Abstract:
A carton and a blank for forming a carton including a tray portion with an open top and a cover connected to the tray portion to close the top of the tray portion. The tray portion has a pair of opposed end walls each having a hand aperture, and the cover has a pair of end flaps disposed internally of the end walls of the tray portion. Another aspect of the invention also covers a package including a carton referred to above and a collapsible carrier retained within the carton.

Description:
[0001]     This is a continuation of international application No. PCT/US2003/020216, filed Jun. 26, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a two-part packaging case formed from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material for accommodating a group of articles for example bottles. It also covers a package with a collapsible carrier placed within the carton.  
         [0003]     It is known to produce two-part cartons in packaging, see for example EP0428397; the benefit being that it is possible to use two blanks formed from different material. It is common to form a first blank to receive the articles and then apply the second blank in order to form fully enclosed packages. The second blank is commonly applied to the outer surface of the carton and is secured thereto, by glue or other suitable known securing means. One disadvantage of this process is that the cartons need to be secured laterally as well as longitudinally which increases the complexity of the packaging process.  
         [0004]     The present invention and its preferred embodiments seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A first aspect of the invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of articles including a tray portion with an open top and a cover connected to the tray portion to close the top of the tray portion, wherein the tray portion has a pair of opposed end walls each having a hand aperture and wherein the cover has a pair of end flaps disposed internally of the end walls of the tray portion. Preferably, the end flaps of the cover are disposed along the inner surfaces of the end walls to substantially close the hand apertures of the tray portion, wherein the end flaps are hinged to the cover to be yieldable in response to insertion of the user&#39;s hands into the apertures.  
         [0006]     According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the end flaps of the cover are interposed between the hand apertures and the packaged articles to protect the user&#39;s hands.  
         [0007]     According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the cover has a pair of opposed side panels that are secured to the outer surface of the tray portion.  
         [0008]     In some embodiments, there further comprises a reinforcing flap hingedly connected to the end wall and folded down in a flat face contacting relationship with the inner surface of the outer end wall, wherein the end flap engages the free edge of the reinforcing flap to restrict upward movement of the cover. Preferably, the reinforcing flap is placed in flat face contacting relationship with the end wall to reinforce the end wall around the hand aperture.  
         [0009]     Preferably, the tray portion and cover are formed from first and second separate blanks respectively. More preferably, the first and second blanks are formed of different materials.  
         [0010]     According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the cover has a tear strip to facilitate opening of the carton. Preferably, the tear strip extends transversely across a side wall panel of the cover.  
         [0011]     A second aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a tray portion as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a base wall panel, a first end wall and a second end wall hingedly connected to opposed side edges of the base wall panel and a second blank for forming the cover as claimed in any preceding claim.  
         [0012]     A third aspect of the invention provides a method of constructing a package having a tray portion and a cover, which method comprises the steps of: 
    (i) forming the sides and ends of the tray portion;     (ii) securing the cover panel to the opposed sides of the tray portion; and     (iii) inserting end flaps of the cover panel intermediate the ends of the tray portion and the articles.    
 
         [0016]     A fourth aspect of the invention provides a package including a carton, articles arranged in rows and accommodated within the carton and a collapsible carrier folded into a flat collapsed condition and placed within the carton. Preferably the carrier may be placed between adjacent rows of articles. More preferably the carrier may have a self-erecting feature including an automatically flattening bottom. Optionally the carrier may have a carrying handle by which the carrier may be lifted. Preferably the carrier may comprise a basket-style carrier.  
         [0017]     A fifth aspect of the invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of articles including a tray portion with an open top and a cover connected to the tray portion to close the top of the tray portion, wherein the tray portion has a pair of opposed end walls each having a hand aperture and wherein the cover has a pair of end flaps disposed internally of the end walls of the tray portion. Preferably, the end flaps of the cover are disposed along the inner surfaces of the end walls to substantially close the hand apertures of the tray portion, wherein the end flaps are hinged to the cover to be yieldable in response to insertion of the user&#39;s hands into the apertures.  
         [0018]     According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the end flaps of the cover are interposed between the hand apertures and the packaged articles to protect the user&#39;s hands.  
         [0019]     According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the cover has a pair of opposed side panels that are secured to the outer surface of the tray portion.  
         [0020]     In some embodiments, there further comprises a reinforcing flap hingedly connected to the end wall and folded down in a flat face contacting relationship with the inner surface of the outer end wall, wherein the end flap engages the free edge of the reinforcing flap to restrict upward movement of the cover. Preferably, the reinforcing flap is placed in flat face contacting relationship with the end wall to reinforce the end wall around the hand aperture.  
