US3329330A - Egg carton - Google Patents

Description

y 1967 F. E. HELMICK 3,329,330

EGG CARTON Filed Sept. 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Fred E. Helm/ck Attorneys F. E. HELMICK July 4, 1967 EGG CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept.

INVENTOR. Fred E. Helmick BY Attorneys F. E. HELMICK July 4, 1967 EGG CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 9, 1965 INVENTOR. Fred E. Helmick Attorneys United States Patent 3,329,330 EGG CARTON Fred E. Helmick, 381 Felton Drive, Menlo Park, Calif. 94025 Filed Sept. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 486,118 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-29) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An egg carton having depending cross members on the cover, the free edges of which restrain movement of the contents and also furnish a window in the cover. On the bottom portion, a segmented, gabled central spine projects from a leakproof bottom, cert-ain segments of the spine have shoulders which engage between spaced abutments on the upper edge of adjacent cross partitions, and straight edges on such segments beneath the shoulders, engage and stiffen the cross partitions against lateral buckling.

This invention relates to a collapsible cellular carton, and particularly concerns an improved carton for packaging eggs and comparably shaped fragile articles.

An object of the invention is to provide an egg carton having improved leak resisting characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to provide an egg carton which is stackable in a manner wherein the load of a stack of cartons is applied principally to the side walls of the cartons thereby to minimize substantially the load applied to the contents of the several cartons in the stack and tending to reduce the likelihood of breakage of the contents.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a one-piece cellular carton erectable from a blank of fiberboard material which makes maximum utilization of the fiberboard material.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a carton of the type described which is economical to make and is susceptible of quick erection by automatic machinery.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an egg carton in which the cover is supported on its opposite sides and along its longitudinal center line and is so con structed that a load applied to the cover along such longitudinal center line is' distributed to the side walls of the carton.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an egg carton in which the cover is so constructed to provide in the closed position a View of the cartons contents.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an egg carton in which the cover is provided with a plurality of openings for viewing the contents, the carton being constructed so that in the closed condition eggs in adjacent cells are resiliently cushioned so as to provide maximum protection against breakage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a generally improved egg carton in which the fluid from an egg, if broken, is largely, if not entirely, confined to the carton and therefore does not flow downwardly so as to damage the subjacent cartons.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and arrangements of elements as will fully appear as this description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cellular carton made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, a portion of the cartons cover being shown in the closed position, another portion of the cover being shown in an open condition;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIGURES 4 and 4a are plan views of the partially folded blank from which the carton of FIGURE 1 is constructed;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are each perspective views illustrating further steps employed to erect the carton of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a cellular egg carton made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1-3, there is shown there a carton in the erected condition designated generally by the numeral 10 which is made in accordance with and embodies the principles of the present invention. The general configuration of the carton 10 is that of a 2 x 6 egg carton adapted to accommodate a dozen eggs in two aligned rows of six each. The carton 10 is formed from a blank comprising a single sheet of fiberboard material and includes a cover 11 hingeably connected to a tall rear wall 12, a somewhat shorter front wall 13 and a substantially imperforate bottom 14 established by the planar front bottom panel 14a and the planar rear bottom bottom panel 14b.

The carton 10 is divided longitudinally by a gabled, central spine 16 which includes the individual spine segments 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e and 16]. An upstanding medial partition 17 extends between the confronting edges of the spine segments 16:: and 16d and separates the carton 10 into symmetrical halves about its lateral axis. Each end of the carton 10 is closed by an end wall 18. Between each end wall 18 and the medial partition 17 there are arranged two spaced apart cross-partitions 19, each extending between the confronting edges of adjacent spine segments. Each cross-partition 19 is united by a connector 21 to the front panel 13 and by a similar connector 21 to a securing strip 22 attached as by gluing to the rear v wall 12.

' like object. By reason of the close fit between the end walls 18 and the irnperforate bottom 14 the carton 10' possesses superior leak resisting characteristics. By reason of the arched bottom 14 the cartons 10 may be stacked one upon another so that the vertical forces in the stack are distributed principally through the side walls 12 and 13 of the carton 10 and not through the cover. This reduces the likelihood of crushing oversize eggs in subjacent cartons.

