Carton with Integral Cover Closure System

Abstract

A carton includes a first main body panel spaced from a second main body panel by first and second side panels and connected to the second main body panel by a connector strip. With the removal of a tear strip, the connector strip releases a cover of the first main body panel enabling an access opening to an internal storage region to be exposed. To close the carton, a lower top flap of the second main body is pivoted across the access opening, automatically causing multiple flap extensions of the side panels to fold beneath the lower top flap. Thereafter, the cover is pivot atop the lower top flap and a tab of the cover is received in a slot formed at a juncture of the lower top flap and a remainder of the second main body panel.

1 . A carton comprising:
 a first main body panel including a first main face body portion, a first bottom flap and a cover;   a second main body panel including a second main face body portion, a second bottom flap and a lower top flap;   first and second side panels connecting the first and second main body panels in a spaced relationship to establish an internal storage region of the carton, with the carton having an access opening into the internal storage region, wherein each of the first and second side panels includes a side panel portion and first and second extension flaps, with the first extension flap being directly connected to a respective said side panel portion along a first fold line, and the second extension flap being directly connected to both the first extension flap along a second fold line and the lower top flap along a third fold line; and   a closure system for selectively closing the access opening, said closure system including a tab formed with the cover and a slot provided at a juncture between the lower top flap and second main face body portion, with the tab being configured to be received in the slot upon pivoting the cover over the access opening.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tear strip directly attached to the tab of the cover; and   a connector portion attached to both the tear strip and the second main face body portion.   
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the tear strip includes spaced, terminal starter strips joined by a connector strip, said starter strips being enlarged relative to the connector strip to enhance gripping of a select one of the starter strips for removal of the tear strip. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap includes a recessed portion and another of the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap includes a tongue member, wherein the tongue member is received in the recessed portion in interlocking the first bottom flap with the second bottom flap. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the carton can assume a closed position, with the cover extending over the lower top flap and the tab being received in the slot, and an opened position wherein the each of the first and second side extensions extends substantially perpendicular to the lower top flap. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein the each of the first and second side extensions extend substantially parallel to the lower top flap when the carton is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second side extensions are located below the lower top flap when the carton is in the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle provided in each of the first and second side panels. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising a bag in the internal storage region of the carton. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 9 , further comprising dry pet food in the bag. 
     
     
         11 . A unitary blank for forming a recloseable packaging carton, the blank comprising:
 a first main body panel including a first main face body portion connected to a first bottom flap along a bottom fold line and a cover along a second fold line, said cover including a tab portion, with the tab portion being connected to a tear strip and a connecting strip;   a second main body panel including a second main face body portion connected to a second bottom flap along a lower fold line and to a lower top flap along an upper fold line, said second main body panel including a slot at a juncture between the second main face body portion and the lower top flap; and   first and second side panels each including a side panel portion and first and second extension flaps, with the first extension flap being directly connected to a respective said side panel portion along a first fold line, and the second extension flap being directly connected to both the first extension flap along a second fold line and the lower top flap along a third fold line.   
     
     
         12 . The unitary blank of  claim 11 , wherein one of the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap includes a recessed portion and another of the first bottom flap and the second bottom flap includes a tongue member, wherein the recessed portion is configured to receive the tongue member. 
     
     
         13 . The unitary blank of  claim 12 , further comprising a handle provided in the side panel portion of each of the first and second side panels. 
     
     
         14 . A method of opening and closing an openable top portion of a carton including first and second main body panels spaced by opposing side body panels and connected together through a connector strip, with each side body panel including first and second extension flaps, said method comprising:
 initially opening the carton by: grasping and removing a tear strip formed as part of the first main body panel and attached to the second main body panel through the connector strip, with removal of the tear strip establishing a cover including a tab portion; pivoting the cover from atop an access opening of the carton; and pivoting a lower top flap of the second main body panel to expose the access opening; and   closing the openable top portion by: pivoting the lower top flap of the second main body panel across the access opening wherein, upon pivoting the lower top flap of the second main body panel, the first and second extension flaps are folded upon each other and automatically folded over the access opening; pivoting the cover over the lower top flap; and inserting the tab portion of the cover into a slot provided at a juncture between the lower top flap and a face panel portion of the second main body panel.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second extension flaps are substantially parallel to each other upon pivoting the lower top flap of the second main body panel across the access opening. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: re-opening the carton by: removing the tab portion from the slot; pivoting the cover from across the access opening; and pivoting the lower top flap from across the access opening while simultaneously unfolding each of the extension flaps. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second extension flaps are substantially perpendicular to the lower top flap upon fully pivoting the lower top flap from across the access opening.