Carton having dispensing feature and blank therefor

A blank for forming a carton for containing a plurality of articles, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of main panels hinged together in a linear series, the plurality of main panels configured to form a tubular structure in a set-up carton, the plurality of main panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel, a top panel, and a second side panel;
• a plurality of exiting end flaps configured to form a front panel in the set-up carton, the front panel being configured to close a front end of the tubular structure, the plurality of exiting end flaps comprising a first side exiting end flap hingedly connected to said first side panel along a first marginal area of the blank and a second side exiting end flap hingedly connected to said second side panel along said first marginal area of the blank;
• a dispenser pattern extending through the top panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the front panel, wherein the dispenser pattern comprises a first end dispenser pattern formed in the first side exiting end flap and a second end dispenser pattern formed in the second side exiting end flap, wherein the first end dispenser pattern comprises a first end first tear line and the second end dispenser pattern comprises a second end first tear line, and wherein the first end first tear line and the second end first tear line are configured to extend downwardly toward each other from opposite sides of the front panel in the set-up carton, and wherein said first and second end dispenser patterns do not extend completely across respective first and second side exiting end flaps but stop short of an outer edge of respective first and second side exiting end flaps, wherein the first end first tear line and second end first tear line are configured to define at least in part a lower edge of an at least partially removable dispenser in the set-up carton, wherein said first end dispenser pattern comprises a first J-shaped cut disposed at or adjacent to a terminal end of said first end first tear line, and wherein said second end dispenser pattern comprises a second J-shaped cut disposed at or adjacent to a terminal end of said second end first tear line, said first and second J-shaped cuts being configured to arrest further tearing of the front panel in the set-up carton.

A carton and a plurality of articles contained therein, the carton comprising:

• a top panel;
• a bottom panel;
• a first side panel coupled to both the top panel and the bottom panel;
• a second side panel disposed opposite the first side panel and coupled to both the top panel and the bottom panel;
• a back end panel disposed at a back end of the carton;
• an exiting end panel disposed at a front end of the carton, the exiting end panel comprising a first side exiting end flap and a second side exiting end flap;
• a dispenser defined by a dispenser pattern, the dispenser pattern defining a dispenser flap that is separable along said dispenser pattern to form an opening into an interior of said carton, said dispenser pattern extending at least through the top panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the exiting end panel, wherein the dispenser pattern comprises a first end dispenser pattern formed in the first side exiting end flap and a second end dispenser pattern formed in the second side exiting end flap, wherein the first end dispenser pattern comprises a first end first tear line and the second end dispenser pattern comprises a second end first tear line, and wherein the first end first tear line and the second end first tear line extend downwardly toward one another from opposite sides of the exiting end panel, and wherein said first and second end dispenser patterns do not extend completely across respective first and second side exiting end flaps but stop short of an outer edge of respective first and second side exiting end flaps, wherein said first end first tear line defines a first axis and said second end first tear line defines a second axis, wherein a first angle between said first axis and a horizontal axis of said front panel is at least about 5 degrees, wherein a second angle between said second axis and said horizontal axis of said front panel is at least about 5 degrees.