US3774836A — Carton having tape handle

Claim 1

Independent Claim 303 words

An improved tape handle equipped rectangular parallelopipedal carton having a flap-formed top-closure comprising three substantially parallel layers of inwardly folded flaps which are integral portions of said carton, said layers having juxtaposed flap surfaces secured together to give the carton adequate structural rigidity for its intended use, said three layers being an innermost layer, an intermediate layer, and an outermost layer, said innermost layer comprising two substantially coplanar minor flaps, said intermediate layer being the firstfolded major flap of the carton, and said outermost layer being the outer major flap of the carton, each said major flap having a handle access aperture centrally disposed therein, said improvement comprising a handle-forming tape, tape end receiving receptacles, and two juxtaposed pairs of edge sealing surfaces, said tape having a central bail-forming portion intermediate opposed end portions thereof, said bail-forming portion of said tape spanning said apertures rendering it accessible from outside the carton, said end portions of said tape being disposed, and secured intermediate the adjacent first-folded majoR flap and said minor flaps, said receptacles formed by an offsetting of the material comprising said adjacent flaps, said offsetting being spaced from the top side edges of the carton immediately adjacent the proximal edges of said minor flaps and being adapted to wholly receive said end portions of said tape, said edge sealing surfaces being substantially planar non-receptacle areas of said adjacent flaps that are immediately adjacent said top side edges of said carton and extending the full length of said proximal edges of said minor flaps, said edge sealing surfaces being adhesively secured together in juxtaposed pairs along substantially the full lengths of said proximal edges of said minor flaps thereby effecting substantial side sift-sealing of said top closure against sifting of granular or powdered particles between said minor flaps and said first-folded major flap.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 303 words

An improved tape handle equipped rectangular parallelopipedal carton having a flap-formed top-closure comprising three substantially parallel layers of inwardly folded flaps which are integral portions of said carton, said layers having juxtaposed flap surfaces secured together to give the carton adequate structural rigidity for its intended use, said three layers being an innermost layer, an intermediate layer, and an outermost layer, said innermost layer comprising two substantially coplanar minor flaps, said intermediate layer being the firstfolded major flap of the carton, and said outermost layer being the outer major flap of the carton, each said major flap having a handle access aperture centrally disposed therein, said improvement comprising a handle-forming tape, tape end receiving receptacles, and two juxtaposed pairs of edge sealing surfaces, said tape having a central bail-forming portion intermediate opposed end portions thereof, said bail-forming portion of said tape spanning said apertures rendering it accessible from outside the carton, said end portions of said tape being disposed, and secured intermediate the adjacent first-folded majoR flap and said minor flaps, said receptacles formed by an offsetting of the material comprising said adjacent flaps, said offsetting being spaced from the top side edges of the carton immediately adjacent the proximal edges of said minor flaps and being adapted to wholly receive said end portions of said tape, said edge sealing surfaces being substantially planar non-receptacle areas of said adjacent flaps that are immediately adjacent said top side edges of said carton and extending the full length of said proximal edges of said minor flaps, said edge sealing surfaces being adhesively secured together in juxtaposed pairs along substantially the full lengths of said proximal edges of said minor flaps thereby effecting substantial side sift-sealing of said top closure against sifting of granular or powdered particles between said minor flaps and said first-folded major flap.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The carton of claim 1 having said end portions of said handle-forming tape adhesively secured to the superjacent underside of said first-folded major flap.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

The carton of claim 2 having said receptacles formed by debossing the cartonboard of said adjacent flaps.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The carton of claim 2 having said tape end receiving receptacles formed by offsetting only material of said minor flaps.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 110 words

The carton of claim 4 wherein the longest dimension of the handle-forming tape is disposed substantially parallel to the proximal edges of said major flaps, said carton further having a fibrous reinforcing tape disposed adjacent each end of said aperture in the first-folded major flap and secured to the underside thereof so that each reinforcing tape extends transverse said first-folded major flap and has its central portion intermediate said first-folded major flap and the portion of the handle-forming tape subjacent thereto whereby the lateral tearing strength of said reinforcing tapes increase the tear resistance of said cartons to upwardly acting forces imposed on said central portion of said handle-forming tape.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

The carton of claim 4 having said receptacles defined by a rectangular lineament comprising a score line on one side thereof and a plurality of spaced cuts forming the other three sides thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

The carton of claim 6 wherein said score line is substantially parallel to the proximal edge of the associated minor flap and is the closest edge of said receptacle to said proximal edge.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 49 words

The carton of claim 1 having spacing means disposed intermediate said central portion of said handle-forming tape and the subjacent carton structure whereby said central portion of said tape is spaced from said subjacent structure to facilitate its being grasped by the fingers of the user of the carton.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 85 words

