Patent Publication Number: US-6336556-B1

Title: Unitary multi-cell partition and carton or tray containing the same and method

Description:
This invention relates to a unitary multi-cell partition and a carton or tray containing the same and method and more particularly to a unitary multi-cell partition formed of molded pulp. 
     Partitions have heretofore been provided for use in cartons. However, typically such partitions have been of a multi-piece construction which has a number of undesirable features. For example, such a multi-piece construction is difficult to assemble, particularly when machinery is utilized for packaging. In addition, the use of multi-piece construction increases packaging costs. There is therefore a need for a new and improved partition construction for use with cartons. 
     In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unitary multi-cell partition and a carton containing the same and a method. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character which can be formed of molded fibers. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition and method of the above character which can utilize existing carton packing and unpacking equipment. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character in which integral corrugations can be provided in the partitions to simulate partition thicknesses of existing multiple-piece slotted partitions to thereby permit use of presently manufactured corrugated outer cartons. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character having panel or sidewall partitions in which cutouts are provided in the tops of each panel portion to minimize the opportunity for glassware or other articles being loaded into a carton catching onto the panel or side wall portions and also to prevent snagging of leading edges of any labels on the glassware or labels. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character which facilitates robotic placement of glassware or other articles into the cells of the unitary partition while minimizing false scoring of the panel portions. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character that forms a friction fit with the carton. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character which can be economically manufactured. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a partition of the above character which is environmentally desirable because of its use of molded pulp. 
    
    
     Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments are set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a carton with certain portions broken away showing therein a unitary multi-cell partition incorporating the present invention and having articles carried therein. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the unitary multi-cell partition when outside of the carton showing it splayed apart in its free condition. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the partition shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the partition shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the partition shown in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     In general, the unitary multi-cell partition is for use with a multi-sided carton or tray having interior walls. The partition is adapted to be compressed to fit within and frictionally engage the interior walls of the carton or tray. The partition is comprised of side wall portions which are inclined from the vertical when the partition is free of the carton that have a draft angle which is greater than 5°. The wall portions form a plurality of vertically disposed spaced-apart cells. The wall portions forming each cell are split into two sections along a linear or a diagonal axis. The partition has hinge portions joining certain of said wall portions permitting bending of the wall portions forming the cells toward and away from each other, thereby facilitating separation of the partition from the mold and insertion into the carton. Certain of the hinge portions are formed by bottom wall portions adjoining the wall portions. 
     More in particular as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, the unitary multi-cell partition  11  is for use in a conventional six-sided carton or tray  12  having interior walls. Such a six-sided carton  12  typically is formed of corrugated paper often called cardboard and consists of spaced-apart parallel side walls  13  and spaced-apart parallel end walls  16  adjoining the side walls  13  at right angles thereto. The top and bottom sides are enclosed by a top closure and bottom closure  21 . Both of the top and bottom closures  21  are formed by major flaps  26  and  27  adjoining the side walls  13  and minor flaps  28  and  29  adjoining the end walls  16  with typically the minor flaps  28  and  29  being folded inwardly first and then overlaid by the major flaps  26  and  27 . The minor flaps and the major flaps can be fastened together by a suitable means such as an adhesive or staples (not shown) for adhering the major flaps  26  and  27  to the minor flaps  28  and  29  to provide within the carton  12  a circumscribed space  31  which is enclosed with the six-sided carton  12 . The carton  12  with its circumscribed space  31  is adapted to receive the unitary multi-cell partition  11  with or without the articles to be packaged. The tray (not shown) can be in the form of a carton  12  having an open top with the side walls  13  and the end walls  16  of the desired height and a bottom closure  21 . 
     The unitary multi-cell partition  11  is formed of a molded pulp which also can be characterized as molded fiber. The molded pulp or fiber typically can be obtained from recycled newspapers, telephone books, cardboard, corrugated cardboard boxes and even from short fibers from wood pulp which are unsuitable for making paper. Such molded partitions can also be recycled and formed into molded pulp and reutilized for the same purpose. 
     The unitary multi-cell partition  11  as shown in FIG. 2 is the expanded or splayed apart position provided by the mold and before compression of the same to fit within the interior or enclosed space  31  in the carton  12 . As shown, the partition  11  is formed in one piece and is provided with a plurality of cells  36  which are shaped to receive the articles to be packaged as for example glassware such as the stemmed glasses  37  as shown within the cells  36  in FIG.  1 . 
