Carton and carton blank

Abstract

A carton for packaging one or more articles includes a plurality of walls including a top wall, a base wall, a first side wall and a second side wall forming a tubular structure. One of the plurality of walls includes a handle structure defined in it. The handle structure includes a grip member struck from one of the plurality of walls and a handle strap. The grip member is mounted on the handle strap. A first aperture is struck from the one of the plurality of walls. The aperture is disposed adjacent to a first end of the grip member so as to define a first end edge of the grip member. The first aperture defines a portion of an opening in the one of the plurality of walls. In the opening, a portion of the handle strap may be received.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A handle structure for a carton comprising:
 a first top panel forming a top wall of the carton and having first and second opposed end edges; 
 a grip member struck from the first top panel, the grip member being severably connected to the first top panel by nick portions; and 
 a handle strap disposed below the first top panel and extending between the first and second end edges; 
 wherein the grip member is mounted on the handle strap, the grip member having first and second opposed end edges, the first end edge of the grip member being disposed closer to the first end edge of the first top panel than to the second end edge of the first top panel, 
 wherein an aperture is formed at least in part in the first top panel so as to define the first end edge of the grip member, the aperture being disposed at least in part between the first end edge of the grip member and the first end edge of the first top panel, and 
 wherein the handle structure is in an initial configuration in which the grip member is in a plane defined by the first top panel and in which a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture, said first portion of the handle strap being disposed below the first top panel in the initial configuration. 
 
     
     
       2. The handle structure of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture extends to one of the end edges of the first top panel. 
     
     
       3. The handle structure of  claim 2 , further comprising an end closure panel which is hinged to the first top panel, the aperture extends to the one of the end edges of the first top panel and into the end closure panel. 
     
     
       4. The handle structure of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture extends along the first end edge of the grip member. 
     
     
       5. The handle structure of  claim 1 , wherein the handle structure is deployable to take a deployed configuration in which the grip member is lifted above the first top panel and in which a second portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture, the second portion being hidden from view by the first top panel when the handle structure takes the initial configuration. 
     
     
       6. The handle structure of  claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the handle strap is visually different from the second portion of the handle strap. 
     
     
       7. The handle structure of  claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the handle strap is different in color from the second portion of the handle strap. 
     
     
       8. The handle structure of  claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the handle strap has first indicia printed thereon, and the second portion of the handle strap has second indicia printed thereon, wherein the first and second indicia are different. 
     
     
       9. The handle structure of  claim 8 , wherein the first indicia are a question and the second indicia are an answer to the question. 
     
     
       10. The handle structure of  claim 8 , wherein the first indicia are a portion of an image and the second indicia are an adjoining portion of the image. 
     
     
       11. The handle structure of  claim 1  wherein the aperture has a width, the first portion of the handle strap has a width, the width of the aperture is greater than the width of the first portion of the handle strap. 
     
     
       12. The handle structure of  claim 1  wherein the grip member has a width, the handle strap has a width, and the width of the grip member is greater than the width of the handle strap. 
     
     
       13. The handle structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a second top panel disposed below the first top panel such that an inside surface of the first top panel is in face contacting relationship with an outer surface of the second top panel, and the handle strap is formed from part of the second top panel. 
     
     
       14. The handle structure of  claim 13 , wherein an outer surface of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture. 
     
     
       15. The handle structure of  claim 14 , wherein the outer surface of the handle strap in part is in face contacting relationship with the grip member and in part is exposed to view through the aperture. 
     
     
       16. A carton comprising a plurality of panels including a first top panel having first and second opposed end edges, and a handle structure for lifting the carton, the handle structure comprising:
 a grip member struck from the first top panel and severably connected to the first top panel by nick portions, the grip member having first and second opposed end edges, the first end edge of the grip member being disposed closer to the first end edge of the first top panel than to the second end edge of the first top panel; 
 a handle strap extending between the first and second end edges of the first top panel, the handle strap being aligned with and located under the grip member; and 
 an aperture struck at least in part from the first top panel so as to define the first end edge of the grip member, the aperture being disposed at least in part between the first end edge of the grip member and the first end edge of the first top panel, 
 wherein the handle structure is in an initial configuration in which the grip member is in a plane defined by the first top panel and in which a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture, said first portion of the handle strap being disposed below the first top panel in the initial configuration. 
 
     
     
       17. The carton of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of panels further includes a second top panel disposed below the first top panel, wherein an insider surface of the first top panel is in face contacting relationship with an outer surface of the second top panel, and the handle strap is formed from part of the second top panel. 
     
     
       18. The carton of  claim 17 , wherein an outer surface of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture. 
     
     
       19. The carton of  claim 18 , wherein the outer surface of the handle strap in part is in face contacting relationship with the grip member and in part is exposed to view through the aperture. 
     
