Carton and stress relieving pattern for handle

Abstract

A carton blank is assembled into a carton for beverage containers, the blank having a number of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels each joined by a fold line to an adjacent one of the panels. A number of end flaps are each joined by an end flap fold line to one of the panels and the end flaps are adapted to be folded upon selected other end flaps to form composite end panels of the carton. A carrying handle is formed in a selected one of the panels and adapted to be grasped by a user to carry the erected carton filled with the beverage containers. A pattern of stress-relieving lines are formed in the carton blank to produce a desired buckling of the carton when erected, filled and lifted to avoid tearing of the carton material.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A carton blank to be assembled into a carton for beverage containers, the carton blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels each joined by one of a plurality of panel fold lines to an adjacent one of the panels;   a plurality of end flaps each joined by one of a plurality of end flap fold lines to one of the panels, the end flaps being adapted to be folded upon other end flaps to form composite end panels of the carton;   a carrying handle formed in a selected one of the panels and adapted to be grasped by a user to carry the erected carton when filled with the beverage containers; and   a pattern of stress-relieving lines in the blank positioned relative to the carrying handle so as to distribute lifting stresses exerted on the carton to avoid tearing the panels;   wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines includes both score lines and cut lines in which the cut lines extend entirely through a thickness of the carton blank.   
     
     
         2 . The carton blank of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines spans the fold line joining the selected one of the panels to the adjacent panel. 
     
     
         3 . The carton blank of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines includes a first portion on one side of the handle and a second portion on an opposite side of the handle. 
     
     
         4 . The carton blank of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines is approximately centered on the blank between opposite ends of the blank formed by the respective end flaps. 
     
     
         5 . The carton blank of  claim 4  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines is spaced from each of the opposite ends of the blank. 
     
     
         6 . The carton blank of  claim 1  wherein the selected one of the panels further comprises multiple layers of material when the blank is formed into the carton and the pattern of stress-relieving lines is formed in a plurality of the multiple layers. 
     
     
         7 . The carton blank of  claim 1  wherein the selected one of the panels is the top panel and the adjacent panel is a side panel. 
     
     
         8 . The carton blank of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a dispenser formed in the blank through which a user may access the beverage containers in the formed carton; 
 wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines does not encompass the dispenser. 
 
     
     
         9 . The carton blank of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a primary reinforcing panel joined to one of the panels such that the primary reinforcing panel may be folded into face to face juxtaposition with the selected one of the panels; and 
 a secondary reinforcing panel joined to one of the panels via a secondary reinforcing panel fold line about which the secondary reinforcing panel may be folded into face to face juxtaposition with at least one of the primary reinforcing panel and the selected one of the panels; 
 wherein when the primary and secondary reinforcing panels are folded into position at least portions of the selected one of the panels surrounding the handle have a triple layer of thickness. 
 
     
     
         10 . The carton blank of  claim 9  wherein the cut lines of the pattern of stress-relieving lines are formed in each of the layers of the triple layer of thickness and are aligned with one another in the formed carton. 
     
     
         11 . The carton blank of  claim 1  in which the components thereof are of single piece construction integrally joined together from a single sheet of material. 
     
     
         12 . The carton blank of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the pattern of stress-relieving lines is shaped to conform to at least a portion of the contour of one of the containers in the carton formed from the carton blank. 
     
     
         13 . The carton blank of  claim 12  wherein the contour of one of the containers is at least a portion of an arcuate rim of one of the containers with the rim juxtaposed to one of the side panels of the carton blank when formed into the carton. 
     
     
         14 . A package comprising:
 a plurality of beverage containers similarly oriented and arranged in a matrix;   a carton formed around the plurality of beverage containers, the carton further comprising
 (a) a plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels each joined by one of a plurality of panel fold lines to an adjacent one of the panels; 
 (b) a plurality of end flaps each joined by one of a plurality of end flap fold lines to one of the panels, the end flaps being folded upon selected other end flaps to form composite end panels of the carton; 
 (c) a carrying handle formed in a selected one of the panels and adapted to be grasped by a user to carry the package; and 
 (d) a pattern of stress-relieving lines in the carton positioned relative to the carrying handle so as to distribute lifting stresses exerted on the carton to avoid tearing the panels; 
   wherein at least one of the stress-relieving lines of the pattern of stress-relieving lines is shaped to conform to at least a portion of the contour of one of the containers in the carton.   
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the contour of one of the containers is at least a portion of an arcuate rim of one of the containers with the rim juxtaposed to one of the side panels of the carton and the handle is formed in the top panel adjacent to the one of the side panels. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines includes both score lines and cut lines in which the cut lines extend entirely through a thickness of the carton material. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines spans the fold line joining the selected one of the panels to the adjacent panel. 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines includes a first portion on one side of the handle and a second portion on an opposite side of the handle. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines is approximately centered on the top panel and between opposite ends of the top panel. 
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the selected one of the panels further comprises multiple layers of material and the pattern of stress-relieving lines is formed in a plurality of the multiple layers. 
     
     
         21 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the selected one of the panels is the top panel and an adjacent panel is a side panel. 
     
     
         22 . The package of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a dispenser formed in the carton through which a user may access the beverage containers in the carton; 
 wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines does not encompass the dispenser. 
 
     
     
         23 . The package of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a primary reinforcing panel joined to one of the panels such that the primary reinforcing panel is folded into face to face juxtaposition with the selected one of the panels; and 
 a secondary reinforcing panel joined to one of the panels via a secondary reinforcing panel fold line about which the secondary reinforcing panel is folded into face to face juxtaposition with at least one of the primary reinforcing panel and the selected one of the panels; 
 wherein when the primary and secondary reinforcing panels are folded into position at least portions of the selected one of the panels surrounding the handle have a triple layer of thickness. 
 
     
     
         24 . The package of  claim 9  wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines includes a plurality of cut lines which are formed in each of the layers of the triple layer of thickness and are aligned with one another in the carton. 
     
     
         25 . A package comprising:
 a plurality of beverage containers similarly oriented and arranged in a matrix;   a carton formed around the plurality of beverage containers, the carton further comprising
 (a) a plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of side panels each joined by one of a plurality of panel fold lines to an adjacent one of the panels; 
 (b) a plurality of end flaps each joined by one of a plurality of end flap fold lines to one of the panels, the end flaps being folded upon selected other end flaps to form composite end panels of the carton; 
 (c) a carrying handle formed in a selected one of the panels and adapted to be grasped by a user to carry the package; and 
 (d) a pattern of stress-relieving lines in the carton positioned relative to the carrying handle so as to distribute lifting stresses exerted on the carton to avoid tearing the panels; 
   wherein the pattern of stress-relieving lines includes both score lines and cut lines in which the cut lines extend entirely through a thickness of the carton material.