U.S. patent number 3,904,036 [Application Number 05/524,144] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-09 for fully enclosed bottle container.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Mead Corporation. Invention is credited to Homer W. Forrer.
United States Patent |
3,904,036 |
Forrer |
September 9, 1975 |
Fully enclosed bottle container
Abstract
An enclosed container for packaging a plurality of bottles
having tapered neck portions includes bottom, top and side walls
interconnected to form a tubular structure having end closure means
at each end which includes a bottom end panel foldably joined to
each end of the bottom wall, a top end panel foldably joined to
each end edge of the top wall together with a transverse lower end
flap foldably joined to each end edge of the bottom portion of each
side wall, a transverse upper end flap foldably joined to each end
of the inwardly tapered top shoulder portion of each side wall, and
web structure which interconnects the adjacent edges of the
transverse upper and lower end flaps associated with each end edge
of each side wall. The upper portion of the end closure structure
is inwardly tapered so that the top wall is of a shorter
longitudinal dimension than the bottom wall. In order to provide
for collapsing a pre-glued sleeve formed according to this
invention, a so-called false score is formed in the bottom wall and
disposed in parallel relation to a side edge thereof.
Inventors: |
Forrer; Homer W. (Jonesboro,
GA) |
Assignee: |
The Mead Corporation (Dayton,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
24087953 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/524,144 |
Filed: |
November 15, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/427;
229/193 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/36 (20130101); B65D 2571/0066 (20130101); B65D
2571/00141 (20130101); B65D 2571/00728 (20130101); B65D
2571/00574 (20130101); B65D 2571/00549 (20130101); B65D
2571/00469 (20130101); B65D 2571/00524 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/00 (20060101); B65D 065/12 (); B65D 065/14 ();
B65D 065/28 (); B65D 075/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/427,434
;229/38,40 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Price; William I.
Assistant Examiner: Garbe; Stephen P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rodgers; Walter M.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A bottle container comprising top, bottom, and side walls, each
side wall having a bottom portion, and an inwardly tapered top
shoulder portion said top and bottom walls and said wall portions
being interconnected to form a tubular structure, a transverse
lower end flap foldably joined to each end edge of the bottom
portion of each side wall, a transverse upper end flap foldably
joined to each end edge of the shoulder portion of each side wall,
web structure interconnecting each lower end flap and the
associated upper end flap and disposed in flat face contacting
relation therewith, a top end panel foldably joined to each end
edge of said top wall and folded downwardly and secured in flat
face contacting relation with at least one transverse end flap on
each side of each end of the container, and a bottom end panel
foldably joined to each end edge of said bottom wall and folded
upwardly and secured to said top end panel.
2. A container according to claim 1 wherein each of said transverse
upper end flaps is foldably joined along at least a portion of its
top edge to the adjacent edge of the associated top end panel.
3. A container according to claim 2 wherein each of said transverse
upper end flaps is collapsible along a diagonal fold line one end
of which coincides with an adjacent top corner of the
container.
4. A container according to claim 1 wherein said web structure
comprises a web panel defined by a pair of spaced angularly related
fold lines.
5. A container according to claim 4 wherein a portion of each of
said web panels and of an adjacent area of each of said transverse
upper end flaps is cut away to facilitate manipulation thereof.
6. A container according to claim 1 wherein each top end panel is
secured to both of the associated transverse upper end flaps.
7. A container according to claim 1 wherein each bottom end panel
is secured to both of the associated transverse lower end
flaps.
8. A container according to claim 1 wherein said top wall is a
composite structure and includes a medial double thickness
manufacturer's joint and an adjacent hand gripping aperture formed
in a single thickness portion of said top wall and wherein said top
end panels are composite structures.
9. A container according to claim 8 wherein an elongated hand
gripping aperture is disposed on each side of said joint and
wherein a score line interconnects each corner of said top wall and
the adjacent end of one of said hand gripping apertures.
