US2908436A - Multi-ply carton construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1959 J. D. MILLER MULTI-PLY CARTON CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1958 INVENTOR Kim/12 Mare BY jaw-z ORNEYS Oct. 13 1959 J. D. MILLER MULTI-PLY CARTON CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1958 Oct. 13, 1959 J. D. MILLER MULTI-PLY CARTON CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 3, 1958 INVENTOR \AWA/a Mare BY 2W1; K.-

United States Patent MULTLPLY CARTON CONSTRUCTION John D. Miller, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio- Applicati'on March 3, 1958, Serial No. 718,581

4 Claims. (Cl. 229- 15) The present invention relates to a carton construction which is formed of a plurality of plies of the material of construction and is designed to include integral partitioning for the purpose of providing a plurality of cells.

Producers of canned and bottled beverages have found that the marketing of such items is enhanced by putting up such items in six-pack form. The usual six-pack consists of six bottles or cans of the product contained in a Wrap or light weight box formed of chipboard or cardboard, and which usually includes handles to permit such items to be conveniently carried by the ultimate consumer. These six-packs are conventionally shipped from the manufacturer to the wholesaler and to the dealer in wooden boxes of a size to contain four such six-packs. Obviously, these Wooden boxes are expensive, and economically necessitate that these wooden boxes be reused, and, accordingly, they must be shipped back to the manufacturer. There have been previous attempts in the industry in many instances to replace wooden boxes by cartons formed of relatively inexpensive materials, of which corrugated paperboard is the most popular example. Unfortunately, these previous attempts either failed with respect to the strength requirements, have had to resort to auxiliary reinforcing elements of the more ocnventional materials such as wood and the like, or have been of extremely complicated design, which increases the cost of manufacture and frequently involves considerable effort in assembly.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a carton construction of a relatively inexpensive material of construction, which carton is of exceptional strength.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a carton which includes partitions which are integrally a part of the main portion of the carton.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a carton which is composed of many plies of the material of'construction, yet is of relatively simple design and thereby involves a minimum of waste of the material of construction, and is capable of assembly with a minimum of effort.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such a carton which does not require any auxiliary reinforcing elements of the more rigid materials and does not require any auxiliary fastening arrangements to hold same in assembled form.

These and many other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings, on which there is presented for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the completed carton construction.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank used in forming one component of the carton of this invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 2 inan intermediate stage in the erection thereof.

- thereby define side walls of the final carton.

2,908,436 Patented Oct. 13,, T1959 Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the final form of the erection of the element shown inFigs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank which is used in forming the second component of the carton of this invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating how the blank of Fig. 5 is folded andcombined with the element of Fig. 4 to produce the completed carton shown in Fig. l.

Basically, the carton of the present invention comprises a first receptacle defined by a bottom wall, walls upstanding from the perimeter of the bottom wall and internal partitions, a reinforcing element formed of a linear series of foldable panels, one of which is adapted to overlie the bottom wall, two pairs of which are adapted to enclose opposed upstanding walls, another pair of which is adapted to cooperatively reinforce the bottom wall, and a last pair being adapted to project upwardly through slits provided in the bottom wall formers and interfit with the internal partition to thereby yield an interlocked, internally partitioned carton, in which all elements thereof are formed of multiple plies.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 the completed carton 10 of the present invention. The carton comprises, in general, a bottom wall 11, opposite upstanding side walls 12 and 13, opposed upstanding end walls 14 and 15, and internal upstanding normally disposed partitions 16 and 17. The walls 14 and 15 are provided with cut-outs 18 and 19, respectively, which serve as convenient hand holds. The carton 10 is erected from two elements formed of relatively stiif, sheet-like material, for instance, corrugated paperboard. These two elements 20 and 50 are shown, respectively, in knock-down blank form in Figs. 2 and 5.

The blank 20 in Fig. 2 is composed of a linear series of relatively foldable rectangular panels 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, separated by score lines 28 in parallel spaced relationship. The centermost panel 24 is provided with a pair of normally intersecting slits 29 and 30. A flap 31 extends axially from each end of the pairs of panels 22, 23, and 25, 26, and is: separated from the associated panels by a fold line 32. Score line 23 extends across the score line 32 to divide the flap 31 into two equal parts 31a and 31b, and lends foldability thereto for a purpose explaned hereinafter. Each portion 31a and 31b is provided with a notch 35 in its outermost free edge, which is so positioned that the notches in adjoining portions will be in registry when the blank is folded about fold line 28 to bring the associated panels into face-toface relationship.

