Sleeve package having reverse tucked tabs for holding multiple aseptic cartons

The disclosed sleeve package is suited for economically holding a multi-pack arrangement of aseptic paperboard cartons. The sleeve blank has main side, top and bottom panels successively hinged to one another, to be wrapped around the arranged cartons, with lapped inner and outer panels being secured together to provide an open-ended sleeve. The carton has an end closure wall, and a flap defined by an end closure seam being folded over to lie against the wall. The flap is open in the direction toward a broad face of the carton. A reverse tuck tab is formed on the inner of the lapped panels, being cut and hinged therefrom. In use, the tab is reverse tucked to underlie and/or interfit with the flap on the carton end closure, to hold the cartons in place in the sleeve package. Several embodiments are disclosed, for holding one row of the cartons in the sleeve package, for holding several adjacent rows of cartons in the sleeve package, and for having the cartons aligned with the broad face crosswise to the open ends of the sleeve and with the end cartons of the row(s) rotated so that the flaps open in opposite directions and toward the open ends of the sleeve. The disclosed sleeve package provides large uninterrupted exposed side and top panel areas for advertising display copy, and uses little excess board beyond that needed merely to wrap around the arranged cartons.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
This application is related to Applicant's copending application, entitled 
SLEEVE KAGE HAVING HINGED LOCKING TABS FOR HOLDING MULTIPLE ACEPTIC 
CARTONS, that is being filed cocurrently herewith. 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a paperboard sleeve package for holding a 
plurality of cartons, and particularily, for holding aseptic cartons 
grouped together in a multi-pack arrangement. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Aseptic cartons are commonly being used for marketing fruit juices, milk, 
or other liquid based food products, in quantities suited for individual 
servings, such as perhaps a quarter of a liter. Such cartons are formed of 
a paperboard material, laminated or coated with a plastic film, to be 
liquid-tight. Each carton is shaped somewhat as a solid block, having 
generally parallel opposed pairs of side and end walls, each perpendicular 
to the others. Like cartons are thus suited to be grouped together tightly 
against one another, for marketing as a multi-pack in a paperboard 
container or package. 
One such container or package is of a generally economical wrap-around 
style, represented by a blank having adjacent side, top and bottom main 
panels hinged sucessively to one another, that are folded around the 
grouped cartons, and having lapped panels that are then secured together. 
The package is thus somewhat open-ended. The cartons are held in place 
within the package by small gusset panels, hinged off of the main panels 
of the package, that span across and partically close the open ends of the 
package, and that overlie part of the end cartons in the package. 
The cost of the container or package is closely related to the size of the 
blank, and of course, the larger the blank, the more expensive the 
package. The blank that forms this type of open-ended but gusseted package 
is quite compact and small, and thus economical, as the package does not 
completely enclose the cartons, but leaves the end cartons at least 
partically exposed. 
Nesting of adjacent package blanks is also important in reducing waste in 
the overall board requirement of the package. As only limited nesting of 
blanks of adjacent gusseted packages is possible, because of the small 
gusset panels, the effective overall blank width turns out to be virtually 
equal to the width of the finished container or package, plus the width of 
the gusset panels hinged off of the opposite sides of the main panels. 
This type of package moreover requires equipment for tucking the gusset 
panels in place, as the blank in wrapped around the arranged cartons. 
Nonetheless, the package offers stability, strength, and large side and top 
panels for advertising copy, and is quite popular for marketing these 
aceptic cartons arranged as a multi-pack. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
A basic object of the present invention is to provide an improved 
multi-pack container or package, particularly for holding liquid-tight 
paperboard aceptic cartons for juices, liquid base food products, or the 
like, that can be more economical than the commonly used gusseted package. 
The inventive package is formed from a blank that can be smaller and 
consequently more economical, by perhaps 10-25%, compared to the 
competitive gusseted packages. 
Another basic object of this invention is to provide a sleeve package that 
can be easily formed, without gusset tucking equipment needed for the 
competitive gusseted packages. 
