US3058619A - Dispensing cartons - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1962 H. R. JAESCHKE DISPENSING CARTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1959 FIG. 2.

B INVENTOR, HAROLD R. JAESCHKE. Me?

BY Qflflugfw m g ATTORNEY FIG. I.

FIG. 5.

1962 H. R. JAESCHKE 3,058,619

DISPENSING CARTONS Filed March 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY Bun/1 A TORNEY United States Patent 3,o58,619 DHSPENSENG CARTONS Harold R. Jaeschke, Miiwaukee, Wis, assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,231 7 Claims. (Cl. 221-395) This invention relates to an improvement in dispensing cartons and deals particularly with a carton designed to enclose a series of nested cups and which may be used as a cup dispenser.

During recent years it has become relatively common practice to provide cartons which serve as an enclosure for a plurality of nested cups and which may be hung up to position the cups in superimposed relation so that they may be easily dispensed. Some means must be provided for retaining the cups within the carton, this means being releasable so that the cups may be withdrawn one at a time from the open bottom of the carton. The present invention resides in a novel form of cup support which functions automatically by the folding of certain flaps into a predetermined position.

In order to support the cups within the carton, flaps must be folded from the walls. of the carton to extend into the body of the carton a distance sufficient to engage the upper flanged edge of the lowermost cup. Difficulty has been experienced in inserting the flaps so that they extend into the carton just the right amount to accomplish the desired result. In the present invention, a flap is hingedly connected to each of a plurality of walls and connected to the wall along a horizontal line of fold. This flap is designed to be folded outwardly into right angular relation to the carton wall. The .fiap is provided with a projecting tongue which extends beyond the fold line and which folds inwardly into the carton as the remainder of the flap is folded outwardly This inwardly extending portion is of just the proper length to engage the flanged upper edge of the lowermost cup. As a result, the distance to which the flap extends into the carton is definitely regulated and the carton operates in the same manner at all times. These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cup dispenser in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the cup dispenser in readiness for use.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the lower portion of the dispenser showing a single cup in position to be dispensed.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the dispenser, the cups having been removed therefrom.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the dispenser is formed.

The carton A is formed of the blank illustrated in FIG- URE 5 of the drawings. As illustrated, the carton includes a back panel 10, a side wall panel 11, a front wall panel 12, and a side wall panel 13 which are foldably connected along fold lines 14, 15 and 16. A glue flap 17 is foldably connected to the rear wall panel 10' along a fold line 19 which is parallel to the other fold lines mentioned.

A flap 20 is foldably connected to the upper edge of the rear wall 10 along a fold line 21. The flap 20 is divided into an innerflap portion 22 and an outer flap portion 23 by a fold line 24 which extends parallel to the fold line 21. The flap portion 23 is slightly longer than the flap portion 22 so that the free edge of the flap portion 23 may extend down into the carton when the carton is folded. The flap portions 22 and 23 are provided with apertures 25 and 26 which register when the flap 20 is doubled along the fold line 24.

The side wall panels 11 and 13 are foldably connected along an extension of the fold line 21 to closing flaps 27 and 29. The front wall 12 is foldably connected along the fold line 21 to a cover flap 36 which is hingedly connected along a fold line 31 to a tuck flap 32 which may be folded between the edges of the flaps 27 and 29 and the rear wall panel 10 when the carton is folded.

The lower ends of the side walls 11 and 13 are foldably connected along a perforated line 33 to closing flaps 34 and '35. The lower end of the front wall panel 12 is also connected along the fold line 33 to a bottom closure panel 36. The bottom closure panel 36 is hingedly connected along a fold line 37 to a tuck flap 39 which is designed to extend between edges of the closing flaps 34 and and the rear wall panel 10.

