Patent ID: 7611042

Claim:
A carton of the end loading type for containing a plurality of similar articles and being structured such that the capacity of the carton can be increased when opened, the carton comprising a series of main panels hinged one to the next, including a bottom panel, first and second side panels and at least one top panel, said at least one top panel having a tear strip and thereby being separable into two parts, said at least one top panel being hinged at each end thereof to at least a portion of an end extension panel, the carton further comprising a top end closure panel hinged to each end extension panel and bottom and side end closure panels hinged to opposing ends of the bottom and side panels, characterized in that the end extension panels are disposed beneath said at least one top panel and in that separating said at least one top panel, by deploying the tear strip, allows each end extension panel to be raised into substantially the same plane as the respective adjacent top end closure panel and further allows each of the separated parts of said at least one top panel to be raised into substantially the same plane as the respective adjacent side panel, thereby increasing the capacity of the open carton, wherein a handle aperture is formed in each end extension panel for carrying the opened carton.