GB2032888A

GB2032888A - Eg Carton

Info

Publication number: GB2032888A
Application number: GB7935399A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LEEUWARDER PAPIERWAREN FABRIEK
Current assignee: LEEUWARDER PAPIERWAREN FABRIEK
Priority date: 1978-10-12
Filing date: 1979-10-11
Publication date: 1980-05-14
Also published as: IT7926393A0; ES254654U; NL7810282A; FR2438603A1; IT1123794B; BE879334A; BR7906610A; DE2941503A1

Abstract

An egg carton has a bottom 1 and a hinged cover 7, which bottom 1 defines compartments for receiving eggs and is provided at the edge remote from the hinge with a flap 2 hingedly connected thereto. The wall of the cover 7 remote from the hinge has windows 8 continuing into the free edge, while the corresponding wall of the bottom 1 has complementary windows 4 which continue to beyond the hinge 3 between the bottom and the flap 2 and pass into windows 5 corresponding with those in the cover 7. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Egg Carton This invention relates to an egg carton, more particularly to an egg carton consisting of a bottom and a pivotally interconnected cover. The bottom comprises compartments each adapted to receive an egg. At the edge facing away from the hinge, the bottom carries a pivotally connected flap which, in a folded back position and with the cover closed, lies therein and engages with the cover wall.

Such an egg carton is disclosed in Dutch patent application No. 69.14086.

When this carton contains eggs and is closed, it is not quite possible to view the eggs from outside. However, this is required in order to grade the eggs according to size and colour.

This wish may be met according to the present invention, which provides an egg carton comprising a bottom and a hingedly interconnected cover, the bottom containing compartments each adapted to receive one egg, while the edge of the bottom facing away from the hinge carries a flap hingedly connected thereto, which flap in opened position and with the cover closed lies therein and engages with the cover wall, at least the cover wall facing away from the hinge being provided with windows continuing into the free edge, while the bottom wall facing away from the hinge is provided with complementary windows which continue to beyond the hinge between the bottom and the flap and pass into windows corresponding to the windows in the cover.

The flap is preferably provided with at least one projection engageable with at least one respective recess in the cover wall.

In the new construction, therefore, the hinge between the bottom wall and the flap is interrupted by the windows, which surprisingly does not result in a weakening of the hinge connection.

Since the flap is also provided with windows, corresponding to those in the overlying cover wall, after the carton has been filled with eggs and the cover has been closed and locked by the flap, each egg in the carton may be viewed from outside.

In order slightly to rigidify the barriers between the windows and the flap, there are provided therein embossments having the shape of ribs or ridges, which ridges or ribs, in the case of an opened carton with a hanging flap, constitute supports that ensure that opened and nested cartons do not jam and consequently can be easily de-nested during packaging.

When the egg cartons are made of paper pulp through application of the suction method, it is necessary that the products can be discharged from the moulds without difficulty. If the projection disposed at the flap is adapted to engage in an aperture exlusively present in the overlying wall of the cover, the completed carton will only be releasable from the mould with difficulty, thus causing damage.

To eliminate this drawback, each aperture in the cover adapted to lock the projection of the flap is designed as a window continuing from the side wall to the upper wall.

Further particulars of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of an egg packaging carton according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in the closed position; Fig. 2 is a side view of the carton in a semiopened position; Fig. 3 is a top view of the carton in the closed position; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section across the closed carton.

The egg carton shown in the drawings comprises a bottom 1, to which is secured a flap 2 (see fig. 2) by means of a hinge connection 3. In the bottom front wall there is provided a plurality of windows 4, and similarly in the flap 2. The latter windows are indicated in the drawings by 5.

As clearly shown in fig. 2, the windows 4 are continuous with the windows 5 via the hinge connection 3, i.e. there is no interuption in the form of a barrier or otherwise.

In the flap 2 there is furthermore disposed at least one projection 6 which is used in a manner to be further elucidated to lock the flap 2 in the closed position of the carton.

The egg carton comprises furthermore a cover 7 provided with windows 8 which continue as far as the lower boundary of the respective front wall.

The windows 8 are complementary to the windows 4 in the front wall of the bottom, as appears from fig. 1. Since the windows 5 in the flap 1 have the same configuration as the windows 8 in the cover 7 and furthermore are in registry with the windows 8 in the closed position of the carton, the eggs may be viewed from the outside. This is also the case from the rear, since the back walls of the bottom and the cover are also provided with complementary windows.

In order to stiffen the flap, ridges or ribs 10 are pressed in some of the regions between the windows 5. These have another purpose, which will be discussed later on.

In the cover 7 there are provided cuts or the like 9 which serve to receive the projection 6 of the flap 2 in the closed position of the carton.

These cuts 9, as shown in fig. 3, continue into the top face of the cover 7. This possibility is chosed so that the entire product, i.e. the bottom with flap and cover, can be manufactured integrally from paper pulp through the application of a suction mould, which product may then be conveniently discharged from the mould.

More or less straight projections 11 are provided in the corners of the cover 7. These projections 11 , together with the embossed ribs or ridges 10, prevent the opened cartons, when arriving from the mould and when being nested, from jamming or from sagging to one side (the socalled fan effect).

In the cover there is furthermore provided a stiffening rib 12, by means of which cartons filled with eggs can be stacked vertically. This rib 12 then finds support on elevations 1 6 which are disposed in the bottom 1 and which define receiving spaces 17, each suitabie for one egg.

The bottom 1 and cover 7 are interconnected by a hinge 13. As stated above, the back walls of the bottom 1 and cover 7 are also provided with windows, the contour of which is indicated in fig.

4 by 14 and 1 5. This figure also shows that, in the closed position of the carton, the flap 2 lies behind the front wall of the cover 7 and each projection 6 engages with a respective incision 9.

By the pressure of an egg included in the space 17, the projection 6 will be locked in the incision 9. The connection is so reliable that no additional measures such as an adhesive strip or glue need be utilized for effectively closing the carton and locking it in the closed position when filled with eggs.

Claims

1. An egg carton comprising a bottom and a hingedly interconnected cover, the bottom containing compartments each adapted to receive one egg, while the edge of the bottom facing away from the hinge carries a flap hingedly connected thereto, which flap in opened position and with the cover closed lies therein and engages with the cover wall, at least the cover wall facing away from the hinge being provided with windows continuing into the free edge, while the bottom wall facing away from the hinge is provided with complementary windows which continue to beyond the hinge between the bottom and the flap and pass into windows corresponding to the windows in the cover.

2. An egg carton according to claim 1, wherein the flap is provided with at least one projection engageable with at least one respective recess in the cover wall.

3. An egg carton according to claim 1 or 2, wherein embossments having the shape of ribs or ridges are disposed in the wails between the windows in the flap.

4. An egg carton according to claim 2 or 3, wherein each recess in the cover for locking the projection of the flap is in the form of a window continuing from the side wall into the upper wall.

5. An egg carton according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least the corners of the cover adjoining the hinge connection between the bottom and the cover are provided with projections which, in the opened position of the carton, may find support on the corner edges of a subjacent cover.

6. An egg carton substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.