Carton having a strap handle and light protective flaps
A carton includes a top panel, a pair of opposed end panels, and an integral strap handle that defines in the top panel an opening extending across the top panel, and has a medial grip portion, a pair of wider portions and opposed end portions. The opposed end portions are formed from the end panels while the medial and wider portions are formed from the top panel. The strap handle is movable from a stowed position where the medial and wider portions lie in the plane of the top panel to a use position where the medial portion is arched upwardly from the plane of the top panel. Light protective flaps connected to the top panel fold inwardly defining apertures for accessing the strap handle to place it in the use position, and spring back into a light-protecting position when the strap handle is in the stowed position.
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/280,405, filed Oct. 25, 2002, which claims the benefit of Provisional Applications No. 60/347,968 and 60/332,455, filed Oct. 27, 2001 and Nov. 17, 2001, respectively, the entirety of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to cartons having strap handles integrally formed from one or more carton walls, and more particularly, to a carton with an integral strap handle and further to an arrangement for protecting the user's hand when the carton is lifted by the strap handle, and that protect the contents from light when the carton is not being lifted by the strap handle.
Cartons having integral strap handles are well known in the art. An example of the strap handle carton is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 1,243,987 in which a carton is illustrated as having a strap handle that is formed primarily from a top wall. The strap handle includes a longitudinally elongated medial grip portion and a pair of wider portions located at opposite ends of the medial grip portion. Each wider portion is defined by a pair of cut lines that diverge from the medial grip portion toward the adjacent end edge of the top wall. To lift the carton, the strap handle is gripped at the medial grip portion and pulled upward, which displaces the handle from a stowed position where the handle lies in the plane of the top wall to a use position where it is arched upwardly from the plane of the top wall. The carton is light tight when the handle is in its stowed position. However, in lifting the carton, it is necessary to fold the handle flaps inwardly to underlie the elongated medial grip portion of the handle. The apertures formed by this action provide finger access to permit the elongated handle portion to be grasped and lifted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,273 discloses another example of the strap handle carton wherein the top wall comprises a pair of inner and outer panels and the strap handle is formed in part from the inner top panel and in part from opposed inner end flaps that are hingedly connected the end edges of the inner top panel. The inner end flaps are glued to opposed outer end flaps that are hingedly connected to the end edges of the outer top panel. For this purpose, glue is applied typically along the lower edges of the end flaps such that the opposed end portions of the strap handle are free of restraint from the outer end flaps. This specific glue location is required in order to allow inward movement of the opposed end portions of the strap handle when the carton is lifted by the handle. If glued to the outer end flaps, the handle end portions would be forcibly peeled from the outer end flaps, which could damage the fibrous structure of the handle ends. Although the glue locations are almost precisely controllable by the use of modern packaging machines, having precautionary measures would always be warranted to prevent undesired rupture of the strap handle.
What is needed, therefore, is a carton having an integral, wide-ended strap handle wherein the interference of the strap handle with the top wall is effectively prevented or at least mitigated during the use of the strap handle. Such a carton should be provided with means for preventing the wider portions from being caught by complementary edges of the opening in the top wall. A carton having handle-reinforcing means that would compensate for a potential peeling damage of the strap handle is also needed. What is further needed is an arrangement wherein inward movement of the handle end portions is facilitated upon lifting of the carton by the strap handle. Such an arrangement should be provided particularly when the handle end portions are reinforced.
What is further needed is a strap handle that provides light protection whenever the carton is not being carried. Such strap handle would provide light protection to the bottle, can or other articles, thereby decreasing or preventing degradation of the product contained within the carton. An example of light degradation on certain bottled products is when light comes into contact with beer/wine it can reduce the quality of the beer/wine. The light protecting strap handle of this invention would ensure that the contents of the carton, whether food or beverage, would be preserved for an extended period of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a carton including a first top panel, a pair of opposed end panels hingedly connected to the first top panel, and an integral strap handle extending between the end panels across the first top panel. The strap handle includes a medial grip portion, a pair of wider portions joined to the opposite ends of the medial grip portion and opposed end portions connected to the wider portions, respectively. The opposed end portions are formed from the end panels, while the medial and wider portions are formed from the first top panel. The strap handle is movable from a stowed position where the medial and wider portions lie in the plane of the first top panel, to a use position, where the medial portion is arched upwardly from the plane of the first top panel. The strap handle defines in the first top panel an opening or cutout extending across the first top panel. Means for defining a relief notch in the first top panel is provided at the location directly adjoining each wider portion along a complementary side edge of the opening so that a part of the respective wider portion is extended through the relief notch when the strap handle is moved to the use position. This arrangement prevents the wider portions from being scraped against the complementary side edge of the opening.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the relief notch is defined by a hinged tab. The hinged tab may be defined by a slit in the first top panel and by a fold line hingedly connecting the hinged tab to the first top panel.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the relief notch is defined by a plurality of hinged tabs. The hinged tabs may be cut from the first top panel by one or more slits such that when the strap handle is moved to the use position, the part of each wider portion moves into one of the slits to thrust one or more of the hinged tabs upward and the other tabs downward. The one or more slits for the relief notch may emanate from a fold line by which the hinged tabs are connected to the first top panel and extend to the complementary side edge of the opening defined by the strap handle.