Flaps 40 and 41 are foldably connected to the side wall panels 11 and 13 respectively along fold lines 42 and 43 respectively. The flaps 40 and 41 are divided into inner flap sections 44 and outer flap sections 45. The outer flap sections 45 are provided with projecting tongues 46 of reduced width as compared with the width of the remainder of the flaps 40 and 41. The upper corners of the projecting tongues 46 are made accessible to be pulled outwardly by a pair of cut lines 47 which diverge apart from the end corners of the projecting tongues 46. These diverging cut lines 47 define trapezoidal tabs 49 which may be pressed inwardly by the finger so that the upper ends of the tongues 46 may be grasped between the finger and thumb and pulled outwardly.

The fold lines 42 and 43 which connect the flaps 40' and 41 to the wall panels 11 and 13 are centrally interrupted by U-shaped cut lines 50 which project below the fold lines and form tongues 51 which are integral with the inner flap sections 44 and which fold in unison therewith. Generally U-shaped cut lines 52 and 53 are provided in the side walls 11 and 13 beneath the level of the tabs 40 and 41 and are of proper width to accommodate the projecting tongues 46 of these flaps.

The front wall 12 of the carton is provided with a flap 54 which is similar to the flaps 411 and 41 but which is connected to the front wall 12 along a fold line 55 which is somewhat beneath the level of the fold lines 42 and 43 which are at equal distance from the perforated line 33-. The flap 54 is divided by a fold line 56 into an inner section 57 and an outer section 59 provided with a tongue 60 of reduced width. Diverging cut lines 61 emanate from the corners of the projecting tongues 60 to provide a trapezoidal flap 6 2 which may be pressed inwardly to permit engagement of the upper end of the flap 54.

As in the flaps 40 and 41, the foldline 55 is interrupted by a U-shaped out line 63 which extends below the level of the fold line 55 and defines a tongue 64 which is integral with the inner flap section 57 and is foldable in unison therewith. A U-shaped cut 1ine'65 is provided beneath the level of the flap 54 which is of proper width to accommodate the projecting tongue 60. The portion of the outer flap section 59 adjacent the projecting tongue 60 forms shoulders engageable with the outer surface of the panel 12 in folded condition of the flap 54.

In the use of the carton A, the cartons are folded along the fold lines 14 and 16 and the glue lap 17 is adhered in surface contact to the panel 1'3. When the carton is to to be filled, one end such as the lower end is closed by folding the flaps 34 and 35 across the end of the carton, folding the bottom flap 36 to underlie the flaps 34 and 35 and tucking the tuck flap 39 down between the rear edges of the flaps 34 and 35 and the rear wall 10.

The cups such as B which are in nested condition are then inserted into the carton. The cups B are shown as including tapered side walls 67 and a peripheral flange 69 a at the upper ends of these walls. The top end of the carton is then closed by folding the side wall flaps 2"] and 29 down across the upper end of the carton and folding the top flap 30 to overlie the flaps 27 and 29, and inserting the tuck flap 32 between the rear edges of the flaps 27 and 29 and the rear wall 10. The flap 26 may be folded to overlie the cover flap 30, may be folded down against the rear wall 10, or may be supported in any other suitable position during shipment and storage.

When the carton is to be used, the bottom end of the carton is opened and the flaps 34, 35 and 36 are torn off along the perforated lines 33. The flap 20 is folded upwardly from the rear wall panel and is folded along its intermediate fold line 24 so that the free edge of the flap section 29 is in substantially surface contact with the flap section 22 and the free edge is inserted between the tuck flap 32 and the rear wall 10 of the carton as indicated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings.

During this procedure, the carton A is preferably held in inverted position or rested upon one of the wall panels so that the cups will not drop from the lower end of the carton. The flaps 40 and 41 are next folded into operative position by grasping the tongue portions 46, folding the flaps outwardly until the inner sections 44 are angularly related to the side walls to which they are hinged, and the tongues 51 are swung into the carton. The flaps are next folded along their intermediate fold lines 70 and the tongues 46 are inserted through the slot formed by the cut lines 52 and 53. When the tongues are fully inserted, the flap sections 44 are at right angles to the walls 11 and 13 and the tongues 51 extend inwardly from these walls.