10. A container according to claim 1 wherein a folding score line
is formed in said bottom wall and disposed in parallel relation to
a side edge thereof.
11. A container according to claim 10 wherein said folding score is
spaced from one side edge of said bottom wall by a distance
approximately equal to the difference in width between said top
wall and said bottom wall.
12. A container blank comprising a generally rectangular bottom
wall, a bottom end panel foldably joined to each end edge of said
bottom wall, a pair of side walls having bottom portions foldably
joined respectively to opposite side edges of said bottom wall and
having shoulder portions foldably joined to said bottom portions, a
lower end flap foldably joined to each end edge of the bottom
portion of each side wall, an upper end flap foldably joined to
each end edge of the shoulder portion of each side wall, a web
panel foldably adjoined to the upper edge of each said lower end
flaps and to the lower edge of the adjacent upper end flap, and a
top wall lap panel foldably joined to the upper edge of the
shoulder portion of each of said side walls.
13. A blank according to claim 12 wherein an elongated longitudinal
hand gripping aperture is formed in each of said top wall lap
panels and wherein a pair of score lines are formed in each of said
top wall lap panels and wherein each fold line extends between an
end of the fold line between the associated top wall lap panel and
the associated shoulder portion of one side wall and the adjacent
end of the associated hand gripping aperture.
14. A blank according to claim 12 wherein a folding score is formed
in said bottom wall and disposed in parallel relation to a side
edge thereof.
15. A blank according to claim 12 wherein a handle reinforcing
panel is foldably joined to one of said top wall lap panels along
an edge thereof remote from the shoulder portion of the associated
side wall.
Description
Known totally enclosed containers for packaging a plurality of
bottles having tapered neck portions have frequently proved to be
unsatisfactory due in many instances to the fact that the side and
end walls tend to bulge outwardly and thus allow relative movement
between the packaged bottles. Such jostling of the packaged bottles
frequently results in damage or breakage and in some instances
resort has been had to the inclusion of costly cushioning
partitions whereby the bottles are separated and cushioned from
each other. If cushioning partitions could be eliminated,
substantial economies in the cost of packaging could be
effected.
According to this invention, a totally enclosed container for
packaging a plurality of bottles having tapered neck portions is
specially constructed so as to maintain the top, bottom, side and
end closure panels in tight and snug engagement with the bottles
included within the package. Such a tight construction tends to
eliminate undesired relative movement and the resulting collision
of adjacent bottles. Tightness of the package is accomplished
according to this invention by properly dimensioning the
interconnected top, bottom and side walls which form a tubular
structure and by unique and effective end closure means which
includes a transverse lower end flap foldably joined to each end
edge of the bottom portion of each side wall together with a
transverse upper end flap foldably joined to the inwardly tapered
upper shoulder portion of each side wall, each transverse lower end
flap being connected with the adjacent transverse upper end flap
with web structure which imposes a force to the end closure means
whereby the top wall is held firmly and securely against the tops
of the packaged bottles and the side walls are braced against
outward bulging. In addition, a top end panel is foldably joined to
the end edges of the top walls and is secured in overlapping
relationship with an associated bottom end panel foldably joined to
each end edge of the bottom wall and folded upwardly. The top and
bottom end panels preferably are secured to the associated
transverse upper end flaps and transverse lower end flaps so that
the end closure structure not only imposes substantial inward
holding pressure to the packaged bottles but also constitutes a
multi-ply cushioning end closure means for the container.
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 completed container formed
according to one form of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a unitary blank from which the container
shown in FIG. 1 is formed;
FIGS. 3-7 inclusive depict glueing and folding operations through
which the blank of FIG. 2 is manipulated in order to form the
completed container shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a unitary blank constructed according to a
modification of the invention and in which
FIG. 9 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 6 and which depicts a
stage in the folding and glueing operations through which the blank
of FIG. 8 is manipulated in order to form a completed package from
that blank.
