Abstract:
A carton formed from a carton blank comprising a unitary sheet of material hvaing cut out portions, cut lines, fold lines and perforated lines to form various sections which are folded together to form a carton having a hinged lid which may be moved between closed and opened positions to remove materials from the carton and which lid is retained in the closed position by a frictional fit between portions of the lid and a front panel portion of the carton.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to carton blanks and cartons formed therefrom and more particularly to a carton formed from a single carton blank and wherein the carton has an integral movable lid. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are many cartons in general use which are formed from a single carton blank. In many instances, it is desirable to provide such cartons with a movable lid that can be moved between closed and opened positions so that materials may be removed from the carton. It is also necessary that these cartons be sealed after the desired materials have been dispensed therein so that there is no spillage during shipment and storage. Another desirable feature is that these cartons be provided with retaining means for holding the lid in a closed position, after removing a portion of the materials from the carton during actual use thereof, so that contaminating materials may not enter into the carton. This invention provides a carton formed from a single carton blank and having the foregoing desirable characteristics. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a carton formed from a unitary sheet of material having a left side edge, a right side edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, said left and right side edges being perpendicular to said top and bottom edges. A first plurality of spaced apart cut and fold lines extend from the top edge to the bottom edge, and a second plurality of spaced apart cut and fold lines extend from the top edge to the bottom edge to divide the unitary sheet of material into a center section, a left side section and a right side section. The center section has a plurality of transversely extending fold lines for dividing the center section from the top edge to the bottom edge into a lid front panel portion, a lid top panel portion, a lid back panel portion, a back panel portion, a bottom panel portion and a front panel portion. Each of the left and right side sections has cut out portions to divide each of the left and right side sections into first left and right side sub-sections, second left and right side sub-sections and third left and right side sub-sections. The first left and right side sub-sections comprise left and right lid outside side panel portions integral with the lid front panel portion. The second left and right side sub-sections comprise left and right lid top panel portions reinforcing tabs, left and right lid inside side panel portions, left and right inside side panel portions and left and right bottom panel portion reinforcing tabs. The third left and right sub-sections comprise left and right outside side panel portions. The carton blank is provided with fold lines, perforated lines and cut lines that are used to form a carton. In a series of folding and securing steps, portions of the carton blank are folded and secured together to form the material holding portion of the carton. After the desired materials have been deposited in the holding portion, a series of folding and securing steps form a lid for the carton and seal the carton for shipment, storage and sale. 
     A carton for holding material is formed from the carton blank and comprises front and back panel portions having the same height and width, opposite side panel portions and a bottom panel portion having a first width equal to the width of the front and rear panel portions and a second width equal to the width of the opposite side panel portions. The front and back panel portions, the opposite side panel portions and the bottom panel portion are connected together to form a carton having an open top portion. Each of the opposite side panel portions having a height at the juncture of the back panel portion and the opposite side panel portions that is greater than the height of the opposite side panel portions at the juncture of the front panel portion and the opposite side panel portions. A lid portion is hingedly secured to the back panel portion for permitting movement of the lid portion between closed and opened positions. The lid portion comprises a lid back panel portion hingedly secured to the back panel portion and having a height and a width. A lid front panel portion having a height greater than the height of the lid back panel portion and a width equal to the width of the lid back panel portion. Opposite lid side panel portions are provided and each has the same height and width. A lid top panel portion has a first width equal to the width of the lid front and back panel portions and a second width equal to the width of the opposite lid side panel portion. Each of the opposite lid side panel portions has a height at the juncture of the lid back panel portion and the opposite lid side panel portions that is less than the height of the opposite lid side panel portions at the juncture of the lid front panel portion and the opposite lid side panel portions. Portions of the front panel portion and the lid front panel portions are in superposed relationship when the lid portion is in the closed position and portions of the opposite side panel portions and portions of the opposite lid side panel portions are in superposed relationship when the lid portion is in said closed position. A portion of the lid front panel portion comprises a removable tab that is adhesively secured to a tear away panel portion on the front panel portion to provide for opening the carton so that the materials contained therein may be removed. 
