Beverage carrier

A carrier made of vacuum formed plastic comprising:

• a bottom panel, including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said panel portions being integrally and contiguously joined along a common foldable divider line;
• a pair of side panels extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom panel;
• a pair of end panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel and having opposite side edges joined to side edges of respective side panels, each of said end panels including a first and a second flat panel having a common separable edge, each of said separable common edges being integrally joined to a side of a pleated intermedially disposed triangular panel;
• said pleated triangular panels enabling said outwardly opened carrier to form a central interior cavity,
• a pair of top panels each integrally connected to an upper periphery of one of said side panels, a plurality of openings in each of said top panels, the top panels being integrally connected at their ends to said end panels,
• said top panels integrally connected on their sides to the upper edges of said side panels and to said end panels, the top panels proximally located to an opening for access to said central interior cavity of the carrier,
• said top panels are connected at their internal lateral edges to a raised central portion which serves as a carrying handle for the carrier,
• said handle formed of a loop of plastic material, said handle being pivotal to an open position, whereby said central cavity is presented.

A method for forming a carrier, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a blank template of the carrier, said blank template including a bottom panel, a pair of sectioned apart end panels, each said end panel comprised of a pair of flat panels and a pleated triangular panel, a pair of side panels, a pair of inner panels, a plurality of tabs, and a plurality of handle halves, ;
• folding the blank template upwardly along the lateral edges of the bottom panel of said carrier;
• folding the flat panels of said end panels inwardly so that the flat panels of said end panels are perpendicular to the blank template and the bottom panel;
• folding tabs connected to the bottom panel inwardly of said blank template so that said bottom tabs are perpendicular to the flat panels and the bottom panel;
• securing fixedly said tabs to the bottom panel;
• folding tabs connected to the end panels inwardly so that said end tabs are perpendicular to the bottom panel;
• folding the triangular pleated panels in half of the end panels of the blank template so that said folded panels are flush with one of the inner wall panels of said blank template;
• folding the folded halves of said handle in half;
• folding the inner panels of the blank template inwardly so that the inner panels are approximately perpendicular to said folded handle halves;
• folding tabs connected to the inner panels inwardly;
• folding inwardly the top panels of the blank template;
• folding inwardly the tabs connected to the top panels;
• securing the triangular pleated panels to the flat panels of said end panels;
• securing the top panel tabs to the flat end panels;
• and
• securing the inner panel tabs to the bottom panel of the blank template.

A method for forming a carrier, said method comprising the steps of:

• vacuum-forming a first plastic part, said first plastic part comprising a handle and a pair of top panels, said top panels having a plurality of openings;
• vacuum-forming a second plastic part, said second plastic part comprising a bottom panel, a pair of side panels extending laterally upward from the bottom panel, and a pair of end panels extending laterally upward from the bottom panels, said end panels each comprising a pair of flat panels and a pleated triangular panel, said pair of flat panels connected to the edges of the pleated triangular panel;
• and
• electronically welding the first vacuum-formed part fittingly onto the second vacuumed-formed part.

A carrier formed of a sheet material comprising:

• a bottom panel, including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said panel portions being integrally and contiguously joined along a common foldable divider line;
• a pair of side panels extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom panel;
• a pair of end panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel and having opposite side edges joined to side edges of respective side panels, each of said end panels including a first and a second flat panel having a common separable edge, each of said separable common edges being integrally joined to a side of a pleated intermedially disposed triangular panel;
• said pleated triangular panels enabling said outwardly opened carrier to form a central interior cavity;
• a pair of storage areas formed by said side panels, said bottom panels, said flat panels of said end panels, and a pair of lateral internal panels, said storage areas proximally located near said central interior cavity;
• said central interior cavity being defined by said pair of lateral internal panels, said pleated triangular panels, said lateral internal panels being connected at said foldable divider line of said bottom panel.

A carrier formed of a sheet material comprising:

• a bottom panel, including a first panel portion and a second panel portion, said panel portions being integrally and contiguously joined along a common foldable divider line;
• a pair of side panels extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom panel;
• a pair of end panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel and having opposite side edges joined to side edges of respective side panels, each of said end panels including a first and a second flat panel having a common separable edge, each of said separable common edges being integrally joined to a side of a pleated intermedially disposed triangular panel;
• said pleated triangular panels enabling said outwardly opened carrier to form a central interior cavity;
• a pair of top panels each integrally connected to an upper periphery of one of said side panels, a plurality of openings in each of said top panels, the top panels being integrally connected at their ends to said end panels;
• said top panels integrally connected on their sides to the upper edges of said side panels and to said end panels, the top panels proximally located to an opening for access to said central interior cavity of the carrier;
• said central interior cavity being defined by a pair of lateral internal panels, and said pleated panels of said end panels, said lateral internal panels being connected at the common foldable divider line of said bottom panel;
• and
• a audio microchip embedded in the design of the carrier.