In a further preferred embodiment, the carton further includes a second top panel secured to the outside surface of the first top panel to form a composite top wall. The second top panel may have a handle access opening aligned in part with the medial grip portion of the strap handle and in part with the wider portions of the strap handle. The width of the access opening at its opposite extreme ends may be greater than the width of the wider portions at the positions aligned with the opposite extreme ends.
According to another aspect of the invention, a carton includes top and base panels interconnected by opposed side panels to form a tubular structure, opposed end closure structures for at least partially closing the opposite ends of the tubular structure, and an integral strap handle extending between the end closure structures across the top panel. Each end closure structure includes a pair of side end flaps hingedly connected to the side panels and a top end flap hingedly connected to the top panel and disposed on the outside surfaces of the adjacent side end flaps. The strap handle includes a medial grip portion formed from the top panel and opposed end portions formed respectively from the opposed top end flaps. The strap handle is movable from a stowed position where the end portions lie in the respective planes of the top end flaps to a use position where the end portions are disposed inwardly of the respective planes of the top end flaps. At least one yielding flap is formed from the side end flaps of each end closure structure and disposed along the adjacent end portion of the strap handle so as to be displaceable inwardly of the carton. These yielding flaps are inwardly displaced in response to inward movement of the handle end portions to the use position and thereby facilitate inward movement of the handle end portions.
In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the yielding flaps are secured to the end portions of the strap handle respectively to reinforce the strap handle.
In another preferred embodiment, each yielding flap is defined by a severance line in the respective side end flap and by the free end edge of the respective side end flap. The severance line may extend downwardly from the upper edge of the respective side end flap. The severance lines may be disposed and located such that the severance line of the respective side end flap is generally registered with the adjacent side edge of the adjacent end portion of the strap handle.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the size of the side end flaps is such that the side end flaps of each end closure structure overlap each other and as a whole extend entirely across the width of the carton. Each side end flap of each end closure structure may be provided at its upper end corner with a beveled edge. The beveled edges of the mating side end flaps may define a notch for receiving an article packaged in the carton.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a carton includes a pair of inner and outer top panels secured together in an overlapping relationship to form a composite top wall, a pair of opposed end flaps hingedly connected to the inner top panel, an integral strap handle extending between the end flaps across the inner top panel, and a handle-reinforcing strip disposed in face-contacting relationship with the strap handle. The strap handle includes a medial grip portion, a pair of wider portions joined to the opposite ends of the medial grip portion, and a pair of opposed end portions connected to the wider portions respectively. The opposed end portions of the strap handle are formed from the end flaps respectively while the medial and wider portions are formed from the inner top panel. The reinforcing strip is disposed entirely along the strap handle and is hingedly connected to the end flaps along first and second fold lines that are inset from the adjacent side edges of the end portions of the strap handle.
In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the reinforcing strip is hingedly connected to the medial grip portion of the strap handle along a third fold line that is aligned with the first and second fold lines.
In another preferred embodiment, the end portions of the strap handle are formed with article-receiving openings respectively. The reinforcing strip may be formed with windows disposed in registry with the openings respectively. Each opening of the strap handle may be defined by a pair of yieldable tabs formed from the respective end portion of the strap handle. The yieldable tabs of each opening may be hingedly connected to the respective end portion.
