Beverage carton and container for cooling

Abstract

A carton of laminate material to hold beverage containers with provision to open a portion of the top of the carton to provide a receptacle to receive a coolant such as ice to cool the beverage containers.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A carton for packaging and storing a plurality of beverage containers and selectively cooling said beverage containers therein comprising: 
 a substantially rectangular in plan carton having a top and bottom panel interconnected by side and end panels to form a beverage container receiving space therein;    said top panel including a central area spaced inwardly from the peripheral edge of said top panel defined by perforations which permit removal of a portion of the central area of said top panel;    a plurality of perforations extending diagonally inwardly from each corner of said top panel to the perforations in said central area;    whereby when said central area is removed the remainder of said top panel is elevated by severing the carton material at said diagonal perforations to form an open top receptacle to receive a cooling media to cool said beverage containers.    
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein each corner of said carton at the juncture of each end panel and said bottom panel includes a portion folded inwardly to form a gusset to provide additional insulation to prevent leakage of liquid.  
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the carton is formed of a laminate material.  
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3  wherein the laminate material comprises an outer plastic layer bonded to a layer of metalized film bonded to a metallic layer and bonded to a paper board base by a laminating resin.  
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4  wherein said outer plastic layer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terpthalate, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene or cellophane.  
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said side panels includes a central area partially perforated to provide a handhold opening when the partial perforated portion is separated along said perforations.  
     
     
         7 . A planar blank to form a carton for beverage containers with provision to hold cooling media in contact with said beverage containers comprising: 
 a first panel member for forming a portion of a side of said carton integral with a second panel member to form the top of said carton along a fold line;    said first panel member including a pair of flaps at each end integral with said first panel member along a fold line;    said second panel member integrally connected to a third panel member forming a side of said carton at a fold line;    said second panel member further including a pair of end flaps integrally connected to said second panel at respective fold lines;    said fold lines in said second panel forming a rectangle;    said second panel including a central area spaced inwardly from the rectangle formed by said fold lines defined by perforations which permit removal of the central area;    perforations extending inwardly from the corners of said rectangle to said perforations in said central area;    said third panel member integrally connected to a fourth panel member at a fold line, said fourth penal member forming a bottom of said carton;    said fourth panel member integrally connected to a fifth panel at a fold line;    said first and fifth panel members having less of a lateral extent than said third panel member wherein when said panel members are folded at said respective fold lines to be perpendicular to each other a carton is formed from said blank.    
     
     
         8 . The blank of  claim 7  wherein said third and fifth panel members include end flaps integrally connected at a respective fold line to each said panel member and wherein a fold line is formed extending from the juncture of the fold lines of said flaps and said fourth panel member at an angle to form a gusseted corner when said blank is folded into a carton.  
     
     
         9 . The blank of  claim 7  wherein the blank is formed of a laminate material.  
     
     
         10 . The blank of  claim 9  wherein the laminate material comprises an outer plastic layer bonded to a layer of metalized film bonded to a metallic layer and bonded to a paper board base by a laminating resin.  
     
     
         11 . The blank of  claim 10  wherein said outer plastic layer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terpthalate, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene or cellophane.