Abstract:
A carton for dispensing articles having a dispensing feature with a built-in retention feature capable of being utilized as a promotional flag. A plurality of panels are connected together to define an end of the carton. A displaceable portion at the end of the carton may be detached from the carton end to define an opening for dispensing the articles from within the carton. Within the interior of the erected carton is a panel portion that is obscured from view within the carton prior to the displaceable portion being at least partially detached from the carton. The panel portion is exposed to the exterior of the carton through the opening by at least partial detachment of the displaceable portion from the carton. A distal end of the panel portion extends into the opening for restraining articles within the carton. The panel portion may also be used as an ad panel to allow greater promotional flexibility.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/179,785, filed Jun. 21, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to paperboard cartons for use in packaging articles and, more particularly, to a dispensing carton with a built-in combination retention and ad panel.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Cartons are useful for allowing consumers to purchase, transport and store a desired quantity of articles such as soft drinks. For the convenience of the consumer, some cartons have dispensers which allow the articles to be removed one at a time while continuing to encase the remaining articles. A portion of the carton is torn out to form an opening from which articles may be dispensed.  
           [0004]    Unfortunately, more than one article is often dispensed at a time through the opening which leads to many of the articles being dispensed onto the floor. This is because the articles to remain within the open carton are not sufficiently restrained by the open carton.  
           [0005]    Also, it is often desirable to have a large surface area on the carton for labeling and advertising. However, in order to utilize the dispensing features of known dispensing cartons, portions of the carton may be permanently removed or positioned such that the available surface area is reduced.  
           [0006]    Therefore, there is a need for an improved carton having a dispenser that is adapted to adequately restrain the articles within the open carton while also facilitating access to the endmost article to be dispensed from the carton. The improved carton must also appeal to the customer while maximizing the available surface area for advertising.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides a carton having a dispensing feature with a built-in retention panel portion adaptable to also be utilized as a promotional flag to allow greater promotional flexibility.  
           [0008]    Generally described, a plurality of panels are connected together to form the carton of the present invention. A displaceable portion at an end of the carton may be detached from the carton to define an opening for dispensing the articles from within the carton. Within the interior of the erected carton is a panel portion that is obscured from view prior to the displaceable portion being at least partially detached from the carton. The panel portion is exposed to the exterior of the carton through the opening by at least partial detachment of the displaceable portion from the carton. A distal end of the panel portion extends into the opening for restraining articles within the open carton. The panel portion may also have promotional indicia thereon to allow greater promotional flexibility.  
           [0009]    According to one aspect of the present invention, the carton is formed from a single blank of a plurality of panels. At least one bottom panel includes an elongated end flap for forming the panel portion. The end flap is configured to extend into the opening to become visible through the opening from the exterior of the carton after the displaceable portion is at least partially detached. The distal end of the panel portion restrains the endmost article of a row of articles within the open carton until it is desirable to remove the endmost article from the carton.  
           [0010]    The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of one embodiment of a blank for forming the carton of the present invention having a built-in retention feature.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the carton of the present invention formed from the blank of FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the carton of the present invention formed from the blank of FIG. 1 with a portion of the carton removed for dispensing articles and illustrating the panel portion for restraining a lower row of articles.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the carton of the present invention formed from the blank of FIG. 1, illustrating the panel portion pivoted outward while continuing to restrain the lower row of articles.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, the drawings illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a carton  10  of the present invention. In one embodiment, the carton  10  is for dispensing articles such as beverage cans.  
         [0016]    Generally, the carton  10  is formed from a foldable sheet material such as paperboard blank  12  as shown in FIG. 1. The panels of the blank  12  are a first bottom panel  16 , a second bottom panel  18 , a first side panel  20 , a second side panel  22 , and a top panel  24 . Alternatively, the blank  12  may instead include only a single bottom panel, similarly dimensioned to the top panel, rather than utilizing the combination of the first and second bottom panels  16  and  18  for forming the bottom of the erected carton  10 .  
