Carrying carton for containers

3,176,902

April 6, 1965

C. L. CHAMPLIN

CARRYING CARTON FOR CONTAINERS

Filed Jan. 15, 1962

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US3176902A_D0001.tif" />

April 6, 1965

C. L. CHAMPLIN

3,176,902

CARRYING CARTON FOR CONTAINERS

Sheets-Sheet 2

Filed Jan. 15, 1962

<img file="US3176902A_D0002.tif" />

April 6, 1965

3,176,902

C. L. CHAMPLIN

CARRYING CARTON FOR CONTAINERS

Filed Jan. 15, 1962

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US3176902A_D0003.tif" />

INVENTOR.

Charles L&gt;. Ckantplcri

BY

United States Patent Office

3,176,902

Patented Apr. 6, 1965

3,176,902

CARRYING CARTON FOR CONTAINERS Charles L. Champlin, Rittman, Ohio, assignor to Packaging Corporation of America, Evanston, BL, a corporation of Delaware

Filed Jan. 15,1962, Ser. No. 166,351

Claims. (CL 229—40)

This invention, relates to a carton in which several small containers, such as beverage bottles, may be packaged for convenient handling, storing, selling and carrying as a unit.

Bottled beverages are commonly packaged in small paper board carrying cartons. Each carton may, for example, contain six bottles .arranged in two rows of three bottles each, and these cartons may be packed into shipping cases for shipment to the retail store. During the packing of the shipping cases and subsequently during transit, the bottles in the cartons are frequently subjected to impact and jarring. As a result, many bottles are apt to become broken unless measures are taken to protect the bottles from engagement with one another in the cartons. In one carton design partitioning is employed between the bottles, and the bottles are carried basket style. Another and more recent design has provided a more complete encasement of the bottles, and the separation of the bottles is accomplished by engagement of the bottle necks at the carton top and by employing tabular separators at the carton bottom. The bottles are loaded into the latter type carton through the sides, and side flaps, which are initially opened to permit loading of the carton, are adhesively secured in their closed position after loading. Although the degree of impact protection afforded the bottles by these two types of cartons has been found to be approximately the same, the latter type carton carrier has many distinct advantages. However, it is not always convenient or desirable to glue the flaps of the carton closed after loading. Moreover, it is desirable that the bottles in the cartons be more fully protected from breakage under impact and jarring, and ways have been sought to improve this important function of the carton carrier. Of course, any commercially acceptable carton earner must combine the desired features of a glue-free closure and improved bottle protection with the necessary features of economy and adaptation to modem automatic machine loading.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide an economical bottle carrying carton which may be closed without gluing and will afford maximum protection for the bottles.

It is another object of this invention to provide a carrying carton into which a plurality of containers may be easily and automatically loaded by the packer and from which the containers may be subsequently and easily removed by the consumer.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a novel, easy opening bottle carrier which will maintain a desired separation between the bottles at both the top and bottom thereby giving a maximum degree of protection to the bottles against impact breakage.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a carrying carton for bottles or other similar containers which will afford a significantly greater degree of protection to the bottles than is presently available with carriers of previous design.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an economically designed bottle carrier carton which has a pleasing apearance, may be easily and quickly loaded and may be closed and sealed without the use of adhesives.

Other objects will be seen, and a further understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The carrying carton constructed in accordance with this invention is especially adapted to carry bottles or other containers of the type having tapered and capped necks. In accordance with one embodiment, the carton includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and a pair of end panels intermediate the top and bottom panels. These panels are connected together to form a collapsible body which when set up is initially open at both sides. Side flaps and tuck flaps are also provided, the side flaps being hinged to the side edges of the top and bottom panels of the body and the tuck flaps hinged to the side edges of the end panels of the body. These side .and tuck flaps are movable between a closed position wherein they at least partiallj' close the sides of the body and an open position wherein the side openings of the body are exposed to permit the charging of containers into the body therethrough. The side flaps and tuck flaps have cooperative locking tongue-and-siot formations thereon which interlock as these flaps are moved to their closed position. In this manner, the flaps are maintained in their closed position without gluing, and the containers may be firmly retained in position within the carton body. A double hinging feature facilitates the closing movement of the side flaps to effect interengagement of the tongue-and-slot formations, and the carton is thus readily adaptable to automatic machine loading and closing.

