GB1569002A - Hinged-lid carton - Google Patents

Description

(54) HINGED-LID CARTON (71) We, MAROON, SON & HALL LIMITED ,a British Company of Caxton House, Redcliffe Way, Bristol BS99 7PB, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a hinged lid carton, preferably made from a single blank. The invention also relates to such a blank.

The invention provides a construction for holding the lid in its closed position against accidental release.

According to the invention, a carton comprises a tray portion and a hinged lid, the tray portion including a pair of opposing side walls and a front wall opposite the hinge of the lid, the lid including a front panel which overlaps the upper portion of the front wall when the lid is shut, wherein a) a dust flap is connected to the front wall along an interrupted hinge, b) the dust flap is extended where the hinge is interrupted to form a tab which projects slightly forward of the front wall, and c) the side of the lid front panel which faces rearwards when the lid is closed is provided with means for engaging under the tab to hold the lid in its closed position against accidental release, which tab-engaging means is an edge of a flap carried solely by the lid front panel, which flap is folded back to lie against said side of the lid front panel and is secured in position by adhesive.

By way of example the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which, Figure 1 shows an unfolded blank for making a carton comprising a tray portion and a hinged lid, Figure 2 shows a portion of the lid section oftheblankbut with a folded over front panel, Figure 3 shows part of the tray portion section of the blank but with a folded over front wall, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the empty carton with its lid open.

The blank of Figure 1 which is of cartonboard provided with fold lines shown in chain line consists of two sections, one for providing a rectangular tray portion A and the other for providing a hinged lid B.

Section A comprises a base panel 10 supporting two pairs of opposing wall panels 11, 12 and 13, 14 which are connected by corner webs 15 provided with oblique fold lines. The panel 11 (which in the erected carton is the rear wall) is hingedly connected to the lid B whilst the panel 12 (which in the erected carton is the front wall) hingedly supports a dust flap panel divided transversely by a fold line into inner and outer portions 16, 17 each of which is formed with a pair of tabs 18 or 19.

Section B comprises a main panel 20 supporting a pair of opposing side flaps 21 and a panel 22 which in the erected carton is a front panel. The panel 22 supports a pair of opposing wing flaps 23 and a reinforcing panel or flap 24 provided with a pair of cutouts 25 in its free edge, which cut-outs are designed to receive the tabs 18, 19 in the closed carton. The fold lines of the wing flaps 23 are slightly inclined by 1" towards the panel 24 so that when the lid section is'erected the panels 21 will be slightly inclined towards one another as they approach the panel 24.

The panels 10, 12 and 20 are scored to provide three aligned sets of visual and tactile division lines 28-30 for use in dividing a product loaded into the carton, e.g. a block of butter or icecream.

The blank may be erected in the following manner. Adhesive is applied to the lid panel 22 and then the panel 24 is folded over to lie against the panel 22 and become bonded to it, as shown in Figure 2, the cut-out 25 now facing the fold line which connects the panels 20, 22. The edge of the panel 24 which includes the cut-outs lies proud of the panel 22 for future engagement by the tabs 18, 19 this feature being assisted by the provision of crease score lines 31. Adhesive is applied to the tray portion 16 and then the outer portion 17 is folded over to lie against the portion 16 and become bonded to it, as shown in Figure 3, the tabs 19 becoming bonded to the tabs 18 so as to produce two reinforced tabs.

Adhesive is applied to the four corner webs 15 and then the wall panels 11-14 are folded upwards with the corner webs each folding about its three fold lines in conventional manner to provide a glued tray portion. The reinforced dust flap 16, 17 is folded inwards into position to lie parallel with the base panel 10, which movement causes the two reinforced tabs 18, 19 to protrude slightly forward of the front wall panel 12.

Adhesive is also applied to the panels 21, the panel 24 reinforced by the panel 22 is folded upwards, its wing flaps 23 are folded inwards, and finally the glued panels 21 are folded upwards to overlap and become bonded to the wing flaps 23, thereby completing the erection of the hinged lid and the carton, as shown in Figure 4.

The carton is now top loaded and then the hinged lid is folded down to its closed position wherein the side flaps 21 overlap the upper portions of the side wall panels 13, 14 the bonded front panels 22, 24 overlap the upper portion of the front wall 12, the lid panel 20 overlaps the dust flap 16, 17 and the outer or forward edges of the two horizontal double thickness tabs enter the vertical cutouts 25 above the scores 31 to lock the lid against accidental opening. In addition the slight forward and inward inclination of the side flaps 21 helps them to grip the sides of the tray portion A.

To release the lid, the front wall 12 is pressed slightly inwards to disengage the double thickness tabs from the cut-outs 25 and the lid then raised. The two panels 13, 14 are then forcedoutwards, breaking the adhesive bonds of the corner webs 15 and allowing the whole of the tray-portion to unfold except for the portion 17. and expose the product in the carton. The customer may then cut a section from the product, using the scored lines 28-30 as a recipe guide. The carton may then be re-erected, the four walls of the tray portion being held in this upright position by the hinged lid whose cut-outs 25 are reengaged by the double thickness tab of the tray portion.

