Carton holding and pouring device

A carton holding and pouring device for a carton having a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels with an upper part of each end panel folded under an upper part of both side panels to provide recess at each end of a sealed top of the carton which includes a rectangular frame having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls dimensioned to slidably receive the side panels and end panels of the carton with each of the end walls of the frame including a clamp plate biased toward the other end wall and adapted for engagement with one of the end panels of the carton in the recesses at each end of the sealed top of the carton. A pouring spout is provided on one of the side walls of the frame and is adapted to puncture an upper part of one of the side panels of the carton. The clamp plates on each of the end walls of the rectangular frame are expanded to permit the frame to slide over the sealed top of the container and then released to engage and secure the frame to the end panels in the recesses at the top of the carton thereby permitting the spout to puncture an upper part of a side panel of the carton punctured by the spout with the rectangular frame secured to the carton.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a carton holding and pouring device 
and, more specifically, to a carton of the type used for packaging, 
storing and marketing liquids such as milk and juice as well as other 
particulate materials. 
Such cartons of the type to which the present invention is directed are 
usually formed from a blank paper stock which is folded into the general 
form of a parallelepiped having four sides, a bottom, and a top wherein 
the upper part of two of the sides are folded over upon the upper parts of 
the other two sides to provide a sealed top having a tab or ridge 
extending along the upper most portion thereof and a pair of recesses at 
each end of the sealed tab. The blank materials for such cartons are 
usually formed of a paper stock which is coated with a wax or plastic 
coating to render the material impermeable to liquid and gaseous 
penetration thereby providing a material capable of sealing the carton 
contents against leakage and penetration by external gases or liquids 
which could prematurely age or otherwise adversely effect the contents of 
the carton. 
Cartons of this type are frequently used for packaging, storing and 
marketing milk and juice at consumer outlets and can be used equally well 
for other liquids and/or products in granular form such as soap powders or 
other materials which are in a form that can be easily poured from the 
carton once the carton has been opened. These cartons usually bear printed 
instructions that they should be opened by spreading the recessed portion 
at one end of the sealed tab at the upper part of the carton in order to 
break the seal and permit that upper portion of the carton to be unfolded 
in the form of a spout to facilitate easy pouring of the contents. 
Although the instructions and steps required to open such cartons are 
relatively simple, difficulties may be encountered when attempting to 
break the seal at the top of the carton. Occasionally the seals have been 
made so tight that they are difficult to open since the instructions 
generally require the seal to be broken or split halfway across the tab in 
order to provide access to the upper part of one of the end panels in 
order that it may be withdrawn to shape the spout recommended for pouring. 
Another problem encountered with cartons of this type is that the larger 
cartons, for example those cartons which are of the 2 liter or 1/2 gallon 
size and larger, are somewhat difficult to handle since they can 
accommodate a substantial weight in terms of the contents of the carton 
and the lateral walls of the carton being relatively thin and resilient do 
not provide a good gripping surface or handle for holding the carton. This 
is particularly difficult with such cartons that have been previously 
opened since they are not transparent and therefore one cannot anticipate 
the weight of the remaining contents and difficulty that may be 
encountered in attempting to grasp, lift and pour such contents from a 
previously opened carton. 
There have been several prior attempts to alleviate such problems. U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,615,115 issued on Oct. 26, 1971 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,346 
issued on Sept. 19, 1972 both disclose a detachable handle for such 
cartons. The detachable carton handles disclosed by these patents may be 
effective in providing ease of handling once the carton is open, but 
neither patent discloses anything relative to opening the carton other 
than breaking the seal and unfolding the upper part of one of the end 
panels as described above. U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,689, issued Feb. 9, 1988, 
discloses a holder for such cartons which is provided with a spigot and a 
spout which can be threaded into the spigot to puncture the carton and 
provide a pouring spout. 
The present invention provides an improved carton holding and pouring 
device for a carton of the type described above which can be easily fit to 
provide a very stable engagement with such a carton and provides an 
arrangement for easily and firmly grasping the carton as well as a novel 
and vastly improved apparatus and arrangement for opening the carton to 
facilitate pouring of the content provided therein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a carton holding and pouring device for a 
carton having a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels with an upper 
part of each end panel folded under an upper part of both side panels to 
provide a recess at each end of a sealed top of the carton which includes 
a rectangular frame having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls 
dimensioned to slidably receive the side panels and end panels of the 
carton with each of the end walls of the frame including an element biased 
toward the other end wall and adapted for engagement with one of the end 
panels of the carton in the recesses at each end of the sealed top of the 
carton. A pouring spout is provided on one of the side walls of the frame 
and is adapted to puncture an upper part of one of the side panels of the 
carton and means are provided for manually grasping the rectangular frame. 
