Tote Box

Abstract

A rectangular paperboard carton having an easily erectable, flat lying carrying handle structure is disclosed. The carry handle includes a pair of full carton depth top closure flaps and a pair of tuck flaps, both of which are tuckable into the carton structure articulated to an edge of the top closure flaps. The tuck flaps include registrable handhole cutouts.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The carton of the invention is specifically designed to carry a plurality of relatively large and/or heavy articles, such as a pair of bottles of liquor or a bottle of liquor and a bottle of cocktail mixer. In addition to being of a relatively strong construction, a carton for this purpose should, advantageously, include a convenient handle means to aid the purchaser in carrying the package from the retail store. A suitable handle means should, in addition to providing a secure and convenient way for carrying the package, also be unobtrusive during shipping and display of the package. Further, the handle means should be easily set up by the retail merchant when the product is sold.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The carton of the invention provides a tubular box having a rectangular cross section and a top flap structure capable of easily forming a carrying handle. The top flap members of the new carton extend upwardly and inwardly from both the front and rear panels of the carton and include auxiliary flap members having hand openings that join together above the carton to form a vertically disposed carrying handle.

In accordance with the invention, the top flap members of the new carton also function as the outer top closure flaps of the carton. Both of the auxiliary flap members tuck into the carton structure to provide a compact package that can be readily shipped and easily adapted to provide a convenient carrying handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carton of the invention with the top flap members in an open position to show detail;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the top portion of the carton of the invention in carrying position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the carton of the invention with the carrying handles tucked away; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a rectangular carton generally indicated by the numeral 10 is shown. The rectangular carton 10 includes a front wall panel 11 and a rear wall panel 12, separated by a pair of opposed sidewall panels 13, 14. Inner top closure flaps 15 and 16 having engageable tabs 17 and 18 are articulated along the top edge of the side panels 13 and 14. Suitable flap means (not shown) for closing the bottom of the carton are associated with the bottom edge of at least one of the wall panels 11--14.

In accordance with a significant aspect of the invention, a pair of top flap members 19 and 20 are articulated across the top edge of each of the front and rear wall panels 11 and 12, respectively. The top flap members 19 and 20 each include both an outer closure flap portion 21 and 22 and tuck flaps 23 and 24. The tuck flaps 23, 24 are hinged to the outer closure flap portions of the top flap members along score lines 27 and 28. The tuck flaps 23 and 24, which, as shown in the drawings, are typically of two layered paperboard construction, include cutout areas 25 and 26 that are large enough for hand grasping.

The outer closure flap portions 21 and 22 each have the same width as the front and rear panels 11 and 12 and a depth sufficient to overlie the top of the carton as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. In accordance with the invention, the flap portions 21 and 22 are capable of assuming dual positions in conjunction with the functional character of the carton, i.e., a compact container having an easily erectable carrying handle.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flaps 21 and 22 lie across the flat surface of the carton before the carrying handles are erected. In this condition, the carton, only very slightly larger than the articles it is holding, can be shipped economically. When the carrying handles are erected for use, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the closure flaps 21 and 22 project upwardly in sloped relation to the top of the carton. The sloped flaps 21 and 22 join above the carton along score lines 27 and 28. In this position, the tuck flaps 23 and 24, which are articulated to the closure flaps 21 and 22 along score lines 27 and 28, are in contact and the hand cutouts 25 and 26 are in registry to form a carrying handle.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the new carton is provided with an auxiliary front panel 29, which is preferably an integral part of the carton blank articulated to a side edge of the side panel 13 and extending fully across the front panel wall 11. Typically, the free edge 30 of auxiliary front panel 29 is adhesively attached to the front panel wall 11 by a glue strip extending from its bottom edge 31 to approximately the vertical midpoint of the front panel. A pocket is thereby formed between the outer surface of the front wall panel 11 and the inner surface of the auxiliary front panel 29.

The pocket forming relationship between front wall panel 11 and the auxiliary front panel 29 permits the new carton to have a unique double tuck feature, whereby both carrying handle tuck flaps 23 and 24 may be neatly and securely retained within the carton structure during shipment and display of the package. As shown best in FIG. 5, the tuck flap 23 tucks downwardly along the inner wall of the rear panel wall 12, as is customary in cartons having full carton depth top closure panel with a tuck flap. The second tuck flap 24 extends vertically downward along the outer surface of the front wall panel 11 when the carton is in its shipping and display condition and is securely retained by the auxiliary front panel 29.

