CARTON FOR A FOOD PRODUCT

• US 20100102110A1
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Learn, Angela E.
• Application Number:
  US12/608,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/106
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0209 the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/029 the tubular body presenting a special shape pyramidal B65D5/008
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/18 by folding a single blank to U-shape to form the base of the container and opposite sides of the body portion, the remaining sides being formed primarily by extensions of one or more of these opposite sides, e.g. flaps hinged thereto B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/42 Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5445 for dividing a tubular body into separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6602 formed by folding one or more extensions hinged to the upper edge of a tubular container body

Abstract

A carton for containing a food product. The carton has panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton including side panels and at least one bottom panel. The carton has features for holding the food product.

Claims

1. A carton for holding a food product, the carton comprising

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises at least two side panels and a bottom panel,

the bottom panel having at least two retention flaps foldably connected to the bottom panel, the at least two retention flaps being in face-to-face contact with a respective one of the at least two side panels.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the bottom panel comprises a first bottom flap and a second bottom flap, the at least two retention flaps being foldably connected to the second bottom flap, the first and second bottom flap being in an overlapping relationship to form the bottom panel.

3. The carton of claim 2 wherein the retention flaps are each generally crescent-shaped and are each foldably connected to the second bottom flap at a respective curved fold line.

4. The carton of claim 2 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel, the first bottom flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and the second bottom flap is foldably connected to the second side panel.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein one of the retention flaps is in face-to-face contact with the first side panel and the other of the retention flaps is in face-to-face contact with the second side panel.

6. The carton of claim 2 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel, the first bottom flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and the second bottom flap is foldably connected to the third bottom panel.

7. The carton of claim 6 wherein one of the retention flaps is in face-to-face contact with the second side panel and the other of the retention flaps is in face-to-face contact with the fourth side panel.

8. The carton of claim 6 wherein the second side panel is foldably connected to the first side panel and the third side panel, and the fourth side panel is foldably connected to the first side panel.

9. The carton of claim 6 wherein the carton comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top flap foldably connected to the third side panel.

10. The carton of claim 9 wherein at least one of the first top flap and the second top flap has two flaps foldably connected to the at least one of the first top flap and the second top flap, the two flaps forming an opening for receiving a complimentary food product package.

11. The carton of claim 1 wherein the at least two side panels are curved and the bottom panel is generally flat.

12. The carton of claim 1 wherein the bottom panel is foldably connected to the first side panel and the bottom panel is foldably connected to the second side panel.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the bottom panel comprises a first bottom flap and a second bottom flap, the at least two retention flaps being foldably connected to the second bottom flap, the forming the blank into the carton comprises positioning the first and second bottom flaps to be in an overlapping relationship to form the bottom panel.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the retention flaps are each generally crescent-shaped and are each foldably connected to the second bottom flap at a respective curved fold line.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel, the first bottom flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and the second bottom flap is foldably connected to the second side panel.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the forming the blank into the carton comprises positioning one of the retention flaps to be in face-to-face contact with the first side panel and positioning the other of the retention flaps to be in face-to-face contact with the second side panel.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel, the first bottom flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and the second bottom flap is foldably connected to the third bottom panel.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the forming the blank into the carton comprises positioning one of the retention flaps to be in face-to-face contact with the second side panel and positioning the other of the retention flaps to be in face-to-face contact with the fourth side panel.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the second side panel is foldably connected to the first side panel and the third side panel, and the fourth side panel is foldably connected to the first side panel.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the carton comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top flap foldably connected to the third side panel, the forming the blank into the carton comprises placing the first top flap and the second top flap in an overlapping relationship to close the carton.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein at least one of the first top flap and the second top flap has two flaps foldably connected to the at least one of the first top flap and the second top flap, the forming the blank into the carton comprises folding the two flaps to form an opening and placing a complimentary food product package in the opening.

13. A carton for holding a food product, the carton comprising

a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises at least two side panels, a bottom panel, and a top panel, and

a tear strip extending across the at least two side panels, the tear strip being for opening the carton and accessing the food product supported by the bottom panel.

14. The carton of claim 13 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the first side panel, the bottom panel comprises a first bottom flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second bottom flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

15. The carton of claim 14 wherein the top panel comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

16. The carton of claim 15 wherein the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap are respectively foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a curved fold line.

