Panel interlocking device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208950-B2
Application number	US-202017430343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2020
Priority date	Feb 12, 2019
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a panel interlocking device, a carton, and a blank for forming the carton. The carton blank incorporating a panel interlocking device for securing together a first and a second panel in overlapping relationship. The panel interlocking device comprises a locking tab struck from the first panel, and a retaining tab defining a locking aperture struck from the second panel. In use the retaining tab is displaced out of the plane of the second panel to receive said locking tab through the locking aperture to be engaged therewith. The retaining tab has opposing side edges each concavely curved as viewed from the outside of the retaining tab.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A panel interlocking device for joining a first panel and a second panel, the panel interlocking device comprising:
a male tab on the first panel; and
a female tab having opposing side edges on the second panel,
wherein each of the opposing side edges of the female tab is formed entirely by a cut line, so as to separate the female lab from the second panel along each of the opposing side edges, such that each of the opposing side edges of the female tab formed by ne is concavely curved as viewed from outside of the female tab.

2. A panel interlocking device according to claim 1 wherein a center of curvature of each of the opposing side edges is disposed outside the female tab.

3. A panel interlocking device according to claim 2 wherein a minimum width F4 of the female tab is located between a distal end of the female tab having a width F5 and a proximal end of the female tab having a width F2 such that both of the width F5 at the distal end and the width F2 at the proximal end is greater than the minimum width F4, (F5>F4), (F2>F4).

4. A panel interlocking device according to claim 3 wherein the width F2 at the proximal end is the maximum width of the female tab.

5. A panel interlocking device according to claim 4 wherein a radius r3 of curvature of each of the opposing side edges is generally equal to two-thirds of the maximum width F2 of the female tab, (r3≅⅔F2).

6. A panel interlocking device according to claim 1 wherein the male tab comprises a single-position tab comprising:
a main portion;
a neck portion; and
a shoulder portion;
wherein the neck portion is narrower in width than the shoulder portion to define at least one locking edge formed along a lower part of the shoulder portion, and
wherein a maximum width F2 of the female tab is greater than a maximum width M2 of the single-position tab, (F2>M2).

7. A panel interlocking device according to claim 6 wherein a distal end of the female tab having a width F5 is less than the maximum width M2 of the single-position tab, (F5<M2).

8. A panel interlocking device according to claim 1 wherein the female tab is connected to a mother panel by a non-linear fold line.

9. A panel interlocking device according to claim 8 wherein the non-linear fold line comprises a curved fold line.

10. A panel interlocking device according to claim 9 wherein a center of a curvature of the curved fold line is located at a position closer to a distal end of the female tab than to the curved fold line.

11. A panel interlocking device according to claim 8 wherein the non-linear fold line has a length F1 which is: (i) less than a maximum width F2 of the female tab, (F1<F2), or (ii) less than a minimum width F4 of the female tab, (F1<F4), or (iii) is generally equal to a minimum width M1/M4 of the male tab, (F1≅M1), (F1≅M4).

12. A panel interlocking device according to claim 1 wherein the male tab comprises a multi-position tab comprising a plurality of recesses along at least one side edge thereof, each recess providing an engagement edge for abutment with a panel portion of a mother panel from which the female tab is struck and wherein a maximum width F2 of the female tab is greater than a maximum width M5 of the multi-position tab.

13. A panel interlocking device according to claim 12 wherein a distal end of the female tab having a width F5 is less than a maximum width M5 of the multi-position tab, (F5<M5).

14. A panel interlocking device according to claim 1 wherein the female tab has a distal end edge convexly curved as viewed from outside of the female tab.

15. A panel interlocking device according to claim 14 wherein a center of curvature of the distal end edge is located at a position closer to a proximal end of the female tab than to a distal end of the female tab.

16. A panel interlocking device according to claim 15 wherein a radius r2 of curvature of the distal end edge is: (i) greater than a radius r3 of curvature of each of the opposing side edges, (r2>r3), or (ii) generally equal to a maximum width F2 of the female tab, (r2≅F2), or both (i) and (ii).

17. A panel interlocking device according to claim 1 , wherein the curved cut line extends from a distal end edge of the female tab to a proximal end portion of the female tab, in a direction along which free side edges of the second panel extend, such that each of the opposing side edges of the female tab is concavely curved along substantially its entire length.

18. A panel interlocking device for securing together a first panel and a second panel in overlapping relationship, said panel interlocking device comprising:
a locking tab struck from the first panel, and
a retaining tab defining a locking aperture struck from the second panel,
wherein the retaining tab is displaced out of plane of the second panel to receive the locking tab through the locking aperture to be engaged therewith,
wherein at least one of the locking aperture and the retaining tab has opposing side edges that extend in a direction substantially parallel to free side edges of the first panel or the second panel,
wherein the opposing side edges of the at least one of the locking aperture and the retaining tab are concavely curved as viewed from outside of the at least one of the locking aperture and the retaining tab.

19. A panel interlocking device according to claim 18 wherein a center of curvature of the at least one of the opposing side edges that is concavely curved is disposed outside the at least one of the locking aperture and the retaining tab.

20. A panel interlocking device according to claim 19 wherein a minimum width F4 of the locking aperture is located between a distal end of the locking aperture having a width F5 and a proximal end of the locking aperture having a width F2 such that both the width F5 at the distal end and the width F2 at the proximal end is greater than the minimum width F4, (F5>F4), (F2>F4).

Assignees

• Westrock Packaging Systems Llc

Inventors

• Hettinger Peter
• Stamer Valentin
• Erschfeld Rainer

Classifications

• B65D2571/0066

  formed from one single sheet · CPC title

• B65D2571/00185

  by tabs cut within one end and facing away from the other end when blank is unfolded, and co-operting with openings at the other end · CPC title

• B65D71/14 Primary

  having the shape of a tube, without, or not being characterised by, end walls · CPC title