Carton With Opening Feature And Blank

• US 20100043360A1
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Gomes, Jean-Manuel, DeBusk, Patrick James
• Granted Patent: US 8,167,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/492
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00549 consisting of fold lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0058 The tear line defining a dispensing aperture provided with means for preventing the articles from freely exiting the wrapper, e.g. by rolling out
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/925 Finger opening, e.g. slit, aperture

Abstract

A dispensing carton includes a dispenser section having a deformation pattern provided therein. The deformation pattern facilitates removal of the dispenser section during opening of the carton.

Claims

1. A blank for forming a carton, comprising:

a first side panel;

a top panel;

the first side panel and the top panel being connected along a first fold line;

a second side panel;

a bottom panel;

at least one first flap extending along a first marginal area of the blank;

the at least one first flap including a first top panel end flap connected along a first transverse fold line to the top panel and a first side panel end flap connected along the first transverse fold line to the first side panel, and at least one second flap extending along a second marginal area of the blank, wherein

a dispenser section is defined by a dispenser pattern extending at least through the top panel and into the first side panel, wherein the dispenser pattern comprises a tear line pattern and a deformation pattern formed in the dispenser section that facilitates deformation of the dispenser section, the tear line pattern including a first side tear line in the first side panel extending from the first fold line in a first direction to a first turn then extending from the first turn in a second direction to the first transverse fold line, the deformation pattern including a first deformation line extending from the first fold line to the first turn.

2. The blank of claim 1, wherein the deformation pattern comprises two curved access deformation lines.

3. The blank of claim 1, wherein the top panel is connected to the second side panel along a second fold line and wherein the tear line pattern includes a second tear line extending in a first direction from the second fold line to a second turn then in a second direction to the first transverse fold line and wherein the deformation pattern comprises a third deformation line extending from the second fold line to the second turn.

4. The blank of claim 3, wherein:

the top tear line extends from the first side tear line to the second side tear line.

5. The blank of claim 4, wherein the first side tear line extends across the first transverse fold line into the first side end flap.

6. The blank of claim 3, wherein a second side end flap is foldably connected to the second side panel along the first transverse fold line, the second side tear line extends across the first transverse fold line into the second side end flap.

7. The blank of claim 1, wherein the blank is constructed of paperboard.

8. In combination, a substantially parallelepipedal carton formed from the blank of claim 1 and a plurality of generally cylindrical containers enclosed within the carton.

9. A carton, comprising:

a first side panel;

a top panel;

the first side panel and the top panel being connected along a first fold line;

a second side panel;

a bottom panel;

an end panel; and

an exiting end panel, wherein

a dispenser section is defined by a dispenser pattern extending at least through the top panel and into the first side panel, wherein the dispenser pattern comprises a tear line pattern and a deformation pattern formed in the dispenser section that facilitates deformation of the dispenser section, the tear line pattern including a first side tear line in the first side panel extending from the first fold line in a first direction to a first turn then extending from the first turn in a second direction to the first transverse fold line, the deformation pattern including a first deformation line extending from the first fold line to the first turn.

10. The carton of claim 9, wherein the deformation pattern comprises two curved access deformation lines.

11. A method of opening the carton of claim 9, comprising tearing the dispenser section from a remainder of the carton, wherein tearing of the dispenser from the carton causes deformation at the deformation pattern.

12. A carton comprising:

a top panel connected to a first side panel along a first fold line;

the top panel connected to a second side panel along a second fold line;

a bottom panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel;

a dispenser section defined by a tear line pattern and a deformation pattern, the dispenser section being separable from the carton along the tear line pattern, the deformation pattern includes a pattern of lines of disruption that allow the dispenser section to deform during separation from the carton.

13. The carton of claim 12 wherein the deformation pattern comprises at least one curved access deformation line in the top panel.

14. The carton of claim 13 wherein the first end panel, the top panel, and the first side panel intersect at a first corner, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a first oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the first corner.

15. The carton of claim 14 wherein the first end panel, the top panel, and the second side panel intersect at a second corner, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a second oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the second corner.

16. The carton of claim 12 wherein the deformation pattern includes a third oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the first fold line to a first intersection point at the first fold line.

17. The carton of claim 16 wherein the tear line pattern includes a first side panel tear line in the first side panel that extends from the first fold line in a first direction to a first turn, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a first side deformation line that extends from the first intersection point to the first turn.

18. The carton of claim 12 wherein the deformation pattern includes a fourth oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the second fold line to a second intersection point at the second fold line.

19. The carton of claim 18 wherein the tear line pattern includes a second side panel tear line in the second side panel that extends from the second fold line in a second direction to a second turn, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a second side deformation line that extends from the second intersection point to the second turn.