Instead of breaking the adhesive bonds of all four corner webs 15 a lesser number of the bonds may be broken so that the whole of the tray portion is not unfolded flat.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A carton comprising a tray portion and a hinged lid, the tray portion including a pair of opposing side walls and a front wall opposite the hinge of the lid, the lid including a front panel which overlaps the upper portion of the front wall when the lid is shut, wherein a) a dust flap is connected to the front wall along an interrupted hinge, b) the dust flap is extended where the hinge is interrupted to form a tab which projects slightly forward of the front wall, and c) the side of the lid front panel which faces rearwards when the lid is closed is provided with means for engaging under the tab to hold the lid in its closed position against accidental release, which tab-engaging means is an edge of a flap carried solely by the lid front panel, which flap is folded back to lie against said side of the lid front panel and is secured in position by adhesive.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the edge of the flap which is adapted to engage under the tab is provided with a cut-out to receive the tab.

3. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the dust flap is doubled over itself so that the tab is a reinforced tab.

4. A carton according to claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of tabs spaced along the dust flap.

5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein lid comprises a pair of opposing side panels connected to the front panel the which, when the lid is shut, overlap the upper portion of the side walls, the sidepanels being slightly inclined towards one another to grip better the side walls.

6. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the tray portion is scored with division lines to promote visual and tactile identification of sections of a divisible product in the carton.

7. A carton substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A blank for making a carton as defined in claim 1 and provided with fold lines, tabs and tab-engaging means substantially as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Adhesive is applied to the four corner webs 15 and then the wall panels 11-14 are folded upwards with the corner webs each folding about its three fold lines in conventional manner to provide a glued tray portion. The reinforced dust flap 16, 17 is folded inwards into position to lie parallel with the base panel 10, which movement causes the two reinforced tabs 18, 19 to protrude slightly forward of the front wall panel 12. Adhesive is also applied to the panels 21, the panel 24 reinforced by the panel 22 is folded upwards, its wing flaps 23 are folded inwards, and finally the glued panels 21 are folded upwards to overlap and become bonded to the wing flaps 23, thereby completing the erection of the hinged lid and the carton, as shown in Figure 4. The carton is now top loaded and then the hinged lid is folded down to its closed position wherein the side flaps 21 overlap the upper portions of the side wall panels 13, 14 the bonded front panels 22, 24 overlap the upper portion of the front wall 12, the lid panel 20 overlaps the dust flap 16, 17 and the outer or forward edges of the two horizontal double thickness tabs enter the vertical cutouts 25 above the scores 31 to lock the lid against accidental opening. In addition the slight forward and inward inclination of the side flaps 21 helps them to grip the sides of the tray portion A. To release the lid, the front wall 12 is pressed slightly inwards to disengage the double thickness tabs from the cut-outs 25 and the lid then raised. The two panels 13, 14 are then forcedoutwards, breaking the adhesive bonds of the corner webs 15 and allowing the whole of the tray-portion to unfold except for the portion 17. and expose the product in the carton. The customer may then cut a section from the product, using the scored lines 28-30 as a recipe guide. The carton may then be re-erected, the four walls of the tray portion being held in this upright position by the hinged lid whose cut-outs 25 are reengaged by the double thickness tab of the tray portion. Instead of breaking the adhesive bonds of all four corner webs 15 a lesser number of the bonds may be broken so that the whole of the tray portion is not unfolded flat. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A carton comprising a tray portion and a hinged lid, the tray portion including a pair of opposing side walls and a front wall opposite the hinge of the lid, the lid including a front panel which overlaps the upper portion of the front wall when the lid is shut, wherein a) a dust flap is connected to the front wall along an interrupted hinge, b) the dust flap is extended where the hinge is interrupted to form a tab which projects slightly forward of the front wall, and c) the side of the lid front panel which faces rearwards when the lid is closed is provided with means for engaging under the tab to hold the lid in its closed position against accidental release, which tab-engaging means is an edge of a flap carried solely by the lid front panel, which flap is folded back to lie against said side of the lid front panel and is secured in position by adhesive.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the edge of the flap which is adapted to engage under the tab is provided with a cut-out to receive the tab.

3. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the dust flap is doubled over itself so that the tab is a reinforced tab.

4. A carton according to claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of tabs spaced along the dust flap.

5. A carton according to claim 1, wherein lid comprises a pair of opposing side panels connected to the front panel the which, when the lid is shut, overlap the upper portion of the side walls, the sidepanels being slightly inclined towards one another to grip better the side walls.

6. A carton according to claim 1, wherein the tray portion is scored with division lines to promote visual and tactile identification of sections of a divisible product in the carton.

7. A carton substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A blank for making a carton as defined in claim 1 and provided with fold lines, tabs and tab-engaging means substantially as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.