Carton with article dispensing feature

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6176419
  • Patent Number
    6,176,419
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, February 29, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 23, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A carton has top and bottom walls that are interconnected by a pair of opposed side walls to form a tubular structure. An end closure structure is provided at each end of the tubular structure to at least partially close that end. One or each of the end closure structures includes a bottom end flap, a pair of side end flaps and a pair of web panels. The bottom end flap is foldably joined to the bottom wall and extends upwardly. The side end flaps are foldably joined respectively to the side walls and extend to each other to traverse the respective end of the tubular structure and to cover at least part of the bottom end flap. Each web panel foldably interconnects the bottom end flap and the respective side end flap and is disposed in a face-contacting relationship with the inside surface of the respective side end flap. A pair of first tear lines are formed respectively in the side end flaps. Each first tear line extends between the adjacent side wall and the adjacent web panel. A pair of second tear lines are also formed respectively in the side end flaps. The second tear lines emanate respectively from the first tear lines and extend to each other to form a single continuous line disposed above the first tear lines.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates generally to cartons for packaging multiple articles such as beverage cans, bottles and the like, and more particularly to a paperboard carton with an article dispensing feature for providing an access opening through which articles in the carton may be dispensed one by one.




Beverage cartons with a built-in dispensing feature are known in the art. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,509 in which a can dispensing feature is torn out of an end closure structure at one end of a tubular carton. The end closure structure is composed of a bottom end flap, a pair of side end flaps and a pair of web panels each foldably interconnecting the bottom end flap to a respective side end flap. A pair of tear lines are formed in the side end flaps respectively to facilitate tearing of the end closure structure. Tearing along the tear lines provides a swingable dispensing feature formed of the bottom end flap, the web panels and portions of the side end flaps which have become free of the remainder of the side end flaps. The dispensing feature so torn out may be moved outwardly and downwardly to define in the end closure structure an access opening through which the cans may be removed one at a time. A drawback of this carton is that each side end flap must be individually torn along the respective tear line to have the dispensing feature ready to use. It may even require that the side end flaps be pressed at more than one location along each tear line to break the tear lines.




What is needed, therefore, is a carton that is provided with an improved article-dispensing feature that is convenient to use. Such a carton should allow both the tear lines to break by a single tearing action.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




According to this invention in one form, a carton with an improved article-dispensing feature is provided. The carton comprises top and bottom walls that are interconnected by a pair of opposed side walls to form a tubular structure. An end closure structure is provided at each end of the tubular structure to at least partially close that end. One or each of the end closure structures includes a bottom end flap, a pair of side end flaps and a pair of web panels. The bottom end flap is foldably joined to the bottom wall and extends upwardly. The side end flaps are foldably joined respectively to the side walls and extend to each other to traverse the respective end of the tubular structure as well as to cover at least part of the bottom end flap. Each web panel foldably interconnects the bottom end flap with the respective side end flap and it is disposed in a face-contacting relationship with the inside surface of the respective side end flap. A pair of first tear lines are formed respectively in the side end flaps. Each first tear line extends between the adjacent side wall and the adjacent web panel. A pair of second tear lines are also formed respectively in the side end flaps. These second tear lines emanate respectively from the first tear lines and extend to each other to form a single continuous line disposed above the first tear lines.




The carton in this form of the invention provides a tear panel that may be torn off of the carton. The tear panel is defined along its upper edge by the second tear lines and along its lower edge at least in part by the first tear lines. Cutting of the tear panel may be initiated by pulling the tear panel outwardly and downwardly. The tear panel may be pulled either alone or together with the bottom end flap which is a primary portion of the swingable dispensing feature. When the tear panel is pulled alone, the second and first tear lines successively break in the described sequence, allowing the tear panel to be severed from the carton. This exposes the bottom end flap for its swing out movement. When the tear panel is pulled together with the bottom end flap, the second tear lines break first and then do the first tear lines during the downward swinging movement of the bottom end flap. In either case, the first and second tear lines may be broken by a single downward pulling action on the tear panel.




