Carton with foldout partition

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable carton blank that, when folded, forms a carton having a partition wall for segregating products within the carton. The partition wall member may be hingedly attached to a front panel of the carton such that the partition wall member may be unattached from the front panel and extended across the bottom panel of the carton to form two compartments within the carton. A slot in the rear panel of the carton may secure an end portion of the partition wall member when the partition wall member extends across the bottom panel of the carton to form the two compartments within the carton.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable blank to be used for forming a carton, said blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels including a cover panel, a top panel, a rear panel, a bottom panel, and a front panel, said cover and top panel, said top and rear panel, said rear and bottom panel, and said bottom and front panel being hingedly connected, and wherein at least one of said panels further including end panels protruding from opposing side edges thereof;   a partition panel at least partially hingedly connected with said front panel, said partition panel including a flap portion and a partition wall portion wherein said flap portion and partition wall portion of said partition panel are hingedly connected.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable blank of  claim 1  wherein said hinged connections are formed by at least one score line. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable blank of  claim 1 , said front panel including a slot and said cover panel including a locking tab, wherein said locking tab is positioned and located for selective engagement with said slot when said blank is assembled to form said carton. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable blank of  claim 1  wherein said rear panel includes a slot for receiving a terminal end of said partition wall portion to form at least two compartments within said carton when said blank is assembled to form said carton. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable blank of  claim 1  wherein said rear panel further includes one or more vents. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable blank of  claim 1  wherein said top panel further includes one or more vents. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable blank of  claim 1  wherein said partition wall portion includes a tab protruding from its bottom edge, and said bottom panel includes a slot, said tab and said slot being selectively engageable when said blank is assembled to form said carton. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable blank of  claim 1  wherein said blank is constructed of paperboard. 
     
     
         9 . A carton assembled from a foldable blank, said carton comprising:
 a cover panel faulting a first front portion of said carton;   a top panel forming a top portion of said carton, wherein said top panel is hingedly connected to the cover panel;   a rear panel hingedly connected to said top panel opposite said cover panel and forming a rear portion of said carton;   a bottom panel hingedly connected to said rear panel and forming a bottom portion of said carton;   a front panel hingedly connected to said bottom panel and forming a second front portion of said carton;   a partition panel hingedly attached to said front panel, said partition panel including a flap portion and a partition wall portion, wherein said flap portion is hingedly attached to said partition wall portion; and   wherein said partition wall portion is detachable from said front panel for extending across said bottom panel to abut said rear panel.   
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein said hinged connections are formed by at least one score line. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein said rear panel includes a slot for receiving an end portion of said partition wall portion when said partition wall portion extends across said bottom panel. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 9 , said cover panel including a latch and said front panel including a slot wherein said slot is positioned and located to receive said latch when the carton is in a closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein said partition wall portion includes a tab protruding from its bottom edge, and said bottom panel includes a slot, said slot being positioned and located to receive said tab when said partition wall portion extends across said bottom panel. 
     
     
         14 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein said carton is constructed of paperboard. 
     
     
         15 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein said rear panel further includes one or more vents. 
     
     
         16 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein said top panel further includes one or more vents.