U.S. patent number RE30,163 [Application Number 05/898,327] was granted by the patent office on 1979-12-11 for carton.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stone Container Corporation. Invention is credited to Melvin H. Meyer, Gerald G. Weitzel.
United States Patent |
RE30,163 |
Meyer , et al. |
December 11, 1979 |
Carton
Abstract
Cartons for packaging and mailing books and the like include
parallel major and minor walls which are foldably interconnected to
form a tubular structure and a closure and protecting structure for
each end of the tubular structure including end flaps which are
folded to form triangularly shaped air cushions, and, in a
modification, a trapezoidally shaped air cushion. The end flaps are
provided with locking tabs which engage corresponding notches in
the top surface of one of the major walls in order to form the air
cushions.
Inventors: |
Meyer; Melvin H. (Maywood,
IL), Weitzel; Gerald G. (Oaklawn, IL) |
Assignee: |
Stone Container Corporation
(Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
27083130 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/898,327 |
Filed: |
April 20, 1978 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
598712 |
Jul 24, 1975 |
03985230 |
Oct 12, 1976 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/424; 229/112;
229/122; 229/132; 229/178 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
5/2009 (20130101); B65D 5/2047 (20130101); B65D
5/6664 (20130101); B65D 5/6661 (20130101); B65D
5/28 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
5/66 (20060101); B65D 5/28 (20060101); B65D
5/20 (20060101); B65D 5/64 (20060101); B65D
085/30 (); B65D 085/54 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/424
;229/40,34HW |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Garbe; Stephen P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Darby & Darby
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cushioned shipping folder .Iadd.for use with automatic
packaging machines .Iaddend.formed from a unitary blank of foldable
paperboard or the like, comprising:
first and second major parallel walls and first and second minor
parallel walls foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure,
said first and second major parallel walls being rectangular in
shape, said first major wall being greater in length than said
second major wall; a closure and protecting structure for each end
of said tubular structure including first and second flaps foldably
connected to each other along a straight fold line extending the
entire length of said first and second flaps, said first and second
flaps being rectangular in shape and coextensive in length with
each other and with the width or shorter dimension of said first
major wall, said first flap being foldably connected to said first
major parallel wall along a straight fold line extending along the
entire width or shorter dimension of said first major wall.[.,.].
.Iadd.; .Iaddend.said first flap being folded obliquely with
respect to said first major wall, said second flap being folded to
a position generally perpendicular to said first major wall, said
first flap, said second flap and a portion of said first major wall
forming a uniformly shaped triangular air cushion extending across
the entire width of said first major wall, a pair of generally
rectangularly shaped outer flaps foldably connected to said second
major wall, each of said outer flaps being coextensive in length
with the width or shorter dimension of said second major wall,
being folded to a position in facing relationship with said
obliquely extending first flap and being glued to said obliquely
extending first flap in a flat oblique plane .Iadd.so that the fold
line between each of said first and second flaps engages one of the
fold lines between said outer flaps and said second major wall in
the erected carton.Iaddend..
2. .[.The folder recited in claim 1,.]. .Iadd.A cushioned shipping
folder formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard or the
like, comprising: first and second major parallel walls and first
and second minor parallel walls foldably interconnected to form a
tubular structure, said first and second major parallel walls being
rectangular in shape, said first major wall being greater in length
than said second major wall; a closure and protecting structure for
each end of said tubular structure including first and second flaps
foldably connected to each other along a straight fold line
extending the entire length of said first and second flaps, said
first and second flaps being rectangular in shape and coextensive
in length with each other and with the width or shorter dimension
of said first major wall, said first flap being foldably connected
to said first major parallel wall along a straight fold line
extending along the entire width or shorter dimension of said first
major wall, said first flap being folded obliquely with respect to
said first major wall, said second flap being folded to a position
generally perpendicular to said first major wall; said first flap,
said second flap, and a portion of said first major wall forming a
uniformly shaped triangular air cushion extending across the entire
width of said first major wall, a pair of generally rectangularly
shaped outer flaps foldably connected to said second major wall,
each of said outer flaps being coextensive in length with the width
