Beverage carton

Abstract

A carton is provided which has a top opening to provide access to articles in the container. The opening is formed by severable lines of weakness in the material of the top wall, such lines being positioned parallel to and spaced from the join of the top wall and its associated sidewalls. The novel arrangement assists in preventing premature rupturing of the tear lines during set-up of the knocked-down carton and during the filling and transport of the filled carton whilst increasing the structure rigidity of the opened carton.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A carton for beverage containers comprising an unitary blank of sheet material having fold lines serially defining in a laterally aligned relationship a top wall, a first side wall, a bottom wall and a second side wall, said top wall and said second side wall being adapted to be secured to each other at a further fold line to form a sleeve having a generally rectangular cross-section, each of said walls having a flap at each end, which flaps are adapted to constitute carton end walls, said top wall having a severable panel defined by two lines of weakness each extending parallel to and spaced from each of two joints between said top wall and said first and second side walls and from a joint of said top wall and an end wall to a further line of weakness extending laterally across said top wall.  
     
     
         2 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein said further line of weakness connects said two lines of weakness at a point intermediate between the joints between the top wall and the two end walls.  
     
     
         3 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein said two lines of weakness extend the full length of the top wall and said further line of weakness connects said two lines of said top wall thereby dividing said severable panel into two sections each extending from a joint between said top wall and opposing end walls.  
     
     
         4 . A carton according to  claim 3  wherein said further line of weakness connects said two lines at about the midpoint of said top wall.  
     
     
         5 . A carton accordingly to  claim 1  which is adapted to contain twelve primary containers.  
     
     
         6 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the carton is made of a corrugated board having flutes extending laterally across said top wall.  
     
     
         7 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of said two lines of weakness are constituted by a series of L-shaped slits, one limb of the “L” of each slit being contained in the line parallel to said joint  
     
     
         8 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein at least one wall is provided with a hand hole.  
     
     
         9 . A unitary carton blank comprising: 
 (a) four rectangular walls of the same length having their adjacent longitudinal edges serially connected via first fold lines, an outermost free longitudinal edge of each of two or said outer walls being adapted to be connected via another first fold line so as to form a tubular carton having a generally rectangular cross-section    (b) an end flap connected to a second fold line to each end of each saw panel, and adapted to form end walls in an erected carton,    (c) one of said walls which forms a top of the carton when erected being provided with a severable panel defined by lines of weakness, two of which are parallel to each other and to said first fold lines and each is spaced from an adjacent first fold line, both lines extending from the same second fold line joining said top wall to an end flap to a third line of weakness.    
     
     
         10 . A blank according to  claim 9  wherein said third line of weakness is generally parallel to said second fold lines.  
     
     
         11 . A blank according to  claim 9  which is made of a corrugated board having flutes parallel to said third line of weakness.  
     
     
         12 . A blank according to  claim 9  wherein said two lines of weakness extend the full length of said top wall and said third line of weakness is located about the midpoint of said top wall.  
     
     
         13 . A blank according to  claim 9  wherein said two lines of weakness are spaced from said first fold lines by about 1 to 2 cms.  
     
     
         14 . A blank according to  claim 9  which is provided with a hand hole in at least one wall thereof.