Carton with container access openings with at least partially removable tabs

A carton blank comprising:

• a plurality of upper panels joined by fold lines, at least one of the upper panels comprising
• (a) at least one opening, the at least one opening having a truncated teardrop shape, and
• (b) an at least partially removable tab extending from the at least one opening;
• a side panel;
• a bottom panel;
• and
• a plurality of slits and perforations extending from the side panel to the bottom panel, the plurality of slits and perforations comprising
• (a) a substantially linear first slit including a J-cut at each end thereof,
• (b) a lateral slit extending substantially perpendicularly from the first slit, and
• (c) a transverse slit substantially perpendicular to the lateral slit.

A carton comprising:

• a top panel including at least one opening capable of receiving a neck of a container;
• an at least partially removable tab extending from the at least one opening,
• wherein the at least one opening and the at least partially removable tab are capable of forming an enlarged opening through which the container can be removed;
• and
• a bottom panel section joined to a side panel by a fold line, and a plurality of slits and perforations extending from the side panel to the bottom panel section, the plurality of slits and perforations comprising
• (a) a substantially linear slit including a J-cut at each end thereof,
• (b) a lateral slit extending substantially perpendicularly from about a midpoint of the slit,
• (c) a transverse slit substantially perpendicular to the lateral slit,
• (d) a pair of opposed angular slits extending angularly away from each J-cut toward the transverse slit,
• (e) a pair of angular perforation lines extending between the angular slits toward the transverse slit, and
• (f) a plurality of perforation lines forming a generally diamond-shaped perforation pattern extending between the angular slits across the lateral slit.

A carton for a plurality of containers, comprising:

• a plurality of openings extending from a first panel to a second panel, the first panel and the second panel joined by a first fold line;
• and
• a plurality of at least partially removable tabs, wherein
• the plurality of at least partially removable tabs and the plurality of openings are equal in number,
• each of the plurality of at least partially removable tabs begins on the second panel at a corresponding one of the plurality of openings and ends on a third panel joined to the second panel by a second fold line, and
• the openings and the at least partially removable tabs are capable of forming enlarged openings through which the containers can be removed.

A method of providing access to a container contained within a carton, comprising:

• (a) providing a carton comprising at least one opening and an at least partially removable tab extending from the at least one opening, wherein the at least one opening extends from a first panel to a second panel which is joined to the first panel by a first fold line, and wherein the at least partially removable tab begins on the second panel at the at least one opening and ends on a third panel which is joined to the second panel by a second fold line;
• (b) providing a container within the carton, wherein a neck of the carton is received within the at least one opening;
• (c) at least partially separating the at least partially removable tab from the carton to form an enlarged opening through which the container can be removed, wherein the step of at least partially separating the at least partially removable tab comprises at least partially separating the at least partially removable tab from the third panel after at least partially separating the at least partially removable tab from the second panel;
• and
• (d) removing the container from the carton by passing at least a base of the container through the enlarged opening.

A carton blank for being formed into a carton that at least partially contains a plurality of containers with necks, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels that are respectively foldably connected to one another and includes a first panel, a second panel and a third panel, wherein the second panel is positioned between the first panel and the third panel;
• a plurality of openings that are at least partially defined in the second panel for respectively receiving the necks of the containers, with all of the openings being spaced apart from one another;
• a plurality of at least partially removable tabs that are adapted for respectively being at least partially torn away to respectively enlarge the openings, wherein
• a first group of the tabs are at least partially defined in the first panel and do not extend into the third panel,
• a second group of the tabs are at least partially defined in the third panel and do not extend into the first panel, and
• for each of the plurality of tabs, each tab is configured so that the tab is for use in enlarging only a respective single opening of the plurality of openings.