Carton with article protection features

A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprising:

• a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a first top panel, a second top panel, and a side panel, the first top panel at least partially overlapping the second top panel;
• and
• a crown retention panel foldably connected to the second top panel, an attachment flap being foldably connected to the crown retention panel, and a connecting portion at least partially connecting the attachment flap to the crown retention panel;
• wherein at least a portion of the crown retention panel is spaced apart from the side panel in the interior of the carton, at least a portion of the attachment flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with the side panel, the connecting portion extends from the attachment flap to the crown retention panel, and the connecting portion is spaced apart from a lowermost edge of the crown retention panel.

A carton for holding a plurality of containers, the carton comprising:

• a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a first top panel, a second top panel, and a side panel, the first top panel at least partially overlapping the second top panel;
• a crown retention panel foldably connected to the second top panel, an attachment flap being foldably connected to the crown retention panel;
• and
• a dispenser comprising a first dispenser panel in the first top panel and a second dispenser panel in the side panel and the second top panel, the first dispenser panel comprising a first tear line in the first top panel, the second dispenser panel comprising a second tear line in the side panel and a third tear line in the second top panel, the first dispenser panel at least partially overlapping the second dispenser panel;
• wherein at least a portion of the crown retention panel is spaced apart from the side panel in the interior of the carton, and at least a portion of the attachment flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with the side panel;
• wherein the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel are for being folded upwardly when the dispenser is actuated, and the attachment flap is at least partially attached to a portion of the second dispenser panel in the side panel so that the attachment flap and the crown retention panel are folded upwardly with the first dispenser panel and the second dispenser panel when the dispenser is actuated.

A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a second top panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the second top panel being foldably connected to the second side panel along a first fold line, the second top panel having a free edge disposed opposite to the first fold line, and the first top panel at least partially overlapping the second top panel so that the second top panel extends along an interior side of the blank and the first top panel extends at least partially along an outer side of the second top panel;
• and
• a crown retention panel foldably connected to the second top panel along a second fold line, a portion of the second top panel extending from the second fold line to one of the first fold line and the free edge of the second top panel, an attachment flap being foldably connected to the crown retention panel;
• wherein at least a portion of the crown retention panel is for being disposed in a position that is spaced apart from the first side panel and the second side panel when the carton is formed from the blank, at least a portion of the attachment flap is for being disposed at least partially in face-to-face contact with one of the first side panel and the second side panel when the carton is formed from the blank, and the portion of the second top panel is for extending from the second fold line toward the one of the first side panel and the second side panel when the carton is formed from the blank.

A method of forming a carton comprising:

• obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a second top panel, a side panel, a crown retention panel foldably connected to the second top panel along a fold line, and an attachment flap foldably connected to the crown retention panel;
• folding the blank so that the crown retention panel is at least partially in face-to-face contact with the side panel and at least partially affixing the attachment flap to the side panel;
• positioning the first top panel to at least partially overlap the second top panel;
• and
• forming an interior of the carton at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the forming the interior of the carton comprising forming an open-ended sleeve, and the forming the interior of the carton causing the crown retention panel to fold relative to the second top panel and to be disposed in a position that is spaced apart from the side panel in the interior of the carton, a portion of the second top panel extending from the fold line toward the side panel, wherein the second top panel extends at least partially along the interior of the carton, and the first top panel extends at least partially along an outer side of the second top panel.