17. The carton of claim 16 wherein the first top flap and the second top flap are respectively foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a curved fold line.

18. The carton of claim 17 wherein the first side panel is curved and the second side panel is curved.

19. A blank for forming a carton for holding a food product, the blank comprising

a plurality of panels comprising at least two side panels and a bottom panel,

the bottom panel having at least two retention flaps foldably connected to the bottom panel, the at least two retention flaps are for being in face-to-face contact with a respective one of the at least two side panels.

20. The blank of claim 19 wherein the bottom panel comprises a first bottom flap and a second bottom flap, the at least two retention flaps being foldably connected to the second bottom flap.

21. The blank of claim 20 wherein the retention flaps are each generally crescent-shaped and are each foldably connected to the second bottom flap at a respective curved fold line.

22. The blank of claim 20 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel, the first bottom flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and the second bottom flap is foldably connected to the second side panel.

23. The blank of claim 20 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel, the first bottom flap is foldably connected to the first side panel and the second bottom flap is foldably connected to the third bottom panel.

24. The blank of claim 23 wherein the second side panel is foldably connected to the first side panel and the third side panel, and the fourth side panel is foldably connected to the first side panel.

25. The blank of claim 23 wherein the carton comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top flap foldably connected to the third side panel.

26. The blank of claim 25 wherein at least one of the first top flap and the second top flap has two flaps foldably connected to the at least one of the first top flap and the second top flap, the two flaps being for forming an opening for receiving a complimentary food product package.

27. The blank of claim 19 wherein the bottom panel is foldably connected to the first side panel and the bottom panel is foldably connected to the second side panel.

28. A blank for forming a carton for holding a food product, the blank comprising

a plurality of panels comprises at least two side panels, a bottom panel, and a top panel, and

a tear strip extending across the at least two side panels, the tear strip being for opening the carton and accessing the food product supported by the bottom panel.

29. The blank of claim 28 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the first side panel, the bottom panel comprises a first bottom flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second bottom flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

30. The blank of claim 29 wherein the top panel comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top flap foldably connected to the second side panel.

31. The blank of claim 30 wherein the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap are respectively foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a curved fold line.

32. The blank of claim 31 wherein the first top flap and the second top flap are respectively foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a curved fold line.

33. A method of forming a carton, the method comprising

obtaining a blank, the blank comprising

a plurality of panels that comprises at least two side panels and a bottom panel,

the bottom panel having at least two retention flaps foldably connected to the bottom panel, and

forming the blank into the carton such that the plurality of panels at least partially enclose an interior of the carton, the forming the blank into the carton comprises positioning the at least two retention flaps to be in face-to-face contact with a respective one of the at least two side panels.

43. The method of claim 33 wherein forming the blank into to carton comprises positioning the at least two side panels so that the at least two side panels are curved and positioning the bottom panel to form a generally flap bottom of the carton.

44. The method of claim 33 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel, the bottom panel is foldably connected to the first side panel and the bottom panel is foldably connected to the second side panel, and forming the blank into the carton comprises adhesively connecting the first side panel to the seconds die panel and positioning the first side panel and the second side panel so the first and second side panels are curved.

45. A method of forming a carton for holding a food product, the method comprises

obtaining a blank, the blank comprising

a plurality of panels that comprises at least two side panels, a bottom panel, and a top panel, and

a tear strip extending across the at least two side panels,

forming the blank into the carton such that the plurality of panels at least partially enclose an interior of the carton, and

opening the carton by tearing the tear strip to allow access to the food product supported by the bottom panel.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the at least two side panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the first side panel, the bottom panel comprises a first bottom flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second bottom flap foldably connected to the second side panel, wherein forming the blank into the carton comprises at least partially overlapping the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap to form the bottom panel.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the top panel comprises a first top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second top flap foldably connected to the second side panel, wherein forming the blank into the carton comprises at least partially overlapping the first top flap and the second top flap to close the top of the carton.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap are respectively foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a curved fold line, and the first top flap and the second top flap are respectively foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel at a curved fold line.

49. The method of claim 45 wherein the forming the blank into the carton comprises positioning the first side panel to be curved and positioning the second side panel to be curved.

50. The method of claim 45 wherein the opening the carton comprises separating the carton into an upper portion and a lower portion.