In yet another preferred embodiment, light protecting flaps are hingedly connected to the outer top panel of the carton. The light protecting flaps fold inward somewhat in response to the strap handle being moved to a position of use, in order to accommodate the fingers of a hand. When the strap handle is returned to the stowed position, the light protecting flaps spring substantially back to their original positions, thereby blocking the infiltration of light into the interior of the carton.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In
The blank 10 has a base panel 14, a pair of side panels 16 and 18 hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 20 and 22 respectively, and first and second top panels 26 and 24 hingedly connected to the side panels 18 and 16 along fold lines 30 and 28 respectively. The fold lines 20, 22, 28 and 30 may be simple score lines, partially cut score lines, perforated lines or other suitable means. The base panel 14 has lower end flaps 32 and 34 which in use are folded up, and the top panels 24 and 26 have upper end flaps 36, 38, 40 and 42 which in use are folded down. Hingedly connected to the side panels 16 and 18 are side end flaps 44, 46, 48 and 50 which are folded inwardly and are adhesively secured to the inside surfaces of the end flaps 32, 34, 36 and 38 so as to fully enclose the ends of the carton 12. The side end flaps 44, 46, 48 and 50 each includes upper and lower portions 52 and 54. The lower portion 54 of each side end flap is hingedly connected to the respective side panel along a vertical fold line 56 while the upper portion 52 of each side end flap is hingedly connected to the respective side panel along an inwardly inclined fold line 58. The upper and lower portions 52 and 54 of each side end flap are interconnected by a short fold line 60.
The first and second top panels 26 and 24 in this embodiment are adapted to be secured together in overlapping relationship to form a composite top wall 250 (
The inner top panel 26 incorporates a series of tear lines 88, 90, 92 and 94 which define a strap handle 200 with the free side edge. More specifically, the tear line 88 is formed in the upper end flap 40 and connects with the tear line 90 formed in inner top panel 26 that extends to the finger receiving aperture 62. Similarly the tear line 92 is formed in the upper end flap 42 and connects with the tear line 94 formed in the inner panel 26 that extends to the aperture 62. The strap handle 200 is thus defined by the tear lines 88, 90, 92 and 94 in cooperation with the finger-receiving apertures 62 and 64. The strap handle 200 includes a relatively narrow medial grip portion 202, opposed wider portions 204 and 206 joined to the ends of the medial portion 200, and opposed forked end portions 208 and 210 hingedly connected to the wider portions 204 and 206 along fold lines 212 and 214 respectively. Each wider portion has a pair of oblique side edges diverging from the medial portion 202 to the adjacent forked end portion. The medial portion 202 and the wider portions 204 and 206 are formed from the inner top panel 26 while the forked end portions 208 and 210 are formed from the upper end flaps 40 and 42 respectively. Upon formation of the top wall, the inner top panel 26 is folded across the top of the carton and the outer top panel 24 is folded over and is adhesively secured to the inner top panel 26. The tear lines 88, 90, 92 and 94 and the finger-receiving apertures 62 and 64 are located such that the strap handle 200 is located generally centrally between the two side panels 16 and 18.
The aforementioned flap 61 of the finger-receiving aperture 62 is hingedly connected to the medial grip portion 202 along a fold line 216. An yieldable tab 96 is struck from the forked end portion 208 and foldably joined to the upper end flap 40 while a short stub tab 98 is struck from the wider portion 204 and is hingedly connected thereto along fold line 100. The adjacent ends of the tabs 96 and 98 are initially interconnected by severable means such as half cut 102 that is aligned with the fold line 212. At the opposed end of the strap handle 200, a yieldable tab 104 is struck from the forked end portion 210 and foldably joined to the upper end flap 42 while a short stub tab 106 is struck from the wider portion 206 and hingedly connected thereto along fold line 108. The adjacent ends of the tabs 104 and 106 are initially interconnected by severable half cut 110 that is aligned with the fold line 214.
A relief notch 218 is defined in the inner top panel 26 at a location along the tear line 90, thereby interrupting the tear line 90. The location of the relief notch 218 is such that the wider portion 204 is directly flanked or adjoined at its oblique side edge along the tear line 90 by the relief notch 218. In like manner, a relief notch 220 is defined in the inner top panel 26 at a location along the tear line 94, thereby interrupting the tear line 94. As a result, the wider portion 206 is directly adjoined at its oblique side edge along the tear line 94 by the relief notch 220. The function of these relief notches 218 and 220 is described later.
A handle-reinforcing panel 112 is foldably joined to the medial grip portion 202 of the strap handle 200 along an interrupted fold line 114.
