US3443740A - Carton with integral lock tab and slot closures - Google Patents

Description

y 3, 1969 J. c. MCKINNEY 3,443,740

CARTON WITH INTEGRAL LOCK TAB AND SLOT CLOSURES Original Filed July 6. 1965 Sheet 23 F .I 2s A 2 ,20 5

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J. C. M KINNEY May 13, 1969 CARTON WITH INTEGRAL LOCK TAB AND SLOT CLOSURES Original Filed July 6, 1965 lm/emon James C. MCKINNEY J'fi Z PAM,MM$ 4ZQ A-rrvs,

May 13, 1969 J. c. M KINNEY 3,443,740

CARTON WITH INTEGRAL LOCK TAB AND SLOT CLOSURES Original Filed July 6, 1965 Sheet 5 of3 United States Patent 3,443,740 CARTON WITH INTEGRAL LOCK TAB AND SLOT CLOSURES James C. McKinney, Taylors, S.C., assignor to Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 469,752, July 6,

1965. This application May 26, 1966, Ser. No. 553,005

Int. Cl. B65d /10 US. Cl. 229-39 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton comprising side walls, end walls, and bottom and top closure flaps hinged to said walls, said top closure flaps comprising a pair of dust flaps hinged to said end walls and a pair of elongated upper flaps hinged to said side walls, a first one of said elongated flaps being adapted to overlie the other of said elongated flaps and including an opposed pair of end lock tabs hinged thereto for reception in complementary slits, said slits each comprising a first portion formed in said dust flaps closely adjacent and parallel to their hinge lines of a length substantially equal to that of the hinge line of said tab, a free end portion of each lock tab being shaped to extend beyond said tab hinge line and adapted to be received in a second slit portion extending from and inclined to said parallel slit portion and to underlie said dust flap at an unslit portion thereof, the total length of each of said straight and inclined slit portions being substantially equal to the total length of the hinged and free end portions of each of said lock tabs.

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 469,752, filed July 6, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in cartons and particularly to recloseable cartons.

It has heretofore been known to provide cartons, particularly in the cereal packaging trade, with top closures comprising a pair of end or dust flaps folded down first, an elongated side flap folded thereover and lightly adhered to the dust flaps, and an uppermost elongated side flap lightly adhered to the first mentioned elongated side flap. Also as heretofore conventional, the lower one of the aforementioned two side flaps was provided with a slit or slot in a depressible portion and the other or uppermost side flap was provided with a tongue adapted to be received in the slot of the first elongated flap so as to provide reclosure means after the adhesive seals have been broken.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a recloseable carton having top closure flaps as aforesaid except that the adhesion between the flaps as aforesaid is dispensed with and interlocking means are provlded in lieu of adhesive whereby the carton can be readily opened without necessity for special instruments, and whereby the carton may be readily repeatedly closed and reopened in a simple and efficient manner.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention,

its details of construction, arrangement of parts and economies thereof, will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a blank development of one form of the carton of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton for-med from the blank of FIG. 1, which is but partially closed.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but with the top flaps of the carton all in closed or locked position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the closed carton top shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the top of the closed carton shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a section on the line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary blank development of a modified form of carton construction.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 7, in partially closed condition.

FIG. 9 is a similar perspective view of the carton of FIG. 8 in fully closed position.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the carton blank showing another modified form of construction.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a partially closed carton of the blank shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view progressive to that of FIG. 11 showing the carton top fully closed.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section on line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section on line 1414 of FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the reference numerals 10, 10 indicate the sides of the carton and 11, 11 the ends thereof. It will be understood that for the purpose of facilitating explanation herein, while two of the wider walls of the carton have been designated as sides and the two narrower walls of the carton have been designated as ends. Generally, cartons of the class here indicated such as are used for the packaging of cereals have tWo relatively wider walls and two relatively narrower walls.

