Display ready carton

Abstract

Disclosed is a display ready carton that can be converted from a shipping container to a display container without the use of tools in an efficient and reliable manner. The carton, and blanks for preparing the same, generally comprise a plurality of panels formed integrally from a sheet of material with one of the panels having a tear-out panel disposed thereon. To display the contents of the carton at retail, the tear-out panel is removed by tearing the carton along lines of weakness disposed substantially along one panel of the carton. The tear-out panel may be integrally connected to a flap for sealing the top or bottom portion of the carton and the flap may also be removed when removing the tear-out panel such that the carton contents are accessible from two faces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substantially cubic carton having a bottom wall, a top wall, opposite first and second side walls, and opposite front and back walls, the carton walls defining an interior portion for storing and displaying packaged consumer goods, the carton comprising:
 a back panel, a front panel, and first and second side panels, the panels integrally connected and separated from one another by a fold line;   a first closure flap integrally connected to the front panel; and   a tear-out panel disposed in a continuous portion of the front panel and defined by first and second laterally extending lines of weakness and a longitudinally extending line of weakness extending across the front panel between the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness;   wherein removal of the tear-out panel by a user removes a portion of the front panel and the first closure flap allowing access to an interior portion of the carton from at least a portion of the front and top walls of the carton.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness are disposed substantially along the fold line between the front panel and first and second side panels respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness are disposed on the front panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the first and second side panels are substantially free from lines of weakness. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness are disposed at substantially right angles to the longitudinally extending line of weakness. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the front panel has a length dimension and a width dimension and the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness have a length less than the panel length dimension and the longitudinally extending line of weakness has a length substantially equal to the panel width dimension. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 1  further comprising a second closure flap integrally connected to the back panel. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7  wherein the first and second closure flaps are each major flaps having a first free edge and the free edges are brought into abutment with one another to form a closed carton top wall. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8  wherein the major flap free edges are joined together with tape. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 7  wherein the second closure flap remains intact after the tear-out panel is removed by a user. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 7  further comprising third and fourth opposing closure flaps integrally formed with the first and second side panels respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 1  further comprising a notch disposed at a height below the longitudinally disposed line of weakness. 
     
     
         13 . A carton for shipping and displaying a plurality of packaged consumer goods having a top and a front face, the carton comprising:
 a front panel;   a right side panel integrally connected to the front panel and separated therefrom by a first laterally extending fold line;   a left side panel integrally connected to the front panel and separated therefrom by a second laterally extending fold line;   a top flap integrally connected to the front panel; and   first and second laterally extending lines of weakness extending at least partially along the first and second laterally extending fold lines respectively, and a longitudinally extending line of weakness disposed on the front panel and extending continuously between the first and second laterally disposed lines of weakness, the laterally and longitudinally extending lines of weakness defining a tear-out panel therebetween;   wherein removal of the tear-out panel by a user removes a portion of the front panel and the first flap allowing access to the packaged consumer goods from at least the front and top faces of the carton.   
     
     
         14 . The carton of  claim 13  wherein the right and left side panels are substantially free from lines of weakness. 
     
     
         15 . The carton of  claim 13  wherein the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness are disposed at substantially right angles to the longitudinally extending line of weakness. 
     
     
         16 . The carton of  claim 13  wherein the front panel has a length dimension and a width dimension and the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness have a length less than the panel length dimension and the longitudinally extending line of weakness has a length substantially equal to the panel width dimension. 
     
     
         17 . The carton of  claim 13  wherein upon removal of the tear-out panel the carton consists of a partially open top panel, full height left and right side panels, and partially open front panel. 
     
     
         18 . A carton blank comprising:
 a front panel and an integrally connected major top flap;   a right side panel and an integrally connected first minor top flap;   a left side panel and an integrally connected second minor top flap;   a tear-out panel disposed on the front panel and bounded by first and second laterally extending lines of weakness, and a longitudinally extending line of weakness;   wherein first and second notches are formed between the major top flap and first and second minor flaps respectively and wherein the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness extend from the first and second notches respectively to the longitudinally extending line of weakness.   
     
     
         19 . The carton blank of  claim 18  wherein the right and left side panels are substantially free from lines of weakness. 
     
     
         20 . The carton blank of  claim 18  wherein the first and second laterally extending lines of weakness are disposed at substantially right angles to the longitudinally extending line of weakness.