TERTIARY CARTON WITH EXTERNAL POCKET

Abstract

Disclosed is a tertiary carton having an exposed external pocket. The tertiary carton is comprised of upper (26) and lower (24) right side panels and a left side panel (22) wherein the side panels include various side closure flaps (28,29,30,31), a rear panel (16), at least one bottom closure panel (20), a top panel (12) including a top tuck flap (14), and a front panel (18). The upper and lower right side panels are offset from one another to create an external pocket exposing the interior of the tertiary carton such that a secondary carton can be held in place in the external pocket with a portion of the secondary carton visibly exposed.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a tertiary carton having an exposed external pocket. The tertiary carton is comprised of upper and lower right side panels and a left side panel wherein the side panels include various side closure flaps, a rear panel, at least one bottom closure panel, a top panel including a top tuck flap, and a front panel. The upper and lower right side panels are offset from one another to create an external pocket exposing the interior of the tertiary carton such that a secondary carton can be held in place in the external pocket with a portion of the secondary carton visibly exposed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a blank that can be formed into a tertiary carton having an external pocket.

FIG. 2 is a first isometric view of the tertiary carton illustrating the external pocket.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the tertiary carton having an external pocket.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the tertiary carton having an external pocket.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tertiary carton having an external pocket.

FIG. 6 is a second isometric view of the tertiary carton illustrating a separate container seated within the external pocket.

FIG. 7 is a second isometric view of the tertiary carton illustrating a plurality of separate containers seated within the tertiary carton.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention disclose a tertiary carton having an external pocket. The apparatus is called a tertiary carton because it is designed to hold a plurality of secondary cartons each one containing primary contents. The tertiary carton is generally a box constructed from a pre-cut and shaped paperboard blank. Once constructed, the tertiary carton can be loaded with a plurality of secondary cartons such that one of the secondary cartons is partially exposed via the external pocket. This permits easy viewing of the label of the secondary carton without having to open the tertiary carton and remove a secondary carton for inspection.

The tertiary carton is shown as being made from a foldable paperboard pre-cut blank. However, the dispenser may be constructed of other materials including, but not limited to, cardboard, polymer, metal, etc., or combinations thereof.

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a blank that can be formed into a tertiary carton having an external pocket. The blank 10 is generally comprised of a series of foldable panels that comprise the front, rear, sides, top, bottom, and an external pocket of the tertiary carton. Viewing the illustrated blank 10 of FIG. 1, there is shown a top panel 12 having a top tuck flap 14 extending therefrom. A rear panel 16 includes an attached glue flap 32. To secure the carton in place upon assembly, an adhesive can be applied to the glue flap 32 which is then pressed against the left side panel such that the tertiary carton is held in place. It should be noted that the placement and orientation of the glue flap 32 may be altered without affecting the scope of the invention. The glue flap 32 may be attached to one or more of the other panels rather than the rear panel. Rear panel 16 is separated from a front panel 18 by a lower right side panel 24. The lower right side panel includes a lower right side closure flap 31. A left side panel 22 shares a perimeter edge with the front panel 18. The left side panel further includes a lower left side closure flap 29 and an upper left side closure flap 28. There are also a pair of bottom closure panels 20. An external pocket is comprised of an upper right side panel 26 having an upper right side closure flap 30. The upper right side panel 26 is offset from the lower right side panel 24 upon assembly to create the external pocket. A rear panel reinforcing flap 34 is also included to re-inforce the exposed portion of the rear panel 16 upon assembly of the tertiary carton.

FIG. 2 is a first isometric view of an assembled tertiary carton illustrating the external pocket 37. The blank 10 has been folded along the various crease lines to form the tertiary carton. The front panel 18 is generally L-shaped wherein there is a rectangular cut-out section in the upper right corner of the front panel 18. The blank has been generally folded such that the front 18 and rear 16 panels are separated by left 22 and right 24, 26 side panels. The two bottom closure panels (not shown) 20 have been folded inward and have been secured with the lower right and left side closure flaps 31, 29 respectively (not shown). The top panel 12 has been folded over and secures the tertiary carton when the top tuck flap 14 is tucked into the interior of the tertiary carton and secured with the upper right and left side closure flaps 30, 28 respectively. The rear panel reinforcing flap 34 has been folded over to cover the rear panel 16 area left exposed by the external pocket cut out area of the front panel 18. The upper right side panel 26 is connected to the rear panel reinforcing flap 34 along a common perimeter edge. The external pocket 37 is essentially an opening into the interior of the tertiary carton that has been formed by the offset right side panels 24, 26. This external pocket is designed to contain one of a plurality of secondary cartons that are housed by the tertiary carton such that a portion of the secondary carton is exposed so that its labeling is visible.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an assembled tertiary carton having an external pocket. In this view, the top panel 12 is shown up with the top tuck flap 14 also shown. The left 28 and right 30 upper side closure flaps are also shown. The main part of the tertiary carton includes the front panel 18 and the rear panel reinforcing member 34 which covers and reinforces the expose section of the rear panel 16 (not shown).

