Patent Publication Number: US-6669083-B2

Title: Carton with article dispenser

Description:
This is a division of application Ser. No. 09/712,871, filed Nov. 15, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to cartons for packaging multiple articles such as beverage cans, bottles and the like, and more particularly to a paperboard carton with an article dispenser for providing an access opening through which articles in the carton may be dispensed one by one. 
     Beverage cartons with an article dispenser at a carton corner are known in the art. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,194 in which a tear panel is disposed astride a corner fold line. The tear panel is defined by a tear line that is formed in a side wall and extends into a side end flap. The tear panel includes a push tab located within the side end flap while the panel is glued to a bottom end flap that has an extension of the tear line. The extension allows the tear line to reach the bottom wall of the carton. To open the carton, the push tab is pressed and separated from the side end flap. Then, the tear panel is gripped and pulled outwardly, which causes the tear line to break all the way down to the bottom wall. By this means, the tear panel is allowed to swing down together with a part of the bottom end flap, which creates an access opening through which the cans in the carton are exposed. The opening is so dimensioned that at least part of the periphery of the opening serves as a can stopper and prevent the cans from spontaneously rolling out of the carton through the opening. However, this stopper may not fully function once tears develop in the periphery of the opening after some cans have been removed through the opening. Further, the push tab has sometimes been found not user-friendly because it is not easy to separate it from the side end flap. This is because the entire side end flap tends to easily yield to pressing force applied to the push tab and, as a result, sufficient shearing stress is hardly induced along the tear line. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a carton that is provided with an improved article dispenser that is convenient to use. Such a carton should have a reliable article stopper as well as a user-friendly push tab. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to this invention in one form, the article dispenser of a carton is provided with a user-friendly push tab. The carton of the invention comprises first and second walls connected together along a corner fold line and disposed with an angle with respect to each other to define a corner of the carton along the corner fold line. A tear line is formed in the first wall and extends into the second wall to define a tear panel disposed astride the corner fold line. The tear panel includes a push tab connected to the tear panel along a transverse fold line extending transversely of the corner fold line. 
     This form of the invention brings the push tab to the carton corner which is created by the first and second angularly disposed walls. Therefore, upon pressing of the push tab, the first and second walls act as braces for each other and provide resistance strong enough to induce adequate shearing stress along the tear line. This results in easy separation of the push tab from the first and second walls, which in turn facilitates cutting of the tear panel along the tear line. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transverse fold line may extend transversely across the tear panel so that the push tab is defined between the transverse fold line and a part of the tear line. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the transverse fold line may comprise a first portion emanating from a portion of the tear line within the first wall and extending to the corner fold line, and a second portion emanating from a portion of the tear line within the second wall and extending to the corner fold line. The first and second portions of the transverse fold line may converge on the corner fold line so that the transverse fold line assumes a generally V-shape when the first and second walls lie flat in a plane. The angle between the first and second portions of the transverse fold line may be an obtuse angle. Alternatively, the transverse fold line may be disposed concave to the push tab when the first and second walls lie flat in a plane. 
     The present invention in another form provides a blank for forming the aforementioned carton. 
     The present invention in still another form provides a carton comprising top and bottom walls interconnected by a pair of opposed side walls to form a tubular structure, an end closure structure provided at each end of the tubular structure to at least partially close each end of the tubular structure, and a tear line formed in one of the side walls. One or each of the end closure structures includes a side end flap connected to the one side wall along a corner fold line and extending toward the other side wall. The tear line extends into the side end flap of the respective end closure structure to define a tear panel disposed astride the associated corner fold line. The tear panel includes a push tab connected thereto along a transverse fold line extending transversely of the associated corner fold line. This form of the invention facilitates tearing of the tear panel along the tear line. 
