WO2007116197A1

WO2007116197A1 - Blank for a packaging carton

Info

Publication number: WO2007116197A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/000159
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roger Joseph Wonnacott
Original assignee: Ds Smith Packaging Limited
Priority date: 2006-04-07
Filing date: 2007-01-19
Publication date: 2007-10-18
Also published as: GB0701083D0; GB2436830B; GB2436830A; GB0607073D0; EP2004499A1

Abstract

A packaging carton is formed from a blank of stiff but foldable material comprising a series of panels joined at fold lines for providing a front panel, two side panels and a rear panel of the carton. A slit (9) runs along the series of panels to define a removable part (5, 6, 7, 8) of each panel, the removable part being joined to the remainder of the blank by web portions (10, 11, 12) which interrupt the slit. At least that part of the slit (9) interrupted by the web portions has substantially the same width as the web portions (10, 11, 12). The blank may be a substantially flat pre-folded blank with the web portions (10, 11, 12) folded such that the upper section (5, 6, 7, 8) partially overlaps the main part (1, 2, 3, 4) of the blank.

Description

BLANK FOR A PACKAGING CARTON

Background to the Invention

[0001] This invention relates to a blank for forming a packaging carton of the kind used for displaying products, for example on a shelf in a store.

[0002] A known carton has a removable section forming part of the front and top of the carton and defined by a line of perforations. When this section is removed, the edge of the aperture formed is often jagged and unsightly.

[0003] FR- A-2713597 describes a blank of stiff but foldable material for forming a packaging carton, comprising a series of panels joined at fold lines for providing a front panel, two side panels and a rear panel of the carton, a slit running along said series of panels to define a removable part of each panel, the removable part being joined to the remainder of the blank by web portions which interrupt said slit. The slit is narrow.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The invention provides a blank of stiff but foldable material for forming a packaging carton according to claim 1, and a packaging carton formed from such a blank. Optional features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: .

[0006] Figure 1 shows a blank according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0007] Figure 2 shows the first stage of folding the blank of Figure 1;

[0008] Figure 3 shows a further stage of folding the blank of Figure 1; and [0009] Figure 4 shows a carton formed from the blank of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Particular Embodiments

[0010]Figure 1 shows a paperboard blank comprising a main rear panel 1, a right side panel 2, a lower front panel 3 and a left side panel 4, joined in a series at fold lines. A further series of panels comprising an upper rear panel 5, an upper right side panel 6, a main front panel 7 and an upper left side panel 8 is separated from the first series of panels by a slit 9. Spanning the slit are a rear web portion 10, joining the main rear panel 1 to the upper rear panel 5, a right web portion 11, joining the right side panel 2 to the upper right side panel 6, and a left web portion 12, joining the left side panel 4 to the upper left side panel 8.

[0011] A top flap 13 is joined to a top edge of each of the upper panels 5, 6, 7, 8. A base flap 14 is joined to a bottom edge of each of the main/lower panels 1, 2, 3, 4. Tabs 15 are joined at the free edge of the main rear panel 1 and upper rear panel 5.

[0012] The blank has optional handle holes 16 in the left and right side panels 2, 4 and a finger-engaging hole 17 in the main front panel 7.

[0013]Figure 2 is a view of the "inside" of the blank showing how the web portions 10, 11, 12 are folded in opposite directions at their ends. Subsequently, the uppermost parts of the rear panel 1, right side panel 2, lower front panel 3 and left side panel 4 overlap the upper rear panel 5, upper right side panel 6, main front panel 7 and upper left side panel 8 respectively. The uppermost portions of panels 1, 2 and 4 may or may not be glued to the rear and side panels 5, 6, 8 respectively.

[0014] The blank is then folded as shown in Figure 3 to form a tube, the tabs 15 being glued to the inside of the left side panels 4, 8. [0015] Finally the bottom flaps 14 are folded and sealed together and, after filling, the top flaps 13 are folded and sealed together. The carton then appears as shown in Figure 4. Note that the upper part of the carton, comprising the upper panels 5, 6, 8 and top flaps 13, is outside the main part of the carton, which gives greater stability to the carton, although the main front panel 7 is tucked inside the front lower panel 3. The main front panel may in fact be glued to the inside or outside of the front lower panel to ensure that when the carton is picked up at its top by a robot, the upper part stays together with the main part of the carton.

[0016] The upper part of the carton can easily be removed by freeing the main front panel 7 from behind the lower front panel 3 using the hole 17. On pulling the main front panel 7 further, the web portions 10, 11, 12 are detached from the panels 1, 2, 4 respectively. The front and top of the carton are open for removal of contents.

[0017] The blank shown in Figure 1 is particularly suitable for manual erection. It could be supplied either as shown in Figure 1, or as a substantially flat pre- folded blank "with the web portions 10, 11, 12 folded such that the upper section (panels 5, 6, 7, 8) partially overlaps the main part of the blank (panels 1, 2, 3, 4) and the tabs 15 are glued to the side panels 4, 8. After folding and sealing the bottom flaps 14 the carton could be filled and sealed either manually or using a simple machine.

[0018] Modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims will immediately occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, instead of front panel 7 being the main front panel, all four upper panels 5, 6, 7, 8 could be of the same width, to form a carton from which only the top and the not the front is removable.

[0019] An alternative blank according to the invention is formed with bottom flaps that automatically lock together without requiring glue, in a known manner. As a further alternative, the bottom flaps could be configured so as to form internal compartments in the finished carton, for example by forming slots in an opposed pair of the flaps, into which slots the other two bottom flaps are arranged to extend, also in a known manner.

Claims

1. A blank of stiff but foldable material for forming a packaging carton, comprising a series of panels joined at fold lines for providing a front panel, two side panels and a rear panel of the carton, a slit running along said series of panels to define a removable part of each panel, the removable part being joined to the remainder of the blank by web portions which interrupt said slit, wherein at least that part of the slit interrupted by the web portions has substantially the same width as the web portions.

2. A blank according to claim 1, wherein the web portions occupy less than 30% of the length of the slit.

3. A blank according to claim 1, wherein the web portions occupy less than 15% of the length of the slit.

4. A blank according to claim 1, 2 or 3, having three web portions, one each in the side panels and the rear panel.

5. A blank according to any preceding claim, wherein the slit coincides with at least parts of the edges of the front panel intended to be vertical in the finished carton.

6. A blank according to any preceding claim, which has been folded such that portions of the panels on either side of the slit overlap each other.

7. A blank according to claim 6, wherein the overlapping portions of the front panel are glued together.

8. A packaging carton formed from a blank according to any preceding claim.