EP1017598A1 - Carton handle - Google Patents

Carton handle

Info

Publication number
EP1017598A1
EP1017598A1 EP98905957A EP98905957A EP1017598A1 EP 1017598 A1 EP1017598 A1 EP 1017598A1 EP 98905957 A EP98905957 A EP 98905957A EP 98905957 A EP98905957 A EP 98905957A EP 1017598 A1 EP1017598 A1 EP 1017598A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
carton
handle
panel
handle panel
side edges
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP98905957A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1017598B1 (en
Inventor
Philippe Le Bras
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.)
WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Original Assignee
Mead Corp
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 Mead Corp filed Critical Mead Corp
Publication of EP1017598A1 publication Critical patent/EP1017598A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1017598B1 publication Critical patent/EP1017598B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D71/06—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers
    • B65D71/12—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank
    • B65D71/14—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers without end walls
    • B65D71/28—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers without end walls characterised by the handles
    • B65D71/30—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers without end walls characterised by the handles unitary, i.e. integral with the tubular packaging elements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to paperboard cartons for use in packaging articles such as cans or bottles for beverages. More particularly, the invention relates to a handle for such cartons which is associated with stress-relieving severance lines.
  • Articles such as cans or bottles for beverages including soft drinks, beer, juices and the like are commonly sold in multiple quantities packaged in a paperboard carton.
  • the carton is often provided with a handle, which quite commonly includes as a primary feature one or two slots or other apertures formed in the carton. The user inserts the hand or fingers into one or both of the slots to lift the carton.
  • a carton having a carrying handle with an improved stress-relieving arrangement should eliminate or reduce tears or fractures and particularly those minor cracks and tears which detract from the carton appearance .
  • One aspect of the present invention provides a packaging carton comprising a handle panel hingeably connected to an upper panel of the carton, said handle panel including a substantially trapezoidal aperture being adapted to receive part of a users hand, said aperture including side edges which are convergent towards the top of the carton whereby components of the force exerted when the handle panel is in use are transmitting said side edges so that the dead load of the carton, when lifted, is distributed over a substantial area of said handle panel.
  • An optional feature of this aspect of the invention provides a carton wherein the upper and side edges of said aperture may comprise a flap adapted to provide a surface to be in contact with the users hand.
  • a handle according to either aspect of the invention may reduce the torsional effect on the handle caused by carrying the carton.
  • FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blank forming a carton according to the invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing a central portion of the carton incorporating an upstanding handle.
  • FIG. 1 there comprises an elongate blank 10 formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material comprising in series a base structure 12, first side panel 14, top panel 16, first handle panel 18, second handle panel 20, intermediate panel 22, second top panel 24, side panel 26 and second base structure 28, hingeably connected one to the next along fold lines 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 respectively .
  • a series of two neck receiving apertures 46,48 is struck partially from top panel 16, each aperture being shaped to provide a locking zone.
  • a series of two similarly spaced bottle neck receiving apertures 50, 52 are partially struck from top panel 24, but do not include locking zones .
  • Locking tabs 54, 56 are struck from intermediate panel 22 and are hinged to the lower end of intermediate panel 22 along hinge line 40 and include "T-shaped " locking heads which have locking edges .
  • Handle panels 18 and 20 are each formed with handle apertures 58, 60 which are substantially trapezoidal in shape. Apertures 58, 60 each include side edges 90, 94 which are convergent towards the top of the carton when erected, as shown in Figure 2. Handle cushioning flaps 62, 64 and 66 are struck from side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 respectively of handle panel 18 being hingeably connected thereto by fold lines 68, 70, 72 respectively. Cut lines 63,65 extend from the intersections of side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 to separate flaps 62, 64 and 66.
  • hand cushioning flaps 74, 76, 78 are struck from side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 respectively of handle panel 20 being hingeably connected thereto by fold lines 80, 82, 84. Cut lines 67, 69 extend from the intersections of side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 to separate flaps 74, 76 and 78.
  • the construction of a completed carrier of the invention requires a series of sequential folding and gluing operations. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be altered according to particular manufacturing requirements .
  • the blank 10 is adapted to be wrapped about a group of four bottles arranged in two rows of two bottles each so that the neck portions of the bottles protrude through the neck receiving apertures 46, 48, 50, 52 of the handle panels and an upstanding handle H is formed, shown in Figure 2, between the rows of bottles.
  • the handle panels 18, 20 are erected into a juxtaposition out of the plane of the blank so that the handle apertures more or less are brought into registry with one another.
  • locking tabs 54, 56 are folded about fold line 40 through 180 degrees and into a face to face relationship with top panel 24.
  • Handle panels 18 and 20 are folded about fold line 36 and brought into a face to face to relationship with each other and may be connected together by glue or other means known in the art.
  • locking tabs 54, 56 are aligned with apertures 46 and 48 respectively and are then interengaged with the apertures such that the heads of the locking tabs appear in respective ones of apertures .
  • Top panels 16 and 26 are folded out of alignment with the handle structure H about fold lines 34 and 40 respectively.
  • the blank is then applied to a group of bottles to be packaged so that handle H, shown in Figure 2, formed from handle panels 18, 20 is disposed between the rows of bottles, which in this embodiment, is off set from a plane disposed mid-way between said rows of apertures .
  • the carton is completed by causing side walls 14, 26 to be folded downward and the base structures 12 and 28 to be secured in an overlapping relationship beneath the base of the bottles, by means known in the art.
  • the handle structure H includes the substantially trapezoidal aperture which is adapted to receive part of a users hand U.
  • the aperture A shown in
  • Figure 2 includes side edges 90, 94, which are convergent towards the top of the carton whereby components of the force F, exerted when the handle panel is in use, are transmitted to the side edges 90, 94.
  • the dead load of the carton is thus distributed over a substantial area of said handle panel when lifted.
  • H of the invention is able to reduce the torsional effect, for example twisting, on the handle when in use, thereby improving the handle performance.
  • the likelihood of tearing the paperboard is reduced.
  • the handle structure H is not limited to a trapezoidal shaped aperture A. Indeed, alternative profiles of aperture can also be considered to transmit components of force effectively, for example when the aperture comprises one converging side edge.
  • the profile of the aperture can be altered according to particular requirements of the user.
  • a hand cushioning structure is provided between the registering handle apertures 58, 60 by flaps 62, 64, 66 and 72, 74, 76 which are brought into overlapping relationship with the two handle panels 18, 20.
  • the present inventions preferred embodiments relate to an article carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold the bottles securely but with a degree of flexibility so that the load transferred to the handle is absorbed by the carrier.
  • the shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required.
  • the carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and not limited to those of the type hereinbefore described.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Cartons (AREA)
  • Table Devices Or Equipment (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
  • Buffer Packaging (AREA)
  • Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
  • Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)
  • Thermally Insulated Containers For Foods (AREA)
  • Cookers (AREA)