In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each first tear line extends from the adjacent side wall and terminates in coincidence with the inner end of the fold line between the respective side end flap and the adjacent web panel. This arrangement eliminates an additional fold line or extension of the first tear line that would otherwise be required in the adjacent web panel.




In another preferred embodiment, each first tear line may have an upper end on the junction between the adjacent side wall and the respective side end flap. In this embodiment, the second tear lines may emanate respectively from the upper ends of the first tear lines. Alternatively, each second tear line may emanate from a point along the adjacent first tear line.




In still another preferred embodiment, each first tear line may be arched and lie concave to the second tear lines. This arrangement facilitates smooth breaking of the first tear lines while the tear panel is pulled.




In a further preferred embodiment, the continuous line formed of the second tear lines may have an upwardly convexly curved portion for defining a centrally located pull tab. Such a tab provides a convenience for a customer to hold the tear panel.




In a still further preferred embodiment, the continuous line may have a downwardly convexly curved portion for defining a downwardly depending leg for engaging the bottom end flap. The leg may be used to engage the bottom end flap to lock the dispensing feature in a closed position when the feature is swung back to the closed position to reclose an access opening in the respective end closure structure.




In a still further preferred embodiment, the carton may further comprise a pair of third tear lines extending upwardly from the continuous line to define an access tab therebetween for facilitating tearing of the side end flaps along the second tear lines.




In a still further preferred embodiment, the side end flaps may be disposed in an overlapping relationship, and the second tear lines extend coincidentally with each other in the area where the side end flaps are overlapped.




The present invention in another form provides a carton blank comprising a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a bottom end flap, a pair of side end flaps and a pair of web panels. The side walls are foldably joined to the opposite side edges of the bottom wall. The bottom end flap is foldably joined to one of the opposite end edges of the bottom wall. The side end flaps are foldably joined respectively to the respective end edges of the side walls adjacent to the bottom end flap so that when the blank is erected into a carton, the side end flaps extend to each other to traverse the respective end of the carton and to cover at least part of the bottom end flap. Each web panel foldably interconnects the bottom end flap with the respective side end flap. A pair of first tear lines are formed in the side end flaps, respectively. Each first tear line extends between the adjacent side wall and the adjacent web panel. A pair of second tear lines are also formed in the side end flaps, respectively. Each second tear line extends from the adjacent first tear line to the free end edge of the respective side end flap so that when the carton is erected, the second tear lines form a single continuous line disposed above the first tear lines.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In the drawings,





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of an erected carton according to the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a fragmentary perspective view of the carton of

FIG. 1

, showing the tear panel severed from the respective end of the carton;





FIG. 3

is a fragmentary perspective view of the carton in

FIG. 1

, showing the dispensing feature lowered to the opened, dispensing position;





FIG. 4

is a fragmentary perspective view of the carton of

FIG. 1

, showing the dispensing feature reclosed and retained in the closed position by means of the downwardly depending legs formed from the end closure structure at the respective end of the carton;





FIG. 5

is a plan view of a blank from which the carton in

FIG. 1

is erected; and





FIG. 6

is a fragmentary perspective view of a carton of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS





FIG. 1

shows a carton


10


according to the invention, having an improved article-dispensing feature while

FIG. 5

shows a carton blank from which the carton


10


is erected. The carton


10


is designed to package multiple articles such as twelve beverage cans. Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 5

, the carton


10


comprises a pair of side walls


12


and


14


foldably joined respectively to the opposite side edges of a bottom wall


16


along fold lines


18


and


20


. The side walls


12


and


14


extend upwardly to their respective upper edges and a top wall


22


is foldably joined to the upper edges of the side walls


12


and


14


along fold lines


24


and


26


. As a result, an open-ended tubular structure is formed by the top, bottom and side walls


22


,


16


,


12


and


14


. The top wall


22


is formed of two top lap panels


28


and


30


glued together in an overlapping relationship as is known in the art. The top lap panels


28


and


30


are provided with handle means for carrying the carton. Such handle means is shown in the form of a pair of hand openings


32


and


34


in the top lap panels


28


and


30


.




