Beveled corner carton with an interlocking separator pad

A carton with bevel corners for carrying cans, or other articles, which has an interlocking separator pad so the cans or articles can be contained in two layers is provided. The carton has two ends, each of which is closed by two side end closures and top and bottom end flaps. Each side end closure has an aperture that is interlocked with the end portion of an interlocking separator pad. In one embodiment of this invention, the interlocking separator pad has two tabs with the aperture in each side end closure being a slot through which a tab is extended. This pad may have a foldably attached leading flap that is lodged between cans or articles contained in the carton and the side end closures. In another embodiment of this invention, the aperture in each side end closure is a slit with the interlocking separator pad having a leading flap which extends through the slits on the side end closures on an end of the carton and folded up or down and lodged between the side end closures and the top end flap or bottom end flap. The interlocking of the separator pad with the apertures in the side end closures prevents the pad from shifting as cans are removed from the carton. Both of these embodiments may have a dispenser in the side panel for the removal of cans or articles inside.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a carton with beveled corners for carrying cylindrical containers or other types of articles in two layers, with each layer having two or more rows. An interlocking divider pad, or separator pad, is provided which interlocks with the side end flaps on both ends of the carton. This carton may have a dispenser in a side panel to permit easy access and removal of the containers in the carton.

Fully enclosed cartons that are capable of carrying cans have been used in the past that have a feature for dispensing the cans one at a time. Many of these dispensers do not work in a satisfactory fashion when the cans are carried in two layers. It is desirable to carry cans of certain products in two layers, especially when the can size is small it would be desirable to have a dispenser that would permit the dispensing of cans from each layer in a carton that contains two layers of cans. It would be desirable to have a divider, or separator, pad separating the two layers of cans in order for the dispenser on the carton to work properly. Otherwise, the cans in one layer could interfere with the dispensing of cans in the other layer. It would also be desirable to have a divider, or separator, pad that would remain in place during the dispensing of all cans in the carton. It would also be desirable to have a divider, or separator, pad that would work with a carton with beveled corners with the dispenser in the side panel of the carton.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, the present invention relates to a fully enclosed carton that is capable of carrying two layers of cans or other articles which has an interlocking separator, or divider, pad separating the two layers of cans or other articles. The carton has a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached side panels. The carton of this invention has beveled corners which permits a tighter package and saves paperboard when packaging cylindrical containers. Each end of the carton is closed by a top end flap and bottom end flap and a pair of side end closures, each of which has an angle panel attached to a side panel and a side end flap attached to the angle panel. Each end of the carton is closed by closing the angle panels and side end flaps and securing the top end flap and bottom end flap to the side end flaps.

An interlocking divider pad, or separator pad, separates the articles, such as cylindrical containers, into two layers. The separator pad is interlocked with the carton. The separator pad has an end portion on each end which is interlocked through an aperture in each end closure. The separator pad has a leading flap on one end which is folded into a plane perpendicular to the bottom panel of the carton. Each end of separator pad may have a leading flap.

In one embodiment of this invention, each end of the separator pad has two or more tabs which are extended through slots in the end closures. This separator pad has a leading flap that is folded up or down between the articles or containers contained in the carton and the end closures. This leading flap helps keep the separator pad in the proper position during the removal of an article or container from the carton through a dispenser opening.

In another embodiment of this invention, each side end flap on each end of the carton has a slit through which a leading flap on the separator pad is extended and folded up or down. This leading flap is sandwiched between the top or bottom end flaps and the side end flaps, thus holding separator pad in a fixed position in the carton.

The ends of the carton formed from each embodiment discussed above can be held together by gluing the top end flap and bottom end flap on each end of the carton to the side end flaps.

The carton and interlocking separator pad of this invention is used to carry two layers of cans or other articles, with each layer having two or more rows. Cans are arranged in a group with the interlocking separator pad placed on top of the group of cans and another group of cans is stacked on top of the interlocking separator pad. The two layers of cans are then pushed into the carton and the interlocking separator pad is locked to the carton.