         [0017]    As shown in FIG. 1, the panels of the blank  12  are hingedly interconnected in series to one another to form the basic tubular structure of the erected dispensing carton  10 . The first bottom panel  16  is hingedly connected to the first side panel  20  by fold line  30 . The first side panel  20  is then hingedly connected to the top panel  24  by fold line  32 . The second bottom panel  18  is hingedly connected to the second side panel  22  by fold line  34 . The second side panel  22  is then hingedly connected to the top panel  24  by fold line  36 . The blank  12  further includes a pair of end structures for forming end walls for at least partially closing the opposite ends of the tubular structure. One of the end structures is formed from one minor end flap  48  and four major end flaps  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  while the other end structure is formed from three minor end flaps  94 ,  96  and  98  and two major end flaps  100  and  102 . The end flaps  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46  and  48  are hingedly connected respectively to the panels  20 ,  22 ,  16 ,  18  and  24  by a transverse fold line  28  whereas the end flaps  94 ,  96 ,  98 ,  100  and  102  are hingedly connected respectively to the panels  16 ,  18 ,  24 ,  20  and  22  by a transverse fold line  26 . Fold lines  26  and  28  each extends the full length of the blank  12 .  
         [0018]    The major end flaps  40  and  42  extend from the side panels  20  and  22 , respectively. The major end flaps  44  and  46  and the minor end flap  48  extend from the bottom panels  16  and  18  and the top panel  24  respectively and provide the innermost layer of the one of the end walls of the carton  10 . The one end wall constitutes at least a part of the dispensing end from where the articles in the carton are dispensed as described in more details later. The end flaps of bottom panels of known dispensers are typically minor flaps. However, the end flaps  44  and  46  of the present invention are elongated to extend beyond the distal end of the minor end flap  48  and, preferably, beyond the distal ends of major flaps  40 ,  42  as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    The major end flaps  100  and  102  extend from the side panels  20  and  22 , respectively. The minor end flaps  94 ,  96  and  98  extend from the bottom panels  16  and  18  and the top panel  24  respectively and provide the innermost layer of the other end wall of the carton  10 . The bottom end flaps  94  and  96  are typical minor flaps and are of a length as great as the minor end flap  98 .  
         [0020]    In order to erect the carton  10  as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom panel  16  and the bottom panel  18  are glued or are otherwise secured together to form the bottom of the carton  10 . At the same time, the side edges  52  and  54  of the major flaps  44  and  46  are also secured together in an overlapping manner to create a composite bottom major flap. The side edges of the minor flaps  94  and  96  are also secured together to form a composite bottom minor flap. After the carton is erected in an open-ended tubular form and the articles are loaded into the carton  10 , the end structures are folded to form the opposed end walls of the carton  10 .  
         [0021]    Closure of the dispensing end of the carton  10  is initiated by folding the top end flap  48  along the fold line  28  through about 90 degrees and then folding the composite bottom major flap  44  and  46  along the fold line  28  through 90 degrees. Next, the side major end flaps  40  and  42  are folded along the fold line  28  over the end flaps  44 ,  46  and  48 , and the distal ends of major flaps  40  and  42  are secured together in an overlapping manner to create an outermost layer of the one end wall of the carton  10 . Closure of the other end of the carton may be achieved in a similar manner.  
         [0022]    The erected carton  10  illustrated in the drawings is adapted to hold a group of similarly dimensioned, cylindrical articles (such as cans or bottles), in a plurality of vertically arranged rows (two rows in FIGS. 2 and 4). The articles in each row are disposed on their sides in a side-by-side parallel fashion. The side panels  20 ,  22  are disposed alongside the ends of the articles of the group while each end flap of the carton is disposed adjacent to the side walls of the respective endmost articles.  
         [0023]    In one embodiment of the present invention, a weakened line  60  extends across each major panel  40  and  42 , side panels  20  and  22 , and top panel  24 , as best shown in FIG. 1. The weakened line  60  on the top panel  20  is displaced from the dispensing end of the carton  10 . Portions of the carton that lie on either side of the weakened line  60  may be severed from one another along the weakened line. In one embodiment, the portion of the weakened line  60  across the major flaps  40  and  42  is a fold line segment that serves as a hinge about which opposing panel portions may be pivoted with respect to one another while the other portion of the weakened line  60  is a tear line segment along which the carton panels may be severed.  
         [0024]    The weakened line  60  is used as a reference for defining the lower portions  62 ,  64  and upper portions  66 ,  68  of the major flaps  40 ,  42 . The weakened line  60  may be a line of severance or a hinge-providing line that facilitates separation or folding of the panel portions lying on either side of the weakened line  60 . It is contemplated that weakened lines include, but are not limited to, perforated lines, tear strips, score lines, half-cut lines, lines of short slits, lines of nick members, or the equivalents.  
