# US 5,704,540 A · Carton or carton cover of rigid sheet material with handle

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- Number: US 5,704,540 A
- Document ID: US5704540A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/632,472
- Filed: 1996-07-18
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1993-10-19
- Assignees: The Mead Corporation
- Inventors: Guy Coalier; Gerard Mathieu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704540A

## CPC

- B65D 5/46016: {Straps used as handles fixed to the container by glueing, stapling, heat-sealing (for packages in wrappers B65D75/56)}
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES

## Abstract

A carton has a bottom, side walls and top. A strap handle is attached to both sidewalls and extends over the top. The handle fits into slots that extend from the side wall into the top. The handles are attached to the side wall below these slots. The ends of the slots have enlarged areas that retain the handle as it extends through the slot. The enlarged areas can be any number of different shapes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A carton formed from sheet material, comprising:
first and second opposed lateral faces;
an upper face connected between said first and second lateral faces along first and second fold lines, respectively;
an elongate handle having first and second ends, said first end being fixed at a first fixation point to an outer surface of said first lateral face, and said second end being fixed at a second fixation point to an outer surface of said second lateral face;
first and second slotted regions defined respectively astride said first and second fold lines, each of said slotted regions extending on either side of the respective one of said fold lines into said upper face and into the respective one of said lateral faces;
said handle being fixed to said lateral faces beneath said slotted regions and disposed along outer surfaces of said lateral and upper faces to extend over said slotted regions and the portion of said upper face disposed between said slotted regions, whereby upon pulling of said handle in a direction substantially perpendicular to said upper face, portions of said handle move into said slotted regions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said handle is a flexible band.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said handle is fixed to said lateral faces by gluing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle has a length between said first and second fixation points substantially equal to the sum of the lengths along said faces from said first fixation point to said first fold line, said first fold line to said second fold line, and said second fold line to said second fixation point.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said upper face is perpendicular to said first and second faces.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said slotted regions are slot-forming notches defined into said faces.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said first and second slotted regions are substantially identical.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said slotted regions each define rectangular elongate slots oriented in the direction perpendicular to said fold lines.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A carton as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said slotted regions define a central part for forming a central slit extending across a respective one of said fold lines, and first and second widened parts defined at each end of said central slit, said widened parts being symmetrical with respect to said fold line.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A carton according to claim 9, wherein said central slit is triangular, having a vertex pointing towards said upper face.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A carton according to claim 9, wherein said central slit defines a pair of concave sides having radii of curvature pointing outwardly from said slit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

A carton according to claim 9, wherein said central slit is rectangular.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

A carton according to claim 9, wherein said first and second widened parts are each defined by a transverse slit disposed perpendicular to said central slit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

A carton according to claim 9, wherein said first and second widened parts are each defined substantially by an isosceles triangle having a large base pointing outwardly from said slotted region.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

A carton according to claim 9, wherein said central part includes a third widened portion defined astride said fold line.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said first and second slotted regions each extend from said fold line into said upper face to a first end border at a distance a, and extend from said fold line into said lateral face to a second end border at a distance b, and wherein a and b are related as:
b/4.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.4b.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional lateral face interconnected with said first and second lateral faces, wherein said carton defines a polygonal horizontal cross-section.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

A carton according to claim 17, wherein said upper face comprises first and second outer flaps, said first outer flap being connected along said first fold line to said first lateral face, said second outer flap being connected along said second fold line to said second lateral face, and an inner flap connected to each of said additional lateral faces along an additional fold line.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material is corrugated board.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

A carton according to claim 19, wherein said corrugated board includes corrugations disposed perpendicular to said first and second fold lines.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton is formed from a single, unitary blank.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton is formed from a supporting tray and a cover secured thereto, said first and second faces and said upper face being formed within said cover.

### Claim 23

A blank of sheet material for forming into a carton, comprising:
a series of rectangular panels interconnected by a series of first parallel fold lines;
a series of flaps connected along one side of said series of panels by a plurality of second fold lines to at least some of the rectangular panels, for forming an upper face for the carton;
first and second slotted regions defined respectively astride two of said second fold lines, said first slotted region extending on either side of the respective one of said second fold lines into one of said rectangular panels and into the one of said flaps adjacent thereto, and said second slotted region extending on either side of the respective one of said second fold lines into a non-adjacent one of said rectangular panels and into the one of said flaps adjacent thereto;
each of said slotted regions defining a central part for forming a central slit extending across a respective one of said fold lines, and first and second widened parts defined at each end of said central slit.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

A blank according to claim 23, wherein said widened parts are symmetrical with respect to said fold line.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

A blank according to claim 23, wherein said central slit defines a pair of concave sides having radii of curvature pointing outwardly from said slit.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

A blank according to claim 23, wherein said central slit is rectangular.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

A blank according to claim 23, wherein said first and second widened parts are each defined by a transverse slit disposed perpendicular to said central slit.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

A blank according to claim 23, wherein said first and second widened parts are each defined substantially by an isosceles triangle having a large base pointing outwardly from said slotted region.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

A blank according to claim 23, wherein said central part includes a third widened portion defined astride said fold line.