Carton with reinforced handle

A carton for carrying a plurality of articles, comprising:

• a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel, the first top panel and the second top panel being at least partially overlapped, at least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprises a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion, the main portion having a first handle portion and the distal portion having a second handle portion, the distal portion having an exterior surface at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion;
• and
• a handle comprising at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion;
• and
• the second top panel comprises an adhesive flap, the adhesive flap comprises two plies of material at a distal edge of the second top panel and is in face-to-face contact with the distal portion of the first top panel.

A blank for forming a carton for carrying a plurality of articles, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels comprising at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel, the first top panel and the second top panel configured to be at least partially overlapped, at least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprises a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion, the main portion having a first handle portion and the distal portion having a second handle portion, the distal portion having an exterior surface configured to be at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion;
• and
• features for forming a handle comprising at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion,
• the distal portion comprises a leading edge portion and the main portion comprises a handle opening adjacent the first handle portion, the leading edge portion configured to be inserted through the handle opening.

A method of forming a carton for carrying a plurality of articles, the method comprising:

• obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel, the first top panel and the second top panel configured to be at least partially overlapped, at least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprises a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion, the main portion having a first handle portion and the distal portion having a second handle portion, the distal portion having an exterior surface configured to be at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion, and features for forming a handle comprising at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion, and the distal portion comprises a leading edge portion and the main portion comprises a handle opening adjacent the first handle portion;
• forming at least a portion of an interior of the carton by folding the plurality of panels about the plurality of articles;
• and
• forming the handle by positioning the distal portion so that the exterior surface of the distal portion is in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion, the positioning the distal portion comprises positioning the first handle portion relative to the second handle portion to form the handle and inserting the leading edge portion through the handle opening.