Carton and stress relieving pattern for handle

Abstract

A carton blank is assembled into a carton for beverage containers, the blank having a number of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels each joined by a fold line to an adjacent one of the panels. A number of end flaps are each joined by an end flap fold line to one of the panels and the end flaps are adapted to be folded upon selected other end flaps to form composite end panels of the carton. A carrying handle is formed in a selected one of the panels and adapted to be grasped by a user to carry the erected carton filled with the beverage containers. A pattern of stress-relieving lines are formed in the carton blank to produce a desired buckling of the carton when erected, filled and lifted to avoid tearing of the carton material.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 678,892, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 560,832, filed Nov. 17, 2011 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 053,384, filed Mar. 22, 2011, which in turned claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 318,015, filed Mar. 26, 2010 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 346,602, filed May 20, 2010. Each of these prior applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to cartons, and more particularly, to a beverage container carton having a carrying handle.[0003]In the marketing of soft drinks, beer and other beverages, it is well known to sell those retail consumer products in containers, such as cans, glass bottles, PET bottles or other containers which are grouped together in packs of fo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a new carton design that is stronger and can handle more weight, but also more affordable. The carton has lines on it that help to reduce stress and prevent tearing or rupture when it is lifted by the handle. The carton is made from thinner paperboard stock, which can be non-virgin or virgin pulp. Overall, this invention is able to provide a carton that is both cost-effective and durable.

Problems solved by technology

Naturally, thicker, denser and stronger paperboard stock is typically more expensive and carton manufacturers who produce great quantities of paperboard cartons are interested in providing the most economical carton without sacrificing functionality, including carton strength.

Paperboard stock that is thinner and made from non-virgin pulp is often less expensive than thicker stock made from virgin pulp, but the strength characteristics of such paperboard stock are also often lower.

In some instances, such lines are located only in the top panel of the carton and, due to their limited extent, fail to sufficiently distribute and dissipate the lifting stresses.

Still other known arrangements of so-called stress-relieving lines focus the lifting stresses on specific areas of the carton, such as the corners, thereby creating a stress induced rupture or failure of the paperboard in those areas.

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