US3510047A - Cardboard carton - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 3,510,047 CARDBOARD CARTON Arnold W. Pascus, Mount Prospect, and Edmund Boehm,

Chicago, Ill., assignors to Elwood Industries, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 709,088 Int. Cl. B65d /22 US. Cl. 229-36 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton formed from a laminated blank including two outer plies and a corrugated core, with the front, sides and bottom of the carton including at least two thicknesses of material. The outer front section of the carton is adhesively secured to an inner front section, and the outer front section is scored to define a removable section which provides ready access to the interior of the carton.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to the box or carton art, and more particularly to a box or carton formed from a blank of laminated material including two spaced plies of paper or the like separated by a corrugated core of paper or the like.

One of the major problems of prior art corrugated cardboard cartons is that the walls of the carton have not heretofore been sufiiciently reinforced to provide a durable container which will provide sufficient protection for the goods within the container during shipment through the mails, or the like. Another problem inherent in corrugated cardboard cartons is that they have not included means for positively sealing the carton to prevent the carton from inadvertently opening during shipment. In certain types of cartons that have included means for positively sealing the carton, no means has been provided for allowing easy access to the carton, and as a result, it has been conventional to use a knife or the like to sever one or more panels of the carton to attain access to the interior thereof. The danger inherent in this mode of opening a carton is believed to be obvious.

SUMMARY The carton of the present invention admirably solves the problems noted above by providing a blank including a main panel portion and side panel portions at each side of the main panel portion. The main panel portion is generally rectangularly shaped, and includes transversely extending fold lines that divide the main panel portion into an outer front section, a top section, a back section, a bottom section, and an inner front section. The fold line dividing the outer front section from the top section is scored, and the outer front section includes a further scored line spaced from and parallel with the fold line dividing the outer front section from the top section to define between the scored lines a readily removable portion. The scored lines preferably have a saw tooth configuration, and a pull tab is provided at one side of the readily removable section, so that the same can be easily gripped when it is desired to open the carton. Rounded tucking flaps extend outwardly from each side of the outer front section, and are adapted to reinforce the sides and corners of the carton, when it is assembled. Further tucking flaps extend outwardly from the side of the inner front section, and also serve to reinforce the side of the carton when it is assembled.

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The side panels are also generally rectangularly shaped, and include transversely extending fold lines that divide each side panel into a locking section, an outer side section, and an inner bottom section. The inner bottom sections of the side panels reinforce the bottom of the carton, and include locking means thereon, which cooperate with locking means on the locking section, for preventing the locking sections from moving relative to the inner bottom sections. The locking sections include further fold lines parallel with the fold lines dividing the locking section from the outer side section, to provide therebetween a bridging section which overlies the trucking flaps on the outer front and inner front sections, when the carton is assembled. The facially opposed surfaces of the outer front and inner front sections are provided with an adhesive, which adheres only to itself, so that the carton will be positively sealed, when it is assembled. Because the adhesive adheres only to itself, the carton blanks may be conveniently stacked and stored, and may be handled without difficulty. The closing and sealing of the carton is extremely simple to effect because of the external location of the outer front flap, particularly when compared to prior art cartons where it has been necessary to tuck a closure flap inside of the carton on top of the contents therein. The outer front closing and sealing flap also extends as high as the carton itself, which gives extra protec" tion to the front of the carton. From the above, it will be apparent that the carton of the present invention solves each of the problems noted above in connection with known types of cartons.

Other features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, taken in connection with the annexed drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the blank from which the carton of the present invention is formed;

FIG. 3 is a front view, on a reduced scale, of the carton during the process of its assembly;

FIG. 4 is a front view, similar to FIG. 3, and showing a further step in the assembly of the carton, with certain portions being broken away;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 1

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail an embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the blank from which the carton of the present invention is formed is indicated in its entirety at 10 in FIG. 2, and the blank 10 includes a generally rectangularly shaped main panel portion 11, and generally rectangularly shaped side panel portions 12 at opposite sides of the main panel portion 11.

