Carton with dispensing feature

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

• a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel having a free edge, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel at a third fold line, at least a portion of an interior surface of the first top panel is for being in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the second top panel;
• a support foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold line, the support comprises a support flap for supporting at least one article of the plurality of articles and the first fold line is spaced apart from the second fold line, the second top panel has a width less than the width of the first top panel and the support flap is for extending downwardly from the second top panel at the second fold line so that the interior surface of the first top panel has a portion that is free from contact with the second top panel in the carton formed from the blank, the support flap is for being free from attachment to the first side panel and the first top panel in the carton formed from the blank;
• and
• dispenser features for forming a dispenser for allowing removal of the plurality of articles from the carton, the dispenser features comprise a first dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a first tear line in at least one of the second side panel and the second top panel, and a second dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a second tear line in the first top panel, wherein the first tear line has a first portion and a second portion each extending from the third fold line, and the second tear line has a first portion and a second portion each extending from the free edge of the first top panel, at least a portion of the second dispenser panel overlaps at least a portion of the first dispenser panel, the first portion of the first tear line is in registration with the first portion of the second tear line, the second portion of the first tear line is in registration with the second portion of the second tear line, and the first dispenser panel and second dispenser panel are for being at least partially removed for at least further opening a dispenser opening in the carton formed from the blank.

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

• obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel having a free edge, a first side panel foldably connected to the first top panel at a first fold line, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel at a third fold line, a support comprising a support flap foldably connected to the second top panel at a second fold, and dispenser features for forming a dispenser for allowing removal of the plurality of articles from the carton, wherein the dispenser features comprise a first dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a first tear line in at least one of the second side panel and the second top panel, and a second dispenser panel that is at least partially defined by a second tear line in the first top panel, the first tear line having a first portion and a second portion each extending from the third fold line, and the second tear line having a first portion and a second portion each extending from the free edge of the first top panel, at least a portion of the second dispenser panel overlapping at least a portion of the first dispenser panel;
• positioning the plurality of panels to form an interior of the carton comprising positioning at least a portion of the interior surface of the first top panel in face-to-face contact with the exterior surface of the second top panel and positioning the first portion of the first tear line in registration with the first portion of the second tear line and the second portion of the first tear line in registration with the second portion of the second tear line;
• positioning the support so that the first fold line is spaced apart from the second fold line, the second top panel extends across less than the entire width of the first top panel, and the support flap extends downwardly from the second top panel at the second fold line so the interior surface of the first top panel has a portion that is free from contact with the second top panel, the support flap is free from attachment to the first side panel and the first top panel;
• and
• loading a plurality of articles in the interior of the carton, the loading the articles comprising positioning at least one article of the plurality of articles for contact with the support flap.