Gusseted Carton

Abstract

A carton is formed from a major blank that may be reinforced at selected locations to increase the strength of the carton. The carton includes gusseted corners that in part form an interior carton volume. The interior volume of the carton can be varied by placing the carton in an expanded configuration.

1 . A carton formed from at least a major blank and a minor blank joined to the major blank, the carton comprising: 
 a bottom panel;    a first side panel;    a second side panel;    a first end panel;    a second end panel;    a plurality of gussets, one gusset being located at each corner of the bottom panel and disposed between and foldably connected to an adjacent side panel and end panel, wherein    the first side panel, the second side panel and the plurality of gussets are formed from at least the major blank, and    the bottom panel and the first and second end panels are formed from at least the major and minor blanks.    
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first handle panel foldably connected to the first end panel; and    a second handle panel foldably connected to the second end panel, wherein the first and second handle panels are formed from at least the major and minor blanks.    
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a first handle feature formed in the first handle panel; and    a second handle feature formed in the second handle panel.    
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel; and    a first closure panel foldably connected to the first side top panel.    
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel;    a second closure panel foldably connected to the second side top panel; and    a closure flap foldably connected to the second closure panel.    
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, wherein each end of the first side top panel is foldably connected to one of the gussets; and    a first closure panel foldably connected to a distal edge of the first side top panel.    
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, wherein each end of the second side top panel is foldably connected to one of the gussets;    a second closure panel foldably connected to the second side top panel; and    a closure flap foldably connected to the second closure panel.    
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein each gusset comprises at least two foldably connected gusset panels.  
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein each gusset comprises at least four foldably connected gusset panels.  
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the carton is substantially parallelepipedal.  
     
     
         11 . A carton, comprising: 
 a bottom panel;    a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a first end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a second end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel;    a first closure panel foldably connected to the first side top panel and extending across a top of the carton;    a closure aperture in the first closure panel;    a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel;    a second closure panel foldably connected to the second side top panel and extending across the top of the carton; and    a closure flap foldably connected to the second closure panel, the closure flap including a closure projection sized to be received in the closure aperture in the first closure panel.    
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of gussets, one gusset being located at each corner of the bottom panel and disposed between and foldably connected to an adjacent side panel and end panel.    
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a first handle panel foldably connected to the first end panel; and    a second handle panel foldably connected to the second end panel.    
     
     
         14 . The carton of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a first handle feature formed in the first handle panel; and    a second handle feature formed in the second handle panel.    
     
     
         15 . The carton of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 at least one handle receiving aperture formed at least partially in the first closure panel.    
     
     
         16 . The carton of  claim 13 , wherein each handle panel is adhered to at least two of the gussets.  
     
     
         17 . The carton of  claim 11 , wherein the first side top panel and the second side top panel extend across the top of the carton.  
     
     
         18 . The carton of  claim 11 , wherein each gusset comprises at least two foldably connected gusset panels.  
     
     
         19 . The carton of  claim 11 , wherein a liquid-tight bottom receptacle is defined in a bottom portion of the carton.  
     
     
         20 . The carton of  claim 11 , wherein the carton is substantially parallelepipedal.  
     
     
         21 . A carton blank formed from a major blank and a minor blank joined to the major blank, comprising: 
 a bottom panel;    a first side panel foldably connected to a first side of the bottom panel;    a second side panel foldably connected to a second side of the bottom panel;    a first end panel foldably connected to a first end of the bottom panel;    a second end panel foldably connected to a second end of the bottom panel;    a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel;    a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel; and    a plurality of gussets, one gusset being located at each corner of the bottom panel and disposed between and foldably connected to an adjacent side panel and end panel, wherein    the first side panel, the second side panel and the plurality of gussets are formed from at least the major blank, and    the bottom panel and the first and second end panels are formed from at least the major and minor blanks.    
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 a first closure panel foldably connected to the first side top panel;    a closure aperture in the first closure panel;    a second closure panel foldably connected to the second side top panel; and    a closure flap foldably connected to the second closure panel, the closure flap including a closure projection sized to be received in the closure aperture in the first closure panel.    
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 a first handle panel foldably connected to the first end panel; and    a second handle panel foldably connected to the second end panel, wherein handle panels are formed from at least the major and minor blanks.    
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a first handle feature formed in the first handle panel; and    a second handle feature formed in the second handle panel.    
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 23 , wherein each gusset comprises at least two foldably connected gusset panels, at least one of the gusset panels being foldably connected to one of the top side panels.  
     
