Abstract:
An improved sleeve style beverage carton can be processed at or near peak production rates for carton blanks and without the need for manual removal of scrap from apertures in the carton blank. The increase in production rates and efficiency is principally obtained because the stripper pins on the stripper drum used in producing the carton blank consistently and reliably puncture and remove the scrap from apertures in the die cut carton blank thereby alleviating the need to slow or stop the machine for manual removal of the scrap. Advantageously, gusset holes which are die cut in the carton blank are preferably generally trapezoidal-shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole relative to prior art configurations. The trapezoidal-shaped larger gusset holes provide for a more consistent and reliable removal of the carton material scrap from the gusset hole during production of the blank.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to cartons. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved beverage carton and associated blank and carton sleeve that improves production rates and efficiencies.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In the marketing of soft drinks, beer and other beverages, such retail consumer products are commonly sold in cans which are grouped together in six or 12 packs. Particularly in the case of 12 can packs, the cans are commonly packaged in cartons to make it easier to handle the product for the wholesaler and the retailer as well as for the retail consumer.  
           [0003]    There are any number of different types of can cartons. One particular type of carton that has found significant commercial success over the years is referred to as a “wrap around” carton. In a wrap around carton, a number of cans, typically 12, are wrapped in a paperboard box or carton that includes top and bottom wall panels, sidewall panels and end flaps on each end. The end flaps at each end of the carton are sealed one to the other, thereby providing a closed or sealed package or carton for the cans.  
           [0004]    A common carton production method involves converting paperboard into carton blanks and then into folded cartons which are eventually erected and filled with the beverage cans. The fabrication of beverage cartons typically begins with paperboard being drawn in a web from a roll of paperboard. Commonly, one surface of the paperboard is printed with a desired graphic design. The paperboard web is then die cut into multiple individual carton blanks. The printed carton blanks are then transferred typically within the same carton manufacturing facility, to a folder/gluer machine where each carton blank is folded and glued into a flattened sleeve or fill-ready carton configuration. The flattened cartons or sleeves are packed and then palletized for shipment to a customer such as a soft drink canner or the like.  
           [0005]    During the conversion of the paperboard into a carton sleeve, the web of paperboard commonly passes between various counter rotating rollers including an impression roller and a stripper drum. Typically, a carton blank includes certain holes or apertures and after each hole is die cut in the paperboard, the paperboard material must be removed from the hole portions of the web as scrap. Such scrap pieces of paperboard are removed by a series of pins arranged on the stripper drum and appropriately configured for the particular carton blank in production. Optimally, the pins puncture the scrap portions of the paperboard and continued movement of the paperboard web and rotation of the stripper drum pulls or strips the scraps from the web.  
           [0006]    However, one inherent requirement in the stripping process is that the pins on the stripper drum be appropriately aligned with the scrap portions of the paperboard web for removal. If the pins do not puncture the scrap portion of the web, the scrap is not removed by the stripper drum and an operator must manually remove the scrap downstream from the stripper drum, for example, by punching the scrap with a screw driver or other tool. Because of the size and processing speed of the converting equipment, it is often difficult to accurately and precisely align the stripper drum with the web for consistent removal of the scrap by the stripper drum. The manual removal of the scrap results in a very inefficient beverage carton sleeve production process. The die cutting machines cannot operate at peek production speeds because of the consistent need to manually remove the scrap from the die cut carton blanks.  
           [0007]    For example, one known type of carton blank is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,059, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The carton blank shown in the &#39;059 patent includes a number of generally triangular-shaped apertures identified by reference numeral  86  in that patent. Such a carton blank is generally shown in FIG.  1  herein. The triangular-shaped apertures according to the &#39;059 patent assist in providing a carton having end walls of increased flatness so that it can be utilized as a billboard, display or advertising space while still maintaining adequate structural integrity for the carton.  
           [0008]    However, one shortcoming of the carton blank shown in the &#39;059 patent and FIG. 1 herein is that the triangular apertures are sized and configured so that the scrap is not consistently, reliably and efficiently removed from the carton blank during production. Therefore, production of carton blanks of this type are significantly more slower because the machines on which the paperboard is converted to produce such carton blanks cannot run at peak speeds due to the fact that the scrap from the triangular apertures often must be manually removed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    As such, there is a need for an improved carton blank and sleeve style carton design which enables the carton manufacturing process to be more efficient and deliver higher production rates.  
