Packaging box

Abstract

A rectangular box for packaging and transporting bottles is constructed from a one piece blank having sections that can be removed to display the bottles at the point of sale without removing the bottles from the box and which allows the box to be converted to a bottle carrier.

Description

FIELD

The present invention relates to an improved carton and carton blank for manufacturing a carton. More especially, the invention concerns a carton that is convertible from a first configuration to a second configuration.

BACKGROUND

Typically cartons such as the majority of cardboard boxes are manufactured from a blank cut from a web of cardboard or a similar material. Typically such blanks are preformed, then stored in a collapsed state, only being erected immediately prior to use. Such blanks are manufactured from a sheet of relevant material by cutting conventionally and creasing into a blank with the creases defined for folding the carton into a predetermined shape. In the following specification the term fold line will be used to encompass any line defined upon a blank of material along which the carton may be folded. With cardboard such line may be formed by scoring the material. If the web is of a thin plastics material other means may be used to define the fold line.

Cardboard boxes are often used to transport several bottles such as bottles or wine, beer, spirits from the bottler to the retailer where the boxes are opened and the bottles removed and placed on shelves for display and purchase by the customer. The cardboard boxes then have to be disposed off by the retailer, usually by arranging collection for re-cycling. This requires the retailer to break the box up to a more compact configuration for storage until they are collected. This is time consuming and wasteful of storage space.

Many customers often purchase more than one bottle and retailers are increasingly finding it necessary to provide customers with a convenient way of transporting several bottles home. Typically, retailers are providing bottle carriers suitable for carrying four, six or more bottles. The provision of such bottle carriers is an additional cost.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made from a consideration of the foregoing and seeks to provide a carton and a carton blank for manufacturing the carton where the carton can be used in more than one configuration.

Thus according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blank for a carton adapted for conversion from a first configuration to a second configuration.

Preferably, the carton forms a box for packaging a plurality of liquid containers such as bottles or cans in the first configuration and which is convertible to form a carrier in the second configuration for the liquid containers.

Preferably, the carton forms a cuboid box having a base wall, a top wall, opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls in the first configuration in which the box encloses and contains the liquid containers.

Preferably, the box has removable sections for converting the box to form the carrier.

Preferably, the carrier has a base tray and handle for carrying the carrier with the liquid containers supported in the base tray.

Preferably, the removable sections include parts of the end walls and sidewalls.

Preferably, the carrier is collapsible to a substantially flat configuration when empty.

Preferably, the blank comprises a flat web of cardboard or similar material having a plurality of fold lines defining areas of the web that, in the erected carton form the base wall, top wall, sidewalls and end walls of the box.

In one embodiment, the blank has two parallel longitudinal fold lines defining a centre section with transverse fold lines defining four panels forming the base wall, top wall and sidewalls of the box, and the end walls are formed by flaps attached to the panels along each side of the centre section.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carton made from the blank according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carton having a base wall, a top wall, opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls forming a box of cuboid shape, and detachable sections for converting the box to a carrier having a base tray and a carrying handle.

Preferably, the carrier is collapsible by folding the base wall and end walls of the base tray about fold lines.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carton which in a first configuration forms a box for liquid containers such as bottles and is convertible from the first configuration to a second configuration forming a carrier for liquid containers.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a blank for erecting a carton according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton erected from the blank of FIG. 1 in a first configuration;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIG. 2 with detachable sections removed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a second configuration;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the carton shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the carton shown in FIG. 4 and showing bottles in the carton in outline;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIG. 4 in a partially collapsed condition;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a blank for erecting a carton according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an erected carton according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows conversion of the carton of FIG. 9 to form a bottle carrier;

FIG. 11 is an end view of the bottle carrier of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bottle carrier of FIG. 10 in a collapsed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a blank 1 for erecting a cuboid box 3 shown in FIG. 2. The blank 1 is made of cardboard although other materials may be used as will be familiar to those skilled in the art. The box 3 is of rectangular shape in plan view and has a base wall 5, a top wall 7, opposed sidewalls 9,11 and opposed end walls 13,15. In this embodiment, the box 3 is designed to contain six bottles of wine (two shown in outline in FIG. 6) for transport from a bottling plant to a point of sale such as a warehouse or supermarket. It will be understood however that the box 3 may be configured to contain more or less than six bottles. Also, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to boxes for transporting bottles of wine and that the box may be employed to transport bottles, cans or other containers for alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages or any other liquids.

The blank 1 is cut from a web of cardboard and has a generally rectangular shape with two parallel longitudinal fold lines 17,19 defining a main or central section 21. The main section 21 comprises four panels 23,25,27,29 separated by fold lines 31,33,35 extending transversely between the fold lines 17,19. The panels 25,29 form the base wall 5 and top wall 7 of the erected box 3. The panels 23,27 form the opposed sidewalls 9,11 of the erected box 3. A tongue 37 is connected to the panel 23 along a fold line 39 on the edge of the panel 23 opposite to the fold line 31. The tongue 37 is secured by adhesive or other suitable means to the underside of the panel 29 along the edge of the panel 29 opposite to the fold line 35 in the erected box.

