US3351230A - Basket-style article carrier - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1967 R. SCHUSTER' 3,351,230

BASKET-STYLE ARTICLE CARRIER Filed April 26, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. RICHARD L. SCHUSTER BY Earm- ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1967 SCHUSTER 3,351,230

BASKET- STYLE ARTI CLE CARRIER Filed April 26, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-2 INVENTOR R/CHARDLSCHUSTEP BY 4. 4M

ATTORNEY 1967 R. L. SCHUSTER 3,351,230

BASKET-STYLE ARTICLE CARRIER Filed April 26, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 vs! 5 w fix 9 i5 I W a I I L R/CHA R0 L. SCHUS rm A TTOR/VEV United States Patent Claims. (Cl. 220-113) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A basket-style article carrier having two pairs of hinged, connected, coextensive handle panels where one panel supports a longitudinal partition by means of an intermediate hinge panel.

The present invention relates to basket-style article carriers and relates in particular to an article carrier of this class having a multi-ply handle structure from which there is suspended a body portion divided into a plurality of article receiving cells by a central longitudinal partition and a number of transverse partitions.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a four-ply handle structure comprising a hinged pair of internal handle panels which are virtually coextensive with a hinged pair of external handle panels.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a longitudinal partition or center keel hinged to one of the handle panels and providing when the carrier is in the erect condition, a strength member which is sandwiched between the 'plies of the handle panel and extends downwardly at least two-thirds of the depth of the body of the carrier.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an exceedingly strong four-ply handle structure having the center keel sandwiched between and glued to the internal plies of the multi-ply handle.

A basket-style article carrier embracing certain principles of the present invention may comprise a four-ply handle structure supporting an article receiving body structure where the handle structure comprises at least four panels generally coextensive with one another and a central keel or longitudinal partition hinged to one panel of the handle structure and extending from the interior of the handle structure downwardly a distance of at least two-thirds the depth of the body structure of the carrier.

Other features and advantages of the persent invention will become more apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank which is susceptible of conversion into a basket-style article carrier;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show various steps in converting the blank of FIG. 1 into a finished carrier;

FIG. 6 shows the completed carrier in the collapsed condition; and

FIG. 7 shows the fully erect carrier with certain portions broken away to show the disposition of the longitudinal partition and its relationship to the multi-ply handle structure.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates a basket-style article carrier blank including transverse partitions 11, 12, 13 and 14, end walls 16, 17, 18 and 19, side walls 21 and 22, bottom wall 23 and bottom glue flap 24.

The elements just described are fairly conventional and need no further detailed explanation other than to state that they operate when the carton is in the erect condition to provide a body structure having opposed side walls, opposed end walls and a bottom wall including 3,351,230 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 longitudinal and transverse partition elements for dividing the body into article receiving cells.

The improvement provided by the present invention arises from the composite or multi-ply handle panel structure in combination with a hinged center keel or longitudinal partition which further strengthens the handle structure and which substantially improves and extends the longitudinal partition.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 26 indicates a pair of internal handle panels hinged at score line 27 to a pair of external handle panels indicated generally by the reference numeral 28. The pair of internal panels 26 include a panel 29 hinged by score line 31 to a panel 32 Correspondingly exterior panels 28 include a panel 33 hinged by score line 34 to a panel 36.

Panels 29, 32, 33 and 36 are generally coextensive with one another so that, as will be apparent later, when the blank is erected into a carrier the handle structure comprises at least four coextensive panels all sandwiched together to provide four-ply thickness in the handle structure.

Cutouts 37 and 40 are formed in order to facilitate folding and to avoid an excessive pile up of material at opposed ends of the handle structure.

Longitudinal partition or central keel 38 is hinged to handle panel 36 by means of a hinge panel 39 in that panel 38 is hinged at score line 41 and panel 39, in turn, is hinged at score line 42.

The reference numerals 43 and 44 represent finger access openings which register with one another when the carrier is fully fabricated.

The reference numerals 46 and 47 represent cutouts formed in external handle panels 33 and 36.

The hatching throughout the various figures is intended to designate spots of glue while solid lines represent through cuts or edge margins and dotted lines denote scores or hinge lines.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, the blank of FIG. 1 is erected in the following fashion: with glue applied to blank 10 in accordance with the hatching pattern, the portion of the blank to the left (as viewed in FIG. 1) of score line 27 is rotated about the score line to the position shown in FIG. 2 so that the pair of internal panels 26 make areal contact with and fall in register with the pair of external handle panels 28.

Glue flaps 49 of transverse partitions 11 through 14 make contact with and are afiixed to their respective side walls 21 and 22.