At each end of the aforementioned tubular structure, there is provided an end closure structure shown generally by the numerals


36


and


38


. The end closure structures


36


and


38


in

FIG. 1

are shown as fully closing the respective ends of the tubular structure; however they may be designed to partially close one or both ends of the carton. An example of a beverage can carton having partially closed ends is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,681 which is hereby incorporated by reference. The corner windows shown in this U.S. patent may be employed at least at the two upper corners of the carton


10


.




Referring to

FIG. 5

, the end closure structure


36


comprises a bottom end flap


40


, a pair of side end flaps


42


and


44


, top end flaps


46


and


48


and a pair of web panels


50


and


52


. The bottom end flap


40


is foldably joined to the bottom wall


16


along a fold line


54


. The side end flaps


42


and


44


are foldably joined to the side walls


12


and


14


along fold lines


56


and


58


, respectively. The top end flaps


46


and


48


are foldably joined to the top lap panels


28


and


30


along fold lines


60


and


62


, respectively. The web panels


50


and


52


interconnect the bottom end flap


40


and the respective side end flaps


42


and


44


. More specifically, the web panel


50


is foldably joined to the bottom end flap


40


along a fold line


64


and to the side end flap


42


along a fold line


66


while the web panel


52


is foldably joined to the bottom end flap


40


along a fold line


68


and to the side end flap


44


along a fold line


70


. These web panels


50


and


52


are formed respectively with apertures


72


and


74


for facilitating folding of the bottom and side end flaps


40


,


42


and


44


.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, the bottom end flap


40


is folded upwardly along the fold line


54


to take a vertical position. The web panels


50


and


52


are folded along the fold lines


66


and


70


together with the bottom end flap


40


to be in a face-contacting relationship with the respective inside surfaces of the side end flaps


42


and


44


. The top end flaps


46


and


48


are glued together in an overlapping relationship and are folded down along the fold lines


60


and


62


to take a vertical position (not shown). The side end flaps


42


and


44


are folded toward each other along the fold lines


56


and


58


to take respective closed positions. In these positions, the side end flaps


42


and


44


are glued together in an overlapping relationship to traverse the respective end of the carton. As a result, the side end flaps


42


and


44


cover the most of the exterior of the top and bottom end flaps


46


,


48


and


40


except the lower end portion of the bottom flap


40


. The side end flaps


42


and


44


may be glued to the exterior of the top and bottom end flaps


40


,


46


and


48


. Alternatively, they may be merely in contact with the top and bottom end flaps without glue. When the side end flaps


42


and


44


are folded to the closed position, the web panels


50


and


52


take the position between the bottom end flap


40


and the respective side end flaps


42


and


44


and are in a face-contacting relationship with them.




The other end closure structure


38


comprises a similar set of end flaps connected to the tubular structure in virtually the same way except that the end closure structure


38


includes no web panel. Therefore, the parts of the structure


38


corresponding to those of the structure


36


are designated by similar reference numerals with the subscript “a”, and the description thereof is omitted.




Built into the end closure structure


36


is a swingable can-dispensing feature


80


as best shown in

FIG. 3 and a

tear panel


82


(best shown in

FIG. 2

) for facilitating customer's access to the dispensing feature


80


. These features


80


and


82


, as are described later in more detail, are designed to be torn out of the end closure structure


36


by means of a pair of upper tear lines


84


and


86


and a pair of lower tear lines


88


and


90


formed in the side end flaps


42


and


44


. The “tear line” in this application refers to a perforated slit which is formed in the paperboard material from which the carton is formed and functions to split a part of the paperboard material in two. The “perforated slit” refers to a line consisting of a plurality of short slits arranged at spacings and ready to split along the line when subject to external force.




