Beverage carton tear resistant handle

Abstract

Handle design for a beverage carton allows the handle feature to lie directly next to the underlying reinforced handle feature and provides tear resistance in that there is no single layer of board being carried by either the person stocking the product, or the consumer as they handle the package. This avoids any such tearing due to the placement of the reinforcing strip relative to the handle openings.

1 . A carton for beverage containers comprising:
 a top panel, a bottom panel, two side panels and two end panels;   a handle in the top panel, the handle including at least one handle opening into which a user may insert fingers to lift the carton; and   a reinforcing handle flap in the top panel juxtaposed immediately adjacent to the handle opening so as to inhibit tearing of the carton top panel when the carton is lifted by the handle.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of end flaps each extending from one of the top, bottom and side panels wherein the end panels are each formed from selected end flaps. 
 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 1  further comprising:
 first and second top panel flaps each joined to one of the side panels, the first and second top panel flaps overlapping one another to thereby combine to form the top panel. 
 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3  wherein the reinforcing handle flap is foldably coupled to the second top panel flap to thereby be folded into face-to-face juxtaposition with the second top panel flap. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4  wherein the reinforcing handle flap is foldably coupled to a distal edge of the second top panel flap along a fold line. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 5  wherein the reinforcing handle flap extends substantially the entire length of the second top panel flap. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 3  further comprising a pair of handle openings, each of which is formed in one of the top panel flaps with the reinforcing handle flap being located between the handle openings. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7  wherein a region between the pair of handle openings has a thickness of at least three plies of carton material. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 7  wherein the region of at least three plies extends substantially the entire length of the top panel between the end panels. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein the region of at least three plies extends beyond the length of the top panel and into each of the end panels. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a dispenser formed in the carton through which the containers can be removed from the carton. 
 
     
     
         12 . A carton for beverage containers comprising:
 a top panel, a bottom panel, two side panels and two end panels;   a plurality of end flaps each extending from one of the top, bottom and side panels, wherein the end panels are each formed from selected end flaps;   first and second top panel flaps each joined to one of the side panels, the first and second top panel flaps overlapping one another to thereby combine to form the top panel;   a handle in the top panel, the handle including at least two handle openings into which a user may insert fingers to lift the carton, each of the handle openings being formed in one of the top panel flaps;   a reinforcing handle flap in the top panel juxtaposed between the handle openings so as to inhibit tearing of the carton top panel when the carton is lifted by the handle;   wherein the reinforcing handle flap is foldably coupled to a distal edge of the second top panel flap to thereby be folded into face-to-face juxtaposition with the second top panel flap;   wherein a region between the pair of handle openings has a thickness of at least three plies of carton material extending substantially the entire length of the top panel between the end panels and into each of the end panels; and   a dispenser formed in the carton through which the containers can be removed from the carton.   
     
     
         13 . A package comprising:
 a plurality of beverage containers arranged within a carton;   the carton further comprising
 (a) a top panel, a bottom panel, two side panels and two end panels; 
 (b) a handle in the top panel, the handle including at least one handle opening into which a user may insert fingers to lift the carton; and 
 (c) a reinforcing handle flap in the top panel juxtaposed immediately adjacent to the handle opening so as to inhibit tearing of the carton top panel when the carton is lifted by the handle. 
   
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising:
 first and second top panel flaps each joined to one of the side panels, the first and second top panel flaps overlapping one another to thereby combine to form the top panel. 
 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 14  wherein the reinforcing handle flap is foldably coupled to a distal edge of the second top panel flap to thereby be folded into face-to-face juxtaposition with the second top panel flap. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 14  further comprising a pair of handle openings, each of which is formed in one of the top panel flaps with the reinforcing handle flap being located between the handle openings. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 16  wherein a region between the pair of handle openings has a thickness of at least three plies of carton material extending substantially the entire length of the top panel between the end panels and into each of the end panels. 
     
     
         18 . A carton blank comprising:
 serially connected a top panel, a first side panel, a bottom panel and a second side panel;   a plurality of end flaps each extending from one of the top, bottom and side panels, wherein selected ones of the end flaps are adapted to combine to form end panels of a carton formed from the carton blank;   a handle in the top panel, the handle including at least one handle opening into which a user may insert fingers to lift the carton; and   a reinforcing handle flap coupled to the top panel adjacent to the handle opening so as to inhibit tearing of the carton top panel when the carton is lifted by the handle.   
     
     
         19 . The carton blank of  claim 18  further comprising:
 first and second top panel flaps each joined to one of the side panels, the first and second top panel flaps overlapping one another to thereby combine to form the top panel in the formed carton, the reinforcing handle flap being foldably coupled to a distal edge of the second top panel flap to thereby be folded into face-to-face juxtaposition with the second top panel flap in the formed carton. 
 
     
     
         20 . The carton blank of  claim 5  wherein the reinforcing handle flap extends substantially the entire length of the second top panel flap. 
     
     
         21 . The carton blank of  claim 19  further comprising a pair of handle openings, each of which is formed in one of the top panel flaps with the reinforcing handle flap being located between the handle openings in the formed carton. 
     
     
         22 . The carton blank of  claim 18  further comprising:
 a dispenser through which containers can be removed from the formed carton.