Because the closure flap 22 must extend slightly beyond the front wall panel in order for tuck flap 24 to be tucked into the front pocket, closure flap 22 must overlie closure flap 21 when the carton is closed.

In further accordance with the invention, the upper edge 32 of the auxiliary front panel 29 is defined by a downwardly sloping curved line terminating along the free edge 30. The curved, sloping configuration of upper edge 32 provides for the easy tucking in and removal of tuck flap 24 from the pocket formed between the front and auxiliary front panels.

In order to set up the new carton for hand carrying, the retail merchant simply removes both tuck flaps 23 and 24 from their tucked in positions and extends the carrying handle members 19 and 20 upwardly and together until the tuck flaps 23 and 24 are in full contact with handholes 25 and 26 in registry. Since the tuck flaps are not joined together in setting up the carrying handles, it is advantageous to provide some means for at least weakly holding the tuck flaps together. Accordingly, in its preferred form, the new carton includes a flap retaining tab 33 articulated to the upper edge of the handhole 26. Although the tab 33 may be articulated to the upper edge of either handhole, it is preferably associated with the tuck flap that is inserted within the carton along its rear wall so as not to interfere with advertising matter on the front or front auxiliary panels of the carton. The tab 33 is folded through the handhole formed by the registry of hand cutouts 25 and 26, as shown in FIG. 3. When the purchaser of the carton inserts his hand through the handhole and grasps the carton, the tab 33 is bent upward along tuck flap 23 and thereby prevents shifting of the tuck flaps 23 and 24, relative to each other while the package is being carried.

The invention provides a new tote carton having a double tuck feature and a very convenient and easy to erect carrying handle. The new carton is compact for shipping, storage, and display, yet incorporates a tucked away carrying handle structure that can be very easily erected when desired.

Claims

I claim:

1. A paperboard carton having a rectangular cross section, comprising

a. opposed front and rear wall panels,

b. a pair of similar sidewall panels articulated to and extending between said front and rear wall panels,

c. bottom closure means including at least one bottom closure flap articulated to any one of said front, rear and sidewall panels,

d. an auxiliary front wall panel articulated to a sidewall edge of said front wall panel having a free edge extending along the other sidewall edge of said front wall panel,

e. said auxiliary front wall panel being joined to said front wall panel along said free edge, and

f. first and second top flap members articulated to the upper edges of said front and rear wall panels, respectively,

g. said first and second top flap members including first and second outer closure flap portions,

h. said first and second outer closure flap portions being articulated along one edge to the top of said front and rear panels respectively and along the edge opposite said one edge to first and second tuck flaps,

i. said first and second tuck flaps being congruent and having registrable handhole cutouts,

j. said first outer closure flap portion being of suitable depth to permit the insertion of said first tuck flap between said auxiliary front and front wall panels,

k. said second outer closure flap portion being of suitable depth to permit the insertion of said second tuck flap into the top portion of said carton along the inner surface of said rear wall.

2. The carton of claim 1, wherein

a. said auxiliary front wall is joined to said front wall panel along a glue line extending from the bottom of the front wall panel and terminating substantially below the top edge of said front wall panel.

3. The carton of claim 1, further including

a. a pair of inner top closure flaps each articulated to the top edge of one of said side panels,

b. said inner top closure flaps having means for interlocking together.

4. The carton of claim 1, wherein

a. the top edge of said auxiliary front wall panel is defined by an at least partially curved line extending from the articulated edge of said auxiliary sidewall panel to a point along said free edge below the top edge of said front wall panel.

5. The carton of claim 1, wherein

a. one of said tuck flaps includes a tab member articulated to the upper edge defining its handhole cutout.

6. In a rectangular paperboard carton of the type shown and described, including front, rear and sidewall panels and a closed bottom, the improvement comprising

a. an auxiliary front wall panel joined to and forming a pocket with the front wall panel, and

b. top carrying handle means,

c. said top carrying handle means including a first top closure flap articulated to said front wall and a second top closure flap articulated to said rear wall,

d. a first tuck flap articulated to said first top closure flap, and

e. a second tuck flap articulated to said second top closure flap,

f. said second tuck flap being adapted for insertion into said pocket,

g. said first tuck flap being adapted for insertion into the interior of said carton along the inner surface of said rear wall.