Carton with pressure sensitive opening device

A carton, comprising:

• a top wall;
• a pair of opposed side walls each having upper and lower edges and each hingedly connected along said upper edges to said top wall;
• a bottom wall having side edges hingedly connected to said lower edges of said side walls;
• an end wall hingedly connected to end edges of each of said side, top, and bottom walls;
• an article dispenser including a removable portion formed from at least a portion of said side, top, and end walls, the removable portion being defined by a frangible line;
• and
• an opening device for breaking said frangible line, said opening device being defined by at least a portion of said frangible line and by a pair of convergent fold lines each originating near said frangible line, the opening device comprising:
• a severance line disposed between said convergent fold lines, said severance line being disposed along the direction of convergence of said convergent fold lines;
• and
• a fold line disposed between said convergent fold lines and perpendicular to said severance line.

An opening device for breaking a frangible line connecting a first section of material to a second section of material, said opening device being defined by at least a portion of said frangible line and by a pair of convergent fold lines each originating near said frangible line, the opening device comprising:

• a collapsible line disposed between said convergent fold lines;
• and
• a fold line disposed between said convergent fold lines and perpendicular to and intersecting said collapsible line;
• wherein said fold line, said convergent fold lines, and said collapsible line cooperate to break said frangible line when pressure is applied proximate to the intersection between said fold line and said collapsible line.

A method for opening a carton, wherein the carton includes a top wall, a pair of opposed side walls each having upper and lower edges and each hingedly connected along said upper edges to said top wall, a bottom wall having side edges hingedly connected to said lower edges of said side walls, an end wall hingedly connected to end edges of each of said side, top, and bottom walls, and an article dispenser including an at least partially removable portion formed from at least one of said side, top, end, and bottom walls, the removable portion being defined at least in part by at least one frangible line, the method comprising:

• applying downward pressure to an opening device for breaking said frangible line, said opening device being defined by at least a portion of said frangible line and by a pair of convergent fold lines each originating near said frangible line, the opening device comprising:
• a collapsible line disposed between said convergent fold lines, said collapsible line being disposed along the direction of convergence of said convergent fold lines;
• a fold line disposed between said convergent fold lines intersecting said collapsible line;
• discontinuing the application of pressure when said frangible line tears sufficiently to grasp an edge of said removable portion, said edge being defined by said frangible line;
• grasping said edge;
• and
• tearing at least a portion of the remainder of said frangible line until the carton is open.

A carton, comprising:

• a first wall having a frangible line formed therein;
• and
• an opening device for breaking said frangible line, said opening device being defined by at least a portion of said frangible line and by a pair of convergent fold lines each originating near said frangible line, the opening device comprising:
• a fold line extending between said convergent fold lines such that said fold line is disposed transversely to said convergent fold lines;
• wherein said fold line and said convergent fold lines cooperate to break said frangible line when pressure is applied proximate to said fold line.