Carton with dispensing features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124947-B2
Application number	US-201514545812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A package for holding a product. The package can comprise a carton and a bag. The carton can comprise a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and a dispenser for accessing the interior of the carton. The dispenser can comprise at least one dispenser flap at least partially closing a top of the carton. The bag can be at least partially disposed in the interior of the carton, and the bag can comprise a dispenser feature that is accessible via the dispenser in the carton.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A package for holding a product, the package comprising a carton and a bag, the carton comprising:
a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a front panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel, and a back panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel;
a plurality of top end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of top end flaps are for at least partially closing a top end of the carton, the plurality of top end flaps comprising a front top flap foldably connected to the front panel;
a plurality of bottom end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of bottom end flaps are for at least partially closing a bottom end of the carton; and
a dispenser for accessing the interior of the carton through the top end of the carton, the dispenser comprising at least one dispenser flap at least partially closing a top of the carton, the at least one dispenser flap comprising a first dispenser flap and a second dispenser flap, the dispenser further comprising a liner patch overlapping at least a portion of the first dispenser flap, the second dispenser flap, and the front top flap at the top end of the carton such that the liner patch extends from the interior of the carton through the dispenser when the dispenser is open, the liner patch is free from contact with the plurality of bottom end flaps;
wherein the bag contains the product and is at least partially disposed in the interior of the carton and is in contact with the plurality of bottom end flaps at the bottom end of the carton, the bag is disposed below the liner patch, and the bag comprises a dispenser feature that is accessible via the dispenser in the carton.

2. The package of claim 1 , wherein the bag comprises a top seal, and at least a portion of the top seal comprises an oblique seal that extends obliquely with respect to a top end of the bag.

3. The package of claim 2 , wherein the dispenser feature of the bag is at least partially defined by the oblique seal and the top end of the bag.

4. The package of claim 2 , wherein an edge of the oblique seal is aligned with an edge of the dispenser.

5. The package of claim 1 , wherein the bag comprises a top seal extending across the bag, the top seal extending obliquely with respect to a top end of the bag.

6. The package of claim 1 , wherein the first dispenser flap at least partially overlaps the second dispenser flap, the first dispenser flap comprising a distal portion secured to the second dispenser flap.

7. The package of claim 6 , wherein a tear feature extends across at least a portion of the first dispenser flap and at least partially defines the distal portion and a reclosable flap in the first dispenser flap.

8. The package of claim 7 , wherein the reclosable flap comprises a closing tab at least partially defined by the tear feature, and the second dispenser flap comprises a notch for at least partially receiving the closing tab after the tear feature has been actuated to at least partially separate the reclosable flap from the distal portion of the first dispenser flap.

9. The package of claim 6 , wherein the front panel extends between the first side panel and the second side panel, the first dispenser flap is foldably connected to the first side panel along a first portion of a fold line, and the second dispenser flap is foldably connected to the second side panel along a second portion of the fold line.

10. The package of claim 9 , wherein each of the first portion and the second portion of the fold line is oblique with respect to the front panel.

11. The package of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of top end flaps further comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel along the fold line and a second top flap foldably connected to the second side panel along the fold line, the first top flap and the second top flap being at least partially overlapped with one another to at least partially close the top of the carton.

12. The package of claim 11 , wherein the first dispenser flap is connected to the first top flap along a first tear line, the second dispenser flap is connected to the second top flap along a second tear line, and each of the first dispenser flap and the second dispenser flap is at least partially separable from the respective first top flap and second top flap along the respective first tear line and second tear line.

13. The package of claim 9 , wherein the second dispenser flap at least partially overlaps the front top flap.

14. The package of claim 6 , wherein the first dispenser flap is foldably connected to the first side panel, the second dispenser flap is foldably connected to the second side panel, the front top flap is foldably connected to the front panel and the carton further comprises a back top flap foldably connected to the back panel.

15. The package of claim 14 , wherein the front top flap is connected to the first dispenser flap and the second dispenser flap by a respective first front gusset panel and second front gusset panel, and the back top flap is connected to the first dispenser flap and the second dispenser flap by a respective first back gusset panel and second back gusset panel.

16. The package of claim 15 , wherein the first dispenser flap comprises a reclosable flap that is separable from the distal portion of the first dispenser flap along a tear feature, a top portion of the bag is attached to the reclosable flap so that at least a portion of the top portion of the bag is disposed between the reclosable flap and the second dispenser flap when the dispenser is in a closed configuration.

17. The package of claim 1 , wherein the carton further comprises a spout feature extending in at least the front panel and the front top flap.

18. The package of claim 17 , wherein the spout feature comprises a lateral fold line extending in the front top flap and two oblique fold lines extending in the front panel from an end of the lateral fold line, the front top flap and the front panel being for folding along the lateral fold line and the oblique fold lines to form a spout adjacent the dispenser when the dispenser is in an open configuration.

19. The package of claim 1 , wherein the carton further comprises a top wall at least partially closing a top of the carton, and the dispenser comprises a flip top foldably connected to the top wall, the flip top being positionable between a closed position and an open position.

20. The package of claim 19 , wherein the carton comprises a front wall insert attached to at least one panel of the plurality of panels, the flip top at least partially overlaps the front wall insert in the closed position, the front wall insert comprises a locking tab, and the dispenser comprises a locking insert attached to an interior surface of the flip top for engaging the locking tab when the flip top is in the closed position.

21. In combination, a blank for forming a carton and a bag for being disposed in an interior of the carton, the blank comprising:
a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels comprises a front panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel, and a back panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side pa

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Pinkstone Felicia A
• Burke Bradley J
• Fitzwater Kelly R
• Hancock Tony

Classifications

• B65D5/541

  the lines of weakness being provided in one or more closure flaps · CPC title

• B65D5/563

  Laminated linings; Coatings · CPC title

• B65D77/062 Primary

  Flexible containers disposed within polygonal containers formed by folding a carton blank · CPC title

• B65D5/742

  Spouts formed by deforming or tearing the closure flaps or severed or incised parts of the closure flaps (B65D5/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/743

  Spouts formed by deforming or tearing scored or incised parts of the side-wall of containers · CPC title