Carton with top dispensing feature

• US 6,869,009 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Spivey, Raymond R. Sr., Harrelson, Glen R., Sutherland, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US10/626,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 229/121, 229/122, 229/122.1, 229/160.2, 229/242, 229/925, 206/427, 206/831, 221/305
• US Class Current: 229/121
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00154 interlocked
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00574 whereby contents can still be carried after the line has been torn
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00592 with means for reclosing
• 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 2571/00753 the end walls being closed by interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00851 Detachable cards, coupons
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4608 Handgrip holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/725 Incised or pre-scored openings or windows provided in the side wall of containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A carton with a new type of dispenser that is placed midway between the ends of the carton adjacent a fold line between the top panel and adjoining side panel. The dispenser is designed so that it is slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom ends of from two to three containers. The dispenser may have a push tab or starting flap to aid in commencing tearing the dispenser flap open. A coupon may be located on the inside or outside of the dispenser flap.

Claims

1. An enclosed carton for carrying a plurality of containers, each container of the plurality of containers having substantially the same size and shape and having a top end and a bottom end, each bottom end having a bottom diameter,

the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel, first and second adjoining side panels attached to the top panel by first and second fold lines, and ends which are closed by foldably attached end flaps,

the longitudinal axis of each container of the plurality of containers being perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom panels and the top end of each container being located adjacent the top panel; and

(b) a first dispenser opening located in the top panel and the first adjoining side panel,

the first dispenser opening having a height approximately equal to the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening having a width equal to two to three times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening being approximately equidistant between the ends of the carton;

the first dispenser opening optionally being closed by a dispenser flap that is coextensive with the first dispenser opening; and

the dispenser flap being defined by a first tear line extending across the top panel and the first adjoining side panel; and

each container of the plurality of containers being dispensed through the dispenser opening by gravity feed.

2. The carton of claim 1, further comprising a second dispenser opening located in the top panel and second adjoining side panel.

3. The enclosed carton of claim 1, wherein the width of the first dispenser opening is larger than two times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers.

4. The enclosed carton of claim 3, further comprising a finger flap adjacent the dispenser flap for tearing the dispenser flap from the carton,

the finger flap comprising:

V shaped fold lines in the first adjoining side panel;

two push tabs foldably attached to the V shaped fold lines and located between the V shaped fold lines,

the two push tabs being separated from each other by a second tear line;

the push tabs being separated from the dispenser flap by a third tear line; and

the push tabs being designed to be pushed inwardly by a person opening the dispenser flap so that a person can grasp the dispenser flap.

5. The enclosed carton of claim 1, wherein the width of the first dispenser opening is slightly larger than three times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers.

6. The enclosed carton of claim 5, further comprising a finger flap adjacent the dispenser flap for tearing the dispenser flap from the carton,

the finger flap comprising:

V shaped fold lines in the first adjoining side panel;

two push tabs foldably attached to the V shaped fold lines and located between the V shaped fold lines,

the two push tabs being separated from each other by a second tear line;

the push tabs being separated from the dispenser flap by a third tear line; and

the push tabs being designed to be pushed inwardly by a person opening the dispenser flap so that a person can grasp the dispenser flap.

7. The enclosed carton of claim 5, further comprising a starting tab located in the top panel immediately adjacent the dispenser flap, said starting tab being separated from the dispenser flap by a sixth tear line, with said starting tab being connected to the top panel by a third fold line, said starting tab being designed so that a person can easily grasp the dispenser flap to tear it loose from the carton.

8. The enclosed carton of claim 1, wherein the first tear line extends completely around the dispenser flap.

9. The carton of claim 1, further comprising has a coupon attached to the inside of the first dispenser flap.

10. The carton of claim 1, further comprising a coupon attached to the outside of the first dispenser flap.

11. An enclosed carton for carrying a plurality of containers, each container of the plurality of containers having substantially the same size and shape and having a top end and a bottom end, each bottom end having a bottom diameter,

the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel, and first and second adjoining side panels attached to the top panel by first and second fold lines, and ends which are closed by foldably attached end flaps,

the longitudinal axis of each container of the plurality of containers being perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom panels and the top end of each container being located adjacent to the top panel; and

(b) said top panel having a first dispenser opening sized to be slightly larger than the bottom ends of two containers of said plurality of containers, said first dispenser opening extending partially into the first adjoining side panel, said first dispenser opening being located approximately equidistant between the ends of the carton adjacent the first fold line between the top panel and the first adjoining side panel, said dispenser opening optionally being closed by a dispenser flap that is co-extensive with the first dispenser opening, said dispenser flap being attached to said top panel by a first tear line that extends around said dispenser flap, said first tear line having sufficient attachment points to resist tearing by the containers in the carton that are adjacent said dispenser flap, said carton having V shaped fold lines in the first adjoining side panel, said V shaped fold lines having two push tabs foldably attached to said V shaped fold lines, with said push tabs located between said V shaped fold lines, said two tabs being separated by a second tear line, said push tabs being separated from the dispenser flap by a third tear line, said push tab being designed to be pushed inwardly by a person opening the dispenser flap so that a person can grasp the dispenser flap for tearing it from the carton.