A detailed object of the invention is to provide a sleeve type wrap-around 
package that is open-ended, to minimize board usage of the paperboard 
blank used for forming the sleeve, while yet having locking tab means for 
securely holding the cartons in place within the sleeve package. 
Another detailed object of this invention is to provide tab means in the 
blank used to form the sleeve, the tab means being formed in a manner that 
does not add to the width of the blank, and further being adapted to 
cooperate with the cartons for holding them in the open-ended sleeve. 
A specific object of this invention is to provide locking tab means of the 
reverse tuck configuration, being cut from but hinged relative to, 
interior portions of the inner lap panel, and being manipulated, as by 
being reverse tucked, during the formation of the sleeve package, to 
assume cooperative association with flap defined by end closure seam of 
the carton, operble to hold the cartons in the sleeve package. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
To achieve these and other objects, the present invention may provide a 
sleeve package for holding a plurality of aceptic cartons, the package 
comprising a paperboard sleeve that encircles the cartons but yet is 
open-ended, and further having tabs, formed off of an inner lap panel, 
that may be manipulated to fit under or otherwise cooperate with an open 
flap defined by the carton end closure, operable to hold the cartons in 
place within the open-ended sleeve package. 
A feature of this invention provides that the tabs may be cut from, and 
hinged relative to, the interior portion of an inner lap panel, and 
reverse tucked to cooperate with the flap of the carton end closure, and 
the outer lap panel may overlie the inner lap panel and be glued or 
otherwise secured to the inner panel. 
The locking tabs may, in one embodiment where the end closure flap is open 
in a direction transverse to the open ends of the sleeve, project in the 
direction transverse to the open ends of the sleeve; or in another 
embodiment where the end closure flap is open in a direction toward an 
open end of the sleeve, project in the direction toward the opposite open 
end of the sleeve and the open flap, operable to cooperate with the carton 
end closure flap.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
The sleeve package 10 (FIG. 3), 10a (FIG. 10), and 10b (FIG. 13) to be 
disclosed herein, each is suited to hold a plurality of cartons 12 butted 
against one another across the broad and/or narrow sides of the cartons, 
and in a single row or in multiple rows. Where appropriate, the sleeve 
packages 10a and 10b will be identified by the same reference numerials 
used for the sleeve package 10, except with the added suffix "a" or "b". 
Each sleeve package 10 (or 10a, or 10b) has opposed side walls 14 (or 14a, 
or 14b) and opposed top and bottom walls 16 (or 16a, or 16b) and 18 (or 
18a, or 18b) respectively, and otherwise has opposite open ends to expose 
the endmost cartons 12 in the package. 
Each carton 12 is formed of a paperboard material, laminated or coated with 
a plastic film, to be liquid-tight; and are shaped somewhat as a solid 
block. Thus, each carton has generally parallel opposed pairs of side and 
end walls, mutally perpendicular to one another. The carton 12 is 
initially fabricated as an open-ended tubular element, generally 
rectangular in cross-section, and its opposite ends are designed to be 
closed and sealed by closures formed by folded and seamed sections of the 
tubular element itself. Each disclosed sleeve package 10 (or 10a, or 10b) 
has tabs that cooperate with the end closures of the endmost cartons in 
each row to hold the cartons in place within the open-ended sleeve 
package. 
One form of carton end closure 20 (see FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8) has a seam 
22 that is made between main closure panels 24 hinged off of the broad 
side walls 26 of the carton 12, and between small triangular gusset panels 
28 hinged off of the end edges of the major closure panels 24 and minor 
triangular panels 30 hinged off of the narrow side walls 32 of the carton. 
When the seam 22 is complete, the triangular gusset and minor panels 28 
and 30 respectively project transverse to and outwardly beyond the narrow 
side walls 32 of the carton; and the seam 22 itself is oriented to lie 
flush against, but not be bonded to, the underlying main closure panels 
24. The triangular gusset and minor panels 28 and 30 are then folded 90 
degrees away from the main closure panels 24 to lie against the narrow 
side walls 32 of the carton; and generally, the triangular panels are 
bonded then in place against the side walls 32. 