     The present invention in a further form provides a carton comprising top and bottom walls interconnected by a pair of opposed side walls to form a tubular structure, and an end closure structure provided at each end of said tubular structure to at least partially close each end. One or each of the end closure structures comprises a side end flap, a bottom end flap and a web panel. The side end flap is connected to one of the side walls along a corner fold line and extends toward the other side wall. The side end flap is formed with a tear line for defining a tear panel detachable from both the side end flap and the one side wall. The tear line emanates from the lower edge of the side end flap and extends toward the corner fold line. The bottom end flap is foldably connected to the bottom wall and extends toward the top wall to overlap at least in part with the tear panel. The web panel foldably interconnects the bottom end flap and the tear panel and is disposed in face-contacting relationship with both the outside surface of the bottom end flap and the inside surface of the tear panel. The web panel is detachably connected to one of the bottom end flap and the tear panel. 
     In this form of invention, the tear panel may be detached from the carton without disturbing the integrity of the bottom end flap. The bottom end flap may, therefore, be allowed to remain in an upright position even after the tear panel is detached and be available as an article retainer or stopper for blocking undesired exit of articles through the access opening created by the detachment of the tear panel. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tear line may extend into the one side wall and terminates at the junction between the one side wall and the bottom wall. The web panel may be separated apart from the bottom wall by an aperture formed in the web panel. Further, the tear panel may be detachably connected to the bottom wall along a frangible line. Such a frangible line may extend between the aperture and tear line. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the one or each end closure structure may further comprise a second side end flap foldably connected to the other side wall. The second side end flap may extend from the other side wall to the first side end flap to be secured to the first side end flap. The second side end flap may be secured also to the bottom end flap to retain the bottom end flap in an upright position. 
     The present invention in a further form provides a carton blank for forming the carton of the preceding form of the invention. 
     According to the present invention in still further form, the article dispenser of a carton is provided with another type of user-friendly tear initiating means. The article dispenser comprises a tear panel defined in a first wall of the carton by a tear line so that when the first wall is cut along the tear line, an access opening is formed to permit access to the articles within the carton. The tear panel includes a push tab connected thereto along a first fold line to facilitate cutting of the first wall along the tear line. The dispenser further comprises a second fold line formed in the first wall and disposed to at least partially surround the push tab such that at least two yielding tabs are defined between the push tab and the second fold line. 
     Unlike the article dispenser of the first form of the invention, the dispenser of this form of the invention promotes yielding of a part of a carton wall (the yielding tabs) upon pressing on the push tab. When the push tab is pressed, the yielding tabs easily yield to the pressing force and fold inwardly along the second fold line. This causes the yielding tabs to also fold along the tear line at a sharpest possible angle with respect to the push tab, which in turn promotes breaking of the tear line so that the push tab is separated from the yielding tabs. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention of this form, the tear line may be generally V-shaped, and the push tab may be located adjacent to the corner of the V-shaped tear line. The tear line may comprise first and second portions diverging from the corner, and the first fold line may extend between the first and second portions to lie transversely across the tear panel. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the dispenser may further comprise a cut line extending between the second fold line and the push tab to define a boundary between the yielding tabs. 
     Other advantages and objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an erected carton according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 1, showing the push tab pushed into the carton to initiate cutting of the tear panel; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton in FIG. 1, showing the access opening formed in the carton by severance of the tear panel; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the carton in FIG. 1 is erected; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an erected carton of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 5, showing the tear panel severed halfway from along the tear line; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank from which the carton of FIG. 5 is erected; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the blank in FIG. 7, showing the article dispenser; 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 8, showing a modified form of the article dispenser in FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 8, showing another modified form of the article dispenser in FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a carton  10  according to the invention, having an improved article dispenser while FIG. 4 shows a carton blank from which the carton  10  is erected. The carton  10  is designed to package multiple articles such as twelve beverage cans whereas the blank is formed of a foldable sheet material such as paperboard, corrugated board, plastic sheet or the like. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the carton  10  comprises a pair of side walls  12  and  14  foldably joined respectively to the opposite side edges of a bottom wall  16  along fold lines  18  and  20 . The side walls  12  and  14  extend upwardly to their respective upper edges and a top wall  22  is foldably joined to the upper edges of the side walls  12  and  14  along fold lines  24  and  26 . As a result, an open-ended tubular structure is formed by the top, bottom and side walls  22 ,  16 ,  12  and  14 . The top wall  22  is formed of two top lap panels  28  and  30  glued together in an overlapping relationship as is known in the art. The stippling along the upper end portion of the blank in FIG. 4 indicates the area where glue is applied for the purpose of securing the top lap panels  28  and  30 . The top lap panels  28  and  30  are provided with handle means for carrying the carton. Such handle means is shown in the form of a pair of hand openings  32  and  34  in the top lap panels  28  and  30 . 
