Carton, blank therefor and package with collapsible pocket

Abstract

Aspects of the invention relate to a carton (90) for packaging one or more articles and a blank (10) for forming the carton (90). The carton (90) has a plurality of panels defining walls (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) of a chamber for receiving at least one article (A), the plurality of panels comprising a first panel (12) and a second panel (20) disposed in an overlapping relationship to form a first wall (12/20) of the carton (90), the carton (90) comprising a collapsible pocket (P) comprising a plurality of pocket walls including a front wall (30), opposing side walls (32, 34), a base wall (36) and a rear wall (20), at least one of plurality of pocket walls (30) being coupled to one (12) of the first and second panels (12, 20) by a frangible connection (29a).

1 . A carton for packaging one or more articles, having a plurality of panels defining walls of a chamber for receiving at least one article, the plurality of panels comprising a first panel and a second panel disposed in an overlapping relationship to form a first wall of the carton, the carton comprising a collapsible pocket comprising a plurality of pocket walls including a front wall, opposing side walls, a base wall and a rear wall, at least one of the pocket walls being coupled to one of the first and second panels by a frangible connection. 
     
     
         2 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the frangible connection comprises a tear initiation point. 
     
     
         3 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one of the pocket walls comprises the front wall of the pocket, the one of the first and second panels comprises the first panel, and the front wall is frangibly coupled to the first panel by the frangible connection. 
     
     
         4 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one of the pocket walls comprises one of the opposing side walls of the pocket, the one of the first and second panels comprises the first panel, and the one of the opposing side walls is frangibly coupled to the first panel by the frangible connection. 
     
     
         5 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein each of the opposing side walls of the pocket passes through an opening in the first wall of the carton and is moveable between a first stowed position within the chamber and a second deployed position where the each of the opposing side walls at least partially is disposed outside the chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A carton according to  claim 5  wherein each of the opposing side walls comprises at least one end stop for limiting travel thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A carton according to  claim 5  wherein each of the opposing side walls of the pocket comprises a securing flap hingedly connected thereto. 
     
     
         8 . A carton according to  claim 5  wherein each of the opposing side walls of the pocket comprises a securing flap frangibly connected to the second panel. 
     
     
         9 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the base wall comprises a first panel hingedly connected to an end edge of the front wall of the pocket and a base wall securing flap struck at least in part from the second panel of the first wall. 
     
     
         10 . A carton according to  claim 9  wherein the base wall securing flap comprises a fold line and is foldable about the fold line such that a first portion of the base wall securing flap is disposed in face to face contacting relationship with a second portion of the base wall securing flap when the pocket is in a deployed condition. 
     
     
         11 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the base wall of the pocket comprises a first base panel hingedly connected to a first one of the opposing side walls, a second base panel hingedly connected to the front wall, a first web panel hingedly connecting the first and second base panels, a third base panel hingedly connected to a second one of the opposing side walls and a second web panel hingedly connecting the second and third base panels. 
     
     
         12 . A carton according to  claim 11  wherein the second web panel is secured to the second base panel. 
     
     
         13 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein one of the opposing side walls of the pocket is hingedly connected to the front wall along a first side edge of said one of the opposing side walls and is hingedly connected to a securing flap along a second, opposing side edge of said one of the side walls. 
     
     
         14 . A carton according to  claim 1  comprising a securing tab frangibly connected to the front wall. 
     
     
         15 . A carton according to  claim 11  comprising a securing tab frangibly connected to the front wall along an end edge of the front wall disposed adjacent to the hinged connection between said one of the opposing side walls of the pocket and the front wall. 
     
     
         16 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for defining walls of a chamber for receiving at least one article, the plurality of panels arranged in a linear series hinged one to the next, the plurality of panels including a first panel and a second panel for being disposed in an overlapping relationship to form a first wall of the carton, the blank comprising a collapsible pocket structure, the pocket structure comprising a plurality of pocket wall panels including a front wall panel, opposing side wall panels, a base wall panel and a rear wall panel, at least one of the plurality of pocket wall panels being coupled to one of the first and second panels by a frangible connection. 
     
     
         17 . A carton comprising a collapsible pocket structure that is movable between a collapsed/stowed position and an expanded position, a first code placed in part on the pocket structure and in part on the other part of the carton such that the first code is readable when the pocket structure is in the collapsed/stowed position and such that the first code is unreadable, at least in part, when the pocket structure is in the expanded position, and a second code placed on either the pocket structure or the other part of the carton such that the second code is hidden from view when the pocket structure is in the collapsed/stowed position and such that the second bar code is exposed to view when the pocket structure is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         18 . A carton according to  claim 17  wherein the first and second codes are machine readable. 
     
     
         19 . A carton according to  claim 17  wherein the second code is obscured to prevent machine reading when the pocket structure is in the collapsed/stowed position and such that the second bar code is machine readable when the pocket structure is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled)