Carton with Spout

• US 20100006635A1
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Edward W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/215
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/744 combined with swivelling devices having a bottom-wall and two side-walls

Abstract

A carton for holding a dispensable material. The carton has a dispenser panel including a spout for dispensing the material. An outer spout panel overlaps the spout in the dispenser panel and is at least partially detachable from the dispenser panel to facilitate opening the spout.

Claims

1. A carton comprising:

a plurality of panels including a dispenser panel;

the dispenser panel being defined at least partially by overlapping flaps including an inner flap, an intermediate flap, and an outer flap;

a spout panel defined in the outer flap and being at least partially detachable from the dispenser panel, the spout panel comprising a central portion, an actuator portion foldably connected to the central portion, side portions foldably connected to the central portion, and fingers formed in the side portions;

an opening formed in the intermediate flap substantially aligned with the spout panel; and

a spout defined by the inner flap substantially aligned with the opening, wherein the spout is moveable away from the dispenser panel for dispensing contents of the carton, wherein the actuator portion is inwardly pivotable with respect to the central portion to facilitate at least partial detachment of the spout panel from the dispenser panel and movement of the spout away from the dispenser panel, and wherein the fingers limit movement of the spout away from the dispenser panel.

2. The carton of claim 1 and wherein the spout is attached to the spout panel such that partial detachment and movement of the spout panel away from the dispenser panel pulls the spout through the opening for dispensing the contents of the carton.

3. The carton of claim 1 and wherein the dispenser panel is an end panel of the carton.

4. The carton of claim 1 and wherein the actuator portion is partially defined by an arcuate tear line and is partially separable from the dispenser panel at the arcuate tear line.

5. The carton of claim 1 and wherein the spout panel is partially detachable from the dispenser panel and partially hingedly connected to the dispenser panel such that, upon detachment, the spout panel can pivot away from the dispenser panel to facilitate pulling of the spout through the opening.

6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the spout panel comprises an anchor portion, and wherein the central portion is foldably connected to the anchor portion and attached to the spout.

7. The carton of claim 1 and wherein the side portions fold to form sides of the spout when the central portion is pulled through the opening in the intermediate flap.

8. The carton of claim 7 and further comprising projections formed in the periphery of the opening, the fingers engaging the projections to limit movement of the spout through the opening.

9. A carton blank comprising:

a bottom panel;

a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;

a top panel foldably connected to the first side panel or the second side panel; and

a plurality of end flaps, the plurality of end flaps comprising

a first end flap foldably connected to the bottom panel and defining a first spout panel,

a second end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and defining an opening, and

a third end flap foldably connected to the second side panel and defining a second spout panel, the second spout panel comprising a central portion, an actuator portion foldably connected to the central portion, side portions foldably connected to the central portion, and fingers formed in the side portions;

wherein the blank is configured to be erected into a carton in which

the first end flap, the second end flap and the third end flap at least partially form a dispenser panel in which the second end flap overlaps the first end flap and the third end flap overlaps the second end flap,

the second spout panel is at least partially detachable from the third end flap,

the first spout panel defines a spout substantially aligned with the opening,

the spout is moveable away from the dispenser panel for dispensing contents of the carton,

the actuator portion is inwardly pivotable with respect to the central portion to facilitate at least partial detachment of the spout panel from the dispenser panel and movement of the spout away from the dispenser panel, and

the fingers limit movement of the spout away from the dispenser panel.

10. The blank of claim 9 and wherein the second spout panel is configured to be attached to the first spout panel in the carton such that partial detachment and movement of the second spout panel away from the dispenser panel pulls the spout through the opening for dispensing the contents of the carton.

11. The blank of claim 9 and wherein the actuator portion is partially defined by an arcuate tear line and is partially separable from the dispenser panel at the arcuate tear line.

12. The blank of claim 9 and wherein the second spout panel is configured to be partially detachable from the dispenser panel and partially hingedly connected to the dispenser panel such that, upon detachment, the second spout panel can pivot away from the dispenser panel to facilitate pulling of the spout through the opening.

13. The blank of claim 12, wherein the second spout panel comprises an anchor portion, and wherein the central portion is foldably connected to the anchor portion and configured to be attached to the spout in the carton.

14. The carton of claim 9 and wherein the side portions fold to form sides of the spout when the central portion is pulled through the opening in the intermediate flap.

15. The blank of claim 14 and further comprising projections formed in the periphery of the opening, and wherein, in the carton, the fingers are configured to engage the projections to limit movement of the spout through the opening.

16. A method for dispensing contents from a carton, comprising:

providing a carton comprising

a plurality of panels including a dispenser panel defined at least partially by overlapping flaps including an inner flap, an intermediate flap, and an outer flap;

a spout panel defined in the outer flap, the spout panel comprising a central portion, an actuator portion foldably connected to the central portion, side portions foldably connected to the central portion, and fingers formed in the side portions;

an opening formed in the intermediate flap substantially aligned with the spout panel; and

a spout defined by the inner flap substantially aligned with the opening;

pivoting the actuator portion inwardly with respect to the central portion;

at least partially detaching the spout panel from the outer flap;

moving the spout panel away from the dispenser panel;

moving the spout away from dispenser panel until the fingers limit movement of the spout; and

dispensing contents of the carton through the spout.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the spout is attached to the spout panel such that moving the spout panel away from the dispenser panel pulls the spout through the opening.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising partially separating the actuator portion from the dispenser panel prior to pivoting the actuator portion inwardly with respect to the central portion.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second end flap comprises projections formed in the periphery of the opening, and wherein, in the carton, the fingers engage the projections to limit movement of the spout through the opening.