     At each end of the aforementioned tubular structure, there is provided an end closure structure shown generally by the numerals  36  and  38 . The end closure structures  36  and  38  in FIG. 1 are shown as fully closing the respective ends of the tubular structure; however they may be designed to partially close one or both ends of the carton. An example of a beverage can carton having partially closed ends is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,681 which is hereby incorporated by reference. The corner windows shown in this U.S. patent may be employed at least at the two upper corners of the carton  10 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the end closure structure  36  comprises a bottom end flap  40 , a pair of side end flaps  42  and  44 , top end flaps  46  and  48  and a pair of web panels  50  and  52 . The bottom end flap  40  is foldably joined to the bottom wall  16  along a fold line  54 . The side end flaps  42  and  44  are foldably joined to the side walls  12  and  14  along fold lines  56  and  58 , respectively. The top end flaps  46  and  48  are foldably joined to the top lap panels  28  and  30  along fold lines  60  and  62 , respectively. The web panel  50  interconnects the side end flap  42  and the bottom end flap  40  while the web panel  52  interconnects the side end flap  42  and the top end flap  46 . More specifically, the web panel  50  is foldably joined to the bottom end flap  40  along a tear line  64  and to the side end flap  42  along a fold line  66  whereas the web panel  52  is foldably joined to the top end flap  46  along a fold line  68  and to the side end flap  42  along a fold line  70 . These web panels  50  and  52  are formed respectively with apertures  72  and  74  for facilitating folding of the top, bottom and side end flaps  46 ,  40  and  42 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the bottom end flap  40  is folded upwardly along the fold line  54  to take the vertical position. The top end flaps  46  and  48  are glued together in an overlapping relationship and are folded down along the fold lines  60  and  62  to take the vertical position. The side end flaps  42  and  44  are folded toward each other along the fold lines  56  and  58  to take the respective closed positions. In these positions, the side end flaps  42  and  44  are glued together in an overlapping relationship to traverse the respective end of the carton. As a result, the side end flaps  42  and  44  cover the exterior of the top and bottom end flaps  46 ,  48  and  40  except the upper end area of the top end flaps  46  and  48  and the lower end area of the bottom end flap  40 . The web panel  50  is tucked between the side end flap  42  and the bottom end flap  40  while the web panel  52  is tucked between the side end flap  42  and the top end flap  46 . In the tucked position, the web panel  50  is folded along the lines  64  and  66  and in a face-contacting relationship with the inside surface of the side end flap  42  and the outside surface of the bottom end flap  40 . The web panel  52 , when in the tucked position, is folded along the fold lines  68  and  70  and in a face-contacting relationship with the inside surface of the side end flap  42  and the outside surface of the top end flap  46 . The side end flap  44  may be secured to the exterior of the top and bottom end flaps  40 ,  46  and  48  by means of glue applied thereto as shown by the stippling in FIG.  4 . However, the side end flap  42  is merely in contact with the top and bottom end flaps  46  and  40  without glue. When the side end flap  42  is folded to the closed position, the web panels  50  and  52  simultaneously take the respective tucked positions. 
     The other end closure structure  38  comprises a similar set of end flaps connected to the tubular structure in virtually the same way. Therefore, the parts of the structure  38  corresponding to those of the structure  36  are designated by similar reference numerals with the subscript “a”, and the description thereof is omitted. 
