The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding beverage containers or other types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cartons having at least one dispensing feature.
In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carton for holding a plurality of articles. 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.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a carton. The blank comprises a plurality of panels comprising 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 blank further comprises a support foldably connected to the top panel for supporting at least one article of the plurality of articles and dispenser features for forming a dispenser for allowing removal of the plurality of articles from the carton. The dispenser features comprise 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 in the carton formed from the blank.
In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a carton. The method comprises obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels. 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 blank further comprises a support foldably connected to the top panel and dispenser features for forming a dispenser for allowing removal of the plurality of articles from the carton. The dispenser features comprise 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 method further comprises positioning the plurality of panels to form an interior of the carton and loading a plurality of articles in the interior of the carton. The loading the articles comprises positioning at least one article of the plurality of articles for contact with the support.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures.
According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure.
Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.
The present disclosure generally relates to cartons that contain articles such as containers, bottles, cans, etc. The articles can be used for packaging food and beverage products, for example. The articles can be made from materials suitable in composition for packaging the particular food or beverage item, and the materials include, but are not limited to, glass; aluminum and/or other metals; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; and the like, or any combination thereof.
Cartons according to the present disclosure can accommodate articles of any shape. For the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure, the following detailed description describes beverage containers (e.g., glass beverage bottles) as disposed within the carton embodiments. In this specification, the terms “lower,” “bottom,” “upper” and “top” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright cartons.
In one embodiment, the carton blank 3 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 3 comprises a first top panel 11 foldably connected to a first side panel 13 at a first lateral fold line 15. A bottom panel 17 is foldably connected to the first side panel 13 at a second lateral fold line 19. A second side panel 21 is foldably connected to the bottom panel 17 at a third lateral fold line 23. A second top panel 25 is foldably connected to the second side panel 21 at a fourth lateral fold line 27. In the illustrated embodiment, the blank 3 includes a support flap 29 foldably connected to the second top panel 25 at a fourth lateral fold line 31. In alternative embodiments, the blank 3 can have alternative panel and/or flap arrangements.
The first top panel 11 is foldably connected to a first top end flap 35 and a second top end flap 37. The first side panel 13 is foldably connected to a first side end flap 39 and a second side end flap 41. The bottom panel 17 is foldably connected to a first bottom end flap 43 and a second bottom end flap 45. The second side panel 21 is foldably connected to a first side end flap 47 and a second side end flap 49. When the carton 5 is erected, the top end flap 35, bottom end flap 43, and side end flaps 39, 47 close a first end 55 of the carton, and the top end flap 37, bottom end flap 45, and side end flaps 41, 49 close a second end 57 of the carton. In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, different flap arrangements can be used for at least partially closing the ends 55, 57 of the carton 5.
The top end flap 35, bottom end flap 43, and side end flaps 39, 47 extend along a first marginal area of the blank 3, and are foldably connected at a first longitudinal fold line 61 that extends along the length of the blank. The top end flap 37, bottom end flap 45, and side end flaps 41, 49 extend along a second marginal area of the blank 3, and are foldably connected at a second longitudinal fold line 63 that also extends along the length of the blank. The longitudinal fold lines 61, 63 may be, for example, substantially straight, or offset at one or more locations to account for blank thickness, varying width of the blank panels, or for other factors.
In the illustrated embodiment, the carton blank 3 includes features to form the carton 5 having tapered ends 55, 57. That is, the blank 3 includes diamond corner panels 67, 69 that connect respective side end flaps 47, 49, 39, 41 to a respective one of the second side panel 21 and the first side panel 13. The diamond corner panels 67, 69 are configured to allow the ends 55, 57 of the carton 5 to taper inwardly to the top of the carton. Each of the top panels 11, 25 can be shorter than the bottom panel 17 in the lateral direction L2, and the top of the carton formed from the partially overlapped top panels 11, 25 can be narrower between the ends 55, 57 than the bottom panel 17. The tapered upper portions of the side panels 13, 21 and the ends 55, 57 are for accommodating containers C that have a wide bottom portion B and a narrow top portion T (FIG. 8). Alternatively, the ends 55, 57 and the sides 13, 21 can taper inwardly from the bottom to the top of the carton. The containers C having a wide bottom B and narrow top T can be tightly held in the carton with the narrow tops of the containers located adjacent to the ends 55, 57 being located in close proximity to the portions of the fold lines 61, 63 connecting the top end flaps 35, 37 to the top panel 11. Also, the containers C located adjacent the first and second side panels 13, 21 can have the narrow tops of the containers located in close proximity to the fold lines 15, 27 to further enhance the tightness of the packing of the containers in the carton 5. In alternative embodiments, the carton 5 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured.