A plurality of spaced, parallel fold lines 13-16 extend transversely across main panel portion 11, and divide the same into consecutive panel sections including an outer front section 17, a top section 18, a back section 19, a bottom section 20, and an inner front section 21. As is evident from FIG. 2, the top section 18 and bottom section 20 are generally square and have approximately the same dimension, while the outer front section 17, back section 19, and inner front section 21 are generally rec- 3 tangularly shaped, and also have approximately the same dimension.

Outer front section 17 includes a further fold line 22 spaced from, and parallel with fold line 13, and fold lines 22 and 13 are scored to provide serrations 23 and 24 across the width of the main panel. The saw tooth serrations 23 and 24 form a removable panel section 25 therebetween, and a rounded pull tab 26 is provided at one end of removable section 25 for ease of removal, as will hereinafter appear. Outer front section 17 includes further fold lines 27 and 28 at opposite sides thereof, to hingedly mount tucking flaps 29 and 30 at the sides of outer front section 17. As is evident from FIG. 2, the fold lines 27 and 28 are spaced inwardly a slight amount from the side edges of top section 18, and this allows the tucking flaps 29 and 30 to nest properly at the sides of the carton during assembly, as will hereinafter appear. Tucking flaps 29 and 30 each are spaced inwardly a slight amount from the outer end of outer front section 17, and the tucking fiaps are rounded at 29a and 30a to facilitate insertion of the tucking flaps into the sides of the carton. The bottom surfaces 29b and 30b of the tucking flaps are disposed generally parallel to fold lines 13 and 22, as is evident from FIG. 2.

The exposed surface 17a of outer front section 17 (as viewed in FIG. 2) is provided with sealing means, and said means may take the form of a pressure sensitive adhesive and which adheres only to itself, that is uniformly spread over surface 17a and which adheres only to itself. The unexposed surface 21a of inner front section 21 (see FIG. 6) is also provided with sealing means, and said sealing means may also be in the form of a pressure sensitive adhesive that is spread evenly over surface 21a, and which adheres only to itself. As is evident from FIG. 6, when the carton is assembled, surfaces 17a and 21a are in face abutting engagement with one another, so that when pressure is applied to these surfaces, they will adhere to one another to seal the carton. This will be explained further during the description of the assembly of the carton.

The inner front section 21 is provided with generally rectangularly shaped tucking flaps 31 and 32 at opposite sides thereof, and tucking flaps 31 and 32 are hingedly connected to inner front section 21 by fold lines 33 and 34 that are positioned inwardly a slight amount from the side edges of bottom section 20. As is evident from FIG. 2, the top edges of tucking flaps 31 and 32 are positioned slightly from fold line 16, while the lower edges of tucking flaps 31 and 32 are positioned a slight amount from the outer edge of inner front section 21.

The side panels 12 are generally identically shaped, and are connected to opposite sides of back section 19 by fold lines 35 that are slightly less than the length of the sides of section 19, and which are perpendicular to fold lines 13-16. Each side panel 12 includes a pair of spaced fold lines 36 and 37 parallel with fold lines 13-16, which divide the side panels into a locking portion 38, an outer side portion 39, and an inner bottom portion 40. As can be best seen in FIG. 2, fold lines 36 and 37 are spaced inwardly slightly from fold lines 14 and 15, respectively, so that when the carton is assembled, the top and bottom edges of the outer side panel portions 39 will be spaced slightly from the top and bottom edges of the back panel section 19. Locking sections 38 include a fold line 41 that is spaced from and parallel with fold line 36, and a bridging section 42 is defined between fold lines 36 and 41 to be positioned over tucking flaps 30 and 32, as is evident from FIG. 5.

