and closure panels are folded into generally parallel relationship, and means formed as an integral portion of one of said pair of panels operable upon by tightening means for drawing the side panels into tightly embracing relationship with the plurality of articles during the movement of the latter and the blank

3. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said repositioning means is a free edge of said one panel, and said free edge is disposed in transverse relationship to a transverse centerline of said

4. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said repositioning means are a pair of free edges of said one panel positioned in opposed relationship to each other, and said free edges are disposed in

5. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said one panel is one of said pair of closure panels, and both said one closure a panel and said remaining closure panel are provided with said

6. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said one panel and the corresponding remaining panel are both provided with said repositioning means, and said repositioning means are each a pair of free edges positioned in opposed relationship to each other and in transverse

7. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 including means formed as an integral portion of one of said pair of panels operable upon be tightening means for drawing the side panels into tightly embracing relationship with the plurality of articles during the movement of the

8. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 including means formed as an integral portion of one of said pair of panels operable upon by tightening means for drawing the side panels into tightly embracing relationship with the plurality of articles during the movement of the latter and the blank along the predetermined path, and said drawing means

9. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 including means formed as an integral portion of one of said of panels operable upon by tightening means for drawing the side panels into tightly embracing relationship with the plurality of articles during the movement of the latter and the blank along the predetermined path and said drawing means are defined by a free edge in each of said last-mentioned pair of panels disposed in transverse relationship to the longitudinal centerline of said

10. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said repositioning means in part defines an opening for embracingly receiving a

11. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 2 wherein said last-mentioned pair of panels are the closure panels, and said drawing means is a free edge in each closure panel disposed in transverse

12. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 2 wherein said drawing means in part defines an opening each of said pair of panels for

13. A wraparound carrier blank comprising a top, a pair of side and a pair of closure panels adapted to be wrapped about a plurality of articles during the normal movement of the blank with a longitudinal centerline thereof disposed generally normal to a predetermined path of travel of the articles during which movement opposite side and closure panels are folded into generally parallel relationship, each closure a panel being joined along a fold line to an adjacent side panel, an opening formed in each pair of adjoining side and closure panels in bridging relationship to the associated fold line, each opening being defined in part by an edge portion deposed disposed generally parallel to its associated fold line and by another edge portion disposed generally transverse to its associated fold line, said first-mentioned edge portions defining means for drawing the side panels into tightly embracing relationship with the plurality of articles during the movement of the latter and the blank along the predetermined path, and said another edge portions defining means for repositioning the blank, when its centerline is not normal to

14. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 13 wherein said opening openings are formed predominantly from the material of the side

15. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 10 wherein said repositioning means is a pair of transversely spaced edges of said

16. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 12 wherein said drawing means is an edge of said opening disposed normal to said

17. The wraparound carrier blank as defined in claim 15 including means formed as an integral portion of one of a said pair of panels operable upon by tightening means for drawing the side panels into tightly embracing relationship with the plurality of articles during the movement of the latter and the blank along the predetermined path, and said drawing means is an edge of said opening disposed normal to said longitudinal center line.