Carton Having a Pivotable Dispenser

Abstract

A carton includes a spout dispenser formed in a top panel of the carton. The spout dispenser is formed from a spout section of a side top flap adhered to an end top flap. Pivoting the spout section away from the top panel causes part of the end top flap to be pulled through an aperture through which product can be dispensed.

1 . A carton, comprising: 
 a first side panel;    a first end panel;    a second side panel;    a second end panel;    a bottom panel; and    a top panel comprising: 
 a first end top flap;  
 a first side top flap overlying the first end top flap; and  
 a second side top flap overlying the first side top flap, wherein  
   a plurality of lines of disruption in the second side top flap define in part a pivotable dispenser in the top panel.    
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the first end top flap is adhered to an underside of the second side top flap through an aperture in the first side top flap.  
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of lines of disruption in the first end top flap define in part the pivotable dispenser.  
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of lines of disruption in the second side top flap define a spout section having a central spout portion.  
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lines of disruption in the second side top flap further define a first wing portion extending from a first side of the central spout portion and a second wing portion extending from a second side of the central spout portion.  
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lines of disruption in the first end top flap define a central portion in the first end top flap, the central portion of the first end top flap being adhered to an underside of the central spout portion.  
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of lines of disruption in the first end top flap further define a base portion, the base portion being pivotably connected to the central portion.  
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of lines of disruption in the first end top flap define a first wing portion extending from a first side of the central portion and a second wing portion extending from a second side of the central portion.  
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein the aperture in the first side top flap defines a first shoulder and a second shoulder, the first shoulder overlying the first wing portion in the first end top flap, and the second shoulder overlying the second wing portion in the first end top flap.  
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lines of disruption in the second side top flap comprises breachable lines of disruption that in part define a perimeter of the spout section so that the dispenser is pivotable away from the top panel.  
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the carton is substantially parallelepipedal.  
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom panel comprises a plurality of bottom flaps.  
     
     
         13 . A blank, comprising: 
 a first side panel;    a first end panel;    a second side panel;    a second end panel;    a first side top flap foldably connected to the first side panel and having an aperture formed therein;    a first end top flap foldably connected to the first end panel and having a first plurality of lines of disruption formed therein;    a second side top flap foldably connected to the second side panel and having a second plurality of lines of disruption formed therein; and    at least one bottom flap extending along a bottom marginal area of the blank.    
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of lines of disruption in the second side top flap defines a central spout portion.  
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the second plurality of lines of disruption in the second side top flap further defines a first wing portion extending from a first side of the central spout portion and a second wing portion extending from a second side of the central spout portion.  
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of lines of disruption defines a central portion and a base portion, the base portion being pivotably connected to the central portion.  
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein the first plurality of lines of disruption further defines a first wing portion extending from a first side of the central portion and a second wing portion extending from a second side of the central portion.  
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17 , wherein the aperture in the first side top flap defines a first shoulder and a second shoulder.  
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the second plurality of lines of disruption comprises a transverse fold line at a first end of the central spout portion, and defines an access flap at a second end of the central spout portion.  
     
     
         20 . A carton constructed from the blank of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         21 . A method of dispensing product from a carton, comprising: 
 providing a carton with dispensable product contained therein, the carton comprising: 
 a first side panel;  
 a first end panel;  
 a second side panel;  
 a second end panel;  
 a bottom panel; and  
 a top panel comprising: 
 a first end top flap having a first plurality of lines of disruption formed therein;  
 a first side top flap overlying the first end top flap, the first side top flap having an aperture formed therein; and  
 a second side top flap overlying the first side top flap and having a second plurality of lines of disruption formed therein, the second plurality of lines of disruption defining a spout section in the second side top flap;  
 
   breaching the second plurality of lines of disruption;    pivoting the spout section away from a remainder of the top panel, wherein pivoting the spout section pulls at least a portion of the first end top flap through the aperture in the first side top flap; and    dispensing product through the aperture in the first side top flap.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein sides of the first end top flap engage interior edges of the aperture as the spout section is pivoted.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first end top flap is adhered to the spout section through the aperture in the first side top flap.  
     
     
         24 . A substantially parallelepipedal carton, comprising: 
 a first side panel;    a first end panel;    a second side panel;    a second end panel;    a bottom panel; and    a top panel comprising: 
 a first end top flap;  
 a first side top flap; and  
 a second side top flap, wherein  
   a dispenser is defined in the top panel by a plurality of lines of disruption in the top panel, the dispenser consisting essentially of portions of the first end top flap, the first side top flap, the second side top flap, and adhesive securing two or more of the flaps together.    
     
     
         25 . The carton of  claim 24 , wherein the first side top flap overlies the first end top flap.  
     
     
         26 . The carton of  claim 25 , wherein the second side top flap overlies the first side top flap.  
     
     
         27 . The carton of  claim 26 , wherein the first end top flap is adhered to an underside of the second side top flap through an aperture in the first side top flap.