Carton having stacking strength-enhancing feature

Abstract

A carton has a triangular shaped internal buttress arrangement for enhancing the stacking strength of the carton. The arrangment is formed from the distal portion of at least one of the side end flaps.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC § 1.19 (e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 735,619, filed Nov. 9, 2005, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates generally to cartons for use in packaging articles and, more particularly, relates to a carton whose stacking strength is enhanced by a special arrangement of an end closure structure. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Cartons are useful for allowing consumers to purchase, transport and store a desired quantity of articles. However, some articles are flexible and / or deformable such as juice pouches. Such articles tend to get easily rearranged and crushed within the carton. Moreover, not all cartons have sufficient strength to physically protect the contents when arranged in a stacked condition. Cartons may tend to break open unintentionally when the cartons are subject to compression. What is needed, there...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] Generally described, top and bottom opposed walls are hingedly interconnected by a pair of side walls to form a tubular body. An end closure structure is provided to at least partially close each end of the tubular body. A buttress arrangement is provided by each end closure structure. Each buttress arrangement is disposed within the interior of the carton and extends vertically between the top and bottom walls to enhance the stacking strength of the carton.

[0007] The present invention in a still another aspect provides a carton comprising top and bottom opposed walls hingedly interconnected by a pair of side walls to form a tubular body, an end closure structure for at least partially closing each end of the tubular body, and a buttress arrangement provided by each end closure structure. Each buttress arrangement is disposed within the interior of the carton and extends vertically between the top and bottom walls to enhance the stacking strength of the carton. Each end closure structure comprises a pair of side end flaps joined to the side walls respectively. Each side end flaps of each end closure structure comprises a pair of proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion is hingedly connected to the respective side wall whereas the distal portion in hingedly connected to the respective proximal portion. The proximal portions of the side end flaps extend from the side walls toward each other while the distal portions extending from the respective proximal portions into the interior of the carton. Preferably at least one distal portion at each end is disposed to form in conjunction with its respective proximal portion and the adjacent side wall a triangular tubular buttress arrangement. Each side end flap includes a vertical fold line dividing that side end flap into the distal and proximal portions. The distal portion has a horizontal transverse size greater than that of the proximal portion, and preferably between 1.2 and 1.8 time the horizontal traverse size of the proximal portion.

Problems solved by technology

Such articles tend to get easily rearranged and crushed within the carton.

Moreover, not all cartons have sufficient strength to physically protect the contents when arranged in a stacked condition.

Cartons may tend to break open unintentionally when the cartons are subject to compression.

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