Carton With Nested Rows And Handle Access For Beverage Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cartons face challenges in efficiently packaging and protecting beverage containers of varying shapes and sizes, particularly in maintaining stability and ease of handling while accommodating nested arrangements.

Innovation Solution

A carton design featuring a blank with specific foldable panels and flaps that allow for nested arrangements of bottles or cans, including handle features and article protection flaps, enabling efficient packaging and protection of containers in a single layer with optimized nesting configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional cartons are used to package beverage containers, then packaging is simple, but protection against breakage and stability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against breakageVSAvoidcarton structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The carton is divided into multiple functional components including side walls with recesses, end walls with openings, and flaps that can be folded into specific positions. Each component serves a specific protective or structural function, allowing the carton to provide enhanced protection while maintaining manufacturability through standard folding and joining operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The carton structure employs nested arrangements where inner rows of containers are positioned within recesses formed by outer rows. The flaps are nested within the carton body when folded into position, creating space-efficient configurations that enhance protection without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If nested arrangements of containers are implemented, then space efficiency is improved, but stability and handling become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace efficiencyVSAvoidcontainer stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The carton provides different structural characteristics at different locations: rigid side walls with recesses for outer containers, flexible flaps for cushioning inner containers, and strategically positioned openings for stability. Each region is optimized for its specific function, allowing nested arrangements to maintain both space efficiency and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The carton structure is pre-configured with recesses, openings, and flaps in specific positions before containers are loaded. This preliminary structuring ensures that when containers are arranged in nested configurations, they automatically achieve stable positioning without requiring additional adjustment or support during handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If flaps are folded into the carton to create handle access space, then ease of handling is improved, but structural integrity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle access easeVSAvoidcarton structural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The flaps are designed to be dynamic elements that can be folded into the carton body to create handle access spaces when needed, while maintaining their connection to the carton structure. This allows the carton to transition between different operational states (closed for protection, open for handling) without compromising overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3145835B1Carton for articles
Publication Date: 2019.03.20 GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL LLC
  • EP3145835B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3145835B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3145835B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

A package comprising a carton and a plurality of articles. The carton can include a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The articles of the plurality of articles can be arranged in a plurality of rows of articles in the interior of the carton. The plurality of rows of articles can include at least a first row and a second row, the second row can be spaced apart from a panel of the plurality of panels by at least the first row, and the first row can include at least one more article than the second row.