Cartons having tilt features

Abstract

A carton has a dispenser located at an exiting end of the carton. The dispenser can be opened by separating a dispenser flap from the exiting end of the carton, thereby forming a dispenser opening at the exiting end. The dispenser flap is then engaged with a mounting feature at the bottom of the carton to tilt the carton in a manner such that articles are urged toward the exiting end by gravity.

1 . A method of placing a carton in a tilt configuration, comprising: 
 providing a carton having a first side panel; a top panel; a second side panel; a bottom panel; an end panel; an exiting end panel; and a dispenser pattern defining a dispenser flap at least in the exiting end panel and in the top panel;    separating the dispenser flap from a remainder of the carton, wherein separating the dispenser flap forms a dispenser opening at least in the exiting end panel and in the top panel; and    engaging the dispenser flap with a mounting feature proximate to the end panel, wherein the dispenser flap provides a nonzero angle of orientation of the carton with respect to horizontal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser flap comprises a mounting projection.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein engaging the dispenser flap with the mounting feature comprises inserting the mounting projection in the mounting feature.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a breachable line of disruption at or adjacent to the end panel.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising bending the dispenser flap at the mounting projection before inserting the mounting projection in the mounting feature.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the dispenser flap further comprises a base that extends substantially perpendicularly to the mounting projection, wherein the base abuts a bottom panel of the carton when the carton is in the tilt configuration.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the dispenser flap further forms the dispenser opening in the first and second side panels.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising bending the dispenser flap at the mounting projection before engaging the mounting projection with the mounting feature.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a carton further comprises providing a plurality of articles disposed within the carton.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of articles comprise at least one of generally cylindrical beverage containers and petaloid beverage containers.  
     
     
         11 . A method of placing a carton in a tilt configuration, comprising: 
 providing a parallelepipedal carton having an exiting end panel comprising a plurality of exiting end flaps and a dispenser pattern defining a dispenser flap at an exiting end of the carton;    separating the dispenser flap from the exiting end of the carton to form a dispenser opening at the exiting end of the carton, the dispenser flap having a mounting projection; and    inserting the mounting projection in a mounting feature at an end of the carton opposite to the exiting end, wherein the dispenser flap provides a nonzero angle of orientation of the carton with respect to horizontal.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising bending the dispenser flap at the mounting projection before inserting the mounting projection in the mounting feature.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a breachable line of disruption at or adjacent to the end panel.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dispenser flap further comprises a base that extends substantially perpendicularly to the mounting projection, wherein the base abuts a bottom panel of the carton when the carton is in the tilt configuration.  
     
     
         15 . A carton, comprising: 
 a first side panel;    a second side panel;    a top panel;    a bottom panel;    an end panel;    an exiting end panel that is opposite from the end panel;    a dispenser pattern defining a dispenser flap at least in the exiting end panel and in the top panel; and    a mounting feature at or adjacent to the end panel sized to receive at least a portion of the dispenser flap when the dispenser flap is separated from a remainder of the carton.    
     
     
         16 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein the dispenser flap comprises a mounting projection sized to be received in the mounting feature.  
     
     
         17 . The carton of  claim 16 , wherein the dispenser flap further comprises a base that extends substantially perpendicularly to the mounting projection.  
     
     
         18 . The carton of  claim 16 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a breachable line of disruption proximate to the end panel.  
     
     
         19 . The carton of  claim 16 , wherein the dispenser flap further comprises at least one fold line extending substantially laterally across the exiting end panel.  
     
     
         20 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein the dispenser pattern further defines the dispenser flap in the first and second side panels.  
     
     
         21 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein the exiting end panel comprises a plurality of overlapping exiting end flaps.  
     
     
         22 . The carton of  claim 15 , further comprising a handle in the top panel.  
     
     
         23 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein the carton has the shape of a parallelepiped.  
     
     
         24 . In combination, the carton of  claim 15  and a plurality of articles disposed within the carton.  
     
     
         25 . The combination of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of articles comprises at least one of generally cylindrical beverage containers and petaloid beverage containers.  
     
     
         26 . A carton blank, comprising: 
 a first side panel;    a second side panel;    a top panel;    a bottom panel;    at least one exiting end flap extending along a first marginal area of the blank;    at least one end flap extending along a second marginal area of the blank;    a dispenser pattern defining a dispenser flap at least in the at least one exiting end flap, the top panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel; and    a mounting feature at or adjacent to the at least one end flap sized to receive at least a portion of the dispenser flap.    
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one exiting end panel comprises a first side exiting end flap connected to the first side panel, and a second side exiting end flap connected to the second side panel, the dispenser pattern extending through the first side exiting end flap and the second side exiting end flap.  
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 27 , wherein the dispenser pattern comprises: 
 a first fold line extending generally transversely through first side exiting end flap; and    a second fold line extending generally transversely through the second side exiting end flap.    
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 26 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a breachable line of disruption in the blank.  
     
     
         30 . The blank of  claim 26 , wherein the first side panel, the second side panel, the top panel, and the bottom panel are substantially rectangular.