           [0010]    Moreover, there is a need for such a carton blank and carton design which provides certain advantages and benefits of known carton designs without the need for repeated manual removal of scrap from apertures in the carton blank during the production process.  
           [0011]    These and other objectives of this invention have been attained by an improved carton and blank design in which the paperboard web can be processed at or near peak production rates into carton blanks and without the need for manual removal of scrap from apertures in the carton blank. Specifically, the carton blank according to this invention can be processed at or near peak production rates of about 625 feet per minute which is a 30 percent or more increase in production rates achieved for similar carton blanks, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,059 and the like. The increase in production rates is principally obtained because the stripping pins on the stripper drum consistently and reliably puncture and remove the scrap from apertures in the die cut carton blank thereby alleviating the need to slow or stop the machine for manual removal of the scrap.  
           [0012]    In one presently preferred embodiment of this invention, a tubular carton sleeve is adapted to be formed into a carton for holding beverage containers. The carton sleeve is erected and formed from a carton blank that includes a top wall and a pair of sidewalls that are each foldably joined to the top wall. A pair of bottom lap panels are each foldably joined to one of the sidewalls and are adapted for folding relative to the respective sidewalls and joined to each other in overlapping relation to form a bottom wall of the resulting carton. Major end flaps are foldably joined to an end of each of the sidewalls and minor end flaps are likewise foldably coupled to an end of the top wall or bottom wall panels. When the carton is erected, the major and minor end flaps are folded relative to the respective side, top and bottom walls to form end walls of the carton. A plurality of gussets are each foldably joined to one of the major end flaps and an adjacent one of the minor end flaps. The gussets foldably interconnect the major and minor end flaps and are tucked in between those end flaps when the carton is formed. A preferably rectangular bevel panel is formed between the minor end flaps and the associated top and bottom wall adjacent to the gussets. The bevel panel is supported by the adjacent beverage cans when the carton is filled and therefor contributes to the tightness of the carton and the prevention of undesirable crushing of the corners of the carton.  
           [0013]    Advantageously, gusset holes which are formed at a juncture of the top or bottom walls and the adjacent sidewalls in part define the gussets. The gusset holes are preferably generally trapezoidal-shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole relative to prior art configurations. The trapezoidal-shaped larger gusset holes provide for a more consistent and reliable removal of the carton material scrap from the gusset hole during production of the blank. The trapezoidal-shaped gusset holes are on the average 27 percent larger than triangular-shaped apertures in prior art carton blanks thereby providing for an increased area for the stripper pins on the stripper drums to puncture the scrap material in the gusset hole for removal. As such, even if the paperboard web is not precisely aligned with the location of the stripper pins on the stripper drum, the web can be processed at or near maximum speeds in the production facility because the stripper pin reliably and consistently removes the scrap from the gusset holes, unlike prior art carton blank designs.  
           [0014]    Therefore, the advantages and benefits of certain known wrap around or sleeve style tubular cartons can be achieved with the carton blank, tubular carton sleeve and associated beverage carton of this invention while still allowing for maximum production efficiencies and process rates by avoiding the need for manual removal of the scrap from apertures, gusset holes or the like in the carton blank. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The objectives and features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a prior art carton blank;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a carton blank according to a presently preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stripper pin on a stripper drum rotating to intersect the scrap material in a gusset hole of a carton blank according to one presently preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 4A and 4B are sequential views of the stripper pin removing scrap from the gusset hole of the carton blank in FIG. 3;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tubular carton sleeve formed from the carton blank of FIG. 2;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a partially broken away perspective view of one end of the tubular carton sleeve of FIG. 5 being folded into an end wall of the carton;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 7A and 7B are enlarged partial plan views of trapezoidal-shaped gusset holes from a carton blank according to one presently preferred embodiment of this invention; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 7A and 7B of a triangular-shaped aperture in a prior art carton blank. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    A presently preferred embodiment of a carton blank  10  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 and includes a top wall  12 . Sidewalls  14 ,  14  are foldably joined to the side edges of the top wall  12  along fold lines  16 ,  16 . Bottom lap panels  18 ,  18  are foldably joined respectively to the sidewalls  14 ,  14  along fold lines  20 ,  20 . A carrying handle  22  is provided for the carton and includes a pair of flaps  24 ,  24 . The details of such a carrying handle  22  are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,014 issued Apr. 21, 1992, which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0025]    Major end flaps  26 ,  28  are foldably joined to the end edges of sidewalls  14 ,  14  along fold lines  30 ,  32 , respectively. Minor end flaps  34 ,  34  are foldably coupled respectively to bevel panels  36 ,  36  at the end edges of the top wall  12  along fold lines  38 ,  38  and  40 ,  40 . Likewise, partial minor end flaps  42 ,  42 ,  42 ,  42  are foldably joined respectively to partial bevel panels  44 ,  44 ,  44 ,  44  at the end edges of the bottom lap panels  18 , 18  along fold lines  46 ,  46 ,  46 ,  46 , and  48 ,  48 ,  48 ,  48 .  
