Dryer sheet and cleansing article dispensing cartons and die-cut blanks for making the same

Abstract

Die-cut blanks for forming folding cartons and corresponding cartons for housing sheeted cleaning articles, particularly for dryer sheets, are disclosed. The blanks and cartons include a fully enclosed access flap and lapping glue flap.

1 . A folding carton for dispensing sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles comprising: 
 a top body-forming panel,    a front body-forming panel,    a bottom body-forming panel,    a fully enclosed access flap for opening and dispensing sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles,    said fully enclosed access flap being formed and located within the combined surfaces of said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel, and said fully enclosed access flap thereby being fully enclosed by said top body-forming panel with said front body-forming panel,    a lapping glue flap,    said lapping glue flap being foldably attached along an edge of said bottom body-forming panel, and said lapping glue flap being adhered to said front body-forming panel,    said lapping glue flap overlaps at least a portion of said front body-forming panel lateral to said fully enclosed access flap so that when a consumer separates said fully enclosed access flap from said front body-forming panel to open the carton, said overlapped portion of said front body-forming panel remains attached to said lapping glue flap, and    said lapping glue flap also overlaps at least a portion of said fully enclosed access flap.    
   
   
       2 . The folding carton of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a rear body-forming panel,    said bottom body-forming panel separated from said lapping glue flap by a first fold line,    said bottom body-forming panel separated from said rear body-forming panel by a second fold line,    said rear body-forming panel separated from said top body-forming panel by a third fold line,    said top body-forming panel separated from said front body-forming panel by a fourth fold line,    a first pair of end closure flaps adjacent said bottom body-forming panel, one of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a fifth fold line and another of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a sixth fold line,    a second pair of end closure flaps adjacent said rear body-forming panel, one of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said fifth fold line and another of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said sixth fold line,    a third pair of end closure flaps adjacent said top body-forming panel, one of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said fifth fold line and another of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth fold line, and    a fourth pair of end closure flaps adjacent said front body-forming panel, one of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said front body-forming panel by said fifth fold line and another of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth fold line.    
   
   
       3 . The folding-carton of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced apart lines of separation demarcating portions of said fully enclosed access flap so that when said lines of separation are severed, said fully enclosed access flap is movable between a closed position closing an access opening into the interior of a carton and an open dispensing position allowing the insertion of a human hand to retrieve sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles from the interior of the carton,    said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation can be divided up into a plurality of definable segments, and    said fully enclosed access flap is further defined to have a tuck tab demarcated in part by a tuck tab cut extending between said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation.    
   
   
       4 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein said tuck tab is further demarcated by a tuck tab score collinear with portions of said tuck tab cut.  
   
   
       5 . The folding carton of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 a first hinge by which said access flap is permanently attached to said top body-forming panel, and    a second hinge coincident with said fourth fold line.    
   
   
       6 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation include a pair of partial cuts on outside portions of said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel substantially parallel to a pair of reverse cuts on inside portions of said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       7 . The folding carton of  claim 6  wherein one of said partial cuts conjoin with one of said reverse cuts at a first tear point and another of said partial cuts conjoin with another of said reverse cuts at a second tear point.  
   
   
       8 . The folding carton of  claim 7  wherein said first and second tear points are substantially coincident with said fourth fold line.  
   
   
       9 . The folding carton of  claim 6  wherein said first and second tear points are substantially coincident with said tuck tab cut.  
   
   
       10 . The folding carton of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation include a pair of zipper cuts through said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       11 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation further comprise: 
 a pair of partial cuts on an outside portion of said top body-forming panel,    a pair of reverse cuts on an inside portion of said top body-forming panel, and    a pair of zipper cuts extending through said front body-forming panel.    
   
   
       12 . The folding carton of  claim 1   1  wherein said pair of partial cuts and said pair of reverse cuts conjoin at first and second tear points, and 
 wherein said pair of zipper cuts extend from said first and second endpoints of said tuck tab cut to said first and second tear points.    
   
   
       13 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein a pair of top body-forming panel spaced apart lines of separation run substantially parallel to portions of said fifth fold line and said sixth fold line between said top body-forming panel and said third pair of end closure flaps.  
   
   
       14 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein a pair of front body-forming panel spaced apart lines of separation run substantially parallel to portions of said fifth fold line and said sixth fold line between said top body-forming panel and said fourth pair of end closure flaps.  
   
   
       15 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein a pair of front body-forming panel spaced apart lines of separation form an obtuse angle with said tuck tab score line.  
   
