CARTONS HAVING DISPENSING CONFIGURATIONS
Cartons can be placed in dispensing configurations by separating the cartons into dispenser sections. The dispenser sections may be connected by a hinge that allows the sections to stand side-by-side.
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/767,959, filed Jun. 25, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/816,106, filed Jun. 23, 2006. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/016,935, filed Dec. 27, 2007. Each of the above-referenced applications is incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding and dispensing beverage containers or other types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cartons being configurable into dispensing sections.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREAccording to one embodiment of the disclosure, the present disclosure generally relates to a carton accommodating a plurality of articles arranged in the carton in at least two rows and at least two columns. The carton can include a tear feature that allows the carton to be placed in a dispensing configuration. In the dispensing configuration, the carton is separated into a first section and a second section, with each section accommodating a portion of the articles. The carton can include a hinge connecting the two sections and about which the carton is pivoted to place the carton in the dispensing configuration.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, recessed or open portions can be formed at upper edges of the first and second sections as the carton is placed in the dispensing configuration. The recessed portions, which can be defined in one or more side panels of the first and second sections, allow for ease of access to, and dispensing of articles from, the first and second sections. In one embodiment, the carton can be placed in the dispensing configuration by removing a tear strip extending around three sides of the carton to separate the carton into the first and second sections, and pivoting the first and second sections about a hinge in a fourth side of the carton so that the first and second sections are in a side-by-side configuration.
According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, the first and second dispenser sections may be completely separated from one another to place the carton in a dispensing configuration.
According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, corner sections can be removed from one or both of the dispenser sections to allow access to the containers from the front and sides of the dispenser sections.
According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, one or more apertures can extend downward from the upper edges of the side panels of the dispenser sections. The apertures can extend downwardly to varying degrees and in varying shapes in order to provide access to lower columns of containers in the dispenser sections.
According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, one or more access features can be formed in the side panels of the dispenser sections. The access features can be breached and/or removed in order to provide access to lower columns of containers in the dispenser section.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above-stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures.
According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure.
Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure generally relates to cartons capable of being placed in dispensing configurations by separating the cartons into sections. The present disclosure can be used, for example, in cartons that contain articles or other products such as, for example, food and beverages. The articles can also include beverage containers such as, for example, cans, bottles, PET containers, or other containers such as those used in packaging foodstuffs. For the purposes of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the present disclosure, the following detailed description describes generally cylindrical, 12-ounce beverage containers as disposed within the illustrated carton embodiments.
To facilitate understanding and explanation of the blank of the present disclosure, the elements and numerals described herein utilize the terms “end” and “side” to distinguish portions of the carton and of the blank. These conventions are included merely for ease of explanation and understanding of the present description, however, and should not be limiting in any manner. The descriptions of the panels as “end” and “side” etc., also can be referred to as “first,” “second,” etc. The terms “end” and “side” are not intended to connote relative size differences between elements.
Each first side panel 10 is foldably connected at one end to a first end flap 12. Each second side panel 20 is foldably connected at one end to a second end flap 22. Each third side panel 30 is foldably connected at one end to a third end flap 32. Each fourth side panel 40 is foldably connected at one end to a fourth end flap 42. Each fifth side panel 50 is foldably connected at one end to a fifth end flap 52. The end flaps 12, 22, 32, 42, 52 may be arranged along marginal areas of the blank 8, and may be foldably connected along longitudinally extending fold lines 62. The longitudinally extending fold lines 62 may be straight or substantially straight fold lines, or may be offset at one or more locations to account for blank thickness, for example. When the carton 150 is erected from the blank 8, the end flaps 12, 22, 32, 42, 52 close each end of the carton 150.
According to one aspect of the first embodiment, the blank 8 includes a tear pattern 65 of lines of disruption that bifurcate the blank and allow the erected carton 150 (
The tear lines 72, 74, 82 can be breachable lines of disruption formed from continuous or substantially continuous tear lines comprised of, for example, tear lines, scores, creases, cuts, gaps, cut/creases, perforations, offset cuts, and overlapping and/or sequential combinations thereof. If cuts are used to form the tear lines 72, 74, 82, the cuts may be, for example, interrupted by breachable nicks. The breachable lines of disruption 76, 78 may be continuous cuts, cuts interrupted by breachable nicks, or other forms of breachable lines of disruption, such as scores. The hinge line 90 can be, for example, any line of disruption between the panels 40 that facilitates hinged folding or pivoting of the blank 8.
