Abstract: A carton for packaging one or more articles, each having a laterally extending flange, includes a top wall panel, a side wall panel connected to the top wall panel, and an article retention structure with a tab formed from the side wall panel. The tab includes an upper edge for engaging the underside of the flange and an opposing lower edge defined by a pair of fold lines. The minimum distance between the top wall panel and the upper edge of the tab is less than the thickness of the flange, which causes the tab to pivot with respect to the adjacent side wall panel when the flange is received in the slit that is defined by the upper edge of the tab.

Abstract: A carton and blank having a tear line comprising a plurality of perforations or short slits arranged in at least three rows. There is also provided a carton and blank for forming a carton having a wall provided with a tear open feature which comprises a tear initiating tab formed in the wall and at least three tear lines extending from the tear initiating tab toward the perimeter of the wall, wherein each tear line comprises a plurality of perforations or short slits arranged in at least three rows.

Abstract: An article aligning apparatus for aligning a plurality article tiers to be loaded into a carton. Each article tier comprises an article array delivered from an in-feed stream at an in-feed end of a packaging machine. The apparatus comprises an article conveyor for conveying a lower article tier, a first article conveying means including one or more lugs mounted on an endless track for selecting an upper article tear and for conveying the upper article tier to a point of vertical alignment with the lower article tier, thereafter to be stacked and conveyed to the out feed end of the apparatus.

Abstract: An opening assist for a dispensing carton to facilitate the opening of the carton to dispense articles without unintentional tearing of the carton. The dispensing carton includes a plurality of panels hingedly connected to one another. A displaceable portion is detachably connected to an end of the carton to define an opening for exposing an endmost article for removal from the carton end. The displaceable portion is at least partially defined by a frangible line on the carton end. An opening assist is defined in the carton end at least partially along the frangible line to facilitate the opening of the dispensing carton via the displaceable portion.

Abstract: An article carrier of the basket type adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, such as bottles, comprises a base, opposed side and end walls, and a medial partition structure. The bottles are received on both the sides of the medial partition structure. A securing flap is hinged to the medial partition structure and is secured to one end wall to create a joint between said medial partition structure and that end wall. The medial partition structure includes first and second medial panels hinged together along a first fold line. The first fold line is disposed inwardly of the carrier from the one end wall relative to a second fold line by which the securing flap is hinged to one of the first and second medial panels.

Abstract: A package comprises an article group formed of at least two vertically arranged tiers of cylindrical articles disposed on their sides in a side-by-side parallel fashion, and a carton disposed around the group. The carton comprises a top wall, opposed side walls, an end wall and an article dispenser. The side walls are disposed alongside the ends of the articles of the group while the end wall is disposed adjacent to the side walls of the adjacent endmost articles. The dispenser includes a corner portion of the carton formed from and detachably connected to the top, side and end walls to be removed from the carton to thereby define an opening for exposing at least some of the articles for removal. The opening is shaped to define a recess in each side wall to reveal at least a part of the endmost article in the lowermost tier of the article group.

Abstract: A wraparound article carrier and a blank for forming a wraparound article carrier for packaging an article such as a pot of foodstuffs is disclosed. The carrier comprises opposed top and base walls interconnected by opposed side walls thereby forming a tubular structure. An aperture is provided in the base wall panel to accommodate a portion of the article. A bracing tab is formed at least in part from the base wall to define the aperture and folded so as to form a spacer for causing the top and base to be spaced by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A tray and a blank for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like which tray is formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material and can be erected from a flat collapsed condition into a position of use. The tray comprises a plurality of panels for forming a base, opposed side and end walls wherein the panels forming the tray are a composite structure comprising inner and outer panels forming the base, side and end walls. The insert is retained in the tray by means of a securing tab formed from the tray and engaged by an upper edge of the insert.

Abstract: A package and two part blank for forming a package for carrying one or more articles comprising a carton having a plurality of wall panels for forming a tubular structure wherein each end of the carton is closed by a first panel hingedly connected to one of the wall panels, an intermediate panel hingedly connected to another wall panel of the carton and adapted to be placed in face contacting relationship within the inner face of the first panel. There further comprises within the carton an insert structure for supporting the one or more articles including a second panel. An aperture or recess is provided in the intermediate panel such that glue applied to an outer face of the second panel and the intermediate panel secures together said first, second and intermediate panels when placed together in face contacting relationship to close the end of the carton.

Abstract: A carton for dispensing articles having a dispensing feature is adapted for restraining articles within the carton until the consumer desires to remove the endmost articles from the carton. To erect the carton, a plurality of panels are connected together to define an end of the carton. A first detachable portion at the end of the carton may be detached from the carton to define an opening for dispensing articles from an upper or lower row of articles within the carton. A second detachable portion at the end of the carton borders the first detachable portion and may also be detached from the carton to enlarge the opening in an alternative embodiment. The second detachable portion restrains articles in an upper row of articles prior to detaching the second detachable portion from the erected carton.

Abstract: An article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier for carrying one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides and ends of the article carrier including a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to the opposed side walls. A carrying handle is hinged to the top wall panels. The handle is movable between a retracted position when the handle does not extend above the top of the articles and a deployed position whereby the handle protrudes above the article tops.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the condition of a packaging machine during operation and diagnosing potential problems in the performance of the machine. The system comprises an input device, an output device and a processing unit that supports a user interface presented by the output device. The processing unit is arranged to permit a user, when in use, to input via the user interface a number of pre-determined parameters to measure one or more elements or assemblies in the machine, to receive information from one or more sensors measuring the element or assembly and to analyse the information with the parameter to render via the output device a signal.

Abstract: The carton is convertible into two display trays on which tapered articles may be displayed. The trays can be pivoted about a fold line without disturbing each row of articles in the carton. The fold line is formed in the base of the carton whereas lines of weakening are formed in the top, front and rear. The top of the carton is provided with a pair of parallel weakened or tear lines that are parallel to the fold line in the base. The tear lines in the top extend all the way across the top to define between themselves a removable portion. The distance between the fold line and either tear line of the top is dimensioned such that the two rows of articles may be efficiently separated or uninterleaved from each other while held respectively in the two trays when the two trays are pivoted about the fold line.

Abstract: An article carrier and a blank for an article carrier for holding articles with tapered sides, for example connected plastic cups, comprising a top wall, opposed side walls and a base wall hingedly connected together to form a tubular structure. An article retention structure is hingedly connected to one of the side walls and the base panel. The article retention structure is formed by a plurality of panels including a side end flap so constructed and arranged to taper inwardly towards the base wall to substantially conform to the shape of an adjacent article.

Abstract: A carton and a blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of articles, for example bottles, comprising a collapsible tubular corner post formed from an extension of a carton side wall. The corner post is adapted to move from a flat collapsed condition when extending outwardly of the carton to be automatically erected by folding the corner post inwardly.

Abstract: An article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier of the basket type comprising in sequence a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel, a second side panel and a third end panel foldably connected together one to next. A base panel is hinged to respective one of the side panels and a handle structure comprising first and second handle panels is foldably connected to the second end panel. The first handle panel is foldably connected to the first end panel and the second hand panel is foldably connected to the third end panel. The first and second handle panels are adjacent to the first and second side panels respectively and are separated therefrom. The first and second handle panels are so constructed and arranged to be placed in face contacting relationship to form a two ply handle when the carrier is set up.