   
       16 . The folding carton of  claim 5  wherein said first hinge is substantially coincident with said third fold line.  
   
   
       17 . The folding carton of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a seventh fold line,    wherein said seventh fold line traverses said fully enclosed access flap and said first hinge is substantially coincident with said seventh fold line.    
   
   
       18 . The folding carton of  claim 17  wherein said seventh fold line traverses said top body-forming panel from said fifth fold line to said sixth fold line.  
   
   
       19 . The folding carton of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a finger notch for assisting a consumer's grasp of said tuck tab, and    said finger notch defined by an arcuate cut beginning at a finger notch cut point substantially coincident with said tuck tab cut and ending at a second finger notch cut point substantially coincident with said tuck tab cut.    
   
   
       20 . The folding carton of  claim 2  further comprising affixing means for adhesive assistance wherein said affixing means for adhesive assistance existing on one or more of: said first pair of end closure flaps, said second pair of end closure flaps, said third pair of end closure flaps, said fourth pair of end closure flaps, said lapping glue flap, and the inner surface of said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       21 . The folding carton of  claim 2  further comprising perforated rules existing on one or more of: said first pair of end closure flaps, said second pair of end closure flaps, said third pair of end closure flaps, said fourth pair of end closure flaps, said lapping glue flap, and the inner surface of said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       22 . The folding carton of  claim 3  wherein said fully enclosed access flap is perimeterally defined by said first hinge, a pair of partial cuts, a pair of zipper cuts, and said tuck tab cut.  
   
   
       23 . The folding carton of  claim 1  wherein said fully enclosed access flap has been opened.  
   
   
       24 . The carton of  claim 1  made of a material selected from the group: raw fiberboard, recycled fiberboard, raw fibrous material, recycled fibrous material, raw paperboard, recycled paperboard, raw polymers, recycled polymers, and organic polymers further including: polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylene.  
   
   
       25 . The folding carton of  claim 1  filled with a stack of sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles.  
   
   
       26 . The folding carton of  claim 1  further including a plastic liner, said plastic liner surrounding a plurality of sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles.  
   
   
       27 . A folding carton for dispensing sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles comprising: 
 a top body-forming panel,    a front body-forming panel,    a bottom body-forming panel,    a fully enclosed access flap for opening and dispensing sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles, said fully enclosed access flap being formed and located within the combined surfaces of said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel, and said fully enclosed access flap thereby being fully enclosed by said top body-forming panel with said front body-forming panel,    a lapping glue flap, said lapping glue flap being foldably attached along an edge of said bottom body-forming panel, and said lapping glue flap being adhered to said front body-forming panel, said lapping glue flap overlaps at least a portion of said front body-forming panel lateral to said fully enclosed access flap so that when a consumer separates said fully enclosed access flap from said front body-forming panel to open the carton, said overlapped portion of said front body-forming panel remains attached to said lapping glue flap, said lapping glue flap also overlaps at least a portion of said fully enclosed access flap,    a rear body-forming panel, said bottom body-forming panel separated from said lapping glue flap by a first fold line, said bottom body-forming panel separated from said rear body-forming panel by a second fold line, said rear body-forming panel separated from said top body-forming panel by a third fold line, said top body-forming panel separated from said front body-forming panel by a fourth fold line,    a first pair of end closure flaps adjacent said bottom body-forming panel, one of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a fifth fold line and another of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a sixth fold line,    a second pair of end closure flaps adjacent said rear body-forming panel, one of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said fifth fold line and another of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said sixth fold line,    a third pair of end closure flaps adjacent said top body-forming panel, one of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said fifth fold line and another of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth fold line,    a fourth pair of end closure flaps adjacent said front body-forming panel, one of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said front body-forming panel by said fifth fold line and another of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth fold line,    a plurality of spaced apart lines of separation demarcating portions of said fully enclosed access flap so that when said lines of separation are severed, said fully enclosed access flap is movable between a closed position closing an access opening into the interior of a carton and an open dispensing position allowing the insertion of a human hand to retrieve sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles from the interior of the carton, said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation can be divided up into a plurality of definable segments, said fully enclosed access flap is further defined to have a tuck tab demarcated in part by a tuck tab cut extending between said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation,    a tuck tab demarcated in part by a tuck tab cut extending between said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation, said tuck tab forming one perimeter portion of said fully enclosed access flap, said tuck tab is further demarcated by a tuck tab score collinear with portions of said tuck tab cut,    a first hinge by which said access flap is permanently attached to said second body-forming panel, and    a second hinge coincident with said fourth fold line.    
   