Still referring to
An exemplary method of erection of the carton 150 is discussed below with reference to
Referring to
Each end of the generally tubular sleeve form may be closed, for example, by folding the end flaps 32 and the adhered end flaps 12, 52 inwardly across the open ends, followed by inwardly folding the end flaps 42, then folding the end flaps 22 inwardly. At each end of the tubular sleeve form, the interior side of each end flap 42 can be adhered to the end flaps 12, 32, 52, and the interior side of each end flap 22 can be adhered to one or more of the end flaps 12, 32, 52, 42. Substantially cylindrical containers C or other articles, for example, may be loaded into the tubular sleeve at any time before one or both ends of the carton are closed by the end flaps 12, 22, 32, 42, 52. In the exemplary embodiment, the carton 150 accommodates twelve containers C in three rows and four columns.
Referring to
Referring to
In the dispensing configuration, each dispenser section 162 of the carton 195 initially accommodates six generally cylindrical containers C, arranged in three rows and two columns. In
The curved tear lines 74 defining the variable width second tear feature 75 form recessed open sections, or reliefs, in the side panels 30, at the upper edges defined by the tear lines 74. The open or recessed sections in the side panels 30 allow for ease of accessing and/or dispensing containers C through the dispenser openings 164. Additional recessed or open portions can, for example, be provided along the top edge of the sections 162, such as at the top edge of one or more of the side panels 10 or 20. Recessed portions of the top edges of the side panels 10 and/or 20 can be created, for example, by varying the width of the tear strip 70 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser sections 162 are hingedly connected while in the dispensing configuration, wherein the carton 150 is torn along three sides while a fourth side of the carton including the hinge line 90 remains intact. In an alternative embodiment, the first and second sections 162 may be separated from one another along the hinge line 90 (e.g., by replacing the hinge line with a breachable line of disruption or continuing the tear strip around all sides of the carton) so that the carton is separated along four sides of the carton 150 in order to place the carton in a dispensing configuration.
EXAMPLE 1A parallelepipedal carton 150 as illustrated in
In the dispensing configuration, each dispenser section 372 initially accommodates six generally cylindrical containers C, arranged in three rows and two columns. The “columns” of containers C in the dispenser sections 372 are stacked in a vertical arrangement and can alternatively be referred to as “layers” of containers C. In
The dispensing carton 395 illustrated in
The dispensing carton 395′ illustrated in
In the dispensing configuration, each dispenser section 572 initially accommodates six generally cylindrical containers C, arranged in three rows and two columns or vertically stacked layers. In
The dispensing carton 595 illustrated in
A longitudinal hinge or pivot line 690 separates (e.g., defined a boundary between) the fourth side panels 640 and extends adjacent to a third tear feature 680 that separates the fifth side panels 650. The third tear feature 680 can be, for example, a tear strip defined by spaced breachable lines of disruption 682, which may be tear lines. Optional access features (e.g., access flaps 686) can be included in the blank 608 extending into the second side panels 620 from the breachable lines 674. Each of the access features 686 can be defined by a pair of breachable lines of disruption 688 and a fold or bend line of disruption 689.
In the dispensing configuration illustrated in
In the dispensing configuration, each dispenser section 772 initially accommodates six generally cylindrical containers C, arranged in three rows and two columns. In
Remaining wall sections 634, 624 of the second and third side panels 620, 630, respectively, can form a lower retaining wall having a height of H4. Each section 772 has an upper retaining wall 784 adjacent the lower retaining wall 634 in each of the third side panels 630 (e.g., front panel). In the illustrated embodiment, the upper retaining walls 784 are generally triangular-shaped and are adjacent the hinge line 690. In the illustrated embodiment each section 772 has an upper retaining wall 785 adjacent the lower retaining wall 624 in each of the second side panels 620. The upper retaining walls 685 are adjacent the tear lines 672 in the second side panels 620. The height H4 can be selected to retain the uppermost column, or layer, of containers C in each section 772. In the illustrated embodiment, the height H4 may be between 0.4-1.6 DC. When the height H4 is selected to be less than or equal to DC, the carton 795 relies on the upper retaining walls 784, 785 to retain the uppermost layer of containers C. The carton could be otherwise configured such that the upper retaining walls 784, 785 and/or the lower retaining walls 624, 634 are otherwise shaped, arranged, or omitted without departing from the disclosure.
Because the dispenser openings 774 extend through the second and third side panels 620, 630, containers C are accessible from the front and sides of the sections 772. The access flap 686 in the second side panels 670 can be activated by tearing the breachable lines of disruption 688. The access flaps 686 can be folded down at the fold line 689 to provide access to the bottom layer of containers C in each section 772. Alternatively, the flaps 686 can be separated or torn from the second side panels 620 of one or both of the sections 772 at the lines of disruption 689.
