Carton and carton blank

1. A top-engaging carrier comprising:

a top panel, and

a sloping shoulder panel hinged to the top panel by a first fold line,

wherein the first fold line is interrupted by at least two curved cut lines such that by folding the shoulder panel about the first fold line, an article-engaging edge is defined by each of the at least two curved cut lines; and

wherein the shoulder panel comprises a stress-reducing second fold line extending alongside at least a part of the first fold line.

2. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said stress-reducing second fold line is configured to facilitate the contouring of said shoulder panel to corresponding portions of a plurality of adjacent articles being engaged by the carrier.

3. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said article-engaging edge is configured to engage a flange of a can.

4. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said stress-reducing second fold line is curved with its concave side facing the top panel.

5. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said stress-reducing second fold line is formed from one or more short cuts.

6. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said stress-reducing second fold line is disposed between a first one of the at least two curved lines and a second adjacent one of the at least two curved lines.

7. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said stress-reducing second fold line is disposed between the first fold line and a notional tangential line that tangentially connects the at least two curved cut lines.

8. The top-engaging carrier of claim 1 , wherein said top-engaging carrier further comprises a second sloping shoulder panel hinged to the top panel by a third fold line, and wherein the second shoulder panel comprises a stress-reducing fourth fold line extending alongside at least a part of the third fold line.

9. A top-engaging carrier comprising:

a top panel;

a shoulder panel or a side panel hinged to the top panel by a first fold line;

wherein an article-engaging device is provided by the top panel;

wherein the carrier further comprises an end panel hinged to the top panel and connected to an edge of the side panel by a linking panel,

wherein the linking panel is hinged to the side panel along a side panel fold line at one end of the linking panel and to the end panel along an end panel fold line at an opposite end of the linking panel that is opposite the one end, so as to connect the side panel to the end panel, and

wherein the end panel fold line has a length that is less than a length of the side panel fold line.

10. The top-engaging carrier of claim 9 wherein an upper end of the end panel fold line is located below the lower edge of the shoulder panel when the top-engaging carrier is in an erected configuration in which the linking panel is in a face-contacting arrangement with an inside surface of the side panel.

11. A blank for forming a top-engaging carrier, the blank comprising:

a top panel;

a shoulder panel hinged to the top panel by a fold line;

wherein an article-engaging device is provided by at least one of the top panel and the shoulder panel;

wherein the blank further comprises a side panel hinged to an outer edge of the shoulder panel and an end panel connected to an edge of the side panel by a gusset panel that is is hinged to the side panel along a side panel fold line at one end of the gusset panel and to the end panel along an end panel fold line at an opposite end of the gusset panel that is opposite the one end, so as to connect the side panel to the end panel;

wherein the end panel comprises an end portion configured to be secured to an inside surface of the side panel in a set-up carrier;

wherein a guide tab is hinged to the end portion along a guide tab fold line and extends generally toward the side panel;

wherein the end portion is hinged to the gusset panel by an end panel fold line.

12. The blank of claim 11 , wherein the guide tab is disposed proximate an outer end of the end panel fold line.

13. The blank of claim 12 , wherein the guide tab fold line is disposed in alignment with the end panel fold line.

14. A top-engaging carrier comprising:

first and second top panels;

a first inner shoulder panel and a second inner shoulder panel, each of the first inner shoulder panel and the second inner should panel sloping to form a keel structure disposed between said first and second top panels, said keel structure defining a first recess at a first end of said keel structure and a second recess at a second opposite end of said keel structure, each of the first recess and second recess formed by respective free edges of the first inner shoulder panel and the second inner shoulder panel the free edges formed by respective cutlines that are oblique with respect to a center fold line formed between the first inner should panel and the second inner should panel;

wherein a first plurality of article-engaging devices is provided by at least one of the first top panel and the first inner shoulder panel;

wherein a second plurality of article-engaging devices is provided by at least one of the second top panel and the second inner shoulder panel;

wherein the first inner shoulder panel comprises a first fold line disposed at a first end of said first inner shoulder panel and a second fold line disposed at an opposite second end of said first inner shoulder panel, said first fold line being disposed generally between an outermost end of a first outermost one of said first plurality of article-engaging devices and a first outermost edge of said first inner shoulder panel, said second fold line being disposed generally between an outermost end of a second outermost one of said first plurality of article-engaging devices and a second outermost edge of said first inner shoulder panel;

wherein the second inner shoulder panel comprises a third fold line disposed at a first end of said second inner shoulder panel and a fourth fold line disposed at an opposite second end of said second inner shoulder panel, said third fold line being disposed generally between an outermost end of a first outermost one of said second plurality of article-engaging devices and a first outermost edge of said second inner shoulder panel, said fourth fold line being disposed generally between an outermost end of a second outermost one of said second plurality of article-engaging devices and a second outermost edge of said second inner shoulder panel.

15. The top-engaging carrier of claim 14 , wherein the first fold line is generally perpendicular to the first outermost edge of the first inner shoulder panel, the second fold line is generally perpendicular to the second outermost edge of the first inner shoulder panel, the third fold line is generally perpendicular to the first outermost edge of the second inner shoulder panel, and the fourth fold line is generally perpendicular to the second outermost edge of the second inner shoulder panel.

16. The top-engaging carrier of claim 14 , wherein the first fold line is generally parallel to the first outermost edge of the first inner shoulder panel, the second fold line is generally parallel to the second outermost edge of the first inner shoulder panel, the third fold line is generally parallel to the first outermost edge of the second inner shoulder panel, and the fourth fold line is generally parallel to the second outermost edge of the second inner shoulder panel.

17. A top-engaging carrier comprising:

a top panel;

an outer sloping shoulder panel hinged to the top panel along an outer side of the top panel via a first fold line,

wherein the first fold line is interrupted by a first plurality of article-engaging devices; and

an inner sloping shoulder panel hinged to the top panel along an inner side of the top panel via a second fold line,

wherein the second fold line is interrupted by a second plurality of article-engaging devices;

wherein the outer sloping shoulder panel has a width that is greater than a width of the inner sloping shoulder panel.

18. The top-engaging carrier of claim 17 ,

wherein the top panel comprises a first top panel, the outer sloping shoulder panel comprises a first outer sloping shoulder panel, and the inner sloping shoulder panel comprises a first inner sloping shoulder panel; and

wherein the top-engaging carrier further comprises a second top panel, a second outer sloping shoulder panel hinged to the second top panel along an outer side of the second top panel, and a second inner sloping shoulder panel hinged to the second top panel along an inner side of the second top panel, and wherein the top-engaging carrier is configured to engage a plurality of articles arranged in a two-row group.

19. The top-engaging carrier of claim 18 , wherein the first and second inner sloping shoulder panels are hinged to one another along a central fold line and together form a keel structure.