Carton for a food product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9499296-B2
Application number	US-201414339741-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2014
Priority date	Jul 25, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A carton for containing a cooked food product. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels can comprise a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. A lid is positionable to at least partially close a top of the carton. A plurality of vent features are in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially maintaining product attributes of the cooked food product contained in the carton by at least partially venting the carton.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carton for containing a cooked food product, the carton comprising:
a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a top panel, and an end panel;
a lid positionable to at least partially close a top of the carton, the lid comprises the top panel that is foldably connected to the first side panel, a first closure feature in the top panel and a second closure feature in the second side panel;
the end panel is foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel and comprises a curved free edge; and
at least one vent feature in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially maintaining product attributes of the cooked food product contained in the carton by at least partially venting the carton;
wherein the top panel extends from the first side panel to the second side panel and conforms to the curved free edge of the end panel, the at least one vent feature comprises a first vent flap and a second vent flap, the first vent flap being foldably connected to the lid along a first fold line and positionable between a closed position closing the interior and an actuated position accessing the interior of the carton, and the second vent flap being foldably connected to the end panel along a second fold line and positionable between a closed position and an actuated position.

2. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first vent flap is separable from the lid along a tear line.

3. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent feature comprises a plurality of vent flaps foldably connected to the lid along respective fold lines, and each vent flap of the plurality of vent flaps is positionable between a closed position and an actuated position.

4. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent feature comprises a vent opening at least partially defined between the end panel and an edge of the lid.

5. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the end panel comprises a first end portion foldably connected to a second end portion along a third fold line, the third fold line is spaced apart from an edge of the lid, and the vent opening is at least partially defined between the edge of the lid and the third fold line.

6. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first closure feature comprises a closure tab extending from the top panel, and the second closure feature comprises a closure slot formed in the second side panel for at least partially receiving the closure tab, the closure slot being spaced apart from an upper edge of the second side panel.

7. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first closure feature comprises a closure tab extending in the top panel and a closure flap foldably connected to the top panel, the closure tab being at least partially defined by a cut line in the closure flap.

8. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the top panel is foldably connected to the first side panel along a tear line, the top panel being separable from the first side panel along the tear line to at least partially form a dispenser opening in the carton.

9. The carton of claim 8 , wherein the top panel is a first top panel, the tear-line is a first tear line, and the lid further comprises a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel along a second tear line, the second top panel being separable from the second side panel along the second tear line to at least partially form the dispenser opening in the carton.

10. The carton of claim 1 , further comprising a dispenser comprising a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line extending in at least one panel of the plurality of panels, the dispenser panel being at least partially separable along the tear line to at least partially form a dispenser opening in the carton.

11. The carton of claim 10 , wherein the dispenser panel comprises at least a portion of the lid and the first side panel, the tear line extending at least partially across the first side panel and being at least partially spaced apart from the lid.

12. The carton of claim 11 , wherein the tear line extends from the first side panel to an edge of the end panel.

13. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the end panel is a first end panel and the tear line is a first tear line, the carton further comprises a second end panel foldably connected to at least the first side panel, and the dispenser panel is at least partially defined by a second tear line extending in the first side panel and the second end panel to an edge of the second end panel.

14. The carton of claim 13 , wherein the dispenser panel is a first dispenser panel, the first dispenser panel is further defined by a third tear line in the first side panel extending from an end of the first tear line to an end of the second tear line, and the dispenser further comprises a second dispenser panel at least partially defined by the third tear line and a fourth tear line extending in at least the first side panel, the second dispenser panel being at least partially separable along the fourth tear line to extend the dispenser opening in the first side panel.

15. A carton for containing a cooked food product, the carton comprising:
a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a top panel, and an end panel;
a lid positionable to at least partially close a top of the carton, the lid comprises the top panel that is foldably connected to the first side panel, a first closure feature in the top panel and a second closure feature in the second side panel;
the end panel is foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel and comprises a curved free edge; and
at least one vent feature in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially maintaining product attributes of the cooked food product contained in the carton by at least partially venting the carton;
wherein the top panel extends from the first side panel to the second side panel and conforms to the curved free edge of the end panel, the at least one vent feature comprises a vent flap foldably connected to the lid along a fold line and positionable between a closed position closing the interior and an actuated position accessing the interior of the carton, and the at least one vent feature comprises a first vent opening defined in the end panel and allowing access to the interior of the carton and a second vent opening defined in the end panel.

16. A carton for containing a cooked food product, the carton comprising:
a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a top panel, and an end panel;
a lid positionable to at least partially close a top of the carton, the lid comprises the top panel that is foldably connected to the first side panel, a first closure feature in the top panel and a second closure feature in the second side panel;
the end panel is foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel and comprises a curved free edge; and
at least one vent feature in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially maintaining product attributes of the cooked food product contained in the carton by at least partially venting the carton;
wherein the top panel extends from the first side panel to the second side

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc

Inventors

• Mills Karen L
• Baker Mark P

Classifications

• B65D5/725 Primary

  Incised or pre-scored openings or windows provided in the side wall of containers · CPC title

• B65D85/36

  for bakery products, e.g. biscuits · CPC title

• B65D5/4295

  Ventilating arrangements, e.g. openings, space elements · CPC title

• B65D5/6697

  Separate lids attached to the container body by a hinge element · CPC title

• B65D5/029

  the tubular body presenting a special shape (pyramidal B65D5/008) · CPC title