12. The carton of claim 11, further comprising a second dispenser opening located in the top panel and second adjoining side panel.

13. An enclosed carton for carrying a plurality of containers, each container of the plurality of containers having substantially the same size and shape and having a top end and a bottom end, each bottom end having a bottom diameter,

the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel, and first and second adjoining side panels attached to the top panel by first and second fold lines, and foldably attached end flaps,

the longitudinal axis of each container of the plurality of containers being perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom panels and the top end of each container being located adjacent the top panel;

(b) a first dispenser opening located in the top panel adjacent the first fold line between the top panel and the first adjoining side panel,

the first dispenser opening having a height approximately equal to the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening having a width approximately equal to three times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening being approximately equidistant between the ends of the carton;

the first dispenser opening optionally being closed by a dispenser flap that is coextensive with the first dispenser opening; and

the first dispenser flap being defined by a first tear line that extends around said dispenser flap; and

(c) a finger flap comprising;

V shaped fold lines in the first adjoining side panel;

two push tabs foldably attached to the V shaped fold lines and located between the V shaped fold lines,

the two push tabs being separated from each other by a second tear line;

the push tabs being separated from the dispenser flap by a third tear line; and

the push tabs being designed to be pushed inwardly by a person opening the dispenser flap so that a person can grasp the dispenser flap.

14. The enclosed carton of claim 13, further comprising a starting tab located in the top panel immediately adjacent the dispenser flap, said starting tab being separated from the dispenser flap by a fourth tear line, with said starting tab being connected to the top panel by a third fold line, said starting tab being designed so that a person can easily grasp the dispenser flap to tear it from the carton.

15. An enclosed carton for carrying a plurality of containers, each container of the plurality of containers having substantially the same size and shape and having a top end and a bottom end, each bottom end having a bottom diameter,

the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel, first and second adjoining side panels attached to the top panel by first and second fold lines, and ends which are closed by foldably attached end flaps,

the longitudinal axis of each container of the plurality of containers being perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom panels and the top end of each container being located adjacent the top panel; and

(b) a first dispenser opening located in the top panel and the first adjoining side panel,

the first dispenser opening having a height approximately equal to the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening having a width approximately equal to two times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening being approximately equidistant between the ends of the carton;

the first dispenser opening optionally being closed by a dispenser flap that is coextensive with the first dispenser opening; and

the dispenser flap being defined by a first tear line extending across the top panel and the first adjoining side panel.

16. An enclosed carton for dispensing a plurality of containers by gravity feed, each container of the plurality of containers having substantially the same size and shape and having a top end and a bottom end, each bottom end having a bottom diameter,

the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel, first and second adjoining side panels attached to the top panel by first and second fold lines, and ends which are closed by foldably attached end flaps,

the longitudinal axis of each container of the plurality of containers being perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom panels and the top end of each container being located adjacent the top panel; and

(b) a first dispenser opening located in the top panel and the first adjoining side panel,

the first dispenser opening having a height approximately equal to the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening having a width approximately equal to two times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening being approximately equidistant between the ends of the carton;

the first dispenser opening being closed by a dispenser flap that is coextensive with the first dispenser opening; and

the dispenser flap being defined by a first tear line extending across the top panel and the first adjoining side panel.

17. An enclosed carton for dispensing a plurality of containers by gravity feed, each container of the plurality of containers having substantially the same size and shape and having a top end and a bottom end, each bottom end having a bottom diameter,

the carton comprising:

(a) a bottom panel, top panel, first and second adjoining side panels attached to the top panel by first and second fold lines, and ends which are closed by foldably attached end flaps,

the longitudinal axis of each container of the plurality of containers being perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom panels and the top end of each container being located adjacent the top panel; and

(b) a first dispenser opening located in the top panel adjacent the first fold line between the top panel and the first adjoining side panel,

the first dispenser opening having a height approximately equal to the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening having a width approximately equal to three times the bottom diameter of one container of the plurality of containers;

the first dispenser opening being approximately equidistant between the ends of the carton;

the first dispenser opening optionally being closed by a dispenser flap that is coextensive with the first dispenser opening; and

the dispenser flap being defined by a first tear line extending across the top panel and the first adjoining side panel.