Abstract:
A folded dispensing unit and a blank therefor, wherein the blank is adapted to be glued and shipped in a folded condition and erected and further folded at a point of sale, and a method of erecting the glued and folded blank. The dispensing unit includes an interior slot adapted to receive a carton including a plurality of individual products to be dispensed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    It would be desirable to provide a novel dispensing unit for consumer goods and in particular, for smokeless tobacco products, which are packaged in tubular containers and disposed within a rectangular carton. 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a folded dispensing unit adapted to be glued and shipped in a folded state and erected at a point of sale into a dispenser which can receive a carton containing a plurality of individual tubular containers of smokeless tobacco products. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Disclosed herein is a dispensing unit, i.e., dispenser adapted to receive a carton, particularly suited for tubular packages of articles, such as smokeless tobacco products, or any other types of consumer goods. 
         [0004]    According to one embodiment, a dispensing unit comprises a dispenser having an interior receiving slot; and a carton configured to contain a plurality of tubular containers which is removably disposed within the interior receiving slot of the dispenser; wherein said dispenser includes a dispensing opening aligned with an opening in said carton, the opening in the carton being adapted to dispense one of said plurality of tubular containers therethrough. The dispensing unit may further comprise a sleeve disposed around an exterior of the dispenser. 
         [0005]    A further embodiment provides a blank for a dispenser comprising a first rectangular panel having at least one tab and defining a dispensing opening; a second rectangular panel hingedly connected to said first rectangular panel; a third rectangular panel hingedly connected to said second rectangular panel along a fold line, said fold line including at least one slit for receiving the at least one tab; a fourth rectangular panel hingedly connected to said third rectangular panel and having a first tuck flap; a fifth rectangular panel hingedly connected to said fourth rectangular panel; a sixth rectangular panel hingedly connected to said fifth rectangular panel and having a second tuck flap; and a glue flap. 
         [0006]    According to another embodiment, a method of folding a blank for a dispenser is provided, wherein the blank comprises a first rectangular panel having at least one tab hingedly connected thereto along at least a first fold line and defining a dispensing opening; a second rectangular panel hingedly connected to said first rectangular panel along a third fold line; a third rectangular panel hingedly connected to said second rectangular panel along a fourth fold line, said fold line including at least one slit; a fourth rectangular panel hingedly connected to said third rectangular panel along a fifth fold line and having a first tuck flap; a fifth rectangular panel hingedly connected to said fourth rectangular panel along an eighth fold line; a sixth rectangular panel hingedly connected to said fifth rectangular panel along a ninth fold line and having a second tuck flap; and a glue flap hingedly connected to said sixth rectangular panel along a twelfth fold line, said method comprising pre-breaking the third, fifth, ninth and twelfth fold lines; folding the blank 180 degrees about the eighth fold line; gluing the glue flap to an inner surface of the third rectangular panel adjacent to the fourth fold line; pre-breaking the fourth fold line; gluing the fifth rectangular panel to an inner surface of the first rectangular panel such that the ninth fold line is spaced from the third fold line by a predetermined distance; wherein the glue flap has a predetermined width, the predetermined width of the glue flap being substantially equal to the predetermined distance; pre-breaking the at least one first fold line; and folding the first rectangular panel such that the at least one tab is inserted into the at least one slit and thereby forming an interior slot within the dispenser. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a dispensing unit in an erected state, with a container shown in a slightly withdrawn condition. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a planar view of a dispenser blank for a dispenser in an unfolded state. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the dispenser blank of  FIG. 2  in a glued and folded state. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a planar view of a sleeve blank in an unfolded state. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows a planar view of a carton blank in an unfolded state. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the carton blank of  FIG. 5  in a glued and folded state. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show a perspective view of the carton in an erected and sealed state, and in an erected and open state, respectively. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a lower front partial view of the dispenser unit of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a lower side partial view of the dispenser unit of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , dispensing unit  500  comprises a dispenser  510 , a sleeve  520  extending around dispenser  510 , and a carton  530  removably inserted within a carton slot  535  formed between two walls within an interior of the dispenser  510 . Carton  530  preferably contains a plurality of tubular containers  540  to be dispensed one at a time, as described in further detail below. The tubular container may contain a plurality of individual piece goods, and is particularly well suited for smokeless tobacco products, or any other type of consumer goods. The dispensing unit  500  can be attached to existing fixtures with magnets  550 , as shown, double-sided adhesive tape, or similar attachment means 
