Combination shipping carton and twin dispenser boxes

Abstract

A combination shipping and dispensing carton for carrying pouches which can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing pouches in their upright position on the shelves of stores. The carton has a bottom panel, top panel and adjoining side panels and flaps for closing the ends of the carton. The carton has a pair of tear lines extending through one side panel and a fold line extending in the other side panel which are interconnected so that when the tear lines are torn the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line. This shipping carton carries the pouches in two rows with the tops of the pouches in each row meeting near the center of the carton and overlapping so that the length of the carton is less than two times the length of a pouch. The length of the carton can be from approximately the length of a pouch to one and half times the length of a pouch, depending upon the configuration of the pouches and how full they are filled.

1 . A combination shipping and dispensing carton and a plurality of pouches disposed within the carton, the carton comprising: 
 a bottom panel;    a top panel;    a first side panel adjacent to the bottom panel and to the top panel;    a second side panel adjacent to the bottom panel and to the top panel, the second side panel having a box fold line;    at least one first end flap at least partially closing a first end of the carton;    at least one second end flap at least partially closing a second end of the carton;    a first plurality of tear lines extending through the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the top panel;    a second plurality of tear lines extending through the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the top panel; and    at least one of a top tear line and a top cut line in the top panel extending away from the first and second pluralities of tear lines and toward the second side panel, wherein    the first and second pluralities of tear lines at least partially define an opening flap in the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the top panel,    when the opening flap is opened, the carton can be formed into first and second side-by-side dispensers by folding the second side panel along the box fold line,    the first plurality of tear lines comprises a first side panel tear line, a first bottom panel tear line and a first top panel tear line, the first top panel tear line terminating in the top panel,    the second plurality of tear lines comprises a second side panel tear line, a second bottom panel tear line and a second top panel tear line, the second top panel tear line terminating in the top panel, and    the first and second top panel tear lines converge toward one another as they extend away from the first side panel.    
     
     
         2 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bottom panel tear lines converge toward one another as they extend away from the first side panel.  
     
     
         3 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second side panel tear lines are substantially parallel to one another.  
     
     
         4 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one of a top tear line and a top cut line comprises a cut line in the top panel extending between the first and second top panel tear lines.  
     
     
         5 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 3 , wherein the top panel comprises two panel sections separated by the opening flap.  
     
     
         6 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first end flap comprises a first side end flap and a second side end flap.  
     
     
         7 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 6 , further comprising means for closing the end flaps.  
     
     
         8 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensers are of approximately the same size and configuration.  
     
     
         9 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second dispensers are capable of displaying the pouches in an upright position, with the carton being supported on the at least one first end flap and the at least one second end flap and top sections of the pouches being visible at top portions of the dispensers.  
     
     
         10 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of pouches are arranged in a first row on a first side of the carton, and a second row on a second side of the carton, the rows of pouches overlapping at their top sections.  
     
     
         11 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 10 , further comprising a bottom line in the bottom panel extending away from the first and second pluralities of tear lines and toward the second side panel.  
     
     
         12 . A method of displaying pouches, comprising: 
 providing a carton and plurality of pouches according to  claim 11;     removing the opening flap along the first and second pluralities of tear lines;    breaching the top panel along the at least one of a top tear line and a top cut line;    breaching the bottom panel along the bottom line; and    folding along the box fold line until a first portion of the second side panel abuts a second portion of the second side panel, wherein the top sections of the pouches extend from the top portions of the dispensers.    
     
     
         13 . A combination shipping and dispensing carton and a plurality of pouches disposed within the carton, the carton comprising: 
 a bottom panel;    a top panel;    a first side panel adjacent to the bottom panel and to the top panel;    a second side panel adjacent to the bottom panel and to the top panel, the second side panel having a box fold line;    at least one first end flap at least partially closing a first end of the carton;    at least one second end flap at least partially closing a second end of the carton;    a first plurality of tear lines extending through the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the top panel, the first plurality of tear lines comprising: 
 a first side panel tear line extending from the top panel to the bottom panel;  
 a first top panel tear line, the first top panel tear line terminating in the top panel; and  
 a first bottom panel tear line;  
   a second plurality of tear lines extending through the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the top panel, the second plurality of tear lines comprising: 
 a second side panel tear line extending from the top panel to the bottom panel and substantially parallel to the first side panel tear line;  
 a second top panel tear line, the second top panel tear line terminating in the top panel; and  
 a second bottom panel tear line; and  
   at least one of a top tear line and a top cut line extending away from the first and second pluralities of tear lines and toward the second side panel, wherein    the first and second pluralities of tear lines at least partially define an opening flap in the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the top panel.    
     
     
         14 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 13 , wherein when the opening flap is opened, the carton can be formed into first and second side-by-side dispensers of approximately the same size and configuration by folding along the box fold line.  
     
     
         15 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pouches are arranged in a first row on a first side of the carton, and a second row on a second side of the carton, the rows of pouches overlapping at top sections of the pouches.  
     
     
         16 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second dispensers are capable of displaying the pouches in an upright position, with the carton being supported on the at least one first end flap and the at least one second end flap and the top sections of the pouches being visible at top portions of the dispensers.  
     
     
         17 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second top panel tear lines converge toward one another as they extend away from the first side panel.  
     
     
         18 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second bottom panel tear lines converge toward one another as they extend away from the first side panel.  
     
     
         19 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 16 , wherein the top panel comprises two panel sections separated by the opening flap.  
     
     
         20 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one first end flap comprises a first side end flap and a second side end flap.  
     
     
         21 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of a top tear line and a top cut line comprises a cut line in the top panel extending between the first and second top panel tear lines.  
     
     
         22 . The carton and plurality of pouches of  claim 16 , further comprising a bottom line in the bottom panel extending away from the first and second pluralities of tear lines and toward the second side panel.  
     
     
         23 . A method of displaying pouches, comprising: 
 providing a carton and plurality of pouches according to  claim 22;     removing the opening flap along the first and second pluralities of tear lines;    breaching the top panel along the at least one of a top tear line and a top cut line; and    folding along the box fold line until a first portion of the second side panel abuts a second portion of the second side panel, wherein the top sections of the pouches extend from the top portions of the dispensers.