Carton with dispenser
View Patent ↗A carton comprises a divider panel that connects a front panel of the carton to a back panel. The lower edge of the divider panel is offset from the bottom panel, and therefore is less likely to buckle or bend when the carton is subjected to axial compression. The divider panel therefore provides greater axial stiffness and strength to the carton.
1. A carton, comprising:
a back panel having a first top edge;
a first side panel adjacent to the back panel;
a front panel adjacent to the first side panel and having a second top edge; a dispenser at least partially formed in the front panel;
a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and the back panel;
a bottom panel;
a top panel; and
a divider panel disposed within an interior of the carton between the first and second side panels, wherein
the divider panel connects the front panel to the back panel,
the divider panel is generally parallel to the first side panel,
the divider panel has a lower edge that is offset from the bottom panel, wherein the lower edge of the divider panel defines a relief area between the lower edge and the bottom panel, the lower edge extends between a lowermost point adjacent to the bottom panel and an uppermost point that is above or adjacent to a top edge of the dispenser and at least substantially all of the lower edge of the divider panel is out of contact with the bottom panel,
the divider panel has a top edge that extends between and is at the same height as the first top edge and the second top edge, and
the divider panel is foldably connected to the back panel by a fold line that is of substantially the same height as the back panel.
2. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser extends across the front panel and into the first and second side panels.
3. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises a pivotable flap disposed adjacent to the bottom panel.
4. The carton of claim 3 , wherein a top edge of the pivotable flap is pivotable outwardly away from the front panel.
5. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the top edge of the divider panel is adjacent to the top panel.
6. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the divider panel extends upwardly at an angle of at least five degrees away from the back panel and toward the front panel.
7. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the divider panel is curved.
8. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the divider panel comprises a plurality of linear segments.
9. The carton of claim 1 , further comprising a tear strip extending around a perimeter of the carton adjacent to the top panel.
10. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the back panel, the first side panel, the front panel, the second side panel, the bottom panel, and the top panel form a substantially parallelepipedal structure.
11. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the carton is constructed from paperboard.
12. A carton, comprising:
a back panel having a first top edge;
a first side panel adjacent to the back panel;
a front panel adjacent to the first side panel and having a second top edge;
a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and the back panel;
a bottom panel adjacent to the back panel, the first side panel, the front panel and the second side panel;
a top panel adjacent to the back panel, the first side panel, the front panel and the second side panel;
a dispenser at least partially formed in a lower portion of the front panel; and
a divider panel disposed within an interior of the carton between the first and second side panels and dividing the interior of the carton into two columns, wherein
the divider panel is adjacent to the top panel and connects the front panel to the back panel,
the divider panel is generally parallel to the first side panel,
the divider panel has a lower edge that is offset from the bottom panel and at least substantially all of the lower edge of the divider panel is out of contact with the bottom panel,
the divider panel has a top edge that extends between and is at the same height as the first top edge and the second top edge, and
the lower edge of the divider panel defines a relief area between the divider panel and the bottom panel, the lower edge extends between a lowermost point adjacent to the bottom panel an uppermost point above or adjacent to a top edge of the dispenser.
13. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the dispenser extends across the front panel and into the first and second side panels.
14. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the divider panel is foldably connected to the back panel at a fold line that is of substantially the same height as the back panel.
15. The carton of claim 14 , wherein the lower edge extends upwardly at an angle of at least five degrees away from the lowermost point to the uppermost point.
16. The carton of claim 14 , wherein the lower edge of the divider panel is curved.
17. The carton of claim 14 , wherein the lower edge of the divider panel comprises a plurality of linear segments.
18. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the carton is constructed from paperboard and the lower edge extends across an entire width of the divider panel.