The seam 22, when oriented to lie against the underlying main closure 
panels 24, defines a flap 34 that extends across the end of the carton, 
from closely adjacent the narrow sides 32 of the carton, where the seam 
and triangular panels are folded to overlie the narrow carton sides. 
The sleeve package 10 is formed of a blank 40 (see FIG. 1) of paperboard, 
and is folded to encircle the cartons 10. The blank 40 is elongated in the 
direction of wrapping around the arranged cartons, and has substantially 
parallel side edges 42 and opposite end edges 44 and 46. The blank 40 
further has substantially parallel fold or hinge lines 49, 51, 53, 55 and 
57 to define sucessively hinged panels 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58. Panels 
50 and 54 correspond to the side walls 14 of the sleeve package; panel 52 
to the bottom wall 18; and panels 56 and 58, and panel 48 to inner and 
outer lapped panels that together form top wall 16. As illustrated, the 
top carton wall 16 overlies the end closures 20 of the cartons 12. 
Tabs 60 for locking the cartons in place within the open-ended sleeve 
package are formed from the inner lap panels 56 and 58, by cut lines 61 
between the panels. The hinge line 57 may extend between the side edges 42 
of the blank 40 and the end of the adjacent cut line 61, or between the 
adjacent ends of the adjacent cut lines. Each cut line 61 may extend in a 
somewhat C-shaped manner, transverse to the hinge line 57 at its ends 
adjacent the line, and in the direction of the line intermediate its ends. 
The tabs 60 are unitary with the panels 58, and project in the direction 
away from the adjacent free end 46 of the blank. 
The tabs 60 are designed to be manipulated to fit under or otherwise 
cooperate with the flap 34 defined by the carton end closure 20 or seam 
22. The side edge 62 of the tab, remote from the adjacent open end of the 
sleeve, thereby interfits with the flap as folded over the narrow side 
walls of the carton (see FIGS. 6 and 8) of the endmost carton, to hold the 
cartons in each row in place, and prevent the cartons from slipping out 
the open-ended sleeve package. 
To form the sleeve package 10, the grouped cartons 12 are first placed on 
the bottom panel 52, the side panels 50 and 54 are folded against the 
carton sides 26, the inner pannels are brought over the top end closures 
20 of the cartons, and the tab panel 58 is back-folded or reverse tucked 
some 15-45 degrees (see FIG. 4) relative to the plane of the adjacent 
hinging panel 56, to allow the tab 60 to be manipulated into proper 
cooperation under the seam flap 34 of the end closure 20 of the end 
carton. The outer end panel 48 is lapped over the inner panels 56 and 58, 
and the panels are bonded or otherwise secured together, as by glue strips 
between the inner and outer panels, generally extended across the panels 
between the side edges 42. The cartons are snugged tightly together as the 
sleeve is being formed around the arranged cartons, and while the adhesive 
is setting, to provide a solid package. 
The sleeve package 10 is illustrated as holding three cartons 12, arranged 
in a single row, with the short sides of the cartons butting and facing 
the open ends of the sleeve. The other sleeve package 10a and 10b are 
similar to this, except for carrying different numbers of cartons or 
cartons in a different orientation. 
