Dispensing carton
United States Patent 1191 Phillips 1 DISPENSING CARTON Gary Edward Phillips. 5645 Wish Ave., Encino. Calif. 91316 221 Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 21 Appl.No.:389,788  
 [76] Inventor:  
 [52] US. Cl. 206/395; 206/303; 206/455;  
  206/491: 229/16; 229/17 S [51] Int. Cl 865d 5/72; 865d 5/00 [58] Field of Search 206/395. 396, 309. 387.  
 206/455. 303. 491, 446,D1G. 36. 308. 15; 229/17 5.16.17 SC; 312/10 1111 3,876,072 Apr. s, 1975 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant Eraminer-Joseph M. Moy Attorney. Agent. or FirmRalph B. Pastoriza [57] ABSTRACT A dispensing carton is made up of a single integral sheet of flat stock having transverse cuts extending in from opposite sides and terminating short of a longitudinal center line. Panels defined between the rear end and transverse cuts are folded upwardly to define a box structure and the paneled portions between the front end of the sheet and the transverse slots are similarly folded upwardly to define a holder. The arrangement is such that the holder portion may then be nested between the box panel portions by swinging the holder towards the box entrance about a fold line between the termination points of the transverse cuts. The result is a box wherein the holder may be easily pulled out from the box to expose an object for easy removal or insertion.  
 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DISPENSING CARTON This invention relates generally to cartons for holding objects and more particularly to an inexpensive dispensing carton made up of a single sheet of flat stock such as paper or cardboard.  
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While the principles of the present invention are applicable to many different types of box or carton structures. the preferred embodiment has to do with an improvement in the types of cartons used for holding cylindrical objects such as film reels, tape recording reels. and the like.  
  Normally, film reels such as 8 millimeter or 16 millimeter are provided in cardboard type cartons and in order to remove the reel, one of the edge flaps includ ing an end tab is pulled outwardly and then the carton inverted to permit the reel to fall out or in some instances. the carton must be shaken to dislodge the reel.  
  In the case of film and tape recordings. the carton is often reused many times. For example. a purchaser or user will remove the film or reel to show or play the contents thereof and then replace it in the carton after he has finished for storage. It would be desirable. accordingly, if a carton could be inexpensively designed wherein removal and insertion of the reel or equivalent cylindrical object could be facilitated.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION With the foregoing in mind, the present invention contemplates an improved carton structure particularly useful for cylindrical objects such as film or tape reels wherein there is provided easy access for removal and- /or insertion of the reel.  
  More particularly, the carton is formed from a single sheet of flat stock having front and rear ends and opposite sides and including cuts extending into the sheet from the opposite sides and terminating short of a longitudinal center line running from the rear to the front end at specific termination points. The portions of the sheet to the right and left of the longitudinal center line and to the rear of the cuts constitute right and left box panels which may be folded upwardly 90 about box fold lines running forwardly from the rear of the sheet parallel to and on either side of the longitudinal center line up to the termination points of the cuts. The portion of the sheet between the box fold lines defines a bottom and the upper and rear edges of the panels may be folded downwardly and forwardly respectively to define a top and rear wall of the box.  
  The right and left sheet portions between the transverse cuts and the front end of the sheet constitute right and left holder panels which may be folded upwardly 90 about holder fold lines running rearwardly from the front end of the sheet parallel to and on either side of the longitudinal center line up to the termination points of the cuts.  
  With the foregoing arrangement, the holder panels may be slid between the box panels by folding the sheet about a fold line extending between the termination points. The bottom portion on the sheet between the holder fold lines defines a front closure for the box when the holder panels are nested fully between the box panels. This front closure thus provides an access means by swinging the holder out from between the box panels so that its open top is exposed to receive or remove an object to be held in the box.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the invention as well as further details thereof will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:  
  FIG. I is a perspective view of the dispensing carton of the present invention in open position preparatory to receiving a film or tape reel shown in exploded relationship;  
  FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partly broken away of the carton of FIG. 1 in closed position looking generally in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. I; and,  
  FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a flat layout of the sheet of stock material cut in such a manner as to enable forming of the box of FIG. 1.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1 the dispensing carton includes a box portion 10 having side panels II and 12, a bottom 13, rear 14, and top I5 defining a rectangular shaped box structure with an open front end. A holder portion designated generally by the arrrow 16 includes side panels 17 and 18 and a bottom I9. The upper rear edge portions of the panels I7 and 18 are folded over to define a tab 20 arranged to protrude through a slot 21 formed in the top 15 of the box.  
