Abstract:
A carton comprising a front panel and a rear panel, the front panel and the rear panel connected one to the other by a top panel and a bottom panel, each of the front panel, the top panel and the bottom panel having appended side flaps, a product separator is located in the carton, the product separator secured in the carton by recesses on the appended side flaps. The product separator separates the carton into a first cavity and a second cavity, at least one product being disposed within each of the first cavity and the second cavity. The front panel is at least partially transparent. Each of the front panel flaps having an appended glue flap, the appended glue flaps having a plurality of glue tabs. The top panel and the rear panel having an appended hanger panel with an aperture and a structure to reclose the carton.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/326,272 filed on Dec. 2, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,066,178 which is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US2008/085133, filed on Dec. 1, 2008. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a display carton blank, and display carton for a plurality of products where the contained products are maintained in a set array in the carton. The carton is comprised of a carton and a separator, the separator being maintained in place by recesses in the sidewalls of the carton. The carton front surface can be at least partially transparent. Other surfaces also can be at least partially transparent. 
     Many products are sold in amounts of two to ten or more. Many of these products are preferably displayed and maintained in a set array in the carton. Being maintained in a set array is useful in cases where the units are to be seen through an at least partially transparent front surface. The units that can be seen through the front surface can be a significant factor in the product being purchased. The products are preferably displayed neatly to convey the proper message about the product to the prospective purchaser. In addition, the carton should be of a low cost, structurally stable, tamper evident and versatile in display. As used herein, versatile in display means that the carton can be displayed both resting on a store shelf and suspended from a peg or similar hardware that extends outwardly from a vertical support. When the product can be displayed sitting on a store shelf it then also can be stored on a shelf at the purchaser&#39;s residence. Storability by the purchaser is convenient because the units in the carton may be used over a period of time. The carton should have sufficient structural stability so as not to be damaged during shipping and handling and display at the retail outlet. It also should be sufficiently durable to protect the contained units from any damage. To be tamper evident, it should be discernable from a casual inspection whether the carton has been the subject of any tampering. 
     The present carton solves the above problems through a unique structure for the carton. The carton has a unique carton structure, a unique product separator structure, and a unique carton/product separator interfitting structure. Low cost is achieved by the use of a design that minimizes the amount of material yet maintains sufficient strength. This results in a display carton for a plurality of products at a low cost, one which is structurally stable, is tamper evident, and is versatile in display. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a display carton for a plurality of products. In one embodiment, the carton comprises a front panel and a rear panel, the front panel and the rear panel connected one to the other by a top panel and a bottom panel, each of the front panel, the top panel and the bottom panel having appended side flaps. Each of the top panel and side panel appended side flaps has a recess, the recesses of the top panel flaps being in alignment with the recesses of the bottom panel flaps to form combined recesses in the sidewall of the carton. There is a product separator within the carton, the product separator having a separator panel with an appended first panel and an appended second panel, each of the first panel and the second panel being fitted into the combined recess in the sidewall of the carton to thereby secure the product separator within the carton. The product separator maintaining the position of the products displayed in the carton. 
     The carton has at least one surface which is at least partially transparent in order to display the container products. This preferably is the front surface. Other surfaces, such as the top surface can be at least partially transparent. The product separator will maintain the product units adjacent the front panel and any other panel with an at least partially transparent surface in a neat array. 
     The front panel side flaps have appended glue flaps, there being a score line between each of the side flaps and the glue flaps. The glue flap is at an angle to the side flap. Each glue flap has a plurality glue tabs, the appended glue flaps attaching to the rear panel of the carton. 
     The first panel and the second panel of the product separator have a shape which conforms to the shape of the combined recesses, the first panel and the second panel preferably having a rectangular shape with the combined recesses having a conforming rectangular shape. 
     The top panel has an attached first hanger panel and the rear panel has an attached second hanger panel, the first hanger panel and the second hanger panel jointly forming a common hanger panel of the carton. The second hanger panel has breakaway glue tabs to secure the rear panel in a closed position and a remaining bendable tab to maintain the rear panel closed. 