A flap or tab 40 extends axially from the panel 21 and is foldably secured thereto by means of score line 41. The flap or tab 40 is provided with opposed recesses 42 which define shoulders 43 which provide a self-locking feature. A slot 44 traverses the fold line 41 between panels 21 and the flap or tab 40, and is in alignmentwith slit 30. A similar flap or tab 46 extends axially from the other endmost panel 27 and is separated therefrom by a fold line 47. This flap or tab likewise possesses opposed recesses 47 which define opposed shoulders 48 for a locking feature. A slot 49 traverses the fold line 47 and is in alignment with slit 30.

The blank just described is erected into carton configuration in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The central panel 24 becomes a ply of the ultimate bottom wall 11 (Fig. 1). Side panels 25 and 26 are folded into face-toface relationship and into a plane normal to panel 24 to The fold line 28 between the side panels 25 and 26 becomes the upper edge of the side wall. The panel 27 is then folded- Ieversely beneath the panel '24 and spans the distance from the side wall to the slit 29. The flap or tab 46 can then be inserted in the slit 29 and projected upwardly into a a position normal to the panel 24. The portion of the slot 49 within the panel 27 will register with the slit 30, while the portion of the slot 49 in the flap or tab 46 will intersect therewith, but will project'upwardly in; the plane of the flap or tab46. In identical fashion, the panels 22 and 23 are folded into face-to-face relationship to-form an opposite side wall, the panel 21 is reversely folded beneath the panel 24, and the tab or flap 40 introduced into the slit 29 to project upwardly intoface-to-face relationship with the flap or tab 46. The flaps 31' will have their parts 31a and 31b in flush relationship, and these are folded inwardly in a plane normal to the side wall defined by the panels 25, 26, and 22, 23, respectively. There will thus be defined end walls for the carton which are composed of two plies (31a, 31b) which have hand holds therethrough by reason of the edge-to-edge meeting of the panels having notches 35 in the free edges.

The construction of the cartonof this invention at this stage is shown in Fig. 4, wherein it can be seen that the side walls, end walls, bottom wall, and partitions are formed of two plies of the material of construction. As may further be seen, the end walls formed by the inturned flaps 31 will have a tendency to unfold. If desired, masking tape or the like may be used to hold them together in edge-to-edge relationship. This is not absolutely necessary, however, inasmuch as the second component of the receptacle serves this purpose in a manner to be ex plained, in addition to providing additional plies for these end walls and also an additional ply for the bottom wall.

The second component for the carton construction of this invention is shown in knock-down blank form in Fig. 5, and is identified by the numeral 50. It is generally quite similar to the blank shown in Fig. 3, being composed of a foldably connected linear series of relatively foldable panels 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57, separated by score lines 58. Between panels 52 and 53,- and likewise between panels 55 and 56, there is provided a small bridging portion 59 and 60, respectively, which permits the adjacent panels to be assembled into spaced parallel relationship so that it may embrace the end walls defined by the fiaps 31 of the first component. Each of the panels 52, 53, 55, and 56 are provided with a cut-out 61. These are located on either side of the respective bridging portions 59 and 60 in such fashion that they will be in registration when arranged in spaced parallel relationship. The centermost panel 54 is provided with a pair of intersecting slits 62 and 63 which are normally disposed. Flap or tab 64 extends axially from the panel 51 and is foldably secured thereto by a score line 65. The flap 64 is smaller than the panel 51 and is provided with cut-outs 66 which define shoulders 67 to provide a self-locking feature. The flap 64 is further provided with a notch 68 in its outermost free edge in alignment'with the slit 63. A similar fiap or tab '70 extends axially from the opposite panel 57 and is foldably secured thereto by a score line 71. It is provided with cut-outs 72 which define shoulders 73. The outermost edge of the flap 70 is provided with a slit 74 in alignment with slit 63.