The panels 23,25,27,29 are connected along the fold line 17 on one side of the main section 21 to flaps 41,43,45,47 respectively and are connected along the fold line 19 on the other side of the main section to flaps 49,51,53,55 respectively. The flaps 41,43,45,47 are folded about the fold line 17 to form the end wall 13 in the erected box with the flaps 45,47 overlying and adhesively secured to the flaps 41,43. Similarly, the flaps 49,51,53,55 are folded about the fold line 19 and adhesively secured to form the end wall 15. In this configuration, the erected box 3 forms a packing container 56 that surrounds and contains the bottles therein in a secure manner for transport.

The blank 1 is provided with lines of weakness such as perforations indicated in broken lines in FIG. 1 that define removable sections 57,59 at each end of the erected box 3 and removable sections 61,63 in each sidewall of the erected box 3. The sections 57,59,61,63 can be removed (FIG. 3) for display of the bottles at the point of sale without removing the bottles from the box 3 and, if desired, allows the box to be converted to a configuration (FIGS. 4 to 6) that allows the bottles to be taken away by the customer when the bottles are purchased. In this converted configuration, the erected box 3 forms a bottle carrier 64 that supports the bottles in a stable manner for transport. This conversion of the erected box to the bottle carrier 64 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

FIG. 3 shows the erected box of FIG. 2 with the sections 57,59,61,63 removed. Removal of the sections 57, 59 provides the bottle carrier 64 with a base tray 65 for supporting the bottles. Removal of the sections 61,63 provides openings 67,69 in the remaining sidewalls 9,11 which together with the remaining top wall 7 provide the bottle carrier 64 with a carrying handle 71 by folding the sidewalls 9,11 about fold lines 73,75 and folding the top wall 7 about fold lines 35,39 and a double fold line 77 to form the handle 71 with a grip 79 for a customer to lift and carry the bottle carrier 64 with the bottles therein. The top wall 7 is provided with tabs 81,83 on opposite sides that fold through the openings 67,69 to retain the sidewalls 9,11 and top wall 7 in this configuration.

In use, the box 3 is erected from the blank 1 to form the packing container 56 for transporting six bottles to a point of sale where the box 3 can be opened by detaching the removable sections 57,59,61,63 to display the bottles in the opened box. The opened box 3 can be converted to the bottle carrier 64 allowing a customer wishing to purchase six bottles to use the opened box 3 as a bottle carrier 64 to carry the bottles to the point of purchase and then take the bottles home. Conversion of the opened box 3 to the bottle carrier 64 may be carried out at the point of display and the bottles placed on display in the carrier 64 for customers to pick up and take away six bottles for purchase. Alternatively, the bottles can be displayed in the opened box 3 and the conversion to the bottle carrier 64 carried out at the point of purchase. Alternatively, the box 3 may be put on display without removing the sections 57,59,61,63 and these are removed when the box is purchased for converting the box to the carrier 64 to allow the customer carry the bottles. By converting the box 3 from packing container 56 to bottle carrier 64 in this way, the bottles can remain in the same packaging throughout the entire chain of transport from the initial point of packing to the customer's home. This produces cost savings for the retailer by avoiding the need to unpack the bottles for display at the point of sale and/or to provide a separate bottle carrier for customers purchasing more than one bottle.

In some cases, however, it may be necessary or desirable after opening the box 3 to remove the bottles and place them on display for customers to select bottles individually. In this case, however, the box 3 can still be converted to the bottle carrier 64 and used by customers purchasing several bottles (the same or different bottles) to take the bottles home. This still provides cost savings for the retailer by avoiding the need to provide a separate bottle carrier for customers purchasing more than one bottle.

In this embodiment, the bottle carrier 64 can also be collapsed when empty to a generally flat configuration that takes up less space, for example if the bottle carrier 64 is not used to display bottles by the retailer and/or when the customer gets home and removes the bottles from the bottle carrier 64. This is shown in FIG. 7 where the end walls 13,15 of the tray 65 can fold inwardly towards each other about centre fold lines 85,87 and the base wall 5 can simultaneously fold upwardly between the folded end walls 13,15 about a centre fold line 89 and corner fold lines 91,93,95,97 (FIG. 1). The collapsed bottle carrier 64 can be returned to its erected configuration when required. The space saving achieved by collapsing the bottle carrier 64 in this way is particularly useful for retailers where the bottle carriers are not used to display the bottles and are provided at the point of purchase for customers to use to carry several bottles home.

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a second embodiment of a blank similar to the first embodiment in which like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts.

In this embodiment, the detachable sections of the first embodiment are removed during manufacture of the blank 1 for erection of the blank 1 to produce a box 3 having the form shown in FIG. 3. This form of box with the bottles therein may be shrink wrapped with a plastic film to retain the bottles in the box for transport to the retailer. The shrink wrapping can be removed at the point of sale for display of the bottles by any of the above-described methods and, when required the opened box 3, can be converted to the carrier 64 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 to 12, there is shown a third embodiment of the invention in which like reference numerals in the series 100 are used to indicate parts corresponding to the previous embodiments.