     
         26 . A carton blank, comprising: 
 a bottom panel;    a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a first end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a second end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;    a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel;    a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel;    a plurality of gussets, one gusset being located at each corner of the bottom panel and disposed between and foldably connected to an adjacent side panel and end panel;    a first closure panel foldably connected to the first side top panel;    a closure aperture in the first closure panel;    a second closure panel foldably connected to the second side top panel; and    a closure flap foldably connected to the second closure panel, the closure flap including a closure projection sized to be received in the closure aperture in the first closure panel.    
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 a first handle panel foldably connected to the first end panel; and    a second handle panel foldably connected to the second end panel.    
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a first handle feature formed in the first handle panel; and    a second handle feature formed in the second handle panel.    
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 26 , wherein each gusset comprises at least two foldably connected gusset panels, and wherein each gusset is foldably connected to one of the end panels, to one of the side panels, and to one of the top side panels.  
     
     
         30 . A method of erecting a carton, comprising: 
 providing a carton blank, comprising: 
 a bottom panel;  
 a first side panel;  
 a second side panel;  
 a first end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;  
 a first handle panel foldably connected to the first end panel;  
 a second end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;  
 a second handle panel foldably connected to the second end panel;  
 a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel;  
 a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel;  
 a plurality of gussets, one gusset being located at each corner of the bottom panel and disposed between and foldably connected to an adjacent side panel and end panel;  
 a first closure panel foldably connected to the first side top panel; and  
 a second closure panel foldably connected to the second side top panel;  
   forming a substantially parallepipedal open top form from the blank;    loading articles into the substantially parallepipedal open top form; and    adhering at least a portion of at least one of the gussets to the first handle panel; and    forming a top closure from at least the first and second closure panels.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising adhering at least a portion of at least one of the gussets to the second handle panel.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the top closure comprises the first and second top side panels and the first and second closure panels.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising folding the first handle panel about a fold line connecting the first handle panel to the first end panel to bring the first handle panel into contact with portions of two of the gussets.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the gussets is connected to an adjacent top side panel at a fold line that is folded as the first handle panel is folded about a fold line connecting the first handle panel to the first end panel.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising adhering at least a portion of each of the gussets to one of the end panels.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein forming a top closure comprises engaging a closure projection with a closure aperture formed in a first closure panel.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each gusset comprises at least two foldably connected gusset panels, and wherein each gusset is foldably connected to one of the end panels, to one of the side panels, and to one of the top side panels.  
     
     
         38 . A method of utilizing a carton, comprising: 
 providing a carton comprising: 
 a bottom panel;  
 a first side panel;  
 a second side panel;  
 a first end panel;  
 a second end panel;  
 a plurality of gussets, one gusset being located at each corner of the bottom panel and disposed between and foldably connected to an adjacent side panel and end panel; and  
 a top closure extending across a top of the carton, the top closure initially comprising a first side top panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side top panel foldably connected to the second side panel;  
   opening the top closure;    extending the first side top panel generally upwardly and extending the second side top panel generally upwardly to place the carton in an expanded configuration, wherein at least the first side top panel, the second side top panel, and the gussets are connected to define an upper portion of an expanded interior volume of the carton.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising closing the top of the carton after opening the top closure.  
     
     
         40 . The method  claim 39 , wherein the carton has a first height before opening the carton and a second height after opening the top closure, the second height being greater than the first height.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second height is at least 10% greater than the first height.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the top closure further comprises a closure flap and a closure aperture, wherein closing the top of the carton comprises engaging the closure flap with the closure aperture.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the carton further comprises a first handle panel connected to the first end panel and a second handle panel connected to the second end panel, the method further comprising carrying the carton by the first and second handle panels.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein each gusset comprises at least two foldably connected gusset panels, and wherein each gusset is foldably connected to one of the end panels, to one of the side panels, and to one of the top side panels.