The dispensing carton 795 illustrated in
In the dispensing configuration, each dispenser section 972 initially accommodates six generally cylindrical containers C, arranged in three rows and two columns or vertically stacked layers. In
Each dispenser section 972 comprises a lower retaining wall 824, 834 in a respective second and third side panel 820, 830. The lower retaining walls 824, 834 comprise a corner of the dispenser section 977 (e.g., a portion of the front wall and side wall) that has a height H5. Each dispenser section 972 has an upper retaining wall 984, 985 adjacent a respective lower retaining wall 824, 834 of the second and third side panels 820, 830. In the embodiment of
The height H5 can be selected to provide access to the lower layer of containers from the sides 820, 830 of the sections 872. In the illustrated embodiment, the height H5 of the lower retaining walls 824, 834 may be between 0.4-1.6 DC. More specifically, the top edge of the lower retaining walls 824, 834 can be below the uppermost column or layer of containers C. The openings in the second side panel 820 can be configured so that multiple rows of containers C are accessible from the second side panels of the dispenser sections. The upper retaining walls 984, 985 can be configured to retain the uppermost column, or layer, of containers C in each section 972. Alternatively, the upper retaining walls 984, 985 and/or lower retaining walls 824, 834 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured.
The dispensing carton 995 illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiments, the dispenser sections are hingedly connected while in their dispensing configurations, wherein the cartons are torn along three sides while a fourth side of the cartons including the hinge lines remain intact. In alternative embodiments, the dispenser sections may be separated from one another along the hinge lines (e.g., by replacing the hinge line with a breachable line of disruption or continuing the tear line in place of the hinge line) so that the cartons are separated along four sides in order to place the cartons in their dispensing configurations.
In the above embodiments, certain exemplary cartons are described as accommodating twelve, 12-ounce, generally cylindrical beverage containers C in a 3×4×1 configuration, and one embodiment discloses eighteen containers in a 3×6×1 configuration. Other arrangements of containers, packages, articles, and other items, however, can be accommodated within a carton constructed according to the principles of the present disclosure. For example, a carton constructed according to the principles of the present disclosure would also function satisfactorily if the carton were sized and shaped to hold articles in other configurations, such as 3×2×1, 3×8×1, 2×4×1, 2×6×1, 2×8×1, 4×2×1, 4×4×1, 4×6×1, etc., and multi-tier variations of the aforementioned configurations.
The dimensions of the exemplary blanks may be altered, for example, to accommodate various container forms. For example, 16-ounce, 18-ounce or 20-ounce petaloid bottle containers, or other beverage bottle containers, such as plastic bottles having longitudinal axes, may be accommodated within cartons constructed according to the principles of the present disclosure. In such arrangements, the first or bottom ends of the bottles could be adjacent to the second or fourth side panel pairs.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, the blanks may be constructed of paperboard. The blanks can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, hard paper, solid unbleached sulfate (SUS) board, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the carton to function as described above. The blanks can also be laminated to one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.
The interior and/or exterior sides of the blanks can be coated with a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, price coding, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blanks. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks.
For purposes of the description presented herein, the term “line of disruption” can be used to generally refer to cut lines, tear lines, crease lines, score lines, and fold lines (or overlapping and/or sequential combinations of at least one cut line, crease line, score line, tear line, or fold line). A “breachable line of disruption” is a line of disruption that is intended to be breached during ordinary use of the carton, such as when placing the carton in a dispensing configuration. An example of a breachable line of disruption is a tear line.
In accordance with the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, line of disruption or other form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present disclosure, fold lines include: score lines; cuts that extend partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various overlapping and/or sequential combinations of these disruptions in blanks.
In the present specification, a “panel” or “flap” need not be flat or otherwise planar. A “panel” or “flap” can, for example, comprise a plurality of interconnected generally flat or planar blank sections.
Although each side panel is shown with a corresponding end flap, the side panels could alternatively not all include end flaps and a blank could be provided with enough end flaps only to close each end of the cartons.
The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by glue during erection of the carton embodiment. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all types of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place.
The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various exemplary embodiments. Various additions, modifications, changes, etc., could be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments of the disclosure, but the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and characteristics of each embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.
Claims
1. A blank for forming a carton, the carton being for holding a plurality of cylindrical containers in a dispensing configuration, the blank comprising:
- a pair of first side panels, a pair of second side panels each foldably attached to one of the first side panels, a pair of third side panels each foldably attached to one of the second side panels, and a pair of forth side panels each foldably attached to one of the third side panels;
- a first end flap extending from each of the first side panels, a second end flap extending from each of the second side panels, a third end flap extending from each of the third side panels; and a fourth end flap extending from each of the fourth side panels, the end flaps being arranged along respective marginal areas of the blank;
- a tear pattern extending between at least the pair of first side panels, the pair of second side panels, and the pair of third side panels; and
- the tear pattern including at least a first tear feature and a second tear feature, wherein the second tear feature is sized and shaped differently than the first tear feature, and the first tear feature extends across the width of the pair of first side panels and at least partially across the width of the pair of second side panels.