or shorter dimension of said second major wall, being folded to a
position in facing relationship with said obliquely extending first
flap and being glued to said obliquely extending first flap in a
flat oblique plane so that the fold line between each of said first
and second flaps engages one of the fold lines between said outer
flaps and said second major wall in the erected carton,
.Iaddend.said closure and protecting structure further comprising a
third flap foldably connected to said second flap along a fold
line, said third flap being coextensive in length with said second
flap, said third flap being folded to a position in facing
relationship with said first major wall .Iadd.in the direction of
the line of fold between said first major wall and said first inner
flap thereby forming a double thickness along the entire length of
said air cushion.Iaddend.. .[.3. The folder recited in claim 2,
said third inner flap being folded to extend in the direction of
the line of fold between said first major wall and said first
inner
flap..]. 4. .[.The folder recited in claim 2,.]. .Iadd.A cushioned
shipping folder formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard
or the like, comprising: first and second major parallel walls and
first and second minor parallel walls foldably interconnected to
form a tubular structure, said first and second major parallel
walls being rectangular in shape, said first major wall being
greater in length than said second major wall; a closure and
protecting structure for each end of said tubular structure
including first and second flaps foldably connected to each other
along a straight fold line extending the entire length of said
first and second flaps, said first and second flaps being
rectangular in shape and coextensive in length with each other and
with the width or shorter dimension of said first major wall, said
first flap being foldably connected to said first major parallel
wall along a straight fold line extending along the entire width or
shorter dimension of said first major wall, said first flap being
folded obliquely with respect to said first major wall, said second
flap being folded to a position generally perpendicular to said
first major wall; said first flap, said second flap and a portion
of said first major wall forming a uniformly shaped triangular air
cushion extending across the entire width of said first major wall,
a pair of generally rectangularly shaped outer flaps foldably
connected to said second major wall, each of said outer flaps being
coextensive in length with the width or shorter dimension of said
second major wall, being folded to a position in facing
relationship with said obliquely extending first flap and being
glued to said obliquely extending first flap in a flat oblique
plane; said closure and protecting structure further comprising a
third flap foldably connected to said second flap along a fold
line, said third flap being coextensive in length with said second
flap, said third flap being folded to a position in facing
relationship with said first major wall; .Iaddend.a pair of notches
being formed in said first major wall.Iadd., each of said pair of
notches being .Iaddend.in alignment with the line of fold between
.Iadd.one of .Iaddend.said outer .[.flap.]. .Iadd.flaps
.Iaddend.and said second major wall; said closure and protecting
structure further comprising a tab formed on said second inner
flap, said second inner flap being folded to a position of said tab
engaging said major wall notches, said third inner flap being
foldably connected to said second inner flap along spaced apart
lines of fold, said tab being located between said spaced apart
lines of fold, said tab being separable from said third inner flap
by a cut line.
The folder recited in claim 4, each of said notches comprising a
pair of closely spaced lines being cut into the top surface of said
first major wall but not through said first major wall, the portion
of said first major wall top surface between said lines being
compressed thereby forming
a depression in said first major wall top surface. 6. The folder
recited
in claim 2, said third flap being glued to said first major wall.
7. The folder recited in claim 1, a pair of notches being formed in
said first major wall.Iadd., each of said pair of notches being
.Iaddend.in alignment with the line of fold between .Iadd.one of
.Iaddend.said outer .[.flap.]. .Iadd.flaps .Iaddend.and .Iadd.said
.Iaddend.second major wall; said closure and protecting structure
further comprising a tab formed on said second flap, said second
flap being folded to a position of said tab
engaging said major wall notches. 8. The folder recited in claim 7,
each of said notches comprising a pair of closely spaced lines
being cut into the top surface of said first major wall but not
through said first major wall, the portion of said first major wall
top surface between said lines being compressed thereby forming a
depression in said first major wall top surface. .[.9. The folder
recited in claim 1, the line of fold between said first and second
inner flaps being engageable with the line of fold
between said second major wall and said outer flaps..]. 10. The
folder recited in claim 1, the fold line foldably connecting each
of said outer flaps to said second major wall being scored such
that each of said outer
flaps tears away from said second major wall when pulled back. 11.
