Carton With Article Retention Features

Abstract

A carton for holding one or more articles, the carton includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels including a front panel, at least one back panel, and at least one top panel, article retention features comprising at least one article retention tab foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the at least one article retention tab for being positioned at least partially in the interior of the carton to secure one or more articles to the carton, and access features for facilitating access to the interior of the carton, the access features comprising at least one access end flap separably connected to the at least one back panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carton for holding one or more articles, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a front panel, at least one back panel, and at least one top panel;   article retention features comprising at least one article retention tab foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the at least one article retention tab for being positioned at least partially in the interior of the carton to secure one or more articles to the carton; and   access features for facilitating access to the interior of the carton, the access features comprising at least one access end flap separably connected to the at least one back panel.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and is at least partially separably connected to the front panel. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is for being at least partially received in a recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is a first article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and at least partially separably connected to the front panel, and the article retention features further comprise a second article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the at least one back panel and at least partially separably connected to the at least one back panel for being at least partially received in another recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the article retention features further comprise a locking panel foldably connected to the front panel and positioned in the interior of the carton, the locking panel comprising at least one recessed notch for at least partially receiving the first article retention tab. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the article retention features further comprise at least one article retention flap foldably connected to the front panel and positioned extending into the interior of the carton for contacting a respective article. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one back panel is a first back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the at least one access end flap is separably connected to the first back panel, and the access features further comprise a second access end flap separably connected to the second back panel. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the first access end flap is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second access end flap. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , further comprising an access tab foldably connected to the second access end flap, the access tab positioned protruding downwardly from the first access end flap. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel foldably connected to the front panel, and the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, the first top panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second top panel. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a third top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, the first top panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with each of the first top panel and the second top panel. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel comprise a respective base portion and a respective distal portion foldably connected to the respective base portion, the distal portion of each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel extending upwardly from the base portion thereof to form a handle of the carton. 
     
     
         13 . A blank for forming a carton for holding one or more articles, 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 front panel, at least one back panel, and at least one top panel;   article retention features comprising at least one article retention tab foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the at least one article retention tab for being positioned at least partially in the interior of the carton formed from the blank to secure one or more articles to the carton formed from the blank; and   access features for facilitating access to the interior of the carton formed from the blank, the access features comprising at least one access end flap separably connected to the at least one back panel.   
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and is at least partially separably connected to the front panel. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is for being at least partially received in a recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is a first article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and at least partially separably connected to the front panel, and the article retention features further comprise a second article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the at least one back panel and at least partially separably connected to the at least one back panel for being at least partially received in another recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein the article retention features further comprise a locking panel foldably connected to the front panel and for being positioned in the interior of the carton formed from the blank, the locking panel comprising at least one recessed notch for at least partially receiving the first article retention tab when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the article retention features further comprise at least one article retention flap foldably connected to the front panel and for being positioned extending into the interior of the carton for contacting a respective article when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one back panel is a first back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the at least one access end flap is separably connected to the first back panel, and the access features further comprise a second access end flap separably connected to the second back panel. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , further comprising an access tab foldably connected to the second access end flap, the access tab for being positioned protruding downwardly from the first access end flap when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel foldably connected to the front panel, and the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, the first top panel for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second top panel when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a third top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, the first top panel for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with each of the first top panel and the second top panel when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel comprise a respective base portion and a respective distal portion foldably connected to the respective base portion, the distal portion of each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel for being positioned extending upwardly from the base portion thereof to form a handle of the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         24 . A method of forming a carton for holding one or more articles, the blank comprising:
 obtaining a blank comprising plurality of panels, the plurality of panels comprising a front panel, at least one back panel, and at least one top panel, the blank further comprising article retention features comprising at least one article retention tab foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and access features comprising at least one access end flap separably connected to the at least one back panel;   positioning the plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton;   arranging the at least one article retention tab for being positioned at least partially in the interior of the carton to secure one or more articles to the carton; and   positioning the access features for facilitating access to the interior of the carton.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and is at least partially separably connected to the front panel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is for being at least partially received in a recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is a first article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and at least partially separably connected to the front panel, and the article retention features further comprise a second article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the at least one back panel and at least partially separably connected to the at least one back panel for being at least partially received in another recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the article retention features further comprise a locking panel foldably connected to the front panel, the locking panel comprising at least one recessed notch for at least partially receiving the first article retention tab, and the method further comprises positioning the locking panel in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the article retention features further comprise at least one article retention flap foldably connected to the front panel, and the method further comprises positioning the at least one article retention flap extending into the interior of the carton for contacting a respective article. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one back panel is a first back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the at least one access end flap is separably connected to the first back panel, and the access features further comprise a second access end flap separably connected to the second back panel. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the method comprises positioning the first access end flap in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second access end flap. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the blank further comprises an access tab foldably connected to the second access end flap, and the method further comprises positioning the access tab protruding downwardly from the first access end flap. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel foldably connected to the front panel, and the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, and the method further comprises positioning the first top panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second top panel. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a third top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, and the method comprises positioning the first top panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with each of the first top panel and the second top panel. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel comprise a respective base portion and a respective distal portion foldably connected to the respective base portion, and the method comprises positioning the distal portion of each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel extending upwardly from the base portion thereof to form a handle of the carton. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising positioning one or more articles in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising at least partially positioning the at least one article retention tab in a recessed top portion of a respective article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         38 . A package, the package comprising:
 one or more articles; and   a carton holding the one or more articles, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a front panel, at least one back panel, and at least one top panel; 
 article retention features comprising at least one article retention tab foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the at least one article retention tab for being positioned at least partially in the interior of the carton to secure the one or more articles to the carton; and 
 access features for facilitating access to the interior of the carton, the access features comprising at least one access end flap separably connected to the at least one back panel. 
   
     
     
         39 . The package of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and is at least partially separably connected to the front panel. 
     
     
         40 . The package of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is for being at least partially received in a recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         41 . The package of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one article retention tab is a first article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the front panel and at least partially separably connected to the front panel, and the article retention features further comprise a second article retention tab at least partially foldably connected to the at least one back panel and at least partially separably connected to the at least one back panel for being at least partially received in another recessed portion of a top portion of an article in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         42 . The package of  claim 41 , wherein the article retention features further comprise a locking panel foldably connected to the front panel and positioned in the interior of the carton, the locking panel comprising at least one recessed notch for at least partially receiving the first article retention tab. 
     
     
         43 . The package of  claim 40 , wherein the article retention features further comprise at least one article retention flap foldably connected to the front panel and positioned extending into the interior of the carton contacting a respective article. 
     
     
         44 . The package of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one back panel is a first back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second back panel foldably connected to the front panel, the at least one access end flap is separably connected to the first back panel, and the access features further comprise a second access end flap separably connected to the second back panel. 
     
     
         45 . The package of  claim 44 , wherein the first access end flap is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second access end flap. 
     
     
         46 . The package of  claim 45 , further comprising an access tab foldably connected to the second access end flap, the access tab positioned protruding downwardly from the first access end flap. 
     
     
         47 . The package of  claim 45 , wherein the at least one top panel is a first top panel foldably connected to the front panel, and the plurality of panels further comprises a second top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, the first top panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with the second top panel. 
     
     
         48 . The package of  claim 47 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a third top panel foldably connected to the second back panel, the first top panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with each of the first top panel and the second top panel. 
     
     
         49 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel comprise a respective base portion and a respective distal portion foldably connected to the respective base portion, the distal portion of each of the first top panel, the second top panel, and the third top panel extending upwardly from the base portion thereof to form a handle of the carton.