Abstract

A packaging carton comprising a handle panel (18, 20) hingeably connected to an upper panel (16, 24) of the carton, said handle panel including a substantially trapezoidal aperture (58, 60) being adapted to receive part of a users hand, said aperture including side edges which are convergent towards the top of the carton whereby components of the force exerted when the handle panel is in use are transmitting said side edges so that the dead load of the carton, when lifted, is distributed over a substantial area of said handle panel. Hand cushioning flaps (62, 64, 66, 74, 76, 78) are struck from side edges (90, 94) and upper edge (92) of handle panel (18, 20).

Description

CARTON HANDLE
The present invention relates generally to paperboard cartons for use in packaging articles such as cans or bottles for beverages. More particularly, the invention relates to a handle for such cartons which is associated with stress-relieving severance lines.
Articles such as cans or bottles for beverages including soft drinks, beer, juices and the like are commonly sold in multiple quantities packaged in a paperboard carton. For the convenience of the consumer, the carton is often provided with a handle, which quite commonly includes as a primary feature one or two slots or other apertures formed in the carton. The user inserts the hand or fingers into one or both of the slots to lift the carton.
Lifting a carton containing beverage cans or bottles introduces considerable stress into the paperboard from which the carton is formed. The region around the slot or slots especially tends to be subject to stress concentration. For this reason, to prevent tearing of the paperboard and failure of the carton, it is known to design carton handles with various stress-relieving/distributing arrangements .
Known arrangements have difficulty in eliminating minor cracks and tears from the handle slot area. Minor cracks or tears do not usually result in handle failure. However, consumers may see these as undesirable and not purchase the packages with such cracks or tears .
What is needed, therefore, is a carton having a carrying handle with an improved stress-relieving arrangement. Such a carton should eliminate or reduce tears or fractures and particularly those minor cracks and tears which detract from the carton appearance . One aspect of the present invention provides a packaging carton comprising a handle panel hingeably connected to an upper panel of the carton, said handle panel including a substantially trapezoidal aperture being adapted to receive part of a users hand, said aperture including side edges which are convergent towards the top of the carton whereby components of the force exerted when the handle panel is in use are transmitting said side edges so that the dead load of the carton, when lifted, is distributed over a substantial area of said handle panel.
An optional feature of this aspect of the invention provides a carton wherein the upper and side edges of said aperture may comprise a flap adapted to provide a surface to be in contact with the users hand.
The use of a handle according to either aspect of the invention may reduce the torsional effect on the handle caused by carrying the carton.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blank forming a carton according to the invention; and
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing a central portion of the carton incorporating an upstanding handle.
Referring to the drawings, and in particular Figure 1 thereof, there comprises an elongate blank 10 formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material comprising in series a base structure 12, first side panel 14, top panel 16, first handle panel 18, second handle panel 20, intermediate panel 22, second top panel 24, side panel 26 and second base structure 28, hingeably connected one to the next along fold lines 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 respectively .
The lower portions of the side walls 14, 26 and base panel forming the base structures 12, 28 are not described in any greater detail since they are not concerned with the present invention and are carton features well known in the art .
A series of two neck receiving apertures 46,48 is struck partially from top panel 16, each aperture being shaped to provide a locking zone. Likewise, a series of two similarly spaced bottle neck receiving apertures 50, 52 are partially struck from top panel 24, but do not include locking zones .
Locking tabs 54, 56 are struck from intermediate panel 22 and are hinged to the lower end of intermediate panel 22 along hinge line 40 and include "T-shaped " locking heads which have locking edges .
