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EP-3464088-B1 - PACKAGE INCLUDING CARTON WITH INSERT

EP3464088B1EP 3464088 B1EP3464088 B1EP 3464088B1EP-3464088-B1

Inventors

  • ACKROYD, Robert
  • Boersma, Harmen

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20170531

Claims (16)

  1. A package (15) for holding at least one product, comprising: a carton (5) comprising a plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) extending at least partially around an interior (93) of the carton (5), the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) forming at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) of the carton (5); and at least one insert (13) at least partially disposed in the interior (93) of the carton (5) adjacent the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) to reinforce the carton (5), the at least one insert (13) comprising a first panel (81, 83), a second panel (81, 83), and an intermediate portion (85) between the first panel (81, 83) and the second panel (81, 83), the intermediate portion (85) is foldably connected to the first panel (81, 83) at a first fold line (87, 89) and the intermediate portion (85) is foldably connected to the second panel (81, 83) at a second fold line (87, 89), each of the first panel (81, 83) and the second panel (81, 83) is attached to a respective panel of the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) and the intermediate portion (85) is free from attachment to the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31), the intermediate portion (85) comprises a plurality of sections (92) defined by a respective plurality of fold lines (91), each section of the plurality of sections (92) is movable relative to an adjacent section of the plurality of sections (92); said package (15) being characterized in that the plurality of sections (92) together form a protrusion (94) having a curved configuration extending into the interior (93) of the carton (5), the protrusion (94) extending from the first fold line (87, 89) to the second fold line (87, 89).
  2. The package (15) of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert (13) is devoid of foldable connection to the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31).
  3. The package (15) of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion (85) is spaced from the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4).
  4. The package (15) of claim 3, wherein the intermediate portion (85) has a moment of inertia that is greater than a moment of inertia of the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4).
  5. The package (15) of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert (13) has a length (H1) that is substantially the same as a length (H2) of the carton (5).
  6. The package (15) of claim 1, wherein the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) comprises a first corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) and a second corner (C1, C2, C3, C4), and the at least one insert (13) comprises a first insert (13) having a respective intermediate portion (85) spanning the first corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) and a second insert (13) having a respective intermediate portion (85) spanning the second corner (C1, C2, C3, C4), the first corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) and the second corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) are diagonally opposed across the interior (93) of the carton (5).
  7. In combination, a carton blank (3) and at least one insert blank (13) for forming a package (15) for holding at least one product, comprising: the carton blank (3) for forming a carton (5) and comprising a plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) for extending at least partially around an interior (93) of the carton (5), the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) for forming at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) of the carton (5) when the carton (5) is formed from the carton blank (3); and the at least one insert blank (13) for forming at least one insert (13) for being at least partially disposed in the interior (93) of the carton (5) adjacent the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) to reinforce the carton (5) when the package (15) is formed, the at least one insert blank (13) comprising a first panel (81, 83), a second panel (81, 83), and an intermediate portion (85) between the first panel (81, 83) and the second panel (81, 83), the intermediate portion (85) is foldably connected to the first panel (81, 83) at a first fold line (87, 89) and the intermediate portion (85) is foldably connected to the second panel (81, 83) at a second fold line (87, 89), each of the first panel (81, 83) and the second panel (81, 83) is for being attached to a respective panel of the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) and the intermediate portion (85) is for being free from attachment to the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) when the package (15) is formed, the intermediate portion (85) comprises a plurality of sections (92) defined by a respective plurality of fold lines (91), each section of the plurality of sections (92) is movable relative to an adjacent section of the plurality of sections (92); said combination being characterized in that when the package (15) is formed, the plurality of sections (92) together form a protrusion (94) having a curved configuration extending into the interior (93) of the carton (5) and extending from the first fold line (87, 89) to the second fold line (87, 89).
  8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the at least one insert blank (13) is devoid of foldable connection to the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31).
  9. The combination of claim 7, wherein the intermediate portion (85) is spaced from the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) when the package (15) is formed.
  10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the intermediate portion (85) has a moment of inertia that is greater than a moment of inertia of the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) when the package (15) is formed.
  11. A method of forming a package (15) from a carton blank (3) and at least one insert blank (13), comprising: obtaining a carton blank (3) comprising a plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31); obtaining at least one insert blank (13) comprising a first panel (81, 83), a second panel (81, 83), and an intermediate portion (85) between the first panel (81, 83) and the second panel (81, 83), the intermediate portion (85) is foldably connected to the first panel (81, 83) at a first fold line (87, 89) and the intermediate portion (85) is foldably connected to the second panel (81, 83) at a second fold line (87, 89), the intermediate portion (85) comprises a plurality of sections (92) defined by a respective plurality of fold lines (91), each section of the plurality of sections (92) is movable relative to an adjacent section of the plurality of sections (92); forming the at least one insert (13) by attaching the at least one insert blank (13) to the carton blank (3); forming the carton (5) by folding the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) of the carton blank (3) to extend at least partially around an interior (93) of the carton (5) and forming at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) of the carton (5); and disposing the at least one insert (13) at least partially in the interior (93) of the carton (5) adjacent the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) such that each of the first panel (81, 83) and the second panel (81, 83) is attached to a respective panel of the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) and the intermediate portion (85) is free from attachment to the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31); said method being characterized by depositing the at least one insert (13) such that the plurality of sections (92) together form a protrusion (94) having a curved configuration extending into the interior (93) of the carton (5), the protrusion (94) extending from the first fold line (87, 89) to the second fold line (87, 89).
