Integral carrying handle for a can carton

A can carton having interconnected top, bottom and side walls and end closure panels is provided with a perforated transverse slit extending completely across one carton wall and having end projections disposed in substantially perpendicular relation to the one carton wall and extending into the two carton walls interconnected therewith together with a pair of transverse handle flaps struck from the one carton wall and foldably joined respectively thereto by transverse fold lines generally parallel to the transverse slit and spaced therefrom on opposite sides by a distance approximately equal to one-half the length of each of the end projections.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates generally to can cartons and more particularly to 
carrying handles for such cartons. 
BACKGROUND ART 
British Pat. No. 1,602,857 discloses a can carton in which a carrying 
handle is incorporated, the handle panel being formed of two parts and 
wherein a slit extends into both side walls of the carrier at an acute 
angle to the carrier top wall 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
According to this invention in one form, a can carton having interconnected 
top, bottom and side walls and end closure panels is provided with a 
carrying handle defined by a perforated transverse slit extending 
completely across one carton wall and having end projections disposed in 
substantially perpendicular relation to said one carton wall and extending 
into the two carton walls interconnected therewith by a distance which is 
dependent on the diameter of the packaged cans to define one edge of a 
transverse handle flap struck from said one carton wall and foldably 
joined thereto by a transverse fold line generally parallel to said 
transverse perforated slit and spaced therefrom a distance approximately 
equal to one-half the length of each of said end projections. 
According to a feature of the invention, the spacing between the transverse 
perforated slit and the handle flap fold line is approximately one-third 
of the radius of the packaged cans thereby to accommodate folding of the 
handle flaps through approximately 180.degree. into flat face contacting 
relation with the inner surface of said one carton wall. 
According to another form of the invention a pair of identical transverse 
complementary handle flaps may be employed and arranged on opposite sides 
of the transverse perforated slit.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
With reference to FIG. 1 the can carton includes a main wall designated by 
the numeral 1 to which a side wall designated by the numeral 2 is foldably 
joined along fold line 3. A bottom wall 4 as shown in FIG. 2 is foldably 
joined to side wall 2 along fold line 5 and to a side wall 2a opposite 
from side wall 2 which is not observable in FIG. 1, a fragment of which 
appears in FIG. 4. 
The closure panels for both ends of the carton are identical. As is 
apparent from FIGS. 1 and 3 panel 6 is foldably joined to the side wall 2 
along a fold line 7 while panel 8 is foldably joined along a fold line 9 
to the side wall opposite from that designated by the numeral 2. End flap 
10 is foldably joined to carton wall 1 along fold line 11 while end flap 
12 is foldably joined to the bottom wall 4 along fold line 13. Flaps 6, 8, 
10 and 13 are secured in overlapping relation as shown in FIG. 1 and 
secured by known means to form an end closure for the carton. 
As is apparent from FIG. 3, three rows of four cans each are disposed 
within the carton and arranged with their axes in parallel relation to 
each other. 
With reference to FIG. 1, a transverse perforated slit 15 is formed in top 
wall 1 and extends completely across that wall. In addition this 
perforated slit includes end projections which extend downwardly into side 
wall 2 and also into the opposite side wall not observable in FIG. 1, the 
end projection formed in side wall 2 being designated by the numeral 16. 
Since slits 15 and 16 include imperforate portions, the carton components 
adjacent these slits are held together to provide strength and an 
uninterrupted area to which attractive graphics may be applied. A fold 
line 17 is formed in carton wall 1 and a pair of arcuate slits 18 and 19 
interconnect the ends of fold line 17 with the transverse perforated fold 
line 15 to define a handle flap generally designated by the numeral 20. 
