Package with bottom panel stand-offs
AssigneeTetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
InventorsCraig Boyd, Charles Christensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A package with bottom panel stand-offs includes a plurality of upstanding side walls, each side wall contiguous or sealed to adjacent side walls, a sealed top panel, and a sealed bottom panel. The sealed bottom panel has a generally planar portion and three stand-offs formed therein. The three stand-offs are non-coplanar with the generally planar region and define a triangular pattern other than a right angle triangle. The stand-offs raise the generally planar portion above and spaced from a surface on which the package rests. A method for forming a stable carton is also disclosed.
Claims16
A package with bottom panel stand-offs comprising:
- four upstanding side walls, each side wall contiguous with or sealed to adjacent side walls;
- a sealed top panel formed as a gable;
- and
- a sealed bottom panel, the sealed bottom panel having a generally planar portion and only three stand-offs, the stand-offs being first, second and third generally rectangular stand-offs formed in the bottom panel, the stand-offs being non-coplanar with the generally planar region and defining a triangular pattern other than a right angle triangle, the first and second stand-offs being formed at first and second adjacent corners of the bottom panel and the third stand-off being formed at about a midpoint of a side opposite of the first and second stand-offs,
- wherein the stand-offs raise the generally planar portion above and spaced from a surface on which the package rests.
A bottom forming plate for forming a sealed bottom panel in a carton having bottom panel stand-offs, comprising:
- a generally planar portion;
- and
- first, second and third outwardly extending stand-off forming elements defining a triangular pattern other than a right angle triangle, the stand-offs defining a plane non-coplanar with the generally planar portion, wherein when the plate is pressed against a carton bottom panel, the first and second stand-off forming elements form first and second and second stand-offs at adjacent corners of the bottom panel and the third stand-off forming element forms a third stand-off at about a midpoint of a side of the carton bottom opposite of the first and second stand-offs, such that the stand-offs raise the carton bottom above and spaced from a surface on which the package rests.
A method for forming a stable package comprising:
- forming a carton having four upstanding side walls, each side wall contiguous with or sealed to adjacent side walls and a having a sealed bottom wall, the sealed bottom wall being formed having a generally planar portion;
- forming three and only three bottom panel stand-offs, the stand-offs being first, second and third generally rectangular stand-offs formed in the bottom panel, the stand-offs being non-coplanar with the generally planar region and defining a triangular pattern other than a right angle triangle, the first and second stand-offs being formed at first and second adjacent corners of the bottom panel and the third stand-off being formed at about a midpoint of a side opposite of the first and second stand-offs, the stand-offs raising the generally planar portion above and spaced from a surface on which the package rests;
- filling the carton;
- and
- sealing a top panel formed as a gable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.