Patent Publication Number: US-7721889-B2

Title: Beveled corner carton with interlocking separator pad

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/770,882, filed Jan. 30, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     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. 
     2. Background 
     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 
     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. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a blank of which a carton according to one embodiment of this invention is constructed. 
         FIG. 1A  is a plan view for an interlocking separator pad according to one embodiment of this invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the end of a carton formed from the blank of  FIG. 1  with the separator pad of  FIG. 1A  placed between two layers of cans which have been loaded into the carton. This view shows how the leading flap is folded down. 
         FIG. 3  is perspective end view of the carton shown in  FIG. 2  in which the leading flap has been folded down and the side end flaps and angle panels on one end of the carton have been closed showing two tabs on the pad extending through slots in the flaps and panels. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the closed carton of  FIG. 3  which shows the carton resting on its end in which the side dispenser has been opened. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a blank of which a carton according to another embodiment of this invention is constructed. 
         FIG. 5A  is a plan view for an interlocking separator pad according to another embodiment of this invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of  FIG. 5  and the separator pad of  FIG. 5A  that has been placed between two layers of cans and moved into the carton in which an angle panel and side end flap with a slit has been closed with the leading flap of the separator pad extending through the slit. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the carton of  FIG. 6  in which both angle panels and side end flaps on an end of the carton have been closed and the leading flap extending through the slits can be folded down prior to folding and closing the bottom end flap and the top end flap. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     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 in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the blanks  10  and  210  for forming the cartons of this invention are formed from a foldable sheet of material, such as paperboard. The blanks  110  and  310  for forming the interlocking separator pad are also formed from a foldable sheet of material, such as paperboard, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 5A . 
     The blank  10  for forming the carton of this invention has a glue flap  12  which is attached to bottom panel  14  by fold line  16  and interconnected to side panel  18  by fold line  20 . Side panel  18  is connected to top panel  22  by fold line  24 , and interconnected to opposite side panel  26  by fold line  28 . 
     Bottom panel  14  is connected to bottom end flap  30  by fold line  32  and connected to opposite bottom end flap  34  by fold line  36 . Side panel  18  is connected to side angle panel  38  by fold line  40  and in turn connected to side end flap  42  by fold line  44 . On the other end of the carton, side panel  18  is connected to side angle panel  46  by fold line  48  and in turn connected to opposite side end flap  50  by fold line  52 . 
     Top panel  22  is connected to top end flap  54  by fold line  56  and the opposite top end flap  58  by fold line  60 . The opposite side panel  26  is connected to side angle panel  62  by fold line  64  and in turn connected to side end flap  66  by fold line  68 . A side angle panel and adjoining side end flap (e.g.  62  and  66 ) constitute a side end closure. On the other end of the carton, opposite side panel  26  is connected to side angle panel  70  by fold line  72  and in turn connected to opposite side end flap  74  by fold line  76 . 
     Bottom panel  14  and top panel  22  have an angled corner  78 A-H at each corner of the panel. This carton may have a dispenser opening B in a side panel as best illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The dispenser opening B may be made available by providing a side dispenser flap, shown in two portions  80 A-B, in the side panel  18  that extends into the bottom panel  14  and top panel  22  as shown in  FIG. 1 . This side dispenser flap  80 A-B is formed by top tear line  82 A and bottom tear line  82 B which are parallel to each other in side panel  18  and are interconnected by interconnecting tear lines  82 C and  82 D. These two portions  80 A and  80 B can be formed as a single flap, but for ease of opening it is preferred to have two portions. Finger flaps  86 A and  86 B may be provided along middle tear line  84  which separates portions  80 A and  80 B to assist in opening these portions. Finger flap  86 A is attached to portion  80 A by fold line  90 A and finger flap  86 B is attached to portion  80 B by fold line  90 B. Finger flaps  86 A and  86 B are formed by providing cut lines  88 . 
     To facilitate removing cans from the dispenser opening B (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) after portions  80 A and  80 B have been removed, ledge tear lines  92 A and  92 B may be provided to permit the movement of ledge  94  formed between bottom tear line  82 B and fold line  48  to ease the removal of cans through the dispenser opening B. 
     In order to interlock the separator pad  114  to the carton, a slot  96 A-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.  96 A) may be formed so that it extends into both a side end flap and side angle panel (e.g.  42  and  38  as shown in  FIG. 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 slots  96 A-B will be explained infra. These slots  96 A-D are located from the bottom panel  14  of 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 blank  110  for forming an interlocking separator pad for the carton formed from blank  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1A . This blank  110  has a leading flap  112  which is foldably attached to separator pad  114  by fold line  116 . The separator pad  114  has two tabs  118 A and  118 B on this end of the pad and tabs  118 C and  118 D on the other end of the pad. The separator pad  114  has angled corners  124 A-D, whose function will be explained infra. The separator pad  114  may have a cut out  122  to facilitate the removal of articles or cans from the carton through the dispenser opening B. The width WP between the edges  120 A and  120 B of separator pad  114  must be at least slightly less than the width WT of the top panel  22  between fold lines  24  and  28  of the carton made from the blank of  FIG. 1 . The length LP of the separator pad  114  must be approximately the same length as the length LT of the top panel  22  between fold lines  56  and  60 . The height H of the leading flap  112  must not be greater than the articles or cans to be contained in the carton or it cannot be properly folded into position. 