The outer top panel 24 is further provided with a pair of C- or U-shaped tear lines 222 and 224. The tear line 222 emanates from an end of the finger apertures 66 and terminates at the adjacent end of the finger aperture 68 while the tear line 224 emanates from the other end of the aperture 66 and terminates at the other end of the aperture 68. These tear lines 222 and 224 are opposed to each other while curving concavely toward each other. As a result, a dust panel or cover strip 226 is defined at the central area of the outer top panel 24 surrounded by the tear lines 222 and 224 and the finger apertures 66 and 68. The cover strip 226, upon formation of the top wall, is located above the strap handle 200. The middle portion 228 of the cover strip 226 disposed between the finger apertures 66 and 68 is to be vertically aligned with the medial grip portion 202 of the strap handle 200 while the opposed larger end portions 230 and 232 of the cover strip 226 are to be disposed on the wider portions 204 and 206 of the strap handle 200 respectively. The respective flaps 65 and 67 of the finger apertures 66 and 68 are hingedly connected to portion 228 by fold lines 234 and 236.
Turning to the construction of the carton 12 illustrated in
Initially, an application of glue is made to the inner surface of reinforcing panel 112 as indicated by the stippling in
With the carton formed as described above by the carrier manufacturer, it is then shipped to the bottler who sets the carton up into an erected tubular form (not shown) and loads filled bottles through the open ends of the tubular carton. Thereafter the end flaps are folded inwardly in the sequence of the side end flaps, the composite upper end flaps, and the lower end flaps and the carton when fully loaded and completed by the bottler appears as shown in
The consumer transports the completed carton package from its point of purchase. To carry the carton 12, the strap handle 200 can be used. To use the handle 200, the flaps 65 and 67 and the flap 61 underlying the flap 65 are pushed inwardly of the carton and folded downwardly about their respective fold lines 234, 236 and 216. The fingers of the user can then be inserted into the finger apertures 66 and 68 and the underlying aperture 62 and grasp the medial portion 202 of the strap handle 200 together with the middle portion 228 of the cover strip 226. Lifting the carton 12 by the strap handle 200 causes the cover strip 226 to be severed from the outer top panel 24 along the C-shaped tear lines 222 and 224 as well as the strap handle 200 to be severed from the inner top panel 26 and the end flaps 40 and 42 along the tear lines 88, 90, 92 and 94. This, in turn, causes the strap handle 200 to arc out of the general plane of the top wall through the opening 251 defined by the cover strip 226. This is best shown in
During the above operation, the yielding tabs 96 and 104 remain flat with the respective end flaps 40 and 42 so that the openings defined by the yielding tabs 96 and 104 receives the end bottles of the center row of the packaged bottle group to allow the forked end portions 208 and 210 to move toward each other.
In order to open the carrier, the user's fingers are simply inserted, for example, into the finger aperture 66 and an upward force is then applied. Such upward force severs the tear flap section 256 (
After the contents of the bottles have been consumed, the bottles may be replaced into the carton as shown in
A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, where like parts have been designated by the same reference numeral with the suffix “A” and only the differences are discussed in any greater detail. As best shown in
Each side end flap is further provided with a severance line 318 (e.g., a slit, a tear line or the like) emanating from the upper edge 310 of that side end flap and extending toward the lower edge 320 of the same side end flap. The severance lines 318 are disposed and located such that when the carton 12A is erected, the severance line 318 of each side end flap is generally registered with the adjacent side edge of the adjacent forked end portion of the strap handle 200A. In
Further, each side end flap is provided with a yielding flap 324 that is defined by the respective severance line 318, the respective upper edge 310 and the adjacent beveled edge 314. When the carton 12A is completed, the yielding flaps 324 form respective portions of the side end flaps 44A, 46A, 48A and 50A that are movable inwardly of the carton along with the end portions of the strap handle 200A.
The construction of the carton 12A is carried out in virtually the same way as that of the carton 12 of the preceding embodiment except for the steps of closing the opposite ends of the carton 12A. After filled bottles are loaded through the open ends of the tubular carton, the end flaps are folded inwardly in the sequence of the side end flaps, the lower end flaps, and the composite upper end flaps. During the above end-closing steps, glue is applied to either the outside surface of the yielding flaps 324 or the inside surface of the forked end portions 208A and 210A of the strap handle 200A. An example of such glue areas is shown by the stippling in
In the same way as described in the first embodiment, lifting the carton 12A by the strap handle 200A causes the handle 200A to be moved from its stowed position in
During the inward movement of the end portions 208A and 210A, part of the end portions 208A and 210A and/or the adjacent portions of the inner upper end flaps 40A and 42A may be forcibly peeled from the associated upper end flaps 36A and 38A if they have been glued, either purposely or inadvertently, to the upper end flaps 36A and 38A. Upon such peeling, some constituent pulp or fiber of end portions 208A and 210A could be taken away to the extent that the strap handle 200A is physically damaged or at least the structural strength of the handle 200A is somewhat affected. In the present invention, however, the yielding flaps 324 reinforce the end portions 208A and 210A and provide a precautionary measure against undesired damage of the strap handle 200A around the opposite end portions 208A and 210A.
