Package for beverages

Abstract

An improvement to a beverage package that includes a flaccid beverage bag, a carton around the bag and a fill spout and dispensing device attached to the bag. The improvement wherein the carton is collapsible and includes front and rear panels with first and second spaced-apart side panels extending between the front and rear panels thereby forming a rectangular upper opening bounded by the panels. Furthermore, a spout securing panel is received in the opening and has the spout extending therethrough, and a cover panel is over the securing panel. A method for transporting and dispensing a beverage is also disclosed.

What is claimed:  
     
       1. In a beverage package including a flaccid beverage bag, a carton around the bag and a fill spout and dispensing device attached to the bag, the improvement wherein: 
       the carton includes front and rear panels and first and second spaced-apart side panels extending between the front and rear panels and forming a rectangular upper opening bounded by the panels;  
       a spout securing panel is received in the opening and has the spout extending therethrough; and  
       a cover panel is over the securing panel.  
     
     
       2. The package of  claim 1  including: 
       a cup retention panel attached to and spaced outwardly from the carton and including a cup retaining projection.  
     
     
       3. The package of  claim 1  wherein 
       the front panel includes an aperture; and  
       the dispensing device protrudes through the aperture.  
     
     
       4. The package of  claim 3  wherein: 
       the flaccid beverage bag has a top portion and a bottom portion and includes an interior and exterior;  
       the fill spout is connected in flow communication with the top portion of the beverage bag; and  
       the dispensing device connected near the bottom portion of the beverage bag in flow communication with the interior of such bag protrudes through the aperture.  
     
     
       5. The package of  claim 1  wherein a spring-closed spigot is attached to the dispensing device. 
     
     
       6. The package of  claim 1  wherein the carton includes a carrying handle. 
     
     
       7. The package of  claim 1  wherein: 
       the spout securing panel has a first width;  
       the front and rear panels have a second width; and  
       the second width is greater than the first width.  
     
     
       8. The package of  claim 1  wherein the package is collapsible. 
     
     
       9. A foldable blank erectable into a carton for transporting a beverage, the foldable blank comprising: 
       a front panel and a rear panel substantially parallel to each other, said front and rear panels each having an interior surface and an exterior surface and the front panel includes a flap having scored aperture at one end while the rear panel includes a scored carry-handle cutout;  
       a first side panel and a second side panel substantially parallel to each other and extending between the front panel and the rear panel;  
       a slit formed between the rear panel and the second side panel;  
       a cover panel attached to the front panel, said cover panel having a latch flap;  
       a cup retention panel extending from the rear panel, said cup retention panel having a lock tab suitable for insertion in the slit;  
       a first glue tab extending along the first side panel, said first glue tab adhering to the interior surface of the rear panel;  
       a first glue flap extending from front panel adhering to a third glue flap extending from the first side panel;  
       a second glue flap extending from the rear panel adhering to a fourth glue flap extending from the second panel, said second and fourth glue flaps interlocking with the first and third glue flaps,  
       thereby forming a bottom to the carton. 
     
     
       10. The foldable blank of  claim 9  wherein a spout securing panel having a scored opening is integrated with and extends from the rear panel. 
     
     
       11. The foldable blank of  claim 10  wherein: 
       the front and rear panels have a first width;  
       the securing panel has a second width; and  
       the first width is greater than the second width.  
     
     
       12. The foldable blank of  claim 9  wherein a separate spout securing panel having a scored opening is positioned between the front and rear panels. 
     
     
       13. The foldable blank of  claim 9  wherein a cup retaining projection is attached to the cup retention panel. 
     
     
       14. The foldable blank of  claim 9  wherein a series of scored lines are positioned between the front panel and the first side panel, the front panel and the second side panel, the second side panel and the rear panel, and the rear panel and the cup retention panel. 
     
     
       15. A method for transporting and dispensing a beverage in a beverage package that includes a flaccid beverage bag, a carton around the bag and a fill spout and dispensing device, said method comprised of the steps of 
       squaring-up a prefolded carton so that the carton has a top portion, a bottom portion, a front panel, a rear panel, and a first and second side panel;  
       positioning a spout securing panel having an opening in the top of the carton;  
       placing the fill spout in the opening in the spout securing panel;  
       installing the dispensing device through an aperture in the front panel;  
       filling the bag through the fill spout with a beverage;  
       inserting a latch flap attached to the top portion in a carry-handle located in the rear panel;  
       carrying the carton via the carry-handle to a desired location; and  
       dispensing the beverage through the dispensing device into a beverage serving apparatus.  
     
     
       16. A unitary foldable blank erectable into a carton for transporting a beverage, the foldable blank comprising: 
       
         a front vertical panel and a rear vertical panel, the panels being substantially parallel to each other when the blank is erected, the front and rear vertical panels each having an interior surface and an exterior surface and the front vertical panel includes an aperture at one end;  
       
       
         side vertical panels that extend between the front and rear vertical panels when the blank is erected; and  
       
         a spout - securing panel integral with and extending from one of the vertical panels, the spout - securing panel having a spout - receiving opening.   
     
     
       17. The unitary blank of  claim 16  further including a cover panel integral with and extending from another one of the vertical panels. 
     
