Carton and blank therefor

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a carton for packaging one or more article and a blank for forming the carton. The carton may have at least one display window for presentation of an article therein. The carton comprises a plurality of panels forming walls of a tubular structure including a top wall, a first side wall, a base wall, and a second side wall. The carton comprises a handle feature including first (20) and second (22) handle panels in a face-contacting relationship. The first handle panel (20) is hingedly connected to, and disposed in a face-contacting relationship with, the top wall. The second handle panel (22) is detachably connected to a top end flap (38A, 40A, 38B, 40B) along a frangible line such that when the frangible line is broken, the handle feature is hingedly movable to a use position where the handle feature extends above the top wall.

1 . A carton for packaging one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels forming walls of a tubular structure and a carrying handle comprising; a first handle panel hingedly connected to one of the plurality of panels, a second handle panel, and at least one securing panel, the at least one securing panel being frangibly connected to a first one of the first and second handle panels, and wherein the at least one securing panel is separated from the other one of the first and second handle panels. 
     
     
         2 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the second handle panel is hingedly connected to a second one of the plurality of panels. 
     
     
         3 . A carton according to  claim 2  wherein the second handle panel is hingedly connected to the first handle panel. 
     
     
         4 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the carton comprises a plurality of panels forming walls of a tubular structure includes a top wall, a first side wall, a base wall, and a second side wall. 
     
     
         5 . A carton according to  claim 4  wherein each of the pair of securing panels is a top end closure flap hingedly connected to the top wall. 
     
     
         6 . A carton according to  claim 1  wherein the carton comprises at least one display window for presentation of an article therein, and at least one orientation device for enabling said article to be oriented whilst loaded in the carton. 
     
     
         7 . A carton for packaging one or more articles comprising plurality of panels forming a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including: a first side panel, a first top panel, and a second side panel, the carton comprising a handle feature connected to the first top panel, the first and second side panels are interconnected by a top end flap, the handle feature comprises first and second handle panels disposed in a face-contacting relationship, the first handle panel is hingedly connected to, and disposed in a face-contacting relationship with, the first top panel, the second handle panel is detachably connected to the top end flap along a frangible line such that when the frangible line is broken, the handle feature is hingedly movable to a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel. 
     
     
         8 . A carton according to  claim 7  wherein the first and second handle panels are hingedly connected together. 
     
     
         9 . A carton according to  claim 7  wherein the frangible line comprises a cut line and at least one bridging nick interrupting the cut line. 
     
     
         10 . A carton according to  claim 7  wherein the top end flap comprises an outer top end flap and an inner top end flap disposed in face-contacting relationship with the outer top end flap. 
     
     
         11 . A carton according to  claim 10  wherein the second handle panel is detachably connected to the outer top end flap along the frangible line, the frangible line comprising a cut line and at least one bridging nick interrupting the cut line, the inner top end flap is hingedly connected to the first top panel along a fold line which includes at least one opening interrupting the fold line, the at least one opening is in vertical alignment with the at least one bridging nick. 
     
     
         12 . A carton according to  claim 7  wherein the carton comprises a second top panel hingedly connected between the second side panel and the second handle panel. 
     
     
         13 . A carton according to  claim 7  wherein a connecting panel is formed from the second handle panel and secured to the first top panel. 
     
     
         14 . A carton for packaging one or more articles comprising plurality of panels forming a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including: a first side panel, a first top panel, the carton comprising a handle feature connected to the first top panel and a top-receiving opening defined in the first top panel adjacent to the first side panel, wherein the handle feature is hingedly connected to the first top panel along a hinged connection such that it is hingedly movable between an initial stowed position where the handle feature is in face-contacting relationship with the first top panel and a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel, and wherein the hinged connection is disposed between the first side panel and the top-receiving opening such that when the handle feature is in the stowed position, the handle feature may be devoid of blocking the top-receiving opening. 
     