     The partition  11  is provided with a plurality of wall portions or panels  41  which typically are adapted to extend in a vertical direction when the partition  11  is disposed in the space  31  in the carton  12 . When the partition  11  is free and outside of the carton  12 , the wall partitions  41  are inclined at an angle from the vertical as for example at an angle from 5-10° but typically at an angle of 8° to provide a sufficient draft so that the partition can be readily separated from the mold after it has been formed. As shown, the wall portions or panels  41  are arranged to provide a plurality of the cells  36  as for example three rows of four cells each to provide a total of twelve cells in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings. It should be appreciated that in accordance with the present invention, different numbers of cells can be provided as for example four cells, eight cells, twelve cells, twenty-four cells and even thirty-six cells if desired. 
     In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the unitary molded cell partition  11  is splayed apart in five wall sections  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  and  46  along lines which are generally perpendicular to an imaginary line extending diagonally across the partition  11 . 
     The partition is provided with a plurality of hinge portions  51  hereinafter described more in detail which adjoin certain of said wall sections to permit bending of the wall sections forming the cells  36  towards and away from each other and facilitating the separation of the partition from the mold after manufacture and insertion into the space  31  in the carton  12 . These hinge portions  51  are molded of the same molded pulp or fiber as the wall portions or panels  41 . Thus there has been provided a hinge portion  52  adjoining the wall sections  42  and  43  which hinge portion is elongate and extends in a direction generally perpendicular to a plurality of parallel spaced apart imaginary lines  47  (see FIG.  2 ). Similarly there are provided hinge portions  53  and  54  which are used for joining sections  44  and  45  both of which also extend substantially perpendicular to the imaginary lines  47 . An additional hinge portion  56  is provided which also serves as a bottom wall portion serving to join the bottom extremities of wall sections  43  and  44 . Similarly another hinge portion  57  is provided also serving as a bottom wall portion joining the lower extremities of the sections  45  and  46 . A single triangularly-shaped cutout  61  is provided in the hinge portion  56  whereas first and second triangularly-shaped cutouts  62  and  63  are provided in the hinge portion  57 . These cutouts are provided to save material where it is not needed. 
     By utilizing molded partitions, it is possible to eliminate what has been termed “false scoring”. Typically when utilizing corrugated cardboard it has been necessary to place a score on the board in order to fold it, as for example to provide a score to fold a flap. In existing partition systems heretofore utilized, it has been necessary to cut out slots in the partitions to permit them to slide together. The remaining material below these cutouts tends to get a false score, thereby permitting the partition to bend slightly and invade an adjacent space so that one cell is oversized and the adjacent one is undersized, creating problems when utilizing robotics in packaging articles as for example glassware. When glassware enters that space where the partition has invaded the space, the partition will be sheared upon entry of the glass or the glass will break or bounce up. With the molded partitions of the present invention, such false scoring cannot occur and the multiple cells which have been formed maintain their consistency in size. The inclined portions provided on the free side edges of the wall portions also serve to maintain the uniformity of the cells formed by inhibiting movement of the wall portions with respect to the interior surfaces of the side and end walls of the carton. 
     The free side edges  66  of the wall sections  42 - 46  have upper and lower portions  66   a  and  66   b  respectively which are molded at inclined opposite angles with respect to each other. Thus as shown, the portions  66   a  and  66   b  have been inclined by an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the plane of the wall portion  41  of which it forms a part so that the included angle between the two portions is approximately 90°. Different angles may be utilized for the portions  66   a  and  66   b , as for example angles ranging from 30° to 55°, to provide an included angle for both portions ranging from 60° to 110° with the preferable angle being the 45° angle hereinbefore mentioned. These angle portions  66   a  and  66   b  as hereinafter described are provided to frictionally engage the interior surfaces of the side and end walls of the carton  12  when the partition  11  is disposed within the carton so that each wall portion  41  firmly frictionally engages the wall of the carton and inhibits movement of the wall portion  41  in either direction with respect to the wall of the carton in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the wall portion  41 . 
     As shown in the drawings, it may be desirable to place spaced-apart parallel vertically disposed corrugations  71  in the wall portions  41  to provide fluting which reinforces and strengthens the wall portion as well as the overall strength of the partition  11 . In addition, these corrugations or flutings  71  can be utilized to accommodate varying thicknesses of multi-piece paperboard partitions heretofore utilized in cartons so that the existing corrugated cartons heretofore utilized can be used for packing the articles typically packaged in such cartons. In this way, it is possible for the unitary multi-cell partition of the present invention to replicate the thicknesses provided by paperboard partitions heretofore utilized which range in thickness from 0.625″ to 0.125″. Such differences in thicknesses in the two-piece partitions can be readily accommodated by the unitary multi-cell partition of the present invention merely by providing the corrugations or fluting  71  of various heights. 
