Combination shipping carton and twin dispenser boxes

• US 20050092649A1
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Ford, Colin, Spivey, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/736
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5253 Containers initially closed but folded about a central axis to display the contents in two or more cells
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5445 for dividing a tubular body into separate parts

Abstract

A combination shipping and dispensing carton for carrying pouches which can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position on the shelves of stores. The carton has a bottom panel, top panel and adjoining side panels and flaps for closing the ends of the carton. The carton has a pair of tear lines extending through one side panel and a fold line extending in the other side panel which are interconnected so that when the tear lines are torn the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line. This shipping carton carries the pouches in two rows with the tops of the pouches in each row meeting near the center of the carton and overlapping so that the length of the carton is less than two times the length of a pouch. The length of the carton can be from approximately the length of a pouch to one and half times the length of a pouch, depending upon the configuration of the pouches and how full they are filled.

Claims

1. A combination shipping and dispensing carton for carrying pouches which can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position, the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to the top panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, with means for securing said flaps in the closed position; and

(b) said carton having a pair of tear lines extending through a side panel between the top panel and bottom panel, and a fold line extending in the other side panel between the bottom panel and top panel, with said fold line and said pair of tear lines being interconnected so that when said pair of tear lines have been torn open, the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line in said other side panel.

2. The carton of claim 1 in which the interconnection between said fold line and said pair of tear lines is at least one tear line.

3. The carton of claim 1 in which said pair of tear lines are substantially parallel to each other.

4. The carton of claim 3 in which said pair of tear lines extend a distance into the bottom panel and converge towards each other and are interconnected to said fold line by a tear line, and said pair of tear lines converge towards each other in the top panel and are interconnected to said fold line by a tear line.

5. The carton of claim 1 in which said fold line and said pair of tear lines are located so as to form side-by-side dispensers that are of approximately the same size and configuration.

6. The carton of claim 1 in which said fold line and said pair of tear lines and the interconnection between them are each located approximately equidistance between the two ends of the carton.

7. The carton of claim 1 in which the means for closing said end flaps is with glue.

8. The carton of claim 1 in which the top panel is formed from two flaps that are glued together.

9. The carton of claim 1 in which said pair of tear lines in the side panel diverge away from each other from the top panel towards the bottom panel until each tear line is close to an end of carton, with said pair of tear lines extending into the bottom panel where they are at least substantially parallel to each other through at least most of the bottom panel, with said tear lines forming side-by-side dispensers, each said dispenser having a front wall and a bottom with the front wall having a low height from said bottom so that a large portion of any pouch placed near the front wall is amply displayed and can be easily removed form the dispenser.

10. The carton of claim 9 in which the interconnection between said pair of tear lines and said fold line is a pair of parallel tear lines in the top panel and the converging of tear lines in said bottom panel and extending into said other side panel until they meet said fold line in said other side panel.

11. The carton of claim 10 which has a starting flap in the other side panel for commencing the tearing of said tear lines.

12. The carton of claim 9 in which said fold line and said pair of tear lines are located so as to form side-by-side dispensers that are of approximately the same size and configuration.

13. The carton of claim 9 in which the top panel is formed from two flaps that are glued together.

14. The carton of claim 1 in which said fold line extending in the other side panel is interspersed with cuts so the two dispensers can be separated from each other.

17. The carton of claim 4 which has a pair of spaced apertures in the top panel tearing the carton.

15. A combination shipping and dispensing carton for carrying pouches which can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position, the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to the top panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, with means for securing said flaps in the closed position; and

(b) said carton having a pair of tear lines in the side panel that diverge away from each other from the top panel towards the bottom panel until each tear line is close to an end of the carton, with said pair of tear lines extending into the bottom panel where they are at least substantially parallel to each other through at least most of the bottom panel, and a fold line extending into the other side panel between the bottom panel and top panel, with said fold line and said pair of tear lines being interconnected so that when said pair of tear lines have been torn opened, the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line in said other side panel, each said dispenser having a front wall and a bottom with a front wall having a low height from said bottom so that a large portion of any pouch placed near the front wall is amply displayed and can be easily removed from the dispenser.

16. A combination shipping and dispensing carton for carrying pouches which can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position, the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to the top panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, with means for securing said flaps in the closed position; and

(b) said carton having a pair of tear lines extending through a side panel between the top panel and bottom panel that are substantially parallel to each other, and a fold line extending in the other side panel between the bottom panel and top panel, with said pair of tear lines extending a distance into the bottom panel converging towards each other that are interconnected to said fold line by a tear line, and said pair of tear lines converge towards each other in the top panel and are interconnected to said fold line by a tear line.

18. A combination shipping and dispensing carton containing a plurality of pouches having a length, said pouches containing a product, said carton can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position, the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to the top panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, with means for securing said flaps in the closed position;

(b) said pouches having a top and bottom with the top of the pouch being less full of product than bottom, with the pouches arranged in two rows with their bottoms being alternatively adjacent an end of the carton and the tops of the pouches meeting in the center of the carton and overlapping each other so that the length between the ends of the carton is from approximately the length of a pouch to one and half times the length of a pouch carried in the carton; and

(c) said carton having a pair of tear lines extending through a side panel between the top panel and bottom panel, and a fold line extending in the other side panel between the bottom panel and top panel, with said fold line and said pair of tear lines being interconnected so that when said pair of tear lines have been torn open, the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line in said other side panel.

19. A combination shipping and dispensing carton containing a plurality of pouches having a length, said pouches containing a product, said carton capable of being converted into side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position, carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to the top panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, with means for securing said flaps in the closed position;

(b) said pouches having a top and bottom with the top of the pouch being less full of product than bottom, with the pouches arranged in two rows with their bottoms being alternatively adjacent an end of the carton and the tops of the pouches meeting in the center of the carton and overlapping each other so that the length between the ends of the carton is from the approximately the length of a pouch to one and one half times the length of a pouch carried in the carton; and

(c) said carton having a pair of tear lines in the side panel that diverge away from each other from the top panel towards the bottom panel until each tear line is close to an end of the carton, with said pair of tear lines extending into the bottom panel where they are at least substantially parallel to each other through at least most of the bottom panel, and a fold line extending into the other side panel between the bottom panel and top panel, with said fold line and said pair of tear lines being interconnected so that when said pair of tear lines have been torn opened, the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line in said other side panel, each said dispenser having a front wall and a bottom with a front wall having a low height from said bottom so that a large portion of any pouch placed near the front wall is amply displayed and can be easily removed from the dispenser.

20. A combination shipping and dispensing carton containing a plurality of pouches having the length, said pouches containing a product, said carton being capable of being converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position carton comprising;

(a) a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels, with each end being closed by a top end flap foldably attached to the top panel, a side end flap foldably attached to each side panel, a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, with means for securing said flaps in the closed position;

(b) said pouches having a top and bottom with the top of the pouch being less full of product than bottom, with the pouches arranged in two rows with their bottoms being alternatively adjacent an end of the carton and the tops of the pouches meeting in the center of the carton and overlapping each other so that the length between the ends of the carton is from approximately the length of a pouch to one and half times the length of a pouch carried in the carton; and

(c) said carton having a pair of tear lines extending through a side panel between the top panel and bottom panel that are substantially parallel to each other, and a fold line extending in the other side panel between the bottom panel and top panel, with said pair of tear lines extending a distance into the bottom panel converging towards each other that are interconnected to said fold line by a tear line, and said pair of tear lines converge towards each other in the top panel and are interconnected to said fold line by a tear line.