Referring further to

FIG. 5

, the upper tear line


84


emanates from the fold line


56


and extends across the side end flap


42


to the free end edge of the flap


42


. The lower tear line


88


emanates from the intersection of the upper tear line


84


and the fold line


56


and extends to the end of the fold line


66


located remote from the side wall


12


. In other words, the lower tear line


88


terminates at the point of coincidence with the upper end of the fold line


66


as viewed in FIG.


1


. In like manner, the upper tear line


86


emanates from the fold line


58


and extends across the side end flap


44


to the free end edge of the flap


44


. The lower tear line


90


emanates from the intersection of the upper tear line


86


and the fold line


58


and extends to the upper end of the fold line


70


as viewed in FIG.


1


. When the side end flaps


42


and


44


are in their closed positions as shown in

FIG. 1

, the upper tear lines


84


and


86


form a single continuous line extending entirely across the respective end of the carton. The continuous line is curved such that it has an upwardly convexly arched portion


92


centrally located along its length and a pair of downwardly convexly curved portions


94


and


96


located on the opposite sides of the portion


92


. The portion


92


, when broken, defines a pull tab


83


(

FIG. 2

) on the tear panel


82


while the portions


94


and


96


, when broken, define downwardly depending legs


95


and


97


(FIG.


3


). The lower tear lines


88


and


90


are also arched and lie concave to the adjacent upper tear lines


84


and


86


. Such curvature of the lower tear lines


88


and


90


facilitates their smooth breaking when the tear panel


82


is pulled downwardly.




Further, a pair of access tear lines


98


and


100


extend upwardly from the arched portion


92


and terminate interiorly of the side end flaps


42


and


44


. These access tear lines


98


and


100


, when broken, define an access tab


102


(

FIG. 2

) therebetween for facilitating access to the pull tab


83


.




In addition, expansion tear lines


104


and


106


extend respectively from the opposite ends of the continuous line (i.e., the unified upper tear lines


84


and


86


) and are disposed in the side walls


12


and


14


, respectively. In order to prevent excessive tearing of side walls


12


and


14


, expansion tear lines


104


and


106


are provided respectively with termination cuts


108


and


110


which are hook shaped and curve generally toward the bottom wall


16


and terminate interiorly of the respective side walls


12


and


14


.




In order to utilize the dispensing feature


80


, the access tab


102


is manually pressed inwardly of the carton, and thereby the access tear lines


98


and


100


and the arched portion


92


of the upper tear lines are broken to render the pull tab


83


accessible. The pull tab


83


is then held by the user's fingers and pulled downwardly to resume breaking of the upper tear lines


84


and


86


. Successive downward pulling of the pull tab


83


breaks the upper tear lines


84


and


86


to their outer ends and incessantly the lower tear lines


88


and


90


all the way to their lower ends. This causes the tear panel


82


to be severed from the carton as shown in

FIG. 2

, which exposes the upper edge of the bottom end flap


40


and thereby renders the bottom end flap


40


ready to be manipulated. Thereafter, the bottom end flap


40


is manually lowered to the opened position shown in FIG.


3


. As the flap


40


is lowered, the web panels


50


and


52


and the adjacent portions of the side end flaps


42


and


44


are unfolded to form the parts of the dispensing feature which interconnect the flap


40


with the side walls


12


and


14


. The cans in the carton


10


are then taken out of the carton through the access opening created by lowering of the bottom end flap


40


.




In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom end flap


40


is formed with a notch or cutout


112


(

FIGS. 1 and 2

) to prevent the bottom end flap


40


from being held by the user's fingers when the pull tab


83


is accessed. Pulling the pull tab


83


alone may eventually allow the tear panel


82


to be completely separated from the carton. However, the bottom end flap


40


may be formed without the notch


112


so that the upper edge of the flap


40


may be held by the user's fingers along with the pull tab


83


. When held together with the pull tab


83


, the bottom side flap


40


may be lowered simultaneously with the tearing of the tear panel


82


. In this case, the tear panel


82


may remain glued to the outside surface of the bottom end flap


40


.