A cushioned shipping folder formed from a unitary blank of foldable
paperboard or the like, comprising:
first and second major parallel walls and first and second minor
parallel walls foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure,
said first and second major parallel walls being rectangular in
shape, said first major wall being greater in length than said
second major wall; a closure and protecting structure for each end
of said tubular structure including first and second flaps foldably
connected to each other along a straight fold line extending the
entire length of said first and second flaps, said first and second
flaps being rectangular in shape and coextensive in length with
each other and with the width or shorter dimension of said first
major wall, said first flap being foldably connected to said first
major parallel wall along a straight fold line extending along the
entire width or shorter dimension of said first major wall, at
least a .[.portion.]. .Iadd.section .Iaddend.of said first flap
being folded obliquely with respect to said first major wall, said
second flap being folded to a position generally perpendicular to
said first major wall, .[.said first flap portion, said second flap
and a portion of said first major wall forming a uniformly shaped
air cushion extending across the entire width of said first major
wall,.]. said closure and protecting structure further comprising
an additional fold line being formed in said first inner flap
thereby dividing said first inner flap into a first and a second
section, said first inner flap first section being folded obliquely
with respect to said first major wall, the fold line between said
first inner flap first and second sections being engageable with
the line of fold between said outer flap and said second major
wall, said first inner flap second section being folded to a
position in facing relationship with said second major wall,
thereby forming a trapezoidally shaped bumper.Iadd.; said first and
second sections, said second flap and a portion of said first major
wall forming a uniformly shaped air cushion
extending across the entire width of said first major
wall.Iaddend.. 12. A cushioned shipping folder formed from a
unitary blank of foldable paperboard or the like, comprising:
first and second major parallel walls and first and second minor
parallel walls foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure,
said first and second major parallel walls being rectangular in
shape, said first major wall being .[.greater.]. .Iadd.lesser
.Iaddend.in length than said second major wall; a closure and
protecting structure for each end of said tubular structure
including first and second flaps foldably connected to each other
along a straight fold line extending the entire length of said
first and second flaps, said first and second flaps being
rectangular in shape and coextensive in length with each other and
with the width or shorter dimensions of said first major wall, said
first flap being foldably connected to said first major parallel
wall along a straight fold line extending along the entire width or
shorter dimension of said first major wall, .[.at least a portion
of said first flap being folded obliquely with respect to said
first major wall, said second flap being folded to a position
generally perpendicular to said first major wall, said first flap
portion, said second flap and a portion of said first major wall
forming a uniformly shaped air cushion extending across the entire
width of said first major wall,.]. said closure and protecting
structure further comprising an additional fold line being formed
in said first .[.inner.]. flap thereby dividing said first
.[.inner.]. flap into a first and second section, said first
.[.inner.]. flap first section being folded obliquely with respect
to said first major wall, said first .[.inner.]. flap second
section being folded to a position in facing relationship with said
section major wall, .Iadd.said second flap being folded to a
position generally perpendicular to said first major wall, said
first flap first and second sections and said second flap forming a
uniformly shaped air cushion extending across the entire width of
said first major wall, .Iaddend.the fold line between said first
.[.inner.]. flap first and second section being engageable with the
end edge of said
second major wall. 13. The folder recited in claim 12, said first
.[.inner.]. flap second section being glued to said second major
wall. .Iadd. 14. The folder recited in claim 1 or 2, the bottom
edges of said first and second minor parallel walls being
co-extensive in length with said first major wall..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to cartons for packaging and
mailing books and the like, having triangularly shaped closure ends
or bumpers which provide protection for the enclosed book.
Although cartons of this type heretofore produced, such as the
cartons disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,370, have been generally
satisfactory, a savings in the amount of paperboard material needed
to construct such cartons is effected by the improved cartons of
this invention. Furthermore, the machines necessary to
automatically erect and package the improved cartons of this
invention are less complex than the machines previously used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a carton for packaging and mailing an
article which is formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard
and which is composed of two major parallel walls and two minor
parallel walls which are foldably interconnected to form a tubular
structure and a closure and protecting structure for each end of
the tubular structure.
In the preferred embodiment, the closure and protecting structure
includes a first end flap which is foldably connected to the first
of the major parallel walls and a second end flap which is hingedly
connected to the first flap. The first flap is folded obliquely
with respect to the first major wall, and the second end flap is
folded to a position generally perpendicular to the first major
wall thereby forming a triangularly shaped air cell or bumper. A
pair of outer end flaps are foldably connected to the second major
wall and are folded to a position in facing relationship with the
outer surface obliquely extending first end flap.
In an alternate embodiment, a third end flap is foldably connected
to the second end flap and the third flap is folded to a position
in facing relationship with the first major wall.
In another embodiment of this invention, the first end flap which
is connected to the first major wall is divided into a first
section and a second section with the first section being folded
obliquely with respect to the first major wall, the second section
being in facing relationship with the second major wall and the
second end flap being folded to a position generally perpendicular
to the first major wall, thereby forming a trapezoidally shaped air
cell.