         [0026]    Gussets  50  interconnect the adjacent end flaps  26  and  34 ;  28  and  34 ;  26  and  42  as well as  28  and  42 . Since all of the gussets  50  are virtually identical, only the specific features of the gusset  50  will be described here in detail. With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, the gusset  50  is foldably joined to the minor end flaps  42 ,  34  along a fold line  52 . The opposite end of the gusset  50  is foldably joined to the major end flaps  26 ,  28  along a fold line  54 .  
         [0027]    A rectangular bevel panel  36 ,  44  is defined between the fold lines  46 ,  48 , and  38 ,  40  respectively. Bevel panel  36  is foldably joined to the top wall  12  and to the minor end flap  34 . Likewise, bevel panel  44  is foldably joined to the bottom lap panels  18  and to the partial minor end flaps  42 .  
         [0028]    Specifically, in one presently preferred embodiment the carton blank  10  includes gusset holes  74  that are trapezoidal in shape and likewise provide an increased surface area relative to the prior art blank  11  having triangular apertures  13  (FIG. 1) for more reliable removal of scrap  72  (FIGS. 4A and 4B) from the gusset hole  74  during production of the carton blank  10 . In one presently preferred embodiment, the gusset hole  74  is trapezoidal-shaped and the gusset holes  74   a  in the carton blank  10  proximate the top wall  12  include first and second edges  76 ,  78  that are each generally parallel to one another and third and fourth edges  80 ,  82  that are obliquely oriented relative to each other and relative to the first and second edges  76 ,  78 . These gusset holes  74   a  in one presently preferred embodiment have a surface area of about 0.4554 square inches. Additionally, in another presently preferred embodiment the gusset holes  74   b  proximate the bottom lap panels  18  of the carton blank  10  have first and second edges  84 ,  86  that are generally parallel to one another and a third edge  88  is generally perpendicular to the first and second edges  84 ,  86  and a fourth edge  90  is obliquely oriented relative to the first, second and third edges  84 ,  86 ,  88 . The gusset holes  74   b  proximate the bottom lap panels  18  have a surface area of approximately 0.4293 square inches. The trapezoidal-shaped gusset holes  74   a ,  74   b  according to this invention are advantageously larger than the triangular-shaped apertures  13  in the prior art carton blank  11  of FIG. 1. More specifically, the triangular-shaped prior art aperture  13  of FIG. 8 has a surface area of approximately 0.3487 square inches. As such, the gusset hole  74   b  of FIG. 7A is approximately 23 percent greater than that of the prior art triangular-shaped apertures  13  of FIG. 8; whereas, the trapezoidal-shaped gusset hole  74   a  of FIG. 7B is 31 percent larger than the triangular-shaped aperture  13  of the prior art in FIG. 8. On the average, the gusset holes  74   a ,  74   b  of FIGS. 7A and 7B of this invention are 27 percent larger than the prior art aperture  13  of FIG. 8. While the gusset holes  74   a ,  74   b  are shown as being different trapezoidal shapes and sizes, the gusset holes  74  may be the same configuration and size and preferably trapezoidal and as large as practically possible to increase the likelihood of removing the scrap. The advantageous size and configuration of the gusset holes  74   a ,  74   b  result in an increase in production because the web  10   a  moves at a rate of approximately 625 feet per minute which is a 30 percent or greater increase relative to production rates for the prior art carton blank  11  of FIG. 1. As such, the carton blank  10  configuration according to this invention and shown in FIG. 2 provides a significant increase in production rate and advantage over known prior art designs due in large part to the configuration of the gusset holes  74   a ,  74   b.    
         [0029]    To complete the basic elements of the carton, one or more outlet ports  56  are each defined by severance lines  58  as shown in FIG. 2. The severance lines  58  are formed in at least one of the sidewalls  14 . The outlet port(s)  56  provide(s) a dispensing means for dispensing the beverage cans from the carton. A preferred embodiment in the outlet port  56  is disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,681, issued Oct. 5, 1993 and hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0030]    To form a tubular carton sleeve  60  from the carton blank  10 , the bottom lap panels  18 ,  18  are partially overlapped onto one another and glued together, typically on a folder-gluer machine as is well known in the art. The sleeve  60  can then be collapsed about fold lines  16  and  20  for storage and/or shipping.  