Considering now in detail the cellular or compartmented portion of the container 10 and leaving for a later portion of this specification a detailed description of the cover 11 it will be seen from FIGURES 1-3 that thetall rear wall 12 and the shorter front wall 13 each merge respectively with the bottom panels 14a and 14b at the carton supporting corners 12a and 13a respectively. When erected and filled the weight of the carton 10 and those which may be stacked above it is supported solely along the lines defined by the corner portions 12a and 13a. It

is to be understood, of course, that the blank from which i the carton 10 is formed is suitably scored to facilitate 3 folding along the corner portions 12a and 13a, the lines of scoring being identified in FIGURES 4a and 4 as 12a and 13a respectively.

The interlocked arrangement, to be described fully below, of the cross-partitions 19'and walls 18 and medial partition 17 with respect to the segmented spine 16 is such that loads placed upon the cover of the carton and then distributed to the spine are transferred through the truss-like relation of the aforementioned members to the side walls 12 and 13. Even though-the members 17-19 are formed from relatively thin fiberboard materials the truss-like arrangement best utilizes and combines the strength of these members in a manner permitting stacking of the cartons 10 to a substantial height but minimizes the danger of the breakage to the contents. The segmented spine 16 is of double fold construction formed integrally with the bottom panels 14a and 14b. Each fold of the spine 16 merges along a continuous crease 25 with the inner edge of one of the bottom panels 14a and 14b. The member 16 extends from the bottom 14 in a gable-like fold to an apex 23 which is disposed in a plane substantially level with the top margin of the rear wall 12, as shown best in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Referring to FIGURE 4a, the six segments of the gabled spine 16 are symmetrically arranged about an imaginary line extending between the medial segments 16c and 16d. More specifically, the following segments are related in form and function; the end segments 16a and 16f; the intermediate segments 16b and 16e; and the medial segments 16c and 16d. For this reason, only one of each type of segment will be described more fully.

The end segment, as may be seen in FIGURE 4a, is cut from the blank to have substantially straight edges 24 and 26 which terminate respectively in notch- like shoulders 27 and 28 disposed in an overhanging relationship at right angles with respect to the edges 24 and 26. Parallel to the edges 24 and 26 are the straight edges 31 and 32 which terminate respectively in overhanging latch-like projections or shoulders 33 and 34. The projections 33 and 34 describe with respect to the associated edges 31 and 32 an acute angle. It will be appreciated that when the carton 10 is erected the edges 24, 26, 31 and 32 extend upwardly from the bottom panels 14a and 14b in a converging relationship.

The medial segment 16c and its counterpart 160., is provided with straight edges 36 and 37 disposed perpendicular to the crease 25 and terminating in the latchlike shoulder protrusions 38 and 39 respectively. The arrangement of the edges 36 and 37 and shoulders 38 and 39 is similar to that of the edges 31 and 32 and associated shoulders 33 and 34 of the end segments 16a.

The medial segment 16c opposite from the edge 36 is provided with a diverging edge 41 inclined with respect to the crease 25 and terminates in a notch-like shoulder 42, the shoulder 42 being aligned with the shoulder 27 of the end segment 16a.

The intermediate segment 16b is disposed between the end segments 16a and the medial segment 16c. Opposite from the edges of 31, 32, 36 and 37 the respective confronting side edges of the intermediate section 16b are straight for a distance and perpendicular to the crease 25. Opposite from the shoulders 33, 34, 38 and 39 the side edges are cut inwardly to provide clearance for the shoulders.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 4 and 5, it will be seen that there are joined between the securing strip 22 and front wall 13 the crossamembers 17-19, each of which is provided with curved side edges which in the erected condition of the carton 10' supply to the rear 12 and front 13 walls a slight outward bow as clearly appears in FIGURES 1-3. The medial partition 17 is formed from two flaps hinged at an apex to fold downwardly, each presenting to the bottom panels 14a and 14b a lower edge shaped like a wide V. The V-like lower edges of the medial partition is somewhat like the lower edges of the end walls 18 and serves to fix the angular disposition of the bottom panels in the erected condition of the carton 10.

