Closable carton

A carton erected from a single carton blank to be in an opened condition, said carton comprising:

• a bottom wall panel,
• four side wall panels, each of said side wall panels being integrally connected along a fold line to said bottom wall panel and folded upwardly therefrom, thereby defining first and second pairs of opposite side wall panels, said bottom wall panel and said four side wall panels defining a container space,
• corner portions integrally connecting adjacent side wall panels, said corner portions being folded outwardly and secured in overlapping pairs against said second pair of opposite side wall panels,
• flap members, each of said flap members being integral along a flap fold line with one of said side wall panels of said first pair of opposite side wall panels,
• closure members, each of said closure members being integral along a closure fold line with a respective side wall panel of said second pair of opposite side wall panels,
• tab structure securing a closure member to an adjacent flap member, and
• handle portions, each of said handle portions being integral along a handle fold line with a respective said closure member, each of said handle fold lines being generally parallel to a closure fold line and having an extent greater than said closure fold line, said handle portions and said closure members being generally co-planar with a respective side wall panel of said second pair of opposite side wall panels.

A flat blank of carton material cut and scored to be erected into a carton, said flat blank comprising:

• a bottom wall panel,
• four side wall panels, each of said side wall panels being integrally connected along a fold line to said bottom wall panel thereby defining first and second pairs of opposite side wall panels,
• corner portions integrally connecting adjacent side wall panels, said corner portions being constructed and arranged to be folded outwardly and secured in overlapping pairs against said second pair of opposite side wall panels,
• flap members, each of said flap members being integral along a flap fold line with one of said side wall panels of said first pair of opposite side wall panels, each of said flap members defining foldable portions constructed and arranged to be folded into generally overlapping relation with a central portion of said flap member,
• closure members, each of said closure members being integral along a closure fold line with one of said side wall panels of said second pair of opposite side wall panels,
• tab structure constructed and arranged to permit a closure member to be secured to an adjacent flap member, and
• handle portions, each of said handle portions being integral along a handle fold line with one of said closure members, said handle fold line being generally parallel to said closure fold line and having an extent greater than said closure fold line.

A method of closing an erected carton, said carton including a bottom wall panel;

• four side wall panels, each of said side wall panels being integrally connected along a fold line to said bottom wall panel thereby defining first and second pairs of opposite side wall panels, said bottom wall panel and said four side wall panels defining a container space;
• corner portions integrally connecting adjacent side wall panels, said corner portions being secured in overlapping pairs against said second pair of opposite side wall panels;
• flap members, each of said flap members being integral along a flap fold line with one of said side wall panels of said first pair of opposite side wall panels, each of said flap members defining foldable portions;
• closure members, each of said closure members being integral along a closure fold line with one of said side wall panels of said second pair of opposite side wall panels;
• tab structure securing a closure member to an adjacent flap member;
• and handle portions, each of said handle portions being integral along a handle fold line with one of said closure members, each of said handle fold lines being generally parallel to a closure fold line and having an extent greater than said closure fold line, the method including:
• moving each of said flap members outwardly and downwardly about a respective flap fold line with said foldable portions being disposed in generally overlapping relation with said central portion thereof, causing said handle portions to fold about their respective handle fold lines and come together in a position generally transverse with respect to said closure members, with each of said closure members being folded about the closure fold line so as to be disposed generally parallel to said bottom wall panel closing said container;
• and
• moving each of said flap members generally upwardly about a respective flap fold line causing said handle portions and said handle fold lines to be in generally abutting relation, respectively, said handle fold lines causing said bowing said first pair of opposite side wall panels outwardly, thereby maintaining the flap members in their upward position so as to maintain the handle portion in their abutting relation and thus the carton in a closed position.

A package comprising:

• a carton of flat carton material comprising:
• a bottom wall panel,
• four side wall panels, each of said side wall panels being integrally connected along a fold line to said bottom wall panel and disposed upwardly therefrom thereby defining first and second pairs of opposite side wall panels, said bottom wall panel and said four side wall panels defining a container space,
• corner portions integrally connecting adjacent side wall panels, said corner portions being secured in overlapping pairs against said second pair of opposite side wall panels,
• flap members, each of said flap members being integral along a flap fold line with one of said side wall panels of said first pair of opposite side wall panels, each of said flap members defining foldable portions folded into generally overlapping relation with a central portion of said flap member,
• closure members, each of said closure members being integral along a closure fold line with one of said side wall panels of said second pair of opposite side wall panels,
• tab structure securing a closure member to an adjacent flap member, and
• handle portions, each of said handle portions being integral along a handle fold line with one of said closure members, each of said handle fold lines being generally parallel to a closure fold line and having an extent greater than said closure fold line,
• said flap members extending upwardly from said first pair of opposite side wall panels with each of said closure members being disposed generally parallel to said bottom wall panel so as to close the container space, said handle portions being disposed between said flap members in generally abutting relation and being generally transverse with respect to said closure members, said handle fold lines being in generally abutting relation and causing said first pair of opposite side wall panels to bow outwardly to maintain the flap members in their upward position thereby maintaining the handle portions in their abutting relation, and
• a product disposed within said container space.