     In other words, by providing the corrugations it is possible to vary the wall thickness of the wall portions without increasing the thickness of the molded material. Thus the corrugations can be utilized to emulate different thicknesses of partitions heretofore utilized, making it possible to continue to utilize the same cartons which have been used for the packing and shipping of articles such as glassware. 
     In order to inhibit label scuffing, it may be desirable to modify the corrugations  71  shown. For example the two middle corrugations, assuming there are six corrugations  71 , the third and fourth corrugations in the middle can be eliminated with the exception that the top portion of those two corrugations can remain. For example, if labeled wine bottles are being packaged, the top one-eighth of these middle corrugations that remains engages the shoulder of the wine bottle but because of its position will not engage the label. Since the wine label is typically on a cylindrical wine bottle, the tangential portion of the wine label engaging the wall portion  41  will engage the wall portion in the vicinity where the central or middle corrugations have been eliminated. Thus in this position even if the wine bottle rotates slightly, the corrugations will still remain out of tangential contact with the wine bottle and the label will not be scuffed. 
     Semicircular cutouts  76  are then provided in the upper extremities of the wall portions  41  and extend approximately across one-half the width of the wall portion  41 . Such semicircular cutouts have been provided to minimize the possibilities of the articles as for example glassware from catching on the wall portions during loading of the glassware into the cells  36  of the unitary multi-cell partition  11 . In addition these cutouts serve to prevent snagging of leading edges of any labels or the glassware or articles. 
     Although the cutouts or scallops  66  hereinbefore described have been described as semicircular, it should be appreciated that they can have different shaped if desired, as for example they can be in the form of an upwardly facing V. 
     In looking at the cells  36  formed by the unitary multi-cell partition  11 , it can be seen that every cell can be considered to be split along a linear axis but on the diagonal. Also with respect to the hinge portions  51  it can be seen that there are provided two types of hinges with hinges  52 ,  53  and  54  being in the form of top or high short hinges whereas the bottom hinge portions  56  and  57  which are the hinges which have bottom wall portions can be considered to form bottom or low long hinges. Thus with the hinge portions  51  it can be seen that there is provided an alternating pattern when looking from left to right in FIG. 2 that can be considered to be a high hinge, a low hinge, a high hinge, and a low hinge. The hinge portions  56  and  57  which can be considered to be the bottom hinges have more mass than the top hinges  52 ,  53  and  54  and thus give greater strength and stability to the unitary multi-cell partition. 
     Operation and use of the unitary multi-cell partition for the packaging of articles such as stemmed glasses  37  may now be briefly described as follows. Let it be assumed that a partition  11  of the type shown in FIG. 2 has been provided. This partition  11  has the unique advantage in that it is a single unitary partition and not a multi-part partition, facilitating its handling manually or by robotic machinery. In preparation for insertion of the partition  11  into the carton  12 , the partition can either be grasped manually or robotically by engaging the wall sections  42  and  46  and compressing the same from both sides in directions along the imaginary line  47  and compressing it into a rectangular shape and then inserting it through the top side of the carton  12 , assuming that the carton  12  has been erected with the top side open or is without a top such as with a tray and the bottom closure in place. Thereafter or at the same time, the articles such as the stemmed glasses  37  to be packaged can be lowered into the cells  36 . As soon as the partition  11  is released, it will expand outwardly until the free side edges  66  of the wall portions  47  engage the side walls and end walls of the carton to frictionally retain the wall portions  47  of the partition  11  in engagement with the side and end walls of the carton  12  to inhibit movement along the walls and to thereby maintain substantially uniform cell sizes for the cells  36  in the partition  11 . In addition, the glassware  37  or other articles form a friction fit with the partition to prevent unintentional disengagement of the partition from the carton  12 . 
     As hereinbefore explained, the cutouts  76  minimizes the chances of the articles as for example glassware bases from catching on the wall portions  41 . Similarly, by removing the central or middle corrugations of the corrugations  71 , label scuffing can be avoided. 
     Thus it can be seen that cartons with the unitary multi-cell partition of the present invention therein can be utilized for safely shipping articles such as glassware from one location to another. When it is desired to open a carton and remove the articles as for example glassware from the carton, the glassware can be readily removed by removing the glassware piece or piece or alternatively by removing the unitary partition from the carton and thereafter removing the glasses. 
     From the foregoing it can be seen that there has been provided a new and improved unitary multi-cell partition which can be utilized with existing case packing and unpacking equipment. Existing cartons and spacing typically provided by partition systems heretofore utilized can be readily emulated. Catching of articles during loading into the unitary partition has been minimized or eliminated. Label scuffing and false scoring also has been minimized.