Carton with dispensing feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850023-B2
Application number	US-201313803784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Oct 5, 2012
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A carton for holding a plurality of containers. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises at least one top panel, at least one side panel foldably connected to the at least one top panel, and a bottom panel foldably connected to the at least one side panel. The carton further comprises a support foldably connected to the top panel for supporting at least one article of the plurality of articles and a dispenser for allowing removal of the plurality of articles from the carton. The dispenser comprises a dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a tear line in the at least one side panel and the at least one top panel. The dispenser panel is for being at least partially removed for at least further opening a dispenser opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carton for holding a plurality of articles, comprising:
a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a first top panel having a free edge, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel at a third fold line, at least a portion of an interior surface of the first top panel is in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the second top panel;
a support foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold line, the support comprises a support flap for supporting at least one article of the plurality of articles, and the first fold line is spaced apart from the second fold line, the second top panel extends across less than the entire width of the first top panel and the support flap extends downwardly from the second top panel at the second fold line so the interior surface of the first top panel has a portion that is free from contact with the second top panel, the support flap is free from attachment to the first side panel and the first top panel; and
a dispenser for allowing removal of the plurality of articles from the carton, the dispenser comprises a first dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a first tear line in at least one of the second side panel and the second top panel, and a second dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a second tear line in the first top panel, wherein the first tear line has a first portion and a second portion each extending from the third fold line, and the second tear line has a third first portion and a second portion each extending from the free edge of the first top panel, at least a portion of the second dispenser panel overlaps at least a portion of the first dispenser panel, the first portion of the first tear line is in registration with the first portion of the second tear line portion, the second portion of the first tear line is in registration with the second portion of the second tear line, and the first dispenser panel and second dispenser panel are for being at least partially removed for at least further opening a dispenser opening.

2. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the support flap is positioned to support a portion of at least one article of the plurality of articles above the second side panel.

3. The carton of claim 2 , wherein the support flap is positioned at an oblique angle between the second top panel and the first side panel and has a free edge in contact with the first side panel.

4. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are in registration for forming the dispenser opening.

5. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first tear line is in the second top panel and the first tear line further comprises a third portion in the second top panel extending between the first portion and the second portion of the first tear line.

6. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first top panel and the first side panel define a first corner of the carton, the second top panel and the second side panel define a second corner of the carton, the dispenser opening is adjacent the second corner, and the support flap is adjacent the first corner.

7. The carton of claim 6 , wherein the support flap is positioned to extend across the first corner.

8. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the support is in contact with the at least one article to maintain a central axis of the at least one article substantially parallel to the second side panel.

9. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of articles are arranged in at least two layers, a first layer of the at least two layers having a first plurality of articles, and the support being configured to support the first plurality of articles.

10. The carton of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the end flaps are configured to at least partially close at least one end of the carton.

11. The carton of claim 10 , further comprising diamond corner panels that connect respective end flaps to the first side panel, the diamond corner panels being configured to allow the at least one end of the carton to taper inwardly to at least one of the first top panel and the second top panel from the bottom panel.

12. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises a retention portion in at least one of the first top panel and the second top panel, the retention portion retaining at least one article of the plurality of articles in the carton when the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are removed.

13. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the retention portion is at least partially defined by at least one of the first tear line and the second tear line, the retention portion contacting the top of the at least one article that is adjacent the dispenser opening.

14. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the support flap has a free edge that is in contact with the first side panel, the support flap being free from any line of weakening between the second fold line and the free edge of the support flap.

15. The carton of claim 14 , wherein the support flap is oblique relative to the first side panel across an entire length of the support flap extending from the second fold line to the free edge of the support flap.

16. The carton of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second tear line overlaps at least a portion of the first tear line.

17. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser opening is a first dispenser opening, the dispenser further comprises a third dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a third tear line in at least one of the second side panel and the second top panel, and a fourth dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a fourth tear line in the first top panel, wherein at least a portion of the third dispenser panel overlaps at least a portion of the fourth dispenser, and the third dispenser panel and fourth dispenser panel are for being at least partially removed for at least further opening a second dispenser opening.

18. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the first tear line further comprises a third portion extending between the first portion of the first tear line and the second portion of the first tear line, the second tear line comprises a third portion extending between the first portion of the second tear line and the second portion of the second tear line, and wherein the third portion of the first tear line and the third portion of the second tear line are in registration.

19. A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of articles, comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel having a free edge, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel at a third fold line, at least a portion of an interior surface of the first top panel is for being in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the second top panel;
a support foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold line, the support comprises a support flap for supporting at least one article of t

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc

Inventors

• Gonzalez Ana

Classifications

• B65D5/542 Primary

  the lines of weakness being provided in the container body · CPC title

• B65D2571/00141

  glued · CPC title

• B65D2571/0066

  formed from one single sheet · CPC title

• B65D71/36 Primary

  {having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with} end walls · CPC title

• B65D2571/00728

  the end walls being closed by gluing · CPC title