Thus, sleeve package 10a is illustrated holding nine cartons, arranged in 
three adjacent rows 12a-1, 12a-2 and 12a-3 of three cartons each, with the 
narrow sides 32a of the cartons exposed at the open ends of the sleeve 
package. The blank 40a has substantially parallel side edges 42a, opposite 
end edges 44a and 46a, substantially parallel fold or hinge lines 49a, 
51a, 53a, 55a, 57a-1, 57a-2 and 57a-3, to define sucessively hinged panels 
48a, 50a, 52a, 54a, 56a, 58a-1, 58a-2 and 58a-3. Panels 50a and 54a 
correspond to package side walls 14a against the broad sides 26a of the 
cartons; panel 52a corresponds to the bottom wall 18a; and panels 56a, 
58a-1, 58a-2 and 58a-3, and panel 48a to inner and outer lapped panels 
that together form top wall 16a. C-shaped cut lines 61a-1, 61a-2 and 61a-3 
extend off the hinge lines 57a-1, 57a-2 and 57a-3 to define three rows of 
locking tabs 60a-1, 60a-2 and 60a-3. 
The inner lap panels, and package wall 16a, again overlie each row of 
cartons. The tabs may be interlocked with the end cartons in each row, 
with tabs 60a-1 first being manipulated to fit under the cartons in the 
adjacent first row 12a-1, with tabs 60a-2 then being manipulated to fit 
under cartons in the middle row 12a-2, and with the tabs 60a-3 lastly 
being manipulated to fit under the cartons in the last row 12a-3. The 
outer lap panel 48a preferably overlies each of the inner panels 56a, 
58a-1, 58a-2 and 58a-3, and can be secured thereto as by glue strips 
between the panels, typically extended between the side edges of the 
panels. 
The sleeve package 10b is also illustrated as holding three cartons 12b 
arranged in a single row, but with the broad sides 26b of the cartons 
being exposed at the open ends of the sleeve. The end cartons 12b-e are 
rotated 180 degrees relative to one another, to have each end closure flap 
34b open toward the adjacent open end of the sleeve. The blank 40b has 
substantially parallel side edges 42a, opposite end edges 44b and 46b, and 
substantially parallel fold lines 49b, 51b, 53b and 55b to define 
sucessively hinged panels 48b, 50b, 52b, 54b and 56b. Tab panels 58b are 
hinged, on fold lines 57b extended transverse to the other fold lines, to 
inner panel 56b; and tabs 60b are formed from inner panel 56b, by c-shaped 
cut lines 61b off of the fold lines 57b. The tabs 60b project toward one 
another, or away from the side edges 42b of the blank 40b or the open ends 
of the sleeve package. Panels 50b and 54b correspond to package side walls 
14b; panel 52b corresponds to the bottom wall 18b; and panels 56b and 58b, 
and 48b correspond to inner and outer lapped panels, that together form 
top wall 16b. The inner lap panel again overlies the carton end closures 
20b. 
To set up the sleeve package 10b, the tabs 60b may be manipulated to fit 
under the closure seam flap 34b, in a progressive manner, as the inner 
panel 56b is being moved against the underlying carton end closures 20b, 
and as the tabs are folded relative to the adjacent hinging panel 56b so 
as to point the free tab edge downwardly toward the open flap. The outer 
panel 48b may then be secured, as by beads of adhesive or the like, to the 
inner panels 56b and 58b. 
The disclosed sleeve package 10 (or 10a, or 10b) may be more economical 
than the conventional gusseted package, by perhaps 10-25%. This is 
possible as the opposite side edges of the blank need extend only to the 
end of the package, or the end of the end cartons carried therein, and no 
locking gusset panels are required off these edges to add the the blank 
width. In fact, the opposite side edges 42 (or 42a) of the blank can even 
be shy or shortened compared to the side edge of the endmost cartons 
carried in the sleeve package, and the end carton may project beyond the 
side edge of the blank. The added board needed to define the lapping inner 
and outer panels is only off the short edge of the blank, to add little to 
the board requirement. Moreover, as the blank shape may rectangular in 
plan, very good nesting of adjacent blanks may be possible to provide for 
exceptional board economy. 
Although the aseptic cartons 12 are now being used for marketing fruit 
juices, milk, or other liquid base products in quantities suited for 
individual servings, such as perhaps a quarter of a liter; such usage does 
not limit either the size, or product, which may potentially be used or 
carried. The invention is therefore intended to be limited only by the 
scope of the claims hereinafter following.