     A can dispenser  80  is formed in part in the end closure structure  36  and in part in the side wall  12  as best shown in FIG.  1 . The dispenser  80  facilitates customer&#39;s access to the cans C (FIGS. 3 and 4) packaged in the carton  10 . The dispenser  80 , as is described later in more detail, comprises tear lines  64  and  84  and a frangible line  86 . However, the “tear line” or the “frangible line” in this application refer to a perforated slit which is formed in the sheet material from which the carton is formed and functions to split a part of the paperboard material in two. The “perforated slit” refers to a line consisting of a series of short slits or cuts arranged at spacings and ready to split along the line when subject to external force. 
     Referring further to FIG. 1, the tear line  84  emanates from the lower edge of the side end flap  42 , extends upwardly and curves toward the corner fold line  56 . The tear line  84  then extends into the side wall  12 , curves downwardly and terminates on the junction (i.e., fold line  18 ) between the side wall  12  and the bottom wall  16 . The frangible line  86  connects between the terminal end of the tear line  84  and the aperture  72  as best shown in FIG.  4 . The frangible line  86  is shown as being in registry with the fold line  18 . However, the frangible line  86  may be formed within the side wall  12  such that it extends between the aperture  72  and a location along the tear line  84 . The sheet material surrounded by the tear line  84 , the frangible line  86 , the aperture  72  and the fold line  66  provides a tear panel  82  that is a part of the dispenser  80  and may be torn off of the carton to define an access opening in the carton. As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 4, the tear panel  82  is formed in part from the side end flap  42  and in part from the side wall  12  so that it is located astride the corner fold line  56 . The maximum vertical size VS of the tear panel  82 , typically, is greater than the maximum diameter of the cans C in the carton and less than a size twice as large as the can diameter. A preferred vertical size VS of the tear panel  82  is such that push tab  90  that will be described later is disposed at the location between the lowermost can C and the second lowermost can C as viewed in FIG.  4 . The maximum horizontal size HS of the tear panel  82  may be around the size of the can diameter, and preferably less than the can diameter and greater than a half of the can diameter. 
     The tear panel  82  is formed with a generally V-shaped fold line  88  that extends transversely of the corner fold line  56 . The fold line  88  defines at the upper end portion of the tear panel  82  a push tab  90  for facilitating cutting of the tear panel  82 . State differently, the push tab  90  is hingedly connected to the tear panel  82  along the fold line  88 . The portion of the fold line  88  within the side wall  12  and the portion thereof within the side end flap  42  diverge upwardly from the corner fold line  56  to define an obtuse angle therebetween as viewed in FIG.  4 . However, the fold line  88  may be a smoothly curved line rather than the V-shaped line as long as it lies concave to the push tab  90  when the side wall  12  and the side end flap  42  lie flat in the same plane. 
     It should be appreciated that because a part of the tear panel  82  is formed from the lower portion of the side end flap  42 , the tear panel  82  is connected to the bottom end flap  40  through the web panel  50 , and in fact the web panel  50  is tucked between the tear panel  82  and the bottom end flap  40 . 
     In order to utilize the dispenser  80 , the push tab  90  is manually pressed inwardly of the carton till the length of the tear line  84  near the corner fold line  56  breaks to sever the push tab  90  from the carton. This severing is facilitated as a result of the arrangement in which the push tab  90  is located astride the corner fold line  56 . At the corner along the fold line  56 , the side wall  12  and the side end flap  42  act as braces for each other and provide in response to pressing on the push tab  90  resistance strong enough to induce adequate shearing stress along the tear line  84 . The push tab  90  is easily severed as a result also of the fact that the push tab  90  is located within a single wall area where no layer of sheet material forms the carton wall but the side wall  12  and the side end flap  42 . 