Handle panels 18 and 20 are each formed with handle apertures 58, 60 which are substantially trapezoidal in shape. Apertures 58, 60 each include side edges 90, 94 which are convergent towards the top of the carton when erected, as shown in Figure 2. Handle cushioning flaps 62, 64 and 66 are struck from side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 respectively of handle panel 18 being hingeably connected thereto by fold lines 68, 70, 72 respectively. Cut lines 63,65 extend from the intersections of side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 to separate flaps 62, 64 and 66. Likewise, hand cushioning flaps 74, 76, 78 are struck from side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 respectively of handle panel 20 being hingeably connected thereto by fold lines 80, 82, 84. Cut lines 67, 69 extend from the intersections of side edges 90, 94 and upper edge 92 to separate flaps 74, 76 and 78. The construction of a completed carrier of the invention requires a series of sequential folding and gluing operations. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be altered according to particular manufacturing requirements .
Thus, the blank 10 is adapted to be wrapped about a group of four bottles arranged in two rows of two bottles each so that the neck portions of the bottles protrude through the neck receiving apertures 46, 48, 50, 52 of the handle panels and an upstanding handle H is formed, shown in Figure 2, between the rows of bottles.
In order to apply the carton blank 10 to the bottles, the handle panels 18, 20 are erected into a juxtaposition out of the plane of the blank so that the handle apertures more or less are brought into registry with one another. In particular, locking tabs 54, 56 are folded about fold line 40 through 180 degrees and into a face to face relationship with top panel 24. Handle panels 18 and 20 are folded about fold line 36 and brought into a face to face to relationship with each other and may be connected together by glue or other means known in the art. Thus, locking tabs 54, 56 are aligned with apertures 46 and 48 respectively and are then interengaged with the apertures such that the heads of the locking tabs appear in respective ones of apertures .
Top panels 16 and 26 are folded out of alignment with the handle structure H about fold lines 34 and 40 respectively. The blank is then applied to a group of bottles to be packaged so that handle H, shown in Figure 2, formed from handle panels 18, 20 is disposed between the rows of bottles, which in this embodiment, is off set from a plane disposed mid-way between said rows of apertures .
The carton blank is then applied over the bottle necks whereby the heads of the locking tabs 54, 56 are outwardly displaced and disposed between handle panel 18 and the neck of an adjacent bottle. Thus, handle panels 18 and 24 are tied together by the locking tabs so that they are maintained in virtually upright attitude for use .
The carton is completed by causing side walls 14, 26 to be folded downward and the base structures 12 and 28 to be secured in an overlapping relationship beneath the base of the bottles, by means known in the art.
In use, the handle structure H includes the substantially trapezoidal aperture which is adapted to receive part of a users hand U. The aperture A, shown in
Figure 2 includes side edges 90, 94, which are convergent towards the top of the carton whereby components of the force F, exerted when the handle panel is in use, are transmitted to the side edges 90, 94. Preferably, the dead load of the carton is thus distributed over a substantial area of said handle panel when lifted. The handle structure
H of the invention is able to reduce the torsional effect, for example twisting, on the handle when in use, thereby improving the handle performance. The likelihood of tearing the paperboard is reduced.
The handle structure H is not limited to a trapezoidal shaped aperture A. Indeed, alternative profiles of aperture can also be considered to transmit components of force effectively, for example when the aperture comprises one converging side edge. The profile of the aperture can be altered according to particular requirements of the user.
A hand cushioning structure is provided between the registering handle apertures 58, 60 by flaps 62, 64, 66 and 72, 74, 76 which are brought into overlapping relationship with the two handle panels 18, 20. The present inventions preferred embodiments relate to an article carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold the bottles securely but with a degree of flexibility so that the load transferred to the handle is absorbed by the carrier. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required. The carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and not limited to those of the type hereinbefore described.