The carton of claim 1 further comprising an aperture closing panel subjacent said central portion of said tape and configured to substantially sealingly close said aperture in said first-folded major flap, said aperture closing panel having an upwardly raised ridge formed therein by offsetting material thereof which ridge is adapted to space a substantial portion of said central portion of said handle-forming tape away from said aperture closing panel whereby said central portion of said tape can be grasped by the user of the carton.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 94 words

The carton of claim 1 having a fiber reinforced tape disposed adjacent each end of said aperture in said first-folded major flap and secured to the underside thereof, said reinforced tape being reinforced by longitudinally oriented fibrous material, the longitudinal dimension of each reinforced tape extending transverse said handle-forming tape with its central portion intermediate said flap and the subjacent portion of said handle-forming tape to which it is secured whereby said reinforced tapes improve the tear resistance of said cartons to upwardly acting forces imposed on said central portion of said handle-forming tape.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 279 words

In a rectangular tubular carton having an integrated, three-layer, four-flap, top closure wherein two minor flaps comprise the iNnermost layer, the intermediate layer comprises a first-folded major flap, and the outermost layer comprises an outer major flap, each said major flap having a handle access aperture centrally disposed therein, an improvement comprising a handle-forming tape, means of sealing said aperture in the first-folded major flap, tape end receiving receptacles, and a plurality of adhesively bonded edge sealing surfaces, said tape having its end portions secured to the underside of said first-folded major flap and its hand accommodating central portion longitudinally spanning said aperture in said first-folded major flap, said aperture sealing means adapted to substantially preclude communication between the exterior and interior of said carton through said apertures, said receptacles being formed by offsetting material of said flaps adjacent said tape ends but spaced from the top side edges of the carton immediately adjacent the proximal edges of the associated minor flaps, said receptacles being adapted to wholly accommodate said ends of said tape extending between said minor flaps and said first-folded major flap, said edge sealing surfaces being the generally reactangular planar areas of said minor flaps immediately adjacent the proximal edges of said minor flaps which extend the full width thereof and the superjacent juxtaposed areas of said first-folded major flap, said edge sealing surfaces of said minor flaps being adhesively secured to the superjacent edge sealing surfaces of said first-folded major flap along the full width of said minor flaps whereby sifting of particulate matter from the interior to the exterior of said carton between said first-folded major flap and said minor flaps is substantially obviated.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 279 words

In a rectangular tubular carton having an integrated, three-layer, four-flap, top closure wherein two minor flaps comprise the iNnermost layer, the intermediate layer comprises a first-folded major flap, and the outermost layer comprises an outer major flap, each said major flap having a handle access aperture centrally disposed therein, an improvement comprising a handle-forming tape, means of sealing said aperture in the first-folded major flap, tape end receiving receptacles, and a plurality of adhesively bonded edge sealing surfaces, said tape having its end portions secured to the underside of said first-folded major flap and its hand accommodating central portion longitudinally spanning said aperture in said first-folded major flap, said aperture sealing means adapted to substantially preclude communication between the exterior and interior of said carton through said apertures, said receptacles being formed by offsetting material of said flaps adjacent said tape ends but spaced from the top side edges of the carton immediately adjacent the proximal edges of the associated minor flaps, said receptacles being adapted to wholly accommodate said ends of said tape extending between said minor flaps and said first-folded major flap, said edge sealing surfaces being the generally reactangular planar areas of said minor flaps immediately adjacent the proximal edges of said minor flaps which extend the full width thereof and the superjacent juxtaposed areas of said first-folded major flap, said edge sealing surfaces of said minor flaps being adhesively secured to the superjacent edge sealing surfaces of said first-folded major flap along the full width of said minor flaps whereby sifting of particulate matter from the interior to the exterior of said carton between said first-folded major flap and said minor flaps is substantially obviated.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

The carton of claim 11 having said end portions of said handle-forming tape further secured to the upwardly facing surfaces of said minor flaps.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 60 words

The carton of claim 11 wherein said means for sealing said aperture in the first-folded major flap is an imperforate sift-sealing tape which is configured and disposed to underlie and extend beyond the edges of said aperture and said tape ends and which is sealingly secured around its entire perimeter to the inwardly facing surface of the first-folded major flap.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 61 words

The carton of claim 11 having said handle-forming tape comprised of a fibrous inner strip encased by folding a relatively stiff outer wrapper around the inner strip to form a flat composite structure, said inner strip and said outer wrapper being generally longitudinally aligned and adhesively secured together whereby said composite structure is relatively inflexible laterally compared to its longitudinal flexibility.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The carton of claim 14 wherein the longitudinal edges of said outer tape form a butt joint extending generally longitudinally on the downwardly facing side of said composite structure tape.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-11-26	1977-05-28	1977-11-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-11-26	1981-05-28	1981-11-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-11-26	1985-05-28	1985-11-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Carton having tape handle

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