Shipping and dispensing carton

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9260215-B2
Application number	US-201314095136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2013
Priority date	Sep 21, 2005
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A combination shipping and dispensing carton for containing a plurality of articles. The carton has a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The carton may have various dispensing features to allow articles to be dispensed from the carton.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carton for holding a plurality of articles, the carton being formed from a primary blank and at least one reinforcing blank, the carton comprising:
a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises at least a bottom panel and a transverse fold line extending along a midpoint of the bottom panel;
at least one first end flap foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels along a first longitudinal fold line, the at least one first end flap at least partially closing a first end of the carton;
at least one second end flap foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels along a second longitudinal fold line, the at least one second end flap at least partially closing a second end of the carton;
the at least one reinforcing blank comprises at least a first reinforcing blank and a second reinforcing blank, the first reinforcing blank being at least partially adhered to the primary blank at the first end of the carton forming a first multi-ply portion of the carton, at least a portion of each panel of the plurality of panels comprising a portion of the first multi-ply portion, and at least a portion of the at least one first end flap comprising a portion of the first multi-ply portion, and the second reinforcing blank being at least partially adhered to the primary blank at the second end of the carton forming a second multi-ply portion of the carton, at least a portion of each panel of the plurality of panels comprising a portion of the second multi-ply portion, and at least a portion of the at least one second end flap comprising a portion of the second multi-ply portion; and
a dispensing feature extending in the primary blank, the dispensing feature comprising a tear strip extending in the primary blank for separating the carton into at least a first dispensing portion and a second dispensing portion, wherein the first dispensing portion and the second dispensing portion are for being free from contact with one another when the tear strip is removed, the first dispensing portion comprises the first multi-ply portion of the carton, the second dispensing portion comprises the second multi-ply portion of the carton, and the first dispensing portion is smaller than the second dispensing portion.

2. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the tear strip comprises at least two longitudinal tear lines.

3. The carton of claim 2 , wherein the tear strip extends longitudinally across at least a portion of the primary blank.

4. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the tear strip extends longitudinally across the plurality of panels.

5. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least a first top panel at least partially overlapping a second top panel, the tear strip comprising a first portion in the first top panel and a second portion in the second top panel, the first portion of the tear strip at least partially overlapping the second portion of the tear strip.

6. The carton of claim 5 , further comprising handle features in at least one of the first top panel and the second top panel.

7. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the tear strip extends proximate to a longitudinal edge of the first reinforcing blank.

8. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first end flap comprises a plurality of first end flaps comprising a plurality first primary end flaps in the primary blank overlapping a plurality of first reinforcing end flaps in the first reinforcing blank.

9. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first multi-ply portion of the carton is spaced apart from the at least one second end flap.

10. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the tear strip extends in an intermediate portion of the primary blank that is free from contact with the first reinforcing blank and the second reinforcing blank, the tear strip extends in a generally longitudinal direction adjacent an edge of the first reinforcing blank so that the second dispensing portion comprises substantially all of the intermediate portion of the primary blank after the tear strip is removed.

11. A carton blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of articles, the carton blank being formed from a primary blank and at least one reinforcing blank, the carton blank comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising at least a bottom panel and a transverse fold line extending along a midpoint of the bottom panel;
at least one first end flap foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels along a first longitudinal fold line at a first marginal end of the carton blank, the at least one first end flap being for at least partially closing a first end of the carton formed from the blank;
at least one second end flap foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels along a second longitudinal fold line at a second marginal end of the carton blank, the at least one second end flap being for at least partially closing a second end of the carton formed from the blank;
the at least one reinforcing blank comprises at least a first reinforcing blank and a second reinforcing blank, the first reinforcing blank being at least partially adhered to the primary blank at the first marginal end of the carton blank forming a first multi-ply portion of the carton blank, at least a portion of each panel of the plurality of panels comprising a portion of the first multi-ply portion, and at least a portion of the at least one first end flap comprising a portion of the first multi-ply portion, and the second reinforcing blank being at least partially adhered to the primary blank at the second marginal end of the carton blank forming a second multi-ply portion of the carton blank at least a portion of each panel of the plurality of panels comprising a portion of the second multi-ply portion, and at least a portion of the at least one second end flap comprising a portion of the second multi-ply portion; and
a dispensing feature extending in the primary blank, the dispensing feature comprising a tear strip extending in the primary blank for separating the carton formed from the carton blank into at least a first dispensing portion and a second dispensing portion, wherein the first dispensing portion and the second dispensing portion are for being free from contact with one another when the tear strip is removed in the carton formed from the carton blank, the first dispensing portion is for comprising the first multi-ply portion of the carton formed from the carton blank, the second dispensing portion is for comprising the second multi-ply portion of the carton formed from the carton blank, and the first dispensing portion is smaller than the second dispensing portion.

12. The carton blank of claim 11 , wherein the tear strip comprises at least two longitudinal tear lines.

13. The carton blank of claim 12 , wherein the tear strip extends longitudinally across at least a portion of the primary blank.

14. The carton blank of claim 11 , wherein the tear strip extends longitudinally across the plurality of panels.

15. The carton blank of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least a first top panel for at least partially overlapping a second top panel when the carton is formed from the carton blank, the tear strip comprising a first portion in the first top panel and a second portion in the second top panel, the first portion of the tear strip being for at least partially overlapping the second portion of the tear strip when the carton is formed from the carton blank.

16. The carton blank of claim 1

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc

Inventors

• Coltri-Johnson Andrea
• Gomes Jean-Manuel
• Jones Edward W

Classifications

• B65D5/445 Primary

  Reinforcements formed separately from the container · CPC title

• B65D2571/00567

  defining a narrow removable strip · CPC title

• B31B2120/10

  provided with covers, e.g. lids · CPC title

• B65D2571/0066

  formed from one single sheet · CPC title

• B65D5/5253

  Containers initially closed but folded about a central axis to display the contents in two or more cells · CPC title