U.S. patent number 3,613,956 [Application Number 04/875,366] was granted by the patent office on 1971-10-19 for dispensing package and container therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Boise Cascade Corporation. Invention is credited to Roger L. McCulloch.
United States Patent |
3,613,956 |
McCulloch |
October 19, 1971 |
DISPENSING PACKAGE AND CONTAINER THEREFOR
Abstract
Carton means adapted for use in connection with dispensing
apparatus including a plurality of container means for
simultaneously discharging separate pressure fluids, respectively,
characterized by the provision of support means for supporting the
containers in vertical side-by-side relation within and spaced from
the ends of said carton, and carrying handle means adjacent the top
of said carton for the manual transport thereof in a vertical
orientation. In accordance with one feature of the invention,
valve-operating means are provided adjacent the handle means for
operating the discharge valves of all the containers to permit a
user with one hand to both carry the apparatus and to
simultaneously operate all the discharge valves associated
therewith. According to a second feature, the carton includes
improved container support means comprising additional bottom panel
means and handle panel means arranged at the lower and upper ends
of the carton, respectively, for achieving a greatly strengthened
rugged carton construction.
Inventors: |
McCulloch; Roger L. (Elmhurst,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Boise Cascade Corporation
(Boise, ID)
|
Family
ID: |
25365675 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/875,366 |
Filed: |
November 10, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/135; 222/183;
222/145.1; 222/153.11; 222/470; 229/117.13; 229/117.09; 229/199;
222/145.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/756 (20130101); B65D 83/384 (20130101); B65D
83/68 (20130101); B65D 5/5011 (20130101); B65D
5/5061 (20130101); B65D 5/5059 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
5/50 (20060101); B65D 83/14 (20060101); B67d
005/56 () |
Field of
Search: |
;229/39B,52A,52B,25,43,7,17,16,23,41
;222/136,470,510,145,173,183,175,325 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Reeves; Robert B.
Assistant Examiner: Bartuska; Francis J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A carton adapted for use in connection with dispensing apparatus
of the type including a plurality of containers containing
different pressure fluids, respectively, and means for mixing and
dispensing the fluids, comprising
a cardboard blank foldable to define a rectangular carton having
vertical side and end walls;
support means for supporting the containers in vertical
side-by-side inverted relation within, and spaced inwardly from the
upper and lower ends of, said carton, said support means including
a plurality of lower support flaps hingedly connected with the
lower edges of at least some of said side and end walls,
respectively, said lower support flaps being foldable upwardly to
vertical container-supporting positions within the lower portion of
said carton;
carrying handle means adjacent the top of said carton for effecting
manual transport of the dispensing apparatus when in a vertical
orientation;
said support means further including horizontal upper support panel
means connected between the walls of and extending transversely
across the carton at a lower elevation than said handle means for
engaging the upper surfaces of the containers to prevent upward
movement thereof relative to said carton; and
valve operator means for effecting simultaneous discharge of fluids
from a plurality of the containers, said valve operator means
including an actuating portion adjacent said handle means, an
intermediate portion extending downwardly through said horizontal
upper panel support means substantially the length of said carton,
and a lower portion adapted for connection with the dispensing
valve means of a plurality of said receptacles, whereby a user with
one hand may carry the carton and operate said valve operator means
to effect simultaneous discharge of of plurality of the pressure
fluids.
2. A cardboard blank for forming a portable dispensing container,
comprising
a series of rectangular sections hingedly connected at their
vertical edges and defining, in succession, a first sidewall, a
first end wall, a second sidewall, a second end wall, and a third
sidewall, said sections being foldable to define a rectangular
configuration in which said first and third sidewalls are
contiguous;
a plurality of support flaps hingedly connected with the lower
edges of said first and second sidewalls and said first and second
end walls, respectively, each of said support flaps having the same
vertical dimension and being foldable upwardly toward a support
position in contiguous engagement with the section hingedly
connected therewith;
said first and third sidewalls containing adjacent their upper
edges aligned handle openings; and
a handle tab hingedly connected with the upper edge of said first
sidewall and bendable downwardly into engagement with the adjacent
surface of said third sidewall, the hingedly connected portions of
said second sidewall the flap connected therewith containing an
opening operable to define a slot when said flap is pivoted upward
toward the support position.