In this embodiment, a box 103 is erected from a blank (not shown) and is made of cardboard although other materials may be used as will be familiar to those skilled in the art. The box 103 is of rectangular shape in plan view and has a base wall 105, a top wall 107, opposed sidewalls 109,111 and opposed end walls 113,115. In this embodiment, the box 103 is designed to contain six bottles of wine (not shown) for transport from a bottling plant to a point of sale such as a warehouse or supermarket. It will be understood however that the box 103 may be configured to contain more or less than six bottles. Also, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to boxes for transporting bottles of wine and that the box may be employed to transport bottles, cans or other containers for alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages or any other liquids.

A rectangular opening 104 is formed in the top wall 107 of the box to allow a hand to be inserted in the box for a purpose described later. The opening 104 may be provided already formed in the blank for assembly of the box or it may be provided by removing a portion of the top wall that is separable from the top wall by tearing along perforations or other lines of weakness.

The side and end walls of the box are provided with perforations 106 that extend completely around the perimeter of the box 103 to divide the box into a top section 108 and a bottom section 110. In use, the top section 108 is removable by tearing along the perforations to convert the box 103 into a bottle carrier 164 as shown in FIG. 10. Any other means of separating the top section 108 from the bottom section 110 may be employed as will be familiar to those skilled in the art.

The bottle carrier 164 has a base tray 165 and a central partition wall 112 that extends between the end walls 113,115 and is provided at the upper end with a handle 114. In the assembled box 103, the handle 114 is accessible through the opening 104 in the top wall allowing the box and bottles to be picked up with one hand making handling of the box and contents easier.

The top section 108 is removable at the point of sale for display of the bottles in the carrier 164 and the customer can use the hand grip 114 to pick up the carrier 164 containing the bottles for purchase and use the carrier to take the bottles home. As shown, one of the end walls of the carrier 164 is of increased height and provides stability to the partition wall 112 for lifting the carrier 164 with the bottles. The other end wall and side walls of the carrier 164 are of reduced height allowing the customer to read the labels applied to the bottles without removing the bottles from the carrier 164.

The carrier 164 is provided with crease lines 116a through j shown in broken lines in FIG. 10 by means of which the carrier 164 be collapsed by folding the end walls inwards as shown in FIG. 12 to adopt a generally flat configuration for storage when the carrier 164 is not in use. The carrier can be returned to the erected condition when required for re-use.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above-described and that various modifications may be made without changing the concept or principle of the invention. For example, other configurations of blank may be employed to erect a box that can be converted to a bottle carrier. Detachable sections of the box may, where provided, be of any suitable configuration. The carrier may be configured to carry more or less than six liquid containers. The carrier may be configured to carry different types and/or sizes of liquid containers. Other modifications that can be made will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A carton comprising a box for packaging a plurality of liquid containers in a first configuration in which the liquid container are enclosed within the box, wherein the box has at least one section that is separable from the box for converting the box to a second configuration in which the box forms a carrier for the liquid containers in which the liquid containers are exposed and can be removed from the carrier, and wherein the carrier is collapsible to a substantially flat configuration when the liquid containers are removed from the carrier.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein, the carton forms a cuboid box having a base wall, a top wall, opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls in the first configuration in which the box encloses and contains the liquid containers.

3. A carton according to claim 1 wherein, said at least one removable section comprises an upper section that includes a top wall and parts of side and end walls of the box

4. A carton according to claim 1 wherein, the carrier has a base tray and a handle for carrying the carrier with the liquid containers supported in the base tray.

5. A carton according to claim 1 wherein, the carrier is collapsible by folding a base wall and end walls of the carrier about fold lines.

6. A carton according to claim 1 made of cardboard.

7. A carton comprising a box for liquid containers in a first configuration and convertible from the first configuration to a second configuration forming a carrier for liquid containers.

8. A carton according to claim 7 wherein, the carton forms a cuboid box having a base wall, a top wall, opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls in the first configuration in which the box encloses and contains the liquid containers.

9. A carton according to claim 8 wherein, the box has removable sections for converting the box to form the carrier.

10. A carton according to claim 9 wherein, the removable sections include parts of the end walls and sidewalls.

11. A carton according to claim 7 wherein, the carrier has a base tray and handle for carrying the carrier with the liquid containers supported in the base tray.

12. A carton according to claim 7 wherein, the carrier is collapsible to a substantially flat configuration when empty.

13. A carton according to claim 12 wherein, the carrier is collapsible by folding a base wall and end walls of the carrier about fold lines.

14. A carton assembled from a blank, the blank comprising a flat web of sheet material having a plurality of fold lines defining areas of the web that, in the erected carton form a base wall, a top wall, opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls of a box of cuboid shape, and the blank further comprising lines of weakness defining at least one detachable section for converting the box to a carrier having a base tray for supporting one or more liquid containers and a handle for carrying the base tray with the liquid containers supported therein.

15. A carton according to claim 14 wherein the blank is made of cardboard.