  With the foregoing structure, the bottom 19 of the holder portion 16 may be folded upwardly relative to the bottom 13 of the box portion I0 in such a manner that the holder panels 17 and I8 nest between the box panels II and 12 so that the bottom l9 serves as a front closure when the holder panels are swung completely into a position between the box panels. On the other hand when the holder panels are swung outwardly. the small tab 20 which is biased upwardly catches in the slot defined by the notch 21 and thus limits the outward swinging of the holder to a position in which an object such as the reel 22 of FIG. I may be readily inserted or removed.  
  To facilitate swinging outwardly of the panel holder, the front edges of the box panels may be provided with cut outs defining pull-out notches I I and 12 to expose portions of the holder panel when the holder is nested fully within the box. In addition, the upper front corners of the holder panels 17 and 18 are cut inwardly to define thumb notches as at 17&#39; and 18 to permit easy gripping of the sides of the reel 22 or other object held within the holder.  
  Referring to FIG. 2 the holder is shown completely nested in the box and it will be noted that the bottom 19 which serves as a front closure for the box when the holder is nested in the box includes a small extended lip 19&#39; which extends slightly above the top 15 of the box portion. This lip 19&#39; provides another means of swinging the front closure downwardly when opening the carton.  
  Referring now to FIG. 3, the manner in which the dispensing carton described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed will become evident.  
  In FIG. 3 there is shown a single sheet of flat stock making up the box portion and bolder portions of the carton of FIG. 1. The parts of the flat sheet corresponding to these portions are indicated by the numerals l0 and II. The rear of the sheet is designated R, the front of the sheet designated F and the opposite sides Su and Sb. As shown, the edge of one of the sides constituting the box panel II includes a single longitudinal glue line 23 which is formed on the flat sheet stock when in a flattened position. The longitudinal center line of the sheet is indicated by the dashed line L.  
  In forming the carton from the sheet of FIG. 3, there are provided cuts 24 and 25 extending into the sheet from the opposite sides terminating short of the longitudinal center line L at termination points P1 and P2. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the cuts 24 and 25 do not completely extend through the sheet adjacent the opposite edges as indicated by the small perforation circles, these perforations being readily broken to separate the panels at these portions so that in effect, the cuts 24 and 25 extend from the outer edges of the opposite sides to the termination points PI and P2.  
  The cuts and perforated portions as well as the pull out notches 11&#39; and I2 and the thumb notches 17&#39; and 18&#39; described heretofore with respect to FIG. I can be effected by a single stamping operation. The cutting die would, in addition, include other small cut portions to permit easy formation of the carton as will now be described.  
  With the sheet cut in the pattern shown in FIG. 3, the right and left box panels II and I2 may be folded up wardly 90 about box fold lines A and 8 running for wardly from the rear of the sheet parallel and on either side of the longitudinal center line up to the termination points PI and P2. The portion of the sheet between the box fold lines A and B defines the bottom I3 and the upper and rear edges of the panels are foldable downwardly and forwardly respectively to define the top I5 and the rear wall 14 of the box as described in FIG. I. The glue line 23 may be utilized to glue the downwardly folded top edge portions of the panels.  
  The right and left holder panels I7 and I8 may similarly be folded upwardly 90 about holder fold lines C and D running rearwardly from the front end of the sheet parallel to and on either side of the longitudinal center line L up to the termination points P1 and P2. The formation of the small tab is then effected by folding over the rear upper corners ofthe holder panels 17 and I8 and gluing the same. The extended tab 20 may be biased upwardly slightly by bending it such that it will fall within the slot 21 described in FIG. I when the holder portion is swung out from between the box panels.  
  The rear 14 of the box may be secured by suitable tucking in of the defined flaps or any equivalent means or if desired by providing an additional glue line along the surface ofthe rear edge portion defining the rear 14 of the box panel 12.  