         [0031]    To form the carton from the sleeve  60 , the minor end flaps  34 ,  42 , as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6, are pivoted and folded into the positions shown in FIG. 6. This action causes the bevel panels  36 ,  44  to swing inwardly together with each gusset  50  into the respective positions as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Following this, the major end flap  26  is folded inwardly along the fold line  30  and major end flap  28  is then folded inwardly along fold line  32  until the major end flaps  26 ,  28  overlap and are glued together to form end walls. Once this is completed on both ends of the sleeve  60 , the carton is formed. The articles are loaded into the carton through the open end or ends of the carton.  
         [0032]    It should be recognized that as used herein, the terms “top”, “bottom” and “side” with respect to the various carton walls or components are relative terms, and that the carton and/or its contents may be re-oriented as necessary or as desired. Further, rather than the bottom wall being formed from separate lap panels  18 ,  18 , it will be recognized that the carton blank  10  may be rearranged whereby some other panel is formed as a composite from lap panels.  
         [0033]    One advantage of this invention is that the end walls of the completed carton have large flat surfaces and that the carton still maintains adequate integrity due to the bevel panels  36 ,  44  at the ends of the top wall  12  and bottom wall. The endwall enlarged flat surfaces are useful as space for carrying printing such as an advertisement, trademark, and other information.  
         [0034]    A principal advantage of this invention is demonstrated in FIGS. 3, 4A,  4 B,  7 A,  7 B and  8 . Once a web of paperboard  10   a  is die cut, it commonly passes between various counter rotating rollers and drums. One such drum is a stripper drum  62  having a number of stripper pin assemblies  64  with pins  66  projecting from the outer circumference of the drum  62 . Each stripper pin is mounted to the drum  62  on a base  68  and a movable sleeve  70  surrounds the pin  66 .  
         [0035]    Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and  4 B, as the die cut paperboard web  10   a  passes in the direction of arrow A past the stripper drum  62  rotating in the direction of arrow B, the stripper pins  66  are spaced and configured on the stripper drum  62  so that one of the pins  66  puncture the scrap portion  72  of the paperboard  10   a  formed in the gusset hole  74 . Once the stripper pin  66  punctures the scrap  72  as shown in FIG. 4A, continued movement of the paperboard web  10   a  and the stripper drum  62  separates the scrap  72  and pin  66  from the paperboard web  10   a  thereby exposing the gusset hole  74  as shown in FIG. 4B. Due to the centrifugal forces of the rotating stripper drum  62 , the movable sleeve  70  slides along the stripper pin  66  to project in the direction of arrow C and thereby dislodge the scrap  72  from the pin  66  for disposal. As such, upon subsequent rotation of the stripper drum  62 , the stripper pin  66  is free to puncture scrap  72  in a subsequent die cut portion of the paperboard web  10   a.    
         [0036]    The above-described removal process for scrap  72  from die cut holes or apertures in the carton blank  10  is generally the desired objective of many carton blank production facilities and paperboard converters. However, because of the design of prior art carton blanks  11  such as those shown in FIG. 1, frequently the stripper pin does not puncture the scrap portions of the die cut blank and, consequently, does not remove the scrap from die cut holes or apertures in the paperboard web. As a result, the process must be halted or interrupted so that an operator manually punctures the scrap from the die cut holes with a screw driver or the like. The misalignment of the stripper pin  66  relative to the scrap may be the result of a number of factors including misalignment of the web relative to the stripper drum  62 , inaccurate placement of the stripper pin assemblies  64  on the stripper drum  62  for a given die cut configuration or the like. Additionally, wobble or loosely mounted stripper pins  66  are commonly utilized so that dust or other foreign matter can be easily and/or automatically ejected from the stripper pin assembly  64  to prevent clogging, jamming or the like. Such inherent movement in the stripper pin  66  may also create inaccuracies in the puncturing of the paperboard web.  
         [0037]    Nevertheless, the carton blank  10  according to one embodiment of this invention overcomes these problems and allows for maximum or near peak production rates because scrap  72  in particular apertures in the gusset hole  74  is consistently and reliably punctured by the stripper pins  66  for removal thereby alleviating the requirement for interruption of the process or manual removal of the scrap.  
         [0038]    From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, I desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.