     
       20. A handle structure for a carton comprising:
 a first top panel forming a top wall of the carton and having first and second opposed end edges;   a handle strap disposed below the first top panel and extending between the first and second end edges;   a grip member struck from the first top panel, the grip member being severably connected to the first top panel by nick portions, wherein the grip member is mounted on the handle strap, the grip member having first and second opposed end edges, the first end edge of the grip member being disposed closer to the first end edge of the first top panel than to the second end edge of the first top panel, wherein a first portion of the handle strap is disposed below the first top panel in an initial configuration;   a first indicia provided at least in part on the grip member to indicate to the user that the end edges of the grip member are configured to be pulled inward as the grip member is lifted, wherein the grip member and the first top panel are free from any apertures through which the handle strap is exposed to view; and   a second indicia provided at least in part on the handle strap that becomes visible as the handle strap is pulled upward as the grip member is lifted to give the user more confidence in the strength of the handle strap.    
     
     
       21. A carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels including a first top panel having first and second opposed end edges, and a handle structure for lifting the carton, the handle structure comprising:   a grip member struck from the first top panel and severably connected to the first top panel by nick portions, the grip member having first and second opposed end edges, the first end edge of the grip member being disposed closer to the first end edge of the first top panel than to the second end edge of the first top panel;   a handle strap extending between the first and second end edges of the first top panel, the handle strap being aligned with and located under the grip member, wherein a first portion of the handle strap is disposed below the first top panel in an initial configuration;   a first indicia provided at least in part on the grip member to indicate to the user that the end edges of the grip member are configured to be pulled inward as the grip member is lifted, wherein the grip member and the first top panel are free from any apertures through which the handle strap is exposed to view; and   a second indicia provided at least in part on the handle strap that becomes visible as the handle strap is pulled upward as the grip member is lifted to give the user more confidence in the strength of the handle structure.    
     
     
       22. A handle structure for a carton comprising:
 a first top panel forming a top wall of the carton and having first and second opposed end edges;   a grip member struck from the first top panel, the grip member being severably connected to the first top panel by nick portions; and   a handle strap disposed below the first top panel and extending between the first and second end edges;   wherein the grip member is mounted on the handle strap, the grip member having first and second opposed end edges, the first end edge of the grip member being disposed closer to the first end edge of the first top panel than to the second end edge of the first top panel,   wherein an aperture is formed at least in part in at least one of the first top panel or the grip member, and wherein the handle structure is in an initial configuration in which the grip member is in a plane defined by the first top panel and in which a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture, said first portion of the handle strap being disposed below the first top panel in the initial configuration.    
     
     
       23. A carton comprising a plurality of panels including a first top panel having first and second opposed end edges, and a handle structure for lifting the carton, the handle structure comprising:
 a grip member struck from the first top panel and severably connected to the first top panel by nick portions, the grip member having first and second opposed end edges, the first end edge of the grip member being disposed closer to the first end edge of the first top panel than to the second end edge of the first top panel;   a handle strap extending between the first and second end edges of the first top panel, the handle strap being aligned with and located under the grip member; and   an aperture struck at least in part from at least one of the first top panel or the grip member, wherein the handle structure is in an initial configuration in which the grip member is in a plane defined by the first top panel and in which a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the aperture, said first portion of the handle strap being disposed below the first top panel in the initial configuration.    
     
     
       24. The handle structure of claim 1, wherein in the initial configuration the aperture is defined by a first edge and a second edge spaced apart from one another with a gap therebetween, wherein a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the gap of the aperture in the initial configuration.  
     
     
       25. The carton of claim 16, wherein in the initial configuration the aperture is defined by a first edge and a second edge spaced apart from one another with a gap therebetween, wherein a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the gap of the aperture in the initial configuration.  
     
     
       26. The handle structure of claim 20, wherein the handle structure is in the initial configuration in which the grip member is in a plane defined by the first top panel, wherein the grip member and the first top panel are free from any apertures through which the handle strap is exposed to view in the initial configuration.  
     
     
       27. The carton of claim 21, wherein the handle structure is in the initial configuration in which the grip member is in a plane defined by the first top panel, wherein the grip member and the first top panel are free from any apertures through which the handle strap is exposed to view in the initial configuration.  
     
     
       28. The handle structure of claim 22, wherein in the initial configuration the aperture is defined by a first edge and a second edge spaced apart from one another with a gap therebetween, wherein a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the gap of the aperture in the initial configuration.  
     
     
       29. The carton of claim 23, wherein in the initial configuration the aperture is defined by a first edge and a second edge spaced apart from one another with a gap therebetween, wherein a first portion of the handle strap is exposed to view through the gap of the aperture in the initial configuration.