This carton may have a dispenser for dispensing cans from each layer one at a time. One type of dispenser may be located in the side panel for dispensing cans from the carton when the carton is resting on the end adjacent to the dispenser. This dispenser can be formed by two parallel tear lines forming a dispenser flap in the side panel with these parallel tear line extending across the side panel and into the adjoining top and bottom panels where the bottom and top tear lines are interconnected. These tear lines are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the diameter of a can to be carried in the carton. A tear line may interconnect the top and bottom tear lines in the side panel and have a finger flap foldably attached to each side of the tear line which essentially divides the flap into two portions. These finger flaps can be pushed in to enable a person to grasp the two portions of the flap and pull them open forming the dispenser opening for dispensing cans from each layer. The bottom tear line for forming the dispenser flap is spaced close enough to the end of the carton upon which it rests during dispensing to prevent cans from rolling out of the opening. This bottom tear line should not be placed so far from this end of the carton as to make it difficult to remove cans immediately adjacent this end of the carton. Preferably the tear lines interconnecting the top and bottom tear lines in the bottom panel and in the top panel are curved like the cans are curved to permit the easy grasping of the end of a can when the dispenser flap has been removed. For most cans this bottom tear line need only be located approximately one inch from the end of the carton on which it is resting during dispensing. A tear line may be provided in the top panel and in the bottom panel between the bottom tear line and the end of the carton on which the carton rests when cans are being dispensed to form a ledge between the bottom tear line and the end of the carton. If these tear lines between the bottom tear line and the end of the carton are tom open, and the ledge moved forward, it will provide less resistance to the removal of cans from the dispenser opening. Having a dispenser opening in a side panel of the carton for dispensing cans while the carton rests upon its end adjacent the dispenser opening provides a large display area in the side panel above the dispenser for advertising to the consumer.

This carton may have a carrying handle formed by two fingers holes in the top panel. These cartons may be constructed by gluing, taping, stapling and the like. A carton may have two dispensers. Preferably, only one dispenser is used in a carton.

While this carton can be used to carry various types of articles, it is especially designed for carrying cylindrical containers, such as cans, because of the use of bevel corners in the carton which allows the carton to be tightly packed around the cylindrical containers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is primarily for use with cans of the type used to contain meat products, vegetables and fish. The carton of this invention is primarily useful for cans that are stacked in the carton in two layers with two of more rows in each layer. These cans typically only have a height of two or three inches, and typically these cans are stacked in a carton in two layers of twelve cans in each layer.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 5, the blanks10and210for forming the cartons of this invention are formed from a foldable sheet of material, such as paperboard. The blanks110and310for forming the interlocking separator pad are also formed from a foldable sheet of material, such as paperboard, as illustrated inFIGS. 1A and 5A.

The blank10for forming the carton of this invention has a glue flap12which is attached to bottom panel14by fold line16and interconnected to side panel18by fold line20. Side panel18is connected to top panel22by fold line24, and interconnected to opposite side panel26by fold line28.

Bottom panel14is connected to bottom end flap30by fold line32and connected to opposite bottom end flap34by fold line36. Side panel18is connected to side angle panel38by fold line40and in turn connected to side end flap42by fold line44. On the other end of the carton, side panel18is connected to side angle panel46by fold line48and in turn connected to opposite side end flap50by fold line52.

Top panel22is connected to top end flap54by fold line56and the opposite top end flap58by fold line60. The opposite side panel26is connected to side angle panel62by fold line64and in turn connected to side end flap66by fold line68. A side angle panel and adjoining side end flap (e.g.62and66) constitute a side end closure. On the other end of the carton, opposite side panel26is connected to side angle panel70by fold line72and in turn connected to opposite side end flap74by fold line76.

Bottom panel14and top panel22have an angled corner78A–H at each corner of the panel. This carton may have a dispenser opening B in a side panel as best illustrated inFIG. 4. The dispenser opening B may be made available by providing a side dispenser flap, shown in two portions80A–B, in the side panel18that extends into the bottom panel14and top panel22as shown inFIG. 1. This side dispenser flap80A–B is formed by top tear line82A and bottom tear line82B which are parallel to each other in side panel18and are interconnected by interconnecting tear lines82C and82D. These two portions80A and80B can be formed as a single flap, but for ease of opening it is preferred to have two portions. Finger flaps86A and86B may be provided along middle tear line84which separates portions80A and80B to assist in opening these portions. Finger flap86A is attached to portion80A by fold line90A and finger flap86B is attached to portion80B by fold line90B. Finger flaps86A and86B are formed by providing cut lines88.