Although it is not apparent from
In
Referring to the third variation in
A pair of yieldable tabs 96E and 96E are struck from, and hingedly connected to, the forked end portion 208E of the strap handle 200E. The adjacent ends of the yieldable tabs 96E and 96E are defined by a cut 382; however, they may be initially interconnected by severable means such as a half cut. In like manner, a pair of yieldable tab 104E and 104E are struck from, and hingedly connected to, the forked end portion 210E of the strap handle 200E. The adjacent ends of the tabs 104E and 104E are defined by a cut 384 or a half cut. Bottle top-receiving windows 386 and 388 are formed in the reinforcing strip 112E so that they are positioned astride the respective extensions of the fold lines 212E and 214E. Upon formation of the top wall, the reinforcing strip 1 12E is folded along the fold lines 374, 376, 378 and 380 into face-contacting relationship with the underside of the strap handle 200E, and then the outer top panel (see
Flap 63F of the finger-receiving aperture 64F is hingedly connected to medial grip portion 202F along fold line 217F. Together with flap 61F, flap 63F functions at least in part to cushion fingers that have been received in the finger-receiving apertures 62F and 64F. In contrast to the aforementioned embodiments, the respective flaps 65F and 67F of the finger apertures 66F and 68F are hingedly connected to the outer top panel 24F along fold lines F1 and F2, and are not hingedly connected to portion 228F. Rather, the flaps 65F, 67F are detached or detachable from portion 228F by means of respective severance lines S1 and S2, each comprising cuts, half cuts, perforations, or the like. When the user removes his fingers from the carton, flaps 65F and 67F spring substantially back into place so as to block light from entering the carton. Flaps 65F and 67F spring back into place due in part to the memory inherent to the preferred sheet material, such as the exemplary paperboard material. More specifically, when paperboard is folded along a score line, it “remembers” its original position and tends to spring back. This memory can be weakened or negated by firmly folding the paperboard along the score line. In this embodiment, flaps 65F and 67F are not firmly folded down, as is shown in
Whilst the above embodiments describe the strap handle formed from the inner top panel only, the handle may be formed from the outer top panel or from both the inner and outer top panels. In the arrangement where the outer top panel provides the handle, the relief notch should be formed at least in the outer top panel alongside the wider portions of the strap handle. The wider portions in the present invention are not limited to those defined by the straight tear lines or cut lines such as shown in the above embodiments but also include those defined by curved lines such that the width of each wider portion is increased toward the end edges of the associated carton wall from which the handle is formed.
It should be appreciated that, while the above embodiments describe a strap handle having light protective flaps in the context of the exemplary carton configuration, the handle could be used with certain other carton configurations having handle apertures disposed through carton panels.
It should be also appreciated that the precise closure of the ends of the carton is open to adaptation and could in fact be partially open. In addition, a single end closure flap could be provided at each end of the carton depending on design choice. Furthermore, the pack may incorporate part angled walls so as to follow better the contours of certain articles, such as bottles, being packaged.
It should be further appreciated that the strap handles useful in the present invention are not limited to those having forked end portions but include those having regular non-bifurcated opposite end portions.
It should be still further appreciated that the yielding flaps useful in the present invention are not limited to those glued to the associated handle end portions but include those separate from the associated handle end portions. Such unglued yielding flaps do not reinforce the handle ends but they still facilitate inward movement of the handle end portion. Therefore, unglued yielding flaps may also be useful in some situation where large-sized side end flaps are required in order for the cartons to run on a specific packaging machine.
It should be still further appreciated that the yielding flaps useful in the present invention are not limited to those formed from the large-sized side end flaps that extend entirely across the width of a carton. Any side end flap that overlaps a handle end may provide a yielding flap to facilitate inward movement of the associated strap handle.
It should be still further appreciated that as used herein, directional references such as “top”, “base”, “end”, “side”, “upper” and “lower” do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. The orientation of the carton could be altered depending on, for example, the articles to be carried in the carton. Simple modifications could result in the handle being located on the side of the carton when the carton is in its standard stowed position. One of the side panels 16 and 18 would then effectively be the top panel of the carton.