    
    
      BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the inside portion of a carton blank of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the carton blank after a first plurality of folding steps; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view from the right side of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the carton blank after a second plurality of folding steps; 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevational view taken from the right side of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the carton blank after a third plurality of folding steps; 
     FIG. 10 is an end elevational view taken from the right side of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the carton blank after a fourth plurality of folding steps; 
     FIG. 13 is an end elevational view taken from the right side of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the carton in use and with the lid portion partially opened; 
     FIG. 16 is a partial front elevational view with the lid in an opened position with the top panel portion of the lid parallel to the front panel portion of the materials containing portion of the carton; and 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 17--17 of FIG. 15. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A carton blank 2 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-17 which carton blank may be folded and sealed to form a carton 4 as illustrated in FIG. 15. The carton 4 has a bottom container portion 6 and a top lid portion 8 movable between closed and opened positions. 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the inside portion of the carton 4. The carton blank 2 is a unitary sheet of a composite laminate of layers of materials. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inside layer 9 preferably comprises a paperboard material such as 0.021 inch DKL (recycled) or other similar materials such as natural Kraft board. The outside layer 10 comprises 0.75 mil polypropylene or other similar materials such as low density polyethylene which may be back printed to provide a desired appearance. Other thicknesses of the paperboard and plastic materials may be used. The method of forming the unitary sheet for forming the carton blank 2 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,173 to Peer, Jr., which is hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     The carton blank 2 has a left side edge 12, a right side edge 14, a top side edge 16 and a bottom edge 18 with the left and right side edges 12 and 14 being perpendicular to the top and bottom side edges 16 and 18. A first plurality of longitudinally extending fold lines 20, 22 and 24 and cut lines 26 and 28 cooperate with a second plurality of longitudinally extending fold lines 30, 32 and 34 and cut lines 36 and 38 to divide the carton blank 2 into a center section 40, a left side section 42 and a right side section 44. The left side section 42 has cut out portions 46 and 48 and the right side section 44 has cut out portions 50 and 52 to divide the left and right side sections 42 and 44 into first left and right side sub-sections 54 and 56, second left and right side sub-sections 58 and 60 and third left and right side sub-sections 62 and 64. The center section 40 has a plurality of transversely extending fold lines 66, 68, 70 and 72 to divide the center section into a lid front panel portion 74, a lid top panel portion 76, a back panel portion 78, a bottom panel portion 80 and a front panel portion 82. A hinge fold line 84 forms a lid back panel portion 86. A perforated line 88 forms a removable tab portion 90 having an adhesive strip 92 thereon. A continuous cut line 94 in the front panel portion 82, extending through the outside layer 10 and partially into the inside layer 9 forms a tear out panel portion 96 as described below. 
     The first left and right side sub-sections 54 and 56 comprise left and right lid inside side panels 102 and 104 integral with the lid front panel portion 74 and joined by fold lines 20 and 30. 
     The second left and right side sub-sections 58 and 60 comprise left and right lid top panel portion reinforcing tabs 106 and 108, left and right lid inside side panel portions 110 and 112 integral with the left and right lid top panel portion reinforcing tabs 106 and 108 and joined by transversely extending fold lines 114 and 116 and integral with the back panel portion 78 and joined by a portion of fold lines 22 and 32. Left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120 are joined to left and right lid inside side panel portions by perforated lines 122 and 124, which have an angular relationship with the left and right side edges 12 and 14 that is greater or less than ninety degrees and are integral with the back panel portion 78 and joined thereto by portions of fold lines 22 and 32. Left and right bottom panel portion reinforcing tabs 126 and 128 are integral with left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120 and are joined thereto by fold lines 130 and 132, which are perpendicular to the left and right side edges 12 and 14. 
