Abstract:
A carton for enclosing a number of products. The carton may include a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a top panel tab positioned adjacent to the top panel and separated by a top panel fold line. The carton may have a first score line extending across the top panel from the first side panel to the second side panel and a pair of second score lines extending across the top panel from the first side panel and the second side panel to the first fold line, thus forming a first and a second corner flap along the top panel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present application relates generally to a carton and more particularly relates to a carton with a dispenser that provides access to the products therein while providing increased structural support to the carton as a whole.  
         [0002]     Various types of cardboard cartons are known for enclosing various types of product containers such as cans, bottles, and other objects. One recent type of container is known as the “FRIDGE PACK™” carton. Various types of “FRIDGE PACK™” cartons are produced for and sold to bottlers under license with The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Ga. for the sale of Coca-Cola brand products.  
         [0003]     The “FRIDGE PACK™” cartons generally have a two (2) by six (6) product shape, with two (2) product columns in height and six (6) product rows in length. One end of the carton generally is scored so as to permit the removal of a section of the carton such that the consumer can grasp the products within. The unique design of two (2) columns and six (6) rows with the removable end generally promotes the use of the cartons within a standard refrigerator.  
         [0004]     Although the various “FRIDGE PACK™” carton designs are very popular with consumers, certain portions of the dispensing end may be lightly scored, as opposed to completely scored, so as to promote stackability and stability during shipping and warehousing. Such light scoring, however, may make the carton somewhat more difficult to open by the typical consumer.  
         [0005]     What may be desired, therefore, is a container with improved stackability. The container also should promote ease of opening while being easy to use, manufacture, and transport.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention thus provides a carton for enclosing a number of products. The carton may include a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a top panel tab positioned adjacent to the top panel and separated by a top panel fold line. The carton may have a first score line extending across the top panel from the first side panel to the second side panel and a pair of second score lines extending across the top panel from the first side panel and the second side panel to the first fold line, thus forming a first and a second corner flap along the top panel.  
         [0007]     The top panel tab of the carton may include a pair of top panel tab score lines extending from the pair of second score lines. The top panel and the first side panel may be separated by a first top panel fold line and the top panel and the second side panel may be separated by a second top panel fold line. The first side panel may include a first side panel score line extending from the first score line to the pair of second score lines. The second side panel may include a second side panel score line extending from the first score line to the pair of second score lines. The first side panel score line and the second side panel score line may include a substantially squared “U” shape.  
         [0008]     The first side panel may include a first side panel tab and the second side panel may include a second side panel tab. The first side panel tab may include a first side panel tab score line and the second side panel tab may include a second side panel tab score line. The first and the second side panel tab score lines may align with the top panel tab score lines.  
         [0009]     The first and the second corner flaps may include a rectangle. The top panel, the first side panel tab, and the second side panel tab may include finger cut outs formed therein.  
         [0010]     The present invention further may provide a carton for enclosing a number of products. The carton may include a top panel, a pair of side panels, an end panel, and a removable portion. The removable portion may form a pair of corner posts. Each of the corner posts may be defined by a portion of the top panel, the side panels, and the end panel.  
         [0011]     The corner posts may include a rectangular shape along the top panel. The corner posts may include a length on the top panel along the first and the second side panels of about 1.0 centimeter and a length on the top panel along the end panel of about 1.0 centimeter. The corner posts may include a length into the first and the second side panel of about 8.3 centimeters and a length into the end panel of about eight (8) centimeters. The removable portion may include one or more finger cut outs formed therein. The end panel may include a number of tabs.  
         [0012]     The present invention further may provide a carton. The carton may include a top enclosure, a pair of side enclosures, an end enclosure, and a number of score lines extending along the top enclosure, the pair of side enclosures, and the end enclosure. The score lines may define a pair of corner posts extending along the top enclosure, the pair of side enclosures, and the end enclosure.  
         [0013]     The present invention further may provide a container. The container may include a top panel, a pair of side panels, an end panel, and dispenser means positioned along the top panel, the pair of side panels, and the end panel. The dispenser means may include a pair of corner posts formed therein.  