19. A carton blank, comprising:
at least one back panel having a first top edge at a first marginal portion of the blank;
a first side panel;
a front panel having a second top edge at the first marginal portion of the blank; a dispenser cut pattern at least partially formed in the front panel;
a second side panel;
at least one top flap extending along the first marginal portion of the blank;
at least one bottom flap extending along a second marginal portion of the blank and foldably connected to a remainder of the blank at a bottom fold line; and
a divider panel, wherein the divider panel has a lower edge that extends away from the bottom fold line towards the first marginal portion of the blank, wherein
the divider panel is foldably connected to the at least one back panel by a back fold line that is of substantially the same height as the back panel,
the divider panel is for being generally parallel to the first side wall when the blank is formed into a carton,
the divider panel has a top edge extending across the entire width of the divider panel that is aligned with the first top edge and the second top edge such that the height of the divider panel is substantially equal to the height of the at least one back panel and the front panel, wherein in a carton formed from the blank, the at least one back panel, the first side panel, the front panel, the second side panel, the bottom panel, and the top panel form a parallelepipedal structure, the at least one bottom flap extending along the second marginal portion of the blank forms a bottom panel, the divider panel connects the front panel to the back panel, and the lower edge of the divider panel is offset from the bottom panel wherein at least substantially all of the lower edge of the divider panel is out of contact with the bottom panel.
20. The blank of claim 19 , further comprising an adhesive flap foldably connected to the divider panel.
21. The blank of claim 19 , wherein the blank comprises a first sheet and a second sheet overlapping the first sheet.
22. A carton blank, comprising:
a first side panel;
a front panel foldably connected to the first side panel and having a first top edge at a first marginal portion of the blank;
a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel;
at least one back panel having a second top edge at the first marginal portion of the blank;
a divider panel foldably connected to the at least one back panel, wherein the divider panel is generally parallel to the first side panel in a carton formed from the blank, the divider panel having a top edge extending across the entire width of the divider panel and that is aligned with the first top edge and the second top edge such that the height of the first divider panel is substantially equal to the height of the at least one back panel and the front panel;
at least one top flap extending across the first marginal portion of the blank and foldably connected at a first longitudinal fold line;
a dispenser at least partially formed in the front panel; and
at least one bottom flap extending across a second marginal portion of the blank and foldably connected at a second longitudinal fold line, wherein
the divider panel has a lower edge that extends between a first point adjacent to the at least one back panel and the second longitudinal fold line at the second marginal portion of the blank, and a second point spaced apart from the second marginal portion of the blank, wherein in a carton formed from the blank, the at least one back panel, the first side panel, the front panel, the second side panel, the bottom panel, and the top panel form a parallelepipedal structure, the at least one flap extending along a second marginal portion of the blank forms a bottom panel, the divider panel connects the front panel to the back panel, and the lower edge of the divider panel is offset from the bottom panel to define a relief area between the divider panel and the bottom panel wherein at least substantially all of the lower edge of the divider panel is out of contact with the bottom panel.
23. The blank of claim 22 , wherein the blank is constructed from paperboard.
24. The blank of claim 23 , wherein the blank comprises a first sheet and a second sheet overlapping the first sheet.
25. A substantially parallelepipedal paperboard carton, comprising:
a first back panel;
a second back panel connected to the first back panel the connected first and second back panels having cooperating top edges that form a first top edge;
a first side panel foldably connected to the first back panel;
a front panel adjacent to the first side panel and having a second top edge;
a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and foldably connected to the second back panel;
a bottom panel adjacent to the first and second back panels, the first and second side panels, and the front panel;
a top panel adjacent to the first and second back panels, the first and second side panels, and the front panel;
a dispenser at least partially formed in a lower portion of the front panel; and
a divider panel disposed within an interior of the carton between the first and second side panels and dividing the carton interior into vertical columns, wherein
the divider panel is foldably connected to one of the first back panel and the second back panel,
the divider panel is generally parallel to the first side panel,
a top edge of the divider panel is adjacent to the top panel and extends between and is at the same height as the first top edge and the second top edge,
the divider panel has a lower edge that is offset from the bottom panel wherein at least substantially all of the lower edge of the divider panel is out of contact with the bottom panel, and
the lower edge of the divider panel defines a relief area between the divider panel and the bottom panel, the lower edge extends between a lowermost point adjacent to the bottom panel an uppermost point above or adjacent to a top edge of the dispenser.
26. The carton of claim 25 , wherein the top edge of the divider panel is of substantially the same height as the carton.
27. The carton of claim 1 , wherein the lower edge extends across an entire width of the divider panel.
28. The blank of claim 22 , wherein the first point corresponds to a location wherein the divider panel has a maximum height and the second point corresponds to a location wherein the divider panel has a minimum height.
29. The carton of claim 12 , wherein the bottom panel forms a bottom exterior surface of the carton.