     The blank  10  of this embodiment is formed into a carton sleeve by gluing glue flap  12  to opposite side panel  26  to form a sleeve as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The blank  110  for the interlocking separator pad  114  is placed on top of three rows of cans in one layer as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In loading the carton, the leading flap  112  is folded down and the bottom layer of cans is pushed into the carton as illustrated in  FIG. 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 pad  114  or placed on the separator pad  114  before 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 in  FIG. 3 , the closing of side end flap  66  and adjoining side angle panel  62  results in tab  118 A of the separator pad  114  projecting through slot  96 C as shown in  FIG. 3 . When the end closure is closed, the angle panel  62  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  closes against the angled corner  124 B of the separator pad  114  and the angled corner  78 F of the top panel  22  and  78 B of the bottom panel  14 . This results in a tightly packed, carton when the cans are packaged. Side angle panel  62  cuts off what otherwise would be an empty corner of the carton. The side angle panel  62  is immediately adjacent a portion of the circumference of the can. Angled corner  124 B on the separator pad  114  allows 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 in  FIG. 3 , the tab  118 A of the separator pad  114  only projects a slight distance beyond slot  96 C. This is important when the slot is placed in both a side angle panel and the adjoining side end flap as shown in  FIG. 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 in  FIG. 3  the tab  118 A has a thickness and width that is only slightly less than the thickness and width of the slot  96 C through which it projects. The tabs  118 A-D prevent the separator pad  114  from 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 flap  30  and top end flap  54  and gluing them to side end flaps  42  and  66 . The other end of the carton is closed in the same manner. The leading flap  112  on the separator pad  114  is lodged between the cans and the side end flaps. The leading flap  112  helps hold the separator pad  114  in the proper position as cans are removed from the dispenser. It also holds the separator pad  114  between the two layers of cans when the other end of the carton is opened. If desired, a leading flap like leading flap  112  can be placed on the other end of the separator pad  114  to further ensure the maintenance of the proper position of the separator pad in the carton as it is being emptied of cans. The leading flap  112  can be folded either up or down as the top panel  22  and bottom panel  14  of the carton are identical. The tabs  118 A-D which project through the slots  96 A-D on each end of the carton and the leading flap  112  hold the separator pad  114  in 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 in  FIG. 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 portions  80 A and  80 B. The dispenser flap can be easily opened by pushing in fingers flaps  86 A and  86 B and tearing portions  80 A and  80 B along top tear line  82 A and bottom tear line  82 B and removing the flap. A can C can be removed from each layer of cans as shown in  FIG. 4 . The distance between top tear line  82 A and bottom tear line  82 B should be approximately equal to the diameter of a can. Preferably the distance between bottom tear line  82 B and fold line  48  is approximately one inch for many sizes of cans. The distance between bottom tear line  82 B and fold line  48  should 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 ledge  94  between the bottom tear line  82 B and fold line  48  can be moved forward by tearing along ledge tear lines  92 A and  92 B. 
     Another embodiment of this invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7 . A plan view of the blank for forming the carton of this embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The numbering on the blank  210  is identical to the numbering in the blank  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  except for omissions and additions as described. The side end closures on the blank  210  have slits  212 A-D in the side end flaps  50 ,  74 ,  66  and  42 . These slits  212 A-D may extend a short distance into side angle panels  46 ,  70 ,  62  and  38 . These slits  212 A-D are designed for receiving the interlocking separator pad which will be discussed infra. These slits  212 A-D are located in the side end closures at a distance from the bottom panel  14  when 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 blank  310  for the interlocking separator pad for the carton formed from blank  210  is illustrated in  FIG. 5A  where the numbers are identical to those in  FIG. 1A  except for omissions and additions as described. This blank  310  has a leading flap  312  attached to the separator pad  114  by fold line  116 . It also has a trailing flap  314  attached to separator pad  114  by fold line  316 . The height H of the leading flap  312  and the trailing flap  314  must 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 blank  210  of this embodiment is formed into a carton sleeve in the same way as the blank  10  of  FIG. 1  is formed into a carton sleeve. The blank  310  for 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 pad  114  and placed in the carton sleeve as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The side end closures, each of which consists of a side angle panel and side end flap, are then closed. The slits  212 A-D are pushed along the leading flap  312  and trailing flap  314  until all side end closures on the carton are closed. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the leading flap  312  will extend through slit  212 C in side angle panel  62  and side end flap  66  and extends through slit  212 D in side angle panel  38  and side end flap  42 . 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 flap  312  and trailing flap  314  can now be folded up or down. The bottom end flaps  30  and  34  and top end flaps  54  and  58  can now be closed and glued to the respective side end flaps,  42 ,  50 ,  66  and  74 . The leading flap  312  and trailing flap  314  are tightly lodged between the side end flaps and top end flap on bottom end flap. The separator pad  114  for this embodiment is interlocked with the side end closures of the carton by locking edges  318 A-D which hold the separator pad  114  firmly inside of the side end flaps  42 ,  50 ,  66  and  74  in the interlocked position. This separator pad  114  is 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 edges  318 A-D interlock with the slits  212 A-D to hold the interlocking separator pad  114  in proper position as cans are removed from the carton from one or both layers. The slits  212 A-D prevent the separator pad  114  from moving towards the bottom panel or top panel. The leading flap  312  and trailing flap  314  are lodged between the side end flaps and the top or bottom end flaps. This will prevent the separator pad  114  from 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 flap  312  and trailing flap  314  is 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 in  FIG. 4 . 
     While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the following claims.