To facilitate removing cans from the dispenser opening B (as shown inFIG. 4) after portions80A and80B have been removed, ledge tear lines92A and92B may be provided to permit the movement of ledge94formed between bottom tear line82B and fold line48to ease the removal of cans through the dispenser opening B.

In order to interlock the separator pad114to the carton, a slot96A–D may be provided in each side end closure. This slot may be formed in the side end flap (e.g.,42) or the slot (e.g.96A) may be formed so that it extends into both a side end flap and side angle panel (e.g.42and38as shown inFIG. 1). The slot is preferably centered on the fold line (e.g.44) between the side end flap and side angle panel. The function of these slots96A–B will be explained infra. These slots96A–D are located from the bottom panel14of the carton at the height of the articles or containers to be placed in the bottom layer in the carton. In other words, the slots are located so that the interlocking separator pad can be placed between the two layers of articles or cans to be contained in the carton.

A blank110for forming an interlocking separator pad for the carton formed from blank10is illustrated inFIG. 1A. This blank110has a leading flap112which is foldably attached to separator pad114by fold line116. The separator pad114has two tabs118A and118B on this end of the pad and tabs118C and118D on the other end of the pad. The separator pad114has angled corners124A–D, whose function will be explained infra. The separator pad114may have a cut out122to facilitate the removal of articles or cans from the carton through the dispenser opening B. The width WP between the edges120A and120B of separator pad114must be at least slightly less than the width WT of the top panel22between fold lines24and28of the carton made from the blank ofFIG. 1. The length LP of the separator pad114must be approximately the same length as the length LT of the top panel22between fold lines56and60. The height H of the leading flap112must not be greater than the articles or cans to be contained in the carton or it can not be properly folded into position.

The blank10of this embodiment is formed into a carton sleeve by gluing glue flap12to opposite side panel26to form a sleeve as illustrated inFIG. 2. The blank110for the interlocking separator pad114is placed on top of three rows of cans in one layer as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3. In loading the carton, the leading flap112is folded down and the bottom layer of cans is pushed into the carton as illustrated inFIG. 2. It is possible to have only two rows of articles or cans or to have more than three rows in each layer. A second layer with three rows of cans can then be placed on top of the separator pad114or placed on the separator pad114before insertion into the carton. Each side end closure, which consists of a side angle panel and adjoining side end flap is then closed. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the closing of side end flap66and adjoining side angle panel62results in tab118A of the separator pad114projecting through slot96C as shown inFIG. 3. When the end closure is closed, the angle panel62as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3closes against the angled corner124B of the separator pad114and the angled corner78F of the top panel22and78B of the bottom panel14. This results in a tightly packed, carton when the cans are packaged. Side angle panel62cuts off what otherwise would be an empty corner of the carton. The side angle panel62is immediately adjacent a portion of the circumference of the can. Angled corner124B on the separator pad114allows the carton to be tightly packed with cylindrical containers. The use of a carton with side angle panels not only enables the carton to be more tightly packed with containers, but also reduces the amount of paperboard required.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the tab118A of the separator pad114only projects a slight distance beyond slot96C. This is important when the slot is placed in both a side angle panel and the adjoining side end flap as shown inFIG. 1. The projection of the tab beyond the side angle panel by any significant distance could interfere with the stacking and handling of cartons. The slot could be placed entirely in a side end flap, in which case the tab could be folded up or down prior to the final closing of the carton by the top end flap and, the bottom end flap. As illustrated inFIG. 3the tab118A has a thickness and width that is only slightly less than the thickness and width of the slot96C through which it projects. The tabs118A–D prevent the separator pad114from moving towards the bottom panel or top panel when cans are removed from the carton through the dispenser. The carton can be closed by folding bottom end flap30and top end flap54and gluing them to side end flaps42and66. The other end of the carton is closed in the same manner. The leading flap112on the separator pad114is lodged between the cans and the side end flaps. The leading flap112helps hold the separator pad114in the proper position as cans are removed from the dispenser. It also holds the separator pad114between the two layers of cans when the other end of the carton is opened. If desired, a leading flap like leading flap112can be placed on the other end of the separator pad114to further ensure the maintenance of the proper position of the separator pad in the carton as it is being emptied of cans. The leading flap112can be folded either up or down as the top panel22and bottom panel14of the carton are identical. The tabs118A–D which project through the slots96A–D on each end of the carton and the leading flap112hold the separator pad114in the interlocked position without the necessity of gluing the separator pad to the carton. This eliminates another step that would otherwise be required in the loading of a carton with cans.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, the dispenser opening B can be used when the carton with cans is resting on the end of the carton adjacent to the dispenser opening. The dispenser opening B can be formed by removing portions80A and80B. The dispenser flap can be easily opened by pushing in fingers flaps86A and86B and tearing portions80A and80B along top tear line82A and bottom tear line82B and removing the flap. A can C can be removed from each layer of cans as shown inFIG. 4. The distance between top tear line82A and bottom tear line82B should be approximately equal to the diameter of a can. Preferably the distance between bottom tear line82B and fold line48is approximately one inch for many sizes of cans. The distance between bottom tear line82B and fold line48should be significantly less than the diameter of a can to prevent cans from automatically rolling out of the carton when the dispenser opening B is open. The dispenser ledge94between the bottom tear line82B and fold line48can be moved forward by tearing along ledge tear lines92A and92B.