It can be seen by referring to

FIG. 3

, that the lowered bottom end flap


40


serves as a tray upon which the cans C may roll over when removing them from the carton


10


. It should also be obvious from

FIG. 3

that the downwardly depending legs


95


and


97


retain the cans C in the carton so that the cans C can be removed only one at a time without the remaining cans being forced out of the carton


10


due to the weight of successive cans piled on top thereof. Without the legs


95


and


97


, the remaining cans would all roll out at one time




When the cans C are removed from the carton


10


, the expansion tear lines


104


and


106


may be broken to conveniently grasp a can C around the ends thereof. Breaking of the expansion tear lines


104


and


106


allows sufficient space for the user's fingers to occupy positions between the ends of the can C and the side walls


12


and


14


.




In order to render the dispensing feature


80


reusable, it is simply necessary to swing the bottom end flap


40


upwardly about the fold line


54


and to tuck the upper end of the bottom end flap


40


underneath the legs


95


and


97


. This condition is best shown in FIG.


4


. In this manner, an accidental discharge of the cans C is prevented because the bottom end flap


40


is in effect locked in place.





FIG. 6

illustrates an alternative embodiment of carton of the invention. The carton


210


of this embodiment has an inverted U-shaped access tear line


220


in place of the pair of access tear lines


98


and


100


in FIG.


1


. The access tear line


220


, when broken, defines a punch-out feature


222


in the respective end closure structure


236


so that the user's finger may be easily inserted into the carton


210


to start tearing out of the tear panel


282


along its pre-determined path. Further, unlike the carton of the preceding embodiment, the upper tear lines


284


and


286


emanate respectively from points along the lower tear lines


288


and


290


. It is preferred that each upper tear line


284


and


286


and the adjacent lower tear line


288


and


290


form a smoothly curved continuous line to facilitate incessant tearing along those upper and lower tear lines. The remainder of the carton


210


is virtually identical to the carton in

FIG. 1

, and thus the parts of the carton


210


corresponding to those of in

FIG. 1

are denoted by similar reference numerals that are greater by


200


than the corresponding parts in FIG.


1


and the description thereof is omitted.




From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided by the subject invention a new carton for multiple articles such as cans or the like having an improved tear-out dispensing feature formed on at least one end of the carton. It is apparent from a review of the specification and a study of the drawing that many changes may be made in the various features of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and the invention is not to be limited to the exact features shown which have been shown by way of illustration only. For example, it should be appreciated that the side end flaps at either end of the carton may be secured together by means of known mechanical locks consisting of locking tabs and locking apertures. Such side end flaps with mechanical locks may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,509 which is hereby incorporated by reference. It should be also appreciated that the side end flaps at either end of the carton may be disposed side by side without their overlapping each other. Such non-overlapping side end flaps, of course, are glued to the top and bottom end flaps. It should be further appreciated that the carton of the invention may be formed with beveled comer panels each interposed and foldably connecting between a top or bottom end flap and the adjacent one of the top and bottom walls. The beveled corner panels are also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,509.