In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the bottom wall in which a
folding or so-called false score line designated by the numeral 2
is formed. Bottom end panels 3 and 4 are foldably joined to the end
edges of bottom wall 1 along fold lines 5 and 6 respectively. The
bottom portion of one side is designated by the numeral 7 and is
foldably joined to a side edge of bottom wall 1 along fold line 8.
A transverse lower end flap 9 is foldably joined to an end edge 10
of the lower portion 7 of one end wall and a transverse lower end
flap 11 is foldably joined along fold line 12 to the opposite end
edge of the lower portion 7 of one side wall. Inwardly tapered top
shoulder portion 13 of one side wall is foldably joined along fold
line 14 to the lower portion 7 of that side wall and a transverse
upper end flap 15 is foldably joined along inwardly tapered fold
line 16 to the shoulder portion 13 of one side wall and a
transverse upper end flap 17 is foldably joined along inwardly
tapered fold line 18 to the opposite end edge of shoulder portion
13 of one side wall.
For the purpose of interconnecting adjacent edges of upper end flap
15 with lower end flap 9, a web panel 19 is foldably joined along
fold line 20 to lower end flap 9 and along fold line 21 to upper
end flap 15. Similarly at the other end of the container, a web
panel 22 is foldably joined along fold line 23 with lower end flap
11 and web panel 22 is foldably joined to upper end flap 17 along
fold line 24.
A top wall lap panel 25 is foldably joined to the upper edge of
shoulder portion 13 of one side wall along a fold line 26.
Elongated hand gripping aperture 27 is formed in top wall lap panel
25 and score lines 28 and 29 respectively interconnect opposite
ends of the longitudinal hand gripping aperture 27 and the adjacent
corners of top wall lap panel 25. A reinforcing flap 30 is foldably
joined along fold lines 31, 32 and 33 to an edge of top wall lap
panel 25. A top end panel component 34 is foldably joined along
fold line 35 to an end edge of top wall lap panel 25 and a similar
top end panel component 36 is foldably joined along fold line 37 to
the opposite end edge of top wall lap panel 25.
For the purpose of facilitating access to the packaged bottles
inside the container, a plurality of tear slits of conventional
construction may be formed in shoulder portion 13 of one side wall
as indicated at 38 and 39 and similar slits as indicated at 40 and
41 may be formed in adjacent portions of top wall lap panel 25.
The opposite side of the container is similar to that already
described and includes bottom portion 42 of the opposite side wall
which is foldably joined along fold line 43 to a side edge of
bottom wall 1. A transverse lower end flap 44 is foldably joined to
one end of lower portion 42 of one side wall along fold line 45
while a similar transverse lower end flap 46 is foldably joined
along fold line 47 to the other end edge of the lower portion 42 of
one side wall.
Inwardly tapered top shoulder portion of the side wall is
designated by the numeral 48 and is foldably joined to the bottom
portion 42 of the side wall along fold line 49. Transverse upper
end flap 50 is foldably joined to one end of shoulder portion 48
along fold line 51 while transverse end flap 52 is foldably joined
to the other end of shoulder portion 48 of one side wall along fold
line 53.
For interconnecting adjacent edges of upper and lower end flaps 44
and 50, a web panel 54 is foldably joined to the lower end flap 44
along fold line 55 and web 54 is foldably joined along fold line 56
to transverse upper end flap 50. Similarly at the other end of the
container web panel 57 is foldably joined to transverse lower end
flap 46 along fold line 58 and to transverse upper end flap 52
along fold line 59.
Top wall lap panel 60 is foldably joined to shoulder portion 48 of
the associated side wall along a fold line 61 and is provided with
an elongated longitudinal hand gripping aperture 62. Score lines 63
and 64 respectively interconnect opposite ends of the longitudinal
hand gripping aperture 62 and the adjacent corners of top wall lap
panel 60.
A component of the top end panel is designated by the numeral 65
and is foldably joined to top wall lap panel 60 along fold line 66.