Attached to the side of one of the walls 10 is a flap 12 which is adhesively united to the outermost panel 11 to form a rectangular carton as shown in FIG. 2. For forming a closure, the top of the carton is provided with a pair of dust flaps 13, 13 hingedly engaged at 14 to the fiaps 11. Each of these dust flaps 13, 13 is provided with a slit 15 parallel to the hinge line 14 and closely adjacent thereto. These slits 15 continue on with inclined portions 16 which extend into the end walls 11 in a direction towards side wall 10. conventionally, these dust flaps 13 are folded down first. There is thereafter folded over against the dust flaps the elongated first flap 17 hinged to one of the panels 10 as at 18, this closure flap 17 being provided medially with a slit 19 having arcuate end portions leaving a depressible portion 20. The opposing side wall 10 has hinged thereto at 21 the uppermost elongated closure flap 22 which is provided medially with a tongue 23 adapted to be received in the slit 19 whereby to hold the closure flaps 17 and 22 in interengagement.

The uppermost closure flap 22 is further provided at its opposed ends with the lock tabs 24, 24 hinged thereto at 25, the outer terminal of the tab being spaced as at 26 from the flap 22.

Thus after the dust flaps 13 are folded down and the flap 17 folded thereover, the flap 22 is then folded down next and its tabs 24 inserted in the slits 15 in a manner whereby the outermost end of the tabs 24 project into the inclined slit end portions 16. The length of the straight slit portions 15 is substantially equal to the length of the tabs 24 at their hinge lines with the flaps 22, and the total length of the slit portions 15 and 16 is substantially equal to the total length of the tabs 24, that is, the length of the line 25 at which they are hinged to the flaps 22 plus the extension beyond at the cut-out portion 26 to the outer free edge of the lock tab portion.

When the flap 22 is thus closed down as shown in FIG. 2, the tabs 24 first enter the straight slit portions 15 and thereafter enter the inclined slit portions 16 whereat the free ends of the tabs snap or flex to a planar position and edgewise lodge under dust flaps 13 adjacent to their hinge lines 14 at the end walls 11, to provide a secure lock resistant against upward accidental withdrawal of the flaps 22. At this position, the tongue 23 can be inserted in the slit 19 as an interlock aid. This interlock serves a secondary purpose in that upon repeated opening of the top closure flaps there may be some partial rupture of the tabs 24 or the areas adjacent to the slit portions 15 and 16. However, initially there is a very firm closure and which may be readily opened without necessity for use of lines or spots of adhesive, and reclosure may be readily efifected in a secure manner adequate for continued use of the carton contents until exhausted.

Although I have shown one tab 24 at each of the lateral edges of the flap 22, it will be understood that more than one may be employed particularly on large size cartons, and in such event a plurality of slits formed of components 15 and 16 can be employed partially in the flap 17 and partially in the end walls 11.

It will also be understood that although I have shown one tongue 23 and slit 19, the flaps 17 and 22 may be provided with more than one pair of tongue and slot interengagement means.

Although I have shown in FIG. 1 bottom closure flaps 13', 13' and 22, 17', which can be adhesively secured in hitherto conventional manner, in the alternative the bottom of the carton can be formed with flaps, tabs and slits as previously explained with respect to the top of the carton.

Referring specifically to the modified form of construction shown in FIG. 7, this construction and arrangement is essentially the same as that described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 5, with the following modification: the slit components 15 which are parallel to the hinge lines 14 between the end walls 11 and the dust flaps 13, terminate in inclined portions 16' which extend into the dust fiaps 13 instead of into the end walls 11.

The tabs 24 which are hinged at 25 to the uppermost closure flaps 22 can also be separated from the flaps 22 by a slit 26 in lieu of the cut-out portion 26 previously described but which results in the same interlocking eflect. That is, when the tabs 24 are inserted in the separate slit portions 15 the outermost end of the tabs which are separated at the line 26' enter the inclined slit portions 16' and then snap or straighten out to lodge beneath the unslit portion of the dust flap 13 to provide the previously indicated firm interlock.

Referring to the modified form of construction shown in FIGS. to 14, this construction and arrangement is also essentially the same as that described with respect to the previous figures, with the following modifications:

One end of lock tabs 24 are separated from the flaps 22 at slits or cut-out portions 27, 27 leaving an oppositely projecting pair of tongue portions 28, 28 and thus forming an opposed pair of tab portions. Each tab 24 and its tongues 28, 28 are received in a slit formed in a dust flap 13 and lying parallel to its fold line 14.

