Carton for dispensing products and method of using the same

Abstract

A carton for packaging containers is provided. The carton includes a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls. At least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end. The carton includes at least one detachable portion to be detached from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls. The at least one detachable portion to be detached from the carton defining an opening at the exiting end through which containers may be removed. The exiting end opening has a size. The carton includes upper and lower retention portions formed from the end wall at the exiting end. At least one of the upper and lower retention portions is hingedly connected to at least one of the top wall and the bottom wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers.

1 . A carton for packaging a plurality of containers in at least two rows including a top row and a bottom row, the carton comprising:
 a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls, at least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end;   at least one detachable portion detachably formed from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls, the at least one detachable portion to be detached from the carton to define an opening at the exiting end through which the containers may be removed, the exiting end opening having a size;   an upper retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the upper retention portion extending downwardly from the top wall to an upper tear line of the detachable portion; and   a lower retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the lower retention portion extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a lower tear line of the detachable portion,   wherein at least one of the upper retention portion and the lower retention portion is hingedly connected to at least one of the top wall and the bottom wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening.   
   
   
       2 . A carton in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the lower retention portion is hingedly connected to the bottom wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening. 
   
   
       3 . A carton in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the lower retention portion further comprises a portion of the end wall at the exiting end extending upwardly from the bottom wall to the lower tear line of the detachable portion, a portion of the side walls, and a portion of the bottom wall. 
   
   
       4 . A carton in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the lower retention portion is defined by the lower tear line of the detachable portion extending substantially horizontally across the exiting end, a first hinge line extending from the detachable portion away from the exiting end through a first side wall of the two side walls to the bottom wall, a second hinge line extending from the detachable portion away from the exiting end through a second side wall of the two side walls to the bottom wall, and a portion of the bottom wall proximate to the exiting end. 
   
   
       5 . A carton in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the first hinge line comprises a first curvilinear portion defined within the bottom wall, the second hinge line comprises a second curvilinear portion defined within the bottom wall, the first and second curvilinear portions facilitate rotation of the lower retention portion about the bottom wall and reduce accidental tearing of the bottom wall. 
   
   
       6 . A carton in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the bottom wall comprises at least one bottom panel and at least one glue panel, the first curvilinear portion is defined within the at least one bottom panel and the second curvilinear portion is defined within the at least one glue flap. 
   
   
       7 . A carton in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the upper retention portion is hingedly connected to the top wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening. 
   
   
       8 . A carton in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the upper retention portion further comprises a portion of the end wall at the exiting end extending downwardly from the top wall to the upper tear line of the detachable portion, a portion of the side walls, and a portion of the top wall. 
   
   
       9 . A carton in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the upper retention portion is defined by the upper tear line of the detachable portion extending substantially horizontally across the exiting end, a first hinge line extending from the detachable portion away from the exiting end through a first side wall of the two side walls to the top wall, a second hinge line extending from the detachable portion away from the exiting end through a second side wall of the two side walls to the top wall, and a portion of the top wall proximate to the exiting end. 
   
   
       10 . A carton in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the first hinge line comprises a first curvilinear portion defined within the top wall, the second hinge line comprises a second curvilinear portion defined within the top wall, the first and second curvilinear portions to facilitate rotation of the upper retention portion about the top wall and reduce accidental tearing of the top wall. 
   
   
       11 . A carton in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the at least one detachable portion includes a first arcuate section defined within a first side wall of the two side walls, a second arcuate section defined within a second side wall of the two side walls, and a horizontal section extending between the first and second arcuate sections. 
   
   
       12 . A carton in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the at least one detachable portion further comprises a first insertion flap adjacent the first arcuate section, and a second insertion flap adjacent the second arcuate section. 
   
   
       13 . A carton in accordance with  claim 12  wherein at least one of the first and second insertion flaps is an opening. 
   
   
       14 . A carton in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least one fold line is defined between the bottom wall and at least one of the two side walls, at least one retrieval opening is defined along the at least one fold line. 
   
   
       15 . A carton in accordance with  claim 1  wherein a tear line defines a handle within the top wall, the handle extending transversely across the top wall of the carton. 
   
   
       16 . A carton in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of the two closed end walls comprises two side flaps each side flap attached along a fold line to one of the two side walls, a top flap attached along a fold line to the top wall, and a bottom flap attached along a fold line to the bottom wall. 
   
   
       17 . A blank for forming a carton for packaging a plurality of containers arranged in at least two rows including a top row and a bottom row, the blank comprising:
 a sheet of foldable material having first, second, third and fourth parallel fold lines therein, defining areas of the sheet corresponding to a top panel, two side panels and a bottom panel of the carton;   at one end of the parallel fold lines, a fold line transverse to the parallel fold lines, and a side end flap connected by the transverse fold line to each of the areas corresponding to the two side panels;   a tear line extending through each of the two side panels and each of the side end flaps to define a detachable portion, an upper retention portion, and a lower retention portion at an exiting end of the carton, wherein the detachable portion may be detached from the carton to define an opening through which the containers may be removed, the tear line including first and second arcuate sections and a horizontal section extending between the arcuate sections;   a pair of hinge lines hingedly connecting at least one of the upper retention portion and the lower retention portion to at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening.   
   
   
       18 . A blank in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising an insertion flap in the area corresponding to each of the side panels, each insertion flap adjacent the arcuate section of the tear line. 
   
   
       19 . A blank in accordance with  claim 17  wherein the pair of hinge lines hingedly connects the upper retention portion to the top panel. 
   
   
       20 . A blank in accordance with  claim 17  wherein the pair of hinge lines hingedly connects the lower retention portion to the bottom panel. 
   