2. The blank of claim 1, the first tear feature extending between at least the pair of first side panels and the pair of second side panels and the second tear feature extending between at least the pair of third side panels.
3. The blank of claim 2, the first tear feature being defined by generally straight tear lines and the second tear feature being defined by generally curved tear lines.
4. The blank of claim 2, the second tear feature being defined at least in part by two opposing pairs of oblique tear lines, wherein each pair of oblique tear lines generally forms a V shape.
5. The blank of claim 2, the second tear feature being defined at least in part by two opposing pairs of oblique tear lines connected by a generally longitudinal tear line.
6. The blank of claim 1, the first tear feature extending between at least the pair of first side panels and a first portion of the pair of second side panels, and the second tear feature extending between at least the pair of third side panels and a second portion of the pair of second side panels.
7. The blank of claim 6, the second tear feature being defined by a pair of opposing tear lines, wherein each of the opposing tear lines includes a generally longitudinal tear line extending between two oblique tear lines.
8. The blank of claim 7, further comprising an access flap defined by a pair of breachable lines extending away from the generally longitudinal tear line across at least one of the second side panels, the access flap being foldably connected to the at least one of the second side panels.
9. The blank of claim 1, further comprising a hinge line extending between the pair of fourth panels.
10. The blank of claim 9, further comprising a pair of fifth side panels, wherein the tear pattern comprises a third tear feature extending between at least the pair of fifth side panels.
11. The blank of claim 10, wherein the hinge line extends between the second and third tear feature.
12. A carton for holding a plurality of containers and having a dispensing configuration, the carton comprising:
- a pair of first side panels, a pair of second side panels, a pair of third side panels, and a pair of fourth side panels;
- a first end panel and a second end panel;
- a tear pattern extending between at least the pair of first side panels, the pair of second side panels, and the pair of third side panels; and
- the tear pattern including at least a first tear feature and a second tear feature, wherein the second tear feature is sized and shaped differently than the first tear feature, and the first tear feature extends across the width of the pair of first side panels and at least partially across the width of the pair of second side panels.
13. The carton of claim 12, wherein the first tear feature extending between at least the pair of first side panels and the pair of second side panels and the second tear feature extending between at least the pair of third side panels.
14. The carton of claim 13, wherein the first tear feature being defined by generally straight tear lines and the second tear feature being defined by generally curved tear lines.
15. The carton of claim 13, wherein the second tear feature being defined at least in part by two opposing pairs of oblique tear lines, wherein each pair of oblique tear lines generally forms a V shape.
16. The carton of claim 13, wherein the second tear feature being defined at least in part by two opposing pairs of oblique tear lines connected by a generally longitudinal tear line.
17. The carton of claim 12, wherein the first tear feature extending between at least the pair of first side panels and a first portion of the pair of second side panels, and the second tear feature extending between at least the pair of third side panels and a second portion of the pair of second side panels.
18. The carton of claim 17, wherein the second tear feature being defined by a pair of opposing tear lines, wherein each of the opposing tear lines includes a generally longitudinal tear line extending between two oblique tear lines.
19. The carton of claim 18, further comprising an access flap defined by a pair of breachable lines extending away from the generally longitudinal tear line across at least one of the second side panels, the access flap being foldably connected to the at least one of the second side panels.
20. The carton of claim 19, wherein the access flap is further defined by a generally longitudinal fold line.
21. The carton of claim 12, further comprising a hinge line extending between the pair of fourth panels.
22. The carton of claim 21, further comprising a pair of fifth side panels, wherein the tear pattern comprises a third tear feature extending between at least the pair of fifth side panels.
23. The carton of claim 22, wherein the hinge line extends between the second and third tear feature.
24. The carton of claim 12, in combination with a plurality of containers, the carton comprising a pair of dispensing sections being foldably connected at a hinge line, the pair of dispensing sections being formed when the carton is separated at the tear pattern, and dispensing section having a dispenser opening formed by the tear pattern.
25. The carton of claim 24, wherein each dispensing section holds two layers of containers, the dispensing sections each having opposed side walls, the containers being cylindrical containers that are oriented such that respective ends of the containers are adjacent the opposed side walls of the dispensing sections.
26. The carton of claim 25, wherein the dispensing sections each comprise a front wall having an aperture defining two retaining walls, the aperture being shaped to allow access to the two layers of containers.
27. The carton of claim 26, wherein the retaining walls being shaped to retain the two layers of containers.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 26, 2008
Publication Date: May 14, 2009
Inventors: Charles F. Ho Fung (Marietta, GA), Jean-Manuel Gomes (Marietta, GA), Barry D. Biddle (Marietta, GA)
Application Number: 12/344,310
International Classification: B65D 5/54 (20060101);