Means is preferably provided in the top panel of the body for engaging the neck of each container in the carton. In tlie preferred embodiment this means includes hinged top panel edge portions and apertures spaced along the hinge line and extending at least partially into the edge portions. The apertures are laterally opened or raised to receive the necks of the containers when the top panel edge portions and the attached top side flaps are swung to their open position. These apertures are then closed or lowered when the top panel edge portions and top side flaps are moved to their closed position.

At the bottom of the carton are a number of push-up tab sets which are preferably struck from the bottom panel. Each tab set is adapted for interposition between the bottoms of adjacent containers, and each set consists of two tabs hinged in closely spaced relationship and movable from the plane of the bottom panel into a substantially upstanding back-to-back position. These double push-up tab sets are an important feature of the invention and resiliently hold the container bottoms in spaced relationship. Together with the top neck engagement, these tab sets provide maximum protection against the breakage of the containers.

Attention is now directed to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fully loaded carton constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a partially loaded carton showing the flaps at one side thereof in their open position preparatory to the insertion of containers into that side of the carton;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carton of slightly modified design showing the relationship between the tongue-and-sloi lormations on the side flaps and tuck flaps just prior to interlocking engagement;

. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carton constructed m FIG. 2 showing one side of the carton after the containers have been charged thereinto and before the flaps on that side of the carton have been moved to their closed position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a preformed blank from which the carton illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be constructed;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the assembled blank in collapsed condition;

3,176,902 carton. Thus, the capped top ends of the necks 125 will protrude through the apertures in the top panel 18 when the bottoms of the bottles are resting on the bottom panel 29 of the carton. An additional finger grip hole 49 may be. provided in each end panel for carton handling convenience.

The bottom panel 20 is rectangular and has a plurality of double tab sets 42 struck therefrom, each set consisting of two tabs 42α and 425 which are hinged to the bottom panel 20 along closely spaced parallel fold lines 42c and 42d, respectively. When the carton is set up, the tabs in each set may be swung upwardly out of the plane of the bottom panel 20 and into substantially upstanding back-to-back relationship, such as illustrated in FIG. 2. This arrangement of double tab sets 42 is an important feature and provides a very unexpected in-, crease in the protection of the bottles against breakage due to impact, as will be more .fully discussed.

Hinged to the side edges of the top panel 18 are substantially rectangular top side flaps 44 and 46. A pair of spaced, substantially arrow-shaped tongue fojrmiations 48 are cut into each of the top side flaps 44 and 46. at approximately the two free end corners thereof leaving an intermediate or central overlap formation 52.

Hinged to the side edges of the bottom panel 20 are substantially rectangular bottom side flaps 54 and 5-5. These bottom side flaps cooperate with the top side flaps 44 and 46 to effect closing of the sides of the carton. Together, the top and bottom side flaps more than span the space between the side edges of the top and bottom panels 18 and 20.

Hinged to the side edges of the end panel 22 are tuck flaps 58 and 59, and a similiar set of tuck flaps 60 and 61 are hinged to.the side edges of the end panel 24. The tuck flaps are smaller than either the top or bottom side flaps and when closed span very little of the distance between the end panels to which they are attached. Each tuck flap 58-61 is provided with a transverse slot 62 and each slot has a connecting lead aperture 64. It wiil be noted that each slit 62 is convex in the direction of the connecting lead aperture. ' As will be more fully explained, the connecting lead apertures 64 and the convex arcuate shape of the slots 62 facilitate the entry into the slots of the arrow-shaped tongue formations 48.

