Carton configured with dual opening capabilities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065761-B2
Application number	US-201515505569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2015
Priority date	Aug 27, 2014
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A dual-opening carton has a front, rear, and opposing side panels. A flap extends over the top of the carton, allowing the top to be opened and re-closed. A score line extends around the carton to facilitate the removal of a top portion of the carton. The score line has segments extending along the front panel, the rear panel, and rear portions of the side panels that have a relatively low cut length to land length ratios that maintain relatively high structural integrity. The score line also has segments extending along the front of the side panels have a relatively high cut length to land length ratio to facilitate tear propagation. The score line extending along the side panels is angled so that a pull force vector removing the top portion of the carton runs along a plane generally parallel to the score line.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dual-opening carton comprising:
a front panel, a rear panel opposite the front panel, and first and second side panels each extending between the front and rear panels;
a flap at a top of the front panel being attached to the rear panel to close a top end of the carton, the flap being at least partially detachable from the rear panel along one or more flap lines of weakness to open the top end of the carton to access contents of the carton; and
a pattern of panel lines of weakness extending about the front, rear first side and second side panels, the pattern being configured to be ruptured to permit a top portion of the carton to be at least partially removed to access contents of the carton, the pattern including:
one or more first side panel lines of weakness extending toward the front panel and toward the rear panel; and
an inclined line of weakness in each of the front and rear panels and aligned with ends of the first side panel lines of weakness, the inclined lines of weakness each being closer to the top of the carton adjacent the second side panel as compared to adjacent the first side panel, wherein the inclined line of weakness in each of the front and rear panels is configured to require a lower force to rupture as compared to the one or more first side panel lines of weakness.

2. The carton of claim 1 , further comprising a starter line of weakness extending around at least a portion of a periphery of a starter portion in the first side panel; and wherein the one or more first side panel lines of weakness comprises a pair of first side panel lines of weakness, one extending from adjacent one end of the starter line of weakness toward the front panel and the other extending from adjacent the other end of the starter line of weakness toward the rear panel.

3. The carton of claim 2 , wherein the starter line of weakness is configured to require a lower force to rupture as compared to the pair of first side panel lines of weakness.

4. The carton of claim 3 , wherein the starter line of weakness is configured to require a lower force to rupture as compared to the inclined line of weakness in each of the front and rear panels.

5. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the pattern of panel lines of weakness is formed from a series of cuts and lands.

6. The carton of claim 5 , wherein a cut of the pattern extends across an intersection of the front and first side panels, and another cut of the pattern extends across an intersection of the rear and first side panels to facilitate tearing along the pattern from the first side panel to the front and rear side panels.

7. The carton of claim 5 , wherein an average length of the cuts of each of the pair of first side panel lines of weakness is less than an average length of the cuts of each of the inclined lines of weaknesses.

8. The carton of claim 7 , wherein an average length of the cuts of the starter portion line of weakness are greater than the average length of the cuts of each of the inclined lines of weaknesses.

9. The carton of claim 5 , wherein the length of the cuts of each of the inclined lines of weakness is greater adjacent the first side panel as compared to the second side panel.

10. The carton of claim 5 , wherein each of the pair of first side panel lines of weakness has a first average ratio of lands to cuts, the starter line of weakness has a second average ratio of lands to cuts, and each of the inclined lines of weakness has a third average ratio of lands to cuts, and wherein the first and third ratios are different.

11. The carton of claim 10 , wherein the first ratio is larger than the third ratio.

12. The carton of claim 10 , wherein the first, second and third ratios are different.

13. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the first ratio is larger than the second ratio.

14. The carton of claim 13 , wherein the third ratio is less than the first ratio.

15. The carton of claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of first side panel lines of weakness is inclined toward the top of the carton and away from the starter line of weakness.

16. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first side panel has a pair of crease lines, one of the crease lines extending from adjacent one end of the starter line of weakness toward the top of the carton and the other of the crease lines extending from adjacent the other end of the starter line of weakness, the crease lines configured to facilitate flexing of the front and rear panels toward each other during removal of the top portion of the carton.

17. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the inclined lines of weakness are each straight lines inclined toward the top of the carton by an angle of greater than 15 degrees.

18. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the second side panel has a second side panel line of weakness such that the pattern permits the top portion of the carton to be entirely removed.

19. A method of opening the carton of claim 1 , the method comprising opening the carton by breaking the flap lines of weakness and then moving the front and rear panels away from each other at top ends thereof.

20. A method of opening the carton of claim 1 , comprising at least partially removing the top portion of the carton by propagating a tear along the pattern of lines of weakness.

Assignees

• Intercontinental Great Brands Llc

Inventors

• Kansburg Mark

Classifications

• B65D5/5425

  and defining after rupture a lid hinged to the upper edge of the container body · CPC title

• B65D5/5445

  for dividing a tubular body into separate parts · CPC title

• B65D5/068 Primary

  with supplemental means facilitating the opening, e.g. tear lines, tear tabs · CPC title

• B65D5/067

  Gable-top containers · CPC title

• B65D5/54

  Lines of weakness to facilitate opening of container or dividing it into separate parts by cutting or tearing ({B65D5/06, B65D5/5233, B65D5/5253 take precedence } ; break-in flaps, or members adapted to be torn-off, to provide pouring openings B65D5/70) · CPC title