Side panels 12 include means for retaining locking portions 38 against movement relative to inner bottom portions 40, when the carton is assembled, and to this end, generally rectangularly shaped projections 43 extend outwardly from the end of locking portions 38 generally centrally thereof. A generally U-shaped score 44 is provided in each inner bottom panel portion 40, with the legs of the U facing fold line 37. As is evident from FIG. 5, when the carton is assembled the projections 43 are pressed into the recesses provided by scored portions 44, and the bight portions of the U-shaped scores 44 retain the projections 43 to prevent the locking panel portions from moving relative to the inner bottom panel portions.

To assemble the carton, the upper portion of the main panel 11 is pivoted about fold line 15 and the side panel portions 12 are pivoted about fold lines 35 to position the inner bottom sections 40 over the bottom section 20, it being understood that the width of inner bottom panels 40 is substantially the same as the length of bottom portion 20. Tucking fiaps 32 are then folded upwardly (the right-hand tucking flap 32 being shown positioned upwardly in FIG. 3), and the inner front section 21 is then folded inwardly to place the tucking flaps 31 and 32 immediately inside of outer side portions 39. Locking portions 38 are then folded downwardly about fold lines 36 and 41, and locking projection 43 is engaged with U- shaped score 44 leaving a slight opening between outer side portions 39, and tucking flaps 31 and 32. The upper portion of the main panel 10 is then folded downwardly about fold line 14, and tucking flaps 29 and 30 are inserted in the slots between outer side portions 39 and tucking flaps 31 and 32. Outer front portions 17 is then pressed into positive sealing engagement with inner front section 21 to complete the carton.

When it is desired to open the carton, removable section 25 is conveniently disposed at the front of the carton, with the pull tab 26 being exposed at one side. Thus, access can be gained to the interior of the carton by merely pulling tab 26 and removing section 25 along the serrated score lines 13 and 22. Access can then be had to the interior of the carton by lifting top panel portion 18. As is evident from FIG. 2, the external exposed edges of the die cut blank 10 are serrated, and this to a large degree prevents cutting of hands and fingers when the blanks 10 are handled.

We claim:

1. A box or carton formed from a blank comprising: a generally rectangular shaped main panel including at least four spaced fold lines extending transversely across the main panel and dividing it into an outer front section, a top section, a back section, a bottom section and an inner front section, the top and bottom sections laterally terminating in straight side edges free of flaps and generally parallel to each other, said inner and outer front sections having laterally outwardly extending tuck flaps connected at opposite sides thereof by fold lines that are perpendicular to the first named fold lines; and generally rectangularly shaped side panels connected at opposite sides of said back by fold lines that are perpendicular to the first named fold lines, said panels each including a pair of closely spaced parallel fold lines on either side of an extension of the fold line dividing the top and back sections and providing thereby an outer side section, a bridging section and a locking section, said side panels each further including a third fold line parallel to the other side panel fold lines and closely adjacent to an extension of the fold line dividing the back and bottom sections and further providing, in the side panel, an inner bottom section, each of the locking sections and inner bottom sections having mating recess and projection surfaces for lacking engagement when the locking section is folded inwardly about the bridging section so as to be generally parallel to the outer side section and the inner bottom section is folded partially about its fold line so as to overlie the main panel bottom section; the side panel locking sections and inner bottom sections terminating in inner edges generally paralle and closely adjacent to, the side edges of the main panel top and bottom sections, respectively, with a substantial portion of the entire periphery of the blank having a dull, wavy, peripheral edge.

(References 011 following page) 6 3/1966 RinghOlZ et a1. 22548 X 4/ 1967 Barnes 22951 X 5/1968 Thompson et a1. 229-36 X FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1967 France.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner 5 References Cited 3,232,826 1 ,870 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,385,424 10/1937 Semonson.

8/ 1939 Lane. 12/ 1945 Woltberger et a1 22549 5 1,494,492

3/ 1960 Cottrill 229-51 12/1961 Tarmina 22933 X 6/1962 Modica 22936 X 2/1963 Heinz 225-49 11/1963 Martin 229-36 10 225-49 US. Cl. X.R.

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