     The product separator has apertures and a product separator weakened area to promote a partial fold. The apertures provide for a gripping of the product separator. The partial fold provides for a way to insert and to remove the product separator. The product separator provides for product to be maintained between the front panel and the product separator and the rear panel and the product separator. 
     The carton is constructed from a carton blank which is comprised of a front panel with an attached top panel at one end and an attached bottom panel at another end. A rear panel is attached to the bottom panel. Each of the front panel, top panel and the bottom panel have side flaps, the rear panel being devoid of side flaps. The top panel has a first hanger panel and the rear panel has a second hanger panel, each hanger panel having an aperture. The top panel side flaps and the bottom panel side flaps each has a recess, the recesses aligning when the carton blank is formed into a carton to form common recesses. Each front panel flap has an appended glue flap, each glue flap having a plurality of glue tabs. The front panel of the carton blank is at least partially transparent. 
     The carton can be made of a wide range of materials. These range from various paperboards to various plastics. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of the carton blank for forming the carton. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the product separator for the carton. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the carton. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the carton of  FIG. 3  with the product separator seen through a transparent front surface. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the carton along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the carton of  FIG. 4  with two units of product displayed through the front surface. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear elevation view of the carton of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the carton along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a view of the carton of  FIG. 4  being opened. 
         FIG. 10  is a view of the carton of  FIG. 10  partially opened. 
         FIG. 11  is a view of the carton of  FIG. 10  being reclosed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a blank  11  for forming a display carton  10  ( FIG. 4 ) is illustrated. The blank  11  is comprised of a front panel  12  with a transparent front panel window  14 . At one end of the front panel  12  is a top panel  18 . The transparent front panel window  14  of the front panel  12  is shown as extending into the top panel  18 . The size, shape and orientation of the panel window  14  is not limited to that illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The panel window  14  could be smaller or larger and of any shape and orientation as long as products in the carton  10  are visible from outside of the carton  10 . Attached to the top panel  18  is a first hanger panel  22  which has a first hanger panel aperture  21 . Attached to the front panel  12  opposite the top panel  18  is a bottom panel  20  with a rear panel  16  attached to the other end of the bottom panel  20 . Attached to the bottom panel  20  is a second hanger panel  24  which has a second hanger panel aperture  23 . The second hanger panel  24  has a plurality of weakened lines  13  delineating a plurality of break-away glue tabs  17 . The front panel  12 , top panel  18  and the bottom panel  20  each have side flaps  30 ,  32 ,  26 ,  26 ,  34 ,  36 . There are no side flaps on the rear panel  16 , or on the front hanger panel  22 , or on the rear hanger panel  24 . 
     The front panel  12  has a left side flap  30  and a right side flap  32 . Each of these side flaps  30 ,  32  has an appended glue flap  31 ,  33 . The left side glue flap  31  is appended to the left side flap  30  and the right side glue flap  33  is attached to the right side flap  32 . There is a weakened area  15  between each of the glue flaps  31 ,  33  and the side flap  30 ,  32  to which it is appended. Each of the right side glue flap  32  and the left side glue flap  30  has a plurality of glue tabs  38 , each glue tab  38  outlined with a weakened area  38 ( a ). The glue tabs  38  are a part of the tamper evident structure of the carton. The glue tabs  38  will attach to the inner surface of the rear panel  16  when the carton blank  11  has been folded to construct the carton  10  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). When the carton  10  is opened the glue tabs  38  will remain attached to the inner surface of the rear panel  16  because the weakened areas  38 ( a ) will sever. When it is seen that the glue tabs  38  are attached to the inner surface of the rear panel  16  there is evidence that the carton  10  has been opened or tampered. Similarly, the weakened lines  13  of the back panel provide the second hanger panel  24  with break-away glue tabs  17 . When the rear panel  16  is pulled outward, the break-away glue tabs  17  sever along weakened lines  13  and remain attached to the front hanger panel  22 . 