Claims

1. A packaging carton comprising a handle panel hingeably connected to an upper panel of the carton, said handle panel including a substantially trapezoidal aperture being adapted to receive part of a users hand, said aperture including side edges which are convergent towards the top of the carton whereby components of the force exerted when the handle panel is in use are transmitting said side edges so that the dead load of the carton, when lifted, is distributed over a substantial area of said handle panel.
2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the upper and side edges of said aperture each comprise a flap adapted to provide a surface to be in contact with the users hand.
3. The use of a handle according to claim 1 to reduce the torsional effect on the handle caused by carrying the carton.
4. A blank of Figure 1 substantially as hereinbefore described by reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings .
5.. A packaging carton comprising a handle panel of Figure 1 or Figure 2 substantially as hereinbefore described by reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
EP98905957A 1997-01-17 1998-01-15 Carton handle Expired - Lifetime EP1017598B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9700918 1997-01-17
GBGB9700918.7A GB9700918D0 (en) 1997-01-17 1997-01-17 Carton handle
PCT/US1998/000721 WO1998031604A1 (en) 1997-01-17 1998-01-15 Carton handle

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1017598A1 true EP1017598A1 (en) 2000-07-12
EP1017598B1 EP1017598B1 (en) 2002-06-19

Family

ID=10806142

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98905957A Expired - Lifetime EP1017598B1 (en) 1997-01-17 1998-01-15 Carton handle

Country Status (15)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1017598B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE219449T1 (en)
AU (1) AU6131898A (en)
CZ (1) CZ299534B6 (en)
DE (1) DE69806172T2 (en)
DK (1) DK1017598T3 (en)
EE (1) EE04148B1 (en)
ES (1) ES2179455T3 (en)
GB (1) GB9700918D0 (en)
HU (1) HU223187B1 (en)
PL (1) PL190007B1 (en)
PT (1) PT1017598E (en)
RO (1) RO120331B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1998031604A1 (en)
ZA (1) ZA98343B (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
LT5170B (en) 2003-05-20 2004-10-25 Dalius REPČYS A reinforced package
US9199775B2 (en) 2008-07-17 2015-12-01 Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, Llc Carton with handle

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3429688C2 (en) * 1984-08-11 1986-06-26 Unilever N.V., Rotterdam Carrying case
FR2593780B1 (en) * 1986-02-06 1990-12-07 Icp Sa IMPROVEMENT WITH INTEGRATED HANDLES FOR CARDBOARD PACKAGING
GB9215257D0 (en) * 1992-07-17 1992-09-02 Riverwood Int Ltd Container for articles

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9831604A1 *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
LT5170B (en) 2003-05-20 2004-10-25 Dalius REPČYS A reinforced package
US9199775B2 (en) 2008-07-17 2015-12-01 Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, Llc Carton with handle
US9434520B2 (en) 2008-07-17 2016-09-06 Westrock Packaging Systems, Llc Carton with handle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
PT1017598E (en) 2002-11-29
PL190007B1 (en) 2005-10-31
WO1998031604A1 (en) 1998-07-23
AU6131898A (en) 1998-08-07
DE69806172D1 (en) 2002-07-25
HUP0001756A2 (en) 2000-09-28
ZA98343B (en) 1998-10-29
DK1017598T3 (en) 2002-07-15
HU223187B1 (en) 2004-03-29
EE9900299A (en) 2000-02-15
DE69806172T2 (en) 2003-01-23
CZ299534B6 (en) 2008-08-27
PL334857A1 (en) 2000-03-27
EE04148B1 (en) 2003-10-15
CZ9902541A3 (en) 2001-11-14
GB9700918D0 (en) 1997-03-05
ES2179455T3 (en) 2003-01-16
ATE219449T1 (en) 2002-07-15
RO120331B1 (en) 2005-12-30
EP1017598B1 (en) 2002-06-19
HUP0001756A3 (en) 2001-08-28

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