Carton For Containers

Abstract

A carton for containing a plurality of containers includes a bottom panel, at least one top panel, at least one side panel, at least one top end flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel, at least one bottom end flap foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel. The carton further includes a handle including a handle strap separable from the at least one top panel and foldably connected to a relief portion, the relief portion being defined by spaced apart cuts in the at least one top end flap, the relief portion for being positioned in a container gap defined by a nested arrangement of the plurality of containers when the handle is activated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carton for containing a plurality of containers in a nested arrangement, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, at least one top panel, and at least one side panel;   a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels and at least partially closing at least one end of the carton, the plurality of end flaps comprising at least one top end flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel, at least one bottom end flap foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel; and   a handle including a handle strap separable from the at least one top panel and foldably connected to a relief portion, the relief portion being defined by spaced apart cuts in the at least one top end flap, the relief portion for being positioned in a container gap defined by the nested arrangement of the plurality of containers when the handle is activated.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the relief portion is separable from the remainder of the at least one top end flap at the spaced apart cuts. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the handle strap is foldably connected to the relief portion at a fold line, the spaced apart cuts intersecting the fold line. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the relief portion is a first relief portion, and the at least one side end flap comprises a second relief portion being defined by at least one cut in the at least one side end flap. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the first relief portion is aligned with the second relief portion such that each of the first relief portion and the second relief portion is for being positioned in the container gap when the handle is activated. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel, the first top panel overlapping the second top panel, the at least one top end flap is an at least one first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel, and the plurality of end flaps further comprises an at least one second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one second top end flap comprises a third relief portion, the third relief portion positioned between and aligned with the first relief portion and the second relief portion such that each of the first relief portion, the second relief portion, and the third relief portion is for being positioned in the container gap when the handle is activated. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the handle further comprises at least one relief strip separable from the second top panel and aligned with a portion of the handle strap. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the handle strap. 
     
     
         10 . A blank for forming a carton for containing a plurality of containers in a nested arrangement, the blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the carton formed from the blank, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, at least one top panel, and at least one side panel;   a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels for at least partially closing at least one end of the carton formed from the blank, the plurality of end flaps comprising at least one top end flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel, at least one bottom end flap foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel; and   a handle including a handle strap separable from the at least one top panel and foldably connected to a relief portion, the relief portion being defined by a spaced apart cuts in the at least one top end flap, the relief portion for being positioned in a container gap defined by the nested arrangement of the plurality of containers when the carton is formed from the blank and the handle is activated.   
     
     
         11 . The blank of  claim 10 , wherein the relief portion is separable from the remainder of the at least one top end flap at the spaced apart cuts. 
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 11 , wherein the handle strap is foldably connected to the relief portion at a fold line, the spaced apart cuts intersecting the fold line. 
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 11 , wherein the relief portion is a first relief portion, and the at least one side end flap comprises a second relief portion being defined by at least one cut in the at least one side end flap. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the first relief portion is for being aligned with the second relief portion such that each of the first relief portion and the second relief portion is for being positioned in the container gap when the handle is activated in the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel, the first top panel being for overlapping the second top panel when the carton is formed from the blank, the at least one top end flap is an at least one first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel, and the plurality of end flaps further comprises an at least one second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one second top end flap comprises a third relief portion, the third relief portion for being positioned between and aligned with the first relief portion and the second relief portion such that each of the first relief portion, the second relief portion, and the third relief portion is for being positioned in the container gap when the handle is activated in the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein the handle further comprises at least one relief strip separable from the second top panel and aligned with a portion of the handle strap. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the handle strap. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a carton for containing a plurality of containers in a nested arrangement, the method comprising:
 obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, at least one top panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels and comprising at least one top end flap foldably connected to the at least one top panel, at least one bottom end flap foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel, and a handle comprising a handle strap separable from the at least one top panel and foldably connected to a relief portion, the relief portion being defined by spaced apart cuts in the at least one top end flap;   folding the plurality of panels at least partially around an interior of the carton;   folding the plurality of end flaps to at least partially close at least one end of the carton; and   activating the handle comprising lifting the handle strap such that the relief portion is positioned in a container gap defined by the nested arrangement of the plurality of containers.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising positioning the plurality of containers in a nested arrangement in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the relief portion is separable from the remainder of the at least one top end flap at the spaced apart cuts. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the handle strap is foldably connected to the relief portion at a fold line, the spaced apart cuts intersecting the fold line. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the relief portion is a first relief portion, and the at least one side end flap comprises a second relief portion being defined by at least one cut in the at least one side end flap. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of end flaps are folded such that the first relief portion is aligned with the second relief portion, and wherein the handle is activated such that each of the first relief portion and the second relief portion is positioned in the container gap. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel, the first top panel overlapping the second top panel, the at least one top end flap is an at least one first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel, and the plurality of end flaps further comprises an at least one second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one second top end flap comprises a third relief portion, the third relief portion positioned between and aligned with the first relief portion and the second relief portion, and wherein the handle is activated such that each of the first relief portion, the second relief portion, and the third relief portion is positioned in the container gap. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the handle further comprises at least one relief strip separable from the second top panel and aligned with a portion of the handle strap. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising at least one handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the handle strap.