Carton With Locking Features, Related Systems And Methods

Abstract

A carton for holding one or more articles includes a first plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and forming a body of the carton, and a second plurality of panels extending at least partially around the interior of the carton and forming a lid of the carton, the lid is foldably connected to the body such that the lid is repositionable between an open position and a closed position. The carton further includes a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels, and locking features for selectively maintaining the lid in a closed position, the locking features including a first locking flap foldably connected to the body and positioned for engagement with a second locking flap foldably connected to the lid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carton for holding one or more articles, the carton comprising:
 a first plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and forming a body of the carton;   a second plurality of panels extending at least partially around the interior of the carton and forming a lid of the carton, the lid is foldably connected to the body such that the lid is repositionable between an open position, in which the interior of the carton is accessible, and a closed position, in which the lid at least partially overlies the interior of the carton;   a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels; and   locking features for selectively maintaining the lid in the closed position, the locking features including a first locking flap foldably connected to the body and positioned for engagement with a second locking flap foldably connected to the lid.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a body front panel, a body back panel, and at least one body side panel, the first locking flap is foldably connected to the body front panel. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprises a lid front panel and at least one lid side panel, the second locking flap is foldably connected to the lid front panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first locking flap and the second locking flap is for being positioned between the body front panel and the lid front panel when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the first locking flap is movable toward and away from the body front panel. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein a free edge of the first locking flap is for contacting a free edge of the second locking flap when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , wherein the second locking flap is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the lid front panel. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein the locking features further comprise a locking release tab at least partially defined by a cut in the lid front panel, the locking release tab is movable relative to the lid front panel to disengage the first locking flap from the second locking flap when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one lid side panel comprises a base portion at least partially separable from a distal portion at a line of weakening, the base portion of the at least one lid side panel attached to the at least one body side panel, the distal portion of the at least one lid side panel for being separated from the base portion of the at least one lid side panel when the lid is in the open position. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 9 , wherein line of weakening is interrupted by a tear strip for being at least partially separated from each of the base portion and the distal portion of the at least one lid side panel to facilitate repositioning of the lid from the closed position to the open position. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first top end flap foldably and a second top end flap foldably connected to a respective panel of the second plurality of panels, the first top end flap and the second top end flap at least partially overlapped to at least partially form the lid. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one body side panel is a body first side panel, the first plurality of panels comprises a body second side panel, the at least one lid side panel is a lid first side panel, the second plurality of panels comprises a lid second side panel, the second top end flap is foldably connected to the lid front panel, and the plurality of end flaps comprises a third top end flap foldably connected to the lid second side panel and at least partially overlapping the second top end flap to at least partially form the lid. 
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a hinge panel foldably connected to each of the body back panel and the first top end flap for facilitating repositioning of the lid between the closed position and the open position, the first top end flap foldably connected to the hinge panel. 
     
