Carton with composite wall and expansion panels

Abstract

An expansion panel assembly ( 200 a ) for use with a tubular carton (C). The expansion panel assembly ( 200 a ) includes means for cooperative relief, a slidable section ( 152 a ) and fixed sections ( 150 a ). Means for cooperative relief includes relief apertures ( 140 a ), expansion cuts ( 144 a ), and expansion hinges ( 146 a ). The relief apertures ( 140 a ) each span a portion of inner top panel ( 110 ) and expansion panel ( 136 a ). Expansion cuts ( 144 a ) define expansion hinges ( 146 a ), as well as expansion flap fixed sections ( 150 a ) and expansion panel slidable section ( 152 a ).

1 . A carton for enclosing articles, comprising: 
 a composite wall, comprising: 
 an outer panel; and  
 an inner panel secured to the outer panel such that at least a portion of the outside surface of the inner panel is fixedly secured to at least a portion of the inside surface of the outer panel; and  
 an end wall closure, comprising: 
 a composite end wall panel hingedly connected to the composite wall, comprising: 
 an outer end wall panel hingedly connected to the outer panel; and  
 an expansion panel hingedly connected to the inner panel, the expansion panel comprising:  
  at least one fixed section, its outside surface being fixedly secured to the inside surface of the outer end wall panel; and  
  at least one slidable section, its outside surface being disposed against the inside surface of the outer end wall panel in a face-contacting arrangement, and its outside surface being slidable from a neutral position to a stress relieving position with respect to the inside surface of the outer end wall panel.  
 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the end wall panel is hingedly connected to the outer panel along a first fold line and the expansion panel is hingedly connected to the inner panel along a second fold line, the first and second fold lines being substantially coincident as to form a composite hinge.  
   
   
       3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the composite end wall panel is folded inwardly toward the composite wall and along the composite hinge.  
   
   
       4 . The carton of  claim 2 , further comprising means for cooperatively relieving stress along the composite hinge.  
   
   
       5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein means for cooperative relief comprises an expansion hinge flexibly connecting the fixed section to the slidable section, the expansion hinge controlling the extent to which the slidable portion slides from the neutral position to the stress relieving position.  
   
   
       6 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein means for cooperative relief further comprises an expansion cut for at least partially detaching the slidable section from the fixed section.  
   
   
       7 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein means for cooperative relief comprises at least one relief fold cut parallel and adjacent to the composite hinge.  
   
   
       8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the relief fold cut is formed in the fixed section.  
   
   
       9 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein means for cooperative relief comprises at least one relief aperture disposed through a portion of the expansion panel and of the inner panel.  
   
   
       10 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein means for cooperative relief comprises at least one relief aperture disposed through a portion of the slidable section and of the inner panel.  
   
   
       11 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the composite wall further comprises a handle.  
   
   
       12 . A carton for enclosing articles, comprising: 
 a composite top wall, comprising: 
 an outer top panel;  
 an inner top panel secured to the outer top panel such that the outside surface of the inner top panel is fixedly secured to the inside surface of the outer top panel; and  
 a handle comprising at least one handle aperture disposed through at least one of the inner and the outer top panels;  
   a bottom wall opposite the composite top wall;    an end wall closure, comprising: 
 a lower end wall panel hingedly connected to the bottom wall; and  
 a composite upper end wall panel hingedly connected to the composite top wall and secured to the lower end wall panel in an overlapping configuration, the composite upper end wall comprising: 
 an upper end wall panel hingedly connected to the outer top panel; and  
 an expansion panel hingedly connected to the inner top panel, the expansion panel comprising: 
 a first fixed section, its outside surface being fixedly secured to the inside surface of the upper end wall panel;  
 a slideable section adjacent to the first fixed section, its outside surface being disposed against the inside surface of the upper end wall panel in a face-contacting arrangement, and its outside surface being slidable from a neutral position to a stress relieving position with respect to the inside surface of the outer end wall panel;  
 a second fixed section adjacent to the slidable section, its outside surface being fixedly secured to the inside surface of the upper end wall panel;  
 a first expansion cut partially detaching the slidable section from the first fixed section;  
 a second expansion cut partially detaching the slidable section from the second fixed section;  
 a first expansion hinge flexibly connecting the slideable section to the first fixed section, comprising a slit extending from the toward expansion cut toward the second fixed section; and  
 a second expansion hinge flexibly connecting the slideable section to the second fixed section, comprising a slit extending from the second expansion cut toward the first fixed section.  
 
 
   
   
   
       13 . A blank for forming a carton for enclosing articles, comprising: 
 an elongate transverse section comprising: 
 an outer composite wall panel;  
 a first side panel hingedly connected to the outer composite wall panel;  
 a bottom panel hingedly connected to the first side panel;  
 a second side panel hingedly connected to the bottom panel;  
 an inner composite wall panel hingedly connected to the second side panel; and  
   an end wall panel hingedly connected to the outer composite wall panel; and    an expansion panel hingedly connected to the inner composite wall panel, the expansion panel comprising: 
 a first fixed section defined in part by the hinged connection between the expansion panel and inner composite wall panel;  
 a second fixed section defined in part by the hinged connection between the expansion panel and inner composite wall panel;  
 at least one slidable section adjacently disposed between the first fixed section and the second fixed section; and  
 means for cooperative relief.  
   
   
   
       14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the means for cooperative relief comprises: 
 a first expansion cut partially detaching the slidable section from the first fixed section;    a second expansion cut partially detaching the slidable section from the second fixed section;    a first expansion hinge flexibly connecting the slideable section to the first fixed section, comprising a slit extending from the toward expansion cut toward the second fixed section; and    a second expansion hinge flexibly connecting the slideable section to the second fixed section, comprising a slit extending from the second expansion cut toward the first fixed section.