Sleeve style beverage carton

Abstract

An improved sleeve style beverage carton can be processed at or near peak production rates for carton blanks and without the need for manual removal of scrap from apertures in the carton blank. The increase in production rates and efficiency is principally obtained because the stripper pins on the stripper drum used in producing the carton blank consistently and reliably puncture and remove the scrap from apertures in the die cut carton blank thereby alleviating the need to slow or stop the machine for manual removal of the scrap. Advantageously, gusset holes which are die cut in the carton blank are preferably generally trapezoidal-shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole relative to prior art configurations. The trapezoidal-shaped larger gusset holes provide for a more consistent and reliable removal of the carton material scrap from the gusset hole during production of the blank.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A tubular carton sleeve adapted to be formed into a carton for holding a plurality of beverage containers, the carton sleeve comprising: 
 a top wall;    a bottom wall spaced from the top wall;    a pair of spaced sidewalls foldably joined along respective sides thereof and extending between the top and bottom walls;    a plurality of major end flaps each of which is foldably joined to an end of one of the sidewalls;    wherein the major end flaps are adapted to be folded relative to the respective sidewall and cooperate together to form a pair of spaced end walls of the carton;    a plurality of minor end flaps each of which is foldably coupled to an end of one of the top and bottom walls;    wherein the minor end flaps are adapted to be folded relative to the respective top and bottom walls and juxtaposed to a face of the respective major end flap to form the end walls;    a plurality of gussets each of which is foldably joined to one of the major end flaps and an adjacent one of the minor end flaps; and    a plurality of gusset holes each of which is defined at a juncture of one of the top and bottom walls, one of the sidewalls, one of the major end flaps, one of the minor end flaps and one of the gussets;    wherein each of the gusset holes is generally trapezoidal shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole and more reliable removal of carton material from the gusset hole during production of the carton sleeve.    
     
     
         2 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of bevel panels each of which is foldably joined to the end of one of the top and bottom walls and foldably joined to one of the minor end flaps;  
 wherein each of the bevel panels is generally rectangular shaped.  
 
     
     
         3 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  wherein each of the gusset holes is greater than about 0.35 square inches.  
     
     
         4 . The carton sleeve of  claim 3  wherein each of the gusset holes is at least about 0.4 square inches.  
     
     
         5 . The carton sleeve of  claim 4  wherein each of the gusset holes is between about 0.4293 square inches and about 0.4554 square inches.  
     
     
         6 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a carrying handle formed in the top wall.  
 
     
     
         7 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 at least one outlet port in one of the sidewalls adapted to dispense the beverage containers there through, the outlet port being defined by perforated cut lines in the sidewall.  
 
     
     
         8 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  wherein each of the gusset holes has first, second, third and fourth edges; 
 with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate the top wall, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another and the third and fourth edges are obliquely oriented relative to each other and relative to the first and second edges.  
 
     
     
         9 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  wherein each of the gusset holes has first, second, third and fourth edges; 
 with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate the bottom wall, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another, the third edge is perpendicular to the first and second edges and the fourth edge is obliquely oriented relative to the first, second and third edges.  
 
     
     
         10 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a pair of bottom lap panels each of which is foldably joined to one of the sidewalls, the bottom lap panels being joined to each other in overlapping relation to form the bottom wall.  
 
     
     
         11 . The carton sleeve of  claim 1  wherein a major axis of each of the gusset holes is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the carton sleeve.  
     
     
         12 . A tubular carton sleeve adapted to be formed into a carton for holding a plurality of beverage containers, the carton sleeve comprising: 
 a top wall;    a carrying handle formed in the top wall;    a bottom wall spaced from the top wall;    a pair of spaced sidewalls foldably joined along respective sides thereof and extending between the top and bottom walls;    a pair of bottom lap panels each of which is foldably joined to one of the sidewalls, the bottom lap panels being joined to each other in overlapping relation to form the bottom wall;    at least one outlet port in one of the sidewalls adapted to dispense the beverage containers there through, the outlet port being defined by perforated cut lines in the sidewall;    a plurality of major end flaps each of which is foldably joined to an end of one of the sidewalls;    wherein the major end flaps are adapted to be folded relative to the respective sidewall and cooperate together to form a pair of spaced end walls of the carton;    a plurality of minor end flaps each of which is foldably coupled to an end of one of the top and bottom walls;    wherein the minor end flaps are adapted to be folded relative to the respective top and bottom walls and juxtaposed to a face of the respective major end flap to form the end walls;    plurality of bevel panels each of which is foldably joined to the end of one of the top and bottom walls and foldably joined to one of the minor end flaps;    wherein each of the bevel panels is generally rectangular shaped;    a plurality of gussets each of which is foldably joined to one of the major end flaps and an adjacent one of the minor end flaps;    a plurality of gusset holes each of which is defined at a juncture of one of the top and bottom walls, one of the sidewalls, one of the major end flaps, one of the minor end flaps and one of the gussets;    wherein each of the gusset holes is generally trapezoidal shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole and more reliable removal of carton material from the gusset hole during production of the carton sleeve;    wherein a major axis of each of the gusset holes is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the carton sleeve;    wherein each of the gusset holes has first, second, third and fourth edges;    with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate the top wall, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another and the third and fourth edges are obliquely oriented relative to each other and relative to the first and second edges; and    with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate the bottom wall, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another, the third edge is perpendicular to the first and second edges and the fourth edge is obliquely oriented relative to the first, second and third edges.    
     
