Patent ID: 7614497

Claim:
A carton for containing a plurality of beverage containers arranged in at least two stacked rows in the carton, the two stacked rows comprise a top row and a bottom row, the top row including a top end container and the bottom row including a bottom end container, the carton comprising: panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the panels include a top panel, a bottom panel and a first side panel and a second side panel, the first side panel and the second side panel are respectively foldably attached to the top panel at respective longitudinally-extending fold lines, the top panel being adjacent to the top row of containers and the bottom panel being adjacent the bottom row of containers; at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels at at least one fold line, wherein the at least two end flaps at least partially form a closed end of the carton; and an opening section that allows access to the articles in the carton at the closed end, the opening section providing an opening defined by a tear line, the tear line extending at least partially in the at least two end flaps and being positioned relative to the top panel such that the opening section comprises at least a portion of the top panel, in each of the at least two end flaps, the tear line comprises a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, the first and second portions being adapted to form a generally L-shaped portion being shaped to retain the top end container and the bottom end container at the closed end, the generally L-shaped portion in each of the at least two end flaps at least partially forms a bottom retaining portion extending across the closed end for retaining the bottom end container and each generally L-shaped portion having a respective top retaining portion extending upward from the bottom retaining portion to a point adjacent to the one of the longitudinally-extending fold lines so that each respective top retaining portion retains the top end container, the top retaining portion having an edge formed by the second portion of the tear line that is at least substantially parallel to the at least one fold line, the tear line comprising a third portion extending from the second portion and being substantially collinear with at least one of the longitudinally-extending fold lines.