   
       21 . A blank in accordance with  claim 17  wherein each hinge line of the pair of hinge lines extends from the tear line defining the detachable portion away from the exiting end. 
   
   
       22 . A blank in accordance with  claim 17  wherein the fold lines of the sheet of foldable material further define an area corresponding to a glue flap for attaching to the bottom panel, a first hinge line of the pair of hinge lines comprises a first curvilinear portion defined within the bottom panel, a second hinge line of the pair of hinge lines comprises a second curvilinear portion defined within the glue flap. 
   
   
       23 . A blank in accordance with  claim 17  wherein each hinge line of the pair of hinge lines comprises at least one curvilinear portion defined within the top panel. 
   
   
       24 . A method of opening a carton containing a plurality of containers arranged in at least two rows including a top row and a bottom row, the carton having a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls, at least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end; at least one detachable portion detachably formed from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls; an upper retention portion formed from the end wall extending downwardly from the top wall to an upper tear line of the detachable portion; and a lower retention portion formed from the end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a lower tear line of the detachable portion, the method comprising:
 removing the at least one detachable portion to define an opening at the exiting end through which the containers may be removed, the exiting end opening having a size;   separating at least one of the upper retention portion and the lower retention portion along a pair of hinge lines such that at least one of the upper retention portion and the lower retention portion is hingedly connected to at least one of the top wall and the bottom wall;   rotating at least one of the hingedly connected upper retention portion and lower retention portion for increasing the size of the exiting end opening when removing the containers from the carton.   
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 24  wherein each of the pair of hinge lines includes at least one curvilinear portion defined within the top wall, the method further comprising rotating the upper retention portion to increase the size of the exiting end opening wherein each of the curvilinear portions facilitate rotation of the upper retention portion about the top wall and reduce accidental tearing of the top wall. 
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 24  wherein each of the pair of hinge lines includes at least one curvilinear portion defined within the bottom wall, the method further comprising rotating the lower retention portion to increase the size of the exiting end opening wherein each of the curvilinear portions facilitate rotation of the lower retention portion about the bottom wall and reduce accidental tearing of the bottom wall. 
   
   
       27 . A method in accordance with  claim 24  wherein the at least one detachable portion includes at least one finger flap in the area corresponding to at least one of the side walls, the method further comprising removing the at least one detachable portion utilizing the at least one finger flap. 
   
   
       28 . A carton for packaging a plurality of containers in at least two rows including a top row and a bottom row, the carton comprising:
 a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls, at least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end;   at least one detachable portion detachably formed from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls, the at least one detachable portion to be detached from the carton to define an opening at the exiting end through which the containers may be removed, the exiting end opening having a size; and   an upper retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the upper retention portion extending downwardly from the top wall to an upper tear line of the detachable portion;   wherein the upper retention portion is hingedly connected to the top wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening.   
   
   
       29 . A carton for packaging a plurality of containers in at least two rows including a top row and a bottom row, the carton comprising:
 a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls, at least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end;   at least one detachable portion detachably formed from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls, the at least one detachable portion to be detached from the carton to define an opening at the exiting end through which the containers may be removed, the exiting end opening having a size; and   a lower retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the lower retention portion extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a lower tear line of the detachable portion,   wherein the lower retention portion is hingedly connected to the bottom wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening.   
   
   
       30 . A carton for packaging a plurality of containers in at least two rows including a top row and a bottom row, the carton comprising:
 a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls, at least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end;   at least one region of weakness detachably formed from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls, the at least one region of weakness to be detached from the carton to define an opening at the exiting end through which the containers may be removed, the exiting end opening having a size;   an upper retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the upper retention portion extending downwardly from the top wall to an upper tear line of the region of weakness; and   a lower retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the lower retention portion extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a lower tear line of the region of weakness,   wherein at least one of the upper retention portion and the lower retention portion is hingedly connected to at least one of the top wall and the bottom wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the containers through the exiting end opening.   
   
   
       31 . A carton in accordance with  claim 30  wherein the upper tear line of the region of weakness extends substantially horizontally across the exiting end, a first hinge line extends from the region of weakness away from the exiting end through a first side wall of the two side walls to the top wall, a second hinge line extending from the region of weakness away from the exiting end through a second side wall of the two side walls to the top wall, a fold line extends between the first and second hinge lines across the top wall to facilitate rotation of the upper retention portion about the top wall. 
   
   
       32 . A carton in accordance with  claim 30  wherein the lower tear line of the region of weakness extends substantially horizontally across the exiting end, a first hinge line extends from the region of weakness away from the exiting end through a first side wall of the two side walls to the bottom wall, a second hinge line extending from the region of weakness away from the exiting end through a second side wall of the two side walls to the bottom wall, a fold line extends between the first and second hinge lines across the bottom wall to facilitate rotation of the lower retention portion about the bottom wall. 
   
   
       33 . A carton in accordance with  claim 30  wherein the at least one region of weakness is a zipper strip. 
   
   
       34 . A carton for packaging a plurality of packages, the carton comprising:
 a top wall, two side walls, a bottom wall, and two closed end walls, at least one of the closed end walls is an exiting end;   at least one detachable portion detachably formed from at least a portion of one of the end walls and the side walls, the at least one detachable portion to be detached from the carton to define an opening at the exiting end through which the packages may be removed, the exiting end opening having a size;   an upper retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the upper retention portion extending downwardly from the top wall to an upper tear line of the detachable portion; and   a lower retention portion formed from the end wall at the exiting end, the lower retention portion extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a lower tear line of the detachable portion,   wherein at least one of the upper retention portion and the lower retention portion is hingedly connected to at least one of the top wall and the bottom wall for increasing the size of the exiting end opening to facilitate removal of the packages through the exiting end opening.