At the other end of the blank, top end panel component 67 is
foldably joined to top wall lap panel 60 along fold line 68.
For facilitating access to the interior of the package,
conventional tear slits such as are indicated at 69 and 70 may be
formed in the shoulder portion 48 of one side wall and
corresponding tear slits 71 and 72 may be formed in top wall lap
panel 60.
In order to form the container, an application of glue is first
made to the hand reinforcing panel 30 as indicated by stippling in
FIG. 2. Panel 30 is then elevated and folded into face contacting
relation with top wall lap panel 25 to occupy the position depicted
in the fragmentary view designated as FIG. 3. This operation causes
reinforcing panel 30 to adhere to top wall lap panel 25.
Thereafter top wall lap panel 25 together with hand reinforcing
panel 30 and top end panel components 34 and 36 are elevated and
folded along the fold line 26 to occupy the positions depicted in
FIG. 4.
With the structure arranged as shown in FIG. 4, an application of
glue is made to the aligned edges of top wall lap panel 25 and to
top end panel components 34 and 36 as indicated by stippling in
FIG. 4. Simultaneously an application of glue can be made if
desired to the aligned edges of top wall lap panel 60 and top end
panel components 65 and 67. Thereafter the bottom portion 42 and
the shoulder portion 48 of the side wall together with top wall lap
panel 60, lower end flaps 44 and 46, upper end flaps 50 and 52, web
panels 54 and 57 and top end panel components 65 and 67 are
elevated and folded forwardly along fold line 2 to occupy the
positions depicted in FIG. 5. This folding operation causes top
wall lap panel 25 to adhere along its stippled edge to top wall lap
panel 60 by way of a manufacturer's joint thus to form a composite
top wall for the container. Simultaneously top end panel components
65 and 34 adhere to each other along a manufacturer's joint as do
top end panel components 36 and 67. The collapsed structure as
shown in FIG. 5 represents the condition of the container upon
completion of the container manufacturer's operations and it is in
this form that the container is shipped to a packager such as a
bottler. Of course the false score or folding line 2 allows the
structure as shown in FIG. 5 completely to collapse because the
space between fold line 2 and the side edge 43 of bottom wall 1 is
approximately equal to the difference in width between the top wall
which is a composite structure comprising top wall lap panels 25
and 60 and the bottom wall 1.
The bottler sets up the carrier by first forming a tubular
structure from the collapsed arrangement shown in FIG. 5.
Thereafter the closure structure at one end preferably is closed
and the container may then appear somewhat as shown in FIG. 6.
Bottles of course are loaded from the left hand end of FIG. 6.
Structure as shown in FIG. 6 without the bottles allows the near
side of the composite top wall and the side wall 42, 48 to be
elevated somewhat higher from the bottom wall than in the completed
package due to folding of the bottom wall structure along the fold
line 2. Thus it is relatively simple to insert the bottles into the
open end of the container due to the fact that the side wall 42, 48
is elevated somewhat by folding along the false score 2. Preferably
the left side of the container as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is loaded
first and the right hand side is loaded as the last phase of a
loading operation. As is apparent in FIG. 7, the lower rounded
bottom part of bottle B1 "irons out" that portion of the bottom
wall which is disposed between the fold lines 2 and 43. Thus when
the bottles B1 are inserted, the top, bottom and side walls are
tightened and the package is then in the form of a unitary tight
structure wherein the top wall is forced firmly down against the
caps of the bottles.
After the bottles are end loaded into the structure as shown in
FIG. 7, it is then only necessary to complete the end closure at
the left hand end of the container. Toward this end an application
of glue is applied to the bottom end panel 3 and to the top end
panel components 34 and 65 as indicated by stippling in FIG. 6.