Another embodiment of this invention is illustrated inFIGS. 5–7. A plan view of the blank for forming the carton of this embodiment is illustrated inFIG. 5. The numbering on the blank210is identical to the numbering in the blank10as shown inFIG. 1except for omissions and additions as described. The side end closures on the blank210have slits212A–D in the side end flaps50,74,66and42. These slits212A–D may extend a short distance into side angle panels46,70,62and38. These slits212A–D are designed for receiving the interlocking separator pad which will be discussed infra. These slits212A–D are located in the side end closures at a distance from the bottom panel14when the carton is formed that is approximately equal to the height of articles or cans to be contained in the bottom layer. In other words, these slits are located so the interlocking separator pad can be placed between the two layers of articles or cans.

The blank310for the interlocking separator pad for the carton formed from blank210is illustrated inFIG. 5Awhere the numbers are identical to those inFIG. 1Aexcept for omissions and additions as described. This blank310has a leading flap312attached to the separator pad114by fold line116. It also has a trailing flap314attached to separator pad114by fold line316. The height H of the leading flap312and the trailing flap314must not be greater than the height of a can or an article to be contained in the carton or it will be difficult to fold the flaps into proper position.

The blank210of this embodiment is formed into a carton sleeve in the same way as the blank10ofFIG. 1is formed into a carton sleeve. The blank310for interlocking separator panel is placed upon a layer of cans or articles in three rows. A top layer cans or articles in three rows can then be placed on top of the separator pad114and placed in the carton sleeve as illustrated inFIG. 6. The side end closures, each of which consists of a side angle panel and side end flap, are then closed. The slits212A–D are pushed along the leading flap312and trailing flap314until all side end closures on the carton are closed. As illustrated inFIG. 6, the leading flap312will extend through slit212C in side angle panel62and side end flap66and extends through slit212D in side angle panel38and side end flap42. It should be pointed out that these slits can be formed in the side end flap alone and not extend into the side angle panel depending upon the specific design of the carton and separator pad. The leading flap312and trailing flap314can now be folded up or down. The bottom end flaps30and34and top end flaps54and58can now be closed and glued to the respective side end flaps,42,50,66and74. The leading flap312and trailing flap314are tightly lodged between the side end flaps and top end flap on bottom end flap. The separator pad114for this embodiment is interlocked with the side end closures of the carton by locking edges318A–D which hold the separator pad114firmly inside of the side end flaps42,50,66and74in the interlocked position. This separator pad114is held in this interlocked position without being glued to the carton, which eliminates a step in the loading and sealing of the carton. The locking edges318A–D interlock with the slits212A–D to hold the interlocking separator pad114in proper position as cans are removed from the carton from one or both layers. The slits212A–D prevent the separator pad114from moving towards the bottom panel or top panel. The leading flap312and trailing flap314are lodged between the side end flaps and the top or bottom end flaps. This will prevent the separator pad114from moving as cans are being removed from the carton through a dispenser or end of the carton. The height of the leading flap and trailing flap must not be greater than the height of a can contained in the carton. Preferably the height H of the leading flap312and trailing flap314is slightly less than the height of a can to be contained in the carton.

Cans can be removed from the carton of this embodiment in the same way as cans are removed from the dispenser opening B of the first embodiment as illustrated inFIG. 4.