Abstract: A carrier is constructed from paperboard and includes a rounded or non-rectangular top in combination with a non-rounded or rectangular bottom. Dust flaps which extend from the top and bottom of the carrier overlap one another to form a pair of opposing composite side panels. The dust flaps which are attached to the side panels include a crease or fold line adjacent to the bottom of the carrier which only extends partially along the height of the carrier so that the juncture between the side flap and the associated side panel adjacent the top of the carrier does not include a crease or fold line. As such, the side panel and adjacent side flap adjacent the top of the carrier can be tightly wrapped around the arcuate sidewall of the containers within the carrier to thereby provide a neat and tightly packed package configuration.

Abstract: Product packages and methods of making same, and unpowered conductive circuits for use, for example, as game pieces and methods of making the same. The product package includes a paperboard blank configured to be formed into a box. An electrical circuit is printed with conductive ink pattern onto a surface of the blank. A user may interact with the electrical circuit by, for example, pressing tabs cut into the box. The tabs may include conductive contacts that activate sections of the electrical circuit, thereby producing one or more desirable effects in response to various combinations of tabs being pressed by the user. The electrical circuit may be powered by a battery inserted into a battery compartment of the product package. The blank may include a removable section with a printed electrical circuit, or a portion thereof, that may be separated from the blank and used separately from the product package.

Abstract: A paperboard carton blank is formed into a carton from an integral sheet of foldable material, such as paperboard. The carton includes a number of sides serially connected to one another each having a top end spaced from a bottom end. A number of top and bottom flaps are each foldably connected to the top and bottom end, respectively, of one of the sides and the associated flaps combine to form top and bottom ends of the carton. One or more struts extend beyond the distal ends of at least some of the top or bottom flaps and are folded into face to face juxtaposition and secured onto an inside face of the side associated with the flap to which it is connected to thereby reinforce the associated side and inhibit deformation of the carton.

Abstract: A paperboard carton blank is formed into a carton which is robust and resistant to crushing. The carton of one embodiment is formed from an integral sheet of foldable material, such as paperboard. The carton includes a number of sides serially connected to one another and each of the sides has a top end spaced from a bottom end. A number of top flaps are each foldably connected to the top end of one of the sides and the top flaps combine to form a top end of the carton. Similarly, a number of bottom flaps are each foldably connected to the bottom end of one of the sides and the bottom flaps combine to form a bottom end of the carton. One or more struts extend from the distal ends of at least some of the top or bottom flaps and are folded into face to face juxtaposition and secured onto an inside face of the side associated with the flap to which it is connected to thereby reinforce the associated side and inhibit deformation of the carton.

Abstract: Handle design for a beverage carton allows the handle feature to lie directly next to the underlying reinforced handle feature and provides tear resistance in that there is no single layer of board being carried by either the person stocking the product, or the consumer as they handle the package. This avoids any such tearing due to the placement of the reinforcing strip relative to the handle openings.

Abstract: A package for a number of beverage or non-beverage containers includes an overlay member covering the top or bottom ends of the containers. The overlay member has a central, generally planar panel positioned on the ends of the containers and may include a number of perimeter panels each joined to and positioned on a perimeter of the central panel. Each perimeter panel is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the central panel. A dispenser opening is in the central panel of the overlay member through which the containers may be removed from the package. An overwrap member such as a thermoplastic shrink wrap film envelops the array of containers and the overlay member to provide a robust, unitary package for transport and storage. A line of weakness in the overwrap member is aligned with the dispenser to allow a user to puncture the overwrap member in the vicinity of the line of weakness and gain access to the containers via the dispenser.

Abstract: A carton blank is assembled into a carton for beverage containers, the blank having a number of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels each joined by a fold line to an adjacent one of the panels. A number of end flaps are each joined by an end flap fold line to one of the panels and the end flaps are adapted to be folded upon selected other end flaps to form composite end panels of the carton. A carrying handle is formed in a selected one of the panels and adapted to be grasped by a user to carry the erected carton filled with the beverage containers. The blank includes a primary reinforcing panel joined to one of the panels such that the primary reinforcing panel may be folded into face to face juxtaposition with the selected one of the panels.

Abstract: A package for a number of beverage or non-beverage containers includes an overlay member covering the top or bottom ends of the containers. The overlay member has a central, generally planar panel positioned on the ends of the containers and may include a number of perimeter panels each joined to and positioned on a perimeter of the central panel. Each perimeter panel is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the central panel. A dispenser opening is in the central panel of the overlay member through which the containers may be removed from the package. An overwrap member such as a thermoplastic shrink wrap film envelops the array of containers and the overlay member to provide a robust, unitary package for transport and storage. A line of weakness in the overwrap member is aligned with the dispenser to allow a user to puncture the overwrap member in the vicinity of the line of weakness and gain access to the containers via the dispenser.