         [0014]     These and other features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a blank showing an embodiment of a carton of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a transparent carton constructed according to the blank of  FIG. 1  and showing the products therein.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a carton constructed according to the blank of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the carton of  FIG. 3  with the dispenser removed.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the carton of  FIG. 3  with the dispenser removed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 through 5  show an embodiment of a carton  100  of the present invention. For example,  FIG. 1  shows a blank  110  from which the carton  100  may be assembled. The blank  110  may be die cut from a continuous sheet of a material  120 . The blank  110  may be made out of cardboard, paperboard, corrugated board, or similar types of materials  120 . Preferably, the material  120  may be recyclable. The material  120  may have graphics printed thereon.  
         [0021]     The blank  110  may have a number of fold lines  130  and score lines  140  pre-formed therein. The fold lines  130  may form the elongated side, the top, and the bottom panels as well as the first and the second ends. Specifically, the carton  100  may have a top panel  150 , a bottom panel  160 , a first side panel  170 , a second side panel  180 , a first end  190 , and a second end  200 . A tab  185  that extends from the second side panel  180  may complete the carton  110 .  
         [0022]     The top panel  150  and the first side panel  170  may be divided by a first top fold line  210 . The top panel  150  may be separated from the second side panel  180  by a second top fold line  200 . The bottom panel  160  may be separated from the first side panel  170  by a first bottom fold line  230 . The tab  185  may be separated from the second side panel  180  via a second bottom fold line  240 . When each of the fold lines  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  are folded, the carton  100  takes on a largely hollow rectangular shape. The tab  185  may be glued to the bottom panel  160  via conventional adhesives or other types of joinder means. The top panel  150  and the first side panel  170  may have a width of about 12.8 centimeters. The bottom panel  160  and the second side panel  180  may have a width of about 12.8 centimeters. Each of the panels  150 ,  160 ,  170 ,  180  may have length of about 39.5 centimeters. Any desired size or shape, however, may be used.  
         [0023]     The first end  190  of the carton  100  may be formed by a number of tabs extending from each of the panels  150 ,  160 ,  170 ,  180 . Specifically, a top panel tab  250 , a bottom panel tab  260 , a first side panel tab  270 , and a second side panel tab  280 . The bottom panel tab  260  and the second side panel tab  280  may be somewhat shorter in length than the top panel  250  and the first side panel tab  270  for ease in folding and closing. Specifically, the top panel tab  250  and the first side panel tab  270  may be about six (6) centimeters in length and the bottom panel tab  260  and the second side panel tab  280  may be about 4.5 centimeters in length. Any desired size or shape, however, may be used. Each of the tabs  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  may be somewhat smaller in width than its accompanying panel  150 ,  160 ,  170 ,  180  for ease in folding.  
         [0024]     The top panel tab  250  may be separated from the top panel  150  by a top panel fold line  290 . The bottom panel  260  may be separated from the bottom panel  160  by a bottom panel tab fold line  300 . The first side panel tab  270  may be separated from the first side panel  170  by a first side panel tab fold line  310 . The second side panel tab  280  may be separated from the second side panel  180  by a second side panel tab fold line  320 .  
         [0025]     To close the first end  190 , the tabs  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  may be folded along the fold lines  290 ,  300 ,  310 ,  320 . The side panel tabs  270 ,  280  may be attached to the top panel tab  250  and the bottom panel tab  260  via adhesives or other types of joinder means. The respective sizes of the tabs  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  may be varied. Likewise, the order of closing the tabs  250 ,  260 ,  270 ,  280  may be varied.  
         [0026]     The second end  200  of the carton  100  may be similarly constructed. The second end  200  may be formed by a number of tabs extending from each of the panels  150 ,  160 ,  170 ,  180 . Specifically, a top panel tab  350 , a bottom panel tab  360 , a first side panel tab  370 , and a second side panel tab  380 . The bottom panel tab  360  may be somewhat shorter in length than the top panel  350 , the first side panel tab  370 , and the second side panel tab  380  for ease in folding and closing. Specifically, the top panel tab  350 , the first side panel tab  370 , and the second side panel tab  380  may be about six (6) centimeters in length while the bottom panel tab  360  may be about four (4) centimeters in length. Any desired size or shape, however, may be used. Each of the tabs  350 ,  360 ,  370 ,  380  may be somewhat smaller in width than its accompanying panel  150 ,  160 ,  170 ,  180  for ease in folding.  