The elements on each of the end walls of the rectangular frame are 
expanded to permit the frame to slide over the sealed top of the container 
and then released to engage and secure the frame to the end panels in the 
recesses at the top of the carton thereby permitting the upper part of a 
side panel of the carton to be punctured by the spout with the rectangular 
frame secured to the carton. 
In the preferred embodiment, a handle is provided to project from the side 
wall of the frame opposite the pouring spout and the elements adapted for 
engagement with the carton end panels in the recesses comprise a pair of 
clamp plates with each clamp plate formed with one of the side walls and 
projecting upwardly and inwardly for surface contact with an inclined 
triangular surface of the upper part of each end panel. 
In the preferred embodiment the clamp plates are each formed as a planar 
member having a pair of converging lateral edges which abut a pair of 
converging fold lines at each of two edges of a triangular surface of the 
upper part of the end panel in each recess. The lateral edges of each 
clamp plate preferably converge at an angle of about 90.degree. and each 
clamp plate preferably has a surface contacting at least 1/3 of the area 
of the triangular surface in each recess. 
In the preferred embodiment each clamp plate is provided on an arm 
extending upwardly from a side wall of the rectangular frame and the arms 
preferably incline toward each other at an angle to enhance the biasing 
force seating the clamp plates in the recesses. 
In the preferred embodiment, a tab projecting upwardly from each arm or 
some other arrangement is provided to facilitate gripping the arms to 
manually withdraw the arms against the biasing force. 
In the preferred embodiment the pouring spout is provided in the form of a 
lever pivotally mounted to one side wall of the frame. A fluid flow 
passage is provided on one side of the lever and a pointed projection is 
provided at one end and on the other side of the lever whereby the lever 
may be raised by the other end to cause the pointed projection to puncture 
and penetrate the upper part of one side panel of the carton and dispose 
one end of the lever internally of the carton with the fluid flow passage 
extending from inside the carton to the outside. 
The pointed projection on the pouring spout is preferably provided in the 
form of a beak or pyramid projecting from the other side of the lever. In 
the preferred embodiment, the pointed projection is provided in the form 
of a pyramid having four triangular faces joined at four edges and 
converging at a common vortex with three of the triangular faces undercut 
adjacent the edges to provide a plurality of sharp edges. 
The pouring spout fluid flow passage is preferably provided between a pair 
of spaced walls with each spaced wall having a radiused portion opposed to 
and blending with an outer surface of the pointed beak shaped projection 
and being concentric with the pivotable mounting of the lever. With this 
structural arrangement the pointed beak shaped projection punctures and 
penetrates the upper part of one side panel of the carton with two 
diverging cutting edges of the projection cutting a triangular tab in the 
side panel and the beak and radius portion of each side wall spreading the 
portions of the side panel adjacent the tab until one end of the lever is 
disposed internally of the carton with the U-shaped flow passage 
projecting externally of the carton. Each radiused portion of the spaced 
walls providing the fluid flow passage is preferably provided with a notch 
adapted to engage an edge of the upper part of the side panel of the 
carton to lock the lever in position. A radiused surface is also provided 
to extend between the ends of the diverging cutting edges at the base of 
the beak shaped projection to fold a base portion of the triangular tab 
inwardly and effect a leak resistance seal between the lever and the side 
panel of the carton. 
The present invention and the advantages provided thereby will be more 
fully understood with reference to the following Detailed Description of 
the Preferred Embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate 
the same or like parts throughout, there is shown in FIG. 1 a carton 10 
having a holding and pouring device 30 secured thereto. 
The carton 10 is of general parallelepiped form having a rectangular 
bottom, a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels with only one side 
panel 12 and one end panel 22 being shown in FIG. 1. The top of the carton 
10 is formed in such a manner that the upper part 26 and 28 of each end 
panel is folded under an upper part 16 and 18 of the side panels so as to 
provide a recess 20 at each end of a sealed top 19 of the carton. With 
reference to FIG. 2, as each carton is being formed and sealed, the upper 
parts 26 and 28 of the end panels such as end panel 22 are folded inwardly 
along a pair of converging fold lines so as to provide an inclined 
equilateral triangular surface 21 internally of each recess 20. The 
triangular surfaces 21 are essentially covered internally of the recess 20 
by the triangular surfaces 23 and 25 which are folded on the other side of 
the fold lines to oppose the triangular surface 21. 
