Abstract:
A storage and carrying carton formed of a foldable sheet of material and adapted to be secured in a closed disposition with a flexible closure strap. The sheet of material is configured such that when folded into the carton configuration, it defines an upper flap that cooperates with the closure strap to define a carrying handle. Upon severing the strap to open the carton, the upper end of the carton is configured so as to be selectively folded flat and resealed with a second closure strap or, alternatively, folded so as to define upstanding lateral handles by which the opened carton and its contents can be readily carried.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an improved storage and carrying carton particularly adapted for use in storing and carrying loads of approximately 50-60 pounds. Nails and other metal fasteners and hardware are examples of products typically stored and carried in the cartons of the type to which the present invention relates. These cartons are typically of a “bellows” style and formed of a corrugated cardboard material. Sheets of the cardboard material are cut and scored such that the carton can be readily formed by folding, gluing, stapling or taping. The bottom flaps are typically folded together and secured by the use of glue, staples or tape prior to filling. The top flaps are normally secured by folding the flaps together into a flat disposition over the upper end of the filled carton and a strap formed of a plastic or other suitable material is wrapped about the entire carton and sealed in place. So secured, the strap forms a natural handle, albeit somewhat awkward to use, for lifting the package. Such a design, however, relies on the strap being in place to both secure the carton and provide a lifting handle. Removal of the strap, which is normally achieved by cutting, not only makes the carton difficult to re-close but effectively eliminates the lifting handle. It would be highly desirable to provide a carton that could be as easily formed as the bellows-style cartons currently in use but which provided both a more convenient lifting handle when the carton is sealed and a means for readily re-closing and carrying the carton after the removal of the strap. The carton of the present invention obtains these results.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Briefly, the present invention comprises a storage and carrying container of the bellows type in which the upper end flaps are provided with triangularly-shaped scoring, elongated apertures centrally disposed within the scoring adjacent the lower ends of the end flaps and cut-out lateral portions in the upper end portions of the end flap adjacent the side flaps. Pressing the scored end flaps inwardly before the side flaps, will cause the end flaps to fold outwardly along the scoring forming two triangularly-shaped projections extending inwardly and flush along the top of the carton and drawing the side flaps inwardly. Thus, upon pressing the side flaps over the end flaps and flush with the top of the carton and securing a conventional flexible closure strap about the carton and the overlapping upper side flaps, a filled carton can be readily sealed. By configuring the side flaps such that they each define a length that is greater than one-half the transverse width of the carton, the extended end portion of the uppermost side flaps will project laterally from the centrally secured closure strap such that one can slide his or her fingers under the projecting end portion and thus use the end portion that is anchored by the strap as a convenient handle for carrying the container in a filled and sealed disposition.  
         [0003]     After the carton has been opened by severing the strap, pressing the side flaps inwardly over the open end of the box into a flush disposition will cause the end flaps to fold inwardly along the inclined score lines therein so as to again define the two triangularly-shaped projections. Openings are provided in the base of the formed projections to receive one&#39;s fingers. By folding the formed projections to an upright position, lateral handles are conveniently formed and positioned for carrying the opened carton. By folding the end flaps along the score lines, the formed triangularly-shaped projections are of a double thickness so as to form durable handles for carrying a filled carton without a securement strap. By forming the hand openings in the folded end flaps by means of elongated, generally u-shaped slits, depending flaps are formed that, when pushed inwardly by one&#39;s fingers, fold about the upper ends of the hand openings, further strengthening the formed handles and providing a smooth and comfortable gripping surface.  
         [0004]     It is therefore the principle object of the present invention to provide an improved carton for the storage and carrying of objects in which the carton defines gripping handles for carrying the carton in both the opened and sealed disposition.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a single sheet of material for forming the carton of the present invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the sheet of material illustrated in  FIG. 1  with the extended ends secured together and the material folded and pressed flat into a storage configuration.  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the sheet of material unfolded into a box configuration.  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the sheet of material unfolded into a box configuration with the lower flaps folded and secured in place to form an open carton.  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the carton of the present invention with the upper flaps being folded into a closed configuration.  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the carton of the present invention with the upper flaps being folded flat into a closed position.  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the carton of the present invention in a closed and sealed configuration.  
         [0013]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the carton of the present invention in a carrying mode upon removal of the securement strap.  
         [0014]      FIG. 10  is a section view taken along the line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     Referring now in detail to the drawings, the carton  10  of the present invention is preferably formed from a sheet  12  of a suitable flexible material such as corrugated cardboard. As seen in  FIG. 1 , sheet  12  defines a pair of side panels  14   a  and  14   b , end panels  16   a  and  16   b , upper side flaps  18   a  and  18   b , upper end flaps  20   a  and  20   b , lower side flaps  22   a  and  22   b , lower end flaps  24   a  and  24   b  and a securement tab  26  projecting laterally from end panel  16   b  and the adjacent upper end flap  20   b . Horizontal fold lines  28 , preferably formed by scoring the cardboard material, are provided at the interface of the side and end panels and the upper side and end flaps. Horizontal fold lines  30 , also preferably formed by scoring, are provided at the interface of the side and end panels and the lower side and end flaps. Vertical fold lines  31  are provided between each adjacent panels and flaps as shown in  FIG. 1 . Inclined fold lines  32 , formed by scoring, are provided in the upper end flaps  20   a  and  20   b  and are positioned so as to cooperate with fold lines  28  such that the fold lines in each of the upper end flaps define a triangular configuration with the apex  33  of each formed triangle being centrally disposed in the upper ends of the upper end flaps  20   a  and  20   b  as seen in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]     An elongated, generally rectangular, partial cutout area  34  is centrally provided in each of the two upper end flaps  20   a  and  20   b  adjacent fold line  28 . Areas  34  are preferably each defined by an elongated and generally unshaped slit  34 ′ extending horizontally through sheet  12  along fold  28  and terminating in opposed parallel vertical portions  34 ″. For reasons that will become apparent, such a configuration allows one to merely press their fingers against the formed flaps  36  defined by slits  34 ′, bending flaps  36  inwardly and through the formed openings  34 . So as not to obstruct openings  34  upon the formation of carton  10  from sheet  12 , substantially rectangular slots  38  are formed in the upper ends of the upper end flaps  20   a  and  20   b  adjacent the upper side flaps  18   a  and  18   b  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0017]     To form the carton  10  of the present invention from flat sheet  12 , the sheet is folded along vertical fold lines  31  and the securement tab  26  is suitably adhered to the lateral end portion of side panel  14   a  and the adjacent upper side flap  18   a  such that the folded sheet  12  now defines a flat folded and endless sheet  12 ′, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Such a configuration is convenient for storage and shipping prior to the sheet being subsequently folded and secured to define the carton  10 .  
