Carton with article opening

Abstract

A carton for containing a number of articles with each article having an article diameter. The carton may include a front wall, a top wall, a pair of sidewalls, and an access aperture formed along the front wall, the top wall, and the sidewalls. The access aperture extends along the front wall from the top wall for less than one article diameter and extends along each of the sidewalls from the top wall for more than one article diameter.

1 . A carton for containing a number of articles, with each article having an article diameter, comprising: 
 a front wall;    a top wall;    a pair of sidewalls; and    an access aperture formed along the front wall, the top wall, and the pair of sidewalls;    the access aperture extending along the front wall from the top wall for less than one article diameter and extending along each of the pair of sidewalls from the top wall for more than one article diameter.    
   
   
       2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the carton comprises a two article by six article configuration.  
   
   
       3 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall comprises a plurality of score lines therein.  
   
   
       4 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the access aperture defines a curvilinear shape along the front wall that extends from the pair of sidewalls.  
   
   
       5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the access aperture along the front wall comprises a height greater than the article diameter about the pair of sidewalls and a height less than the article diameter about a middle of the front wall.  
   
   
       6 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising an access flap positioned within the access aperture.  
   
   
       7 . A carton for containing a number of articles, with each article including an article diameter, comprising: 
 a front wall;    a top wall;    a bottom wall;    a pair of sidewalls; and    an access aperture formed along the front wall and the pair of sidewalls;    the access aperture beginning along the front wall and the pair of sidewalls about one half of the article diameter from the top wall and ending about one half of the article diameter from the bottom wall.    
   
   
       8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the front wall comprises one or more tabs extending into the access aperture.  
   
   
       9 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the access aperture comprises a curvilinear shape along the pair of sidewalls.  
   
   
       10 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the access aperture extends along the pair of sidewalls for about the article diameter.  
   
   
       11 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the carton comprises a two article by six article configuration.  
   
   
       12 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the front wall comprises a plurality of corners and wherein the plurality of corners comprises a plurality of tear lines therein.  
   
   
       13 . The carton of  claim 7 , further comprising an access flap positioned within the access aperture.  
   
   
       14 . A carton for containing a number of articles, with each article having an article length, comprising: 
 a front wall;    a top wall;    a pair of sidewalls;    an access panel extending along at least the front wall; and    a plurality of tear lines positioned on the front wall adjacent to the access panel.    
   
   
       15 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein the access flap extends along the front wall between the pair of sidewalls for less than the article length.  
   
   
       16 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein the access panel further extends along the top wall.  
   
   
       17 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein the front wall comprises a plurality of corners and wherein the plurality of tear lines is positioned within the plurality of corners.  
   
   
       18 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein the front wall comprises a pair of strips, with one of the pair of strips on either side of the access flap, and wherein the plurality of tear lines is positioned within the pair of strips.  
   
   
       19 . The carton of  claim 14 , further comprising a bottom wall and wherein the access flap comprises a further plurality of tear lines adjacent to the bottom wall.  
   
   
       20 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein the carton comprises a two article by six article configuration.