Beverage carton with integral cooler bin

A one-piece, generally planar T-shaped carton blank including:

• a longitudinally-extending compartment portion having an end and carton flaps spaced along the edges of the compartment portion;
• a first panel portion including a side panel and a pair of end panels;
• the side panel being attached to the end of the compartment portion and the end panels extending laterally from the side panel and beyond the flaps;
• a retention strip;
• a tearaway strip interposed between and attached to the side panel and the retention strip;
• and,
• the compartment portion includes a second panel portion scored along three edges for fold-out separation to a utility position.

In a carton having a compartment for multiple containers of beverage and holding means for retaining a coolant in heat exchange relationship to the containers, having a repose position and having a utility position, the improvement wherein:

• the holding means includes left and right side panels and first and second end panels;
• three of the panels are utility connected and contiguous;
• the side panels are directly attached to the carton and at least one of the end panels is attached only to one of said side panels;
• the panels are in stacked relationship to one another in said repose position;
• at least one panel includes a holding tab and at least one other panel includes a slot for receiving the holding tab in said utility position.

In a carton having a perimeter and including a compartment for multiple containers of beverage and a bin for retaining a coolant in heat exchange relationship to the containers, having a repose position and having a utility position, the improvement wherein:

• the bin being atop the carton and includes a plurality of panels which, in said repose position, are in stacked relationship to one another;
• the compartment includes a top wall which has a first area equal to the area bounded by said perimeter which is formed at least in part by one of the panels in the repose position;
• said panels unfolding to a utility position to form the bin, that panel which, in said repose position, forms part of the top wall of the compartment becomes a side panel of the bin;
• in the utility position, the side panel is attached to the remaining of the plurality of panels;
• said plurality of panels form an open-top, coolant-receiving bin positioned atop the compartment, one of said panels being spaced inwardly of said perimeter such that the bin has a second area less than the first area.

In a carton having (a) a compartment for multiple containers of beverage, (b) a compartment bottom panel and (c) holding means for retaining a coolant in heat exchange relationship to the containers, having a repose position and having a utility position, the improvement wherein:

• the carton includes four panels in stacked relationship to one another and are generally parallel to the compartment bottom panel in said repose position;
• one of the panels is hingedly attached to any other of said panels when said panels are in the repose position;
• no one of said panels is coplanar with another panel in said repose position;
• the compartment has a top wall;
• and,
• said panels unfolding to a utility position, the panels being generally perpendicular to the top wall and interlock to form an open-top bin atop the compartment for receiving a coolant.