It should be still further appreciated that any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A carton, comprising:
- an inner top panel;
- a pair of opposed end panels hingedly connected to the inner top panel;
- an integral strap handle extending between the end panels across the inner top panel, said strap handle including: a medial grip portion; a pair of wider portions joined to opposite ends of said medial grip portion; and opposed end portions connected to said wider portions respectively; each of said wider portions having a pair of oblique side edges diverging from said medial grip portion toward an adjacent one of said end portions; said opposed end portions being formed from said end panels, said medial and wider portions being formed from said inner top panel, said strap handle being connected at said opposed end portions to said opposed end panels, such that said strap handle is movable from a stowed position where said medial and wider portions lie in a plane of said inner top panel to a use position, where said medial portion is arched upwardly from said plane of said inner top panel, said strap handle defining in said inner top panel an internal opening extending across said inner top panel; and
- an outer top panel secured to an outside surface of said inner top panel to form a composite top wall, said outer top panel having: a handle access opening defined within said outer top panel, said handle access opening being vertically aligned in part with said medial grip portion and in part with said wider portions, said handle access opening having opposite end edges extending respectively across said wider portions, the width of said handle access opening along said opposite end edges being greater than the width of said wider portions along said opposite end edges so that a part of said each wider portion is extended through said handle access opening when said strap handle is moved to said use position; and at least one light protective flap hingedly connected to said outer top panel, said light protective flap defining a handle aperture when said strap handle is in said use position, said handle aperture being adjacent to and free of restraint from one of said end edges of said handle access opening.
2. The carton of claim 1, wherein said light protective flap covers the handle aperture when the strap handle is in stowed position.
3. A carton, comprising:
- a pair of inner and outer top panels secured together in an overlapping relationship to form a composite top wall;
- a base wall;
- a pair of side walls interconnecting said top and base walls;
- a pair of opposed inner end flaps hingedly connected to opposed end edges of said inner top panel and extending toward said base wall;
- a pair of opposed outer end flaps hingedly connected to opposed end edges of said outer top panel and disposed respectively on outside surfaces of said inner end flaps; and
- an integral strap handle disposed internally of the carton and extending between said inner end flaps across said inner top panel, said strap handle including: a medial grip portion; a pair of wider portions joined to opposite ends of said medial grip portion; and a pair of opposed forked-end portions connected to said wider portions respectively, said forked-end portions being joined to said inner end flaps respectively and being free of restraint of said outer end flaps; said opposed end portions being formed from said inner end flaps, and said medial and wider portions being formed from said inner top panel;
- a handle access opening formed within said outer top panel such that the periphery of said handle access opening is provided entirely by said outer top panel, said handle access opening being vertically aligned with said medial grip portion of said strap handle; and
- at least one light protective flap hingedly connected to said outer top panel, said light protective flap defining a handle aperture when said strap handle is in said use position, said handle aperture being adjacent to and free of restraint from said handle access opening.
4. The carton of claim 3, wherein said light protective flap covers the handle aperture when the strap handle is in stowed position.
5. The carton according to claim 4, wherein a handle-reinforcing strip is disposed in face-contacting relationship with said strap handle, said reinforcing strip being disposed at least along said medial grip portion of said strap handle and hingedly connected to said strap handle.
6. The carding according to claim 5 wherein said outer top panel includes a cover strip defined within said outer top panel, said cover strip being severably connected to said outer top panel such that said handle access opening is defined in said top panel upon severance of said cover strip to allow access to said strap handle through said handle access opening.
7. The carton according to claim 6 wherein said cover strip is secured to said medial grip portion of said strap handle.
8. The carton according to claim 7 wherein a pair of hand flaps are hingedly connected to said covers trip such that said hand flaps are folded inwardly of the carton when said cover strip is grasped together with said medial grip portion to lift the carton by said strap handle.
9. The carton according to claim 8 wherein a yieldable tab is formed from each forked end portion of said strap handle and is foldably joined to a respective inner end flap.
10. The carton according to claim 9 wherein a short stub tab is formed from each wider portion of said strap handle and is hingedly connected to said each wider portion.
11. The carton according to claim 10 wherein adjacent ends of said yieldable and stub tabs are initially interconnected by severable line that is aligned with a fold line between an adjacent inner end flap and said inner top panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2005
Publication Date: Aug 4, 2005
Inventor: John Holley, (Lawrenceville, GA)
Application Number: 11/093,922