FIG. 1 shows the carton after it has been set up, filled and subsequently closed. It will be noted that in this filled and closed condition, the barbed 'trailing ends of the arrow-shaped tongue formations 48 on the top side flaps 44 and 46 are disposed substantially fully within 50 the corresponding slots 62 of the closed tuck flaps 58-61, thus the top side flaps are locked in their closed position. Moreover, the central overlap portion 52 of each top side flap overlaps the edge of the corresponding bottom side flap 54 or 56, as the case may be, to hold this bot55 tom side flap in its closed position. The slot 62 in each tuck flap is spaced a sufficient distance from the bottom of the tuck flap that when the bottom side flaps are closed, thees slots will remain accessible for the insertion of the tongue formations 48 on the top side flaps.

During the closing movement of the top side flaps 44 and 46, the tapered forward ends of the tongue formations 48, which are preferably slightly blunted, first enter the lead. apertures 64 and then the slots 62 themselves. It will be noted that a special. closing motion is provided in order to effect a smooth, substantially automatic interengagement of the tongue-and-slot formations. The free edge of each top side flap is initially moved against the underlying closed tuck flaps just above the level of the slots 62 so that the tongue formation 48 which are carried at this edge may enter the lead aperatures .64. Then the top side flaps 44 and 46 are moved downwardly while their free edges are maintained in close-proximity to the underlying closed side flaps 59 and 61 or .58 and 60, as. the case may be, and this movement is allowed to continue until the barbs on the tongue formations 48 . ³

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a flat preformed blank from which the slightly modified carton illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be constructed; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the assembled blank for the modified carton showing this blank in its collapsed con- 5 dition.

The cartons constructed in accordance with this invention are adapted to hold a plurality of small containers such as standard beverage bottles 12. Each bottle has a generally cylindrical body portion 12α, the bot- 10 tom of which is closed and the top of which is open and tapered into a restricted neck 125. A cap 14 is crimped over the top of the neck portion 125 of each container to thereby seal the container in the usual and well-known manner. The containers illustrated are glass 15 bottles, and the carrying carton of this invention is particularly adapted to give maximum protection to these or other similar type containers which are subject to breakage; however, various features of the invention may be advantageously employed in cartons for various other 20 types and shapes of containers.

The carton 16 of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. This carton is formed from the paper board blank illustrated in FIG. 5 and comprises a top panel 18, a bottom panel 20, and two inter- 25 mediate end panels 22 and 24. At the left-hand end of the bottom panel 29, as viewed in FIG. 5, is a lap 26 which is adhesively attached to the right-hand or free end of end panel 24 to form the carton 16, which in FIG. 6 is illustrated in its collapsed condition, and in 30 FIGS. 1 and 2 is illustrated in its set-up condition. All parts of the carton are thus integral, and the carton may be easily formed by automatic or semi-automatic machines.

Cut in the top panel 18 are a number of apertures 35 30 through which the capped ends of the bottle necks 125 are adapted to extend. Since the carton in the illustrated embodiment is adapted to hold six bottles arranged in two rows of three bottles each, the apertures 30 in the top panel are also arranged in two rows of 40 three. Intersecting the three apertures 30 in the first of the rows is a fold line 32, and a second fold line 34 intersects the three apertures 30 in the second row thereof. The fold lines 32 and 34 are thus spaced inwardly from and extend parallel to each other and to the side edges 45 of the top panel 18 to define top panel edge portions 18α and 186, and at least some of the aperture defining portions of the top panel 18 are disposed in these edge portions. It will be noted that the portion of the top panel 18 intermediate the edge portions 18α and 185 is connected to the end panels 22 and 24, whereas the edge portions themselves are disconnected from these end panels. Thus, the top panel edge portions 18α and 185 are each free to move or pivot with respect to the end panels about the fold lines 32 and 34 between an open and a closed position. Since some of the aperture defining portions of the top panel are disposed in these edge portions, the bottles may be easily loaded into the carton when these edge portions and the flaps are swung to their open position as shown in FIG. 2. go A pair of finger holes 36 and 38 in the top panel 18 between the two rows of bottle neck receiving apertures 30 permit easy handling and carrying of the. carton.

The end panels 22 and 24 are identical, and they are rectangular in shape except for angular cuts across their 6,5 top corners to sever the edge portions 18α and 185 of the top panel therefrom. As a result of this angular cut when the edge portions of the top panel are completely closed, as illustrated in FIG. 1, they will slope downwardly in accordance with the angle of the cut on 70 the top corners of the end panels. This feature also serves to further restrict movement of the bottles in the carton.

