Reconfigurable carton and package

A blank for forming a carton for holding a product in a liner, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around the carton formed from the blank, the plurality of panels comprising a front panel, at least one rear panel, and at least one side panel, at least one end flap foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the at least one side panel comprises a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel, the at least one rear panel comprises a first rear panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second rear panel foldably connected to the second side panel;
• and
• the at least one side panel comprises at least one expansion feature configured to transition the carton between a first configuration and a second configuration when the carton is formed from the blank, the first configuration is an unexpanded configuration of the carton and the second configuration is an expanded configuration, the at least one expansion feature is foldably connected to the front panel and the at least one rear panel, the at least one expansion feature comprises a first expansion feature in the first side panel comprising at least one front section foldably connected to the front panel and at least one rear section foldably connected to the at least one front section and the first rear panel, and a second expansion feature in the second side panel comprising at least one front section foldably connected to the front panel and at least one rear section foldably connected to the at least one front section of the second side panel and the second rear panel,
• the at least one front section of the first side panel comprises a first front section and a second front section, and the at least one rear section of the first side panel comprises a first rear section and a second rear section, the first front section of the first side panel is foldably connected to the first rear section of the first side panel and the second front section of the first side panel is foldably connected to the second rear section of the first side panel, and wherein the at least one front section of the second side panel comprises a first front section and a second front section, and the at least one rear section of the second side panel comprises a first rear section and a second rear section, the first front section of the second side panel is foldably connected to the first rear section of the second side panel and the second front section of the second side panel is foldably connected to the second rear section of the second side panel;
• the first rear panel and the second rear panel are in at least partial overlapping relation in the carton formed from the blank, and the at least one end flap comprises a top end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a bottom end flap foldably connected to the front panel, the top end flap is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first rear panel and the second rear panel to close a top end of the carton formed from the blank in the unexpanded configuration of the carton and the bottom end flap is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first rear panel and the second rear panel to close a bottom end of the carton formed from the blank in the unexpanded configuration of the carton, the carton is inhibited from expanding from the unexpanded configuration to the expanded configuration when the top end and the bottom end are closed.

A method of forming a carton for holding a product in a liner, the method comprising:

• providing a blank, the blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, at least one rear panel, and at least one side panel, the at least one side panel comprises a first side panel foldably connected to the front panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel, the at least one rear panel comprises a first rear panel foldably connected to the first side panel and a second rear panel foldably connected to the second side panel the at least one side panel comprises at least one expansion feature foldably connected to the front panel and the at least one rear panel, the blank further comprising at least one end flap foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels;
• folding the plurality of panels at least partially around an interior of the carton such that the carton is provided in one of a first configuration and a second configuration, the at least one expansion feature is configured to transition the carton between the first configuration and the second configuration, the first configuration is an unexpanded configuration of the carton and the second configuration is an expanded configuration, the at least one expansion feature comprises a first expansion feature in the first side panel comprising at least one front section foldably connected to the front panel and at least one rear section foldably connected to the at least one front section and the first rear panel, and a second expansion feature in the second side panel comprising at least one front section foldably connected to the front panel and at least one rear section foldably connected to the at least one front section of the second side panel and the second rear panel, the at least one front section of the first side panel comprises a first front section and a second front section, and the at least one rear section of the first side panel comprises a first rear section and a second rear section, the first front section of the first side panel is foldably connected to the first rear section of the first side panel and the second front section of the first side panel is foldably connected to the second rear section of the first side panel, and wherein the at least one front section of the second side panel comprises a first front section and a second front section, and the at least one rear section of the second side panel comprises a first rear section and a second rear section, the first front section of the second side panel is foldably connected to the first rear section of the second side panel and the second front section of the second side panel is foldably connected to the second rear section of the second side panel;
• the folding the plurality of panels comprises positioning the first rear panel and the second rear panel in at least partial overlapping relation;
• the at least one end flap comprises a top end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a bottom end flap foldably connected to the front panel, the method comprises closing a top end of the carton in the unexpanded configuration of the carton by positioning the top end flap in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first rear panel and the second rear panel, and closing a bottom end of the carton in the unexpanded configuration of the carton by positioning the bottom end flap in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first rear panel and the second rear panel,
• the closing the top end of the carton and the closing the bottom end of the carton inhibit the carton from expanding from the unexpanded configuration to the expanded configuration.