   
       28 . A folding carton blank for assembly into a carton to dispense cleaning or sheeted articles comprising: 
 a top body-forming panel,    a front body-forming panel,    a bottom body-forming panel,    a fully enclosed access flap for opening and sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles,    said fully enclosed access flap being formed and located within the combined surfaces of said top body-forming and said front body-forming panels, and said fully enclosed access flap thereby being fully enclosed by said top body-forming panel with said front body-forming panel,    a lapping glue flap, said lapping glue flap being foldably attached along an edge of said bottom body-forming panel,    said lapping glue flap capable of receiving a continuous glue bead parallel to said edge of said bottom body-forming panel.    
   
   
       29 . The folding carton blank of  claim 28  further comprising: 
 a rear body-forming panel,    said bottom body-forming panel separated from said lapping glue flap by a first score line,    said bottom body-forming panel separated from said rear body-forming panel by a second score line,    said rear body-forming panel separated from said top body-forming panel by a third score line,    said top body-forming panel separated from said front body-forming panel by a fourth score line,    a first pair of end closure flaps adjacent said bottom body-forming panel, one of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a fifth score line and another of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a sixth score line,    a second pair of end closure flaps adjacent said rear body-forming panel, one of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said fifth score line and another of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said sixth score line,    a third pair of end closure flaps adjacent said top body-forming panel, one of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said fifth score line and another of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth score line, and    a fourth pair of end closure flaps adjacent said front body-forming panel, one of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said front body-forming panel by said fifth score line and another of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth score line.    
   
   
       30 . The folding carton blank of  claim 28  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced apart lines of separation demarcating portions of said fully enclosed access flap so that when said lines of separation are severed, said fully enclosed access flap is movable between a closed position closing an access opening into the interior of a carton and an open dispensing position allowing the insertion of a human hand to retrieve cleaning or sheeted articles from the interior of the carton,    said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation can be divided up into a plurality of definable segments, and    said fully enclosed access flap is further defined to have a tuck tab demarcated in part by a tuck tab cut extending between said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation.    
   
   
       31 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein said tuck tab is further demarcated by a tuck tab score collinear with portions of said tuck tab cut.  
   
   
       32 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  further comprising: 
 a first hinge by which said access flap is permanently attached to said top body-forming panel, and    a second hinge coincident with said fourth score line.    
   
   
       33 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation include a pair of partial cuts on outside portions of said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel substantially parallel to a pair of reverse cuts on inside portions of said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       34 . The folding carton blank of  claim 33  wherein one of said partial cuts conjoin with one of said reverse cuts at a first tear point and another of said partial cuts conjoin with another of said reverse cuts at a second tear point.  
   
   
       35 . The folding carton blank of  claim 34  wherein said first and second tear points are substantially coincident with said fourth score line.  
   
   
       36 . The folding carton blank of  claim 33  wherein said first and second tear points are substantially coincident with said tuck tab cut.  
   
   
       37 . The folding carton blank of  claim 33  wherein said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation include a pair of zipper cuts through said top body-forming panel and said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       38 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation further comprise: 
 a pair of partial cuts on an outside portion of said top body-forming panel,    a pair of reverse cuts on an inside portion of said top body-forming panel, and    a pair of zipper cuts extending through said front body-forming panel.    
   
   
       39 . The folding carton blank of  claim 38  wherein said pair of partial cuts and said pair of reverse cuts conjoin at first and second tear points, and 
 wherein said pair of zipper cuts extend from said first and second endpoints of said tuck tab cut to said first and second tear points.    
   
   
       40 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein a pair of top body-forming panel spaced apart lines of separation run substantially parallel to portions of said fifth score line and said sixth score line between said top body-forming panel and said third pair of end closure flaps.  
   
   
       41 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein a pair of front body-forming panel spaced apart lines of separation run substantially parallel to portions of said fifth score line and said sixth score line between said top body-forming panel and said fourth pair of end closure flaps.  
   
   
       42 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein a pair of front body-forming panel spaced apart lines of separation form an obtuse angle with said tuck tab score line.  
   
   
       43 . The folding carton blank of  claim 32  wherein said first hinge is substantially coincident with said third score line.  
   
   
       44 . The folding carton blank of  claim 32  further comprising: 
 a seventh score line,    wherein said seventh score line traverses said fully enclosed access flap and said first hinge is substantially coincident with said seventh score line.    
   
   
       45 . The folding carton blank of  claim 44  wherein said seventh score line traverses said top body-forming panel from said fifth score line to said sixth score line.  
   
