Abstract:
A carton is formed from a blank having a longitudinal length and a transverse width. The blank has a front panel with a display window, a first side panel, a back panel, a second side panel, and a display panel. The display panel has a central portion and a marginal portion that circumscribes the central portion. The marginal portion is at least partially defined by at least two spaced-apart transverse fold lines and at least two longitudinal edges extending between the fold lines. At least a portion of the display panel is positionable to face the display window in the carton formed from the blank. At least one strut is cut from the central portion of the display panel. Each strut comprises a base panel foldably connected to the display panel and an adhesive flap foldably connected to the base panel.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Premium articles have been used to promote the sale of products enclosed within cartons. For example, toys and other novelty items have been mounted in cartons containing food products in order to enhance the salability of the products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,886 to Brauner et al. discloses one such product. Brauner&#39;s package, however, requires the use of a separate premium tray to house a promotional product, which increases the cost and difficulty of manufacture of the package. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first embodiment, a carton blank comprises a front panel having a display window, a first side panel, a back panel, a second side panel, a display panel, at least one top flap extending across a first marginal potion of the blank, and at least one bottom flap extending across a second marginal portion of the blank. When the carton is assembled from the blank, a portion of the display panel faces the display window. 
     According to the first embodiment, an article can be mounted within the carton between the display panel and the display window, where it is visible from the exterior of the carton. Additional mounting trays or inserts are not required, which reduces the cost of manufacture. In alternative embodiments, graphical and/or textual information can be printed on the display panel such that it is visible through the display window. 
     The article may kept separate from the contents of the carton, which prevents contamination of the carton contents and reduces the likelihood of damage to the article. The size of the display window can be selected so that the article may not be removed through the display window, which reduces the likelihood of pilferage of the article. 
     Other aspects, features, and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a blank used to form a carton according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the blank partially erected. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the carton partially erected. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the carton partially erected. 
         FIG. 5  is a section view taken on line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the assembled carton. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a blank used to form a carton according to a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present embodiments are addressed to cartons having display features which allow a premium, product information, and/or other items to be viewed from an exterior of the cartons. 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a first, interior side  5  of a blank  8  used to form a carton  100  (illustrated in  FIG. 6 ) according to a first embodiment. The first side  5  will be disposed in the interior of the assembled carton  100 . 
     The blank  8  comprises a first side panel  10  foldably connected to a front panel  20  at a first transverse fold line  21 , a second side panel  30  foldably connected to the front panel  20  at a second transverse fold line  31 , a back panel  40  foldably connected to the first side panel  30  at a third transverse fold line  41 , a third side panel  50  foldably connected to the back panel  40  at a fourth transverse fold line  51 , a display panel  60  foldably connected to the third side panel  50  at a fifth transverse fold line  61 , and an adhesive flap  80  foldably connected to the display panel  60  at a sixth transverse fold line  81 . 
     The first side panel  10  is foldably connected to a side top flap  12  and a side bottom flap  14 . The front panel  20  is foldably connected to a front top flap  22  and a front bottom flap  24 . The second side panel  30  is foldably connected to a side top flap  32  and a side bottom flap  34 . The back panel  40  is foldably connected to a back top flap  42  and a back bottom flap  44 . The flaps  12 ,  22 ,  32 ,  42  extend along a top marginal area of the blank  8 , and the flaps  14 ,  24 ,  34 ,  44  extend along a bottom marginal area of the blank  8 . When the carton  100  is assembled, the flaps  12 ,  22 ,  32 ,  42  close a top opening of the carton  100 , and the flaps  14 ,  24 ,  34 ,  44  close a bottom opening of the carton  100 . 
     The front top flap  22  can include a closure tab  26  that is sized to be received in a closure slit  46  formed in the back top flap  42 . The closure tab  26  and closure slit  46  provide for recloseable sealing of the carton  100  after the top of the carton  100  has been opened. Glue release cuts  48  can also be included in the back top flap  42  to aid in opening of the carton  100 . 