The holding and pouring device 30 is provided in the form of a rectangular 
frame 31 comprising a pair of oppositely disposed side walls 32 and 34 and 
a pair of oppositely disposed end walls 36 and 38. A pair of upstanding 
projections 51 having axially aligned apertures 53 are provided to the 
side wall 32. A handle 35 is formed integrally with the other side wall 
34. 
The end walls 36 and 38 of the rectangular frame 31 are each respectively 
provided with an upwardly extending arm 40 and 42 which in turn 
respectively mount upwardly and inwardly projecting clamp plates 44 and 
46. The clamp plates 44 and 46 are each preferably provided as a planar 
member having a pair of converging lateral edges 45 and 47. The lateral 
edges 45 and 47 of each of the clamp plates preferably converge at an 
angle of about 90.degree. as shown by FIG. 7. The upwardly extending arms 
40 and 42 are each respectively formed with an upwardly projecting tab 48 
and 49 and are also formed to normally incline toward each other. As best 
shown by FIG. 6 the upwardly extending arm 42 is formed to taper inward 
from the end wall 38 toward the arm 40 at an angle .theta.. In the 
preferred embodiment the angle .theta. is 7.degree., although other angles 
may serve equally well. 
The upwardly projecting tabs 48 and 49 are provided to permit a user to 
grasp the tabs 48 and 49 with a fingertip thereby permitting the arms 40 
and 42 and the clamp plates 44 and 46 to be easily displaced outwardly as 
shown by the dot dash representation of the arm 40 and clamp plate 44 in 
FIG. 6. 
The combination puncturing device and pouring spout 50 as shown by FIGS. 
8-10 of the drawings is provided in the form of a lever with a base 
portion 54 comprising a lever pivotally mounted to the apertures 53 
provided in the upstanding projections 51 on the side wall 32 of the 
rectangular frame 31. The pouring spout 50 may be formed with an aperture 
55 as shown by FIG. 8 for receiving a pivot pin or integrally formed with 
trunnions 52 as shown by FIG. 9 and 10. A pair of upstanding walls or 
flanges 56 and 57 are provided at each side of the base portion 52 to 
provide a generally U-shaped flow passage 58. A beak-like pointed 
projection 60 is provided at one end of the base portion 54 on the side of 
the base portion opposite from the flow passage 58. The beak-like pointed 
projection 60 is preferably provided in the form of a pyramid having four 
triangular faces 62, 64, 66 and 68 joined at four edges 71, 65, 67 and 73 
and converging at a common vertex or point 61. In the preferred embodiment 
the triangular faces 64 and 68 are severely cut away to provide a pair of 
sharp edges 71 and 73. The triangular face 66 is completely undercut to 
provide a cutting sharpness on the edges 65 and 67 for a purpose to be 
more fully described below. 
The walls 56 and 57 forming the flow passage 58 of the pouring spout 50 are 
respectively radiused at 72 and 74. The radiused portions 72 and 74 of the 
walls 56 and 57 are concentric with the axis about which the pouring spout 
50 pivots and are struck so as to blend into the surface defined by the 
triangular face 62 of the beak-like projection. At least one notch 75 is 
provided at a predetermined location in the radiused portions 72 and 74 of 
the walls 56 and 58. 
The base portion 54 of the pouring spout 50 is also provided with a 
radiused surface portion 78 which extends adjacent to the pivot axis 
laterally across the base portion 54 between the ends of the diverging 
cutting edges 65 and 67 at the base of the pyramid or beak shaped 
projection. 
The manner in which the carton holding and pouring device is used will now 
be described. 
The dimensions of the side walls 32 and 34 and end walls 36 and 38 of the 
rectangular frame are such as to permit the frame to be slidably received 
externally of a carton, for example, a carton of the 1/2 gallon or 2 liter 
size. In order to properly seat the holding and pouring device 30 on a 
carton as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, it is necessary to manually 
engage the tabs 48 and 49 provided to the upwardly extending arms 40 and 
42 in order that the clamp plates be withdrawn to pass the top of the 
carton and then released to engage the inclined triangular surfaces 21 of 
the upper parts of the end panels in the recesses 20. The converging 
lateral edges 45 and 47 of the clamping plates are designed to seat snugly 
against the fold lines provided between the inclined triangular surfaces 
21 and the oppositely disposed triangular surfaces 23 and 25 with the 
clamp plates 44 and 46 contacting at least one-third of the area of the 
triangular surfaces 21. With the holding and pouring device 31 assembled 
as shown in FIG. 1, the end panels of the carton force both of the 
upwardly extending arms 40 and 42 outwardly against the normal inclination 
indicated by the angle .theta. in FIG. 6. The tendency of the arms 40 and 
42 to return to their normal position serves as a biasing force urging the 
clamp plates 44 and 46 into firm contact with the triangular surfaces 21 
thereby providing a secure and stable assembly of the holding and pouring 
device 30 to the carton 10. 