         [0017]    A dispenser blank  100  for the dispenser  510  is described herein. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the blank  100  comprises a first rectangular panel  20 , a second rectangular panel  25 , a third rectangular panel  30 , a fourth rectangular panel  40 , a fifth rectangular panel  50 , a sixth rectangular panel  60 , and a glue flap  70 . The first rectangular panel  20  has first and second tabs  5 ,  10  and a dispensing opening  15 . The tabs  5 ,  10  are connected to the first panel  20  along first and second fold lines L 1 , L 2 , respectively. The second rectangular panel  25  is hingedly connected to the first rectangular panel  20  along a third fold line L 3 . The third rectangular panel  30  is hingedly connected to the second rectangular panel  25  along a fourth fold line L 4 , which further includes slits  26 ,  28  for receiving the first and second tabs  5 ,  10 . The third rectangular panel  30  further includes an adhesive strip  32 , such as a pressure sensitive tape, covered with a releasable paper. The fourth rectangular panel  40  and the sixth rectangular panel  60  include tuck flaps  45 ,  65 , respectively, connected by fold lines L 7 , L 11 . The tuck flaps  45 ,  65  are folded one upon the other when the dispenser  510  is erected to form the bottom of the carton receiving slot  535 . Tuck flap  45  includes a glue strip  48  covered with a releasable paper to maintain the folded and tucked configuration, as described below, and provide a double reinforced bottom surface. As illustrated, the tuck flaps  45 ,  65 , fourth rectangular panel  40 , fifth rectangular panel  50  and sixth rectangular panel  60  form a cut-away area “C” having rounded corners. The fourth rectangular panel  40  and the sixth rectangular panel  60  also include guide panels  35 ,  55 , respectively, connected by fold lines L 6 , L 10 . During erection of the dispenser  510 , guide panels  35 ,  55  are folded away from each other so as to provide a broader, convergent opening at the top of the carton receiving slot  535 . Such an arrangement facilitates insertion of a carton  530  into the interior opening of the carton slot  535 . 
         [0018]    The dispenser blank  100  is preferably folded and glued so as to provide an erectable dispenser blank structure in a folded condition which can be erected and folded to form the dispenser  510 . Hence, the dispenser blank is configured to be readily glued and folded into a collapsed state to facilitate shipping to the sales force, and the collapsed unit is readily erected and further folded in the field. More particularly, with reference also to  FIG. 3 , glue flap  70  is adapted to be glued to an inner or inside surface of the third rectangular panel (“interior side panel”)  30  and fifth rectangular panel  50  is adapted to be glued to an inner or inside surface of the first rectangular panel  20 . The glue flap  70  is glued such that the long edge  72  of glue flap  70  is adjacent to an inner surface of fold line L 4 , and preferably positioned with clearance for the slits  26  and  28 . Fold lines L 3 , L 5 , L 9 , and L 12  are preferably pre-broken by folding 180°, fold line L 8  is then folded 180° and the inner surface of glue flap  70  is then glued to the inner surface of third panel  30 . Fifth panel  50  is glued such that the fold line L 9  is spaced from an inner surface of fold line L 3  by a predetermined distance W 2  preferably essentially equal to a width W 1  of glue flap  70 . Fold line L 4  is preferably pre-broken by folding 180° and the outer surface of fifth panel  50  is glued to the inner surface of first panel  20  to form a glued and folded blank structure. Hence, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a carton receiving slot  535  is defined. Preferably, the dispenser blank  100  as thus folded and glued is laid flat for shipping and then erected and further folded in the field. 
         [0019]    The glued and folded blank  100  is erected to the state shown in  FIG. 3  to form a carton receiving slot  535  between the fourth and sixth panels  40 ,  60  and between the third and fifth panels  30 ,  50 . The carton receiving slot  535  is spaced from an inner surface of second panel  25  by a distance W 2 . In effect, the carton receiving slot  535  and the adjacent space  801  become first and second rectangular structures upon erection of the dispenser  510 . The fold lines L 1 , L 2  for tabs  5 ,  10  are preferably pre-broken, and first rectangular panel  20  is folded so as to align longitudinal edge  8  of first panel  20  with fold line L 4  and tabs  5 ,  10  can be inserted into respective slits  26 ,  28  so as to form the semi-elliptical, cross-sectional shape of the dispenser  510 , akin to that of a mailbox. Prior to inserting the tabs  5 ,  10  into the slits  26 ,  28 , the releasable paper is preferably removed from glue strip  32  so that glue strip  32  adheres to an inner surface of first panel  20  and maintains connection of the panel  20  with the panel  30  and the semi-elliptical shape. 
         [0020]    Thereafter, or prior to folding and gluing first rectangular panel  20 , fold lines L 7 , L 11  are pre-broken. The releasable paper is removed from glue strip  48  prior to folding tuck flap  45  inward and tuck flap  65  is then folded inward over tuck flap  45  and adhered thereto. The overlapping tuck flaps  45 ,  65  thus provide a double wall thickness and additional strength and support in forming the bottom of the carton slot  535  when the dispenser  510  is erected and vertically oriented to dispense containers from the carton through the dispenser opening  15 . As illustrated, the erected dispenser  510  has a planar rear wall to facilitate attachment to a store fixture and the dispensing opening  15  is provided on a side of the rounded or semi-elliptical front wall formed by bending the first panel  20 . The connection of the tuck flaps  45 ,  65  also reinforces the rectangular structures  535 ,  801 . 