     
         13 . The carton sleeve of  claim 12  wherein each of the gusset holes is between about 0.4293 square inches and about 0.4554 square inches.  
     
     
         14 . A blank for a tubular carton comprising: 
 a top wall;    a pair of sidewalls each foldably joined to the top wall;    a pair of bottom lap panels each foldably joined to one of the sidewalls;    wherein the bottom lap panels are adapted to folded relative to the respective sidewall and joined to each other in overlapping relation to form a bottom wall;    a plurality of major end flaps each of which is foldably joined to an end of one of the sidewalls;    a plurality of minor end flaps each of which is foldably coupled to an end of one of the top wall and the bottom lap panels;    a plurality of gussets each of which is foldably joined to one of the major end flaps and an adjacent one of the minor end flaps; and    a plurality of gusset holes each of which is defined at a juncture of one of the top wall and one of the bottom lap panels, one of the sidewalls, one of the major end flaps, one of the minor end flaps and one of the gussets;    wherein each of the gusset holes is generally trapezoidal shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole and more reliable removal of carton material from the gusset hole during production of the blank.    
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a plurality of bevel panels each of which is foldably joined to the end of one of the top wall and the bottom lap panels and foldably joined to one of the minor end flaps;  
 wherein each of the bevel panels is generally rectangular shaped.  
 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 14  wherein each of the gusset holes is greater than about 0.35 square inches.  
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16  wherein each of the gusset holes is at least about 0.4 square inches.  
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17  wherein each of the gusset holes is between about 0.4293 square inches and about 0.4554 square inches.  
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a carrying handle formed in the top wall.  
 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 at least one outlet port in one of the sidewalls adapted to dispense beverage containers there through, the outlet port being defined by perforated cut lines in the sidewall.  
 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 14  wherein each of the gusset holes has first, second, third and fourth edges; 
 with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate the top wall, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another and the third and fourth edges are obliquely oriented relative to each other and relative to the first and second edges.  
 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 14  wherein each of the gusset holes has first, second, third and fourth edges; 
 with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate one of the bottom lap panels, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another, the third edge is perpendicular to the first and second edges and the fourth edge is obliquely oriented relative to the first, second and third edges.  
 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 14  wherein a major axis of each of the gusset holes is generally perpendicular to a machine direction axis of the blank.  
     
     
         24 . A blank for a tubular carton comprising: 
 a top wall;    a carrying handle formed in the top wall;    a pair of sidewalls each foldably joined to the top wall;    at least one outlet port in one of the sidewalls adapted to dispense beverage containers there through, the outlet port being defined by perforated cut lines in the sidewall;    a pair of bottom lap panels each foldably joined to one of the sidewalls;    wherein the bottom lap panels are adapted to folded relative to the respective sidewall and joined to each other in overlapping relation to form a bottom wall;    a plurality of major end flaps each of which is foldably joined to an end of one of the sidewalls;    wherein the major end flaps are adapted to be folded relative to the respective sidewall and cooperate together to form a pair of spaced end walls of the carton;    a plurality of minor end flaps each of which is foldably coupled to an end of one of the top wall and the bottom lap panels;    wherein the minor end flaps are adapted to be folded relative to the respective top wall and bottom lap panels and juxtaposed to a face of the respective major end flap to form the end walls;    a plurality of bevel panels each of which is foldably joined to the end of one of the top wall and the bottom lap panels and foldably joined to one of the minor end flaps;    wherein each of the bevel panels is generally rectangular shaped;    a plurality of gussets each of which is foldably joined to one of the major end flaps and an adjacent one of the minor end flaps; and    a plurality of gusset holes each of which is defined at a juncture of one of the top wall and one of the bottom lap panels, one of the sidewalls, one of the major end flaps, one of the minor end flaps and one of the gussets;    wherein each of the gusset holes is generally trapezoidal shaped to provide for increased surface area of the gusset hole and more reliable removal of carton material from the gusset hole during production of the blank;    a major axis of each of the gusset holes being generally perpendicular to a machine direction axis of the blank;    wherein each of the gusset holes has first, second, third and fourth edges;    with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate the top wall, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another and the third and fourth edges are obliquely oriented relative to each other and relative to the first and second edges; and    with respect to each of the gusset holes proximate one of the bottom lap panels, the first and second edges are generally parallel to one another, the third edge is perpendicular to the first and second edges and the fourth edge is obliquely oriented relative to the first, second and third edges.    
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 24  wherein each of the gusset holes is between about 0.4293 square inches and about 0.4554 square inches.