Thereafter transverse upper end flap 15 and transverse lower end
flap 9 are folded inwardly along their respective fold lines 16 and
10 while transverse upper end flap 50 and lower transverse end flap
44 are simultaneously folded inwardly along their respective fold
lines 51 and 45 to occupy positions of flat contacting relationship
with the bottles within the container. Since the shoulder portion
of each side wall designated by the numerals 13 and 48 are inwardly
tapered and since the fold lines for the transverse upper end flaps
15 and 50 designated by the numerals 16 and 51 are also inwardly
tapered, folding of the lower and upper end flaps on each side of
the carrier causes the web panels 19 and 59 to occupy positions
between the adjacent portions of each of the upper end flaps 15 and
50 and lower end flaps 9 and 44. Thus web panel 19 is captured
between upper end flap 15 and lower end flap 9 and thus imposes a
vertical tension in those panels after bottom end panel 3 is
secured to lower end flaps 9 and 44 and after top end panel 34, 65
becomes adhered in overlapped relationship to bottom end panel 3
and to the upper end flaps 15 and 50. Thus by this invention, end
closure means is provided for a sleeve type wrapper which not only
imposes substantial downward force on the composite top wall which
causes that wall snugly to engage the tops of the packaged bottles
but the end closure structure also is of a multiply thickness which
affords substantial cushioning action against dislodgment of
bottles or collision with adjacent containers or other foreign
objects near the ends of the container. By this means the container
securely grips the packaged bottles and prevents jostling and
thereby eliminates the necessity for interior separate cushioning
partitions between adjacent bottles.
Furthermore as is apparent from FIG. 1, hand gripping apertures 27
and 62 are disposed on opposite sides of the manufacturer's joint.
Furthermore, it is apparent that fold lines 28, 29, 63 and 64
extend between the corners of the composite top wall and adjacent
ends of the hand gripping apertures 27 and 62 as is obvious from
FIG. 1. Thus the portion of the manufacturer's joint which is
between the hand gripping apertures 27 and 62 is allowed to move
upwardly somewhat when the package is grasped for transport and the
portions of the top wall adjacent the fold lines 28, 29, 63 and 64
are allowed to bend. Insurance is thus provided whereby any
tendency for the ends of the hand gripping apertures to tear is
eliminated since the weight of the package simply causes slight
deformation of the top panel along the fold lines 28, 29, 63 and 64
and eliminates possible rupture of the top panel.
The modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is similar
to that shown in FIGS. 1-7 inclusive. The structure of FIGS. 8 and
9 differs primarily with respect to the construction and
arrangement of the transverse upper end flaps. For example, the end
flap designated 15a is foldably joined to top end panel component
34 along fold line 15b and the transverse fold line 15c is formed
in the panel 15a and is arranged with one end disposed at a corner
of the container. In addition web panel 19a is cut away in part
which cut away portion may in some instances facilitate
manipulation of the end closure structure by machine operations.
Furthermore when the end structure is closed, upper end flap 15a
collapses on itself along the diagonal fold line 15c. Manipulation
of the upper end flap 15a is quite similar to the manipulation of
end closure flap 15 of the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1-7. Upper
end closure flap 17a is similarly provided with a fold line 17b
between top end panel component 36 and end flap 17a and a diagonal
fold line 17c is formed in upper end flap 17a and a cutaway portion
22b is comparable to cutaway portion 19b.
In like fashion upper end flap 50a is provided with a fold line 50b
and a transverse fold line 50c and web panel 54a is cut away
somewhat as shown at 54b. Similarly end flap 52a is provided with
fold line 52b and with transverse fold line 52c while cutaway area
57b is provided in conjunction with web 57a.
The closure structure for the arrangements of FIGS. 8 and 9 is
manipulated and secured in a manner virtually identical to that
described above in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7. The results
obtained by the modification of FIGS. 8 and 9 are similar and
almost identical to the characteristics achieved with the
arrangement shown in FIGS. 1-7 inclusive, both with respect to
tight gripping of the packaged bottles and with respect to the
action of the yieldable fold lines 28, 29, 63 and 64.
* * * * *