Each end wall 18 includes an upper marginal connector strip 18a extending between the securing strip 22 and the front wall 13 and a panel foldable downwardly at a right angle to the strip 18a.

Each cross-partition 19 is attached by a connector 21 to the securing strip 22 and by a like connector 21 to the front wall 13. A tab 46 is centrally arranged along the top edge of the cross-partition 19 and extends upwardly therefrom, terminating in spaced apart abutments 47 having a substantially straight land 48 disposed therebetween, best shown in FIGURE 6. The bottom edge of the cross-partition 19 is straight and is disposed above the bottom panels 14a and 14b to provide a channel between compartments so that fluid from a broken egg may flow from one compartment to another. Upon encountering an end Wall 18 or the medial partition 17, however, additional endwise flow is halted.

When erected, the outer shoulders 27 and 28 of the 7 end segment 16a frictionally interlock with the horizontally disposed connector strip 18a and the end wall 18 is held vertically against the straight edges 24 and 26. The spacing of the shoulders 27 and 28 from the crease connection 25 of the spine 16 is such that the bottom panels 14a and 14b are urged into snug engagement with the V-shaped free lower edges of the end panel 18 and are then disposed in a negative dihedral relationship to each other.

The inner shoulders 33 and 34 of the end segment 16a interlock with the tab 46 of the adjacent cross-partition 19, the shoulders 33 and 34 being restrained laterally by the abutments 47. Similarly, the shoulders 38 and 39 of the medial segment 16c interlock with the associated tab 46 of the adjacent cross-partition 19, the shoulders 38 and 39 being restrained by the abutments 47 from outward movement.

The cross-partitions 19 are maintained in a substantially upstanding or vertical attitude by reason of the straight edges 33, 34, 36 and 37 underlying the associated shoulders. The adjacent confronting straight edges of the intermediate partition 16b serve to hold the crosspartition 19 in locking relation to the shoulders. This arrangement also serves to stiffen the cross-partition 19 thereby to prevent buckling. When the aforementioned parts are arranged as described the bottom panels 14a and 14b define a negative dihedral relationship with respect to each other.

The shoulder 42 of the medial segment 16c engages frictionally the top edge portion of the medial partition 17.

The carton as described above may be provided with a cover having a plurality of opennigs permitting a view of the contents within the several cells or compartments, as shown in FIGURES 1-6. On the other hand, a carton may be formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention which includes a cover of imperforate character such as that shown in FIGURE 7 wherein there appears a carton designated generally embodying a second form of the invention. It will be understood that the carton 110 in the cellular or compartmented portion thereof may include each of the features previously described and may be assembled from a blank similar, except for the cover portion, to that shown in FIGURES 4 and 4a. One feature of the carton 110 is that the cover 111 thereof provides a field for receiving a substantial expanse of advertising material serving to identify the source and features of the contents. Where it is felt desirable to permit a customer to view the contents of a carton in the closed condition thereof a carton may be equipped with a cover such as that shown in FIGURES 16.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 4 and 5-, it will be seen that the cover 11 is hinged along a score line 61 to the rear wall 12 and includes a locking flap 62 foldable about a score line 63 to present the free edge of the flap 62 equipped with the hook portion 64 to the gusset shaped connectors 21 along the front wall 13 to interlock therewith when the cover 11 is closed, as shown in FIGURE 1.

A central panel 66 having a large diamond shaped opening 67 extends between the hinged connection 61 and locking flap 62 and is so arranged that when the cover is closed the opening 67 provides a view to the four cells or compartments adjacent to the medial partition 17.

A flap is foldable inwardly from each lateral edge of the panel 66. The rectangularly shaped flaps 68 and the panel 66 are so arranged that when the cover 11 is closed, the flaps 68 are disposed outwardly of the cross-partitions 19 next adjacent to the medial partition 17 whereby the flaps 68 serve as an extension of the cross-partitions, thus, arranging the four cells or compartments as a subcontainer within the carton 10.