     Upon the severance from the carton, the push tab  90  is folded inwardly along the fold line  88 . This is best shown in FIG.  2 . The tear panel  82  is then caught at the folded tab  90  by a finger and pulled outwardly and downwardly, which completes breaking of the tear line  84  to its opposite lower ends. Successive outward pulling of the tear panel  82  breaks the tear line  64  and then the frangible line  86 . This causes the tear panel  82  to be torn out of the carton together with the web panel  50  as shown in FIG. 3 wherein the adjacent can C in the carton  10  is partially exposed through an access opening created by the removal of the tear panel  82 . The bottom end flap  40  remains undisturbed in the upright position even after the removal of the tear panel  82  because the side end flap  44  adhesively holds the bottom end flap  40  in position and the web panel  50  has been easily detached due to the tear line  64 . As a result, the bottom end flap  40  serves as a stopper for preventing the cans C from spontaneously rolling out of the carton  10  through the access opening. 
     Removal of the adjacent can C from the carton  10  may be seen by referring to FIG.  3 . The user may place two fingers on diagonally opposed portions on the side wall of the adjacent can C, and move the can C in the-direction shown by the arrow AR 1  through the access opening while slightly pivoting the can in the direction of the arrow AR 2 . The pivoting force flexes the bottom end flap  40 , thereby permitting the can C to be pulled outwardly through the access opening. Once the adjacent can C is removed, cans positioned above the removed can will drop downwardly, thereby presenting another can for removal from the carton. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the tear panel  82  is detachably connected to the bottom end flap  40  through the web panel  50  and to the bottom wall  16  along the frangible line  86  to allow itself to be completely severed from the carton  10 . However, the tear panel  82  may be detachably connected to the web panel  50  by replacing the fold line  66  with a tear line. In such an arrangement, the tear line  64  may, of course, be replaced by a fold line. Alternatively, both the tear line  64  and the frangible line  86  may be replaced by fold lines so that the tear panel  82  may remain hingedly connected to the carton  10  after the tear line  84  has been broken. In such an arrangement, the tear panel  82  may be manually swung downwardly about the fold line  18  till it lies in the plane of the bottom wall  16 . As the tear panel  82  is lowered, the web panel  50  is unfolded to extend between the tear panel  82  and the bottom end flap  40 . This forms a dispensing spout projecting in the direction of the arrow AR 1 . The cans C may then be taken out of the carton  10  one by one through the access opening in the same way as described in the preceding paragraph. 
     The corner on which the tear panel  82  may be located is not limited to the corner where two carton walls meet at a right angle. The tear panel  82  may also be used on corners where two walls meet at an angle either less or greater than a right angle. 
     FIGS. 5-8 illustrate an alternative embodiment of carton of the invention. The dispenser  180  of the carton  110  of this embodiment has a partially V-shaped tear line  184  in place of the inverted U-shaped tear line in FIG.  1 . Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, the tear line  184  emanates from the lower edge of the side end flap  144 , extends into the side end flap  142  and reaches the corner fold line  156 . The tear line  184  then extends obliquely downwardly into the side wall  112 , bends downwardly at an acute angle and terminates at the lower corner of the side wall  112  adjacent to the aperture  172 . The tear panel  182  that is defined by the tear line  184  is formed in part from the side end flap  144 , in part from the side end flap  142  and in part from the side wall  112 . The web panel  150  is connected to the tear panel  182  along a fold line  166  and to the bottom end flap  140  along a tear line  164 . However, the fold line  166  may be replaced by a tear line while the tear line  164  may be replaced by a fold line. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, the tear panel  182  is formed with a fold line  188  that extends vertically across of the triangular portion of the tear panel  182  that is defined by the V-shaped portion of the tear line  184 . Unlike the fold line  88  in FIG. 1, the fold line  188  is formed entirely within the side wall  112  and thus does not intersect the corner fold line  156 . The fold line  188  defines a hingedly connected push tab  190  adjacent to the tip end of the tear panel  182  or near the corner of the V-shaped portion of the tear line  184 . The dispenser  180  further comprises an arched outer fold line  192  formed in the side wall  112 . The outer fold line  192  is arranged to partially surround the push tab  190 . A cut line  194  extends between the outer fold line  192  and the push tab  190  to split the material between the tab  190  and the line  192 . As a result, a pair of yielding tabs  196  and  198  are defined between the tab  190  and the fold line  192 . In FIG. 8, the cut line  194  is shown as extending into the push tab  190 . However, the portion of the cut line  194  within the push tab  190  may be omitted from the push tab  190 . The location of the push tab  190  relative to the cans in the carton  110  is such that the push tab  190  is registered with the indentation at a can end such as the end of the lowermost can C as shown in FIG.  7 . The remainder of the carton  110  is virtually identical to the carton of the preceding embodiment, and thus the parts of the carton  110  corresponding to those of the preceding embodiment are denoted by similar reference numerals that are greater by  100  than the corresponding parts of the preceding embodiment and the description thereof is omitted. 