The blank just described is combined with the element shown in Fig. 4 in a manner illustrated in Fig. 6. Thus, the panels 53 and 55 are folded upwardly about fold lines 58 into perpendicular relationship with the panel 54. In this fashion, the panel 54 may be inserted down within the confines of the upstanding walls of the first component, and with the slit 63 fitting down over the partition defined by the flaps 40 and 46. Next, the panels 52 and 56 are folded downwardly about the respective end walls (flaps 31) so that the latter will be embraced by the spaced upper edge-connected panels 55 and 56 and panels 52 and 53. Next, the panels 51 and 57 are folded reversely into abutting relationship with the lowermost ply of the bottom wall defined by panels 21 and 27, whereupon the flaps 64 and 70 may be inserted upwardly through the slits 62, 44, 49, and 30. The notches 68 and 74' will engage the partition plies composed of flaps 40 will be composed of two plies.

4- and 46 and thereby interfit to provide partitions which are normally disposed.

The location of the hereinbefore mentioned shoulders 67, 73, 43, and 48 is adjusted by the dimension of the cut- outs 66, 72, 42, and 47 which is chosen to conform to the total thickness of the plies of the bottom wall, and, further, the shoulders are provided with a lateral dimension selected to cooperate with the linear dimension of the slits so that the tabs or flaps will fit through the slits and will be frictionally contacted thereby so that the carton when finally erected will-be self-locked.

In this final form, the bottom wall of the carton construction will be composed of four plies of the material of construction, as will the end walls, while the side walls The cut-outs 61 will register with the notches 35 so that the hand hold will be complete through the entire thickness of the end wall.

From the foregoing description, it is obvious that the blanks constituting the individual components of the carton of this invention are of relatively simple design, and the folding of these blanks and the combining thereof may be accomplished in a simple and expedient fashion. The carton construction of this invention does not require any auxiliary stiffening. elements ofwood or metal. Further, the carton of this invention does not require any auxiliary fastening arrangements to hold it in its'erected form. Additionally, it may be pointed out that the car ton of this invention isreadily assembled by hand; The unique functioning and cooperative relationship of the end flaps or tabs which serve as integral partitioning means, and likewise serve to lock the-structure in:its final form, provide the foregoing mentioned advantages. Whatever weakness in the individual panels which is in.- duced by the intersecting slits in the panels forming the bottom wall is overcome by the fact that the preferred design utilizes four plies to constitute the bottom wall. Also, whatever weakness might be induced by the hand hold cut-outs is more than overcome by the provisionof four-ply construction in these end'walls. It may further be noted that the carton is so designed that, where corrugated board is used as the material of construction, the direction of the corrugations in the various plies varies, thus, further enhancing the strength characteristics of the carton construction of the invention. While, as. indicated, the construction disclosed does not require any auxiliary fastening, it may be desirable under the most rigorous of conditions to employ anadhesive to bond the entire wall formers together, as well as the bottom lies. I

P It will be evident to those skilled in the art that certain modifications may be resorted to-in connection with the carton construction described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is not intended by the foregoing description to be limited to the precise embodiment shown, except as indicated by the-scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton construction comprising an open-topped receptacle which includes a bottom wall, walls upstanding from the perimeter of said bottom wall, an internal upstanding partition, said bottom wall and said partition each being provided with a slit, said slits intersecting in the base of said receptacle, and a reinforcing element assembled with said receptacle formed of realtively stifi, sheet-like material, said element comprising. a central panel provided with a pair of intersectingslots, one receiving said partition and allowing the panel to assume flush relationship with said bottom wall and the other registering with said slit in said bottom wall of said'receptacle, a pair of relatively foldablepanels foldably secured in series to an edge of said central panel, said panelsi being as: sembled to lie in spaced parallelism embracingoneof said upstanding walls of said receptacle, a third panel foldably secured to the second panel of saidipairspanning the distance between the upstanding wall and the slit in said bottom wall, and thereby reinforcing said bottom wall, and a flap foldably secured to said third panel projecting upwardly through in said slit within said receptacle as a second partition, and being provided with a notch in its outermost free edge engaging said first-mentioned partition.