     The top panel  18  has a right side top flap  28  with a right side top flap recess  27 , and a left side top flap  26  with a left side top flap recess  25 . The bottom panel  20  has a right side bottom flap  36  which has a right side bottom flap recess  37  and a left side bottom flap  34  with a left side bottom flap recess  35 . When the bottom panel  20  and the top panel  18 , with their attached side flaps  34 ,  36 , are folded to form the carton  10 , the left side top panel flap recess  25  and the left side bottom panel flap recess  35  will form a single combined recess  25 / 35  along the inner surface of left side flap  30 . Likewise the right side top panel flap recess  27  and the right side bottom panel flap  37  will form a combined recess  27 / 37  along the inner surface of the right side flap  32 . These combined recesses  25 / 35  and  27 / 37  serve to secure the product separator  40  in the carton  10 . 
     The product separator  40  is shown in  FIG. 2 . This product separator  40  is comprised of a separator panel  42  with grip apertures  41 . The separator panel  42  has a separator panel top flap  48  and a separator panel bottom flap  46 . There can be a weakened area  47  to allow for a slight bending of the separator panel  42  when the grip apertures  41  are gripped and lightly pulled together. This facilitates the insertion and removal of the product separator  40  from the carton  10 . The separator panel top flap  48  and a separator panel bottom flap  46  serve to align and support the product separator  40  in the carton  10 . The separator panel  42  has a first panel  44  and a second panel  45 . Between the separator panel  42  and the first panel  44  and a second panel  45  there is a weakened area  39  depicted as a scored line. There will be a bend of about 75 to 105 degrees at this weakened line  39 . Usually the bend will be about 90 degrees. The first panel  44  and a second panel  45  will fit into combined recesses  25 / 35  and  27 / 37 . The exact combined recess into which first locking panel  44  and a second locking panel  45  will fit into will be determined by the orientation of the product separator  40  when it is inserted into the carton  10 . The product separator  40  is secured in the carton  10 . Secured means that the product separator  40  is supported in a stable position when it is inserted into combined recessed  25 / 35  and  27 / 37 . The product separator remains detachable and removable from the carton  10 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show carton  10  formed from the carton blank  11  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  shows the carton  10  without the product separator  40  while  FIG. 4  shows the carton  10  with the product separator  40 . The carton  10  is comprised of front panel  12  with transparent front panel window  14 . There is seen right side flap  32 , top panel  18 , and combined apertures of first hanger panel  22  with first hanger panel  22  and second hanger panel  24 . In  FIG. 4  there is additionally seen the inner surface of left side flap  30 , the separator panel  42 , and the separator panel grip apertures  41 . All of the other parts of the carton  10  of  FIG. 4  are the same as that shown in  FIG. 3 . All of the parts of the carton  10  of  FIGS. 3 and 4  can be seen in the carton blank  11  of  FIG. 1  and the product separator  40  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-section of the carton  10  of  FIG. 4  along line  5 - 5 . There is shown in this view the carton  10  with front panel  12  and front panel window  14 , rear panel  16  and bottom panel  20 . The front panel  12  has left side flap  30  with attached left side glue flap  31  and right side flap  32  with attached right side glue flap  33 . Each glue flap has glue tabs  38 . These are attached to the inner surface of rear panel  16 . Left side bottom flap  34  forms part of combined recess  25 / 35  and right side bottom flap  36  forms part of combined recess  35 / 37 . The product separator  40  has grip apertures  41  with first panel  44  and second panel  45  of the separator panel  42 . The first panel fits into combined recess  25 / 35  and second panel  45  fits into combined recess  27 / 37 . The separator bottom panel  46  comprises the weakened bend area  47 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the carton  10  filled with product packages  50  and  52 . These product packages  50 / 52  are between the front panel  12  and the product separator  40 . The product packages  50 / 52  are shown as thermoformed packs, each containing two portable toothbrushes. The thermoformed pack  50  contains toothbrushes  54  and  55  and has a product package aperture  51  for the option of hanging the product. The thermoformed pack  52  contains toothbrushes  56  and  57  and has a product package aperture  58 .  FIG. 7  is a rear elevation view of the carton  10 . There is shown rear panel  16 , second hanger panel  24  and second hanger panel aperture  23 . The second hanger panel  24  reinforces the first hanger panel  22 . The second hanger panel has weakened line  13  that delineates break-away glue tabs  17 . There also is a fold line  24 ( a ) where the remaining part of second hanger  24  can bend and aid in re-closing the carton after an initial opening. This is shown in more detail in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of a side of the carton  10  along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . This view shows the left side of the carton  10  with the product separator  40  in place. There is shown front panel  12  with front window panel  14 . The top panel  18  and bottom panel  20  along with rear panel  16  complete the basic structure of the carton  10 . The left side flap  30  has appended left side glue flap  31  with glue tabs  38 . Glue tabs  38  attach the left side glue flap  31  to the rear panel  16 . The top panel flap  26  and the bottom panel flap  34  form the combined recess  25 / 35  into which the first locking panel  44  of the separator  40  fits. This secures the separator  40  in place in the carton  10 . The first hanger panel  22  and the second hanger panel  24  also are shown in this view. 