     
       18. The unitary blank of  claim 16  wherein: 
       
         the front and rear panels have a first width;  
       
       
         the securing panel has a second width; and  
       
       
         the first width is greater than the second width. 
       
     
     
       19. The unitary blank of  claim 16  wherein: 
         the spout - securing panel is integral with and extends from the rear vertical panel; and    
       
         the cover panel is integral with and extends from the front vertical panel. 
       
     
     
       20. The unitary blank of  claim 19  wherein: 
         the rear panel includes a carry - handle cutout; and    
         the cover panel has a latch flap engageable with the carry - handle cutout when the blank is erected.   
     
     
       21. The unitary blank of  claim 16  wherein the side vertical panels consist of first and second side vertical panels which, when the blank is erected, are substantially parallel to each other, each extending from the front panel to the rear panel. 
     
     
       22. The unitary blank of  claim 21  further comprising: 
       
         a first glue tab that extends along the first side panel and, when the blank is erected, adheres to the interior surface of the rear panel;  
       
       
         a first glue flap that extends from front panel and, when the blank is erected, adheres to a third glue flap that extends from the first side panel; and  
       
       
         a second glue flap that extends from the rear panel and, when the blank is erected, adheres to a fourth glue flap that extends from the second side panel, the second and fourth glue flaps being interlockable with the first and third glue flaps upon erection of the blank. 
       
     
     
       23. The unitary blank of  claim 21  wherein a series of scored lines are positioned between the front panel and the first side panel, the front panel and the second side panel, and the second side panel and the rear panel. 
     
     
       24. The unitary blank of  claim 21  wherein: 
       
         a slit is formed between the rear panel and the second side panel; and  
       
       
         a cup retention panel extends from the rear panel, the cup retention panel having a lock tab suitable for insertion in the slit when the blank is erected. 
       
     
     
       25. The unitary blank of  claim 24  wherein the cup retention panel has a cup retaining projection attached thereto. 
     
     
       26. A method for transporting and dispensing a beverage in a package that includes a flaccid beverage bag, a carton around the bag, a fill spout and a dispensing device attached to the bag, the method comprising the steps of: 
         providing a unitary non - erected carton having, as parts of a single piece,  ( a )  front and rear vertical panels, the front panel having an aperture at one end,  ( b )  side vertical panels extending between the front and rear vertical panels, and  ( c )  a spout - securing panel integral with and extending from one of the vertical panels, the spout - securing panel having a spout - receiving opening, the non - erected carton enclosing the flaccid beverage bag with the dispensing device secured through the panel aperture in the front panel;    
         erecting the carton so that it has a top portion and a bottom portion, the erecting step including positioning the integral spout - securing panel at the top portion of the carton and placing the fill spout in the spout - receiving opening;    
       
         filling the bag through the fill spout with a beverage;  
       
       
         carrying the carton to a desired location; and  
       
       
         dispensing the beverage through the dispensing device. 
       
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of placing a cover on the top portion of the carton. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27  wherein the cover comprises a cover panel integral with and extending from another one of the vertical panels. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  further comprising the step of inserting a latch flap integral with and extending from the cover panel into a carry- handle cutout included in the rear vertical panel.   
     
     
       30. A beverage package comprising: 
         a unitary erectable carton that, in erected condition, has  ( a )  a front vertical panel and a rear vertical panel substantially parallel to each other, the front vertical panel having an aperture at one end,  ( b )  side vertical panels extending between the front and rear vertical panels, and  ( c )  a spout - securing panel with a spout - receiving opening, all of such panels being part of a single piece; and    
       
         a flaccid beverage bag enclosed in the carton, the bag having a fill spout secured through the spout-receiving opening and a dispensing device secured through the aperture. 
       
     
     
       31. The beverage package of  claim 30  wherein a spring- closed spigot is attached to the dispensing device.   
     
     
       32. The beverage package of  claim 30  wherein: 
       
         the unitary erectable carton includes a cup retention panel that is integral with the carton; and  
       
       
         the carton, in erected condition, has the cup retention panel extending outward from the carton. 
       
     
     
       33. The beverage package of  claim 30  wherein the rear panel includes a carry- handle cutout.   
     
     
       34. The beverage package of  claim 30  wherein the side vertical panels consist of first and second side vertical panels and the unitary erectable carton further comprises: 
       
         a first glue tab extending along the first side panel that adheres to the interior surface of the rear panel;  
       
       
         a first glue flap extending from front panel that adheres to a third glue flap extending from the first side panel; and  
       
       
         a second glue flap extending from the rear panel that adheres to a fourth glue flap extending from the second side panel, the second and fourth glue flaps being interlockable with the first and third glue flaps to form a bottom when the carton is in erected condition. 
       
     
     
       35. The beverage package of  claim 30  wherein: 
       
         the vertical panels form an upper opening when the unitary erectable carton is in erected condition; and  
       
         the spout - securing panel extends into the upper opening.   
     
     
       36. The beverage package of  claim 35  wherein the unitary erectable carton includes a cover panel that is integral with the carton and wherein the carton, in erected condition, has the cover panel extending over the spout- securing panel.