Carton having locking feature suitable for hand-packing

Abstract

A carton having a mechanism for securely closing and locking the end of said carton by a locking tab without the use of adhesive.

1 . A carton comprising a top panel, a pair of side panels, a bottom panel, and opposed end closure walls each formed from a plurality of overlapping end flaps, each of said end flaps being hingedly connected to said panels respectively, said carton further comprising a locking tab connected to one of said end flaps and means for receiving said locking tab, said receiving means being provided in at least one of the other end flaps, said locking tab when received in said receiving means being disposed in a locked position to retain said end flaps in a closed position wherein said end flaps form said each end closure wall. 
   
   
       2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said locking tab is hingedly connected to said one end flap. 
   
   
       3 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said locking tab comprises a central portion and two side wings. 
   
   
       4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein said two side wings are hingedly connected to said central portion. 
   
   
       5 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein said central portion of said locking tab in said locked position defines an angle between thirty and one hundred fifty degrees with respect to said one end flap to which said locking tab is hingedly connected. 
   
   
       6 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein said angle is between sixty and one hundred twenty degrees. 
   
   
       7 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein said side wings of said locking tab in said locked position each define an angle between sixty and one hundred twenty degrees with respect to said central portion. 
   
   
       8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein said angle is between seventy five and one hundred five degrees. 
   
   
       9 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving means in said at least one of said other end flaps comprises an aperture having a wider edge for passing said locking tab, said aperture also having adjacent to said wider edge, a narrower shoulder for retaining said locking tab. 
   
   
       10 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving means in said at least one of said other end flaps comprises an aperture with a yielding flap to assist in retaining said locking tab in said locked position. 
   
   
       11 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving means in said at least one of said other end flaps comprises a cutout in a periphery of said at least one other end flaps. 
   
   
       12 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving means in said at least one of said other end flaps comprises an aperture within the interior of said at least one of said other end flaps. 
   
   
       13 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said each end closure wall comprises no adhesively secured portion. 
   
   
       14 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said each end closure wall comprises said one end flap overlying said other end flaps and providing an outermost layer of said each end closure wall. 
   
   
       15 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein said other end flaps, when in said closed position, comprises three overlapping inner layers through which said locking tab passes. 
   
   
       16 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein said other end flaps, when in said closed position, comprises two overlapping inner layers through which said locking tab passes. 
   
   
       17 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein said receiving means in an innermost one of said three layers is slightly larger than said receiving means in a next outer layer, creating thereby an interior ledge to retain said side wings. 
   
   
       18 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising containers accommodated in said carton, said containers defining one or more spaces therebetween, said one or more spaces being disposed along said each end closure wall, wherein said locking tab in said locked position is located in said one or more spaces. 
   
   
       19 . The carton of  claim 18 , wherein each of said spaces is generally triangular in a cross section. 
   
   
       20 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising a tear line formed in said one end flap to facilitate separation of said locking tab from said one end flap.