Carton With Locking Features

Abstract

A carton for holding one or more products. The carton can comprise a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton. Further, the carton can comprise a closure for at least partially closing an end of the carton. The closure can comprise locking features and opening features, the locking features being configured to at least partially retain the closure in a closed position when the locking features are in a locked configuration and the opening features being for selectively opening the closure. The opening features can comprise a pull tab and a push tab configured to at least partially open the closure when actuated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carton for holding one or more products, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton;   a closure for at least partially closing an end of the carton, the closure comprising locking features and opening features, the locking features being configured to at least partially retain the closure in a closed position when the locking features are in a locked configuration and the opening features being for selectively opening the closure, wherein the opening features comprise a pull tab and a push tab configured to at least partially open the closure when actuated.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the locking features comprise a retention shoulder extending in the interior of the carton, the closure comprises a locking panel extending in the interior of the carton when the closure is in the closed position, and at least a portion of the locking panel engages under the retention shoulder to at least partially retain the closure in the closed position when the locking features are in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , further comprising a side top end structure foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the side top end structure extends at least partially in the interior of the carton when the closure is in the closed position, and the side top end structure comprises at least a proximal panel extending from the side panel and an end attachment flap at least partially secured to the side panel, wherein the retention shoulder extends from the proximal panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the locking panel comprises a locking edge that engages the retention shoulder when the locking features are in the locked configuration, the locking edge is spaced inwardly from a back panel of the plurality of panels, and wherein the pull tab extends from the locking panel and the push tab is located in the back panel for engaging the locking panel opposite to the locking edge. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the locking panel comprises a locking edge that engages the retention shoulder when the locking features are in the locked configuration, the locking edge is spaced inwardly from a back panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the pull tab extends from the locking panel past the shoulder, and the push tab is foldably connected to the back panel along a fold line so that the push tab engages the locking panel and pushes the locking panel upwardly when the push tab is pressed into the interior of the carton, pivoting along the fold line. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 5 , wherein the pull tab is configured to be actuated to move the locking panel out of alignment with the shoulder so that at least the locking panel moves upwardly past the shoulder when the push tab pushes the locking panel. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the closure comprises an end panel and a closure panel foldably connected to the end panel, the end panel at least partially closes the end of the carton and the closure panel extends into the interior of the carton from the end panel when the closure is in the closed position, wherein the locking panel is foldably connected to the closure panel opposite to the end panel and the locking panel extends at least partially toward the end panel from the closure panel. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the pull tab extends from the locking panel and at least partially through a slot defined in at least the end panel. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the retention shoulder extends from a proximal panel foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, and the end panel at least partially overlaps the proximal panel when the closure is in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising a side top end structure foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the side top end structure comprises at least a proximal panel extending from the side panel, an intermediate panel extending downwardly from the proximal panel opposite to the side panel, a distal panel extending from the intermediate panel toward the side panel, and an end attachment flap in an at least partially overlapping relationship with the side panel, wherein the locking features comprise a retention shoulder extending from the proximal panel. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 10 , wherein the closure comprises an end panel and a locking panel, the end panel at least partially closes the end of the carton and at least a portion of the locking panel engages the retention shoulder in the interior of the carton to at least partially retain the closure in the closed position when the locking features are in the locked configuration, and wherein the end panel at least partially overlaps the proximal panel. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 1 , further comprising a first side top end structure foldably connected to a first side panel of the plurality of panels and a second side top end structure foldably connected to a second side panel of the plurality of panels, and wherein the locking features comprise a first retention shoulder and a second retention shoulder extending from the respective first side top end structure and second side top end structure toward a back panel extending from the first side panel to the second side panel. 
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the end is a top end and the closure is a top closure, wherein the carton further comprises a bottom end and a bottom closure for at least partially closing the bottom end of the carton, and wherein the bottom closure comprises bottom locking features configured to at least partially retain the bottom closure in a closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The carton of  claim 13 , wherein the bottom locking features comprise a bottom locking flap of the bottom closure and a retention flap foldably connected to a back panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the bottom locking flap and the retention flap are at least partially aligned so that the retention flap restricts movement of the bottom locking flap in at least one direction when the bottom locking features are in a locked configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The carton of  claim 14 , wherein a partition panel extends along at least a portion of the back panel, and wherein the retention flap and the bottom locking flap extend at least partially in a gap between the partition panel and the back panel when the bottom locking features are in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom closure comprises a bottom end panel foldably connected to a front panel of the plurality of panels and a bottom closure panel foldably connected to the bottom end panel, wherein the bottom locking flap is foldably connected to the bottom closure panel opposite to the bottom end flap, and the bottom closure panel is at least partially disposed in the gap between the partition panel and the back panel in an at least partially overlapping relationship with the bottom locking flap when the bottom closure is in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The carton of  claim 13 , wherein the bottom closure is recessed with respect to a bottom edge of the carton. 
     
