Patent ID: 6974072

Claim:
An enclosed carton for carrying a plurality of cylindrical containers in at least three rows, with a bottom row, a middle row and a top row, with each container having a diameter and two ends, the carton comprising: a. a bottom panel, top panel and foldably attached adjoining side panels; b. a plurality of ends, at least one of which being an exiting end capable of permitting the containers to exit the carton one at a time when one of the containers is pulled from the carton, said exiting end having a bottom and a top tear line which are at least approximately parallel to each other, for forming a container dispenser, said bottom tear line having a height from said bottom panel that is less than the diameter of a container to be contained in the bottom row, but a sufficient height to prevent any containers in the bottom row from automatically rolling out when said dispenser is open when the carton is on a horizontal plane, said top tear line having a height from said bottom panel that is equal to the diameter of one of the containers to be contained in the bottom row of containers plus a distance that is substantially less than the diameter of a container to be contained in the middle row of containers, but at a sufficient height from said bottom panel to prevent any container in the middle row from automatically rolling out of said dispenser when open when the carton is on a horizontal plane; c. said top and bottom tear lines extending into at least one of said side panels a sufficient distance and turning towards each other a sufficient distance to permit said top and bottom tear lines to be torn open so that at least the end of a container in the middle row adjacent said exiting end and said one side panel can be grasped and removed from the carton; and d. means for closing any end of the carton that is not the exiting end.