An end flap 69 is arranged at each end ofv the cover 11, the end flap 69 being folded inwardly from an end strip 71 which extends from the hinge 61 to the locking flap 62. When the cover 11 is closed the end flap 69 presents its lower edge to the connector strip 18a to form a continuation of the end wall 18, thus lending a more solid appearance to the carton 10.

A retaining member 72 is provided on the cover 11 intermediate each panel flap 68 and end flap 69, the retaining member 72 comprising a pair of inwardlydirected flaps or folds 72a and 72b folded about a hinge 73 extending between two triangular shaped gusset members 74, best shown in FIGURE 4. The inner or free edge of the flaps 72a and 72b may be provided with means for engaging the surface of the contents of the carton 10,

such as eggs or the like objects. Such means may take the form of a fan-like array of tabs 76 defined by radially oriented perforations extending from the free edge of the respective folds 72a and 72b, best shown in FIGURE 4a. Alternatively, the contents engaging means may take the form of an arcuate edge or recess 77, as shown in the left portion of FIGURE 1.

When the cover 11 is in the closed position, the retaining member 72 extends between the V-shaped notch defined by the upper confronting edge portions of the intermediate segment 162 and end segment 16 and their respective counterparts, end segment 16a and intermediate segment 16b.

A bendable tab 78 is formed in each flap 72b and the end flap 69 so that when the cover" is in a closed position clearance is afforded to the adjacent shoulders.

It will be observed in FIGURE 1 that the retaining member 72 is spaced from the end flap 69 and from the medial flap 68 a distance so that the four contiguous cells or compartments adjacent the member 72 are exposed to the viewer when the cover 11 is in the closed position. Thus, each of the cells or compartments of the carton 19 may be viewed from the exterior when the cover 11 is in a lower or closed position.

The carton 10, or the carton 110 as the case may be, is assembled from a blank, shown in FIGURES 4 and 4a. In the case of the carton 110 the cover portion is imperforate. Considered as a blank, the carton comprises a double thickness of fiberboard material being that a first portion of the blank containing the panels 14a and the cross members 17-19 are folded upon a second portion of the blank comprising the segmented spine 16 and rear bottom panel 14b. The first portion is secured to the interlocking relationship with the cross members 17-19 and locked therein in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. This operation may be performed by high speed machinery of the kind shown and described, for example, in Patent No. 3,200,718, issued Aug. 17, 1965, for a Carton Forming Machine.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An egg carton comprising a single sheet of fi-berboard material erectable to have spaced apart front and rear walls, first and second imperforate bottom panels merging respectively with said front and rear walls along fr-ont'and rear carton supporting corners, a gabled segmented spine projecting upwardly from each bottom panel along a continuous crease, a plurality of spaced apart cross-partitions extending between said front and rear walls and passing between adjacent segments of said gabled spine to define a plurality of egg receiving compartments, ones of said cross-partitions being each equipped on the upper edge thereof with a laterally spaced pair of abutments, ones of said gabled segments each presenting to the adjacent cross-partition a pair of straight edges disposed in a plane perpendicular to said front and rear walls for stiffening said partitions from lateral buckling and for maintaining the same in an upstanding attitude, said ones of said segments being equipped with shoulders overhanging said straight edges and latchingly engaging said upper edge of the adjacent cross-partition mediate said abutments.

2. The egg'carton of claim 1 wherein said shoulders and said upper edge mediate set abutments are spaced from said crease a distance so that in the erected condition of said carton said crease is disposed above said supporting corners, said bottom panels being then disposed in a negative dihedral relationship.

3. The egg carton of claim 1 wherein said carton at each end is provided with an imperforate end wall connected to and shaped to fit snugly against said front and rear walls, the lower edge of said end wall presenting to second portion at the securing strip 22, shown in FIG- 7 URE 5.

