Combination Shipping And Display Package

Abstract

A carton for containing and displaying a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a first panel, a second panel foldably connected to the first panel, a third panel foldably connected to the second panel, and a fourth panel foldably connected to at least one of the first and third panels. The carton further comprises at least one end panel foldably connected to at least two panels of the plurality of panels to at least partially close an end of the carton. The at least one end panel comprises an oblique edge and an oblique fold line extending from the oblique edge toward a corner of the at least one end panel.

1 . A carton for containing and displaying a plurality of articles, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a first panel, a second panel foldably connected to the first panel, a third panel foldably connected to the second panel, and a fourth panel foldably connected to at least one of the first and third panels; and   at least one end panel foldably connected to at least two panels of the plurality of panels to at least partially close an end of the carton, the at least one end panel comprising an oblique edge and an oblique fold line extending from the oblique edge toward a corner of the at least one end panel.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , the at least one end panel comprising a first end flap and a second end flap, the first end flap comprising the oblique fold line with a proximal portion of the first end flap connected to a distal portion of the first end flap at the oblique fold line. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , the second end flap being adhered in face-to-face contact with the distal portion of the first end flap, wherein the proximal portion of the first end flap is free from connection to the second end flap so that the first end flap may collapse inward toward the plurality of panels about the oblique fold line bringing the distal portion in face-to-face contact with the proximal portion. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , the second end flap comprising a drag edge for contacting a panel of the plurality of panels when collapsing the at least one end panel. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 3 , the distal portion of the first end flap comprising a generally longitudinal edge and a generally transverse edge, wherein the transverse edge generally lines up with a longitudinal fold line connecting the second end flap at the end of the carton. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 3 , the at least one end panel comprising a first end panel foldably connected to the first panel and the fourth panel at a first end of the carton and a second end panel foldably connected to the second panel and the third panel at the first end of the carton. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , the first end flap of the first end panel being connected to the first panel at a longitudinal fold line, the second end flap of the first end panel being connected to the fourth panel at the longitudinal fold line, the first end flap of the second end panel being connected to the second panel at the longitudinal fold line, and the second end flap of the second end panel being connected to the third panel at the longitudinal fold line. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , the first end panel at least partially overlapping the second end panel proximate to the oblique fold lines of the first and second end panels. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 6 , the at least one end panel further comprising a third end panel foldably connected to the first panel and the fourth panel at a second end of the carton and a fourth end panel foldably connected to the second panel and the third panel at the second end of the carton. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 6 , the first panel being connected to the second panel at a tear line. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 2 , the first end flap comprising a clearance notch proximate to the corner of the at least one end panel, the oblique tear line extending from the oblique edge to the clearance notch. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 2 , the oblique edge of the at least one end panel comprising a first end flap oblique edge lining up with a second end flap oblique edge. 
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 1 , the at least one end panel comprising a first end panel foldably connected to the first panel and the fourth panel at a first end of the carton and a second end panel foldably connected to the second panel and the third panel at the first end of the carton. 
     
     
         14 . The carton of  claim 13 , the at least one end panel further comprising a third end panel foldably connected to the first panel and the fourth panel at a second end of the carton and a fourth end panel foldably connected to the second panel and the third panel at the second end of the carton. 
     
     
         15 . The carton of  claim 13 , the first panel being connected to the second panel at a tear line. 
     
     
         16 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels comprising a first panel, a second panel foldably connected to the first panel, a third panel foldably connected to the second panel, and a fourth panel foldably connected to the first panel; and   a plurality of end flaps extending along a marginal area of the blank, the plurality of end flaps comprising at least one first end flap that comprises a first edge and an oblique fold line extending from the first edge toward a corner of the at least one first end flap.   
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one second end flap comprising a second edge for fainting a generally straight line with the first edge when the blank is formed into the carton. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second edges extend in an oblique direction. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 17 , the at least one first end flap comprising a primary first end flap connected to the first panel at a longitudinal fold line and a secondary first end flap connected to the second panel at the longitudinal fold line, the at least one second end flap comprising a primary second end flap connected to the fourth panel at the longitudinal fold line and a secondary second end flap connected to the third panel at the longitudinal fold line. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first plurality of end flaps, the marginal area of the blank comprises a first marginal area of the blank, and the longitudinal fold line comprises a first longitudinal fold line, the blank further comprising a second plurality of end flaps extending along a second marginal area of the blank. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 16 , the first panel being connected to the second panel at a tear line. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 16 , the at least one first end flap comprising a clearance notch proximate to the corner of the at least one first end flap, the oblique tear line extending from the first edge to the clearance notch. 
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a carton, the method comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of panels comprising a first panel, a second panel foldably connected to the first panel, a third panel foldably connected to the second panel, and a fourth panel foldably connected to the first panel, and a plurality of end flaps extending along a marginal area of the blank, the plurality of end flaps comprising at least one first end flap that comprises a first edge and an oblique fold line extending from the first edge toward a corner of the at least one first end flap;   forming a tray portion of the container defined by at least the first and fourth panels and at least one of the plurality of end flaps; and   forming a top portion of the container defined by at least the second and third panels.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising folding the fourth panel relative to the first panel and the at least one first end flap along the oblique fold line to form an at least partially flattened carton configuration. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 inserting a plurality of articles into the tray portion; and   folding the top portion relative to the tray portion to at least partially close the carton.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising forming a display tray by tearing along a tear line connecting the first and second panels to separate the top portion from the tray portion. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of end flaps further comprises at least one second end flap and the at least one first end flap comprises a proximal portion connected to a distal portion at the oblique fold line. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the forming a tray portion comprises adhering the distal portion of the at least first end flap to the at least one second end flap with the at least one first end flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with the at least one second end flap. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , the distal portion of the at least one first end flap comprising a generally longitudinal edge and a generally transverse edge, wherein the forming the tray portion comprises aligning the transverse edge with a longitudinal fold line connecting the at least one second end flap at the marginal area. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the forming a top portion comprises adhering the distal portion of the at least first end flap to the at least one second end flap with the at least one first end flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with the at least one second end flap. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , the distal portion of the at least one first end flap comprising a generally longitudinal edge and a generally transverse edge, wherein the forming the top portion comprises aligning the transverse edge with a longitudinal fold line connecting the at least one second end flap at the marginal area. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first plurality of end flaps, the marginal area of the blank comprises a first marginal area of the blank, and the longitudinal fold line comprises a first longitudinal fold line, the blank further comprising a second plurality of end flaps extending along a second marginal area of the blank. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein forming the top portion comprises forming a first end panel from the plurality of end flaps and the forming the tray portion comprises forming a second end panel from the plurality of end flaps, and the method further comprises closing the carton by folding the top portion relative to the tray portion so that the first end panel at least partially overlaps the second end panel. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the forming the first end panel comprises aligning the first edge of the at least one first end flap with an oblique edge of at least one second end flap.