         [0025]    The weakened line  60  terminates at edges  56  and  58  of the major flaps  40  and  42 , respectively. The full extension of the weakened line  60  defines a displaceable portion  70  when the carton  10  is erected. The displaceable portion  70  may be configured as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or alternatively configured into what is commonly referred to as a “trough” or “bucket”. The displaceable portion  70  is at least partially detachable from the carton  10 , as shown in FIG. 3, to form an opening to permit dispensing of the articles from the carton  10 . A tab  72  borders the weakened line  60 , preferably on the top panel  24 , which may be pushed through or pulled out to initiate detachment of the displaceable portion  70 .  
         [0026]    The weakened line  60  allows the upper portion  66  of the major flap  40  and the upper portion  68  of the major flap  42  to be removed from, or pivoted with respect to, the erected carton  10 . The upper portions  66 ,  68  removed from, or pivoted with respect to, the overlapping major flaps  40 ,  42 , along with portions of the side panels  20 ,  22 , and the top panel  20 , define the preferred configuration of the displaceable portion  70 . The combined lower portions  62 ,  64  of the major end flaps  40 ,  42  remain with the carton  10  after the displaceable portion  70  has been removed or pivoted downwardly. The upper edge  74  of the combined lower portions  62 ,  64  partially defines the opening through which the packaged articles are dispensed.  
         [0027]    The bottom major end flaps  44 ,  46  each also includes a weakened line  76  such as a fold line or a frangible/tear line for defining on either side distal panel portions  78 ,  80  and proximal panel portions  82 ,  84 . In some embodiments, portions of the end flaps  44 ,  46  that lie on either side of the weakened line  76  may be severed from one another once the carton  10  is erected and opened. Each weakened line  76  is preferably substantially parallel to transverse fold line  28 . When end flaps  44 ,  46  are secured together to erect the carton  10 , the weakened lines  76  of the end flaps  44  and  46  cooperate with one another to substantially form a continuous line  76  across the width of the composite bottom major flap  44  and  46 . The full extent and orientation of the weakened line  76  then preferably corresponds substantially with the adjacent upper edge  74  of lower portions  62 ,  64 .  
         [0028]    Until the displaceable portion  70  is at least partially detached from the remainder of the carton  10 , the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  are obscured from view. Because the end flaps  44 ,  46  are the innermost layer of the end wall at the dispensing end of the erected carton  10 , the proximal panel portions  82 ,  84  are behind the lower portions  62 ,  64  of the end flaps  40 ,  44  in a face-to-face relationship. This face-to-face relationship is maintained even after the displaceable portion  70  is completely detached from the carton  10 . Only after the displaceable portion  70  is at least partially detached from the carton  10 , are the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  visually exposed to the exterior of the carton  10  through the opening.  
         [0029]    As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  extend beyond the upper edge  74  and into the opening. The combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  may be utilized to retain the endmost article in the lower row of articles, yet allow removal of the endmost article when desired by the consumer. Alternatively, the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  may be utilized to retain the endmost article in both the upper and lower rows of articles when the blank  12  is configured differently such that the bottom end flaps  44  and  46  are greater in vertical length than the diameter of each cylindrical article packaged in the carton  10 .  
         [0030]    As shown in FIG. 4, the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  may be folded or pivoted along the weakened line  76  relative to their corresponding proximal panel portions  82 ,  84 . Even though the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  are pivoted outward over the upper edge  74 , the endmost article may continue to be restrained within the carton  10 .  
         [0031]    In one embodiment, the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  may include a graphic surface facing outwardly of the carton. The graphic surface carries indicia such as advertising which becomes visible to the consumer upon opening the carton  10  for dispensing articles. The indicia may be such that the combined distal panel portions  78 ,  80  serve as a voucher/coupon or a game piece (such as a lottery ticket). In such case, the weakened line  76  may be a line of severance or a tear line so that the voucher or the game piece may be detached from the proximal panel portions  82 ,  84  along the weakened line  76 .  
         [0032]    The present invention has been illustrated in relation to a particular embodiment which is intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is capable of many modifications and variations without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is described by the claims appended hereto and supported by the foregoing.