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US 9,394,094 B2Granted
Carton with article protection features
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsJohn Murdick Holley, Jr., Colin P. Ford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carton for holding a plurality of containers. The carton can include a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels including a top panel, and an insert including a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert. The crown guard flap can be connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick. The top panel can at least partially overlap the central panel, and the crown guard flap can be positioned for contact with at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded.
Claims47
A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprises:
- a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a top panel;
- an insert comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick, and the at least one crown guard flap comprising a first portion foldably connected to the inner end flap and a second portion foldably connected to the first portion;
- and
- a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps being at least partially overlapped with respect to one another to thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton, the plurality of end flaps comprising a top end flap foldably connected to the top panel and at least partially overlapping the inner end flap and being in face-to-face contact with the inner end flap;
- wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel, and the crown guard flap is positioned for contact with at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded, and the first portion of the crown guard flap extends obliquely with respect to the inner end flap and the central panel, and the second portion of the crown guard flap is disposed adjacent the central panel.
2 more elements
A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprises:
- a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a top panel;
- and
- an insert comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick;
- wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel, the crown guard flap is positioned for contact with at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded, the inner end flap is foldably connected to the central panel along a first fold line, the first fold line is interrupted by the crown guard relief, the crown guard flap is foldably connected to the inner end flap along a second fold line, and the second fold line is spaced apart from the first fold line and the central panel.
1 more element
A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprises:
- a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a top panel;
- and
- an insert comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick;
- wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel, and the crown guard flap is positioned for contact with at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded, and
- wherein the inner end flap is a first inner end flap, the crown guard flap is a first crown guard flap, the crown guard relief is a first crown guard relief, and the insert further comprises a second inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel opposite to the first inner end flap and a second crown guard flap foldably connected to the second inner end flap adjacent a second crown guard relief.
2 more elements
In combination, a carton blank and an insert blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers:
- the carton blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a top panel and the carton blank further comprising a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps for being at least partially overlapped with respect to one another to thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton when the carton is formed from the blank, and
- the insert blank comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick and the plurality of end flaps comprising a top end flap foldably connected to the top panel and at least partially overlapping the inner end flap and being in face-to-face contact with the inner end flap;
- wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel, and the crown guard flap is for being positioned to contact at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded when the carton is formed from the blank, and the combination further comprising handle features for forming a handle when the carton is formed from the blank, the handle features extending in at least the top end flap and the inner end flap.
In combination, a carton blank and an insert blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers:
- the carton blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a top panel;
- and
- the insert blank comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick;
- wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel, and the crown guard flap is for being positioned to contact at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded when the carton is formed from the blank, and
- wherein the inner end flap is foldably connected to the central panel along a first fold line, the first fold line is interrupted by at least one of the crown guard flap and the crown guard relief, the crown guard flap is foldably connected to the inner end flap along a second fold line, and the second fold line is spaced apart from the first fold line and the central panel.
2 more elements
In combination, a carton blank and an insert blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers:
- the carton blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a top panel;
- and
- the insert blank comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick;
- wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel, and the crown guard flap is for being positioned to contact at least one container of the plurality of containers with the collapsing nick being at least partially folded when the carton is formed from the blank;
- and
- wherein the inner end flap is a first inner end flap, the crown guard flap is a first crown guard flap, the crown guard relief is a first crown guard relief, and the insert further comprises a second inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel opposite to the first inner end flap and a second crown guard flap foldably connected to the second inner end flap adjacent a second crown guard relief.
3 more elements
A method of forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the method comprising:
- obtaining a carton blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a top panel and the carton blank further comprising a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps comprising a top end flap foldably connected to the top panel;
- obtaining an insert blank comprising a central panel, an inner end flap foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one crown guard flap foldably connected to the inner end flap adjacent a crown guard relief in the insert, the crown guard flap being connected to at least a portion of the central panel by a collapsing nick and the at least one crown guard flap comprising a first portion foldably connected to the inner end flap and a second portion foldably connected to the first portion;
- positioning the insert blank relative to the carton blank so that the top panel at least partially overlaps the central panel and the top end flap at least partially overlaps the inner end flap and is in face-to-face contact with the inner end flap;
- forming an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-ended sleeve;
- forming a crown retention feature in the interior of the carton comprising folding the inner end flap over an end of the open-ended sleeve, the folding the inner end flap causing at least a portion of the crown guard flap to fold with respect to the inner end flap for contacting at least one container of the plurality of containers, the folding of the crown guard flap causing the first portion of the crown guard flap to extend obliquely with respect to the inner end flap and the central panel, and the collapsing nick to be at least partially folded;
- and
- forming a closed end of the carton by at least partially overlapping the plurality of end flaps with respect to one another,
- wherein the first portion of the crown guard flap extends obliquely with respect to the inner end flap and the central panel, and the second portion of the crown guard flap is disposed adjacent the central panel.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.