Carton with handle and blank therefor

Abstract

Aspects of disclosure provide a carton (200) having a composite wall ( 24 a/ 24 b/ 26 b; 124 a/ 124 b/ 126 b; 224 a/ 224 b/ 226 b; 324 a/ 324 b/ 326 b; 424 a/ 424 b /426 b ) comprising a handle ( 58; 158; 258; 358 ). The handle includes a load bearing structure configured to support a substantially vertical load and configured to support a substantially horizontal load. A first handle flap ( 68 b; 168 b; 268 b; 368 b; 468 b ) is formed in an outer layer of the composite wall and hingedly connected thereto along a first hinge connection. Second and third handle flaps ( 52 a, 52 b; 152 a, 152 b; 252 a, 252 b; 352 a, 352 b; 452 b ) are formed in an inner layer of the composite wall and hingedly connected thereto along second and third hinge connections. The second and third hinge connections are arranged such that they are substantially out of alignment with the first hinge connection and each comprise at least one arcuate fold line ( 54 b, 57 b; 154 b, 157 b; 254 b, 257 b; 354 b, 357 b ).

1 . A carton having a composite wall comprising a handle that includes a first handle flap formed in an outer layer of the composite wall and is hingedly connected to the outer layer along a first hinge connection, and a second handle flap formed in an inner layer of the composite wall and hingedly connected to the inner layer along a second hinge connection, wherein the second hinge connection is substantially out of alignment with the first hinge connection and comprises a pair of inner arcuate fold lines. 
     
     
         2 . The carton according to  claim 1  wherein the first hinge connection comprises one selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) an outer arcuate fold line; 
 (ii) a pair of outer arcuate fold lines disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other; 
 (iii) a linear fold line; Grand 
 (iv) a pair of linear fold lines disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other. 
 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The carton according to  claim 1  wherein the first hinge connection comprises a pair of outer arcuate fold lines, wherein the outer arcuate fold lines of the pair are disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other to define a first substantially leaf-shaped panel therebetween, and wherein the first leaf-shaped panel provides at least part of a load bearing structure. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The carton according to  claim 1  wherein the inner arcuate fold lines of the pair are disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other to define a second substantially leaf-shaped panel therebetween, and wherein the second leaf-shaped panel provides at least part of the load bearing structure. 
     
     
         8 . The carton according to  claim 1  wherein the handle further includes a third handle flap which is formed in the inner layer of the composite wall the third handle flap is hingedly connected to the inner layer along a third hinge connection. 
     
     
         9 . The carton according to  claim 8  wherein the third hinge connection comprises at least one inner arcuate fold line and wherein the at least one inner arcuate fold line of the third hinge connection is substantially out of alignment with the first hinge connection. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The carton according to  claim 1  wherein the inner arcuate fold lines of the pair define a second substantially leaf-shaped panel therebetween and converge at either end of the second leaf-shaped panel, wherein the handle further includes a third handle flap which is formed in the inner layer of the composite wall, and the third handle flap is hingedly connected to the inner layer along a third hinge connection, wherein the third hinge connection comprises a pair of inner arcuate fold lines, wherein the inner arcuate fold lines of the third hinge connection define a third substantially leaf-shaped panel therebetween and converge at either end of the third leaf-shaped panel. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The carton according to  claim 12  wherein the first handle flap is defined in part by the first hinge connection and at least in part by a line of separation that extends downwardly away from the first hinge connection. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The carton according to  claim 14  wherein the line of separation is shaped to form an edge at each end of the first hinge connection, the edges at the ends of the first hinge connection being shaped to abut the adjacently disposed second substantially leaf-shaped and third substantially leaf-shaped panels when the handle is used and the first, second and third handle panels are displaced inwardly of the carton. 
     
     
         17 . The carton according to  claim 16  wherein said edges are shaped to fit against the second and third substantially leaf-shaped panels, when those second and third substantially leaf-shaped panels are disposed at an acutely inwardly folded angle. 
     
     
         18 . The carton according to  claim 12  wherein the first handle flap, the second handle flap and the third handle flap are configured to fold as a unit and to retain one another in a folded condition and together provide a substantially continuous load bearing structure when folded. 
     
     
         19 . The carton according to  claim 16 , wherein said edges of the first handle flap at least partially define a portion of the first handle flap that is configured to be substantially in flat face contact with the second handle flap and third handle flap respectively in the folded condition. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The carton according to  claim 12 , wherein the carton comprises a series of main panels including a top panel and a bottom panel interconnected by first and second side panels to form a substantially tubular structure, at least one of the ends of the tubular structure being at least partially closed by said composite wall and wherein the inner layer of the composite wall comprises first and second side end closure panels hinged to the first and second side panels respectively and disposed side by side in substantially the same plane, the second handle flap being formed from the first side end closure panel and the third handle flap being formed from the second side end closure panel and wherein the outer layer of the composite wall comprises a top end closure panel hinged to the top panel, the first handle flap being formed from the top end closure panel. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising an inner and outer layer for forming a composite wall of the carton, the inner and outer layers comprising components for forming a handle that includes a first handle flap formed in the outer layer and hingedly connected to the outer layer along a first hinge connection, and a second handle flap formed in the inner layer and hingedly connected to the inner layer along a second hinge connection, wherein the second hinge connection is substantially out of alignment with the first hinge connection and comprises a pair of inner arcuate fold lines. 
     
     
         26 . The blank according to  claim 25  wherein the first hinge connection comprises one selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) an outer arcuate fold line; 
 (ii) a pair of outer arcuate fold lines disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other; 
 (iii) a linear fold line; and 
 (iv) a pair of linear fold lines. 
 
     
     
         27 . The blank according to  claim 25  comprising a series of main panels including a top panel, a bottom panel, first and second side panels, wherein two of said main panels are affixed together to form a flat-folded structure that when opened forms a substantially tubular structure, at least one of opposed ends of the tubular structure being at least partially closable by a composite end wall structures and wherein an inner layer of the composite end wall structure comprises first side end closure panels hinged to the first side panels, the second handle flap being formed from the first side end closure panel and wherein the outer layer is provided by a top end closure panel hinged to the top panel. 
     
     
         28 . A carton having a composite wall comprising a handle that includes a first handle flap formed in an outer layer of the composite wall and hingedly connected to the outer layer along a first hinge connection, and a second handle flap formed in an inner layer of the composite wall and hingedly connected to the inner layer along a second hinge connection, wherein the second hinge connection is substantially out of alignment with the first hinge connection, and wherein the first hinge connection comprises at least one outer arcuate fold line. 
     
     
         29 . The carton according to  claim 28  wherein the second hinge connection comprises one selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) an inner arcuate fold line; 
 (ii) a pair of inner arcuate fold lines disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other; 
 (iii) a linear fold line; and 
 (iv) a pair of linear fold lines disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other. 
 
     
     
         30 . The carton according to  claim 28  wherein the second hinge connection comprises a pair of inner arcuate fold lines, wherein the inner arcuate fold lines of the pair are disposed proximate to and positioned oppositely to each other to define a second substantially leaf-shaped panel therebetween, and wherein the second leaf-shaped panel provides at least part of a load bearing structure. 
     
     
         31 . The carton according to  claim 28  wherein the handle further includes a third handle flap which is formed in the inner layer of the composite wall, the third handle flap is hingedly connected to the inner layer along a third hinge connection.