         [0027]     The top panel tab  350  may be separated from the top panel  250  by a top panel fold line  390 . The bottom panel tab  360  may be separated from the bottom panel  260  by a bottom panel tab fold line  400 . The first side panel tab  370  may be separated from the first side panel  270  by a first side panel tab fold line  410 . The second side panel tab  380  may be separated from the second side panel  280  by a second side panel tab fold line  420 .  
         [0028]     To close the second end  200 , the tabs  350 ,  360 ,  370 ,  380  may be folded along the fold lines  390 ,  400 ,  410 ,  420 . The side panel tabs  370 ,  380  may be attached to the top panel tab  350  and the bottom panel tab  360  via adhesives or other types of joinder means. The respective sizes of the tabs  350 ,  360 ,  370 ,  380  may be varied. Likewise, the order of closing the tabs  350 ,  360 ,  370 ,  380  may be varied.  
         [0029]     The carton  100  also may contain a dispenser  450 . The dispenser  450  may be formed by a number of the score lines  140  running along several of the panels and tabs to form a removable portion  455 . The dispenser  450  may include a top panel score line  460  that may run the width of the top panel  150 . The top panel score line  460  may be positioned towards the second end  200  of the carton  100 . In this example, the top panel score line may be about ten (10) centimeters from the top panel tab fold line  390  of the second end  200 . Any desired dimensions, however, may be used. Although the dispenser  450  is described as being positioned on the second end  200  of the carton  100 , the dispenser  450  could be located at the first end  190  or at both ends  190 ,  200 .  
         [0030]     The top panel  150  also may include two corner posts, a first corner post  470  and a second corner post  480 . Each corner post  470 ,  480  may be substantially square or rectangular in shape, although other shapes may be used. The first corner post  470  may be defined by the first top fold line  210  and the top panel tab fold line  390  on two sides and by a horizontal first corner post score line  490  and a vertical first corner post score line  500 . (The terms “horizontal” and “vertical” are used merely for reference as opposed to an actual orientation.) Likewise, the second corner post  480  may be defined by the second top fold line  220  and the top panel tab fold line  390  on two sides and a horizontal second corner post score line  510  and a vertical second corner post score line  520 . The horizontal corner post score lines  490 ,  510  and the vertical corner post score line  500 ,  520  may be about 0.5 to about 1.5 centimeters in length. Any desired size or shape, however, may be used. The top panel score line  460  and the corner posts  470 ,  480  define a top panel removable portion  525 .  
         [0031]     The removable portion  455  of the dispenser  450  also may extend into the first side panel  170  and the second side panel  180 . The first side panel  170  may have a first side score line  530  while the second side  180  has a second side score line  540 . The side score lines  530 ,  540 , in this embodiment, may be largely in a squared “U” shape. The side score lines  530 ,  540  may extend from the first top panel score line  460  downward on both side panels  170 ,  180  at an angle of about one hundred to about one hundred twenty degrees off the horizontal for a length of about 8.3 centimeters in length. The side score lines  530 ,  540  then may extend in a largely horizontal direction for about 6 centimeters until they again rise to towards the top panel  150  and the corner posts  470  at a similar angle. Any desired dimension and angle, however, may be used. The side score lines  530 ,  540  may form a first side panel removable portion  535  and a second side panel removable portion  545 .  
         [0032]     The removable portion  455  of the dispenser  450  also may continue into the top panel tab  350  of the second end  200 . The removable portion  450  may be defined by a first top panel tab score line  550  and a second top panel tab score line  560 . Both tab score lines  550 ,  560  may extend from the corner posts  470 ,  480  completely through the top panel tab  350 . The first top panel tab score line  550  may extend at an angle from the horizontal of about one hundred to about one hundred twenty degrees. The second top panel tab score line  560  may be the mirror opposite. The top panel tab score lines  550 ,  560  may be about six (6) centimeters in length. Any desired size or shape, however, may be used. The top panel tab score lines  550 ,  560  may form a top panel tab removable portion  565 .  
