BOX WITH CARRY HANDLES TO FACILITATE CARRYING THE BOX

Abstract

A carton for cut sheets of paper has a bottom wall, opposite side walls, and opposite end walls. An opening is in each of the opposite end walls and a carry handle is secured to an inner surface of each end wall in aligned registry with a respective opening. The carry handles have a stowed position inside the carton and an extended position outside the carton for lifting and carrying the carton. A spacer panel in said carton has cutouts in aligned registry with respective carry handles to accommodate the carry handles when in their stowed position and prevent contact between the carry handles and paper in the carton.

Claims

1. A carton for cut sheets of paper, wherein said carton comprises: a bottom wall, opposite side walls, and opposite end walls; an opening in each of the opposite end walls; a carry handle secured to an inner surface of each end wall in aligned registry with a respective opening, said carry handles having a stowed position inside the carton and an extended position outside the carton for lifting and carrying the carton; and a spacer panel in said carton, said spacer panel having cutouts in aligned registry with respective carry handles to accommodate the carry handles when in their stowed position and prevent contact between the carry handles and paper in the carton.

2. A carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said spacer panel is disposed horizontally within said carton between layers of paper and has width and length dimensions to fit closely within the width and length dimensions of the interior of the carton.

3. A carton as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said cut outs are rectangularly shaped and are formed in opposite ends of the spacer panel.

4. A carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a said spacer panel is vertically positioned in each end of the carton against a respective adjacent said end wall and has height and width dimensions to fit closely within the height and width dimensions of the interior of the carton.

5. A carton as claimed in claim 4, wherein: said spacer panels are secured to an inner surface of a respective said carton end wall.

6. A carton as claimed in claim 4, wherein: said spacer panels are loosely received in said carton.

7. A carton as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said carry handles each comprise an elongate base member having enlarged pads on its opposite ends, said base member secured to an inner surface of a respective said end wall, and an elongate strap having opposite ends slidably received through slots in the pads, enlargements on said strap opposite ends preventing complete separation of the strap from the base member but permitting it to be withdrawn through a said opening for access exteriorly of the carton.

8. A carton as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said carry handles each comprise an elongate base member having enlarged pads on its opposite ends, said base member secured to an inner surface of a respective said end wall, and an elongate strap having opposite ends slidably received through slots in the pads, enlargements on said strap opposite ends preventing complete separation of the strap from the base member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a carton having carry handles according to the invention, shown in its shipping configuration with straps applied around the carton and a carry handle in stowed position inside the carton.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a top isometric view of the carton of FIG. 1, taken from the opposite end and showing a carry handle in extended position ready for use.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top isometric exploded view of one end of a carton according to a first embodiment of the invention, showing one of the spacers.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top isometric view of the first embodiment, showing the parts in assembled relationship with a few reams of paper shown in broken lines.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top isometric exploded view, with portions broken away, of a second embodiment of the invention, and showing reams of paper in broken lines.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the spacer according to the second embodiment, showing how the spacer provides room for the carry handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring more specifically to the drawings, a carton according to the invention is indicated at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The carton has a bottom wall 11, opposite side walls 12 and 13, opposite end walls 14 and 15, and a lid or cover 16 covering the open top of the carton. The carton as shown and described herein is intended for containing wrapped reams 20 of cut sheets of paper. Tie straps 17 may be placed longitudinally and/or transversely around the carton to secure it during shipping and storage, as shown in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0022] In accordance with the invention, the carton 10 has openings 30 and 31 cut in its opposite end walls 14 and 15, respectively, and carry handles 32 and 33 are secured to the inside surface of respective end walls in aligned registry with respective openings 30 and 31. The carry handles shown and described herein are the so-called dog-bone type, with an elongate base member 34 having enlarged pads 35 and 36 at its opposite ends, and an elongate strap 37 having opposite ends slidably received through slots 38 and 39 in respective said pads. Enlarged ends 40 on the strap retain the ends of the strap in the slots and prevent separation of the strap from the base. The base and pads can be made larger, if desired or necessary, to provide a stronger construction that is less likely to tear the carton when lifting force is applied to the carry handles, especially for cartons holding 10 reams of paper. Also, if desired, a separate reinforcing sheet of fiberglass or reinforced paper or the like, not shown, can be adhered between the base of the carry handle and the adjacent carton end wall.

[0023] In use, the fingers are inserted through the respective openings 30 and 31 and the straps 37 are grasped and pulled out through the openings to form a carry handle as shown in FIG. 2 for lifting and carrying the carton. When they are not needed the straps can be pushed back through the respective openings into a stowed position inside the carton.

[0024] In a first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, vertically extending spacer panels 42 and 43 are inserted in opposite ends of the carton between the reams of paper 20 (see FIG. 4) 3 and a respective adjacent end wall. A cut out 44 is formed in each of the spacer panels 42 and 43 in aligned registry with a respective opening 30 or 31 and in positions to provide spaces for storing the carry handles when they are not in use. In the absence of the spacer panels, and because of the tight fit between the reams of paper and the inside surfaces of the carton walls, the carry handles could cause damage to the reams of paper. The spacer panels maintain a tight fit between the reams of paper and the walls of the carton, but provide space for storage of the carry handles so that the carry handles do not contact the reams of paper.

[0025] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a single spacer panel 50 is placed horizontally between the layers of reams of paper on the same level as the openings 30 and 31. Cutouts 51 and 52 in the ends of the spacer panel are in aligned registry with the respective openings 30 and 31 and provide space to accommodate the carry handles 32 and 33 when in their stowed position, thus protecting the reams of paper from damage due to contact with the carry handles.

[0026] The spacer panels 42, 43 and 50 can comprise a sheet of honeycomb material or other material to provide the necessary space for the carry handles. In a preferred embodiment, the panels 42 and 43 each have a thickness of about one-half inch and the panel 50 has a thickness of about one inch. The cut outs 44, 50 and 52 have a width and length adequate to accommodate the carry handle. The spacer panels 32 and 33 have height and width dimensions to fit within the interior height and width dimensions of the carton. They may be adhesively secured to a respective carton end wall or placed loosely in the carton. The spacer panel 50 has length and width dimensions to fit within the length and width dimensions of the carton. In addition to their primary purpose, described above, the spacer panels can serve to reinforce the carton to reduce damage when the carton is dropped.

[0027] Further, in drop tests conducted on similar cartons with a horizontal spacer panel, the severity of tear was substantially reduced when either a inch spacer panel or a 1 inch spacer panel was placed in the carton according to the invention. When a 1 inch thick spacer panel was placed in the carton according to the invention the average number of reams torn was substantially reduced in both the six drop series and the seven drop series, and the severity of tear was reduced in the six drop series.

[0028] While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as defined by the appended claims.