         [0021]     Preferably, the tray portion and cover are formed from first and second separate blanks respectively. More preferably, the first and second blanks are formed of different materials.  
         [0022]     According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the cover has a tear strip to facilitate opening of the carton. Preferably, the tear strip extends transversely across a side wall panel of the cover.  
         [0023]     A sixth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a tray portion as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a base wall panel, a first end wall and a second end wall hingedly connected to opposed side edges of the base wall panel and a second blank for forming the cover as described above.  
         [0024]     A seventh aspect of the invention provides a method of constructing a package having a tray portion and a cover, which method comprises the steps of: 
    (i) forming the sides and ends of the tray portion;     (ii) securing the cover panel to the opposed sides of the tray portion; and     (iii) inserting end flaps of the cover panel intermediate the ends of the tray portion and the articles.    
 
         [0028]     An eighth aspect of the present invention provides a package including a carton, first and second groups of articles accommodated within the carton and an erected carrier placed within the carton and loaded with the articles of the first group, wherein the articles of the second group are arranged to define a space for receiving the erected, loaded carrier. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]     Exemplary embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a blank for forming a tray portion for a carton according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a blank for forming the cover portion for a carton according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0032]      FIGS. 3, 4  and  5  illustrate the construction of the carton from the blanks of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 5A  is a cross-section of part of the carton shown in  FIG. 5  illustrating the end wall arrangement of the tray and cover;  
         [0034]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate the cover being opened to gain access to the articles within the carton;  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  illustrates the tray portion of the carton shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0036]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are plan views of two embodiments of collapsible carrier;  
         [0037]      FIGS. 11A, 11B  and  11 C illustrate the construction of the carrier from the blank of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0038]      FIGS. 12A and 12B  illustrate the construction of the base wall of the carrier of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0039]      FIGS. 13A, 13B  and  13 C illustrate the construction of the carrier from the blank of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0040]      FIGS. 14, 16  and  17  illustrates the construction of the package including a tray and cover portion, and a collapsible carton; and  
         [0041]      FIG. 15  illustrates the collapsible carrier of  FIG. 13  and the tray portion. 
     
    
       [0042]     Referring to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a two part blank  10 ,  100  for forming a carton, each blank is made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material, for example plastics or the like.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0043]     Turning to the blank  10  for forming the tray portion T as shown in  FIG. 1 , there comprises a plurality of panels for forming the base and end wall structure. In this embodiment, there comprises a first end wall panel  12 , a base wall panel  14  and a second end wall panel  16  hingedly connected one to the next along fold lines  18  and  20  respectively. Preferably, there further comprises opposed side wall panels  30  and  34  hingedly connected to the longitudinal edges of base wall panel  40  along fold lines  32  and  36  respectively.  
         [0044]     In order to maintain the side wall panels in a set up condition, described in more detail below, there further comprises a support flap arrangement for connecting the end wall panel  12  to the respective ones of the side wall panels  30  and  34 . The support flap structure, in this embodiment, comprises a support flap  42   a  hingedly connected to the end wall panel  12  along fold line  40   a . Preferably there comprises a bevelled comer panel  38   a  forming part of the support structure which is positioned intermediate end wall panel  12  and support flap  42   a  and is hingedly connected thereto along fold line  44   a.    
         [0045]     The support flap structure for side wall  34 , comprises a support flap  50   a  hingedly connected to the end wall panel  12  along fold line  48   a . Again, there comprises a bevelled comer panel  46   a  forming part of the support structure which is positioned intermediate side wall panel  12  and support flap  50   a  and is hingedly connected thereto along fold line  52   a.    
         [0046]     Likewise, the opposing end wall structure is formed from a support flap arrangement which is identical to the arrangement described in the preceding two paragraphs. Therefore like references have been used with the affix ‘b’ and will not be described in any further detail.  
         [0047]     In one class of embodiments, there further comprises reinforcing panels  22  and  26  hingedly connected to the first and second end wall panels  12  and  16  respectively along fold lines  24  and  28 . Hand apertures  54  and  62  may be provided, struck from opposing end wall panels  12 ,  16  and each reinforcing panel further comprises a recess  56  and  64  so that in use, the reinforcing panels  22  and  26  surround the hand apertures  54  and  62  respectively but do not interfere with the apertures. Hand cushioning panels  58  and  66  are, optionally, provided and are hingedly connected to the respective end wall panels  12  and  16  along fold lines  60  and  68 .  