         [0033]     The side panel tabs  370 ,  380  also may have a cutout portion or removable portion, a first side panel tab removable portion  570  and a second side panel tab removable portion  580 . A first side panel score line  590  and a second side panel tab score line  600  may form the removable portions  570 ,  580 . The side panel tab score lines  590 ,  600  may be largely “L” in shape so as to conform to the score lines  550 ,  560  of the top panel tab  350 . The side panel tab score lines  590 ,  600  may extend from about 4.5 centimeters from the end of each of the tabs  370 ,  380  in a largely vertical direction for about three (3) centimeters and then extend at an angle towards the side panel tab fold lines  410 ,  420  at a distance of about 7.9 centimeters. The angle may be about one hundred to about one hundred twenty degrees. Any desired dimension or angle, however, may be used herein.  
         [0034]     As is show in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first side panel removable portion  535  and the second side panel removable portion  545  of the dispenser  450  may have an additional first side panel score line  610  and an additional second side panel score line  620 . The additional score lines  610 ,  620  may extend from the side score lines  530 ,  540  and form a finger cut out  625 . Likewise, the side panel tabs  370 ,  380  also may have an additional side panel score line  630 . The additional side panel score line  630  may extend from the first side panel score line  590  and the second side panel tab score line  600  of the side panel tabs  370 ,  380  and also form a finger cut out  635 . A similar score line may be positioned along the top panel tab  350 . These finger cut outs  625 ,  635  allow for consumer to insert his/her finger therein so as to begin removal of the removable portion  455 . An additional finger cut out may be added about top panel score line  460  if desired.  
         [0035]     In use, the carton  100  may be formed by the blank  110  being cut from the continuous length of the material  120 . The fold lines  130  and the score lines  140  of the dispenser  450  may be imprinted within the blank  410 . The carton  110  then may be erected along the fold lines  130 . Specifically, the first top fold line  210 , the second top fold line  220 , the first bottom fold line  230 , and the second bottom fold line  240 . The bottom tab  185  then may be glued or otherwise attached to the bottom panel  160  to form a largely rectangular tube. The first or the second end  190 ,  200  then may be enclosed along the top panel fold lines  290 ,  390 , the bottom panel tab fold lines  300 ,  400 , the first side panel tab fold lines  310 ,  410 , and the second side panel tab fold lines  320 ,  420 . The tabs then may be glued or otherwise attached and enclosed. A number of products  700  may be inserted within the carton  100 . In this example, the products  700  may be a number of cans  710 . Bottles or any other type of products  700  also may be used herein. The remaining end  190 ,  200  of the carton  100  then may be enclosed. The carton  100  then may be transported to the consumer.  
         [0036]     The removable portion  455  of the dispenser  450  may be removed along the score lines  140  by beginning with the finger cut outs  625  on the side panels  170 ,  180  and/or the finger cut outs  635  along the side panel tabs  370 ,  380 . Other finger cut outs also may be used. The first side panel removable portion  535  and the second side panel removable portion  545  may be torn along the first and second side panels  170 ,  180  and continue into the top panel tab removable portion  565 . Likewise, the top panel tab removable portion  565 , the first side panel tab removable portion  570 , and the second side panel tab removable portion  580  may be removed from the panel tabs  350 ,  370 ,  380 . The entire removable portion  455  then may be discarded.  
         [0037]     Once the removable portion  455  is removed, the first corner post  470  and the second corner post  480  remain along the top panel  150 , the side panels  170 ,  180 , and the tabs  350 ,  370 ,  380 . The corner posts  470 ,  480  enclose the products  700  in three (3) dimensions so as to allow the products  700  to remain firmly in place within the carton  100  in almost any orientation. The corner posts  470 ,  480  also add structural strength to the carton  100  as a whole. As a result, the cartons  100  have improved stackabilty.  
         [0038]     Although the carton  100  has been described in the context of a two (2) row and six (6) column format, any size or shape may be used herein. The nature of the dispenser  450  does not depend on the overall configuration of the carton  100 . Likewise, although certain specific dimensions have been used herein, any size or shape may be used.  
         [0039]     It should be understood that the foregoing relates only to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.