US3712533A - Tear top opening carton - Google Patents

Tear top opening carton Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3712533A
US3712533A US00110948A US3712533DA US3712533A US 3712533 A US3712533 A US 3712533A US 00110948 A US00110948 A US 00110948A US 3712533D A US3712533D A US 3712533DA US 3712533 A US3712533 A US 3712533A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
carton
wall flaps
flaps
end wall
side wall
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00110948A
Inventor
W Skillen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Somerville Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Somerville Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Somerville Industries Ltd filed Critical Somerville Industries Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3712533A publication Critical patent/US3712533A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
    • B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
    • B65D5/54—Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
    • B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
    • B65D5/44—Integral, inserted or attached portions forming internal or external fittings
    • B65D5/46—Handles
    • B65D5/46072—Handles integral with the container
    • B65D5/46184—Handles integral with the container formed by extensions of parts of the blank, serving also as a partition in the container

Definitions

  • the opening of the above type of beer carton has been largely a matter of manipulating the fingers through the handle slot and pulling upwardly on the side wall flaps forming the greater part of the top wall. More often than not, this action, apart from requiring considerably exertion, will also tear the side walls themselves. Thus, the opening of the carton often results in its partial destruction and it isless effective as a receptacle for empty bottles and as a carton for returning the bottles to the sales outlet.
  • a paperboard carton of theaforementioned type which includes a top wall construction which is both easier to'open than cartons known before and which avoids tearing of the carton side walls during the opening operation.
  • a top wall construction consisting of overlapped side and end wall flaps, the side wall flaps overlying and being glued to said end wall flaps, the side edges of said end wall flaps being inclined from the free end of the flap towards a side wall so that theside edges of the end wall flaps include portions which are angled with respect to the side walls, said side wall flaps including lines of weakness positioned over and being substantially parallel to the angled portions of the end wall side edges, said side wall flaps also including finger entrypointsadjacent the free ends of the end wall flaps, whereby said carton can be opened byemploying said finger entry points to grip the undersides of the end wall flaps and to lift .the end wall flaps while simultaneously tearing said side wall flapsalong said lines of weakness.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upperwend of a paperboard carton in accordance with this preferred embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view partially broken away of the carton as it is being opened.
  • the carton illustrated is an elongated beer carton of the type that is commonly used to package 12 bottles. It should be understood however, that while the top opening carton of the invention is particularly suited as a beer carton, its use need not be limited thereto.
  • the illustrated carton is formed of paperboard of sufficient strength to support the enclosed contents.
  • the illustrated carton When used as a beer carton, the illustrated carton is provided with a longitudinally extending center partition and a plurality of transverse partitions which divide the interior of the carton into a number of cells for receiving and separating the bottles.
  • This central partition carries a handle which is normally recessed within the carton but can be pulled upwardly through a central slot. The upper end of this handle 10 can be seen in FIG. 1.
  • the carton is comprised of a bottom wall, not shown, a pair of end walls 12, a pair of side walls 14 and a top wall 16.
  • the top wall is actually formed of flaps 12a and 14a hinged to the end and side walls respectively. From FIG. 1, it can be seen that the side wall flaps 14a overlie the end wall flaps 12a and further that the side wall flaps meet along the center line of the carton and do not overlap each other. Elongated shallow recesses on the free edges of the side wall flaps provide the longitudinally extending slot 20 through which the handle can protrude.
  • FIG. 2 shows the carton of FIG. 1 prior to closure and sealing.
  • closure is effected by first folding down the end wall flaps 12a and then the side wall flaps 14a with the latter being glued to the end wall flaps.
  • the free ends of the end wall flaps haveplan forms which consist of truncated triangles so that the side edges of the end wall flapsinclude portions 22 which extend at an angle to the side walls.
  • the side wall flaps 14a are provided with lines of weakness which are so located that when the carton has been closed, these lines of weakness lie substantially over and parallel to theangled partitions 22 of the end wall flap side edges. The effect of this arrangement is that when the end wall flaps are lifted upwardly as shown in FIG.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially broken away of the upper end of the-carton of FIG. .1 andshowsthe carton in its conditionpriortoitsclosure atthe packing plant; and.
  • finger access .points which permits the operator to work ,his fingers or his thumb underneath the end wall flaps to carryout the upward tearing operationshown in FIG. 3.
  • These finger access points consist of small .transverse slits .26 .and angled creaselines28. These fingeraccess points are, of course, located ,at the center line of the carton immediately adjacentthe edges-of the end wall flaps.
  • a paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 in which the free end of said end flaps is the small dimensions of a truncated portion of a triangle.
  • a paperboard carton as claimed in claim 2 in which said finger entry points consist of transverse cuts and angled crease lines in the free edges of said side wall flaps.