         [0048]     In those embodiments with bevelled comer panels  38   a ,  46   a , there further comprises reinforcing flaps  27 ,  29  hinged to the side edges of reinforcing panels  22  and  26 .  
         [0049]     Crease lines  70 ,  72 ,  74  and  76  may be used to direct lifting stresses away from the handles in use.  
         [0050]     The blank  100  for forming the cover C is illustrated in  FIG. 2  in which there comprises a first side wall panel  106 , a top panel  102  and a second side wall panel  108  hingedly connected one to the next along fold line  103  and  104  respectively. Preferably there comprises an inner end panel  112  and, optionally, a bevelled support panel  110  hingedly connected together along fold line  116  and connected to top wall panel  102  along fold line  114 . Similarly, there comprises a second inner end wall panel  120  and, optionally, a bevelled support panel  118  hingedly connected together along fold line  124  and to top wall panel  102  along fold line  122 .  
         [0051]     In some embodiments, side support flaps,  126 ,  128 ,  130  and  134 , are provided and are hingedly connected to the inner end wall panels  112  and  118  respectively along fold lines  127  and  129 ;  132  and  136 .  
         [0052]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , there is also illustrated a pair of tear strips  138 ,  140  which are used to gain access to the interior of the set up carton. In use, each tear strip is provided with opposed tear lines  142 ,  144 ;  146 ,  148  running longitudinally along the side wall panels  106  and  108 . Preferably there comprises a tab arrangement  150  at one end of the tear strip to help the user grip the tear strip.  
         [0053]     In order to form the completed package from the blanks of  FIG. 1  and  2 , a series of sequential folding and gluing operations are required and will be described further with reference to FIGS.  3  to  8  of the drawings. The folding and gluing operations can be performed in one or more straight-line machines, so that the carton is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be altered according to particular manufacturing requirements.  
         [0054]     The first stage in the construction of the carton from the blank shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is for the tray portion T to be formed whereby the end wall panels  12  and  16  are folded inwardly along fold line  18  and  20 . In addition, the side support structures are formed whereby support flaps  42   a ,  50 ,  42   b  and  50   b  are folded inwardly together with respective bevelled corner panels along the adjacent fold line  40 ,  44   a ;  48   a ,  52   a ;  40   b ,  42   b ;  48   b ,  52   b . Thereafter, side wall panels  30  and  34  are folded inwardly along fold lines  32  and  36  respectively and are secured to the respective support flaps  42   a ,  42   b ;  50   a ,  50   b . The tray T is in a set-up condition as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0055]     In those embodiments, with reinforcing panels  22  and  26 , the reinforcing panels are folded inwardly along fold lines  24  and  28  respectively and into face contacting arrangement with the respective side wall panels  12  and  16  shown in  FIG. 3 . Similarly the reinforcing flaps  27 ,  29  are placed in face contacting arrangement with the bevel panels  38  and  46 , so that the free end edge E of the reinforcing panels  22  and  26  are positioned within the carton.  
         [0056]     Thereafter, the articles are loaded onto the tray portion T by a relative vertical movement between the bottles and the tray portion, as is well known. The cover portion C (shown in  FIG. 4 ) is applied to the tray portion, whereby the first side wall panel  106  is secured to side wall panel  34  of the tray portion T. The top panel  102  is folded out of alignment with side wall panel  106  along fold line  103  and the inner end wall structures are formed by folding inner end wall panels  112  and  120  and bevel panels  110 ,  118 , inwardly along fold lines  114  and  122  respectively.  
         [0057]     In those embodiments with side support flaps  126 ,  128 ,  130  and  134 , they are folded inwardly into face contacting arrangement with the respective side wall panels  106  and  108 .  
         [0058]     The inner end wall panels  112 ,  120  are then inserted within the tray portion intermediate the articles A and the end walls  12 ,  14  of the tray portion T. Finally, the side wall panel  108  is folded downwardly with respect to top wall panel  102  along fold line  104  to be secured to side wall panel  30  of the tray portion T so that the carton is in a set up and loaded condition as shown in  FIG. 5 . One advantage of this arrangement is that the cover is secured to the tray portion T along the longitudinal edges only, thereby simplifying the packaging process.  
         [0059]     In some embodiments, the inner end wall panels  112  and  120  of the cover C are adapted to engage the free end edges E of reinforcing panels  22  and  26 , so as to limit upward movement of the cover panel C, thereby to provide a more rigid arrangement. This arrangement is illustrated in  FIG. 5   a.    