  It will be clear from FIG. 3 that when the various pan els are folded as described. the box will be oriented as illustrated in FIG. 1 and since corresponding numerals have been used to designate corresponding portions in each of FIGS. I and 3, the assembly of the box will be clear. It will be understood that the box panels and holder panels may be folded upwardly simultaneously since they are temporarily together at the perforated portion along the cut lines 24 and 25 as a matter of ease in forming the box. After the panels have been simultaneously folded upwardly about the fold lines, the perforated portions of the cuts may then be severed so that the holder panels 17 and 18 can then be caused to slide between the box panels 11 and 12 in the manner de scribed in FIG. 1. In this respect, it will be understood that the swinging of the holder portion into the box portion takes place about a fold line E extending between the termination points P1 and P2 so that the portion of the sheet between the fold lines C and D forms the front closure 19 for the box.  
 OPERATION In operation, after the carton has been assembled as described, it is an easy matter for a person to flip out the holder portion either by use of the extended lip 19&#39; or by gripping the sides of the holder panels exposed by the cut outs 11&#39; and I2 of the box panels. The degree of outward swinging as described is limited by engagement of the tab 20 in the slot 21 but the extent of outward swinging is sufficient to provide easy access to the holder for insertion or removal of a reel.  
  Ifa reel is inserted, the holder portion may then sim ply be swung within the box portion to properly house the reel as indicated in FIG. 2.  
  When a plurality of such cartons are provided, they may be stacked side by side in a neat arrangement and access to any particular reel in any particular carton may readily be had by just simply swinging out the front closure portion of that particular carton. It is not necessary to actually pick up the entire carton in attempt to open an edge portion thereof as is the case with conventional cartons.  
  It should be noted in FIG. 3 that the fold line for the panel holding the tab 20 and the fold line for the opposite panel portion are spaced slightly inwardly towards the longitudinal center line L compared to the fold lines for the top edge portions of the panels 11 and 12. As a result, the tab 20 and adjacent panel portion will engage the rear portion of the reel and eject it out during swinging of the holder 16 out of the box. Thus the reel 22 is pushed forward as the front 19 swings down. When the tab 20 engages the slot 21, the center point of the reel is approximately over the fold line E.  
  From the foregoing description, it will thus be evident that the present invention has provided a greatly improved dispensing carton which can be formed from a single integral sheet of flat stock and which greatly facilitates insertion and removal of objects to be held thereby.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A dispensing carton comprising a single sheet of flat stock having rear and front ends and opposite sides and including cuts extending into the sheet from said opposite sides and terminating short of a longitudinal center line running from the rear to the front end at termination points, said sheet having box fold lines and holder fold lines to define right and left box panels and right and left holder panels respectively such that a. said right and left box panels may be folded upwardly about said box fold lines running forwardly from the rear of the sheet parallel to and on either side of said longitudinal center line up to the termination points of the cuts, said box panels defining right and left sides of a box, the portion of the sheet between the box fold lines defining a bottom and the upper and rear edges of the panels being foldable downwardly and forwardly respectively to define a top and rear wall of the box, and such that b. said right and left holder panels may be folded upwardly 90 about said holder fold lines running rearwardly from the front end of the sheet parallel to and on either side of said longitudinal center line up to the termination points of the cuts, said holder panels defining right and left sides of a holder whereby the holder panels may be slid between the box panels by folding the sheet about a fold line ex tending between said termination points the bot tom portion of the sheet between the holder fold lines defining a front closure for the box when the holder panels are nested fully between the box panels and. whereby swinging out said front closure provides access to the holder between the holder panels to receive and remove an object to be held in the box, the upper edges of the panels which are folded downwardly to define a top for the box including notches which register together to define a transverse slot in the top of the box. one of the upper edges of the holder panel defining a tab which extends forwardly and upwardly in such a manner that swinging out of the front closure results in said tab entering said slot to limit the degree of outward swinging of the holder panels to a position providing access to the space between the holder panels sufficient to insert or remove said object.  
  2. A dispensing carton according to claim 1, in which there are provided cut-outs defining pull out notches in the front edges of the box panels to expose portions of the holder panels when the holder is disposed wholly within the box so that the holder may easily be gripped and swung outwardly.  
  3. A dispensing carton according to claim I. in which the forward outer corners of the holder panels are cut inwardly to define thumb notches such that sides of an object disposed in the holder are exposed for easy gripping and removable of the object.  
  4. A dispensing carton according to claim 3, in which one of the upper edges of one of the panels includes a single glue line formed thereon when the carton is in the form ofa sheet of flat stock so that when the upper edges of the panels are folded downwardly to define a top for the box, they may be glued together.