Another feature of this invention is that locking tabs are provided
on the ends of the second end flaps which are folded to a position
generally perpendicular to the first major wall. These locking tabs
are adapted to fit within notches formed in the first major wall
which are formed by cutting two closely spaced lines in the top
surface of the first major wall and compressing the area of the
major wall between the two lines. The locking tabs and notches
combine to provide a rigid or self-supported air cell which does
not require the book or article to be in the carton in order for
the cell to remain erect. This feature of the invention is helpful
in the automatic erecting and packaging of the carton, since it is
not necessary to insert the book or article in the carton in order
to maintain the air cell in an erect or supported position.
Another feature of this invention relates to an easy opening tab on
the triangularly shaped air cell which permits a user to tear away
the outer flap of the triangular bumper and pull the triangular
bumper apart so as to permit access to the book contained in the
carton. This can be accomplished without destroying the carton and
permits the user to return the book in the same carton by simply
attaching a strip of tape to the triangular bumper whose outer flap
has been torn away.
The structural features of the invention and the complete nature
thereof will become further apparent following a consideration of
the ensuing specification and the appended claims in which the
invention is defined, particularly when taken in conjunction with
the accompanying illustrative drawings setting forth a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of an unerected carton showing the
preferred embodiment of my invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a partially erected carton which is
illustrated unerected in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the carton illustrated in FIG.
2 taken along the line 3--3;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view with parts broken away of the
carton illustrated in FIG. 2 taken along the line 4--4;
FIG. 4A is a partial perspective view with parts broken away of the
carton illustrated in FIG. 2 with the outer flap partially torn
away;
FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of an unerected carton showing an
alternate embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the carton
illustrated in FIG. 5 in an erect position and taken along the line
6--6;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an erected carton showing
another alternate embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 8 is a top elevational view of an unerected carton showing
another alternate embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a partially erected carton which is
illustrated unerected in FIG. 8; and
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an erected carton illustrated
in FIG. 9 taken along the lines 10--10.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, the major parallel walls 10 and 12 (sometimes
hereinbelow referred to as the first major wall 10 and the second
major wall 12) are adapted to be joined together to form a tubular
structure by minor parallel walls 14 and 16 which are foldably
connected to the major wall 10 and side flap 18 which is foldably
connected to major wall 12. The closure and protecting structure
for the carton blank illustrated in FIG. 1 includes, at each end of
the major wall 10, a first end flap 20 which is foldably connected
to major wall 10 and a second end flap 22 which is foldably
connected to first flap 20, and a first end flap 23 which is
foldably connected to major wall 12.
A tab 24 is formed on the outermost end of each of the major wall
second end flaps 22. A corresponding notch 26 is formed in the top
surface of the major wall 10 and is adapted to receive the tab 24.
The construction of the notch 26 is discussed in more detail
below.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, first major wall first end flaps 20 are
folded to form an oblique angle with the first major wall 10, and
first major wall second end flaps 22 are folded to a position
generally perpendicular to first major wall 10 thereby forming a
triangularly shaped bumper or air cell at both ends of the carton.
Also, second major wall end flaps 23 are folded to be in facing
relationship with the outer face of first major wall first end
flaps 20, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. Second major wall side
flap 18 is folded to be in facing relationship with the inner face
of first major wall side flap 16. The speckling on second major
wall end flaps 23 and side flap 16 indicates that glue is applied
to these flaps and they are fastened to the corresponding flaps of
the first major wall 10 mentioned above during the carton erecting
and packaging operation.
Another feature of this invention involves the formation of locking
tabs 24 on the ends of the first major wall second end flaps 22.
When these locking tabs 24 are inserted into the corresponding
notches 26 formed on the top surface of the first major wall 10, a
rigid or self-supporting triangular bumper is formed without the
necessity of placing a book or other object in the carton to hold
the bumpers or air cells in place. This greatly simplifies the
carton erecting and packaging operation.
Another aspect of this invention involves the particular
construction of the notches 26 which are formed in the top surface
of the first major wall 10. These notches are formed by cutting
closely spaced lines across a portion of the top surface of the
first major wall 10. However, these cut lines do not extend through
the major wall 10. The area between the cut lines is compressed to
form a depression in the top surface of the first major wall 10.