In lieu of a single inclined extension as shown in the previous forms, the slit 15 in this case has a pair of inclined slit portions '29, 29 extending from the slit 15 into a Wall 11, the inclined slit portions 29, 29 being inclined in opposite directions. (Although not shown, one of the inclined slit portions 29, 29 can extend upwardly and outwardly lying wholly in flap 13 similar to inclined slit portion 16' shown in FIG. 7). As in the previous forms, the total width of the tab 24 from the outermost ends of its tongues 28, 28 is equal to the total width of the slit 15 and its extensions 29, 29, and likewise the width of the tabs 24 at the fold lines 25 is equal to the width of the straight slit portion 15.

Although I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope as comprehended by the following claims.

I claim:

-1. A carton comprising side walls, end Walls, and bottom and top closure flaps hinged to said walls, said top closureflaps comprising a pair of dust flaps hinged to said end Walls and a pair of elongated upper flaps hinged to said side walls, a first one of said elongated flaps being adapted to overlie the other of said elongated flaps and including an opposed pair of end lock tabs hinged thereto for reception in complementary slits, said slits each comprising a first portion formed in said dust flaps closely adjacent and parallel to their hinge lines of a length substantially equal to that of the hinge line of said tab, a free end portion of each lock tab being shaped to extend beyond said tab hinge line and adapted to be received in a second slit portion extending from and inclined to said parallel slit portion and to underlie said dust flap at an unslit portion thereof, the total length of each of said straight and inclined slit portions being substantially equal to the total length of the hinged and free end portions of each of said lock tabs.

2. The carton of claim .1 wherein the inclined slit portions are formed in the dust flaps.

3. The carton of claim 1 wherein the inclined siit portions extend into the end walls.

4. The carton of claim 1 wherein the lock tabs have a single spaced terminal end portion.

5. The carton of claim 1 wherein the lock tabs have an opposed pair of spaced terminal end portions.

6. The carton of claim 1 wherein a first one of said elongated flaps comprises tongue means disposed between said end walls adapted for reception in slot means formed in the other of said elongated flaps.

7. A carton blank cut and scored to define side walls, end walls, and bottom and top closure flaps hinged to said walls adapted to be set in rectangular form, said top closure flaps comprising a pair of dust flaps hinged to said end walls and a pair of elongated upper flaps hinged to said side walls, a first one of said elongated flaps comprising tongue means adapted to be disposed between the end walls for reception in slot means formed in the other of said elongated flaps and including an opposed pair of end lock tabs in part hinged thereto and terminating in a free end portion for reception in complementary slits, said slits each comprising a first portion formed in said dust flaps closely adjacent and parallel to their hinge lines of a length substantially equal to that of the hinge line of said tab, a free end of each lock tab being shaped to extend beyond said tab hinge line and adapted to be received in a second slit portion extending from and inclined to said parallel slit portion and to underlie said dust flap at an unslit portion thereof, the total length of each of said straight and inclined slit portions being substantially equal to the total length of the hinged and free end portions of each of said lock tabs.

8. A carton comprising side walls, end walls, and bottom and top closure flaps hinged to said walls, said top closure flaps comprising a pair of dust flaps hinged to said end walls and a pair of elongated upper flaps hinged to said side walls, a first one of said elongated flaps overlying the other of said elongated flaps and including an opposed pair of end lock tabs hinged thereto and disposed in complementary slits, said slits each comprising a first portion formed in said dust flaps closely adjacent and parallel to their hinge lines of a length substantially equal to that of the hinge line of said tab, a free end of each lock tab being shaped to extend beyond said tab hinge line and received in a second slit portion extending from an inclined to said parallel slit portion and underlying said dust flap at an unslit portion thereof, the total length of each of said straight and inclined portions being substantially equal to the total length of the hinged and free end portions of each of said lock tabs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cameron 229--38 Van Horne 22939 Buttery 22-9-39 X Buttery et al. 229--39 Andrews et al 22'939 X Lizan et al 229-39 X Arneson 229-35 Paige 22-9-35 Crisafulli 229--27 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

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