  12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one insert (13) is devoid of foldable connection to the plurality of panels (21, 23, 27, 31) when the at least one insert (13) is at least partially disposed in the interior (93) of the carton (5).
  13. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate portion (85) is spaced from the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4), the intermediate portion (85) has a moment of inertia that is greater than a moment of inertia of the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) when the at least one insert (13) is at least partially disposed in the interior (93) of the carton (5).
  14. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate portion (85) comprises a plurality of intermediate panels, each panel of the plurality of intermediate panels being foldably connected to one another, the plurality of intermediate panels comprises a first intermediate panel foldably connected to the first panel (81, 83) and a second intermediate panel foldably connected to the first intermediate panel and the second panel (81, 83).
  15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one insert (13) has a length (H1) that is substantially the same as a length (H2) of the carton (5) when the carton (5) is formed.
  16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) comprises a first corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) and a second corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) when the carton (5) is formed, and the at least one insert (13) comprises a first insert (13) having a respective intermediate portion (85) spanning the first corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) and a second insert (13) having a respective intermediate portion (85) spanning the second corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) when the at least one insert (13) is at least partially disposed in the interior (93) of the carton (5), the first corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) and the second corner (C1, C2, C3, C4) are diagonally opposed across the interior (93) of the carton (5) when the carton (5) is formed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention generally relates to packages with cartons having at least one insert. Document US1821692A discloses a package, a combination and a method forming the basis of the preamble of claims 1, 7 and 11 respectively. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE According to one aspect of the invention, a package for holding at least one product comprises a carton and at least one insert as per claim 1. According to another aspect of the invention, a combination comprises a carton blank and at least one insert blank for forming a package for holding at least one product as per claim 7. According to another aspect, the subject invention is also directed towards a method of forming a package from a carton blank and at least one insert blank as per claim 11. The dependent claims are directed towards advantageous embodiments of the subject invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures. According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a carton according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of an insert for being disposed in the carton formed from the blank of Fig. 1 to form a package according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of two inserts of Fig. 2 disposed in a partially erected carton formed from the blank of Fig. 1 according to the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.Fig. 4 is a perspective view, shown partially in hidden lines, of the package according to the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Corresponding parts may be designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS The present disclosure generally relates to package including a carton that may contain products such as flowable materials or food products (e.g., cereal) or any other flowable material (e.g., powder-type mixes, granular materials, salts or other crystallines, detergents, etc.). The cartons described herein can include a liner or bag in the carton interior. The liner can be used to protect and store product in the carton. The liner can be made from materials suitable in composition for packaging the particular product, and the materials include, but are not limited to, plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; metals; papers; and the like, or any combination thereof. Alternatively, the liner can be omitted. In one or more embodiments, in this specification, the terms "inner," "interior," "outer," "exterior," "front," "back," "lower," "bottom," "upper" and "top" indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright packages and/or cartons. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exterior side 1 of a blank, generally indicated at 3, used to form a carton 5 (Fig. 4) according to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. The carton 5 can be used to house a flowable material (e.g., a food product such as cereal; not shown) or other products. The carton 5 can have a top closed end 7 and a bottom closed end 9 (Fig. 4). Two inserts 13 (Figs. 2) can be disposed within the carton 5 to form a package 15 (Fig. 4). The package 15 can also include a liner or bag (not shown) disposed within the carton 5. As shown in Fig. 1, the blank 3 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 3 includes a first end panel 21 foldably connected to a first side panel 23 at a first lateral fold line 25, a second end panel 27 foldably connected to the first side panel 23 at a second lateral fold line 29, and a second side panel 31 foldably connected to the second end panel 27 at a third lateral fold line 33. In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 3 includes an attachment flap 35 foldably connected to the second side panel 31 at a fourth lateral fold line 37. Alternatively, the attachment flap 35 could be foldably connected to the first end panel 21 or could be omitted without departing from the invention as defined by the claims. In the illustrated embodiment, a first end top flap 39 and a first end bottom flap 41 are foldably connected to the first end panel 21. As shown, a first side top flap 43 and a first side bottom flap 45 are foldably connected to the first side panel 23. A second end top flap 47 and a second end bottom flap 49 are foldably connected to the second end panel 27, as shown. A second side top flap 51 and a second side bottom flap 53 are foldably connected to the second side panel 31. The top flaps 39,