Carton and blank therefor

Abstract

 A carton is formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material. Four panels 1a, 2b, 3a, 3b of the blank are attached to two other panels 4a, 4b by means of sixteen gluing portions 10 defined by perforations in the panels 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b. In order to dismantle the carton, free portions 11 of the four panels 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b are pulled and the gluing portions 10 separate from their parent panels whilst remaining glued to the other panels 4a, 4b. Thus the carton can easily be dismantled and packed flat. The carton has a tear strip 6 for easy opening and a reinforced handle portion 8.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a carton and a blank therefor.

[0002] It is an object of the invention to provide a carton which can be easily dismantled and packed flat after use to save space on disposal or recycling.

[0003] Accordingly, from a first aspect, the invention comprises a carton formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material, a plurality of panels of the blank each having one or more portions which are attached to another panel, characterised in that said portion(s) are frangible from the remaining part of each of said plurality of panels in order to detach each of said plurality of panels from the or each other panel and dismantle the carton.

[0004] Preferably, said portions are attached to the or each other panel by gluing and preferably, said plurality of panels have free portions which can be pulled in order to detach said plurality of panels from the or each other panel.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a panel of the carton is provided with a tear strip at one edge thereof and the carton can be opened by tearing the tear strip and hinging the panel at its opposite edge.

[0006] Advantageously, a portion of the carton which is adapted to form a handle is reinforced.

[0007] From a second aspect, the invention comprises a carton formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material, a panel of the carton having a tear strip running along a first edge of the panel, such that the carton can be opened by tearing the tear strip and hinging the panel at a second edge thereof which is not adjacent to the first edge.

[0008] From a third aspect, the invention comprises a carton formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material, at least one panel of the blank having a plurality of apertures, and a portion of said at least one panel between the apertures being reinforced in order to serve as a handle. Preferably, the handle portion is reinforced with reinforcing tape such as that sold under the Trade Mark "Sesame".

[0009] From a fourth aspect, the present invention comprises a blank for forming a carton as described above.

[0010] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows how the carton of Figure 2 is opened; and

Figures 4 and 5 show stages in the dismantling of the carton of Figure 2.

[0011] Figure 1 shows a blank for forming a carton which can be used to carry two large bottles. The blank is formed from stiff but foldable material such as double-faced corrugated paperboard and comprises a top panel 1, a front panel 2, a base panel 3 and a rear panel 4, connected together at score lines. The top panel 1 and base panel 3 are each provided with attachment panels 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b. The front panel 2 is provided with side flaps 2a, 2b and the rear panel 4 is provided with side flaps 4a, 4b and a top flap 4c.

[0012] A tear strip 5 runs along the edge of the front panel 2 adjacent the top panel 1. The tear strip is divided at its centre, where pulling tabs 6 are formed from the front panel. A convenient method of forming the tear strip is to locate an 11mm strip of "Sesame" tape (trade mark of Sesame Industries Limited, Quebec, Canada) between the outer facing sheet of the board and the corrugated ply, and to locate a further 11mm wide strip of the tape on the inner facing sheet which faces away from the corrugated strip, to lie symmetrically behind the first-mentioned strip.

[0013] Apertures 7 are formed in the top panel 1 to define a handle portion 8 between the apertures. The handle portion is reinforced by a length of Sesame tape 9 which runs along the top panel 1 and its attachment panels 1a, 1b.

[0014] Each attachment panel 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b has four gluing portions 10, defined by perforations in the panel. The gluing portions are located in the portion of the respective attachment panel adjacent the top panel 1 or base panel 3. The remainder of each attachment panel constitutes a free portion 11 defined by a score line.

[0015] Figure 2 shows the carton formed from the blank of Figure 1. To assemble the carton, the front panel 2 and rear panel 4 are folded up from the base panel 3 around the items to be contained and the top panel 1 is folded over the top flap 4c. The rear side flaps 4a, 4b are folded around the front side flaps 2a, 2b respectively and the gluing portions 10 are then glued to the respective rear side panel 4a or 4b.

[0016] Figure 3 shows how the carton can be opened. The tear strip 5 is torn away by means of the pulling tabs 6 and the front panel 2 is then hinged downwardly.

[0017] Figure 4 shows a first step in dismantling the carton, the free portions 11 being lifted to enable the attachment panels 1a, 1b, 3a 3b to be gripped. As shown in Figure 5, on pulling the free portions 11, the gluing portions 10 become detached from the attachment panels at the perforations, and remain glued to the side panels 4a, 4b whilst the attachment panels are pulled away. The blank can then be folded flat for convenient disposal or recycling.

[0018] The invention, as described above, provides a carton with a robust yet simple carrying handle and a convenient method of opening. The carton can be quickly and easily dismantled and packed flat.

Claims

1. A carton formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material comprising panels connected at fold lines, a plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) of the blank each having one or more portions (10) which are attached to another panel (4a, 4b), characterised in that said portion(s) (10) are frangible from the remaining part of each of said plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) in order to detach each of said plurality of panels from the or each other panel (4a, 4b) and dismantle the carton.

2. A carton according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) of the blank has a plurality of said portions (10).

3. A carton according to claim 2, wherein said frangible portions (10) are defined by perforations in each of said plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b).

4. A carton according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said portions (10) are attached to the or each other panel (4a, 4b) by glue.

5. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) has a free portion (11) which can be pulled in order to detach the panel (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) in question from the other panel (4a, 4b).

6. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein a panel (2) of the carton is provided with a tear strip (6) at one edge thereof and the carton can be opened by tearing the tear strip (6) and hinging the panel (2) at its opposite edge.

7. A carton according to any preceding claim, wherein a portion (2) of the carton which is adapted to form a handle runs between apertures (7) in a panel (?) reinforced.

8. A blank for forming a carton, of stiff but foldable board material having panels connected at score lines, a plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) of the blank each having one or more portions (10) which are arranged to be attached to another panel (4a, 4b), characterised in that said portion(s) (10) are frangible from the remaining part of each of said plurality of panels (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b).

9. A carton formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material, a panel (2) of the carton having a tear strip (6) running along a first edge of the panel, such that the carton can be opened by tearing the tear strip (6) and hinging the panel (2) at a second edge which is not adjacent to the first edge.

10. A carton formed from a blank of stiff but foldable board material, at least one panel (1) of the blank having a plurality of apertures (7), and a portion (8) of said at least one panel (1) between the apertures being reinforced in order to serve as a handle.

Drawing