The first stage in erecting the carton 10 is to spread the overlying first and second portions to form an open boxlike configuration as shown in FIGURE 5. Thereafter, the segmented spine 16 and the cross members 17-19 are rotated into position in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 6. Thereafter, the spines are moved up into said bottom panels a concave obtuse profile, the segment of said spine adjacent said end wall presenting thereto a pair of straight edges disposed in a plane perpendicular to said front and rear walls, said segment being equipped with shoulders overhanging said straight edges and frictionally engaging the upper portion of said end wall serving to maintain said wall against said straight edges in a substantially upstanding attitude and serving to maintain said bottom panels in a snug relationship with said lower edge.

4. The egg carton of claim 1 wherein said carton is provided with a cover formed to permit in the closed position thereof a view of the contents, said cover being joined in a hinge connection to the upper margin of said rear wall and including a closure flap alignable in said closed position with said front wall, at least one retaining member extending between said hinged connection and said closure flap and arranged to afford a view into a contiguous group of egg receiving compartments, said retaining member being folded downwardly from the plane of said cover to protrude into said group of egg receiving compartments, the lower portions of said member presenting to the contents of said compartments retaining means positioned to occlude removal of such contents.

5. The egg carton of claim 4 wherein said cover includes, spaced from said retaining member, a panel overlying a group of egg receiving compartments, said panel being provided with a window affording a view into such compartments.

6. An egg carton erectable from a blank of fiberboard material to have integral rear, bottom and front panels and being closed by end panels integrally joined to said front and rear panels, said carton being equipped with internal partitions defining a multiplicity of egg receiving compartments, a cover formed to permit in the closed position thereof a view of the contents of said compartments, said cover being hingeably joined to the upper margin of said rear panel and including a closure flap alignable in saidclosed position with said front panel, a central panel on said cover overlying in said closed condition a contiguous group of said egg receiving compartments, said panel having a window therein affording a view into said group of compartments, at least one retaining member on said cover spaced from said central panel a distance permitting a view into another contiguous group of compartments, said retaining member projecting downwardly from the plane of said cover to protrude into said last mentioned group of compartments, the lower marginal portions of said member presenting to the contents of said compartments retaining means positioned partially to occlude removal of such contents.

7. Egg carton set forth in claim 6 wherein said re taining member of said cover is hingeably joined to said upper margin of said rear panel and extends perpendicular to and connects with said closure flap, said member being formed from a pair of retainer flaps folded downwardly from the plane of said cover, the lower margin of each retainer flap being slit on opposite sides of said spine to define a fan-like array of tabs yieldably conformable to the surface of an egg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,650 10/1935 Burger 229-29 2,321,209 6/1943 Holwick 229--29 2,750,099 6/1956 Bemiss 22928 3,244,350 4/1966 Randles 22928 3,251,531 5/1966 Hook 229-28 3,255,947 6/1966 Bixler et al. 22928 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN EGG CARTON COMPRISING A SINGLE SHEET OF FIBERBOARD MATERIAL ERECTABLE TO HAVE SPACED APART FRONT AND REAR WALLS, FIRST AND SECOND IMPERFORATE BOTTOM PANELS MERGING RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS ALONG FRONT AND REAR CARTON SUPPORTING CORNERS, A GABLED SEGMENTED SPINE PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM EACH BOTTOM PANEL ALONG A CONTINUOUS CREASE, A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART CROSS-PARTITIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS AND PASSING BETWEEN ADJACENT SEGMENTS OF SAID GABLED SPINE TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF EGG RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS, ONES OF SAID CROSS-PARTITIONS BEING EACH EQUIPPED ON THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF WITH A LATERALLY SPACED PAIR OF ABUTMENTS, ONES OF SAID GABLED SEGMENTS EACH PRESENTING TO THE ADJACENT CROSS-PARTITION A PAIR OF STRAIGHT EDGES DISPOSED IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS FOR STIFFENING SAID PARTITIONS FROM LATERAL BUCKLING AND FOR MAINTAINING THE SAME IN AN UPSTANDING ATTITUDE, SAID ONES OF SAID SEGMENTS BEING EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDERS OVERHANGING SAID STRAIGHT EDGES AND LATCHINGLY ENGAGING SAID UPPER EDGE OF THE ADJACENT CROSS-PARTITION MEDIATE SAID ABUTMENTS.

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