Abstract: A package for a number of beverage containers includes an overlay member covering the top ends of the beverage containers. The overlay member has a central, generally planar panel positioned atop the top ends of the beverage containers and a number of perimeter panels each joined to and positioned on a perimeter of the central panel. Each perimeter panel is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the central panel. A dispenser opening is in the central panel of the overlay member through the beverage containers may be removed from the package. A dispenser flap is adjacent the dispenser opening and a perimeter edge of the overlay member. The dispenser flap may be pulled outwardly from the overlay member by a user to provide access through which the beverage containers may be removed from the package. An overwrap member such as a thermoplastic shrink wrap film envelops the array of beverage containers and the overlay member to provide a robust, unitary package for transport and storage.

Abstract: A package for a number of beverage containers includes an overlay member covering the top ends of the beverage containers. The overlay member has a central, generally planar panel positioned atop the top ends of the beverage containers and a number of perimeter panels each joined to and positioned on a perimeter of the central panel. Each perimeter panel is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the central panel. A dispenser opening is in the central panel of the overlay member through the beverage containers may be removed from the package. A dispenser flap is adjacent the dispenser opening and a perimeter edge of the overlay member. The dispenser flap may be pulled outwardly from the overlay member by a user to provide access through which the beverage containers may be removed from the package. An overwrap member such as a thermoplastic shrink wrap film envelops the array of beverage containers and the overlay member to provide a robust, unitary package for transport and storage.

Abstract: An improved pour spout assembly in a paperboard carton comprises a pour spout front panel formed from a section of a vertical side wall of the carton, and a component adhered to the interior surface of the side wall. The component has two sections separated by a frangible score. One section comprises a pour spout back panel and a pair of wings. The other section is a backboard having a pair of prongs that extend downward. Each prong forms a channel with an adjacent vertical edge of the pour spout opening to hold a wing in abutting relationship with the edge. The prongs also act as stoppers to prevent the pour spout from being pushed back into the interior of the carton.

Abstract: A compartmented container made from a single blank of material containing a plurality of transverse dividers positioned to receive a single longitudinal partition from the bottom of the carton such that the number of substantially uniform separate cells are doubled. The container may be easily transported in mass quantities either partially assembled or completely unassembled. From its partially assembled state, the container can be fully erected with minimal post-shipping assembly activities which do not increase regardless of the number of compartments to be contained within the container.

Abstract: A single paperboard blank for forming a carton having a tear open spout for dispensing material contained therein. The blank includes a first main panel with first and second side panels and end flaps hingedly connected thereto by way of fold lines. In addition, a second main panel is hingedly connected to the second side panel and includes a third side panel and end flaps hingedly connected thereto by way of fold lines. A closure flap is formed in the third side panel and a spout panel is hingedly connected to the third side panel. The formed carton has a plurality of side walls hingedly connected to one another by fold lines, a top wall and a bottom wall, with one of the side walls including an outer panel and an inner panel adhesively secured thereto with closure flap formed in the inner panel. A tear protective flap is formed in the outer panel for sealing the carton until the initial use.

Abstract: A paperboard carton blank consisting of a first panel having side walls connected thereto by scored fold lines formed between a respective side wall and a respective edge of the first panel is provided. The blank further includes a second panel having side walls connected thereto by scored fold lines formed between a respective side wall and a respective edge of the second panel with one of the side walls of the first panel and one of the side walls of the second panel being congruent. The second panel additionally includes a region of weakness formed therein for allowing access to the interior of a formed carton. This region of weakness includes a tab extending from the second panel, at least one uncut line of weakness formed in the second panel and at least one cut line of weakness substantially parallel to the uncut line of weakness and formed in the second panel.

Abstract: A filtration device is disclosed comprising an assembly of three concentric tubular members in longitudinal upright position, having a closure wall at each end, the inner and middle tubular members being perforated over substantially their entire length to permit water flow therethrough, and the outer tubular member being substantially solid over its entire length. An inlet is connected to the inner tubular member at each end, and an outlet is connected to the outer tubular member. The space between the inner tubular member and the middle tubular member is a filtration chamber containing a filtration medium. A dividing device is laterally positioned in the inner tubular member dividing it into upper and lower non-communicating portions, and a dividing device is also laterally positioned in the filtration chamber dividing it into upper and lower non-communicating filtration chambers. The filtration medium is adapted to not pass through the perforations of the inner and middle tubular members.