         [0060]     A further advantage of the arrangement shown in  FIG. 5  is that the inner end panels  112  and  114  of the cover are disposed along the inner surfaces of the outer end wall panels  12  and  14  to close the hand apertures A of the tray portion T. The inner end wall panels  112  and  120  are hinged at the cover C so as to be yieldable in response to the insertion of the user&#39;s hands into the apertures. A further benefit of these inner end walls is that they are used to protect the user&#39;s hands from contact with the bottles, which is important where crown corks are used.  
         [0061]      FIGS. 6, 7  and  8  illustrate how to gain access to the interior of the carton so that the user grips tab arrangement  150  and tears the tear strip  138  along tear lines  142  and  140  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The cover C can be folded upwardly along fold line  104  to reveal the contents of the carton. It is also possible to remove the cover C completely by removing the other tear strip  140  so that the tray portion is revealed, shown in  FIG. 8 . It will be seen that the side wall panels are raised because of the two ply structure formed from side wall panels  106 ,  108  and inner side wall panels  30  and  34  of the tray portion.  
         [0062]     The blanks of  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate two examples of a collapsible article carrier that can be placed within the carton from the blanks of  FIGS. 1 and 2  and adapted to carry some of the articles from the carton.  
         [0063]     Turning to the embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the blank  200  is made from paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material and comprises a plurality of panels forming the side, end and base of the carrier. In this embodiment, there comprises a first side wall panel  202 , a first end wall panel  204 , second side wall panel  206  and a second end wall panel  208  hingedly connected one to the next along fold lines  210 ,  212 ,  214 .  
         [0064]     The base structure is formed from a first base wall panel  216 , hingedly connected to the first side wall panel  202  along fold line  218  and a second base wall panel  224  hingedly connected to the second side wall panel  206  along fold line  226 . Preferably there further comprises end support flaps  220  and  228  hingedly connected to the respective end wall panels  204  and  208  along fold lines  222  and  230  respectively.  
         [0065]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , the base wall structure is automatically formed when the carrier is erected by an overlapping panel arrangement so that there comprises first and second flaps  232  and  236  hingedly connected to second base wall panel  224  along fold lines  234  and  238  respectively. There further comprises third and forth flaps  240 ,  244  hingedly connected to first base wall panel  216  along fold lines  242  and  246 .  
         [0066]     A handle structure is provided in which there comprises a multi-part handle. In  FIG. 9 , there is shown first handle panel  252  hingedly connected to second side wall panel  206  along fold line  254 . A second handle panel  256  is hingedly connected to second side wall panel  206  along fold line  258  being spaced from first handle panel fold line  254 . Inner support panels  260  and  264  are hingedly connected to first side wall panel  202  along fold lines  262  and  266  respectively.  
         [0067]     There further comprises hand apertures HA formed in the respective handle panels  252 ,  256  and support panel  260 . A cushioning panel may be optionally provided. In order to secure the opposing ends of the blank together there further comprises a securing flap  248  hingedly connected to the second end wall panel  208  along fold line  250 .  
         [0068]     Turning to the carrier blank illustrated in  FIG. 18  and designated by reference numeral  300 , the side, ends and base structures are substantially the same as the embodiments shown in  FIG. 9  whereby like references have been used with the prefix “3” rather than “2”. Therefore, only the differences will be described in any greater detail.  
         [0069]     In this embodiment the securing flap is hingedly connected to the first side wall panel  302  along fold line  350 .  
         [0070]     The handle structure of blank  300  is formed with a two-ply central handle arrangement and individual cells. A first handle panel  360  is hingedly connected to first end wall panel  304  along fold line  376  and to inner second end wall panel  364  along fold line  362 . The individual cells are formed from transverse partition panels  370 ,  375  hingedly connected to first side wall panel  302  along fold lines  370  and  378  and to handle panel  360  along fold lines  374  and  379  respectively. A hand aperture HA and cushioning panel(s) is provided.  
         [0071]     A second handle panel  380  is hingedly connected to second end wall panel  308  along fold line  396  and to inner second end wall panel  384  along fold line  382 . The individual cells are formed from transverse partition panels  390 ,  395  hingedly connected to second side wall panel  306  along fold lines  390  and  398  and to handle panel  380  along fold lines  394  and  399  respectively. Similarly, a hand aperture HA and cushioning panel(s) is provided.  
         [0072]     To construct the carrier of  FIG. 9 , reference is now made to  FIGS. 11A, 11B  and  11 C, whereby the handle support panel  264  is folded into face contacting arrangement with side wall panel  202  and handle panel  256  is similarly folded into face contacting arrangement with side wall panel  206  along fold line  258 . The base panels  216 ,  220 ,  224 ,  228  are folded inwardly along fold lines  218 ,  222 ,  226  and  230  respectively, so the blank is in a condition shown in  FIG. 11B .  
