DISPENSING CARTON

• US 20070152028A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: McGowan, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US11/614,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/122.100
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/16 the tubular body being formed with an aperture or removable portion arranged to allow removal or insertion of contents through one or more sides contents-dispensing means B65D5/72
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4204 Inspection openings or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5014 and with an integral end closure B65D5/5004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/725 Incised or pre-scored openings or windows provided in the side wall of containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0805 through an aperture in a wall

Abstract

A dispensing carton includes a dispensing opening suitable for dispensing relatively thin articles, and a viewing feature for determining the number of articles remaining in the carton.

Claims

1. A dispensing carton and a plurality of stacked articles accommodated in the carton, comprising:

a front panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a back panel;

at least one bottom panel; and

a dispenser opening formed at least in the front panel, the dispenser opening having a height along a bottom edge of the dispenser opening selected to allow a predetermined number of articles from the stack to be pulled through the dispenser opening.

2. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein the dispenser opening has a height at at least one end edge that is less than a height of the dispenser opening at a central portion of the dispenser opening.

3. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 2, wherein the central portion of the dispenser opening is defined in part by two converging oblique lines.

4. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 2, wherein the dispenser opening is defined in part by an access line at a lower edge of the opening.

5. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein the height of the dispenser opening at least one end edge is less than five times a thickness of an article accommodated in the carton.

6. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein the height of the dispenser opening at at least one end edge is less than three times a thickness of an article accommodated in the carton.

7. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein the at least one bottom panel comprises a first bottom panel spaced from a bottom edge of the carton.

8. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 7, wherein the at least one bottom panel comprises a second bottom panel at a bottom edge of the carton and spaced from the first bottom panel.

9. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of upright base panels foldably connected to the first bottom panel.

10. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 9, wherein an access aperture is formed at least in the first bottom panel, the access aperture being adjacent to the front panel.

11. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 10, wherein the access aperture extends into at least one of the base panels.

12. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 11, wherein a bottom edge of the dispenser opening is defined in part by a curved access line adjacent to the access aperture.

13. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein a bottom edge of the dispenser opening is defined in part by a curved access line.

14. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, further comprising a top panel at least partially closing a top of the carton.

15. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein the articles have a rectangular plan shape.

16. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, further comprising a viewing aperture in the carton.

17. The carton and plurality of stacked articles of claim 1, wherein the carton is formed form paperboard.

18. A method of dispensing articles from a carton, comprising:

providing a carton, comprising;

a front panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a back panel;

at least one bottom panel; and

a dispenser opening formed at least in the front panel, the dispenser opening having a height at each end of the dispenser opening selected to allow a predetermined number of articles from the stack to be pulled through the dispenser opening;

providing a plurality of stacked articles in the carton;

grasping at least one article through the dispenser opening; and

pulling the at least one article through the dispenser opening.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the dispenser opening has a height at least one end edge that is less than a height of the dispenser opening at a central portion of the dispenser opening.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein grasping the at least one article through the dispenser opening comprises grasping the at least one article through a portion of the dispenser opened defined in part by an access line at a lower edge of the dispenser opening.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the at least one bottom panel comprises a first bottom panel spaced from a bottom edge of the carton;

the at least one bottom panel further comprises a second bottom panel at a bottom edge of the carton and spaced from the first bottom panel;

an access aperture is formed at least in the first bottom panel, the access aperture being adjacent to the front panel; and

grasping the at least one article through the dispenser opening comprises grasping the at least one article through the access aperture.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a bottom edge of the dispenser opening is defined in part by a curved access line adjacent to the access aperture in the at least one bottom panel.

23. A carton blank, comprising:

a front panel;

a first side panel;

a second side panel;

a back panel;

a first bottom panel;

a second bottom panel; and

a dispenser feature formed at least in the front panel, the dispenser feature having a height at each end that is less than a height of the dispenser feature at a central portion of the dispenser feature.

24. The blank of claim 23, wherein the central portion of the dispenser feature is defined in part by two converging oblique lines.

25. The blank of claim 23, wherein the dispenser feature is defined in part by an access line at a lower edge of the feature.

26. The blank of claim 23, wherein the first bottom panel is foldably connected to a first base panel, the first base panel being foldably connected to the back panel.

27. The blank of claim 26, wherein the second bottom panel is foldably connected to the front panel.

28. The blank of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of base panels foldably connected to the first bottom panel.

29. The blank of claim 28, wherein an access aperture is formed at least in the first bottom panel and one of the base panels.

30. The blank of claim 23, further comprising a top panel.

31. The blank of claim 23, further comprising a viewing aperture formed in one of the side, back or front panels.