Carton with opening feature

• US 9,463,896 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Fitzwater, Kelly R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEMEREE, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US14/609,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20150217897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.28, 229/123.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/02 Local reinforcements or stiffening inserts, e.g. wires, strings, strips or frames B65D33/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/32 having bodies formed by folding and interconnecting two or more blanks each blank forming a body part, whereby each body part comprises at least one outside face of the box, carton or tray
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5405 for opening containers formed by erecting a blank in tubular form
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5425 and defining after rupture a lid hinged to the upper edge of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/566 Linings made of relatively rigid sheet material, e.g. carton B65D5/0281 and B65D5/58 takes precedence; combined with a flexible lining B65D5/56, B65D5/60; for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3858; for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/1275
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/606 Bags or bag-like tubes loosely glued to the wall of a "tubular" container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5838 combined with separate fixed tearing means, e.g. tabs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0805 through an aperture in a wall

Abstract

A package for holding an article, the package includes a liner and a construct attached to the liner. The liner includes an interior space for holding an article. The construct includes a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce at a portion of the liner. The plurality of panels includes a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a bottom panel. The construct further includes a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the package. The dispensing features include a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct and for being at least partially removed to form a dispenser opening.

Claims

1. A package for holding an article, the package comprising:

a liner and a construct attached to an exterior of the liner,

the liner comprises a flexible material and an interior space for holding an article, and

the construct comprises a rigid material and a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce at a portion of the liner, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the top panel along a first fold line and foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line, and a second side panel foldably connected to the top panel along a third fold line and foldably connected to an attachment panel along a fourth fold line, the bottom panel extending between the first side panel and the second side panel, and the first fold line, second fold line, third fold line, and fourth fold line are each arcuate; and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the interior space, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct, the dispenser panel is for being at least partially separated from the construct along the tear line to form a dispenser opening.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the dispenser panel is a first dispenser panel and the tear line is a first tear line;

and the dispensing features comprise a second dispenser panel in the liner at least partially defined by a second tear line.

3. The package of claim 2, wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are aligned.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are in face-to-face contact.

5. The package of claim 2, wherein the first tear line is spaced apart from the second tear line.

6. The package of claim 2, wherein the first tear line and the second tear line are arcuate, and the first tear line circumscribes the second tear line.

7. The package of claim 2, wherein the first dispenser panel is at least partially defined by a fold line in the at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel.

8. The package of claim 7, wherein the first tear line extends between respective ends of the fold line.

9. The package of claim 7, wherein the fold line has a width less than the width of the top panel so that the fold line is spaced apart from edges of the construct.

10. The package of claim 7, wherein the fold line connects the one of the top panel and the bottom panel to one of the first side panel and the second side panel.

11. The package of claim 1, wherein the dispenser panel comprises an access tab.

12. The package of claim 1, wherein the first side panel comprises a first portion foldably connected to a second portion along a fifth fold line, and the second side panel comprises a third portion foldably connected to a fourth portion along a sixth fold line.

13. The package of claim 1, wherein the first dispenser panel comprises an access tab, the top panel comprises a free edge with a notch, and the access tab extends to the free edge.

14. A package for holding an article, the package comprising:

a liner and a construct attached to the liner,

the liner comprises and an interior space for holding an article, and

the construct comprises a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce at a portion of the liner, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a bottom panel, and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the package, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct, the dispenser panel is for being at least partially separated from the construct along the tear line to form a dispenser opening, wherein

the first side panel is foldably connected to the top panel along a first fold line and foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line, the second side panel is foldably connected to the top panel along a third fold line and foldably connected to an attachment panel along a fourth fold line, and

the attachment panel is in face-to-face contact and adhered to the bottom panel.

15. A package for holding an article, the package comprising:

a liner and a construct attached to an exterior of the liner,

the liner comprises a flexible material and an interior space for holding an article, and

the construct comprises a rigid material and a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce at a portion of the liner, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the top panel, and a bottom panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel and extending between the first side panel and the second side panel, and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the interior space, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct, the dispenser panel is for being at least partially separated from the construct along the tear line to form a dispenser opening and wherein the dispenser panel comprises an access tab that extends into one of the first side panel and the second side panel.

16. A construct in combination with a liner, the combination comprising:

the construct attached to an exterior of the liner,

the liner comprises a flexible material and an interior space for holding an article, and

the construct comprises a rigid material and a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce a portion of the liner, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the top panel along a first fold line and foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to the top panel along a third fold line and foldably connected to an attachment panel along a fourth fold line, the bottom panel extending between the first side panel and the second side panel, and the first fold line, second fold line, third fold line, and fourth fold line are each arcuate; and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the interior space, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct, the dispenser panel for being at least partially separated from the construct along the tear line to form a dispenser opening.