       FIG. 9  shows the carton  10  being opened.  FIG. 10  shows the carton  10  partially opened.  FIG. 11  shows the carton  10  being reclosed. In  FIG. 9 , hands  60  and  62  remove the rear panel  16  by pulling the rear panel  16  away from the remainder of the carton  10 , thereby breaking the glue tabs  38 . The glue tabs  38  are attached to the left side glue flap  31  prior to opening and to rear panel  16  after opening. When the rear panel  16  is fully removed the product units can be removed from the carton  10 . Also shown in this view, are the second hanger panel  24  and the second hanger panel aperture  23 . With this second hanger panel aperture  23  in combination with the first hanger panel aperture  21 , the carton  10  can be displayed on a peg at a store. There is shown front panel  12  with front panel window  14 , rear panel  16  and bottom panel  20 . The rear panel  16  has the glue tabs  38  attached, these having been severed from left side glue flap  31  via weakened lines  38 ( a ) on left side glue flap  31 . The second hanger panel  24  and the first hanger panel  22  are shown separated with the carton being opened. The break-away glue tabs  17  are shown having been severed from the second hanger panel  24  and attached to the first hanger panel  22 . The remaining part of the second hanger panel  24  can be gripped to open the carton  10 . After an initial opening of the carton  10 , the carton  10  can be reclosed and the remaining part of second hanger panel  24  folded to about a right angle and inserted into space  29  under the top panel  18 . This will keep the rear panel  16  in a closed position until there is to be another removal of a product from the carton  10 . This is shown in more detail in  FIG. 11 . This view shows the remaining part of second hanger panel  24  (breakaway tabs  17  removed) folded along line  24 ( a ) and inserted into space  29  below top panel  18 . 
     This carton  10  is useful in the display and sale of a wide range of products. A row of the products can be displayed inside the front panel window  14 , between the front panel window  14  and the product separator  40 . The products between the front panel window  14  and the product separator  40  will be held in a neat array. The products between the product separator  40  and the rear panel  16  can be in any array. These products will not be seen at the time of purchase. In  FIG. 6  the products were shown to be toothbrushes. The carton  10  has been found particularly useful for this type of a product. However, it can be used for a wide range of products. 
     The carton  10  can be made of a wide range of materials. These range from various paperboards to various plastics. The paperboards can be virgin folding box boards and bleached boards. Also various grades of recycled paperboards can be used. The useful paperboards include various Swissboards. The paperboards have a weight of about 250 to about 500 g/m2 and a thickness of about 0.25 millimeter to about 1.5 millimeters. The plastics that can be used in place of paperboards include polyethylenes, polypropylenes, ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers, vinyl polymers and copolymers, acrylic polymers and copolymers and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate. The transparent front panel window can be a clarified polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene terephthalate. The plastics will have a thickness of about 0.015 millimeters to about 0.25 millimeters.