         [0021]    The dispenser blank  100  for the dispenser  510  preferably includes printed indicia, graphical ornamentation or the like, preferably at or along the outer surface of the panel  20 . In order to protect the same, while also providing additional structural support to the dispenser  510 , a transparent sleeve  520  is preferably disposed around dispenser  510 . The sleeve  520  is erected from a sleeve blank  200  which is preferably made from PET, or a similar transparent material, so as not to obscure the printed indicia on the dispenser  510 . With reference to  FIG. 4 , the sleeve blank  200  comprises a first end panel  210 , a center panel  220 , and a second end panel  230 . First end panel  210  includes openings  212 ,  214  and second end panel  230  includes locking tabs  232 ,  234  to be inserted into openings  212 ,  214 . Second end panel  230  further includes end flaps  216 ,  218  hingedly connected thereto along fold lines L 1  and L 4 . The center panel  220  includes a cut-out  222  corresponding in size to dispensing opening  15  in dispenser blank  100 . In order to place the sleeve blank  200  around the dispenser  510 , fold lines L 1 -L 4  are pre-broken by folding about 180°. The first end panel  210  is aligned with second rectangular panel (“back panel”)  25  of the dispenser blank  100 . The second rectangular panel  25  forms the planar rear or backside of the dispenser  510  when it is vertically oriented to dispense containers through the dispenser opening  15 . While maintaining first end panel  210  in place, the sleeve blank  200  is wrapped around the dispenser  510  such that the cut-out  222  is aligned with the dispensing opening  15 , and the locking tabs  232 ,  234  are then inserted into openings  212 ,  214 , respectively, so as to secure the sleeve blank  200  in its position about the dispenser  510  and thereby form sleeve  520 . The end flaps  216 ,  218  are then folded 180° to wrap around the end edges of second panel  25  and rest against an interior surface of second panel  25 . The sleeve  520  is thus prevented from sliding longitudinally relative to the dispenser  510 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the dispensing unit  500  further comprises a carton  530  removably inserted within a carton slot  535  formed between two walls within an interior of the dispenser  510 . Carton  530  preferably contains a plurality of tubular containers  540 , i.e., tubes, which are individually dispensed through the dispensing opening  15  of the dispenser  510 . In a preferred embodiment, the carton  530  contains ten tubular containers arranged side-by-side such that when carton  530  is disposed vertically within the dispenser  510 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , the next adjacent tubular container is gravity fed to the dispensing opening  15  as each tubular container is dispensed. The tubular containers may contain a plurality of individual pieces or products, such as smokeless tobacco products, or any other type of consumer goods. The container may also have forms other than tubular. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a carton blank  300  comprises a first (side) rectangular panel  310 , a second (front) rectangular panel  320 , a third (side) rectangular panel  330 , and a fourth (rear) rectangular panel  340 . The carton blank  300  further comprises a glue flap  350 , a first bottom panel  360 , a second bottom panel  365 , a third bottom panel  370 , and a fourth bottom panel  375 . The glue flap  350  is hingedly connected to the first rectangular panel  310  along a first fold line L 1 . The first bottom panel  360  has first and second short ends  362   a,    362   b  and first and second long ends  364   a,    364   b,  the second long end  364   b  of the first bottom panel  360  being hingedly connected to the first rectangular panel  310  along a second fold line L 2 . The first long end  364   a,  the first short end  362   a,  and the second short end  362   b  of the first bottom panel  360  are free ends. The first bottom panel  360  also includes an adhesive strip  361 , such as a pressure sensitive tape, covered with a releasable paper. The second bottom panel  365  has first and second short ends  367   a,    367   b  and first and second long ends  369   a,    369   b,  the second long end  369   b  of the second bottom panel  365  being hingedly connected to the second rectangular panel  320  along a fifth fold line L 5 . The first long end  369   a,  the first short end  367   a,  and the second short end  367   b  of the second bottom panel  365  are free ends. The third bottom panel  370  has first and second short ends  372   a,    372   b  and first and second long ends  374   a,    374   b,  the second long end  374   b  of the third bottom panel  370  being hingedly connected to the third rectangular panel  330  along an eighth fold line L 8 . The first long end  374   a,  the first short end  372   a,  and the second short end  372   b  of the third bottom panel  370  are free ends. The fourth bottom panel  375  has first and second short ends  377   a,    377   b  and first and second long ends  379   a,    379   b,  the second long end  379   b  of the fourth bottom panel  375  being hingedly connected to the fourth rectangular panel  340  along an eleventh fold line L 11 . The first long end  379   a,  the first short end  377   a,  and the second short end  377   b  of the fourth bottom panel  375  are free ends. