Carton having strap handle with improved product protection

Abstract

A carton is provided including an outer top panel, a pair of opposed end panels hingedly connected to the outer top panel, an integral strap handle extending between the end panels under the outer top panel, and an inner top panel which effectively maintains a closed carton even after activation of the strap handle. The carton is formed from a first blank of material, and the strap handle is formed from second blank of material. The second blank is folded to form a strap handle with an attached inner top panel, and this assembly is then glued to the inside of the carton outer top panel, as both a strap handle and a protective layer.

1 . A carton comprising an outer top panel, a pair of side panels, a base panel, said panels foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure, opposed end portions for closing each end of said tubular structure, each end portion formed from a plurality of overlapped end flaps, each of said flaps being hingedly connected to a respective one of said panels, an inner top panel secured to an inner surface of said outer top panel to thereby form a multi-ply top panel structure, and a first strap handle having a central gripping portion disposed between and connected at each end thereof to a handle anchoring portion, said central gripping portion being disposed between said outer top panel and said inner top panel.  
   
   
       2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein each said handle anchoring portion comprises a strap handle end flap foldably connected to said gripping portion, each said anchoring portion being secured to an inner surface of one of said opposed end portion.  
   
   
       3 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said outer top panel, said side panels, and said bottom panel are all formed from a first blank, and wherein said inner top panel is formed from a separate, second blank.  
   
   
       4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein said first strap handle is formed from said second blank, and is foldably connected to said inner top panel.  
   
   
       5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein said carton comprises a second strap handle, said second strap handle being formed from said second blank and being disposed between said inner top panel and said out top panel so as to be substantially coincident with said first strap handle.  
   
   
       6 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein said outer top panel defines a hand aperture through which said gripping portion of said strap handle may be grasped.  
   
   
       7 . The carton of  claim 6 , further comprising a cover panel formed within said hand aperture, said cover panel being secured to said gripping portion of said first strap handle so that said cover panel may be grasped simultaneously with said gripping portion of said first strap handle.  
   
   
       8 . The carton of  claim 6 , wherein said inner top panel defines a finger aperture disposed coincident with a part of said gripping portion of said first strap handle to facilitate gripping of said strap handle.  
   
   
       9 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein said at inner top panel comprises at least one first alignment bevel for alignment during assembly to the portion of the carton formed from said first blank.  
   
   
       10 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein said portion of the carton formed from said first blank comprises at least one said alignment bevel for alignment during assembly.  
   
   
       11 . A method of assembling a carton comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first blank having at least one first alignment bevel,    providing a second blank having at least one second alignment bevel,    aligning said first and said second blanks by matching their respective alignment bevels, and    securing said first blank and said second blank together.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said alignment bevels is provided in an unfolded blank.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said alignment bevels is provided in a folded blank.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein matching assembly of said blanks is accomplished using at least one of visual recognition, video recognition, an alignment jig, an alignment fixture, and an alignment tool.  
   
   
       15 . A blank arrangement comprising a first and second separate blanks secured together in a single unit wherein the first blank comprises an outer primary panel, a pair of outer end flaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of the outer primary panel and a first handle means, wherein the second blank comprises an inner primary panel, a pair of inner end flaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of the inner primary panel and a second handle means, and wherein at least one of the outer end flaps has a pair of divergently extending first beveled edges disposed in general alignment with a pair of divergently extending second beveled edges of one of the inner end flaps.