3. A carton adapted for use in connection with dispensing apparatus
of the type including a plurality of containers containing
different pressure fluids, respectively, and means for mixing and
dispensing the fluids, comprising
a cardboard blank foldable to define a rectangular carton having
vertical side and end walls;
support means for supporting the containers in vertical
side-by-side relation within, and spaced inwardly from the upper
and lower ends of, said carton, said support means including an
upper panel section spaced downwardly from the upper edges of, and
extending horizontally across, the upper portion of said carton for
engagement with the upper ends of said containers, and a pair of
parallel vertical panel sections hingedly connected at their lower
edges with corresponding opposite edges of said central panel
section, respectively, said vertical panel sections being connected
in contiguous surface-to-surface engagement with the corresponding
inner wall surfaces of said carton, respectively; and
carrying handle means adjacent the top of said carton for effecting
manual transport of the dispensing apparatus when in a vertical
orientation, said handle means comprising aligned openings
contained in one of said vertical support panel sections and the
corresponding carton wall.
4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said handle means
further includes a handle tab hingedly connected with the upper
edge of said corresponding carton wall, said tab being foldable
downwardly toward a vertical position in engagement with the
adjacent outer surface of said one vertical support panel
section.
5. A carton adapted for use in connection with dispensing apparatus
of the type including a plurality of containers containing
different pressure fluids, respectively, and means for mixing and
dispensing the fluids, comprising
a cardboard blank foldable to define a rectangular carton having
vertical side and end walls;
carrying handle means adjacent the top of said carton for effecting
manual transport of the dispensing apparatus when in a vertical
orientation;
and support means for supporting the containers in inverted
vertical side-by-side relation within, and spaced inwardly from the
upper and lower ends of, said carton, said support means including
a plurality of lower support flaps hingedly connected with the
lower edges of at least some of said side and end walls,
respectively, said lower support flaps being foldable upwardly
within the lower portion of said carton, a horizontal bottom
support panel supported by the upper extremity of said flap means
and extending transversely across the carton, and a pair of
vertical bottom panel sections hingedly connected with opposite
edges of said bottom support panel and extending downwardly between
the corresponding support flap means and the walls to which they
are connected, respectively, said horizontal bottom support panel
containing openings adapted to receive the container dispensing
valve means, respectively, one of said vertical bottom panel
sections and the corresponding support flap and carton wall
containing aligned openings for receiving flexible discharge
conduits connected at one end with said dispensing valve means,
respectively.
6. A carton adapted for use in connection with dispensing apparatus
of the type including a plurality of containers containing separate
pressure fluids, respectively, and means for mixing and dispensing
the fluids, comprising
1. a cardboard blank foldable to define a rectangular carton having
vertical side and end walls;
2. support means for supporting the containers in vertical
side-by-side relation with, and spaced inwardly from the upper and
lower ends of, said carton;
3. carrying handle means adjacent the top of said carton permitting
manual transport of the dispensing apparatus when in a vertical
orientation, said carrying handle means comprising
a. central vertical panel means containing a handle opening and a
pair of slots extending downwardly from the upper edge of said
central panel means adjacent each end thereof, respectively;
and
b. a pair of coplanar horizontal panel means connected at their
adjacent edges with the lower edges of said central vertical panel
means, respectively, said central panel means and said horizontal
panel means extending transversely across the upper portion of said
carton between said end walls, said horizontal panel means being
connected with said end walls for engagement with the upper
surfaces of the containers; and
4. handle locking means hingedly connected with the upper edge of
each carton end wall comprising a horizontal first flap adapted to
extend partially over one end portion of the upper edge of said
central vertical panel means, and a vertical second flap extending
downwardly in the adjacent slot contained in said central vertical
panel means.
7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said locking means
further includes tab means hingedly connected with the free
vertical edges of each of said second flaps, and means securing
said tab means to the corresponding carton sidewalls.
Description
As evidenced by the prior U.S. Pats. to Rabby et al. No. 3,123,254,
Block No. 3,130,875, Zastrow No. 3,246,825 and Carlson No.
3,338,403, it is well known in the prior art to provide various
types of receptacles for the packaging, storage or transport of
liquid containers. In Carlson, for example, the package includes a
pair of containers arranged end to end to permit transfer of the
contents of one container to the other. It is also known in the
prior art to provide packages in which fluids from two compartments
or containers are mixed prior to discharge, as evidenced, for
example, by the U.S. Pat to Flynn No. 3,079,044.
