Dispensing system for double stack carton
View Patent ↗The carton of this invention is capable of carrying the plurality of containers stacked upon their ends in two tiers with a unique dispenser that permits the dispensing of containers on their sides. The dispenser is formed in a top side wall and extends into the end wall with most of the end wall being torn open but leaving a portion near the bottom side wall to prevent the bottom layer of containers from rolling out. Angled projections in the dispensing end of the carton near the top panel and bottom panel prevent the top layer of containers from rolling out. A divider may be inserted between the two tiers of containers to facilitate loading the carton and preventing the containers from accidentally rolling out when the dispenser is open.
1. An enclosed carton for carrying a plurality of containers, comprising:
a generally rectangular bottom panel;
a top panel;
a generally rectangular bottom side panel adjacent the bottom panel and the top panel;
a generally rectangular top side panel adjacent the bottom panel and the top panel;
a bottom end flap extending across at least a part of an exiting end of the carton;
at least one top end flap extending across at least a part of the exiting end;
at least one flap extending across an end of the carton opposite to the exiting end;
a first tear line extending across the top side panel;
a second tear line extending across the top side panel, wherein the first and second tear lines define part of a dispensing flap; and
a plurality of tear lines extending across the exiting end and further defining the dispensing flap, the plurality of tear lines including a third tear line extending along and collinear with a first fold line connecting the bottom panel and the bottom end flap.
2. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tear lines comprise:
a fourth tear line extending from the third tear line obliquely to the first fold line.
3. The carton of claim 2 , wherein the first and second tear lines converge at a slit in the top side panel.
4. The carton of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tear lines comprise:
a bottom tear line extending from the fourth tear line across the exiting end.
5. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the top panel comprises a handle flap connected to the top side panel at a second fold line, wherein the at least one top end flap is connected to the handle flap at a third fold line, and wherein a fifth tear line extends along and collinear with the third fold line.
6. The carton of claim 5 , wherein the at least one top end flap comprises an outside top end flap and an inside top end flap that partially overlaps the outside top end flap.
7. The carton of claim 5 , comprising:
a sixth tear line extending from the fifth tear line obliquely to the second fold line, wherein the bottom tear line extends from the sixth tear line, and wherein the bottom tear line includes a portion that is essentially perpendicular to the third fold line.
8. The carton of claim 7 , wherein:
the fourth tear line extends at an angle from the first fold line and the sixth tear line extends at substantially the same angle from the third fold line; and
the third tear line has substantially the same length as the fifth tear line.
9. The carton of clam 7 , wherein the plurality of tear lines are continuous with one another.
10. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the top panel comprises:
an outside handle flap;
an inside handle flap; and
at least one race track handle.
11. The carton of claim 10 , comprising:
a bottom side flap foldably attached to the bottom side panel and extending across the exiting end.
12. The carton of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of tear lines are continuous with one another.
13. The carton of claim 4 , comprising:
a divider extending parallel with the bottom panel.
14. In combination, a carton according to claim 2 and a plurality of containers arranged in two tiers, wherein:
each tier comprises twelve containers in a four container by three container arrangement;
each container has an axis, the container axes being aligned generally parallel to the top side panel; and
the dispensing flap, when removed, allows access to the containers in both tiers.
15. An enclosed paperboard carton and twenty-four containers, each container having two ends and an axis between the ends, wherein the containers are stacked in the carton in two tiers, each tier having twelve of the containers arranged in a three by four configuration, the carton comprising:
a. a bottom panel, wherein the axes of the containers are substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel;
b. a top panel;
c. a bottom side panel foldably attached to the bottom panel and adjacent the top panel, wherein when the carton is lying on the bottom side panel, the containers are arranged in a top layer, a bottom layer and a middle layer;
d. a top side panel foldably attached to the bottom panel;
e. a divider separating the two tiers of containers;
f. an exiting end having a plurality of flaps for closing the exiting end, the plurality of flaps including:
a bottom side flap foldably attached to the bottom side panel;
a top side flap foldably attached to the top side panel;
a bottom end flap foldably attached to the bottom panel, wherein at least one tear line defines a portion of the bottom end flap; and
at least one to end flap foldably connected to the top panel;
g. a first and a second tear line extending through the top side panel, wherein the first and second tear lines define part of a dispensing flap, the dispensing flap
being removable from the carton to permit a person to grasp the containers in each tier of containers,
the first tear line extends into the bottom end flap so that when the dispensing flap is removed, a first projection remains that prevents any of the containers that are adjacent the top side panel, the bottom panel and the exiting end from rolling out of the carton,
the second tear line extends into the at least one top end flap so that when the dispensing flap is removed, a second projection remains and prevents any of the containers adjacent the top side panel, the top panel and the exiting end from rolling out of the carton,
the first and second tear lines extend towards each other so that a portion of the at least one top end flap and a portion of the bottom end flap are removed when the dispensing flap is removed, and
the bottom side flap has sufficient height to prevent any of the containers adjacent the bottom side panel from rolling out of the carton when the dispensing flap is removed; and
h. means to close the carton.