     The third left and right side sub-sections 62 an 64 comprise left and right outside side panel portions 134 and 136 integral with the front panel portion 82 and joined thereto by fold lines 24 and 34 and have bottom edge portions 138 and 140 which are perpendicular to the left and right side edges 12 and 14 and top edge portions 142 and 144 which have an angular relationship with the left and right side edges 12 and 14 that is greater or less than 90 degrees. 
     The carton blank after the first sequence of folding steps to form the carton 4 is illustrated in FIGS. 3-8. In the first folding operations, illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the second left and right sub-sections 58 and 60 have been folded 90 degrees around the fold lines 22 and 32. In view of the perforated lines 122 and 124, the cut lines 26, 36, 28 and 38 and the fold lines 114, 116, 130 and 132, the left and right lid top panel portion reinforcing tabs 106 and 108, the left and right lid inside side panel portions 110 and 112 and the left and right bottom panel portion reinforcing tabs 126 and 128 have moved through 90 degrees with the left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120. The left and right bottom panel portion reinforcing tabs 126 and 128 have been folded 90 degrees around the fold lines 130 and 132. 
     The carton blank after the second sequence of folding steps is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. The bottom panel portion 80 has been folded 90 degrees around the fold line 70 and secured to the left and right bottom panel reinforcing tabs 126 and 128 by adhesive 150 and 152. The front panel portion 82 has been folded 90 degrees around the fold line 72 with the left and right outside side panel portions 134 and 136 moving therewith for 90 degrees. The left and right outside side panel portions 134 and 136 have been folded 90 degrees around fold lines 24 and 34 secured to the left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120 by adhesive 154 and 156. After the second sequence of folding steps, the partially formed carton 4 is ready to have the desired materials inserted therein. 
     The carton blank after the third sequence of folding steps is illustrated in FIGS. 9-11. The left and right lid top reinforcing panels 106 and 108 have been folded 90 degrees around fold lines 114 and 116. The lid top panel portion 76 has been folded 90 degrees around fold line 68 and secured to the left and right lid top reinforcing tabs 106 and 108 by adhesive 158 and 160. 
     The carton blank after the fourth sequence of folding steps is illustrated in FIGS. 12-14. The lid front panel portion 74 and the removable tab 90 have been folded 90 degrees around the fold line 66 and the removable tab 90 is secured to the tear away panel 96 by the adhesive strip 92. The left and right lid outside side panel portions 102 and 104 have been folded 90 degrees around fold lines 20 and 30 and portions thereof have been secured to the left and right lid inside side panel portions 110 and 112 by adhesive 162 and 164. The carton 4 is now ready for shipment, storage and sale. 
     When the user is ready to open the carton 4, the edge of the removable tab 90 is grasped and a force is applied thereto to tear the removable tab 90 along the perforated line 88. The tear away panel portion 96 is removed at the same time. An upward force is then applied to the lid front panel portion 74 to separate the left and right lid inside side panel portions 110 and 112 along the perforated lines 122 and 124. This functions to form left and right side lid abutment edges 166 and 168, FIG. 16, since, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the left and right lid inside side panel portions 110 and 112 are dimensionally smaller than the left and right lid outside side panel portions 102 and 104. Also, abutment edges are formed by the top edge portions 142 and 144 of the left and right outside side panel portions 134 and 136 since they are dimensionally smaller than the left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120. 
     When the lid is in the fully closed position, the abutment edges 166 and 168 are in contact with the abutment edges 142 and 144 so that portions of the left and right lid outside side panel portions 102 and 104 are in superposed relationship with portions of the left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120 and portions of the lid front panel portion 74 are in superposed relationship with portions of the front panel portion 82. Also, the top edge 170 of the front panel portion is located a distance above the top edges 172 and 174 of the left and right inside side panel portions 118 and 120 and is in frictional engagement with portions of the lid front panel portion 76 to hold the lid in the closed position. There also may be some frictional engagements with the top side edges 176 and 178 with portions of the left and right lid inside side panel portion 110 and 112. 
     While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.