Carton with advertising means

Abstract

A carton for containing a plurality of articles, such as yoghurt pots, the carton including a plurality of main panels ( 428, 416, 429, 430 ) for forming the carton top, side and bottom walls. The carton further comprises a shaped panel ( 418 ) formed from at least one ( 416 ) of the carton walls. The shaped panel ( 418 ) is defined in part by a first aperture ( 420 ) struck from the one carton wall ( 416 ) and in part by an end edge ( 426 ) of the one carton wall.

1 . A carton for containing a plurality of articles, the carton comprising a top wall, a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, the carton further comprising a shaped panel formed from one of said top, side and bottom walls, said one wall having first and second opposed end edges, the shaped panel being disposed between said first end edge of said one wall and a first aperture struck at least in part from said one wall, said shaped panel being defined in part by said first end edge and in part by said first aperture, both said first end edge and said first aperture being contoured such that the shape of said shaped panel represents visual information associated with said articles. 
   
   
       2 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein said articles carries printed information associated with said articles, and said visual information represented by the shape of said shaped panel includes at least a part of said printed information. 
   
   
       3 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein one or more of said top, side and bottom walls carry printed information associated with said articles, and said visual information represented by the shape of said shaped panel includes at least a part of said printed information. 
   
   
       4 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein said first aperture is defined in part by a substantially straight edge and in part by a contoured edge for defining said shaped panel, said contoured edge of said first aperture being positioned across said first aperture from said straight edge. 
   
   
       5 . A carton according to  claim 4  wherein said one wall comprises a graphic portion defined between said straight edge of said first aperture and said second end edge of said one wall. 
   
   
       6 . A carton according to  claim 5  wherein said graphic portion carries printed information associated with said articles, and said first end edge and said contoured edge are configured such that said visual information represented by said shaped panel includes at least a part of said printed information. 
   
   
       7 . A carton according to  claim 4  wherein said second end edge of said one wall is substantially straight, and said straight edge of said first aperture is disposed substantially parallel to said second end edge, 
   
   
       8 . A carton according to  claim 4  wherein said one wall is hingedly connected to along opposed side edges of said one wall to two others of said top, side and bottom walls, and said straight edge of said first aperture is disposed substantially perpendicularly to said side edges of said one wall. 
   
   
       9 . A carton according to  claim 5  wherein said first aperture is struck solely from said one wall such that said shaped panel is continuous with said graphic portion through part of said one wall. 
   
   
       10 . A carton according to  claim 4  wherein said first aperture extends entirely across said one wall such that said contoured edge of said first aperture extends between opposed side edges of said one wall that extend between said first and second end edges of said one wall. 
   
   
       11 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the shaped panel is shaped similarly to an outline of one of said articles. 
   
   
       12 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the shape of said shaped panel represents an object. 
   
   
       13 . A carton according to  claim 4  wherein said contoured edge of the first aperture is disposed closer to said first end edge than to said second end edge. 
   
   
       14 . A blank for forming a carton for containing a plurality of articles, the blank comprising a top wall panel, a pair of side wall panels and a bottom wall panel, the blank further comprising a shaped panel formed from one of said top, side and bottom wall panels, said one wall panel having first and second opposed end edges, the shaped panel being disposed between said first end edge of said one wall panel and a first aperture struck at least in part from said one wall panel, said shaped panel being defined in part by said first end edge and in part by said first aperture both said first end edge and said first aperture being contoured such that the shape of said shaped panel represents visual information associated with said articles. 
   
   
       15 . A carton for containing a plurality of articles, the carton comprising a top wall, a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, the carton further comprising a shaped panel formed from one of said top, side and bottom walls, said one wall having first and second opposed apertures each struck from said one wall, the shaped panel being disposed between said first and second apertures, said shaped panel being defined in part by said first aperture and in part by said second aperture, both said first and second apertures being contoured such that the shape of said shaped panel represents visual information associated with said articles. 
   
   
       16 . A carton according to  claim 15  wherein each of said first and second apertures is defined in part by a substantially arched edge and in part by a contoured edge, said contoured edge being positioned across said each aperture from said arched edge, said shaped panel being defined by said contoured edges of said first and second apertures. 
   
   
       17 . A carton according to  claim 16  wherein said one wall comprises a graphic portion defined between said arched edge of said first aperture and one of opposed end edges of said one wall. 
   
   
       18 . A carton according to  claim 17  wherein said graphic portion carries printed information associated with said articles, and said contoured edges are configured such that said visual information represented by said shaped panel includes at least a part of said printed information. 
   
   
       19 . A carton according to  claim 17  wherein said first aperture is struck solely from said one wall such that said shaped panel is continuous with said graphic portion through part of said one wall.