In recent years, a demand has been made for a relatively
inexpensive disposable package for dispensing products from a
nonrefillable container, such as an aerosol can or similar
pressurized container. Furthermore, the need has arisen for a
lightweight carton that may be readily carried by one hand, the
other hand of the user being free to direct spray means for the
fluid dispensed from the container. In order to actuate the
discharge valve means associated with the container, discharge
operator means are required that are operable by one hand of the
user, preferably the one by which the package is being carried.
Moreover, in accordance with another recent development in the art,
fluids dispensed from a plurality of containers are designed to
chemically or physically react with each other to produce a desired
end product or reaction. For example, in apparatus developed to
produce a rigid urethane foam for use in caulking openings, for
sealing cracks and the like, measured quantities of different
pressure fluids are dispensed simultaneously from a pair of
containers and are mixed to produce a high quality froth foam the
ingredients of which react to form a rigid product. The present
invention was developed to meet the above and similar additional
packaging requirements.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a
lightweight portable carton adapted for use in the housing,
transporting and simultaneous dispensing of pressure fluids from a
plurality of containers. The carton is of a rectangular
configuration formed from a blank of cardboard, paperboard, foil
laminate, or the like, said carton including support means for
supporting the receptacles in side-by-side relation within, and
spaced from the ends of, the carton.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a light
weight carton of the type described above, characterized by the
provision of improved handle means adjacent the top of the carton
that serve not only for the manual transport of the dispenser
package when in a vertical orientation, but also as part of the
support means for preventing upward movement of the containers
relative to the carton. In one embodiment of the invention, valve
operator means are provided including an actuator member arranged
adjacent the handle means for operating the valve means of a
plurality of containers to simultaneously discharge a plurality of
pressure fluids therefrom, whereby a user with one hand may both
transport the package and dispense a mixed fluid therefrom. The
handle means may either be formed as an opening in the upper
portion of one sidewall of the carton, or as an opening in a
central divider flap that extends transversely across the upper
portion of the carton.
A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing carton
having improved support means for supporting the containers in
side-by-side relation intermediate the ends of the carton. In one
embodiment, the receptacles have annular flanges adjacent their
lower ends that rest on vertical support flaps which extend
upwardly within the carton from the lower edges thereof. In a
second embodiment, the receptacles are further supported at their
lower ends by an additional horizontal support panel that in turn
is supported by the upper edges of the aforementioned support
flaps.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent
from a study of the following specification when considered in the
light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus in its nondispensing
condition;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with
certain parts broken away;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the main and secondary cardboard blanks
utilized in the formation of the container carton of FIGS. 1-4;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the apparatus view of FIGS. 1-4 in
a partially disassembled condition;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 9 is an exploded bottom perspective view, with certain parts
broken away, of the apparatus of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 8;
and
FIGS. 11-13 are views of the body, bottom and top handle blanks
used in forming the carton of FIG. 8.
Referring first more particularly to FIGS. 1-4 the portable
dispensing apparatus includes a lightweight cardboard container 2
in which are mounted a pair of receptacles 4,6 provided at their
lower ends with dispensing valves 8 and 10, respectively. In the
illustrated embodiment, both of the receptacles comprise aerosol
cans the dispensing valves of which include hollow stem members 12
and 14 that are displaceable angularly to discharge fluid under
pressure from the cans. Connected at one end with the valve stems
12 and 14 are a pair of flexible conduits 16 and 18, respectively,
said conduits being in communication at their other ends with a
mixing chamber 20 contained in the cylindrical body 22 of mixing
and spray valve means 23, said body having a discharge opening
24.
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the container is formed from a
first blank 26 and a separate panel or blank 28 each formed of
cardboard, paperboard, a foil laminate, or the like, the first
blank including a series of rectangular sections connected along
vertical hinge lines to define, in succession, a first sidewall
section 30, a first end wall section 32, a second sidewall section
34, a second end wall section 36, and a third sidewall section 38.
