Container for providing easy access to beverage cans

Abstract

A container having a multiplicity of cans therein. The container disclosed is modified from a rectangular, closed wall container to a container with part of the walls removed, thereby allowing easy access to the cans of the container. Applicant discloses a unique relationship between the walls of the opened container and the size of the beverage cans. Applicant also discloses a method for constructing a closed container that may be easily modified to remove the cans of the container.

1 . A container containing a multiplicity of cylindrical cans, each can having a can height and a can diameter and a longitudinal axis, the multiplicity of cans stacked in a multiplicity of columns and rows, the container comprising: 
 a pair of side walls spaced apart a distance of about one can height;    a front wall and a rear wall, spaced apart a distance of about a multiplicity of can diameters, 
 the front and rear walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the cans; and  
   a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart a distance of about a multiplicity of can diameters;    wherein the front wall includes thereon at least part of a front wall graphical indicator line, the top wall includes thereon at least part of a top wall graphical indicator line, and each of the side walls include thereon at least part of a side wall graphical indicator line, the four graphical indicator lines at least partially running with and defining a pattern, the pattern defining a container opening obtainable by cutting along the pattern, the container opening for dispensing the beverage cans therefrom.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the graphical indicator lines are dashed lines.  
   
   
       3 . A rectangular container containing a multiplicity of cylindrical beverage cans arranged in a uniform row and column arrangement, each can having a longitudinal axis, a can height and a can diameter, the container comprising: 
 a bottom wall along which a multiplicity of cans lay horizontally in a row;    a top wall, spaced apart from the bottom wall by about a multiplicity of horizontal can rows;    a pair of side walls spaced apart by about a can height; and    a front wall and a rear wall substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes, the front and rear walls spaced apart by a multiplicity of can diameters;    wherein at least part of a score line is provided on the top wall, the front wall, and each of the side walls, and wherein at least a portion of each of the score lines is indicated by a graphical indicator line running with the portion, the score lines defining a container opening from which horizontally disposed beverage cans may be removed when the bottom wall is on a support surface and such that, after removal, the front wall is capable of retaining at least a row of cans therein.    
   
   
       4 . The rectangular container of  claim 3  wherein the graphical indicator line is a dashed line.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus comprising: 
 twelve cylindrical beverage cans, each can having a can diameter, a can height, and a longitudinal axis; and    a rectangular container having a pair of side walls separated by about a can height, a top wall and a bottom wall separated by about a multiplicity of can diameters, and a front wall and a rear wall separated by about a multiplicity of can diameters, the container including a beverage can access opening portion on the front wall, the top wall, and the side walls, and wherein the beverage can access opening portion is defined by a combination of a score line and a graphical score line location mark running with at least part of the score line.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the graphical score line location mark is dashed.  
   
   
       7 . A container containing a multiplicity of substantially identical cylindrical beverage items in a row and column matrix having at least a top row and a next to the top row, each item having an item diameter, an item height, and a longitudinal axis, the container comprising: 
 a front wall and a rear wall separated by about a multiplicity of item diameters such that the top row includes an item adjacent to the front wall with the longitudinal axis of the adjacent item substantially parallel to the front wall, a bottom wall and a top wall separated by about a multiplicity of item diameters, and two side walls separated by about an item height, the container including a score line graphical pattern, the score line graphical pattern running with, at least in part, a removable section having a front wall portion, a portion of both side walls and a portion of the top wall, such that detachment of said removable section provides access to the beverage items while preventing the next to the top row of items from rolling out of the container when the container rests on the bottom wall.    
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the score line graphical pattern is comprised of a dashed line.  
   
   
       9 . A container for containing a multiplicity of substantially identical cylindrical beverage cans each can having a can diameter, a can height, and a longitudinal axis, the cans arranged in a row and column matrix having at least a top row and a next to the top row, each row having a row bottom, the container having a front wall and a rear wall separated by about a multiplicity of can diameters, a top wall and a bottom wall separated by about a multiplicity of can diameters, and a pair of side walls separated by about a can height, the container comprising: 
 a top row forwardmost can adjacent to the front wall with a longitudinal axis of the forwardmost can substantially parallel to the front wall;    a pattern defined by a line marked on the front wall between the bottom of the top row and the bottom of the next to the top row, on the top wall spaced apart from the front wall, and on the two side walls, the pattern defining, at least in part, a removable corner portion, such that removal of the corner portion allows access to the cans therein while not allowing the next to the top row of cans to roll out of the container when the container is resting on the bottom wall.    
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 9  wherein the line of the pattern is a dashed line.  
   
   
       11 . A container containing a multiplicity of horizontally stacked cylindrical cans in can columns and can rows, the can columns located between a front wall and a rear wall, there being at least a top can row and a next to the top can row, the top row including a forwardmost can adjacent the front wall, the cans being substantially identical and each can having a can top, a can bottom, a can height, a can diameter, and a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the front wall, the container including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart by about a multiplicity of can diameters, and two side walls spaced apart by about a can height, the container including: 
 a removable access portion, the removable access portion comprised of a portion of each of the top wall, the front wall and the two side walls, such that removal of the portions leaves a pair side wall edges, which side wall edges expose a substantial part of the can top and the can bottom of the forwardmost can, for ease of removal of the forwardmost can, and removal of the portions further provides access to the cans remaining after removal of the forwardmost can and such that the front wall retains cans in the next to the top can row from rolling out of the container with the bottom wall resting flat on a support surface.    
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 11  wherein each of the side wall edges include a diagonal portion and wherein the removable access portion is indicated, at least in part, by a dashed line.  
   
   
       13 . A container for containing and allowing the dispensing of a multiplicity of beverage cans therein, the container comprising: 
 a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and two side walls, the container further including: 
 a combination of a score line and a dashed score line location marker line, wherein the score line defines a weakened portion of at least part of each of the front wall, the top wall and the two side walls and the dashed score line location marker line identifies at least part of the score line, the score line for removal of a container portion to allow access to the cans therein.  
   
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing a container containing a multiplicity of substantially identical cylindrical items each having a height, a diameter, and a longitudinal axis, the method comprising: 
 providing a paperboard sheet capable of being folded into a container having a front wall and a rear wall spaced apart by about a multiplicity of item diameters and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes, a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart by about a multiplicity of item diameters, and two side walls spaced apart by about an item height;    weakening a portion such that, when in a folded configuration, the weakened portion will define an upper portion of the front wall, a top wall portion adjacent the upper portion of the front wall, and two side wall portions such that removal of the weakened portion will allow removal of items from the folded container; and    providing a marker line for identifying at least some portion of the weakened portion to assist in locating the weakened portion so as to facilitate the removal of the weakened portion.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the marker line of the step for providing a marker line is, at least in part, a dashed line.