     
         14 . A blank for forming a carton for holding one or more articles, the blank comprising:
 a first plurality of panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the carton formed from the blank and for forming a body of the carton formed from the blank;   a second plurality of panels for extending at least partially around the interior of the carton formed from the blank and for forming a lid of the carton formed from the blank, the lid is for being foldably connected to the body when the carton is formed from the blank such that the lid is repositionable between an open position, in which the interior of the carton formed from the blank is accessible, and a closed position, in which the lid at least partially overlies the interior of the carton formed from the blank;   a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels; and   locking features for selectively maintaining the lid in the closed position when the carton is formed from the blank, the locking features including a first locking flap foldably connected to the body of the carton formed from the blank and for being positioned for engagement with a second locking flap foldably connected to the lid of the carton formed from the blank.   
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a body front panel, a body back panel, and at least one body side panel, the first locking flap is foldably connected to the body front panel. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprises a lid front panel and at least one lid side panel, the second locking flap is foldably connected to the lid front panel. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first locking flap and the second locking flap is for being positioned between the body front panel and the lid front panel when the lid of the carton formed from the blank is in the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17 , wherein the first locking flap is for being movable toward and away from the body front panel when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 18 , wherein the locking features further comprise a locking release tab at least partially defined by a cut in the lid front panel, the locking release tab is movable relative to the lid front panel for disengaging the first locking flap from the second locking flap when the lid of the carton formed from the blank is in the closed position. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one lid side panel comprises a base portion at least partially separable from a distal portion at a line of weakening, the base portion of the at least one lid side panel attached to the at least one body side panel, the distal portion of the at least one lid side panel for being separated from the base portion of the at least one lid side panel when the lid of the carton formed from the blank is in the open position. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 20 , wherein line of weakening is interrupted by a tear strip for being at least partially separated from each of the base portion and the distal portion of the at least one lid side panel to facilitate repositioning of the lid of the carton formed from the blank from the closed position to the open position. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first top end flap foldably and a second top end flap foldably connected to a respective panel of the second plurality of panels, the first top end flap and the second top end flap for being at least partially overlapped to at least partially form the lid of the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one body side panel is a body first side panel, the first plurality of panels comprises a body second side panel, the at least one lid side panel is a lid first side panel, the second plurality of panels comprises a lid second side panel, the second top end flap is foldably connected to the lid front panel, and the plurality of end flaps comprises a third top end flap foldably connected to the lid second side panel and for at least partially overlapping the second top end flap to at least partially form the lid of the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 23 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a hinge panel foldably connected to each of the body back panel and the first top end flap for facilitating repositioning of the lid of the carton formed from the blank between the closed position and the open position, the first top end flap foldably connected to the hinge panel. 
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a carton for holding one or more articles, the method comprising:
 obtaining a blank comprising a first plurality of panels, a second plurality of panels, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels, and locking features comprising a first locking flap and a second locking flap;   positioning the first plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and forming a body of the carton;   positioning the second plurality of panels extending at least partially around the interior of the carton and forming a lid of the carton such that the lid of the carton is foldably connected to the body of the carton and repositionable between an open position, in which the interior of the carton is accessible, and a closed position, in which the lid at least partially overlies the interior of the carton; and   positioning the first locking flap foldably connected to the body for engagement with a second locking flap foldably connected to the lid such that the lid selectively maintainable in the closed position.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a body front panel, a body back panel, and at least one body side panel, the first locking flap is foldably connected to the body front panel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprises a lid front panel and at least one lid side panel, the second locking flap is foldably connected to the lid front panel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein each of the first locking flap and the second locking flap is for being positioned between the body front panel and the lid front panel when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first locking flap is movable toward and away from the body front panel. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein a free edge of the first locking flap is for contacting a free edge of the second locking flap when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein positioning the second plurality of panels comprises positioning the second locking flap in at least partial face-to-face contact with the lid front panel. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the locking features further comprise a locking release tab at least partially defined by a cut in the lid front panel, the locking release tab is movable relative to the lid front panel to disengage the first locking flap from the second locking flap when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising positioning the lid in the closed position. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising moving the locking release tab to disengage the first locking flap from the second locking flap. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising positioning the lid in the open position. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one lid side panel comprises a base portion at least partially separable from a distal portion at a line of weakening, the base portion of the at least one lid side panel attached to the at least one body side panel, the distal portion of the at least one lid side panel for being separated from the base portion of the at least one lid side panel when the lid is in the open position. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein line of weakening is interrupted by a tear strip for being at least partially separated from each of the base portion and the distal portion of the at least one lid side panel to facilitate repositioning of the lid from the closed position to the open position. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first top end flap foldably and a second top end flap foldably connected to a respective panel of the second plurality of panels, and the method further comprises at least partially overlapping the first top end flap and the second top end flap to at least partially form the lid. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one body side panel is a body first side panel, the first plurality of panels comprises a body second side panel, the at least one lid side panel is a lid first side panel, the second plurality of panels comprises a lid second side panel, the second top end flap is foldably connected to the lid front panel, and the plurality of end flaps comprises a third top end flap foldably connected to the lid second side panel, and the method further comprises at least partially overlapping the second top end flap and the third top end flap to at least partially form the lid. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a hinge panel foldably connected to each of the body back panel and the first top end flap for facilitating repositioning of the lid between the closed position and the open position, the first top end flap foldably connected to the hinge panel.