Carton with means for increasing the access area

Abstract

 There is provided a carton 11 having a pair of first side panels 18 and a pair of second side panels 19. The first side panels 18 are attached to a rear panel 17 and the second side panels 19 are attached to a front panel 15. Locking tabs 26 extend from the second side panels 19 and are received in arcuate slots provided by the first side panels 18. This enables the rear panel 17 and first side panels 18 to rotate thereby increasing the access area at the top of the carton. Top closure means 20, 22, 23 are also provided.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to cartons, and more particularly but not exclusively to cartons which are made from paperboard. It is often a problem with cartons that it would be beneficial for the opening area of the carton to be larger than it is in order to improve access to the contents of the carton.

[0002] According to the present invention there is provided a carton having a number of interconnected panels thereby to define an enclosed volume, one or more of said panels being movable relative to the other panels to increase said enclosed volume.

[0003] In some arrangements, the panels include a base panel, front and rear panels connected to opposite edges of the base panel, top closure means, first side panels hingedly connected to the rear panel and second side panels hingedly connected to the front panel and interconnected with the respective first side panels so as to be movable relative thereto. Preferably the first side panels have one or more arcuate slots centered on the hinge connection between the rear panel and the base panel, inwardly projecting tabs being provided on the second side panels for interengagement with the slots to guide the movement of the rear and first side panels relative to the second side panels.

[0004] Conveniently two spaced tabs and two spaced slots are provided on each side of the carton. In certain arrangements each tab has lateral projections which project radially beyond the arcuate side edges of its associated slot on the inside of the carton.

[0005] Preferably the relative movement of the panels results in a substantial doubling of the length of the side edges at the top opening of the carton, when the carton is expanded.

[0006] With preferred arrangements the top closure means comprises side flaps hingedly connected to respective second side panels and an overlying top panel hingedly connected to the rear panel, the top panel having a tuck flap remote from the rear panel for releasable retention between the front panel and the two side flaps.

[0007] An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail, the description making reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a paperboard blank for producing a carton according to the present invention,

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the assembled carton in a closed condition,

Figure 3 shows a perspective view from another angle of the carton of figure 2 with top closure means open, and

Figure 4 shows a perspective view from yet another angle of the carton of figure 2 in an open and expanded condition.

[0008] In the figures there is shown a paperboard blank 10 for producing a carton 11 which in use may contain a number of articles (not shown) such as sweets.

[0009] The carton 11 has a base panel 12 with two oppositely disposed lower side flaps 13 hingedly connected thereto. Also connected to the base panel 12 by a fold 14 is a front panel 15 and by a fold 16 is a rear panel 17.

[0010] The rear panel 17 has at its side edges a pair of first side panels 18 which in use lie inside of second side panels 19 which are hingedly connected to the side edges of the front panel 15. At the upper ends of the second side panels 19 are upper side flaps 20 which are hingedly connected to the respective second side panels 19. Top closure means 21 are provided at the top of the rear panel 17 and take the form of a top panel 22 and a tuck flap 23. Such top closure means 21 and upper side flaps 20 are conventional in form and need no further description.

[0011] Each first side panel 18 is provided with a pair of parallel sided arcuate slots 24, each of which has as its centre of curvature in use the hinge 16 between the rear panel 17 and the base panel 12. The top edge 25 of each rear panel 17 is also arcuate with a similar centre of curvature in use.

[0012] Each second side panel 19 has a pair of locking tabs 26 which are positioned for engagement with the slots 24. Each tab 26 is in use folded inwardly about folds 27 and through its associated slot 24. Each tab has lateral projections 28 which can be manipulated through its associated slot 24 so as to project radially beyond the arcuate side edges of the slot 24 on the inside of the carton. The marginal position of each slot 24 is, therefore, disposed between the projections 28 and the second side panel 19 when the carton 11 is erected. Each second side panel 19 also has a lengthwise crease 29 which is generally parallel to and spaced from the free edge of the second side panel and the folds 27. The crease 29 assists in keeping the second side panel 19 stiff when the tabs 26 are inserted into the slots 24 during erection of the carton.

[0013] In this way the tab/slot combinations act as a guide for movement of the rear panel 17 and the first side panels 18 relative to the front panel 15 and the second side panels 19. It will be seen from figure 4 that the open pack in its fully expanded condition effectively doubles the length of the top edge of the top opening thus increasing the access area at the top of the carton. The arcuate nature of the top edge 25 of the first side panels maintains a smooth continuation of the top of the carton 11.

[0014] The radial width of the slots is a matter of design choice but should be sufficient to enable the tabs to be manipulated therethrough but remain small enough to make it difficult for the articles in the carton to pass through.

[0015] When access to the carton is no longer required, then the rear panel 17 can be pushed inwardly to the position shown in figure 3. The top closure means 21 can then be closed and the tucking of the tuck flap 23 between the front panel 15 and the upper side flaps 20 substantially prevents from the rear panel 17 hinging about the base panel and into its expanded position. It will be appreciated that the second side panels 19 are external and thereby give the carton a conventional appearance prior to expansion.

[0016] It will be realised that the shape of the carton 11 is simply an example and that the expansion arrangement can be applied to many different shapes of carton. Furthermore the number and form of the slots/tabs is for illustrative purposes and should not be regarded as limiting.

Claims

1. A paperboard blank (10) for forming a carton, comprising:

a base panel (12);

a front panel (15) connected to the base panel (12);

a rear panel (17) hingedly connected to the base panel (12) at a hinge connection (16);

two first side panels (18), one first side panel (18) being connected to each side of the rear panel (17);

two second side panels (19), one second side panel being connected to each side of the front panel (15);

at least one arcuate slot (24) in each first side panel (18); and

at least one tab (26) extending from a side of each second side panel (19), wherein in a carton erected from the blank, each at least one tab (26) extends through a corresponding arcuate slot (24).

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the number of arcuate slots (24) in each first side panel (18) corresponds to the number of tabs (26) on each second side panel (19).

3. The blank according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a top panel (22) hingedly connected to the rear panel (17).

4. The blank according to any of claims 1-3, further comprising two lower side flaps (13), one lower side flap (13) being connected to each side of the base panel (12), and located between one of the first side panels (18) and one of the second side panels (19).

5. The blank according to any of claims 1-4, wherein each tab (26) is foldably connected to its respective second side panel (19).

6. The blank according to claim 5, wherein each tab (26) is foldable inwardly toward its respective second side panel (19).

7. The blank according to any of claims 1-6, wherein each first side panel (18) includes two arcuate slots (24), and each second side panel (19) includes two tabs (26).

8. The blank according to claim 7, wherein the tabs (26) on each second side panel (19) are spaced from one another along a free edge of the second side panel (19).

9. The blank according to any of claims 1-8, wherein each second side panel (19) includes a crease (29) parallel to and spaced from a free edge of the side panel (19).

10. The blank according to any of claims 1-9, further comprising two upper side flaps (20), one upper side flap (20) being connected to an end of each second side panel (19).

11. The blank according to claim 3, further comprising a tuck flap (23) connected to an end of the top panel (22).

12. The blank according to any of claims 1-11, wherein each tab (26) includes lateral locking projections (28).

Drawing