     Removal of the cans C using the dispenser  180  can be seen referring to FIG.  6 . The user presses inwardly on the push tab  190 , which is easily separated from the side wall  120  due to the arrangement including the yielding tabs  196  and  198 . When the push tab  190  is pressed, the yielding tabs  196  and  198  yield to the pressing force and fold inwardly along the outer fold line  192 . At the same time, the yielding tabs  196  and  198  fold also along the tear line  184 . This causes the push tab  190  to be folded at a sharpest possible angle with respect to the yielding tabs  196  and  198 , which promotes breaking of the portion of the tear line  184  flanked by the yielding tabs  196  and  198 . 
     Upon the separation from the side wall  112 , the push tab  190  is folded inwardly along the fold line  188 . The tear panel  182  is then caught at the folded tab  190  by a finger and pulled outwardly till breaking of the tear line  184  is completed to its opposite ends. The tear line  164  also breaks as a result of the pulling action on the tear panel  182 . When the tear panel  182  is removed, the adjacent can C in the carton  110  is partially exposed through the access opening. Removal of the adjacent can C may be achieved in the virtually same manner as in the preceding embodiment. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a modified form of the dispenser in FIG.  8 . The tear panel  282  of the dispenser  280  in this modification has a rounded tip end defined by the rounded corner portion of the tear line  284 . The remainder of the dispenser  280  is virtually identical to that in FIG.  8 . Thus, the parts of the dispenser  280  corresponding to that in FIG. 8 are denoted by similar reference numerals that are greater by  100  than the corresponding parts in FIG.  8  and the description thereof is omitted. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates another modified form of the dispenser in FIG.  8 . The tear panel  382  of the dispenser  380  in this modification has a generally squared tip end defined by the generally squared corner portion of the tear line  384 . The outer fold line  392  is also squared to correspond to the shape of the corner portion of the tear line  384 . Two separate cut lines  394   a  and  394   b  extend between the outer fold line  392  and the push tab  390 . As a result, three yielding tabs  396 ,  398  and  400  are defined between the outer fold line  392  and the push tab  390 . The remainder of the dispenser  380  is virtually identical to that in FIG.  8 . Thus, the parts of the dispenser  380  corresponding to that in FIG. 8 are denoted by similar reference numerals that are greater by 200 than the corresponding parts in FIG.  8  and the description thereof is omitted. 
     From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided by the subject invention a new carton for multiple articles such as cans or the like having an improved dispenser. It is apparent from a review of the specification and a study of the drawing that many changes may be made in the various features of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and the invention is not to be limited to the exact features which have been shown by way of illustration only. For example, it should be appreciated that the side end flaps at either end of the carton may be secured together by means of known mechanical locks consisting of locking tabs and locking apertures. Such side end flaps with mechanical locks may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,509 which is hereby incorporated by reference. It should be also appreciated that the carton of the invention may be formed with beveled corner panels each interposed and foldably connecting between a top or bottom end flap and the adjacent one of the top and bottom walls. The beveled corner panels are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,509. It should be further appreciated that as used herein, the terms “top”, “bottom” and “side” with respect to the panels or walls of the carton or carton blank are relative terms, and that the carton may be re-oriented as necessary or as desired.