Abstract

A top-opening paperboard carton having a top wall formed of overlapped end wall and side wall flaps, the latter overlying the former and having oblique lines of weakness arranged parallel to and above angled side edge portions on the end wall flaps, and finger entry points in the top wall whereby the end wall flaps may be engaged by the fingers and pulled upwardly to tear the side wall flaps along the lines of weakness.

Description

United States Patent [191 Skillen 51 Jan. 23, 1973 [541 TEAR TOP OPENING CARTON 2,713,454 7 1955 Nute et a1 ..229/51 TC Inventor: R. d O Wagner, .ll'. taflo Canada 3,002,613 10/1961 Merkel ...229/5l TS X 3,355,089 11/1967 Champlin.... ..229/5l TS [73] Assignee: Somerville Industries Limited, Lon- 3,580,482 5/1971 Witte ..229/51 TC don, Ontario, Canada 1 Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead 22 F1 d: n. 29 1971 l 1 l 6 Ja Attbmey-Fetherstonhaugh & Co. 1 1 pp 110,943 v ['57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 7 A top-opening paperboard carton having a top wall Aug. 25, 1970 Canada... ..091699 formed of overlapped end wall and Side wall fl the latter overlying the former and having Oblique lines of E2 "229/51 220/1 :6 :22: weakness arranged parallel to and above angled side n I edge portrons on the end wall flaps, and finger entry [58] held o a l "229/ 1 5 1 points in the top wall whereby the end wall flaps may be engaged by the fingers and pulled upwardly to tear References Cited the side wall flaps along the lines of weakness.
UNlTED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 2,287,520 6/1942 Freshwaters ..229/51 TC PATENTED JAN 23 I975 R.N. mwM mu Wl f 6. m H i WY. B
TEAR TOP OPENING CARTON FIELD OF INVENTION so that the purchaser can pull up the recessed handle until its hand hole is exposed.
PRIOR ART Heretofore, the opening of the above type of beer carton has been largely a matter of manipulating the fingers through the handle slot and pulling upwardly on the side wall flaps forming the greater part of the top wall. More often than not, this action, apart from requiring considerably exertion, will also tear the side walls themselves. Thus, the opening of the carton often results in its partial destruction and it isless effective as a receptacle for empty bottles and as a carton for returning the bottles to the sales outlet.
SUMMARY In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a paperboard carton of theaforementioned type which includes a top wall construction which is both easier to'open than cartons known before and which avoids tearing of the carton side walls during the opening operation. This is accomplished by a top wall construction consisting of overlapped side and end wall flaps, the side wall flaps overlying and being glued to said end wall flaps, the side edges of said end wall flaps being inclined from the free end of the flap towards a side wall so that theside edges of the end wall flaps include portions which are angled with respect to the side walls, said side wall flaps including lines of weakness positioned over and being substantially parallel to the angled portions of the end wall side edges, said side wall flaps also including finger entrypointsadjacent the free ends of the end wall flaps, whereby said carton can be opened byemploying said finger entry points to grip the undersides of the end wall flaps and to lift .the end wall flaps while simultaneously tearing said side wall flapsalong said lines of weakness.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention will be more thoroughly understood fromthe following descriptionofthepreferred embodiment thereof as read :in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upperwend of a paperboard carton in accordance with this preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view partially broken away of the carton as it is being opened.
Referring to FIG. 1, the carton illustrated is an elongated beer carton of the type that is commonly used to package 12 bottles. It should be understood however, that while the top opening carton of the invention is particularly suited as a beer carton, its use need not be limited thereto.
Needless to say the illustrated carton is formed of paperboard of sufficient strength to support the enclosed contents. When used as a beer carton, the illustrated carton is provided with a longitudinally extending center partition and a plurality of transverse partitions which divide the interior of the carton into a number of cells for receiving and separating the bottles. This central partition carries a handle which is normally recessed within the carton but can be pulled upwardly through a central slot. The upper end of this handle 10 can be seen in FIG. 1.
