Dispenser carton

• US 4,382,514 A
• Filed: 05/01/1981
• Issued: 05/10/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stone Container Corporation (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Champion International Corporation (International Paper Company)
• Inventors: Williams, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US06/259,504
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 206/626, 229/17 R, 229/17 B
• US Class Current: 229/221
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0263 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps, three of them being formed of a continuous strip, the fourth being a separate flap
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/541 the lines of weakness being provided in one or more closure flaps

Abstract

A one-piece fiberboard carton having an integral dispensing flap. A tear strip is drawn along an edge of the dispenser flap which is formed intermediate the top and bottom edges of the front surface of the carton so that the flap may be pulled out of the plane of the front of the carton and disposed at an angle with respect to the carton so that when the carton is placed on a side, product stored within the carton can be dispensed by gravity feeding it through the opening adjacent the dispenser flap. Alternatively, the dispenser flap may be taped by adhering a tab to the front wall of the carton which may be cut along a line to open the same. Oppositely disposed web corners attach the dispenser flap at an acute angle to the front wall of the carton so that when it is opened, the product will not fall from the carton unless the carton is intentionally placed on its side in a dispensing position. By use of the web-connecting flaps, the dispenser flap may be opened and closed, as needed, to open and close the carton before all the product is dispensed, to dispense and store any remaining product.

Claims

1. A dispensing carton comprising:

(a) a pair of opposed top and bottom panels;

(b) a pair of side panels extending between side edges of said top and bottom panels;

(c) a plurality of flaps foldably connected to back edges of said top, bottom and side panels, said flaps being overlapped and secured together to form a back closure for said carton;

(d) a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of said top panel and disposed perpendicular to said top panel, said front panel having a bottom free edge spaced apart from said bottom panel to provide a dispensing opening for said carton;

(e) a pair of opposed panels foldably connected to front edges of said side panels and disposed perpendicular to said side panels, said opposed panels and said front panel overlapping each other and being secured together to form a portion of a front closure for said carton;

(f) a dispenser flap foldably connected to a front edge of said bottom panel, said dispenser flap being disposed perpendicular to said bottom panel and spanning said dispensing opening to close the latter;

(g) releasable means securing said dispenser flap to said front panel; and

(h) a pair of web panels, each of said web panels being foldably connected to a side edge of said dispenser flap and foldably connected to an edge of each of said opposed panels, along a skew fold line disposed at an acute angle with respect to the adjacent one of said front edges of said side panels, each of said web panels being traversed by a medial fold line extending to a free edge of each of said web panels whereby said web panels can be folded back upon themselves and tucked beneath said dispenser flap when the carton is closed, and said web panels further being operable, by reason of the acute angle relationship between said skew fold lines and said front edges of said side panels, to hold said dispenser flap at an acute angle with respect to said front panel when said dispenser flap is pivoted about its fold connection with said bottom panel to open said carton.

2. A paperboard blank for forming a dispensing carton, said blank comprising:

(a) top, bottom and side panels serially disposed and connected together by intervening parallel fold lines;

(b) a plurality of back closure flaps foldably connected to back edges of said top, bottom and side panels along colinear fold lines;

(c) a front closure panel foldably connected to a front edge of said top panel;

(d) a dispenser flap foldably connected to a front edge of said bottom panel;

(e) a first panel foldably connected to a front edge of one of said side panels;

(f) a second panel foldably connected to a front edge of the other of said side panels;

(g) the fold lines connecting said front, dispenser flap and said first and second panels to the respective top, bottom and side panels being colinear;

(h) a first web panel foldably connected to an edge of said first panel along a skew fold line disposed at an acute angle with respect to said front edge of said one of said side panels and foldably connected to a side edge of said dispenser flap;

(i) a second web panel foldably connected to an edge of said second panel along a skew fold line disposed at an acute angle with respect to said front edge of the other of said side panels and foldably connected to a side edge of said dispenser flap; and

(j) said first and second web panels each being traversed by a medial fold line which extends to a free edge of each of said web panels.

3. The blank of claim 2, further comprising a connector flap rupturably connected to said dispenser flap.