FIG. 4 is a top view of an assembled tertiary carton having an external pocket. In this view, the top panel 12 extends about ¾ the length of the tertiary carton. The remaining ¼ is the external pocket. Looking straight down, each of the bottom closure panels 20 are visible along with the lower right side closure flap 31 that helps secure the bottom of the tertiary carton when assembled.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of an assembled tertiary carton having an external pocket. In this view, the tertiary carton is shown from the right side. This is the side having the external pocket. It should be noted that the external pocket can be located on either the right or left side of the tertiary carton by simply utilizing a mirror image of the blank 10. The location and orientation of the external pocket should not be considered limiting to the invention. The lower right side panel 24 rises approximately ⅔ of the way up the tertiary carton. The upper right side panel 26 is then visible the rest of the way up. A side view of the rear panel reinforcing flap 34 is shown abutted up against a portion of the rear panel 16 (not shown). This view also shows the upper right side closure flap 30 as well as the top panel 12 and top tuck flap 14.

FIG. 6 is a second isometric view of an assembled tertiary carton illustrating a separate container seated within the external pocket. This figure is essentially the same as FIG. 2 but with a secondary carton 40 shown housed within the external pocket 37 of the tertiary carton. A portion of the secondary carton is exposed. This allows for some of the labeling on the secondary carton to be visible while contained within the tertiary carton. Thus, a pharmacist, for example, can easily determine the secondary carton contents. It also provides a means for removing the secondary carton from the tertiary carton without having to remove the top tuck flap 14 and lift the top panel 12.

FIG. 7 is a second isometric view of an assembled tertiary carton illustrating a plurality of separate containers seated within the tertiary carton. This figure illustrates how a plurality of secondary cartons 40 can be housed within the tertiary carton. A portion of a first secondary carton 40 remains exposed as described in FIG. 6 while the remaining secondary cartons are securely stored within the tertiary carton.

Suitably, the package may, for example, be used to store pharmaceuticals preparations requiring repeat periodic dosage regimens. As used herein, the term “pharmaceutical preparation” is intended to include prescribed or over the counter drugs or supplements, vitamins or other medicaments, or any other materials suitable for containment in a package of foil/paperboard or plastic construction.

It is believed that the present invention includes many other embodiments that may not be herein described in detail, but would nonetheless be appreciated by those skilled in the art from the disclosures made. Accordingly, this disclosure should not be read as being limited only to the foregoing examples or only to the designated preferred embodiments.

Claims

1. A tertiary carton having an exposed external pocket comprising:

a box comprised of: side panels including upper and lower right side panels and a left side panel wherein the left side panel includes upper and lower left side closure flaps, the lower right side panel includes a lower right side closure flap, and the upper right side panel includes an upper right side closure flap; a rear panel; at least one bottom closure panel; a top panel including a top tuck flap; and a front panel; wherein the upper and lower right side panels are offset from one another to create an external pocket exposing the interior of the tertiary carton such that a secondary carton can be held in place in the external pocket with a portion of the secondary carton visibly exposed.

2. The tertiary carton of claim 1 further comprising a rear panel reinforcing flap that covers the portion of the rear panel that is exposed by the smaller front panel.

3. The tertiary carton of claim 1 wherein the rear panel further comprises a glue flap for securing the body of the carton together upon assembly.

4. The tertiary carton of claim 1 wherein the side, rear, top, and front panels and flaps are comprised of paperboard material.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the box is assembled from a paperboard blank of the side, rear, top, and front panels and flaps.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the side, rear, top, and front panels and flaps are comprised of a polymer material.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the side, rear, top, and front panels and flaps are comprised of cardboard material.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the side, rear, top, and front panels and flaps are comprised of metallic material.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein side, rear, top, and front panels and flaps are comprised of any combination of paperboard, cardboard, polymer, and metallic material.

10. A blank for forming a tertiary carton having an exposed external pocket comprising:

side panels including upper and lower right side panels and a left side panel wherein the left side panel includes upper and lower left side closure flaps, the lower right side panel includes a lower right side closure flap, and the upper right side panel includes an upper right side closure flap;

a rear panel;

at least one bottom closure panel;

a top panel including a top tuck flap; and

a front panel; wherein, when assembled, the upper and lower right side panels are offset from one another to create an external pocket exposing the interior of the tertiary carton such that a secondary carton can be held in place in the external pocket with a portion of the secondary carton visibly exposed.

11. The blank of claim 10 further comprising a rear panel reinforcing flap that covers the portion of the rear panel that is exposed by the smaller front panel.

12. The blank of claim 10 wherein the rear panel further comprises a glue flap for securing the body of the carton together upon assembly.