The point of intersection of arcuate slit 18 with transverse perforated 
slit 15 is designated by the numeral 21 while the point of intersection 
between arcuate slit 19 and transverse perforated slit 15 is designated by 
the numeral 22. According to one feature of this invention, the spacing 
between fold line 17 and transverse perforated slit 15, i.e., the width of 
handle flap 20 is equal approximately to one-half the distance between 
point 21 and fold line 3. In addition the length of projection 16 is 
approximately equal to the spacing between point of intersection 21 and 
fold line 3. While the particular distance between point 21 and fold line 
3 is not critical, it is preferable that this spacing be not less than 
twice the spacing between perforated slit 15 and fold line 17 in order to 
provide mechanical strength and to facilitate the function of handle flap 
20. In like fashion corresponding structure at the other end of the handle 
flap 20 is similarly constructed. 
A fold line 23 is formed in side wall 2 and a similar fold line not 
observable in the drawings is shown in the side wall which is opposite the 
side wall 2. 
Disposed adjacent the flap 20 is a similar handle flap 25 one edge of which 
is defined by transverse perforated slit 15 while a fold line 26 
interconnects handle flap 25 with carton wall 1 and arcuate slits 27 and 
28 are formed at the ends of the handle flap 25 and correspond generally 
to arcuate slits 18 and 19. 
The transverse perforated fold line 15 is formed of a plurality of 
perforations such as are indicated at 15a which are interspersed between 
imperforate portions 15b. According to one feature of the invention, the 
imperforate portions 15c which are disposed immediately adjacent the 
arcuate slits 18, 19, 27 and 28 are approximately twice as long as the 
remaining imperforate portions such as 15b. These longer imperforate 
portions 15c have been constructed in a practical embodiment of the 
invention and are one-eighth of an inch in length while other imperforate 
portions such as 15b are approximately one-sixteenth inch in length. 
While the fold lines 17 and 26 are shown as formed by perforated fold lines 
similar to perforated transverse slit 15, it will be understood that these 
fold lines could simply constitute somewhat weakened areas formed in 
conventional fashion such as the weakened fold line 23 or its counterpart 
23a. 
In using the handle flap of this invention to lift and carry the carton, 
the fingers of a user are inserted against the flap such as 20 as shown in 
FIG. 2. This operation causes the flap 20 to swing inwardly about its fold 
line 17 through an angle of approximately 180.degree. to occupy a position 
of flat face contacting relation with the inner surface of a carton wall 1 
as shown in FIG. 2. By this structure flap 20 effectively reinforces top 
or main wall 1 and affords a cushion along fold line 17 which protects the 
hand of the user. This operation may be accompanied by a downward bending 
of flap 25 so as to facilitate entry of the user's fingers into a position 
whereby folding of flap 20 may be effected. 
Lifting of the carton causes an inward bending of the triangular structure 
defined by slit 16 fold line 23 and fold line 3 inwardly against the end 
of an associated can as represented in FIG. 3. This folding operation 
results in a distribution of the load over a wide area of the carton side 
wall. Preferably the fold line 23 is disposed approximately tangentially 
with respect to the end of the adjacent can C1. 
In order to provide clearance for the carrying flap 20 to swing inwardly 
past the adjacent can C1, the width of handle flap 15, i.e., the distance 
between fold line 17 and transverse perforated slit 15 is approximately 
one-third of the radius of the adjacent can such as C1. This relationship 
of parts allows inward swinging of the flap 20 and accommodates easy 
clearance between that flap and the can C1. Preferably the transverse 
perforated slit 15 should be disposed midway between the ends of the the 
carrier. Also the flap 25 may be used in order to lift and carry the 
carrier as well as the flap 20. The operation of carrying flap 25 is 
identical to the operation of carrying flap 20 as is obvious. 
The provision of two identical centrally located carrying flaps and 
associated structure makes possible the lifting of the carton using either 
flap as a lifting element and frees the user from the necessity of 
determining precisely how to insert his fingers, i.e., a choice of flaps 
is provided. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
By this invention an efficient and strong carrying handle for a can carton 
is provided while the arrangement of the handle structure is such as to 
preserve the mechanical strength and integrity of the carton walls whereby 
effective can retention is achieved.