20. The carton of claim 13 wherein the tear line pattern includes a top tear line, and the top panel is connected to the first end panel along a third fold line, and wherein the dispenser pattern includes a top panel section defined between the top panel tear line, the first fold line, the second fold line, and the third fold line.

21. The carton of claim 20 wherein the at least one curved deformation line separates the top panel section into an access portion and a deformation portion, and wherein both the access portion and the deformation portion deform during separation of the dispenser section from the carton.

22. The carton of claim 21 wherein the access portion deforms before the deformation portion deforms during separation of the dispenser section from the carton.

23. A package comprising:

a carton and a plurality of containers;

the carton comprising;

a top panel connected to a first side panel along a first fold line;

the top panel connected to a second side panel along a second fold line;

a bottom panel;

a first end panel;

a second end panel;

a dispenser section defined by a tear line pattern and a deformation pattern, the dispenser section being separable from the carton along the tear line pattern, the deformation pattern includes a pattern of lines of disruption that allow the dispenser section to deform during separation from the carton.

24. The package of claim 23 wherein the deformation pattern comprises at least one curved access deformation line in the top panel.

25. The package of claim 24 wherein the first end panel, the top panel, and the first side panel intersect at a first corner, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a first oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the first corner.

26. The package of claim 25 wherein the first end panel, the top panel, and the second side panel intersect at a second corner, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a second oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the second corner.

27. The package of claim 23 wherein the deformation pattern includes a third oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the first fold line to a first intersection point at the first fold line.

28. The package of claim 27 wherein the tear line pattern includes a first side panel tear line in the first side panel that extends from the first fold line in a first direction to a first turn, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a first side deformation line that extends from the first intersection point to the first turn.

29. The package of claim 23 wherein the deformation pattern includes a fourth oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the second fold line to a second intersection point at the second fold line.

30. The package of claim 29 wherein the tear line pattern includes a second side panel tear line in the second side panel that extends from the second fold line in a second direction to a second turn, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a second side deformation line that extends from the second intersection point to the second turn.

31. The package of claim 24 wherein the tear line pattern includes a top tear line, and the top panel is connected to the first end panel along a third fold line, and wherein the dispenser pattern includes a top panel section defined between the top panel tear line, the first fold line, the second fold line, and the third fold line.

32. The package of claim 31 wherein the at least one curved deformation line separates the top panel section into an access portion and a deformation portion, and wherein both the access portion and the deformation portion deform during separation of the dispenser section from the carton.

33. The package of claim 32 wherein the access portion deforms before the deformation portion deforms during separation of the dispenser section from the carton.

34. A method of opening a package, the package comprising a carton and a plurality of containers, the carton comprising a top panel connected to a first side panel along a first fold line, the top panel connected to a second side panel along a second fold line, a bottom panel, a first end panel, a second end panel, a dispenser section defined by a tear line pattern and a deformation pattern, the dispenser section being separable from the carton along the tear line pattern, the deformation pattern includes a pattern of lines of disruption that allow the dispenser section to deform during separation from the carton, the method comprising:

separating the dispenser section from the carton along the tear line pattern in the top panel and wherein separating the dispenser section deforms at least a portion of the deformation pattern in the dispenser section.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the first end panel, the top panel, and the first side panel intersect at a first corner, and the deformation pattern comprises at least one curved access deformation line in the top panel and a first oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the first corner.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the first end panel, the top panel, and the second side panel intersect at a second corner, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a second oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the second corner.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the deformation pattern includes a third oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the first fold line to a first intersection point at the first fold line.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the tear line pattern includes a first side panel tear line in the first side panel that extends from the first fold line in a first direction to a first turn, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a first side deformation line that extends from the first intersection point to the first turn.

39. The method of claim 34 wherein the deformation pattern includes a fourth oblique top deformation line that extends from the at least one curved access deformation line to the second fold line to a second intersection point at the second fold line.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the tear line pattern includes a second side panel tear line in the second side panel that extends from the second fold line in a second direction to a second turn, and wherein the deformation pattern includes a second side deformation line that extends from the second intersection point to the second turn.

41. The method of claim 34 wherein the tear line pattern includes a top tear line, and the top panel is connected to the first end panel along a third fold line, and wherein the dispenser pattern includes a top panel section defined between the top panel tear line, the first fold line, the second fold line, and the third fold line.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the deformation pattern comprises at least one curved access deformation line in the top panel, and wherein the at least one curved deformation line separates the top panel section into an access portion and a deformation portion, and wherein both the access portion and the deformation portion deform during separation of the dispenser section from the carton.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the access portion deforms before the deformation portion deforms during separation of the dispenser section from the carton.