2. A carton construction comprising an open-topped receptacle which includes a bottom wall, upstanding opposed side walls, upstanding opposed end walls formed by in-turned fiaps foldably secured to said side walls, said flaps meeting edge-to-edge to complete said end wall, and being provided with notches in said meeting edges, which notches together define a hand hold in said end walls, an internal upstanding partition, said bottom wall and said partition each being provided with a slit, said slits intersecting in the plane of said bottom wall, and a reinforcing element assembled with said receptacle and being formed of relatively stiff, sheet-like material, said element comprising a central panel provided with a pair of centrally located normally disposed intersecting slots, one of said slots registering with said partition when said central panel is lowered thereover into flush contact with said bottom wall, and the other slot being adapted to register with said slit in said bottom wall, a pair of relatively foldable panels foldably secured in series to an edge of said central panel, said pair being positioned in spaced parallelism embracing one of said upstanding end walls, a third panel foldably secured to the second panel of said pair spanning the distance between the upstanding wall and the slit in said bottom Wall, and thereby reinforcing said bottom wall, a flap foldably secured to said third panel projecting upwardly within said slit, and shoulders on said flap engaging said slits and preventing removal thereof, said flap being provided with a notch on its outermost free edge engaging said partition in interfitting normal relationship to thereby further divide said receptacle into a plurality of compartments.

3. A carton having a bottom wall and walls upstanding about the perimeter of said bottom formed of multiple plies of relatively stiff, sheet-like material and having a plurality of internal partitions upstanding from said bottom wall, said carton comprising in combination: a first member formed of said material and composed of a linear series of relatively foldable, generally rectangular panels in which the centermost panel defines one of the bottom plies and is provided with a pair of intersecting slits, the next two intermediate panels on both sides of said centermost panel positioned in flush relationship with each other to form a first pair of opposed side Walls of said carton, the next outward panel being folded reversely beneath said centermost panel to form half of another bottom ply, and the endmost panels of said series projecting upwardly through said slits to form abutting upstanding partitions, laterally projecting flaps on both sides of said intermediate panels forming a second pair of opposed side walls, the endmost and adjacent intermediate panels having a common slot traversing the fold line therebetween registering with said other slit in assembled formation, said flaps being respectively provided with notches in their outward free edges to serve as hand holds; a second member formed of said material and being composed of a linear series of relatively foldable, generally rectangular panels in which the centermost panel defines the top ply of said bottom wall and has a pair of intersecting slits registering with said slits in said first member when said two centermost panels are in assembled relationship, the next two intermediate panels on both sides of said centermost panel being folded into spaced, parallel relationship embracing said fiaps forming a pair of opposed side walls and each having hand hold notches therein registering with said hand holds in said flaps, the next outward panels each forming half of another bottom ply of said bottom wall, and the endmost panels of said series being assembled in flush abutment projecting upwardly through the unoccupied slit, and each being provided with a slot in the outer free edge thereof to engage the first-mentioned partition to thereby yield an interlocked, internally partitioned carton with all elements thereof formed of multiple plies.

4. A carton construction characterized by having a bottom wall and upstanding side and end walls formed of relatively stiff, sheet-like material, and further characterized by compartmentation, said construction comprising: a first element formed of said material slitted and scored so as to define a central rectangular panel forming a bottom wall ply, and being provided with a pair of intersecting slits, a series of relatively foldable panels foldably secured to opposite edges of said central panel, each of said series comprising a first and second panel folded into abutment with each other in a plane normal to said central panels to form a two-ply side wall for said carton, and a panel foldably secured to said second panel forming one-half of an additional bottom wall ply, a flap foldably secured to said last-mentioned panel of said series receivable in one of said slits and projecting upwardly therethrough into a position normal to said bottom wall and in spaced parallelism with said side walls, said flaps and the adjacent panel to which attached being provided with a slot crossing the line of attachment of said flap and panel and located so that the portion of the slot in the panel registers with the remaining slit not occupied by said flap, and flaps extending from opposite ends of one of said first and second panels, folded inwardly into a plane normal to said side walls and bottom wall to together span the distance between said side walls, said flaps having notches in their outermost free edge which define a hand hold; a second element formed of said material slitted and scored as to define a central rectangular panel provided with a pair of intersecting slits, said central panel of said second element overlying said central panel of said first element to form an inner ply of said bottom wall, a series of relatively foldable panels foldably secured to opposite edges of said central panel, each of said series comprising a first and second panel assembled to embrace the flaps of said first element forming the said end walls, to thereby yield multiple ply end walls, each of said panels being provided with notches positioned so as to register with each other and with the notches in said flaps, a panel foldably secured to said second panel forming one-half of an outer ply of said bottom wall, and a flap foldably secured to said last-mentioned panel projecting upwardly through one of said slits and being provided with a notch in its outer free edge for interfitting with said partition member formed of said first element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,089,067 Myers Aug 3, 1937

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