The flap 54 is then folded in a similar manner, by grasping the tongues 60 and pulling the flap outwardly along its fold line 55. The flap is next folded along its intermediate fold line 56 and the tongue 60 is inserted through the slots 65. This positions the tongue 64 at right angles to the front wall panel 12 somewhat below the level of the tongues 51.

The carton A is then hung up upon a nail or other support which extends through the aligned apertures'25 and 26 of the flap 20. The flange 69 of the lowermost cup B of the series drops upon the tongues 51, these tongues forming a support for the cups.

When it is desired to remove a cup, the lowermost cup B is grasped, which is simplified by the fact that the lower end of the cup is supported beneath the lower end of the carton A. By exerting a downward pull upon the cup, the tongues 51 and the rim 69 of the cup will flex sufiiciently to permit this cup to be removed. However, the flaps are sufliciently rigid to remain in the path of the flange 69 of the next succeeding cup so that only a single cup will be dispensed.

The tongue 64 engages the forward edge of the cup as it is removed and tends to tilt the cup forwardly. This simplifies the operation of removing the cups. Furthermore, in the event the cup B is grasped firmly enough or is nested into the next cup tightly enough to tend to leave the carton with the lowermost cup, this tongue 64 has a tendency to engage the rim of the upper cup and to retain it within the carton.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in dispensing cartons, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A dispensing carton for nested cups having circumferential flanges at their upper ends, the carton comprising a tubular body including a series of wall panels connected together and forming a rectangular sleeve of a size to accommodate the cups in nested relation, a pair of flaps hingedly secured to two opposed of said panels along parallel fold lines, the fold lines being intermediate the sleeve ends and parallel to and at equal distance from, one end of said sleeve, tongues integral with the flaps and extending from the fold lines in a direction opposite to the remainder of said flaps, said tongues extending inwardly into said tubular body when the remainder of said flaps extends outwardly from said two opposed panels, said tongues, when extending inwardly, being engageable with the flange of the lowermost cup when said cups are in superimposed position.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including means for holding said flaps in outwardly projecting position from said two opposed panels.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including outer flap sections foldably connected to the ends of said flaps and engageable with said two opposed panels to hold said flaps in said outwardly folded position.

4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said fold lines are spaced from said one end of said sleeve a dis tance less than the height of the cups.

5. The structure of claim 1 and including a third flap foldably connected to a third of said panels along a fold line parallel to said end of said sleeve and nearer said one sleeve end than said first mentioned fold lines, said third flap being similar in form to said previously described flaps.

6. A dispensing carton for nested cups having circumferential flanges at their upper ends, the carton comprising a series of wall panels connected together and forming a rectangular sleeve of a size to accommodate the cups in nested relation, a pair of flaps hingedly secured to two opposed of said panels along fold lines intermediate the sleeve ends, the fold lines being parallel to, and spaced at equal distance from, one end of said sleeve, tongues integral with the flaps and extending from the fold lines in a direction opposite to the remainder of said flaps, said tongues extending inwardly into the sleeve when the remainder of said flaps extends outwardly from said two opposed panels, said tongues, when extending inwardly, being engageable with the circumferential flange of the lowermost cup when said cups are in superimposed position, outer flap sections hingedly connected to the ends of said flaps, tongues projecting from the ends of said outer flap sections, said two opposed panels having slots therein to accommodate said last named tongues, said outer flap sections holding said flaps in substantially right angular relation to said two opposed side walls.

7. The structure of claim 6 and including a similar flap hingedly connected to a third panel along a fold line closer to the said one sleeve end than the previously named fold line, said similar flap having an integral tongue projecting inwardly from said third wall when said similar flap is folded outwardly therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,289,487 Lockwood Dec. 31, 1918 1,429,701 Stephens Sept. 19, 1922 2,325,277 Rothe et al. July 27, 1943 2,741,413 Pringle Apr. 10, 1956 2,926,813 Marion Mar. 1, 1960

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