Beverage carton with strap type carrying handle

Abstract

A carton or beverage containers includes a series of hinged panels forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel for closing, at least in part, the opposite ends of a sleeve. The carton includes a handle by which the carton can be carried. The handle comprises a strap connected to the end closure panels having a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with the one hinged panel when in a stored condition. The strap is so connected at its opposite ends to the end closure panels as to provide a surplus of material to enable the user part to be brought into a position of use.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A carton for beverage containers including a series of hinged wall panels forming a sleeve, and handle means by which the carton can be carried, said handle means comprising a strap connected to opposed wall panels so as to provide a surplus of material, wherein said opposed wall panels are hinged to one of said hinged wall panels, opposite ends of said strap are attached to inwardly displaced parts of said opposed wall panels, intermediate parts of said strap between said opposite ends of said strap are unattached to said one hinged wall panel, said intermediate parts include a user part and are free to provide said surplus of material to enable said user part to be brought into a position of use, said user part is in substantially co-planar relationship with said one hinged panel when in a stored condition, and said strap is positioned under said one hinged wall panel that is provided with an opening to allow the user to grasp said user part of said strap.  
     
     
         2 . A carton according to    claim 1    wherein said inwardly displaced parts each comprises a step, a tread of said step is provided by one of said opposed wall panels and a riser of said step is provided by said one hinged wall panel.  
     
     
         3 . A carton according to    claim 2    wherein said steps are automatically put into respective operative positions when said opposed wall panels are folded into respective set up positions thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A carton according to    claim 3    wherein each of said steps includes a fold line intermediate fold lines by which it is hinged to said one hinged wall panel and to a respective one of said opposed wall panels, said each step folding in a toggle action along said fold lines when said respective opposed wall panel is folded into its set up position.  
     
     
         5 . A carton according to    claim 1    wherein a position of each of said inwardly displaced parts is positioned to be located between upper portions of adjacent articles at that end of said carton to provide a stabilizing spacer therebetween.  
     
     
         6 . A carton according to    claim 2    wherein said tread abuts a side portion of articles and wherein said riser extends inwardly of and beyond an abutment point between said tread and said side portion whereby said step is retained in a set up condition.  
     
     
         7 . A carton according to    claim 6    wherein the length of said tread and/or riser is greater than the distance between said article and said one hinged wall panel, whereby said user portion is substantially prevented from collapsing back into a co-planar relationship with said one hinged wall panel once said step has been set up.  
     
     
         8 . A carton according to    claim 1    wherein said opposed wall panels are end wall panels of said carton, and said ends of said strap are attached to said inwardly displaced parts of said end wall panels.  
     
     
         9 . A carton according to    claim 8    wherein said one hinged wall panel is a side wall panel of said carton, and said user part of said strap is connected to a portion of said side wall panel.  
     
     
         10 . A carton according to    claim 9    wherein said user part is formed from said side wall panel.  
     
     
         11 . A carton according to    claim 1    wherein said one hinged wall panel is a top wall panel of said carton, and said user part of said strap is connected to a portion of said top wall panel.  
     
     
         12 . A carton according to    claim 11    wherein said user part is formed from said top wall panel.  
     
     
         13 . A blank for forming a carton, said blank comprising a series of hinged panels for forming a sleeve and opposed end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel, wherein said blank includes handle means comprising a strap connected to said opposed end closure panels so as to provide a surplus of material wherein ends of said strap are attached to inwardly displaceable parts of the end closure panels and intermediate parts between said ends of said strap are unattached to said one hinged panel and are free to provide said surplus of material to enable a user part of said strap to be brought into a position of use, wherein said user part is in substantially coplanar relationship with said one hinged panel and said strap is positioned under said one hinged panel that provided with an opening to allow a user to grasp said user part of said strap in a set up carton.  
     
     
         14 . A blank according to    claim 13    wherein said inwardly displaceable parts each comprise a step, a tread of said step is provided by one of said end closure panels and a riser of said step is provided by said one hinged panel.  
     
     
         15 . A blank according to    claim 14    wherein said step includes a fold line intermediate fold lines by which said step is hinged to said one hinged panel and to a respective one of said end closure panels, said step folding in a toggle action along said fold lines when said respective end closure panel is folded into its folded position.  
     
     
         16 . A blank according to    claim 15    wherein the one hinged panel is a side wall panel and said tread abuts a side portion of an article and wherein said riser of said step extends inwardly of and beyond an abutment point between said tread and said side portion thereby to retain said step in a set up condition.  
     
     
         17 . A blank according to    claim 16    wherein the lengths of said tread and/or said riser is greater than the distance between said side wall panel and the article in a set up carton thereby substantially preventing the user portion from collapsing back into a coplanar relationship with said side panel once said step has been formed.  
     
     
         18 . A blank according to    claim 1    wherein said ends of said strap are attached to inwardly displaceable parts of a side wall panel of said carton.  
     
     
         19 . A blank according to    claim 18    wherein said user part of said strap is struck from a portion of said side wall panel.  
     
     
         20 . A blank according to    claim 18    wherein said user part is formed from material which is integral with said side wall panel.  
     
     
         21 . A blank according to    claim 13    wherein said user part of said strap is connected to a portion of a top wall panel of said carton.  
     
     
         22 . A blank according to    claim 20    wherein said user part is formed from material which is integral with said top wall panel.