The locking tabs 24 engage this depression to form the rigid
triangular bumpers illustrated in FIG. 3. It is noted that the
first major wall second end flap 22 does not extend through the
major wall 10 so that there are no obstructions on the outer
surface of the first major wall 10 which would hinder handling or
stacking of these cartons.
The easy opening tab in the carton of this invention is illustrated
in FIGS. 1, 2, 4A and 5. This feature consists of a finger hole 25
formed in the first end flap 20 and a chamfered end 27 formed on
the second major wall end flap 23. Referring now to FIG. 4A, in
order to open the carton, it is merely necessary to grasp the
chamfered end 27 of the second major wall end flap 23 and pull the
flap back. The line of connection between the second major wall end
flap 23 and the second major wall 12 is scored so that the flap 23
tears away from the second major wall 12 when it is pulled back.
After the flap 23 is removed from the carton, the user may place a
finger in the finger hole 25 and pull the triangular bumper
outwardly thereby permitting access to the book. If the book is to
be returned, it is only necessary to reinsert it into the carton,
to re-form the triangular bumper, and to place a piece of tape from
one major wall to the other across the bumper.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the primed reference numerals therein (and
also in FIGS. 6 and 7) refer to elements which are identical to
those elements which are described herein with respect to FIGS. 1-4
and which were assigned the same unprimed numerals in FIGS. 1-4.
Thus, the alternate embodiment of FIG. 5 is substantially the same
as the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 with the sole exception that
a third end flap 28 is foldably connected to the first major wall
second end flap 22'.
Referring to FIG. 6, first major wall third end flap 28 is folded
(and may be glued) to a position in facing relationship with first
major wall 10' in the direction toward the line of fold between the
first major wall 10' and the first major wall first end flap
20'.
As in the preferred embodiment, a locking tab 24' is formed on the
end of each of the first major wall second end flaps 22'.
Accordingly, a correspondingly shaped cut-out (not shown) is formed
in the additional major wall third end flap 28 when the carton is
erected, as illustrated in FIG. 6.
FIG. 7 illustrates a modification of the carton illustrated in FIG.
1 whereby a trapezoidally shaped bumper is formed instead of the
triangularly shaped bumper illustrated in FIG. 3. In the alternate
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, an additonal fold line is formed
in the first major wall first end flap 20', thereby dividing that
end flap into a first section 30 and a second section 32. The first
major wall first end flap first section 30 is folded obliquely with
respect to the major wall 10 as in the preferred embodiment.
However, the first major wall first end flap second section 32 is
folded to a position in facing relationship with the inner surface
of the second major wall 10'. As in the first embodiment, the first
major wall second end flap 22' is folded to a position generally
perpendicular to the first major wall 10', thereby forming a
trapezoidally shaped bumper at each end of the carton.
Referring now to FIG. 8, another alternate embodiment of this
invention is illustrated in which the first and second major
parallel walls 40 and 42, respectively, are adapted to be foldably
interconnnected by minor parallel walls 44 and 46 to form a tubular
structure. Second major wall side flap 48 is adapted to be folded
into facing relationship with the inner surface of minor parallel
wall 46 to form a tubular structure.
The closure and protecting structure for the ends of the tubular
structure consists of a first end flap 50 which is foldably
connected to each end of first major wall 40 and which is divided
into a first section 52 and a second section 54 along a fold line.
A first major wall second end flap 56 is foldably connected to the
major wall end flap second section 54.
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the first major wall first end flap
first section 52 is folded to form an oblique angle with respect to
the first major wall 40, the first major wall first end flap second
section 54 is folded to be in facing relationship with the inner
surface of the second major wall 42 and the first major wall second
end flap 56 is folded to a position generally perpendicular to the
first major wall 40, thereby forming a triangularly shaped bumper
or air cell at each end of the carton.
Referring to FIG. 9, the speckled surfaces of second major wall
side flap 46 and first major wall first end flap second sections 54
indicate that glue is applied to these surfaces and that they are
fastened to the corresponding structure described above.
Upon examining the foregoing disclosure, those skilled in the art
may devise embodiments of the concepts involved which differ
somewhat from the embodiments shown and described herein or may
make various changes in the structural details to the present
embodiments such as, for example, providing tabs on the ends of the
first major wall second end flaps illustrated in FIG. 8 and
corresponding notches in the top surface of first major wall 40.
Consequently, all such changed embodiments or variations in
structure as utilize the concepts of the invention and clearly
incorporate the spirit thereof are to be considered as within the
scope of the claims appended herebelow.
* * * * *