17. The combination of claim 16, wherein the dispenser panel is a first dispenser panel and the tear line is a first tear line;

and the dispensing features comprise a second dispenser panel in the liner at least partially defined by a second tear line.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are aligned.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are in face-to-face contact.

20. The combination of claim 17, wherein the first tear line is spaced apart from the second tear line.

21. The combination of claim 17, wherein the first tear line and the second tear line are arcuate, and the first tear line circumscribes the second tear line.

22. The combination of claim 17, wherein the first dispenser panel is at least partially defined by a fold line in the at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel.

23. The combination of claim 22, wherein the first tear line extends between respective ends of the fold line.

24. The combination of claim 22, wherein the fold line has a width less than the width of the top panel so that the fold line is spaced apart from edges of the construct.

25. The combination of claim 22, wherein the fold line connects the one of the top panel and the bottom panel to one of the first side panel and the second side panel.

26. The combination of claim 16, wherein the dispenser panel comprises an access tab.

27. The combination of claim 16, wherein the first side panel comprises a first portion foldably connected to a second portion along a fifth fold line, and the second side panel comprises a third portion foldably connected to a fourth portion along a sixth fold line.

28. The combination of claim 16, wherein the first dispenser panel comprises an access tab, the top panel comprises a free edge with a notch, and the access tab extends to the free edge.

29. A construct in combination with a liner, the combination comprising:

the construct attached to the liner,

the liner comprises an interior space for holding an article, and

the construct comprises a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce a portion of the liner, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a bottom panel, and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the combination, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct, the dispenser panel for being at least partially separated from the construct along the tear line to form a dispenser opening, wherein

the first side panel is foldably connected to the top panel along a first fold line and foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line, the second side panel is foldably connected to the top panel along a third fold line and foldably connected to an attachment panel along a fourth fold line, and

the attachment panel is in face-to-face contact and adhered to the bottom panel.

30. A construct in combination with a liner, the combination comprising:

the construct attached to an exterior of the liner,

the liner comprises a flexible material and an interior space for holding an article, and

the construct comprises a rigid material and a plurality of panels that at least partially reinforce a portion of the liner, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the top panel, and a bottom panel foldably connected to at least one of the first side panel and the second side panel and extending between the first side panel and the second side panel, and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of the article from the interior space, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct, the dispenser panel for being at least partially separated from the construct along the tear line to form a dispenser opening and the dispenser panel comprise an access tab that extends into one of the first side panel and the second side panel.

31. A method of forming a package, the method comprising:

obtaining a construct comprising a rigid material and a liner comprising a flexible material, the construct comprising a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the top panel along a first fold line and foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to the top panel along a third fold line and foldably connected to an attachment flap along a fourth fold line, the first, second, third, and fourth fold lines are each arcuate; and

a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of an article from the package, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct;

attaching the construct to an exterior of the liner;

forming an interior space of the package at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the bottom panel extending between the first side panel and the second side panel and being spaced apart from the top panel to define the interior space; and

forming a dispenser opening by tearing along the tear line and at least partially separating the dispenser panel from the construct.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the dispenser panel is a first dispenser panel and the tear line is a first tear line;

and the dispensing features comprise a second dispenser panel in the liner at least partially defined by a second tear line.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises aligning the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are in face-to-face contact.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the first tear line is spaced apart from the second tear line.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the first tear line and the second tear line are arcuate, and the first tear line circumscribes the second tear line.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the first dispenser panel is at least partially defined by a fold line in the at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the first side panel comprises a first portion foldably connected to a second portion along a fifth fold line, and the second side panel comprises a third portion foldably connected to a fourth portion along a sixth fold line.

39. A method of forming a package, the method comprising:

obtaining a construct, the construct comprising a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a bottom panel, and a dispenser comprising dispensing features in at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for allowing removal of an article from the package, the dispensing features comprise a dispenser panel at least partially defined by a tear line in the construct;

attaching the construct to a liner;

forming an interior space of the package at least partially defined by the plurality of panels; and

forming a dispenser opening by tearing along the tear line and at least partially separating the dispenser panel from the construct, wherein

the first side panel is foldably connected to the top panel along a first fold line and foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second fold line, the second side panel is foldably connected to the top panel along a third fold line and foldably connected to an attachment panel along a fourth fold line, and

the attachment panel is in face-to-face contact and adhered to the bottom panel.