: The height of the end panels is slightly less than the height of the bottles 12 which are to be held within the 75

3,176,902 lock in the tuck flap slots 62. This special closing motion is made possible by the hinging of the top side flaps 44 and 46 combined with the hinging of the top panel edge portions ISa and 186 (along fold lines 32 and 34). Were it not for this double or duplex hinging of the top 5 side flaps and edge portions, the tongue formations 48 would have to be bent sharply out of the plane of the side flaps to effect insertion into the slots 62, and consequently these tongue formations would be weakened and their efficiency impaired; moreover, without such χθ hinging the carton would be much less adaptable to automatic mechanized closing.

When the carton 16 is initially set up, the bottom side flaps 54 and 56 are lowered, the top side flaps 44 and 46 are raised with their respective top panel edge portions 15 18α and 186, and the tuck flaps 53-61 are pivoted outwardly. This is partially illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein one side of the carton is open. In addition to the initial opening of the side and tuck flaps, the double tabs 42α and 426 in each set 42 on the bottom of the carton are 20 raised to their upstanding position. With the flaps in their open position, the carton is completely open at both sides, and the bottles 12 may be charged into the carton. Since the carton is adapted to hold six bottles in two rows of three, three bottles would be charged into 25 each side of the open carton.

As previously described, the height of the carton is preferably slightly less than the height of. the bottles which are to be packaged in the carton, and thus, the capped ends of the bottles will extend through the apertures 30 30 in the top panel 18. The carton may be easily loaded, however, for as best illustrated in FIG. 2, when the edge portions 18α and 186 are swung to their open position on fold lines 32 and 34, the apertures 30 are at least partially elevated above the height of the bottles so that 35 the bottles may be inserted through the open sides of the carton without the necessity of tipping. When these top panel edge portions 18α and 186 are again lowered to their closed position as in. the closing movement of the side flaps and tuck flaps, the raised portions of the aper- 40 tures are in effect lowered about the capped necks of the containers, and these capped necks will thus be locked in position within the apertures in the top panel.

After the bottles have been loaded into the carton from the sides, the tuck flaps 58-61 are closed, and the bottom side flaps 54 and 56 are then folded upwardly over the ⁴⁵closed tuck flaps. After the bottom side flaps have been swung to their closed position, the edge portions 18α and 186 of the top panel and the top side flaps 44 and 46 are moved toward their closed position. Because of _Kthe duplex hinging of the top panel edge portions and top '' ° side flaps, the tongue formations 48 may be smoothly moved into a position where the tips thereof enter the leading aperatures 64 of the slots 62 and extend under the convex central portion of the slots. Upon further -closing of the top side flaps and top panel edge portions, ^ουthe top side flaps will move in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the closed tuck flaps, and the tongue formations 48 will be moved almost completely into the slots 62 and the barbs on the tongue formations will lock with the slot defining portions of the tuck ^b0flaps. As this closing movement takes place, the intermediate or central overlap portion 52 on each top side flap will be caused to overlap the corresponding bottom side flaps 54 or 56, as the case may be, so that when the barbed tongue formation 48 are locked within the ⁶⁰slots 62 in the tuck flaps, the overlap portions 52 will lock the bottom sideflaps 54 and 56 in their closed position.

Since the tongue formations 48 may be moved naturally into the leading apertures and then into the slots of the ₇„ tuck flaps, the entire closing operation can be easily conducted by machines, and no adhesive is required to effect closing and sealing of the carton.

One of the features of this invention is the provision of the double push-up tabs 42 at the bottom of the carton. 75

Heretofore, single push-up tabs had been employed in various designs to achieve a separation between adjacent bottles in a carrying carton, but it was found that with double push-up tabs constructed in the manner herein described and illustrated, a significant increase in the protection of the bottles is achieved. This effect is achieved not so much as a result of the doubling of the thickness of the material between the bottles as it is from the general back-to-back, slightly spaced relationship between the tabs in each set. In order for the bases of the bottles to come into contact as under impact, it is first necessary that one of the tabs be completely deformed, and the resistance of these tabs to such deformation results in a significant cushioning of the adjacent bottles and gives maximum protection under conditions of impact.

