Article Carrier Blank With Annular Tabs for Secure Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cartons for carrying multiple articles face challenges in minimizing material usage, ensuring secure retention of contents, and maintaining structural integrity while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a main panel with annular series of engaging tabs around openings, where tabs yield out of the plane to secure articles, featuring cutlines that enhance structural support and minimize material waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If cartons are formed from minimal material to reduce cost and environmental impact, then material usage is reduced, but structural integrity and strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The carton panel is segmented into multiple tabs struck from the panel, creating distributed engagement points that collectively provide structural support. The segmentation allows the material to be efficiently distributed across the structure, maximizing strength-to-material-ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The tabs are designed to be flexible and yield out of the plane when articles are received, providing dynamic adaptation to load conditions. This dynamic behavior allows the structure to maintain strength while using minimal material, as the tabs engage articles only when needed
2Reliability
If tabs are struck from the panel to secure articles, then article retention is improved, but material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tabs are self-forming structures struck directly from the panel material itself, eliminating the need for separate retention components. The tabs use the panel's own material to provide retention, ensuring efficient material utilization with no additional waste
Solution Approach 2:
The panel material serves multiple functions: it forms the structural panel itself and simultaneously creates the retention tabs. This multi-functionality ensures that every portion of the material contributes to both structural integrity and article retention, minimizing waste
3Reliability
If tabs yield out of plane to engage articles, then article security is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connection parameters are optimized to allow controlled yielding of tabs out of plane. The hinge geometry and material properties are selected to provide the necessary flexibility for article engagement while maintaining manufacturing feasibility and acceptable precision tolerances
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to an article carrier for packaging one or more articles and a blank for forming the carrier. The article carrier comprises a plurality of top-engaging openings or engaging structures each having an annular series of engaging teeth or tabs along the perimeter of that opening. The annular series of engaging tabs of each opening is interrupted by at most two gaps. A notional diametrical line z-z′ passes through the center of each of the at most two gaps and extends substantially perpendicular to the grain direction GR of paper material from which the article carrier is formed.