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the carton blank  300  further comprises a first top panel  380 , a second top panel  385 , a third top panel  390 , and a fourth top panel  395  similar in construction to the above-described bottom panels. The first top panel  380  has first and second short ends  382   a,    382   b  and first and second long ends  384   a,    384   b,  the second long end  384   b  of the first top panel  380  being hingedly connected to the first rectangular panel  310  along a third fold line L 3 . The first long end  384   a,  the first short end  382   a,  and the second short end  382   b  of the first top panel  380  are free ends. The first top panel  380  further includes an adhesive strip  381 , such as a pressure sensitive tape, covered with a releasable paper. The second top panel  385  has first and second short ends  387   a,    387   b  and first and second long ends  389   a,    389   b,  the second long end  389   b  of the second top panel  385  being hingedly connected to the second rectangular panel  320  along a sixth fold line L 6 . The first long end  389   a,  the first short end  387   a , and the second short end  387   b  of the second top panel  385  are free ends. The third top panel  390  has first and second short ends  392   a,    392   b  and first and second long ends  394   a,    394   b,  the second long end  394   b  of the third top panel  390  being hingedly connected to the third rectangular panel  330  along a ninth fold line L 9 . The first long end  394   a,  the first short end  392   a,  and the second short end  392   b  of the third top panel  390  are free ends. The fourth top panel  395  has first and second short ends  397   a,    397   b  and first and second long ends  399   a,    399   b,  the second long end  399   b  of the fourth top panel  395  being hingedly connected to the fourth rectangular panel  340  along a twelfth fold line L 12 . The first long end  399   a,  the first short end  397   a,  and the second short end  397   b  of the fourth top panel  395  are free ends. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the carton blank  300  is folded by pre-breaking fold lines L 1  and L 7  and then folding the blank 180° along fold line L 4 . The glue flap  350  is then glued to an inside surface of fourth rectangular panel  340 . The bottom end of the carton blank  300  is closed by folding second bottom panel  365  and fourth bottom panel  375  inward, folding first bottom panel  360  inward so as to overlie the second and fourth bottom panels, and then folding the third bottom panel  370  inward such that an inner surface of third bottom panel  370  is adhered to the pressure sensitive tape  361  disposed on first bottom panel  360 . The top end of the carton blank  300  is closed by folding second top panel  385  and fourth top panel  395  inward, folding first top panel  380  inward so as to overlie the second and fourth top panels, and then folding the third top panel  390  inward such that an inner surface of third top panel  390  is adhered to the pressure sensitive tape  381  disposed on first top panel  360 . The carton  530  is thus sealed with the individual products disposed inside, as shown in  FIG. 7A . 
         [0026]    In order to dispense the products within carton  530 , the carton  530  must be adapted for a dispensing or product removal opening  532 , as shown in  FIG. 7B . The opening  532  is formed by removing portions of the carton blank  300  defined along the perforated and/or cut line “P” extending across first bottom panel  360 , first rectangular panel  310 , second rectangular panel  320 , third rectangular panel  330 , and third bottom panel  370 . The dispensing opening preferably allows the removal of product from the carton, one at a time. The size and configuration of the opening  532  formed in the carton  530  coincides with the cut-away area “C” defined by the tuck flaps  45 ,  65 , fourth rectangular panel  40 , fifth rectangular panel  50  and sixth rectangular panel  60  of the dispenser blank  100 . That is, when the dispenser blank  100  is folded to form the carton slot  535 , the cut-away area “C” defines an opening corresponding to the product removal opening  532  in the carton  530 . 
         [0027]    The dispenser  510  and sleeve  520  are reusable components. The carton  530  on the other hand is disposable after the product contained therein has been depleted. Thus, the merchant can continuously replace the cartons  530  within the same dispenser  510  as the product is used, or product to be dispensed can be simply changed merely by replacing a carton of a first product with a carton of a second product. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when viewed from the front of the dispensing unit (“display”)  500 , the opening  15  is sufficiently long so as to provide a consumer a partial view of an end portion of a container  540  that is available for withdrawal from the carton  530  (not shown). At the side of the display, spaces W 1  and  803  are provided at opposite sides of a container  540  to provide adequate room and facilitate placement of a thumb and finger on the sides of a presented end portion of the container  540  to enable its withdrawal by the consumer. 
         [0029]    The dispenser  510  is erected from blank  100  that is made of paper according to one embodiment. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that dispenser  510  could also be formed as an integral plastic product 
         [0030]    While the above dispensing unit, blanks, and method of forming the same have been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made, and equivalents employed, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.