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Carton having dispensing configurations

  • US 7,743,944 B2
  • Filed: 06/25/2007
  • Issued: 06/29/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of dispensing beverage containers from a carton, comprising:

  • providing a substantially parallelepipedal carton having a first side panel, a second side panel foldably attached to the first side panel, a third side panel foldably attached to the second side panel, a fourth side panel foldably attached to the third side panel, at least one end flap foldably connected to at least one of the side panels forming a first end of the carton, at least one end flap foldably connected to at least one of the side panels forming a second end of the carton, and a first dispenser section defined in part by at least one breachable line of disruption, the first dispenser section extends across an entire width of the second side panel and comprises at least a portion of at least one of the first and third side panels, the carton comprising a tear feature extending across at least the first side panel, the second side panel, and the fourth side panel and a hinge extending across at least the third side panel, the tear feature comprising a first tear feature extending across the first and second side panels, and a second tear feature extending across the fourth side panel, the hinge extending from respective ends of the first and second tear features;

    providing a plurality of beverage containers accommodated in the carton in at least two rows and at least two columns;

    separating the carton at at least three of the sides into a first carton section and a second carton section, the separating the carton comprising tearing the carton at the tear feature to divide each of the first side panel, the second side panel, and the fourth side panel into respective first and second portions, the first portions of the first side panel, the second side panel, and the fourth side panel comprising the first carton section and the second portions of the first side panel, the second side panel, and the fourth side panel comprising the second carton section;

    pivoting the first and second carton sections at the hinge to place the first and second carton sections in a side-by-side configuration, whereinthe first carton section accommodates a first plurality of the plurality of beverage containers and has a first open top through which the first plurality of beverage containers can be dispensed, the first open top being at a top end of the first carton section opposite to the first end of the carton,the second carton section accommodates a second plurality of the plurality of beverage containers and has a second open top through which the second plurality of beverage containers can be dispensed, the second open top being at a second top end of the second carton section opposite to the second end of the carton, andthe first dispenser section is located in the first carton section;

    opening the first dispenser section; and

    removing at least one of the first plurality of beverage containers through the opened first dispenser section.

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