The carton is comprised of a bottom wall, not shown, a pair of end walls 12, a pair of side walls 14 and a top wall 16. The top wall is actually formed of flaps 12a and 14a hinged to the end and side walls respectively. From FIG. 1, it can be seen that the side wall flaps 14a overlie the end wall flaps 12a and further that the side wall flaps meet along the center line of the carton and do not overlap each other. Elongated shallow recesses on the free edges of the side wall flaps provide the longitudinally extending slot 20 through which the handle can protrude. When the carton has been filled, it is closed and sealed'by the-inward folding of the end and side wall flaps to form up the top, with the side wall flaps being glued to the top surface of the end wall flaps.
FIG. 2 shows the carton of FIG. 1 prior to closure and sealing. As mentioned above, closure is effected by first folding down the end wall flaps 12a and then the side wall flaps 14a with the latter being glued to the end wall flaps. In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the free ends of the end wall flaps haveplan forms which consist of truncated triangles so that the side edges of the end wall flapsinclude portions 22 which extend at an angle to the side walls. It can also be seen that the side wall flaps 14a are provided with lines of weakness which are so located that when the carton has been closed, these lines of weakness lie substantially over and parallel to theangled partitions 22 of the end wall flap side edges. The effect of this arrangement is that when the end wall flaps are lifted upwardly as shown in FIG. 3, the side walls tear along these lines of weaknesses leaving the greater part ofthe side wall flaps completely free to be upwardly folded to provide access to the contents of the carton. In effect, the arrangement means that the end wall flaps are used as'levers to tear the side wallflaps and .as this tearing is .carried out along predetermined lines, there isnodangerthat the sidewalls .them- FIG. 2 isa perspective view partially broken away of the upper end of the-carton of FIG. .1 andshowsthe carton in its conditionpriortoitsclosure atthe packing plant; and.
selves will also be torn.
At each end of the carton, :there is provided finger access .points which permits the operator to work ,his fingers or his thumb underneath the end wall flaps to carryout the upward tearing operationshown in FIG. 3. These finger access points consist of small .transverse slits .26 .and angled creaselines28. These fingeraccess points are, of course, located ,at the center line of the carton immediately adjacentthe edges-of the end wall flaps.
Minor modifications to the illustrated embodiment of the invention are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, while it might detract someone from the appearance of the carton, it would be possible to provide finger holes in lieu of the press-in" type of finger access points illustrated. Further variations in the nature of the inclined portions 22 of the end wall flaps would not seriously reduce the effectiveness of the opening action. Further slight misalignments between the angled lines of weakness in the side wall flaps and the angled portions of the end wall flaps would not seriously interfere with fast and effective opening of the carton.
I claim:
1. A paperboard carton having bottom, top, side and end walls, said top wall consisting of overlapped side and end wall flaps, the side wall flaps overlying and being glued to said end wall flaps, at least a portion of the side edges of said end wall flaps being inclined from the free end of the flap towards a side wall, said side wall flaps including lines of weakness positioned over and being substantially parallel to the inclined portions of the end wall side edges, said side wall flaps also including finger entry points adjacent the free ends of the end wall flaps, whereby said carton can be opened by employing said finger entry points to grip the undersides of the end wall flaps and to lift the end wall flaps while simultaneously tearing said side wall flaps along said lines of weakness.
2. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 in which the free end of said end flaps is the small dimensions of a truncated portion of a triangle.
3. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 in which said finger entry points consist of transverse cuts and angled crease lines in the free edges of said side wall flaps.
4. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 2 in which said finger entry points consist of transverse cuts and angled crease lines in the free edges of said side wall flaps.
t h i

