CARTON WITH REINFORCED TOP PANEL

1 . A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprising:

a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the second side panel, the top panel at least partially overlapping the reinforcement panel;

a reinforcement side flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel; and

an inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel, the reinforcement panel at least partially overlapping the inner top reinforcement flap.

2 . The carton of claim 1 , further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the at least two end flaps being at least partially overlapped with respect to one another to thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise a top end flap foldably connected to the top panel.

3 . The carton of claim 2 , wherein the at least two end flaps further comprise a reinforcement end flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel, the reinforcement end flap being at least partially in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the top end flap.

4 . The carton of claim 3 , wherein the at least two end flaps further comprise a first side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, and the reinforcement end flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of each of the first side end flap and the second side end flap.

5 . The carton of claim 4 , wherein the reinforcement end flap is foldably connected to the reinforcement panel along an area of weakening, and the inner top reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the reinforcement panel along a fold line, the area of weakening being generally aligned with the fold line.

6 . The carton of claim 4 , further comprising a handle comprising at least one handle feature in the top panel and at least one handle opening in the reinforcement panel, the at least one handle feature being generally aligned with the at least one handle opening, wherein the inner top reinforcement flap comprises at least one handle cutout that is generally aligned with at least a portion of each of the at least one handle feature and the at least one handle opening.

7 . The carton of claim 2 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel extend generally perpendicular to the top panel and the bottom panel, and the reinforcement side flap extends in an oblique direction from the reinforcement panel to the first side panel.

8 . The carton of claim 7 , wherein the top panel comprises a first length and the bottom panel comprises a second length, the first length being less than the second length, and at least a portion of the closed end of the carton is angled inwardly adjacent the top panel.

9 . The carton of claim 1 , further comprising a handle comprising a first handle feature and a second handle feature in the top panel and a third handle feature and a fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel, the third handle feature being generally aligned with the first handle feature and the fourth handle feature being generally aligned with the second handle feature, wherein the inner top reinforcement flap comprises a first handle cutout and a second handle cutout, the first handle cutout is generally aligned with at least a portion of the third handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the first handle feature in the top panel, and the second handle cutout is generally aligned with at least a portion of the fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the second handle feature in the top panel.

10 . The carton of claim 9 , wherein:

the inner top reinforcement flap is a first inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel at a first end, the first inner top reinforcement flap is in face-to-face contact with a first portion of the reinforcement panel;

the carton further comprises a second inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel at an opposing second end, the second inner top reinforcement flap is in face-to-face contact with a second portion of the reinforcement panel; and

the second inner top reinforcement flap comprises a third handle cutout and a fourth handle cutout, the third handle cutout is generally aligned with a portion of the third handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the first handle feature in the top panel, and the fourth handle cutout is generally aligned with a portion of the fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the second handle feature in the top panel.

11 . The carton of claim 10 , wherein:

each of the first handle cutout and the second handle cutout is defined in a first free edge of the first inner top reinforcement flap and is generally U-shaped;

each of the third handle cutout and the fourth handle cutout is defined in a second free edge of the second inner top reinforcement flap and is generally U-shaped;

the first free edge of the first inner top reinforcement flap is positioned adjacent the second free edge of the second inner top reinforcement flap; and

the third handle cutout of the second inner top reinforcement flap is generally aligned with the first handle cutout of the first inner top reinforcement flap, and the fourth handle cutout of the second inner top reinforcement flap is generally aligned with the second handle cutout of the first inner top reinforcement flap.

12 . A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the second side panel, wherein the top panel at least partially overlaps the reinforcement panel in the carton formed from the blank;

a reinforcement side flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel; and

an inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel, wherein the reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the inner top reinforcement flap when the carton is formed from the blank.

13 . The blank of claim 12 , further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the at least two end flaps for being at least partially overlapped with respect to one another to thereby at least partially form a closed end of the carton formed from the blank, wherein the at least two end flaps comprise a top end flap foldably connected to the top panel.

14 . The blank of claim 13 , wherein the at least two end flaps further comprise a reinforcement end flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel, the inner top reinforcement flap is separable from the reinforcement end flap along a cut line, and the reinforcement end flap is for being at least partially in face-to-face contact with an interior surface of the top end flap in the carton formed from the blank.

15 . The blank of claim 14 , wherein the at least two end flaps further comprise a first side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel and a second side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, and the reinforcement end flap is for being at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of each of the first side end flap and the second side end flap.

16 . The blank of claim 15 , wherein the reinforcement end flap is foldably connected to the reinforcement panel along an area of weakening, and the inner top reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the reinforcement panel along a fold line, the area of weakening being generally aligned with the fold line.

