Adjustable height carton

Abstract

The present invention provides a dispenser for storing and dispensing a stack of sheet material, such as a stack of folded tissue sheets and more particularly a folded stack of facial tissue sheets. The height of the dispenser, particularly the dispensing height of the dispenser, may be adjusted by the user once a portion of the sheets have been dispensed to alleviate one or more problems often associated with dispensing, such as the incidence of dispensing failures due to fall-back. The dispenser includes a bottom panel that is movable from a first position to a second position where the second position places a portion of the bottom panel closer to a dispensing opening disposed opposite the bottom panel.

1 . A dispenser for storing and dispensing a stack of sheet material comprising:
 a. a dispensing opening;   b. a bottom panel disposed opposite the dispensing opening;   c. a first and a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel and separated therefrom by first and second fold lines;   d. first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed at least partially on the bottom panel and the first side panel and extending across the first fold line; and   e. third and fourth spaced apart lines of weakness disposed at least partially on the bottom panel and the second side panel and extending across the second fold line;   wherein upon breaking of the lines of weakness a portion of the bottom panel is moveable from a first to a second position.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the dispenser has an initial dispensing height when the portion of the bottom panel is in a first position and a second dispensing height when the bottom panel portion is in a second position. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 2  wherein the second dispensing height is from about 10 to about 70% of the initial dispensing height. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the bottom panel has a longitudinal length dimension and the first and the second lines of weakness are spaced apart from one another from about 20 to about 90% of the longitudinal length dimension. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lines of weakness are parallel to one another and extend along a portion of the bottom panel substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length dimension of the panel. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lines of weakness extending at least partially along the first side panel have a first segment that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length dimension of the panel and a second segment that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal length dimension of the panel. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6  wherein the first and second segments are joined by a third segment that is curvilinear. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 1  further comprising a top panel, the top panel having the dispensing opening disposed thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 6  further comprising a dispensing window and dispensing slit disposed on the dispensing window, the dispensing window attached to the top panel and at least partially covering the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 1  further comprising a stack of interfolded facial tissue sheets disposed within the dispenser. 
     
     
         11 . A dispenser for a stack of folded sheet material comprising:
 a. a top panel and a dispensing opening disposed thereon;   b. a pair of opposed end panels;   c. a pair of opposed side panels;   d. a bottom panel foldably connected to the pair of opposed side panels and separated therefrom by first and second fold lines;   e. first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed at least partially on the bottom panel and a first side panel and extending across the first fold line;   f. third and fourth spaced apart lines of weakness disposed at least partially on the bottom panel and a second side panel and extending across the second fold line; and   g. a stack of interfolded facial tissue sheets disposed within the dispenser;   wherein upon breaking of the lines of weakness a portion of the bottom panel is movable from a first position to a second position.   
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11  wherein the dispenser has an initial dispensing height when the portion of the bottom panel is in a first position and a second dispensing height when the bottom panel portion is in a second position and wherein the second dispensing height is from about 10 to about 70% of the initial dispensing height. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the bottom panel has a longitudinal length dimension and the first and the second lines of weakness are spaced apart from one another from about 20 to about 90% of the longitudinal length dimension. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lines of weakness are parallel to one another and extend along a portion of the bottom panel substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length dimension of the panel. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lines of weakness extending at least partially along the first side panel have a first segment that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length dimension of the panel and a second segment that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal length dimension of the panel. 
     
     
         16 . A blank for forming a dispenser comprising:
 a. a first side panel having first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed thereon;   b. a second side panel having first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed thereon;   c. a bottom panel foldably connected to the first and second side panels and having a first and second pair of spaced apart lines of weakness disposed thereon, the first pair of spaced apart lines of weakness coextensive with the first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed on the first side panel and the second pair of spaced apart lines of weakness coextensive with the first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed on the second side panel; and   d. a top panel having a dispensing opening disposed thereon.   
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a. a pair of minor flaps foldably connected to the first side panel; 
 b. a pair of minor flaps foldably connected to the second side panel; 
 c. a pair of major flaps foldably connected to the bottom panel; and 
 d. a pair of major flaps foldably connected to the top panel. 
 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a. a first score line disposed between the first pair of spaced apart lines of weakness; 
 b. a second score line disposed between the second pair of spaced apart lines of weakness; 
 c. a third score line disposed between the first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed on the first side panel; and 
 d. a fourth score line disposed between the first and second spaced apart lines of weakness disposed on the second side panel.