Claims (3)

  1. 2. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 in which the free end of said end flaps is the small dimensions of a truncated portion of a triangle.
  2. 3. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 1 in which said finger entry points consist of transverse cuts and angled crease lines in the free edges of said side wall flaps.
  3. 4. A paperboard carton as claimed in claim 2 in which said finger entry points consist of transverse cuts and angled crease lines in the free edges of said side wall flaps.
US00110948A 1970-08-25 1971-01-29 Tear top opening carton Expired - Lifetime US3712533A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA877793A CA877793A (en) 1970-08-25 1970-08-25 Carton

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3712533A true US3712533A (en) 1973-01-23

Family

ID=4087470

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00110948A Expired - Lifetime US3712533A (en) 1970-08-25 1971-01-29 Tear top opening carton

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US3712533A (en)
CA (1) CA877793A (en)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0032127A2 (en) * 1980-01-07 1981-07-15 Mead Corp Article carrier and blank therefor.
US4375258A (en) * 1981-04-13 1983-03-01 Container Corporation Of America Reusable enclosed carrier carton
US4378877A (en) * 1981-04-13 1983-04-05 Container Corporation Of America Reusable enclosed carrier carton
US5582289A (en) * 1995-02-09 1996-12-10 The Mead Corporation Composite article carrier
US6255468B1 (en) 1998-05-07 2001-07-03 Smithkline Beecham Plc MPROT12 polynucleotides and methods thereof
US20050023333A1 (en) * 2003-08-01 2005-02-03 Cargile John W. Opening assist to dispensing carton
US20050072705A1 (en) * 2000-04-04 2005-04-07 Lingamfelter C. Brown Container for providing easy access to beverage cans
US20080000952A1 (en) * 2002-10-16 2008-01-03 Fogle James C Carton Blank with a Dispenser in the Top Panel for Dispensing Pouches
WO2008050135A1 (en) * 2006-10-26 2008-05-02 Mondi Packaging (Uk) Ltd Packaging
US20120160730A1 (en) * 2010-12-23 2012-06-28 Mary Ann Andrews System and method for distributing medicine
US20140001078A1 (en) * 2010-12-23 2014-01-02 Mary Ann Andrews System and method for distributing medicine
US10124947B2 (en) 2014-06-23 2018-11-13 Graphic Packaging International, Llc Carton with dispensing features

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2287520A (en) * 1939-05-29 1942-06-23 Schlitz Brewing Co J Carton
US2713454A (en) * 1954-04-14 1955-07-19 Patent & Licensing Corp Easy opening container
US2753104A (en) * 1954-09-01 1956-07-03 Patent & Licensing Corp Easy opening carton
US3002613A (en) * 1959-10-05 1961-10-03 Schmidt Lithograph Company Carton
US3355089A (en) * 1966-05-05 1967-11-28 Packaging Corp America Box construction
US3580482A (en) * 1969-02-17 1971-05-25 Reynolds Metals Co Latch for reclosable carton and blank therefor

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2287520A (en) * 1939-05-29 1942-06-23 Schlitz Brewing Co J Carton
US2713454A (en) * 1954-04-14 1955-07-19 Patent & Licensing Corp Easy opening container
US2753104A (en) * 1954-09-01 1956-07-03 Patent & Licensing Corp Easy opening carton
US3002613A (en) * 1959-10-05 1961-10-03 Schmidt Lithograph Company Carton
US3355089A (en) * 1966-05-05 1967-11-28 Packaging Corp America Box construction
US3580482A (en) * 1969-02-17 1971-05-25 Reynolds Metals Co Latch for reclosable carton and blank therefor