During assembly, the pouring spout 50 being free to pivot about its axis 
will normally rest in a position as shown by FIG. 6 with the beak-like 
pointed projection resting externally on an upper part of one of the side 
panels such as, for example, the upper part 16 of the side panel 12 of the 
carton 10. Once the clamp members 44 and 46 are firmly seated in the 
recesses 20 the lower end of the pouring spout 50 as shown in FIG. 6 is 
grasped and pivoted upwardly to cause the beak-like pointed projection 60 
to penetrate and puncture the upper part 16 of the side panel 12 of the 
carton. This upward pivoting movement of the pouring spout 50 is continued 
until the pouring spout 50 reaches the position as shown by FIGS. 1 and 3. 
During this movement the point 61 of the beak-like projection 60 
penetrates the upper part 16 of the side panel 12 and the divergent sharp 
cutting edges 65 and 67 respectively cut along divergent lines cutting a 
tab generally in the form of an equilateral triangle 11 as represented by 
two dot dash lines in FIG. 2. As the generally triangular tab 11 is being 
cut, the beak-like pointed projection and the radiused portions 72 and 74 
of the flow passage walls 56 and 57 cut the upper edges of the adjacent 
triangular portions 15 and 17 and fold the same internally of the carton 
adjacent the side walls 56 and 57 of the flow passage 58. This pivoting 
movement of the pouring spout 50 to penetrate and provide an opening 
through the upper part 16 of the side panel 12 is continued until the 
notches 75 provided in the radiused portions 72 and 74 engage an edge of 
the thus opened upper part 16 of the side panel 12. 
As shown by FIG. 3, engagement of the notches 75 with the upper part 16 of 
the side panel 12 locks the pouring spout 50 in position with the radiused 
portion of the U-shaped flow passage 58 internally of the carton and the 
flow passage projecting externally to permit pouring or removal of the 
contents within the carton. In this position the triangular tab 11 is 
folded internally of the carton 10 with the double fold line 13 seated 
tightly against the radiused portion 78 extending laterally across the 
base portion 54 between the diverging cutting edges 65 and 67 at the base 
of the beak shaped projection 60. The notches 75 engaging the upper part 
16 of the side panel 12 hold the pouring spout 50 in position with the 
radiused portion 78 tightly seated against the double fold portion 13 at 
the base of the triangular tab Il to provide an effective seal against 
fluid leakage across the base portion 54 of the pouring spout 50. The tabs 
15 and 17 which have been folded back against the outer surfaces of the 
side walls 56 and 57 provide an effective fluid seal against leakage along 
the sides of the pouring spout 50. 
When the container is empty, the pouring spout 50 is pivoted out of the 
opening cut through the upper part 16 of the side panel 12, the clamp 
plates 44 and 46 are withdrawn manually and the holding and pouring device 
30 is lifted off the empty container ready for use in the same manner on 
another container. 
Although a handle such as the handle 35 described above may be formed 
integrally with one of the side walls of the rectangular frame 31, the 
rectangular frame 31 may be used without a separate handle since the clamp 
plates 44 and 46 provide such a stable and secure attachment to the carton 
that one can quite comfortably grasp the frame using the end walls 36 and 
38 and the side wall 34 without the provision of a separate handle per se. 
It should also be noted that although it is preferred to undercut three of 
the triangular faces of the pyramid shaped beak-like projection 60 that 
the diverging cutting edges 65 and 67 perform the primary function of 
cutting the diverging sides of the triangular tab 11 and the diverging 
cutting edges 65 and 67 would be provided if only one triangular face, 
namely triangular face 66 were undercut adjacent the edges 65 and 67. 
Although a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, the 
present invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular form 
disclosed herein since the foregoing description is to be regarded as 
illustrative rather than restrictive and it should be understood that 
modifications and variations in the details of the construction disclosed 
herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.