     A display window or aperture  26  is formed in the front panel  20 . The display window  26  is arranged in the front panel  20  so that when the carton  100  is erected, a premium article A (shown in  FIG. 2 ) mounted on a display side of the display panel  60  is visible through the window  26 . The premium article A, as shown in  FIG. 2 , will be mounted on the opposite, exterior, side of the blank  8 , at a location generally indicated by the area M in  FIG. 1 . The display panel  60  includes struts  70  cut from the display panel  60 . Each strut  70  includes a base panel  76  connected to the display panel  60  at a fold line  78 , and an adhesive flap or tab  72  connected to the base panel  76  at a fold line  74 . The struts  70  provide an offset spacing of the display panel  60  from the front panel  20 . In the assembled carton  100 , the offset spacing between the display panel  60  and the front panel  20  is generally defined by the length L 3  of the base panels  76 . The length L 1  of the first side panel  30  may be, for example, approximately equal to the length L 2  of the second side panel  30  plus the length L 3  of the base panels  76 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the blank  8  partially erected. In practice, the blank  8  may remain generally flat during this stage of erection, with  180  degree folding occurring at fold lines  61  and  41 . For the purpose of illustrating the final arrangement of the display panel  60  and the struts  70 , however,  FIG. 2  shows the blank  8  folded about fold lines  51  and  61 , and the struts  70  in an erect position. Initially, glue or other adhesive is applied to the adhesive flap  80  as indicated by the stippling, as well as on the tabs  72 . Adhesive is also applied to the display panel  60  at a location where the article A is to be applied, and to the exterior side of the third side panel  50 . The blank  8  is then folded  180  degrees about the fold line  61 , and the article A is adhered to the display panel  60 . After adhering the article A to the panel  60 , the blank  8  is then folded 180 degrees about the fold line  41 . Folding about the fold line  41  brings the second side panel  30  into contact with the adhesive on the adhesive flap  80 , and the adhesive on the struts  70  into contact with the front panel  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first side panel  10  is adhered to the third side panel  50 , and the resulting article is “opened” so that it has a tubular configuration.  FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the partially assembled carton, and  FIG. 5  is a section view taken on line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the struts  70  offset the display panel  60  from the front panel  20  by a distance that may be equal to or approximately equal to the length L 3  of the base panels  76 . The article A is disposed on the display panel  60  so that it is visible through the display window  26  in the front panel  20 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 6 , the flaps  12 ,  14 ,  22 ,  24 ,  32 ,  34 ,  42 ,  44  may be adhered by glue or other adhesives in a conventional manner, resulting in the carton  100  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . A bag (not shown) or other vessel filled with product may be inserted in the carton in a conventional manner before closing the flaps  12 ,  14 ,  22 ,  24 ,  32 ,  34 ,  42 ,  44 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the finished carton  100  has a top panel  90  formed from the flaps  12 ,  22 ,  32 ,  42 , and a bottom panel  92  formed from the flaps  14 ,  24 ,  34 ,  44 . The display window  26  allows a consumer to view the premium article A, and if desired, to touch or otherwise evaluate the article A. 
     The premium article A can be, for example, any item used to enhance the salability or desirability of a product contained within the assembled carton  100 . For example, the premium article A is illustrated in  FIG. 2  as a compact disc. As an alternative to or in combination with the premium article A, the display panel  60  could also include, for example, an image or other graphical, textual, or product information. If there is no premium article A applied to the display panel  60 , a printing step may be used to apply an image to the display panel  60 , and an article adhesion step may be omitted. If desired, the display window  26  may be covered by a clear layer of film or other material. 
       FIG. 7  is a plan view of a blank  208  used to form a carton according to a second embodiment. The blank  208  is generally identical to the blank illustrated in  FIG. 1 , except that the display window  226  in the front panel  220  is formed from a plurality apertures  228 . The apertures  228  are generally rectangular and are arranged in a grid of columns and rows. The grid of apertures  228  can be used to create special optical effects for a consumer viewing an article disposed behind the window  226 . 
     According to the above embodiments, product salability can be enhanced by an article mounted within the carton between the display panel and the display window, where it is visible from the exterior of the carton. The article is kept separate from the contents of the carton, which prevents contamination of the carton contents and reduces the likelihood of damage to the article. In some embodiments, the size of the display window can be selected so that the article may not be removed through the display window, which reduces the likelihood of pilferage of the article. Graphical and/or textual information can also be printed on the display panel such that it is visible and/or accessible through the display window. 
     In the exemplary embodiments discussed above, the blanks may be formed from clay coated newsprint (CCN). In general, the blanks may be constructed of paperboard, having a caliper of at least about  14 , so that they are heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blanks, and thus the cartons, can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the cartons to function at least generally as described above. The first and second sides of the blanks can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blank. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blanks can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections. 
     In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present invention, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends 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 combinations of these features. In situations where cutting is used to create a fold line, typically the cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable user to incorrectly consider the fold line to be a tear line. 
     The above embodiments may be described as having one or panels adhered together by glue. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place. 
     The foregoing description of the invention illustrates and describes the present invention. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected preferred embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention 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.