Hingedly connected with the lower edges of walls 30, 32, 34 and 36
are support flaps 30a, 32a, 34a and 36a, respectively, said support
flaps having the same vertical dimension and being foldable
upwardly into engagement with the inner surfaces of the
corresponding wall sections toward the vertical
receptacle-supporting positions shown in FIG. 7. Hingedly connected
with the upper end of first sidewall 30 is a handle flap 30b, said
first sidewall 30 and said third sidewall 38 containing adjacent
their upper edges identical handle openings 40, 42, and said second
sidewall 34 containing adjacent its upper edge a circular nozzle
storage aperture 44. The second sidewall 34 also contains adjacent
its lower edge an opening 46 that extends partially into flap 34a
to define a retainer slot 48 when the support flap 34a is folded
upwardly toward the vertical receptacle-supporting position shown
in FIG. 7.
The second cardboard blank 28 has a width substantially equal to
that of the sidewalls 30, 34 and 38, said second blank including a
central section 50 containing an aperture 52, a handle section 54
containing a handle opening 56, and a third section 58 containing a
circular nozzle-receiving aperture 60. The width of the central
section 50 is generally equal to that of the end wall sections 32
and 36.
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 4, in accordance with an important
feature of the present invention, operator means 68 are provided
for simultaneously operating the valve stems 12 and 14 to dispense
fluids under pressure from aerosol cans 4 and 6 into mixing chamber
20 via conduits 16 and 18, respectively. The operator means 68
includes at its lower end a pair of annular member 70, 72 mounted
on the stems 12 and 14, respectively, and connected at its upper
end by means of an intermediate portion 73 with a trigger ring 74
adjacent the handle opening. To prevent inadvertent operation, the
valve stems are normally provided with removable semicircular lock
members 75 and 76, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 2.
Referring now to FIG. 7, to assemble the apparatus of FIGS. 1-4,
the blank 26 is folded into a rectangular configuration with the
sidewall 38 adjacent the inner surface of sidewall 30, and the
lower support flaps are folded upwardly to the vertical positions.
The valve operator means 68 are connected with the handle blank 28,
whereupon the containers 4 and 6, the valve operating means 68 and
the handle blank 28 are inserted within the carton, the containers
being supported at their lower ends by the cooperation between
annular flanges 4a and 6a and the upper extremities of the support
flaps 30a, 32a, 34a, and 36a. The vertical flaps of the handle
blank are then secured to the corresponding carton sidewalls, and
the tab 30b is folded downwardly upon and is secured to the section
54 as shown in FIG. 4. Consequently, owing to the support of the
containers afforded by the horizontal panel 50 and the support
flaps 30a, 32a, 34aand 36a, the containers are restrained against
vertical movement relative to the carton.
Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that with one hand, the
user of the dispensing apparatus may engage both the carrying
handle and the trigger ring 74 of the dispenser operator means 68,
and with the other hand may direct the mixing and spray nozzle
means 23 in any desired direction relative to the carton. Following
removal of the valve lock means 74 and 76 (shown in FIG. 4), the
dispenser operator means 68 may be actuated to dispense fluids from
receptacles 4 and 6 into mixing chamber 20, whereupon the resultant
mixture is discharged through discharge opening 24.
Upon release of the operator means 68, valve means 8 and 10 are
closed to interrupt discharge of fluid from receptacles 4 and 6,
whereupon flexible conduits 16 and 18 are inserted into retainer
slot 48, and nozzle 23 is inserted into the storage aperture 44 as
shown in FIG. 1. If desired, lock means 75 and 76 may be replaced
upon valve stems 12 and 14, respectively, to prevent inadvertent
operation of the dispenser means.
Although the handle and upper support sections 50, 54 and 58 have
been illustrated as being formed as sections of a separate blank
28, it is apparent that, if desired, these sections could be
hingedly connected with the upper edges of either of the sidewalls
34 or 38.
Referring now to FIGS. 8-13, a second carton embodiment is
disclosed that is adapted to house and transport a pair of pressure
fluid containers 80 and 82 that are appreciably larger and heavier
than the aerosol can type containers 4 and 6 of FIG. 2. To this
end, the means for supporting the containers at their upper and
lower ends are greatly strengthened to provide a more rugged and
durable carton construction. As shown, more particularly in FIG. 9,
at the lower end of the carton 84, auxiliary lower support means 86
are provided that are mounted upon the vertical support flaps
hingedly connected with the lower edges of the carton walls. At the
upper end of the carton, improved and strengthened handle and upper
support means 88 are provided as shown in FIG. 10.
