Carton with pressure sensitive opening device

Abstract

A device for breaking a series of perforations or cuts to open a carton or otherwise separate materials connected by a frangible severance line includes a pair of fold lines that converge away from the severance line, a collapsible line perpendicular to severance line and between the pair of fold lines, and third fold line perpendicular to and intersecting the collapsible line. A tear in the severance line is initiated by applying pressure in vicinity of the intersection of the collapsible line and the third fold line, which causes the device to apply tension to the frangible line, which is further weakened by having an elongated perforation that it centered on the axis of tension, and neighboring perforations that are angled toward the axis of tension. The angle of each perforation with respect to the axis of tension preferably varies depending on its location relative to the axis of tension.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 637,826, filed Dec. 20, 2004, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention relates generally to cartons for packaging multiple articles such as beverage cans or bottles, and more particularly, to a carton with an article dispenser that is opened using a pressure sensitive opening device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Cartons for encasing and dispensing multiple articles such as soft drink cans or bottles are useful for enabling consumers to transport, store, and access the articles for consumption. The consumer typically prefers the flexibility of easily accessing the articles without reducing the ability of the carton to enclose the remaining articles. To that end, some cartons have dispensers which allow one or more articles to be removed through an opening as the carton continues to encase the remaining articles. The consumer ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The present invention solves the problems identified above by advantageously reducing the effort required to open a carton dispenser to access the articles contained therein. More specifically, the various embodiments of the invention provide an improved means for opening a carton dispenser. The means for opening the carton dispenser is pressure sensitive, and thus, a user simply applies pressure to break the connection between the dispenser and the remainder of the carton. The configuration of the means for opening the carton dispenser reduces the amount of pressure that is required to open the dispenser without significantly degrading the integrity of the carton before and after the dispenser has been opened.

[0011] A collapsible severance line is disposed between the convergent fold lines, preferably effectively bisecting the triangle formed by the convergent fold lines and the frangible line. One advantage of the severance line is that it reduces the amount of pressure required to break the frangible line by encouraging the carton to collapse inward in response to the application of pressure, thereby buckling the top wall of the carton so as to exert force upon the frangible line.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the opening device also includes an elliptical score line disposed between the convergent fold lines. The elliptical score line preferably has a major axis that coincides with or parallels at least part of the transverse fold line. The elliptical score line provides a target by which the user can identify the appropriate point to apply pressure to open the dispenser, and further encourages inward collapse so as to break of the frangible line.

Problems solved by technology

The means for opening the carton dispenser is pressure sensitive, and thus, a user simply applies pressure to break the connection between the dispenser and the remainder of the carton.

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