   
       46 . The folding carton blank of  claim 28  further comprising: 
 a finger notch for assisting a consumer's grasp of said tuck tab, and    said finger notch defined by an arcuate cut beginning at a finger notch cut point substantially coincident with said tuck tab cut and ending at a second finger notch cut point substantially coincident with said tuck tab cut.    
   
   
       47 . The folding carton blank of  claim 29  further comprising affixing means for adhesive assistance wherein said affixing means for adhesive assistance existing on one or more of: said first pair of end closure flaps, said second pair of end closure flaps, said third pair offend closure flaps, said fourth pair of end closure flaps, said lapping glue flap, and the inner surface of said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       48 . The folding carton blank of  claim 29  further comprising perforated rules existing on one or more of: said first pair of end closure flaps, said second pair of end closure flaps, said third pair of end closure flaps, said fourth pair of end closure flaps, said lapping glue flap, and the inner surface of said front body-forming panel.  
   
   
       49 . The folding carton blank of  claim 30  wherein said fully enclosed access flap is perimeterally defined by said first hinge, a pair of partial cuts, a pair of zipper cuts, and said tuck tab cut.  
   
   
       50 . The carton blank of  claim 28  made of a material selected from the group: raw fiberboard, recycled fiberboard, raw fibrous material, recycled fibrous material, raw paperboard, recycled paperboard, raw polymers, recycled polymers, and organic polymers further including: polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylene.  
   
   
       51 . The folding carton blank of  claim 28  further including a plastic liner, said plastic liner surrounding a plurality of sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles.  
   
   
       52 . A carton made from the blank of  claim 28 .  
   
   
       53 . A partially folded carton made from the blank of  claim 28  ready for processing in a filling line wherein said lapping glue flap being adhered to said first body-forming panel.  
   
   
       54 . A method of manufacturing a folding carton of  claim 1  comprising the steps of: 
 folding the carton of  claim 1 , and    adhering said first body-forming panel to said lapping glue flap.    
   
   
       55 . A folding carton blank for assembly into a carton to dispense cleaning or sheeted articles comprising: 
 a top body-forming panel,    a front body-forming panel,    a bottom body-forming panel,    a fully enclosed access flap for opening and sheeted fabric softening articles or sheeted cleaning articles, said fully enclosed access flap being formed and located within the combined surfaces of said top body-forming and said front body-forming panels, said fully enclosed access flap thereby being fully enclosed by said top body-forming panel with said front body-forming panel,    a lapping glue flap, said lapping glue flap being foldably attached along an edge of said bottom body-forming panel, said lapping glue flap capable of receiving a continuous glue bead parallel to said edge of said bottom body-forming panel,    a rear body-forming panel, said bottom body-forming panel separated from said lapping glue flap by a first score line, said bottom body-forming panel separated from said rear body-forming panel by a second score line, said rear body-forming panel separated from said top body-forming panel by a third score line, said top body-forming panel separated from said front body-forming panel by a fourth score line,    a first pair of end closure flaps adjacent said bottom body-forming panel, one of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a fifth score line and another of said first pair of end closure flaps separated from said bottom body-forming panel by a sixth score line,    a second pair of end closure flaps adjacent said rear body-forming panel, one of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said fifth score line and another of said second pair of end closure flaps separated from said rear body-forming panel by said sixth score line,    a third pair of end closure flaps adjacent said top body-forming panel, one of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said fifth score line and another of said third pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth score line,    a fourth pair of end closure flaps adjacent said front body-forming panel, one of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said front body-forming panel by said fifth score line and another of said fourth pair of end closure flaps separated from said top body-forming panel by said sixth score line,    a plurality of spaced apart lines of separation demarcating portions of said fully enclosed access flap so that when said lines of separation are severed, said fully enclosed access flap is movable between a closed position closing an access opening into the interior of a carton and an open dispensing position allowing the insertion of a human hand to retrieve cleaning or sheeted articles from the interior of the carton, said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation can be divided up into a plurality of definable segments, said fully enclosed access flap is further defined to have a tuck tab demarcated in part by a tuck tab cut extending between said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation,    a tuck tab demarcated in part by a tuck tab cut extending between said plurality of spaced apart lines of separation, said tuck tab forming one perimeter portion of said fully enclosed access flap, said tuck tab is further demarcated by a tuck tab score collinear with portions of said tuck tab cut,    a first hinge by which said access flap is permanently attached to said second body-forming panel, and    a second hinge coincident with said fourth score line.