         [0073]     The panels forming one side of the carton is folded over along fold line  212  and the base flaps  232  and  240  are glued (shown as cross hatching) to base panels  220  and  228  or otherwise secured by known securing means. Handle support panels  260  and  264  are secured to handle panels  252  and  256  respectively; and securing flap  248  is secured to side wall panel  202 , so that the carrier  291  is in a flat collapsed condition as shown in  FIG. 11C , ready to be inserted between the article rows in the tray portion T or erected to receive one or more articles A.  
         [0074]     In order to erect the carrier CA, shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the side and end wall panels are moved apart, by pushing on the leading edge LE ( FIG. 11C ) and trailing edge TE ( FIG. 11C ), so that the carrier is folded along fold lines  210 ,  212 ,  214 ,  250  in to a substantially perpendicular arrangement, shown in  FIG. 12A . At the same time, the base wall is automatically erected, because the panels  216 ,  228  and  224 ,  220  are forced downward in a downward direction as the side and end walls are formed. The flaps  236  and  244  are moved into overlapping arrangement and are inter-engaged, as shown in  FIG. 12B . Thus the carrier is in a set up condition ready to be supplied to loaded with articles. It will be seen the handle arrangement defines a plurality of cells, by the spaced arrangement of handle panels  252  and  256 .  
         [0075]     In order to construct the carrier of  FIG. 10 , reference is made to  FIGS. 13A, 13B  and  13 C. The base panels  316 ,  320 ,  324 ,  328  are folded inwardly along fold lines  318 ,  322 ,  326  and  330  respectively, so the blank is in a condition shown in  FIG. 13B . The first side wall panel  302 , first end wall panel  304  and securing flap  348  are then folded about fold line  312  and into face contacting arrangement with the respective second end wall panel  308  and side wall panel  306  and the securing flap is secured to end wall panel  308  by glue (cross hatched in  FIG. 13B ) or other means known in the art. Handle panels  360  and  380  are secured together in face contacting arrangement by glue or other means known in the art. The base wall structure is formed whereby the base flaps  332  and  340  are glued (shown as cross hatching) to base panels  320  and  328  or otherwise secured by known securing means so that the carrier  391  is in a flat collapsed condition as shown in  FIG. 13C , ready to be inserted between the article rows in the tray portion T or erected to receive one or more articles A.  
         [0076]     In order to erect the carrier, the same method is used as for the embodiment of carrier and described with reference to  FIGS. 12A and 12B  and is not therefore described in any greater detail.  
         [0077]     In one class of embodiments, the carriers  291 ,  391  are folded in a flat collapsed condition, slotted between adjacent rows of articles A. Thus they are held within a tray T as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 14 . Alternatively, the carriers  291 ,  391  are erected and loaded with an array of articles and applied to the tray T, shown in  FIGS. 8, 15  and  16 . Thus, the cover portion C is then applied to the tray portion in like manner to that described above, whereby the first side wall panel  106  is secured to side wall panel  34  of the tray portion T. The top panel  102  is folded out of alignment with side wall panel  106  along fold line  103  and the inner end wall structures are formed by folding inner end wall panels  112  and  120  and bevelled support panels  110 ,  118 , inwardly along fold lines  114  and  122  respectively shown in  FIG. 17 .  
         [0078]     In order to gain access to the interior of the package of  FIG. 17 , the user grips tab arrangement  150  and tears the tear strip  138  along tear lines  142  and  140 . The cover C can be folded upwardly along fold line  104  to reveal the contents of the tray. It is also possible to remove the cover C completely by removing the other tear strip  140  so that the tray portion is revealed.  
         [0079]     The carrier  291  or  391  is removed from the tray portion and erected as previously outlined. It is then loaded with some articles A to serve as a shuttle pack so as to remove the desired quantity from the tray portion and convey them to the fridge, for example.  
         [0080]     The present invention and its preferred embodiment relates to an arrangement for providing a reclosable access structure in a fully enclosed tray. However, it is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and is not limited to those of the fully enclosed type hereinbefore described and could be used for numerous applications for example a two-part wraparound carton.  
         [0081]     It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as “top”, “base”, “end”, “side”, “inner”, “outer”, “upper” and “lower” do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of invention.  
         [0082]     It should be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the present invention, for example, the size and shape of the panels and apertures may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing size or shape, alternative top and base closure structures may be used. The carton may accommodate more than one article in different arrays.