Claims
  • 1. A carton comprising top and bottom walls interconnected by a pair of opposed side walls to form a tubular structure, and an end closure structure provided at each end of said tubular structure to at least partially close said each end, one or each of said end closure structures comprising:a bottom end flap foldably joined to said bottom wall and extending toward said top wall; a pair of side end flaps foldably joined respectively to said side walls and extending to each other to traverse a respective end of said tubular structure and to cover at least part of said bottom end flap; a pair of web panels each foldably interconnecting said bottom end flap and a respective one of said side end flaps and disposed in a face-contacting relationship with an inside surface of said respective side end flap; a pair of first tear lines each formed in said respective side end flap and extending between an adjacent one of said side walls and an adjacent one of said web panels; and a pair of second tear lines each formed in said respective side end flap, said second tear lines emanating respectively from said first tear lines and extending to each other to form a single continuous line disposed above said first tear lines.
  • 2. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said each web panel is joined to said respective side end flap along a fold line, and wherein said each first tear line extends from said adjacent side wall and terminates in coincidence with one of opposite ends of said fold line remote from said adjacent side wall.
  • 3. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said each first tear line has an upper end disposed on a junction between said adjacent side wall and said respective side end flap.
  • 4. The carton according to claim 3 wherein said second tear lines emanate respectively from said upper ends of said first tear lines.
  • 5. The carton according to claim 3 wherein said each second tear line emanates from a point along an adjacent first tear line.
  • 6. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said each first tear line is arched and lies concave to said second tear lines.
  • 7. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said continuous line has an upwardly convexly curved portion for defining a centrally located pull tab.
  • 8. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said continuous line has a downwardly convexly curved portion for defining a downwardly depending leg for engaging said bottom end flap.
  • 9. The carton according to claim 1 further comprising a pair of third tear lines extending upwardly from said continuous line to define an access tab therebetween for facilitating tearing of said side end flaps along said second tear lines.
  • 10. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said side end flaps are disposed in an overlapping relationship, and wherein said second tear lines extend coincidentally with each other in an area where said side end flaps are overlapped.
  • 11. A carton blank comprising;a bottom wall; a pair of side walls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom wall; a bottom end flap foldably joined to an end edge of said bottom wall; a pair of side end flaps foldably joined respectively to end edges of said side walls adjacent to said bottom end flap so that when said blank is erected into a carton, said side end flaps extend to each other to traverse a respective end of said carton and to cover at least part of said bottom end flap; a pair of web panels each foldably interconnecting said bottom end flap and a respective one of said side end flaps; a pair of first tear lines each formed in said respective side end flap and extending between an adjacent one of said side walls and an adjacent one of said web panels; and a pair of second tear lines each formed in said respective side end flap, said each second tear line extending from an adjacent one of said first tear lines to a free end edge of said respective side end flap so that when said carton is erected, said second tear lines form a single continuous line disposed above said first tear lines.
  • 12. The carton blank according to claim 11 wherein said each web panel is joined to said respective side end flap along a fold line, and wherein said each first tear line extends from said adjacent side wall and terminates in coincidence with one of opposite ends of said fold line remote from said adjacent side wall.
  • 13. The carton blank according to claim 11 wherein said each first tear line has an end disposed on a junction between said adjacent side wall and said respective side end flap.
  • 14. The carton blank according to claim 13 wherein said second tear lines emanate respectively from said ends of said first tear lines.
  • 15. The carton blank according to claim 13 wherein said each second tear line emanates from a point along an adjacent first tear line.
  • 16. The carton blank according to claim 11 wherein said each first tear line is arched and lies concave to said second tear lines.
  • 17. The carton blank according to claim 11 wherein said each second tear line has a curved portion lying convex to said bottom end flap, said curved portion defining a downwardly depending leg for engaging said bottom end flap when said carton is erected.
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Number Name Date Kind
3207380 Hennessey Sep 1965
3263861 Carr Aug 1966
3263899 Collura et al. Aug 1966
3265283 Farquhar Aug 1966
3300115 Schauer Jan 1967
3356279 Root Dec 1967
3416719 Pilger Dec 1968
3484034 Sternau Dec 1969
3894681 Arneson et al. Jul 1975
4364509 Holley, Jr. et al. Dec 1982
4396143 Killy Aug 1983
4958734 Wood et al. Sep 1990
5505372 Edson et al. Apr 1996
5531376 Brink et al. Jul 1996
5678755 Block Oct 1997
5878947 Hoy et al. Mar 1999