Carton having a strap handle and light protective flaps

Abstract

A carton includes a top panel, a pair of opposed end panels, and an integral strap handle that defines in the top panel an opening extending across the top panel, and has a medial grip portion, a pair of wider portions and opposed end portions. The opposed end portions are formed from the end panels while the medial and wider portions are formed from the top panel. The strap handle is movable from a stowed position where the medial and wider portions lie in the plane of the top panel to a use position where the medial portion is arched upwardly from the plane of the top panel. Light protective flaps connected to the top panel fold inwardly defining apertures for accessing the strap handle to place it in the use position, and spring back into a light-protecting position when the strap handle is in the stowed position.

1 . A carton, comprising: 
 an inner top panel;    a pair of opposed end panels hingedly connected to the inner top panel;    an integral strap handle extending between the end panels across the inner top panel, said strap handle including: 
 a medial grip portion;  
 a pair of wider portions joined to opposite ends of said medial grip portion; and  
 opposed end portions connected to said wider portions respectively;  
 each of said wider portions having a pair of oblique side edges diverging from said medial grip portion toward an adjacent one of said end portions;  
 said opposed end portions being formed from said end panels, said medial and wider portions being formed from said inner top panel, said strap handle being connected at said opposed end portions to said opposed end panels, such that said strap handle is movable from a stowed position where said medial and wider portions lie in a plane of said inner top panel to a use position, where said medial portion is arched upwardly from said plane of said inner top panel, said strap handle defining in said inner top panel an internal opening extending across said inner top panel; and  
   an outer top panel secured to an outside surface of said inner top panel to form a composite top wall, said outer top panel having: 
 a handle access opening defined within said outer top panel, said handle access opening being vertically aligned in part with said medial grip portion and in part with said wider portions, said handle access opening having opposite end edges extending respectively across said wider portions, the width of said handle access opening along said opposite end edges being greater than the width of said wider portions along said opposite end edges so that a part of said each wider portion is extended through said handle access opening when said strap handle is moved to said use position; and  
 at least one light protective flap hingedly connected to said outer top panel, said light protective flap defining a handle aperture when said strap handle is in said use position, said handle aperture being adjacent to and free of restraint from one of said end edges of said handle access opening.  
   
   
   
       2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said light protective flap covers the handle aperture when the strap handle is in stowed position.  
   
   
       3 . A carton, comprising: 
 a pair of inner and outer top panels secured together in an overlapping relationship to form a composite top wall;    a base wall;    a pair of side walls interconnecting said top and base walls;    a pair of opposed inner end flaps hingedly connected to opposed end edges of said inner top panel and extending toward said base wall;    a pair of opposed outer end flaps hingedly connected to opposed end edges of said outer top panel and disposed respectively on outside surfaces of said inner end flaps; and    an integral strap handle disposed internally of the carton and extending between said inner end flaps across said inner top panel, said strap handle including: 
 a medial grip portion;  
 a pair of wider portions joined to opposite ends of said medial grip portion; and  
 a pair of opposed forked-end portions connected to said wider portions respectively, said forked-end portions being joined to said inner end flaps respectively and being free of restraint of said outer end flaps;  
 said opposed end portions being formed from said inner end flaps, and said medial and wider portions being formed from said inner top panel;  
   a handle access opening formed within said outer top panel such that the periphery of said handle access opening is provided entirely by said outer top panel, said handle access opening being vertically aligned with said medial grip portion of said strap handle; and    at least one light protective flap hingedly connected to said outer top panel, said light protective flap defining a handle aperture when said strap handle is in said use position, said handle aperture being adjacent to and free of restraint from said handle access opening.    
   
   
       4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein said light protective flap covers the handle aperture when the strap handle is in stowed position.  
   
   
       5 . The carton according to  claim 4 , wherein a handle-reinforcing strip is disposed in face-contacting relationship with said strap handle, said reinforcing strip being disposed at least along said medial grip portion of said strap handle and hingedly connected to said strap handle.  
   
   
       6 . The carding according to  claim 5  wherein said outer top panel includes a cover strip defined within said outer top panel, said cover strip being severably connected to said outer top panel such that said handle access opening is defined in said top panel upon severance of said cover strip to allow access to said strap handle through said handle access opening.  
   
   
       7 . The carton according to  claim 6  wherein said cover strip is secured to said medial grip portion of said strap handle.  
   
   
       8 . The carton according to  claim 7  wherein a pair of hand flaps are hingedly connected to said covers trip such that said hand flaps are folded inwardly of the carton when said cover strip is grasped together with said medial grip portion to lift the carton by said strap handle.  
   
   
       9 . The carton according to  claim 8  wherein a yieldable tab is formed from each forked end portion of said strap handle and is foldably joined to a respective inner end flap.  
   
   
       10 . The carton according to  claim 9  wherein a short stub tab is formed from each wider portion of said strap handle and is hingedly connected to said each wider portion.  
   
   
       11 . The carton according to  claim 10  wherein adjacent ends of said yieldable and stub tabs are initially interconnected by severable line that is aligned with a fold line between an adjacent inner end flap and said inner top panel.