In one embodiment, the dispenser 7 comprises a first dispenser panel 101 that is at least partially defined by a first tear line 103 and comprises a portion of the second side panel 21 and the second top panel 25, and a second dispenser panel 105 that is at least partially defined by a second tear line 107 and comprises a portion of the first top panel 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser 7 comprises a third dispenser panel 111 that is at least partially defined by a third tear line 113 and comprises a portion of the second side panel 21 and the second top panel 25, and a fourth dispenser panel 115 that is at least partially defined by a fourth tear line 117 and comprises a portion of the first top panel 11. When the blank 3 is formed into the carton 5, the second dispenser panel 105 overlaps the portion of the first dispenser panel 101 that is in the second top panel 25 and the fourth dispenser panel 117 overlaps the portion of the third dispenser panel 111 in the second top panel 25. The blank 3 further comprises an adhesive region 151 extending between fold lines 61, 63 for adhering the first top panel 11 and the second top panel 25 for forming the dispenser 7 from the first, second, third, and fourth dispenser panels 101, 105, 111, 115. The dispenser 7 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, configured such that one or more of the dispenser panels 101, 105, 111, 115 could have access features for accessing the dispenser panels and/or retaining features for retaining containers C in the carton 5. Further, the dispenser 7 could comprises less than or more than four dispenser panels without departing from the disclosure.
In one embodiment, the first tear line 103 includes a first portion 103a, a second portion 103b, a third portion 103c, a fourth portion 103d, a fifth portion 103e, and a sixth portion 103f. The first portion 103a and second portion 103b each extend from the fourth lateral fold line 27 and are in the second top panel 25. The fourth portion 103d and the fifth portion 103e each extend from the fourth lateral fold line 27 and are in the second side panel 21. The third portion 103c extends between the first portion 103a and the second portion 103b. In the illustrated embodiment, the second tear line 107 also includes a first portion 107a, a second portion 107b, and a third portion 107c. The first portion 107a and the second portion 107b each extend from a free edge 11a of the first top panel 11. The third portion 107c extends between the first portion 107a and the second portion 107b. When the carton 5 is formed from the blank 3, the respective portions 103a, 103b, and 103c of the first tear line 103 are in registration with the respective portions 107a, 107b, and 107c of the second tear line to form the dispenser 7. Additionally, the third tear line 113 and the fourth tear line 117 can be formed similarly to the first tear line 103 and second tear line 107 and have similarly shaped portions.
In one exemplary embodiment shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Alternatively, the dispenser 7 could comprise closure features wherein the dispenser openings 131, 133 can be closed such as by having one or more of the dispenser panels 101, 105, 111, 115 remaining foldably connected to one or more of the first top panel 11, second top panel 25, and the second side panel 21. Also, the carton 5 could have one or more handle features in one or more of the top panels 11, 25, the side panels 13, 21, or the closed ends 55, 57.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the first tear line 213 includes a first portion 213a, a second portion 213b, a third portion 213c, a fourth portion 213d, a fifth portion 213e, and a sixth portion 213f. The first portion 213a and the second portion 213b each extend from the fourth lateral fold line 27 and are in the second top panel 25. The fourth portion 213d and the fifth portion 213e each extend from the fourth lateral fold line 27 and are in the second side panel 21. The third portion 213c extends between the first portion 213a and the second portion 213b. In the illustrated embodiment, the second tear line 217 also includes a first portion 217a, a second portion 217b, and a third portion 217c. The first portion 217a and the second portion 217b each extend from a free edge 11a of the first top panel 11. The third portion 217c extends between the first portion 217a and the second portion 217b. When the blank 201 is formed into a carton, the respective portions 213a, 213b, and 213c of the first tear line 213 are in registration with the respective portions 217a, 217b, and 217c of the second tear line 217 to form the dispenser 7.
The blanks according to the present disclosure can be, for example, formed from coated paperboard and similar materials. For example, the interior and/or exterior sides of the blanks can be coated with a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, price coding, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blank. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blank. In accordance with the above-described embodiments, the blanks may be constructed of paperboard of a caliper such that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blanks can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, hard paper, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the carton to function at least generally as described herein. The blanks can also be laminated or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.
In accordance with the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present disclosure, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features.
As an example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various combinations of these features. As a more specific example, one type tear line is in the form of a series of spaced apart slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being spaced apart slightly so that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined between the adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The nicks are broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small percentage of the tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that the tear line is a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for each of the tear lines to be replaced with a continuous slit, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a continuous slit or could be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure.
The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by glue during erection of the carton embodiments. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place.
The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various embodiments. As various changes could be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure covers various modifications, combinations, alterations, etc., of the above-described embodiments that are within the scope of the claims. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments of the disclosure, but the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and characteristics of each embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/744,941 filed Oct. 5, 2012. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/744,941, which was filed on Oct. 5, 2012, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in their entirety.
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