     
         18 . A blank for forming a carton for holding one or more products, the blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the carton;   a closure for at least partially closing an end of the carton formed from the blank, the closure comprising locking features and opening features, the locking features being configured to at least partially retain the closure in a closed position when the locking features are in a locked configuration and when the carton is formed from the blank, and the opening features being for selectively opening the closure when the carton is formed from the blank, wherein the opening features comprise a pull tab and a push tab configured to be actuated to at least partially open the closure when the carton is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 18 , wherein the locking features comprise a retention shoulder for extending in the interior of the carton formed from the blank, the closure comprises a locking panel, and, when the carton is formed from the blank, at least a portion of the locking panel is for engaging under the retention shoulder to at least partially retain the closure in the closed position when the locking features are in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , further comprising a side top end structure foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the side top end structure comprises at least a proximal panel extending from the side panel and an end attachment flap at least partially secured to the side panel, wherein the retention shoulder extends from the proximal panel. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the locking panel comprises a locking edge that is for being spaced inwardly from a back panel of the plurality of panels when the carton is formed from the blank, wherein the pull tab extends from the locking edge of the locking panel, and the push tab extends in the back panel at a location for engaging the locking panel when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the closure comprises an end panel and a closure panel foldably connected to the end panel, the end panel is for at least partially closing the end of the carton formed from the blank, and wherein the locking panel is foldably connected to the closure panel opposite to the end panel. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the pull tab extends from the locking panel, and the pull tab is configured for being at least partially received through a slot defined in at least the end panel when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the retention shoulder extends from a proximal panel foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, and the end panel at least partially overlaps the proximal panel when the closure is in the closed position when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 18 , further comprising a side top end structure foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the side top end structure comprises at least a proximal panel foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, an intermediate panel foldably connected to the proximal panel along a second fold line opposite to the side panel, a distal panel foldably connected to the intermediate panel along a third fold line, and an end attachment flap foldably connected to the distal panel along a fourth fold line, and wherein the locking features comprise a retention shoulder extending from the proximal panel. 
     
     
         26 . The blank of  claim 18 , further comprising a first side top end structure foldably connected to a first side panel of the plurality of panels and a second side top end structure foldably connected to a second side panel of the plurality of panels, and wherein the locking features comprise a first retention shoulder and a second retention shoulder extending from the respective first side top end structure and second side top end structure. 
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 18 , wherein the closure is a top closure for at least partially closing a top end of the carton formed from the blank, wherein the blank further comprises a bottom closure for at least partially closing a bottom end of the carton formed from the blank, and wherein the bottom closure comprises bottom locking features configured to at least partially retain the bottom closure in a closed position when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 27 , wherein the bottom locking features comprise a bottom locking flap of the bottom closure and a retention flap foldably connected to a back panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the bottom locking flap and the retention flap are for being at least partially engaged with one another to at least partially retain the bottom closure in the closed position when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 28 , wherein a partition panel is foldably connected to the back panel, the partition panel is for being in an at least partially overlapping relationship with the back panel when the carton is formed from the blank, and wherein the retention flap and the bottom locking flap are for extending at least partially in a gap between the partition panel and the back panel when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         30 . The blank of  claim 29 , wherein the bottom closure comprises a bottom end panel foldably connected to a front panel of the plurality of panels and a bottom closure panel foldably connected to the bottom end panel, wherein the bottom locking flap is foldably connected to the bottom closure panel opposite to the bottom end flap. 
     
     
         31 . A method of forming a carton for holding one or more products, the method comprising:
 obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels and a closure, wherein the closure comprises locking features and opening features;   forming a carton by positioning the panels of the plurality of panels to extend at least partially around an interior of the carton;   wherein the locking features are configured to at least partially retain the closure in a closed position when the locking features are in a locked configuration and the opening features are for selectively opening the closure;   wherein the opening features comprise a pull tab and a push tab configured to be actuated to at least partially open the closure when the carton is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the locking features comprise a retention shoulder and the closure comprises a locking panel, the method further comprises at least partially closing the end, wherein the closing the end comprises positioning the retention shoulder and the locking panel to extend in the interior of the carton so that at least a portion of the locking panel engages under the retention shoulder to at least partially retain the closure in the closed position when the locking features are in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the blank further comprises a side top end structure foldably connected to a side panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the closing the end comprises positioning the side top end structure to extend at least partially in the interior of the carton. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the side top end structure comprises at least a proximal panel and an end attachment flap, wherein the retention shoulder extends from the proximal panel, and wherein the forming the carton comprises folding the side top end structure and securing the end attachment flap to the side panel. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the closure comprises an end panel and a closure panel foldably connected to the end panel, wherein the closing the end comprises positioning the end panel to at least partially close the end of the carton and positioning the closure panel to extend into the interior of the carton from the end panel. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the locking panel is foldably connected to the closure panel opposite to the end panel and the pull tab extends from the locking panel, wherein the forming the carton comprises folding the locking panel with respect to the closure panel so that the locking panel extends at least partially toward the end panel from the closure panel and positioning the pull tab to extend at least partially through a slot defined in at least the end panel. 
     
     
         37 . A carton for holding one or more products, the carton comprising:
 a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton;   a closure for at least partially closing an end of the carton, the closure comprising locking features configured to at least partially retain the closure in a closed position, wherein the locking features are at least partially protected from being accessed when the closure is in the closed position for resisting opening of the closure.   
     
     
         38 . The carton of  claim 37 , wherein the locking features comprise a locking flap of the closure and a retention flap foldably connected to a back panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the locking flap and the retention flap are at least partially aligned so that the retention flap restricts movement of the locking flap in at least one direction when the locking features are in a locked configuration. 
     
     
         39 . The carton of  claim 38 , wherein a partition panel extends along at least a portion of the back panel, and wherein the retention flap and the locking flap extend at least partially in a gap between the partition panel and the back panel when the locking features are in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         40 . The carton of  claim 39 , wherein the closure comprises an end panel foldably connected to a front panel of the plurality of panels and a closure panel foldably connected to the end panel, wherein the locking flap is foldably connected to the closure panel opposite to the end flap, and the closure panel is at least partially disposed in the gap between the partition panel and the back panel in an at least partially overlapping relationship with the locking flap when the closure is in the closed position. 
     
     
         41 . The carton of  claim 37 , wherein the end is a bottom end of the carton, and the closure is recessed with respect to a bottom edge of the carton.