Additional glue is applied in accordance with the hatching of FIG. 2. Next, the central keel or longitudinal partition 38 is rotated about score line 41 to the position shown in FIG. 3. Additional glue is applied in accordance with the hatching pattern of FIG. 3.

Next, hinge panel 39 is rotated about score line 42 as shown in FIG. 4 operative to carry longitudinal partition panel 38 to the position shown in FIG. 4.

At this point it is important to note that the longitudi nal partition panel 38 extends from a point just below the lower margin of finger access opening 43-44 of the handle structure downwardly a distance at least two-thirds the depth of the carrier (depth of a side wall 21 or 22) measured from the top edge of the side wall.

Additional glue is applied in accordance with the hatching of FIG. 4 and thereafter end wall panels 17 and 19 are rotated inwardly about score line 51, in conventional fashion, to generate the composite shown in FIG. 5.

Additional glue is applied in accordance with the pattern of FIG. 5; thereafter bottom panel 52 is rotated upwardly about score line 53.

Next, the upper half of the composite of FIG. 5 is 6 has a characteristic exwith basket-style article The collapsed blank of FIG. terior representation consistent carriers well-known in the art.

The collapsed blank of FIG. 6 is shown erected in FIG. 7 with certain portions broken away to show the final disposition of the longitudinal partition panel 39 illustrating its sandwiched and cooperative position relative to the four-ply handle structure.

Note that the longitudinal partition 38 is sandwiched between the interior handle panels 26 and extends from a point indicated by the reference numeral 56 downwardly to a point indicated by the reference numeral 571 The panel also extends longitudinally of the cart-on terminating on the left at score line 58 and on the right at score line 59.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of modifications and design changes may be devised in the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departing from its spirit and scope.

For example, the central keel 38 can be hinged to either panel of the external pair 28 or to either panel of the internal pair 26 as desired.

In addition, the hinging of the panel 38 can he modified in a number of ways with respect to the handle structure while providing the vertical and horizontal expanse illustrated in FIG. 7 to affect full depth protection for articles packaged in the various cells while simultaneously providing an exceedingly rigid handle structure rigidly supporting the carrier body including the center keel.

What is claimed is:

1. In a basket-style article carrier of the type having a plurality of individual cells for receiving articles individual to each cell, said carrier having a four-ply handle structure including a pair of hinged outer panels and a connected pair of hinged inner panels, a central keel, a hinge panel hinged to said central keel and to one of said panels, said hinge panel being operative to extend within the handle panel and said central keel being operative when the carrier is in the erect condition to extend from within said four-ply handle structure downwardly a distance of at least two-thirds the depth of the carrier.

2. The carrier of claim 1 in which the inner and outer panels of the handle structure are substantially coextensive.

3. The carrier of claim 1 in which the central keel is hinged by means of said hinge panel to one panel of said outer pair of panels,

4. The carrier of claim 1 in which the inner and outer panels are substantially coextensive and the central keel is hinged by means of said hinge panel to one panel of said outer pair of panels.

5. In a multi-cell basket-style article carrier of the type 1 having a multiply handle structure including a pair of hinged inner plies and a connected pair of hinged external plies, the improvement comprising a longitudinal centrally disopsed partition structure defining a partition panel, a hinge panel hinged to said [partition panel and to one of said exterior plies, said hinge panel being operative to extend within the handle panel, said partition panel being operative, when the carrier is in the erect condi:

tion, to extend from a position wherein an upper margin thereof is sandwiched between the handle plies and a lower margin thereof projects at least two-thirds the depth of the carrier measured from the top edge of the side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,144 2/ 1955 Forrer 220-111 2,920,791 1/1960 Ringler 220113 3,190,487 6/1965 Wood 220l15 3,283,949 11/ 1966 Wysocki 220-1 13 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examinen DONALD F. NORTON, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A BASKET-STYLE ARTICLE CARRIER OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL CELLS FOR RECEIVING ARTICLES INDIVIDUAL TO EACH CELL, SAID CARRIER HAVING A FOUR-PLY HANDLE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A PAIR OF HINGED OUTER PANELS AND A CONNECTED PAIR OF HINGED INNER PANELS, A CENTRAL KEEL, A HINGE PANEL HINGED TO SAID CENTRAL KEEL AND TO ONE OF SAID PANELS, SAID HINGE PANEL BEING OPERATIVE TO EXTEND WITHIN THE HANDLE PANEL AND SAID CENTRAL KEEL BEING OPERATIVE WHEN THE CARRIER IS IN THE ERECT CONDITION TO EXTEND FROM WITHIN SAID FOUR-PLY HANDLE STRUCTURE DOWNWARDLY A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS THE DEPTH OF THE CARRIER.

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