         [0018]     To form the flat folded endless sheet  12 ′ into carton  10 , one need only lift the end panel  16   b  and side panel  14   a  and their integrally formed upper and lower flaps relative to panels  16   a  and  14   b  so as to bring the carton from its collapsed flat disposition illustrated in  FIG. 2  to the open box configuration illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The lower end and side flaps are then folded inwardly and sealed in a conventional manner (e.g. by an adhesive or stapling) to define a closed and sealed bottom end  40  for the carton  10  as seen in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0019]     In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the carton  10  is of a square configuration. The vertical heights H′ of the lower side and end flaps are equal to each other and to one-half of the transverse dimension of the formed carton. Accordingly, when the flaps are folded as described, two of the opposed flaps will form the inner surface of the bottom of the container with the extended ends of those flaps being in abutment and the outer surface of the other two opposed flaps will form the outer bottom surface of the container with the extended ends of those flaps being in abutment. A suitable adhesive or staples preferably are employed to secure the flaps comprising the inner surface of the carton bottom to the flaps forming the bottom outer surfaces to provide the carton with a secure bottom wall of double thickness. If a rectangular carton were employed, the height of the end flaps preferably would be greater than the height of the side flaps such that the ends of each pair of flaps would be in abutment to provide the double wall thickness of the bottom of the container.  
         [0020]     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the carton  10  is now in position to be filled with product. The upper horizontal fold line  28  also defines a fill line for the contents of the container  10 . Upon being filled, the carton is sealed by folding the upper end panels inwardly along fold line  28 , causing the upper end panels  20   a  and  20   b  to fold outwardly along the scored inclined fold lines  32  formed therein and inwardly along line  28 , drawing the upper side flaps inwardly as seen in  FIG. 6 . Upon pressing the upper end flaps into a flush disposition with the upper end of the container and pressing the upper side flaps  18   a  and  18   b  downwardly thereover, the carton is closed as illustrated in  FIG. 7  whereupon a flexible closure strap  42  can be centrally disposed about the carton, and fixed in place, sealing the filled carton as seen in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0021]     The closure strap  42  is positioned such that it runs parallel to the outer end  19  of the exposed upper side flap  18   a . The heights H″ of the two upper side flaps  18   a  and  18   b  are preferably equal to each other and exceed the transverse dimension of the formed carton so that when the upper end and side flaps are folded flush over the end flaps and secured with strap  42 , the exposed end  19  of the uppermost upper side flap will extend parallel to and be spaced laterally from the securement strap  42  a distance of about 1.5 to 2.5 inches, and more preferably 1.0 to 2.0 inches, so as to ensure securement of the flap by the strap while allowing the portion  44  of the exposed flap between strap  42  and end  19 , which is anchored by the strap, to function as a convenient carrying handle for the container in a filled and sealed disposition. One can simply insert his or her fingers under the anchored end  19  of the exposed side flap to lift the carton and its sealed contents.  
         [0022]     Once the strap  42  has been severed to open the carton, the carton  10  defines its own carrying handles. The upper side flaps  18   a  and  18   b  are folded inwardly and flush with the upper end of the carton  10 . Upon so doing, the upper end flaps will again fold upon themselves along the fold lines  32 , but outwardly along line- 28  and inwardly along the inclined lines  32 , forming two outwardly extending, opposed triangularly-shaped projections  50   a  and  50   b  as seen in  FIG. 9 . Upon folding projections  50   a  and  50   b  into vertical orientations and pressing one&#39;s fingers through the open areas  34  defined by slits  34 ′, the projections  50   a  and  50   b  define sturdy handles for carrying the previously opened carton and its contents. In this carrying mode, the projections  50   a  and  50   b  formed by the folded upper end flaps are of double thickness so as to render the handles quite sturdy for carrying a relatively heavy load. The lateral slots  38  were formed in the upper side flaps  18   a  and  18   b  for alignment with the openings  34  in the upper end flaps  20   a  and  20   b  to accommodate the two ply handles  50   a  and  50   b  without obscuring the hand openings  34 . By forming the hand openings  34  with the elongated, generally U-shaped slits  34 ′ as above described, the depending flaps  36  that are formed in the end panels which, when pushed inwardly by one&#39;s fingers to access hand openings  34 , fold about the upper ends  34 ′ of the hand openings as seen in  FIG. 10 . So positioned, the flaps  36  reinforce and strengthen the formed handles  50   a  and  50   b  and provide a smooth comfortable gripping surface about the upper ends  34 ′ of the hand openings  34 .  
         [0023]     Various changes and modifications may be made in carrying out the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Insofar as these changes and modifications are within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of the present invention.