Referring now more particularly to FIG. 11, the carton blank
includes, in succession, a locking wall 90, a first end wall 92, a
first sidewall 94, a second end wall 96 and a second sidewall 98,
said walls being vertical and hingedly connected for folding to the
vertical rectangular carton configuration of FIGS. 8-10. Support
flaps 92a, 94a, 96a and 98a are hingedly connected with the lower
extremities of the walls by the intermediate panels 92b, 94b, 96b
and 98b. Connected with the upper edges of sidewalls 92 and 96 by
the intermediate horizontal panels 92d and 96d are locking flaps
92c and 96c having at each vertical edge locking tabs 92e and 96e,
respectively. The sidewall 94 contains a pair of access openings
102, and the support flap 94a contains corresponding access slots
104, whereby access is provided to the discharge valve means 80a
and 82a at the lower ends of the containers 80 and 82 as will be
described below.
The lower support blank 86 includes successive hingedly connected
section 110, 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120, said blank being foldable
in half about hinge line 122, and then into the U-shaped
configuration of FIG. 9, whereupon sections 110 and 120, 112 and
118, and 114 and 116 are contiguous, respectively, sections 112 and
118 containing aligned openings 124 for receiving the valve means
80a and 82a when the containers are supported thereon, and sections
114 and 116 containing aligned openings 126 for arrangement
opposite the wall openings 102 and the flap access slots 104.
The upper handle blank 88 includes, as shown in FIG. 12, successive
hingedly connected sections 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150, 152 and
154, securing flaps 146a and 148a being hingedly connected with the
lateral edges of sections 146 and 148, respectively. Sections 144,
146, 148 and 150 containing handle openings 158 so arranged that
when the blank is folded about center edge 147 and then sections
142 and 152 are folded to the horizontal container supporting
positions of FIG. 10, the handle openings are in alignment.
Furthermore, openings 160 contained in the handle sections 144,
146, 148 and 150 define slots in the upper edges of the handle
means 88 when in the folded condition of FIG. 10.
To assemble the carton of FIGS. 8-10, the sections 90, 92, 94, 96
and 98 are folded to the illustrated rectangular configuration, and
containers 80 and 82 (with the corrugated cardboard spacer means
170 therebetween) are inserted in parallel side-by-side relation
within the carton. The bottom support blank 86 is folded to the
generally U-shaped configuration of FIG. 9, and is inserted within
the lower portion of the carton with the container valve means 80a
and 82a being received by the aligned openings 124. The support
flaps 92a, 94a, 96a and 98a are then foldable upwardly to the
vertical support positions with the horizontal support panels 112
and 118 of blank 86 being supported by the upper edges of the
vertical support flaps, and the vertical sections 110 and 120 and
114 and 116 being contained between the support flaps 98a and 94a
and the corresponding carton sidewalls. At the upper end, the
handle blank 88 is folded and inserted within the carton as shown
in FIG. 10, the handle flaps 146a and 148a being folded outwardly
against the inner surfaces of the end walls 92 and 96. The locking
flaps are then folded downwardly with the sections 92d and
96darranged in horizontal engagement with the upper surfaces of the
central handle sections, the vertical flaps 92c being inserted
downwardly with the slots 92f and 96f in locking cooperation with
the handle slots 160. Locking tabs 92e and 96e are secured (by
stapling, adhesive means, or the like) to the corresponding carton
sidewalls to complete the carton assembly.
To use the apparatus of FIGS. 8-13, the flexible conduits 180, 182
of the mixing nozzle means 184 are inserted through the openings
102, 126 and 124 for connection with the manually operable valve
means 80aand 82a. Following openings of the valve means, the user
may transport the apparatus with one hand by the handle means 86,
and with the other hand may dispense the pressure fluid mixture via
the mixing and and dispensing nozzle means 184.
In the illustrated invention, the containers contain pressure
fluids that, when mixed, react to produce a foamed product. For
example, in the case of polyurethane foam, one container may
contain pressurized polymeric isocyanate adapted for reaction with
an amine and fluorocarbon-containing polyol pressure fluid in the
other container.
While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes, the
preferred form and embodiment of the invention has been illustrated
and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
various changes and modifications may be made in the apparatus
described without deviating from the inventive concept.
* * * * *