     
         15 . A carton for packaging one or more articles comprising plurality of panels forming a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including: a first side panel, a first top panel, the carton comprising a handle feature connected to the first top panel and a top-receiving opening defined in the first top panel adjacent to the first side panel, wherein the handle feature is hingedly connected to the first top panel along a hinged connection such that it is hingedly movable between an initial stowed position where the handle feature is in face-contacting relationship with the first top panel and a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel, and wherein the hinged connection is disposed between the first side panel and the top-receiving opening such that when the handle feature is in the stowed position it is arranged such that the top-receiving opening is operationally exposed. 
     
     
         16 . A carton according to  claim 15  wherein the top-receiving opening is sufficiently exposed that an article is receivable in the top-receiving opening to enable a portion of said article to be handled or engaged externally of the carton. 
     
     
         17 . A carton for packaging one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels forming walls of a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including: a first top panel, the carton comprising at least one top end flap, and a carrying handle having at least one handle panel hingedly connected to one of the plurality of panels and disposed in a face-contacting relationship with, the first top panel, the at least one top end flap being frangibly connected to a first one of the at least one handle panels, wherein the at least one handle panel is detachably connected to the at least one top end flap along a frangible line such that when the frangible line is broken, the handle feature is hingedly movable to a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel. 
     
     
         18 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for forming walls of a tubular structure and a carrying handle comprising; a first handle panel hingedly connected to one of the plurality of panels, a second handle panel, and at least one securing panel, the at least one securing panel being frangibly connected to a first one of the first and second handle panels, and wherein the at least one securing panel is separated from the other one of the first and second handle panels by a cutaway. 
     
     
         19 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for forming walls of a tubular structure including; a first side panel, a first top panel, and a second side panel, the blank comprising a handle feature connected to the first top panel, the first and second side panels configured to be interconnected by an inner and outer top end flap, the handle feature comprising first and second handle panels arranged to be disposed in a face-contacting relationship in a set-up carton, the first handle panel being hingedly connected to the first top panel, and arranged to be disposed in a face-contacting relationship with the first top panel in a set-up carton, wherein the second handle panel is detachably connected to the outer top end flap along a frangible line such that when the frangible line is broken, the handle feature is hingedly movable to a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel. 
     
     
         20 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including a first side panel and a first top panel, the blank comprising a handle feature connected to the first top panel and a top-receiving opening defined in the first top panel adjacent to the first side panel, wherein the handle feature is hingedly connected to the first top panel along a hinged connection such that in a set-up carton it is hingedly movable between an initial stowed position where the handle feature is in face-contacting relationship with the first top panel and a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel, and wherein the hinged connection is disposed between the first side panel and the top-receiving opening such that when the handle feature is in the stowed position, the handle feature may be devoid of blocking the top-receiving opening. 
     
     
         21 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including a first side panel and a first top panel, the blank comprising a handle feature connected to the first top panel and a top-receiving opening defined in the first top panel adjacent to the first side panel, wherein the handle feature is hingedly connected to the first top panel along a hinged connection such that in a set-up carton it is hingedly movable between an initial stowed position where the handle feature is in face-contacting relationship with the first top panel and a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel, and wherein the hinged connection is disposed between the first side panel and the top-receiving opening such that when the handle feature is in the stowed position it is arranged such that the top-receiving opening is operationally exposed. 
     
     
         22 . A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for forming walls of a tubular structure, the plurality of panels including a first top panel, the blank comprising at least one top end flap and a carrying handle having at least one handle panel hingedly connected to one of the plurality of panels, the at least one handle panel arrange to be disposed in a face-contacting relationship with the first top panel in a set-up carton, the at least one top end flap being frangibly connected a first one of the at least one handle panels, wherein the at least one handle panel is detachably connected to the at least one top end flap along a frangible line, in a set-up carton severance of the frangible line allows the handle feature to be hingedly moved to a use position where the handle feature extends above the first top panel.