17 . The blank of claim 15 , further comprising a handle comprising at least one handle feature in the top panel and at least one handle opening in the reinforcement panel, wherein the at least one handle feature is for being generally aligned with the at least one handle opening in the carton formed from the blank, the inner top reinforcement flap comprises at least one handle cutout that is for being generally aligned with at least a portion of each of the at least one handle feature and the at least one handle opening in the carton formed from the blank.

18 . The blank of claim 15 , wherein:

the first side end flap and the second side end flap are foldably connected to the respective first side panel and second side panel along a fold line, at least a portion of the fold line extending in a generally longitudinal direction;

the top panel comprises a first length and the bottom panel comprises a second length, the first length being less than the second length; and

the fold line comprises a first oblique segment extending from the top panel and a second oblique segment extending from the reinforcement panel.

19 . The blank of claim 12 , further comprising handle features for forming a handle in the carton formed from the blank, the handle features comprising a first handle feature and a second handle feature in the top panel, a third handle feature and a fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel, and a first handle cutout and a second handle cutout the inner top reinforcement flap.

20 . The blank of claim 19 , wherein:

the inner top reinforcement flap is a first inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel at a first end, the first inner top reinforcement flap is for being in face-to-face contact with a first portion of the reinforcement panel in the carton formed from the blank;

the carton further comprises a second inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel at an opposing second end, the second inner top reinforcement flap is for being in face-to-face contact with a second portion of the reinforcement panel in the carton formed from the blank; and

the handle features further comprise a third handle cutout and a fourth handle cutout in the second inner top reinforcement flap.

21 . The blank of claim 20 , wherein:

each of the first handle cutout and the second handle cutout is defined in a first free edge of the first inner top reinforcement flap and is generally U-shaped;

each of the third handle cutout and the fourth handle cutout is defined in a second free edge of the second inner top reinforcement flap and is generally U-shaped;

the first free edge of the first inner top reinforcement flap is positioned adjacent the second free edge of the second inner top reinforcement flap in the carton formed from the blank; and

the third handle cutout of the second inner top reinforcement flap is for being generally aligned with the first handle cutout of the first inner top reinforcement flap in the carton formed from the blank, and the fourth handle cutout of the second inner top reinforcement flap is for being generally aligned with the second handle cutout of the first inner top reinforcement flap in the carton formed from the blank.

22 . A method of forming a carton comprising:

obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the second side panel, a reinforcement side flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel, and an inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel;

positioning the inner top reinforcement flap so that the reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the inner top reinforcement flap;

positioning the reinforcement panel relative to the top panel so that the top panel at least partially overlaps the reinforcement panel; and

forming an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-ended sleeve.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the blank further comprises a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps comprising a top end flap foldably connected to the top panel, a reinforcement end flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel, a first side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, and a second side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel; and

the method further comprises forming an at least partially closed end of the open-ended sleeve by at least partially overlapping the plurality of end flaps with respect to one another, the at least partially overlapping the plurality of end flaps comprising positioning the reinforcement end flap at least partially in face-to-face contact with the top end flap and at least partially in face-to-face contact with each of the first side end flap and the second side end flap.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the forming the interior of the carton comprises positioning the first side panel and the second side panel to extend generally perpendicular to the top panel and the bottom panel and positioning the reinforcement side flap to extend in an oblique direction from the reinforcement panel to the first side panel; and

at least a portion of the at least partially closed end of the carton is angled inwardly adjacent the top panel.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the blank further comprises handle features for forming a handle, the handle features comprising a first handle feature and a second handle feature in the top panel, a third handle feature and a fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel, and a first handle cutout and a second handle cutout the inner top reinforcement flap;

the positioning the reinforcement panel relative to the top panel comprises generally aligning the third handle feature with the first handle feature and the fourth handle feature with the second handle feature;

the positioning the inner top reinforcement flap comprises generally aligning the first handle cutout with at least a portion of the third handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the first handle feature in the top panel and generally aligning the second handle cutout with at least a portion of the fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the second handle feature in the top panel.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein:

the inner top reinforcement flap is a first inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel at a first end, and the positioning the inner top reinforcement flap comprising positioning the first inner top reinforcement flap in face-to-face contact with a first portion of the reinforcement panel;

the blank further comprises a second inner top reinforcement flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel at an opposing second end, the second inner top reinforcement flap comprising a third handle cutout and a fourth handle cutout; and

the method further comprises positioning the second inner top reinforcement flap in face-to-face contact with a second portion of the reinforcement panel so that the third handle cutout is generally aligned with a portion of the third handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the first handle feature in the top panel, and so that the fourth handle cutout that is generally aligned with a portion of the fourth handle feature in the reinforcement panel and the second handle feature in the top panel.