A. slightly modified carton 68 is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8. The blank from which this carton is formed is illustrated in FIG. 7 and includes a top panel 70, a bottom panel 72 and a pair of end panels 74 and 75. These panels are identical in exterior configuration to the panels 18-24 of the previously described embodiment, and they are interconnected. Also, the lap 76 at the right-hand end of the bottom panel 72 (see FIG. 7) is adhesively attached to the right-hand end of the end panel 75 to form the carton body which in FIG. 8 is illustrated in its collapsed condition, and in FIGS. 3 and 4 is illustrated in its set-up condition.

The top panel 70 is identical in all respects to the top panel 18 of the previously described embodiment and has six bottle neck receiving apertures 77 arranged in two rows of three, and the rows of apertures are intersected by fold lines 78 and 79 which define edge portions 78α and 706, respectively, of the top panel. The edge portions are disconnected from the end panels 74 and 75 and thus may be pivoted with respect to these end panels about the fold lines 78 and 79. A pair of finger holes 80 and 81 in the top panel 70 permit the carton to be easily carried in one hand.

Bottom panel 72 is substantially identical to the bottom panel 20 of the previously described embodiment. However, for purposes of illustration, the double tab formations 82 are provided only between the adjacent bottle spaces in each row, and single tabs 83 are employed between the two rows of bottles. Although better protection for the bottles against transverse impact is provided with the use of double tabs 82 both between the bottles in each row and between the rows, it has been found that due to the normal packaging, loading and handling techniques, most of the impact and jarring is encountered in the longitudinal direction, i.e., between the bottles in each row, rather than transverse, i.e., between the rows of bottles.

Spaced inwardly from the side edges of the bottom panel 72 'are fold lines 84 and 86 which define edge portions 72α and 726 of the bottom panel, and these bottom panel edge portions are separated from the end panels 74 and 75 (and from lap 76). Thus, the edge portions 72α and 726 are free to move with respect to the end panels 74 and 75 about the fold lines 84 and 86, respectively.

The end panels 74 and 75 are identical to the end panels 22 and 24 of the previously described embodiment, and these govern the height of the carton after it . is set up. Additional finger holes 87 and 88 facilitate handling of the carton.

Hinged to the side edges of the top panel 70 are top side flaps 89 and 90 which are similar to the top side flaps 44 and 46 of the previously described embodiment. As in the case of that embodiment, the top side flaps 89 and 90 each carry a pair of spaced, substantially arrowshaped tongue formations 92 thereon, and intermediate these tongue formations on each side flap is a central guide piece 94. Each guide piece 94 has an interiorly disposed restricted portion 94α across which extends a fold line 96.

Hinged to the side edges of the bottom panel 72 are

- . 8 will lockingly engage in the. slots to prevent subsequent accidental disengagement. Thus, the tuck flaps and side flaps will be locked in their closed position to retain the bottles within the carton. The side and tuck flaps of the carrier carton 68, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, may be closed mechanically aided by the double hinging of the top and bottom side flaps and by the intermediate guide pieces of the side flaps.

Many variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the configuration of the tongue-ahd-slot formations may be changed somewhat, and the side tuck flaps may be altered both in size and in shape. In the first embodiment of the invention, the side flaps completely close the sides of the carton, and this type of carton is especially advantageous for use in connection with beverages such as beer which are affected by light. On the other hand, the carrying carton of the second embodiment is only partially closed at the sides after loading; thus, it is possible to see the bottle labels which is quite often desired. Both of the cartons herein illustrated and described combine the desired features of a glue-free closure and an improved bottle protection.

The carton is economical to produce, may be easily and automatically loaded and may be sealed without gluing. In addition, the double push-up tabs in the bottom of the carton provide maximum protection for the bottles against breakage on impact.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that many modifications and changes in various details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.