16. The carton of claim 15 , wherein the top panel includes a race track handle.
17. The carton of claim 16 , wherein:
the bottom side flap remains intact when the dispensing flap is removed, and
the at least one top end flap comprises an outside top end flap and an inside top end flap.
18. The carton of claim 16 , wherein the first and second tear lines converge to a pull tab in the top side panel and extend away from the top side flap.
19. The carton of claim 16 , wherein:
the height of the bottom end flap is sufficient to prevent all but the top layer of containers from rolling out when the dispensing flap is removed and the projections prevent the containers in the top layer from rolling out when the dispensing flap is removed.
20. A carton blank, comprising:
a first flap;
a generally rectangular bottom side panel connected to the first flap at a first fold line;
at least one bottom side flap connected to at least one end of the bottom side panel at at least one second fold line;
a generally rectangular bottom panel connected to the bottom side panel at a third fold line;
a bottom end flap connected to the bottom panel at a fourth fold line;
a generally rectangular top side panel connected to the bottom panel at a fifth fold line;
at least one top side flap connected to at least one end of the top side panel at at least one sixth fold line; and
a second flap connected to the top side panel at a seventh fold line, wherein
the top side panel includes a first tear line that extends obliquely to the fifth fold line, and a second tear line that extends obliquely to the seventh fold line, and wherein the first and second tear lines converge toward one another in the top side panel, and
a third tear line extends along and collinear with the fourth fold line and is continuous with the first tear line.
21. The carton blank of claim 20 , wherein the first and second tear lines converge at a slit in the top side panel.
22. The carton blank of claim 20 , comprising:
a fourth tear line extending from the third tear line obliquely to the fourth fold line.
23. The carton blank of claim 22 , comprising:
a first bottom tear line extending from the fourth tear line and terminating at an edge of the bottom end flap, wherein the first bottom tear line includes a portion that is substantially perpendicular to the fourth fold line.
24. The carton blank of claim 23 , comprising:
a top end flap connected to the second flap at a fold line, wherein
a fifth tear line extends along and collinear with the eighth fold line.
25. The carton blank of claim 24 , comprising:
a sixth tear line extending from the fifth tear line obliquely to the eighth fold line; and
a second bottom tear line extending from the sixth tear line and terminating at an edge of the top end flap, wherein the second bottom tear line includes a portion that is substantially perpendicular to the eighth fold line.
26. The carton blank of claim 25 , wherein:
the fourth tear line extends at an angle from the fourth fold line connecting the bottom panel to the bottom end flap and the sixth tear line extends at substantially the same angle from the eighth fold line; and
the third tear line has substantially the same length as the fifth tear line.
27. The carton blank of claim 26 , wherein:
the first flap comprise a race track handle; and
the second flap comprises a race track handle.
28. The carton blank of claim 22 , wherein:
the first flap comprises a race track handle;
the second flap comprises a race track handle; and
the at least one bottom side flap comprises two bottom side flaps connected to opposite ends of the bottom side panel.
29. The carton blank of claim 20 , wherein the carton blank is made from paperboard.
30. A carton blank, comprising:
a first flap;
a generally rectangular bottom side panel connected to the first flap at a first fold line;
at least one bottom side flap connected to at least one end of the bottom side panel at at least one second fold line;
a generally rectangular bottom panel connected to the bottom side panel at a third fold line;
a bottom end flap connected to the bottom panel at a fourth fold line;
a generally rectangular top side panel connected to the bottom panel at a fifth fold line;
at least one top side flap connected to at least one end of the top side panel at a sixth fold line;
a second flap connected to the top side panel at a seventh fold line; and
a plurality of tear lines extending through the blank, wherein
the plurality of tear lines define a dispensing flap, and
at least one of the tear lines extends along and collinear with the fourth fold line.
31. The carton blank of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of tear lines includes:
a tear line that extends obliquely from the fourth fold line;
a tear line extending along and collinear with an eighth fold line connecting the second flap and a top end flap; and
a tear line extending obliquely from the eighth fold line.
32. The carton blank of claim 31 , wherein the plurality of tear lines includes:
a first tear line and a second tear line extending through the top side panel, wherein the first and second tear lines converge toward one another; and
bottom tear lines extending through the top end flap and the bottom end flap.
33. The carton blank of claim 32 , wherein:
the tear line that extends obliquely from the fourth fold line extends at an angle; and
the tear line extending obliquely from the eighth fold line extends at substantially the same angle.