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US 2012/0145774 A1Published application
Carton With Expandable Panel
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorRaymond R. Spivey, SR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A carton for containing a plurality of containers. The carton comprises a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the top panel, and an expansion panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. Opposite ends of the expansion panel are respectively foldably connected to expansion flaps, and the expansion flaps are at least partially in face-to-face contact with, and mounted to, the second side panel. A dispenser is positioned in at least the second side panel.
Claims24
A carton, comprising:
- an enclosure extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the enclosure comprising
- a bottom panel having opposite first and second edges,
- a first side panel extending upwardly from proximate the first edge of the bottom panel,
- a top panel having opposite first and second edges, the first side panel extending downwardly from proximate the first edge of the top panel,
- a second side panel extending downwardly from proximate the second edge of the top panel, so that the interior is positioned between the top and bottom panels, and the interior is positioned between the first and second side panels, wherein the second side panel comprises an access feature for providing access to the interior;
- a cover panel extending upwardly from proximate the second edge of the bottom panel, so that the second side panel is positioned between the interior and the cover panel, and the cover panel covers at least a portion of each of the second side panel and the access feature;
- and
- expandable connections between the cover panel the enclosure, the expandable connections being spaced apart from one another, and the expandable connections being expandable so that
- the cover panel is for being moved outwardly relative to the enclosure, from an inner configuration to an outer configuration, to at least partially define an upwardly open space for being open to the interior by way of the access feature of the second side panel, and
- the expandable connections connect the cover panel to the enclosure in both of the inner and outer configurations.
7 more elements
A blank for being erected into a carton, the blank comprising:
- a plurality of panels extending a longitudinal direction between opposite first and second outermost end edges of the blank, first and second panels of the plurality of panels being foldably connected to one another at a lateral fold line extending in a lateral direction that is crosswise to the longitudinal direction, the first panel extending to the first outermost end edge of the blank, and the first panel having opposite first and second ends spaced apart from one another in the lateral direction;
- a first triangular panel foldably connected to the first end of the first panel at a first oblique fold line, and the first triangular panel extending to the first outermost end edge of the blank;
- and
- a second triangular panel foldably connected to the second end of the first panel at a second oblique fold line, the first triangular panel extending to the first outermost end edge of the blank.
1 more element
A method of using a carton, comprising:
- opening a dispenser of the carton to at least enlarge an opening to an interior of the carton, comprising at least partially separating a dispenser panel from a portion of the carton, comprising moving the dispenser panel outwardly relative to the portion of the carton, comprising tearing along a tear line;
- enlarging an upwardly open space that is open to the interior of the carton by way of the opening, wherein
- the upwardly open space is positioned between a cover panel and the opening, and the upwardly open space is positioned between spaced apart connections between the cover panel and the portion of the carton, and
- the enlarging of the upwardly open space comprises
- the dispenser panel carrying the cover panel along with the dispenser panel, so that the cover panel moves outwardly relative to the portion of the carton, in response to the dispenser panel moving outwardly relative to the portion of the carton, and
- expanding the connections between the cover panel and the portion of the carton in response to the cover panel moving outwardly relative to the portion of the carton;
- and
- at least partially maintaining integrity of the connections between the cover panel and the portion of the carton while the connections are in an expanded configuration, so that the connections close opposite ends of the upwardly open space.
5 more elements
A method of forming a carton, comprising:
- folding a first plurality of panels that are respectively foldably connected to one another in series, comprising positioning a first panel of the first plurality of panels between second and third panels of the first plurality of panels;
- connecting the first and third panels to one another with second and third pluralities of panels that are spaced apart from one another;
- causing relative folding between pleat panels of the second plurality of panels prior to the connecting of the first and third panels to one another with the second plurality of panels;
- and
- causing relative folding between pleat panels of the third plurality of panels prior to the connecting of the first and third panels to one another with the third plurality of panels.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.