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0032127A2 (en) * 1980-01-07 1981-07-15 Mead Corp Article carrier and blank therefor.
US4375258A (en) * 1981-04-13 1983-03-01 Container Corporation Of America Reusable enclosed carrier carton
US4378877A (en) * 1981-04-13 1983-04-05 Container Corporation Of America Reusable enclosed carrier carton
US5582289A (en) * 1995-02-09 1996-12-10 The Mead Corporation Composite article carrier
US6255468B1 (en) 1998-05-07 2001-07-03 Smithkline Beecham Plc MPROT12 polynucleotides and methods thereof
US20050072705A1 (en) * 2000-04-04 2005-04-07 Lingamfelter C. Brown Container for providing easy access to beverage cans
US9926121B2 (en) 2000-04-04 2018-03-27 C. Brown Lingamfelter Container for providing easy access to beverage cans
US20060289323A1 (en) * 2000-04-04 2006-12-28 Lingamfelter C B Container for providing easy access to beverage cans
US20060289322A2 (en) * 2000-04-04 2006-12-28 Brown Lingamfelter A container for providing easy access to beverage cans
US10232999B2 (en) 2000-04-04 2019-03-19 C. Brown Lingamfelter Container for providing easy access to beverage cans
US20080000952A1 (en) * 2002-10-16 2008-01-03 Fogle James C Carton Blank with a Dispenser in the Top Panel for Dispensing Pouches
US7815097B2 (en) * 2002-10-16 2010-10-19 Graphic Packaging International, Inc. Carton blank with a dispenser in the top panel for dispensing pouches
US7147143B2 (en) * 2003-08-01 2006-12-12 Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, Llc Opening assist to dispensing carton
US20050023333A1 (en) * 2003-08-01 2005-02-03 Cargile John W. Opening assist to dispensing carton
GB2456100A (en) * 2006-10-26 2009-07-08 Mondi Packaging Uk Ltd Packaging
GB2456100B (en) * 2006-10-26 2011-08-17 Mondi Packaging Uk Ltd Packaging
WO2008050135A1 (en) * 2006-10-26 2008-05-02 Mondi Packaging (Uk) Ltd Packaging
US20120160730A1 (en) * 2010-12-23 2012-06-28 Mary Ann Andrews System and method for distributing medicine
US20140001078A1 (en) * 2010-12-23 2014-01-02 Mary Ann Andrews System and method for distributing medicine
US8844724B2 (en) * 2010-12-23 2014-09-30 Pillbox Products LLC System and method for distributing medicine
US20140360954A1 (en) * 2010-12-23 2014-12-11 Mary Ann Andrews System and method for distributing medicine
US9326915B2 (en) * 2010-12-23 2016-05-03 Pillbox Products LLC System and method for distributing medicine
US9370464B2 (en) * 2010-12-23 2016-06-21 PillboxProducts LLC. System and method for distributing medicine
US10124947B2 (en) 2014-06-23 2018-11-13 Graphic Packaging International, Llc Carton with dispensing features
US10562687B2 (en) 2014-06-23 2020-02-18 Graphic Packaging International, Llc Carton with dispensing features

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA877793A (en) 1971-08-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3078032A (en) Carrying container
US3265283A (en) Shipping and dispensing carton
US2754047A (en) Paperboard can carton
US3554402A (en) Fully enclosed carton for returnable items
US5511722A (en) Reclosable flip-top carton
US3438565A (en) Recloseable carton with tear open spout
US3447735A (en) Easy-opening container
US2828060A (en) Reclosable carton
US3019959A (en) Carton
US3712533A (en) Tear top opening carton
US3520468A (en) Container closure stacking alignment and latching structure
US5213255A (en) Opening structure for wedge-shaped pie carton
US2868431A (en) Boxes
KR960704483A (en) ROLL-OUT DISPENSER FOR A BEVERAGE CARTON
US3133689A (en) Reclosable pour opening
US4684058A (en) Carton with pour spout
US4054240A (en) Carton with integral pouring spout
EP0042184B1 (en) Reclosable carry-carton
US3395848A (en) Pouring spout carton
US3366311A (en) Perforated top reclosable carton
US3368739A (en) Reclosable carton
US3096922A (en) Dispensing containers
US3368738A (en) Reclosable carton with zipper opening
US3059827A (en) Reclosable carton
US2275134A (en) Carton